After abandoning his wife and children, Bo Xilai coaxed and begged her to reconcile.

As expected, Yang Lisheng and Liu Ying were trending on social media again.

The hashtag #ManCaughtMistressHavingAdulteryWithOtherMenInCinemaDuringDayTime# skyrocketed to the top of the charts in just half a day.

"Wow! Who came up with these keywords? Time, place, and characters are all there. The amount of information is enormous, and the plot is incredibly rich. I love this kind of thing! Recommend it to me more often next time."

"My God! This scumbag and his mistress have an even more exciting sequel! Even a script couldn't come up with such a dramatic plot."

"Holy crap! I was supposed to see that movie, but I overslept during my afternoon nap. I missed the live version, and now I'm kicking myself."

"Wow, this is the best karma for a scumbag. Looking at it another way, isn't this mistress here to rescue the wife from this jerk?"

Yang Lisheng and Liu Ying were arguing fiercely.

The man berated the woman for being unfaithful and unchaste, for cheating on him, and told Liu Ying to get lost with her bastard child.

Liu Ying scolded him for being a coward, incompetent, and troublesome because of his age.

After the falling out, Liu Ying became even more unscrupulous and brought the other man home. Yang Lisheng caught them red-handed, and a fight broke out.

In the end, the police had to be called.

The two parted on bad terms.

After all that trouble, Yang Lisheng, who had lost everything, finally realized how precious the days when Yan Xiao waited for him until late at night and left him hot soup and meals were.

And this genuine sincerity that endured each day step by step will never be given to him by another person.

A few months later, he applied to the company to work in a remote branch.

This is the only way he can have the opportunity to return to his original position.

Only when he returns to the peak of his career will he have the confidence to seek reconciliation with Yan Xiao.

With this expectation and anticipation, he arrived at the airport, ready to head to the west to explore new markets for the company.

However, as soon as he got off the bus, he saw Yan Xiao not far away.

She was pushing two oversized suitcases and leading her daughter toward the international flight corridor.

Is Yan Xiao going to take her daughter abroad?

He instinctively walked over, wanting to help Yan Xiao.

"What are you doing here?" His appearance surprised Yan Xiao and also made her a little wary.

"I... am on a business trip. What about you? Are you going on vacation?" Yang Lisheng asked politely, his tone extremely unnatural, his expression full of embarrassment and apology.

Yan Xiao hesitated for a few seconds before telling him, "I want to study abroad for two years."

To see the outside world has always been Yan Xiao's dream.

For the first ten years, she was trapped in the mundane realities of marriage.

Now, she can finally pursue her dreams.

"Then... will you come back?" Yang Lisheng's heart skipped a beat, because at this moment, he clearly understood that Yan Xiao had already made a name for herself with her daughter, living a life that he could no longer reach.

And he still owes her countless "I'm sorry"s.

"Of course I'll come back. I just don't know when. Take care, and I wish you all the best. Xin Xin, say goodbye to Dad!" Yan Xiao said goodbye to him politely but distantly, with a perfectly measured smile on her lips.

After saying that, she took her daughter's hand and walked into the crowd.

As Yang Lisheng watched them walk further and further away, the sense of loss in his heart deepened, pressing down on his chest with a heavy feeling. At this moment, he truly felt that Yan Xiao had completely left his life, and from now on, they would have nothing to do with each other.

He didn't even have the right to try to keep her.

*

Professor Wu's birthday banquet was spearheaded and planned by Lou Yin, with students from over a dozen graduating classes pooling their ideas. The venue was finally chosen to be an old bookstore that had been open for nearly thirty years and had just been transformed into a cultural complex outside the west gate of the university.

This is a place Professor Wu frequents besides the school library, where he says he can always find some good books.

Everyone dug out a lot of old things from their homes—handwritten notes from group meetings back then, photos of attending meetings with Professor Wu, published books with recommendations written by students and written by Professor Wu, and various awards that everyone received under Professor Wu's guidance. They filled a long corridor of memories. The moment the door was opened, everyone's memories were instantly pulled back to their student days, back to those old times when they stayed up all night in the lab to meet deadlines.

Professor Wu has devoted himself to the development of the discipline and the studies of his students over the years, and his temples have turned completely white at a young age. He sat in a wheelchair, being steadily pushed by Lou Yin, and slowly walked forward along the old wooden floor of the bookstore.

Seeing these old objects filled with memories, Professor Wu's cloudy eyes slowly warmed, and he felt endless emotions.

He raised his hand and gently stroked a photograph. "I remember this was when Jinye first entered the lab. This girl was incredibly resilient. She spent three days straight in the lab for a set of data, which scared the senior students. They were afraid she would go crazy from doing experiments."

"Professor Wu, you still remember? You were the one who insisted on sending me back to my dorm to sleep. Otherwise, I could have finished that experiment much faster." Song Jin was standing nearby. Hearing Professor Wu call her name, she immediately took a half step forward, her eyes crinkling into crescents, and playfully chimed in.

Professor Wu pointed at her, his white eyebrows trembling slightly as he smiled.

"You! Time really flies. I still remember how you looked when you first joined the research group. In the blink of an eye, you're already supervising graduate students."

Professor Wu's tone was full of relief and pride that there were successors to carry on the family legacy.

The senior students nearby immediately gathered around the wheelchair, one of them deliberately putting on a stern face and complaining, "Professor Wu, you're too biased towards your junior sister! Back when we were pulling all-nighters to finish projects, you never chased us back to the dorm!"

Some people even handed him freshly poured hot tea, jokingly saying, "Don't listen to their jealousy. We wish you a happy birthday, good health, and that you hear good news every day!"

The senior student on the other side brought over some Chinese pastries printed with the character for longevity. "Professor Wu, I remember you love this kind of pastry the most, would you like to try some?"

The room was filled with laughter, the scent of ink from old books, and a lively, warm atmosphere.

Everyone offered their blessings.

While others wish you boundless happiness on your birthday, we wish you "unfettered freedom"! Give snacks to whomever you want, and send whoever you want back home whenever you want. Happy birthday, do whatever makes you happy!

"We used to complain that you were too strict, but now we understand that it was the most genuine way of protecting your children. Happy birthday! From now on, you don't need to keep an eye on us and revise our papers anymore. Just enjoy your hot tea and live a leisurely life."

Song Jin also spoke up: "Professor Wu, I wish you good health, peace and happiness, and a comfortable and carefree life! I am very fortunate to be your student, and I thank you for your careful guidance and understanding all along."

Lou Yin then said, "Congratulations, Professor Wu, on your birthday! I am deeply grateful for your guidance and mentorship. May you enjoy good health and peace of mind, and may you always find inspiration and happiness in the coming years."