The morning sun crept over the horizon, painting the city in soft gold. A gentle breeze danced through the streets, carrying the scent of fresh bread and roasted coffee. For once, Ye Fen felt lighter. Sleep had been difficult, but the heaviness in his chest had begun to lift. He had made his vow beneath the moonlight — and today, he intended to keep it.
After weeks of avoidance, he finally had a plan. He'd call Shen Xuer later, ask her to meet him to properly apologies for what happend, but to show her who he truly was now. He even allowed himself a small smile as he stepped into the bustling café on East Garden Street, the same place they had visited as teenagers.
But fate, as always, had other plans.
"Ye Fen?"
The voice froze him mid-step. Smooth. Familiar. Poison wrapped in silk.
He turned — and there she was. Chen Roxue.
She stood by the doorway, her expensive sunglasses perched on her head, her designer coat catching the morning light. She looked flawless, of course — she always did. But there was a sharpness to her expression now, a bitterness that hadn't been there before.
For a heartbeat, neither spoke. Then she smiled — a thin, cutting thing.
"Well," she said, her tone almost amused, "what are the odds? We keep bumping into each other."
Ye Fen's jaw tightened. "Roxue."
"Relax," she said lightly, stepping closer. "I'm not here to cause a scene. I was just getting coffee. But I must admit…" — her eyes swept over his tailored jacket and calm demeanor — "you wear success better than I expected."
"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"
"Take it however you want," she said with a shrug. "Though, between us, it's rather funny. All those years I begged you to be ambitious, to do something with your life… and now that I'm gone, you suddenly become this new man. Tell me, Ye Fen, was it my leaving that finally made you grow up?"
Ye Fen didn't flinch. "No. It was realizing that I never needed someone like you to begin with."
Her smile faltered — just a little. "Careful," she said softly. "It almost sounds like you're trying to hurt me."
"I'm not," he said calmly. "I don't hate you, Roxue. Honestly, I don't feel anything at all."
For a moment, silence stretched between them — uncomfortable and heavy. She looked at him with an expression he couldn't quite read. Was it anger? Regret? Maybe both.
"You've changed," she murmured, almost to herself. "You're not the same man I left from some one who use to sell fish to this did you get a sugar mommy ."
"Roxue mind your words ," he said.
Before Roxue could respond, a familiar voice — warm, familiar, and laced with confusion — called out from behind him.
"Ye Fen?"
His heart skipped. He turned, and there was Shen Xuer, standing just a few steps away, holding a small paper bag from the bakery down the street. Her expression softened when her eyes met his — but then she saw Roxue.
The warmth vanished.
Her gaze hardened, shifting between them before settling on him. "What is she doing here?"
Roxue's lips curved into a slow, poisonous smile. "Ah, so this is her," she said, voice dripping with mock sweetness. "The woman who replaced me."
Shen Xuer's eyes narrowed. "I asked a question."
Ye Fen took a slow breath. "It's not what it looks like. I ran into her by accident."
"Accident," Roxue echoed, laughing softly. "Yes, just like our marriage was an accident. Just like the three years you wasted were an accident."
"Enough," Ye Fen said sharply.
But Shen Xuer's expression didn't soften. Her eyes were on Roxue now, full of suspicion. "You shouldn't be here," she said coldly. "You have no place in his life anymore."
"Oh, I know," Roxue said, stepping closer, her heels clicking against the tiles. "But I think you should know the kind of man you're getting involved with. Did he tell you how pathetic he was? How he lived off me for years? How he—"
"Stop."
The word burst from Ye Fen's lips like a gunshot. His voice was low, but every syllable carried steel. "I made mistakes. I was weak. But you don't get to stand here and weaponize that against me."
Roxue blinked, taken aback by the sudden authority in his tone.
"I loved you once," Ye Fen continued. "And maybe I wasn't enough for you. But that is over. I don't owe you explanations, and I certainly won't let you rewrite history to make yourself feel better."
Roxue's jaw tightened. "You're so sure of yourself now."
"No," he said, glancing at Shen Xuer. "I made the best decision."
Shen Xuer's breath caught, but her face remained unreadable. "Then why are we still standing here talking to her?" she asked quietly.
That question — simple, direct — pierced deeper than any insult.
Ye Fen turned back to Roxue. "You should go."
Her lips trembled — almost imperceptibly. "You really mean that, don't you?"
"Yes."
For a long, silent moment, Roxue simply stared at him. The arrogant smirk was gone. The mockery had faded. And in its place was something raw — wounded pride, perhaps, or a regret she would never admit aloud.
"Fine," she whispered. "But remember, Ye Fen the fact you cheated before marriage there is karma."
Then she turned and walked away, disappearing into the morning crowd.
The silence she left behind was deafening. Shen Xuer stood a few feet away, her arms crossed, her eyes fixed on him.
"Was it really an accident?" she asked softly.
"Yes," he said, stepping closer. "I didn't plan to see her. And I didn't want to. But I can't control who appears in front of me."
For a long moment, Shen Xuer said nothing. Then she sighed, the anger in her gaze softening into something else — uncertainty, maybe even reluctant hope.
"I don't know if I can trust you yet," she admitted.
"I don't expect you to," he said. "But I'll earn it — step by step, no matter how long it takes."
The wind stirred between them, carrying away the remnants of Roxue's presence. And for the first time, Shen Xuer didn't walk away. She simply nodded once — small, almost imperceptible — and continued down the street.
Ye Fen followed a few steps behind, the morning sun warming his face. The past had tried to claw its way back into his life, but he had faced it — and this time, it no longer owned him