If you apply to S University after we break up, then we'll break up.
The day after Zhou Lin finished his college entrance exams, he booked a flight to Beijing, supposedly because his project with his senior from Q University had made significant progress.
Lin Shih-ren was also busy, attending many gatherings in the past two weeks, where the festive atmosphere was mixed with the sorrow of parting.
Those were three whole years of youth and memories. Familiar faces gradually became unfamiliar. They wore unfamiliar clothes and makeup, and no longer shied away from smoking and drinking. It was as if they had all grown up overnight.
On the day the scores were released, Zhou Lin returned and accompanied Lin Shiren to check the scores on the computer.
As she entered her candidate number, her fingers trembled. Then, she felt a slight pressure on the back of her neck as Zhou Lin's hand gripped hers. He didn't say a word, but he gave her an indescribable sense of strength.
Total score: 668.
He performed as expected. My anxiety finally subsided.
Xin Xiaomei and Lin Zhiyuan didn't get involved in the application process. Lin Shiren applied to S University's biomedical program as his first choice without any hesitation.
Zhou Lin, on the other hand, participated in the college entrance examination as a hobby, which made Song Ci laugh at him for a while: "701, little Zhou Zhou, you are 10 points lower than the provincial top scorer!"
But these words made Lin Shiren very uncomfortable. Lacking experience in arguing, she could only retort angrily, "He was just accompanying me during the exam. He wasn't trying to compete for the top score, so he didn't answer the questions seriously at all."
Song Ci, finding it intriguing, said in a strange voice, "Oh, you didn't answer seriously? You're already protecting her!" After saying that, she raised an eyebrow at Zhou Lin in a provocative manner.
Unexpectedly, Zhou Lin didn't even look at him. His eyes were as if they had melted, and he watched with great interest as the young girl stood up for him.
Lin Shiren glanced at him sideways: "I'll protect you, because you don't have a girlfriend and nobody cares about you!"
Song Ci raised her voice as if calling for help: "Zhou Lin, your girlfriend is making personal attacks, aren't you going to do anything about it?"
Lin Shih-jen made a face at him: "You're so old and you're still tattling, what a loser!"
Zhou Lin pulled her into his arms and said in an informing tone, "I can't control you. I'm under Lin Shiren's jurisdiction. Just bear with the attacks."
This mocking attitude completely provoked Song Ci, who immediately changed the subject: "Team leader, are you sure you don't need me to pass on messages to you in Beijing? What if Zhou Lin is using his influence to attract attention in Q University..."
"Zhou Lin would never do that."
Lin Shih-jen said firmly, "I believe him."
Zhou Lin couldn't hide his smugness as he announced in a concluding tone, "I'm going to have dinner with my girlfriend."
Song Ci clutched her empty stomach, her face full of disbelief: "You guys didn't take me with you to eat?"
Zhou Lin led Lin Shiren out, scoffing arrogantly, "Have some self-awareness."
Song Ci: "..."
Summer came exceptionally early this year; the shade of the trees enveloped layers upon layers of cicada chirping, and even the breeze blowing into my neck was warm.
After leaving Zhou Lin's house, Lin Shiren went to a convenience store on the roadside and bought two ice creams. He tore off the packaging, took a bite himself, and then stuffed the other one into his mouth.
Ever since he became her boyfriend, this guy has been incredibly territorial. He won't let her pay when they go out to eat or shop, and he's even enabled the "intimate payment" feature. Lin Shiren felt awkward spending his money, but she was also afraid of hurting his male pride, so she only symbolically swiped her card when buying small items.
Zhou Lin felt a chill on his tongue, took the popsicle stick from her hand, and took a big bite. The cool, sweet juice slid down his throat, making him feel refreshed.
The midday sun was scorching, and there were few pedestrians. The two walked slowly along the sidewalk, hand in hand.
Lin Shiren opened her clear, bright eyes and turned to look at him: "My mom said she can sponsor my graduation trip, do you want to come with me?"
In two months, they will be in a long-distance relationship, and she wants to spend as much time as possible with him during the holidays.
Zhou Lin stopped at the intersection, his neatly combed bangs swaying in the wind. Hearing this, he turned his face away and smiled: "Does your mother know that you're going on a graduation trip with me?"
She gripped the ice cream stick tightly, her palms slightly sweaty.
So, are you going or not?
Zhou Lin leaned down, his face magnified before her eyes, and gave her a bright smile: "Go."
After discussing their destination for a while, the two started checking flight and hotel information on the app. When choosing a room type, Lin Shiren casually asked a question: "Zhou Lin, should we book two rooms or one twin room?"
She tilted her head back, her clean face unadorned with makeup, her innocence revealing a touch of naivety.
Zhou Lin cursed under his breath.
Those indifferent eyes suddenly gleamed with a burning light, and his fingers slid between hers, his inner fire burning ever brighter: "Lin Qiaoqiao, don't you have any sense of self-preservation?"
Lin Shiren gave him a soft, reproachful look: "I was just trying to save money! Besides, you were able to..."
"What can you do?"
Before she could finish speaking, her waist was intimately pulled close. Zhou Lin stared at her maliciously: "I've been holding back because you're underage. Now that you've invited me, that box of Jissbon gel I bought last year can come in handy."
A wave of heat rose to her head, and she punched him in shame: "Zhou Lin, you pervert!"
After enduring a few blows, Zhou Lin rubbed his temples with concern: "You're about to go to college, how can you still be so naive? What if some classmates invite you to watch a game, or you sing karaoke too late to go back to your dorm, and you just open a room with them without any precautions? What if there are bad guys in there who give your room key to other guys?"
Lin Shih-jen was initially confused, but then he couldn't help but laugh at Lin's overactive imagination: "How could I, a socially awkward person, just go out and hang out with other people? And even stay with them outside?"
She shook her head vigorously: "Absolutely impossible."
...
The departure date for their graduation trip was set for the last day of the college application deadline, and their first destination was Yuncheng.
Before she left, Xin Xiaomei helped her pack her luggage, and while packing the boxes, she solemnly lectured her: "Lin Shiren, you're so eager to get close to someone just because they're sweet-talking. You'll each have your own room tonight, and you're not allowed to open the door even if they bang on it."
To be honest, Xin Xiaomei had a pretty good impression of Zhou Lin.
He's tall, handsome, well-educated, and comes from a wealthy family—the ideal son-in-law. But the two are so young, and it's a long-distance relationship; the future is too uncertain, and the chances of them getting married are slim.
Lin Shiren really didn't want to talk about this topic with her, and with a headache, he said perfunctorily, "Zhou Lin respects me a lot, he wouldn't do that."
Xin Xiaomei had more than enough experience to talk about what kind of men they were, but she didn't want to discourage her daughter. Instead, she solemnly reminded her, "Girls need to cherish themselves before others will cherish you. Remember that?"
Lin Shiren nodded repeatedly: "I know, I know, we'll be late if we don't leave now."
Xin Xiaomei glanced at the time: "Anyway, I'm on the night shift today, and it's still early. I'll take you to the airport."
By the way, give that young man a little pointer.
Lin Shiren dared not refuse, so he could only send a message to Zhou Lin from the taxi, telling him to meet at the airport.
At 6:40 PM, the sun had not yet set, and dim patches of cloud drifted across the sky.
Ninety minutes before the flight's departure, an announcement came over the loudspeaker that the boarding gate for the flight from Huaicheng to Yuncheng had been changed. Lin Shiren used the excuse of going to the restroom to make a phone call. After a series of ringing sounds, a mechanical female voice came through the receiver.
He hasn't replied to WeChat messages or answered phone calls; Zhou Lin has been out of contact for over an hour.
Xin Xiaomei scrolled through her phone listlessly for a while, then snorted in dissatisfaction, "Did you call him? Why isn't he here yet? He has no sense of time at all."
Lin Shiren suppressed his panic and forced a smile: "I called, but it's rush hour and he's stuck in traffic."
Will we make it?
"Yes, we'll be there in ten minutes."
Xin Xiaomei seemed a little anxious, checking her watch for the nth time tonight: "Tsk, I still have to work tonight."
"Mom, you should hurry up and go. Once Zhou Lin arrives, we'll go straight through security, and you won't have time to talk."
The mother and daughter looked at each other for a while before Xin Xiaomei stood up and said, "I'm leaving now. Send me a WeChat message when you land."
Finally, she pointed at Lin Shiren and said, "You must stay in two rooms."
Just as the taxi's taillights disappeared from sight, Lin Shiren dialed Zhou Lin's number again. At that moment, her phone received a new call. She glanced at the name, pressed the answer button, and Song Ci's urgent voice rushed out.
Where are you?
The airport lights were dazzling. Through the open sensor door, she saw Song Ci looking around with his phone in hand. Tang Shi followed behind him amidst the bustling crowd.
Zhou Lin is not here.
"I'm in B10, on your right."
Lin Shiren suddenly had a bad feeling, and her fingertips holding the phone began to sweat. She heard Song Ci say, "Teacher Q called Uncle Zhou and said that Zhou Lin wants to unilaterally terminate the guaranteed admission agreement."
The airport was bustling with noise during the summer, but the atmosphere where she was was almost deathly quiet. Song Ci finally saw her.
"He's going to S University."
Tang Shi drove very fast. He picked up Lin Shiren at seven o'clock and sped all the way to Yujingyuan at seven forty. As soon as he entered the lobby, he saw Han Yilan waiting there.
She was completely different from how she was when she gave her speech on stage that day. Her long hair was messy and stuck to her cheeks, and her eyes were obviously red and swollen from crying.
Lin Shiren, covered in the dust of his journey, walked towards her. Han Yilan stepped forward and took her hand, her voice choked with emotion: "He's now determined to give up on Q University. Lao Zhou and I really have no choice."
"Auntie doesn't object to you two dating. With transportation so convenient these days, you can meet every week if you want. But your future is a lifelong matter, and he can't be irresponsible to himself."
Han Yilan was already sobbing uncontrollably: "Renren, please persuade him."
"Auntie, I'm sorry."
After saying this, Lin Shiren wiped the corner of her eye with the back of her hand. She didn't know why she was apologizing, but subconsciously she took the blame upon herself.
The elevator dinged, and she followed Song Ci upstairs, while Tang Shi stayed in the lobby with Han Yilan.
The front door of Zhou Lin's house was wide open. The living room looked like it had been vandalized. The chairs were upside down, and the floor was covered with broken vases. Zhou Heyu was sitting on the sofa smoking, with cigarette butts piled up in front of him.
Song Ci walked ahead of her, his feet making a "crunching" sound. Zhou Heyu looked over and whispered, "Uncle Zhou, let's try to persuade Zhou Lin."
Zhou Heyu turned his face away without saying a word, his expression very unpleasant.
Lin Shiren picked up Zhou Lin's phone from the mess. The screen had spiderweb-like cracks, which told him that he knew why Zhou Lin had gone missing.
I knew he was decisive, but I never expected him to be so bold. He went to Q University alone to terminate his guaranteed admission agreement, and then went on a trip with her on the last day of college application. If it weren't for the Q University teacher appreciating his talent and calling Zhou Heyu, everyone would have been kept in the dark.
The thought of the two of them actually being on a plane with no signal right now was terrifying. There were still three hours until the deadline for submitting college applications; there was still time to make changes.
Pushing open the study door, Lin Shiren saw Zhou Lin sitting in front of the bookshelf.
His elbows were resting on his knees, a thin layer of anger emanating from him. At the same time, he looked up at her, noticing a wound on his eyebrow.
She slowly walked over, squatted down at his feet, and reached out to stroke his face: "Does it hurt?"
The injury was inflicted by Zhou Heyu, because he was completely unyielding.
After a few seconds of eye contact, Zhou Lin noticed something else in her eyes and a slight sneer appeared on his lips: "You're here to advise me too? What did my parents say to you? As for Song Ci, he should have told you everything, right?"
At this moment, all Lin Shiren wanted to do was hug him. She said softly, "I don't want to hear what they're saying. I just want to hear what you have to say."
Zhou Lin and Chen Mo remained silent for a long time before Zhou Lin lowered his voice slightly: "S University is ranked fifth in the country. It is not far behind Q University, but the gap is not huge. The project I am working on with my senior from Q University will not stop. It's just that we lack the support of Q University, but this will not restrict me, nor will it affect my future."
Lin Shih-ren didn't feel relieved; in the end, it was all for her sake.
Zhou Lin's idea sounded well-thought-out, but young people can't see the future, so they are so confident that they think they can do anything.
But what if it fails?
Who can bear such a one in ten thousand chance of failure?
Her voice gradually became moist: "Q University is a dream that I can reach. I am equally proud to see you standing there. S University is not a place for you, and I don't want our relationship to be mixed with other elements. You should get back on track."
"Being with you is the right path."
Zhou Lin clenched his fist, the veins on the back of his hand standing out, as he forcefully controlled his emotions: "What kind of great future could possibly be worth missing every season I spend by your side?"
It was never fair between them.
Her crush was fake; their first kiss was forced on him. Their relationship had always been one-sidedly pushed forward by him. Just thinking about Shen Xuqing being at S University and the various scenarios that might develop between them kept him up at night. Zhou Lin decided to give himself a sense of security.
"We can see each other often, so even a long-distance relationship won't affect our feelings."
Lin Shih-ren's words of comfort were weak and ineffective, because before a long-distance relationship begins, it is difficult for anyone to imagine the various challenges hidden behind the distance.
"But I don't want to gamble."
I don't want to gamble with losing you.
A bone-chilling cold filled the air. Lin Shiren saw several pairs of expectant eyes in the living room, and his throat tightened with a lump: "Zhou Lin, I don't want you to sacrifice for me. I can't afford this kind of relationship."
She wanted to be with him, so much so, but she couldn't trade his future for it.
Zhou Lin chuckled. It turned out that everything he had insisted on was wrong, everything he had fought for was absurd, and all his efforts had been negated.
He glanced at me coldly: "What if I insist on going to S University?"
With a "plop," tears fell to the ground. Lin Shiren hugged him, her eyes brimming with tears: "Please, can you change your application? If S University takes my file, it will be too late."
She cried pitifully, and for the first time, Zhou Lin didn't wipe away her tears. Instead, he pressed her forehead against his own and asked, "What will you do if I insist on going to S University?"
Lin Shih-jen's whole body was trembling; he neither nodded nor shook his head.
"say!"
Finally, after his third pressing, she replied weakly, "If you apply to S University, we'll break up."
-----------------------
The author's note: The college admission process is purely fictional, created to serve the plot and does not reflect reality.
There is one more chapter in the main text, and the subsequent map will enter the university.
Neither the male nor female lead are perfect characters. Renren's growth is very obvious, but Zhou Lin was a perfect boy all along. In fact, his personality flaws are bigger, such as his obsession and plundering. I still hope that the young couple can grow together!
Renren will pursue her husband later, which is also for her sake. Of course, Rinko is easier to pursue.
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