Chapter Nine, Graduation

Soon, someone walked onto the stage, and Su Cuo carefully observed, among them was Chen Zijia. The entire venue fell silent with a "whoosh." This atmosphere made Su Cuo realize that this scene was the climax of the entire play

The two walked towards the parking lot, and for a moment, no one spoke. Chen Zijia helped her place her luggage in the back seat and said, "I am not driving today, so you can rest assured."

Su Zhi walked over in a staggered manner. He was seven parts drunk, but upon seeing the photo, the alcohol seemed to evaporate instantly, and his shock and astonishment only intensified compared to Ying Chen. His brain reacted faster than usual, as if something within his mind had erupted with a thunderous sound.

More than ten days later, he will return home with Ying Chen for a period of time to bid farewell to his family, and then return to this city to take a flight to France, beginning his study abroad life there. It is easy to imagine that, with the love of their parents, they will be unable to carry their own belongings.

As graduation approaches, the school is filled with a festive atmosphere reminiscent of an impending apocalypse. The senior students pile up their old books from the past four years and begin selling them by the lake. Su Cuo and her roommate, filled with revolutionary enthusiasm, go to buy books. Having barely turned a third of the way through, Yang Xue has already spent all her money, purchasing a large stack of specialized books and notes needed for graduate school examinations.

Ying Chen chuckled twice, as she truly did not know whether this could be considered a compliment, and politely replied: "I have indeed heard Su Cuo mention it."

Chen Zijia averted his gaze, "I don't have much time left. I want to confirm her feelings before I leave. She can no longer escape."

"Once you get used to it, it will be fine; after all, there are so many people every day." Yi Chen sat down beside her and explained, "As soon as they learned that Chen Zijia was playing the male lead, they all rushed over."

After the flash, they smiled with a look of pure happiness on the camera's LCD screen, a very simple kind of happiness

That girl sighed a few times and said: "Su Cuo is truly very beautiful, and her temperament is also excellent. Every time she comes to find Su Zhi, the boys in the class are mesmerized. She must have a boyfriend now, right?"

The entire venue fell silent for a long time, and the applause did not begin until much later.

Chen Zijia's acting is far more exquisite than Su Cuo had imagined. Under the accompaniment of lighting and music, he finally reached the last scene, and countless people in the audience were moved to tears, unable to contain themselves.

Chen Zijia leaned against the central pillar of the stage, standing at an angle, yet his expression was solemn, embodying an incredible resolve—as if the character had been resurrected within him, declaring his faith and spirit. Su Cuo heard the voice from the loudspeaker: "You and I stand on opposite sides of an abyss; it is impossible to join hands across the chasm. If you do not relinquish that thing, you must agree to my execution"

Su Cuo blinked and said, "If she is not here, why not just give her a call?"

He finally uttered those words: "So be it. Farewell, my dear girl"

Su Cuo had never seen Chen Zijia lose composure in front of outsiders, and certainly not in front of junior disciples. At first, he repeatedly scrutinized her, shook his head with a wry smile, gradually released his grip, and turned to look at several young girls, smiling politely. This smile left them utterly mesmerized, their faces turning as red as apples, and they were at a loss for words for quite some time.

How would I know? Su Cuo just smiled, "I have known Mi Shi for so long, and we have talked so much. How could I possibly know what was agreed upon and what was not?"

Su Cuo checked the time and found it was about right, so she bid farewell to them and rode her bike to West University to find Su Zhi. She had been in university for three years, yet she had never entered the boys' dormitory. One reason was the hassle, and the other was that it was unnecessary. Now, as graduation approached, the dormitory supervisor had become less strict, basically allowing people to come and go freely. Su Zhi's dormitory was on the third floor, with a row of white birch trees outside, blocking the sunlight, making the room very cool.

One ticket is for my return journey by car, and the other is for my ticket refund. You can return by plane a little later; it doesn't matter if you don't come back this year. I will communicate with the family on that side.

The season in the photo is early spring. Su Cuo stands under a pear tree with a boy, the tree densely adorned with blooming pear flowers. The later blooming flowers push down the earlier ones, cascading like snow from the dark green branches onto the shoulders of the two. Su Cuo slightly tilts her head back, her face adorned with a silent and gentle smile, a truly heartfelt smile, her eyes resembling a lake rippled by the spring breeze. Not to mention that Ying Chen has never seen such an expression, even Su Zhi has never witnessed it. The boy's profile is beautifully smooth, with a straight nose, a smooth forehead, and chin, truly strikingly handsome. In the photo, he slightly lowers his head, reaching out to tuck a few strands of Su Cuo's hair that have fallen by her temples. His movements are gentle, as if those few strands of hair are the most precious things in the world. His long, beautiful black eyes quietly gaze at Su Cuo, solely focused on her. The two of them silently lock eyes, and time seems to come to a standstill.

Who did Su Zhi play in "The Gadfly" performed by Chen Zijia? Was it Bora? The role is not substantial

Everyone knows that they have built a milestone for themselves, regardless of the quality of the milestone, it is ultimately constructed by oneself

After walking a considerable distance, Su Cuo looked back at the footprints he had left in the snow, and the two of them were still standing there in the snow. Su Zhi held Ying Chen tightly, with Ying Chen resting on his shoulder, unsure if he was still crying. They embraced so tightly, as if they would never part. Passersby braved the wind and snow, marveling as they walked by and glanced back, able to tell from those two figures just how deeply in love they were.

Yingchen wiped away the tears on her face, silently looking at Su Cuo, who was pale yet still smiling, and said: "I understand now. Thank you, A Cuo."

At that time, the library was about to close, and there were very few people around; the lights were being turned off one by one. Chen Zijia paused in his actions of tidying up the books and said, "Mi Shi is like my sister. When she was very young, she once got lost because of my teasing, was kidnapped and extorted, and almost didn't make it back alive. Since then, she has always had psychological trauma, feeling that her life is never quite reliable, which is why she clings to me so much. I have felt guilty about it ever since. After entering university, I didn't expect her to come to Xi University as well. I took great care of her, just like Su Zhi does for you. I have no idea when she started to like me. I made it very clear to her at that time."

Then he stood up, and before disappearing behind the curtain, he turned back to look at the frail and solitary figure in the center of the stage. For a moment, his vision blurred. He thought of how he would soon depart for a foreign land, and it would likely be a long time before he could see her again. It was unclear how much time had passed, but he finished reciting the remaining lines slowly, each word spoken as if the surrounding time flowed backward by decades, ultimately returning to several hundred years ago in Italy, to that grand and magnificent cathedral, where countless stories of love, hatred, and entanglements unfolded one after another. It was unclear how much time had passed, but he finished reciting the remaining lines slowly, each word spoken as if the surrounding time flowed backward by decades, ultimately returning to several hundred years ago in Italy, to that grand and magnificent cathedral, where countless stories of love, hatred, and entanglements unfolded one after another.

Indeed

However, just after the summer vacation, there was not enough time to accomplish anything, and the winter vacation has already arrived

Su Cuo clung to his previous study habits, going to the library every day to reserve a seat, yet he occasionally ran into Chen Zijia. Since they met, they would study together, and Su Cuo found it impossible to escape. When the library closed, he would escort her back to the dormitory, regardless of whether she needed it. In reality, Chen Zijia was merely by her side, quietly reading, taking notes, and solving problems, speaking very little. At most, he would help her fetch water; no matter when she reached for her cup, it was always full.

The more than ten hours on the train had accumulated both physical and mental fatigue; Su Cuo felt that the strength and energy within her were fading, and Chen Zijia's appearance before her was becoming increasingly blurred. She felt it was becoming difficult to hold on any longer, and wearily leaned against the train window, "I will sleep for a while, please wake me up when we arrive at the school, senior."

Changing habits is difficult, but there is no other choice. Su Cuo can only choose not to go to the library and instead study in the upstairs area every day. As a result, he no longer encounters Chen Zijia.

Another girl was surprised, "Ah, really? I thought there would definitely be a long line of people pursuing her."

Su Cuo flipped through the script and said, "Senior sister, your script is excellently written, especially this part that is currently being performed."

The small theater was bustling with activity as rehearsals were underway. There were no backgrounds or props yet, making it difficult to discern the play being performed. There were particularly many girls in the audience, all seated in the back half of the theater. Su Cuo furrowed her brow in distress; given such a scene, it was not hard to guess who the actors were. Ying Chen led her to an empty seat in the front row, which drew a chorus of boos from the crowd. Fortunately, someone then remarked, "She is Su Zhi's sister," and the discontented voices quickly dissipated.

A few sheets of paper fluttered out of the book, covered with dense yet neatly arranged English text. The handwriting was exceptionally beautiful, and Su Cuo was captivated, unable to help but glance at it a few more times. The English on the paper was difficult to comprehend, and given Su Cuo's level of English proficiency, it was nearly an impossible task to understand it.

Chen Zijia did all of this, and Su Cuo was not entirely unaware. However, she was indeed too tired, so tired that it allowed him to do as he pleased. In that fleeting moment, a certain persistence in her heart even began to waver. She felt as if she were in a state of chaos, with indistinct and unreal voices echoing in her ears: "Acuo, you are too tired, and I feel heartbroken for you"

She walked over, pulled Yingchen up, and gently asked: "Senior sister, why don't you go up to find Su Zhi"

Unable to understand, Su Cuo raised her head slightly and smiled, then lowered it again, reinserted the paper into the English book, "I knew from the very beginning that my English was beyond saving"

As the two individuals watched the performance, they also devoted a portion of their attention to conversing and chatting, gradually the sky darkened.

There is no need to bring it, I am not you. When have you ever seen me leave the house with many things

"The poem is very good." Su Chuo was silent for a moment before smiling and said, "I like her very much."

They began to talk about their high school classmates and the school. Ying Chen found herself without a topic to discuss with them, so she stepped aside and started flipping through a photo album. The host's classmates enjoyed photography, and the several thick albums seemed to be a great way to pass the time. The variety of photos was rich, and almost every one of them was excellent, with colors that were pleasing to the eye. When her gaze fell upon a particular photo, her eyes widened in shock and disbelief, alternating between the two emotions.

"Give me the tickets." Su Chuo spread his hands, "Two tickets."

"It's so uncomfortable to sleep, the car is shaking—" Chen Zijia could not continue. He turned his head to look at her, her breathing steady, eyes closed, long eyelashes slightly curled, her face as pale as paper, yet appearing incredibly relaxed, like a baby without any worries. He waited for her to fall into a deep sleep, carefully supporting her shoulder as he lay down, resting his head on his own legs.

"Sending you a thousand miles, yet there will ultimately be a parting." Su Cao playfully remarked this way

Regardless of the circumstances, the direct consequence of Su Zhi's decision was that Su Cuo had to return to school with several times the usual amount of luggage. Because she returned to school four or five days early, the train encountered a snowstorm midway, causing a blockage on the tracks, and she was delayed for more than twenty hours on the way; the day she arrived at the station happened to be the day with the highest passenger flow. Outside the train station, the crowd was bustling, and there were no taxis available. The cold wind was unbearable, nearly ruining her face, her clothes were wrinkled, and her hair was a mess. In this moment of despair, she saw Chen Zijia hurriedly jogging towards her. Amidst the wind and snow, fine snowflakes clung to his eyebrows and eyelashes.

"Ha, if Chen Zijia plays the role of the 'Aphid', we must find a suitable actor for the role of 'Bola' to make it convincing. Moreover, they have a good relationship, which aligns well with the novel, so we have no choice but to cast him," Ying Chen said with dissatisfaction, letting out a "humph." "He lacks enthusiasm and left as soon as his scenes were over."

Chen Zijia shook his head, "You are still like this"

At this moment, Su Zhi's voice sounded particularly loud. He asked her from the other end: "Aren't you going home for the summer vacation? Do you need me to bring you anything?"

What is going on in the photo? Who is this boy?

Taking the camera from a freshman girl, Su Cuo smiled brightly, "Let me take a picture for you."

A sophomore female student

Everything in the photo is so beautiful, as if it were a scene that could only appear in a dream, almost unreal. In a moment of daze, Yingchen even thought it was an illusion caused by her own eyes playing tricks. She focused her gaze, staring at the pear tree and the two figures for a moment, before finally believing that this was not an illusion

Standing on the stage for a few seconds, Su Cuo finally recalled her current position; since she was here, she would make herself comfortable. She tried her best to blend into the environment, but it seemed not very successful. She put on a flustered expression as she took the letter and sat down, supporting herself on the chair. Having read the script, Su Cuo knew that this scene was not entirely as described in the novel, but had undergone a romantic embellishment. The Insect would appear as a spirit behind the woman he loved most in his life, reciting the contents of the letter in a voiceover. However, Qiong Ma simply sat there quietly reading, knowing nothing beyond the contents of the letter. Having read the script, Su Cuo knew that this scene was not entirely as described in the novel, but had undergone a romantic embellishment. The Insect would appear as a spirit behind the woman he loved most in his life, reciting the contents of the letter in a voiceover. However, Qiong Ma simply sat there quietly reading, knowing nothing beyond the contents of the letter.

Su Cuo stepped back quietly without revealing any emotion

At that moment, Su Zhi came down from the building with his luggage and was taken aback upon seeing Ying Chen. It had been a long time since they last met after their breakup conversation, and now seeing her face streaked with tears, he was confronted with a vulnerability he had never witnessed before. He couldn't help but freeze, feeling both ashamed and heartbroken.

When leaving the laboratory, it was already quite late. The crescent moon wandered dreamily to the treetops, under the shimmering stars, the lawn was filled with people, a guitar, a few cans of beer, and the hoarse singing gradually faded away; as the singing continued, tears streamed down, unaware of what day it was, unaware of whether one was awake or dreaming

Upon arriving downstairs, the first sight that greeted me was Ying Chen sitting alone by the flowerbed piled high with snow, lost in thought. Her eyes were red, clearly indicating that she had just been crying. A heavy snowfall occurred yesterday, and while it had lessened significantly today, the delicate flakes continued to fall without any sign of stopping. The snow blanketed the ground, measuring over an inch thick. She was dressed in a blue down jacket, surrounded by a complete expanse of white snow, creating a striking contrast in colors, as if the cold air rising from the snow was tinted blue.

After spending a long time with Su Zhi, Ying Chen had long known that the two siblings shared the same flaw. Taking the opportunity to practice his quick reflexes, he swiftly grabbed her and pushed her onto the stage

Hmm. Su Zhi's voice was gloomy, as if it emanated from his abdomen

Su Cuo studied the pile of books carefully and replied with a sound of "Hmm": "Yes, Yang Xue said that Teacher Bai suddenly looked for me, so I went back to school. I remember telling Senior Sister Ying about it."

"Oh, you really do have a fondness for philosophy," Ying Chen said, looking at Su Cuo with a calm expression, a hint of amusement and surprise in her eyes. "Su Zhi always thought you had other reasons for joining the Philosophy Research Society."

Su Cuo looked at the lights and the night outside the window, his voice filled with exhaustion: "Senior brother, what do you want to do?"

They gathered at a classmate's house, sharing stories about their university experiences, amusing anecdotes, and romantic encounters, fueled by the effects of alcohol. Upon seeing Ying Chen, everyone exchanged knowing glances at Su Zhi, insisting on getting her to drink regardless of her reluctance. After a few drinks, Ying Chen stepped away early, sitting with other girls and chatting, listening to them recount stories from high school, all of which she had never heard before

The president of the drama club noticed that she was quite distracted, so he tapped her on the shoulder and said, "Ah, this scene isn't in the script, is it? However, the effect is surprisingly good. Chen Zijia's performance is indeed on point; let's just revise the script this way."

Su Cuo smiled faintly and let her go

The two individuals spent several days in a state of darkness, eating to their fill before going online, and sleeping when they grew tired of the internet, until the new semester began.

Chen Zijia did not know when he had arrived behind her, and Su Cuo heard his voice sounding from behind, neither too high nor too low, gentle enough to melt the hearts of all girls. Su Cuo looked around the audience from above the envelope, and all the girls held their breath, the entire venue was so quiet that one could hear a pin drop.

I do not intend to conceal anything. Su Cuo, I did not mention it before because this matter is not honorable, and I believed you would understand. However, I now feel that some things should be said. Chen Zijia looked at her and said, "I will resolve Mi Shi's issue. Tell me, have you promised her anything regarding me?"

On the day of the formal performance, Su Cuo also attended. The atmosphere at the venue was lively, and the performance was a great success. The red carpet was laid on the ground, becoming the solemn altar of the cathedral. With just a slight glance upward, one could see the richly Baroque-styled stained glass windows of the church, while the stage was surrounded by flickering mysterious candlelight.

After only a few exchanges, Yingchen was pulled away by her classmates. Moments later, she hurried back, disregarding everything, and pulled Su Cuo to the backstage of the stage. She quickly flipped to the last page of the script and handed it to her, not caring whether Su Cuo was confused or not, and said directly: "Originally, we were not supposed to rehearse the final scene today, but the teacher just said we need to finish everything quickly, and the leading actress is not here. So please help out and play the role of Qiongma."

He lowered his head to look at her, his fingers gently brushing against her cheek, wishing that this moment would last forever. The car soon arrived near the school, and Chen Zijia pondered for a moment before saying to the driver: "Uncle Zhang, find a parking lot."

It is evident that his question carries more seriousness. Su Cuo raised her face slightly and smiled, softly saying: "There is no such thing. You will always be my brother, no matter where you go."

Ying Chen waved his hand, "There is no time. Besides, you are the most suitable candidate. You have read the script, right? It's very simple; you don't have to do anything, just sit in the chair and read the letter. You don't need to move at all, the lines are all Chen Zijia's."

When you were still an unattractive little girl, Joma, I loved you. At that time, you wore a checkered dress, tied a crumpled scarf around your neck, and had a braid trailing behind you. I still love you. Do you remember the day I kissed your hand? You pitifully begged me not to do that again. I knew it was a prank, but you must forgive such behavior. Now I have kissed this letter that bears your name. So I have kissed you twice, both times without your consent. I knew it was a prank, but you must forgive such behavior. Now I have kissed this letter that bears your name. So I have kissed you twice, both times without your consent.

After a moment of surprise, Ying Chen shook his head and said, "No."

"No changes. It will still be performed as originally planned," said Ying Chen with a bitter smile. How could he be acting?

The day after the graduation ceremony, Su Zhi took Ying Chen back home. Some of their former high school classmates had also returned, mostly those who had gone on to graduate school, including both male and female students. After more than a year apart, the reunion was particularly lively, filled with both nostalgia and a sense of wistfulness. The relationships formed during high school could be very close, characterized by an unconditional trust that allowed for open conversations and all-night gaming sessions that lasted until dawn.

At that moment, Chen Zijia stood beside Su Cuo, bending down at an extremely slow pace, his lips brushing lightly against Su Cuo's cheek like a dragonfly touching the water, leaving a gentle kiss. Su Cuo seemed oblivious, lowering his head to read the letter, his posture unchanged.

The dormitory is filled with everything, piled up in a chaotic manner. A vacant bed is stacked with numerous books, and Su Zhi and Chen Zijia are attempting to locate every single book from the nooks and crannies. Upon seeing Su Cuo enter, Chen Zijia pointed at the books and said: "Take a look and see if you need anything."

Senior brother, I really appreciate your help. I didn't know that Su Zhi's phone was with you. The carriage was extremely warm, and having just been dazed by the cold wind, coupled with exhaustion, Su Cuo's vigilance suddenly decreased. She turned her head to look out the window and said softly

Su Cuo let out a nonchalant "oh" as he buried his head in the Northeast dumplings brought back by Yang Xue, which were truly delicious

As April approaches, she attends a rehearsal of the graduation play organized by the drama club at Xida, at the invitation of Ying Chen. The senior students are about to graduate; regardless of how their four years of university life have been, filled with ups and downs, they have reached the final few months. If they do not cherish this time, it will soon be gone.

She looked around for Su Cuo, but only caught a glimpse of a quietly departing figure. Standing against the wall, Chen Zijia was also gazing at that figure.

During that winter vacation, Su Zhi indeed did not return home. After the funeral of Ying Chen's grandmother, he spent the New Year at her house, successfully winning the unanimous affection of the Ying family, and then he became quite content and unwilling to leave.

After selecting the books, Su Cuo left the boys' dormitory, and Chen Zijia chased after him. The two walked side by side down to the first floor

It is unknown how long it took for her to calm her shock; she hurriedly turned her head and anxiously called out: "Su Zhi, come here!"

Su Cuo sat on the edge of the bed, flipping through books one by one, looking for any useful ones to take back to her dormitory classmates. In the process, she also experienced the significant difference between studying management and physics; those textbooks could not be said to be incomprehensible, but they were certainly not very interesting.

Su Cuo wanted to smile, but the pain in her chest prevented her from doing so, leaving her with a blank expression, unable to utter even the words "I'm sorry" from her throat

"Before I met you, I never thought I could like someone this much," Chen Zijia smiled and said, "Perhaps you find it hard, and I find it hard too. I don't know what you are thinking, I don't know what you want, I can only see you busy and focused on your studies, and besides that, there is no other life. However, liking you is just liking you, there is no way around it."

Su Cuo lowered her head, gazing at the red carpet inside the car. The words just spoken seemed to linger, echoing in her ears, refusing to fade away. Exhausted, she buried her head in her knees, a portion of her hair escaping from the hood of her down jacket, softly cascading down.

Chen Zijia noticed that she was trembling, and he looked down for a moment, his expression fading; an unknown force surged from every corner of his body, compelling him to grasp her hand, almost pulling her away from the car shed and into his embrace. He held on so tightly that he refused to let go no matter what

Su Cuo's lips twitched, and he turned to run away

Chen Zijia finally said: "This is not the dormitory area, I must at least escort you back."

Ying Chen let out a sigh

The room was brightly lit, and Yang Xue had already returned. Both of them brought a large amount of food, sitting there helping each other with the meals. With her mouth full, Yang Xue said, "I checked the grades, and you are first again."

Su Cuo dumped a pile of books into the bicycle basket and then said, "The world is small; we can connect anywhere"

Su Cuo held her tightly, without saying a word. Ying Chen trembled uncontrollably, sobbing to the point of being unable to speak, each sentence breaking into individual words under her cries, forming incomplete phrases. Su Cuo grasped her arm, preventing her from collapsing to the ground. The heavy snow weighed down the branches, and occasionally, snowflakes fell onto the two of them, then rolled off their clothes to the ground.

"Look, doesn't this boy resemble Xu Yihao?" Yingchen said softly, her eyes fixed on the photo without blinking. She knew that Su Zhi had already noticed, but she couldn't help but say it, as if she needed to confirm something.

"Could you please not be so polite with me?" Chen Zijia let out a heavy sigh, desperately suppressing the anger and helplessness that seemed to arise from nowhere. "Su Cuo, I am more than willing to do anything for you. I will do everything I can to help you, and my only hope is that you do not turn me away completely.

After the performance, as Su Cuo rode her bike back to school, she suddenly realized that it seemed like she had just finished the winter break. How could it be that she had not managed to do anything, and it was already the long summer season?

After struggling through the exam, everyone replaced their expressions of pity with cheerful smiles. On the day of leaving school, Su Cuo went to Xida to find Su Zhi to return home together

Thus, several people in the dormitory were astonished, saying, "Ah, how come we never noticed that Chen Zijia was interested in you? Su Cuo, you are simply too fortunate!"

"What are you doing?" Su Zhi asked in confusion as he took out the train ticket

Acuo, I ask you, "Su Zhi stopped packing and approached with a playful demeanor, 'Are you happy that I'm leaving? You've endured me for three years, and now no one will be yelling in your ear anymore?'"

Yingchen did not join in the applause; instead, she crossed her arms and gazed at the empty stage, remaining silent.

Hmm, who is the one playing Qiongma?

Su Cuo smiled as a form of response, and then asked: "Have you all completed your visa applications?"

His two eyebrows slightly furrowed, and his face was so vividly handsome that it could break one's heart. Su Cuo's hand rested on the bicycle handle, and he unceremoniously placed his hands over hers, completely enveloping her hand in his palm, as if her hand were a piece of jade, not too warm. He said: "Acuo, you don't need to run away anymore, I am about to leave. Perhaps I will never hear a sincere word from you in this lifetime. How tragic, don't you think?"

Ah, have you finished reading? It truly is a case of skimming through. Yichen explained, "In fact, it is about faith and spirit. In today's society, there is a severe lack of these two elements, to a disappointing extent, especially among university students. However, I believe that as long as a person fights and dedicates themselves to their faith, they are worthy of respect."

You did not attend the celebration banquet on the night the play concluded

Most of the students in the department are either preparing for the graduate entrance examination or contemplating various career paths, with few planning to pursue graduate studies in the same department. Counting them, there are only a handful of individuals. Everyone is putting in great effort to take the entrance exams for other departments, and it suddenly feels like there is never enough time to study. The frequency of self-study sessions has significantly increased.

There is a slight traffic jam ahead, and it is uncertain how long it will take to arrive. The driver is staring ahead without moving, not even turning his head. Su Cuo is increasingly unable to keep her eyelids open due to fatigue, yet she forces herself to stay awake. Chen Zijia notices her weariness and takes a small blanket from beside him to cover her knees.

Ying Chen saw Su Cuo, her eyes suddenly reddened, and the sorrow in her heart could no longer be concealed. Choking back tears, she said: "My grandmother has passed away, she closed her eyes right in front of me early this morning. I was raised by my grandmother all my life"

The star effect, Su Cuo said, regardless of how well one performs, there is no need to worry about popularity

However, why is the drama club staging "The Gadfly" this year?" Su Cuo shook the script and asked in confusion

He had already left early, but it had just snowed a few days ago, and the traffic was severely congested. He took Su Cuo's luggage and explained, "Otherwise, we could have arrived earlier, and you wouldn't have to wait so long"

She looked around, and the hostas in the garden crowded together, poking their heads out from the broad green leaves. In the dim twilight, the white flowers climbed up, resembling small white sails on a green wave, sailing toward an unknown destination

Ying Chen, with a face full of joy, smiled and said: "Thank you for your compliment. However, to be honest, the script is basically someone else's; I merely modified it to align with the spirit of the times and the requirements of the school leadership"

On the day of the graduation ceremony, Su Cuo went to Xida with Bai Jilin due to some matters related to her experiment. She rode her bike past patches of grass. The graduating seniors were a group of people loudly celebrating with their diplomas and degrees in every corner of the school. Everyone was dressed in long academic gowns, completely unfazed by the heat, lingering around the campus, laughing and chatting loudly. However, they still felt a sense of helplessness. Over the years, time had passed by like a revolving lantern, clicking away. Su Cuo could imagine that their current emotions were exceptionally complex, yet it was difficult to articulate the clearest of those feelings.

A girl, being quite talkative, looked at Ying Chen and said: "At that time, Su Zhi was the prince in everyone's heart at school, proud and even a bit disdainful of everything. Now he is surprisingly obedient to you."

Su Cuo was not concerned about her hand being tightly held or the slight gap between the two of them. She remained calm and waved to a few first-year female students not far away. Those girls had come to take photos with Chen Zijia, and when they saw Su Cuo waving at them during their anxious moments, it was as if they had seen a ray of light, and they quickly ran over to them

Su Cuo rested his chin on his hand, lost in thought. "More than two thousand years ago, Socrates said to the judges before his execution, 'True action should never consider the danger of life. I have been sent by the gods to this city, much like a gadfly on a horse, with the duty to sting and urge it to move forward.'"

The classmate was once in the same grade as Su Zhi, and their relationship was relatively good; however, during the third year of high school, they fell seriously ill and had to take a six-month leave of absence, resulting in a grade drop, and they ended up in the same class as Su Cuo.

Su Zhi did not know how long it took for him to awaken from his shock and called upon his classmate, who was the host.

Jiang Weizhi? Su Zhi repeatedly mulled over this name

Su Cuo recalled the time two years ago when he helped her write a program; at that time, he was just as concerned about Mi Shi. So she asked him: "Why haven't you been spending time with Mi Shi lately"

One cannot say that either; although he was persuaded to come by me with great effort, he truly possesses remarkable talent for performance, and everyone was taken aback. Oh, it has begun

When she woke up, the sky was already dark. It was only 2 PM when she got into the car, yet she had spent such a long time inside. Su Cuo realized that her ambiguous posture with Chen Zijia was merely one of silence; she quietly left his embrace, grabbed her backpack, and reached for the car door. Just as she was about to stand up, Chen Zijia pulled her back to her seat.

Not long ago, Chen and Su Zhi had a falling out, and their conflict became widely known. The news of their breakup spread like wildfire, and even she was aware of it. Su Cuo's expression darkened; could it be that the two had quarreled again?

I am also about to leave. The setting sun elongated his shadow into a straight and long form, "I will soon graduate, Xu Yihao will also be coming back."

Chen Zijia remained silent. Su Cuo knew he was looking at her, yet she also said nothing, merely flipping through her book. The dormitory was so quiet it was almost unsettling

Su Cuo clearly understood that the most effective way to comfort others is not through silence, but through sharing, by telling them about the pain one has endured, which is equal to or greater than their own. Staring blankly at the trees above for a long time, she gently said: "When my parents passed away, they held me and said, do not cry, do not be sad. Our existence is not to abandon our lives, but to conquer life"

Chen Zijia was taken aback when he saw her looking at those sheets of paper. He then placed a few books in front of Su Cuo and sat down on the empty bed, saying, "It is what I wrote."

What were you just doing?" Yingchen glanced at him

The perfect performance elicited a chorus of screams

My high school classmates. At that time, he was the most outstanding in school, even you could not compare to him. This photo was taken during our last spring outing in the third year of high school, around March or April. I was alone with my camera on the mountain when I saw the two of them standing under a tree, looking at each other with only each other in their eyes. That scene was the most beautiful moment I had ever seen, and I couldn't help but feel a thrill in my palms, so I quietly took the picture. Since it was a candid shot, they were unaware.

Ah, he? The classmate noticed Su Zhi's fluctuating expression, and the alcohol immediately sobered him up. He explained, "He is Jiang Weizhi."

She wore a beaming smile, her expression calm and composed. Su Zhi felt a pang in his heart, and he turned his head away. He suddenly realized that over the past three years, although the siblings had been in the same city and their schools were so close, they had grown much more distant than before. Many times, despite being siblings, their feelings for each other were even less intimate than those of strangers. He sighed inwardly as he saw Su Cuo lower her head and give Chen Zijia a glance.