Her gaze was soft yet carried a profound meaning as she looked at him.
"Miao Jing, you're fucking..." He froze, "You're just too... insane."
She shrugged and came over to tidy up her things, her tone calm: "I'll make a call and have Bo Zai come keep you company."
Chapter 41: Miao Jing, I'm Leaving
During Miao Jing's first Christmas in college, the school organized social mixers and cultural performances. She received many apples and small gifts.
December 24th, Christmas Eve, was Chen Yi's twentieth birthday.
That was the last time she attempted to contact him. The number had long been disconnected. Nothing notable happened in Tengcheng, and everyone she could reach said Yi Ge had gone out to make his fortune, pursuing his grand ambitions. Even Officer Zhou explained it this way, telling her not to worry and to focus on her studies.
Miao Jing calmly accepted this reality.
The signs of their parting had been there all along. If two people lost the ties that bound their lives together, they were destined to become strangers with nothing in common. Besides, given how things had been left last time—when he gave her eighty thousand yuan in one go, enough to cover her four years of college without needing to trouble him again—it was clear.
To speak of his virtues, he was loyal and righteous. To speak of his flaws, he was simply indifferent to her. In any case, they were free of attachments to each other, each living their own carefree lives, happily forgetting one another in the vast world.
Miao Jing dedicated herself to her own life. The ivory tower of a big city could be considered a utopia, where anyone could find their place. In college, she remained exceptional—beautiful, diligent in her studies, reserved yet independent. During winter and summer breaks, she either stayed on campus to study or found internships at companies. She was a grounded, thoughtful young woman. She got along well with others at school, managing both her academic and personal life with ease. Given the male-to-female ratio in an engineering school, her brilliance was unmistakable, and she had no shortage of suitors.
Of course, college was a time for romance. Among Miao Jing's admirers, many tried to strike up conversations or show their affection. There were plenty of eye-catching guys, but Miao Jing remained unmoved. One from the sports academy, tall, handsome, rugged and wild, with solid muscles and an athletic build, exuded charisma. He had a group of brothers backing him, and even her dormmates thought highly of him. But Miao Jing wasn't interested in that type, finding him unremarkable.
There was, however, a bright and cheerful guy in her department. They crossed paths in both academics and clubs, and even after she gently turned down his advances several times, he remained gentlemanly, letting things pass without a trace and continuing as her friend. Their interactions were natural, and he was refreshingly straightforward.
Chen Yi was like a stone sunk into the ocean, hidden in its vast depths. Miao Jing's connections to Tengcheng grew increasingly faint. High school classmates gradually lost touch, and news from Tengcheng dwindled until it ceased entirely. If she didn't deliberately recall them, Miao Jing felt she was slowly forgetting those memories, forgetting the sweltering small town and her past life.
During those two years, Chen Yi was at the Yunnan border.
After Miao Jing left, he indeed felt an unprecedented sense of relief and freedom. No burdens, no baggage, no need to worry about someone at home, no distractions or annoyances, no arguments or cold wars. Even around Bo Zai and his crew, he smiled more often. Anyone could see how content he was.He worked for Zhang Shi and Zhai Fengmao while secretly serving as Zhou Kang'an's informant in an operation codenamed "708." The police aimed to use Zhai Fengmao as the spearhead to wipe out Tengcheng's underworld forces in one sweep—triggering conflicts among various gangs through disputes over a downtown demolition site. Chen Yi stirred up considerable trouble in the process, and it was during this time that Bo Zai’s leg was injured in an accident while following Chen Yi.
After the turmoil, many criminal organizations collapsed, including the nightclub and Zhang Shi’s faction. Zhai Fengmao, tipped off in advance, slipped away and fled to his stronghold in the Golden Triangle, where his old gang—loyal followers who had committed crimes for him in the past—managed his arms and drug operations.
With the major kingpin evading capture, the operation fell short of its goal. Half of Tengcheng’s firearms and drugs originated from Zhai Fengmao. Following a profound conversation with Zhou Kang'an, Chen Yi fled to the Golden Triangle under the guise of escaping the law and sought refuge with Zhai Fengmao at this critical juncture.
Life was far from easy. The cunning Zhai Fengmao distrusted Chen Yi, repeatedly attempting to eliminate him both overtly and covertly. During that period, Chen Yi lived in destitution and darkness, surviving through underground gambling, selling blood, and other unsavory means after several near-death experiences. After over a year of hardship, he was finally taken back under Zhai Fengmao’s wing, assigned to guard duty and run errands for meager meals.
Chen Yi spent a year under Zhai Fengmao, maintaining intermittent contact with Zhou Kang'an. In a joint operation by Tengcheng and other police forces, Zhai Fengmao’s base was raided amid gunfire that claimed many of his close aides. Fleeing hastily to Southeast Asia with two loyal followers, Zhai Fengmao escaped, while Chen Yi quietly returned to China.
By her junior year of college, Miao Jing had grown accustomed to her new life.
Her delicate features had shed the innocence of adolescence, fully transforming into those of a vibrant urban young woman. Her mindset matured steadily as she balanced classes and internships, dedicating spare time to self-improvement, shopping, leisure, studying in the library, or sports and travel. Hers was a sunny, healthy, and carefree university experience, and she grew increasingly close to a male student in her department, their relationship blossoming beyond mere friendship.
The campus ginkgo trees blanketed the ground in a rich, golden hue reminiscent of an oil painting, enhanced by the dazzling sunlight. Walking or cycling through felt dreamily beautiful and profoundly serene, with every face on campus radiating youthful vitality.
Amid such splendid weather and sunshine, Miao Jing went to the sports field with friends to play tennis. Her slender, graceful figure clad in simple white athletic wear, even the most understated attire highlighted her youthful charm.
Chen Yi visited her campus once.
In late autumn, he wore scant clothing as if arriving from a tropical south—dirty black attire, a cheap T-shirt, and jeans, his brows and eyes carrying a fierce, rebellious pride. A dusty baseball cap sat on his head, and he carried a tattered jacket. Despite his disheveled appearance, his tall, straight-backed posture and vigorous stride revealed a strikingly handsome young man.
After circling the campus, he gazed from afar at the crowded sports field. His eyes instantly found her among the bustling figures. Under the brilliant sun, amidst the energetic youths and carefree laughter, he could sense the purity and beauty of that life without needing to draw closer.
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