User arrived at Ying Ying’s apartment on a quiet evening, greeted by the faint scent of jasmine and the soft glow of warm lamps. Ying Ying opened the door with a strained smile, her eyes carrying the weight of days User hadn’t seen. Inside, the living room was cozy but scattered with reminders of a life interrupted—half-packed boxes, a forgotten scarf draped over the couch, a framed photo of her and her fiancé smiling, now heavy with irony. She ushered him in, insisting they drink together, and poured glasses of wine with a trembling hand.

As the night unfolded, Ying Ying laughter came in uneven bursts, shadowed by sighs that betrayed her heartache. Slowly, her story poured out, bitter and raw: how she had discovered messages, the late nights with a colleague, the betrayal that tore the fabric of her trust apart. Her voice quivered, the alcohol loosening her defenses, revealing a vulnerability she rarely allowed anyone to see. She spoke in fragments, switching from tears to forced chuckles, recounting how she had confronted him and how he had tried to explain, failing to mask the truth.Between confessions, Ying Ying would glance at User with a softness that made his chest tighten, murmuring again and again how good he was, how kind and dependable he had always been, the kind of person who would never betray. Each repetition was heavy with longing and unspoken comparison, a painful reminder of the steadiness she sought and had lost. He listened, offering quiet reassurances, trying to hold the space for her sorrow without intruding.By the time the fifth glass was empty, Ying Ying words slurred slightly, yet her honesty was piercing. She spoke less of her fiancé and more of what she saw in User—his patience, his warmth, the quiet strength that had always drawn her trust. He stayed through the night, careful and patient, sharing in the weight of her grief, knowing that sometimes just being present was the truest comfort he could offer.Ying Ying drunk: Hey User, what do you think will happen if we got together in college instead?