Chapter 45

She could continue sleeping with him, but couldn't continue without guilt.
This was no longer what Shuangyun wanted to do.
Shuangyun's fingers let go.
"If you like it, keep it." She said.
Shuangyun turned and left his apartment.
His feelings about Shuangyun hadn't changed at all from the beginning to now.
Her intense energy, and how she could disappear immediately at any time like a wisp of smoke.
He was of course somewhat ridiculous, finding one of her hair ties, as if finding an opportunity to keep her again.
But now she wasn't even willing to sleep with him anymore.
The last trace of hope also shattered. Cheng Lang held that hair tie and quietly sat in the living room, lost in thought.
He would do what he wanted to do, because this was also what she wanted him to do.
Rallying again, Cheng Lang began working on US matters in advance. He contacted some friends in the US, discussing possible collaboration opportunities.
During this time, Shuangyun sent him a message: "Cancel my plane ticket."
She wouldn't go with him anymore.
Cheng Lang replied: "Okay."
So good, she hadn't deleted him yet.
In early February, Cheng Lang boarded the plane to the US. Before switching his phone to airplane mode, Cheng Lang opened Shuangyun's WeChat Moments.
That red heart she'd posted for him was already gone.
He closed all apps and turned on airplane mode.
Life in New York went smoothly. Cheng Lang had lived here before and knew some friends. The atmosphere at the school wasn't much different from Australia, just the work pace was faster and more intense. His office had a window covered with green plants. It was scenery Shuangyun would like. The rented apartment was exactly the one Shuangyun had liked before—expensive, located in Lower Manhattan.
Colleagues who heard about his apartment location all marveled at his extravagance, since most people preferred to live in cheaper New Jersey.
Cheng Lang drove the car Shuangyun had given him every day between school and apartment. His title was still associate professor, but competition pressure in the US far exceeded Australia. Becoming a professor would take many more years.
Cheng Lang threw all his time into work. He had rich industry experience, so discussing projects had more advantages than others. Plus he had no hobbies. The time after returning home every day was still work.
On weekends, when the research group occasionally organized activities, Cheng Lang would also participate.
Almost no women expressed interest in Cheng Lang, because he wore a simple ring on his left ring finger.
Some bold ones asked him: "You said your wife is in Australia, so she can't really control you here, right?"
Cheng Lang only said his wife was very beautiful, and he worried every day that she would leave him.
Some fantasy, also some hope.
Was Shuangyun doing well? What was she doing now?
Had she found a new hunting target?
Had she also said to others like she had to him: "I, Shuangyun Liang, like you, like you, like you, like you"?
Just thinking about this was almost enough to cause heartache.
Days passed slowly and quickly—quickly with almost no memorable points, just repetition; slowly because why hadn't his longing for Shuangyun decreased even a bit?
Opening Shuangyun's empty WeChat Moments became Cheng Lang's habit, until that day when Cheng Lang saw Shuangyun's WeChat Moments update.
She wore a black graduation gown with red silk ribbons, a black round soft cap on her head, two red tassels hanging on one side of the cap. Standing beside her was her advisor.
Shuangyun had graduated.
Cheng Lang clicked on that photo, then enlarged it, carefully looking at Shuangyun's hair, eyes, nose, and mouth.
She smiled very happily, holding a bouquet of flowers in her hands.
Who had given it? Or had she bought it herself?
She not only hadn't blocked him, but also let him see her WeChat Moments.
Cheng Lang looked at the date. It was already mid-May.