Chapter 120: The Past

The next two days will be NaNa's birthday party celebration.

For some reasons, NaNa was not in the mood of celebrating her 25th birthday because her birthday always reminds her of a few things from the past.

Like Wu Chen, NaNa also studied in America for her teaching degree. Also there, she had her first love.

While studying for her teaching degree, NaNa met a guy named Zi Yi who was studying law, and she quickly got smitten of him due to his good look and polite behavior. Zi Yi was a man who speaks eloquently and often; people were amazed by that.

Both of them fell in love and got together after that. It was a straightforward love. There was no third party, or ex-girlfriend tried to keep them apart from each other. NaNa felt so lucky to have Zi Yi, and she was so in love with him that she agreed to get engaged while they were still studying despite her parents' objection.

NaNa's parents were not keen on her decision to get engaged at that time only because they were not sure about what kind of man was Zi Yi. They met him a few times when they went to visit NaNa in America, but that's that.

Zi Yi never talked about his struggle to NaNa. During their university years, NaNa knew that Zi Yi rarely went back to his hometown because he tried to save all his money for his family. It's not as if she never tried to help; she did. But Zi Yi got mad after that saying that he despised a capitalist who showed off.

NaNa never tried anything unnecessary after that. She just calmly accompanied Zi Yi during the semester breaks in America without going back to her hometown. That's why her parents came to America to visit her.

Even Wu Chen and his parents rarely get the chance to meet NaNa after she got engaged with Zi Yi. All they knew was that NaNa was in love with a guy whom she described as hardworking and outstanding. Wu Chen, of course, would be happy for his sister.

After they finished their study, both NaNa and Zi Yi returned to the country. Zi Yi was lucky because he got an offer to work in one of the most prominent law firms in City K. It was not even a week after that; Zi Yi wanted to break up.

It was a week before her birthday that Zi Yi told NaNa that he was not happy with her because he felt intimidated every time he was with her. Zi Yi said to her that NaNa reminded him of his weaknesses and one of them was not having much money like her.

Zi Yi even told NaNa that he fell for one of the secretaries in the office where he worked, and he wanted to pursue that lady. Zi Yi said that he didn't owe NaNa anything because he never asked anything from her except for the engagement which according to him was a glitch in his judgment.

All of those hurtful words were said by Zi Yi right to her face as if their three years together was nothing for him.

NaNa used to hate him for that, and up until now, she admitted that she still hated him a little bit. But she understands. Even she, herself couldn't stand being with someone who reminded her of how she was not good enough no matter what she did. Of course, NaNa was born with wealth, but she could do nothing about it.

But life is not fair. Someone needs to accept whatever condition they are born with, or at least live with it. Zi Yi couldn't take it, and she couldn't blame him for that.

NaNa cannot make everyone think and feel as deeply as she did and this was her tragedy. Because she understands him and he did not.

Usually, during a lonely night, where the night was too cold for NaNa while watching her favorite anime, her mind will wander off to the time when she was still with Zi Yi, and she will cry whenever she remembered the memories they had. Her heart was hurting, and it felt empty.

Despite everything that happened, NaNa was thankful of course, that Zi Yi chose to tell her everything instead of dragging her along with him. But she was still sad because the three years of loving him were all in vain.

At the end of their story, Zi Yi became her ex; an EXample of a past lesson and Explanation for why she deserved better.

A soft knocking sound could be heard from her door making NaNa snapped back to the reality. Her mother's beautiful voice asking her if there's anything should be added to her birthday. NaNa opened the door so that her mother could come in.

NaNa's mother handed over the list of guests to NaNa and asked if there's anyone left out. Since NaNa spent most of her time getting her degree overseas, almost all of her friends were not from the country.

She tried to remember all of her friends that she was close with. Yi Fei was invited to her birthday party, that's for sure. Even if she forgot about her, her mother and her aunt will not. NaNa suspected that this whole party celebration was only a façade for them to meet Wu Chen's girlfriend.

Unlike Yi Fei, NaNa was not a social butterfly while she was in middle and high school. She could count on one hand of the friends she was close with. NaNa re-checked the list and noticed that Jun Liu was not on the list.

Jun Liu.

NaNa wrote down two more names on the list, and after she finished writing the names, she handed over the list back to her mother.

NaNa's mother was puzzled to see those two names; Jun Liu and Ying Yue. NaNa's mother knew that Jun Liu was Wu Chen's best friend, and they even met in a few occasions previously, but she did not expect that her daughter will come to know Jun Liu too.

After chatting for a few minutes, NaNa's mother excused herself to let NaNa rest early, but NaNa couldn't seem to fall asleep.

Her mind lingered to what happened this afternoon with Jun Liu. It was a lie if she said that she didn't feel anything towards Jun Liu when her heart beats so fast as if it will burst.

Tonight, the night was cold and quiet but for the first time after NaNa breaks up with her ex-fiancé; her heart was not empty like it used to be.