Being called like that, Clara gradually regained her composure. She took a deep breath, suppressed the shock in her heart, and began to report on the situation for the semester.

“This year, our class’s Chinese scores were ranked first in both major exams. Overall, it was quite good…”

Clara tried her best to avoid looking at Julian, but she could feel that Julian’s gaze was glued to her, making her feel as if she were being pricked by needles, forcing her to bite the bullet and keep speaking.

Most parents were carefully reviewing the report cards for the semester.

Only Julian, whose materials were laid out perfectly on the desk, hadn't even touched them, staring straight at Clara.

It wasn't until Clara finished speaking that she didn't linger, walking straight out of the classroom. Only then did the fuzzy, unsettling feeling in her heart slowly disappear.

Clara sighed and prepared to go to the next classroom. She hadn't taken two steps with her notebook when an uninvited guest stopped her.

It was someone very familiar. Clara thought about it in her heart and remembered: it was Bai Ruxuan.

…So they had come together.

Only one parent could sit in the classroom, so if both came, they had to coordinate for the other to wait outside.

Clara looked up, her gaze composed, waiting for Bai Ruxuan to speak.

Bai Ruxuan still carried a gentle temperament, but the tone of her voice wasn't as friendly.

“Clara, we meet again.”

Clara had thought she was going to say something else, but she hadn't expected it to be just a greeting. She walked around Bai Ruxuan, expressionless.

Seeing Clara ignore her, a nameless anger rose in Bai Ruxuan’s heart. Aiming her words at Clara’s back, which hadn't walked far, she boasted: “Clara, I’m going to get engaged to Brother Julian.”

“When the time comes, shall I invite you to the engagement banquet?”

The weather had started to get a bit hot. The sun was high in the sky, shining through the gaps in the corridor onto Clara, bringing a faint sense of warmth.

Bai Ruxuan’s voice wasn't loud, and the place wasn't exactly quiet. People around hadn't noticed them and hadn't heard what she said.

But Clara heard her. She stopped, simply tilted her head to the side, gave no answer, and headed straight to the next classroom.

Chapter 24

After finishing the parent-teacher meetings for three classes, Clara felt as though all her energy had been drained, and she walked straight back to the office.

When passing by Sharon Xie’s classroom, Clara subconsciously glanced at her seat. The meeting was still in progress, but Julian was no longer there, nor was Bai Ruxuan.

Clara hurriedly lowered her eyes, berating herself for what she was doing; since they had broken up, she shouldn't be paying attention to unnecessary things.

She walked straight ahead, eyes fixed forward, and didn't notice the people around her until a crisp voice suddenly called out: “Teacher Clara.”

Clara shifted her gaze and saw it was Sharon Xie. She wondered why the girl hadn't gone back with Julian and the others. Just as she was about to speak, Sharon cut her off.

The girl leaned in, asking with curious eyes: “Teacher Clara, did you break up with my cousin?”

“Hmm,” Clara replied, thinking Sharon was worried she might make things difficult for her. She added, “This has nothing to do with you. We are still just teacher and student.”

For some reason, Sharon seemed disappointed to receive a definitive answer, but then she became energetic again: “Why, Teacher Clara?”

Clara told her that children wouldn't understand.

Seeing Clara wouldn't answer, Sharon began to guess for herself: “It must be because you couldn't stand my cousin’s temper, right? Someone like him… I can’t stand it either.”

“I had actually asked my teacher for leave, saying my parents had an emergency, but he ended up hearing about it and insisted on coming to the meeting for me.”

Sharon pouted: “Great, now those 'plastic' friends of mine might find out I got such bad grades.”

Clara’s eyelashes fluttered. So, it was Julian who had insisted on coming to the meeting?

Sharon, not noticing Clara’s expression, continued talking to herself: “Even though he’s with Sister Ruxuan now, I still think my cousin likes you. Otherwise, why would he fight to come here?”

Children often spoke without thinking, but this knife still pierced Clara’s heart. She forced a smile and said to Sharon: “You’re still young. These things aren't for you to consider. You should focus on your studies.”

“The teachers in the office said you handed in another blank paper. You’d better think about how to explain that to your parents.”

Sharon curled her lip: “I only did it because I wanted to annoy them, so I’m not explaining!”

With that, Sharon said goodbye to Clara and skipped off to find her friends.

Clara looked back at her retreating figure, shook her head, and returned to the office with a complicated heart.

…

With the start of summer break, Clara had more time to stay at home and take care of her mother.

Chemotherapy was once a month, and her mother had already undergone one round before the summer break.

In mid-July, the doctor re-examined her body and decided it was time for the second round. Clara didn't dare delay and had her hospitalized the next day.

The chemotherapy process was actually very simple—a drug was injected into the body, taking less than ten minutes.

But it was this single dose that caused Clara’s mother’s hair to fall out in clumps, left her unable to eat, and kept her lying in bed sleeping all day.

Clara was anxious but couldn't help, so while her mother was in the hospital’s observation period, she asked the nurse what to do.

The nurse, likely accustomed to this, said in a matter-of-fact tone: “There’s no way around this reaction. You can only check if you can switch to a gentler medication.”

Clara showed her the chemotherapy list: “Can we change this medication?”

The nurse took it and looked at it carefully: “I don’t know if you can change it; you have to ask the doctor… But I remember our hospital doesn't carry this type of chemotherapy drug.”

Clara let out an "Ah," and the nurse continued: “This is an imported drug, it’s quite expensive and considered very gentle. Look at what others are using—they can’t even stand up and need a week to recover.”

They didn't have this drug? Was it something new?

Clara shook her head; the nurse certainly knew better than she did. Gradually, a thought began to dawn on her.

…Could it be Julian?

Chapter 25

Clara returned to the ward and, seeing that the patient in the next bed was awake, asked what medication they used for chemotherapy.

She discovered that what her mother was using was indeed different from theirs. There were only a few common chemotherapy drugs, and this hospital used three, none of which matched her mother’s.

Except for Julian, she couldn't think of anyone else who would still help her.

Realizing this, Clara felt a lump in her throat. She wanted to contact Julian but didn't know where to start.

Seeing her mother was asleep, Clara wanted to go out for some air. She asked the family member in the next bed to keep an eye on her and to call if anything happened.

After leaving the hospital building, Clara didn't know where to go. Thinking she shouldn't go too far, she slowly circled the building.

When she reached the corner, she saw someone sitting on a hospital bench and froze.

It hadn't rained for a long time, and the hospital was filled with trees. At dusk, the sound of cicadas was everywhere, bringing a touch of liveliness to the gloomy hospital.

Julian seemed not to have expected her to come down suddenly. He stood up like a child being punished for doing something wrong. The half-lit cigarette in his hand was emitting a faint wisp of heat, which he stubbed out and threw into a nearby trash can.

The two stood where they were, separated by the sound of insects and birds, neither moving an inch closer.

One didn't know how to speak, and the other didn't know what to say.

Someone pushed a stroller past them, and Clara made room.

For nearly a month, they hadn't spoken or seen each other. Their last meeting was at the parent-teacher conference. Clara turned around and asked first: “Why are you here?”

And… he had learned to smoke.

Julian’s eyes were bottomless, like the deepest pool, staring intently at Clara: “I… was just passing by.”

That was a blatant lie. Who would pass by inside a hospital, specifically at the building where Clara’s mother was staying?

Clara subconsciously hooked her finger on the hem of her shirt; the tactile sensation helped ease some of her agitation. She avoided Julian’s gaze, looking everywhere else: “Thank you, Julian.”