The Caged Bird and the Ocean

[One-on-one romance / First loves for both / City romance / Second chances / Slow burn] [Gentle and levelheaded × Complicated and stubborn] [Game designer × Interior designer] / In her sophomore year of college, Xu Lian ruthlessly dumped her first love, with whom she had been entangled for seven years. She blocked him on every social media account and cut off contact without a word. - Three years later, on a stormy winter night, Xu Lian ran into her first love again, soaked and disheveled. His expression was cold and stern. Silently, he put an umbrella in her arms, then turned and crossed the street to get into a black car. Before Xu Lian could process the unexpected reunion, the next day, in the company building, she stood up in a daze and was prompted by her supervisor to bow to him. Just like that, he became her client. - Feeling guilty about cutting off contact without a word, Xu Lian avoided him. After a few days of awkward standoff, he finally cornered her in the break room. She pressed her lips together and pretended to be calm. “What can I do for you, Mr. Cheng?” Cheng Jiu glanced at her impassively. “Have you been avoiding me these past few days?” Xu Lian scoffed, but before she could open her mouth, he cut her off: “Our reunion was unexpected for me too. Don’t flatter yourself by thinking you’re that important.” Xu Lian: What is wrong with him? - Later, at a dinner party, one of the women beside Xu Lian asked Cheng Jiu about his love life. He clearly looked at the person who had asked the question, but Xu Lian still felt a faint, almost imperceptible gaze lingering on her. Two seconds later, a casual reply brushed past her ear: “Pretty tragic. I’ve been dumped twice, by the same person.” The moment he finished speaking, the whole room erupted in shocked exclamations. Xu Lian’s lips curled into a smile amid the crowd. / *The entire manuscript is complete. Please don’t ask for revisions unless there’s a serious issue with the principles or values.*