Han Chao had the heaviest course load in the entire school and was exceptionally busy. Every time he got caught up in his work, he would inadvertently neglect her, which made Qianye feel a little sad. She began to doubt whether she held as much importance in his heart as she thought.

During the final exam review period, Qianye practically lived in the library. Sitting for hours each day, she became familiar with the faces around her. Even in the quiet atmosphere of focused study, she couldn’t stop herself from missing Han Chao. She believed she was diligent and practical, yet compared to him, nothing in the world seemed significant—neither honor nor achievement brought her joy unless they were built on the foundation of his love. Without him, everything in life felt like merely passing the time.

Unable to resist, she often left him messages. However, his replies, though gentle, were always brief, as he would quickly excuse himself due to the heavy demands of studying.

As the exams drew closer and eventually ended, Qianye finally endured long enough to see the start of their break. Han Chao called her, inviting her out. They went for a walk by a lakeside in the suburbs. All around them, young couples lingered—among them, a high school girl was scolding her boyfriend, who seemed regretful and was trying to appease her. Qianye watched them blankly, feeling a twinge of envy.

Before they had spent much time together, Han Chao was busy again. Like a spinning top that never stopped, he threw himself into preparing for the CET-6 English exam, studying for a second major, and more. He never paused to truly notice her. She had to admit, Han Chao’s diligence and excellence were rare qualities among men today—part of what had drawn her to him for so many years. As his girlfriend, she trusted that this hardworking and forward-driven man could offer her a secure and steady life.

But now that she had him, she realized his love left little room for her. It made her question whether he would even feel sorrow if she ever left.

She called him a few times, but his phone was often turned off. Feeling disheartened, she couldn’t ignore the imbalance of love—that the one who cared more always ended up humbler, while the one loved could act with impunity. Qianye stared at her phone, hoping it would ring with his call. She waited obsessively, only to give in and call him first when the longing became unbearable.

One night in the dorm, she sat by the window, staring outside. The lights on the sports field blurred in the distance as tears streamed down her face. She finally made up her mind, turned off her phone, and went to bed.

The next morning, almost instinctively, she turned her phone back on. A message from Han Chao appeared. In that moment, it felt as though the darkness had lifted, and all her grievances and anger from the night before dissolved.

Han Chao was her destined entanglement. Day after day, he wore down her sharp edges, compelling her to retreat and compromise endlessly. In the end, all she wanted was for him to stay by her side. She could endure the loneliness of the journey as long as he remained her destination—she would gladly bear it.

Han Chao told her he’d come see her that evening. With just those few words, her world lit up again.

They met at the east gate of the library, where Han Chao presented her with a wooden box containing an Eiffel Tower pendant. “I bought this with my scholarship—it’s for you.” She loved him so deeply that such a small act of kindness could move her for days. He embraced her, and though the autumn night had grown chilly, his arms felt warm as spring.

Back in her dorm, Qianye began packing her things. As she reached for her handbag, her phone rang. Carefully, she retrieved it and saw that the call was from Zhang Cheng. Her heart tightened. Although she had given him her number, saying he could reach out if he had any questions about his studies, Zhang Cheng had always been considerate and never contacted her outside of tutoring sessions. Last week, they had finished the final session for the semester.

Qianye’s temples throbbed as she quickly ran out of the classroom. Reaching the stairwell, she caught her breath and answered, “Zhang Cheng, what’s wrong?”

“Qianye, can you come to my house?”

“What happened?”

“… Can you come?”

“… Okay, wait for me.”