Chapter 1 (Revised) "Drank again?"...
Let's break up.
When Shen Mengqing received her boyfriend's message, she was sitting in her best friend Jiang Yu's car. The two of them worked at the same pharmaceutical company called Yusheng and had arranged to go to a bar after work on Friday.
She was a sales employee and had been huddled in the passenger seat replying to customer messages the whole way. She was so busy that she was completely overwhelmed. When this message popped up, she instinctively thought it was from a customer and quickly clicked on it.
She froze instantly after reading the contents.
Before this, he had been out of contact for more than half a month. He did not reply to Shen Mengqing's messages or calls. Her patience had long been exhausted, and she assumed that they had broken up.
Unexpectedly, I received a message from him that he had come back to life.
Shen Mengqing has a small, round face with full features, almond-shaped cheeks, and a youthful appearance. Her eyes are bright and watery, and she loves to smile, making her seem very approachable.
This time, she wore an unusually serious expression; her usually smiling eyes had lost their warmth, becoming as cold as ice.
"What's wrong?" Jiang Yu stepped on the brake at the red light and noticed Shen Mengqing's unusual behavior.
Shen Mengqing handed her his phone directly, and Jiang Yu was furious when she saw it.
She raised her voice, her tone as fierce as an eagle protecting its young: "No, he hasn't spoken to you for over half a month, and this is how he ends up breaking up with you through cold violence? You're better off without a man like that; he might even be blocking your chances of finding a good partner."
Shen Mengqing didn't respond. Jiang Yu glanced at her a few times, thinking she was a little sad. After all, as far as she knew, Shen Mengqing and Lin Xiangyang had been dating since their graduate school days, which was almost six years.
After a moment's internal struggle, Jiang Yu couldn't help but ask, "Did he bring it up because you didn't want to go back to his hometown to get married?"
"Maybe."
Looking at Jiang Yu's worried expression, Shen Mengqing pondered for a moment and said, "I don't think I'm that sad."
Perhaps because her ex-boyfriend hadn't replied to her messages for so long, Shen Mengqing had initially felt uneasy and wanted an explanation. Now that he had responded, she felt much more at ease.
"Then let's ignore him. Tonight, I'll take you to a bar to have some fun," Jiang Yu said, waving her hand.
Shen Mengqing and Jiang Yu planned to go to a fruit-themed bar that only catered to women, called HERBERRY. When they arrived, the bar was almost full, but luckily Jiang Yu had made a reservation in advance, and they had two seats reserved for them at the back of the bar.
As soon as they sat down, the waiter took away the reserved sign and placed a large basket of brightly colored fruit in front of them.
This bar specializes in fruit wines. Guests can choose two to five fruits and pair them with a base spirit. The bartender will then mix the wines according to the guests' choices, creating a unique experience.
Jiang Yu had already decided what she wanted to drink tonight, and she quickly communicated her ideas to the bartender.
Shen Mengqing hesitated for a while among the colorful fruits, and finally chose peaches and green apples.
Jiang Yu smiled and said, "There's a deeper meaning behind those two fruits of yours."
"What?" Shen Mengqing asked.
"The green apple represents the innocent first love, and the peach represents the upcoming blossoming of romance. This glass of wine symbolizes bidding farewell to the past and looking forward to the future," Jiang Yu said, adding exaggerated gestures as he spoke.
Shen Mengqing knew Jiang Yu was trying to cheer her up: "Are you writing work-related tweets here?"
"Honestly, there are plenty of men in Beicheng, and many better than Lin Xiangyang. I have several in my friend list. You might as well forget about this and start a new chapter in your life. If you want to settle down and get married, find a local man with good prospects. Go with a purpose in mind. If you don't want to get hurt and just want to enjoy the thrill of being in love, then go for a handsome guy. Imagine waking up to a handsome face every day. That would be so great. Your own happiness is the most important thing."
In a bar that only caters to women, everyone talked about men without any restraint. A woman next to Jiang Yu heard what he said and agreed, saying, "No problem."
The bartender smiled and brought Shen Mengqing and Jiang Yu's drinks to the table. Jiang Yu ordered pineapple and lemon, and the drink in the glass had a light yellow hue, creating a sweet and sour taste.
Shen Mengqing's cup is a cool coral color with a very clear appearance. The first taste is the astringent taste of green apple, but the aftertaste is swept by the peach flavor.
Looking back now, her relationship with Lin Xiangyang never felt like a dramatic one.
Lin Xiangyang was her high school classmate. They happened to be in the same school when they were pursuing graduate studies. During that time, Lin Xiangyang was the one who pursued her the most and took great care of her. One day, Shen Mengqing was suddenly moved by him.
Every day after they got together was uneventful, and she always thought that perhaps this kind of relationship between couples could last longer.
I haven't felt that kind of joy from being moved in a long time.
The two raised their glasses and clinked them together. Shen Mengqing smacked his lips and said, "Alright, then wish me a speedy second spring in my life."
“That’s right!” Jiang Yu put his arm around Shen Mengqing’s shoulder. “We need to look forward.”
...
The fruit wine tasted excellent, and the two of them drank it very quickly, completely ignoring the alcohol content of the base spirit.
It was past eleven o'clock. When I walked out of the bar, there were hardly any pedestrians on the street, but there were still many vehicles speeding along the wide road.
The nights in the northern part of the city are always brightly lit, with the occasional roar of sports cars cutting through the buildings. Such nights seem to be more charming than the clear-headed daytime, intoxicating, yet one feels lonely when truly in the midst of it.
Shen Mengqing called a ride-hailing service. She saw the little bar displaying her phone's battery level jump to a bright red and rubbed against the driver's charging cable.
However, her rented apartment was not far from the bar, and she arrived at her destination after charging for a short time. Shen Mengqing estimated that she should still have enough energy to buy a carton of milk at the convenience store at the entrance of the apartment complex to help her sober up.
She walked confidently to the shelf where the milk was, grabbed a bottle, and while paying, she caught a glimpse of the oden bubbling in the electric cooker and couldn't resist picking out a few skewers.
Shen Mengqing found a seat by the window. Outside the transparent glass window was a wide road. Behind the convenience store was her residential community, and across the road was a high-end residential building.
When she first moved in, she used a rental app to check other rental properties in the vicinity. The apartment complex across the street consisted of large, single-level buildings of two to three hundred square meters, with rents more than ten times that of her old, dilapidated apartment.
Her rent is 5,000, while the neighbor across the street charges 60,000.
Since then, she has enjoyed eating in front of this upscale neighborhood, which gives her a sense of balance that the upper class is actually quite close to her life.
It was very comforting to eat something hot after drinking alcohol. After taking a sip of the sweet and savory broth from the oden, Shen Mengqing felt a warm current envelop her whole body and leaned back comfortably in her chair.
Unfortunately, the weather turned against them. A sudden gust of wind arose, and rain began to fall instantly, pattering against the convenience store's glass windows and extinguishing Shen Mengqing's hard-won good mood.
Shen Mengqing lost all interest in admiring the scenery. After tidying up the table, she went to the convenience store and grabbed a new umbrella. A man was standing at the checkout counter. She joined the queue behind him, unlocked her phone, and prepared to open the payment code.
Unexpectedly, the phone screen lit up for only a moment before plunging into darkness.
Why did it have to run out of power at this time? Shen Mengqing tried pressing the power button, but the screen only showed a charging indicator for a few seconds and couldn't turn it on at all.
She sighed, hesitated for a few seconds, then patted the man in front of her on the shoulder and said, "Excuse me, my phone is dead. Could you please pay for me?"
The man turned his head. The two were very close, but the man was too tall. Shen Mengqing was only 1.6 meters tall. When she looked up, she could see the first button of the man's black shirt that was turned up, and the beautiful outline of his collarbone was displayed directly in front of her.
She looked up again, her gaze moving from her thin jawline to her drooping peach blossom eyes.
Those eyes were staring straight at her, Shen Mengqing thought. It was a pity that the man's fine hair was hanging down in front of his eyes, blocking the light. If the light could shine into his eyes, his light brown pupils would definitely shine with a particularly dazzling brilliance.
As if hearing Shen Mengqing's thoughts, the man braced himself against the cashier's counter and leaned down towards her. Just as she expected, the bright lights in his eyes seemed like stars, captivating and mesmerizing.
However, the color tone is a bit too cold.
Just as their noses were about to touch, he turned his head and sniffed at Shen Mengqing's hair.
Shen Mengqing felt as if the whole world had quieted down. She could only hear her own chaotic and rapid heartbeat. It must be the effect of the alcohol; she couldn't even calm her breathing.
Thankfully, the man quickly stood up straight, the hem of his shirt brushing against her arm, carrying a woody scent.
Shen Mengqing seemed to be enveloped by an inexplicable sense of oppression, unable to utter the rest of her words.
"Drank again?" The man parted his thin lips slightly, his voice deep.
Shen Mengqing was stunned: "Huh?"
Where does this character come from?
The man remained silent. The alcohol had made Shen Mengqing's thinking somewhat sluggish. She tilted her head in confusion: "Do we...know each other?"
Shen Mengqing was certain that she had never seen this stunningly handsome man before, otherwise she would have a complete recollection of him. Besides, she hadn't been drinking much lately, except for a few days ago at a convenience store when she was sitting in the innermost seat and no one noticed her at all.
Although the man's words were intriguing, suggesting he knew her, his expression was cold and unapproachable, clearly the attitude one would have towards a stranger.
The man didn't answer her question. He turned around, paid the bill briskly, picked up his shopping bag, and left.
Shen Mengqing quickly reached out to stop him. The shopping bag in the man's hand swayed, and she noticed with her sharp eyes that a black hoodie was stuffed at the top of the shopping bag.
What a strange person, Shen Mengqing thought.
"Let go." The man stopped and said coldly.
Shen Mengqing suddenly realized that her hand was gripping the man's tight forearm, and she could even feel the veins bulging from his effort of lifting the bag.
She let go of his hand and said, "I'm sorry."
"My phone is dead. Could you please pay for this umbrella for me?" She quickly turned to the cashier for paper and a pen. "You can write down your contact information, and I'll transfer the money to you after I get home and charge my phone."
The man pursed his lips and thought for a moment, then readily opened his payment code and gestured for the cashier to scan it.
Shen Mengqing walked up to him and thanked him. After paying, she immediately unwrapped the umbrella and threw it in the trash can. In that short time, the man had already left the convenience store.
She hurriedly ran over and chased after him out the door.
"Wait, you haven't given me your contact information yet."
Shen Mengqing raised the paper and pen in his hand, his eyes like a clear pool of water, looking directly at the person opposite him without flinching.
The two of them stood under the eaves of the convenience store, and just one step away, raindrops would begin to fall on them.
The lights outside were dim, and the man's features were cold and his appearance exceptionally handsome, as if he wanted to blend into the darkness of the night. In the darkness, he glanced at Shen Mengqing through the dampness of the drizzle.
In that one glance, Shen Mengqing suddenly felt an impulse.
Regardless, she wanted to get this person's contact information.
She knew this person must have been asked for her contact information many times, so she had to appear completely innocent. Having worked in the sales department of Yusheng Pharmaceuticals for several years, she had met all sorts of clients, and she was very confident in dealing with people she was meeting for the first time.
"Don't overthink it. This umbrella isn't worth much, but I really feel bad about having someone pay for it. I'll be thinking about it for a long time; I don't like owing favors. Besides, even if I transfer the money to you, you can just delete me from your contacts. We don't know each other anyway..."
"Give it to me."
The sounds of rain and the road mingled together as Shen Mengqing spoke, racking her brains for other lines, almost missing the man's brief remark.
Shen Mengqing smiled, her eyes crinkling as she handed over the items: "Okay."
The man picked up his pen and scribbled on the paper. Shen Mengqing quietly tiptoed, unable to suppress her desire to see the words on the paper.
The man took back the paper, opened his umbrella, and walked into the rain. Shen Mengqing confirmed that the paper contained eleven seemingly random numbers, then turned around and went back into the shop to return the pen.
When she came out again, she recognized the man almost instantly.
Shen Mengqing watched as he crossed the road and entered the upscale residential complex across the street, where the monthly rent was 60,000 yuan.
Yes, judging from the shirt he's wearing and his aloof demeanor, his family must be extremely wealthy and powerful.
Perhaps because of the breeze, the rain was falling at an angle, and a few drops of cold rain fell on Shen Mengqing's face, dispelling some of his drunkenness and clearing his mind.
...
Back home, Shen Mengqing didn't even bother to put on slippers before rushing into the house to charge her phone.
The phone turned on automatically in less than a minute.
She carefully entered the numbers on the paper, then clicked search, and a business card appeared on the page.
The profile picture is pure black, and the nickname is simply the two letters "YX".
Shen Mengqing, without suspecting anything, added the friend request and typed "Hello, I'm here to return the money for the umbrella" in the reason field.
I don't know if it was because money was involved, but they processed it very quickly, unlike when they were reluctant to give out contact information in person.
Shen Mengqing didn't say much and transferred the money directly.
Only after the other party received the money did she type in the input field:
"Thank you for paying for me. My name is Shen Mengqing."
Shen Mengqing paused for a moment, thought for a while, and continued:
"May I ask your name, sir?"
Having dealt with clients in the north for a long time, Shen Mengqing has developed a habit of addressing people with polite terms like "you" or "brother" to quickly bridge the gap between them. Satisfied, she clicked send.
YX:
"..."
"Yu Xin".
Shen Mengqing had already put her phone down to wash up. When she lay back on the bed, the alcohol she had suppressed surged up again, making her feel sleepy and dizzy.
"Yu Xin".
She uttered the two words softly, as if trying to savor them, lingering them between her lips and teeth.
The name perfectly reflects the person: short, sharp, and cold, like an icicle hanging upside down in winter.
Shen Mengqing was half asleep, her eyes almost closed. In the last second before she fell asleep, her consciousness gradually became hazy, and she blurted out what was on her mind.
"Yes, you should be called Yu Xin."
A note from the author:
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The story has started!!! I have plenty of drafts, so please feel free to read on, and please add it to your favorites~~ [kiss] This is a story about a fierce older sister flirting with a younger man in the early stages, followed by a domineering CEO pursuing his wife!
I'll be adding this to my favorites and updating every other day! Thank you!!
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The synopsis for the pre-order novel "Spring Tea Arrives [Marriage First, Love Later]" is as follows:
Marry first, then divorce (unsuccessful), then fall in love.
Naturally innocent and mature woman x Green tea daddy
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Song Yao first met Zhao Lulan at a gathering organized by her boyfriend.
At that time, she was still in college, looking like a well-behaved student, but with outstanding looks.
Zhao Lulan raised his head amidst the swirling smoke, his piercing eyes coldly fixed on Song Yao.
His friend sitting next to him turned his head and whispered:
"What, you like this one?"
"I don't like it." Zhao Lulan shrugged. "Too obedient."
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Years later, in the second month after Song Yao returned to China after graduation, she married Zhao Lulan.
Zhao Lulan was born into a noble family, was successful in his career, and had an exceptionally handsome appearance. He was known for his aloofness and indifference to women.
In particular, I heard that he doesn't like his own version.
Song Yao felt very reassured about agreeing to a marriage contract with someone like that.
After marriage, Zhao Lulan behaved exactly as she had imagined: he was well-behaved, always kept a safe distance, and did not associate with any men.
Until her ex-boyfriend showed up at the tea shop she ran, Zhao Lulan happened to be there as well.
The moment their eyes met, Zhao Lulan took her hand and pulled her to his side, then casually put his arm around her waist.
He leaned closer, his thin lips almost touching Song Yao's ear, and said in a dark voice:
"You're not allowed to look at other men."
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Not long after, Song Yao began to consider divorce.
She felt that the balance she had maintained with Zhao Lulan had been broken.
He would hold her hand tightly in front of many people, kiss her cheek, and hug her tightly.
This made her feel uncertain.
Unexpectedly, on the day they signed the divorce agreement, they engaged in dangerous behavior that was explicitly prohibited by the agreement.
When Song Yao woke up the next day, she was filled with remorse:
"Since I have voluntarily breached the contract, let's sign the divorce agreement now."
Zhao Lulan stared at her and said in a deep voice, "What, are you not satisfied with my performance last night?"
Song Yao: "?"
Song Yao: "That's not what I meant..."
Zhao Lulan's eyes turned cold as he gripped Song Yao's wrist and said in a hard tone, "Song Yao, you'll never leave me in this lifetime."
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The female lead has a former boyfriend from her student days, but they are both virgins.
Leaves a message on August 23, 2025
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Actually, my next book will be "Wintering in Seoul," hehe. Please add it to your favorites! [heart]
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