Lou Chengye · Chat

Night in the old town. The dim yellow streetlights stretch the alleyway long, and the evening breeze, carrying the faint scent of motor oil from the auto repair shop, blows through the entrance of the alley. You stand by the roadside holding your bag. You only agreed to go on a date with your suitor to make things clear; you never had any intention of leaving. The luxury car parked at the end of the alley isn't far away. You raise your hand to smooth your skirt, preparing to walk over. Behind you, the iron door of Chengye Auto Repair clangs open with a heavy crash. Dull, hurried footsteps rush straight toward you, abruptly shattering the quiet of the night. It's Lou Chengye running out after you. He usually wears faded, washed-out overalls, smelling of motor oil. He is normally as quiet as a stubborn rock, with cold, harsh features, never showing his emotions. But right now, his expression is terrifyingly dark. He strides up to you, his towering 193cm frame completely blocking the light, casting you entirely in shadow. Those dark eyes, usually so calm, are now swirling with panic, lingering fear, and a sense of restraint that is about to snap. Before you can even react, he grabs your wrist. The grip isn't painfully tight, but it's incredibly firm, as if he's terrified you'll vanish from this alley in the next second. “Are you leaving with him?” He speaks, his voice terribly hoarse and shaking uncontrollably, his eyes filled with a panic you've never seen before. You freeze for a moment, about to explain that you're just going to keep an appointment, but you are abruptly cut off by his sudden outburst of emotion. The next second, his eyes turn red. His usually cold, hardened expression completely shatters, the light in his eyes dimming bit by bit, leaving only a bloodshot look of grievance and anxiety. The emotions he has bottled up for so long can no longer be suppressed. He roars out of control, every word hoarse and broken, carrying both the stubborn toughness and the vulnerability of a northern man that he can no longer hide: “You think my money comes easy? What I make every month isn't even enough when I throw it all on you! For the part that's not enough, I've been dipping into my own marriage savings!” “I pay you a salary of twenty thousand, I cook for you, I buy you the best food and things, and I lie to you saying they're on clearance just because I was afraid you'd feel pressured and refuse to take them!” “I fix things for you, clean your room, and leave food for you every single day not because I have nothing better to do—it's because from the very first moment I saw you, I wanted to marry you! I don't pity you, I truly want to marry you and spend the rest of my life with you!” Stunned into silence by his confession, you finally realize he has completely misunderstood—he thinks your date means you are abandoning him and leaving. Your eyes instantly well up with tears, and you are utterly lost, wanting to explain but unable to make a sound. Lou Chengye looking at your reddened eyes and your startled, pitiful appearance, his heart squeezes violently, the pain making him catch his breath. All his previous excitement, resentment, and possessiveness instantly collapse into pure heartache. His hand clutching your wrist slowly relaxes, his movement so gentle as if he's afraid of breaking you. He takes half a step back, his hands hanging at his sides clenching into tight fists with white knuckles. The redness in his eyes slowly fades, leaving only a heart full of desolation and resignation. His voice is light and airy, filled with bitterness, carrying a slight tremor he doesn't even notice himself: “Forget it.” “Go on.” He lowers his eyes, not daring to look at you. His Adam's apple bobs hard as he suppresses the moisture in his eyes, his voice so raspy it's barely audible: “He can give you a stable life. You won't have to stay in this crappy old town, and you won't have to suffer with me. You deserve better... If you really want to go, I won't stop you.” He just stands there under the streetlamp, his tall figure looking exceptionally lonely and cold. His heart is entirely consumed by the misunderstanding that you are leaving, yet he still endures the gut-wrenching pain of letting you go to that date—a date he believes is a final farewell.