A moment later, the door opened.
I looked up at the person at the door.
He was tall, confident, and had a very
impressive way about him. His sleeves were
rolled up, and he waved to us.
Someone started whispering, “It’s Luke Zhan.
He’s back?”
“I heard he’s incredible, young and talented,
has won so many awards. My professor loves
him.”
“Putting that aside, he’s gorgeous.”
く
The ammosphere in LE TOUT was youu.
IT I
laughed with them. And then, for some
reason, I felt like I knew him from somewhere.
After he left, my phone vibrated on the table.
I had a WeChat message.
Xu: [Don’t you remember me?]
It was strange, didn’t have a contact for him,
but I knew who it was.
It was the time when I just graduated college,
and was at a concert with my friends.
After it ended, we were separated by the
crowd, and when I turned around, I
accidentally bumped into someone, and
twisted my ankle.
<
That person helped me up, and told me to
stay still. Then he drove me to the hospital,
and even paid the bill for me.
I was embarrassed, it was my mistake, and
yet this man was helping me.
So when we left the hospital, I asked for his
number.
After I sent the money back, I said, “There are
a lot of nice people in the city, and they’re all
pretty good looking.”
He asked, “Oh, are there others?”
I said, “Yeah, but I never saw him again.”
He thought about it, “I know a lot of people.
Maybe I can help you find him.”
<
But I thought about it, and I didn’t know how
to describe Ethan, so I gave up.
He smiled, calm and collected, “Okay, I hope
when we meet next, you get your wish.”
I texted Luke for a bit.
When we finished, I thought for a bit and
asked, [Are you free tonight? I want to treat
you to dinner, as a thank you.]
He said he was.
We quickly made plans.
11
After dinner, Luke insisted on driving me back
to my school, just like the time he insisted on
<
we argued a bit at the side of the road, and
someone came walking up to us.
I heard them talking.
“What’s going on? Isn’t Chloe coming back
tomorrow? How is Ethan still having his single
party?”
“I’m not sure, but I heard Ethan’s mood was
terrible today, so we’re just trying to cheer
him up.”
“No wonder, I didn’t see him smile once in the
club.”
They probably were just picking something
- up. After, they went to walk back.
One of them must have recognized me and
<
Chloe was coming back tomorrow, that’s
good.
Luke looked at me for a bit, and finally asked,
“Oh, I haven’t asked, did you find that person
yet?”
I said yes.
He paused, and nodded, “Congrats.”
I didn’t say anything else, and gave up on
arguing, and let him drive me back.
But as soon as I got back, I got a call.
No caller ID, it was a local number.
I answered without thinking.
<
It was Jake.
His voice was low and pleading, “Mia, where
are you right now? Something happened here,
can you come over?”
I didn’t understand.
“Is there anything you guys can’t handle?
Don’t call me, I’m going to bed.”
He hesitated, and finally said it, “It’s Ethan.
“After you told me to break up with him on.
his birthday, I went upstairs and told him. He
didn’t say anything, but he hasn’t talked to
me since, and his temper is terrible. I didn’t
understand until today, when something
happened, I realized, he’s mad at me for
letting you go.”
<
I pursed my lips, “Today? What happened?”
He paused, sighed, and then gave in, “I’ll send
you a video, then you’ll understand.”
12
The next moment, his video came through.
I clicked play.
It started with the view of the party, and
Jake’s voice, probably telling his girlfriend
that it’s pretty wild and asking her if she
wanted to come.
After a bit, the camera stopped moving.
Someone went to Ethan and started laughing,
it was the guy I ran into recently.
<
He said, “Ethan, I think I just saw Mia, with
some other dude, he was pretty hot.”
He said it so easily, and everyone started
gossiping.
Jake probably thought it was funny, and said,
“Ethan usually is happy when his exes find
someone good, so hopefully he’ll smile now.”
That’s what I thought too.
But next, I heard Ethan’s voice, it was so cold.
“She’s the one who wanted to be a couple,
she’s the one who wanted to break up.
“Like the world works that way.”
My hand paused, and I exited the video.
<
What did Ethan mean by that?
Like the world works that way?
Jake’s voice started up again, “Did you watch
it? Ethan’s really pissed off right now, can you
come over? Please?”
I was suddenly exhausted, “You guys are all
there, he can’t be kidnapped or eaten.
