The summer night in June was so stifling hot it made people anxious. That boy who had confessed his feelings ultimately left with his face flushed red.

Who at Yishan Number One High School didn’t know Pei Chuan now?

The renowned top scorer in science for the college entrance exam. However, no one would have expected the relationship between Pei Chuan and Bei Yao. The boy’s expression was very complicated when he left, but since they had graduated after all, there was no way for this gossip to spread.

The roadside trees swayed gently in the breeze. Bei Yao curved her eyes, her pupils filling with the sky full of stars.

She turned to face him, calling his name in a crisp voice: “Pei Chuan, Pei Chuan!”

He gritted his teeth, ashamed of his inability to control his emotions. His resolve was shattered again and again. Her eyes were simply too bright—the stars were blinking happily in them.

Pei Chuan lowered his gaze, only speaking after a long while: “That person just now isn’t good. He has no spirit. When girls look for boyfriends, they can’t choose this type.”

If he didn’t even dare to fight for her, what kind of spirit did he have?

She laughed uncontrollably: “Mm-hmm, yes.”

He fell silent again.

After a long time, Pei Chuan asked: “What if I’m not there?”

What if next time someone confesses to you and I’m not by your side?

Bei Yao said: “I’ll tell them I have a boyfriend already.”

He clenched his fists. Silly girl.

Bei Yao walked with him in the direction of home. Bei Yao asked him: “Pei Chuan, what major did you apply for?”

“Computer science.” Pei Chuan looked at her. “What about you?”

Bei Yao said: “I won’t tell you now. Wait until July and you’ll know.”

He lowered his eyes.

Bei Yao had actually applied for medicine. She ultimately chose to become a doctor.

She didn’t have Pei Chuan’s brilliant mind and wouldn’t be able to invent things to contribute to the country in the future, but as a doctor, she could best care for this sensitive, self-conscious man.

Just like that night at B University when Pei Chuan insisted on carrying her on his back, even now she still didn’t know what kind of pain and harm that was for someone wearing prosthetic limbs.

No one loved him, so she would use everything she had to love him.

When Bei Yao boarded the bus home, she waved at him: “Pei Chuan, see you at university in September!”

His knuckles turned white as he watched the girl’s departing figure.

The bus slowly drove away. There was an accessories shop at the corner of the street, and music drifted over from afar.

The shop owner was playing Teresa Teng’s 1980 song “On the Water’s Side.” A female voice sang leisurely—

“…I wish to go against the current,

To nestle by her side.

But alas, there are dangerous rapids ahead,

The road is long and far.”

Pei Chuan watched the bus getting farther and farther away, suddenly taking a few steps forward: “Yao Yao!”

The summer night was long and cool.

The wind brushed through his black hair, but she was already getting farther and farther from him. He began running through the night.

Yet the song still echoed in his ears—

“I wish to go with the current,

To search for her direction.

But I see only vague shadows,

She’s in the middle of the water.”

He forgot about his残肢 stumps, forgot that he was a person without lower legs, and ran after that bus: “Yao Yao!”

Look back at me one more time—goodbyes can’t be this pale. He wanted to see her a little more.

But in the end, the song grew more and more distant, and the streetlights dimmed. Pei Chuan’s steps staggered, and he fell sitting in the middle of the road.

That bus had long since disappeared.

On this summer night in 2009, this evening was a beginning in Bei Yao’s heart, but in Pei Chuan’s heart, it was a quiet farewell.

~

In July, universities would issue admission notices one after another. Bei Yao was very happy when she checked online and found her admission notice, but only Zhao Zhilan gasped: “Yao Yao, you chose to study medicine? Do you know how hard studying medicine is? Being a doctor is very difficult.”

Bei Yao said with a smile: “I know. I like it.”

“I heard you have to do dissections and things like that. As a girl, aren’t you afraid?”

Bei Yao said: “Mom, there are so many female doctors in the world. None of them are afraid.”

Zhao Zhilan was still worried. She had gotten into B University—wouldn’t it be better to choose something like business and sit in an office afterward?

Bei Licai came over and said: “Alright, alright, as long as our daughter likes it, why are you worrying? Besides, teacher and doctor are both good professions.”

Bei Yao also nodded: “Yes, the employment rate is very high. There will be hospitals that want you as soon as you graduate.”

With her husband and daughter on the same side, what could Zhao Zhilan do? She looked at her young son at home who was eager to become an Olympic champion and thought that although her daughter’s future work would be a bit hard, at least it was settled. Her son was the real headache.

What every city paid most attention to was which universities the top scorers in liberal arts and sciences applied to.

The top liberal arts scorer in C City went to X University, while the top science scorer Pei Chuan went to B University.

The day Pei Chuan checked and found his B University admission notice, the sky began drizzling with continuous rain again.

Summer rain was always like this—sudden yet prolonged.

When police cars drove into the apartment building one after another, Pei Chuan calmly closed his computer.

Police broke through the door. The leader, holding a gun, looked at the only young man in the room and asked: “Are you Pei Chuan?”

Two police officers in the back row exchanged glances. The young man in the room didn’t look very old at all, completely unlike the creator of the chaos that had occurred over the past year.

So young, yet able to create such things.

Pei Chuan stood up and extended both hands.

When the handcuffs were put on him, everyone in the room fell somewhat silent.

They had arrested criminals for so many years, but this was the first time they had seen someone like Pei Chuan, who sent them all the evidence and hideouts together—from Singapore to domestic locations, thirteen in total, with details down to the number of people, criminal histories, family backgrounds. The total number of people involved was fifty-six. Cases the police hadn’t been able to solve for years—he had sent all the information.

Based on the information he provided, the police caught every single person cleanly.

There was abundant evidence, each one deserving the death penalty.

That night, all the police officers’ hands trembled as they looked at the materials.

And this young man was their accomplice, or rather, the creator of dangerous goods.

He had betrayed everyone and then turned himself in.

When the police officer pushed him forward, Pei Chuan asked: “Officer Cui, have all the people been arrested?”

Officer Cui had complicated feelings about Pei Chuan. He said: “They’ve all been arrested.”

“That’s good.” He said in a low voice, “Not one can be left.”

No one present spoke.

The July rain fell pitter-patter. The police sirens made everyone in the apartment building poke their heads out to look.

Pei Chuan stood in the rain, looking in the direction of the old residential area, only getting into the car after a long while.

No one could hurt her, including himself.

~

The biggest news in July was that C City’s top science scorer was arrested on suspicion of criminal activity.

B University ultimately withdrew the admission notice they had issued to Pei Chuan.

The name “Pei Chuan” had been in the news three times. The first time was for the 1996 drug enforcement case, the second time was for becoming the top science scorer, and the third time was for criminal activity, with media reports everywhere.

He was like a firework in the dark night—brilliant for an instant, followed by a lifetime of quiet silence.

Sociologists wrote articles analyzing Pei Chuan’s upbringing, sounding a warning bell for future generations.

Even if someone is a genius, they cannot take dangerous shortcuts and become a madman.

The court hearing for Pei Chuan’s case was scheduled for January of the following year.

The case was too complex, involving too many people, and required much time to sort out.

When Bei Yao saw this on television, her mind practically buzzed, and then she immediately turned and ran toward the door.

At that moment, Zhao Zhilan was also stunned. She stared wide-eyed, unable to believe any of this. These diligent, law-abiding common citizens who had worked hard their whole lives found it difficult to imagine that a child they had watched grow up would one day become a criminal.

Bei Licai frowned: “Yao Yao! Where are you going!”

“Dad, it can’t be like this. I need to find Pei Chuan and ask him clearly!”

Bei Licai grabbed his daughter’s arm: “You’re not allowed to go! Where would you go to find him? Look at these words on the television—major criminal! Wake up!”

Zhao Zhilan also came to her senses and wouldn’t let her daughter leave.

Bei Yao cried: “He promised me. We were going to go to university together, go to B University together to see the snow. He promised me…”

Zhao Zhilan was shocked: “You and he…”

“Mom, I’m begging you, please let me go see him.”

Zhao Zhilan’s mind was in complete chaos. This was the first time she had seen her daughter cry so heartbrokenly. However, this time it wasn’t an ordinary matter of giving in. What was involved was no longer an ordinary young man, but a criminal.

Zhao Zhilan said: “No, he’s a criminal now! Yao Yao, you’re about to start university. You can’t be entangled with him anymore.”

Bei Yao shook her head. She wiped away her tears and instead became calm: “I want to see him. Mom, if I can’t see him today, then tomorrow. If I can’t see him tomorrow, then next month. If that doesn’t work, then next year. You can’t stop me for a lifetime. Ever since I was little, I’ve been both foolish and stubborn. If he’s a good person, then I like a good person. If he’s a bad person, then I simply like a criminal. If I don’t go see him, I won’t be able to move past this day for the rest of my life.”

The rain outside the window had been falling for several days already. At this moment, there were several small puddles on the road.

Zhao Zhilan’s heart turned cold for an instant.

Yet she was also deeply shocked.

For the first time, Zhao Zhilan realized her daughter had grown up. Yao Yao said, if Pei Chuan is a good person, then I like a good person. If he’s a bad person, then I simply like a criminal.

As long as Pei Chuan was still Pei Chuan, then she must see him one more time in this lifetime.

Zhao Zhilan’s eyes stung with tears. Her heart was both angry and pained. Finally, she opened her umbrella: “I’ll take you there.”

Mother and daughter went to the police station together.

A police officer glanced at Bei Yao: “He’s not here with us. Suspects like this get transferred. We’re not exactly sure where specifically. Young lady, go home with your mom.”

Bei Yao said: “You’re lying to me!”

The police officer frowned.

Zhao Zhilan said: “Yao Yao! How can you speak like that?”

Bei Yao broke free from her mother: “He told you to say this, didn’t he?”

The police officer’s face turned cold: “If you don’t believe me, then there’s nothing I can do. I’m just a small police officer—I don’t have such great authority to help you search for people.”

The young girl refused to leave and stayed outside the police station for a night.

That night was especially cold, with both thunder and rain. A female police officer couldn’t bear it and opened her mouth several times. Her male colleague shook his head at her. After all, it was still unknown how many years that person would be sentenced to. Don’t ruin the girl’s future. Besides, the person really had been transferred. A small city like theirs didn’t dare handle such a major case.

The female officer gritted her teeth and closed her mouth.

Zhao Zhilan said: “Yao Yao, let’s go home. You haven’t eaten either. Mom will feel distressed.”

Bei Yao’s teeth chattered. She shook her head.

Mom would feel distressed, and he would feel distressed too. Once he felt distressed, he would see her.

Zhao Zhilan’s eyes reddened. She brought a blanket over and held her daughter: “Yao Yao, Yao Yao, listen to Mom. You’re still young now. One day you’ll be able to forget these things. Let’s go home, go home.”

By daybreak, he still hadn’t seen her. Only then did Bei Yao realize that this time he truly didn’t want her anymore.

He couldn’t have her, couldn’t afford to have her anymore.

She had thought that once they got through their youth, she could accompany him for a lifetime. Pei Chuan’s life had been too bitter—she wanted to give him a warm home. But this bastard had ultimately abandoned her in the end.

After daybreak, Bei Yao took out the small yellow talisman from her collar.

She quietly opened it and took out what was inside.

At that moment, the sun rose, and the police officers were all there too.

Bei Yao sat on the steps. Sunlight poured into her hand. The stone in her palm split the sunlight, radiant and magnificent.

Everyone turned to look.

Bei Yao’s tears fell.

In her palm was a diamond. A round diamond that had been cut countless times, as large as a pearl.

In 2009, its value was equivalent to seven or eight of the best houses.

It was the last thing Pei Chuan had left her.

The diamond was originally meant to be set in a wedding ring, but Pei Chuan knew he couldn’t afford to give her that ring, so like a clam, he had endured the pain and polished it into the shape of a pearl.

Pei Chuan hadn’t lied to her about anything. He really had worked very hard, worked very hard to get into B University.

He also remembered that afternoon when she gave him a woven grass ring. Bei Yao had said with a smile: “I’m especially greedy. I’m giving you this now, but in a few years, you have to give me back a real one, you know?”

What had he said then? He had said gently, “Okay.”

She looked at the diamond in her palm, tears streaming down her face.

“Mom, let’s go home.”