Chapter 2

When Verena returned to her rented apartment, it was already eleven at night.

Verena had used her phone to switch on the warm air from the air conditioner in advance, so she was enveloped by the cozy air when she entered the room. She sighed comfortably.

She couldn't help but marvel at how reliable modern technology was compared to her boyfriend.

The air conditioner could precisely let her feel warmth, but Stefan left her waiting in the cold when she needed him most, although she had loved him for five years.

Verena sat on the sofa and stared at the glass jar on the coffee table blankly for a long time.

Stefan gave it to her in their second year together.

Stefan said back then, "Every time you make me happy, I'll put a red bean in here. When it's filled with red beans, I'll marry you."

Back then, Verena held the jar and laughed joyfully.

To fill the jar quickly, she would sneak red beans inside whenever Stefan didn't notice.

When Stefan found it out, he just smiled and ruffled her hair, never exposing her secret.

Verena thought it was tacit approval, indulgence, and deep love.

But now, she realized it was merely self-deception.

If Stefan truly loved her, why would he repeatedly leave her, forcing her to endure countless lonely moments to cope with her heartache alone?

Suddenly, Verena stood up and picked up the jar.

She opened the lid and poured out all the red beans at once.

The clattering sound echoed clearly in the silent living room.

The red beans were scattered on the coffee table, like broken hearts.

One, two, three... Verena counted the beans while reminiscing about her past with Stefan.

Each bean represented a cherished moment of sweetness or grievances, anticipation or disappointment, surging like tides in her mind.

She recalled the early days of their relationship, when Stefan remembered her menstrual cycle and prepared some remedy for menstrual discomfort.

He quietly delivered warm milk and late-night snacks when she worked overtime.

He clumsily bandaged her wounds when she accidentally got hurt, and his eyes became red with concern.

But when did everything change?

Was it when Noreen appeared?

When he counted the beans for the third time, Verena made a decision.

She went into the kitchen and boiled some water.

As the water gradually heated, she placed the red beans, once symbols of love and hope, into the pot one by one.

Red beans were tough to cook, requiring slow simmering over low heat.

She sat on a small stool in the kitchen and watched the beans tumble in the water. They transformed from hard to soft, from bright red to dark red, just like her love, which had drained her energy, moving from fervor to decay.

By the time the beans were fully cooked, dawn had broken.

Verena ladled some red bean soup into a bowl. The steaming broth slid down her throat and warmed her stomach to the point of discomfort.

She had it slowly. She seemed to be swallowing the five years of love, grievances, and unwillingness along with the soup.

After finishing the red bean soup, Verena felt exhausted. She went to the bedroom and went to sleep.

Yet she hadn't slept long before a sharp stomach pain woke her.

Her stomach felt intense pain. Then she vomited and had diarrhea, leaving her too weak to stand up.

She struggled and dragged herself to the hospital. The doctor saw her pale face and frowned, saying, "This is acute gastroenteritis. Did you eat something unclean?"

Verena replied, "I made red bean soup with beans that have been stored for years. Is it unclean?"

The doctor said in a bad tone, "That's not advisable. While beans can be stored, old beans are not recommended for consumption."

Verena felt terrible, but her mind was unusually clear.

Through this incident, she understood a truth.

Spoiled food should not be eaten, and unhealthy relationships should be ended.

She realized it was time to end her relationship with Stefan.