Inside the Shanghai University lab, Jun-Yu is standing quietly. Wan-Qing is busy with her own work. In front of Jun-Yu, Professor Lin-Bo-Shi is standing with some papers in his hand.
Lin-Bo-Shi: Where is the rest of the assignment?
Here I only see the assignments from the 14 days after the university was closed. Where is the Zhangmiao lab assignment, Jun-Yu?
Jun-Yu: Sir, I already know all the information about the virus from the Zhangmiao lab. Please give me some time, I will submit the written assignment before going home.
Lin-Bo-Shi: Shut up! Didn't Wan-Qing tell you how important this assignment is? If you score 99.90% on this, you will have the opportunity to pursue a PhD in Germany. Wan-Qing, didn't you tell Jun-Yu?
Wan-Qing: Yes, I did.
Lin-Bo-Shi: These days you all have become very ill-mannered. Acting as if I am not your professor, but you are mine. Jun-Yu, get out of the lab. Stand outside facing the wall for 1 hour. After 1 hour, complete the assignment while standing and come back to the lab.
Jun-Yu seems like a class 4-5 kid. Lin-Bo-Shi is punishing him like this for not doing the assignment. Seeing Jun-Yu being punished like a child, Wan-Qing smiles slightly. As Jun-Yu leaves the lab—
Lin-Bo-Shi: Wan-Qing, let me see your assignment.
Wan-Qing: Yes, sir.
Wan-Qing steps forward and hands over the assignment. Lin-Bo-Shi looks at it—
Lin-Bo-Shi: What is all this you have written? The antidote code of the BE virus inside the antigen code of the HIV virus?
Wan-Qing: Sorry sir, actually I made a small draft note on this page.
Lin-Bo-Shi: Did I give you this assignment for that? You two have become the biggest troublemakers in the world. Go, get out of the lab. Go and complete the assignment nicely with Jun-Yu and submit it.
Jun-Yu has been standing outside facing the wall for the past 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, when Wan-Qing comes out of the lab to take punishment, she sees a handsome police officer walking down the corridor wearing a dark blue shirt-pants and a hat.
Wan-Qing's condition becomes similar to Shi-Han's. Just like Shi-Han's world stops when she sees Jun-Yu, Wan-Qing also stands still for a moment upon seeing the police officer.
Since Jun-Yu is facing the wall, he cannot see who is coming through the corridor. After a while, following the professor's punishment, Wan-Qing stands beside Jun-Yu facing the wall.
The police officer who came to Shanghai University soon walks up to Jun-Yu and places a hand on his shoulder. Jun-Yu looks at him—
Jun-Yu: Shu-Yang, you here? Look, because of you Professor Sir punished me.
Shu-Yang: Because of me? Did I tell you not to do your assignment?
Jun-Yu: Yesterday I wasted my whole day riding with you at Tianma Circuit. So it's all your fault. Now you will take my punishment instead.
Shu-Yang: Oh really? You little devil! So everything is my fault? Did I call you to the circuit? And what were you doing last night instead of doing your assignment?
At Shu-Yang's question, Jun-Yu scratches his head—
Jun-Yu: I told you to drive that girl out of my head but you didn't listen. So to freshen my mind, I played two matches of LOL.
As Jun-Yu starts joking around after seeing Shu-Yang, Shu-Yang takes out his handcuffs and starts putting them on Jun-Yu's hands—
Shu-Yang: You little devil, you've fallen in love and now you're blaming that girl? Wait, I'll punish you now. For the crime of loving instead of doing your assignment, I arrest you, friend. Now come with me.
Watching Jun-Yu and Shu-Yang joking around, Wan-Qing standing beside them smiles softly. Even after being handcuffed, Jun-Yu jokes—
Jun-Yu: Professor Lin-Bo-Shi sir, look, your favorite student is being taken away without any crime by this mischievous police officer.
Although Jun-Yu said it jokingly, Lin-Bo-Shi hears everything from inside the lab. Shu-Yang quickly restrains himself—
Shu-Yang: Hush, shut up you little devil. Why are you calling the senior sir between us?
Jun-Yu: Then release me and tell me why you suddenly came to Shanghai University.
While removing the handcuffs from Jun-Yu—
Shu-Yang: I came to talk to Hui-Min and Wan-Ting's daughter for the investigation of the Liu-Hun Zhi-Ye case.
Hearing Shu-Yang's words, Wan-Qing turns her face from the wall and looks at him.
Jun-Yu: Liu-Hun Zhi-Ye… this case is connected to my grandma and grandpa's death, right? But I don't understand why you came to talk to a senior for this case, Shu-Yang.
Shu-Yang: Yes, Jun-Yu. 18 years ago, when you were 4 or even younger, this incident happened. As far as I remember, though vaguely, apart from your grandparents, two more people died in that incident. I have searched for the identities of those two deceased. If you know Hui-Min Wan-Ting's daughter, then I request you, please take me to her once.
A moment ago the two friends were joking happily, but when Jun-Yu asks the reason for Shu-Yang's visit, Shu-Yang opens the dark chapter of their life's diary. With tearful eyes, Shu-Yang pleads to Jun-Yu, and standing beside them, Wan-Qing's soft eyes fill like a flood of rain.
Jun-Yu: Shu-Yang, please brother don't talk like that. I am less of a friend, more of a brother to you. You are me, and I am you. Never request me again. This is my senior student Wan-Qing—she is Uncle Hui-Min and Aunt Wan-Ting's daughter.
Before Jun-Yu can finish, Lin-Bo-Shi peeks out from the lab door—
Lin-Bo-Shi: Jun-Yu, come inside.
Inside the Shanghai University lab, Wan-Qing sits at her desk. Shu-Yang and Lin-Bo-Shi stand beside her. Jun-Yu sits at his desk, noting something in his notebook while listening to the seniors.
Wan-Qing: 18 years ago I was only 5 years old. Officer, like you, I don't remember all my childhood memories clearly. About the Liu-Hun Zhi-Ye case, I can only say one thing—my parents died in an accident.
Shu-Yang: Ma'am, you can at least tell us your parents' profession.
Wan-Qing: My mother worked at a bar, and my father was a farmer.
Shu-Yang: Do you remember your father's friends or brothers? Which bar did your mother work at?
Wan-Qing: I don't remember which bar my mother worked at. I also don't know if my father had any friends or brothers. However, we had no land. My father worked in strawberry fields, and I think we had a car. I can't clearly say whether it was ours or rented.
Shu-Yang: Thank you, ma'am. I'm grateful for the information you provided. Here is my contact number and WeChat profile QR. If you remember anything related to this case that should be reported to the police, please inform me.
★★★
At the end of winter, a gentle spring breeze is flowing through the university's cherry courtyard. Just as the cherry trees have grown new buds to welcome spring, there are also countless freshly bloomed and withered flowers. In the slow-moving spring wind, the withered cherry blossoms are falling and scattering onto the ground.
In the fading afternoon of spring, the reddish glow of the sun makes the cherry courtyard look even more vibrant. Through this breathtaking beauty of the university, Shi-Han was returning home. The falling cherry blossoms in the gentle breeze turned Shi-Han's walking path into a road of flowers. Walking along this path of fallen blossoms, with petals continuously falling from the trees onto her, gave Shi-Han's heart a feeling of the greatest peace and happiness in the world.
But suddenly, like a shadow of dark clouds over her cheerful heart, Chen-Yu appears sitting in front of her. From a distance, anyone would say that such a beautiful afternoon surely holds a couple spending quality time together. In reality, they were saying—
Chen-Yu: Shi-Han, Shi-Han, wait! Just 1 minute, please wait a bit.
Shi-Han: Chen-Yu, the captain from the club will come to meet me. I have to return to the apartment right now.
Chen-Yu: About? Are you trying to avoid me, Shi-Han? But listen, I truly love you from my heart. I will do whatever it takes to have you. Just tell me once what I can do for you?
Shi-Han: Which girl did you break up with this time before coming to me, Chen-Yu? And you even tried to influence Grandma through uncle and aunt. What else should I ask you to do for me?
Chen-Yu: Do you really think I am that low? You know, even though I don't like gaming, I became a substitute gamer in the Ying-Zhong team for you. Please give me one chance to win your heart, Shi-Han, just once.
Like a lover trying to break his beloved's resentment, Chen-Yu tries to assert his claim and asks for a chance to prove himself. He holds Shi-Han's hand and tries to pull her into an embrace. Shi-Han pulls her hand away forcefully and slaps Chen-Yu across his soft cheek.
Shi-Han: What exactly is your intention, Chen-Yu? Just a few days ago, after breaking up with another girl, you proposed to me to be your girlfriend. But then you broke up with me as well, saying I spend too much time on gaming, that gaming matters more to me than you. And now you're saying you became a substitute gamer in Ying-Zhong team for me? Tell me honestly, what is your real intention?
In front of everyone at the university, Chen-Yu cannot accept such humiliation. After being slapped, his hand itches to strike Shi-Han back. Rage rises to his head. But this is not the moment to retaliate. Chen-Yu controls his anger.
Chen-Yu: Shi-Han, I never thought you would hit me. Honestly, I wanted to prove myself in front of you as the gamer of your dreams. That's why I always told you I don't like gaming.
Chen-Yu was Shi-Han's first crush. But liking someone isn't just about a handsome face; it also requires good behavior, responsibility, and duty. Shi-Han's heart is burning. It feels like her heart is being pierced like a sword, yet her mind says—no more. No more trusting Chen-Yu. A chance can be given once, but giving it again and again turns into exploitation. Still, raising a hand against someone once close to you is not an easy thing. Tears flood from Shi-Han's soft eyes. Her eyes are filled with tears, but her face remains firm.
Shi-Han: Shut up! I know very well a playboy like you. And listen, until now no girl has ever broken up with you—rather, you were the one who broke up with them. But today, I will be the first one to break your false pride. I am breaking up with you.
A breakup is not just separation; it is the breaking of two hearts. Love is a bond purer than flowers, yet at the beginning of spring, in the university's cherry courtyard, like falling cherry blossoms, another relationship falls apart. After breaking up with Chen-Yu, Shi-Han wipes her tears and walks toward her destination.
★★
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