College breakup stories

As graduation approached, Yuan Xiaojie, who I had been dating for a year, proposed breaking up. I was heartbroken. But Yuan Xiaojie took it lightly, saying, “We never really dated, so you can’t be heartbroken. If you consider me a sister, I’ll still consider you a brother.” Then she picked up her bag and left. As she stepped out the door, she made a funny face and said, “Remember, you must be a man who can let go.” I ran after her, but she had already disappeared like the wind.

I didn’t see it that way. Over the past year, I had invested my emotions. We read books together, climbed mountains, and ate together. How could she now say that we had never been in love? I was about to break down.

But I couldn’t dwell on a single tree. I still had to eat and find a job. Soon, I found a sales job at a large daily necessities company. Although the income wasn’t very high, it was better than many of my classmates who were still struggling.

In the evening, I called a classmate, who told me that Yuan Xiaojie had found a wealthy man named Wang Haolei. I didn’t believe it, but my classmate insisted, saying, “You’re stupid. They’re already a couple.” So she was just as ordinary, finding herself a rich guy. I took out my phone to call her, but her number was already disconnected.

I wanted to know what kind of man Yuan Xiaojie had found. Was he more handsome than me? Did he care about her as much as I did? Knowing she now worked at a large supermarket, I went to find her. I saw her coming out of the company and getting into a car waiting by the roadside, driven by a young man. This must be Wang Haolei. Seeing this, my mood plummeted. I silently walked away.

Later, I secretly followed Wang Haolei a few times and discovered he was seeing several girls. It showed he was a man with no sense of responsibility, always playing the field. I couldn’t believe Yuan Xiaojie would fall for him.

I suddenly asked myself if what I was doing was too despicable. Was I still the sunny boy I used to be? I decided to forget the past and start anew. I thought of a metaphor: two people playing a game of rubber bands, the one who gets hurt is the one who can’t let go. Instead of scheming against others, I should make myself better.

But I still decided to help Yuan Xiaojie. So I found her new phone number through a classmate and sent her a message as a stranger: “Your boyfriend is chatting with other women. He’s surrounded by beauties, which means he’s unreliable. Be careful not to be deceived.”

Then I prepared to throw myself into my work.

During this time, my company was bidding to supply various goods to a large supermarket. The competition was fierce. My project involved selling two products: stainless steel basins and thermos flasks. Although the initial order for each was only 20,000 units, everyone knew that once we secured the order, the future would be bright.

So, the boss gave us strict orders to be meticulous in every step, from material selection to production and sales. There were also reward and punishment policies: whoever succeeded would be heavily rewarded and possibly promoted. This was crucial for me. But the client’s requirements were vague, and understanding their preferences might be key to success.

Just as I was worried, I received a call from a man who said he was calling on behalf of a friend and wanted to know about my product progress. I became alert, fearing a competitor probing for information. He said, “If you want to win this project, focus on details and consider humanized design. A small innovation might impress the judges.” I was taken aback, but before I could ask, he hung up.

Putting down the phone, I had to reassess my products. How could a small basin reflect humanized design? My head was spinning. I went to the market, repeatedly comparing and thinking, and eventually bought several basins to study at home.

While washing vegetables, I noticed that all the basins had their labels stuck to the bottom inside with strong glue, which was hard to remove without leaving scratches. I had a eureka moment: this could be my angle. I quickly called our technician and asked about our products. He said our labels were also stuck to the bottom inside, as was the norm. I firmly said, “Rules can be changed if it benefits users.”

Next was the thermos flask. Our flasks had plastic shells. I pondered and thought about printing exquisite patterns on the shell, but that seemed too common. Adding a cover to the plastic shell felt unnecessary. Sleepless, I suddenly had an idea while making instant noodles in the morning: would hot water flowing through a plastic spout release toxins? Was the plastic eco-friendly and heat-resistant? I rushed to the company and learned from the technician that we had two types of products: one with fully eco-friendly plastic, which was very costly, and another with non-eco-friendly plastic, which was cheaper but harmful.

After discussing with the technician and getting the boss’s approval, we decided to launch a hybrid product: the body could use non-eco-friendly plastic, but the spout would use top-grade eco-friendly material. We’d use different colors to distinguish them. This was innovative, cost-effective, and affordable.

On the bidding day, many executives, including Wang Haolei, attended. First, we presented the stainless steel basin. The prices and materials were similar across manufacturers, with some adding handles or printing patterns. Only our company had the label on the outside, which caught the supermarket’s attention, winning us the contract.

Next, we showcased the thermos flask. Our colorful, eco-friendly spouts attracted the judges immediately. Other manufacturers were left in awe. The supermarket signed a five-year contract with us on the spot. It was a huge victory.

Our team celebrated, and I was soon promoted. Many girls began to pursue me.

One day, I received a call. To my surprise, it was Yuan Xiaojie’s voice: “What’s up? Busy? Can we meet?” Without much thought, I agreed. But after hanging up, I calmed down. There was no need to get excited. If we couldn’t be a couple, we could at least be friends.

In a romantic café, Yuan Xiaojie asked, “What have you been up to? You’ve been off the radar for so long.” I replied, “Just busy with work. How about you?” She said, “I’m good, but I think about you often.” This answer puzzled me. “Think about me? Come on.” Yuan Xiaojie said, “Why not? If I didn’t think of you, how would I have helped you?” I was confused.

Was the call about “humanized design” from her? Seeing my confusion, she laughed, “Don’t forget, my cousin is the supermarket’s boss. I’m also a manager there.” I was stunned. “Surprised?” she teased.

“Weren’t we already…”

Yuan Xiaojie said, “You helped me first.” I was puzzled, “How did I help you?”

She replied, “Your message. Someone introduced me to a rich guy. My family was satisfied, but I didn’t like him. I showed my parents your message, saying my classmates investigated and found him unreliable. They believed it.” I sourly said, “You fool, why didn’t you agree to such good conditions?” Yuan Xiaojie said, “If you weren’t on my mind, maybe I would have. I said we weren’t a match to help you mature.

Remember when you had a grudge against a classmate? I didn’t like that. A sunny boy shouldn’t be like that. Now you’ve changed, succeeded, and even shared your credit with others. You’ve passed the test.” Her words left me speechless.

Embarrassed, I admitted, “I didn’t know Wang Haolei was your cousin. I thought you were dating him, so I followed him a few times.” Yuan Xiaojie said, “That shows you care about me, so I won’t hold it against you.” She paused and continued, “Remember, I like your talent and looks but not your pettiness. I want you to stay sunny.” She smiled brightly, just like in school.

I quietly listened and couldn’t help but say, “Don’t worry, I’ll always be your sunshine.”

Thank you for reading! ” Sitestorys “