Evan Ford glanced at the old campus he hadn’t seen in over twenty years, paused for a moment, and recalled that it was demolished around early 2002. A residential complex was built there, and later the second-hand price per square meter exceeded 60,000.

　　Grace Young walked over, her face still delicate and clear, her smile beautiful.

　　“Let’s take a walk together. I have something I want to talk to you about.”

　　The last time started with the same opening line, except back then Evan Ford didn’t know that what would follow would turn out to be so cliché.

　　Evan Ford nodded. The two of them kept a distance slightly greater than when they were dating, walking together through the dormitory area and the cafeteria.

　　Looking back now, the distance that Grace Young deliberately kept already said a lot, but last time, Evan Ford hadn’t noticed.

　　Along the way, quite a few glances swept over them. Some classmates greeted them, smiling and saying, “The young couple is off to eat out again?”

　　At times like this, Evan Ford would try hard to recall the classmate’s name, while Grace Young would pretend not to hear and say nothing.

　　In those days, when some schools were strict and others only appeared to be, the two of them were actually known among classmates and some teachers as a model couple.

　　A talented man and a beautiful woman—the reverse was true as well.

　　Recent news about the two of them in the past month or two:

　　First, both were very likely to stay on at the school.

　　Second, both had signed up for teaching support in mountain areas.

　　After these two pieces of news got out, they became a hot topic: would they stay at the school together, or go teach in a remote mountain area together?

　　So touching. It even made them the symbol of unbreakable love in this era when Qiong Yao-style romance was all the rage.

　　Because the normal school students here were all on targeted training programs, meaning that after graduation, they had to report to the education bureau in their hometowns and be assigned to rural schools for a set number of years, or else lose their jobs.

　　Evan Ford and Grace Young weren’t from the same hometown; in fact, their hometowns were in small counties at opposite ends of Yuejiang Province, very far apart.

　　There were two ways to avoid being separated by graduation and targeted assignment:

　　Respond to the national call together and go teach in an underdeveloped province, in a remote mountain area for two years, then come back and wait for a preferential reassignment; or stay at the school.

　　Both had good grades and performance, and both had a good chance of staying at the school. Although staying wasn’t the best option in those days, it was still much better than going back to the countryside.

　　That was the premise. On that basis, they both signed up for mountain area teaching support.

　　Evan Ford’s name was actually signed up by Grace Young—she had always been a girl with ideas, while Evan Ford didn’t have many pursuits, always being pulled along, pushed to improve, used to listening to her.

　　It wasn’t until the honor roll for teaching support was posted that Evan Ford found out about it, and he didn’t dare tell his family.

　　And Grace Young told him that signing up for teaching support was actually to get extra points when competing for a spot to stay at the school… according to some inside information.

　　Evan Ford remembers every detail of this story clearly and will never forget, because it changed so much later on, and that time was the first in his previous life that he was heartbroken for what he thought was “love.”

　　Turning to look at Grace Young’s still-beautiful eighteen-year-old profile, Evan Ford already knew what would happen next. This time, of course, he wouldn’t be heartbroken, but suddenly he felt a different kind of thought:

　　Given another chance, should he change this? But aside from a bit of resentment, he no longer felt any attachment… If he changed it, then what?

　　“What’s wrong?” Maybe sensing Evan Ford’s gaze, Grace Young turned and asked, her expression calm. She was never one to get tangled up, because she had always been a woman with a clear life plan and a rational mind.

　　“Nothing,” Evan Ford pointed to the small grove and bushes nearby, “If you have something to say, why not say it here? We still have to eat later.”

　　Grace Young smiled, pointed ahead, and said, “Let’s go to the artificial lake. It’s just around the corner.”

　　Evan Ford thought for a moment, then finally nodded.

　　Back then, Evan Ford didn’t know that once they turned that corner, the story would never turn back. And this time, the one who didn’t know was Grace Young.

　　The artificial lake was still fairly clean, with no mosquitoes in winter. Fallen leaves scattered here and there, occasionally swirling down in the wind—a beautiful scene.

　　This was something Evan Ford hadn’t been in the mood to notice in his previous life.

　　Grace Young’s parents were sitting side by side on a bench by the lake. Her father wore a gray suit with pilling, a black briefcase under his arm, slightly overweight. Her mother wore a red coat, had medium-length permed hair, kept herself in good shape, and was a stylish woman with enduring charm.

　　“Dad, Mom, this is Evan Ford. Evan Ford, these are my parents.” Grace Young naturally walked over to her parents and turned to Evan Ford.

　　In his previous life, I must have been both delighted and nervous at this moment, Evan Ford thought, and smiled, “Hello, Uncle. Hello, Auntie.”

　　Her parents nodded. This was the first time they met in person, but before this, Evan Ford had actually spoken with them on the phone, talking about staying at the school. Back then, her parents seemed quite supportive of their daughter’s relationship and even encouraged both of them to strive for it.