Toxic Love（三）

In the end, Lin Yue made the painful decision to leave Jiang Chen. She quit her job, moved away from her old home, and completely disappeared from Jiang Chen's life.

Jiang Chen felt as though he had lost his soul. He wandered through his days in a daze, no longer working at the café or focusing on his studies. His grades plummeted, and the ridicule and gossip from his classmates only deepened his pain. He felt as if the entire world had abandoned him.

During this dark period, Jiang Chen's father came to visit him at school. Seeing his son so haggard, his heart ached.

"Son, what happened? Why are you like this?" his father asked with concern.

Jiang Chen looked at his father, filled with guilt. He told him about his relationship with Lin Yue, expecting his father to explode in anger. Instead, his father listened silently, not saying a word.

When Jiang Chen finished, his father patted his shoulder. "Son, no one can predict matters of the heart. I know you're in pain, but you can't just give up on your life. Your mother is still in the hospital, waiting for us. We all need you to pull yourself together."

Jiang Chen looked at his father's weary face and thought of his sick mother. A sharp pain pierced his heart. He knew he couldn't continue to wallow in despair. For the sake of his family, he had to stand up again.

From that day on, Jiang Chen worked hard to regain his footing. He returned to his job at the café, threw himself into his studies, and gradually improved his grades. He buried his longing for Lin Yue deep in his heart, using a busy life to numb his pain.

Time flew by, and five years passed in the blink of an eye. After graduating from college, Jiang Chen landed a good job through his hard work. He excelled in his role and quickly earned the recognition and trust of his superiors.

As his career stabilized, Jiang Chen also met a kind and gentle girl named Su Yao. They met at a company event and quickly fell in love.

Su Yao knew about Jiang Chen's past but didn't mind. She admired his sincerity and determination and was willing to build a beautiful future with him.

Jiang Chen cherished Su Yao deeply, pouring all his love into their relationship. With Su Yao by his side, Jiang Chen gradually emerged from the shadows of his past and began a new chapter in his life.

One day, Jiang Chen and Su Yao attended a friend's wedding together. At the wedding, Jiang Chen ran into an old college classmate. The classmate smiled and greeted him, "Jiang Chen, long time no see! I heard you're doing really well."

Jiang Chen smiled back. "Not bad. How about you?"

After catching up, the classmate suddenly said, "By the way, do you remember Lin Yue?"

Hearing that name, Jiang Chen's heart skipped a beat, but he quickly regained his composure. "Yes, I remember. Why?"

The classmate replied, "I saw her on the street the other day. She's changed a lot. I heard she got divorced and now runs a flower shop. Business seems to be going well."

Jiang Chen's heart was a whirlwind of emotions. He hadn't expected to hear about Lin Yue so suddenly. He couldn't help but ask, "Is she... doing okay?"

The classmate shook his head. "I'm not sure, but she looked much thinner, and there wasn't much of a smile on her face."

A wave of sadness washed over Jiang Chen as memories of his time with Lin Yue flooded back. Those beautiful moments felt as though they had happened just yesterday.

After the wedding, Jiang Chen's mood remained unsettled. Su Yao noticed his unease and asked with concern, "Honey, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

Jiang Chen looked at Su Yao, filled with guilt. He knew he shouldn't let his past affect his present life. He took her hand and said, "It's nothing. I'm just a little tired today."

Su Yao nodded. "Let's go home then. You should rest."

A few days later, Jiang Chen happened to pass by a flower shop on his way home from work. He couldn't help but stop in his tracks. Through the shop window, he saw a familiar figure.

It was Lin Yue. She was carefully trimming a bouquet of flowers, her face still carrying that faint trace of melancholy.

Jiang Chen's heart raced as he stood there, staring at her. Lin Yue seemed to sense something and looked up, her eyes meeting Jiang Chen's through the glass.

For a moment, they simply gazed at each other, a thousand unspoken words hanging in the air.

Lin Yue put down her scissors, walked out of the shop, and approached Jiang Chen. "Jiang Chen, it's been a long time."

Jiang Chen looked at her, his throat tight. After a long pause, he finally managed to say, "Lin, how have you been?"

Lin Yue smiled faintly. "I'm doing alright. And you? I heard you're successful in your career and have a beautiful girlfriend."

Jiang Chen nodded. "Yes, she's very good to me."

They fell into silence for a moment before Lin Yue spoke again. "Jiang Chen, I'm really happy to see you doing so well. Back then, I left because I didn't want to hold you back. I hope you understand."

Jiang Chen looked at her, the resentment in his heart long gone. "Lin, I understand. I don't blame you. I've always wanted you to be happy."

Tears welled up in Lin Yue's eyes. "Thank you, Jiang Chen. I'm doing fine now. After the divorce, I opened this flower shop. Spending my days surrounded by flowers has brought me a sense of peace."

Jiang Chen felt a deep sense of nostalgia. Though their past relationship had been filled with pain and regret, it had also taught him a lot. He knew they had both moved on with their lives, and it was time to let the past stay in the past.

"Lin, if you ever need anything, don't hesitate to reach out," Jiang Chen said sincerely.

Lin Yue nodded. "Thank you. You take care too."

With that, they shared one last smile before turning and walking in opposite directions. Jiang Chen felt a weight lift from his shoulders. He knew that from this moment on, he could finally let go of the past and move forward with Su Yao into a new future.