From Simp to National Heartthrob - Chapter 8:

Chapter 8: Meeting Again

Hearing those words, Zhou Meng’s whole body trembled.

What a joke. She got that money through her own means—why should she have to return it? Since when did this loser become so petty?

Fuming inside, Zhou Meng didn’t let it show. She looked aggrieved and said, “Chen Yi, I’ve been with you for three years. How can you treat me like this?”

Chen Yi let out a mocking laugh, his dark eyes falling on Zhou Meng’s delicate face. “For three years, I transferred my entire salary to you every month. Every holiday, I bought you gifts. Every time we argued, I was the one to apologize first. And how did you treat me in return?”

“You’re my boyfriend. Isn’t it your job to take care of me?” Zhou Meng didn’t think much of Chen Yi’s sacrifices. With her beauty, wasn’t the whole point of having a boyfriend like Chen Yi to be treated well?

Back in university, she was the campus belle. Plenty of men had chased after her—and many of them were far better than Chen Yi.

If it hadn’t been for his honesty, she wouldn’t have stayed with him for three years.

Chen Yi asked, “Did you ever consider what I lived on after giving you all my salary each month? Where did I get the money for your gifts during holidays? As my girlfriend, what have you ever done for me?”

Zhou Meng paused for a moment before replying confidently, “I got a boyfriend so I could be taken care of. What’s wrong with that?”

“Over the past three years, you flirted with other men, and I turned a blind eye. But just to hold your hand, I had to wait for you to be in the right mood. Are you sure you saw me as your boyfriend and not just a walking ATM?” Chen Yi asked with a cold smile.

Zhou Meng fell silent, then reached out and grabbed his hand. “Chen Yi, don’t be angry. I really did see you as my boyfriend.”

“No need. We’ve already broken up,” Chen Yi said as he pulled his hand back, his tone distant.

Seeing that Chen Yi had truly made up his mind, Zhou Meng panicked.

She couldn’t lose this money tree. If she did, she’d be done for. She still owed rent, her credit card bill was due, and even though her family had always disapproved of Chen Yi’s background, they’d grudgingly accepted him because of his generous spending.

If they found out she’d broken up with him and was buried in debt, they’d definitely be disgusted with her. They might even kick her out of the house.

After all, in her parents’ eyes, they only truly cared about her younger brother and sister. It was only after dating Chen Yi that they started treating her slightly better.

Zhou Meng quickly stepped in front of him and tightly grabbed the hem of his shirt, her voice tinged with desperation and flattery. “Chen Yi, I don’t want to break up. I’ll listen to you from now on… I can even stay at your place, sleep with you if you want.”

As she spoke, she leaned into him.

Chen Yi froze for a long moment before finally snapping out of it. But there was no trace of joy on his face. Instead, he shoved Zhou Meng away in disgust and took several steps back.

“Zhou Meng, stop pestering me. I was a fool before, but it’s over now.” Chen Yi looked at her coldly.

He couldn’t believe the woman he once idolized could speak such shameless words so easily.

So all her modesty before had just been an act to keep him on a string? And now she was willing to throw away all pretense?

Chen Yi turned to leave, but it felt like a piece of his heart had been hollowed out.

Just then, he accidentally bumped into someone. The woman’s documents scattered across the floor.

“Sorry,” Chen Yi quickly crouched down to help pick up the papers and handed them back.

Under her black curls, a refined face carried a gentle smile.

The black suit she wore gave the striking woman a cool and elegant air.

“Chen Yi, what are you doing here?” Gu Mingxue’s beautiful dark eyes locked onto him, carrying a faint scent.

“I was working overtime today. Just got off,” Chen Yi answered, slightly dazed. He had always assumed Gu Mingxue was still a student. He never expected she was already working.

“Are you okay?”

Chen Yi hesitated for a second—clearly, Gu Mingxue had witnessed what just happened.

He hadn’t expected that a woman he’d only met twice before, after hearing the things he said to Zhou Meng, wouldn’t look at him with disdain. Instead, she showed concern. His heart felt inexplicably warm.

“I’m fine.” Chen Yi smiled gratefully at Gu Mingxue.

Not far away, Zhou Meng saw Chen Yi chatting with a woman more beautiful than herself. She had thought the other woman would be repulsed by him. But instead, the woman greeted him warmly.

When did Chen Yi meet such a gorgeous woman? Was she the reason he wanted to break up?

The more Zhou Meng thought about it, the angrier she got. A wave of jealousy surged inside her, and she stormed up to them.

“Chen Yi, you know her? Don’t tell me you’re two-timing me?” Zhou Meng glared at Gu Mingxue with envy, though she had to admit this woman really was prettier than her.

“Zhou Meng, stop making a scene,” Chen Yi said with a frown and a trace of anger.

“This is your…” Gu Mingxue asked knowingly.

She couldn’t stand women who were shallow and shameless.

It was because of women like this that others looked down on all women in society.

“Ex-girlfriend.”

Chen Yi had just spoken when Zhou Meng interrupted.

“Ex-girlfriend? I haven’t agreed to break up, Chen Yi.” Then her cold eyes scanned Gu Mingxue up and down before she asked, “Did you seduce Chen Yi?”

Zhou Meng reached out, ready to push the woman in front of her. But the next second, Chen Yi stepped in front of Gu Mingxue.

“You’re actually defending her?” Zhou Meng stared at him furiously. Just as she raised her hand, her arm was forcefully grabbed.

“This is not the place for a scene, miss. Please leave.”

“She gets to go in. Why can’t I?” Zhou Meng snapped at the security guard. But the strength gap was too great—she was no match for them and was dragged out of the building.

…

On Monday morning, word of Chen Yi’s breakup spread through the entire company.

“Chen Yi really broke up?”

“That’s hard to believe. He was a simp for three whole years. How could he suddenly break up? I heard he used to transfer his salary to his girlfriend as soon as he got it every month. He worked himself to the bone with overtime and lived off instant noodles just to give her money.”

“Maybe the simp finally woke up?” one colleague joked.

In the break room, a group of coworkers gossiped about Chen Yi’s breakup, their tone full of ridicule and contempt.

Chen Yi wasn’t angry. After all, he’d long been wanting to deal with Team A—it just wasn’t time yet.