“Because I heard the screening was particularly strict, I wasn’t sure if I’d be selected, so of course, I waited until it was confirmed to tell you. If this made you uncomfortable, I apologize. As for meeting up, I don’t see it as a problem. We can write letters, and if there’s a phone there, even better. If there isn’t, I’ll find a way to solve it. Phone contact is equally possible.”

Shan Yujun explained calmly.

Kang Wei’s head throbbed:

“When we could meet in person, why rely on letters? Can letters let me hold your hand, kiss you, hug you? Xiao Shan, I can understand you not wanting to meet my family, but in making your choices, have you ever considered me?”

Having a cultured, well-educated girlfriend, Kang Wei cherished her greatly.

Conversely, he felt Shan Yujun didn’t cherish him much.

This feeling was very unpleasant. If she didn’t need to consider him in her life plans, then to Shan Yujun, he was just dispensable.

Shan Yujun noticed Kang Wei’s anger.

She should have changed her approach to soothe Kang Wei’s emotions, and she indeed tried:

“I know you admire Xiaolan. Aren’t Xiaolan and Zhou Cheng persisting the same way? Xiaolan even went abroad for a year’s exchange, and I don’t think they broke up because of that! We can also—”

“I do admire Sister Xiaolan, she’s helped me understand many things. But Brother Cheng is a soldier, I’m not! Sister Xiaolan sacrifices a lot, but I never wanted you to sacrifice too, so why should we deliberately make life difficult?”

Kang Wei was frustrated.

Sister Xiaolan and Brother Cheng were indeed determined – from the start of their relationship, they were destined for long-distance.

But that was determined by Zhou Cheng’s special profession.

Kang Wei respected how they remained committed to their relationship, never breaking up despite various challenges, continuing until now.

But that didn’t mean his relationship with Shan Yujun had to follow such a difficult path!

He couldn’t be Zhou Cheng.

They were different in every way.

Zhou Cheng dared to go to the frontlines, but Kang Wei didn’t – not just because he was timid, but also because his family forbade it.

When things could be easy, why make them hard?

Zhou Cheng had no choice – wearing that uniform meant responsibility, but Kang Wei had choices.

Shan Yujun remained silent, looking down at her boots. After a while, she raised her head:

“Kang Wei, I know you accommodate me a lot, but relationships need more than accommodation – they need mutual understanding and respect. If you truly understood me, you’d naturally understand my choice. Since I’ve passed the initial screening, I’ll follow my heart and do what I want to do… If you can’t accept this, I wish you happiness.”

Wish him happiness?!

The words were too subtle – it took Kang Wei a moment to react.

He… was he just being broken up with?!

Kang Wei had become quite composed now, dealing with different people in business required hiding his thoughts, naturally becoming more steady.

But at this moment, he was truly infuriated.

“Xiao Shan, you’re amazing!”

Giving Shan Yujun a thumbs up, Kang Wei turned and left.

Considerate, he truly was considerate.

But Young Master Kang had his pride too – he wasn’t some pushover willingly acting like a love-sick puppy.

He felt Shan Yujun had stolen his lines. If communication failed, he should have been the one to say “If you must go, let’s break up,” but Shan Yujun said it first.

Having his lines stolen… Kang Wei walked quite a distance before slowly coming to his senses. Shan Yujun didn’t seem to be joking, so if he didn’t agree to her teaching support plan, they would break up.

Kang Wei squatted by the roadside, taking out cigarettes and a lighter from his pocket.

Whether from the strong roadside wind or his severely shaking hands, he failed to light the cigarette after several attempts. Kang Wei lost patience and threw both cigarette and lighter away:

“Damn it!”

He was seething inside.

Mixed with grievance.

Hadn’t he been serious enough about this relationship?

In dating Shan Yujun, he’d been considerate in every way. Forget about the money spent, he’d invested time and energy. Those didn’t even count – what about his emotional investment?

He had considered Shan Yujun his life partner.

First dating, then marriage after her graduation – they’d completed half the long march. With Shan Yujun about to enter her final semester, Kang Wei had seen the dawn of victory.

At this point, Shan Yujun wanted to go teach!

And just because he voiced some opposition, he got dumped?

Shan Yujun was his first love.

The more Kang Wei thought, the more troubled he felt. Shan Yujun wasn’t impulsive, she was very rational, and hadn’t been arguing just now – it didn’t seem like words spoken in anger.

Even if he turned back now and agreed to her teaching support plan, could they pretend nothing had happened?

No.

He didn’t want to agree anyway.

Kang Wei wanted to drink with Shao Guangrong.

Shao Guangrong was at the hospital, attending to Xiao You. When Kang Wei finally found him, Shao Guangrong was completely unwilling:

“Brother, can’t you see I’m busy?”

“Xiao Shan broke up with me. I’m troubled, want to drink?”

Shao Guangrong was stunned.

Breaking up?

Wasn’t breaking up common? Why be so troubled? Few people succeed in relationships on their first try!

No, no, Kang Wei was different from him. This kid had never dated before, Shan Yujun was his first love – Recalling his depression after breaking up with his first girlfriend, Shao Guangrong decided he must go drink.

Forgetting about attending to Xiao You, Shao Guangrong put his arm around Kang Wei’s shoulders:

“You decide where we drink.”

Everything was fine, why break up?

Kang Wei wasn’t a playboy, had a good family background, and could earn money himself. Shao Guangrong couldn’t understand – with such conditions, how could he get dumped? On what grounds?

He dragged Kang Wei to find a place to drink.

No need to urge him – Kang Wei downed two large glasses himself. Shao Guangrong had a bad habit of loose lips when drunk, so he hadn’t drunk for a long time to restrain himself. Today he had to accompany Kang Wei – this was what childhood friends and brothers were for!

“Tell me, what exactly happened?”

Kang Wei explained Shan Yujun’s unilateral decision and her words. He couldn’t understand:

“Is that teaching support program more important than me?”

“…Brother, nothing more to say, let’s drink another glass.”

Shao Guangrong felt annoyed with Shan Yujun.

There were many couples with different ideas. What was dating if not constantly seeking common ground while preserving differences, constantly adjusting through communication, constantly compromising and accommodating each other? She hadn’t even tried to resolve issues with Kang Wei, and hadn’t considered mutual compromise – she just dumped him directly. To the romantically experienced Shao Guangrong, this meant Shan Yujun had already been thinking of breaking up and was just using this as an excuse.

So what exactly was Shan Yujun unsatisfied with?

His brother was so excellent – as a Huaqing female student, could her standards be that high?

Speaking of Huaqing, something struck Shao Guangrong. He pushed the slumping Kang Wei:

“What did you say earlier – why did Shan Yujun mention breaking up? She wanted to join the ‘Young Eagle Takes Flight’ teaching support program, right?”

Wasn’t this program first proposed by Sister Xiaolan?