"She seems to still have feelings for you. The way things are for you now, it would be good to have someone by your side to take care of you."
I smiled faintly and murmured, "There's no particular reason. She just cheated on me with my best friend."
It had been twenty years since I met Yvonne Grant.
Twenty years have passed. This small town remained the same, but we've become strangers to each other.
I remember that year, I had just moved to the city with my parents. As I stepped out of the car, I brushed shoulders with Yvonne, who was passing by.
We were so young back then. The moment our shoulders touched, the spark of our romance began to bloom.
The town was small and we started dating soon after. We spent the most carefree and romantic years of our lives together.
Later, misfortune struck her family and they could no longer afford her schooling.
She suddenly handed me an oil painting she had made, saying she was going south to work.
I was silent for a moment, then turned and ran home. I told my parents I didn't want to be separated from her.
My father lit a cigarette. After thinking for a long time, he only asked me one question, "Nicholas, have you thought this through? Are you sure you want to choose Yvonne for the rest of your life?"
I nodded.
Even from a long, long time ago—from the very first moment I saw Yvonne, I had decided that no matter what happened in this lifetime, she would be the only one I would ever love.
My father said nothing more, but spent the whole night in thought.
At dawn, he sold ten cows, took a thick wad of cash and went to find Yvonne. My father patted her shoulder and said, "Don't worry about the tuition. Study hard and grow up to be a successful person."
Yvonne was stunned for a long time, then suddenly knelt and bowed several times to my father. She said that after she graduated, she would repay this kindness a thousandfold.
My father helped Yvonne up and said meaningfully, "I don't need you to repay me. If you two are destined to be together, then treat Nicholas well."
Yvonne nodded in agreement. She swore a solemn oath to the majestic snow-capped mountains, vowing she would never let me down.
From that day on, we officially started our relationship.
Yvonne lived up to my father's expectations. She was successfully admitted to the Academy of Fine Arts, became famous overnight with one of her paintings and stayed on as a teacher after graduation.
In no time, she became the most talked-about beauty professor.
She also did not betray my love for her.
On our wedding night, she tattooed a doodle I had drawn onto her chest. She grabbed my hand and pressed it there, letting me feel her heartbeat.
"Nic, remember this feeling. My heart will only ever beat for you," she whispered.
That year, our love reached its peak. We were inseparable. Even when she travelled for work, we would talk endlessly on the phone.
I remembered once when I had a fever, I fell asleep mid-call after taking medicine.
When I woke up, my phone was flooded with hundreds of messages. I hurriedly video-called Yvonne to let her know I was safe.
The moment the screen lit up, I saw her crying in the driver's seat.
"Nic, why aren't you answering me? I called your name, but you didn't respond. I sent a delivery guy to knock on your door, but no one answered."
"I'm so worried something might have happened to you. What would I do if anything were to happen to you ... "
She said she was scared. She said she was worried. She said she knew she might be overthinking, but she didn't dare take the chance.
Across over a thousand kilometers, with the temperature dropping far below freezing, she seemed to have lost all rationality.
She canceled her work and recklessly drove straight back to me.
By the time I ran downstairs, it was already the middle of the night.
