"Li Ruibin, we're not a good match. Let's break up."
In the café, a woman of irresistible beauty finally gathered the courage to speak her mind to the young man seated before her.
"Where does the incompatibility show up? Are we to just dismiss our four years of relationship? Aren't you going to provide some explanation?"
Li Ruibin with a face of dissatisfaction quipped. He had just lost his job, and now his love life was hanging by a thread. How should he go on?
"You can't provide what I seek, and I can't wait any longer. Is that reason enough?"
Zhao Hanwei plainly stated her willingness to end the relationship.
Li Ruibin wanted to argue a bit more, but Zhao Hanwei had already gotten up and left, even without sparing him a glance, marched straight out of the café.
Li Ruibin rose to chase after her but caught sight through the window of Zhao Hanwei got into a BMW with a handsome, clean-looking young man.
She was behaving coquettishly and pleasingly with the man, even offering him a kiss, which left Li Ruibin both enraged and helpless.
"Huh," Li Ruibin sneered at himself, downing his coffee in a gloomy mood.
He couldn't blame the lady for being materialistic, only himself for not being up to par.
If he had money, even female celebrities might throw themselves at him.
Suddenly, the ringtone of Li Ruibin's mobile phone broke the silence, perturbing him. He reluctantly pressed the answer button and was instantly assailed by a loud, ear-splitting voice.
"Hey, Li Ruibin! You've got two months' rent in arrears when will you be clearing it? If you don't pay up, I'll throw all your junk out on the street!"
Recognizing the familiar voice, Li Ruibin immediately fumed.
In the past, he might have been willing to play the submissive role, bowing and scraping.
But now, with his girlfriend gone and his job lost, what else did he fear! As the saying goes, when you've nothing left to lose, why not throw caution to the wind.
"I've put up with you for long enough! If you dare, throw me out, otherwise you're the [weak one]!"
Filled with rage, Li Ruibin yelled these words and then hung up the phone.
Unemployment, love lost, and now about to be evicted from his flat, the feeling of failure in life engulfed Li Ruibin like a tidal wave.
He couldn't help but mock himself, realizing that he had become what was referred to as a "life's loser."
Night fell quietly.
Strolling the brightly-lit streets, watching the hurried steps of passersby, Li Ruibin felt a mix of emotions.
Since graduating from university, he had worked hard in this bustling city for three whole years, only to end up empty-handed.
Now, not even having enough to pay the rent, what could be more pathetic? Li Ruibin couldn't help but fall into deep self-doubt and feelings of powerlessness.
Dragging his feet, Li Ruibin came to a bridge. With the fifth can of beer clutched in his hand, he leaned against the bridge railing, and took a few heavy gulps.
Under the influence of alcohol, his mind was getting hazy.
Looking down at the turbulent water under the bridge, a terrifying thought crossed his mind.
But thinking of his parents back in his hometown, he managed to suppress this impulse.
"Sigh, I wonder how mom and dad are doing now. It's been three years since I last visited home, I'm such a terrible son."
Li Ruibin gave a self-deprecating wry smile.
After graduation, he threw himself into this unfamiliar big city, working overtime even during holidays.
All to save enough money to buy a house, to marry his girlfriend and settle down.
But looking back now, these dreams seemed so ridiculous.
Li Ruibin took out his phone, intending to call his parents who were far away in the countryside.
Unexpectedly, his phone suddenly started vibrating, and the word "Mom" appeared on the screen.
He quickly put away his dejected mood, took a deep breath, adjusted himself before answering the call. A familiar and warm voice came from the other end:
"My son, how are you doing over there? Are you living well? Have you been wronged?"
Li Ruibin forcibly lightened his voice, fabricating a story: "I'm doing well, Mom. Everything is going smoothly. The boss said he would promote me to be the director next month, and my salary would double."
"Aiya, actually, you don't need to work so hard. There's something your father and I have been hiding from you for a long time, and now it's time to tell you."
On the other end of the phone, his mother's voice held a hint of mystery.
A knot formed in Li Ruibin's heart, afraid that something had happened at home: "What's the matter, Mom? Just, say it, I'm listening."
"Actually, our family is rich now! You’re a true rich second generation, you don’t need to work so hard to make money from scratch!" His mother's voice was filled with concern.
Li Ruibin couldn't help but laugh: "Enough, Mom. I still have to work overtime. I'll hang up now!"
He dismissed it completely, thinking to himself where would peasant parents like his get so much money?
I reckon from their perspective, having twenty thousand makes one rich.
"Hey, don't hang up! Son, what has to happen for you to believe your mother?" An anxious voice from his mother came through the phone.
"You want me to believe? Simple, deposit a million in my account, and I guarantee I'll believe. I really have to get to work now, go to rest early, both of you."
With that, Li Ruibin hung up the call, and the cold wind that followed, chilled his heart even more.
He knew too well; his parents definitely didn't have a million.
Even after selling their old house, they probably still wouldn't be able to amass that amount. Hence, Li Ruibin didn't take his mother's words seriously.
Just as Li Ruibin was lost in his thoughts, his phone suddenly buzzed alerting him of a new message on the lit screen.
Instinctively, with his thumb, he unlocked the screen.
A bank message caught his eye.
"What the heck?!"
Li Ruibin's eyes widened as if he saw something unbelievable.
He rubbed his eyes hard and looked again with concentration.
"Is this real?"
The message very clearly showed that his bank account suddenly had an additional deposit—an entire one million! This sudden "windfall" left Li Ruibin dumbfounded, rendering his mind blank.
