My Ex Told Me She’s Still In Love With Me - Chapter 15

Chapter 15: The Breakup

Snap back to reality. There were the intimate whispers of the couple and the warm greetings of her parents. Cheng Yi suddenly felt a profound sense of emptiness; everything here was connected to her, yet felt entirely unrelated to her.

Watching Meng Qingwu navigate the conversation with such ease and poise, Cheng Yi realized this was a scene that had once lived in her own imagination—back when she had dreamed of bringing Meng Qingwu home herself.

But now, as she watched Meng Qingwu sitting beside Cheng Zhan, the person who had brought her home wasn’t her. A pain she couldn’t suppress flared in her chest. She lowered her head, masking her disarray.

Meng Qingwu noticed Cheng Yi’s shift out of the corner of her eye, and the smile on her face dimmed slightly.

“What do you like to eat, Qingwu? I’ll have the kitchen prepare it for lunch.” Yu Qingshuang liked Meng Qingwu more the more she looked at her, her voice softer than usual.

“I’m not picky,” Meng Qingwu replied. “I just can’t handle anything too spicy.”

“Alright, I’ll make sure the kitchen knows.”

At those words, Cheng Yi looked up. She’s not picky anymore?

She remembered the old Meng Qingwu, who had a long list of things she wouldn’t touch. To ensure she had a balanced diet, Cheng Yi had to coax her into eating so many things. Every time, Qingwu would act spoiled, demanding to be hand-fed before she’d take a bite.

Cheng Yi looked down. Yes, four years have passed—longer than the time we were actually together. It’s not surprising her tastes have changed. Still, a sense of loss washed over her; Qingwu had changed during a time when she wasn’t there to see it.

…

At lunch, Father Cheng sat at the head of the table with Yu Qingshuang to his right. To his left sat Cheng Zhan and Meng Qingwu. Cheng Yi sat silently next to her mother, staring at her plate, refusing to look up.

“What’s wrong, Yiyi? Are you feeling unwell?” Yu Qingshuang asked quietly, finding her daughter uncharacteristically somber.

Cheng Yi shook her head, remaining silent. Yu Qingshuang sighed and patted her hand under the table, worrying about her daughter’s future. If she stayed this cold and withdrawn, how would she ever find a partner?

Across the table, Meng Qingwu glanced at her, then took a slow, deliberate sip of tea, her own mood sinking.

Cheng Zhan looked at his parents, then placed a piece of food in Meng Qingwu’s bowl. “Try this; it’s Mom’s specialty.”

Meng Qingwu looked at him, then instinctively at Cheng Yi. Their eyes met. She withdrew her gaze and smiled at Cheng Zhan, returning the gesture by putting food in his bowl.

Yu Qingshuang watched the interaction with a satisfied nod. Cheng Yi’s face turned white, and her stomach began to churn with acid.

The moment lunch ended, Cheng Yi couldn’t stay a second longer. She hurried to say her goodbyes and practically fled the house.

The family was stunned by her abruptness. Yu Qingshuang quickly smoothed things over: “Yiyi must be heading back to school. Once she gets busy with work, she forgets everything else. I’ve told her so many times, but she never changes. Please don’t mind her, Qingwu.”

Meng Qingwu smiled. “It’s fine. I’m the same way when I get busy.”

She glanced toward the door, recalling the look on Cheng Yi’s face. She looked down and smiled. It might be childish, but… it feels really good.

…

Cheng Yi escaped the Cheng villa like a fugitive. When she reached the foot of the mountain, she pulled over and reached into her pocket with trembling hands. Staring at the winding road ahead, she gasped for breath, her nose stinging with the urge to cry.

She was… she was clearly mine…

Cheng Yi covered her eyes, her spine slowly curving as she leaned over the steering wheel. It was her own fault. She was the one who lost her, and now she had to bear this unbearable regret.

…

“Let’s break up,” Cheng Yi said.

Meng Qingwu stopped what she was doing and looked up. “If you still can’t give me a reason, I won’t agree.”

Cheng Yi looked at Meng Qingwu’s face—one that was losing its youthful innocence and becoming more mature. Remembering how Qingwu had refused her last attempt to break up, Cheng Yi closed her eyes and spoke coldly: “I like younger girls.”

Meng Qingwu was stunned. She looked down at herself and let out a dry laugh. “Younger girls? So, I’m considered old now?”

She smiled bitterly. Cheng Yi had found a reason she couldn’t even argue against. After a silence, she asked, “Are you sure?”

“…Sure.”

“Fine. We’re done.” Meng Qingwu lowered her head and let out a soft laugh. She stood up, packed her things, and left Cheng Yi’s apartment without looking back.

Clean and decisive.

…

After returning from the Cheng house, Meng Qingwu threw herself into work to stop herself from thinking. The only annoyance was Liang Siming, who seemed to have too much free time.

Seeing another lunch invitation, Meng Qingwu rubbed her temples. She screenshotted the message and sent it to Cheng Zhan, telling him to deal with the trouble he caused. If it weren’t for Cheng Zhan suggesting she “give it a try,” Liang Siming wouldn’t be this persistent.

It wasn’t that he was clingy—he was a perfect gentleman—but she simply didn’t want to consider men or romance. Every time someone approached her with those intentions, she felt a flicker of irritation. Yet, because he had helped her with the office building, she couldn’t be too blunt.

Cheng Zhan, currently in a meeting, glanced at his glowing phone. He didn’t see the image, but the text told him Meng Qingwu was “armed with a ticking bomb.”

He raised an eyebrow and shifted his gaze to the woman speaking at the front of the room. She was dressed in a sharp business suit, hair tied in a low ponytail, calmly presenting to a room full of executives with total confidence.

Cheng Zhan was captivated, an unconscious smile spreading across his face. The woman, Tan Li, noticed his gaze. Her speaking pace slowed for a fraction of a second before she resumed her professional composure.

After the meeting, Cheng Zhan stayed behind as Tan Li packed her files. “Vice President Tan’s plan is excellent. I can already see this project succeeding.”

Tan Li glanced at him with a polite, professional smile. “Please don’t flatter me too early, President Cheng. I’m afraid I won’t live up to the hype.”

He laughed, checked the time, and asked, “Would I have the honor of having lunch with you?”

Her expression didn’t change. “I’ll have to pass. I have plans.”

Rejected again. Cheng Zhan sighed as he watched her walk away, feeling a bit melancholy. How on earth am I going to win her over?