No Time for Sadness

Compared to the torrent of mockery and slander flooding Shu Lanzhou's page, Lin Muyao's side was basking in glory.

Backed by Professor Han's official announcement and flanked by the congratulatory support of several senior students, her comment section was a wave of praise and admiration.

Any stray sour remark was instantly drowned in the tide of flattery. No one dared insult her—criticism was practically nonexistent.

Riding high on this wave of popularity, Lin Muyao sent Shu Lanzhou a private message.

Shu Lanzhou didn't see it until the next morning.

The night before, after exiting the forum, she had shut her computer and buried herself in books.

She'd taken plenty of notes, though there were still a few concepts she hadn't quite grasped. She planned to ask He Sixin for help.

Just as she grabbed her phone to head out, she caught sight of a new message.

Clicking it open, she saw Lin Muyao's words:

Senior, don't let the online chatter get to you. I believe in your ability. Even with a new major, you'll surely thrive. Keep it up!

Tch.

That faux-sincerity was still as thick as ever.

If you want to show off, just do it. Why wrap it in such fake concern?

Shu Lanzhou thought for a moment, then replied with just one word: "Mn."

She couldn't ignore Lin Muyao completely—not if she wanted to dig up proof of her plagiarism.

The more Lin Muyao strutted around, the more chances there'd be for her to slip up.

Grabbing her bag, Shu Lanzhou headed to the library—only to find that He Sixin had arrived early too.

As soon as they met, He Sixin handed her a large cup of full-sugar milk tea.

"Drink this and cheer up, alright?"

"Why would I be upset?" Shu Lanzhou blinked in confusion. "Seeing you makes me happy. Really!"

She said it so earnestly that it made He Sixin laugh.

"You're too cute," He Sixin couldn't resist pinching her cheek.

It was the first time anyone had done that to her.

Shu Lanzhou's face turned a soft shade of pink, feeling a little shy.

She'd always been the quiet type—reserved, rarely smiling.

People had called her "sweet," but those senior students, especially Luo Jialin and the others, had always emphasized how obedient she was.

To them, obedience was probably her best trait—and the only reason they kept her around.

He Sixin led her to a seat.

"If you're ever feeling down, talk to me. I'll be your personal venting vault. Just once, though. After that, no more moping over that online trash."

"But I'm really not upset," Shu Lanzhou said, warmth blooming in her chest, eyes slightly misty.

"I know people are waiting for me to fall on my face. But I believe in my choice. It won't be a joke."

"Senior, I don't have time to be sad."

He Sixin's respect for her deepened.

Two years ago, when Shu Lanzhou had just begun to shine at school, they had already taken notice of her.

Mu Yanning had even privately reviewed her exam papers and published essays.

Back then, Mu Yanning had said, "Such a promising student—what a shame she ended up under Han Weicheng."

That's why, the day they saw her at the hospital, Mu Yanning had snatched her up without hesitation.

Everything that followed might've been unexpected, but not entirely surprising.

After all, when the plagiarism scandal first broke out on the campus network, Mu Yanning had already instructed He Sixin to keep an eye on her.

He Sixin had doubted it at first—who was really guilty of plagiarism?

But after getting to know Shu Lanzhou, and seeing all that had been said about her online recently…

She had every reason to believe the plagiarism accusation was real—only that Han Weicheng had buried the truth to protect reputations.

And worse, he might've blamed Shu Lanzhou for daring to speak up.

One could only imagine how much injustice Shu Lanzhou had endured!

Feeling a pang of sympathy, He Sixin gently patted her on the shoulder.

"You're right. Feeling sad is for the weak. We're going to shut their mouths with results. Now, come on—what don't you understand? Ask away!"

—

He Sixin was as straightforward in her teaching as she was in everything else—concise, clear, never holding anything back.

She even brought her old lecture notebooks to gift to Shu Lanzhou.

Holding that worn, slightly curled notebook, Shu Lanzhou's composure almost cracked.

She had thought that living this second life would strip her of all emotion—that she could face everyone and everything with cold detachment.

She'd seen too much, been through too much. Her heart, battered and broken, had long since become a pool of stagnant water.

But no.

She could still be moved by kindness.

She could still believe in goodness.

After all, this was what she had always longed for in her past life—yet never received.

She was an orphan.

By the time she was five or six, all her relatives were gone.

She drifted through the village, growing up on scraps from neighbors.

Nobody liked her. She was a burden they all wished would disappear.

Her schooling was paid for by the village, and she didn't dare slack off. She studied desperately, fearing rejection, desperate to escape.

When she met Luo Jialin and the others, she'd thought she'd finally found something good.

So she treasured that friendship.

She worked hard not to drag them down, not to fall behind.

She gave them everything—hoping that if she were good enough, obedient enough, they'd like her too. Maybe… treat her like family.

Because to her, they were family.

She'd always wanted one so badly.

But sometimes, giving your whole heart didn't mean you'd get the same in return.

Fingering the edge of the notebook, Shu Lanzhou's lashes trembled.

"Senior, you're giving me all your knowledge. Aren't you afraid I'll surpass you? That the professor will favor me instead?"

"Then hurry up and surpass me!" He Sixin laughed, patting her head. "Steal the professor's attention, please. That way, I can finally relax!"

"Silly girl, we're on the same team. The better you are, the less I have to worry. Honestly, I'm just afraid I'm not teaching you well enough!"

"No way!" Shu Lanzhou's eyes brimmed red. "You're amazing!"

Turns out, people really are different.

Not everyone is like those senior students from before.

In her past life, Du Yifan had helped her with coursework too—but only by recommending a few textbooks.

They had scribbled notes, and at the time, she'd been so touched she nearly accepted his confession.

Afterward, she worked tirelessly—attending lectures outside her major, compiling entire notebooks of notes for him, even helping him prep for grad school.

Now she realized—even back then, Du Yifan had been guarding against her. He'd never shared his original notes.

Later, he'd bring it up over and over, always reminding her how much he'd "helped" her.

That everything she'd accomplished was thanks to him, and she should be grateful.

But she had repaid him—many times over.

She never owed him anything.

—

When noon came and they left the library, Shu Lanzhou wanted to treat He Sixin to lunch.

"Oh, come on. Save your money. I'm heading home to eat," He Sixin waved her off with a smile.

"I've got a lighter course load now, so ask me anything you're unsure about. If I'm not around, just message me. If I don't reply, go to Sider."

"He's better than me when it comes to the technical stuff. Don't be scared of him—he just looks cold. He's actually really easy to get along with. You'll see."

Shu Lanzhou nodded like an eager little pup that had just found its home.

"Oh my gosh, you're too obedient. People are going to walk all over you at this rate!" He Sixin pinched her cheek again.

"You should try putting on a cold face—it makes you look cool."

Shu Lanzhou laughed. "Okay, I'll listen to you, Senior!"

"Ugh, stop being so well-behaved!" He Sixin waved her off dramatically.

"I'm really going now. You go eat too!"

As He Sixin walked away, Shu Lanzhou called after her:

"Senior—does our team plan to participate in the school's medical innovation competition?"