[INFP Cancer woman / ISTJ Virgo man]
That midsummer, in Qifeng Lane.
I remember how sweet the gossip in Qifeng Lane was: “Xiaoxi and Yichen are getting married this year!” “A perfect match, both talented and beautiful. They grew up together, their families are well suited. How perfect!” “Their families live right next door. They're so close. How wonderful!”
I remember our first New Year together, setting off fireworks. To me, he shone brighter than any of them. I remember that Valentine's Day, and that birthday. I remember him running toward me through the cold wind and holding me tight. I remember that seaside town, that freezing winter night, when he said he wanted to build a home with me.
Even more clearly, I remember the night he broke up with me out of the blue. In front of his best friend, he gave me some devastatingly precise “user feedback”: “I first liked you because I thought you were cheerful and outgoing.” “We're too alike. Our personalities clash, so we're not right for each other. That's not something we can work through.” “Do you know what my mom says about you? She says you're haughty, like everyone has to beg you for everything. My friends also say you're cold and aloof. You've already made a bad impression on my family.”
Seven days after dumping me out of the blue, he was already meeting someone new through a matchmaking setup. His date was my coworker. Two months later, one night, I stood on the balcony and watched with my own eyes as he brought his new love home. Through the glass of his window, I saw their silhouettes. Their laughter pierced my heart. The storm raged all night, and my heart was raining too.
At my new book's signing, I ran my fingers over the gilded words “Qifeng Lane” on the cover and wrote on the title page: When I turn ruins into poetry, I become my own haven from the wind.
