At the time, the white cat was covered in soot and had a broken leg.

The two of them had taken the cat to a pet hospital together, and then Clara had adopted it.

As for the name "Little Bad," it was because when Clara wanted to hold it, it scratched her, forcing her to get a vaccine shot, so she called it "Little Bad Cat."

In just half a year, Little Bad had become white, chubby, and round.

Love nourishes the flesh.

Julian’s voice deepened, filled with sorrow: "Little Bad, she won't be coming back."

The kitten couldn't understand his words; it didn't seem to know that the mistress who had accompanied it would never return.

But it seemed to sense something, which was why it kept pressing against him.

Julian let go of it and stood up to look at Clara Ke’s home.

The last time he came here was when Clara had secretly left the hospital; he had thought she was giving up on treatment, so he had chased after her.

That day, Little Bad was bathing at the pet shop, and he had been the one to pick it up later.

He never expected that upon meeting again, Clara Ke would be gone.

Chapter 27

Julian walked into Clara Ke’s home.

He had never realized how empty her home was.

Apart from the essential furniture, the things that belonged to her were few and far between.

If it weren't for Little Bad, it would look as if no one lived here at all.

Julian’s gaze was drawn to a photo frame at the entrance—

The photo was their university graduation picture.

With over thirty people standing together, one couldn't immediately find where the two of them were.

Julian’s heart skipped a beat; if he wasn't mistaken, this seemed to be the only photo he and Clara had together.

She hadn't put this photo on display out of nostalgia for her classmates.

It was simply because he was in this photo.

Julian gripped the edge of the frame, his heart aching and sour, as if thousands of needles were piercing his heart at once.

He took out his phone and opened his photo album, scrolling from beginning to end.

Sure enough, all these years, he didn't even have a single photo of Clara Ke.

This group photo was the only photo of her he possessed.

Why hadn't he been able to see Clara Ke’s feelings sooner? A girl willing to stay by his side for over twenty years—how could he have taken it for granted?

Why hadn't he been able to see his own heart sooner?

If it were before Nina appeared... if he had discovered his feelings for Clara Ke earlier, Clara Ke wouldn't have gotten sick.

And she wouldn't have left.

Everything today was caused by his own obtuseness!

Julian hugged that photo, slowly sliding down to sit on the cold floor.

The little white cat, perhaps sensing his sadness, leaned in and licked the back of his hand.

He remained in a daze from dusk until the sky turned pitch black.

Clara Ke didn't have any important belongings; in the end, Julian only took the photo frame and the cat.

He didn't want to bump into Clara’s mother just as he stepped out.

They collided head-on, and Julian took a step back just in time.

Seeing her, he frowned: "Mrs. Ke."

Mrs. Ke was startled to see him coming out of her daughter’s house, but quickly regained her composure: "Little Julian, is Little Snow inside?"

This sentence caused Julian’s expression to darken instantly.

Mrs. Ke, this entire Ke family, actually didn't even know that Clara Ke was dead!

The day he had chased Mrs. Ke out of the hospital, she hadn't returned, nor had she ever thought to care about Clara’s health condition!

It seemed she had come today only because she couldn't get through to Clara on the phone.

The indifference of this family toward Clara Ke made Julian feel both furious and chilled to the bone.

He suppressed his emotions: "What do you want with Little Snow?"

Mrs. Ke hurriedly took out a folder she was holding: "There’s a slight issue with the property transfer contract Little Snow signed last time, so I specifically found a lawyer to print a correct copy, wanting her to sign it."

"I went to the hospital, and the nurse said she had been discharged long ago. Little Julian, tell Auntie the truth: is Little Snow... running out of time?"

Julian’s gaze grew cold, his voice even colder, devoid of any emotion: "You came today not to care about Little Snow, but for her house and car, right?"

Mrs. Ke had been a little afraid of Julian’s demeanor last time.

When it came down to it, he wasn't her own child, and she had borrowed money from him.

Mrs. Ke felt somewhat guilty: "How can you say that? Little Snow is my daughter, too; naturally, I’m here to care for her. Asking her to sign this contract is just in case. If Little Snow is healthy and well, how could I, as her mother..."

"I’m doing this for her own good!"

Julian’s eyes were filled with undisguised mockery.

His thin lips parted as he spoke: "Clara Ke is dead."

"Her house and car—your son will never get them. Give up on that idea."

Chapter 28

Mrs. Ke shuddered violently, her eyes full of disbelief.

"What did you say? What happened to Little Snow?" She shook her head, refusing to believe it. "Impossible. If Little Snow died, why wouldn't anyone have told me?"

Julian let out a cold snort: "Tell you? You were entirely focused on how to snatch Little Snow's belongings for your son; have you ever cared about her?"

"She was in pain, did you know? She was suffering, did you know?"

"For all these years, Little Snow never said anything in front of me. I always assumed you were good to her, which is why I was willing to help your family."

"But how did you treat her? She had cancer. Did her father or her brother ever come to see her even once from start to finish?"

Mrs. Ke mumbled: "Her brother is getting married, and the family is very busy..."

"So a cheap wedding is more important than your own daughter, than his own sister?" Julian interrupted her without mercy, tearing off her mask of hypocrisy.

From beginning to end, not a single person in that house had ever cared about Clara Ke.

How could he have been so blind? He had failed to see it!

He had actually given these people the opportunity to keep stabbing at Clara Ke’s already wounded heart!

Julian glanced coldly at the contract; that was likely the only thing that could make this family feel any real distress.

They would be more upset about not getting Clara Ke’s property than they were about learning she had died.

How pathetic.

Julian didn't say another word, nor did he look again at Mrs. Ke’s inexplicably pale face.

He turned and walked away.

From this day forward, there would be no more Clara Ke.

Both he and Little Bad had lost the person who mattered most to them.

……

I stood in the shadows opposite my apartment building.

I watched Julian leave with Little Bad, my eyes dimming slightly.

I had originally returned intending to take Little Bad with me.

But it didn't matter; if Little Bad were to vanish into thin air, it might only arouse Julian's suspicion.

Although he didn't like me, he wouldn't be indifferent toward a kitten.

It was for the best; Little Bad had a home now and didn't need to follow me on my restless journey. That last bit of lingering attachment was gone.

I could finally leave this place with peace of mind.

Just as I was thinking this, my mother walked out of the stairwell.

My apartment was on the second floor, so I had heard the entire conversation between my mother and Julian.

Hearing my mother's reason for seeking me out, I felt nothing inside.

After all, the most desperate times had already passed. No matter how much my mother had hurt me, I was nothing more than a "dead person" now.

Julian had taken Little Bad, the one I cared about most, so there was no longer any need to return to that cold, empty house.

I turned around and walked completely into the darkness of the night.

……

Five years later.

Qiming Hospital.

"Dr. Julian, the medical records for the patient in bed 576 are here. His heart condition is very serious; it's best to perform surgery as soon as possible."

In the office, an intern reported the situation to Julian in a business-like manner.

Julian took the records, glanced at them, and nodded: "Schedule the surgery for Tuesday. As for the first assistant..."

Over these years, Julian had gone from being the youngest attending physician to an attending physician who had never known failure.