"If this is your decision..." Yan Yichen struggled to tug at the corner of his mouth, "OK, I will make it come true."

Jian Yixue’s hand hidden behind her back, her nails had deeply sunk into her palm...

It hurt so much, but it couldn’t surpass the pain in her heart.

She thought, she was going to lose him, forever.

"That’s it then, goodbye." She said.

Yan Yichen still wore that usual calm and composed expression, yet his eyes were already red, "Sorry for the trouble these days. The things I left at your house, feel free to dispose of them. Xiaoxue... no, Jian Yixue, goodbye."

Jian Yixue walked away without looking back.

Yan Yichen grasped the iron rail beside him, with such force that his knuckles turned white.

The words "Don’t leave, stay." circled in his mind, nearly bursting out, but he swallowed them down ruthlessly!

That’s enough, Yan Yichen, she wants to leave, you should respect her, clinging on like this, what does that look like?

Repeatedly comforting himself, under the starlit sky, Yan Yichen’s smile was immensely bitter.

...

Leaving the bar, the dazed Jian Yixue bumped into a girl.

"Hey? Shuangxue? What a coincidence, how come it’s you?" The girl’s smile showed two lovely dimples.

Jian Yixue came to her senses, recognizing her as an editor from a magazine, with the online name Manman, she had once written several novels for the magazine. Being in the same city, they had met once.

Shuangxue was her pen name.

"Hello." Jian Yixue nodded in greeting.

"Are you going home? Is someone picking you up?"

Jian Yixue shook her head, "It’s fine, I can take the bus back myself..."

"How can that be safe? Just you being a girl and it’s late at night! My boyfriend and I can drive you home!" Manman led her to the car.

Manman’s boyfriend got out of the car, gentlemanly opening the door for his girlfriend and Jian Yixue, a scene that happened to be witnessed by someone.

-

The car stopped by the roadside, Jian Yixue thanked them and got out.

"Let’s meet up sometime, and keep up the good work, send me your manuscripts first, okay!" Manman waved her goodbye and drove away.

Jian Yixue entered the pharmacy downstairs, and came out holding a few sleeping pills.

Returning home, she locked the doors and windows, trembling as she pulled out a bottle from the nightstand.

She had the habit of hoarding sleeping pills, a habit formed since elementary school.

Sleeping pills couldn’t be bought too much at once, so she could only buy a few each time, then hide them in the bottle.

She had thought of dying more than once, but always lacked the courage.

Since Yan Yichen moved in, she hadn’t bought any for a long time.

He gave her redemption, gave her hope to keep living, but now, she felt exhausted, truly exhausted.

Eating them... she wouldn’t have to face anything anymore... she thought dazedly, picking up the water cup.

A sudden phone ring interrupted, her hand holding the cup shook, spilling some water.

She glanced at the screen, it was Ning Xixi calling.

She wiped her hands and pressed answer.

They chatted for a bit, she heard Ning Xixi softly ask:

"Have you really made up your mind?"

"Yes."

A decision had been made, Ning Xixi could only smile and say, "Well, follow your heart, whatever happens, I’ll always be behind you! Remember this, Xiaoxue, you’ll always have me as a friend!"

"Xixi... We are friends, right? Friends forever." She asked, trembling.

"Of course! We definitely are!" Ning Xixi answered resolutely.

On this end, Jian Yixue was already in tears.