Since Zhou Yuwen had already seen her on the car ride earlier, Tao Tian felt no sha anymore. Especially now, after being wrongly accused by Zhou Yuwen, how could she still care about embarrassnt?
Zhou Yuwen was clearly intent on cutting ties with her.
Feeling aggrieved, Tao Tian complained, "Zhou Yuwen, did you see this? This and this—they were all her doing!"
As she revealed the marks, Zhou Yuwen instinctively averted his gaze. He hadn’t expected Tao Tian to be so bold. Yet when he saw her teary eyes, he couldn't help but take another glance.
Sure enough, there were two nail scratches on her fair skin. Though they weren’t severe, they did affect her appearance.
"These were all caused by Qu Jing?" Zhou Yuwen asked, genuinely surprised. It was a sensitive area, and if it was Qu Jing, she had gone too far.
Hearing Zhou Yuwen’s question, Tao Tian started crying, "Not just here, there’s more!"
She raised her arms to show him.
Zhou Yuwen responded, "Alright, put your clothes back on. I’ve seen enough."
After saying this, Zhou Yuwen turned his gaze away. However, Tao Tian wasn’t pleased. She pouted and said, "But you already saw everything that day in the car..."
"That day was that day. Today is today. How can it be the sa?" Zhou Yuwen replied.
"What’s the difference?" Tao Tian asked directly, her slightly reddened eyes looking pitifully at Zhou Yuwen. She reached out to grab his hand again and pleaded, "Zhou Yuwen, I truly know I was wrong. I won’t do it again. Please forgive , won’t you?"
Tao Tian’s spaghetti straps were still not pulled back up. One hung loosely at her elbow, and her stunning figure, paired with her tear-streaked face, looked heartbreakingly beautiful.
Zhou Yuwen was at a loss for words. He finally said, "You haven’t done anything to betray . There’s nothing for
to forgive."
"But—" Tao Tian wanted to explain further, but Zhou Yuwen cut her off, speaking with clarity.
"There was never any debt between us to begin with. We were just friends."
As for what happened in the car?
"That was just alcohol talking."
"If you insist on holding
accountable, then what about the losses I’ve suffered because of you? The whole school now thinks I’m a scumbag—what about that?"
"You don’t owe
anything, and I don’t owe you anything either."
Seeing Tao Tian rendered speechless by his words, Zhou Yuwen sighed. "Senior, maybe we were just a mistake from the start."
Tao Tian lowered her head and remained silent.
One of her straps clung to her shoulder, while the other slipped off, barely hanging on. Her exquisite figure was half-revealed.
After a long pause, Tao Tian bit her lip. Unable to suppress her emotions, she finally asked, "Can I ask you one last question?"
"Go ahead," Zhou Yuwen replied.
Tao Tian looked him straight in the eye. "Have you ever liked ?"
Zhou Yuwen chuckled at her question, finding her both naive and innocent. His tone softened as he said, "If I didn’t like you, why would I have made a mistake?"
Hearing this, Tao Tian, who had already given up hope, suddenly saw a glimr of light.
However, before she could say another word, Zhou Yuwen added, "But even if I did like you, it’s in the past now."
This single sentence extinguished all her hopes.
"Let’s leave it at that, Senior. Let’s part with dignity."
After saying this, Zhou Yuwen turned away, refusing to look at her again.
Despite her stunning beauty, Zhou Yuwen wasn’t soone who let his principles falter over a woman.
If he didn’t set boundaries with Tao Tian now, other girls might take similar liberties with him in the future.
Even if he were to accept Tao Tian, now was not the ti.
Besides, Tao Tian’s reputation in the school wasn’t great. Rumors had already spread about her attempting to steal soone else’s boyfriend during her freshman year. Now, because of an incident involving the Arts Departnt girls, things had escalated further.
The gossip painted Tao Tian as soone who manipulated others for personal gain, including using her influence to pressure Zhou Yuwen into breaking up with Zheng Yanyan. Her actions had allegedly jeopardized the job prospects of the Arts Departnt girls.
"That b*tch Tao Tian is sothing else! She’s been stealing boyfriends since her freshman year. Now she wants us to help her snatch one? And because of her, we’ve lost our side gigs! I’m livid!"
Such rumors were being passed around the girls' dormitories.
In a campus environnt where gossip thrived, girls like Tao Tian, who stood out, were often the target of ridicule and schadenfreude.
Zhou Yuwen returned to his seat, while Tao Tian stood frozen in place.
As Zhou Yuwen put it, there was no point in clinging on. There was no need for forgiveness when there was no betrayal to begin with.
"Let’s not forget—I have a girlfriend."
Zhou Yuwen’s words jolted Tao Tian back to reality. Yes, he had a girlfriend and didn’t seem inclined to break up.
So what was the point of begging for forgiveness over and over again?
To be a mistress?
Tao Tian hesitated. Even if she was willing, would Zhou Yuwen be?
The rumors had already sullied his na, and they hadn’t even had a physical relationship yet. If they had, how much worse would things get?
Zhou Yuwen would never lower his standards to forgive Tao Tian.
Tao Tian, for her part, had simply been captivated by him. What seed within her grasp now felt impossibly far away.
Desperate to salvage the situation, Tao Tian offered to work for Zhou Yuwen for free, helping him manage the girls' side gigs.
Zhou Yuwen declined. "No need. Qu Jing will take over your role. I’ve already asked her to coordinate with the girls."
Hearing this, Tao Tian’s tears fell uncontrollably.
"Anything else?" Zhou Yuwen asked.
Tao Tian wiped her tears. Letting go was too difficult for soone her age.
"Can I... can I have a hug?"
In the end, Tao Tian spoke with utmost humility.
Dressed in a form-fitting spaghetti strap dress, with tears streaming down her face, she looked pitifully beautiful as she stood in front of Zhou Yuwen’s desk.
Zhou Yuwen sighed deeply and stood up, walking toward her.
Before Zhou Yuwen could make any move, Tao Tian had already wrapped herself around him in an embrace. She clung tightly to his neck and sobbed on his shoulder, letting all her emotions flow freely.
Zhou Yuwen, however, remained composed and mature, gently patting her back and reassuring her softly, "Alright, stop crying. Everything will pass. It’s okay."
After a mont, they separated. Zhou Yuwen adjusted the fallen strap of Tao Tian’s dress, securing it back onto her shoulder.
Tao Tian was still as beautiful as ever.
“You’re a good girl,” Zhou Yuwen said, offering a platitude, “and you’ll find soone better waiting for you.”
He reached out and cupped Tao Tian’s face, tenderly wiping away her tears.
But the kinder he was, the harder it was for Tao Tian to let go. Her gaze lingered on him, her eyes brimming with longing. Slowly, she stood on her tiptoes, clearly seeking a kiss.
Yet, Zhou Yuwen gently pressed a hand to her lips, stopping her. With a faint smile, he said, "Let’s not. Otherwise, the forums will be full of nonsense again."
"It wasn’t
who posted on the forums," Tao Tian protested, deeply aggrieved. She had noticed how much Zhou Yuwen seed to care about the rumors.
Of course, he cared.
After all, he prided himself on being an outstanding young man. Suddenly being labeled as a scumbag was hardly sothing he could take lightly.
At that mont, the door to Zhou Yuwen’s office swung open. Min Min, waiting outside, stood up and glanced at Zhou Yuwen, hesitating to speak.
Zhou Yuwen paid her no mind. Instead, he turned to Tao Tian and said, “Go back and get so rest.”
Tao Tian didn’t want to leave, but Zhou Yuwen placed his hands on her shoulders and slowly guided her out of the office.
"Sweetie," Min Min approached Tao Tian, curious. "What did Zhou Yuwen say to you?"
But Tao Tian didn’t answer. She simply wiped her tears and left the pool hall, her figure forlorn.
The matter was finally resolved. Zhou Yuwen let out a long sigh as he sat back at his desk.
Just then, Su Qing called him. She ntioned taking so girls from South Arts University out for a al and asked if Zhou Yuwen wanted to join.
“There’ll be lots of pretty girls! Oh, Zhou Yuwen, rember that actress you used to like, Zhang Ruo-sothing? The Arts Departnt president from South Arts knows her!” Su Qing gushed excitedly.
“She knows her?” Zhou Yuwen asked.
“Yeah! Apparently, she’s doing so modeling now.”
It was true—back in his previous life, Zhou Yuwen had admired Zhang. Reflecting on it now, it was 2013, and Zhang was indeed hustling in Jinling. Hailing from Yancheng, she had been attending university in Jinling back then, taking on part-ti modeling gigs to support herself. In 2014, she would shoot her first movie and enter the entertainnt industry.
Su Qing, thrilled by the connection, eagerly shared this news with Zhou Yuwen.
But Zhou Yuwen only smiled faintly. Boys and girls were different. While girls might remain starstruck, boys often moved on quickly. Zhou Yuwen had admired Zhang for a ti, but that was long ago.
He didn’t linger on the topic of Zhang. Instead, he said sincerely to Su Qing, "Thank you for all your hard work today."
Since her rebirth, Su Qing had gone out of her way to support Zhou Yuwen. His sudden gratitude caught her off guard.
A touch of shyness appeared on her face. “What’s with you? Why are you suddenly saying this?”
She was still the sa naive girl who could be moved by just a few kind words.
Zhou Yuwen chuckled. “Nothing. Just... it feels good having you around. At least I have soone to talk to.”
These two sentences made Su Qing’s nose sting with emotion. Despite Zhou Yuwen’s many admirers, Su Qing always felt that she held a unique place in his heart.
His words struck a chord, and Su Qing beca sweetly clingy. She teased, “Why don’t you co over? I could even get Zhang’s contact information for you.”
Zhou Yuwen smiled. “No need. Having you is enough for .”
“Oh, please. You’re just trying to sweet-talk !” Su Qing retorted, though her tone was playful. She reminded him not to forget to write her a song.
Zhou Yuwen agreed.
There happened to be an old guitar in the pool hall, left behind by the previous owner. Zhou Yuwen picked it up, plucking a few strings experintally. It had been a long ti since he had played, and he felt rusty.
Closing the office door, Zhou Yuwen began to practice. The lody of Fleet of Ti almost slipped his mind, and as he tried to recall it, he inadvertently played another of Faye Wong’s songs.
anwhile, outside, dusk was falling. Tao Tian was on her way back to the dormitory, still dressed in her spaghetti-strap dress, her face devoid of expression.
The autumn wind was chilly, and wearing so little, she shivered as she walked, her mind filled with mories of Zhou Yuwen. From their first eting to getting to know each other, to their almost-romance, every scene replayed vividly in her head.
How could she not feel regret?
Girls like Tao Tian didn’t easily find boyfriends. She was exceptional herself and naturally wanted soone equally exceptional—handso, wealthy, and talented.
While many n t one or two of these criteria, finding soone with all three was rare.
She still rembered the first ti she and Zhou Yuwen went out for part-ti work. He wore a suit, and she wore a red dress.
On their way back to campus, soone had comnted that they looked like they had walked straight out of a drama.
mories of dinners, karaoke nights, sneaking tea leaves, swapping for wine, and that mont of drunken intimacy in the car—all of it ca flooding back. These thrilling monts, unnoticed, had already beco part of a youth now gone.
When Tao Tian and Min Min arrived back at the dormitory, they found the door open. Entering, they saw the place looked like it had been ransacked.
Qu Jing’s belongings were gone.
The now-empty dorm felt strange and unfamiliar. Min Min couldn’t help but ask, “What happened? Did we get robbed?”
A neighbor poked her head in and said, “Oh, you’re back. Qu Jing asked
to let you know she won’t be staying in the dorm anymore. I heard her company arranged an apartnt for her—a three-bedroom place!”
When Qu Jing had moved out earlier, a crowd of classmates had gathered to watch.
Lu Hui, a clever classmate, had even called over a few delivery workers to help, saving them the trouble of renting a moving truck.
So curious students asked Qu Jing about the move.
Qu Jing, smiling brightly, replied openly, "I won’t be staying in the dorm anymore."
“Where are you staying then?”
“The company found
a place. It’s a three-bedroom apartnt!”
"I’ll show you so photos."
"Wow, such a nice place? Where is this? How many people are living there?"
"It’s in Zhonghai Garden, just nearby. My boss saw how tough it is for a girl like
to live alone and specially bought it for !" Qu Jing boasted proudly.
"Really? Sounds like your boss has quite the heart. But Qu Jing, are you sure you’re not just taking a shortcut?"
"Hehe, if you think I’m taking a shortcut, you don’t know my boss. He’s the one who's all about shortcuts!"
"Who is your boss?"
"Not telling!"
With that, Qu Jing left halfway through the conversation, ntioning sothing about treating Lu Hui to a spicy pot in the first cafeteria.
anwhile, the girls from the neighboring dorm crowded around, curious about what kind of job Qu Jing had landed that let her move out so quickly.
When Min Min learned that Qu Jing had moved into a three-bedroom apartnt in Zhonghai Garden, she was furious. She cursed loudly, calling Qu Jing an ungrateful traitor.
"That should have been Tao Tian’s! She sold us out and conspired with Zhou Yuwen! Now Tao Tian has nothing left!"
Min Min was genuinely angry. All her efforts, hustling to get so benefits through Tao Tian, had ended in vain. anwhile, Qu Jing, who did almost nothing, had been promoted to manager of a modeling company and moved into a spacious apartnt.
A neighbor from the next dorm pulled out her phone to show Min Min Qu Jing’s social dia post. "Didn’t you see her post earlier? She uploaded pictures of the place this afternoon. It’s really nice. Zhonghai’s rentals are usually pricey, but she’s living in a three-bedroom apartnt!"
"Social dia?"
Min Min paused and imdiately checked her phone.
Nothing.
When she tried to access Qu Jing’s profile, she saw two dashes indicating she’d been blocked.
Fuming, Min Min sent Qu Jing a ssage. As expected, she was blocked there too.
Qu Jing’s profile picture—a cheerful photo of her smiling—now seed infuriatingly smug to Min Min, like a deliberate taunt.
Gripping her phone tightly, Min Min rushed to Tao Tian, who had just returned to the dorm. "Tao Tian! Qu Jing blocked . Check if she blocked you too!"
Tao Tian took out her phone and checked.
Sure enough, she had been blocked as well.
Qu Jing had erged as the biggest winner of this struggle.
Min Min continued cursing under her breath, but Tao Tian seed lost in thought, her gaze fixed on the now half-empty dorm room.
Despite her and Min Min’s beds remaining untouched, the sudden absence of Qu Jing’s belongings left a void.
On the floor, there was a photo.
It was a picture of the three roommates, originally hung on Qu Jing’s wall. It had likely fallen during the move and been stepped on by accident.
Tao Tian crouched down to pick up the photo. In it, she stood in the center, all three of them smiling brightly. But now, the footprints on it stood out sharply.
The neighboring dorm girls lingered, gossiping.
Min Min was still fuming, venting her anger. "Everything Qu Jing has now should’ve belonged to Tao Tian! We lived with her for three years, and today we see her true colors!"
"She’s nothing but a btch—an unwanted, shaless btch!"
Min Min ranted about how she and Tao Tian had treated Qu Jing well, only to be betrayed.
"From the start, she’s been stirring trouble between Tao Tian and Zhou Yuwen! And when Tao Tian had issues with Zhou Yuwen, she ran to him like a dog, wagging her tail to betray us! She’s not even human!"
Tao Tian listened quietly, Min Min’s words echoing in her mind alongside Zhou Yuwen’s earlier ones.
"In the future, I have Qu Jing. I won’t need you anymore."
Looking down at her phone, Tao Tian saw Qu Jing’s blacked-out social dia background and her smiling profile picture.
Tao Tian stood up and approached the group chatting with Min Min. Her expression was unsettling, prompting soone to ask cautiously, "Tao Tian, are... are you okay?"
"You said she’s in the first cafeteria?" Tao Tian asked.
"Um... maybe? Not sure if she’s still there."
Without another word, Tao Tian turned and left.
"Tao Tian!" Min Min called after her, but Tao Tian kept walking.
Her face betrayed no emotions—neither sadness nor joy—as she crossed the dormitory garden, step by step.
It was already 7 p.m., and the night sky had fully darkened. Zhou Yuwen’s office was dimly lit by a single desk lamp. Outside, the bustling comrcial street was alive with chatter and vibrant lights.
Zhou Yuwen, holding a guitar, had finally finished tuning it. Leaning against his desk, he began to play.
The lody wasn’t Fleet of Ti but another song, To Youth.
Though the tunes of the two songs were sowhat similar, To Youth carried a deeper sorrow.
anwhile, Tao Tian had arrived at the first cafeteria.
"Her defiant face??
Like the dusk in decline??
Her freshly washed hair??
Like the fire in her heart??"
The cafeteria was packed with people during dinner hours, the noise overwhelming.
"A fleeting celebration??
Thought to last a lifeti??
A long farewell??
The grand feast of youth??"
At a table, Qu Jing was riding high. She had beco a manager at the modeling company, was living in a three-bedroom apartnt, and, most importantly, had earned Zhou Yuwen’s approval.
What could be more satisfying?
Qu Jing tied her hair back, preparing to eat hotpot, and smiled at Lu Hui. "Sister Hui, we’re colleagues now. Please take care of
in the future!"
Lu Hui, uninterested in the complexities of socializing with college students, rely acknowledged Qu Jing’s remarks. Then, she noticed a girl approaching them.
As the figure drew closer, Lu Hui realized it was Tao Tian. Seeing her stormy expression, Lu Hui's first thought was, Did she swallow gunpowder?
Before she could react further, Tao Tian walked directly behind Qu Jing and glanced around. Her gaze fell on a neighboring table, where a student had just received a bowl of stir-fried noodles.
The noodles had likely been ordered from outside and brought into the cafeteria to share with friends.
Without a word, Tao Tian picked up the bowl of noodles.
"Hey!" the stunned student exclaid, still holding a chopstick mid-air.
Before the owner of the noodles could process what was happening, Tao Tian turned back toward Qu Jing, who was blissfully chatting away with Lu Hui.
"The indulgent years, rcilessly repaid??
The willful spirit??
Has faded away??"
And then, it happened.
A girl’s shrill scream pierced through the noisy first cafeteria.
Upstairs, Zhou Yuwen paused mid-strum, his guitar picking up the sound from the commotion below. The comrcial street outside had been loud all night, but this scream was distinct enough to montarily disrupt his playing.
After a brief pause, he resud.
"Madness~ Pain~
A tragicody of the mortal world~"
In the cafeteria, the entire bowl of greasy stir-fried noodles was dumped over Qu Jing’s head.
Oily residue, wilted greens, and stray bits of noodles clung to her hair, streaked down her clothes, and pooled on the table.
Qu Jing scread instinctively, but when she turned and saw Tao Tian standing behind her, her eyes filled with rage and shock.
"Are you insane!?"
Tao Tian didn’t waste any ti responding. She lunged at Qu Jing, pushing her onto the table.
The two girls erupted into a chaotic brawl.
Tao Tian’s bloodshot eyes fixed on Qu Jing as she tightly gripped her neck. Her face was devoid of emotion, like a mask of wrathful calm.
This woman…
Because of this woman, Zhou Yuwen abandoned .
Because of her lies, my life fell apart.
It’s all because of her.
With mounting fury, Tao Tian tightened her hold.
If she’s gone, everything will be fine.
She should die. Just die already!
Qu Jing gasped, coughing violently as her airways constricted. She clawed at Tao Tian’s arms, struggling to break free, but Tao Tian refused to relent.
"Cough! Cough cough!"
Qu Jing’s strength waned. Her hands flailed, reaching for anything on the table. She managed to grab the boiling hot ingredients from her casserole—glass noodles, tofu skins—and hurled them blindly at Tao Tian.
"Laughed~ Cried~ Left~
Youth’s bizarre tale~"
The scene was utter chaos.
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