After I Let Go, She Regretted It Deeply

Chapter 8: Reunion with an Old Friend:

I knew it—this call wasn’t from Xu Heng. It seemed Lin Muyao had truly run out of options, resorting to seeking out the very “bad influences” she used to despise.

“Shiyue, it’s me, Lin Muyao. Please, don’t hang up. I really need to talk to you.”

Her voice on the other end was filled with heavy sobs, practically begging.

“Sorry, but I have nothing to say to you.”

“Shiyue, I really know I was wrong. Tell me where you are, and I’ll come find you, okay? Let’s sit down and talk properly. I won’t do anything you dislike ever again. If you don’t want me to see Wangchuan, I’ll cut ties with him completely. Please, just let me see you. I miss you so much…”

For a brief second, her desperate tone almost made me believe that she truly feared losing me—that she genuinely wanted to make amends.

But an illusion is just that—an illusion.

I had never been more clear-headed when it came to Lin Muyao.

I had given her too many chances.

And I had been hurt too many times.

This time, I wasn’t going to fall for it again.

“Lin Muyao, don’t force me to be cruel. Do you understand that we are divorced? Stop interfering in my life, and stop harassing my friends. Have some self-respect, would you?”

I had nothing left to say to her. If she had managed to track down Xu Heng, she must have gone completely mad.

“Shiyue, are you really this heartless? We were together for so many years, and you won’t even give me one last chance? I just want to see you one more time. I promise, if you still want to leave afterward, I won’t stop you. Just grant me this last meeting, okay?”

“I’ve already given you too many chances.”

“I mean it this time! If you still refuse after we meet, I will never bother you again. Just one meeting—to properly say goodbye.”

I frowned slightly.

Since things had already come to this point, parting on a civil note wasn’t impossible.

After all, we had known and loved each other for years. I had never wanted things to turn into a bitter struggle.

Now that my feelings for her had completely faded, no number of meetings could change that.

Rather than dragging this out, I might as well meet her one last time and put an end to it once and for all.

There was a long silence as Lin Muyao held her breath, anxiously waiting for my answer.

It felt like everyone around me had stopped moving, their attention fixated on me.

“…Alright. Just one last meeting. I’m in North City. Contact me when you arrive.”

Hearing my agreement, she let out a heavy sigh of relief and immediately responded with excitement, “Okay! I’ll book a flight right now—wait for me.”

She quickly handed the phone back to Xu Heng and rushed off.

“Bro… what are you thinking? Why did you agree to see her?”

“She won’t give up otherwise. This way, we can end things properly. Sorry for dragging you into this, Xu Heng. When you visit North City, I’ll treat you to a good time.”

“Oh, come on, we don’t need formalities. As long as you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

His words touched me, and I smiled warmly.

After hanging up, my friends immediately started teasing.

“That was your ex-wife just now? Damn, I didn’t expect you to be such a master at keeping women hooked.”

“Yeah, yeah! She was sobbing and begging you—she sounded desperate.”

“Haha, must’ve felt good hearing her beg like that, huh?”

Laughter echoed around the table. They thought she truly cared for me, that her desperation was proof of her love.

I simply let out a self-deprecating chuckle.

Only I knew the truth.

Playing the victim, acting weak—these had always been Lin Muyao’s tactics.

Before, I loved her, so I willingly fell for them.

But now? Now, I saw them for the jokes they were.

All they did was make me even more disgusted with her.

“You don’t understand. It’s all fake.”

Fu Ze, who had been quietly listening, set down his glass and studied me with a serious expression.

Among all my friends, he was the one who knew me best.

The Fu family and the Song family had been close for generations.

Though the Fu family was primarily in the winery business and had spent the past few years expanding overseas, Fu Ze had rushed back to North City as soon as he heard I was home.

He could tell something was wrong.

“Shiyue, we lost touch when you decided to stay in Beijing, so I don’t know all the details. But now that you’re suddenly back, I have to ask—what happened? What’s the deal with that woman?”

The others chimed in as well.

“Yeah, man! If something’s up, tell us. We’ve been brothers since we were kids—there’s nothing you can’t share.”

But the past was the past.

I didn’t want to ruin the mood by bringing up unpleasant memories.

So, I simply laughed and raised my glass.

“Come on, you guys are acting like you’re about to go to war for me.”

“It’s nothing serious—just relationship drama. A real man knows when to let go. I don’t care anymore, and neither should you. Let’s not let irrelevant people ruin our good time.”

I patted Fu Ze’s shoulder, signaling that I was truly fine.

These friends of mine were people worth cherishing.

Even though I had been gone for years, they welcomed me back as if nothing had changed.

They were the first to reach out, the first to meet up, and the first to make me feel at home again.

I took note of everything.

Fu Ze studied me for a moment, then nodded.

“Alright. As long as you know what you’re doing. But if anything happens, we’ve got your back—don’t keep us in the dark.”

“Yeah, you got that right—”

Before someone could finish, a clear, cool voice rang out from behind me.

“What’s this? Drinking without me? That’s not very fair, is it?”

The voice was familiar, yet distant.

I froze for a moment before looking up.

A breathtakingly elegant woman stood before me.

She wore a sleek black dress that accentuated her graceful figure.

Her long, dark hair cascaded over her shoulders, framing her delicate features.

Her eyes were as clear as autumn waters, carrying a faint trace of amusement.

Her skin was porcelain-smooth, glowing under the dim lights of the bar.

And when she moved closer, a subtle, lingering fragrance surrounded her—soft, fresh, captivating.

She was the very definition of “stunning.”

As our eyes met, a strange sense of familiarity washed over me.

My heartbeat quickened for a brief moment.

Everyone around us fell silent, seemingly unwilling to break the moment.

Especially Fu Ze—his gaze flickered between us, as if watching an interesting show unfold.

I snapped out of my daze, suddenly feeling a bit awkward.

For just a second, I had been completely lost in her eyes.

There was something mesmerizing about them, something that made me want to move closer.

I quickly blamed it on the alcohol.

Maybe I had just drunk too much tonight.

She tilted her head slightly, a hint of disappointment in her gaze.

“Shiyue, you don’t remember me?”

“…Huh?”