To My Pretender [BL]

[10] - The Manipulative People Pleaser

Quick Summary

- Wu Jie returned from the US after 14 years, and attended a high school class reunion. There, he meets his old best friend (Chen Yichun), who seemingly starts to take advantage of Wu Jie's tipsiness to taunt him.

- Shen Xiaoyun, someone Wu Jie thinks has distasteful feelings towards him, comes to the reunion. People are shocked to see how Shen Xiaoyun looks so different from high school, where he was chubby and short.

- Wu Jie gets drunk and starts feeling anxious about the past in the US, as well as interacting with people from highschool. 

- He heads to the toilet, and his mother calls, urging him never to work at a hospital again and to find another occupation.

- When Wu Jie leaves the toilet stall, he notices Shen Xiaoyun is outside washing his hands. 

- He passes out due to an anxiety attack and the alcohol. When he wakes up the next morning, he is in Shen Xiaoyun's apartment. 

- Shen Xiaoyun reveals that he knows Wu Jie is a surgeon (something Wu Jie desperately tried to hide as he was ashamed for certain reasons). 

- Now, Wu Jie is in the shower, trying to clear his thoughts while Shen Xiaoyun prepares breakfast.

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Chapter 10

What exactly was so horrid about Wu Jie?

When they started high school, Wu Jie thought he knew the easiest way to make friends. Upon meeting new classmates, he rarely revealed any information about himself. Instead, he kept asking people questions about their life.

Listening to their problems and interests for hours and hours of the week, they all assumed they were close friends with Wu Jie. But if one were to ask them what Wu Jie's favourite colour, his favourite food, or his favourite musical artist was, they wouldn't know. They would guess it, judging by his personality.

As months passed, he realised how distant he had become from himself. Every day, he would listen to their complaints, mirror their actions, and repeat or maybe adjust what they said to make it seem like he agreed with them. 

When there was injustice, he would stand up for them. He was always there to cheer people on and help them because seeing people sad and upset automatically placed a responsibility on him.

It started as a cheap trick to make friends, but in the end, it constructed another identity for him. He'd done a hundred thousand good deeds but couldn't save himself from this destitution, ruin, and corruption. 

His being had gradually decayed, and his entire existence had resorted to a shell on which people dumped their issues. He discovered how appalling everyone was. They were like brainless sheep following him.

Every time he wanted to speak about something that interested him, they would all start making it about themselves. So, he gave up.

And this is what disgusted him. How could he ever think other people's problems were minor? He was the one who dug this hole himself.

When his older brother also started throwing his problems onto him, Wu Jie didn't know how to handle it. Listening to his older brother's suicidal thoughts, hearing his spite and hatred for the people around him, listening to how much he wanted to harm himself. It was all too much. 

What did they expect from him? He was only a child. But, there was no one to blame except himself, because he was the one who started this entire mess. But of course, if the listener was to break down, then what would happen? Would the balance he created in his relationships not be broken?