Upon hearing this, a hint of amusement, but mostly confusion, appeared in Durrell Landon's eyes:
"Since I've been treating you fairly well, then why do you still want a divorce?"
Is it absolutely necessary to get a divorce...
Quiana Sutton seemed somewhat powerless as she slumped onto the sofa, her eyes revealing a trace of defeat and emptiness at this moment.
Perhaps she felt she might actually be somewhat fond of him, which is why she had to divorce.
Love is something that makes a person greedy and weak, and both are things she cannot afford to have.
She chuckled softly, as if mocking herself: "Who knows, maybe I think you might be a little fond of me."
Durrell Landon: "???"
He likes her a bit, so she wants a divorce?
What exactly is she thinking?
"And what about you? Do you like me?"
Quiana Sutton glanced at Durrell Landon, knowing exactly what he intended to say; their relationship was supposed to be just a game anyway, and since it had deviated from its course, it must end.
Sometimes, she was really grateful to Evelyn Windsor for coming back at this time, letting her wake up before she fell too deep.
She released her momentary tenderness but quickly wrapped herself up again, returning to her usual cold and hard demeanor, and answered indifferently:
"I don't like you."
Upon hearing this, Durrell Landon's eyes suddenly darkened, and a faint cold air swelled in the atmosphere.
At this moment.
Riventon Hospital.
Oliver Gale pushed open the door to the director's office, where Julian Haworth was tending to the plants. Seeing the visitor, Julian Haworth asked disdainfully:
"What brings you here?"
Oliver Gale found a comfortable spot and lazily sat down:
"Durrell wants some alone time with the girl, Quiana, so I came over since I had nothing else to do."
Upon these words, with a "snap," Julian Haworth unknowingly broke one of the plant's branches, asking expressionlessly:
"Is it possible that Durrell really likes Quiana Sutton?"
Oliver Gale shrugged his shoulders: "Who knows..."
He looked around: "By the way, where's Knight Tamworth? I haven't seen him around."
Julian Haworth stared at the broken plant in front of him, imagining it as Quiana Sutton, and cut another branch forcefully, then took a slightly relieved breath:
"He's back with The Raven to repair the surveillance from when Durrell had the accident."
He had heard from Knight Tamworth before that the car accident wasn't simple, and now that Knight Tamworth was going back to The Raven to restore surveillance video, his expression unconsciously turned more solemn.
"Repairing just one surveillance video should be a piece of cake for Knight Tamworth, why must he return to The Raven?"
Julian Haworth: "This surveillance was deliberately destroyed, recovering it isn't that easy."
Oliver Gale remained silent, there's an unspoken feeling of an impending storm, a sense that the world is about to collapse.
"Julian, in about a week, Durrell's injury will be almost healed, so once it's over, how about I become the number one surgeon at your hospital's surgery department?"
Julian Haworth laughed at him: "Haven't you always complained that this temple is too small to accommodate a Buddha like you?"
"Now I've changed my mind."
"It's up to you..."
Oliver Gale is welcome at Riventon Hospital, naturally.
*
*
Three days later.
Ever since Quiana Sutton and Durrell Landon's talk ended unhappily three days ago, they haven't spoken a single word to each other.
It had rained yesterday, the air felt damp, and the mood became much more oppressive.
Oliver Gale was not aware, about what happened between them after he left that day, but he clearly knew that with both of their personalities, neither was capable of telling the truth. At this moment, he didn't dare speak lightly, gently swaying the tea in his cup, his gaze shifting between Quiana Sutton and Durrell Landon.
Durrell Landon finished his breakfast slowly, stood up, and spoke coldly:
"Let's go, put on a mask and head to Ardane University."
Quiana Sutton didn't stand up, she didn't even lift her eyelids: "Why go to Ardane University?"
Durrell Landon: "Made an appointment with Professor Knight Tamworth today to pick up the genuine piece of 'Starry'."
Having said that, he left without looking back and appeared cold and intimidating.
Quiana Sutton hesitated for a moment but still followed.
Throughout the journey, neither of them spoke, the silence in the car was terrifying, and this was the first time the driver felt so frightened while driving, feeling as though it took an eternity to finally arrive at Ardane University.
The driver spoke cautiously: "Young master, we've arrived at Ardane University."
The office and teaching buildings of Ardane University are not in the same place but on opposite sides, connected by three stone bridges, beneath which flows a gentle river with willows providing shade along the banks.
He had just sent Professor Knight a message, and Professor Knight was still in class, asking him to wait directly in the office.
He turned to glance at the window gazing Quiana Sutton, his mind pondering a peculiar thought, almost as if she would just need to say a single word and he would overlook everything, yet she said nothing, leaving only indifference and her back to him forever.
Suppressing the anger in his heart, he opened the car door without looking at her, leaving the brief statement: "Stay in the car and wait."
Then he left.
The two seemed to have returned to the initial state when Durrell lost his memory, just defensiveness and coldness towards her.
Quiana Sutton turned back looking at his silhouette, feeling a sense of relief, yet also an indiscernible trace of unease.
…
Having waited for over an hour and Durrell Landon hadn't returned, Quiana Sutton, feeling quite bored in the car, decided to step out and stretch her legs.
She walked onto the stone bridge and leaned against the pillar discerningly, admiring various fish swimming beneath.
At this moment, a senior was seeking out campus beauties, and upon seeing Quiana Sutton from a distance, he was instantly mesmerized.
Even with a mask, obscuring her face, he could sense her grace that was as poetic and picturesque, her surroundings merely serving as her backdrop.
Unconsciously, he set up his camera to capture the moment.
Quiana Sutton sharply sensed the subtle flash of light and instinctively lifted her head.
Her gaze met his eyes, the scene seemingly dreamlike, a mere glance from him, eternally imprinting a mark upon one's heart.
He hurriedly posted on the school forum.
[SOS help needed, does anyone know this student's batch, department, or major?]
Replies quickly followed.
[Help! I've never seen such a beauty on the stone bridge.]
[Absolutely envious of the poster.]
[Being envious is useless, the poster is too timid, not daring to ask personally, only posting here.]
…
After following hundreds of replies, suddenly someone responded:
[I'm certain this person is Quiana Sutton!]
[???]
[???]
[The person is wearing a mask, how can you be sure it's Quiana Sutton?]
[I'm Quiana Sutton's anti-fan, I can recognize her even if she turns to ash.]
The poster meekly asked: [Why do you dislike her so much?]
Anti-fan: [Because whenever she appears in public, her makeup and outfit always shadow Evelyn, and I'm Evelyn's true fan.]
The poster searched the web for a few photos of Quiana Sutton, feeling his heart pounding tremendously, discovering a sensation of love even as a straight guy indifferent to celebrity fanfare.
He now completely believed the person he captured was Quiana Sutton, the facial features in the photos were identical.