At the Dining Table.

  Jiang Yihuai: "Where’s the millet pe?"

  "You meaomach-soothing pe?"

  "Stomach-soothing pe?"

  "The one Miss Su used to make all the time. Millet, yam, lily bulbs, red dates—cooked together, right? Oh, I don’t have time to make that. You have to soak the lily bulbs, coix seeds, and red dates the night before, then wake up early to cook it."

  "And the heat trol is crucial. I don’t have Miss Su’s patieo watch over it the whole time, so even if I make it, it won’t taste the same. Also—"

  Jiang Yihuai: "Bring me some beef sauce."

  "ing, young master."

  "...Why does it taste different?" Jiang Yihuai g the bottle. "The packaging is wrong too."

  "The jar was empty, so we only have this one."

  "Go buy two jars ter ahem at home."

  "You ’t buy it."

  "?"

  The housekeeper gave an awkward smile. "Miss Su made it herself. I don’t know how to make it..."

  Bang!

  "Eh? Young master, you're ing anymore?"

  "Mm."

  The housekeeper watched as the man walked upstairs, fused. Why did he suddenly get so mad?

  —

  "Lazy pig! Wake up!"

  Su Yumian turned over, eyes still closed. "Don’t be noisy. Let me sleep a little longer..."

  Shao Yuwei, fully dressed up, ig a handbag. "It’s almost eight. Don’t you o go bad make breakfast for yreat Young Master Jiang?"

  Su Yumiao stay over sometimes, but she would always rush home before dawn. To make stomach-soothing pe for Jiang Yihuai, who had stomach problems. Shao Yuwei found it ridiculous. Was Jiang Yihuai disabled or something? Was it really that hard to order takeout? He was just spoiled, that’s all!

  Su Yumian, still drowsy, waved a hand. "Not going back. We broke up."

  "Oh? How many days this time?"

  "..."

  "Well, take your time sleeping. Breakfast is oable. I have work, and I have a date tonight, so don’t cook for me... Actually, never mind, you’ll probably go back soon anyway. When you leave, close the baly window for me."

  Su Yumian woke up from hunger. As she ate the sandwich her best friend made, she looked at the bright sunshiside. She couldn’t remember the st time she slept in. After finishing breakfast—teically lunch—she ged clothes a straight to the bank.

  First, she cashed in the 50 million yuan check. Only money in her hands made her feel secure. Then, she went to another ba door. "I’d like to see your private banking manager. I want to deposit 10 millioually, the manager came out and offered a det i rate. Su Yumian asked for two more points, and they happily agreed.

  Using the same approach, she visited two more banks, depositing 10 million in each. With eaegotiation, the i rate got higher. By the time she stepped out of the st bank, she was now the proud owner of three bck bank cards, 30 million in fixed deposits, and a flexible 20-million-yuan fund. "Not a bad split," she thought. ht, she had bee rich.

  Passing by a busy hair salon, she walked in. She immediately bought a 2,000-yuan membership card, which allowed her to skip the line. Sitting in front of the mirror, she stared at her long, wavy brown hair. For the first time, she felt annoyed by it.

  "Wow, your hair is so well-maintained, like a doll’s..."

  She had kept it long because Jiang Yihuai liked it. He loved the ‘romantic aesthetic.’ Every time after spending the night together, his hands would tangle in her curls, pying with them. But beautiful curls meara time and effort to take care of them. Su Yumian smiled and told the stylist, "Cut it short, straighten it, and dye it bck." Dolls might be pretty, but they were just toys. If someone else wao be a doll, they could go ahead. She was done being one. Leaving the salon, she felt lighter.

  A clothing store nearby was having a sale, so she walked in, picked out a white T-shirt and a pair of jeans, and wore them out. They matched her sneakers perfectly. At some point, she found herself outside B Uy’s gates. The sun was setting, and students rode in and out on bicycles. She stopped and stared. "Senior He! Over here!" A young boy ran past her. "Why is everyohered here?"

  "We want to visit Professor Ouyang..."

  He Songg: "With this many people, the hospital won’t let us i’s have two representatives from the Bioinformatics department go with me instead."

  Bioinformatics… Professor Ouyang…

  Su Yumian’s eyes darkened. She stepped forward. "Who did you say is sick?" He Songg stammered at the sight of the , pretty girl in front of him. "P-Professor Ouyang."

  "Ouyang Wenqiu?"

  "Yeah."

  "Which hospital?"

  "Xijing."

  "Thanks."

  "Uh... Junior, which department are you from? Are you also Professor Ouyang’s student?"

  He never got an answer. Su Yumian was already walking away.

  —

  Back at the apartment, she couldn’t calm down. That feisty old dy who used to smack people on the head whe mad… was sick? How serious was it? She opened her tacts and hovered over a number beled "Fang Yanqing." After hesitating, she didn’t have the ce to call. Back then, she had given up her Master’s-PhD fast-track program for Jiang Yihuai.

  For so-called love.

  She hadn’t worked a single day after graduating. She turned herself into a full-time housewife orbiting a man. The old dy must have been beyond disappointed. "Hey? Yumian, you’re still here?" Shao Yuwei sounded surprised as she ged shoes. Su Yumian rolled her eyes. "What, are you kig me out?"

  "Tsk tsk, this is a miracle. Last time, you broke up with Jiang Yihuai for less than half an hour before he called, and you went running back."

  "There’s pe i. Help yourself."

  Shao Yuwei’s eyes lit up. She ran to the kit and scooped some into a bowl. As she ate, she sighed, "That damn dog Jiang Yihuai was really living the dream, drinking this every day—"

  Su Yumian: "Wash the bowl and up after yourself. I’m going to sleep."

  "Hey, you’re really not going back?"

  The only response was the bedroom door closing.

  Shao Yuwei clicked her tongue. "Huh. She’s actually stig to it this time."

  —

  Uhe same night sky, at the riverside vil.

  "Mr. Jiang, the bank has firmed. Miss Su personally cashed the 50 million check at 12:05 p.m. today." Jiang Yihuai hung up, looking coldly at the city lights. "Su Yumian, what game are you pying this time?"

  If she thought this would make him ge his mind… she was wrong. His decisions were final.

  "g-zi, wanna grab a drink?"

  Half an hour ter, Jiang Yihuai pushed open a private lounge door. g Zhou was the first to greet him. "Jiang-ge, everyone’s here. We were just waiting for you. What are we drinking tonight?" Jiang Yihuai walked in. g Zhou didn’t move and gnced behind him. "What are you standing there for?"

  "Where’s Yumian? Is she parking the car?"

  Jiang Yihuai’s face darkened.