The Pan family disagreed with how the Jiang family treated Jiang Yan.

Pan Baohua went to Nanjing and berated the Jiang family members until they were thoroughly humiliated. His message was clear: even the smallest connection to the remaining influence of the Jiang family would be shameful – who would want any association with them? He wanted nothing to do with them!

Yes, absolutely nothing!

As Pan Baohua spoke these words with bulging eyes, the Jiang family members wanted to crush him, and some even wished to shoot him on the spot – but could they? Pan Baohua wasn’t raised to be frightened, and the Jiang family wouldn’t dare pull the trigger.

Jiang Yan’s parents wept and cursed, but she remained unmoved:

“Third Brother paid for my medical treatment in America, so if he’s going to the Marine Corps, I’m going too!”

Jiang Yan said this deliberately.

The Jiang family members were all infuriated.

This was the absolute truth – the Jiang family had tried to force Jiang Yan into a connection with Zhou Cheng, showing no concern for her overseas medical treatment. Now that Jiang Yan brought this up, the Jiang family couldn’t find any way to refute it.

Was Jiang Yan suggesting she would follow Pan Baohua?

Pan Baohua was the Jiang family’s sworn enemy!

He was just a reckless warrior with no family background – what help could he possibly be to the Jiang family?

These people, with their fixed mindset, always believed that one’s achievements depended entirely on family background… Like summer insects that cannot comprehend ice, Jiang Yan had never agreed with the Jiang family’s methods, and now she had absolutely no attachments left.

Of course, she wasn’t planning to cling to Pan Baohua.

Those words were meant purely to anger the Jiang family.

The Jiang family believed that Third Brother Pan couldn’t achieve much on his own, and they certainly didn’t believe that she, as a woman, could go far without support.

Well, she was going to rely on herself.

Zhou Cheng opened the car door, letting Xia Xiaolan get in first, naturally placing his hand above to protect her from bumping her head. Zhou Cheng’s gesture was completely natural… Jiang Yan watched through the rearview mirror and lowered her head.

These two had been together for about three years, hadn’t they?

Zhou Cheng showed no signs of growing tired of her, still protecting and caring for her – it had become a habit, an unspoken understanding.

Pan Baohua drove wildly, making the jeep feel like a bumper car, jolting into the city until Xia Xiaolan’s face turned pale:

“Third Brother, are you deliberately trying to avoid treating us to dinner?”

Pan Baohua laughed heartily: “Sorry, I forgot you’re different from us rough folk.”

Xia Xiaolan laughed too, “What rough folk? Third Brother, that’s just you – my Chengzi and Jiang Yan aren’t like that.”

Zhou Cheng pondered – was this her marking her territory?

“Third Brother, let me treat you and Jiang Yan instead. I’ve already proposed to Xiaolan, and we’ll probably get married next year. We hadn’t told you this news before, so let’s celebrate today.”

Darling, how was that for coordination?

Zhou Cheng felt he deserved praise, and Xia Xiaolan’s eyes were full of laughter – their chemistry was definitely above 80 points.

Jiang Yan raised her head.

“…Congratulations.”

Her heart felt bitter.

Just saying “congratulations” had been extremely difficult.

During the meal, Jiang Yan suddenly raised her glass: “Zhou Cheng, Xia Xiaolan, let me toast to you both.”

Xia Xiaolan didn’t hesitate, raising her glass with Zhou Cheng and drinking it all.

“Jiang Yan, we wish you good health and hope you achieve your career goals soon!”

“We’ve always been friends, in the past, present, and future.”

Jiang Yan tilted her head back and finished her drink.

Pan Baohua slapped the table, “Wouldn’t it have been better to be this open from the start? All this awkwardness was killing me. Let’s drink! Nobody leaves tonight unless they’re drunk – anyone who walks out straight doesn’t respect me!”

Pan Baohua was happy.

He, Chengzi, and Jiang Yan would be fighting together in the Marine Corps again.

He didn’t know why Jiang Yan suddenly decided to let go, but given her personality, once she’d spoken so clearly, she would never have other thoughts about Zhou Cheng again.

Xia Xiaolan had been made to drink quite a bit, and when Zhou Cheng took her back to school, she tried to stand straight at the dormitory entrance to fool the dorm manager’s eyes.

The dorm manager’s auntie looked at her glazed eyes and the smell of alcohol, feeling deceived:

“No men allowed upstairs! You’re so drunk – can you even climb the stairs? Someone calls Room 307, their roommate is drunk and needs help getting up!”

Even Zhou Cheng’s position as team leader was useless.

While supporting Xia Xiaolan, he endured various criticisms from the dorm manager’s auntie.

He was too well-behaved to talk back, while his beloved could only give silly smiles to the dorm manager.

When Yang Yonghong rushed down with others, Su Jing couldn’t help but laugh: “Instructor Zhou, did you get our Xiaolan drunk?”

“I-I’m not drunk!”

Xia Xiaolan shook her head vigorously.

Yes, yes, you’re not drunk – then why are you swaying while walking? Try speaking without slurring.

The girls from Room 307 carried Xia Xiaolan upstairs.

At Huaqing University’s gate.

Jiang Yan was hunched over a garbage bin, vomiting extensively.

Only after emptying her stomach did she feel slightly better.

Pan Baohua, who had drunk just as much, was completely fine. He tossed a handkerchief to Jiang Yan to wipe her mouth:

“How did you suddenly come to terms with everything? Your words today surprised Third Brother, but I’m happy for you!”

Jiang Yan sat on the roadside.

“I just felt it was pointless. I said I liked Zhou Cheng without considering his feelings. When I went back to Nanjing, I found the Jiang family still making decisions without asking my opinion… I don’t like being a Jiang family member, yet I was acting just like them.”

What were Zhou Cheng’s feelings?

Zhou Cheng had never said he didn’t want to be friends with her.

She was the one who wanted more.

Zhou Cheng had someone he loved, so he could only avoid her.

And today when they met, whenever Zhou Cheng spoke to her, his eyes never left Xia Xiaolan.

It wasn’t fear of Xia Xiaolan’s anger – it was genuine affection. Their eye contact was like intertwined threads, inseparable.

Jiang Yan saw everything clearly at that moment.

No, she had probably given up long ago, but only at that moment was she willing to admit it.

If Xia Xiaolan had been an unlikeable person, it would have been easier – Jiang Yan could have persisted, and could have sustained herself with the belief that she needed to “save Zhou Cheng from Xia Xiaolan.” But while Xia Xiaolan wasn’t gentle-tempered, she was the kind of person even hospital workers liked.

When she was sick in America, the Jiang family showed no concern, but regardless of whether Xia Xiaolan was pretending or not, she had visited her many times.

Pan Baohua patted her shoulder:

“Now that’s the Jiang Yan I know. Being able to take it up and put it down – there are plenty of good men in this world, not just Chengzi. Tell me honestly, did you like him for his good looks? Third Brother will remember this and find you a handsome one!”

Pan Baohua wanted to recommend himself, but Jiang Yan had refused several times already – he wondered if it was because he looked too fierce.

Zhou Cheng slowly walked out, overhearing this.

He also showed a relaxed smile, extending his hand to Jiang Yan who sat on the curb:

“We may not be lovers, but we’ll be friends for life unless you don’t want to see me anymore. When you find the right person, Third Brother and I will be like your family brothers. If he dares to bully you, we’ll stand up for you!”