The moon set; the sun rose. Hangzhou sweltered under peak summer heat. Yun Daidai, curled on the floor all night, stirred awake under scorching sunlight.
She slowly opened her eyes. Maybe sheer bad luck had finally spared her—spending a whole night on the floor, yet no cold.
Even better, she felt a little more energized.
Truly the luckiest thing to happen lately.
Pushing herself up, Yun Daidai’s long hair coiled in soft rings across the floor. A thoughtful flicker crossed her eyes.
*“Why break up with me… so coldly?”* She hugged her head, forcing calm. *“Think carefully. Yun Daidai, stay calm. You can do this.”*
She took deep breaths. Memories of Zhou You replayed in her mind—freezing on the moment just before he said it.
He’d said he’d attend Z University in Hangzhou. When she suggested he retake exams for Capital University… he broke up with her instantly.
*“Did he really want Z University?”* She bit her lip. *“Or just… to stay in Hangzhou?”*
Homesick? Or something else?
*“Right—he claimed he had a new girlfriend. How? Right after us?”*
That’s why she never believed it. Impossible. Unscientific.
*“Unless… he’d already…”*
A lightning bolt struck her thoughts. She *knew*.
*“A homewrecker seduced my man.”* She gnashed her teeth, voice thick with hate.
Fists clenched tight, knuckles white, nails digging near her palms.
Convinced she’d unraveled it all, fury surged. One thought burned: find that woman, slap her hard, call her a ***.
As for Zhou You…
*“If he apologizes sincerely… maybe I’ll reluctantly forgive him.”*
Without him lately, life had been so rough—she couldn’t stay angry long.
Having sorted it all, she rose, stepped into the bathroom. Splashing water echoed.
Neatly dressed, spirit renewed, Yun Daidai returned to her room.
Defeating that other woman had become her new purpose.
People do deceive themselves.
Yet once decided, despite shaky life skills, Yun Daidai moved with sharp resolve.
*“Money? That woman won’t give me a cent.”* Resentment flared at the thought of Yun Mingyue.
Hopeless to expect help—just relief if she didn’t sabotage her.
She pushed the bitterness aside. *“Looks? No. I’d never sell myself.”*
*“So… my only real advantage is being the Yun family’s young mistress.”*
Head bowed, face blank, tightly clenched hands betrayed inner turmoil.
Then—resolve hardened in her eyes. All for catching that other woman.
...
...
At Zhou You’s home.
Woken early by his mom to pack, Zhou You yawned, half-asleep, folding clothes into a neat tower.
“Mom, where are you and Dad traveling?”
“My bestie opened a seafood shop in Hainan. We’ll visit a few days,” Xiao Yan said, tucking his folded stack into the suitcase.
She directed Zhou’s dad bustling about—pure head-of-household energy.
Packed and ready, Xiao Yan gave one last reminder:
“If you forgot anything, check the master bedroom nightstand. I left something good there.”
Without pause, she linked arms with her bag-laden husband, strolling downstairs.
They paused, whispered, smiled—less like long-married spouses, more like sweethearts on a date.
Zhou You watched them go. He’d always envied their bond: childhood sweethearts, growing up carefree, marrying naturally, raising a son, barely arguing across decades.
A dream-model couple.
Only such parents could raise someone like him.
He closed the door softly, dusted his shirt—time for breakfast to quiet his growling stomach.
Suddenly, Chen Youzi rushed in, waving her tiny pink phone.
“Brother! Check the school forum—now!”
Zhou You took it. His eyes locked on the pinned post:
*“Our School’s Model Couple Has Broken Up.”*
Details of his and Yun Daidai’s split.
He froze. Anonymous poster? Obviously her.
Who else knew it so precisely? But why expose herself?
*“Because of what I said yesterday?”* He couldn’t fathom it.
“Brother!” Chen Youzi shook his arm. “What do we do? It’s huge!”
“Don’t panic. If people know, so be it.” He’d graduated—judgmental stares didn’t scare him.
Chen Youzi’s face crumpled. *Does he not know how many at school watched him and Miss Yun?*
Trouble was coming. The rest of vacation wouldn’t stay quiet.
Meanwhile, in her apartment, Yun Daidai brushed her hair slowly before the mirror.
Simple plan: Zhou You’s high school “glories” earned him fangirls.
They’d stayed back under her shadow. Now he was single—someone would move.
And once they did…
*“That woman who seduced Zhou You will slip up trying to ‘defend’ herself.”*
Hair twirled around her finger, a cold smirk forming.
“Hmph. Just my first move. Hope you, you ***, last a while.”
“All this pain… I’ll repay it twofold.”
*Snap!*
Black strands broke in her palm. She opened her hand, blew gently.
Hair drifted down. She watched, eerily still.
