Xu Yecheng froze for a moment, then forced a slightly stiff smile and said to Ji Qingying, "Hey, hello."
"Hi…" Ji Qingying also replied, her expression equally awkward.
Inside, Xu Yecheng's mind was in absolute chaos.
Last night, working the late shift, he had to endure watching couples flaunt their love; today, on the early shift, he ran into his ex-girlfriend—introduced to him, of all people, by his own roommate.
This was beyond absurd—it was practically surreal.
A glint of mischief flickered in He Xiaohan's eyes. He naturally sensed the tension between the two.
"Yecheng, grab me a pack of Zhonghua cigarettes," he said casually.
"Alright," Xu Yecheng replied after a brief pause, his mind clearly elsewhere. He mechanically reached into the glass display cabinet and handed over the pack.
He Xiaohan took it, then picked up a lighter from the counter beside him.
Ji Qingying kept her head slightly lowered. He Xiaohan gently shook her hand, leaned down a bit, and brought his face close to hers. "Why aren't you stopping me from smoking anymore?"
Ji Qingying immediately grew even more flustered. "Smoking once in a while isn't a big deal."
He Xiaohan chuckled softly, his voice suddenly turning tender and caring: "What's wrong? Do you have something urgent to deal with? Why keep your head down like that?"
"It's nothing…" Ji Qingying murmured quietly.
Following her gaze, He Xiaohan reached out and picked up a box of "ultra-thin" condoms, then handed it to Xu Yecheng.
"No need to be shy—it's a normal need," He Xiaohan whispered, low enough that only Xu Yecheng could hear.
Xu Yecheng watched their interaction in silence. He saw He Xiaohan lean close to Ji Qingying's ear and whisper something, then pass her the box. A complicated mix of emotions churned inside him.
Is Ji Qingying really going to let this guy take advantage of her…?
Ji Qingying's cheeks flushed crimson. Xu Yecheng glanced at He Xiaohan's handsome face, pain flickering in his eyes.
Does she even know what kind of person he really is…?
The thought filled him with a deep sense of helplessness.
She'd already cut all ties with him. If he tried interfering now, she'd surely resent him.
But how could he just stand by and watch her get hurt like this?
He bit his lip tightly.
This guy really has no shame at all.
Xu Yecheng glanced again at He Xiaohan, and a fresh wave of jealousy surged through him.
Sure, he had to admit He Xiaohan was good-looking—but so what? Good looks shouldn't give anyone license to behave recklessly.
Yet compared to Xu Yecheng himself, He Xiaohan undeniably had more "capital" to play around with.
Ji Qingying was probably fooled by his friendly facade.
But it also seemed clear that what He Xiaohan now had—something Xu Yecheng himself never managed to hold onto—was genuine.
Moreover, the dynamic between Ji Qingying and He Xiaohan was entirely different from what she'd once shared with Xu Yecheng.
In their past relationship, it had always been Xu Yecheng catering to Ji Qingying—but from what he'd just witnessed, it now seemed Ji Qingying was the one bending toward He Xiaohan.
Xu Yecheng took the box, scanned the code to pay, slipped it into a plastic bag, and handed it to He Xiaohan.
"Here you go," He Xiaohan said, motioning for Ji Qingying to take it.
Xu Yecheng saw her hesitate briefly before obediently reaching out to accept the bag—her fingers brushing lightly against his own.
"Let's go," He Xiaohan said, then turned politely toward Xu Yecheng with a warm smile. "Thanks, bro. Let's grab a meal sometime—you, me, and Qingying."
"No, no, really, that's not necessary," Xu Yecheng forced another stiff grin and quickly declined.
"No need to be so formal. We'll be off then. See you around," He Xiaohan said amiably, then gently intertwined his fingers with Ji Qingying's.
Xu Yecheng watched as their hands clasped tightly together, jealousy and bitterness tightening in his chest.
Forget it—don't make a fool of yourself.
He suppressed the urge to speak to Ji Qingying and the frustration bubbling toward He Xiaohan.
With a quiet sigh, he turned to greet the next customer.
***
Meanwhile, He Xiaohan and Ji Qingying strolled hand in hand down the street.
"He Xiaohan, could you stop picking out that kind of stuff in public?" Ji Qingying finally spoke up.
"It's just my roommate—it's not like we're surrounded by strangers," He Xiaohan replied casually, clearly unconcerned.
"But having strangers around is embarrassing! Can't you consider my feelings for once?" Her expression turned visibly irritated.
"You're really not that important to other people—and besides, you don't even have anything to do with him anymore," He Xiaohan said bluntly as he pulled out his cigarette pack.
"Is that really what you think I want to hear?"
"I'm sorry, babe. I made you lose face." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders and whispered huskily into her ear, his voice low and seductive, "Tonight, I'm all yours—you can take me anywhere you want."
Ji Qingying's face flushed again.
"Just… don't do that again, okay?" Her tone instantly softened.
"Of course not," He Xiaohan smiled gently, though his eyes held a trace of subtle disdain.
He placed a cigarette between his lips. When Ji Qingying saw him reach for the lighter, she looked as if she wanted to stop him again.
"I'll just smoke one—to reflect on my mistakes," He Xiaohan said, handing her the rest of the pack. "Just this one."
Seeing how compliant he seemed, Ji Qingying reluctantly took the cigarettes.
"Quitting smoking takes time—you have to go step by step," she said.
"Click." A flame leapt to life. The cigarette caught fire, and white smoke curled from his slender fingers. The crisp scent of tobacco filled the air. His expression relaxed, and as the smoke drifted from his nostrils and veiled his features, his brows took on a hazy, dreamlike quality.
***
Finally, Xu Yecheng made it through his shift. After grabbing a quick bite, he headed back to his dorm to work on his online coursework.
Zheng Wenxuan's life was far less eventful than Xu Yecheng's—he was the textbook definition of a "do-nothing" college student.
Xu Yecheng opened the door and glanced at Zheng, who lay sprawled on his bed, then sat down at his own desk.
The moment Zheng saw Xu Yecheng return, he shot up from bed like a dying fish suddenly revived.
"My dear Cheng~ How much do you make per hour at that convenience store?"
"Fifteen yuan an hour," Xu Yecheng replied, already booting up his computer.
"Holy crap—if that's true, then the shop I saw earlier really is paying top dollar."
"Oh? How much?" Xu Yecheng perked up immediately.
"Twenty-three to thirty yuan per hour," Zheng said, grinning as he saw Xu Yecheng's eyes light up.
"Seriously?"
"But they only hire girls," Zheng added.
Xu Yecheng's face instantly fell—
—but then, a moment later, brightened again.