Chapter 17: Breakup
Although Shen Shuyi had a proud and spoiled personality, he wasn’t completely someone who didn’t give others face.
It was already awkward to give the same gift, but if it were revealed that the other person’s gift was a fake…
Wouldn’t that be the peak of embarrassment?
Shen Shuyi took into account that today was Li Sijia’s birthday.
Although he felt a little upset inside, he didn’t lose his temper.
As for the boy who spoke earlier, Shen Shuyi didn’t even glance at him.
So that boy was left thinking: ?
The carefully brewed cup of green tea had been poured out, and the other party didn’t even react?!
No, he hadn’t even looked at him properly!
Li Sijia broke the awkwardness: “What a coincidence…”
Shen Shuyi seemed unconcerned about pursuing the matter further, and the atmosphere in the room finally eased a little.
After all, besides being Li Sijia’s boyfriend, Shen Shuyi was also the third young master of Yinghua Group. Even in Hong Kong, where wealth and capital were everywhere, Yinghua could be called a top-tier elite family.
Among the young masters present, whose family didn’t want to curry favor with the Shen family, hoping to soar in Hong Kong?
But of course, some people just couldn’t resist stirring trouble for fun.
One curious onlooker saw Li Sijia letting things slide and immediately said, while wrapping up Shen Shuyi’s gift: “Don’t, Alex! Both Third Young Master and Rene gave the same watch. Aren’t you going to say something? Like which one you like more?”
As soon as he spoke, his friend beside him tugged at him: “Are you crazy?! Saying whatever comes to mind? Shut up!”
The troublemaker, slightly tipsy, excitedly said: “Just joking! Alex wouldn’t get upset over a joke, would he?”
Li Sijia wanted to lose his temper, but the young masters present were all rich and influential in Hong Kong.
Although his family had power in North America, here was the territory of the harbor city. Li Sijia didn’t want trouble: “Of course not.”
The troublemaker continued: “But I really don’t get it. Giving the same watch is one thing, but the strap size—you can only know that by touching it. Third Young Master is Alex’s boyfriend, fine, but how did Rene know?”
At this, the people present gradually realized.
Right, to give a watch, besides knowing the recipient’s wrist size, it was even more important to understand their taste and preference. Unless it was a very intimate relationship, it was almost impossible for someone to accidentally give the exact same gift.
Shen Shuyi knew Li Sijia’s size because that big mouth had told him on WeChat.
So how did Rene know?
Shen Shuyi finally focused his investigative gaze on the boy beside Li Sijia.
Rene’s face turned pale: “I just randomly guessed the size, didn’t think I’d get it right on the first try.”
Lu Zhiwei sipped his whiskey: “You’re saying you guessed a size and then just ordered a watch worth several million?”
Lu Zhiwei curiously asked: “Rene, I thought you were still in college, your tuition is paid by Alex’s parents. Where did you get so much money to buy Alex a birthday gift?”
The atmosphere in the room suddenly became tense. Apart from the heavy metal music in the background, almost no one dared to speak.
Rene hadn’t expected that giving a watch could cause such trouble. Biting his lip, he felt waves of grievance: “I… I…”
Rene took back the watch he had given, lowering his eyelashes: “I’m sorry, I really didn’t know a casual gift of mine would upset everyone this much.”
Everyone: ? Upset? They were just curious and asking.
Rene knew that all the young masters present were Shen Shuyi’s local friends; of course they wouldn’t like him.
He looked at Li Sijia and whispered: “Sijia, I’m sorry. I just wanted to give you a good birthday. Since everyone’s not welcoming me, I’ll just leave.”
With that, Rene stood up to leave.
Li Sijia panicked and grabbed his hand, not understanding how things had escalated.
He turned to Shen Shuyi and finally couldn’t hold back his anger: “Shuyi, Rene just accidentally got the same gift as you. I know you care about face, but did you have to make him lose face like this?”
Shen Shuyi, who had been watching the drama with interest: ……….?
…Huh?
When did this fire spread to him?
No, it’s as if someone arbitrarily tossed a torch onto his head.
Shen Shuyi: “Did I say anything just now?”
Li Sijia: “…”
Li Sijia, taking on the boyfriend’s posture, said: “Yes, you didn’t speak. But just now, Lu Zhiwei and the others were picking on Rene—are you saying that wasn’t under your instruction?”
Shen Shuyi felt even more baffled: “Did I speak to Lu Zhiwei and the others? Or do you think I’m telepathically giving them orders?”
Lu Zhiwei raised his glass to hide a smile.
But the rest of the young masters couldn’t hold it in and snickered.
Li Sijia could hear the ridicule in their laughter, his face flushed and pale in turns.
“Shen Shuyi, do you find it funny? Who in Hong Kong dares not give you face? Rene is new, doesn’t know anyone, and the people here didn’t help him—you think they’d help anyone else?”
Shen Shuyi listened and even found it quite logical.
He slowly stood, his movements clean and elegant, surveying Li Sijia, almost kindly giving him advice:
“Since you know Hong Kong is my territory and don’t want my friends picking on you, why don’t you just leave Hong Kong with your Rene?”
Shen Shuyi had lived this long, and no one dared dictate terms to him.
Don’t like it? Then leave ^ ^
Li Sijia didn’t expect Shen Shuyi to phrase it so harshly.
He stammered “You—” his gaze fell on Shen Shuyi. Under the dim light, Shen Shuyi’s face was expressionless.
Although normally this young master rarely smiled, Li Sijia didn’t expect that when Shen Shuyi put on a stern expression, that icy-cold face could be terrifying.
He had gotten used to seeing Shen Shuyi acting petulant and unreasonable, and almost forgot that this person was the third young master of Yinghua Group, the younger brother of the infamous Shen Lu, well-known in both political and business circles of Hong Kong.
Though the brothers seemed incompatible, they shared the same blood.
When Shen Shuyi looked at him coldly, Li Sijia found him eerily unfamiliar.
Rene was also a little scared and held Li Sijia’s arm tightly.
Li Sijia instinctively pulled his arm away. Rene froze. Li Sijia looked at Shen Shuyi and said: “Shuyi, stop it, okay? I didn’t mean that. Besides, I’m your boyfriend—where would you want me to go?”
Shen Shuyi replied calmly: “Oh. Looks like you didn’t understand what I meant. I mean, I want to break up with you.”
Li Sijia froze, his expression instantly changing: “Break up? You’re breaking up with me over something so trivial?!”
Shen Shuyi, surprised: “If not, then what?”
He turned his head and looked at Rene’s wrist, wearing a Patek Philippe watch, exactly the same as the one on the hotel coffee table in the photos Li Sijia had sent him.
Shen Shuyi said: “The watch on his wrist is the same one that was on your hotel coffee table last week, right? Do I look like someone who can tolerate a cheating boyfriend and pretend nothing happened?”
Li Sijia paled and hurriedly said: “Shuyi, let me explain…”
Shen Shuyi grabbed a nearly full glass of whiskey from the table and without hesitation poured it over Li Sijia. Rene screamed, some of the spicy whiskey splashing on his face.
Lu Zhiwei whistled.
So spicy, wow.
Shen Shuyi clapped his hands lightly, a cold smile curling on his lips: “Li Sijia, did I give you the impression that I have a good temper?”
Li Sijia, humiliated repeatedly, originally wanted to explain, but his feelings turned into anger. He shouted: “Shen Shuyi!”
Anger surged in Li Sijia’s chest. Today, he wanted to celebrate his birthday happily. Shen Shuyi not only didn’t give him face, he also broke up with him in front of so many people.
Was there no end to this?
Just because he slept with another man when he returned to China? Is that such a big deal?!
Li Sijia blurted out: “Don’t think so highly of yourself. Break up with me? Don’t regret it! With your temper, who besides me would want you!”
As soon as he spoke, a few of the young masters in the room straightened their backs.
Huh?
A lover is falling from the sky? Such a good thing?
I’m ready!
Li Sijia: “…”
Are there really this many masochists in the world?
“Shuyi, baby, I was wrong, can we not break up?” Li Sijia softened, going from hard to soft: “That night I just drank too much. Rene was just escorting me back to the hotel on the way, taking care of me. The hotel was a suite—I slept in the bedroom, he slept in the guest room. Nothing happened between us…”
Shen Shuyi: Really? Then you must be impotent.
Even more reason to break up. 🙂
Li Sijia anxiously tried to grab Shen Shuyi’s hand, but Shen Shuyi dodged like lightning.
This almost crushed Li Sijia completely. Shen Shuyi said: “I’ve made it clear already. After staying abroad for a few years you don’t even understand Chinese? Don’t you know what breakup means?”
Shen Shuyi glanced around the smoky private room.
He had long wanted to leave this lousy place, and now he had an excuse.
Shen Shuyi mercilessly said: “Trash, don’t contact me again.”
He turned and left without looking back. Li Sijia chased after him: “Shuyi!”
Panic surged through Li Sijia.
He hadn’t expected things to escalate this far, or that Shen Shuyi’s emotional purity would be so extreme.
In the U.S, even if you have a boyfriend, occasionally hooking up with others is common. (TN: Um.. I think cheating in the U.S is also unacceptable…)
Shen Shuyi forbade touching or sleeping together; he just made a mistake once—wasn’t that normal? He even admitted it, wasn’t that enough?
Li Sijia knew that if he didn’t stop Shen Shuyi now, their relationship might really be over.
This was Shen Shuyi!
He calmed down, regretting deeply having ruined his relationship with Shen Shuyi over someone like Rene.
If his father knew, he’d break his legs!
Earlier this year, the Li family had prepared to enter the domestic market.
The whole family was very serious and supportive of his relationship with Shen Shuyi.
Li Sijia wanted to stop Shen Shuyi but didn’t expect Lu Zhiwei to intercept him first.
Li Sijia: “Move!”
Lu Zhiwei said: “Alex, let me be fair.”
“Being fair” = deciding to speak for Shen Shuyi.
“Alex, Shuyi already told you he’s breaking up. You’re clinging on—this is inappropriate.”
“Who the hell are you? Mind your own business! Get lost!”
Li Sijia, also hot-tempered, tried to push Lu Zhiwei.
At that moment, Shen Shuyi’s hand on the doorknob froze.
Li Sijia, ecstatic, thought Shen Shuyi couldn’t bear to leave him and rushed: “Baby…”
Shen Shuyi turned sharply and said sternly: “Also.”
Shen Shuyi coldly added: “I didn’t get the same watch as your Rene. His is a fake!”
With that, Shen Shuyi defended his last ounce of taste and principle regarding luxury goods.
He had finally had enough of this greasy fool’s reconciliation tactics.
BANG—the private room door slammed.
Li Sijia still wanted to follow.
Several young masters who had been lounging also stood up, silently surrounding him.
Li Sijia, wary: “What are you doing?”
The young masters in the shadows, faces partly obscured, stood like phantoms.
Their gaze on Li Sijia was evaluative, probing, disdainful, and jealous in secret.
Lu Zhiwei smiled: “Since you’ve been with Shuyi, we’ve been betting on when he’d dump you. Alex, you didn’t disappoint.”
Li Sijia clenched his fists.
Lu Zhiwei: “Don’t worry, today we’re in a good mood, won’t touch you. But if you show up in front of Shen Shuyi again, we can’t guarantee anything.”
Lu Zhiwei flicked the last bit of cigarette ash onto Li Sijia’s handsome face, sneered, and left the room.
The tension instantly dissipated. Rene remained in the corner.
When Lu Zhiwei approached, he instinctively shrank.
Unexpectedly, the other party didn’t even glance at him.
Rene suddenly realized these powerful young masters didn’t see him at all—they only saw Shen Shuyi.
Like a pack of mad dogs Shen Shuyi had unwittingly raised.
Shen Shuyi left the private room, walking down the corridors of the private bar to the main entrance.
The waiter opened the door for him. Shen Shuyi looked up—the entrance was empty, his car hadn’t arrived.
Earlier, the party had been chaotic. Shen Shuyi, busy breaking up, had forgotten to tell Uncle Lin to bring the car in advance.
He had arranged with Uncle Lin for 11:30 PM, just after the party’s usual end.
But Shen Shuyi hadn’t anticipated an early exit.
Checking the time, it was only nine o’clock.
The cold wind reminded him that Hong Kong’s weather had dropped again.
It wasn’t spring yet; the streets were empty, giving a desolate feeling.
Shen Shuyi stared at the plane trees imported from France along the street and gradually realized a faint sense of damp sorrow.
Shen Shuyi had always been slow to react emotionally, often feeling sad long after events occurred.
Regarding Li Sijia’s infidelity, he felt more confused than hurt.
In his understanding, once two people love each other, they choose each other for life.
His parents, grandparents—all had loved only one person in their lives.
Why couldn’t Li Sijia choose to love only him?
In a bad mood, Shen Shuyi wandered aimlessly along the road.
His phone vibrated for a long time before he realized someone was calling.
Two missed calls from Lu Zhiwei; after failing to reach him, he sent a WeChat message asking if Shen Shuyi was okay.
Shen Shuyi replied “I’m okay” (though he wasn’t) and planned to exit WeChat.
He had a strong sense of pride regarding his emotions.
He didn’t want to publicly lament his heartbreak—even for a breakup, he wanted to appear indifferent.
But just before leaving, he noticed Zhao Yuheng had messaged him hours earlier.
Opening it, he saw that because Shen Shuyi hadn’t been free on Monday, their lunch plan had been postponed to tomorrow.
A few hours ago, Zhao Yuheng had sent the restaurant and asked what he wanted to eat.
Receiving no reply, he sent a “?”
The last message, five minutes ago: Zhao Yuheng asked: “Are you in a bad mood?”
Shen Shuyi: ?
How did this Zhao fellow know he was in a bad mood?
Had he suddenly become perceptive?
As if in sync with Shen Shuyi, Zhao Yuheng sent a picture explaining how he knew.
It was a screenshot of Shen Shuyi’s recently posted private “emo” Moments.
[If no one told me this was love, I’d think it’s a naked sword.]
……
Shen Shuyi: ?
Shen Shuyi: !
Shen Shuyi: ?!?
Damn.
Wasn’t this post set to “visible only to me”?
Shen Shuyi nearly fainted on the roadside. Sure enough, due to his own mistake, he had posted it publicly.
It already had 200–300 likes. Before it could escalate further, he immediately deleted it!!
Shen Shuyi quickly replied to Zhao Yuheng:
[Yellow bean smile]
[You misread.]
[Forget it immediately.]
[Cat death stare.jpg]
Zhao Yuheng, noticing the deletion, replied: “Deleting doesn’t mean it didn’t happen, it won’t make your mood better.”
Oh.
What do you want then?
Shen Shuyi originally wanted to retort, but somehow…
After facing Lu Zhiwei and multiple friend inquiries on WeChat, Shen Shuyi didn’t feel like venting his personal emotions.
Suddenly, he felt like telling Zhao Yuheng.
Probably because Zhao Yuheng lived in a completely separate circle.
Even if told, it wouldn’t affect his life.
[Shen Shuyi]: Aren’t you going to ask why I’m in a bad mood?
[Zhao Yuheng]: What happened?
[Shen Shuyi]: I broke up with my boyfriend.
……
The other side seemed silent.
After a while, Zhao Yuheng sent: Sorry. Can I pretend I didn’t ask just now?
Shen Shuyi: …?
Author’s Note:
Little Zhao: A bit sensitive, afraid if he asks further he’ll become the “other woman.”
The cat is everyone’s goddess (crossed out) mutual white moonlight! (nods)
The cat is very charming!
