Dark clouds briefly loomed over everyone, but life had to go on.
"How's He Xiang doing today?"
Gu Xiuyuan wouldn't be coming to school next week. His application for a school abroad had already been approved, so there was no need for him to attend classes anymore. The next time he’d likely show up would be for graduation photos.
But before leaving, the person who usually gave him the least worry had now become his biggest concern.
"He’s doing fine. Not the type to tough it out unnecessarily. Maybe he’s still hurting inside, but he’s trying his best to adjust."
Ji Nian helped him organize things in the student council room, picking up the last photo frame to take a look.
It was a photo from their hiking trip when they’d camped out to watch the sunrise.
All five of them were dressed in hiking gear, their hair windblown like it had been licked by a cow, grinning foolishly at the camera.
"That’s good. If anything comes up with him, remember to contact me."
"Don’t worry, I will."
When Gu Xiuyuan came to pack his things, he didn’t ask his driver for help, handling it all himself. Ji Nian carried a cardboard box for him as they walked out together.
"No more school starting tomorrow—so envious."
Ji Nian sighed.
The weather was gradually getting hotter, and Ji Nian had switched to her summer uniform these past few days, occasionally marveling at how quickly time had flown.
The memory of her first day of high school, when Gu Xiuyuan had deliberately come early to catch her if she was late, still felt vivid.
"If you’re envious, you could apply too. There’s still time."
Ji Nian shrugged. "Nah, I don’t want to be an international student."
The refusal was expected. Gu Xiuyuan didn’t press further—after all, Ji Nian had long said she wanted to attend S University.
"Decided on a major yet?"
Ji Nian, lazily basking in the sun, replied, "Got some ideas."
Gu Xiuyuan stayed silent. Truthfully, he was the envious one.
Envious that Ji Nian could freely choose the field she wanted to study.
As for him? From the moment he was born, his life’s path had already been mapped out by his father.
"Oh, and while I’m gone, stay away from Wei Junze."
"Huh? Why bring him up all of a sudden?"
Gu Xiuyuan’s voice was flat. "That guy does whatever he wants. He especially enjoys chasing after people who aren’t interested in him. Just keep your distance."
He’d seen plenty of people who started off indifferent to Wei Junze, only to end up hopelessly infatuated—and then rejected.
"Got it..."
Ji Nian agreed, recalling how Wei Junze had been messaging her nonstop these past few days.
She usually replied at random.
When he’d learned about He Xiang’s grandmother, though, he’d surprisingly kept his distance—unexpectedly considerate.
"Alright, I’m off."
At the school gate, the Gu family driver jogged over to take the things from their hands.
Gu Xiuyuan gave Ji Nian a nod.
Ji Nian waved. "Bye!"
Everyone was taking his departure—and his move abroad—in stride.
After all, Gu Xiuyuan had always been a year ahead. When Ji Nian and the others were in ninth grade, he’d already moved up to high school. They were used to it.
Besides, even if he was studying overseas, they could always fly out to visit him.
It wasn’t like some cliché romance novel where the CEO would rather find a lookalike than take a flight to see his "white moonlight" abroad, stubbornly waiting for them to return.
Gu Xiuyuan got into the car. After driving a distance, his phone suddenly buzzed.
A message from Ji Nian:
Check the cardboard box. There’s a surprise inside.
His eyelid twitched as he glanced at the box she’d helped pack.
Moving aside the clutter on top, the first thing he saw was a folded T-shirt.
It looked suspiciously like the one they’d worn to the music festival.
Yes, the one with his giant face printed on it.
His eyelid twitched again. After a pause, he unfolded it.
To his surprise, his expressionless face was gone.
Instead, there were four heads pressed together in a row—He Xiang, Lu Jinghuai, Ji Nian, and Shen Qingtang.
Ji Nian’s smile was the brightest, all eight teeth perfectly on display.
Gu Xiuyuan couldn’t help but laugh out loud.
"This girl..."
He ran his fingers over the printed faces, shaking his head with a chuckle. No need to guess whose idea this was.
Beneath the T-shirt was something else—a thick, album-like object.
As Gu Xiuyuan flipped through it, his expression softened.
It was a collection of letters from students, each thanking him for his help in ways he’d long forgotten—small gestures he couldn’t even recall.
Yet in unseen corners, they’d been carefully remembered, now condensed into these heartfelt, "weighty" letters.
Gu Xiuyuan carefully tucked the album away. Leaning against the window, he watched the scenery blur past, his features melting into the morning light as a faint smile touched his lips.
...
"He saw it, haha! I bet he’ll secretly try it on when he gets back."
Ji Nian showed Shen Qingtang Gu Xiuyuan’s reply—a photo of the T-shirt and a teasing meme.
Shen Qingtang said, "Too bad we’re stuck in school. Otherwise, we could’ve ambushed him."
Despite her harmless appearance, she was full of mischief.
There was no sadness over the farewell. Instead, they excitedly plotted when to surprise Gu Xiuyuan, with He Xiang leading the charge.
He Xiang, watching his friends’ carefree laughter, nodded. "Sure."
"If I get beaten up, remember to carry me back."
He joked, and Ji Nian thumped her chest, declaring herself a professional.
After school, Wei Junze called right on time. "Done with class?"
Ji Nian thought, Isn’t that obvious?
"What’s up?"
"Free this Saturday? Heard you’re aiming for S University. Want a preview tour?"
A preview tour? He sounded so sure she’d get in.
Ji Nian remembered he was actually an S University student—unbelievable, given his slacker-like appearance.
"Sure. Can I bring friends?"
Wei Junze let out a soft "tsk." "What if I wanted it to be just us?"
"Then I’m not going."
He sighed dramatically. "Fine, you win, Your Highness."
"Bring whoever. Your whole family if you want."
Ji Nian turned to her friends, who were pretending not to eavesdrop.
"Wei Junze says we can tour S University this Saturday. Who’s in?"
Surprisingly, He Xiang was the first to decline.
"Saturday’s no good. I’ve got something else."
Shen Qingtang said she had an Only exhibition to attend.
That left only Lu Jinghuai.
Meeting Ji Nian’s gaze, he murmured, "I can go."
And so it was settled.
What they didn’t know was what He Xiang’s "something else" entailed.
Had Ji Nian left a little later, she would’ve seen He Xiang stepping through her front gate, sitting across from her father in the parlor.
He Xiang had reached out to Ji Tingzhou himself. The man had helped him immensely—covering nearly all the expenses for his grandmother’s funeral. Even though Mr. Ji insisted it wasn’t necessary, He Xiang had come in person to deliver an IOU.
Though the face bore a striking resemblance to Ji Nian's, He Xiang found not a trace of familiarity in it.
Ji Tingzhou glanced at the IOU and handed it to a servant to put away.
Then, his gaze settled on the composed young man sitting across from him.
Out of nowhere, he remarked, "Ji Nian didn’t misplace her kindness after all."
