Extinguished Sparks

[From this day on, you and Tang Yawen officially became a couple.]

“Well… now that we’re together, nothing bad should happen anymore, right?”

[And so, the two of you worked toward your shared dream. You ate together, lived together, and gracefully made it through senior year.]

[After the gaokao ended, you and Tang Yawen spent your days staying up late, playing freely—you two spread a blanket on the floor and lived off it, eating, sleeping, and gaming together. The naughty version of you often teased her mercilessly, making her roll around in laughter until she cried for mercy.]

[Each time the floor got ‘messy’, it was always Tang Yawen who cleaned it—legs trembling from embarrassment, she had no choice but to obey your playful rule: “Whoever messes up has to clean.”]

[You both enjoyed a blissful month together. Soon enough, the acceptance letters arrived—you both got into your dream art university! Everything seemed to be heading in the best possible direction.]

“Yay~ This should be safe now… Right? Although that word ‘seemed’ still gives me chills…”

Lin Yuxuan was nearly traumatized by the simulator at this point—whenever she saw that word, she tensed up like she’d seen a ghost.

[But just as you and Tang Yawen were preparing to enter university with joy in your hearts, you received a call from Mu Yue’s mother.]

[“Mu Yue… is gone…”]

“What?! No!! Why?! How could this happen?!”

[You couldn’t believe it—the girl who always shined like a little sun, full of warmth and energy, how could she possibly fall so far? After hanging up, you rushed over with Tang Yawen in tow.]

[You met Mu Yue’s mother, Mu Xia, and finally learned the truth.]

[It turned out Mu Yue’s family wasn’t as wealthy as you thought. Her father once led a publishing empire—but after his death, the company fell into chaos. His unfinished projects were abruptly halted. Greedy relatives plotted to seize control, forcing Mu Yue’s family into financial ruin.]

[To inherit her father’s estate, she also had to take on his debts—including paying massive compensation for abandoned projects. If she couldn’t raise ¥3 million within four years, everything would be legally stripped away, leaving her with nothing but liabilities.]

[Now it all made sense.
Why there were no servants in her house? Because they couldn’t afford them.
Why she was so nervous when her mom talked to you? She feared you’d find out the truth.
Why such a rich-looking girl loved money so much? Because she didn’t have any.]

[Of course, Mu Yue’s final decision came down to one thing—she lost her will to live.]

[You were the light that kept her going.
When you chose someone else… her last hope vanished.]

[You saw medics in protective suits pulling her lifeless body from a blood-soaked bathtub. Her white dress clung tightly to her small frame. She had slit her wrists in the bath, and the pale fabric was stained red at the hem—like a blooming crimson lotus.]

[As staff zipped her body into a black bag and carried her away, something inside you snapped.]

[You had truly lost her… forever.]

“No… no, please no…” Lin Yuxuan felt a crushing weight on her chest. She couldn’t breathe.

[Back home, you lost your appetite.]

[All you could think about was Mu Yue’s bright smile—the way she lit up your world like a little sunbeam.]

[Now… your light was gone.]

[You couldn’t even imagine how much pain she must’ve felt to make that final decision—to treat her own flesh like meat to be cut.]

[Tang Yawen panicked seeing you like this. If you kept going, you might starve yourself to death. She never left your side, feeding you through a tube, barely keeping you alive.]

[She would cry every night, praying to the heavens—pleading with the departed Mu Yue not to take you with her. Because to her, you were everything.]

[To give you a reason to live, Tang Yawen proposed a new goal.]

[Mu Yue may be gone, but her mother—now an orphan herself—was alone. Tang Yawen suggested bringing her in, living together, caring for her. Even if Mu Yue was gone, you could still find comfort in helping her mother carry on.]

“Huh? An orphan taking care of me now? Did fate really flip like that?!”

[Mu Yue’s mother, a kind and beautiful young widow, immediately agreed when she heard the plan from Tang Yawen. But it was her who wanted to care for you. Perhaps tending to a girl the same age as her daughter could bring back some meaning to this broken mother’s life.]

[With the love and support of both Wenwen and Mu Xia, you slowly began to recover.]

[More than anything, seeing Mu Yue’s mother’s gentle warmth reminded you of her—it felt like a lingering trace of Mu Yue still warming your heart.]

[“What you lose is what you miss the most.” Only after she was gone did you realize how deeply you loved her. And she loved you too—so much so that she used her last lifeline to save you from legal disaster. With that money, she saved you… but could no longer save herself.]

[Why do people who love each other still end up losing one another? You didn’t know the answer.]

[Grief-stricken, your health deteriorated further. But despite your downward spiral, Mu Xia took on the burden of caring for you. She knew how you felt about her daughter. Watching you punish yourself like this… broke her heart.]

[Looking at Mu Xia’s delicately preserved, youthful face, something stirred deep inside you…]

“Hmm…?”

Wait, why does this story feel like it’s taking a very strange turn?

That night, Tang Yawen went out to buy groceries.

It was just you and Mu Xia at home.

[You knew Mu Xia always took a hot bath at this time. Tonight was no different. As she stepped out of the bathroom wrapped only in a towel, you walked up behind her…]

[Then, you gently wrapped your arms around her waist…]

“N-No way… HUH?!!!”