A Shattered Mirror Mended? Melt It Down! [Monthly Ticket Request]

Reunion with an old friend in a foreign land was a joyous occasion—provided that old friend wasn't a former sweetheart. Another word might fit better: ex-boyfriend. Shen Zhi's expression visibly darkened, then she forced a polite smile.

"Why are you here too, Li Lang?"

The term ex-boyfriend had come from the Lord.

For a man and woman who'd been together but never married, "boyfriend" or "girlfriend" was perfectly adequate. Calling every sort of relationship between men and women a "confidant" was a disgrace to the word.

The man addressed as Li Lang hesitated for a moment, then carried his tray over to share Shen Zhi's table. Though it was in a corner, the table wasn't small, and at Shen Zhi's invitation, his two friends sat down as well.

The atmosphere grew unbearably awkward.

The two friends made an excuse and moved to the neighboring table.

As Li Lang's close friends, they'd known him for years and knew about his youthful romance. When he explained, "She's a daughter of the Shen family," they remembered that their friend had once been close to a young woman surnamed Shen.

They'd heard that this young woman, a daughter born to a maid in the Shen household, had been unloved by her biological father since childhood. The head wife had treated her decently enough in public, but her father held a low official rank, making it hard for her to find a suitable match. Somehow, she'd met their friend while worshipping at a temple and enjoying a spring outing. Both were in the bloom of youth, and neither cared about family status, so before long, they'd fallen for each other.

Unfortunately, the young woman had poor luck and a biological father who lusted after power. When Zheng Qiao needed a Princess to marry off for