Chapter 301: Graduation Season

Chapter 301: Graduation Time

"Is that Wang Jiao?"

Ye Xiaoxiao whispered, pointing toward the tent.

The others nodded—it sounded like Wang Jiao.

"Xu Jiale, you can keep this shitty band to yourself. I’m out!"

With a shout of anger, a girl burst out of the tent.

"Wang Jiao!"

Ye Xiaoxiao and the others exclaimed immediately.

Wang Jiao looked at her roommates and asked hesitantly, "What are you guys doing here?"

"You’re the one who said there was a concert and told us to come!" Tang Xiuxiu replied.

Wang Jiao fidgeted. "Oh, about that… the concert’s off."

He Jing asked casually, "And you? Heading back to campus?"

Wang Jiao’s internship form hadn’t gotten the stamp yet. Going back now wouldn’t help unless she could figure out a way to get it signed.

Wang Jiao snapped loudly, for effect, "Yes! I’m going back right now!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a man with dyed blond hair emerged from the tent.

Though they were from the same university, different colleges were spread out, and Xu Jiale was someone they’d never seen before.

"Wang Jiao, I’ve decided to go south. If you go back to school, we’re through," Xu Jiale said, then turned and went back into the tent without waiting for a reply, leaving Wang Jiao behind.

Ye Xiaoxiao studied Wang Jiao and noticed she didn’t respond at all.

This wasn’t like the Wang Jiao she remembered. In her last relationship, Wang Jiao had been the one in control.

But now, it seemed Xu Jiale had her completely under his thumb.

Ye Xiaoxiao asked, "You’re not seriously considering going south with him?"

Wang Jiao: "..."

He Jing added, "You should think carefully. Your parents are in Beijing. If you run off to the south, they’ll be so worried."

Wang Jiao dragged her foot on the ground. "I’m not an idiot, okay? I wouldn’t just run off to the south like that."

"Well, with no concert, why don’t you come back with us?" Xia Li said sincerely.

Wang Jiao felt like a different person to them now—her clothes and style didn’t look like a student’s at all. They had a bad feeling about what might happen if this continued.

"I’ll go back in a couple of days," Wang Jiao muttered, avoiding their eyes.

So Ye Xiaoxiao and the others could only leave for now.

On the way back, they discussed the situation but were still clueless about Wang Jiao’s deal.

Wang Jiao had also mentioned that she would return to school soon.

They’d planned to have a proper talk with her after she returned to school.

However, to their surprise, before they could find Wang Jiao, her parents arrived first.

They came to the school looking for their daughter.

In the dormitory, He Jing patiently explained to her parents.

"Uncle, Auntie, Wang Jiao hasn’t come back since her internship. We saw her on Yuehua Road a couple of days ago, and she said she would return to school."

Wang Jiao’s mother was about to cry. "What if something happened to her?"

Wang Jiao’s father said, "Maybe we should just file a police report. She hasn’t come home, and no one where she interned has seen her. We should have reported this earlier."

He Jing exchanged a helpless glance with the others, unsure how to explain this to the parents.

Besides, they didn’t know much either.

When Ye Xiaoxiao returned to the dorm, she saw Wang Jiao’s parents frantically pacing around.

"Auntie, Uncle, what’s wrong…?"

"We can’t find Wang Jiao."

Xia Li whispered.

"Auntie, Uncle, when was the last time you saw Wang Jiao?"

Ye Xiaoxiao asked.

"It was three days ago. Jiao Jiao came home for a visit. The next day, I brought her food, thinking she’d be returning to school soon. But when I got to where she interned, she wasn’t there at all. The people there said she hadn’t been there for months…"

Wang Jiao’s mother spoke in panicked, scattered words, but Ye Xiaoxiao figured out that Wang Jiao must have gone home again after their last meeting.

From what Xu Jiale had said earlier, it was likely that Wang Jiao had gone to the south.

The big cities there were indeed better for jobs or studying.

But that didn’t sound like Wang Jiao. What would she even do there?

She was a medical student. Without her degree, it’s all pointless.

"Auntie, Uncle, maybe you should see if money’s gone. If it is, it means Wang Jiao probably ran away on purpose."

Wang Jiao’s mother said, "But… what if someone made her go?"

Ye Xiaoxiao replied, "Wang Jiao is an adult after all. If you’re really worried, you can file a police report. But she’s definitely not here."

Fortunately, Wang Jiao’s parents didn’t lash out—they were too upset to think straight.

"We still need to file a police report. I told you we should have gone to the police earlier."

Wang Jiao’s father said, "Her classmates have a point. Let’s go home first and see if anything is missing. If she left on her own, there’s no reason to freak out."

Wang Jiao’s mother said, "Let’s go home now."

And with that, they hurried off.

Once the two were gone, Ye Xiaoxiao and the others finally spoke up.

Li Meiru: "Did Wang Jiao really run away to the south?"

Xia Li: "She said she wasn’t stupid, but honestly, she’s a total idiot."

Ye Xiaoxiao shrugged. "I just hope they haven’t gotten far."

After returning home, Wang Jiao’s parents quickly noticed that many of her clothes were missing, plus 500 yuan from home.

Figuring their daughter had run away on her own rather than being abducted, they felt slightly relieved.

But since they still couldn’t find her, they still had to file a police report.

Cops showed up at the school to investigate and quickly zeroed in on the leads.

Wang Jiao and Xu Jiale’s relationship wasn’t a secret, and Xu Jiale had also disappeared.

In the end, the police could only assist in searching for the two, but no promises they’d turn up.

Meanwhile, other graduates had already begun writing, revising, and defending their theses, as well as attending the graduation party.

They breezed through graduation season, soon to go their separate ways.

For most, the graduation party was their last hurrah on campus.

After the event, those who had received their diplomas, degree certificates, and job assignments would leave, while those still waiting had to stick around.

In the Traditional Chinese Medicine class, Ye Xiaoxiao, Qu Miao, and Zhang Kaining were all set—the three of them were set to join Rende Pharmacy immediately after graduation and could leave right away.

Zhang Kaining was busy trying to rope in classmates to sign up for performances. "You’re really not going to perform? This could be our last shot at doing something together."

"Qu Miao! You’re from an ethnic minority—you’re so multi-talented. Aren’t you going to take the stage?"

Zhang Kaining even started calling people out by name.

Qu Miao: "Don’t put me on the spot. If you’re so eager, go perform yourself!"

Zhang Kaining then turned to Ye Xiaoxiao.

"Xiao Xiao, got any hidden talents?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "I’ll sign up, but not with you."

Zhang Kaining clapped his hands. "That works too! Do our TCM class proud. What will you perform, Xiao Xiao?"