Diary of my Ex - Chapter 2: The Upright Zheng Li and His Relentless Pursuit

As dusk settled, Zheng Li returned home right on schedule. Passing by Wen Yuan, he reached out and gently ran his fingers through her long hair.

“How was your day?” he asked, his tone light and casual. “Come on, let’s eat! I need to finish my work soon—there’s a soccer game tonight that I don’t want to miss!”

Wen Yuan’s husband, Zheng Li—a financial expert in investment banking and the product of a textbook intellectual family. Since childhood, he had excelled in both academics and character, embodying honesty, courtesy, loyalty, and every other quality a model husband ought to possess.

He had given Wen Yuan a beautiful home, a life of stability and admiration. But…

After dinner, Wen Yuan was in the bathroom, brushing her teeth, while Zheng Li slipped off his shirt, getting ready for a shower.

He had a solid, athletic build—thanks to his passion for soccer and marathon running. Watching his bare reflection in the mirror, Wen Yuan swallowed, feeling a surge of emotion. She turned and walked over to him, placing her hand gently on his chest. “Honey, I want you.”

“I want you too, babe,” he murmured, giving her a soft kiss on the lips. But then, he glanced down at his watch. “Ah, I gotta be quick—I don’t want to miss the game later.”

With a quick pat on her back, he headed into the shower, leaving Wen Yuan standing there, watching him disappear into the steam.

The water cascaded down Zheng Li’s muscular frame, tracing along the lines of his body, gathering and streaming down around his lower body, splashing rhythmically as it hit the floor. Wen Yuan, unable to look away, found herself pressing her fingers to her lips, captivated, her mind wandering, imagining…

As Wen Yuan watched Zheng Li’s back, she recalled the first time she met him—it was just an ordinary morning during the work rush. But what wasn’t ordinary was Wen Yuan’s gloomy mood; she had just been thrown out of the apartment she shared with Han Liang.

Just as the elevator doors were about to close, someone pressed the button, causing them to reopen. A man stepped in—dressed in a neat suit, with a crisp shirt, meticulously groomed hair, gold-rimmed glasses, and a refined, handsome face.

But Wen Yuan, her heart still bleeding from her recent breakup with Han Liang, had no interest in appreciating any other man at that moment.

Zheng Li stepped into the elevator, his gaze quickly fixating on Wen Yuan’s face. The intensity of his stare made her uneasy, to the point where she wondered if her mascara had smudged. Nervously, she turned to check herself in the mirror. But no, everything was perfectly fine!

Zheng Li didn’t get off on the 16th floor as expected but simply stood there, staring straight ahead. When Wen Yuan exited, they brushed past each other. She couldn’t help but feel a bit curious—what a strange man.

But then again, perhaps no man in this world was truly “normal.” She quickly dismissed the thought and walked straight into her office, not giving it another moment’s thought.

She had no idea that the man had quietly followed her out of the elevator and learned her name from the receptionist.

The next day, Wen Yuan received a large bouquet of vibrant Ecuadorian roses, their petals thick and full of color. Tucked inside the bouquet was a business card—same building, 16th floor, Investment Banking Economic Expert.

Wen Yuan raised an eyebrow, trying to jog her memory. Economic Expert? She didn’t recall anyone by that name among her friends or clients.

The business card in Wen Yuan’s hand was suddenly snatched away.

“Oooh! Investment Banking Economic Expert—Zheng Li, huh? Really loaded, throwing around imported roses like this. How do you know him?”

Gu Yuewei said, then with a quick move, hopped up onto Wen Yuan’s desk, supporting herself with her hands.

“Miss, you’re wearing a skirt!”
“Yeah, because I’m going to a bar later. Are you coming? You haven’t hung out with me in ages, it’s so boring.”
“No, not in the mood!” Wen Yuan placed the bouquet on the small coffee table in her office.

“Wen Yuan, I told you from the start not to take him too seriously. A guy like Han Liang? It’s obvious he’s not right for you. Actually, let me rephrase—he’s not right for any woman. A casual fling? Fine. But anything serious? He wouldn’t even think about it. Come on, be a little more realistic, okay?”
Wen Yuan quickly covered Gu Yuewei’s mouth…

Maybe, he would soon come back begging her to take him back. Over the past year or two, he had done this countless times—and each time, he somehow managed to charm Wen Yuan back into his arms.

But maybe this time it was really different. He seemed determined to completely disappear from Wen Yuan’s life.

It had been over a month, and he hadn’t reached out to her once.

Thinking about it, Wen Yuan’s heart sank even further.

Since his outburst, when he harshly demanded she move back into his place, they hadn’t seen each other for more than a month.

Gu Yuewei watched Wen Yuan dazedly staring ahead and waved her hand in front of her face, snapping her out of her thoughts. “Wen Yuan, he’s not worth it. Forget about him, okay?”

Wen Yuan was about to reply when the phone on her desk rang. She picked it up. “Okay, I’ll be right there.”

She hung up the phone, took a deep breath, and straightened her clothes and hair. “The big boss needs me for something.”

Gu Yuewei raised an eyebrow. “He’s looking for you this early?”

Gu Yuewei jumped off the desk, waddled over to open the door for Wen Yuan, and made a grand gesture with her hand. “Let’s have lunch together later!”

Wen Yuan felt a bit uneasy. Normally, the big boss wouldn’t call an employee in this early unless something serious had happened.

Could it be because she’s been distracted lately due to her breakup? Her performance has been off recently! Losing love, she couldn’t afford to lose her job too—especially with her monthly mortgage payments!

She couldn’t really be this unlucky, could she?

In the boss’s office, a man sat with his back to the door, his posture straight and composed.

When Wen Yuan knocked and entered, the man turned to look at her. His gaze was warm, focused, and filled with an unexpected depth…

She felt like she’d seen him before—there was something familiar about him, but she couldn’t quite place it. Wen Yuan tried to recall where.

The man stood up gracefully, and the boss followed suit, introducing him: “Wen Yuan, this is Zheng Li, an executive from the investment bank downstairs. He’s here to discuss some advertising opportunities with us!”

“Zheng Li!” Wen Yuan thought to herself. Hm… the drunkard’s intention isn’t in the wine. Is he really here for advertising? What does he actually want?!

Zheng Li sincerely extended his hand. “Nice to meet you, Ms. Wen.”

Wen Yuan also reached out and shook his hand. “Nice to meet you, too, Mr. Zheng.”

Afterward, Zheng Li turned to the boss and said, “We’re a small business, so the rest of the details can be handled between me and Ms. Wen. No need to trouble you.”

The boss laughed heartily. “Alright then, you greet Mr. Zheng on my behalf.”

Zheng Li nodded and, in a gentlemanly manner, opened the office door for Wen Yuan. Wen Yuan didn’t take him to the meeting room; instead, she led him straight to her office.

As they entered, Zheng Li glanced at the bouquet on the coffee table and gave a modest smile.

“The Ecuadorian roses are the most expensive flowers in the shop downstairs. Mr. Zheng, did you go all out like this to save on advertising costs?” Wen Yuan asked, a playful smile on her face.

“Haha… Ms. Wen, you’re quite the humorous one. But that’s not it. The flowers and the ad are both for you. I’ve really wanted to meet you!” Zheng Li replied, his tone serious and sincere, with no hint of frivolity.

Zheng Li was the second man Wen Yuan had met who was so direct.

The first was Han Liang, who, on their first meeting, straight up asked Wen Yuan to go home with him, not wasting a single word.

Later, Wen Yuan realized just how different these two men were—completely different!