You do not even know how to report it when you are being bullied.

It was nearly noon when Si Yun received a call from Liang Bo'an.

"I’m outside the embroidery studio."

Looking at the disconnected call, Si Yun sneered and buried herself back in her work. Ten minutes later, a text message arrived: "If you don't come out, I can make life even harder for that little brat."

Si Yun froze, her hand gripping her tablet coming to a sudden halt. The image of Ji Hanxiao’s retreating back flashed through her mind. He was being targeted by Liang Bo'an because of her. A wave of annoyance washed over her; she had been so busy that she hadn't anticipated this.

Stowing the tablet containing her research on Xu Zhengwei into her bag, Si Yun hurried out of the studio and headed straight for the familiar car.

Liang Bo'an saw the figure he had been waiting for.

"Get in." He was satisfied. In his mind, he had granted her enough face by coming here personally; she should be obedient and stop provoking him, or she would only find herself in more pain.

"What did you do to him?" Si Yun asked.

The smile on Liang Bo'an's lips stiffened.

"If you want to keep discussing others with me, I’m going to be very unhappy. Si Yun, if you're trying to use him to irritate me, you're aiming too low. He’s someone I could crush with a flick of my finger—do you really think I’d take him seriously? I’m just trying to teach him how to behave, to help him learn the rules of society."

"Liang Bo'an, when did you become like this?" Si Yun looked at the man before her. Having followed him for years, was it truly a case of being unable to see clearly what was right under her own nose? Had she failed to see his true colors all along? Every moment spent with this man, whom she had adored for ten years, now filled her with disappointment and disgust.

"What do you mean 'like this'? Si Yun, how long are you going to keep making a scene? I’ve already explained to you that my engagement to Mianmian is just a strategic move. Don't you know how much I've sacrificed for you? You’ve been acting out over this for so long—look at yourself, how did you become so unreasonable?" Liang Bo'an retorted, shifting the blame.

Si Yun was stunned by the lecture. In the past, this would have devastated her. Liang Bo'an’s coddling had always been evident, and he had rarely ever raised his voice at her. Yet, in just over a month, they had erupted into countless arguments. She remembered the first one—the day Liang Bo'an had snapped at her over a dessert intended for Si Mianmian.

The mango dessert Si Mianmian had dropped was something Si Yun was allergic to; even touching it would cause her to break out in hives. Yet, Liang Bo'an had accused her of putting on airs and trying to intimidate Si Mianmian. Perhaps it was from that moment on that her love for this man began to recede like a tide.

"Liang Bo'an, you keep saying you love me, but where is the love? You knew I was allergic to mangoes, yet you let Si Mianmian push that cake toward my hands. You knew how much I cherished my hands, yet you insisted I peel chestnuts for her—a task anyone could do, but you forced me to. You knew how much I cared about marriage, yet you disregarded my wishes and got engaged to her. You say you love me; perhaps that was true in the past, but now, I feel no love from you. I don't need your magnanimous explanations either. We have broken up; I made that clear the moment you decided to get engaged."

Si Yun told him clearly.

Enraged, Liang Bo'an stepped out of the car and grabbed her wrist. "What did you say?"

"I said I don't want to love you anymore. The moment you chose Si Mianmian, we were finished," Si Yun replied.

Liang Bo'an slammed his fist against the car. The sound startled Si Yun, but she didn't show it, continuing to look at the angry man with a calm expression.

"Yesterday, so many people saw you get engaged to Si Mianmian. Now you’re out here, brazenly pulling at me in public—aren't you afraid of what people will say?" Since he hadn't left the car earlier for fear of being photographed, her remark made him instinctively scan the surroundings. When he realized no one was watching, he let out a sigh of relief—a reaction that struck Si Yun as pathetic.

The next instant, he tried to force her into the car. As she struggled, she used the self-defense spray in her bag, forcing him to let go with a cry of pain.

Si Yun stepped back, watching Liang Bo'an as he clutched his stinging eyes. "Liang Bo'an, you may not fear losing face, but I do." With that, she turned and walked away.

"Si Yun, don't you dare walk away! Do you really think I can't live without you? For years, I’ve kept myself from every other woman for your sake, and this is how you treat me? Let me tell you, the women lining up to get into my bed could wrap around this city! I played along with your pretense of being high-minded, but if you keep making a scene, I will never indulge you again. Don't come crying to me when you regret this!" Liang Bo'an roared.

He had finally said the cruelest words possible. Si Yun stood tall, not looking back. Perhaps she had always had a premonition that this would be the answer.

"You haven't touched other women? What about when you held Si Mianmian and kissed her? Liang Bo'an, you know better than anyone why I couldn't be intimate with you, yet now you use that to mock our relationship. You are truly repulsive. I never asked you to remain chaste for me. I once looked forward to our marriage—a marriage that was within reach—but it was you who gave it up."

Liang Bo'an’s hand froze as he rubbed his eyes. "How do you know about me and Mianmian..." he stammered, panic rising. "That was a misunderstanding. I mistook her for you," he explained, though the excuse sounded hollow.

Si Yun had no desire to delve into it further; there was no point.

"Si Yun, I’ve explained everything to you! What more do you want? Can you stop acting out? I did all of this for you! Why can't you be considerate and mature? Regarding the cake, Mianmian just returned—couldn't you have pampered her a little? You’ve occupied her position for so many years; what would it have hurt to show a little patience? And the chestnuts—that was only because you didn't give Mianmian enough face. You made outsiders think you two weren't getting along, and everyone is saying you’re ungrateful and don't know your place. I did it all for your reputation! And the engagement—I told you, it’s just to help Mianmian regain her status. Once she..."

"Have you said enough?" Si Yun was truly speechless at these ridiculous excuses.

She turned back to look at Liang Bo'an, her eyes filled with detachment and resolve.

"I don't care anymore."

Those few words made Liang Bo'an’s heart tighten. Seeing her turn to leave, he snapped, "Fine! I’ve gone to such lengths for you, and this is how you act? Si Yun, you’ve clearly never tasted real hardship. It seems that without a lesson, you’ll never realize how lucky you were."

Liang Bo'an stormed off in a rage. The car sped away as if to slap her in the face.

And yet, Si Yun couldn't have been happier. Every extra second of this pointless entanglement made her feel sick to her stomach. The ten years of memories were already nauseating enough; she didn't want to add a single moment more to fill them.

Right now, she found herself wanting to see that... rather naive and foolish college student instead. He’d been bullied and didn't even know how to complain—what a complete idiot.