Inside Zhou Shiyan’s home.

With Gu Xiyu having moved out, the mother and daughter—who had already grown used to her presence—found themselves feeling a bit out of sorts.

Lan Yixian filled the washbasin with hot water, then tested the temperature with her hand. Feeling it was just right, she tied her hair back and began to wash her face.

She cupped her hands together and splashed the water onto her face.

Zhou Shiyan, meanwhile, sat on the edge of the bed, blankly watching her mother.

After a while, Zhou Shiyan suddenly spoke.

“Mom... what kind of city is B City?”

“Hm?”

Lan Yixian, who was wiping her face with a towel, was surprised at her daughter’s question. She let out a small sound of acknowledgment, then looked toward her daughter sitting on the bed.

After thinking for a moment, she replied,

“It’s a pretty big city, I guess. I haven’t been there myself, so I’m not too sure.”

“If... you wanted to find someone there, but didn’t know their address, it’d be hard, right?”

“Pretty much. Not knowing their address... it’s like finding a needle in a haystack.”

“I see... that’s good then.”

Muttering to herself, Zhou Shiyan lowered her head, eyes fixed on the floor.

Her hands clasped tightly, her thumbs fidgeting against each other nonstop.

Even though Liu Changqing had said all those things to her, Zhou Shiyan still stood by her decision.

She was a lot like Lan Yixian.

Not in appearance or body shape—

But in personality.

At a glance, Lan Yixian seemed like the gentle type, while her daughter Zhou Shiyan came across as quiet and withdrawn.

But anyone who really knew them would realize...

They were both very opinionated and stubborn.

Liu Changqing had once failed to change Lan Yixian’s mind, and he wasn’t going to change hers either—not with just a few words in such a short time.

Zhou Shiyan still planned to keep it from Liu Zhiyue.

She would let him forget about her gradually, after she left.

A sneaky little plan.

She thought it would spare everyone from getting hurt, but in truth, the moment she made that decision, someone was bound to be hurt.

Inevitably.

After washing up, Lan Yixian put the towel back where it belonged and sat beside her daughter on the bed.

Her gaze fell softly on her.

Her eyes, full of warmth.

“Did you... tell your friends yet?”

“……”

She didn’t answer right away. It took a while before Zhou Shiyan finally nodded silently.

Then, almost like she was hypnotizing herself, she added,

“They’re not really friends anyway.”

After saying that, she clenched the bedsheet with the hand propped on the bed, twisting it tightly.

“Just some classmates, that’s all... so it’s fine. There’s no problem with me going with you.”

“Shiyan...”

“Mom, don’t worry. I’ll handle it. Just like when I left my old school—when I transferred, I adjusted just fine, didn’t I?”

As she spoke, Zhou Shiyan lifted her hand.

That not-so-big hand rested on the back of her mother’s hand.

She didn’t look at her mom, though. Her gaze fell elsewhere...

Toward the penguin plush toy placed near the head of the bed.

She murmured,

“I won’t be sad. It’s just another new school...”

“……”

Lan Yixian watched her daughter’s expression as she said this.

She had given birth to her—how could she not know what her daughter was truly feeling inside?

Even someone as emotionally dull as Lan Yixian had recently noticed the strange atmosphere between her daughter and Liu Zhiyue.

She could tell...

Her daughter wasn’t nearly as relaxed as she claimed to be.

On the contrary... she was torn.

Feeling her daughter’s hand on her own, Lan Yixian wanted to say something—like suggesting her daughter stay behind for high school and live on campus.

But the words wouldn’t come out.

Her daughter was the most important person in her life. The only reason she was still alive was to raise her.

All these years, the two of them had always depended on each other.

If Lan Yixian had to live without her daughter... she didn’t even want to imagine what that would be like.

A selfish thought.

And so...

Mother and daughter, each harboring their own thoughts, sat together in silence.

Time seemed frozen.

In the small room, the two of them sat side by side on the edge of the bed...

Suddenly, a flurry of footsteps approached from outside.

Starting out faint, then growing clearer.

Until they stopped.

The room wasn’t well soundproofed, and the moment they heard the noise, both mother and daughter turned their gaze toward the door.

“Zhou Shiyan, are you home?”

Liu Zhiyue’s voice came through the door and reached their ears.

Lan Yixian’s expression turned slightly confused the moment she heard his voice.

That boy... why would he come so late?

But Zhou Shiyan, on the other hand, seemed to have anticipated this.

Just like she thought when she left Liu Changqing’s house—Liu Zhiyue would definitely find out she was leaving.

But... she already had a plan.

With that in mind, Zhou Shiyan withdrew her hand from her mother’s and stood up from the bed.

She walked toward the door, neither fast nor slow.

Reached out and opened it.

And saw Liu Zhiyue’s face right in front of her.

Along with his slightly messy hair.

Because he had ridden so fast, the wind had blown his hair into a center part, and a few stubborn strands were sticking up.

It looked kind of silly overall.

But Zhou Shiyan didn’t mention it. Instead, she put on the same cold expression as always.

And said softly,

“Your dad told you everything?”

“Yeah.”

“That’s right. I’m leaving after the high school entrance exams, so don’t talk to me anymore. We won’t be involved with each other again.”

“……”

Her words were blunt.

Like two friends declaring they’d never speak again.

But after hearing her say that, Liu Zhiyue didn’t react. He just looked at her calmly.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

“Zhou Shiyan, don’t think you can shake me off that easily.”

“We’re not even—”

Before she could finish, Zhou Shiyan suddenly felt herself being pulled into his arms.

Held tightly.

This sudden move stunned her completely. And Lan Yixian, sitting on the bed, was equally shocked.

She stared, dumbfounded, at Liu Zhiyue hugging her daughter at the door...

“You’re crazy!”

Zhou Shiyan snapped out of it and started pushing him away with both hands, shouting as she did.

She hadn’t expected Liu Zhiyue to say nothing and just hug her like this.

The difference in strength between boys and girls was real. Even though she used all her strength to try and shove him off, she couldn’t move him no matter what.

Liu Zhiyue turned his head and looked at Lan Yixian.

Then he said it.

In a voice like a declaration:

“Aunt Lan, I like your daughter.”

“……”

Zhou Shiyan froze, her hands paused mid-push.

She lifted her head and looked at Liu Zhiyue.

Her eyes filled with disbelief.

He... what did he just say?

Lan Yixian, too, was at a loss for words.

She had already suspected it for a while, but to hear him say it out loud right in front of her...

“Liu Zhiyue, don’t talk nonsense!”

“I’m not.”

Hearing Zhou Shiyan’s voice, Liu Zhiyue turned to her and replied.

Right now, Zhou Shiyan no longer had that cold, expressionless look.

That usually frosty face was now filled with panic.

It looked like... nervousness.

Or more like... fear that her heart might waver.