Zhong Ming and Cheng Lele sat on a bench by the moat.

Cheng Lele’s gaze followed the dappled light and shadows swaying in the wind beneath the parasol trees. Her face deathly pale, she smiled slightly: “Sorry for making you act as a shield.”

“It’s okay. I graduated and got into grad school in Beijing. He probably can’t beat me up there.”

Cheng Lele raised her eyebrows: “I didn’t even know you successfully got into grad school. Bringing it up so suddenly now won’t distract me.”

“Fine.”

The two fell silent for a while.

After waiting a long time, Zhong Ming grabbed some grass and folded it casually, glancing at Cheng Lele beside him who was almost sitting like a bronze statue: “If you want to cry, I’ll lend you my shoulder. Charged by the minute.”

Cheng Lele shook her head: “I cried enough last night. Poor people can’t afford to cry in public.” She really didn’t feel like crying much. She just felt pain. As if her soul had traveled back several years to when her father passed away—her whole body filled with loneliness, chaos, and anguish with nowhere to vent.

Sigh, did it have to be this tragic? Zhong Ming asked: “Did you have to be so ruthless?”

The sunlight faded somewhat, and a breeze picked up. The river’s surface shimmered with light, like it was covered with koi scales.

“When I was little, everyone took such good care of me. Even when Dad passed away and Mom’s health deteriorated, they didn’t let me mature at all. Like a child, I wanted everything.”

Cheng Lele lowered her head.

Mom’s nerves were delicate. Her condition had just improved and couldn’t withstand any turmoil. She couldn’t entrust her to strangers far away, even if those strangers seemed beyond reproach on the surface.

She was Mom’s last line of defense. Wherever Mom went, she had to guard that place. Back when Dad had just passed away, Little Bro had recognized this reality, which was why he chose to accept the recommendation to the local university. He was very farsighted, but he couldn’t overcome fate’s mockery. He gave up Tsinghua and Peking University, and now through a series of mishaps, she had no choice but to go far away to Beijing.

However, if she told him honestly, Little Bro would definitely understand and support her. Perhaps the moment he learned Mom was remarrying and moving to Beijing, he would change his life plan again behind her back. Just like giving up Tsinghua and Peking University, he would abandon his startup team supported by connections in the provincial capital and start over in Beijing.

Or he might pay prices she couldn’t even imagine right now. Given this precedent, she was terrified Little Bro would repeat the same mistake. She couldn’t bear Little Bro making any more sacrifices.

Before, she had been naive, only knowing to rely on Little Bro, to depend on Little Bro. Whatever she wanted, she had Little Bro give her. But she had finally grown up a bit and understood the principle that people can’t just take without giving back. And the romantic love Little Bro wanted, she couldn’t give right now. She couldn’t promise when she’d be able to give it, or if she’d ever be able to give it in this lifetime. She couldn’t shamelessly string him along, delay him, and give him a bad check that could never be cashed.

Little Bro was so outstanding. He deserved someone better.

She suddenly remembered the idol drama she had shared with Little Bro a few years ago, that female lead she had cursed countless times as a despicable turtle spirit. It turned out that experiencing it firsthand was this desperate and helpless.

Cheng Lele stood up, gripping the mottled railing by the moat, continuing from her previous sentence: “Before, my greed always succeeded because someone was paying for it without complaint or regret. That person is outstanding, proud, all-capable, and has an immeasurable future. I can’t bear to see him like this anymore.”

Cheng Lele raised her head. Dark clouds gradually gathered in the distant sky. In the blink of an eye, the brilliant golden light was completely swallowed up.

“So, I can’t want everything anymore.”

She turned to look back. From now on, Chen An would no longer be on her path of retreat.