The September University is a bit far from A City. It takes about five hours by train to reach D City, where September University is located. D City is a first-tier coastal city with a developed economy, a large population, and a relatively pleasant climate. Since they would be studying in D City for four years, Su Cui and Su Baixue deliberately avoided D City during their vacation trip to keep a sense of novelty. Using the money from her golden finger, before leaving A City, Su Cui booked several tables at the Junyue Hotel near the square for the elderly in the surrounding old community to celebrate Su Baixue's admission to college. Master Qin's family, who had helped Su Baixue before, was also invited. At the banquet, Su Baixue's face flushed red listening to the compliments from the elders around her. Finally, too embarrassed to bear it, she excused herself to go to the restroom for some fresh air and left her seat. When she came out of the restroom, she saw Xiao Qin at another table talking intimately with a young man next to him. Thinking she hadn't seen Xiao Qin for two years, she walked over and patted Xiao Qin on the shoulder. Xiao Qin turned his head, and Su Baixue gave him a big smile. 'Xiao Qin! Long time no see!' Xiao Qin was stunned for a moment. The young man who had been chatting intimately with Xiao Qin also turned to look at Su Baixue and then winked at Xiao Qin teasingly. Su Baixue looked at Xiao Qin and then at the teasing young man, surprised at how similar their faces were, like brothers. However, Xiao Qin had a forehead full of acne, while the teasing young man's face was clean and appeared older. 'Wow, Xiao Qin, who is this? He looks so much like you,' Su Baixue asked curiously. She was wearing a green floral dress and a pearl hairpin, looking very beautiful. Xiao Qin said 'Ah' and replied nervously, 'This is my brother... Long time no see, Su Baixue! Congratulations on getting into such a good school!' Brother? Wasn't it said that he was Master Qin's only son... Su Baixue was stunned. Memories drifted back to the Christmas night several years ago. Had I remembered wrong? Su Baixue looked at Xiao Qin's oily face and blank expression. Seeing how nervous Xiao Qin was, she suddenly felt a sense of unfamiliarity and quickly replied, 'Thank you. I heard you're going to be a senior this year too. I have some notes and review materials here. If you want them, I'll find time to send them to you.' Xiao Qin waved his hand repeatedly. 'No need, no need.' He looked at Su Baixue with some curiosity, not understanding why she acted as if they were very familiar. The two didn't exchange many pleasantries before Su Baixue was pulled away by several old ladies to talk about study tips. Everyone in the old community had watched Su Baixue grow up. In the past, when Su Cui was paralyzed and Su Baixue worked, people didn't interact much. But over the past three years, they had grown much closer, and everyone was happy for Su Baixue. For a while, they laughed and chatted, full of joy. The banquet ended. Everyone had eaten and drunk their fill. Those who weren't satisfied yet began to invite others to go dancing in the square. Having danced square dance for three years, Su Cui was already familiar with various dance steps. She even had a regular dance partner! His surname was Li, named Li Tingyuan. He had been introduced by Zhou Shixiang a year ago and became familiar when they danced together. Compared to Zhou Shixiang's elegant and slender demeanor, which gave off a sense of distance at times, Li Tingyuan always had a smiling face and seemed much more approachable. Moreover, he usually looked like a big-bellied Maitreya Buddha, spoke humorously and wittily, and had a bit of an old urchin vibe, making him even more popular. The thing was, Li Tingyuan especially loved dancing. He could dance all night without getting tired. Most elderly women didn't have that stamina, but Su Cui's physical strength was exceptionally good. Over time, she often danced with him, and now they had become a famous dance couple in the square. Hearing someone mention going dancing, Li Tingyuan immediately raised his hand. He staggered to his feet and walked out of the hotel. He was drunk, with a drunken look on his face. Every few steps he took made people sweat with worry. Su Cui ran over to support him. Li Tingyuan, seeming drunk, pulled Su Cui and said, 'Cuihua, this time you're going to enjoy yourself. From now on, you don't have to go back at night. Find a place another day, and we'll dance and sing all night long!' 'All night long! We're not young anymore. Aren't you afraid of keeling over...' Su Cui somewhat disgustedly said, smelling the stench of alcohol on Li Tingyuan. 'This old geezer, how much did you drink? Take it easy!' 'You old crone don't understand. I'm happy!' Su Cui was amused. 'My granddaughter got into college, and you're happier than me!' 'Of course!' Li Tingyuan's spirits lifted, and he laughed himself. 'Hahaha.' He was completely drunk. Su Cui ignored him. She found a taxi for him, stuffed him in, and waved goodbye. 'Alright, alright, in this state, go home and sleep.' Li Tingyuan refused even as he was pushed in. 'No! I'm not going back!' As soon as he lay down in the back seat, he started snoring softly within two seconds. Su Cui's eyelids twitched. Luckily, she knew the address of the community Li Tingyuan had mentioned. She told the taxi driver and even paid the fare in advance. Some people still invited Su Cui to dance. Su Cui refused them all. The people in the old community thought Su Cui would stay at home and keep the house, but Su Cui never considered that. She couldn't let Su Baixue go to college alone in another city. The college scumbags were far more numerous than in high school. A five-hour drive was neither too long nor too short. Su Cui had to follow her to live in D City. As for accommodation, they would find a rental near the university once they arrived. * In August, Su Cui and Su Baixue set off early for D City to look for a house. They packed up their belongings and covered them with dust cloths. Su Baixue went downstairs first to find the taxi they had booked. Su Cui followed behind, easily carrying two large suitcases with one hand. On the way down, she knocked on Grandma Li's door to say goodbye. They chatted reluctantly for a while. The sun was just right. That day, Su Baixue wore a wide-brimmed hat, a shirt, and a denim skirt. Her apricot-like eyes sparkled, and she looked energetic and neat. When she saw Su Cui coming downstairs, she immediately fluttered over like a butterfly, linked arms with Su Cui, and smiled. The taxi driver helped them put the luggage in the trunk. As the car door closed, the entrance of the old community fell silent. Under the green shade of the trees in the community, the cicadas were especially noisy. A medium-height young man watched from behind the tree shadows, gazing at the direction Su Baixue had left for a long time. Only after Su Baixue got into the car did he lower his hand that was holding a tool bag. He leaned his back against a tree in the old community and stiffly dialed a number. After three rings, the call was answered. 'She, she... left,' the young man stammered. The call was hung up. Grandma Li came out to take out the trash. She saw the young man under the tree shadows and greeted him. 'Qin Yang! What are you doing here? Running errands for Master Qin again?' Xiao Qin, suddenly called by name, twitched all over. He bent over in pain, gasping for breath. 'Xiao Qin!?' Grandma Li exclaimed and rushed over to support him. She called him several times, but he didn't respond. Anxiously, Grandma Li directly pinched his philtrum. Xiao Qin shuddered from the pain and finally came to his senses. He stared blankly at Grandma Li, who was supporting him with concern. He scratched his head, looked around, looked at his feet, and showed a very confused expression. Something had undoubtedly happened. But there was a gap in his memory. Xiao Qin raised his head, his eyes stung by the sunlight, tears streaming down. 'Are you okay, Xiao Qin? Why are you crying...' Grandma Li was startled by his sudden bending over. Seeing Xiao Qin facing the sun with tears streaming down his face, she was even more shocked! She asked repeatedly, 'And you're panting like this!' Panting? Xiao Qin froze and looked down. Only then did he feel a little out of breath, his chest tight and unbearable. He hurriedly took several deep breaths before calming down. 'I'm fine,' Xiao Qin said painfully. 'In such a state, you call it fine! Child, have you been standing here all along?' Grandma Li looked at Xiao Qin's simple expression and suddenly said, 'What, do you want to pick up another person and take them to the hospital?' Pick up a person? Xiao Qin was even more confused. He looked at the spot where he was standing and suddenly realized he was right next to the trash can. There was a lot of garbage at his feet! And ants were crawling over his feet in his slippers. Xiao Qin jumped back a large step and screamed, 'So many bugs! Damn, it stinks! Why am I standing here!' The weather was hot, and around the trash can, flies and mosquitoes were buzzing, stinking to high heaven. 'What person did I pick up?' Xiao Qin scratched his head in frustration. 'I was supposed to go to the next community to fix something. So strange! How did I end up here?' Grandma Li frowned and touched Xiao Qin's forehead with the back of her hand. 'No fever either. Kid, in broad daylight, what nonsense are you talking? Are you suffering from heatstroke... Should I call your brother and have him pick you up?' Grandma Li nagged. 'Your dad is really something. You're about to start your senior year, the time to buckle down with studies, but he still makes you two brothers run around, and he goes off drinking himself.' 'Maybe a bit. It is indeed hot today,' Xiao Qin wiped the sweat from his forehead, feeling the shirt sticking to his back. 'There was another house where I needed to fix a faucet. I'll make a phone call and just skip it. Don't tell my brother either. I've been feeling dazed all day, awful! I'll just go to the hospital myself.' 'Alright. Young people, take care of your health.' * Five minutes after Su Cui and her group got into the taxi and set off for D City. Under the sunlight, the old community in A City that they had once lived in froze for an instant like an abstract painting. Grandma Li and Xiao Qin, who were talking, even became somewhat transparent. At the same time, in a luxurious hospital bed in D City. A pale, thin young man with a pallid face tightly covered his arm with force, his fingers gripping the edge of the bed. The veins on the back of his hand bulged from pain. The black chess piece he had been holding slipped and fell to the ground. Su Yang endured the pain, waiting for a while until he adapted to the agony, then expressionlessly released his grip and raised his arm to look. On his arm, which had been intact and clean just minutes ago, there was now a large patch of bloody flesh. In the blink of an eye, it even began to rot and emit a foul stench. Su Yang gritted his teeth. He felt that his healed heart had started to ache faintly again.