Unfilial disciple, do not ruin your master's dream of ascension and peaceful life.

Today, Xiaxi Road welcomed two handsome men and beautiful women.

The boy was tall and straight with delicate features, while the girl was elegant and petite. Passersby frequently turned their heads to look, and some even secretly took photos with their phones.

They looked like a perfectly matched couple, but the atmosphere between them was a bit tense; they both seemed to want to talk but didn't know what to say. "The young couple must have had a fight"—that's what everyone who saw them guessed.

In reality, Qianjing and Xinwenyue simply had nothing to talk about.

Xin Wenyue didn't know why she impulsively suggested a "date." It was just a casual stroll along Xiaxi Road, where they kept a distance from each other. Qianjing bought her and her an expensive popsicle, but Xin Wenyue insisted on splitting the bill. She couldn't understand why so many girls could let men spend money on them without a second thought; she thought it was too cheap.

Xin Wenyue sucked on her popsicle, her mind gradually cooling down.

"Qianjing, have we met before?"

"What are you talking about? We've known each other since high school."

"I mean, did we meet before that?"

"Unfortunately, I don't recall it."

"All right……"

She didn't actually remember meeting him before, but why did she suddenly have the feeling that "the two of them had met before" recently?

"Be careful, the popsicles are melting and dripping."

Qianjing took out a tissue and wiped her mouth with it. The action was so natural that Qianjing didn't realize it was a bit too intimate until she had finished wiping.

(Oh no, I've gotten into the habit of wiping my silly apprentice's mouth!)

Qianjing immediately threw away the tissue and waited for Xinwenyue to breathe on it.

But Xin Wenyue was distracted by her best friend's brother's small gesture.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"Let's wipe the blood away first. You're already exhausted; you don't need to push yourself so hard."

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

In a daze, she had a sense of déjà vu, and even experienced auditory hallucinations. Why was this happening?

After they finished eating the popsicles, the atmosphere between the two eased up a bit.

They reminisced about their high school days after a long time, talking about their studies and classmates. Xin Wenyue noticed that Qianjing, despite saying she "didn't care about high school anymore," still remembered the names of every old classmate, and even which teacher had a receding hairline and which teacher was the most patient with students…

When she saw Qian Jing casually stuff a large red bill into the roadside donation box, Xin Wenyue finally mustered up the courage to ask the question she had always wanted to ask:

"Why have you suddenly become so irresponsible since you started college? I... to be honest, I really hate you. You're so talented and capable, yet you're just letting yourself go."

"If you're tired of being a good student, what's wrong with being a bad student for a few years?"

Qianjing absentmindedly licked the candied hawthorn she had just bought.

"But you have to take responsibility for your life; you can't just do whatever you want."

"Who says that if you're talented and capable, you have to just bury yourself in books and work hard?"

"Isn't that obvious? With great power comes great responsibility—"

"Don't take comic book lines as truth; this is reality."

Qianjing interrupted her without a care and ate the whole hawthorn.

"But this is not something that can be decided by one person alone. Those who are capable should shoulder great responsibilities. This is a universal value that applies everywhere," Xin Wenyue said firmly.

"This is my life, of course I get to decide what I do. You're not going to live with me, so what do you care?"

"you--!!"

She suddenly became angry, but she didn't know how to refute him, so Qian Jing simply stuffed a newly opened string of candied hawthorns into her mouth to shut her up:

"Don't be so tense. Did you invite me on a date just to argue and debate with me? Relax."

"...Okay. (chewing)"

"I'm going to Youku to buy a Gundam collaboration T-shirt, do you want to come along?"

The two browsed the clothing store. Qianjing bought a collaboration item, and Xinwenyue also bought a few breathable sports bras for summer. After shopping, they had a light meal. Then she followed Qianjing to the arcade to play Dance Dance Revolution. Although she didn't understand what was so interesting about hitting the washing machine, Qianjing seemed to be having a lot of fun.

After finishing their dance game, they went to Bailian Shopping Mall and bought some rice from the galgame that Qianjing was playing. During this time, a girl from the otome game club thought that Qianjing, this handsome guy, had put on makeup to cosplay and asked for a photo, but she was scared away by Xin Wenyue's gloomy face... So the afternoon passed by, and they were just two popular otaku on a date. Xin Wenyue could even respond to many of the works that Qianjing talked about.

"You always seem so serious, but you probably spend a lot of time secretly watching anime and playing video games behind your parents' backs, don't you?"

"So what if it is?"

"I thought you were the kind of obedient girl who completely listened to her parents."

“…………”

Qian Jing had only meant to make a joke, but Xin Wenyue suddenly fell silent.

After a long while, as they emerged from Bailian, she said softly:

"Actually, I... have never been happy."

She regretted it as soon as she said it, but the valve that had been opened could not be closed easily. She suddenly deflated in front of Qian Jing and told her best friend's brother things she would never even tell her best friend.

For example, she was unhappy growing up.

For example, she dislikes her parents on a social and moral level.

For example, she didn't dare to confide in her best friend about many things so as not to worry her.

For example, the childish tricks she used to escape her parents' control.

For example, she knows she is a beneficiary of the system, so she is not even sure if she has the right to complain.

For example, she doesn't know if she's taking advantage of others, if she's just complaining, if she's being ungrateful, or if she should love or hate.

Her confusion, her distress, her disappointment... all poured out to Qianjing like a floodgate being opened, right there in the Mixue Ice Cream shop by the roadside.

"In short, the young lady has reached the age where she's become sentimental and feels that life isn't going well for her."

Qian Jing gave a lukewarm summary, which stung Xin Wenyue, but she had no way to refute it.

(As expected, Qianjing thought so too...)

She suddenly felt like laughing. It was just the petit-bourgeois whining after all. What was she even expecting...?

"If you're not happy with your life, then just run away," Qianjing suddenly added.

"……escape?"

"Yes, escape."

"But running away is shameful and solves nothing."

"It's true that running away is both shameful and useless."

"Right..."

As expected, Qianjing thought so too. Xin Wenyue felt a little relieved, but also a little... indescribably disappointed.

"However," Qian Jing suddenly changed the subject, "the standard for judging whether a life is good or bad is never singular."

"……Why?"

"The world has no obligation to make everyone happy, nor is it obligated for those who suffer to give back to the world. The most important task in life is not to pursue success, but to stay away from suffering."

"To be far away, to suffer...?"

"Whether it's glorious or shameful, you set your own standards. If you're really suffering, then just run away."

Qian Jing left after saying that and went to pay the bill. This time, Xin Wenyue didn't insist on splitting the bill. She just sat quietly in her seat, her expression complicated, without saying a word.