Chapter 92: Returning to the Compound

Chapter 92: Returning to the Compound

"It seems you have quite a few problems," Qiao Yunhu redirected his attention to Ye Xiaoxiao.

Ye Xiaoxiao shrugged, indicating it was entirely an accident.

"If you need any help, feel free to come to me. My dorm is in Room 309 of the male dormitory, and I'm in Class One of Clinical Medicine."

Ye Xiaoxiao gave him a friendly smile, acknowledging his offer.

But Qiao Yunhu always felt there was a hint of insincerity in that smile.

Ye Xiaoxiao and he went their separate ways.

In the following days, Ye Xiaoxiao attended her classes normally. Song Guangjing had gotten her schedule and occasionally took her to the courtyard house to study.

The first-year courses were pretty basic and didn't do much to improve her medical skills.

The real medical skills had to be taught by Song Guangjing himself.

Song Guangjing couldn't help but admire his own foresight; picking Ye Xiaoxiao was indeed the right call.

With her talent and hard work, her medical skills were improving rapidly.

Ye Xiaoxiao also immersed herself completely in her studies, and before she realized it, a month had gone by.

If she hadn't run into Xu Jianwen at the university, she would have almost forgotten she was living in a story.

Ye Xiaoxiao headed to the Wensi Building office to grab some teaching notes.

On her way, she ran into Xu Jianwen.

She didn't look up at first; it was Xu Jianwen who stopped her.

"Xiao Xiao, what are you doing here?"

Xu Jianwen sounded shocked and confused.

Ye Xiaoxiao had nearly forgotten about him, and now that he showed up out of nowhere, her mood instantly turned sour.

Ye Xiaoxiao took a deep breath, her eyes icy cold, "I'm studying here."

Xu Jianwen suddenly remembered what his roommate had told him before. Could it really have been Ye Xiaoxiao that day?

Xu Jianwen blurted out, "How did you even get into Jinghua University?"

Ye Xiaoxiao's face turned even colder, "Comrade Xu, people change. It's been over six months since we last saw each other. Don't you think I could have improved?"

Xu Jianwen looked embarrassed.

"I'm sorry, I misspoke."

But he still thought it was unrealistic to improve so much in such a short time.

Ye Xiaoxiao's grades might have been enough to get into a key university, but top institutions like Jinghua University weren't so easy to enter.

Afraid of upsetting Ye Xiaoxiao, he didn't push the issue.

"Since you're back, why don't you visit the compound?"

Ye Xiaoxiao clutched her notes, no longer interested in arguing with him. "I’ll go back when I’m ready."

Xu Jianwen: "You seem so distant now."

Ye Xiaoxiao looked up and smiled gracefully. "I thought I made it very clear last time."

Xu Jianwen frowned. "Xiao Xiao, as long as you’re willing, we can be like before."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I’m not willing anymore."

Xu Jianwen was stunned.

"The old Xiao Xiao would cling to you and pester you, someone you’d go out of your way to avoid, but the current Ye Xiaoxiao won’t. I just want to finish university and then fulfill my dreams."

After saying this, Ye Xiaoxiao left with the notes, her steps not pausing for a moment.

This time, she made it crystal clear, hoping Xu Jianwen would get the message.

Forget that he’s the "male lead"—his personality and appearance aren’t the type Ye Xiaoxiao likes.

Xu Jianwen watched her retreating figure, his heart slowly sinking.

Something that originally belonged to him had slipped out of his control.

As luck would have it, she’d just run into Xu Jianwen that morning, and at noon, Lu Hanchuan came to find her.

In front of the girls’ dormitory building, a strikingly handsome guy with broad shoulders, long legs, and sharp features, rocking a simple button-up shirt like it was straight off the runway, was casually leaning by the dorm entrance.

Lu Hanchuan had seen Ye Xiaoxiao’s schedule and knew she had no classes in the afternoon, so he specially asked the dormitory auntie to call her out.

Girls walking by couldn’t help but sneak glances at Lu Hanchuan.

Ye Xiaoxiao spotted him instantly, no need to search.

"Heading back to the compound today? I’ll come with you."

Lu Hanchuan asked this not only to take her home but also to ask if Ye Xiaoxiao wanted to visit the Hao family.

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Today? I’m not ready at all."

Lu Hanchuan chuckled. "Just show up. Everything else is ready. After all, the Hao family raised you for eighteen years. Even if you’re cutting ties, you owe them a proper talk."

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded. "Then let’s go today."

Lu Hanchuan slung an arm around Ye Xiaoxiao’s shoulders and steered her away.

His voice held a hint of tenderness. "Come on, smile. What’s there to be scared of? It’s not like you’re walking into a war zone by yourself. I’ve got you covered. Even if we shake things up at the Hao family today, it’s no big deal."

He sounded like a troublemaker ready to stir things up.

Ye Xiaoxiao was too weighed down to notice Lu Hanchuan’s possessive gesture.

The drive from Jinghua University to the military compound takes over an hour, but the advantage is that there aren’t many cars on the road, so there’s no need to worry about traffic.

Ye Xiaoxiao’s trip back to the compound felt a bit rushed. She knew Lu Hanchuan’s time was hard to come by, so she didn’t refuse his arrangement.

Better a short pain than a long one. Ye Xiaoxiao also felt she should face the Hao family directly.

After raising her for over a decade, they’d call her ungrateful for running off.

Lu Hanchuan's car was registered, and the guard at the gate let them in without stopping.

The car stopped at the designated parking spot in the yard, and Lu Hanchuan got out to grab something from the trunk.

"Shouldn’t we have called ahead? What if no one's home?"

Ye Xiaoxiao remained seated in the passenger seat without moving.

Lu Hanchuan opened the car door: "I've already inquired. Today, the Hao couple are at home resting. It’s a rare occasion when everyone’s home."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Great. He’s really thought this through.

Ye Xiaoxiao had no choice but to follow Lu Hanchuan to the entrance of the Hao family's house.

She didn’t have the original host’s memories, but standing here, some vague memories flickered in her mind.

Ye Xiaoxiao shook off the thoughts and knocked on the door of the Hao family's house.

"Coming."

The one who opened the door was a relative of Hao Chengbing from his hometown, also the Hao family's housekeeper.

She handled the cleaning and cooking at home, as He Qiaoxiang, coming from a well-off family, hardly ever did housework.

So Hao Chengbing had specifically invited such a helper from his hometown.

Being a relative, no one would make a fuss about this during those special years.

The person inside, upon seeing Ye Xiaoxiao, exclaimed: "Xiao Xiao is back!"

Her voice carried, ensuring everyone inside heard her.

Ye Xiaoxiao greeted everything with a smile.

A woman in a high-neck base layer stepped back inside.

Her outfit was the picture of elegance and refinement.

Ye Xiaoxiao instantly recognized who she was.

"Mom..."

He Qiaoxiang looked at Ye Xiaoxiao, who had left the Hao family. The girl wasn’t dressed shabbily.

While her clothes weren’t as fancy as those from Beijing’s department stores, it was obvious they were new.

In fact, she was dressed more neatly than Hao Yanyan had been when she first arrived.