Parallel World, Blue Star.

August in Hangcheng burned under a relentless sun. Zhou You sat in a roadside café—ordinary, unremarkable—and felt an unexpected calm.

Across the long table sat a strikingly beautiful girl.

Her name was Yun Daidai. Her family was wealthy, though Zhou You knew little beyond that. She came from a single-parent home with a fiercely ambitious mother. Perhaps to mirror her, Yun Daidai always dressed impeccably—radiant, polished, dazzling.

Today was no exception. A hint of makeup graced her fair, delicate face. Bright eyes sparkled above a figure elegantly outlined by a blue dress. Beneath the hem, slender legs vanished into premium black stockings; dainty feet curled inside sleek black leather shoes.

From afar, she seemed a flawless beauty. Anyone would envy the one who earned her favor.

Except Zhou You.

She was his girlfriend. And today, he was here to break up with her.

They’d been together three years—from freshman year to now, post-graduation.

Yet no matter how hard he tried, Zhou You couldn’t recall a single sweet moment between them.

If anything, it was that night after his freshman-year confession succeeded. Seeing classmates’ envious stares, a flicker of vanity warmed his chest.

How had it come to this…

“You’re saying with your college entrance exam scores, you can only get into Hangcheng Z University?”

Yun Daidai’s gaze was cool. Predictably, she began arranging his next move.

“Retake it. As my boyfriend, you *will* attend Imperial Capital University.” Her tone left no room for debate. That was just who she was.

“…”

“I’ll secure the best school, tutors, environment. You just deliver perfect grades.”

Zhou You stayed silent. A suffocating weight surged through him.

This moment was merely a snapshot of three years—not the first time. And without a breakup, it wouldn’t be the last.

“What are you hesitating about? I’m doing this for your good. Don’t you see?”

Her impatient voice jolted him slightly. “First… thank you, Daidai. Your pushing these three years *did* get me into Hangcheng Z University.”

She’d dictated his every step like a puppet master. Still—he owed his grades to her.

“To meet your standards, I pushed myself relentlessly. Every. Single. Day. Skipping meals, losing sleep.”

He remembered the day he jumped from 200th to 11th in school rankings.

Thrilled. Hopeful. Certain his “young mistress” would finally be pleased.

She granted only a peck on the cheek—and demanded top ten next time.

That day, he should’ve realized: Yun Daidai didn’t want a boyfriend. She wanted a loyal dog.

To her, even sharing the same air beside her was a “reward.” A kiss? A privilege.

Regretfully, it took him three full years to wake up.

“Daidai… I’m tired.”

“What do you mean?” Yun Daidai lifted her coffee cup with practiced grace. The idea of *him* ending things hadn’t crossed her mind.

“Haaah…”

Zhou You exhaled slowly. “I’m not the man you envision. I can’t be perfect for you. So… let’s part ways.”

The words hung in the air. Calm washed over him. Lightness. As if a thousand-pound burden had vanished.

The atmosphere between them turned brittle.

Yun Daidai’s hand remained steady on the cup. Only the trembling ripples on the coffee betrayed her.

“Today isn’t April Fools’ Day.”

“And you know I’m not joking.”

Zhou You stood. Habit made him gently drop a sugar cube into her set-aside coffee.

“Coffee’s bitter. Drink less.”

Playing the gentle boyfriend in public—another of the young mistress’s endless demands. It had taught him care. Patience.

“I’ve thought it through. We’re not right. Letting go is best.”

“I’ve paid already. Stay as long as you like. I won’t keep you.”

“The period meds I bought you last time… they’re probably gone. You know your cramps are bad.”

“Buy more on your way home. This time, I won’t run through the rain for you.”

“That’s all. Goodbye.”

He’d expected bitterness after the breakup. Cruel words born of rebellion.

Instead, he spoke gently—softer than usual—listing reminders with quiet care.

She’d never hear them again.

One last act of grace. It cost nothing.

Zhou You pushed the glass door open. Sunlight spilled over him. A quiet smile touched his lips.

Freedom tasted sweet.

Behind him, Yun Daidai sat frozen. Motionless. For a long, long time.

…

…

Outside, Zhou You opened his contacts and removed Yun Daidai’s special notification tag.

No block. No pettiness. A woman like her would never chase a man who defied her. And he’d never let her control him again.

“She’s probably blocked *me* already,” he mused with a wry chuckle. He let her go.

Every second ahead was his. The thought sent a thrill deep into his bones.

*Freedom forever.*

He tapped open a WeChat group: *Sugar Mama Roleplay Group*—joined sophomore year when Yun Daidai’s pressure became unbearable.

Handsome & Thoughtful God: [Guys, I just broke up with my girlfriend.]

Prosperous Bloom: [Oho~ Now that you’re single, little brother… how about big sister?]

Only one reply. The group was quiet—like real sugar mommas, always busy.

Zhou You recalled “Prosperous Bloom’s” half-truths: *“I’m a well-known entrepreneur in Hangcheng.”*

He used “he.” No real sugar mama would idle here playing house.

99.99% sure: not a woman. Not a sugar mama.

Handsome & Thoughtful God: [Sure. Meet offline?]

Prosperous Bloom: [Oh?~ Little brother isn’t scared big sister will devour you whole?]

Handsome & Thoughtful God: [Being kept by a sugar mama sounds… peaceful.]

Three years drained him. If a real one offered rest? He’d say yes.

University → job → burnout → urn.

Skip the grind. Lie flat. Earn while resting? Perfect.

Prosperous Bloom: [Big sister doesn’t play nice. Checking my schedule…]

Handsome & Thoughtful God: [Waiting. smug.jpg]

***

Not far away, inside a gleaming high-rise…

A woman of icy elegance—young-faced, flawless—set down her phone. She crossed legs sheathed in silver stilettos. A curve that could shame any runway model.

Yun Mingyue.

The name that haunted Hangcheng’s elite—not just for beauty that defied age, but for assets numbering in the hundreds of billions.

Chin propped on slender fingers, she gazed out the window. A faint smile softened her frost.

“Meeting an online friend?”

Odd… this boy always reminded her of her daughter.

But he was gentler. Kinder. Infinitely more endearing.

She’d poured quiet maternal warmth onto him without realizing.

*Daughter?*

A shadow crossed her face. She pressed the desk phone button.

Prosperous Bloom: [If you’re near Shidai Plaza, little brother—come. Big sister has a gift for you.]

“A gift?”

Zhou You glanced around. He *was* close. Five minutes away.

No rush. No grind. No ghost-life.

Time to live.

He reached Shidai Plaza. Beside it, a mall’s giant screen played not ads—but a looping song:

*“If one day you break up, I’ll be first at your side.”*

*“I’ll say: I’m a sugar mama.”*

*“You’ll lounge on the world’s softest sofa—eat, sleep, wake, eat… for a whole year.”*

*“Stay by my side. Chat. Laugh. No worries about tomorrow… or goodbyes.”*

…

Zhou You froze.

The lyrics carried a strange, domineering tenderness.

*Was this the gift?*

A flicker of doubt stirred.

Could Sister Hua… actually be real?

Possible. She played the role *too* perfectly.

Prosperous Bloom: [Asked my secretary. Free tomorrow. You pick the spot.]

…Should he practice handling a “steel wool”?