Late autumn.

The wind near nightfall really was a little chilly.

A young man in a sharp suit strode along a neat, handsome stone path.

He had black hair and dark eyes, stood over six feet tall, and had a lean build. His handsome, dashing looks were on full display, along with an almost perfect air about him. He seemed ready to outshine the two rows of tall pines lining the path, drawing glances from plenty of young women passing by.

The young man had just walked out of the skyscraper behind him.

It was the best company in the city. Anyone who worked there might not be called a chosen one, but they certainly deserved to be called one of the best.

And young people who managed to get in were rarer still.

This young man was one of them.

His name was Bai Yuyang. This was his first year out of college.

From high school through college, his grades and performance in every other area had been so outstanding they left people stunned.

The company behind him had such high standards that even many accomplished professionals thought twice about applying. Yet it had made an exception for him, hiring him with excellent benefits.

That was right: ever since graduating from college, Bai Yuyang's life had shifted into the fast lane. This was only his first year at work, and everything had gone smoothly.

And yet, despite his bright prospects and immeasurable potential, he was walking very slowly.

Bai Yuyang lowered his head and stared at the little stones along the path, weighed down by worry.

His furrowed brow wouldn't relax. Just moments ago, he'd made a decision that had left his heart aching.

He'd chosen one of the girls who'd confessed to him to be his official girlfriend...

It had been such a hard decision...

Bai Yuyang had known these girls for years. Some of them he'd known since childhood, and the most recent he'd met seven years ago, back in high school.

He'd had so many ridiculous yet unforgettable experiences with every one of them.

Of course! I only mean ordinary experiences, okay!

Messing with people's feelings makes you a player. Bai Yuyang had everything it took to be one, but he didn't have any of those nasty habits!

Love wasn't a game. Before making things official, he had to stick to his principles.

But if Bai Yuyang started dating one of them, he could promise that by the end of that very day, he'd make her a grown woman!

Their feelings had been building for years. If he finally had an outlet, it would probably turn into a fierce battle that wouldn't end until dawn.

Ahem... In any case, Bai Yuyang had made his choice just now.

Then, steeling himself, he'd sent each of them his decision in a separate message.

His phone had been buzzing with replies for ages. Until now, he hadn't had the courage to look.

Only now did he finally stop, take out his phone with a deeply conflicted look, and hold it up in front of him.

At a glance, he saw that every girl had sent him a message.

Starting from the top, Bai Yuyang squinted and carefully read through all their messages.

“Yuyang? You're joking, right? Please don't joke about something like this.”

“Big brother... You must've been half-asleep again. Um... where are you? Come home first, and let's talk.”

“Bai Yuyang! You jerk! What the hell is this message you sent me? Get back here! I swear I'll bite you to death!”

“Big Brother Yuyang... Are you serious...? You really want to choose her? I know I have no right to say this, but I'm still going to say it. I don't agree...”

But what else could I do...?

The messages kept coming.

But Bai Yuyang didn't dare read any more. He silenced his phone, slipped it into his pocket, and continued down the stone path.

Back in high school, he never would've imagined that after all these years, those girls would still love him so devotedly—and that their feelings would only grow stronger.

Even now, as Bai Yuyang thought back on the love they'd confessed to him, he felt touched and nostalgic, yet at the same time, he could hardly breathe.

Last year had been easier. He was still in college then and didn't have to think about so much.

But as soon as he started working, the pressure hit him hard...

Responsibility. Life. The future.

Those words weighed on his heart, forcing Bai Yuyang to make a painful choice. He knew he couldn't keep leaving them without an answer and make them wait forever.

They weren't kids anymore...

Even though he shared a deep bond with each of them, that didn't mean he could keep making them wait. That would be selfish.

The choice he'd made, though it hurt, had left him almost unable to breathe.

Maybe... he should just go home and sleep first. Perhaps he'd be able to calm down a little after waking up.

That was what he was thinking.

Suddenly—

“Ring, ring...”

Bai Yuyang's phone started ringing.

If it was one of the girls, he was going to hang up right away. He wasn't in the right state of mind to talk to them.

But when Yuyang looked...

The caller ID read “Luo Hao.”

“......”

Luo Hao was one of his friends from high school. For all three years, they'd sat one behind the other—a friendship that had started by chance. Over the years, Bai Yuyang had stayed in touch with him and a few of the other guys he'd been close to back then.

“Hello?” Bai Yuyang answered.

Luo Hao's loud, easygoing voice came through at once.

“Hello, hello? Brother Yang? Are you still in Qifeng City?”

“I work here... Where else would I be? What's up?”

“You sound like you're in a pretty bad mood, Brother Yang.”

Luo Hao paused, then continued. “Haha, anyway, Brother Yang, I don't know if you're free later. You're a busy man, and it's not easy to get hold of you these days. I got a few of our high school buddies together at that barbecue place in Qifeng we used to go to. If you're free, come have a couple of drinks with us?”

He was in a bad mood and just wanted to go home and sleep. Bai Yuyang's first instinct was to turn him down.

“I don't think I can... Ah, send me the address. I'll head over in a bit.”

“That's the spirit, Brother Yang! All right, let's have a proper drink tonight. It's been ages since we all got together!”

“Sure. See you soon.”

As soon as they hung up, Luo Hao sent him the barbecue restaurant's location.

He might as well go.

He'd still feel miserable if he went home to sleep. He might as well catch up with his old classmates over a meal and a few drinks. Maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much.

Besides, it really had been ages since he'd seen those old classmates. If he turned them down this time, who knew when they'd manage to get together again?

After making up his mind, Bai Yuyang hailed a cab and headed for the barbecue place.

On the way, he took out his phone again and looked at the girls' messages demanding an explanation, but he still couldn't bring himself to reject them a second time.

He'd have to reply eventually... Maybe after a few drinks, when he was a little tipsy, turning them down wouldn't feel so awful.

“Hahaha! Brother Yang! It's been way too long!”

“Ah, you're here! Has everyone else arrived?”

“They got here ages ago! We were waiting for you before we started eating!”

Luo Hao was waiting for him outside the barbecue restaurant.

He was on the slender side and about half a head shorter than Bai Yuyang.

Luo Hao was pretty ordinary-looking. He wore a simple shirt and a pair of pants, the kind of guy you'd have a hard time picking out of a crowd—but he definitely wasn't bad-looking.

When an ordinary guy like Luo Hao stood next to Yuyang, it only made Yuyang look even more handsome and dashing.

He led Bai Yuyang past the outdoor barbecue stalls and over to a private room.

Then Luo Hao remembered what they'd used to do outside their classroom in high school.

He gave an exaggerated little bow and gestured toward the doorway with both arms.

“Here you go! Brother Yang, after you~”

“Don't mind if I do. Haozi, bring up the rear.”

“Hey, Brother Yang! Weren't you supposed to insist that I go first?”

Yuyang wasn't really in the mood for more joking today. He pushed open the door and walked into the private room.

Inside were some familiar faces—three or four guys, all classmates Bai Yuyang had been close to in high school.

Not to brag, but he'd gotten along pretty well with people at school back then. Having so many friends was proof enough.

When they saw Yuyang come in, they all stood up to greet him.

“The man himself is here, guys! Yuyang's here!”

“Damn, take a look at Bai Yuyang! Is he even more handsome than before?! Then look at us—we're a bunch of ugly mugs. Tsk, tsk, tsk.”

“So this is what a suit looks like?!”

No, no... don't roast me like that. I refuse to believe you've never seen a suit.

“Hahaha, give him a break and let Brother Yang sit down first. Come on, Brother Yang, take the middle seat!”

Luo Hao had specifically saved the guest-of-honor seat for Yuyang. After all, Yuyang had been the ringleader among their classmates back then.

Yuyang greeted the guys one by one, then took the seat right in the middle without any fuss.

Once seated, he let out a long sigh and tried to pull himself together, so they wouldn't notice how worried he was.

They'd all come to have a good time together. There was no need to bring up anything unpleasant.

With that in mind, Yuyang was the first to start a conversation.

“Luo Hao, when did you get a buzz cut? Didn't you used to part your hair three-seven? I remember you saying you wanted a slicked-back style. What happened to that—gone back to basics?”

“It's nothing like that, Brother Yang.” Luo Hao gave a couple of bitter laughs. “I took the grad school entrance exam last year and didn't get in. I'm planning to try again this year, so I can't afford distractions. Everything else has to take a back seat to the exam. I figured I'd travel light, so I got my hair cut!”

Another guy picked up the thread. “Exactly. Luo Hao's the only one at this table still thinking about grad school. The rest of us are going straight to work, but we can't find decent jobs. It's not like you, Brother Yang—you didn't have to go to grad school. Kongfeng Group hired you straight out! We can't even compare!”

Yuyang raised his glass and gave a couple of wry laughs. “Maybe I just got lucky. The opportunity came along pretty quickly. Come on, let's drink to seeing each other again!”

“Cheers!”

“Bottoms up!”

Yuyang had come here to drink, but even after downing a glass of beer, he didn't feel much better.

Even with his phone on silent, it wouldn't stop vibrating with new messages.

But Yuyang hid it well. No one noticed.

They traded stories about the old days, talked about the future, and said they'd have a drink every now and then.

After leading them through another round, Luo Hao set down his glass and sighed.

“Man, time really flies. So much has changed. Brother Yang, you used to barely drink, and now you're almost three bottles in? Your tolerance's gotten a lot better.”

“No, I just felt like having a drink today.”

At that, the other guy sitting across from Bai Yuyang suddenly asked,

“Oh, right—Brother Yang, who did you end up with? We never heard a thing after graduation.”

Bai Yuyang’s glass paused in his hand.

That question sent ripples through the room.

Gossip was always contagious.

Even Luo Hao joined in, teasing him. “Exactly! You’re keeping secrets from us, Brother Yang. You could at least tell us! Back at Qifeng No. 1 High School, you were the undisputed heartthrob. So many girls were after you!”

The others chimed in, one after another.

“Yeah! Brother Yang was the talk of the school. Having a pretty, adorable younger sister was enough to make anyone jealous. And I heard that the student council president—the blonde heiress—was after him too?”

“That’s not all! The school belle, Mo Sishi, was definitely after Brother Yang back then!”

“Ahem!”

Bai Yuyang finally couldn’t sit still.

He didn’t want to hear any of this. At least, not today.

He stood up, forcing himself to keep smiling.

“Ahaha… I’m really sorry, everyone. Please, keep eating and drinking. I’ve had quite a bit to drink too, and I just remembered I have something to take care of. I’d better head back first.”