Being caught in the middle of Nico and Jessie's relationship proved to be exhausting. In fact, it was emotionally draining.The real work began the following morning, with everyone armed with heavily laden backpacks filled with untold items, their heft evident in each step.Jessie led the group, and we set off into the mountains, chatting and laughing along the way. Nico followed closely, carrying samples and records from our previous trip. Using academic discussion as an excuse, he subtly made his moves to pursue Jessie.I trailed behind them, maintaining a two-step distance so that I would neither lag behind nor intrude upon their conversation.Soon, it became clear that the realities of geological exploration were starkly different from my imaginings. Watching those young faces turn serious and focused as they worked filled me with respect for them.Indeed, every person engrossed in their work deserved admiration and appreciation.Given my limited geological expertise, I wasn'
Colin had attended Lincoln University for nine years and made many friends along the way, all of whom quickly spoke up in his defense. However, the alumni group was vast, and Colin's brilliance during his school years had overshadowed many, causing envy among some.Now that Colin was publicly denounced, many seized the opportunity to kick him while he was down. Whether the accusations were true or false didn't seem to matter. Those who Colin had once overshadowed were eager to reverse the narrative, launching personal attacks and strongly questioning his character without any verification.Colin's outstanding achievements in the industry after graduation had elevated him to the pinnacle of Lincoln University's Department of Fine Arts, stirring even more resentment and jealousy.Critics claimed that Colin repaid kindness with enmity and had a corrupt moral character, tarnishing the reputation of Lincoln University. Some even suggested revoking Colin's master's and doctoral degree
Colin would be inevitably dethroned from his position as an exceptional young painter, becoming a cautionary tale of moral corruption and ingratitude.It wasn't important how others viewed the situation, but Lincoln University was bound to react. If things got worse, our former corporate partners might be affected, leading to substantial financial compensation claims against us.Moreover, the watercolor industry represented thousands of years of cultural heritage and was revered by many. There was no way such a prestigious field would accept anyone deemed morally corrupt.Would Colin be able to keep his teaching credentials? Would I be able to graduate as planned? Would we still have the opportunity to create art in the future?The answer seemed obvious.Jasmine's actions were a calculated attempt to destroy our future. Her maliciousness was a lesson in the depths of cruelty a woman's heart could reach. It seemed that if she couldn't have Colin, she would rather see our lives cr
"No. Listen to me, Luna Lawson," Colin interjected sternly, using my full name for the first time. "You won't be able to help by returning, and I'd only be distracted by worrying about you. So stay there and don't move. I forbid you to return right now."Colin had raised his voice, and his tone was firm. His dark eyes fixed on my face with a severity that left no room for argument. It was the first time he had ever spoken to me so harshly, and it made me feel both hurt and too scared to say anything more.Nonetheless, I understood Colin's intentions. He wanted to shield me from the storm and handle the challenges himself for my sake. However, my longing to stay by his side was overwhelming, and I didn't want to let go.We stared at each other through the phone screen, locked in a silent standoff.In the end, I conceded."I have a lot of messages, pictures, and recordings of conversations with Jasmine saved on my phone. I'll send them to you. Maybe they'll be useful," I muttered.
I had to say that the selfishness and malice of human nature were truly astonishing.I didn't know if those spreading the rumors online were internet trolls hired by Jasmine, but if they were, she wouldn't have just let things be like that.Based on my understanding of her, she must have another trick up her sleeve, and that would be the most vicious one.Dinner was prepared by Mrs. Miller, the village chief's wife. When we returned, it was served to us piping hot. Everyone who was cold, tired, and hungry cheered as they rushed to the table, gulping down the hot soup while exclaiming how delicious it was and thanking Mrs. Miller.I had no appetite, but to keep up my strength, I forced down a bowl of soup and a multigrain bun.After getting back in my room, I sat at the table organizing some data, copying each record into another notebook. The rows of numbers made my eyes spin, and I found myself missing my laptop immensely.Due to the poor signal in the mountainous area, we could
In Jasmine's post, I was not only depicted as a scoundrel but also a promiscuous woman. Several photos of me working with Nico were uploaded as well. But due to the angles, it looked like we were quite close even though we were, in fact, innocent. The photos were taken in a way to let those who saw them speculate about what was going on.This caused a huge stir online.By the time I logged into the forum, Jasmine's post had already accumulated nearly 2,000 replies.Unlike the frenzy at Lincoln University, Jesselton College's forum was lively yet rational. Most people didn't resort to personal attacks against Colin and me but discussed the matter and expressed their views. They mostly posted their suspicions or confusing points for everyone to debate.However, those wild speculations were no less damaging to Colin and me than direct attacks."Who posted this? I couldn't find any trace of her on campus. She isn't from our college, is she?" Jessie asked me.She had been in Jesselt
Nico knew why I had fallen ill and tried to call Colin several times, but I stopped him.Colin already had enough on his plate, so I didn't want to cause him any more trouble. It was just a small fever. I would get through it.Jessie and Nico stood at the far end of the room, debating whether to notify Colin. My fever was getting worse, and we were quite far from a proper hospital. They were worried if something were to happen to me, they wouldn't be able to explain it to Colin.They decided to wait until the next morning. If my fever didn't break, they would take me back to the city and ignore my pleas.At around 10:00 pm, I was burning up like hot coal. A freshman who was traveling with us was looking at me lying in bed silently. Suddenly, she slapped her forehead and ran out of the room.After a while, she returned with a small rectangular box and handed it to Jessie before saying, "Jessie, my mom prepared this for me. Please see if there's anything in there that can help Luna.
This was exactly what was happening now in Lincoln University's alumni group and Jesselton College's forum.After a long time without any response from the people involved, the onlookers started to find it boring and gradually dispersed. The few who were still around, defending Jasmine and claiming she had been wronged, were likely hired by her through some means.In the evening, Nico and Jessie discussed with me why there hadn't been any response from Colin for the past two days. They questioned if he was just accepting it or if he was gathering evidence and waiting for the right moment to strike back."If he's waiting for things to calm down on their own and pretending nothing happened, I'll be disappointed in him. He must give the public an explanation. Otherwise, the misunderstandings will deepen, and it'll be hard to reverse the damage." Jessie spoke in a slightly disappointed tone as she sat at the foot of my bed. She was hugging her knees to her chest.Nico rubbed his chin