WHBU Chapter 1

Chapter 1 – Class Reunion

Novel Title: 我们已经分手了 (We Have Broken Up)

Author：御小凡 (Yu Xiaofan)

Translator: K (@kin0monogatari)

Protagonists: 刘帆 (Liu Fan -MC), 陈谦 (Chen Qian -ML)

*Please read at Novels Space.space, the original site of translation. TQ*

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——What you have opened is not just an email, but a beautiful memory.

When Liu Fan saw this email, he thought it was another advertisement. Selling seaweed? It actually managed to bypass the spam filter.

However, his job made him not reject advertisements. So he clicked on the email out of curiosity. Surprisingly, the content was quite substantial, with 80% of it being emotional expressions. Just when Liu Fan thought it was a soft advertisement that would turn into a hard sell for some product, he saw that the remaining 20% contained the main message of the email, including detailed addresses and contact numbers.

It was a notice for a class reunion.

Liu Fan was quite surprised. He had good relationships with his high school classmates. But he studied at a university out of town. For three years in a row, he had not returned to his hometown out of spite. And naturally, he lost contact with his classmates. He hadn’t attended several class reunions in a row.

Hmm, is there going to be another class reunion?

He did want to see his former classmates. But if it was a class reunion, would that person be there too? However, thinking about it carefully, he felt that with that person’s personality, it was unlikely he would show up at such an event.

“A new movie is out,” said Liu Mengjiao, who was sitting next to Liu Fan, while browsing a group buying website. It was just the two of them in the office at this time in the morning. She sighed as she booked a movie ticket. “Haa. I have to book a single seat again.”

“Huh?” Liu Fan snapped back to reality. “What about your boyfriend?”

“We broke up,” Liu Mengjiao said, resting her chin on her hand. She heard a ding from her phone, lazily picked it up, and glanced at it.

“Didn’t you just meet him last week?” Liu Fan casually closed the email. “Why did you break up?”

Liu Mengjiao frowned and turned to look at him. “Last week, he accompanied me to the bookstore to buy some design books. Do you know what he bought when we were checking out?”

Without waiting for Liu Fan to answer, Liu Mengjiao rolled her eyes. But a beauty is still a beauty. Even when she was rolling her eyes, she looked good. “Does the bookstore even sell that kind of stuff? He actually bought five books of self-help. Damn it, reading five of those at once won’t kill him?”

Liu Fan: “…Sis, your reason is a bit too…”

“Anyway, I can’t accept a man who reads self-help books.” Liu Mengjiao sighed again, looking so pitiful that it could break anyone’s heart. “Why can’t I find a reliable man?”

Liu Mengjiao was a stunning beauty, with big almond eyes, an oval face, and a head of voluminous curls that exuded immense femininity. She loved to dress up and always looked like a star. Liu Fan, on the other hand, had a face that was almost too pretty for a man, matching Liu Mengjiao’s beauty. Standing next to her, he didn’t pale in comparison at all. At work, one was a copywriter and the other a designer. Their personalities matched well, communication was smooth, and they often hung out together. They appeared to outsiders as a perfect couple, the envy of many.

However, that was of no use because Liu Fan was gay.

How could they date with different sexual orientations? Liu Mengjiao looked at Liu Fan. “Are all the good men becoming gay?”

Liu Fan was speechless and could only stay quiet.

But since Liu Mengjiao had brought it up, she wouldn’t let him off easily. “Actually, it doesn’t matter. Taking you to the movies saves my dignity too. Can you spare some time for your sister? Oh, by the way, are you going on another blind date this weekend?”

These words pierced Liu Fan’s heart like a sharp sword, making his face turned ashen as he turned away. His whole being silently turned black and white.

Everything was encapsulated in a bitter chuckle.

Liu Mengjiao expressed her deep condolences for his pain. Although at their age, this problem should indeed be troubling, she was an outsider, with no parents or relatives around. It gave her much more freedom in personal matters. “Ayi is really trying hard. Where on earth did she find men for you to go on blind dates with?”

Since no one else had arrived yet, she asked without any reservations. Clearly, she didn’t realise how broad the networking resources of someone selling insurance could be. “Can’t you talk to Ayi properly?”

“You don’t understand. My mom’s determination in convincing people is…-” Liu Fan thought of his mom kindly asking what kind of boys he liked, even thoughtfully inquiring if he was a top, bottom, or versatile.

He was almost mentally collapsed.

Liu Fan covered his forehead, unsure of what kind of monsters his mom had found to challenge him this time. Suddenly remembering that email, his eyes lit up, “But I can go to the class reunion instead this weekend!”

Hearing his voice, as if he had found a lifeline, Liu Mengjiao sympathetically handed him a nougat candy. “You might escape once. But not forever. If not this week, then next week. Whether you meet them or not, the blind date candidates will still be there.”

Liu Fan, with the nougat candy in his mouth, whimpered as he collapsed in front of the computer. What a cruel world this was, where even being gay couldn’t save him from the nightmare of blind dates.

No matter what, he would take one day at a time.

With this purpose in mind, Liu Fan replied to the email and noted down a phone number that seemed to belong to their former class monitor, Yu Huilin. After work, he made a special detour to his parents’ house and seriously brought up the matter to his mom, emphasising how many years he had lost contact with his dear high school classmates and how precious this class reunion was to him.

“But I’ve already made an appointment with the other party…” Sun Yiyi looked at her son’s expectant eyes with difficulty. As long as it wasn’t about finding a partner, she usually went along with her son’s wishes. “Alright. I’ll ask if they can change the time. Oh, this child of mine…”

Liu Fan looked innocent. “I didn’t know I would receive a class reunion invitation either. You see, this is an unexpected event. Haven’t you sold insurance for so many years and still don’t know that life is full of surprises?”

Liu Xing, sitting on the sofa watching TV, chimed in with a laugh, “Just change the time. You must attend the class reunion. After all, you only have this one group of high school classmates in your entire life.”

Sun Yiyi didn’t really want to oppose. She just reminded Liu Fan a few more times to take finding a partner seriously before turning around to contact the other party.

Only then did Liu Fan relax, collapsing on the sofa with a series of sighs.

“What are you sighing about? You know how it is.” Liu Xing said knowingly. “You’re 25 and still don’t have a boyfriend. How can your mom not worry?”

Liu Fan always found this kind of conversation slightly bizarre. But his parents often talked about it, turning his sexual orientation into a normal topic. Liu Fan could only go along with them. “Dad, isn’t this a matter of fate? You can’t be as reckless as Mom.”

“Is your mom being reckless? She’s just worried about you.” Liu Xing frowned. “Your mom has good taste. You should at least consider the people she introduces to you.”

“The last one bragged about clocking in and out of work every day, only working one day and resting the next, and didn’t even bring money for the blind date.” Liu Fan said expressionlessly. “The one before that brought a book on dream interpretation and talked to me about Freud all afternoon. His style was too high for me to reach. Oh, and the one before that sent me a text message on July 7th wishing me a happy Valentine’s Day.”

Liu Xing was also a trendy uncle. “Isn’t that Valentine’s Day?”

“The lunar July 7th is Valentine’s Day,” Liu Fan rolled his beautiful phoenix eyes, looking exasperated. “The Gregorian July 7th is the National Humiliation Day for the Marco Polo Bridge Incident, alright? Haha.”

Another one invited him to their house to watch the moon that very night, claiming the air was good in the suburbs and the moon was particularly clear. If he went, he wouldn’t be coming back that night.

Watching the moon? Would he turn into a wolf while watching it? Was this a blind date or a hookup? Liu Fan could only reply that they should each watch the moon from their own homes and wish each other a good night.

He couldn’t say more; talking about it too much only brought tears.

Liu Xing: “…Ahem.”

“What are you two talking bad about me again?” Sun Yiyi returned from making her call. Seeing Liu Fan’s face filled with despair, she couldn’t help but start again. “Every time I ask you what type you like, you don’t say. When I introduce someone, you don’t like them. You agree to meet them, but then you give them attitude. Liu Fan, it’s fine if you don’t want to find a woman. Your dad and I respect your choice. But you don’t want to find a man either. What do you mean by that!”

Liu Fan almost wanted to kneel before his mom. Was it wrong to keep oneself pure? “Mom, it’s not that I’m not looking. But I can’t just simply take anyone! If I want to find someone, it must be someone I can live with, not just for fun. Of course, it has to be a slow process.”

Sun Yiyi raised her eyebrows. “Didn’t I introduce you to someone suitable for living together last time? What did you do to him! Tell me, did you block him?”

Mom, you’re so advanced. You even know about blocking!

“Which one are you talking about?!” Liu Fan was on the verge of losing it. “The one who’s 40 years old, divorced, and has a kid already able to buy soy sauce?”

Sun Yiyi retorted, “What’s wrong with being 40? Older people are more caring, and having a child is a bonus since you can’t have one anyway.”

Liu Fan’s mind went blank. He felt that every conversation with his mom left him mentally and physically exhausted. With a stiff face, he said, “But he’s bald.”

“So what if he’s bald? Are you worried about having bald children with him? If you two could actually have children, I’d accept baldness.” Sun Yiyi earnestly continued, “Fan Fan, you’re young and don’t understand. It’s not easy for two men to be together. As long as he’s dependable, looks don’t matter. Besides, at 40, no one looks that great anyway.”

What nonsense!

There was a living counterexample right beside them! Liu Xing, over fifty, had maintained his figure and wasn’t bald. He still looked like a handsome older gentleman!

Liu Xing smiled lovingly at them, radiating a sense of satisfaction and happiness with his family, showing no intention of supporting his son’s plight.

Life was really unbearable. Sob!

After being nagged by Sun Yiyi like a woodpecker for a long time, Liu Fan reluctantly agreed to go on a blind date next week and to take it seriously! Only then could he escape the house with tears streaming down his face.

***

Saturday came.

Liu Fan, feeling grateful, set off for the reunion venue. After all, they had been in society for a few years, so they chose a rather upscale hotel. Class monitor Yu Huilin, dressed in a suit, stood at the entrance, warmly greeting each classmate.

Liu Fan: “…”

Why did he look like a groom at a wedding?

“Liu Fan!” They hadn’t seen each other for nearly ten years. Yet Yu Huilin recognized him instantly, which surprised Liu Fan. Yu Huilin showed no signs of unfamiliarity and enthusiastically directed him, “It’s in the private room on the third floor. Almost everyone is here and we’ll start lunch at noon. After eating, we’ll find a place to sing and drink to have some fun.”

This kind of instant familiarity—he’d make a great insurance salesman.

Liu Fan took a step inside, “By the way, did everyone come today?”

“There were quite a few people,” Yu Huilin said with pride in his voice, “I put a lot of effort into this. It’s the most well-attended reunion we’ve ever had. Everyone chips in three hundred yuan and we’ll settle the bill after.”

Liu Fan took out his wallet and paid, “Did Chen Qian come?”

“You’re asking about Chen Qian?” Yu Huilin was about to answer when he suddenly called out loudly, “Hey! Chen Qian! Over here!”

He grinned widely and patted Liu Fan on the shoulder, “Speak of the devil. And here he is!”

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*Translator’s Note: I read this story some time ago. So, I might not remember much of what happened in the story. I’m rereading this as I’m translating. So, pardon me if I make a few mistakes here and there. The story won’t be that long. Not more than 50 chapters. But I do remember that it was sweet and green-flag all the way. Hope you will all enjoy this novel as much as I do. -K

*GLOSSARY:

Mama = mom/mommy

Gege/Ge/Da Ge = (Big) Brother

Baba = Dad

Shushu = Uncle

Ayi = Auntie

Didi = (Little) Brother

☝🏻I’ll be using these throughout my translation. I won’t be using English words for most titles that are being called out. I’ll add more along the way…

In Chinese slang, “卖海苔” (selling seaweed) is a euphemism for secretly selling private information or engaging in deceitful activities. It often implies a sense of betrayal or underhandedness. This slang term is metaphorical, drawing on the imagery of selling something seemingly harmless (like seaweed) while actually engaging in questionable or dishonest behaviour.

A group buying website is an online platform that offers products or services at significantly reduced prices on the condition that a minimum number of buyers make the purchase. These websites typically operate by leveraging collective buying power to secure discounts from vendors.