Monday class.

Shi Sui followed Xue Jing to the classroom. They had just taken their seats when there was a sound beside her, and the seat sank.

Su Han hugged her books, sitting down with her head held high, playfully winking at her.

Before Shi Sui could react, Xue Jing on the other side had already narrowed her eyes, shooting seemingly casual glances toward Su Han.

“Can I sit here? Suisui.” Su Han tossed her hair, asking innocently.

Shi Sui naturally nodded: “…Of course you can.”

Su Han took the opportunity to act coquettishly toward her: “Then let me sit with you from now on, okay? Please?”

Shi Sui felt like Xue Jing’s gaze was about to catch fire.

With an expression of “you’re hiding a boyfriend behind my back,” she stared at her gloomily.

Shi Sui coughed lightly: “If you don’t mind the seat being toward the back, of course you can.”

Su Han: “Then let’s eat lunch together too.”

Shi Sui hesitated for a moment. Before she could answer, Xue Jing beside her couldn’t stand it anymore and hooked her arm possessively, saying to Su Han: “Suisui has always eaten with us!”

Su Han then hooked Shi Sui’s other arm, humming lightly: “What, did you pay to reserve her? Suisui, I want to eat with you today. Come eat with me.”

Xue Jing called out across the space: “Su Han, you’re starting again! Can you not be so domineering!”

Su Han shot back: “Xue Jing, aren’t you domineering too?”

Xue Jing said angrily: “Next time there’s a class group activity, don’t expect me to help you write the proposal!”

“Then next time the student council has business, don’t ask me to host the class meeting!”

The two of them engaged in verbal warfare across Shi Sui, going back and forth.

“Stop, stop, stop,” Shi Sui was caught in the middle, pressing down on one with each hand, coaxing: “You two sisters, let’s all eat together, okay?”

So at lunch in the cafeteria, the four of them sat together in an odd arrangement.

Su Han and Xue Jing faced each other, neither making a sound.

This left Lin Anran looking completely confused as she shot Shi Sui questioning looks: “Suisui, how did you and Su Han become so close?”

Shi Sui was biting her chopsticks, trying to figure out what to say, when Su Han beside her had already answered frankly: “I asked Suisui to help me chase a guy.”

Xue Jing & Lin Anran: Huh?

The two looked at Shi Sui with suspicious eyes: “Her?”

Afraid of being exposed, Shi Sui quickly covered: “Su Han just asked me to help her strategize.”

Xue Jing: “…You? Strategizing?”

Shi Sui nodded slowly: “…Mm, me.”

“Who are you chasing?” Xue Jing looked at Su Han, “It’s not Yan Tingli, is it?”

Su Han was picking at the food in her bowl. Hearing this, she sneered coldly: “Hehe, not chasing anymore.”

“Why?” Without much thought, Xue Jing let something slip: “Doesn’t your dad like him quite a bit? With such an advantage, wouldn’t it be easy to succeed?”

Hearing this, Su Han was stunned, looking at her suspiciously: “How do you know?”

Shi Sui tugged at Xue Jing’s sleeve. She realized her mistake and quickly covered: “I heard about it too! All your dad’s students know, it’s probably not much of a secret anymore.”

For a long while, Su Han kept her eyes downcast without speaking.

Shi Sui felt something was wrong. She turned to see Su Han’s eyes slightly red and quickly pulled out tissues to hand to her.

Su Han took the tissues and took a sharp breath.

“So annoying.” She sniffled, “So many people know I can’t even successfully chase someone. How embarrassing!”

“That’s not true,” Shi Sui comforted, “It’s just that Xue Jing knows more people. Actually, not that many people know…”

Xue Jing quickly chimed in: “Right, right, right.”

But Su Han had already stood up angrily, grabbing her bag: “No, I’m going to find my dad right now.”

She came and went like the wind, already at the cafeteria entrance in the blink of an eye.

Shi Sui watched her walk away, feeling uneasy.

Xue Jing seemed at a loss: “Did I say something wrong?”

Shi Sui shook her head: “It’s not your fault.”

Su Ye’s phone hadn’t been answered for a long time, so Su Han simply went straight to his office—the ninth floor of the Cross-Disciplinary Information Institute.

At the end of last year, A University had spent heavily to bring Su Ye back from America. Naturally, his treatment and resources were the best. This entire floor was Su Ye’s and his students’ offices and laboratories.

Su Han considered herself quite low-key and rarely came here so brazenly. Finding Su Ye’s office was somewhat difficult.

She walked along the corridor, poking her head into rooms one by one.

Until she passed a large office with the door ajar, which looked like where students clocked in.

Su Han originally hadn’t paid attention, until she heard the conversation from inside—

“Hey, did you guys hear?”

“What?”

“You know, Yan Tingli—he has a girlfriend in private.”

Su Han’s steps suddenly stopped.

“How do you know?”

“My cousin was his high school classmate. He ran into them recently, and Yan Tingli admitted it himself.”

“Tsk, then why is our boss still acting like he wants to push his daughter on him?”

“You don’t understand—would a man refuse a woman delivered to his door?”

“Hahaha, so cool, having both left and right embraces, truly blessed.”

“We don’t have such good fortune.”

Su Han listened, clenching the bag in her hands until her fingertips turned white.

Hearing movement inside, as if someone was about to come out, she wiped her eyes and strode forward.

Su Ye came out of the laboratory to see over ten missed calls on his phone.

Just as he was wondering about this, he entered his office only to be embraced by his crying daughter.

“Daddy, I hate you! You made me into a laughingstock!”

Due to receiving an American-style education from childhood, Su Han had always been confident and generous.

Su Ye rarely saw Su Han so uncalm.

He frowned and closed the door: “What happened?”

He also knew about Su Han being upset after visiting the Yan family over the weekend. Afterward, Yan Zecheng and Song Jie had called repeatedly to apologize, their attitudes sufficiently humble.

He had considered it just young people’s squabbling, planning to give Yan Tingli a small punishment afterward to teach him a lesson.

Su Han told him everything in one breath.

While wiping her tears, she said, “If Yan Tingli has a girlfriend, then what was I doing before?”

She could take the initiative herself—after all, pursuing excellent members of the opposite sex wasn’t embarrassing. But she absolutely couldn’t accept that the other person had a girlfriend while she eagerly threw herself at him.

Su Ye turned to look at her: “Have a girlfriend? Where did you hear this?”

Su Han sniffled: “It’s already spread everywhere. Even your students know. I have no face left!”

Su Ye’s expression completely darkened. He took a deep breath: “I understand.” He patted Su Han’s shoulder, “You’ve been wronged. I’ll ask the Yan family for clarification. If the rumors are true, I’ll get you an explanation.”

“I want Yan Tingli to suffer!” she said angrily.

“Alright, alright, Daddy will get justice for you.”

With Su Ye’s comfort, Su Han’s emotions gradually calmed down.

Su Ye finished wiping her face: “Better now?”

Su Han turned her face away. Her temper came and went quickly as she hummed lightly.

Su Ye said, “Since you’re here, have lunch with Daddy.”

“I already ate with people.”

“Oh, who did you eat with?” Su Ye asked.

He had only returned to the country last year, and Su Han was essentially a transfer student who often complained about having no friends.

Su Han’s face lit up: “My new friend, called Shi Sui. She’s a super cute girl, I like her.” As she spoke, she hooked Su Ye’s arm, “I told her I have a very capable father, and if she has any difficulties, she can ask you for help.”

Su Ye was happy that his daughter could make friends, smiling and shaking his head: “Alright.”

The next day, when Shi Sui saw Su Han again, she had already fully recovered.

As soon as the bell rang, Su Han pulled her outside: “Suisui, I’ve been holding this in for so long. Finally, I have someone I can talk to.”

The two were on the tree-lined path behind the teaching building. The small road was quiet, and it was April—a gentle breeze on their faces, everything peaceful.

Feeling her whole body warmed by the sun, Shi Sui comfortably squinted her eyes and turned to look at Su Han: “What’s wrong?”

“I only found out yesterday that Yan Tingli has a girlfriend!!!”

Thinking back to that scene, Su Han was still so angry she couldn’t control herself, so she didn’t notice Shi Sui’s suddenly changed expression.

She crossed her arms and chattered on: “It makes me furious! I, the great Su Han, almost became the other woman!”

Shi Sui gently tugged at her sleeve: “…How did you find out?”

“I overheard my dad’s students talking,” Su Han said angrily, “Who knows how far this has spread?”

Shi Sui’s face went pale: “Your dad’s students?”

“Yeah, I heard it was some high school classmate of Yan Tingli’s who saw them…”

Shi Sui took a light breath, her mind racing—

Right.

That big mouth, Gao Linhan.

He also had a cousin doing graduate studies under Su Ye.

“Ah, no matter how many people know, anyway, I’ve lost all face!”

Su Han stamped her foot. “I immediately told my dad and asked him to get justice for me. That hateful Yan Tingli, I’ll make him pay.”

Shi Sui held her breath: “…Do you know who his girlfriend is?”

Su Han wrinkled her brow, thinking: “I don’t know that.”

Shi Sui could breathe a little easier.

“But you reminded me,” Su Han raised a finger proudly, “I should investigate who his girlfriend is and whether she’s prettier than me.”

Shi Sui instinctively pressed down her hand: “Don’t.”

“…Hmm?”

Meeting Su Han’s suspicious gaze, Shi Sui said slowly: “It’s nothing.”

“What’s wrong with you?” Su Han moved closer. “Not feeling well?”

Shi Sui shook her head: “Maybe I didn’t sleep well last night.”

Su Han hooked her arm: “Then let’s go eat now. After eating, you should go back and rest early.”

Shi Sui nodded lightly, staring blankly at the road ahead.

Su Han’s words—she didn’t dare think deeply about them.

They had reached this point, this kind of relationship.

How much longer could they keep hiding it?

Heavy anxiety swept over Shi Sui layer by layer.

So much so that even in such warm spring weather, her whole body couldn’t stop feeling cold.

The following days passed peacefully.

Before the Qingming holiday, Shi Sui received an email—her previously submitted competition entry had luckily made it to the finals. She would go to the host venue to compete next week.

This was the only good news she had received recently.

“Not bad, Suisui. Your work this time is super stunning,” knowing she made the finals, Lin Anran congratulated her, “Only you and Su Han from our class made it.”

Su Han had grown up in America and even interned at Disney headquarters. Her professional skills were much more refined than her own.

Making it to the finals this time—

Shi Sui’s memory returned to half a month ago, when Yan Tingli was leaning against her back, teaching her modeling and rendering bit by bit.

And that laughing sentence.

“Brother Tingli will help you win the gold prize.”

“Hey, Suisui, you submitted an exchange application?” Xue Jing, who was reviewing materials on her computer, was stunned and suddenly turned to look at her.

“…It’s not confirmed yet.” Shi Sui didn’t speak too definitively, “This is still a pre-application. Many people filled it out. I’m just filling it out.”

Xue Jing looked at the materials again: “If you go, do you want to go to America?”

Shi Sui had been comparing Europe and America in conversations with Zhou Xuyan and Su Han.

Europe had more art schools, but the climate there was humid, and Britain often had rain.

She didn’t want to live alone in constantly damp conditions.

Shi Sui fell into thought, saying softly, “I heard California’s sunshine is beautiful.”

Perhaps because Qingming was approaching.

These past two days have been continuously rainy. Outside the window, fine rain was falling, and Shi Sui was somewhat lost in thought, remembering Zhou Xuyan’s words.

——It wasn’t that if she went on exchange, everything would be solved.

As long as Yan Tingli wanted to, finding her would be as easy as breathing.

Shi Sui didn’t dare think deeply about how angry he would be at that moment.

Was there any way?

To make it so he couldn’t find her? Shi Sui wondered hesitantly.

But when she closed her eyes, her memory returned to that night when he looked at her with those dark eyes.

And that stubborn, serious sentence.

“Don’t deceive me.”

Her heart suddenly ached dully.

Shi Sui buried her head, feeling bitterness in her throat.

The night before the Qingming holiday, Shi Sui finally went to the apartment.

They hadn’t seen each other this week.

On Wednesday, Yan Tingli had said online that he had experimental arrangements and needed to monitor data, so he couldn’t get away.

She thought it was just ordinary work, until Su Han gloated in her ear a couple of days ago: “My dad has been assigning all sorts of miscellaneous tasks to Yan Tingli recently. He’s going to be busy.”

Shi Sui forced a slight smile.

But her mood was complex in a way she couldn’t describe.

Just as she entered the apartment door.

Shi Sui was immediately embraced by Yan Tingli. He bent down, lightly sniffing along her neck.

His breathing was heavy, his Adam’s apple rolling as he urgently captured her lips and sucked on them.

“You,” Shi Sui couldn’t handle it, pinching his shoulder, “…slow down.”

Yan Tingli lifted her with one hand, changing to look up to kiss her: “Can’t slow down.”

“I miss you everywhere.”

As he spoke, Shi Sui let out a muffled moan, her fingers suddenly gripping tightly. She bit her lower lip, holding back her soft cries.

Since they had changed to meeting on Wednesdays too, their meetings had become more frequent, and Yan Tingli’s urgent frequency had decreased considerably. He had also become more patient than before.

Now, Shi Sui couldn’t quite handle it. She asked: “What have you been busy with this week?”

Yan Tingli leaned over her, staring at her the whole time: “Su Ye’s project.”

Shi Sui thought of those miscellaneous tasks, feeling puzzled, and voiced her question: “Why would you be willing to do them?”

“Consider it paying him back.”

Shi Sui was stunned. Before she could understand what Yan Tingli meant, he turned her over.

His movements were too forceful.

Unable to steady herself, she supported herself on the headboard, watching the bed move back and forth, her eyelashes trembling lightly.

By the time it ended, she didn’t know what time it was.

Shi Sui soaked in the bathtub while Yan Tingli finished washing first and went to the kitchen to make food.

Only then.

Did she have time to sort through her thoughts?

Belatedly understood the meaning of Yan Tingli’s words.

Su Ye was deliberately making things difficult for him.

Yan Tingli was well aware of this.

He had so recklessly offended his parents and mentor.

No matter how rebellious and unruly, he would eventually have to pay the price.

And what was it for?

For someone like her, who had never been resolute.

Was it worth it?

Shi Sui closed her eyes.

Suddenly, I felt a splitting headache.

On Qingming Day, Yan Tingli dressed in all black and left alone.

He didn’t say where he was going, but Shi Sui knew.

Previously, Shi Sui had thought he had gone to pay respects to deceased elders according to custom. Now she guessed he was going to see Yan Congjin at the northern suburb cemetery.

Shi Sui stayed alone in the apartment, making final touches to her competition entry.

While taking a voice call from Zhou Xuyan.

The other end asked: “He went to the northern suburbs?”

Shi Sui hummed softly.

Zhou Xuyan was quiet for a few seconds, then suddenly said: “Actually, Yan Tingli was pretty good to his little brother.”

Shi Sui’s movements paused slightly.

“I still remember when we were little, he even let his brother into the piano room to play his piano,” Zhou Xuyan said, “Generally speaking, Yan Tingli would never let others touch his absolutely private things.”

“One time, I followed Yan Congjin to play his piano, and he had people come to clean the piano thoroughly, and deliberately dirtied my favorite doll.”

Shi Sui now couldn’t look directly at that piano, responding slowly: “…Oh.”

“Forget it, let’s not talk about this,” feeling the topic was somewhat depressing, Zhou Xuyan said, “Have you decided to go to America?”

Shi Sui responded gloomily: “…If I can go, probably.”

“I’ve been looking for computer experts for you recently, but I haven’t found reliable ones and got scammed out of several thousand…”

“Don’t waste money like that.” Shi Sui didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Zhou Xuyan: “Then, do you have any ideas?”

Shi Sui was quiet for a moment, then shared the unformed idea in her mind.

Zhou Xuyan gasped: “You know what, that could work, it really could work. If you’re desperate, find Su Han’s dad—”

She was halfway through speaking.

Suddenly, sounds came from the living room.

Little Snail prompted: “Fingerprint verification failed.”

“Facial recognition failed.”

“Please verify again.”

Shi Sui’s heart jumped violently. Intense anxiety struck, and she immediately hung up the phone.

She closed her laptop, ran barefoot to open the study door, her heart pounding as she looked at the front door.

Vaguely, Shi Sui heard Song Jie’s impatient voice.

As if she were making a phone call: “Why don’t I have permission for this door lock?”

“He changed it? Isn’t this last year’s trial version? Does the headquarters have any way?”

“Try to unlock it. I need to get in right now.”

The blood almost completely drained from Shi Sui’s face.

All the events of her twenty years combined weren’t as terrifying as this moment.

She turned and ran back to the study, gently closing the door.

She lit up her phone.

Frantically calling Yan Tingli.

At that exact moment.

The unlocking sound came from outside, and Little Snail said in a steady, mechanical voice: “Welcome, Master.”

High heels sound from outside the door.

From the bedroom to the kitchen.

Then, gradually approaching the study.

The high heels clicked rhythmically.

Each step struck Shi Sui’s heart like a hammer.

Shi Sui crouched in the corner by the bookshelf, hugging her knees and curling up, staring blankly at one spot.

Her mind was completely blank, with only two words remaining.

It’s over.

She closed her eyes, her whole body shaking uncontrollably, preparing to face the coming storm.

Suddenly.

Yan Tingli’s icy voice came from outside: “Breaking into a private residence without permission—do you want me to call the police?”

Song Jie’s footsteps approaching the study stopped.

“I’m your mother. Do I need permission to enter your home?”

Yan Tingli sneered: “Now you’re my mother again?”

Song Jie didn’t say much to him.

“Where is she?”

Yan Tingli looked at her.

“Your hidden girlfriend,” Song Jie put her hands in her pockets, looking around, “bring her out for me to see what kind of low-class goods—”

Before she could finish, Yan Tingli pressed his lips together and expressionlessly smashed a cup on the ground in front of her.

The sharp sound exploded, piercing their eardrums.

Song Jie dodged the fragments: “What are you having a fit about?”

Yan Tingli tilted his head slightly, smiling at her: “If you say one more word, I don’t mind exposing all your low-class lovers—from married men to young influencers.”

“If that’s not enough, I’ll add my dad’s twenty-plus mistresses.”

Song Jie looked at him with unfamiliar eyes.

Shocked by the suppressed madness in the young man’s dark pupils.

“Bang.” He cheerfully made a sound effect.

“Stock prices explode.”

Song Jie trembled with rage.

At this moment, she particularly missed Yan Congjin. Thinking of the cold cemetery she had seen that morning, Song Jie felt sadness rise in her heart, then hatred, gritting her teeth: “The fortune teller was right. You’re cursed to harm parents and siblings. Your brother was killed by your curse, and now you want to curse us too.”

The room fell silent.

Song Jie didn’t look at his expression, turning toward the door. Before leaving, she dropped another line: “I’ll find your little girlfriend sooner or later.”

“Bang.”

The door slammed shut heavily.

From the sound, the person should have left.

Shi Sui moved her stiff limbs but felt no joy in surviving a disaster.

Their conversation just now had been heard word for word.

Her sluggish brain tried to analyze this information.

But she was exhausted and couldn’t analyze anything.

Until the study door opened.

Yan Tingli entered.

As if knowing she was here, he didn’t pause, walking directly to this corner.

He crouched down and lifted Shi Sui.

Holding her in his arms, warm kisses fell by her ear. Knowing she was frightened, he said in the gentlest tone possible: “Sorry.”

“There won’t be a next time.”

Shi Sui’s whole body was still stiff and cold. Even being held like this didn’t warm her up.

Her nerves were only one step away from collapse.

She did not react to Yan Tingli’s words.

For a long time.

Only then did Shi Sui seem to suddenly wake up, her pupils slowly moving to look at Yan Tingli.

“Brother Tingli,” she gently tugged at his sleeve.

Yan Tingli also seemed to be lost in thought, his face pale with no color visible.

He looked at her, holding her tighter: “…Mm?”

Shi Sui’s fingers gripped tightly.

Using the gentlest voice of her entire life, she said to him, “I know you’re struggling right now, fighting against them. It’s hard and painful. I don’t want to see you so tired either.”

“We, we,” she used a breathy voice, almost trembling as she pleaded with him, “let’s break up, okay.”