Figure Skating: Waltz on Ice

Chapter 433 The Cruel Reality

Looking at the food on his plate, Du Liangchen felt a tightness in his stomach and had no appetite at all.

He opened the chat page, tapped his fingers on the screen to type, making a clicking sound.

I'll be waiting for you at the door.

Du Liangchen walked to the door and looked at the classmates who were eating and drinking to their hearts' content and smiling. Suddenly, he felt as if there was a wall between him and them. At this moment, he felt as if he had been abandoned by the world and felt all alone.

The sky, which had just been bright and sunny, was now somewhat overcast, as the sun had somehow hidden itself behind the clouds.

Mei Jing ran breathlessly to the cafeteria and saw Du Liangchen kicking pebbles by the bustling entrance, his head down so she couldn't see his expression.

"Chenchen~"

Hearing the voice, Du Liangchen looked up and saw Mei Jing's dark eyes light up instantly. "You're here. Have you eaten? Would you like to come in and eat first, and then we can talk?"

Mei Jing walked up to him. "Have you finished eating?"

A fleeting awkwardness crossed Du Liangchen's face, and he nodded, "Mm."

Mei Jing forced a smile. "Let's go then. I have something I want to ask you."

"it is good."

The two got into Mei Jing's car, and neither of them spoke. The previously relaxed atmosphere inside the car suddenly became tense. In the end, Du Liangchen broke the silence first.

"My suspension has been lifted by the coach."

Upon hearing this, Mei Jing immediately looked up at him. The shock in her eyes turned into heartache and regret when she saw the phone that Du Liangchen held up in front of her. Tears welled up in her eyes.

"Me too, I'm so sorry, Chenchen. It's all my fault. I wasn't careful about the occasion and my behavior, which caused you to be suspended. This is the Olympic season, it only happens once every four years..."

Du Liangchen looked at him in surprise, not expecting him to pin all the blame on himself. This was a matter involving two people, how could the fault be solely on one person! She reached out and pushed him.

"What are you saying? This is clearly a matter between the two of us, and you're taking all the responsibility on yourself with just one sentence. Do you think you're so great?"

Mei Jing grasped his hand, flustered and anxious, and said, "Don't be angry, listen to me first. Actually, the morning after the video from the airport was posted online, I contacted someone to try and buy the video outright. But for some reason, they wouldn't sell it. I had no choice but to find someone to reduce the hype, but the hype only increased instead of decreasing."

"The online frenzy has gotten out of my control, and I feel like someone is trying to sabotage us this time. In the past, it was easy to take down the hype, but this time I've contacted several companies and none of them can get it down."

Du Liangchen's expression grew increasingly grave upon hearing this; in fact, he also sensed that this matter was somewhat different from the past.

"Could it be your company? Didn't your contract expire this May? Are they trying to force you to comply?"

Mei Jing felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar, her limbs were ice cold, and her mind was filled with memories of the two of them in the past.

He remained silent for a long time, his eyes filled with pain and guilt, as if he had suddenly made up his mind.

"Maybe you're right. Our industry is very clean. The only one who wants to ruin me and with whom I have conflicts is the company I'm signed with."

"I'm sorry, Chenchen, I... I've dragged you into this again."

Mei Jing was filled with remorse at that moment.

Seeing his distress, Du Liangchen reached out and wiped away his tears, gently comforting him, "You did nothing wrong, and neither did I. They were just too despicable."

Mei Jing's fingertips turned white as she gripped his hand tightly, as if she had made a firm decision.

"I thought that two people in love could overcome all difficulties, but now I know that I am an obstacle in your path, and I am so scared."

"I suddenly feel so selfish, constantly dragging you into the vortex of public opinion. At first, you were my fan, now you're my company. It all started because of me, even though you're so good and so hardworking."

"I'm sorry, we...we're breaking up."

Mei Jing uttered those two words with fragility and difficulty. Were they finally going to reach the end? Overwhelmed with heartache, tears streamed down her face.

Du Liangchen's head buzzed, his eyes widening in disbelief. Mei Jing's words felt like an invisible hand kneading his heart, the pain making it hard for him to breathe. He opened his mouth, but it took him a while to find his voice.

"You...you want to break up with me!?"

"Didn't we promise to face any problem together for life?"

“We, we even got through the most difficult hurdle of dealing with our parents.”

"You're breaking up with me just because of a three-month suspension? Where did your courage go to face my father alone? Say something!"

Du Liangchen became more and more agitated as she spoke, forcefully grabbing his shirt and questioning him in anguish.

Mei Jing painfully wiped her eyes, cupped Du Liangchen's face in her hands, her eyes dim, as if veiled by a thin mist.

“Because I knew your father wouldn’t ruin your future to break us up, but things are different now.”

"Things are different now... I can't just stand by and watch your future be ruined because of me!"

"I love you, but I don't want to be a burden to you!"

Mei Jing's voice went from an excited roar to a trembling, increasingly soft.

Du Liangchen was stunned by his shout, staring blankly at him as he wept in pain. His throat felt like it was blocked by something, and he couldn't utter a single word.

Mei Jing couldn't bear his gaze. She closed her eyes, her lips trembling slightly, and leaned closer to his face, reverently kissing the corner of his lips. Her voice choked with sobs as she murmured, "Baby~ I...I'm scared. I'm afraid that because of me you'll lose your future, that you'll hate me later. I'm scared, sob sob sob~"

He buried his head in Du Liangchen's chest and wept bitterly.

His words struck Du Liangchen like a thunderbolt.

Du Liangchen's eyes were filled with pain and confusion. Feeling the person collapsing in his arms, his heart ached as if it were being torn to pieces.

He slowly closed his eyes, and two tears fell instantly like beads off a string, without any pause. Had they really come to the point of breaking up?

Mei Jing's concerns are exactly what Du Liangchen is struggling with. I love you, and I can give up my future for you, but I cannot ruin you because I love you.

Du Liangchen tightened his grip on Mei Jing, holding him close, and whispered softly above his head, "Sweetie~ I can retire..."

"No! No way! I won't allow it!" Mei Jing raised her head excitedly, sniffed, and said in a hoarse voice, "No one knows better than me how hard you've come to this point. I've watched you get to where you are today. You've been fearless even to the point of death to achieve results. I can't selfishly let you make the decision to retire so easily because of me!"

Mei Jing knew that Du Liangchen trained every day, regardless of the scorching heat or freezing cold, in order to compete on the international stage and win glory for the country. He had no time to make friends, let alone go out and play. He even had to squeeze out every spare moment to study.

Every day they fall and roll around on the ice rink like gourds, suffering frostbite on their fingertips and bruises that keep appearing one after another before they've even healed. And these bruises are just the lightest, even negligible, injuries they suffer during their daily training.