To make up for the debt owed to Lin Qingping and Gu Juncheng

Back in her dorm, Qingtian was packing her luggage when a classmate who had just returned told her that someone was looking for her and to wait outside.

Who else will come looking for her?

Qingtian pondered: Zhangzhu? Or Aunt Lin? She doesn't know anyone else besides them.

Suspicious, he walked out of the dormitory and was surprised to see Wan Xuening outside.

The dean's daughter? What brings you here?

"I don't need to introduce myself, do I?" Wan Xuening looked at her with a condescending expression.

Qingtian gazed at her, vaguely sensing that Zhiyuan's unhappiness might be answered tonight.

Wan Xuening scoffed, "Just got back from a date with Zhiyuan, huh? Happy, aren't you?"

Wan Xuening was extremely aggressive. Before Qingtian could speak, she pressed herself against her, saying, "You're happy and joyful, but do you know how much Zhiyuan is suffering?"

"Did you know that his research project wasn't approved?"

"He worked so hard and put in so much effort, but it still didn't get approved, do you even know that?"

"Also, he had outstanding achievements and could have been promoted to associate professor, but that's now off the table. Did you know that?"

"Do you know why all of this happened?"

With each question Wan Xuening asked, Qing Tian would take a step back, until she was pushed all the way up the steps and, without noticing, fell to the ground.

Wan Xuening's voice came from above, filled with anger and accusation, "It's all because of you! Because of you! Do you know? If it weren't for you ruining things between me and Zhiyuan, my dad wouldn't be angry with Zhiyuan! He wouldn't have refused to approve his research project, and he wouldn't have disqualified him from being nominated for associate professor!"

Wan Xuening's words were like thunderclaps, exploding above her head, striking her like a bolt from the blue, shattering her completely.

"Zhiyuan is so wonderful! A graduate of a prestigious university, a PhD from overseas, the hospital's most valued young talent, a rising star in the medical field, with a bright future! Yes, who wouldn't like a man like that? You like him too, you want to marry him, don't you? Marrying Zhiyuan would be a leap forward for you, going from the countryside to the capital in one fell swoop, how wonderful! Isn't that right? But have you ever thought about what you can bring to Zhiyuan?"

"Besides being a burden, what can you offer him?"

"Are you satisfied now? Zhiyuan has nothing left. You've ruined his life. Are you satisfied now?"

After Wan Xuening finished yelling, she turned around and left.

Qingtian sat on the steps, hugging her knees. For a long time, all she could hear was Wan Xuening's questioning voice: "Besides being a burden, what can you bring him?"

And the clatter of Wan Xuening's high heels hitting the ground as she left was like a giant hammer, each sound striking her heart heavily...

On the morning Qingtian left, Zhiyuan sent her a message, but Qingtian did not reply.

On his way to work, he took a detour to Qingtian School, only to find out that Qingtian and the others had already left.

Zhiyuan stood in the empty campus, a little confused: she had clearly promised him that she would tell him when she left.

He called Qingtian's cell phone, and it rang for a long time before Qingtian finally answered.

A soft voice came from the other end of the line, "Hello?"

"What time is your train? Why didn't you tell me before you left? My mom was asking you about it."

Holding her phone, Qingtian listened to his voice, feeling a sharp pang of sadness in her heart, yet she forced a big smile, as if he could see it. "I told you the bus was leaving together, it's okay, I'm already on the bus. I'm not a child anymore. I'll go play with Aunt Lin when she gets back to the island."

"You only remember Aunt Lin? You little ingrate! I'm still your boyfriend!" Zhiyuan said with a smile.

Suddenly there was silence on the other end.

Zhiyuan quickly added, "I was just kidding, don't be angry. Even if it's fake, you should still tell me, so you can finish what you started!"

There was still no response. After a while, a lot of static appeared. After the static subsided, Qingtian's voice came through again, "The signal is not good. I'll hang up now. Bye!"