Reunion Four Years Later
Chapter 1
I “bought” a boyfriend in college.
I paid his family’s medical bills in exchange for his company.
This brilliant, impoverished student reluctantly dated me for four years.
Then my family went bankrupt.
He was still indifferent during our breakup, not a word of regret or pleading.
Later, I was bussing tables in a karaoke bar to pay off debts, while he became a tech mogul, dating our class beauty queen.
He asked, “Do you regret it?”
“No.”
“I do.”
01
Years after graduation, I never imagined I’d run into Jason Yang like this.
I kept my head down while bussing tables, terrified he’d see me.
Sarah Lee sat beside him.
A perfect match, beautiful and successful.
“Excuse me,” Jason called, “Could you slice the oranges?”
My back was to him as I carefully cut the oranges into neat slices.
A long time ago, I loved oranges, and Jason always cut them for me.
He had excellent knife skills, each slice perfectly uniform.
Back then, I thought he loved me.
Later, I realized it was just a habit; his mind was anywhere but on me while he cut oranges.
Four years felt like a lifetime.
Somehow, the guests started talking about college romances.
Someone said, “I heard Mr. Yang had a girlfriend for four years in college.”
My hand froze.
Jason hummed in agreement.
“Wow, four years, a whole college experience.”
Jason didn’t respond.
The guest felt awkward, trying to keep the conversation going, “Four years must have been memorable, right?”
Silence hung heavy in the air.
After what seemed like forever, Jason chuckled softly.
“Not really.”
02
“Jason barely tolerated her,”
Sarah calmly explained.
“Jason and I went to the same school. Back then… well, it was tough on him. If it weren’t for his ex-girlfriend, would Jason and I be together now?”
“Right, Ms. Lee is a big star. No matter how good his ex was, could she ever compare to a star?”
The atmosphere warmed again.
I pulled my hat lower, desperate to leave.
The fruit knife slipped, cutting my hand. I hissed, drawing everyone’s attention.
“What’s wrong? Can’t even cut fruit properly?” Sarah complained.
“I’m sorry, I’ll get a clean plate.”
I grabbed a tray and tried to escape.
“Wait.”
Jason suddenly stopped me.
Slowly, deliberately.
“Turn around.”
03
I felt rooted to the spot.
One second, two seconds.
The supervisor arrived just in time.
“I’m sorry, this is a new employee, still learning. All the fruit platters are on the house tonight.”
The supervisor winked at me, “Just be quick-witted next time, we’ve all been there. If you get a complaint, you’ll be working for nothing tonight.”
“Thank you.”
“You’re welcome. Be extra careful with that VIP room; they’re all important clients. Especially the youngest and best-looking one, he’s the CEO of a cutting-edge tech company. We can’t afford to offend him.”
“Sis, I’m kind of scared. Can you take the oranges to them?”
“Sure.”
Relief washed over me.
If anyone in the world had thoroughly offended Jason Yang, it was me.
I was his “barely tolerated” ex.
04
I remember freshman year.
Jason, in faded, worn clothes, stood out among the new students.
He was visibly poor.
And visibly handsome.
I liked his cool, quiet voice.
And the way his eyelids drooped slightly when he looked at me.
Jason was broke; his financial aid was stolen by the dean’s relative.
So, after one evening class, I aggressively grabbed his hand.
“Jason Yang, I like you. Be my boyfriend. I’m pretty well-off; we can share expenses. If nothing else, I’ll pay you for a kiss.”
He refused, of course.
But back then, my life was easy; I didn’t understand failure. The more he rejected me, the more persistent I became.
Until his grandfather, the man who raised him, fell critically ill. Without hesitation, I paid his medical bills.
Jason finally gave in.
I foolishly thought I’d done something amazing.
Much later, I understood—
I got him, but I also broke him.
Even after we started dating, he continued working part-time.
He rarely used my money, yet his situation worsened.
Rumors about Jason spread around campus.
People said he was selling himself for money.
Classmates’ attitudes changed; some gave him cruel nicknames.
I remained blissfully optimistic, holding his hand and saying, “Ignore them, they’re just jealous.”
…
I lived in my ivory tower, never realizing Jason was fighting a lone battle.
In my senior year, my family went bankrupt.
I didn’t tell Jason.
I simply called him out and said, “Let’s break up.”
“Why?”
“I’m bored.”
“Okay.”
Just like that, we were over.
I suspect he was relieved, finally free.
The day we broke up, I smashed my SIM card, deleted my social media, and boarded a train to another city to work and pay off debts.
I only returned here three months ago.
Jason seemed to be doing well.
He was always a top student, a genius who dominated the entire department in college. Just four years after graduation, he was a tech mogul featured in business magazines.
Sarah Lee was our class beauty queen who debuted in her junior year.
It was unexpected that they’re together.
That’s good, that’s good.
I clutched my chest, suppressing the rising lump in my throat.
At 4 AM, I finished work.
I was the last one to leave. My colleagues assumed the building was empty and turned off the lights; the elevator was also shut down.
I frantically pressed the elevator button, hoping it would start.
“Call someone,”
Jason’s voice startled me from behind.
05
I awkwardly called a coworker.
The elevator restarted. Jason and I were crammed into the small space.
“You guys work late?”
He asked indifferently.
“We can only leave after all the guests are gone.”
“Is the pay good here?”
“It’s alright.”
I kept my head down, my hat concealing my face.
Jason seemed not to recognize me, chatting casually for a while, then checking his watch, “This elevator is so slow. My girlfriend must be waiting anxiously; she’s very clingy and loves to act spoiled.”
I froze, realizing he was talking about Sarah.
“And you? Working this late, no boyfriend to pick you up?”
“I live nearby.”
The elevator arrived.
As the doors opened, I rushed out.
Jason, calm for several minutes, finally erupted.
“Running away?”
“Where else can you run? Mia.”
“Disappearing, vanishing, fun, huh?”
06
Jason relentlessly approached me.
He was still the boy I remembered, but the youthfulness was gone, replaced by maturity and restraint.
“Deleted WeChat, no number, even your teachers couldn’t find you. Mia, you’re amazing.”
I slowly looked up, meeting his gaze.
“You must… have used your connections to find me, right? My family went bankrupt. My dad got into financial trouble, and we still haven’t paid off the debt…”
“Why didn’t you tell me?”
I was speechless.
“Was it because you couldn’t face it, Miss Mia Yu?”
“No—”
Before I could finish, Sarah walked up.
“Mia! It’s you!”
She was even more beautiful than in college, exquisite down to each strand of hair.
“Long time no see! Everyone from our class has been looking for you. Why haven’t you contacted anyone for four years?”
“I went south.”
“No wonder,” Sarah examined my clothes, surprised, “Mia, isn’t that the down jacket you bought in your junior year? It’s worn out. Why are you still wearing it?”
I used to buy clothes and throw them away after a year.
She asked that to embarrass me.
But I was numb.
“It’s not broken, it’s still wearable.”
Sarah understood, “Are you having financial difficulties? You should have said something. Let an old classmate help.”
She pulled out a credit card.
“Use this. Don’t worry about paying it back.”
“Thank you, but I don’t need it.”
I looked at her, then at Jason, and smiled calmly.
“I’m getting married soon, remember to come.”
The moment I spoke, Jason was stunned.
07
The karaoke bar is just a part-time job; I have a day job.
On Monday, a client came to the company.
My colleagues gossiped, “I heard this client is a genius; he initially created this system to find someone.”
“Huh? Who?”
“His ex-girlfriend, probably.”
My eyelids twitched; a bad feeling crept in.
“Did he find her?”
“I don’t know, the system isn’t finished yet. Big investors have poured a lot of money into it; the prospects are amazing. Our boss also wants to collaborate.”
I organized my documents.
At the reception room door, Jason’s voice drifted out.
“Regarding the collaboration, I need to consider it further.”
I pushed the door open, placing the documents on the table.
Jason’s gaze was intense, “What are you doing here?”
“Working.”
This is my main job.
The boss was curious, “Mia, do you know Mr. Yang?”
I hesitated, “We’ve met.”
“Just met?” Jason was angry again.
I didn’t know what he was angry about. Wasn’t it him who walked away without looking back on that day?
He pointed at me, “Mr. Lee, I’ll sign the contract on the condition that you transfer Mia to be my assistant.”
The boss immediately agreed, not even giving me a chance to object.
They talked all day.
In the evening, I left work on time with my bag.
Jason stopped me, “Where are you going? I haven’t let you go yet.”
“Mr. Yang, I can’t work overtime tonight; I have something to do.”
“What is it?”
“I’m going to deliver takeout.”
Jason looked at me in disbelief.
08
I used to be so spoiled that I never touched takeout.
For four years in college, Jason worked part-time delivering takeout.
His dinner was often just a takeout box.
Once, I went to see him.
In his cramped room, he was crammed among delivery drivers, picking at rice in a box.
I said, “Jason, why are you eating this? It’s not clean.”
He was uncomfortable, “Clean or not, does it matter?”
“Come on, let’s go eat steak.”
I dragged him to a new steakhouse, where the average meal cost over $500.
He stood outside the restaurant for a while, silently taking off his delivery uniform.
After my family’s downfall, I finally understood his feelings that day.
Just like today.
It was snowing.
The ground was slippery; I fell, spilling the food.
I called the customer to explain, but was scolded.
The customer said, “Don’t make excuses; being late is being late.”
My scraped hand ached in the cold, but I ignored it, repeatedly apologizing.
Jason suddenly appeared, righting my bike.
I didn’t know when he came or how long he’d been watching.
I instinctively hid my hand behind my back.
“Don’t hide it,” his voice was hoarse, his eyes red, “Go wash it.”
“I need to deliver the food.”
“Get in the car, I’ll take you.”
The customer lived on the first floor. When I delivered the food, he mumbled, “Damn, even people driving Porsches deliver takeout now?”
I had another order to take.
Jason said, “Don’t deliver it.”
“No, I haven’t earned enough tonight.”
“Then I’ll buy it.”
“What?”
A ding, the system automatically accepted the order he assigned.
“I’ll buy your time tonight.”
