“Oh, I’m joking. But if I’m right, don’t take it personally.”
Jake immediately exploded, his eyes bloodshot with anger:
“Say that again to my face! Mike, you dare steal my girl.”
But before he could reach Mike, he was firmly held back by the surrounding team members.
Everyone had long disliked him, and several people took the opportunity to kick him while restraining him.
Mike protected me behind him, his earlier casual demeanor gone.
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Chapter 2
His gaze became sharp as he coldly looked at Jake:
“The school has issued an announcement. Due to your misconduct, spreading rumors, and repeatedly caus-
ing trouble, you’ve been kicked off the basketball team. Not just here – the soccer team, badminton team, drama club, and over thirty other clubs have jointly refused your membership.”
“Jake, you’re the one disrupting team practice, destroying the atmosphere, the universally despised rat in the
street. Now, leave the basketball gym immediately. Never set foot in here again.”
Someone asked Mike how, with his explosive temper, he wasn’t provoked by Jake, but instead reported to the school and followed procedures to destroy him methodically.
Mike looked at him strangely, his tone matter–of–fact: “I’m not stupid. Why would I engage in mutually assur- ed destruction with him?”
“I’m good at school, good at basketball, and I’m dating my dream girl. Why would I bother with a social reje-
ct?”
“For social garbage, don’t entangle with them. Protect yourself with legal means and use smarter, more rati- onal methods.”
He advised everyone:
“That’s called the principle of the fortunate stepping aside, understand?”
Someone asked: “Then that time when Jake was put in a sack, dragged into an alley, and beaten until nearly crippled – I guess that wasn’t you either?”
Mike looked at the person, justifying himself:
“Of course it wasn’t me. You all know I always use reason to convince people.”
From that day on, Jake began encountering obstacles everywhere. Not only did clubs reject him, but no one even wanted to team up with him for group assignments.
I was busy with experiments and internship matters, rarely paying attention to news about him.
Suddenly one day, I saw Jake at the bottom of my dorm building again.
He looked like he hadn’t rested for many days, his face haggard:
“Emma, can we talk?”
I ignored him, but he kept following me, talking incessantly.
Suddenly he took out his phone for me to check:
“Emma, I was impulsive when I said those things. I lied to you. The video was deleted long ago. I don’t have any backup. The one you forced me to delete that night was the only copy.”
I didn’t believe him.
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Jake suddenly slapped himself hard, tears falling from his eyes:
04.21
“I know you don’t believe me. I can swear to heaven, I really deleted the video, with absolutely no backups.”
“I just wanted to scare you, force you to get back with me. I know I was wrong.”
What’s a vow to heaven? I coldly said: “Swear on your mountain god.”
Jake had gotten lost in the mountains as a child. An eight–year–old kid who miraculously found his way out alone.
Everyone said it was the mountain god’s blessing, and Jake had worshipped his ancestors ever since, burni ng incense for years.
Fifteen years of brainwashing had instilled a deep–rooted reverence in Jake.
To the point where, given a choice between insulting the mountain god or suicide, Jake would instantly cho ose suicide.
Jake raised his hand without hesitation:
“I swear to the mountain god, that night’s recording has been completely deleted, and there was only that one copy. If I’m lying, may I die a terrible death.”
I felt slightly relieved. It seemed Jake wasn’t lying this time.
The messages instantly changed direction:
“Oh my god, this boyfriend is so disgusting. If anyone ever says he’s just acting tough again, I’ll laugh at them forever. He’s 24–karat pure trash.”
“The main girl must never have anything to do with him again. Leave immediately. I feel sick just seeing this jerk.”
“So pathetic, so pathetic. Can we crowdfund to throw the boyfriend into the sea to feed sharks? I’m so angry I could die.”
“To the person above, what did sharks do wrong? Why should they eat garbage…”
I said to Jake:
“Don’t come looking for me anymore.”
He looked at me for a long time, tears falling drop by drop, mumbling:
“How did we end up like this? We used to love each other so much…”
When a seemingly beautiful, happy relationship suddenly breaks, it must be because the person who always sacrificed and suffered is no longer willing to give in.
In my relationship with Jake, I was always in the inferior position, always humble.
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Chapter 2
Because I was proactive and optimistic, did that mean I had to cater to his twisted sensitivity and paranoia?
That hardly seems fair.
I couldn’t be bothered to look at Jake again. I turned and left.
Three years later, I was studying for my master’s degree at a university in the south.
I heard about Jake again from a classmate.
Apparently after graduation, he remained in a slump, constantly changing girlfriends like changing clothes.
Whether they were his age or ten years older, he accepted everyone.
He spent his days in bars and various entertainment venues.
Lily sought him out a few times, but finally couldn’t stand it and left, breaking ties completely.
If you walk by the river long enough, you’re bound to get your feet wet. Eventually he caught a disease, colla psing in some hotel room.
His family had long been completely disappointed in him and didn’t care anymore.
Jake was lucky in a way. Before his condition deteriorated completely, he got into a car accident.
It was quick – just a moment of pain.
My classmate had attended his funeral. There were very few people, and even his urn was bought from a discount website.
He sighed: “It’s important to be decent in life. Don’t do terrible thi
