Li Meilin was a shell.
Days blurred together into one long stretch of silence. The once sprightly rhythm of her apartment—the soft hums as she cooked, the low murmurs of dramas playing from her laptop, the whisper of pages turning—had disappeared entirely. The apartment lay still, weighed down by a heaviness that refused to lift. Her curtains stayed drawn, the lights dim. She hadn't eaten properly in nearly three days. A half-empty glass of water sat on the bedside table next to untouched bowls of soup her elderly landlady had kindly brought.
Meilin sat on her bed, knees drawn up, eyes vacant. Her phone lay face down, buzzing once or twice before falling quiet again. She couldn't look at it. Every message, every missed call felt like a reminder of her disgrace, like acid burning across her soul.
The scene replayed in her mind over and over again: Zhou Fan's hand, swift and brutal, the sting on her cheek, the stunned gasp of the guests, the manager's scathing words, and her own disgraceful, stumbling exit.
She had given her everything—three years of unpaid overtime, of going the extra mile, of helping others when they didn't even need her. Hoping that maybe, one day, her loyalty would be rewarded and she could climb up the ladder.
But instead, she was thrown away like trash.
A soft knock interrupted the silence. Li Meilin didn't respond.
The door creaked open slowly.
"Xiao Mei?" The familiar voice of her landlady floated into the room. The old woman stepped in holding a small tray with porridge and pickled radish. Her eyes, warm and motherly, swept the room until they settled on Meilin's curled-up figure. "Aiya… You still haven't eaten?"
Li Meilin didn't speak. Her eyes were wide, sunken with grief. The landlady walked over, setting the tray on the table, and sat on the edge of the bed.
"I noticed you didn't go to work for the last few days and thought you took a leave. But yesterday was Monday… and today you're still at home." She sighed, stroking Meilin's arm gently. "I thought maybe you caught a cold from working so hard. But now…" Her voice cracked slightly. "Xiao Mei, you're scaring me. Sweet girl, you have to take proper care of yourself, hmm? No matter what could have happened, don't give up."
Still, Li Meilin said nothing.
The woman looked around and frowned at the dim room. "Don't sit in the dark like this. Bad for your spirit. I'll come back in the evening to check on you again, alright? And please, call me 'mom' one day soon. You're like a daughter to me." She patted Meilin's knee gently and stood. "Try to eat."
When she left, the silence returned. The smell of the warm porridge wafted faintly in the air, but Li Meilin turned her head away.
Her chest hurt.
Each breath felt like a mountain pressing down on her lungs.
How could Zhou Fan… slap her? How had it all gone so wrong? She had loved him—or at least, what she thought love was. She had trusted him, given him her loyalty, her sincerity… her heart.
And in return, she had been treated like dirt.
He said she was just a lowly office maid who cleaned up other people's messes. That he only befriended her out of pity.
That memory made her jaw tremble.
A tear slid down her cheek. Then another. And another.
Her hands shook, but she didn't wipe her face. She let the tears fall. Her body shook terribly and she occasionally gasped as the sobs wracked through her.
"I've been stupid! Stupid, Meilin. You're so stupid. See where your foolish niceness got you!" She screamed.
Suddenly, there was a knock again—this time sharper, more impatient. She didn't move.
The door opened.
"Meilin?"
The voice was bright, familiar, but now it scraped against her skin like sandpaper.
It was Jiang Yue, her best friend whom she'd called since the issue happened that night, several days ago.
Meilin didn't turn to look. Her posture remained the same.
"I'm so sorry I haven't come earlier. It's been more than a week, I know… I had this project from hell. Honestly, I was dying under deadlines."
Still, Li Meilin said nothing. Just silence.
Jiang Yue moved closer and pulled a stool beside the bed. She examined her quietly, clicking her tongue.
"You really look awful. I mean, I don't blame you. What happened was… ugh. It's all over my office too, you know? Everyone's been whispering about how the staff from Zenhua Media group got dismissed after getting slapped by a man she delusionally called her boyfriend."
Li Meilin turned her head slightly, eyes dull and unreadable. Even if they had said it that way, did Jiang Yue have to repeat it right in front of her again?! Li Meilin chuckled, her gaze humorless. This was what she got for being nice to everyone and never setting any standards.
Even her friend was subtly throwing shades.
"I'm sorry you're going through this," Jiang Yue continued, touching her arm lightly. "I really am. But honestly… I think you should've waited. You know? Like, maybe after the event. Caught Zhou Fan in private. Guys don't like public drama."
Li Meilin's eyes sharpened faintly—but still no words came.
Jiang Yue gave a short laugh, almost nervous. "Not that I'm blaming you or anything. It's just… well, all men cheat, don't they? You just have to find the one who does it quietly and makes it up to you publicly. Then you trap him... probably with pregnancy, marry him, and life goes on."
The words hit Meilin like a slap.
She looked away again.
Jiang Yue sighed, clearly sensing the lack of reception. "You deserve better, Meilin. Really. Let's go out this weekend, yeah? Shake off this sadness, get drunk, dance a little at the karaoke bar and then you can start over. A friend told me about this waitress job opening and since you're good at writing good CVs. Viola!"
Li Meilin got up slowly and walked to her window, staring out listlessly and Jiang Yue frowned, staring indignantly. Why was Li Meilin ignoring her when she'd left her work and come all the way here to offer comfort?
Jiang Yue glanced at her watch, groaning. "Damn, I have to meet my cousin at the mall. But seriously—get dressed up this Saturday, okay? I'll text you. I have to go now babe."
She stood, adjusted her hair in the mirror, and walked toward the door.
As she stepped out, Li Meilin finally raised a hand and gave a small, empty wave, glad that the seemingly endless chatters had finally ceased.
She didn't see Jiang Yue's lips twitch into a satisfied, sinister smile as she left.
The door clicked shut.
And once again, Meilin was alone.
And this time, she cried harder, realizing what it meant to have no one you could rely on in any way.
She cried like someone who had nothing left to lose.
She was tired. So, so tired.
A shattered heart, a lost job, fake friendships, and a betrayal so sharp it gutted her soul. Her strength had cracked like fragile porcelain.
And for the first time in her life, Li Meilin didn't know who she was anymore.
Just a shadow.
Just a shell.
Just silence.