"I've been dealing with hundreds of thousands of cash since I was a child. Our house, our cars, it was as if they weren't earned but fell from the sky. I never cherished them."
"My dad told me he only wanted me as his child, and all the family business would be mine. I was born to be a boss. Whether I studied or not didn't matter; those who studied well would come to work for me. So, I never thought about studying."
"Ignorant, that's a perfect description of someone like me."
Chen Jiaojiao said, mocking herself.
"I went to private schools all the way, from kindergarten to high school, basically coasting. Otherwise, I wouldn't have met scum like Li Pengcheng."
"You can't believe what men say, not even your own father. He said he only wanted me as his child, but in fifth grade, he changed his mind. He started desperately wanting a son."
"My mom, out of boredom, gave him a son. Later, she realized he wasn't honest even then. He wasn't just with 'Ah San' outside, but also 'Ah Si' and 'Ah Wu'."
"My maternal grandfather's family had mines in our area. Although not as large-scale as my dad's family, my mom grew up pampered and couldn't tolerate his mistreatment, so she argued with him daily."
"That's when I learned that my paternal grandfather, during his time in the countryside, had a very close relationship with someone. He arranged a childhood engagement for me and his grandson. That man was in Nancheng."
"Every time my dad argued with my mom, he'd tell me he hoped I'd grow up quickly and marry into Nancheng, so they wouldn't have to see them argue every day."
"I was married, but my husband wasn't the one you saw yesterday. It was my childhood betrothed. We divorced less than three months after getting married."
"So, what Li Pengcheng said isn't entirely wrong. I'm indeed not a well-behaved or innocent person."
Listening to her self-deprecating tone, Xiang Yang, though taken aback by her life experiences, still felt sympathetic towards her.
"Yesterday, that person. Can I ask why you two broke up?"
"He's a coward."
Chen Jiaojiao picked up her wine glass and took a frustrated sip.
"When I first met him, I really liked him and intended to marry him. Who knew he'd be such a coward?"
"After my childhood betrothed found out we were dating, he threatened me a few times, and then the guy ran off and left me."
"My childhood betrothed hated me for it..."
"It's all a mess. In my life, I've never done anything right. It's all chaotic."
Xiang Yang listened and realized that in matters of love, she was also a victim, and it wasn't her fault.
If she had any fault, it was trusting men too much and giving her heart to the wrong person.
"Don't say that about yourself. You're clearly not like that."
Chen Jiaojiao put down her wine glass and looked at him.
"Tell me honestly, do you have feelings for me?"
With such a direct question, Xiang Yang suddenly felt a bit embarrassed.
But seeing Chen Jiaojiao's determined gaze, he quickly regained his composure.
"Yes. I think I've fallen for you. I always want to be with you."
"What you're doing is wrong, Xiang Yang. The reason I'm telling you all this today is to let you know."
"My past is very complicated, and my future will be too. These things will accompany me my whole life. We are not on the same path."
"You are very pure, and you need to find a pure girl..."
Xiang Yang disliked her always speaking of herself that way.
"Who says you're not pure? Is it wrong for someone to have had a boyfriend or girlfriend by the age of 20? Does having dated and broken up make someone impure?"
Chen Jiaojiao shook her head. "Don't you understand the point of my words? I didn't just date and break up; I was married!"
"At 20, I became a divorced woman. I..."
"I don't care. As long as I don't care, what does it matter if others gossip? What does it have to do with them?"
Listening to his innocent words and looking at his innocent face, Chen Jiaojiao was stunned for a few seconds before letting out a sad laugh.
"Fine. You don't care. Then tell me, what do you plan to do next?"
"Chase me? Make me your girlfriend? Date for a while and break up if it doesn't work out? Or will you endure everything, wanting to marry and have children with me?"
Xiang Yang: "..."
He hadn't thought that far ahead yet.
He simply felt that Chen Jiaojiao was good, liked her, and wanted to be with her.
But since she asked, as a man, he had at least the basic firmness.
"If we date for a while and find we're very compatible, and you can wait for me to graduate and don't mind that I'm poor, why wouldn't we get married and have children?"
Chen Jiaojiao didn't have much dating experience. She only met Hu Jiasheng, who got scared and ran off before anything happened.
Yet, a seemingly naive young man was talking about marrying and having children with her.
After a few seconds of being touched, she couldn't help but smile again.
"If I'm not mistaken, you're an only child, right? Your family has high hopes for you."
"I hate dealing with men who carry too much family responsibility."
"I've been used to freedom since I was little and can't stand being constrained. If you want me to marry and have children, to be a devoted wife and mother my whole life, that's impossible."
Xiang Yang quickly said, "You don't have to be a devoted wife and mother all the time. You can go out and do what you like..."
"Do you know what I like? I like drinking, clubbing, looking at handsome guys, and traveling."
"I'm uneducated, I won't be a good mother, and I won't be able to raise children..."
"Then I'll accompany you drinking, clubbing, looking at handsome guys, and traveling."
Xiang Yang looked at her with burning eyes.
"Sooner or later, you'll crave having children. When you want them, we'll have them."
"What if I never want them?"
"Then we won't."
Chen Jiaojiao couldn't help but laugh again. "I told you you're naive, and you wouldn't admit it."
"Alright, alright. I admit it first. You're young and handsome. It's not a loss to date someone like you, and I do have some feelings for you."
"But let's be clear beforehand: we're just playing around, not serious. I've seen through love and marriage, and I don't want to pursue them anymore, nor do I want to be responsible for anyone's family. Don't force me."
"If we have chemistry, we date. If not, we part ways. Neither of us will hold the other back. If you can agree to these conditions, we can try dating."
Xiang Yang had never imagined that his first relationship would start this way.
It was as if they had switched gender roles.
But if he didn't agree, Chen Jiaojiao would turn and leave.
He really didn't want to miss her.
Xiang Yang believed that time could change a person.
As long as he was sincere enough, Chen Jiaojiao wouldn't think of breaking up with him.
Even if they didn't get married, they could continue to get along amicably.
"No problem, I agree."