Chapter 3 - I don't know her

When Emily first started university, social media apps like WeChat were just beginning to spread. It was in October of that year that Emily and Matt's paths officially crossed.

At the beginning of October, the autumn heat still lingered, hot and sticky. Just standing outside for a bit would make the sweat on your elbows drip to the ground and quickly evaporate.

After finishing their military training, the medical students were officially starting their university life. Typically, anatomy was a course for the second semester of their first year, but their professor had decided to reverse the schedule and start it early.

Today was only their second anatomy lesson, yet the professor had already assigned them homework: to dissect a frog and record its nerve responses in groups.

The lab was a scene of chaos, as novice students tackled the assignment.

"Hold it down, will you?" a boy shouted, exasperated. "Don't let it escape again!"

"I can't, I'm scared!" a girl's voice trembled.

In a clumsy attempt, the girl accidentally nudged the frog, causing it to spray urine all over the boy.

Laughter erupted around the lab. A boy at the next table chuckled, "Tough luck, man."

Many groups were struggling, with some students so repulsed by the frog's appearance that they repeatedly dashed to the restroom to vomit.

In contrast, a group of students had gathered around a girl conducting her dissection with calm precision. The girl, slender with her hair tied back, exposed a pale neck. She wore a lab coat, and her eyes, framed by goggles, were steady and clear.

Without hesitation, she grabbed the frog, securing it deftly. With a steel needle, she pierced the frog's hindbrain, extracting and severing its spinal cord with swift, fluid movements. She then cut open its neck with scissors and used forceps to examine its tongue.

Her seamless actions earned her a round of modest applause. A boy complimented her, "Impressive, Emily. I thought you'd be too meek for this, but you're surprisingly bold and efficient."

A girl next to him gaped, "Emily, you're amazing! Aren't you scared?"

Emily's dark lashes lowered modestly, and she smiled serenely, "No, I'm not."

"Your technique was flawless. Can you teach me?" asked Sarah, a classmate.

"Sure," Emily nodded.

With Emily's guidance, Sarah soon got the hang of it. Just as she was about to insert the needle into the frog's brain, a low rumble shook the ceiling, followed by the persistent drone of an airplane. Startled, Sarah's hand slipped, and she accidentally jabbed the frog's thigh, causing blood to spurt out.

"Another failure," Sarah grumbled and began to rant, "I really don't get why our medical school is located right next to an aeronautical university. The test flights are loud day and night. It's maddening!"

A girl overheard and teased, "Sarah, didn't you say you wanted to date a pilot when you first got here? Changed your mind already?"

The mention of "pilot" made Emily's heart skip a beat, but she quickly returned to her work, observing the data on the computer.

Sarah replied, "That's different. I haven't found one yet."

Emily continued with the experiment. Her group partner, Julia, was of little help, spending most of the time on her phone, only passing tools when necessary.

Eventually, Julia's phone beeped, signaling a message. She checked it and smiled sweetly.

Emily was engrossed in observing the frog's neural responses when Julia announced, "Emily, I need to step out for a bit. Can you finish the experiment for me?"

Meaning Emily would do all the work, but the final report would credit both of them.

Emily glanced at the nearly completed experiment and, feeling indifferent, nodded. She didn't mind such things, being rather laid-back herself.

Julia left happily. Alone, Emily finished the experiment a bit later than usual and was surprised to find Sarah still waiting for her.

"You're still here?" Emily asked, removing her disposable gloves.

"Of course, I'm waiting for you," Sarah pinched Emily's cheek playfully. "Come on, hurry up. I don't want to miss out on my favorite dish."

In the cafeteria, after much effort, they finally got their food and sat down. A bespectacled boy with a tray approached shyly, asking if he could join them.

Emily, with her innocent and harmless appearance, firmly declined his request.

Seated opposite her, Sarah observed Emily's delicate features: a small, angelic face with a hint of pink, almond-shaped eyes, dimples when she smiled, and neatly tied hair with a few rebellious strands falling over her forehead. A typical Southern beauty, glowing and vibrant.

Sarah took a bite of her ribs and sighed, "Seriously, Emily, you have no idea. Our department forum is holding a vote for the most beautiful girl, and you're on the candidate list."

Emily showed little reaction to this. She inserted a straw into her milk carton and said, "I was really just an average girl in high school."

The kind that would blend into a crowd.

If Sarah had seen her high school photos, she wouldn't have said that. Back then, constant illness had left Emily puffy and pale from long-term medication. She wore plain, oversized uniforms and was a very ordinary girl.

Fortunately, after recovering and losing twenty pounds upon entering university, her fair skin and delicate features suddenly made her stand out. People began to notice her more.

University was indeed different from high school. Here, diverse aesthetics and varied personalities were appreciated, bringing Emily into the limelight.

"Who wasn't a mess in high school, all focused on studying?" Sarah put a piece of meat in Emily's bowl and asked, "But you've turned down quite a few guys. What kind do you like?"

Emily bit her straw, an image of a carefree face flashing in her mind, but she quickly suppressed it and shook her head. "I don't know."

"No worries, there's plenty of time," Sarah said, poking at her food. After a moment, she realized she had picked up spinach and made a face. "Ugh, I can't stand it anymore. I feel sick just looking at green vegetables."

"I'll eat it for you, I don't mind," Emily said with a smile, transferring the spinach to her own bowl.

At five in the afternoon, Emily stood on the rooftop of the political science building, letting the breeze ruffle her papers spread out on the railing, fluttering like white doves about to take flight.

She plugged her earphones into her phone, using the rooftop as a quiet retreat to work on her listening exercises. The place was usually deserted, offering tranquility and a great view, making it her frequent escape.

When she grew tired, Emily would lean on her papers and gaze into the distance to rest her eyes. She often fixed her stare on the northeast corner of the campus, where the sports field of the Beijing North Aeronautical University was located.

Every day, flight academy students practiced there, a sea of heads bobbing in the green expanse from her rooftop view. She couldn't see anything clearly and wasn't sure what she was waiting for.

Lost in thought, Emily's phone vibrated. It was her mother calling. Emily answered, and her mother first asked about her studies and then switched to talking about the weather.

"The frost season is coming, and once it's over, it'll get cold. Make sure to buy an extra quilt," her mother nagged.

Emily laughed lightly. "Mom, it's still hot here. Besides, it's not like I haven't lived in the north before."

Her mother sighed at this. Emily had grown up in the south, in a small town called Liying in Jiangsu-Zhejiang region, in a single-parent household. Her mother was an ordinary middle school Chinese teacher, and when Emily was in high school, worried about the limited educational resources in their small town, she planned to send her away for school.

Coincidentally, Emily's uncle was doing business in Beijing North City and suggested she study there. Her mother, determined to provide a better education for her, sent Emily off.

Emily transferred to Tianhua High School in the north during the second semester of her first year and stayed there for two and a half years.

When it was time to apply for universities, her mother had assumed she'd pick any southern university of her choice. Unexpectedly, Emily insisted on applying to a medical university in Beijing North.

Reflecting on this, her mother lightly complained, "Now that you're in university, you're still so far from me. No one to take care of you, and you always have cold hands and feet in winter. I really don't understand why you chose to go there."

Emily changed the subject, soothing her mother with a few reassuring words before ending the call.

Standing on the rooftop, Emily found herself questioning her decision. Why did she insist on coming here?

She must have been crazy.

Caught in her thoughts, she suddenly heard a soft, flirtatious sound from around the corner. Emily turned to look.

Two people stood against the wall, a tall, striking girl leaning against a boy, her attitude suggestive. The boy, leaning casually against the wall, wore his clothes loosely.

Through the rusted, abandoned iron frame, Emily's view was narrowed, making their actions even more conspicuous.

The boy made no move, but the girl pressed close, her fingers instinctively reaching down, hooking onto the waistband of his black trousers, her intentions clear.

Just as she was about to go further, the boy effortlessly caught her fingers, stopping her. He looked at her with a teasing smile.

Flustered, the girl seized the chance to confess, "I really like you."

The boy remained indifferent, his voice cold and metallic, "How much?"

His long fingers played with the red bow on her chest, brushing her skin, full of control. The girl's chest heaved with anticipation, her breathing quickening.

Her heart raced with a vague expectation. She looked up, meeting his teasing gaze, her face turning bright red. She buried her face in his broad chest, murmuring, "You're so annoying."

The wind paused, the sunset's fiery glow intense and bright. Emily felt hot, stifled. She couldn't stay any longer.

As the orange, fish-scale clouds moved across the sky, the light brightened. Suddenly, the boy turned his head, and their eyes met mid-air.

His hair was cropped short, revealing a blue shadow, his eyelids shallow, pupils dark and indifferent. His jawline was smooth, and his prominent Adam's apple moved slowly as he swallowed.

His eyes lingered on her without emotion.

A strong gust of evening wind blew past, choking her throat, rendering her speechless. Emily fled, their conversation carried by the wind to her ears, crystal clear.

She heard Julia softly ask, "What are you staring at? Did you see someone you know?"

The boy's voice was icy, rolling out three words: "I don't know her."