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"Qi Yang, I'm sorry. Mom is so sorry."

Then she climbed onto the edge of the balcony. Without a moment's hesitation, she jumped.

He ran toward the balcony, crying, desperate to catch her. But it was too late. He hadn't caught her. She had jumped.

He climbed onto the balcony, trying to reach her.

"Qi Yang? Qi Yang?"

Qi Yang jolted awake. A girl's lovely, fair face filled his vision. Her brows were furrowed, and her eyes were full of concern.

"Did you have a nightmare?"

Qi Yang looked at her, his Adam's apple bobbing.

Seeing him still in a daze, Shen Luoluo was sure he'd had a nightmare. She pointed at her own forehead. "Are you okay? Your forehead's covered in sweat."

Then her gaze dropped to the hand gripping her wrist. "Now that you're awake, could you let go of me?"

With classmates all around them, Shen Luoluo was worried they might get the wrong idea. "The theater performance is over. We should get going."

Qi Yang finally let go. "Sorry."

"It's okay." Shen Luoluo smiled faintly. The theater performance had been the first stop on their study trip. When it ended, she'd noticed Qi Yang was asleep and reached over to wake him. Instead, he'd grabbed her wrist so tightly that he'd startled her.

Hearing their voices, Qin Shiyue, who was walking ahead, turned back toward them. She asked Chen Jiashu behind her, "What's going on with Qi Yang? He's seemed out of it all day."

He'd been the same when they got off the bus. She had no idea what was on his mind. They'd only realized he hadn't followed them and gone back to call him over.

"Come on. Let's talk outside." Seeing the two of them approaching, Chen Jiashu hurried Qin Shiyue out of