“Yes, I quit. I’m not working there anymore.”

Regarding her resignation, Cheng Wanyue had originally planned to tell Qing Hang in person, which was why she had brought dinner to the hospital.

Qing Hang was busy with work, mostly working during the day with night shifts only about once a week. When he was free, she was working. The time they could meet was quite limited.

Before deciding to quit, Cheng Wanyue had considered this issue. Qing Hang’s work situation wouldn’t change for the time being, but she was free.

Of course, this wasn’t the main reason for her job change. It was a factor, but not entirely because of him.

When he had pulled her out of the bar earlier, she hadn’t struggled, but that was only because she didn’t want to embarrass him in front of others. It didn’t mean that a few drinks had calmed her anger.

Cheng Wanyue shook off Qing Hang’s hand a second time. “I’m going home now. Do you need something?”

Her body staggered backward, nearly twisting the heel of her shoe. As people passed by, Qing Hang pulled her toward him, gently rubbing her wrist with his fingertips. His brows were furrowed, but his tone softened. “Wanyue, don’t go back yet.”

Even if he submitted his resignation letter at eight o’clock tomorrow morning, he couldn’t just leave immediately.

“She’s my senior from the same academic group. We have a collaborative research project. I didn’t give her the jade pendant. How could I possibly give something like that to someone else?”

It would have been better if he hadn’t mentioned it. As soon as he brought up Li Yu, Cheng Wanyue’s temper flared. “Have you been with her all week?”

Qing Hang explained in a low voice, “It’s just work.”

“Go find her, not me,” Cheng Wanyue pushed him away forcefully.

She started walking back toward the bar. Qing Hang tried to stop her several times, but she pushed him away each time. Hearing her call Yan Ci’s name, the emotions he had been suppressing finally surfaced.

There had never been a shortage of men around her, neither in the past nor now.

Qing Hang knew that jealousy was an ugly emotion, but in front of her, he was just an ordinary person. His emotions were magnified—he felt jealous.

“Cheng Wanyue, who was that person outside the bathroom just now?”

Her attitude was dismissive. “I don’t know.”

An ordinary friend wouldn’t help her put on her shoes, especially not half-kneeling on the floor.

“I can openly explain my relationship with Li Yu. Can’t you do the same?”

“I already said I don’t know. What more do you want to ask?” Cheng Wanyue genuinely didn’t remember Chi Yue’s name. They hadn’t exchanged contact information.

The anxiety, urgency, and cautiousness in Qing Hang’s eyes gradually faded. His tightly clenched fist was so forceful that blood seeped from the not-yet-healed scrape on the back of his hand. Sweat flowing into the wound caused a burning, stinging sensation that spread.

The light reflected on his face, and the faint smile at the corner of his lips held a hint of self-mockery. “Is it that every time I disappoint you, you can immediately turn and find someone else?”

Cheng Wanyue laughed coldly. “Don’t think I like you so much that I would shamelessly throw myself at you. My feelings for you haven’t reached that level.”

“Did you give me a chance to explain?”

“She explained to you. What you’re saying isn’t as clear as what she said.”

“If it’s been explained clearly, why are you still so angry?”

“Yes,” Cheng Wanyue lowered her head and murmured, “Qing Hang, why am I angry with you?”

She didn’t know how Qing Hang had discussed their past with Li Yu. She had never talked about it with anyone else.

Even someone completely unrelated was defending him. It seemed that all he remembered were her flaws.

But when had she ever looked down on him? When had she belittled him?

“What other reason could there be?” Her emotions suddenly collapsed. “Because I’m domineering, unreasonable, making a fuss about nothing. Because I just love getting angry, I just enjoy tormenting you, okay?”

Qing Hang closed his eyes briefly. His clothes were damp with sweat, and even his voice sounded extremely tired. “Cheng Wanyue, talk properly.”

“This is how I am—no cultivation, no education, no tolerance. If you can’t stand it, don’t stand in front of me. Get out of my way, don’t block me.”

“Places like bars are chaotic. You’re already drunk. I won’t let you go in.”

“I like places like this. Stop controlling me.”

Cheng Wanyue didn’t even look at Qing Hang as she strode into the bar.

Yan Ci was standing by the elevator, contacting the taxi driver’s friend. Cheng Wanyue was already crying when she walked in, and without waiting for him to speak, she hid behind him.

It wasn’t because she felt wronged, but because she felt embarrassed and didn’t want strangers to see her.

Yan Ci looked outside. “Did Qing Hang leave?”

Cheng Wanyue covered her face with both hands, her voice choked. “Whatever.”

“I can understand if he couldn’t console you, but how did he end up making you this upset? You spent over half an hour doing your makeup before going out. It’s such a waste to cry it off,” Yan Ci was dressed simply and didn’t have tissues. She didn’t have any in her bag either. “Just use my clothes to wipe your tears for now.”

Cheng Wanyue didn’t stand on ceremony and directly lifted his T-shirt to wipe her tears.

Yan Ci clicked his tongue twice, pretending to be disgusted. “Don’t wipe your nose on it.”

Her hands were sticky, perhaps from soap that hadn’t been rinsed off completely. After wiping her tears, she casually wiped her hands on Yan Ci’s waist.

It was at this moment that Qing Hang entered.

What he saw was Cheng Wanyue crying while hugging Yan Ci.

Although Yan Ci was two years older than her, he had always been different from Cheng Yanqing and Cheng Yuzhou.

“Cheng Wanyue,” Qing Hang’s gaze fell on her hand at Yan Ci’s waist.

They both looked over at him. Qing Hang also saw the redness around her eyes, glistening with tears. “Do you still want to reconcile? If you do, let go of your hand. If not, pretend I was never here.”

Yan Ci immediately knew that Qing Hang had misunderstood. “This isn’t—”

“Yan Ci is like my sister, my brother,” Cheng Wanyue interrupted Yan Ci. “We’ve known each other since we were little and grew up together. My hugging him is just like hugging A’Yu. Not only am I just hugging Yan Ci, but what if I were dating him? At least he’s someone I once truly liked. What right do you have to look at me with such disappointed eyes?”

Qing Hang laughed softly. “So you remember that Yan Ci is someone you once truly liked. Is he the same as Zhou Yu in your heart?”

…

In that first year of high school, the first love letter Qing Hang received at school wasn’t meant for him.

Cheng Wanyue was two years younger than Yan Ci. She had just started her first year of high school, while Yan Ci was already in his final year. After the college entrance exam in June, he went to university, and their chances to meet would only decrease.

She couldn’t remember when she started liking Yan Ci. In her memory, Yan Ci liked her first.

No, she should say, she thought Yan Ci liked her.

During the summer after ninth grade, Cheng Wanyue wanted to learn to swim. When Yan Ci went to the swimming pool, he took her along. The pool was small, with no separate sections for men and women. Before even getting into the water, Cheng Wanyue saw the tattoo on Yan Ci’s waist.

A single letter: Y.

Except for Qing Hang, everyone in their group had the letter Y in their name, but at the moment she saw the tattoo, Cheng Wanyue didn’t realize there were others. From the moment she mistakenly thought Yan Ci had tattooed her name on his body, her feelings for him changed.

That summer, she wanted to find Yan Ci almost every day, which was why she hated Qing Hang’s tutoring sessions.

She had even discussed with Cheng Guo’an whether Yan Ci could replace Qing Hang. Yan Ci’s grades were also excellent, but Cheng Guo’an said having Qing Hang tutor her would ease Grandpa Qing’s burden when accepting payment. Besides, Yan Ci was under a lot of pressure in his final year, barely having enough time to sleep, let alone teach her.

The weather in April wasn’t particularly warm yet. The senior class had half a day off on weekends. Before returning home, Yan Ci had played basketball on the field. He had casually placed his jacket on a nearby bench, with his exercise book and materials underneath.

Cheng Wanyue had originally planned to wait until after his exams, but she couldn’t wait any longer. Two months seemed too long.

Taking the opportunity to watch them play basketball, she secretly slipped the love letter she had written into the exercise book. Cheng Yanqing called her to buy some water from the store, but she pretended not to hear, gently patted Yan Ci’s jacket, and ran off.

What she didn’t know was that those exercise books and materials were all given by Yan Ci to Qing Hang.

The only people who saw this love letter were Qing Hang and Cheng Yanqing. Even Yan Ci himself didn’t know about it.

The pink letter paper fell out of the exercise book, landing beside Qing Hang’s foot.

Cheng Yanqing picked it up casually and read it in a glance, coughing with laughter. “Yan Ci likes Zhou Yu. Cheng Wanyue wouldn’t compete with Zhou Yu. She must have lost a game and been urged by her friends to confess to someone, or maybe it was a dare. Let’s pretend we never saw this.”

Cheng Yanqing took his things and left, not taking the love letter seriously at all.

It was just a piece of paper, but in Qing Hang’s hands, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

The content was simple, basically inviting Yan Ci to meet in the alley outside the Cheng family compound. She said if Yan Ci didn’t come, she would wait until dawn.

Around seven o’clock, it started raining outside. The sky darkened, and the rain gradually intensified.

The house was always damp when it rained, and White City’s rainy season was particularly long. It was an old house from many years ago. The landlord hadn’t sold it, waiting for demolition and relocation.

Grandpa had rheumatism, and his legs were very uncomfortable on rainy days. Qing Hang heated water for Grandpa’s foot soak and massage.

There were only two people at home, making it too quiet. Grandpa reminisced, occasionally telling jokes.

Qing Hang was distracted because he kept wondering if Cheng Wanyue had brought an umbrella that day.

After Grandpa fell asleep, Qing Hang hesitated repeatedly, but finally took an umbrella and went out.

There were fewer people on the streets in the rain, and the alley was empty. Qing Hang stood under a streetlight, his shadow faint on the stone-paved road.

Cheng Wanyue had already gone home. She wouldn’t wait until dawn.

…

Cheng Wanyue held back her tears. Qing Hang’s expression just now had hurt her deeply. “If I say it’s the same, then it’s the same. What relationship do we have? Why are you interfering in my business?”

Yan Ci couldn’t stop her. She was drunk, and on top of that, she was angry, capable of saying anything.

If it had been someone else, her provocation might have led to an immediate confession. But this was Qing Hang, and even Yan Ci, who had known them for many years, couldn’t fully understand their past.

One was stubborn, and the other was even more so.

“Yes, what relationship do we have?” Qing Hang asked Cheng Wanyue, and also himself.

Before he turned to leave, the jealousy that had been tormenting him inside had already calmed down. If they continued, the only person who would be embarrassed would be him.

“Cheng Wanyue, you’re still the same as before. You haven’t changed at all.”

Once obtained, then discarded.