at the same time.

Inside the counselor's office.

"Yuqing, there should still be enough time. You can take your time."

The counselor patted the girl next to him with some concern.

The girl, with her hair in a ponytail, sat by the window, diligently organizing school recruitment documents. The golden sunset outside seemed to be a backdrop specially prepared for this stunning young woman, making the scene appear incredibly tranquil and beautiful.

Even just looking at Mo Yuqing's profile made this girl feel a little dazed, thinking that it was no wonder that even boys from other colleges wanted to pursue her.

"Don't tire yourself out. At worst, I'll get a scolding. I've been criticized plenty of times already," the counselor said with a smile. As a newcomer, she was already used to being scolded.

I just want to lie flat and spread out.

"It's alright, teacher. This is what I should do." Mo Yuqing gave her a slight smile and continued to do her work.

"Oh right, you can ask Chen Lu to help you. If you two work together, you should be able to finish quickly." She continued to persuade him. Actually, she also found it strange that Mo Yuqing only did these things when she was a freshman. Later, she felt tired and Chen Lu took over all of them.

I don't know why it's changed to Mo Yuqing now.

Did they have a fight?

That doesn't seem like it. Chen Lu didn't just refuse to come, and the class monitor is still doing his job as usual.

Upon hearing this, Mo Yuqing was suddenly stunned. Her hand, which was opening the document, froze in mid-air, and she seemed to freeze.

Everything before her eyes became blurry. She pursed her lips and gave a helpless, bitter smile:

"It's okay... I shouldn't have bothered him with everything."

The counselor was a little puzzled, but didn't ask any further questions.

......

One hour later.

"I'll take the rest back with me. Goodbye, teacher."

Mo Yuqing absentmindedly organized the various documents in front of her; these were all things the students in her class would need to find internships next month.

She gently closed the door, just as Liu Yan arrived to pick her up for dinner.

"Why are you wearing a ponytail lately? Trying to change your style?" Liu Yan asked curiously, looking at Mo Yuqing's ponytail swinging behind her.

She's always been a fan of long, straight black hair and prefers to see Mo Yuqing with her hair down.

“Chen Lu likes it,” Mo Yuqing said casually.

Liu Yan almost thought she had misheard, and asked in a surprised tone, "Chen Lu likes it?"

“Yes, when I saw that girl that day, she had her hair in a ponytail.” Mo Yuqing said, while grabbing her ponytail with her hand. She gently let go, and her hair fell down all at once. Her hair was of very good quality.

But his expression betrayed his loneliness.

Seeing her best friend looking so distraught, Liu Yan felt a pang of sadness.

Her conscience told her that this was something Mo Yuqing should have to endure, but as a friend, she was still heartbroken.

Just as she was about to say a few words of comfort.

“Chen Lu used to be so tired…” Mo Yuqing suddenly said.

She tilted her head slightly back and gently pinched her snow-white neck. With each slight movement, she couldn't help but wince in pain.

She couldn't help but think that she was already this exhausted after only two or three days. How had Chen Lu managed to keep her going when she got fed up and wanted to quit...?

Chen Lu never complained to her, not even once.

"Sit there, I'll give you a massage," Liu Yan said softly, pointing to a chair in the hallway.

The two sat side by side. Liu Yan turned to the side and gently massaged Mo Yuqing's neck. "You too, don't you know how to move around after looking down for so long?"

She knew that her best friend had been busy working on this thing every moment these past two days, except when she was in class.

Mo Yuqing closed her eyes, hummed softly, and then shed a tear.

"pain......"

Liu Yan sighed softly, "You already had a stiff neck from sleeping in the same place, and it must hurt from having your head down for so long."

"Bear with it for a bit, or it'll be worse tomorrow. I'll go buy some medicated plasters to apply later."

After she finished speaking, she looked up and saw that the tears that Mo Yuqing had shed from the pain were now connected in a continuous stream.

She looked completely bewildered.

"How did Chen Lu get through all this before...?" Mo Yuqing held Liu Yan's outstretched hand tightly, her voice trembling, like a child who had realized she had made a terrible mistake.

"I even complained that he was too slow."

"How heartbroken Chen Lu must have been at that moment..."

Liu Yan didn't say anything more, but silently massaged her neck and watched her cry.

Ten minutes later.

After a long silence, Mo Yuqing sniffed and whispered, "I will return it to him."

Liu Yan didn't quite understand. "What do you mean, give it back to him?"

As Mo Yuqing looked at the darkening sky outside, her eyes dimmed, and the traces of her tears had dried on her delicate face.

"I'll return all the kindness he's shown me to him."

"He's been pursuing you for seven years!" Liu Yan said helplessly. How could she possibly ever repay that debt?

She sighed softly and joked, "By the time you repay your favor, you'll be almost thirty, and nobody will want you anymore."

"I know." Mo Yuqing wiped her face with a wet wipe, slowly got up, and continued to look out the window. "But it's okay."

“I will return it to him, every last bit, all of it.”

This was the first time Liu Yan had ever seen such a look in Mo Yuqing's eyes.

She patted the girl on the shoulder. "Let's go, I'll go buy you some ointment, then we'll eat."

Mo Yuqing shook her head. "I want to go home."

"Your mom's back?"

"No, I just want to go back."

Liu Yan pondered Mo Yuqing's gaze from earlier, growing increasingly uneasy, and said earnestly:

"Then I'll go with you."

Mo Yuqing smiled at her.

"What's with that expression? I'm not going to do anything rash."

What's there to be upset about? I don't deserve to be upset.

At Liu Yan's repeated requests, Mo Yuqing finally agreed to let her take her home.

Liu Yan also compromised and agreed to leave after dropping her off.

Mo Yuqing leaned against the car window, staring blankly at the gloomy sky. Thick dark clouds gathered together, making one feel very depressed.

A sudden rumble of thunder nearly startled her, pulling her back from her chaotic thoughts.

It's going to rain again...

How annoying.

Not long after, the car stopped in front of Mo Yuqing's residential compound, and the rain became ridiculously heavy.

Mo Yuqing took out an umbrella and slowly opened the car door.

“Every time I come to see you off, I feel a little unbalanced. A river-view apartment, that’s too much.” Liu Yan joked, watching Mo Yuqing’s back. “I could work my whole life and still not afford it. Maybe I’ll get lucky and be able to buy a bedroom.”

A beautiful girl was seen holding up a black umbrella in the rain, the raindrops pattering against it.

Mo Yuqing slowly turned around to look at her, smiling gently with shallow dimples, "What's there to be unbalanced about? My home is your home too."

Liu Yan paused for a moment, then waved with a smile, "I'm leaving now, remember to put on the plaster."

Seeing Liu Yan drive away, Mo Yuqing also set off back.