A Coffee, a Breakup, and a Collision of Fates

On a bright autumn afternoon, the sun shone brilliantly. From the coffee shop on the corner, the romantic strains of a piano drifted gracefully.

Si Xi took a leisurely sip of his coffee, his narrow phoenix eyes crinkling with contentment. “Sister Sun called me today,” he began, “to let me know that the wedding suits are all finished. I’m starting school again in a couple of days, so would you happen to be free tomorrow or the day after for us to go try them on?”

Seated opposite him was his fiancé, Shao Xun, a strikingly handsome man. The two were scheduled to marry by the end of the month.

Si Xi, a mere twenty-one years old, was still a vibrant university student, and truth be told, he harbored no desire to enter the bonds of matrimony quite so soon.

Yet, bound by a family alliance, he found himself without recourse.

Furthermore, Shao Xun possessed a rather handsome countenance and a commendable drive for his career, truly standing out amongst the idle playboys of Yanjing. Si Xi, all things considered, felt quite content with his fiancé.

While discussions of their impending nuptials ought to have been a source of delight, a profound gravity settled upon Shao Xun’s features.

“There’s no need for a fitting,” he stated, his voice devoid of warmth. “The reason I asked you out today was to discuss the annulment of our engagement.”

The smile that had graced Si Xi’s lips instantly froze.

“Shao Xun,” Si Xi demanded, his voice sharp, “what exactly are you implying?”

“Yangyang has returned from abroad,” Shao Xun explained, a wistful note in his voice. “Three years ago, my hesitation cost me a chance with him. I refuse to let that happen again; otherwise, I’ll carry that regret for the rest of my life.”

Si Xi let out a choked, angry laugh. ‘Damn him.’

Theirs was an arranged marriage, their engagement settled last year, and their wedding date agreed upon at the start of this year. He had a full year to reflect and reconsider, yet he chose to announce the annulment on the very eve of their wedding.

To make matters worse, their wedding invitations had already been dispatched!

How could he possibly face such an indignity?

How would he ever manage to hold his head high in Yanjing’s elite circles again?!

“I understand this decision is abrupt,” Shao Xun continued, pushing a check across the table. “This ten million yuan is my compensation to you. I hope we can part ways amicably, and I ask that you refrain from pursuing this matter further.”

Shao Xun then produced a check, sliding it across the polished tabletop toward Si Xi.

Si Xi drew a slow, deliberate breath.

“There’s no room for negotiation on this matter, is there?” Si Xi asked, his voice dangerously calm.

Shao Xun lowered his gaze. “I apologize,” he murmured.

‘Good, this is just wonderful,’ Si Xi thought, a bitter taste in his mouth.

“The ‘Yangyang’ you speak of,” Si Xi retorted, a sardonic edge to his voice, “must be Young Master Wang Yang from the Wang family. I did hear he was returning today. And judging by your attire, it seems you weren’t dressed up to meet me.”

Indeed, Shao Xun was impeccably dressed today, clad in a sharp suit and polished leather shoes, an expensive watch adorning his wrist, and black sapphire cufflinks gleaming at his cuffs. Every detail bespoke opulent luxury.

Already handsome, his meticulously chosen outfit made him appear even more dashing, akin to a resplendent peacock poised to display its plumage in a courtship ritual.

Having laid his cards bare to Si Xi, Shao Xun no longer saw the need to conceal anything, admitting it with a frankness that bordered on audacity.

“Yes,” he confirmed. “His flight lands at five. I must leave now.”

With those words, he rose from his seat, offered Si Xi a perfunctory nod, and turned to depart.

“Wait,” Si Xi called out.

Si Xi calmly picked up the check and slipped it into his pocket. “Since you’ve been so generous,” he remarked, a faint smile playing on his lips, “I also have something to give you. Consider it a parting gift.”

Shao Xun had, after all, been the one to propose the breakup and offer the check. Yet, witnessing Si Xi’s composed acceptance of the ten million, and his insistence on presenting a parting gift in return, something within Shao Xun bristled with annoyance.

In his past breakups, his former partners had typically resorted to tears, tantrums, and even dramatic threats. None had ever displayed Si Xi’s unsettling composure.

Could it be that Si Xi had, from the very beginning, regarded their engagement as nothing more than a mere arranged marriage?

At this realization, Shao Xun’s expression darkened once more.

“What is it you intend to give?” he questioned, a hint of suspicion in his tone.

“I’m going to give you…” Si Xi began, a mischievous glint in his eye.

Without warning, Si Xi snatched up the coffee cup from the table and flung its contents directly at Shao Xun’s face.

“Eat shit, you bastard!” Si Xi spat out.

Shao Xun stood stunned.

Caught completely by surprise, Shao Xun found himself drenched from head to face. The dark brown coffee cascaded down his features and neck, streaking his carefully selected attire, rendering him utterly mortified and disheveled.

Meanwhile, Si Xi had already turned on his heel, making a dramatic and unbothered exit.

****

It wasn’t until he had settled into the driver’s seat of his own car that Si Xi’s shoulders finally slumped, a sudden release of tension.

His union with Shao Xun had been one of convenience, an arranged marriage. While he couldn’t claim to be head-over-heels in love, he had, nonetheless, committed himself to a lifetime together, investing every ounce of sincerity he possessed. To deny the sting of sorrow now would be a blatant lie.

Yet, beneath the sadness, a fiercer emotion simmered: pure, unadulterated rage.

He and Wang Yang were not personally acquainted, but in the close-knit circles of Yanjing, information flowed freely.

A mere month prior, someone had casually mentioned in his presence that Wang Yang was slated to return home.

At that time, he had innocently inquired about Wang Yang’s identity, only for the person to respond with a knowing, ‘You’ll find out soon enough,’ their face alight with an expression that suggested they were enjoying a private joke.

Evidently, the affair between Shao Xun and Wang Yang had been an open secret, known to everyone but him.

Shao Xun had possessed a myriad of opportunities to be forthright with him. Even when the news of Wang Yang’s return surfaced, their wedding was still merely in the planning stages. A confession at that juncture would have allowed them to conclude their engagement with dignity.

Yet, he had chosen not to.

Instead, he had waited until Wang Yang’s plane was practically touching down before flippantly dismissing Si Xi with a mere ten million yuan. This blatant disregard only served to highlight Shao Xun’s profound arrogance, selfishness, and utter lack of responsibility.

‘Truly, my sincere affections were utterly wasted on a dog,’ Si Xi fumed inwardly.

The more Si Xi dwelled on the matter, the more his anger intensified, culminating in an exasperated punch to the steering wheel. By sheer unfortunate coincidence, his fist landed squarely on the horn, causing the car to emit a piercing, drawn-out “BEEP—”.

At that precise moment, an elderly man on a bicycle was pedaling past the front of his car. Jolted by the sudden, deafening blare, the old man’s hand twitched, sending his handlebars askew, and he veered directly into a pedestrian walking along the roadside.

Si Xi stared, speechless.

‘Even the very embodiment of absurdity wouldn’t dare to be this preposterous,’ he thought, dumbfounded.

As the entire debacle had originated with him, Si Xi felt compelled to exit his car. The old man, still dismounting his bicycle, turned back and, with surprising lung power, bellowed at Si Xi.

“You little brat!” the old man hollered, “Why in the world would you honk your horn for no reason? You nearly gave this old man a heart attack!”

Si Xi opened his mouth to respond, but his words died on his lips as his gaze fell upon the face of the man who had been knocked to the ground. He froze, utterly captivated.

‘Handsome’ scarcely began to describe the man’s features; he possessed a visage of such perfect symmetry and refinement that it seemed meticulously sculpted by the hand of a divine creator.

His physique was long and lean, his posture inherently graceful, and his aura exuded a mature, understated elegance. Even after being knocked to the ground, he displayed no trace of panic or disarray, merely the profound tranquility and poise of a man who had weathered countless storms and seen the world.

He was like a solitary pine tree clinging to a sheer cliff face, or a snow lotus blossoming on a perilous peak, embodying a beauty of proud isolation and a soul that was utterly breathtaking.

In that singular moment, Cupid’s arrow struck Si Xi’s heart with unerring precision.

Si Xi was abruptly, utterly, and irrevocably in love.

Once the old man had secured his bicycle, he shuffled over to help the fallen man.

“Are you hurt, young man?” the old man inquired, his tone surprisingly robust. “I’m telling you, you should claim your medical expenses from that young fellow who blasted his horn. I certainly won’t be paying a penny.”

“I’ll pay,” Si Xi declared, striding purposefully toward them. “I’ll cover everything.”

The old man’s eyes gleamed with sudden delight. “You said that yourself, young man!”

“Indeed,” Si Xi affirmed. “Elderly sir, you may go on your way. I will take care of everything here.”

The old man’s face instantly broke into a wide grin. Perhaps fearing Si Xi would renege on his promise, he pedaled his bicycle away with astonishing speed the moment the words left Si Xi’s lips.

Now, only the two of them remained.

Si Xi’s heart hammered a frantic rhythm against his ribs.

He forcefully suppressed the burgeoning fervor of his newfound affection. “Sir,” he asked, his voice laced with concern, “where might you be injured?”

The man brushed a few specks of dust from his clothes, his voice calm. “It’s nothing serious. You may go.”

Si Xi, however, had no intention of leaving. “But I see your knee is scraped,” he pressed. “Are you truly alright?”

The man frowned, glancing down at his leg. His right knee was indeed scraped, a fiery sting radiating from the wound.

He flexed his leg. “It’s just a superficial graze,” he stated. “Nothing to worry about.”

‘Even a superficial graze is something I can take responsibility for!’ Si Xi thought.

Yet, the man clearly had no need for it.

As the man began to walk away, Si Xi’s mind raced, a whirlwind of frantic thoughts.

‘Should I ask for his WeChat ID?’

‘What if he rejects me? That would be the end of it.’

‘But he’s leaving! Quick, quick, how can I strike up a conversation that will guarantee success?’

Si Xi absolutely refused to let this man vanish into the sea of humanity. Noticing a slight stiffness in the man’s gait, a brilliant idea suddenly struck him.

“That scrape looks painful to walk on,” he offered, lowering his car window. “Let me give you a ride home. Otherwise, I’ll feel terribly guilty.”

‘Please don’t refuse, please don’t refuse!’ Si Xi pleaded silently.

Heaven, it seemed, heard Si Xi’s fervent plea. The man paused for a moment, then said, “That would be a great help.”

‘Hahaha, he agreed!’

Si Xi nearly burst out laughing.

It was nearing evening, so the man was likely heading home.

If he knew where the man lived, he could orchestrate future ‘chance’ encounters.

After a few such meetings, they would naturally grow closer.

And love, too, would blossom.

Once they were in the car, the man gave an address, and Si Xi entered it into the navigation, driving toward their destination.

Along the way, Si Xi engaged the man in casual conversation, artfully extracting the crucial information that the man was currently single. He felt quite pleased with his progress.

However, upon reaching their destination, Si Xi’s heart nearly shattered.

It was a construction site!

“Do you work here?” Si Xi couldn’t help but ask.

“Yes,” the man replied, unbuckling his seatbelt. “Thank you.”

“No, no need to thank me.”

Si Xi’s disappointment was profound.

Given the man’s inherently noble and refined aura, Si Xi had assumed he was the young master of some wealthy family.

Who could have imagined he worked at a construction site?

It wasn’t that Si Xi looked down on construction workers; some of Yanjing’s wealthiest magnates had started as migrant workers, becoming billionaires in less than three generations, a truly impressive feat.

However, while he was ostensibly the young master of the Xi family, a prominent jewelry clan, his parents had died young. He had been raised by his father’s younger brother, his uncle.

For families like theirs, neither top-tier nor struggling, marriage was irrevocably a tool for alliances.

His engagement to Shao Xun, for instance, was a prime example of a commercial marriage.

His next arranged partner might not possess the Shao family’s stature, perhaps even belonging to a family of lower standing than the Xi’s, but they would still need to have a certain familial foundation, someone who could benefit the family.

In short, his uncle would absolutely never allow him to marry a man who worked on a construction site.

After more than a decade of his uncle’s nurturing and kindness, Si Xi couldn’t possibly fall out with him over a man.

Amidst his chaotic thoughts, the man opened the car door.

Si Xi noticed his hands were fair and beautiful, like pampered works of art, and his dying hope flickered back to life.

Someone coming to a construction site didn’t necessarily work there. Could he be the ‘甲方爸爸’—the client, the boss overseeing the project?

Just then, the man’s phone buzzed with a WeChat notification. He stepped out of the car, pulling out his phone.

A voice message from an unknown sender played: “You don’t need to worry about the money; the leader has already advanced you…”

The voice message was cut short, but the crucial information—that the man was short on money—had been clearly conveyed.

What kind of ‘client boss’ needed their leader to advance them their salary?

‘Well, then,’ Si Xi thought, ‘my lingering hope is utterly extinguished.’

With a soft ‘thump,’ the man closed the car door behind him, as if drawing a final curtain on their brief encounter.

Watching him turn to leave, Si Xi’s mind impulsively reacted. He quickly lowered his car window.

“Hey,” he called out to the man’s retreating back, “would you be interested in an easy, high-paying part-time job?”

The man didn’t even pause in his steps, refusing directly. “No, thank you.”

‘…’ ‘So cold, so heartless, so utterly unyielding.’

Si Xi refused to give up. “At least hear what kind of job it is first!”

The man finally turned, his cold, indifferent eyes meeting Si Xi’s.

“What job?”

The man’s gaze felt almost tangible, and Si Xi couldn’t help but swallow.

However, as a male university student who had yet to be truly battered by society, Si Xi was both bold and fearlessly ignorant.

He looked at the man with clear, unblinking eyes. “Be my kept man, my lover.”