No One Loves Me (GL) - Chapter 1

In a CBD office building in Ningchun City, one of the four major advertising companies, Lin Jun Advertising, has won a major contract. They’ve secured the business for a client’s high-end smart home appliance campaign.

Once the client leaves, the creative department begins to celebrate.

“We only won this pitch because of Creative Director Xie’s ideas!”

Lucy, the art director, also praises her. “Director Xie deserves all the credit. Otherwise, another ad company would have snagged such a big project.”

Several people look at the woman seated at the conference table. Her simple, stylish pearl earrings look even more gentle and elegant against her dark hair.

She stands up as she closes the presentation file, getting ready to leave the meeting room.

“Everyone did a great job with the demo, visuals, and copy for this proposal. We addressed the client’s needs and pain points perfectly. It’s not just my achievement. The pitch is over, so everyone can relax. The rest will be handled by our colleagues in the planning and media departments.”

Lucy calls out to her, “Director Xie, Manager Fei wants to treat everyone to afternoon tea. What would you like?”

Xie Zhitang walks past Lucy with a faint, gentle, and sophisticated smile. “I have something to do this afternoon, so I can’t join. You all enjoy.”

Lucy sighs, watching her leave, then turns to her colleagues.

Everyone knows that project manager Fei Yanting is interested in Director Xie, openly and subtly pursuing her. Manager Fei is a good catch, too—tall, handsome, and from a wealthy family.

But… sigh, Director Xie has always kept her distance.

Back in her office, Xie Zhitang places the presentation file on her desk. The glass door is then knocked on.

“Come in,” she says, glancing at the time. She’s just about ready to leave.

The person who pushes the door open is none other than Manager Fei. He can’t hold back anymore and pins Xie Zhitang against the wall.

“Director Xie, why do you keep rejecting me?”

He’s been after her for so many years, yet she’s completely unresponsive, not even willing to have afternoon tea with him.

Xie Zhitang frowns slightly at his closeness, but her good upbringing keeps her from screaming. She stares at her boss and asks, “Not having afternoon tea means I’m rejecting you?”

Fei Yanting knows her personality. Even when she says something so implicitly critical, it doesn’t seem offensive. Instead, it makes her more alluring to him.

This woman is always calm, gentle yet with her own edges. She never loses her temper or makes a scene.

Fei Yanting looks at her face. Her beauty is not aggressive, yet it constantly captures attention.

His eyes grow more infatuated. “Xie Zhitang, be with me. I love you, I can give you anything, even myself!”

After saying this, Fei Yanting stares intently at the woman, hoping to see a hint of surprise or happiness in her eyes.

But there is nothing. Faced with his bold declaration, Xie Zhitang is silent for a few seconds before letting out a low laugh, her shoulders trembling from holding it in.

“Anything—you can give me anything?”

Her pause carries a hint of surprise and an almost imperceptible sarcasm that Fei Yanting doesn’t catch. Thinking she’s moved, he says with burning eyes, “Yes.”

“Can you kill for me?”

“What?”

“Or, can you go to jail for seven years for me?”

Fei Yanting’s expression changes.

“Can you do either of those two things?”

The fanaticism in Fei Yanting’s eyes fades, replaced by a strange fear.

How could the usually gentle and sophisticated Director Xie have such terrifying thoughts?

Killing? Going to jail? For seven years?!

“If you can’t do any of that, what right do you have to say you love me?”

Fei Yanting is so scared that he flees the room.

The glass door automatically closes. Xie Zhitang scoffs, brushes the dust from her shoulder, picks up her car keys, and walks out.

Huaiqi Prison.

An iron door opens from the inside.

“Xin Geling, you’re released.”

A tall, thin woman walks out, standing in the shadow of the half-open gate, looking up at the scorching sun.

Her eyes show a mix of unfamiliarity and calm.

Her gaze slowly falls on a white car in front. The car door opens, and a woman gets out, her lips curved in a gentle smile. She walks gracefully in her high heels.

The white dress is well-tailored, outlining her slender waist. Her hair is slightly curled and falls down her back. Her beauty isn’t striking but exudes an intellectual and bookish charm that makes people feel good about her.

Xin Geling knows her. Seven years ago, she was sent to prison because of this very woman, serving a full seven years.

The next moment, Xin Geling is hugged tightly. A gentle voice whispers in her ear.

“Sister.”

When Xie Zhitang was about to start high school, she was accepted into a key high school in Ningchun City. To make it easier for her to study, her parents moved the whole family near the school, becoming neighbors with Xin Geling’s family.

Since they attended the same high school, they saw each other almost every day and eventually became familiar. However, because Xie Zhitang’s family had strict rules and her parents forbade her from befriending “questionable” people, their interactions were limited to just nodding and greeting each other.

They weren’t even considered friends.

On the day the college entrance exams finished, Xie Zhitang’s graduation celebration dinner ended around seven or eight.

On her way home, she was pulled into the bushes by a drunken man who tried to assault her. Her underwear had already been torn off. Had Xin Geling not happened to walk by, take off her headphones, and hear her faint cries for help, it’s unimaginable what the then-18-year-old Xie Zhitang would have endured.

For about six months after Xin Geling was imprisoned, Xie Zhitang’s family never came to visit. Xin Geling thought Xie Zhitang was like most people—treating a great kindness like a great debt, scared and not wanting to be associated with her.

Just when Xin Geling thought she’d never see Xie Zhitang again, she suddenly came to visit in November of the same year, on Thanksgiving Day.

Her first words weren’t “thank you,” but, “Sister, I miss you.”

There was no hint of fear in her voice, nor the forced emotion of someone pressured into visiting to avoid being called ungrateful. She simply stated it calmly.

Xin Geling, who was a year older, stared at her for a long time through the glass of the visitation room and asked, “Why are you calling me ‘Sister’?”

They were just nodding acquaintances.

Xie Zhitang replied, “Because you saved me. You are my sister. From now on, I’ll call you ‘Sister’.”

After that, Xie Zhitang came to see her every few months. With nothing to do in prison, Xin Geling always agreed to her visits, and they gradually grew closer.

Later, Xin Geling found out that Xie Zhitang had been visiting without her parents’ knowledge. Not only that, but she also worked part-time during college to save up money, traveling a great distance to visit her.

Xie Zhitang’s university and Huaiqi Prison weren’t even in the same province.

Xin Geling accepted her as a younger sister.

The faint scent of violet perfume reached her. Xin Geling gently stroked her back and hummed in acknowledgment.

As the car drives away from Huaiqi Prison, Xin Geling sits in the passenger seat. The warm, free wind blows on her face, making her long hair flutter.

“How’s work?” she asks.

Xie Zhitang glances at her, catching a glimpse of her beautiful, somewhat heroic features that have appeared countless times in her dreams.

Hearing the question, she can’t help but recall the scene in her office from two hours ago.

“It’s going well,” Xie Zhitang replies, thinking of the ridiculous declaration of love. “What are your plans, Sister?”

Xin Geling says, “I’m not sure yet. I’ll go see my mom first.”

Xie Zhitang’s eyes flicker as if she’s just thought of something. “Okay.”

The white car arrives at a residential complex. Xin Geling looks at the familiar entrance, her face showing a touch of emotion. Seven years have passed.

Xie Zhitang takes a square box from the trunk and goes upstairs with her.

The hallway shows signs of age. Xin Geling arrives at an old-fashioned iron gate and knocks on it.

A moment later, the wooden door inside opens. A middle-aged woman with black, white, and gray hair stands frozen in disbelief.

“Mom, I’m home,” Xin Geling says. Seeing her mother’s mixed-color hair, she can’t help but feel a lump in her throat, despite her calm demeanor.

“Geling—” Lin Huilan’s eyes turn red. She trembles as she quickly opens the iron gate and hugs her daughter.

Xin Geling hugs the thin, middle-aged woman back, stroking her head and her rough, white hair.

They were a single-parent family. When Xin Geling was ten, Lin Huilan, a teacher, was abused by her alcoholic husband. Initially, she endured it for her child and for her dignity as a teacher. But when he became more and more abusive and even cheated on her, completely disregarding their child and their reputation, Lin Huilan couldn’t take it anymore and divorced him, raising Xin Geling alone.

And this strong mother had to watch her daughter be locked away for seven years.

“Mom, let’s go inside,” Xin Geling says, gently pulling away from her.

Lin Huilan sobs and nods. “Okay, I was just about to go pick you up…” As she prepares to lead her daughter inside, she catches a glimpse of Xie Zhitang standing outside the door.

Xie Zhitang notices her gaze and smiles faintly. “Hello, Auntie.”

Xin Geling, with her arm around Lin Huilan, asks, “How’s your health been all these years?”

Lin Huilan coldly looks away from Xie Zhitang, grabs a pale-blue thermos from beside the old refrigerator—its body adorned with red, pink, and white peonies—and pours a glass of water. She enthusiastically hands it to her daughter. “Geling, are you thirsty? Have some water.”

Xin Geling says, “Okay.”

Xie Zhitang places the box on the table, trying to find the right words. “Sister, I prepared some—”

She is sharply interrupted by Lin Huilan. “What did you call her?!”

Xin Geling is confused. Xie Zhitang bites her lip, her hand poised to open the box lid, unsure if she should continue.

“She doesn’t have a younger sister! Stop trying to claim kinship!” Lin Huilan becomes frantic and forcefully pushes the large box onto the floor.

Xin Geling doesn’t react fast enough to stop her.

The contents of the box spill out onto the floor.

A new phone, a laptop, a mouse, high-quality over-ear headphones, wireless Bluetooth earbuds, a fitness tracker, and other electronic devices…

“Mom, what’s wrong?” Xin Geling tries to calm her.

Lin Huilan bypasses her, grabbing Xie Zhitang and pulling her toward the door. “Who told you to come here?! Get out, and don’t you dare come near my daughter again!”

Xin Geling rushes to intervene. “Mom, don’t be like this. This is Xie Zhitang.”

“She’s the reason you went to jail for seven years!” Lin Huilan shouts, her eyes quickly turning red. “She’s ruined your life, boo-hoo—”

Xie Zhitang, seeing her unstable emotions, looks a little embarrassed. She forces a smile. “Auntie, I’ll go now.”

“Get out—”

As Xie Zhitang reaches the door, she glances at Xin Geling.

At this point, Xin Geling understands why Lin Huilan is so hostile toward Xie Zhitang. She tightly hugs Lin Huilan to keep her from doing anything else and nods at Xie Zhitang, signaling for her to leave.

As the door closes, Lin Huilan’s emotions gradually stabilize.

Xin Geling helps her sit on the sofa and hands her the glass of water. “Mom, have some water first.”

Lin Huilan pushes it away. “You drink it. I poured it for you.”

Xin Geling replies, “I’ll pour you a new one, then.”

“No need. What would you like to eat, my daughter? I’ll cook for you.” Lin Huilan can’t sit still. After seven years of her daughter being in prison, she can’t wait to do something for her.

Xin Geling thinks for a moment. “Just a bowl of noodles. I haven’t had them in a long time.”

“Okay, I’ll go make them for you now.” Lin Huilan’s eyes start to tear up again, but she quickly wipes them away, stands up, and goes to the kitchen to wash the pot and cook the noodles.

Xin Geling looks at the scattered items on the floor and slowly kneels to pick them up. Xie Zhitang is a creative director at a major advertising company, young and capable. She has changed completely from the girl with the average family background.

From this perspective, the seven years Xin Geling spent in prison were worth it.

After putting all the electronic devices back into the box, she finds a bank card and a letter at the bottom. Xin Geling’s fingers pause. She puts the bank card back in the box but opens the letter.

On it, in Xie Zhitang’s beautiful handwriting, it says that this is a small token of her appreciation and she hopes she will accept it.

Seven years in prison means being disconnected from society for seven years; the outside world has changed drastically.