After I developed insomnia, I could only fall asleep if I smelled a specific scent. Yet, my boyfriend wanted to break up with me. I begged him: "Can you just sleep with me one more time?" After all, his scent was my sleeping pill. With his arms around two gorgeous women, his tone was impatient: "If you're sick, go see a doctor!" That very night, his college roommate showed up at my door. "Sister, I'll sleep with you." 1 It was 2:00 AM. I don't know if the begonia flowers were sleeping, but I definitely wasn't. I had a condition, common and widespread— Insomnia. But this wasn't your average insomnia. My body chemistry was unique. Ever since I became an adult, I could only fall asleep if I smelled a scent that made me feel secure. The feeling of having incredibly heavy eyelids while your nerves are firing off wildly is pure torture. Today was the third day since Nolan proposed we break up. I was so, so, so sleepy. Unable to hold out, I opened his chat and begged: "Can you just sleep with me one more time?" Nolan's scent was genuinely wonderful. It was like the rich aroma of a latte mixed with the fresh scent of jasmine. It enveloped me warmly and politely. And it was stronger than any sleeping pill. But the man himself wasn't nearly as polite. Nolan replied almost instantly: "If you're sick, go see a doctor! "You pass out the second your head hits the pillow every day. Are you a pig??" I could tell he was furious. I wasn't a pig. ...But I was genuinely sick. The key was, it couldn't be cured. Then, Nolan sent a photo. Judging by the background, he was at a nightclub. He had his arms wrapped around two beautiful women. "You can't afford me anymore!!" "..." Ignoring his melodramatic teenage-boy quote, I opened TikTok to search for my next sleeping buddy. If I didn't sleep for five days straight, I would die. Tonight was already the third night. A direct message popped up. It was from my brother, Matthew. It was a video. A incredibly handsome guy, his shirt soaked in alcohol, was being force-fed more drinks by a crowd of jeering people. My brother: [Utopia Club, Booth 8. Come quick.] Me: [?] My brother: [His scent should be exactly what you're looking for.] I sprang out of bed like a startled carp. 2 By the time I reached Utopia, it was almost 3:00 AM. The lights were dim and flashing, the music was deafening, and the dance floor was packed with wave after wave of people. Sporting massive dark circles under my eyes, I dodged the disposable couples making out everywhere and found Booth 8. I immediately spotted the man from the video. He was too striking to miss. His features were deep and masculine, his lips a dark, moody shade, his eyes tilted upwards at the corners, radiating an undeniable, aristocratic aura. The ambient club lighting hit his face, adding a layer of seduction. Even thrown into a massive crowd, he would be the one person you'd notice instantly. Right now, his eyelids were slightly lowered, his long eyelashes trembling. He looked like the absolute epitome of someone being bullied to their limit. I knew it was my time to shine. The perfect opportunity for a "beauty saves the hero" moment. I massaged my temples, trying to slightly ease my throbbing headache. Putting on a face that was 30% aloof, 30% arrogant, and 40% careless, I slammed my foot onto the table: "Tonight's tab is on me! "Can we be friends? "Mind if I take my boyfriend home now?" Everyone looked shocked. The man beside me widened his eyes, his intoxicated pupils filled with disbelief. As the physical distance closed, I caught his scent. It was different from Nolan's. His scent was cedar mixed with the crisp smell of winter. Cool, clean, and incredibly sleep-inducing. In just a few short seconds, my eyelids actually started to feel heavy. The firing nerves in my brain were soothed and slowly began to calm down. Not even specialized medication worked this fast. The next second, someone from across the booth yelled out: "Sister-in-law??" The people around looked somewhat familiar. They seemed to be my ex-boyfriend's friends. Scanning the room, I finally noticed a highly familiar figure sitting in the corner— 3 Nolan. He sat silently in the corner, twirling his glass, his expression aloof. He wasn't participating in the drinking games, and the two beauties from the photo were nowhere to be seen. Sitting beside him, keeping him company, was his childhood friend, Chloe. When Nolan and I were together. She always relied on her "innocent little sister" act, constantly spouting manipulative, passive-aggressive nonsense in front of him. I couldn't be bothered to argue with her. I just asked Nolan: "Aren't you going to say anything to her?" He looked completely unconcerned: "We grew up together. If something was going to happen between us, it would have happened a long time ago. "I just see her as a little sister. Our parents know each other; I can't be too harsh with her." Then he frowned at me: "Could you not be so maliciously suspicious?" I stopped talking. Relying on the fact that I couldn't live without him, he became increasingly reckless with my feelings. On his birthday, I carried a cake I baked myself and a carefully chosen gift to his party. Just as I reached the door of the private room, I unexpectedly heard my name. My hand, reaching for the handle, paused. "Bro, what are you thinking? Why haven't you broken up with her yet? "Didn't you say back then you just wanted to see what it was like to date an older girl? Just playing around? What, did you catch real feelings? "Or could it be... the older girl has a unique flavor in bed?" A chorus of sleazy laughter followed. Nolan's tone was dismissive: "Whether she's good or not, you can try her out after I'm done with her. "Someone is desperately throwing money at me. I'm just playing along. "Maybe I just have some magical charm. I can't even chase her away. It's just so annoying that she makes me sleep with her every single day." I felt like I had plunged into an ice cavern. I lowered my eyes, pressed my lips together, and left. Magical charm, indeed. Dating him for almost two years, I would have plucked the stars and moon for him. I firmly believed he was "The One," perfectly aligned with my soul. But apparently, that wasn't the case. 4 When I was twenty, my insomnia started. Every day, I fell asleep with the help of melatonin and sedatives. Gradually, even the medication stopped working. It wasn't until the freshman orientation, when I, as a senior, was sent by the department to give advice to the incoming students on planning their four years of college. That day, I smelled something different. The fresh scent of jasmine. Mixed with the aroma of coffee. I can't describe the feeling. It just felt like my entire body was wrapped in clouds, soft and fluffy. Without realizing it, my eyelids started to droop. When it was my turn to take the stage, I forced myself to stay awake and shared my advice with the underclassmen. But my eyes scoured the vibrant faces below the podium. Finally locking onto the very last row. The rich scent was emanating from there. But there were too many people, and the smells were mixed. I couldn't pinpoint the specific target yet. After the session ended, I waited by the door. Until the very last person walked out— That night, my brother gathered all the information on him. Nolan, 18 years old, a freshman in the Physics department, 6 feet tall, 155 lbs, single. The report even detailed his family background, upbringing, and dietary habits. I read it over and over, but couldn't find anything special about him. Yet this was the person who possessed that unique scent. A scent no one else could smell but me. That night, I went to a coffee shop and bought a latte, then went to a florist and bought jasmine, trying to recreate that unique fragrance. After all that effort, my mind was only more stimulated, completely devoid of sleepiness. The next day, I paid a top-tier perfumer to create a custom scent, but it was absolutely useless. I accepted my fate. And so, I launched a fierce pursuit of Nolan. Limited edition sneakers, expensive in-game skins... I showered him with gifts like running water. A month later, we made it official. My attitude toward relationships has always been straightforward: either don't start one, or take it seriously. Clearly, in this relationship, I was the only one taking it seriously. 5 The club was chaotic, a mix of all sorts of people. Unless I got close, I couldn't smell Nolan clearly. Besides, I had a "sleeping pill" radiating its scent right next to me. He looked up, staring straight at me. Our eyes met. My eyelids felt heavy. I was the first to look away. Since everything was out in the open, and I had a new sleeping buddy. There was no need for me to hang myself on this one tree. I grabbed the handsome guy's hand, turned around, and prepared to leave. "Maya—" Nolan called my name. The atmosphere was tense and explosive. Everyone turned to look. I paused for a second but didn't look back. My sleeping pill was right beside me. I just wanted to sleep. Nolan's gaze fell on my hand holding someone else's. He frowned, his face looking awful: "What is the meaning of this? "Do you think doing this will make me want to get back together with you?" The next second, his expression turned icy: "Save it." I thought he was acting completely bizarre. I had a new sleeping buddy. Why would I care about him? "You're overthinking it. "Where do you get your confidence? Do you think I have that much free time? "I'm genuinely pursuing him." Hearing this, Nolan stood up. His face looked even worse, his jaw tight, speaking through gritted teeth: "He's my roommate!!!" "..." Well, if you put it that way, I guess I am being a little bizarre. I looked in shock and uncertainty at the person beside me, who was obediently letting me hold his hand. Noticing my gaze, he paused for a moment, then slowly nodded. And rubbed his nose, looking a little guilty. Regardless, in front of an ex-boyfriend, you can't lose the verbal battle. "So what if he's your roommate? "The dark ages are over. We advocate for free love now. Even if he was your dad, I could date him!" The guy next to me nodded, seeming to agree completely, and immediately echoed: "Yeah, free love! Even if I was your dad, she could date me!" Nolan stood in silence, his jaw tight. I thought about it for a second; that didn't sound quite right. After a brief pause, I added: "Of course, I wouldn't cross that moral line." The guy next to me repeated: "Of course, wouldn't cross that moral line!" His parroting made me accidentally let out a small laugh. Nolan's face was livid, his eyes dark as he glared at us. A few seconds later, he suddenly laughed out loud. Nolan shifted his gaze to the person beside me: "Asher, she's my ex-girlfriend. She was so obsessed with me she practically begged to sleep with me every single day." He pulled out his phone, pulled up our chat history, and showed everyone: "Just a minute ago, she was begging me to sleep with her one more time." In the chat window, my pleading words were exposed for everyone to see. The looks directed at me were laced with malice. "Asher, she's just using you to get back at me. Are you sure you want to go with her?" My heart clenched, and my grip tightened. I looked at the person beside me. 6 My newly calmed nerves spiked with anxiety once again. Quietly waiting for his answer. He looked at Nolan, then looked at my hand gripping his tightly. Everyone around us held their breath, watching the scene unfold. He lowered his gaze to my face and said slowly: "Unless I'm mistaken... this is the first time we've ever met, right?" Nolan let out a sigh of relief. It made sense. Ditching your roommate to leave with your roommate's ex-girlfriend was definitely crazy. I started calculating in my head whether I should have my brother throw a sack over his head and drag him to my bed, or if I should just knock him out and carry him away myself. The next instant, my pinky finger was gently hooked. He blinked, the corners of his mouth curving up. A huge, dazzling smile appeared on his handsome face as he said— "Okay. "I'm sure I want to go with her!" ??! Nolan stopped breathing for a second. He looked like he had worked himself to death all day, only to come home and find out he was being cheated on—a completely foul expression. He couldn't believe it: "Asher??" This time, no one tried to stop us. I shot a careless glance at Nolan. Holding Asher's hand, I held my head high and walked right past him. Before leaving, I didn't forget to let out a cold snort in his direction. Then I remembered myself just moments ago, begging my ex-boyfriend to sleep with me. I couldn't help but mentally spit on myself twice. How can a person have so little backbone?
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