Chapter 4 The Apple He Never Forgot
Zhou Chaoqing didn't reply. He didn't come back either.
Bai Yao updated her Moments instead.
My stomach hurts so bad. Senior Brother took me to the hospital for a check-up and patiently peeled an apple for me. As expected of Senior Brother—even the peel stayed in one perfect strip.
So he was at the hospital, carefully peeling an apple for Bai Yao.
Zhou Chaoqing was actually clumsy with his hands.
He never learned to spin a pen properly. The book covers he wrapped were always crooked. He cut himself almost every time he chopped vegetables.
But peeling apples? That he could do without breaking the skin.
I loved apples but hated eating them with the peel, and I was too lazy to peel them myself.
So Zhou Chaoqing started buying apples just to practice.
At first the peels came out lumpy and broken into a dozen pieces.
The knife slipped and cut his hand. Blood dripped onto the floor.
After two full baskets, he finally mastered it—long, unbroken spirals every time.
He smiled a little proudly once.
"From now on I'd only peel them for you. No one else gets this treatment."
But it seemed Zhou Chaoqing had already forgotten that promise.
In his eyes, peeling an apple for his Junior Sister was probably just a casual favor—like helping her revise her project or lending her his coat. Small things that didn't matter, all in the name of not delaying the research.
There were countless little moments like that. Whenever I tried to point them out, he brushed them off.
I deleted both Bai Yao and Zhou Chaoqing from my contacts, packed my things, and prepared to head back to school.
The next day's tickets were sold out.
I had to buy one for the day after.
Dragging my suitcase into the carriage, I followed the seat numbers forward.
I stopped near row 12.
Zhou Chaoqing was sitting in seat C, head tilted as he listened to the person beside him. In seat B sat Bai Yao.
Bai Yao gave me a gentle smile.
"What a coincidence. You're on this train too."
Only then did Zhou Chaoqing look up and see me. He shook his phone lightly.
"I was just about to tell you—I had decided to head back to campus today."
His expression was calm, as if nothing had happened.
He probably hadn't checked his phone yet. The breakup message I sent at dawn was still sitting quietly in his chat, unread.
I walked past them to my seat in row 14.
Behind me, Zhou Chaoqing's voice rang out.
"Bai Yao, later when Siqing comes to swap seats with you, don't slack off. Finish revising the project framework on the train."
The tone carried perfect matter-of-factness.
That used to be our unspoken routine on every trip.
Whenever our tickets weren't together, I would always go find whoever was sitting next to him and politely ask to switch—no matter how many carriages I had to walk through, no matter how sweetly I had to talk to strangers. I just wanted to sit beside him.
I stowed my luggage at row 14.
Bai Yao's soft voice drifted over.
"Senior Brother, my stomach still hurts a little… it's not convenient for me to move right now…"
I wiped down the small table, opened my laptop, and started organizing my Ph.D. application materials.
The school I was applying to wasn't the elite overseas university Zhou Chaoqing had planned for us in his notebook.
It was my current school.
I loved my Advisor and my research direction. I wanted to stay right here.
The boy next to me suddenly spoke up.
"Are you Senior Sister Lu Siqing?"
I turned and met a pair of bright, sparkling eyes.
He grinned widely.
"I'm Wen Ci, your junior in the same department. You probably don't know me, but Advisor Chen mentions you all the time—says you're really outstanding and I should learn from you whenever I can."
I was stunned for a second.
Advisor Chen was my Advisor's longtime rival.
I'd vaguely heard that Chen had taken on a very talented new student. I never expected to meet him here.
Wen Ci easily started chatting about the key project our Advisors were focusing on lately.
He always pinpointed the exact technical pain points in what I said, and the questions he raised were sharp yet professional.
We were deep in discussion when someone interrupted.
"Did you bring any brown sugar?"
I looked up. Zhou Chaoqing had somehow appeared beside my seat.
He was frowning, clearly unhappy that I was talking so animatedly with another guy.
Before I could answer, Wen Ci raised an eyebrow.
"Who are you, man? Coming over and asking for stuff right away—where are your manners?"
Zhou Chaoqing glanced at him, voice turning cold.
"I'm talking to my girlfriend. What's it to you?"
Wen Ci froze, disbelief written all over his face.
"For real? Your girlfriend and you're not even sitting together? You didn't come ask me to switch either."
Zhou Chaoqing ignored him and looked down at me.
"Bai Yao said she wants some hot brown sugar water."
I met his eyes calmly.
"I did bring some. But I'm not giving it to you."
"Why not?"
I spoke slowly and clearly.
"Because we already broke up."
Zhou Chaoqing blinked several times.
Confusion flickered plainly across his face.
"What kind of joke is that?"
"I sent the message at dawn the day before yesterday. I suggest you read it."
He stared at me.
After a few seconds he slowly pulled out his phone.
"I don't agree."
He stated it like it was that simple.
"You're just throwing a tantrum because I took Bai Yao to the hospital yesterday."
I turned my gaze back to the laptop screen.
"Breaking up isn't applying for a project slot. It doesn't require your approval."
"This is a notification. Not a discussion."
Zhou Chaoqing pressed his lips together.
He probably never imagined the words "break up" would come out of my mouth.
In his plans, I was supposed to work hard toward the future he mapped out.
Not walk away halfway.
Bai Yao poked her head out from the row ahead.
"Senior Brother, I finished revising the framework."
Zhou Chaoqing checked his watch and said in a low voice,
"You're not calm right now. We'll talk later."
Then he turned and walked back to his seat.