13 Seconds

Chapter 1: Breakup on Qixi

On Valentine's Day, I broke up with Daniel Miller.

The reason being, he gave me a high-end lipstick that day.

The same gift he had given four years ago.

He frowned, "Stop making a fuss."

I just looked at him, very seriously, and said, "I'm not making a fuss, let's break up."

We stared at each other for thirteen seconds.

I heard his inner thoughts—

"So annoying, we've been together for four years and she's still acting like a little girl!"

1

That day after work, Daniel Miller threw a gift box into my arms, eager to start his game.

"Happy Valentine's Day, babe."

His voice was perfunctory.

I looked at the gift box in my hands, the logo was too familiar.

"Daniel Miller, do you realize you gave me this lipstick four years ago?"

Four years ago on Valentine's Day, Daniel Miller had seriously researched online and finally chose this lipstick as a Valentine's gift for me. Receiving the same gift four years later, I no longer felt the initial joy.

I blinked hard, trying to stop the sourness in my eyes.

"So what if I gave it four years ago?"

Daniel Miller didn't even look up as he replied.

"Seeing you almost finished it, wouldn't it be nice to give you another one?"

His tone was so matter-of-fact that I almost forgot the lipstick's shelf life was three years.

I hadn't used that lipstick for a long time; it was just a keepsake for me.

And now, it had become trash.

I put the gift box back on the table, rubbed my hand sore from being hit by the gift box, and looked at Daniel Miller,

"Daniel Miller, let's break up."

Upon hearing this, Daniel Miller finally raised his head from the game, impatiently looking at me:

"Emily, why are you making a fuss over the holiday?"

He was no longer as patient with me as he used to be.

I looked at him and said seriously, "I'm not making a fuss, let's break up."

"Just because this lipstick isn't to your liking, you want to break up with me?"

"Yes."

"Crazy!"

With that, Daniel Miller grabbed his phone and stormed out of the house without looking back at me.

And finally, I couldn't hold it in anymore, covering my face with my hands and crying out loud.

Daniel Miller didn't know, during the stare just now, I heard his inner thoughts—

"So annoying, we've been together for four years and she's still acting like a little girl!"

2

I can hear others' inner thoughts.

But there's a condition, I need to make eye contact with that person for thirteen seconds or more.

Including thirteen seconds.

The moment Daniel Miller raised his head, I locked his gaze, silently counting in my mind.

One, two, three, four... eleven, twelve, thirteen.

I withdrew my gaze, letting his inner voice wreak havoc in my mind.

In four years together, it had been a long time since Daniel Miller and I made eye contact for more than thirteen seconds.

After all, we had long passed the honeymoon phase, his eyes couldn't hold a thirteen-second gaze of me.

That day, Daniel Miller did not return all night.

The next morning, I carried my already packed suitcase, ready to leave this home where I had lived for four years.

This was Daniel Miller's house; he started working a few years earlier than I did. By the time we were together, he had already bought a house and a car.

Putting everything else aside, Daniel Miller was very good at making money.

Just as I was placing the key on the table, I heard the sound of keys turning at the door.

The only ones with the house keys were me, Daniel Miller, and Daniel Miller's mom.

Sure enough, I looked at the person outside the door and smiled wryly.

Every time there's a conflict, Daniel Miller would hide behind, never willing to communicate with me directly.

And that's not all; he'd always tell his mom and have her come to persuade me.

Nicely put it was persuasion, harshly put it was disgust.

His mom didn't like me, didn't want me to enter the Miller Family's doors, but couldn't directly oppose her son, so she kept postponing our marriage certification.

Luckily, she kept delaying, which I am strangely thankful for now.

"Oh! It's normal for young couples to have some conflicts, why are you packing up to leave? After all, this house doesn't have your name on it, so it can't really be home..."

"Auntie, don't forget, Daniel Miller insisted I move in initially."

I angrily laughed and countered, this house was so far from my workplace, I was not happy to move in. Who would have thought, these two kept insisting I quit, find a job closer and preferably very easy to take care of Daniel Miller at home.

When I disagreed, the mother and son said I was selfish and didn't understand how to appreciate Daniel Miller.

I was so blinded by love, willingly quitting my job to find a closer but lower-paying job.

In the end, this was never my home.

"Oh, moving into such a nice house and not appreciating it, huh?"

Mrs. Miller clicked her tongue and walked straight into the house, plopping down on the sofa, kicking the suitcase beside my foot as she passed me.

The suitcase wheels turned, crashing into my exposed ankle, causing a dull thud sound.

"Oh dear, how can you be so careless, Auntie. The suitcase hit Sister Emily, it's got to hurt!"

Emma followed behind Mrs. Miller, observing the tension between us with clear eyes, and never failed to make snide remarks when she sat down.

Indeed, every time Mrs. Miller came to nauseate me, she would bring along this soon-to-be daughter-in-law she approved of.

"Do you two have some business?"

I looked at them coldly and asked.

"What's with your attitude?"

Mrs. Miller frowned, her impatient gaze was a mirror image of Daniel Miller's. Well, they were mother and son after all.

"Is this how you treat me when I come to your house? Make me a cup of tea first."

Mrs. Miller shouted at me, while Emma watched the show with her legs crossed beside her.

I didn't move.

This was just like before when Mrs. Miller would tell me to make tea, and when I handed it to her, she would always "accidentally" spill the tea onto my hands, precisely and without fail.

Then I became smarter and made her tea with warm water.

Now I just feel foolish. Such "cleverness" didn't compensate for the burns on my hands back then.

"Why are you still standing there? I told you to make me tea! Do you feel entitled to live in this house without doing any work?"

Seeing that I did not move, Mrs. Miller raised her voice.

Truly, she treated me like a servant.

"Oh dear, godmother, don't get upset over this little thing, it's bad for your health. If Sister Emily doesn't make the tea, I'll do it for you..."

"I'll go make it."

I interrupted Emma and specifically chose green tea.

I hadn't forgotten how she acted when I got burned, exclaiming, "Sister Emily, how could you be so careless to spill the tea, quickly wipe it..."

Yet she deliberately knocked over the cup while handing me a tissue.

The cup fell to the ground and shattered.

Scalding tea splashed onto my legs.

It hurt, a burning pain.

Yet I still had to console these two foul people, saying it was nothing.

Truly, foolish people get bullied by dogs.

3

Carrying two cups of hot tea, I walked out towards them.

I handed the cups left and right.

Just as they were about to touch the cups, I let go.

Bam!

Both cups of hot tea fell to the ground, shattering, and the hot tea splashed onto their bare legs.

So, you see, if you want to be a villain, you should wear more clothing.

Ignoring their screams, I smiled, "Oh dear, I'm sorry, my hand slipped."

"Godmother, are you all right! That bitch Emily must have done it on purpose!"

Emma looked at her pale legs in distress and cried out while still remembering her godmother.

Truly foolish, getting burned and not knowing to rinse with cold water, but instead caring for this old lady first.

Just like me back then.

Mrs. Miller stood up, approached me, and raised her right hand to slap me.

"Want to hit me?"

I raised my hand to grab her wrist, speaking coldly: "Where do you get off trying to hit me?"

"Emily, you're crazy!" Mrs. Miller was restrained by me and couldn't move, her face turned furious, and she glared at me, "Let go of me! Or you'll never get into the Miller family in your life!"

Heh.

I sneered, "Who wants to enter your family just to be a servant anyway..."

"Oh, I forgot," I looked at Emma, still seated on the sofa, "Miss Grant would be delighted, since you two like each other so much, why not tie the knot and stop bothering me?"

I was earnestly advising Mrs. Miller.

But she raised her free left hand, "You bitch, if I don't teach you a lesson today..."

Pa!

Looking at the bewildered Mrs. Miller, I shook my stinging hand.

"Turns out, slapping someone feels so good, no wonder you always want to hit me first thing."

I had slapped her with all my strength, and Mrs. Miller probably hadn't realized what happened yet.

"Emily, you won't die a good death, to dare lay a hand on godmother, I'll tell Alex!"

Emma Grant's eyes clearly showed fear, yet she had to speak viciously to me.

It was indeed her words that snapped Mrs. Miller out of her daze, convinced Daniel Miller could control me.

"You're crazy to raise a hand to me, think I'll still let you marry Daniel!"

Mrs. Miller, unable to contain her anger, raised her hand to grab my face. How she dared, given she was half a head shorter than me?

Was it the courage Daniel gave her?

Or did she really think I feared her?

I raised my hand, gently pushing Mrs. Miller, and of course, given her age, I only pushed her onto the sofa.

"Ahh, Emily, you madwoman, I'll kill you!"

And there, it was Emma's turn to come forward. Not sure how she dared, wearing eight-centimeter high heels?

I raised my hand and slapped.

Satisfying.

Before she could advance again, I raised my hand and slapped again.

Completely satisfying.

Turns out, being a villain feels so good.

"Today I'm laying down the law," I said coldly, looking at the two, "I don't care about getting into the Miller family, from now on, all Miller family members should stay far away, or every time I see them, I'll go crazy."

"And you, Emma," I looked sympathetically at her swollen face, "do you really think you can make your way into the Miller Family? Daniel doesn't love you, not even your godmother thinks much of you."

"How dare you say that! Alex grew up with me, and my godmother treats me like her own. I've already considered them my family!"

I clicked my tongue, "Oh, listen to these words of selfless love for all mankind. Well then, I wish you an early marriage into the Miller Family, spending a lifetime being their servant."

4

I left with my suitcase and checked into a hotel near the company. Initially, I wanted to quit and go home, but resignation required waiting for 30 days.

Sigh, it's tough being a corporate slave.

I hadn't been at the hotel long before Daniel called me.

No doubt his mom told him about this morning's incident.

I'm sure she exaggerated it.

"Hello?"

"Emily White, are you damn crazy? You dared to hit my mom and even sent her to the hospital?"

As expected.

"I wish, but she didn't give me the chance."

"What's wrong with you, my mom is your mom too, how can you treat your own mom this way?"

Hearing my words, Daniel flew into a rage, yelling at me, and saying such unreasonable things.

"Daniel, are you a three-year-old?"

I spoke with a cold voice, suppressing all the indignities.

"Your mom can never be my mom."

"..."

"Emily, what do you mean?"

Daniel finally realized I wasn't joking, but it was too late.

"Daniel, we have already broken up. There's nothing between us anymore."

"Emily White, are you serious? Just because you didn't like that lipstick, you're breaking up with me?"

He's still talking about that lipstick.

I closed my eyes, cleared my throat.

"Yes."

"Emily White, don't regret it!"

Daniel hung up the phone.

Regret?

I only regret meeting him.

I met Daniel through gaming.

It was my first time playing a game, and with my poor skills, he volunteered to guide me.

During that time, every night at ten, we would meet in the game.

Later, we added each other on WeChat and would occasionally chat there.

I knew he was a guy, knew he was working, and knew he was single.

At that time, I was still in my junior year, and in my twenty years, I had never been in a relationship, nor had I chatted much with guys.

From the beginning, my relationship with him was unequal.

He was the pro, and I was the newbie.

From the beginning, I saw him through rose-colored glasses.

Can a girl develop feelings for a guy after chatting with him for long periods?

Yes.

I fell for him.

As an online friend, all I could offer him was the companionship of our routine chats.

Can a guy develop feelings for a girl after chatting with her for long periods?

Yes.

When I graduated from my senior year, we got together.

At the start, I could always hear his innermost thoughts because we always locked eyes with each other.

Young couples in love are like this.

The first year, second year, third year...

The longer we were together, the less I heard his inner thoughts, and he was no longer so deeply affectionate in his gaze.

In the fourth year, I almost forgot I still had this superpower.

After all, staring into each other's eyes for thirteen seconds wasn't easy.

And he started gaming again.

The person who met him in the game every night at ten wasn't me.

5

The weather report said it would rain today.

I didn't bring an umbrella.

But at the company entrance, I saw Daniel's car.

The last time we met was several weeks ago, and we hadn't contacted each other during these days.

"Emily, why did you block me?"

Daniel walked towards me, reaching out to grab my hand.

I silently stepped aside, letting his hand miss.

"Emily White, are you still making trouble after all these days?"

Furious.

This word perfectly described the tone of his voice at the moment.

During those days of online chats, he never said a harsh word to me. He indulged my every request, being utterly compliant.

However, I never caused a scene.

Even until now, I was thinking of parting on good terms.

Yet he repeatedly accused me of making trouble.

"Daniel, I'm not regretting," I looked down at his hand gripping my wrist, "Are you regretting now?"

Daniel, stung by my words, released my wrist.

I moved my wrist, cursing myself for never realizing his machismo during those days of chatting online.

His machismo doesn't allow him to bow his head and admit regret.

I took out my phone, opened Zhihu, and pulled up a question to show Daniel.

"What do you think of this question?"

"How do you view some girls putting on lipstick in the library... What kind of question is this?"

Daniel didn't understand why I suddenly wanted him to see this question, but he still answered me, "Speechless, going to the library to study, who knows if she's studying or hitting on guys..."

I sighed.

I was truly blind.

Back when we just got together, I saw this question online one day, feeling speechless, so I turned to ask Daniel, who was embracing me from behind.

He glanced at the question and then looked at me, saying:

"What does it matter to him if someone else puts on lipstick, minding such trivial matters."

During this sentence, we had already locked eyes for thirteen seconds.

I heard his innermost thoughts: "Speechless..."

At that time, I was secretly delighted that the person I liked shared the same values as me.

Until today, when I suddenly remembered, realizing his innermost thoughts back then might have been the same as the words he spoke today.

Seeing my expression was off, Daniel paused, "Let's not talk about this, Emily, are you serious about breaking up with me? Just because of that lipstick?"

The third time, he asked for the third time.

Knowing that wasn't the reason.

But he never looked for the cause within himself.

"Daniel, when you were preparing this year's Valentine's gift, what were you thinking? Did you hope I'd like it, or did you just find it troublesome and wanted to brush me off?"

Daniel hurriedly said, "Of course, I wanted you to like it, Emily!"

Lies.

I sneered, "What makes you think I would like that gift?"

"You were happy when you received it back then..."

"Based on the likes from four years ago?"

I interrupted Daniel, coldly watching his anxious face,

"Four years ago, I liked it because I liked you; now, I don't like it anymore. Both the lipstick and you, I don't like them anymore."

"Emily, you..."

"Don't ask, I won't regret it."

With that, I turned and left, his shouts drowned out by the peal of thunder in the sky.

The rain was coming.

I faintly heard Daniel's voice—

"Where are you, I'm coming right over..."

Frantic.

This word perfectly matched the tone of his voice at the moment.

The person who met him every night at ten in the game was probably afraid of thunder.

The rain came down.

I had no umbrella, but I couldn't be bothered to run through the rain.

"Beep!"

A car horn sounded.

I turned my head to see, it was Nate, the company supervisor.

"Get in the car,"

Nate rolled down the window and called out to me.

I called back, "I'm soaking wet."

"Stop talking, get in the car."

Nate felt the cold raindrops on his face, frowned, and shouted at me outside the car.

Alright.

I opened the car door and got in, unaware that Daniel's car was just a dozen meters away behind me.

Unaware that he clenched his fist as he watched me get into the car.

6

"Thank you, Supervisor."

After getting in the car, I took the towel Nate handed to me and wiped my face and hair.

"Arguing with your boyfriend?"

"No."

"No? Then what?"

"I don't have a boyfriend."

Perhaps sensing my low mood, Nate didn't ask further questions.

The next day after work, Daniel showed up again.

I directly bypassed him and walked toward the hotel.

But Daniel called to me from behind:

"Emily White, are you that cheap, already seeing another man while still with me?"