She couldn't make a decision for a long time. On one hand, she genuinely liked the boy; on the other hand, she was afraid Clara would regret it.

In the end, her daughter was more important.

After thinking for an entire night, she still uttered the word "break up." Since Clara couldn't make the decision, let her be the villain.

“Qiaoqiao, I looked at it carefully last night. We are no match for a family with such power and influence.”

“Let’s pack up in a bit and move back to the general ward.”

Clara was dazed, looking at her mother: “Mom, you can’t do this, I…”

“Alright,” her mother put down her chopsticks, “I’m ill now, and my biggest wish is for you to find a good home. Can you not even agree to this small request?”

“Ask yourself, even if I agreed, in a family like theirs, would his parents agree?”

Clara suddenly remembered what Julian’s mother had said when she came to find her earlier, and she was speechless.

Yes, from beginning to end, no one had favored them. Even Mr. Xiao felt they were people from two different worlds.

Seeing her daughter’s distraught appearance, her mother’s attitude softened: “Qiaoqiao, you’re already thirty. Sometimes you need to see things clearly.”

“You haven't experienced it yet, but you’ll understand later how important it is to be a good match. By the time you realize it, it will be too late.”

Clara held her spoon, but the porridge in her bowl remained untouched. Her mother couldn't see her reaction.

After a long time, Clara looked up and gave a difficult nod from her throat, as if making a monumental decision.

She could ignore Bai Ruxuan, refuse Julian’s mother, and even not care about the opinions of others.

But she couldn't refuse her mother—a mother who was sick and looked out for her in every way.

Seeing her daughter agree, her mother felt slightly relieved, though not necessarily happy. She only said: “You can decide everything else on your own.”

Because of this illness, she saw everything in a different light, except for Clara’s affairs, on which she wouldn't compromise. She hadn't felt many moments of happiness in her life, and by extension, Clara’s life hadn't been considered happy either.

But her daughter would have to walk her own path in the future; at least for now, she could still offer advice.

The hospital was close to home, so Clara had only brought necessary items. As for the rest, most of it had been provided by Julian, and Clara didn't take a single thing with her.

After finishing, Clara took out her phone and sent Julian a message saying "Let's break up," then went to the supermarket to help her mother collect the things left there.

She just silently finished doing these things, not even shedding a single tear.

Chapter 22

On the other end, Julian was on his way to the hospital with some things he had bought, not looking at his phone while driving.

By the time he saw it, he was already facing an empty hospital room, picking up his phone to ask Clara where she was.

"Let's break up."

The words lay lonely in his phone. For a moment, Julian thought he had misread them.

Then, Julian did something absurd: he exited the WeChat background to return to the home screen, and waited a few seconds before tapping back in.

He hadn't misread it.

Above that was a WeChat call Julian had made, and above that, Clara sharing snacks her students had given her. Everything had been so peaceful and serene, making those last few words stand out as especially jarring.

Julian typed a few words in the dialog box: [What’s wrong, Qiaoqiao?]

A small exclamation mark immediately appeared next to it; Clara had blocked him.

He switched over to call her, but the phone indicated the line was currently busy.

Julian, who had been high-spirited since his student days, was at a complete loss for the first time.

Just then, a nurse came in. Julian instinctively grabbed her hand and asked: “Where are the people who were in this room?”

The nurse, carrying bedding, saw this handsome young man and felt as if she had lost her soul. Being gripped painfully, she quickly pulled her hand away: “They just moved out. They probably were discharged.”

After just a few words, Julian had already calmed down. Realizing he had been a bit out of character, he apologized and walked out, pulling out his phone to make a call as he walked, his eyes deep.

“Investigate where Clara has gone.”

…

The doctor said the stomach is an emotional organ, and it’s true that people can’t eat when they are in a bad mood, so he told Clara’s mother to keep a good mindset, saying absolutely nothing about her being in the middle stage.

Her mother naturally thought it was because she had had a short temper in her youth, trying to win every argument, and now she was suffering the consequences.

She didn't want to stay in the hospital, and Clara had no objections. After completing the necessary pre-operative exams, they took their medication and went home to recuperate. She listened to the doctor’s instructions on dietary restrictions, noted them down silently, and turned to walk out of the room.

Just as she took a step, Clara saw the man waiting for her. Her heart skipped a beat, and her hand, holding the medical record, gripped it tightly.

Julian’s expression was unreadable, appearing more like a prelude to a storm. He stopped a few feet away from Clara.

“Why break up?”

Clara stared at his oppressive gaze and felt somewhat guilty, biting her lip as she replied: “We aren't a good fit.”

Julian pressed: “Why aren't we a good fit?”

The air fell silent for a moment. Clara’s voice was very soft: “We’re not a fit in any way: personality, family background, lifestyle.”

The environment was somewhat noisy, but Clara’s voice was exceptionally clear. She said whatever came to mind: “Julian, I’m not young anymore. I want to get married. Can you get married now?”

“You can’t.” Clara asked and answered herself, holding the medical report and walking around Julian to leave. Her pace was hurried, and she didn't look back.

Therefore, Julian didn't know that the moment she turned away, tears had fallen from her eyes.

His expression hadn't changed; his eyes were as still as a calm lake, but at that moment, ripples began to spread across the surface.

Julian’s hands at his sides clenched again and again. His body didn't move; standing there straight as a pine tree, he nonetheless gave the impression of being incredibly frail.

A family member came by supporting a patient and saw the grown man standing there, so they said: “Young man, could you move aside?”

Julian’s eyes slowly refocused. He didn't speak, but strode out of the hospital with long strides.

Chapter 23

Clara had originally wanted to take some time off to look after her mother, but her mother refused flatly, saying she could eat, drink, and jump around, and that her daily life didn't need Clara’s care. She told her to go to work and keep her peace of mind.

She couldn't win against her mother, so she had to agree.

Thinking that the summer break was coming anyway, and there was no rush, she only told her mother about the dietary restrictions the doctor had explicitly mentioned and told her to pay attention.

During this time, Clara returned to her two-point-one-line life. Julian didn't persist in contacting her anymore.

Once she got busy with work, she didn't have the spare energy to think about all those messy things.

The surgery date for Clara’s mother was set for the end of June. Before that, she still needed to undergo a few rounds of pre-operative chemotherapy, and Clara took leave to accompany her.

…

The high school where Clara worked was a key high school. Every semester after the final exams, they would hold a parent-teacher conference to organize the report cards of each student for parents to review.

It was not only to let parents understand the situation of the students but also to keep students from becoming too relaxed, as their every grade would be shown to their parents.

So, at the end of every semester, there were those who were happy and those who were sorrowful.

As the subject teacher, Clara didn't need to lead the meeting, but she had to attend to report on the situation of the subject for the classes she taught.

She saw this routine every year, so she didn't take it too much to heart.

But when she stood on the podium and saw Julian sitting in Sharon Xie’s seat, her mind suddenly went blank. She stood on the podium, forgetting what to say for a moment.

The homeroom teacher thought she had forgotten her lines and took the small notebook Clara usually used for notes, handing it to her while whispering: “Teacher Clara, the notes are here.”