The soft classical music floating through the air no longer calmed Li Meilin after that encounter. If not for the unwarranted attention it would draw, she would've rushed out of there.
She sat stiffly at her table, back straight, glass of wine barely touched. Around her, laughter rang out, champagne flutes clinked, and the swirling colors of elegant gowns and sleek tuxedos created an illusion of glamour. But for Li Meilin, the party was no longer enchanting. It felt like a stage she had unwillingly stepped onto—the spotlight harsh and exposing.
She had seen the whispers, the glances, the way some colleagues looked at her with pity while others with thinly veiled smugness. The betrayal still pulsed in her chest like a sharp knife. Zhou Fan had walked in hand-in-hand with He Ruolan, the investor's daughter, and she was expected to act like she hadn't just been crushed. Worse still, he had coldly dismissed her earlier. Now she sat alone, humiliated, and fighting back tears.
"Li Meilin, isn't it?" a soft voice said, slicing through her thoughts.
Meilin turned and stood slowly, her spine instinctively straightening. Before her stood He Ruolan, draped in a custom emerald green gown that shimmered like envy itself. Her hair was perfectly curled, her makeup pristine, and that mischievous smile on her lips carried both elegance and condescension.
Li Meilin gave He Ruolan a good observation. was pretty and had large doe eyes in a way that easily drew one to her. This was probably one of the reasons Zhou Fan was infatuated with her.
"Yes," Li Meilin answered calmly, holding her wine glass like a shield.
"I've been wanting to say hello all evening. You're quite... admired around here. They say you're one of Zenhua's brightest stars. I admire that," He Ruolan said with a voice that was syrupy sweet but cold beneath.
Meilin smiled politely. "You're too kind. I've heard great things about you too. The entire company has. After all, Tianyi Holdings is a powerful name."
They exchanged the kind of pleasantries that felt like chess moves, both women poised, polite, but internally drawing their battle lines. Their eyes never wavered.
"You're very composed. I like that," He Ruolan said, stepping slightly closer. "I saw you speaking to Zhou Fan earlier. You two seem...familiar."
Meilin felt her pulse quicken. Her breath hitched slightly but she quickly masked it behind a soft smile.
"We are," she said evenly, locking eyes with He Ruolan. "I'm actually Zhou Fan's girlfriend."
The words tasted bittersweet, like honey over broken glass. But she had said them. Her truth, her relationship, her love—even if it now felt foolish to say it aloud.
He Ruolan froze. Just for a moment. Then her smile faltered, and she blinked as if slapped by the wind. Her lips parted in disbelief.
"Girlfriend?" she repeated, almost as if the word were foreign.
Meilin nodded once, steady. "For over two years."
Silence stretched between them. People nearby sensed something was unfolding, subtle tension shifting the air around them. Conversations paused, heads subtly turned.
He Ruolan didn't hide her emotions well this time. Her face contorted, her jaw tightened.
"So... he lied to me?" she whispered.
She stepped back, her eyes wild with disbelief and anger. Without another word, she pulled out her phone and called Zhou Fan.
Meilin's heart pounded. She could hear the ringing on the other end.
"Brother Fan?" He Ruolan said, voice tremulous but loud enough for others to hear. "So you were lying to me all this time? You said you really liked me. You said I was special. You held my hand tonight. And now I find out you already have a girlfriend? Is that true?"
A pause.
Then Zhou Fan appeared at her side, pale-faced and clearly rattled by the unexpected confrontation. His eyes flickered from Ruolan to Meilin.
"Ruolan, I can explain—"
"You LIED to me!" she shrieked, suddenly losing the grace she had carefully worn all night. "You told me I was different. You made me believe—"
Zhou Fan reached out to touch her arm, calming her. "I meant it. I do like you. I really like you."
Meilin's breath hitched as if someone had slammed a cold door on her chest.
She stepped forward, lips trembling. "Zhou Fan… what are you saying?"
Every sound seemed to disappear.
Zhou Fan's words rang out like a declaration. As though she hadn't existed. As though she hadn't given her heart to him for more than two years. The shame swept through her like a bitter tide. He didn't deny it. He didn't say she was his girlfriend. He didn't defend her.
Was it because she refused to have sex with him?
Tears pricked at her eyes.
She took a step forward. "Zhou Fan..."
He turned to her, eyes stormy. "Stop. Just stop. Don't make a scene. You always do this." He said flatly. "It's pathetic."
Her mouth fell open in shock, anger now fully consuming her. "What? I came to support you tonight because you've been talking about the upcoming promotion all this time and I knew you would probably get it this time. You ignored all my texts and you walked in with her. And now this?"
People were watching openly now. A circle had formed. The drama had stolen the night.
Zhou Fan gritted his teeth. "You're embarrassing me, Meilin. Just stop following me around. Can you have some self respect?"
Gasps rippled through the crowd and a small gasp escaped Li Meilin's lips, but she couldn't look away. Her hands clenched at her sides.
"I took pity on you, Meilin," Zhou Fan continued, his voice like jagged glass. "You were always scurrying around the office doing other people's leftover work like some obedient little maid. I thought I'd be kind—talk to you, maybe give you some attention to make your miserable days a little less sad."
Meilin's vision blurred. Each word stabbed deeper than the last. Yet he continued heartlessly.
"But I never saw you as anything more than that, the girl that needed a little time to escape the hell she put herself in." He added, lips curling in disdain. "You were never my girlfriend. You were just convenient. This is my last warning. You're a woman and shouldn't be chasing men around the company. Have some self respect and stop following me about."
The words didn't just sting—they shattered something inside her.
Li Meilin's knees buckled slightly, but she stood rooted in place, paralyzed by humiliation and disbelief. Her heart thudded like a trapped bird, and for a moment, she couldn't breathe.
Around them, more whispers swirled in the background. Judging eyes locked onto her.
"Following you?" she whispered. Her voice broke. "After everything we've been through? You said you would marry me. We always did your projects together. We still went on a date a few days ago. You said—"
Zhou Fan clenched his jaw, and in a sudden flash of anger—an impulsive, terrible decision—
SLAP.
His hand cracked against Li Meilin's cheek, sharp and merciless.
The world went silent.
A collective breath was held.
The sound echoed like thunder across the ballroom.
Li Meilin staggered back, stunned. Her cheek burned from the sting. Her eyes widened in disbelief as her hand slowly reached up to touch her face. Tears clouded her vision.
Zhou Fan's chest heaved, as if waking up from a spell. His eyes widened, looking at his hand in horror.
The music had stopped. People stared, frozen in shock. Someone dropped a glass.
Even He Ruolan gasped.
Zhou Fan stood still, hand still slightly raised, breath heaving. It was as if he didn't even realize what he had done until it was too late.
Then he looked at her—really looked at her. His eyes widened slightly as guilt slowly washed into his features.
"Meilin..."
"Thank you." Li Meilin said, her soul broken. The slap was enough to reset her memory and bring her back to reality.
Even this low...was it enough? Or should she still go lower..?