From the second day of military training onward, the whole campus had been swallowed by noise and energy.
Daytime meant freshmen shouting their lungs out under the brutal sun on the football field; nighttime was filled with song, dance, and skits.
Everywhere were slogans plastered along the road, a sign of the school's militarized management. Patrol squads of outstanding freshmen even marched around with prop rifles, pretending to keep order.
Time slipped away with the cadence of boots under the sun, and soon, the military training concluded with its final ceremony.
Ji Yu stood quietly beside Tang Li, her head slightly lowered. The sun was merciless as always—perhaps even harsher that day. But unlike usual, the bleachers were crowded with upperclassmen, all eager to watch the freshmen's suffering.
On the field: silence, breath, and ringing ears.
In the stands: laughter.
The honor guard marched in perfect step, escorting the flag to the pole. The ordeal was finally coming to an end.
At the same time, in a quiet café across town, Qin Xiao stirred her coffee with an air of exasperation as she dropped two sugar cubes into the milk tea across from her.
"Isn't today the last day of your school's military training? Don't you plan to show up?"
Her voice was soft but edged, as she lifted her cup to her lips. Opposite her, Yu Yuan's expression darkened, his spoon slowly circling in the cup as if the melting sugar was the only thing worth his attention.
"You faked illness to skip last time, and now you're skipping again. Careful, or you'll end up short on credits and kicked out."
He didn't respond. The light café music couldn't soften the heaviness between them.
"Mom's worried about you. You haven't gone home in three years."
Qin Xiao's words came gently, but her sideways glance carried weight.
Yu Yuan let out a cold laugh, tapping his spoon against the cup with deliberate rudeness. "And what do you expect me to do about it, my dear half-sister from another father and another mother?"
Her fingers froze on her cup.
"If she just needs someone to take care of her when she's old, isn't that your job? Why drag me into it?"
Before she could reply, he cut her off again, his smile sharp.
"You're the real child. I'm not. She's sick, and I'm just the stepchild who doesn't belong. So why bother?"
Qin Xiao exhaled slowly. "I'm not asking much. You're always skipping classes at Yuyang University. Going home once in a while to see her won't kill you."
Yu Yuan leaned back, silver hair catching the sunlight, his grin dazzling but cruel. "And ruin your perfect little family's reputation? The successful CEO, the boutique owner, the beautiful woman clinging to some rich man… all of you doing so well. Why bother with the disappointment?"
Her eyes chilled, but he welcomed that look.
"Tell me—when your dad wasn't home, did you still call her 'Mom'? She's only a few years older than you."
Qin Xiao lowered her head, refusing to answer.
"Anything else? You dragged me here first thing in the morning. I'm tired, I want to sleep. Oh—and you're paying for my milk tea. Didn't bring money."
She closed her eyes, weary. "…Fine."
For a moment, she thought she heard his footsteps falter before leaving.
She had always given him a sister's indulgence, but to him, that care—coming from a family bound only by names—would never be anything but poison.
Time passed, as it always did in real college life: plain beginnings, plain endings.
By late November, the air had turned cool.
Outside a dormitory, Ji Yu waited in the chill, her legs wrapped in thin stockings under a fluffy white down jacket. She rubbed her thighs with a small smile—this outfit, carefully chosen by her sister, had warmed her both inside and out.
Soon, the boy she was waiting for appeared.
Tang Li wore a long gray wool coat that matched his tall frame. A silver chain swung against his hoodie, his Adam's apple above it drawing the eye almost more than his sharp features. The slim black jeans lengthened his legs even further, completing a picture of casual elegance.
"Sorry—did you wait long?" he asked.
"No, not at all. Did your roommates already go ahead?"
"Yu Yuan booked the private room. They're just waiting for us."
"Taxi, or slow ride on the subway?"
"Taxi, of course. The Xi'an Hotel isn't far."
A bitter wind swept across the pavement, stinging her legs. Ji Yu bent down quickly to tug at her stockings, worried the cold might tear them.
"Seriously, what's the occasion today? It's freezing, and you're all going out for dinner—at a hotel, no less."
"Who knows? Some rich guy's treating us. We just tag along."
The afternoon sky had already sunk into a gloomy dusk. Clouds pressed low, and the gusts that slapped their clothes drummed an unpleasant rhythm. Ji Yu cupped her ears against the wind, her face pale until Tang Li hailed a taxi. The warm air inside eased her at once.
"Xi'an Hotel, please," he said smoothly to the driver.
As the men chatted easily, Ji Yu turned her face to the window. The sky looked heavy. Maybe it would rain soon.