Her mother was indeed from the countryside, where there was no concept of education for girls back then. As soon as she reached the right age, her family urged her to go out and work.

She was only fifteen or sixteen at the time, struggling on her own, earning more than enough to support herself each month.

At that time, her mother had been full of expectations for life.

That was until she met Clara's father. She thought she had found love, and knowing he wanted to study—something very few families could afford back then—she volunteered to pay his tuition.

Who would have thought that ten years later, it would end like this.

After the divorce, her mother became incredibly sensitive, pouring all those emotions onto Clara.

Sadly, because of what she saw and heard as a child, Clara was able to completely understand her mother's actions.

That kind of helplessness meant one could only seek a way out from the outside world.

Clara laughed self-mockingly, her bright eyes full of sarcasm. She hadn't expected that her father would later become a mayor; those who betray true feelings seem to live quite well.

Who would have thought that Mayor Xu, now in a position of power and influence, with others constantly currying his favor, was actually a person who had long since rotted from within.

Everything in the world can be forgiven, but not him.

Clara had almost forgotten this person, yet here he was, suddenly reappearing.

For a period after her father left, Clara would wonder where he had gone. Every time she asked her mother, she was met with a scolding. Gradually, the little girl learned that her father was not to be asked about or mentioned.

Her mother would be very sad, and so would she.

Julian listened to Clara quietly. He reached out and stroked her hair reassuringly, his gaze as gentle as water: "Qiaoqiao, you are really, truly brave."

"If I were you, I'm not sure I would have turned out as wonderful as you are now."

Clara suddenly remembered that Julian was also a child from a single-parent family. Whether it was ten years ago at the hospital or recently at the café, his mother had always maintained an elegant demeanor.

She was emotionally stable; even when she told Clara to leave Julian, she didn't come across as hateful.

Clara thought she must have been a very good mother, which is why Julian turned out the way he did.

Seeing Julian’s lips moving, eagerly wanting to comfort her, Clara's previously cold and hardened heart suddenly broke. Her nose felt sore, and tears surged up like a tide.

Clara buried her face in Julian’s chest, like a sudden rain shower on a clear day, catching him off guard.

He placed one hand on her shoulder and gently patted her back with the other, repeating: "It's okay, Qiaoqiao, I'm here."

Clara realized that since being with Julian, she had become exceptionally fragile. Previously, no matter what her mother said, she never had such moments of collapse, but now she would hide in his arms and cry over the smallest things.

Perhaps being loved makes one appear more fragile.

After crying her fill, Clara buried her face, her voice nasal: "Let's go in; Sharon needs to cut her cake."

Chapter 33

They didn't have to wait long before a waiter pushed in a seven-tier cake tower covered in fruit and cream.

Clara’s mood had been fully comforted, and now, seeing the cake tower, she could only click her tongue. Although the banquet hall wasn't small, they obviously couldn't finish it. Is this what a rich family’s display is like?

As the crowd gathered, Clara’s gaze shifted, and she was surprised to see Xia Ying standing to the side, wearing a slim-fitting Chinese-style dress with a shawl, her expression indifferent.

Beside her was Xie Muchuan, looking somewhat lazy in casual home clothes.

They had actually become a married couple?

They stood side by side without intimate contact or interaction; they looked more like business partners than husband and wife.

Xie Muchuan was looking somewhere else, his eyes dark.

Just as Clara was watching intently, Xia Ying suddenly turned her gaze, and their eyes met.

Xia Ying frowned, her pupils showing some confusion, as if she couldn't remember who Clara was.

She scanned around Clara, saw Julian standing half a head taller next to her, and suddenly realized something, looking quite surprised.

Clara and Xia Ying communicated across the distance of ten or so meters.

Sharon cut the first piece of cake for herself, went through the motions, and then ran over to Clara with it.

"Teacher Clara, this is the piece I cut for you." Sharon fawningly offered the cake with both hands, her tone coaxing.

Clara: "..." In public, how could she accept the birthday girl's cake?

Julian raised an eyebrow at the sight: "Offering gifts without a request implies a plot or theft."

"How can you say that!" Sharon looked at Julian with dissatisfaction, "This is for Teacher Clara."

"Teacher Clara… well, since it's my birthday, that homework I didn't finish, could you—"

"No." Clara said, "I'm on leave, so there's no use asking me."

Sharon muttered softly: "If I’d known, I would have invited the other teachers too..."

The banquet ended before eight o'clock. Julian had drunk some wine, so he asked his driver to bring the car around. As they waited while walking out, a black Maybach suddenly stopped beside them.

The window rolled down, and Mayor Xu looked at Clara with a complex expression.

He opened his mouth but didn't know how to address her, awkwardly saying: "Qiaoqiao, can we talk?"

Cars had been leaving the street continuously, and those who recognized it as the Mayor’s car didn't even dare to honk, carefully driving past without daring to disturb them.

The smile Clara had while chatting with Julian vanished, and she answered coldly:

"Mayor Xu, we have nothing to talk about."

"Don't worry, we won't disrupt your life or ruin your reputation. Let's just pretend we never met today."

Mayor Xu’s face grew uglier, looking quite embarrassed: "I went to look for you later, but you had moved."

"Ha," Clara almost wanted to laugh, her words barbed, "A dignified mayor couldn't find two people—that’s quite ridiculous."

"Just like now, you want to chat, yet you sit in the car so arrogantly you won't even move."

Clara didn't hold back: "Your current achievements were all built on stepping over my mother’s mental and physical well-being. Remember that forever."

While Clara traded barbs, Julian stood half a step behind her, tall, sturdy, and muscular, his face as dark as coal, standing behind her like a bodyguard.

Mayor Xu was rendered speechless.

As he grew older, he discovered that what he did back then was truly inhumane; to put it bluntly, he was an ungrateful wretch.

The air felt stifling until a ringtone interrupted the eerie atmosphere. Mayor Xu answered, and after hearing the other side, he was silent for a moment before saying: "Okay, I’ll have someone send it over to you in a moment."

Hanging up, he looked at Clara with painful, conflicted eyes, but the apology ultimately remained unspoken.

Chapter 34

Julian knew that among those present tonight, this Mayor Xu held the greatest power.

Their cooperation with the government also depended entirely on him.

But he didn't care; he didn't care about anything. If Clara was angry, he followed suit, sharing her indignation.

After dropping Clara at the hospital entrance, Julian leaned against the car door, watching her go up. He lit a cigarette in the evening breeze, watching the smoke curl. When half-burned, the ash fell, and he stubbed it out in a trash can before getting in the car and leaving.

Clara was very quiet when she entered the ward. Most nurses finished their rounds early, so many patients were asleep by eight or nine o'clock.

Her mother wasn't asleep yet, nor was she looking at her phone. She lay flat on the bed, staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

"Mom, why aren't you sleeping yet?" Clara walked over, tucked her in, adjusted the ten-yuan-a-night rental folding bed, sat down, and asked softly.

"I was wondering if I was wrong when I asked you to break up with Julian." Her mother’s voice echoed softly in the room, slowly drilling into Clara’s ears.

Clara felt so guilty she didn't dare look at her mother, comforting her: "Mom, don’t think so much; you have surgery next week."

The bed creaked as her mother turned to face Clara: "If you still like him, Mom won't stop you anymore."

As if trying to comfort herself, she sighed: "Children have their own fortunes."

Clara’s eyelashes fluttered. Julian’s grandfather had said the same thing. She whispered: "Mm."

After that, Mayor Xu got Clara's number from somewhere and insisted on continuing their conversation.

Clara said directly: "Mayor Xu, if you want to make up for your guilt, don’t bother. We don’t want to forgive you, and we don’t want to sacrifice our peace just to make you feel better."