Chen Duo Decided to Break Up

Chen Duo’s boyfriend cheated on him. When he found out, he was curled up on the couch eating instant noodles—one forceful stab of his fork sent the bowl flying. His friend on the phone was still trying to console him, saying, *Don’t do anything reckless, okay?* “No,” Chen Duo calmly cleaned up the mess. “Do I seem like the type to obsess over things?” Oh, he was *far* from obsessing. He set out immediately, ready to throw hands. If that bastard didn’t get slapped across the face, he’d renounce his surname! But his ex was in a remote,深山老林 (*deep mountain forest*), and the journey was long. At the train station, someone cut in line and jostled him. Furious, Chen Duo yelled, *“Move! I’m going to catch my cheating partner!”* With a *whoosh*, the crowd parted like the Red Sea. Chen Duo, ever the quick learner, adopted this strategy from then on. Whether hailing a taxi or waiting for a rickshaw, he’d stand stone-faced and announce, *“Hurry up, my partner’s cheating on me right now!”* Somehow, even a beat-up Santana transformed into a rocket ship—speed unchecked. The only downside? The drivers were too damn nosy. For the last leg of his trip, Chen Duo hitched a ride on a cargo truck. The driver, surnamed Meng, had a buzz cut, dark skin, and muscles that strained against his camouflage T-shirt. Chen Duo ducked into the passenger seat and deadpanned, *“Hey. I’m in a hurry to catch a cheater.”* The man finally glanced at him, silent. Moments later, he handed over a rough ceramic cup. Chen Duo looked up, annoyed. *“Wet your throat,”* the man rumbled. *“It’s a long way. No need to rush.”* *Huh. This guy’s different—quiet, no nonsense.* That was Chen Duo’s first impression of Meng Cheng’an. Then again, his judgment had always been shit. Otherwise, how could he have misread his ex so badly? But this time, Chen Duo wasn’t wrong. Because later, even when Chen Duo was pinned against the truck’s cracked seat, on the verge of losing it, Meng Cheng’an *still* didn’t say much— He just put in the work.