Smile Code (Lost Laughter) 失笑 - Zhu Le 祖乐

51

You took my smile.

Gu Yi pretended like nothing had happened as she pushed the door open, crashing into Xu Guanrui who had just reached the second floor. In the narrow space, she sidestepped and hurried downstairs, almost stumbling. Her lips were slightly swollen, and her expression was full of shame and anger. The harsh light from the yard and living room stung her eyes. She thought, this must be the punishment for a dream returning to reality.

Liang Daiwen was blocked by Xu Guanrui at the stairs. The moonlight made the two men's stances even sharper, their confrontation cold and intense. Xu Guanrui said seriously, "I have one principle: no matter the reason, a man should never make a girl cry. She's a comedian, and happiness should be overflowing before it can be shared with others. Any man who keeps making her sad isn't worth anything."

After saying that, he smiled. "If you give up, Gu Yi will be mine."

It wasn't a big deal. It was just a breakup. She wasn't so heartbroken. She forced herself to pull together and walked into the yard. Guan Xingxin was standing at the door, saying goodbye to the audience. After the comedy show, she patiently reminded everyone at the door that there were three shows every week, and invited them to follow the public account to sign up. A guy asked if he could add her on WeChat. She promised that next time they'd definitely meet, and adding each other on WeChat would make it feel more fateful. She made a pinky swear. Compared to the girls in the yard who wore bright, eye-catching outfits, Guan Xingxin was like a sheer curtain moved by the wind, quietly softening the dreams of all the men. Yu Dule had been standing far away in the living room, chatting with comedy enthusiasts about how to write jokes, and how to make people laugh within three lines. He really was a comedian with a unique temperament-melancholic-while Guan Xingxin seemed to make that melancholy sharper, since he had gotten her, yet not fully.

Women always found a hint of flirtation in him, but after a few words, it became clear that his interest in comedy outweighed his interest in women, or rather, his ambition for his career surpassed his pursuit of romance.

Lu Ming noticed something was off with Gu Yi. "Did things not go well with Liang Daiwen?"

Biting her teeth, she paused for several seconds before replying, "I got dumped. Don't ask."

"Coincidentally, I'm also heartbroken."

"Huh?"

"To be honest, I just rejected Guan Xingxin."

"..."

"She gave me some hints. But I told her that I wanted to focus on paying off my debts for now, and that dating someone while carrying debt would be too much pressure. At first, I really liked her-enjoying the taste of youth like a carefree kid-but now, it feels like waking up from a dream. I realized I'm in my thirties, and I can't help but think about the future. She's so great, but in a house that could collapse in an earthquake, people would rather go outside to see beautiful, fragile things than bring them into their home."

Thinking about the four family members Guan Xingxin mentioned in the taxi, it seemed that only she knew this. Guan Xingxin set boundaries so clearly-she would never let anyone know her secrets unless they were close friends, and no one could cross that line. Gu Yi asked one more question: "Did you ever like her?"

"Of course. I still feel heartbroken now, but impulses are only temporary, and passion gradually fades." Lu Ming had just returned from his hometown and now carried a more realistic air about him. "Rabbit, stick to your path in stand-up comedy. Hobbies can become a part of who you are. But love is fragile-when faced with real-life problems, a person can be knocked down in an instant. When lovers turn into enemies and strangers, you'll realize that what seemed like intense infatuation was just a feverish phase."