My Dongguan Love Story

Hearing my cousin's wife's words, I was completely stunned. After confirming with her several times, I finally realized that my affair with several men had finally been discovered.

Now I finally understand why Lin Huimin texted me to break up. It turns out she already knew everything. Anyone in my situation would have turned and left immediately.

But if it really ends like this with Lin Huimin, I really can't bear it.

Seeing my conflicted and hesitant expression, my cousin-in-law hesitated for a moment before gently advising me, "If you can't bear to part with it, hurry up and try to win it back. Don't wait until you've completely lost it, or it will be too late to regret it."

I nodded silently, my heart filled with sorrow. It was my fault that I had dragged the pure and innocent Lin Huimin into a bunch of troubles. If I were to take the initiative to try and win her back now, I would only be asking for trouble and would inevitably be scolded by her as a scumbag, ending up humiliated myself.

As I was trying to sort out this tangled mess of emotions, I suddenly remembered the text message Tang Yan had sent me before.

Her tone sounded so much like Lin Huimin's before they broke up.

A terrible thought popped into my head: could the text message she sent me also be a breakup message?

I quickly pulled out my phone and checked the text messages, becoming more and more puzzled as I read. Just two days ago, she was happily telling me about her promotion and raise, saying that everything was going smoothly for her. How come she suddenly rushed back to her hometown?

A round trip would take at least ten days. If there's nothing urgent at home, who would take leave so hastily to leave?

Moreover, every sentence in the text message was filled with unspeakable grievances and loneliness.

I know Tang Yan's personality too well. She appears gentle and mild-mannered on the outside, but deep down she's even more stubborn and fierce than Lin Huimin. She's always hated deception and betrayal the most. If she finds out that I'm seeing her while also flirting with other women, given her personality, it would be perfectly normal for her to leave Dongguan in a fit of anger and completely cut off all contact with me.

I was panicking and confused, and I wanted to figure things out as soon as possible.

I quickly grabbed my phone, my fingertips trembling with panic, and dialed Tang Yan's number.

The call was immediately rejected, and despite repeated attempts, the call could not be connected.

I froze on the spot, my heart clenched, my arms fell limply to my sides, and my throat felt incredibly dry.

Tang Yan actually blocked me.

Seeing my dejected state, my cousin-in-law sneered, "It's your own fault for being a womanizer and cheating on me. Tang Yan is so strong-willed and headstrong, no wonder she blocked you! Stop thinking about her and think about what to do next. If you really can't let go of Lin Huimin, take the initiative to apologize and win her back, or you'll regret it later."

My cousin-in-law knew exactly what was going on.

Tang Yan resolutely returned to her hometown and blocked all contact information, clearly showing that she had completely given up on me and that there was no need for her to waste any more words trying to persuade me.

But Lin Huimin is different.

She could tell that Lin Huimin's decision to break up stemmed more from heartbreak and disappointment; she hadn't truly let go of her feelings for her. Furthermore, given Lin Huimin's past kindness to her, she couldn't help but offer a few more words of advice, as a way of repaying that favor.

But that's all.

My romantic entanglements with Lin Huimin, General Manager Zhao, and a few others are a complete mess, an inextricable tangled web. My cousin's wife has lived a simple life; even though she's divorced, she's only ever loved her ex-husband. She's never seen such a complicated web of love and relationships before. She simply can't understand it, and she's too lazy to get deeply involved in my mess.

After saying that, she didn't want to linger any longer. She waved her hand lightly, turned around, and left.

I was all alone in the empty room, my heart filled with a jumble of regret that made it hard to breathe.

I slowly put my phone away, feeling a mix of emotions.

I've known Tang Yan for so long, and although we weren't head over heels in love, the bond we formed through spending so much time together was real. Everything was always fine, no arguments, no misunderstandings, until my own greed and foolishness led to a complete breakdown in contact.

The thought of her leaving silently, full of grievances and disappointment, fills me with both bitterness and guilt.

I kept replaying the text message she sent before she left. Every word was full of disappointment and sadness, but she didn't say a single word about breaking up.

Could it be that she never really intended to break up with me?

I guess she's just angry that I lied to her, and she's holding it in. In the end, she's hoping that I'll take the initiative to go to her and talk things out with her properly.

I sighed heavily, forcibly suppressing the chaotic thoughts in my mind.

But just as this matter was put aside, another worry began to weigh on my mind.

My cousin's words kept echoing in my ears, urging me to take the initiative to win Lin Huimin back, but I was so upset and didn't know what to do.

Moreover, I am the one who wronged her. I shattered her dreams of love with my own hands, causing her to break up with me out of disappointment.

But if I were to lower myself and pester them relentlessly, it would be too humble, and it has never been my style.

But the thought of completely losing Lin Huimin, who treated me so gently, fills my heart with a deep sense of reluctance and guilt.

For a moment, I stood there, caught in a dilemma, unable to move forward or backward, completely caught in a self-inflicted tug-of-war.

I know very well that it was my fault from beginning to end.

It was my own fault for not being able to control myself, juggling several relationships at the same time, keeping it a secret from everyone. Now that Lin Huimin has completely exposed the truth, it's only natural that she's heartbroken and determined to break up with me; she has no one to blame but herself.

Even though I understand the reasons, I still can't get over my own mental block.

Even if I were to shamelessly go to her door now, how would I face her?

Should I tell her that I was out of my mind and acted foolishly before?

Forget it, this lame excuse is so hypocritical and ridiculous that even I find it laughable, let alone the perceptive Lin Huimin. It will only make her look down on me even more.

I felt utterly helpless and sighed heavily, unable to sort out my chaotic thoughts. I simply took out a cigarette and squatted on the steps outside the duty room.

Looking up at the clear blue sky and white clouds, I took one puff of my cigarette after another, my mind filled with the image of Lin Huimin, feeling guilty and conflicted, unable to calm down for a long time.

For the entire afternoon, I was listless and absent-minded, unable to muster the energy to do anything.

As I finished get off work in the evening, the sky was filled with the glow of the setting sun, which painted half the sky red. My chaotic thoughts gradually calmed down, and I finally made up my mind.

No matter how it ends, no matter how much Lin Huimin hates me or how disappointed she is now, I am not willing to lose her completely like this.

Even if there's only the slightest chance, I want to find her in person and ask her final attitude.

Having figured this out, I immediately hopped on my motorcycle, twisted the throttle, and sped off towards Donghu Garden, where Lin Huimin lived.

I arrived at her building soon, parked the car, and walked upstairs step by step, gently knocking on the door.

One, two...

I waited patiently for a long time, but there was no sound from inside the house, and no one opened the door.

My mind was full of doubts. I looked up at the window and saw that it was already completely dark. She should have been off work and home by now. Why wasn't she home?

Just as I was filled with confusion, a slight noise came from inside the room, followed by the crisp, clear sound of high heels.

My heart skipped a beat.

I recognize those footsteps all too well; they're definitely Lin Huimin's!

Lin Huimin's younger sister, Lin Huiqing, is young and never wears high heels, so it must be her who has returned to this house.

Undeterred, I raised my hand again and knocked on the door several times with increased force.

No matter how much I knocked, the footsteps inside the door gradually disappeared, and no one came to open the door. It was obvious that they were deliberately avoiding me.

A bitter feeling welled up inside me. Helplessly, I took out my phone and dialed Lin Huimin's number.

As expected, the call still couldn't be connected; she never unblocked me.

I was completely at a loss. I gave a bitter laugh, turned around, and walked downstairs dejectedly.

As I walked to a bench not far from the residential area, I paused, and looking at the familiar seat, countless memories instantly flooded my mind.

The scenes of my first walk, heart-to-heart talk, and the escalating romance between Lin Huimin and me here vividly flashed before my eyes, both warm and jarring. Compared to my current disheveled situation, they made my heart ache.

I slowly walked over and slumped down on the bench.

After hesitating for a long time, I opened the text message box and carefully sent a message to Lin Huimin, word by word:

"I'll wait here for you for half an hour, waiting for my love. If you don't come, then we're truly destined to be apart."

After finishing editing the message, I didn't hesitate at all and clicked send.

Although he had long since blocked my phone number and I couldn't get through, I could still receive text messages normally. I was certain that Lin Huimin would see this message.

Inside the room, Lin Huimin leaned against the door, her mind in turmoil.

The clear knocking sounds from outside the door just now struck her heart like a knife.

She was actually inside the house the whole time and heard everything clearly, but she never had the courage to open the door.

What should I say after opening the door? How should I face Dazhuang? Should I question him about why he lied to me? Or should I pretend nothing happened?

She was both angry and aggrieved, and was in a state of great distress, not knowing how to deal with this terrible situation.

After much hesitation, she dialed her best friend Wu Jingru's number and poured out all her inner turmoil.

Upon learning everything, Wu Jingru, on the other end of the phone, immediately advised her to stay calm: "Don't open the door, let him wait a while! He's the one who made the mistake, cheating on you with several women. Letting him wait outside and suffer a bit is not unreasonable at all! If you forgive him so easily, he will never learn his lesson and will never care about you again!"

Lin Huimin listened quietly and also felt that what he said made a lot of sense.

She was indeed afraid that if she softened her heart too easily, Da Zhuang would think that her feelings were cheap and casual.

Actually, ever since she sent the breakup text message in the morning, she had felt suffocated and depressed all day.

When my cousin-in-law Li Qing came back at noon, I specifically explained to her that Da Zhuang didn't intentionally not reply to messages in the morning; his phone just ran out of battery and turned off.

By then, she had already secretly forgiven him. She was hoping that Dazhuang would take the initiative to find her and comfort her. But she had been so angry that morning that she had blocked Dazhuang's number.

She waited foolishly for an entire afternoon, but never received a phone call or an explanation. Her heart grew colder and colder, and she even thought that Dazhuang didn't care about her at all and had never thought about saving the relationship.

She thought that the relationship was completely over.

But to her utter surprise, Dazhuang would come to her door in person.

To be honest, by this point, most of her anger had subsided.

Even knowing he had other entanglements outside, the love in her heart couldn't be faked. Seeing his humble and proactive way of seeking her out, she couldn't help but want to open the door and rush into his arms; she simply couldn't sever her feelings completely.

She listened obediently to Wu Jingru's words, suppressing the pounding in her heart, and deliberately remained silent while waiting.

But after only a short while, the continuous knocking and noise outside the door suddenly disappeared completely.

The room fell silent instantly.

Lin Huimin froze, her heart suddenly felt empty, and she thought to herself in disbelief: He... just left like that?

Unable to contain her panic any longer, she tiptoed to the door and quietly peeked out through a crack.

The empty stairwell was long gone; Dazhuang was nowhere to be seen.

At that moment, all the grievances, anxieties, and expectations that had accumulated throughout the day collapsed instantly.

She felt like a deflated balloon, completely exhausted. Her back slumped against the door, and she slowly collapsed onto the cold ground, a lump forming in her throat.

Just as she was feeling lost and dejected, her phone vibrated slightly, and a new text message popped up.

The sender was Dazhuang.