Eight years of love, a dream shattered overnight.

Ending a long-term relationship is very difficult. The difficulty lies not only in truly cutting off everything from the past in one's heart, but also in the predictable, lengthy entanglements and complications that follow, as well as completely separating oneself from a joint entity—changing accounts, moving houses, and severing some mutual friendships.

But now, He Lezhi had to face all this. No matter how much he hated trouble, he had to handle them one by one.

For a long time after, He Lezhi was stuck in the middle of trouble. The world was just one giant mess.

Compared to Zhou Muyao's obvious pain, He Lezhi was so calm that he seemed cruel. He silently moved out of their rented apartment, taking only his daily necessities and a few sets of clothes, as if he were just going on a business trip.

Zhou Muyao tried everything he could to find him, going to his workplace and also to He Qi's house. He Lezhi didn't hide from him, but he never wavered. No matter how Zhou Muyao cried and begged, or sincerely repented, He Lezhi never once uttered a word of forgiveness.

In these eight years, He Lezhi had been tolerant and indulgent toward Zhou Muyao, always willing to coax him and make him happy.

But in the end, not all mistakes could be forgiven.

“Focus!” He Qi's loud voice startled He Lezhi, who was spacing out in the living room.

He Qi played the melody again, starting in a new key to demonstrate.

A young girl stood by the piano, practicing her coloratura along with He Qi's rhythm.

“Open your throat!”

“Above the cheekbones! Let it out from your head voice!”

“Don't strain your throat, less chest voice, very good!”

He Qi's voice had a strong presence amidst the melody. He Lezhi leaned back on the sofa, picked up a throw pillow from the side, and held it loosely.

The student was a visually impaired girl. Because she lived nearby, He Qi always had her come to the house for lessons instead of going to a studio.

He Qi had been teaching her for two years. She was clearly stricter with her than with other students. He Lezhi once came home to find He Qi had criticized the girl to tears.

After the criticism and the end of the lesson, she would give the girl a small cake to eat.

Since childhood, He Lezhi had been familiar with the sounds of He Qi teaching others—the piano, the singing, and He Qi's instructions in between. During his childhood holidays, He Qi didn't feel comfortable leaving him home alone, so she would always take him to lessons or have students come to the house. Back then, He Lezhi would just sleep when he got bored. He was familiar with all these melodies. Despite the high-pitched and sometimes sharp sounds, they still made the now thirty-year-old He Lezhi comfortably drowsy.

He dreamed chaotically of his childhood. In the dream, after a lesson, He Qi would pick up the He Lezhi who was curled up on the sofa, hold him on her lap, and kiss his forehead.

Back then, He Lezhi loved to lie drowsily in his mother's arms, listening to her sing or talk to others. Instead of finding it noisy, it made him feel safe.

In reality, at the age when He Lezhi could be held in her arms to sleep, He Qi hadn't started giving lessons yet, but He Lezhi often dreamed of it. Perhaps people subconsciously connect everything they are familiar with, and gradually fabricate a vivid memory, immersing themselves in it as the source of their initial happiness in life.

“Has the older brother left?” the girl asked in a low voice.

“He’s asleep,” He Qi replied, also in a low voice.

He Lezhi vaguely felt a blanket being gently placed over him, and a hand tenderly caressed his face.

“Is the lesson over?” He Lezhi asked with a mumble, his eyes still closed.

He Qi hummed in agreement and told him, “Go ahead and sleep.”

“How many older brothers?” He Lezhi heard the girl ask.

“Only one,” He Qi answered.

He Lezhi drifted in and out of sleep. When he finally woke up completely, the girl had already been picked up by her family, leaving only him and He Qi at home. He Qi was sitting not far from him, her hair casually held up with a clip, mending a dress.

He Lezhi didn't move, just stared at her blankly for a while.

“Mom.”

“Here,” He Qi responded.

He Lezhi smiled, sat up straight, stretched his arms, and asked, “Did I sleep for a long time?”

“A little over an hour.” He Qi bit off the thread, put the needle back in the sewing box, and asked him, “Haven’t you been sleeping well these past few days?”

He Lezhi didn't answer, only saying, “Sleeping at home is so comfortable.”

He Qi said, “Then move back in.”

“It's too far,” He Lezhi said. “The commute to work would take an hour.”

“Staying in a hotel all the time isn't a long-term solution. It's so inconvenient.”

He Lezhi hummed in agreement and said, “I'm looking.”

Having moved out on short notice, He Lezhi had nowhere to stay. His company did have a staff dormitory—a large apartment rented for several out-of-town employees to share—and there was a spare room, but He Lezhi didn't move in.

He hadn't told his colleagues about his breakup, and he wasn't keen on living in a communal environment. He was a level above them in rank; it would be awkward for others to live with their superior.

There were few new apartments and many old buildings near the company, so he hadn't found a suitable place yet. He had been living in a hotel for over half a month.

“You should just buy a place,” He Qi said.

“We'll see,” He Lezhi said. “I can't be bothered to look.”

Before, he and Zhou Muyao were in a long-distance relationship, and Zhou Muyao wasn't sure if he could transfer back. Even if he could, his work location wasn't set, so He Lezhi hadn't bought a house yet. Now, none of that needed to be considered anymore, and He Lezhi had no thoughts on the matter for the time being.

“You and Xiao Hei.” He Qi suddenly changed the subject, and He Lezhi subconsciously looked at her.

He Qi asked directly, “Is there any chance of getting back together?”

Without hesitation, He Lezhi calmly replied, “No.”

“That's what I thought.” He Qi didn't seem to have anything more to say. She unfolded the dress whose waistline she had just taken in to show He Lezhi, showing him how perfectly she had sewn it.

“Does he still look for you every day?” He Lezhi asked.

“Yes, every day,” He Qi said. “He wants me to help him.”

He Lezhi didn't ask how He Qi had replied; he didn't need to. He knew He Qi too well. He had grown up relaxed under his mother's absolute love. In any matter, He Lezhi only needed to follow his own heart.

“I told him to let you calm down for a while before anything else, and not to look for you for now,” He Qi said as she folded the dress.

Indeed, Zhou Muyao hadn't been contacting He Lezhi as frequently these past few days, giving He Lezhi some breathing room. He didn't really know how to face Zhou Muyao. Every time Zhou Muyao waited for him downstairs at his company, He Lezhi had no idea what else he could say to him.

Perhaps as the days went by, Zhou Muyao began to realize that He Lezhi truly wasn't going to forgive him, and so he grew more and more frantic. Zhou Muyao seemed to be gradually understanding that he was losing He Lezhi. He desperately wanted to hold on.

He Lezhi's initial emotions gradually faded. He was no longer angry, just somewhat numb. He seemed to be accepting it faster than Zhou Muyao. Perhaps on that night when Zhou Muyao got drunk, He Lezhi's eight years of feelings had already been mercilessly shattered.

He Qi made several dishes for him to eat, but He Lezhi ate with difficulty; his tooth was aching.

“You should get that tooth pulled quickly. You can't put it off forever anyway,” He Qi told him before he left.

He Lezhi made a pained face and grunted in agreement.

“The sooner you get it pulled, the sooner it's over,” He Qi urged him. “Don't drag it out.”

“I know,” He Lezhi said.

“Go on back. Get some rest, you have work tomorrow.” He Qi raised a hand and stroked his face. “Eat well, sleep well. It's not a big deal. Don't lose any more weight.”

“No problem,” He Lezhi agreed readily.

He Lezhi still put off getting that tooth pulled for a long time.

In the period that followed, he began working overtime and going on business trips day and night. He cut off almost all social life outside of work and lost contact with all his friends.

Having dated Zhou Muyao for many years, their lives were deeply intertwined. Their circles of friends overlapped, and every one of them had witnessed their eight years together and felt it was a shame. When they contacted He Lezhi, it was either to speak on Zhou Muyao's behalf or to create an opportunity for Zhou Muyao by asking He Lezhi out.

He Lezhi used being busy with work as an excuse to decline all social invitations. After a while, no one bothered asking him anymore.

He Lezhi had just returned from a business trip and was unpacking. His phone rang at that moment. He Lezhi picked it up and glanced at the screen.

The caller was “Fangchi”.

He Lezhi was a little surprised and answered the call.

“Lezhi?” the person on the other end spoke first, his tone lilting and familiar.

“Fangchi.”

“What are you up to?” Han Fangchi asked.

He Lezhi said, “Just got back from a trip, unpacking clothes. It's a mess.”

Han Fangchi's voice sounded normal, showing no difference from before. He asked He Lezhi, “Want to come over for dinner tomorrow?”

He Lezhi was stunned for a moment, then remembered that Han Fangchi must have moved.

After Han Fangchi bought and renovated his apartment, it had sat empty for over a year. When the apartment was being renovated, He Lezhi had gifted him a sofa set, which he'd asked a designer friend to order for him. At the acquaintance price, it had cost nearly twenty thousand.

At the time, Zhou Muyao had answered Han Fangchi's call. While playing a game, Zhou Muyao had said, “What sofa? I don't know anything about it.”

Han Fangchi had said, “Let Lezhi take the phone.”

He Lezhi was sitting right beside him and leaned over, saying, “Don't be polite, it's just a small token.”

This had happened over a year ago.

He Lezhi said, “You moved in? Congratulations.”

“Just moved. I'm having them over for dinner tomorrow. Are you coming?” Han Fangchi asked.

“I can't make it. I just got back from a trip and I'm a bit tired. I'll probably have to work overtime tomorrow anyway,” He Lezhi said with a smile. “Have fun, you guys.”

Han Fangchi hummed in acknowledgment and didn't press him. “Figured you wouldn't be able to come.”

Naturally, He Lezhi couldn't go to such a gathering. Whether Zhou Muyao went or not, He Lezhi would be the center of the topic.

He Lezhi just smiled and didn't say anything more.

“Then come by yourself another day,” Han Fangchi said.

He Lezhi immediately agreed, “Okay.”

After the call ended, He Lezhi remained as he was, staring blankly at a spot on the ceiling.

He always liked to space out like this.

Normally, He Lezhi would definitely have gone if Han Fangchi invited him for a meal, but right now, he didn't want to attend any gatherings, nor did he want to contact anyone connected to Zhou Muyao.

It wasn't that he was cold-hearted; he just didn't want to be persuaded to reconcile. In others' eyes, it was a real shame for an eight-year relationship to end just like that, so everyone wanted to try to persuade them. People always advise reconciliation, not separation.

However, for the current He Lezhi, all of this was just too much trouble.

Since He Lezhi didn't even come to the get-together Han Fangchi organized, it meant that no one could get He Lezhi to come out.

Zhou Muyao was all alone, and no one could help him.

He didn't know where He Lezhi was living. Other than downstairs at the company, there was no other place he could see him.

Once again, Zhou Muyao came to wait for He Lezhi downstairs. He got into He Lezhi's car, but He Lezhi remained silent. No matter what Zhou Muyao said, it was as if he didn't hear a thing.

With red-rimmed eyes, Zhou Muyao said He Lezhi was cruel.

He Lezhi still said nothing.

Zhou Muyao looked extremely haggard, his former vibrant spirit completely gone.

In the end, He Lezhi didn't say a single word to him. The moment he got out of the car, He Lezhi immediately drove away. Watching the tall young man shrink in the rearview mirror, for a split second, He Lezhi actually felt that he was indeed cruel. An eight-year relationship, cut off just like that. Life went on as usual, with no signs of weariness, except that he had lost some weight.

That night, He Lezhi came down with a fever for no apparent reason.

He didn't know if it was a cold, so he didn't take any medicine. Lying on the hotel bed, his drowsy mind was filled with thoughts of Zhou Muyao.

From Zhou Muyao's freshman year of college until now, he had grown up with this boy.

Zhou Muyao's listless expression as he got out of the car that afternoon was fixed in He Lezhi's mind. His heart still ached for him. After all, that was Xiao Hei, and the feelings he had given were all genuine.

'I really am cruel,' He Lezhi thought.

The nerve by his temple throbbed with pain, as if someone were pulling on a thread that could snap at any moment.

He Lezhi closed his eyes and forced himself to breathe slowly.

'But I'm also very, very sad,' he thought.