Volume One, Chapter One: The Home Was Burgled

At exactly six in the evening, as usual, I left the café carrying my laptop bag, under the disdainful gaze of the waiter.

For the past two months, like clockwork, I’ve been coming here every day to write my novel—arriving at nine in the morning and leaving at six in the evening, come rain or shine.

Two months ago, I was laid off, unfortunately becoming one of the countless casualties in the massive wave of layoffs sweeping through major companies.

After receiving my severance package, it felt as if I had plummeted straight from heaven into hell.

Anxiety, confusion, panic…

Like a beast lurking in the darkness, gnawing at me relentlessly.

I worked in live-streaming operations—an industry driven not by passion but by ruthless competition. It was already bleak; this year layoffs came in waves, and competing for jobs was harder than attracting viewers.

In these two months, I applied for over a dozen positions and attended countless interviews, yet I never received a suitable offer.

“Sir, would you like to buy some flowers?”

Emerging from the café, I was engrossed in my phone, scrolling through job listings when a young girl selling flowers suddenly appeared before me, interrupting my thoughts.

I stared at her face in surprise, then noticed the bundles of roses she was holding, and it finally dawned on me—

Oh, today is the Qixi Festival.

So I bought a large bouquet of roses, planning to surprise Kuang Li.

Lately, the pressure on both of us had been immense, and we often quarreled over trivial matters.

Just that morning, we’d had a fight before leaving the house. In anger, I declared I’d be working late and wouldn’t come home, and we hadn’t spoken all day.

I was still hiding the fact that I’d been laid off from Kuang Li.

We had planned to return to my hometown on November 1st for the wedding; everything—from the house renovation to the arrangements—was ready. But fate had other plans, and my layoff hit me like a thunderbolt, leaving me unprepared.

I rushed home as fast as I could.

The door wasn’t properly closed—a careless mistake, typical of Kuang Li.

I pushed the door open, my heart full of anticipation, only to be met with a pair of LV men’s shoes on the floor.

My head buzzed, and my mind went blank.

From the bedroom came ragged, bone-deep breaths and the harsh sound of the headboard hitting the wall, like thunder and lightning crashing down, threatening to split me in two.

A bolt from the blue.

A chill surged from my feet to my skull, freezing my blood instantly.

The two inside were so engrossed in their act they didn’t notice the furious figure standing at the door, veins bulging.

I couldn’t believe it—Kuang Li had actually cheated on me.

I remembered her mentioning a man—a client from her company—whose surname was Zhang. That was all I knew.

My body trembled uncontrollably, like an enraged stray dog. With all my strength, I kicked the door open.

The lovers on the bed were terrified out of their wits.

Kuang Li screamed, hastily wrapping herself in a blanket.

I grabbed the broom behind the door and stormed to the bed, striking the man fiercely as I cursed, “Zhang! You’re stealing from me in my own home! I’ll castrate you today!”

The plastic broom snapped with the blow. Zhang howled, clutching his head and crouching down.

Not yet satisfied, I grabbed a photo frame from the table and slammed it down on his head, shattering it instantly.

He wailed, blood trickling between his fingers.

I looked down at the photo on the floor—taken last year in Sanya, Kuang Li riding piggyback on me, making a peace sign at the camera. Nine years of love finally coming to fruition, the two in the picture so perfect, so happy.

The sky stained with a man’s blood, the once azure now streaked with crimson.

I stood frozen, tears swirling in my eyes.

Shaking my head to cast away mercy, I raised the broomstick again to strike.

At that moment, Kuang Li grabbed me from behind, crying and begging me to stop, then gestured urgently for Zhang to flee.

That bastard Zhang seized his clothes and pants and bolted out, bare-bottomed.

I struggled fiercely to break free from Kuang Li’s grip and charged to the master bedroom door.

Suddenly, Kuang Li screamed and collapsed to her knees.

“Yu Bin, I beg you, stop! Let him go!”

I froze, as if paralyzed by a spell, my rage vanishing, replaced by a chilling coldness.

I turned to see her kneeling there, naked, tears streaming down her face.

My heart was in turmoil.

I stared at her in disbelief, my vision blurring.

“Why?”

We had our marriage certificate in hand. I was about to place the ring on her finger and lead her into the altar. Why would she destroy everything with her own hands?

Kuang Li’s emotions had long spiraled out of control; she sobbed uncontrollably.

“I’m sorry, Yu Bin. I’ve wronged you. Let’s break up. Just think of me as unworthy of you. He gave me so much, but you couldn’t.”

I took a deep breath. “You mean the house? Didn’t you buy one back home?”

“But I want to stay in Beijing!”

Kuang Li lifted her head defiantly, shouting, “What’s so great about that little rundown town back home? I came here to put down roots! I don’t want to run back there with my tail between my legs! I don’t want our future children to have the same narrow sky to look at!”

Her tear-streaked face tore at my heart.

Money is the acid test of love; it revealed the true nature of the woman before me and exposed the quality of our relationship.

Our love, from sophomore year until now.

Countless couples once full of promise had parted ways after college. We had barely clung on until now.

Until today, I had naïvely believed our bond was unbreakable. Now I realized it was just not enough.

I drew a deep breath, staring at Kuang Li’s familiar yet alien face. From my pocket, I pulled out a cigarette, trembling as I lit it, inhaling deeply—nicotine and carbon monoxide making me cough violently.

Silence lingered for a long moment before I looked around, my nose tingling with sadness.

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