"Look, Han Weicheng's team apologized to me. They even said I could go back if I wanted."
Shu Lanzhou lifted her phone for Mu Side to see, her curved brows and smiling eyes reflecting her good mood.
"So... are you going back?" Mu Side seemed a bit unsure of her intentions.
Shu Lanzhou shook her head with a bright smile. "Of course not. I'm part of your team now—going back would make me a traitor."
That single phrase—part of your team—landed softly on Mu Side's heart like a gentle hammer, causing him to reflexively rub at his chest.
The feeling was strange—strange in a way that made the corners of his mouth rise without his control.
"You'd better mean it. Don't forget we're a team now, and we still have a competition to prepare for."
"I haven't forgotten," Shu Lanzhou said, looking down at her phone. Suddenly, she looked up sharply. "Senior, don't tell me you think I'm happy just because they asked me to go back?"
Mu Side turned his face away, slightly guilty. "I didn't."
"You so did," Shu Lanzhou huffed and stood up, walking over to him. "What kind of person do you think I am? I'd never flip-flop like that."
"You guys took me in when I was at my lowest. How could I use your help and then turn my back on you? I'm not that kind of person."
Mu Side's smile faded slightly, his expression turning serious. "You're right. That was my bad. I apologize."
"..."
Shu Lanzhou was stunned. She never expected him to apologize—and so smoothly, like it was the most natural thing in the world, not something difficult to say at all!
She couldn't help but think of Luo Jialin and the others. Getting an apology out of them? She'd been waiting for a whole lifetime and still hadn't heard one.
"You... okay?" Mu Side, unfamiliar with dealing with girls, was baffled when he saw Shu Lanzhou's eyes turning red. "I swear, that wasn't my intention. Don't cry!"
He was hopeless at comforting people. This was way out of his depth.
Shu Lanzhou shook her head. "I'm not crying. I'm just happy. Happy to be part of your team. Happy I met you. You're such a responsible, good guy."
Mu Side, who was suddenly handed a "good guy" card for no apparent reason:
"...I'm a responsible good guy just because I apologized?"
"Of course!" Shu Lanzhou nodded solemnly. "Little things reveal a person's character. You don't get it, senior. But in my eyes, you're a good guy who takes responsibility."
In her past life, she had ignored these "little things" too often. That's why she'd tolerated those seniors over and over again.
To the point that, later on, even a small pushback from her was seen as being difficult, as being selfish, as not caring about the team.
It wasn't until they'd chewed her up and spat out her bones that she finally realized:
Give an inch once, and they'll take a mile. You relent once, and there'll always be a next time.
A single horseshoe nail can bring down an entire kingdom.
A tiny compromise can ruin a person.
Mu Side seemed pleased. "Alright, you win."
"Oh, senior, I have something happy to share!" Shu Lanzhou winked and pulled up a forum post of Arrogant Bro making a bet with Luo Jialin.
Mu Side's gaze darkened slightly. "So this is what made you so happy earlier?"
"Of course! I couldn't care less about their apology or being invited back to the team. That's not even worth thinking about," Shu Lanzhou said proudly, holding her chin high like a little peacock.
Mu Side couldn't help but chuckle. "Such pride."
"Damn right!" Shu Lanzhou withdrew her phone and began typing a reply.
"Did you know? The person who bet I'd go back to Professor Han's team is one of Luo Jialin's alt accounts. I don't know where he got the confidence—thinking I'd go back!"
"Watch me slap him in the face. That arrogant attitude of his is so annoying!"
Maybe it was the time they'd spent together recently, but Shu Lanzhou had become more relaxed. The cautiousness from the beginning had faded. Now she wasn't afraid to show her girlish side—venting, teasing, showing her true emotions without any guard.
She cursed, she had thoughts, and she didn't hesitate to reveal her feelings—it was hard to look away from her.
A little treasure, really. Mu Side couldn't understand how Han Weicheng's team had been so blind—treating her so poorly that they almost snuffed out her spark.
Thank goodness it wasn't too late. Seeing the lively girl she was becoming again, Mu Side's heart itched a little.
He suddenly had the urge to take her home and keep her safe—what was wrong with him?
Shu Lanzhou was completely unaware of his gaze, her attention still on her phone as she replied to Luo Jialin and the others:
"I accept your apology. But I've already left Professor Han's team, and I have no intention of returning."
She posted the reply directly under their apology thread, then took a screenshot and shared it on her own page—tagging both guys who had made the bet.
She still didn't know who Arrogant Bro was, but she'd help him out anyway. After all, the other guy was Luo Jialin.
Even though money didn't mean much to someone like Luo Jialin, the thought of tripping him up made Shu Lanzhou positively gleeful—she was all smiles.
"Come on, it's getting late. I'll walk you back," Mu Side said, taking her backpack and realizing it was heavy.
Shu Lanzhou looked a little embarrassed. "I can carry it. Thank you, senior."
"No need. Let's go." Mu Side could look pretty stern when he wasn't smiling. Carrying her bag, he walked ahead, leaving Shu Lanzhou no choice but to follow quietly behind like an obedient bunny.
It was too late to return to school, so she was staying in He Sixin's hospital dorm.
At the entrance, she snatched back her backpack and dashed up the stairs. "Goodbye, senior!"
Mu Side watched her go, a little exasperated—like watching a startled rabbit run off.
…Kind of cute.
He waited until he saw the lights come on upstairs before turning to leave. As he walked, he pulled out his phone and opened his alt account. Shu Lanzhou's post was right there at the top.
He typed under her @:
"Strong-willed young lady—your future looks bright."
Sitting at his computer, Luo Jialin stared at Shu Lanzhou's latest post, rage boiling inside him as he slammed his mouse down.
No way—no way. She really wasn't coming back?
Was she seriously willing to give up the opportunity to stay in Shen City and join the top-tier medical team in the country?
Why?
Why would someone be so foolish?
Did she really do all this just to clear her name and get justice? Was it really because they'd wronged her?
Shu Lanzhou—do you not miss even a little bit of the time you spent with our team?
His phone kept ringing—call after call, the screen flashing with Tian Hua's name.
Luo Jialin ignored it. Soon there were four or five missed calls, from Guo Jialiang, Fang Ruoshi, even Du Yifan.
Everyone was trying to reach him. Clearly, none of them had expected Shu Lanzhou to actually refuse to return.
Luo Jialin took a deep breath and opened a group video call.
Soon, everyone joined in—even Lin Muyao was online.
"Jialin, did we… misjudge her?" Tian Hua was the first to speak. He was still concerned about the evidence Shu Lanzhou had on his debt and didn't want to burn all bridges.
Du Yifan yawned. "I think she just found a new backer and got cocky. Otherwise, how would she have the guts not to come back?"
"Maybe… maybe she really just wanted to clear her name. Maybe it wasn't as complicated as we thought," Fang Ruoshi said weakly.
His feelings toward Shu Lanzhou were a mess—resentment for not helping him, yet guilt and nostalgia for how kind she used to be.
Guo Jialiang sighed. "I think Yifan's right. She's got someone new in her corner and doesn't care about us anymore. Senior Luo, she's basically declaring war on us."