Chapter 3: Blocked

“Is it hard to find a space? Let me go out and help—”

Noticing the man’s dark expression, Cheng Zhou belatedly realized, “Cough! Jiang-ge, don’t tell me… Yumian-jie still hasn’t come back?”

It had already been more than a day.

Jiang Yihuai spread his hands and shrugged. “Come back? Do you think breakups are just for fun?”

With that, he walked past him and sat on the couch.

Cheng Zhou scratched his head. No way, is this breakup for real this time?

But he quickly shook his head, thinking he was overanalyzing. If Jiang Yihuai could break up just like that, he’d believe it. But Su Yumian… any woman in the world might agree to a breakup, except for her. That was an acknowledged fact in their circle.

“Huai-zi, why are you alone?” Gu Yizhou, clearly enjoying the drama, folded his arms and smirked. “You bet on three hours. It’s already been a whole day.” Jiang Yihuai curled his lips. “A bet’s a bet. What’s my punishment?”

Gu Yizhou raised an eyebrow. “Let’s change it up today—no drinking.”

“?”

“Call Mianmian and, in the gentlest voice possible, say: ‘I’m sorry, I was wrong, I love you.’”

“Hahaha…”

Laughter erupted around them.

Cheng Zhou didn’t hesitate. He snatched Jiang Yihuai’s phone and dialed Su Yumian’s number. After a few rings, a robotic voice responded, “Sorry, the number you dialed is unavailable…” Did he… just get blocked?

Jiang Yihuai was momentarily stunned. The laughter in the room gradually died down, and everyone exchanged glances. Cheng Zhou quickly hung up, handed the phone back, and tried to salvage the situation. “Uh… maybe it’s really just unavailable? How could Yumian-jie block Jiang-ge? Unless red rain falls from the sky, hahaha—” by the end, even he felt awkward.

Gu Yizhou seemed to be thinking deeply. “…Maybe Mianmian is serious this time.”

Jiang Yihuai scoffed lightly. “A breakup isn’t real? What, is it supposed to be fake? I don’t want to play this game again. From now on, if anyone dares to bring up Su Yumian, don’t blame me for not being your friend.”

Gu Yizhou narrowed his eyes slightly and, after a moment, muttered, “Just don’t regret it.”

Jiang Yihuai smirked indifferently. He never regretted anything.

Shen Shiyan quickly stepped in to ease the tension. “Come on, don’t get so serious! Hahaha… We’re all brothers here…”

—

7 AM.

After finishing her morning run, Shao Yuwei walked in and was instantly hit with the aroma of food.

Su Yumian emerged from the kitchen carrying a bowl of hot porridge, dressed in a houndstooth dress that accentuated her fair, slender legs. Even without makeup, she was breathtakingly beautiful. “Go take a shower. Breakfast will be ready when you’re done.”

Shao Yuwei: “Huh? Changed your hairstyle? Short black straight hair in a high ponytail? Looking all dolled up—are you planning to go back? Or is Jiang Yihuai coming to pick you up?”

“Heh, can you hope for something good for me?”

“Jiang Yihuai already came to pick you up. How is that not hoping for something good?” Shao Yuwei walked to the dining table and was shocked by the feast in front of her.

“Go shower,” Su Yumian smacked away her reaching hand. “You’re filthy.”

“Double standards! You didn’t slap Jiang Yihuai’s hand when he touched the food!”

“Mhm. Next time, if I get the chance, I definitely will.”

“Yeah, right…”

By the time Shao Yuwei came out from her shower, Su Yumian was already gone, carrying a thermal lunchbox.

“Tch, she made breakfast for me but still packed some for a man. Prioritizing romance over friendship…”

—

Xijing Hospital, private ward.

“Ouyang, how are you feeling today?”

Ouyang Wenqiu put down her research paper and adjusted her reading glasses. “Old Shang?! What are you doing here?!”

“No, don’t move,” Shang Minghe quickly placed a pillow behind her. “Your wound isn’t healed yet.”

“Appendicitis, just a minor surgery. I’m only stuck here because recovery is slow at my age. By the way, have the master’s program admissions quotas been released?”

“Yeah. You got three, I got four.”

“Three, huh…” Ouyang Wenqiu murmured.

“What? Are you still planning to take only two students this year?”

“Yeah, I’m getting old. I can only handle two.”

Shang Minghe scoffed. That last slot was reserved for her, and she still wouldn’t admit it.

“Professor Ouyang—oh? Professor Shang is here too?” He Songcheng entered with two junior students, placing down fruit and flowers. “We came to visit you, Professor.”

During their chat, one student suddenly mentioned, “I heard there’s a freshman this year who’s crazy talented. She got into our department with a direct bachelor’s-to-PhD track.”

For context, in the past ten years, the Life Sciences Academy at B University had accepted fewer than three students directly into a PhD program from undergrad.

“…Apparently, she won gold medals in both the International Olympiad for Math and Computer Science last year and was directly admitted to our department.”

“Two gold medals? That’s impressive, but I remember a senior—wasn’t she Professor Ouyang’s student? When she started undergrad, she already had four gold medals in Math, Physics, Chemistry, and Computer Science! I think her name was Su… Su something Mian…”

“It’s about time!” Shang Minghe interrupted. “You should all head back to campus now.”

“Oh, um, okay… We’ll get going then.”

“Mhm.”

Outside the ward, one student looked downcast. “He Songcheng, did I say something wrong? Why did Professors Ouyang and Shang look so upset?”

He Songcheng also looked puzzled.

Inside the ward—

Shang Minghe: “They didn’t mean anything by it. Don’t take it to heart.”

Ouyang Wenqiu waved a hand dismissively, but her lips trembled, and tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them.

“A genius like her shouldn’t have… shouldn’t have wasted her talent! But why… why didn’t she cherish her gift?”

Shang Minghe: “Calm down…”

“Old Shang, do you know what she said to me the last time we met? She said she wanted love… Haha, love? She broke my heart…”

Outside the door, Su Yumian clutched the thermal lunchbox tightly, her tears falling uncontrollably.

I’m sorry… Professor Ouyang…

In the end, she didn’t have the courage to go in. Instead, she left the lunchbox at the nurse’s station. “This is for Professor Ouyang. Please help me pass it to her. Thank you.”