Li Ming stared at the row of messages sent by Cang Gui Ying for quite some time.

Cang Gui Ying: [Mo Fang just came to the counter. Seems like he’s back in the country.]

Cang Gui Ying: [Sis Zhi is saying there’s a chance of the two of you getting back together?]

Cang Gui Ying: [Li Ming, as your good friend’s wife, I have to remind you of how bad your breakup was. Don’t get tempted just because he’s a stunner!]

In the end, Li Ming slowly typed a response, his lips quirking up.

Li Ming: [Be honest, you just wanted to throw in again that you’re married now.]

Cang Gui Ying clearly still had her phone close by because her response came only a few seconds later.

Cang Gui Ying: [How could you say that?! I’m worried about you!]

Then, a beat slower, she sent another line.

Cang Gui Ying: [Okay, maybe a bit.]

Li Ming laughed and shook his head. Glancing at his clock, it seemed that Cang Gui Ying should still be in the middle of her shift. Otherwise, he might have called to explain the situation. Finally, he sent a short text so she could at least put her worries to rest.

Li Ming: [Don’t worry. I know he’s back but I won’t fall for the same lies twice.]

That was something he was sure of. He still didn’t know if he wanted to see him but he definitely wouldn’t believe him easily no matter what he said. In fact, even meeting up was something he wasn’t considering as much anymore.

Just over the course of two or three days, he had gotten messages from almost everyone at the railroad station, Si Tao and Tong Lan, Linghu Jiahao, and even Bian Huan. Everyone had been telling him that Mo Fang was back. Was that really just them being worried about him? Or was there more to it? If there was, then could still be considered idle gossip, or was it that Mo Fang had said something about him that made them do that?

If it was the latter, then Mo Fang was clearly still trying to manipulate him in the same way he had back then. And in that case, he didn’t want to see him. He could imagine what he would say: He might tell him that he had changed while he was away and that he wanted another chance. After that, if he was dumb enough to agree, everything would start over, just that Mo Fang would likely be more careful about what he did. Just imagining that made him grimace in pain.

No, that chapter was officially closed. Between Mo Fang and him, it simply wasn’t possible anymore. The trust had already been broken and he didn’t think that it could be restored any longer. If Mo Fang had come clean himself, maybe it would have been different. But with how everything had played out back then, he simply wouldn’t be able to take a single word of his seriously.

Looking at things from that perspective, Li Ming really didn’t feel like meeting up with him. Anyway, what else could Mo Fang say to him other than asking him to get back together? They hadn’t been in contact for three years and they hadn’t known each other for long before getting into their relationship. There was no overlap between them apart from that short episode.

So really, this right now was just another useless attempt of getting close again. He didn’t want that. Not as a potential partner and not even as a friend. There was simply nothing to salvage.

Finally having made up his mind, Li Ming actually felt a lot lighter. The pending decision had been weighing on him and others reaching out to him hadn’t made it easier. Now that he had decided, he would know what to tell anyone who asked.

No, not just that. So far, he had thanked everyone for letting him know but going forward, he would also tell them to please not keep him updated and to also not try to play the mediator. That chapter was done and he didn’t want to have anything to do with Mo Fang. It was best if others knew. This way, they wouldn’t try to help and also couldn’t be used by Mo Fang to try and accomplish whatever he was after.

Li Ming did make true on that thought. To his surprise, most people simply accepted it and didn’t get in touch. Nobody new jumped in either so a week later, it was as if Mo Fang had never returned to China. Li Ming went to work and back home, always half expecting to see Mo Fang waiting for him somewhere and trying to get him to talk some other way. It never happened though.

Realizing this, Li Ming felt that it was odd. Could it be that he had thought wrong? Was Mo Fang not after reconciliation and didn’t want to get back together? Was he simply accepting that he didn’t want anything to do with him?

As bizarre as the thought was, he couldn’t help but feel that it might be right. Otherwise, what was this supposed to be? Was Mo Fang supposed to be playing some long con where he was holding off from getting in touch in an attempt to make him think he was reformed so he’d reach out and could then be seduced again?

That … it seemed ridiculous. Honestly, he didn’t want to think like that. It wasn’t the way he looked at people usually and even after what Mo Fang had done, he didn’t want to think he would be that desperate. Anyway, after three years and certainly a lot of dating, he might not even want to be with him any longer?

Li Ming paused when he thought of that. Right, he had seen on Mo Fang’s Weibo back then that he had been dating again. In that case: Why would he even want to get back together with him? Surely, their relationship couldn’t have been that good.