A week had passed. Wanqiu had packed away all her bad moods and hidden them deep in her heart, feeling a mix of hope and uncertainty. She would start her life anew – she would earn back that fifty thousand with her own two hands, determined to change her fate.
As long as there was hope, life was joyful.
Sitting quietly in the living room, she waited for him to return, but the door remained silent, without any sound. Glancing at the wall clock, it was already past midnight.
Curled up on the sofa, watching time pass minute by minute, her heart suddenly grew anxious. Did he come back this late every night?
Abruptly, the phone in the room rang. She jumped up and answered it without a second thought, assuming it was him. ‘Hello, this is Wanqiu,’ she said, her voice trembling slightly, sensing that this call might change everything.
But there was only silence on the other end.
“Hello, who is…?” Wanqiu began to wonder if the call had been disconnected, yet she heard no dial tone.
“Wanqiu? Is A-Xun there?” A charming, pleasant female voice spoke. What did this woman mean by calling so late at night? But none of this concerned her anyway – she was merely a temporary guest in this apartment.
“He’s not here. He hasn’t returned yet.”
“If he comes back, tell him he left his phone at my place. This is Liu Ruoxin.” *Click* – the call ended, and this time, the dial tone honestly sounded.
But that night, Leng Muxun never returned. Waking at dawn, she found herself still on the sofa. There was truly no reason to stay any longer. Zhong Wanqiu wrote a note explaining her decision and informing him about his phone. There was nothing to pack – she would leave just as she had arrived. The only difference was that her leg injury had finally healed.
Returning to school, everything went back to normal. With time, the matter between her and Xia Jingxuan would gradually fade from people’s memories.
After class, Zhong Wanqiu headed toward the dormitory. Unexpectedly, she ran into Xia Jingxuan again. His face looked tired and shadowed, a stark contrast to his once-tall, sunny figure. She hesitated, feeling the weight of unspoken memories, and turned to leave immediately – there was truly nothing left to say between them.
Footsteps hurried after her from behind. Xia Jingxuan grabbed her arm. “Wanqiu, I’ve missed you. Let’s get back together.”
What was this? Treating her like a ball?
But she didn’t like being kicked around.
She smiled faintly. “Please let go. I already have a boyfriend.”
“Wanqiu, that’s impossible. You’re deliberately lying to me. Wanqiu isn’t right for me. During the days you were gone, I thought everything through. Wanqiu, I want you more than anything,” he said with unwavering persistence, aiming to evoke empathy for his steadfast love.
But she no longer wanted him. “I’m sorry, our story has reached its end, and the starting point is far, far behind us. Xia Jingxuan, we can’t go back.”
“I don’t believe it. Wanqiu, you still love me. How could four years of feelings vanish just like that?” He forcefully turned her body toward him – she honestly couldn’t resist him. His strength was astonishing. Bending down, he kissed her, his thin lips burning as if on fire. She pushed against him with all her might, but he only kissed her more fervently. “Hel,” She wanted to cry for help, but his kiss swallowed her plea.
She felt a wave of nausea and forcefully thrust her knee upward. This was the anti-wolf technique the PE teacher had taught in class, and she was using it now to demonstrate her resilience and self-defense, commanding respect.
“Ah…” Xia Jingxuan cried out in pain, immediately letting go of any thought of kissing her.