Yu Tian covered her face with the blanket in despair—she felt it might be better if she never woke up.

Yu Tian buried her head like an ostrich for several minutes.

Knowing there was no other way, she finally steeled herself and picked up her phone again.

[Little Fish]: I was asking for someone else. Thank you for Brother Yan Ming’s answer. I’ll forward this suggestion directly to the person who asked the question.

After Yu Tian sent the WeChat message, even though she knew she shouldn’t wait, she couldn’t help herself—she checked her phone every five minutes.

But Yan Ming didn’t send her anything else.

An hour later, confirming that Yan Ming wouldn’t reply again, Yu Tian finally picked up her phone and started checking the messages that Qi Sihao had sent earlier.

Qi Sihao naturally hadn’t offered any constructive suggestions regarding how to pursue Yan Ming, but one of his subsequent messages caught Yu Tian’s attention.

[Qi Sihao Is Especially Nice]: By the way, friendly reminder—don’t forget about the school’s centennial celebration the day after tomorrow!

Truth be told, Yu Tian had completely forgotten.

She had almost sent “not going” when Qi Sihao’s next message arrived.

[Qi Sihao Is Especially Nice]: Latest reliable news—Yan Ming will speak as a distinguished alumnus and guest at the celebration.

Yu Tian thought for a moment and recalled her “not going” message.

[Little Fish]: I typed wrong just now. I’m going.

[Qi Sihao Is Especially Nice]:? I can tell you’re a true, devoted fan of Yan Ming.

Yu Tian remained composed—

[Little Fish]: My choice to go is mainly because of my feelings for the school. People should know gratitude and never forget their roots. If I don’t even go to the centennial celebration, am I still human?

Qi Sihao was apparently at a loss for words and sent a string of ellipses.

Yu Tian didn’t care about Qi Sihao’s speechlessness. Because of Yan Ming, she was quite looking forward to the celebration.

Almost early on the morning of the celebration, she deliberately got up to carefully dress herself, then dragged the still-yawning Qi Sihao back to school.

Rong City Medical University was where Yu Tian’s dreams began, carrying her through five years of struggle-filled yet fulfilling time.

Yu Tian followed Qi Sihao along the quiet avenue lined with sycamore trees on both sides, listening to the babbling stream under the small bridge in the distance, gazing at the solemn school motto stone tablet at the end of the road, her heart filled with complex mixed emotions.

She would continue her studies at this institution of higher learning, however…

Yu Tian couldn’t help but glance at her injured right hand.

To this day, the sensation there hasn’t fully recovered. Her once-nimble fingers could barely complete the fine motor tasks of daily life.

Watching the medical students chatting and laughing as they shuttled back and forth under the green shade, she’d be lying if she said she felt no envy or pain.

Fortunately, the lively atmosphere of the celebration and the festive decorations around campus did somewhat dispel the melancholy in Yu Tian’s heart.

Yu Tian walked toward the outdoor venue while listening to Qi Sihao’s gossip along the way.

The sunshine was beautiful today. Rong Medical University had built a massive new outdoor venue just last year. Besides hosting large-scale campus activities and sports events, it had even been rented for small performances.

Now soft music played here, with crowds of people milling about. Many distinguished alumni who had previously only appeared in the school’s honor roll and bulletin boards were now present, surrounded either by colleagues discussing work or by current students eager to gain insights about career choices and professional directions.

Yu Tian quickly spotted Yan Ming.

Because he was surrounded by the most junior students like stars around the moon.

Yan Ming stood in the center of the crowd with that unforgettable face and upright posture.

As a doctor, he should be quite accustomed to being surrounded by people, but at this moment his brow was slightly furrowed, as if he still wasn’t used to being surrounded by junior students who weren’t patients in this kind of setting. However, he still patiently answered the chattering questions around him.

At this point, Qi Sihao was pulled away by a junior to help, leaving Yu Tian alone.

She didn’t find a chance to greet Yan Ming, not only because he wasn’t free, but also because Yu Tian soon became quite busy herself.

Although Yu Tian was consistently among the top students in her class year after year, compared to someone like Yan Ming, she wasn’t considered a prominent figure.

Yu Tian was quite self-aware—people weren’t approaching her because of her grades or professional achievements, but rather—

Simply because of her face.

Yu Tian possessed very striking features, the kind that were sharp and memorable.

“Which class year are you from? I think I might have seen you in the library before?”

“I’m currently working in the emergency department of a top-tier hospital. If you ever come to our hospital, you can find me and I’ll show you around. Want to add WeChat first?”

“The ceremony is just starting now. I have a reserved seat in the front row with an empty seat next to it. Would you like to sit with me?”

To each person who approached her, Yu Tian chatted politely and gently for a moment, then naturally steered the conversation toward a graceful refusal.

“I won’t chat much longer—I’m still looking for where my boyfriend is.”

Yu Tian used the same excuse to politely decline several people. When she looked up again, she saw that Yan Ming was no longer where he had been.

Had he left?

Where did he go? Was he preparing to go on stage?

Yu Tian was feeling somewhat disappointed when someone gently tapped her shoulder from behind.

Thinking it was Yan Ming or Qi Sihao, she turned around full of anticipation, the smile in her eyes and at the corners of her mouth frozen on her face before she could withdraw it, and then she saw Zheng Tingfu.

Months later, he looked radiant. He wasn’t wearing a doctor’s white coat but was dressed in a suit, looking more like a financial district elite spouting professional English terms than a doctor.

He looked at Yu Tian with passionate yet melancholy eyes: “Xiao Yu…”

Yu Tian’s face seemed to have some kind of magnetic pull, drawing Zheng Tingfu’s gaze. He stared at Yu Tian’s face for a long time before his reluctant gaze moved down to look at Yu Tian’s injured hand: “Your hand…”

His expression was very pained and restrained, as if he were the one who had been injured, not Yu Tian.

“Did you know I was coming? I just heard you saying you were looking for your boyfriend…”

Yu Tian had always thought Zheng Tingfu was gentle and harmless, but at this moment, she only found him wishy-washy and tedious.

Yu Tian withdrew her smile, speaking with polite but distant courtesy: “Senior.”

Zheng Tingfu seemed to want to take Yu Tian’s hand.

Unfortunately, Yu Tian was prepared and stepped back.

Zheng Tingfu grasped at the air.

He looked somewhat embarrassed, then gazed at Yu Tian with pleading eyes like a helpless victim.

“Xiao Yu, what happened back then was my fault, but precisely because I know I wronged you no matter what, I felt too ashamed to see you. During your time in the hospital, I didn’t dare visit you.”

Zheng Tingfu looked truly pained: “I never thought such a thing would happen, never thought there would be such an extreme patient with a twisted mentality, never thought he would attack you with a knife.”

Zheng Tingfu’s gaze at Yu Tian was very affectionate: “You knew I was coming, so you came too, right? I just heard you say you were looking for your boyfriend, so have you actually forgiven me in your heart and are still looking for me…”

But before Zheng Tingfu could finish speaking, he was interrupted by a female voice—

“Tingfu!”

The newcomer was a petite girl with an unfamiliar face, average looks, but an expression that was somewhat imperious and spoiled. She looked at Yu Tian with eyes full of hostility.

She possessively linked her arm through Zheng Tingfu’s, lifted her chin to glance at Yu Tian, then looked at Zheng Tingfu: “Tingfu, since it’s such a coincidence, why don’t you say what you want to say to her right now?”

Perhaps because the girl’s voice was shrill and the atmosphere among the three of them was filled with melodramatic soap opera weirdness, quite a few glances were cast their way.

Zheng Tingfu’s eyes showed reluctance and pity as he looked at Yu Tian, but finally, as if making a great decision:

“Yu Tian, I’m sorry, but I think we’re not suitable for each other. It’s better if we break up and each find our peace. Saying this, I think it’s both an explanation to you and to my past relationship, as well as being responsible to Zhao Xinxin.”

At this point, Zheng Tingfu glanced at the girl beside him, assuming a protective posture: “But don’t blame Xinxin—she’s not a third party. To be honest, you and I haven’t been in contact for months. I think you know in your heart that our boyfriend-girlfriend relationship has long existed in name only.”

“Since we happen to have this opportunity to meet, I want to make things clear with you and formally end this relationship, so that Xinxin can start a new relationship with me without any psychological burden.”

Yu Tian listened quietly to all this, her heart rising with incredulity and absurdity.

She didn’t even interrupt or refute, because she wondered just how ridiculous things could get.

Zheng Tingfu’s inner feelings were not as righteous as his words. As he spoke, he didn’t even dare look directly at Yu Tian, staring at the ground instead: “As for your hand, although it’s not my responsibility, and I know you’ve already sued the perpetrator through legal channels, out of humanitarian concern, I’m still willing to contribute some money, hoping you can live better…”

After the incident, Yu Tian hadn’t harbored resentment toward Zheng Tingfu.

Even though going to Zheng Tingfu’s hospital that day was something Zheng Tingfu had repeatedly begged and strongly insisted on.

Even though it happened in the pediatric consultation room where Zheng Tingfu worked.

Even though the emotionally unstable medical troublemaker burst in with a knife, Zheng Tingfu abandoned Yu Tian, who was waiting for him to finish his morning clinic, abandoned the last little patient still waiting in the consultation room, and ran away by himself first.

Even though after the injury, when it was uncertain whether her hand function could be restored after surgical suturing, while she lay in the ICU intensive care unit, Zheng Tingfu didn’t even come to visit…

Yu Tian hadn’t tried to connect the consequences of her hand injury with Zheng Tingfu.

But now, she had never despised Zheng Tingfu as much as she did at this moment.

And had never found anything so ridiculous.

It was because of this type of person in front of her that she injured her hand, making it impossible for her to ever become an excellent surgical doctor again. Even for the rest of her life, this once extraordinarily nimble right hand might not be able to complete fine motor tasks in daily life.

How ironic.

Yu Tian sneered inwardly.

She looked around. Although people were coming and going, everyone was busy chatting with their old classmates or acquaintances, and not many people were paying attention to Yu Tian and the others.

She didn’t argue or confront Zheng Tingfu.

Yu Tian’s voice became somewhat tearful as she looked at Zheng Tingfu with her beautiful, bright black eyes, her tone becoming soft and gentle instead, like a harmless small animal: “Senior, didn’t you say you would only love me for your entire life? How is it that now that my hand is injured, you want to abandon me? But my hand is already like this—if I lose you too, what will I do in the future?”

Zheng Tingfu indeed began to waver. His expression became flustered and embarrassed, and he started pulling his arm away from Zhao Xinxin’s grip, unconsciously taking two steps toward Yu Tian.

He did like Yu Tian very much, which was why he had pursued her for three whole years, though unfortunately, Yu Tian had only treated him with courtesy and shown no intention of taking things further.

The only thing that changed the situation was when he rotated into pediatrics at the hospital.

Yu Tian became curious about hospital rotation work and gradually became interested in the topics he discussed.

Only then did Zheng Tingfu succeed in his persistent efforts, getting Yu Tian to agree to try starting as friends.

Undoubtedly, Yu Tian was very beautiful and smart.

If it were before…

Zheng Tingfu began to feel conflicted. If it were before, if Yu Tian had tried to keep him like this, he would have chosen Yu Tian.

After all, her hand seemed to be recovering fairly well—it wouldn’t affect daily life, just couldn’t be a doctor. That would be perfect, since having one doctor in the family was enough. If Zheng Tingfu were a doctor, Yu Tian didn’t need to be one and could wholeheartedly take care of the home, leaving Zheng Tingfu without worries.

But fate played tricks—he had recently happened to meet Zhao Xinxin. Although she was average-looking and had a spoiled personality, she had a good family background. Her father was a mid-level official in Rong City’s Health Bureau.

In this medical incident, Zheng Tingfu had abandoned a small patient and run away. While not illegal, his reputation at his current hospital wasn’t good, his relationships had become somewhat strained, and future advancement at this hospital would likely be constrained. But because Zhao Xinxin had asked her father for help, Zheng Tingfu was able to transfer hospitals to the better First Affiliated Hospital, to a better surgical department.

The transfer order would come through in a week.

Yu Tian saw the struggle in his expression and called out in a timid, sad voice: “Senior.”

Now Zheng Tingfu’s hesitation became even more obvious—so obvious that Zhao Xinxin exploded with rage.

“Tingfu! You’re my boyfriend! Not hers! With hands like that! What can she do? What help can she be to you?!”

Zhao Xinxin and Zheng Tingfu indeed showed signs of an impending argument, and their commotion finally drew others’ attention. More and more gazes glanced their way, curious about what was happening.

Yu Tian felt her purpose had been achieved.

She smiled, staring at Zheng Tingfu, and said softly: “Boyfriend?”

Zheng Tingfu was very conflicted. Wanting both fish and bear’s paw, he held Zhao Xinxin’s hand while looking at Yu Tian: “Xiao Yu… I… I do have feelings for you… But…”

Such greed—wanting what he had while longing for what he couldn’t have.

Yu Tian stopped pretending. She darkened her expression and said word by word: “Too bad I have no feelings for you.”

“Never have.”

“And I’ve never considered you my boyfriend.”

“Between you and me, it was always you shamelessly pursuing me one-sidedly, while I only agreed to try starting as friends, not as boyfriend and girlfriend.”

“Don’t you think it’s ridiculous that you’re now coming to me to solemnly tell me we’re breaking up and you’ve found someone new? It’s like never having married but insisting on making a big fuss about divorce.”

Yu Tian’s lips curved slightly upward with contempt and sarcasm: “Zheng Tingfu, in modern society, breaking up is people’s freedom, but when were we ever together? How come I don’t remember?”

“Who do you think you are to me? Who are you?”

Regardless of Zheng Tingfu’s face turning the color of pig liver, Yu Tian looked at Zhao Xinxin’s equally ugly expression and said wantonly, “Miss Zhao Xinxin, you don’t need to worry. I won’t compete for this harmful garbage that is Zheng Tingfu. If you want to turn waste into treasure, go ahead and take him.”

Yu Tian raised her hand: “He’s too unlucky. The only time I agreed to visit his department to understand the pediatric work environment, this happened. If you’re with him, you’d better see if your luck is strong enough.”

“However, since Zheng Tingfu makes you treasure him so much, he must have many advantages. For instance, his body must be very strong—otherwise, when the medical troublemaker came, he wouldn’t have run away at championship sprinter speed, leaving someone with poor physical fitness like me to take several knife wounds.”

This was Yu Tian’s most wanton venting since her injury. Her beautiful lips contained many other cutting remarks, and the revenge and anger in her heart were about to pour out.

However, when she looked up, Yu Tian saw a pair of eyes staring at her.

Yan Ming’s eyes.

He was looking at Yu Tian through the bustling crowd and noisy voices, his gaze both shallow and profound.

Yu Tian, who had just been righteously fearless facing Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin, somehow suddenly deflated under this pair of watching eyes, like the anger in her heart had lost its steam.

She was like a balloon deliberately inflated to the critical point of explosion.

Originally brewing a spectacular self-detonation, but when the moment came, she suddenly deflated and fizzled out.

Yu Tian’s momentary courage suddenly vanished almost entirely.

Her heart was filled with panic, embarrassment, and awkwardness.

She didn’t know how much Yan Ming had seen.

She had dressed up carefully, specifically to see Yan Ming, had come specifically to see Yan Ming, only to end up encountering Zheng Tingfu and letting Yan Ming witness such a spectacle.

Yu Tian felt like someone who had used some brief magical elixir to double their martial arts power, only to become timid and anxious after the elixir wore off, returning to her original power level and becoming at a loss.

In front of Yan Ming, she always seemed to be making a fool of herself.

She didn’t dare meet Yan Ming’s gaze.

No longer caring about Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin’s reactions, she looked around unnaturally.

Then Yu Tian noticed her untied shoelaces.

Because she was returning to school, even though carefully dressed, Yu Tian still dressed in a more student-like direction, wearing canvas shoes that gave off a more youthful vibe.

Zhao Xinxin was already furious. Having a tantrum, she pointed at Yu Tian’s nose and shrieked at Zheng Tingfu: “Look at this kind of woman! What’s good about her?! And you still say you have feelings for her!”

Zheng Tingfu’s face alternated between green and red as he gently coaxed Zhao Xinxin with apologies: “I was just saying that. After all, she injured her hand and is quite pitiful…”

While saying this, Zheng Tingfu looked at Yu Tian with the gaze of someone who had trusted the wrong person: “I just didn’t expect I pitied you for nothing. Didn’t expect you were this kind of person…”

Yu Tian almost laughed with anger.

What kind of person was she?

Yu Tian didn’t want to stay another minute.

She wanted to leave immediately.

But the broken shoelaces made her hesitate.

With these untied shoelaces, even if she was very careful to avoid tripping while walking, she would still walk unconfidently due to various concerns, unable to hold her head high and walk gracefully.

But if she had to bend down to tie her shoelaces first…

Yu Tian bit her lip, regret and pain becoming stronger than ever before.

She didn’t care about Zheng Tingfu.

But clumsily tying her shoelaces with her injured hand in front of him, Yu Tian’s remaining pride wouldn’t allow her to do that.

The simple choice of leaving or not leaving suddenly became an insurmountable river blocking Yu Tian’s path.

No matter what she chose, it would be like wading alone through water, inevitably ending up soaked and disheveled.

But Yu Tian never expected that before she made her decision, someone would come sailing a small boat across the stormy sea.

“Yu Tian.”

The cold-textured male voice seemed to be the only sound Yu Tian could hear amidst all the surrounding noise and clamor.

She turned around and saw Yan Ming.

He still appeared as he had when Yu Tian first saw him—with that inhuman beauty and that unapproachable, unfathomable temperament.

Yu Tian suddenly became nervous and at a loss.

She didn’t know what to say.

But Yan Ming spoke first.

He looked at Yu Tian calmly: “Your shoelace is untied.”

“…”

What a way to point out exactly what she didn’t want mentioned!

Yu Tian was internally devastated, but could only explain with embarrassed politeness: “I’ll… later…”

But before she could finish saying “tie,” Yan Ming, who had always seemed to live on the moon, suddenly bent down.

He said nothing more, simply crouching down in front of Yu Tian, his tall, slender legs folding.

From Yu Tian’s angle, she could see the playful cowlick on his head that contrasted with his cool, distant personality.

He was tying Yu Tian’s shoelaces.

Yu Tian’s eyes widened, staring at Yan Ming, who was bent over, almost half-kneeling and crouching at her feet, still unable to believe what she was seeing.

Yan Ming was tying her shoelaces!

Not only was Yu Tian in a shocked mental shutdown, but the several people around her were also somewhat dumbfounded.

Zheng Tingfu stared at Yan Ming’s face with tightly pressed lips, his face flashing with unwillingness and frustration. Zhao Xinxin’s face showed undisguised jealousy and indignation.

The commotion between Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin had been quite loud, and with many graduates from various fields attending the celebration, people around who recognized Yan Ming began whispering.

“That super handsome one is Yan Ming.”

“Wow! I always heard teachers mention him when I was in school, but this academic genius looks like this?”

“Absolutely! But what’s this situation?”

“That guy seems to have cheated? After cheating, he still can’t forget his white moonlight ex-girlfriend and wants to have it all…”

“No way? With a male god like Yan Ming, who would still look at him? He should look in the mirror—and he’s such a trash character-wise. I didn’t hear everything, but apparently when they encountered medical troublemakers, he abandoned his ex-girlfriend and ran, causing her to get injured.”

“What ex-girlfriend? Didn’t you hear her say they never even dated?”

“Anyway, what a scumbag! Getting close to this kind of garbage man brings misfortune…”

These observing alumni didn’t fully understand the details, but piecing things together, they got the general picture. Dozens of pairs of eyes looked at Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin with disdain and curiosity, making their faces, already black as pot bottoms, turn red with renewed embarrassment.

For someone like Zheng Tingfu, who craved reputation, losing face was what he cared about most. This moment must have been unbearably worse than death for him.

Yan Ming hadn’t come alone. A man who had been following beside him was now looking at Yu Tian with an amused expression.

Yan Ming’s fingers were as nimble at tying shoelaces as they were with a scalpel. From bending down to finishing the shoelace tying took only about half a minute.

But this half minute felt magnified hundreds of times for Yu Tian.

Half a minute had thirty seconds, and one second had a thousand microseconds.

Yu Tian felt like she could experience every slowly progressing microsecond.

Then she saw Yan Ming stand up, look at her, his beautiful brow slightly furrowed, his diamond-shaped lips slightly parted, producing a cold but somehow bewitching voice.

“What are you standing there for?” He looked at Yu Tian expressionlessly. “How long are you planning to waste time here with inexplicable people?”

Yan Ming’s attitude wasn’t particularly good, and his words weren’t particularly intimate.

But this time, his eyes looked at Yu Tian, and Yu Tian was the only reflection in his pupils.

In that instant, Yu Tian suddenly felt like crying.

She felt that Yan Ming had seen all her previous awkwardness, and he was so cold, yet so thoughtful.

Yu Tian suddenly no longer felt angry. Her pain and regret also became diluted.

Miraculously, her heart became peaceful and gentle again.

She let down her previous guardedness and sharp sensitivity, obediently allowing Yan Ming to lead her away from the crowd, leaving the complex-eyed Zheng Tingfu and Zhao Xinxin behind.