Chapter 171: Shen Li

Shen Li had gone missing.

From the start of school until now.

For two whole months, no one could contact her.

Everything about her had become a blank.

Even Xie Qin had not received any news about Shen Li since then.

The disappearance of one person, time always seemed to be able to slowly fade the traces.

At first, he wouldn't be used to it, always feeling that a piece was missing in his life, as if something was gone.

But after a long time, the memories related to that part would be slowly diluted.

Until it was mentioned by others many years later, perhaps just vaguely remembering it for a moment.

The emotions in his heart would fluctuate, but this touch of emotion was so light it could almost be ignored.

In the end, it was just a faint sentence.

Ah, so we knew each other before.

But there was a kind of emotion that even time couldn't erase.

Not seeing her, yet thinking of her, his heart felt like it had been hollowed out.

Deep into the bone marrow, along with his heart—as long as he thought of it, it was a piercing pain.

The longer it was, the deeper it was.

In the blink of an eye, another month passed. During this time, many people spread gossip, all saying... Shen Li had unilaterally dumped Xie Qin.

Once the news of Xie Qin being single spread, many girls from other schools and his own school were eager to move, trying every means to squeeze in and become his new girlfriend.

But without exception, they were all ruthlessly rejected by him.

His tone was still arrogant, with undisguised coldness:

"I'm in a long-distance relationship, who told you we broke up?"

"Even if we did, are you worthy?"

"Get lost."

The girls who wanted to follow one after another were extremely disappointed and gave up this thought.

On campus, one could still see Xie Qin and Xu Zhouyuan and the others hanging out, but there was always an empty seat beside him.

It wasn't strange at all that Xie Qin didn't accept anyone.

After all, that person was Shen Li.

Shen Li, who won full marks in the Mathematics Competition and scored first in Wuchuan City in the English Level 4 exam.

Her grades almost spread to all universities in Wuchuan City, becoming a legend, and also breaking Chengde University's record for the Mathematics Competition over the years.

Originally, many people were gossiping behind her back, feeling that Shen Li was just a useless vase, and Xie Qin being with her was just because he liked her beauty.

Now, those who looked down on her were all slapped in the face hard.

Comparing looks, they couldn't compare.

Comparing grades, they didn't even have the qualifications to catch up.

With Shen Li as the standard, just thinking about it made them feel it was very difficult for Xie Qin to accept anyone else.

The starting point was too high; those who came later could almost never surpass it.

Bu Da Yang Xiao Jiu Guan.

Xu Zhouyuan sighed and couldn't help but say: "Brother Qin... stop thinking about her. Even if it's a long-distance relationship, it's impossible not to make a single phone call for such a long time."

"Or... forget it."

It had been two months without contact.

For ordinary couples, if they didn't speak for more than two days, the relationship was already dead in name.

How long had it been!

It was already considered a default breakup.

"Shen Li's grades are good, and she's good-looking. To be honest... besides having some money, you really aren't worthy of her."

"If you say one more word of nonsense, I don't mind letting your brain clear up in a while."

Xu Zhouyuan looked at the wine bottle in front of him and immediately felt his brain hurt a bit, "Fine, I'll shut up."

He put his hands together toward Xie Qin.

Meaning...

Please let me go.

Xie Qin wasn't in the mood either and left after not staying long.

Coming out of the shop, he took out a pack of cigarettes, pulled one out, bit it in his mouth, lit it with a metal lighter, and exhaled a puff of white smoke, which was quickly scattered by the wind.

Xie Qin didn't know when he started smoking again and got addicted to cigarettes.

The addiction was even greater than before.

Actually, this weekend was the finals of the Mathematics Competition...

It was also the exam Shen Li should have participated in.

But she was treated like a prisoner.

Locked at home for nearly two whole months.

Only a living shell remained.

Two days before school started, Yu Lizhen helped Shen Li complete the withdrawal procedures in Wuchuan.

She personally found a school in Haishi with better teaching resources and campus environment.

This day was also the most intense stage of the cold war between mother and daughter.

On the weekend, Yu Lizhen brought the cooked food into the room; seeing Shen Li's increasingly thin appearance, a trace of unbearable pain flashed in her heart, but she hardened her heart after just one look: "I've already said, if you want to get into Qingbei, there isn't just this one path of the Mathematics Competition."

"If you want to go on a hunger strike, go ahead."

"Mom! Why do you have to force me!" Shen Li had dried tear stains in her eyes, and there was a dead silence without light: "Is it that as long as I live for one day, you will control me forever!"

This also included her future life!

"Yes! Just because I am your biological mother, and you are my daughter." Yu Lizhen's powerful tone didn't give her any room to resist: "Just because of this, I can't not care about you!"

In order not to let her participate in this final.

She locked her in the room, because only this way could she cut off her idea of competing.

Extinguishing her last hope.

Just at this moment, Yu Lizhen's phone vibrated; she looked at the caller ID—it was a call from Shen Zhaozhao.

The voice from the receiver came through.

Shen Zhaozhao's voice was cheerful and joyful, "Mom! I finished the finals."

Yu Lizhen walked out of the room, leaving her phone on the table, "Is that so? How did you do this time!"

Shen Zhaozhao: "Mm, I think getting the prize money to study abroad this time should be stable; the questions were done very smoothly."

"Is that so, it's good that you did well."

"Mom, I'm almost at the airport, can you come pick me up?"

"Mm, Mom is going over now."

The door was closed gently, and the last bit of light was also isolated outside the door; the room instantly fell into thick darkness, like an invisible net, firmly wrapping Shen Li.

Shen Li closed her eyes; the thought in her heart to end it all became stronger and stronger.

Xie Qin received Shen Li's call again; holding a cigarette that hadn't been finished, seeing the number jumping on the screen, he pressed answer almost reflexively and put it to his ear, "Shen Li?" His deep voice was trembling.

The voice on the phone was a bit weak: "Mm! It's me."

Xie Qin's anxious mood was instantly replaced by another emotion, "Where are you? I'll come find you now!"

Shen Li lay on the bed, a utility knife dropped on the floor; hearing his voice, clear tears fell and merged into her hair, spreading out a small wet patch: "Xie Qin..."

She called his name, finding a trace of clear reason.

Using all her strength, she then cruelly said that sentence to him.

"Let's... break up."

Xie Qin was in extreme panic: "No! I don't agree! Shen Li... I won't break up with you even if I die."

"Don't even think about dumping me!"

Shen Li felt her brain gradually losing consciousness; the suffocation surging in her chest made her almost unable to hear his voice.

"Where the hell are you!"

"..."

"Tell me! I'll go find you now."

Shen Li slowly closed her eyes; when she opened them again, she looked at the chandelier on the snow-white ceiling, her vision gradually blurring, "I don't like boys with bad grades at all."

"Being with you was just wanting to fish, just playing around."

"In the future... don't contact me again..."

On the other end of the phone, it fell into dead silence, only Xie Qin's suppressed, almost paranoid plea: "Shen Li... I beg you!"

"Don't treat me like this!"