Rejecting Tsinghua and Peking Universities: I Will Lead Harbin Institute of Technology to World Lead

Four hours passed slowly, filled with anxiety and anticipation.

In the corridor outside the intensive care unit, Mr. and Mrs. Shen stood guard at the door, like two guardian angels. Xiaoxiao repeatedly urged them to go to the rest room, but they just shook their heads, their eyes fixed on the observation window on the ward door. From there, they could only see a small patch of the foot of the bed, but to them, it was their whole world.

Lin Feng sat on a bench not far away, closing his eyes to rest. But his mind was racing—the data on the Kunpeng was still on him and needed to be reported as soon as possible; the technical bottlenecks of Project Dawn required a breakthrough; and there were also the follow-up rehabilitation arrangements for his senior...

Until the ward door was gently pulled open.

Director Jia came out, took off his mask, and his face showed obvious fatigue, but his eyes were relaxed.

"The patient is awake." His first words made everyone stand up. "Vital signs are stable, he is conscious, and preliminary examinations have been conducted."

Tears welled up in Shen's mother's eyes instantly, and Shen's father gripped his wife's hand tightly, his knuckles turning white.

"Can we go in now?" Xiaoxiao asked anxiously.

Director Jia raised his hand to stop her: "Wait ten more minutes. The patient has just woken up and is still very weak. I need to talk to her privately about her rehabilitation. Also..." He paused, looking at Shen's parents, "There are some things about the treatment that she needs to know."

This is a necessary procedure. Shen Moran is not only the patient being treated but also a signatory to the confidentiality agreement; she has the right to know what happened.

Ten minutes later, Director Jia came out again. This time he nodded to everyone: "You can go in now. But remember, the patient needs to rest and shouldn't talk too much."

The door opened.

The ward was dimly lit, and most of the monitoring equipment had been removed, leaving only the electrocardiogram monitor still in operation, with regular and powerful green waveforms jumping on the screen.

Shen Moran leaned against the headboard, her face still pale and her lips chapped, but her eyes—those eyes that once shone brightly on the stage—were now tired, yet they had regained their sparkle.

"Ranran..." Shen's mother was the first to rush to the bedside, wanting to hug her daughter but not daring to use force, and could only stroke her cheek with trembling hands.

"Mom," Shen Moran's voice was terribly hoarse, but clear, "I'm alright."

Those four simple words made Shen's father turn his back, his shoulders trembling slightly. This man of unyielding integrity finally shed all his pretense at that moment.

Xiao Xiao stood at the foot of the bed, covering her mouth, tears streaming down her face.

Lin Feng stood at the door, not in a hurry to go in. Watching this scene, the weight that had been hanging over him for so long finally lifted.

Shen Moran's gaze passed over her parents and landed on the figure in the doorway. Their eyes met, and she didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly.

There was gratitude in those eyes, a sense of relief at surviving a disaster, and something deeper—Lin Feng understood: it was a re-examination of life and important matters after this ordeal.

"Mom and Dad, Xiaoxiao." Shen Moran's voice was soft, but it instantly silenced the ward. "I want to... have a few words with my junior classmate alone."

The three of them were stunned at the same time.

Xiao Xiao was the first to react. She wiped away her tears and pulled Shen's mother up, saying, "Auntie, let's go out first and let Ranran talk to Lin Feng."

Mr. Shen looked deeply at his daughter, then at Lin Feng at the door, and finally said nothing, helping his wife out of the ward.

The door closed gently.

In the corridor, Xiaoxiao whispered something to Shen's parents. Inside the ward, only the regular beeping of the monitor and the silence between the two remained.

Lin Feng walked to the bedside, pulled up a chair, and sat down.

"Senior," he said, looking at Shen Moran's pale face, "how are you feeling? Is anything bothering you?"

Shen Moran shook her head, her gaze never leaving him: "Director Jia told me everything. The anti-cancer drugs, the confidentiality agreement..."

Her voice was calm, but Lin Feng could hear the suppressed emotions within it.

"Of course," Lin Feng said.

"It's not something I should do," Shen Moran corrected him, her tone serious. "Junior, do you know what? The day I was diagnosed, I cried for two hours alone in the hospital bathroom. After I finished crying, the first thing I did was delete all your contact information."

Lin Feng's hand tightened slightly.

"I'm scared." Shen Moran stared at the ceiling, tears silently streaming down her face. "I'm scared that you'll be sad if you know I'm sick; I'm scared that you'll see me go bald from chemotherapy; and I'm even more scared... that in the end, I won't even have the chance to say goodbye to you."

She turned her head, her eyes blurry with tears, and looked at Lin Feng: "So I hid away. Like an ostrich, I buried my head in the sand, pretending that as long as I don't contact you, you'll never know that the world is missing Shen Moran."

"Senior..." Lin Feng wanted to say something, but was interrupted.

"But Xiaoxiao called you." Shen Moran smiled, a smile so fragile it was heartbreaking. "She made that call behind my back. Then you came. You brought the medicine, and you snatched me back from the jaws of death."

She took a deep breath, as if she had made a great decision: "Junior, through this experience, I've come to understand a lot of things."

Lin Feng listened quietly.

"The entertainment industry is too tiring." Shen Moran's voice was soft, but every word was clear. "Living under the spotlight every day, every word has to be carefully considered, and every action has to be planned. To maintain my figure, I dare not eat properly; to keep up with the schedule, it is common to stay up for several nights in a row. This time when I got sick... the doctor said that long-term irregular work and rest and excessive fatigue were the main causes."

She paused, her gaze hardening: "So, I've decided to withdraw."

Lin Feng wasn't surprised. He had guessed it the moment he saw the look in her eyes.

"I want to go back to the mountain city," Shen Moran continued, her tone filled with longing. "I want to open a small coffee shop, not too big, just enough for seven or eight tables. I'll make coffee in the morning, read books in the afternoon, and take a walk along the river after closing in the evening. I'll live out my life peacefully and healthily."

She looked at Lin Feng, her eyes clear: "Do you think... it's okay?"

This question is asked lightly, yet it carries immense weight.

Lin Feng did not answer immediately. He stood up and walked to the window.

"Senior." He turned around, his back to the light, his outline somewhat blurred in the backlight, "As long as you're happy, I'll support you in whatever you do."

These words were spoken calmly, yet they caused Shen Moran's tears to flow again.

She knew the weight of those words. It wasn't just polite talk, nor was it perfunctory; it was a genuine promise.

"Then..." She wiped away her tears, mustered her courage, and asked the question that had been buried in her heart for so long, "Back in Harbin, you said you would give me an answer when I graduated. Now... does that still count?"

Time seemed to stand still at that moment.

Lin Feng recalled the moment when the two parted ways in Bingcheng.

"It's a promise." Lin Feng walked back to the bedside, looked into her eyes, and said, "Once you're discharged and fully recovered, I'll come find you myself and give you that belated answer."

Shen Moran smiled; it was the first truly relaxed smile she had shown since waking up.

"Then I'll wait for you," she said.

The two chatted for a while longer, with Lin Feng mostly talking about lighthearted topics—which old street in the mountain city has the best tofu pudding, which section of the river has the most beautiful night view, and even discussing what style of decoration a coffee shop should use.

But Shen Moran's stamina was ultimately limited. After chatting for less than twenty minutes, her eyelids began to droop.

"Senior, you should get some rest." Lin Feng stood up and tucked the blanket around her. "I'll come see you again after you're discharged from the hospital."

Shen Moran nodded, his eyes already half-closed: "Junior... be careful on the road."

Lin Feng tiptoed out of the ward.

Outside the door, Xiaoxiao immediately came to greet her: "How is Ranran?"

"She's tired, she's asleep." Lin Feng lowered his voice. "You know she wants to leave the entertainment industry and go back to Shancheng to open a coffee shop, right?"

Xiaoxiao nodded, her eyes reddening again: "She just told us. My aunt and uncle both agree, and I support her too. She's worked too hard these past few years, she deserves a good rest." She paused, then suddenly smiled, "And I've already talked to Ranran about it, I'll be a part of the coffee shop. She'll be the owner, and I'll be the manager, and we sisters will run the shop together."

Standing to the side, Mr. and Mrs. Shen smiled with relief upon hearing this. Their daughter had survived; being able to live a peaceful life from now on was more important than anything else.

Looking at them, Lin Feng finally let go of his last lingering concern.

"Sister Xiaoxiao, Uncle and Aunt, I have to go now." He glanced at the time. "I have some important things to take care of. Please take good care of my senior."

"Go on with your work." Father Shen grasped his hand and shook it vigorously. "Son, I won't thank you enough. When you return to Shancheng, be sure to come to our house for a meal."

"must."

Lin Feng turned and left. Reaching the corner of the corridor, he glanced back at the ward door before leaving the hospital.