Chapter 0465

Chen Qingtian vaguely heard a familiar name and looked up, freezing instantly.

Countless memories flooded her mind.

"Sis, you have to say yes when I confess to you, or I’ll be heartbroken. You promised you’d take care of me."

"Sis, don’t you want me anymore? I really don’t know why it turned out like this. I’ve cleaned myself up—please don’t leave me, okay?"

Tears welled up in Chen Qingtian’s eyes. She hated this man, but she also remembered him.

Perhaps it was time to say "long time no see"—a belated, imperfect closure for her younger self.

She stood up and walked over to Fang Buxia, extending a hand. "Long time no see."

Fang Buxia finally realized this wasn’t a hallucination. His eyes widened, and he stumbled back three steps before collapsing to the ground.

"I’m not dirty, I’m not dirty…" he muttered before turning and running away, leaving Chen Qingtian with only his retreating figure.

Chen Qingtian stared blankly into the air. "What did he just say…?"

After all these years, the obsession still lingered. Could it be…?

"Hey, where are you going?"

She chased after him but quickly realized she was far too drunk—her steps grew unsteady, and soon, she collapsed.

The old man at the bar was terrified and immediately called 120.

An unknown amount of time later, Fang Buxia returned, freshly washed.

"I’m clean now, sis…"

But all he saw was an empty bar, with only the old man inside.

"Grandpa Boss, where’s Qingtian-jie?"

The old man gave him a strange look before answering, "She’s at the hospital. She drank too much."

Hearing that Chen Qingtian had been hospitalized, Fang Buxia froze, then grew intensely worried.

He took a taxi to the hospital but didn’t go inside—just stood silently outside before quietly leaving.

"Qingtian-jie probably doesn’t want to see me. She’d be disgusted, right?"

"I’m filthy."

When Chen Qingtian woke up, the first person she saw was Lin Ran.

"Cousin? Why are you in my house? Where am I?"

Lin Ran wore an exasperated expression.

"I—seriously, what were you thinking, drinking yourself into a coma in the middle of the night? You think you’re Li Qingzhao? Do you have any idea how much you’ve messed up my plans? Yao Yao’s in the next room, and I had to come check on you instead."

Chen Qingtian recalled the events of last night, feeling like it was all a dream. "Who asked you to come?"

Lin Ran was speechless.

"The ambulance brought you here. You were mumbling not to contact your family, so Dean Yi had no choice but to call me. You’re such a handful."

Chen Qingtian didn’t respond, lost in memories of the previous night.

"What’s going on with you?"

Chen Qingtian: "Cousin, can you help me look into something? Or rather, a person—a guy named Fang Buxia."

Lin Ran studied her expression and realized this person meant a lot to her.

"What’s so special about him?"

"He… might be the one I’ve never been able to let go of."

Chen Qingtian then told Lin Ran about her past—though calling it a "romance" would be generous, since nothing had ever officially started between them.

Lin Ran, however, didn’t see it that way.

Who said two people had to confess to each other for it to count?

He and Luo Yao had been together since they were kids.

Still, he wouldn’t judge someone else’s feelings, especially without seeing the full picture.

"Fine, I’ll have Uncle Fu look into it. You can contact him directly."

"Thank you."

Fang Buxia couldn’t resist returning to the hospital.

He remembered that Chen Qingtian had said "long time no see" to him yesterday—and he hadn’t responded.

How could he ignore her words?

So early the next morning, freshly cleaned, he went back to the hospital.

After asking around, he learned Chen Qingtian was in the VIP ward, and his heart sank.

The gap between them had only widened. Chen Qingtian could afford the best care at Yi Family Hospital—she must be doing well. Meanwhile, he was still the same ordinary student he’d always been.

When he reached the VIP floor, he braced himself—only to see Chen Qingtian walking out of her room with another handsome young man.

Fang Buxia didn’t follow the news much these days, living a reclusive life, so he didn’t recognize Lin Ran.

He’d heard the name before but had no idea what he looked like or what he did.

He watched as the guy frowned at Chen Qingtian and said, "Getting hospitalized from drinking is one thing, but trying to check out right after getting stitches? You’re unbelievable…"

Chen Qingtian smiled her usual bright smile. "I know my limits, I’ll be fine. Don’t forget what I asked you."

"Relax, I’ve already got someone on it."

The guy sighed in resignation before they parted ways.

As Chen Qingtian turned the corner, Fang Buxia ducked into the emergency stairwell.

He couldn’t face her now.

She already had a boyfriend—what right did he have to reappear?

Besides, he was tainted. She wouldn’t want to see him.

After a while, he heard the elevator descend and stepped out of the stairwell, staring blankly at the empty hallway.

"Maybe I really shouldn’t have come back."

Fear took hold, and he thought of running again.

Over the past three years, he’d considered returning—just to catch a glimpse of her from afar.

But he never dared.

Chen Qingtian had grown busier, spending less time in the capital, so he’d watch her on big screens instead.

Eventually, he stopped even that. Every time he saw her face, he’d lose himself in delusions.

Dreams of her by his side, saying the things she used to say.

Dreams of her giving him gifts, kissing him, marrying him.

The Chen Qingtian of the past had fulfilled every fantasy he’d ever had about love, and the Chen Qingtian in his dreams remained as enchanting as ever.

Only in his imagination could he experience that love—but the deeper he fell into those fantasies, the more terrified he became.

He was dirty. What right did he have to keep dreaming of love?

It was time to let go—for his own sake, and for the world’s.

His parents had passed away long ago. His only family was his older sister, now married and working as a TV producer.

They rarely spoke, and this trip back was meant to be his farewell before leaving for good.

But then everything took a dramatic turn. After spending New Year’s with his sister, he couldn’t resist the urge to see Chen Qingtian one last time—even if just from a distance.

One look would be enough.

Yet fate had other plans. He ran into an "old acquaintance"—a high school classmate who was now a student at Jingda University.