Chapter Fourteen: The Fireworks Have Grown Cold

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Tong Zhenzhen looked up and saw that the night sky, once sparsely dotted with a few stars, was now illuminated by bursts of vibrant fireworks, becoming lively and beautiful. Heart-shaped fireworks blossomed from small to large before fading away completely. Bathed in the colorful glow, Tong Zhenzhen spotted Long Tianyu holding a large bouquet of lavender, dressed in the white shirt from the advertisement, shining like a star. His confident demeanor and extraordinarily handsome face, paired with a gentle smile at the corner of his lips, made him appear like a noble prince from a fairy tale.

Tong Zhenzhen ran towards him. Long Tianyu’s face lit up with surprise, and he instinctively opened his arms, ready to embrace her. Unexpectedly, when she was still five steps away, she suddenly stopped, muttering incantations—“Lin Bing Dou Zhe, Jie Zhen Lie Xing Qian”—while making hand gestures, then shouted fiercely, “Begone, monster!” Long Tianyu’s smile instantly froze. Having watched all of Lam Ching-ying’s ghost films with her, he recognized these as Taoist exorcist gestures. He also heard laughter coming from the shadows, likely from some passerby witnessing the scene.

“You…” Long Tianyu, who had long been indulged by others, felt a flicker of irritation but was cut off before he could speak. “Please, protect yourself and care for others—don’t go out scaring people in the middle of the night!” Tong Zhenzhen looked at him with disdain. “If you want romance, go find your wife. I’m not playing along.” With that, she turned and headed straight for the bus stop, leaving behind a dark-faced Long Tianyu standing alone in the night.

On the bus, Tong Zhenzhen leaned against the window. She could still see the fireworks bursting and fading along the horizon. How ridiculous—Long Tianyu was trying to win her over with something as fleeting as smoke. Was he trying to remind her of the brief and unreal romance they once shared? If she could start over, she would never waste her feelings on him! If only she hadn’t gone hiking that day, if she hadn’t encountered him after he was framed and fell off the cliff, if she hadn’t fallen for him afterward—how much better that would have been!

But life offers no such “ifs.” Along the road to maturity, one inevitably meets scoundrels. Because to hurt is to truly have given one’s heart. From the start, Long Tianyu harbored doubts—hence his feigned amnesia. Thinking back now, Tong Zhenzhen realized many inconsistencies. It wasn’t like a Korean drama where amnesia comes easily. At the time, she was too naive to guard herself, not only rescuing him but also believing his lies and bringing him home. Back then, she and her mother ran a small shop, living frugally, yet they still took him in.

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Living under the same roof, he took the initiative to help in the shop and attract customers. The sluggish business began to improve. His words were sweet, often making her mother smile so much that her eyes curved with joy. Toward Tong Zhenzhen, he was polite, yet occasionally revealed a cautious desire to get closer. She was utterly captivated by his smile and eyes, believing in a love fallen from the heavens, believing that even a Cinderella could have her spring.

But fate would not let her linger in dreams. It struck her awake with a harsh blow.

Tong Zhenzhen remembered that day—it was drizzling. She stood under the eaves of a church, waiting for him, hoping for a miracle. Instead, she was met with heartbreak: she saw him arm in arm with another woman, their smiles like spring breezes, approaching gracefully. They were truly a perfect pair, like a prince and princess. He told her he would marry his fiancée in that church and invited her to witness the ceremony. The sound of her shattered heart still rings vividly and resolutely in her mind.

He had stayed at the shop only to avoid persecution by rivals. Ambitious as he was, how could he marry a girl from a broken-down store? She was simply foolish! In real life, Cinderella has no prince to love or rescue her.

Memories surged like a tide. Tong Zhenzhen closed her eyes, resting her head against the cold bus window, her brows furrowed, the red mark on her face darkening. The smoke was too cold… Love was but a garnish in life, and to Tong Zhenzhen, it was a rare treasure.

In the following days, neither Long Tianyu nor Jun Lengche appeared. Only Qin Xiangyang occasionally called, but thinking of his wife’s hostility, Tong Zhenzhen limited their contact. She was somewhat anxious about Jun Lengche’s disappearance. Had her rejection driven him away? Would her sacrifice have been in vain? Yet, continuous overtime dulled her worries. Vengeance could wait; work still had to be done, and money was needed to survive.

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After the new car rolled off the production line smoothly, the department head generously treated the entire team to an all-inclusive celebration: a big meal, karaoke, and late-night snacks, with a special day off the next day. The whole project team was ecstatic.

At the KTV, as the team leader, Tong Zhenzhen had already been heavily drunk by the time they arrived. Coupled with several sleepless days, she felt dizzy and was helped into the room by female colleagues. After resting for a while, she felt slightly better. Just drinking beer would have been fine, but at the dinner table, these guys insisted on doing “depth charges,” mixing white liquor with beer—it was unbearable. Her stomach churned, and she felt the urge to purge. Unfortunately, the restroom in the private room was occupied by a colleague for a long time, with continuous retching sounds echoing—almost like an emetic.

No way—she couldn’t embarrass herself.

Tong Zhenzhen fought back the rising nausea, steadied herself against the wall, and stood up. “Xiao Tong, are you okay?” the seasoned drinker department head approached with concern. “I’m fine, really. Look, I can still walk a straight line,” she shook her head and took a deep breath. “I’m going out for a moment; this restroom seems occupied.”

Seeing she was still coherent and her eyes bright, he nodded and let her go.

Outside the room, Tong Zhenzhen confirmed it was room 303. She glanced inside at her colleagues’ raucous antics; no one noticed her. She relaxed her tense nerves and headed to the public restroom. After a good purge, her stomach felt much better, but her head grew heavier, and her eyelids drooped. What she wanted most now was to find a place to nap.

Staggering along, she wondered why so many people were stumbling before her in the corridor. To avoid bumping into anyone, she stuck close to the wall. Thus, in the wide corridor, she tiptoed along the edges, clearly quite drunk.

“This must be 303,” she finally reached the door, grasped the wall for support, and examined the number. “It should be here.” She pushed open the door.

Two grown men were holding microphones, singing a heartfelt duet amid the noisy room.

What a mess! Tong Zhenzhen shook her head and decided to find a corner to rest.

“Excuse me,” she said, moving to a sofa in the corner and nudging a man aside. She nestled in, feeling comforted. Time to rest.

Instantly, the room fell silent as everyone stared at the drunken cat.

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