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Early in the morning, Xia Yuwei returned to her apartment. Just as she stepped out of the elevator, she saw Ye Lifeng standing in front of her door. He looked at her with a gaze that hovered between a smile and a scowl, scrutinizing her as she hesitated before continuing to walk toward him.

"Yuwei, why are you back so early today?" Ye Lifeng asked, trying to keep his tone nonchalant.

"Lifeng..." Seeing him caught her off guard. She felt hesitant and found herself unable to face him, her heart rate quickening. She thought of her decision and struggled with how to bring it up.

"It seems you need to give me a key to the door, so I don't have to stand here in the cold," Ye Lifeng said, joking as she took out her keys to unlock the door.

Xia Yuwei didn't reply; she tilted her head and offered him a faint, forced smile. The door swung open, and they walked in one after the other. "Lifeng, I..." As she began to speak, Ye Lifeng stood still, gently stroked her hair, and interrupted, "Didn't we say we would exercise together? Why did you go alone?"

"I'm sorry, I forgot." Touched by his efforts to shield her, she lowered her eyes and spoke softly, feeling a mix of gratitude and discomfort. She felt that his direct accusation would have been less painful than this; the kinder and more considerate he was, the more she feared and suffered. Her mouth felt as though it had been sealed, unable to voice the words she had prepared.

Ye Lifeng had arrived early, wanting to wake her himself, to see her drowsy expression and watch her transform into a fresh morning rose after washing up. But she hadn't been there. He had spent the time she was gone harboring suspicions and dark thoughts, and seeing her return with such a hesitant, evasive demeanor only confirmed his fears. If everything were fine, wouldn't she have welcomed him happily?

Xia Yuwei stood opposite him, looking lost and timid, like a child who had done something wrong and was waiting for a scolding that never came. Her behavior disappointed him. Was their intimacy yesterday merely an illusion? Yet, what could he do now? Harsh accusations or demanding an explanation would only push her further away. If possible, he just wanted to ensure he could take her away smoothly.

As he usually did, Ye Lifeng kissed her forehead, let her go naturally, and they sat on the sofa together. "Yuwei, our visas and tickets are all ready. We've received the withdrawal approval from your school here, and the university in Switzerland has accepted your application materials. Once the spring semester starts, you can head straight there to continue your junior year without any issues."

"..." Xia Yuwei said nothing, feeling a sense of resignation, like an arrow already released from the string. Things had reached this point; what was she supposed to do now? If she stayed with Lu Yichen, did that mean she would give up her studies?

"Why so dejected early in the morning? Are you not happy to see me?" Ye Lifeng smiled and took her hand. "You don't have classes today, do you? Your future parents-in-law haven't seen you in days and have been missing you. They asked me to bring you over."

"Go to your house?"

"I should say our house. By the way, have you had breakfast?" Ye Lifeng treated her question as an affirmative answer and changed the subject.

Yuwei answered honestly. She had already eaten breakfast at Lu Yichen's place, where they had fried eggs and made juice together.

"Haha, you're quite the early bird. But your husband here hasn't eaten yet. Would you like to show off your cooking skills for me?"

Xia Yuwei blushed slightly. His constant use of terms like "parents-in-law" and "husband" made her feel as though she were already married to him. He acted as if he were already her spouse. She wanted to refute and clarify, but it felt too affected.

"If you don't mind, I'll go make some now." She gave a shy smile, stood up, and walked toward the kitchen. Perhaps the kitchen was the right place for her now, as her heart was beating irregularly. Hesitation, fear, and guilt left her unable to say anything else.

She took two eggs from the refrigerator and brought out a large bottle of milk. After washing the eggs, she placed them in a bowl, put a frying pan on the stove, lit the flame with practiced ease, and poured in some tea seed oil, swirling the pan. Looking up, she saw Ye Lifeng standing at the kitchen doorway, watching her quietly. Her heart skipped a beat, and she forced herself to focus on the pan.

As the oil heated up, she cracked an egg against the counter. The white and yolk flowed out, forming a beautiful pattern in the pan. She reached for the spatula to flip it, but Ye Lifeng came up behind her and wrapped his arms around her. Xia Yuwei froze instantly; she had already lifted the egg with the spatula but forgot to flip it.

"The egg needs to be flipped..." he whispered in her ear. Only then did she hurry to flip it, though the heat had been on for a fraction too long.

Their movements looked like those of a loving couple preparing a warm breakfast. In fact, earlier that morning, Lu Yichen had held her in the kitchen in the exact same way, but back then, her face had been beaming with a playful smile, not stiff like this.

"Oh, it's a bit burnt." She clapped her hands and hurriedly scooped the egg onto a prepared plate, using the movement to break free from his embrace, for she had no excuse to refuse him. However, Ye Lifeng did not let go easily.

"It doesn't matter. I'll enjoy it even if it's burnt," he said.

As he ate the simple breakfast she had made, Ye Lifeng felt a bitter taste in his heart.

"Make me breakfast every day from now on," he said, taking a sip of milk.

Everything she did was a signal that she was pulling away. Ye Lifeng received every one of these signals. He just didn't want to let go. Three days—there were only three days left. As long as she didn't speak up, as long as she hadn't firmly made her decision, he still had a chance, right? After all, he was her fiancé. He wasn't the one who should be bowing out.

"..." His tone was intimate and natural, and Xia Yuwei almost said "okay," but instead, she just gave him a smile.

"Lifeng, there is something I want to tell you." Xia Yuwei sat across from him. After a moment, she gathered her courage and finally spoke.