Truly loving someone means always feeling indebted.

The hands of time quietly turned back to 4:47 PM, as sunlight spilled over Donghu Park in Caizhou like melted honey.

Luo Shuhe had returned from Caixin County to Caizhou early that morning.

Her sole purpose was to witness the moment of happiness between Gu Luo and Shu Ning.

These two were irreplaceable pillars in her life.

From behind a large tree, far from the bench where Gu Luo sat, Luo Shuhe lurked like a thief—her face concealed behind sunglasses and a mask.

Her gaze fixed on Gu Luo, who was silently staring at the shimmering surface of Donghu Lake, his expression serene yet distant, as if lost in thought.

He must be feeling exhilarated, she thought.

After all, he was finally about to confess his feelings to the sister he adored, to make things official.

Expressionless, Luo Shuhe pulled out a yogurt she had bought in Caixin County, stabbed the straw in, and was just about to bite down hard in frustration—

Then, the female lead of the day, Luo Shuning, appeared in the distance, walking slowly toward the bench.

Her steps were unsteady, as if she were treading on clouds, clad in the same white dress she always wore, its hem swaying gently with each step.

But there was no trace of joy on her face—only a heavy, suffocating guilt, dark as storm clouds.

At the sight, Luo Shuhe’s heart dropped. She frowned, forgetting even to bite the straw.

What’s going on?

What kind of mess is Sister making now?

Is this really how someone comes to confess?

What followed was exactly as she feared.

Luo Shuning grew visibly agitated, shouting something repeatedly.

Gu Luo stood frozen, utterly bewildered, clearly caught off guard by the situation.

Watching this, Luo Shuhe felt her vision darken, her mind buzzing.

But from this distance, she couldn’t make out what her sister was saying.

One thing was certain, though—this confession had failed.

Just like that, it was over.

After all her compromises—willing to be the secret lover, the other woman, even pressuring Shu Ning and playing the supportive role, even leaving Caizhou to give them space—

Sister… what am I supposed to say to you?

A genius in every other field, unmatched and unparalleled, yet when it came to love, she was hopelessly inept.

Of course, anyone could guess Shuling was behind this.

Gu Luo’s reaction made it clear he knew nothing about the photos, and Shuling, to cover her tracks, wouldn’t have used them to threaten Shu Ning.

So how did she pull this off?

Luo Shuhe didn’t even know how to judge her dear sister—or her younger sister, for that matter. Herself included.

They were all—undeniably—sick.

Not a single normal one left.

Just as Luo Shuhe was scrambling to think of a way to salvage the situation, a thick envelope came flying straight toward her, landing in the grass nearby.

She ducked behind the tree, heart pounding.

When it became clear neither of them was coming to retrieve it, she cautiously crept forward, picked up the envelope, and brushed off the dirt.

Her expression was indescribably complicated.

Has Sister lost her mind?

Sister has definitely lost her mind.

And then came the final blow—her dear sister climbed into another man’s sports car.

Sister.

Sister.

You’re unbelievable.

Absolutely unbelievable.

Throwing away the envelope, getting into someone else’s car—she was deliberately burning every bridge, leaving herself no way back.

The roar of the engine faded into the distance as the car sped off.

Gu Luo remained on the roadside, desolate and alone.

Like a stray dog.

Luo Shuhe’s heart ached for him.

Now, all she could do was try to make it up to this poor soul, rejected in his first-ever confession.

The new clothes Sister never wore? She’d wear them.

The makeup Sister never applied? She’d apply it.

The perfume Sister never sprayed? She’d spray it.

The smile Sister never showed? She’d show it.

Sister left in someone else’s sports car? Then she’d have Sister Wang bring the most expensive car to pick him up.

Every little bit helped.

Suppressing the urge to rush over and embrace Gu Luo, Luo Shuhe dashed down a side path and dialed a number.

When you truly love someone, you always feel like you owe them.

Meanwhile—

Luo Shuning wiped her tears furiously, her gaze fixed out the car window as she looked back again and again.

As soon as the sports car turned a corner, she spoke up:

"You can drop me off here. Thank you."

"Sure."

The lanky young man nodded, pulling over to the curb.

Just as Luo Shuning unbuckled her seatbelt and reached for the door, he suddenly said, "Shu Ning, wait. I have a few questions."

Her hand froze mid-air as she turned to him, puzzled.

The young man removed his sunglasses, revealing a left eye dull and lifeless—an artificial one.

Had Qu Meimei been there, she would’ve squealed in excitement.

Because this was none other than Li Yinchuan, hailed as the modern-day "Violin Prince."

Li Yinchuan asked:

"First question: You’re this upset—did your boyfriend cheat? Need me to arrange some ‘real consequences’ for him?"

Luo Shuning shook her head hurriedly. "No, it’s all my fault..."

"Oh? You cheated? Then I might have to scold you."

"......"

"Fine, it’s your private business. Second question: The charity gala organizers invited you to perform, didn’t they?"

"Yes. I declined."

Luo Shuning had long grown weary of that life. Back during Guangya High’s anniversary celebration, the reason she hadn’t performed with Gu Luo was because she’d listened to "Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix" beforehand and knew the event would go viral. So she chose to be a mere prop.

Li Yinchuan sighed deeply. "I figured you’d refuse."

"I should go. Thanks again."

With that, Luo Shuning pushed open the door and sprinted back the way they came.

"Ah… in the end, I’m the only one left."

Watching the girl’s retreating figure, Li Yinchuan exhaled slowly, lighting a thin cigarette.

His mind drifted to the first time he’d seen Luo Shuning.

It was at a piano competition in the capital.

Most participants were middle and high schoolers—himself and his friends included.

Luo Shuning, a tiny figure, was the only elementary school student there.

At first, no one took her seriously.

Just a child here to observe.

But the moment Luo Shuning’s fingers touched the keys, the entire audience was spellbound.

Calling her a genius would be an understatement. She was more like a flawless machine, a perfectly programmed robot.

No matter how intricate or lengthy the composition, Luo Shuning executed it with impeccable precision, every note resonating with breathtaking clarity.

Li Yinchuan and his friends were among the best young pianists of their generation.

Yet compared to Luo Shuning, they might as well have been kindergarteners.

Unsurprisingly, she took first place.

After the competition, they sought her out, vowing to catch up.

But the more they chased, the more hopeless it felt.

There was simply no closing the gap.

Thus, friends gradually gave up on the piano, treating it only as a casual hobby.

Li Yinchuan also shifted his focus to the violin.

Yet, to his dismay, he found that even in the realm of the violin, he still couldn’t hold a candle to her.

Luo Shuning stood like an insurmountable mountain, casting an overwhelming shadow.

But later, Luo Shuning—who could have shone brilliantly in the world of music—suddenly debuted as a singer and actress, only to announce her retirement from the entertainment industry not long after.

From then on, Luo Shuning vanished without a trace from both the music and entertainment scenes.

Thinking of this, Li Yinchuan shook his head, unsure whether to feel relieved or sorrowful.

If Luo Shuning were still playing the violin, there would be no "Violin Prince" today—only the "Violin Queen."

"Somehow, it feels like my title as the top violinist was handed to me out of pity..."

"No way. I have to challenge Ningning in front of everyone at the banquet."

"What’s with this girl falling in love? Isn’t being single better? Isn’t music enough?"

"After crushing all of us, she just wants to run away? Not a chance."

Li Yinchuan muttered to himself for a while, took a deep drag of his cigarette, and stubbed it out in the car’s trash bag.

With a press of the accelerator, his sports car shot forward like an arrow.

............

Meanwhile.

Donghu Park was vast, with winding paths crisscrossing its expanse.

Luo Shuning ran back the entire way, even tripping once along the path. When she saw Gu Luo sitting alone by the roadside, her heart ached so fiercely she could barely breathe.

But there was no other choice. After seeing the photos, letters, and train tickets in that black box, she knew she could no longer continue this relationship.

The only way was to be cruel with her words—to push Gu Luo toward Luo Shuhe.

She would be the villain in this story.

There was no need for explanations.

If Gu Luo ever learned the truth, he would surely forgive her in the end.

But she didn’t want forgiveness.

Though her heart was breaking, Luo Shuning genuinely wished happiness for Gu Luo and Luo Shuhe.

This was for the best.

This was for the best.

Luo Shuning stood still, staring at Gu Luo’s lonely figure for a long time before gritting her teeth and turning to run back toward the bench.

That envelope would be her final memento of their love.

From now on, there would only be the bond of brother and sister between them.

Tears streamed freely down Luo Shuning’s cheeks—she had cried more in this single afternoon than in all the years before.

Soon, she reached the bench again.

Along the way, she had stumbled once more.

Her knee was scraped, a faint trace of blood seeping through.

But Luo Shuning barely noticed. After carefully recalling the scene, she headed in a certain direction to search.

............

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