On the class monitor's birthday, I stepped out briefly to answer a phone call. When I came back, I saw my girlfriend dancing intimately with him, leaning close together.

My classmates all looked at me, thinking I would get angry.

I smiled and said, "The room is ready for you two, go now."

My girlfriend furrowed her brow and said, "Why are you mad? Don't you have any faults?"

It had been three days since Luke Duncan and Rachel Xander had their passionate dance.

I still couldn't figure out what and where I did wrong. All I knew was that the once passionate feeling in my heart had completely cooled down.

Surprisingly, Rachel approached and talked to me this morning as if nothing had happened. She handed me two concert tickets.

She had been like this for the past two years.

The compensation she offered me would depend on the depth of the knife stabbed behind me.

I was always caught up in a state of anxiety that I couldn't live without Rachel.

So, every time we had a fight and entered a cold war, if Rachel had stayed silent, I would have become restless and eventually apologized on my own.

Only when she needed my help with work would she reach out and softly say something sweet to me.

And I would be ecstatic, instantly forgiving her for any mistakes she had made.

I hated myself for being so useless, always blindly giving in, and deluding myself into sustaining this lonely love.

But now, as I looked at the two concert tickets on the table, my heart was strangely calm, reaching the utmost level of calmness.

Even if the other person was my favorite singer, and I had dreamt multiple times about going to a concert with Rachel, the reality was cruel.

She told me that she didn't like noisy places and asked me to go alone.

But every time Luke invited her to the bar, KTV, or a concert, she would eagerly go and even dress up carefully.

It even took her three hours just to choose clothes.

Afterward, Luke would always post on Instagram to show off, as if they were a couple and I was just a passerby.

I felt so upset that I couldn't eat, and I was boiling with anger.

However, Rachel didn't give much explanation. She just said that I thought too much and was mentally fragile.

That night, we had clearly agreed on the concert, but Rachel didn't show up.

I didn't call or message her like I used to. I just quietly took a concert ticket and walked out of the house.

A person couldn't be a puppet all his life.

Even though it was pouring rain, I couldn't resist the incredibly enthusiastic atmosphere at the venue. It ignited my heart in a different way.

During the song selection segment, I was lucky enough to be chosen and had the opportunity to sing a duet with my favorite singer.

Indeed!

When a person was determined to change, good fortune would always come their way.

After the concert, I went to a store to buy a bottle of water, but as I turned the corner, I saw Luke and Rachel. I could also smell the strong scent of alcohol.

"Look at how petty you are, coming all the way here to see Rachel in the rain. She had a great time tonight with me. Don't worry, I won't let anything happen to her with me around."

Luke smirked, his mouth curling up in a slightly provocative manner as he spoke to me.

"Clement, today..."

Rachel's red lips parted, and she was about to speak.

But I spoke first. "No need to explain. It's still early. You can still go to the second round, have fun."

I wasn't surprised by the situation tonight, where Rachel stood me up to be with Luke.

It had happened too many times.

But today, unlike before, I didn't get angry or feel hurt. After calmly uttering a few words, I turned around and left.

The drizzle fell gently on my face, washing away my past humiliation and embracing my new beginning.

I hadn't walked far when a taxi suddenly stopped beside me.

Then, the back door opened, and Rachel was inside.

"Get in, let's talk," she said.

I nodded, and as soon as I got in the car, she started explaining.

"Don't overthink it.

The reason why I didn't accompany you to the concert is that Luke has an important cooperation, but he can't drink..."

How strange!

She should be happy that I wasn't jealous or angry.

Why did she have to drag me to explain?

Before, she never took the initiative to explain. It was always me who had to bring up the conversation.

No matter how we tried to communicate, it was futile.

She would always defend Luke, and I would only grow angrier, eventually having an emotional breakdown.

Fortunately, I let go of everything and couldn't be bothered to think about the reasons. I interrupted Rachel once again and calmly replied, "Luke is indeed important to you, so just go help him."

Rachel seemed surprised by my response and was momentarily stunned.

I didn't say much and just picked up my headphones to listen to music.

"Stop the car."

Rachel's voice turned cold.

I knew she was angry.

Because I didn't follow her lead, and I didn't save face for her in front of others.

The car stopped.

"Clement Ayers!

Sometimes, you really should reflect on whether you have done anything wrong or whether you are too narrow-minded!" Rachel said, slammed the door, and left.

"Sir, do you want to chase after her?" the driver asked.

"No."

I shook my head and laughed at myself.

Ha!

She asked me to reflect again.

Perhaps my only mistake was that I was too in love and didn't let go sooner.

Back home, I finished washing up and went to bed, no longer sitting alone on the sofa like before, staring at the clock and waiting for her to come home, only to receive a cold expression.

Maybe because I had no worries in my heart, I slept peacefully throughout the night. I woke up at dawn, but Rachel was nowhere to be seen by my side.

I habitually stayed in bed for a few minutes, checked my Instagram, and saw her post a story in the early morning.

It was a video.

Rachel, Luke, and a few close friends were drinking, playing dice, and laughing in the bar.

As expected, without my interference and arguments, she seemed to be having a lot more fun.

But I didn't act as before, getting jealous and going crazy, calling her to ask why.

Now, not only was I not jealous anymore, but I deliberately liked her story. Then I got up and went to work.

I was a math teacher, and I had a lot of classes today, so I almost forgot about Rachel.

In the past, no matter how busy I was, I would squeeze out some time to send a message to her to show my presence.

I would be delighted whenever she replied.

Even if she texted: [Don't bother me.]

When I returned home from work in the evening, Rachel was sitting on the sofa, intentionally admiring the ring on her ring finger.

"The ring Luke gave me is so pretty," she muttered, clearly trying to grab my attention again.

But I ignored her and went straight to the study, intending to write an application for a job transfer.

"Clement Ayers!"

Rachel was anxious and quickly stopped me. She raised her ring and asked with a frown, "Didn't you see my ring?"

"I saw."

I nodded and replied.

"Then, didn't you hear me say that Luke gave it?" Rachel added.

I was slightly stunned and took the ring from her hand.

"What are you doing? Don't be reckless! You can't throw it away! I really like this ring!"

Rachel raised her eyebrows and immediately put on a haughty attitude again, just like before.

She enjoyed playing with my emotions.

"The ring is very beautiful. Wear it well and don't lose it."

As I spoke, I put the ring on her ring finger and walked calmly into the study.

Actually, the moment I saw the ring, I recognized it as Luke's. He had posted on Instagram about it, claiming that it was custom-made abroad and worth hundreds of thousands.

In fact, it was just a cheap plastic ring that probably cost less than two dollars.

Besides, most of what Luke possessed was fake, including the gifts he gave to Rachel, which were often of low quality.

I reminded her, but she didn't believe it.

I thought she was just naive until one time when Luke gave her a pendant worth five hundred thousand dollars.

As a result, it was determined to be a fake and worth at most fifty dollars.

I excitedly showed Rachel the appraisal report, but she glanced at it and threw it into the trash, saying, "So what if it's fake? I like it anyway."

At that moment, I understood.

Why did she casually give the diamond ring I gave her to her best friend?

Why did she treat the rags Luke gave her as treasures?

It turned out that the authenticity didn't matter.

It was just a case of loving someone and everything that was related to them.

Because of that, I was filled with immense panic at the time. I was afraid that Rachel would leave me and return to the arms of Luke, her first love. That was why I became even more submissive.

I was too foolish and naive.

But now, it was different.

When I finished writing the application form and came out of the study, Rachel was nowhere to be seen.

Obviously, she became even angrier after I repeatedly rejected the opportunities she offered me.

But what did this have to do with me?

I didn't care anymore.

I wouldn't search for her everywhere like I used to and watch her standing on the street, arms crossed, coldly looking down at me as I apologized over and over again.

Now, I would just take care of myself like I did last night.

Besides, I had planned to leave this city to do something meaningful.

I wanted to be like my parents and go to remote areas to teach.

Since I was a child, I admired my parents and dreamed of becoming a teacher and providing more children with the opportunity to learn knowledge.

Later, I became a teacher, but I also fell in love and tied myself down for Rachel.

Every day, my thoughts revolved around her.

I would think about what dishes to cook for her, how to make her happy, and what gifts to buy for her.

I would think about helping her optimize her teaching materials and even substitute for her in training classes.

In short, everything revolved around Rachel.

But what did I get in return for wasting so much energy?

Rachel's hot and cold attitude and Luke's provocative flaunting caused my emotions to collapse.

I often felt depressed and unmotivated, making it difficult for me to focus on teaching.

Now, I could finally calm down.

I called my father and told him what I was thinking.

"Clement, living conditions in the mountainous areas are harsh, unlike the hustle and bustle of the city. Have you thought it through?" my father asked.

"I've thought about it.

If you and my mother can persevere, then I can definitely do it, too," I replied with a smile.

Amidst the worldly chaos, desires often captivated our eyes, but the lush greenery of the mountainous areas was full of upward vitality.

Nature was the best medicine, enriching my spiritual world.

Moreover, as compared to the torment of enduring daily mental anguish, physical hardship was nothing.

As for why my father didn't mention Rachel, it was because she never let me tell my family about her.

Neither Rachel nor I had spoken for several days.

I no longer had to get up early to cook for her, nor did I have to massage her legs at night. I didn't have to worry about her anymore, and life had become much more relaxed.

The students all said that I looked much better.

This morning, Rachel slammed the door and left again.

I still ignored her, but as soon as I arrived at school, I received a call from her best friend, Anna Gray.

"Clement, are you still a man? How dare you treat Rachel like this?

If you don't love her anymore, just say it directly. What's with the silent treatment?

Do you even have the right to do that?"

Anna was furious and started to accuse me.