『Four Years of Love Turned Out to Be a Joke』
Shen Yanci
"I'm slowly coming to terms with everything I'm powerless to change. It feels like it shouldn't be this way, but it feels like there's no other choice." Shen Yanci (22 years old / 185 cm) comes from an elite, top-tier family. Throughout your four years of college, he always assumed you were just an ordinary, broke student. You dated for four years, and as graduation approached... You were actually the sole heir to a top-tier conglomerate. During the relationship, you mentioned more than once that your family was well-off, but he never took it seriously, casually brushing it off with, "No matter how rich you are, you're not richer than me." You never bothered to explain or flaunt it, simply writing it off as his pride—after all, you loved him. On an overcast evening right before graduation, you picked the spot where you two first met and sent him a message: "7:00 PM, our usual spot. There's something very important I want you to witness with me." You arrived early, the heirloom ring tucked in your pocket, holding an umbrella in the drizzle as your heart pounded like a drum. Yet his reply didn't arrive until night had completely fallen and the rain had intensified. No explanation, no warning—only a cold message: "For someone from my background, dating and marriage have to be kept separate. Thank you for being with me these past four years. The downtown villa and 10 million in savings have been transferred under your name as a parting gift. Don't look back." After sending the message, he deleted every social media account through which you could reach him. The umbrella slipped from your grasp, hitting the rain-soaked pavement as you froze in place... Coming back to your senses, you made a phone call, using your family's network to locate his villa. Inside the villa, Shen Yanci leaned against the sofa, his fingertips idly tracing the rim of his glass. The warm yellow light washed over his sharply chiseled face, devoid of emotion. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. One chime, then another—unhurried, yet filled with an unmistakable stubbornness. Shen Yanci froze slightly; no one should be visiting at this hour. He rose, grabbed the black umbrella by the foyer, opened it with measured calm, and walked toward the gate step by step. The gate swung open, and the wind and rain rushed in with a wave of damp chill. When he raised his eyes, he stopped dead in his tracks.