Chapter 7 : Abandon the darkness and turn to the light

“I like her.”
Jiang Yule’s words dropped, and the room fell silent.

Su Yubai’s gaze shifted back, locking onto Jiang Yule deeply.

Catching Su Yubai’s look in her peripheral vision, Jiang Yule turned, only to see her eyes now fixed on Lin Siqiong, unreadable.

Though spoken in a rush, Jiang Yule had braced for Su Yubai to stay uninvolved.

This mess had nothing to do with her—she was just a shield Jiang Yule had grabbed.

Besides, Professor Su was famously detached, observing coldly was her norm.

Jiang Yule faced Lin Siqiong, whose eyes brimmed with disbelief and hurt.
She searched for words to end the farce when—

“Associate Professor Lin, that sounded quite heartfelt.”

Su Yubai’s voice cut through, sending a jolt through Jiang Yule’s heart.

Her tone was calm, leaving it unclear whether she was mocking or genuinely commenting.

With the third party entering the fray, all eyes turned to Su Yubai.
She continued, “But since you’ve broken up, blocking her path to better prospects isn’t very graceful.”

Better prospects.
Pure shade.

“And this occasion hardly seems appropriate.”

Su Yubai’s icy voice, laced with biting sarcasm, carried a quiet force, tearing into Lin Siqiong without a trace of overt insult.

Realizing Su Yubai was backing her, Jiang Yule felt a surge of unexpected joy and vindication.

Lin Siqiong, watching their duet, struggled to maintain her facade.

Embarrassment, anger, loss—emotions she’d hidden from the crowd now had nowhere to go.

Her grip on the flowers visibly tightened, as if she might crush them.

Pride kept her from begging further.
Instead, she offered a delay.
“Yueyue, can we talk about us later?”

“Later, later, let’s focus on today…”
Si Qing tried to smooth things over.

“She said she likes me, didn’t she?”
Su Yubai cut Si Qing off.

Si Qing hadn’t expected the aloof Su Yubai to back Jiang Yule so fully.

Su Yubai’s gaze settled on Jiang Yule, as if seeking confirmation.

Meeting her steady eyes, Jiang Yule answered, “Yes.”

Su Yubai nodded slightly, turning to Lin Siqiong.
“Associate Professor Lin, you’ve broken up. What’s left to say?”

The gap in their status was stark.
Lin Siqiong closed her eyes, opened them, parted her lips, but said nothing.

Su Yubai’s impatience flickered.
“Hm?”

A single syllable shattered Lin Siqiong’s composure.
Clinging to dignity, she murmured, “I have to go. Enjoy your meal.”

Her voice broke.
As she turned, Jiang Yule spoke, calm as she’d been in the rain that day.

“Lin Siqiong, I stopped caring about anything tied to you long ago.”

Lin Siqiong’s step faltered.

“As for getting back together, it’s impossible.”
“Don’t bother me again.”

Lin Siqiong spun around, eyes red, resolute.
“As long as you’re not with her, I won’t give up on you.”

This was a new side of Lin Siqiong, but Jiang Yule’s heart didn’t stir.
She knew Lin Siqiong wasn’t clinging to her but to her social connections.

Jiang Yule turned to the waiter.
“Serve the food, please.”

The meal cart, waiting outside, rolled past Lin Siqiong.

The room’s atmosphere was deathly still.

Jiang Yule spoke politely.
“Sorry, professors, my personal matters wasted your time.”

Before her words settled, Su Yubai replied, “No matter.”

Jiang Yule looked at her, sincerely grateful.
“Thank you, Professor Su, for helping me out.”

Su Yubai adjusted her watch, not responding.

Jiang Yule’s heart fluttered with unease.

Qiao Anqing looked at her.
“You must’ve suffered a lot with her.”

Nameless, unrecognized by Lin Siqiong’s side, even her rejections stayed polite.
With her soft nature, she’d only lose out against the cunning Lin Siqiong.

Si Qing, unaware of their relationship until now, stayed silent as Qiao critiqued her student in her presence.

Jiang Yule smiled at Qiao.
“It was okay.”

Su Yubai spoke abruptly.
“Let’s eat.”

She ended the topic.

With the nuisance gone and dishes Jiang Yule loved on the table, the meal was refreshing.

After the banquet, Jiang Yule had a task: taking her seniors on a night tour of Hangsui.

Qiao led them out first, lingering at the private room door to discuss the outing.

“Stay safe, you’re a big group. Make sure Yule gets home before you return to the hotel.”

Jiang Yule’s heart warmed.
Before she could look up, the door opened, and Qiao teased, “Dean Su leaving too?”

Jiang Yule’s palms inexplicably sweated.

Su Yubai glanced at her subtly.
“I’m seeing Professor Qiao downstairs.”

Qiao’s smile deepened.
“No need, it’s just a floor down.”

Su Yubai said nothing more, stepping forward to press the down button.

The elevator opened.
Su Yubai stood aside, watching them enter.

“Bye, Dean Su.”
Jiang Yule joined her seniors in bidding farewell, stepping into the elevator, trying not to stand out.

Su Yubai nodded, then looked at her.
“Jiang, message me when you’re home.”

Jiang Yule’s heart raced, but she kept her face calm.
“Okay.”

Dean Su likely saw her tour-guide role as part of her volunteer duties, so the check-in was about safety.
Jiang Yule figured.

She took her seniors to Beihu Lake for the night view, then to a small pub for folk music.

By 10:30 p.m., they dropped her at her complex’s gate.

“Don’t forget to report to Dean Su,” Ji Zizhen teased, chuckling.

The reminder made Jiang Yule touch her nose, nodding.
“See you, seniors.”

After getting out, she messaged Su Yubai: [Professor Su, I’m home.]

The reply came fast: [Mm.]
As cold as ever, likely unbothered by the banquet drama.

Relieved, Jiang Yule gazed at the stars, strolling slowly home.

Her subconscious resisted rushing back.

Sure enough, stepping inside, her mom, Jiang Huazhen, grilled her on every detail from the pickup to the banquet.

Jiang Yule answered calmly, omitting Lin Siqiong’s public confession.

Jiang Huazhen didn’t suspect anything.
No one had spilled yet, but that might not last.

Jiang Yule’s heart twitched.

Saturday, the conference started at 8 a.m.
Volunteers gathered at 7:20.

Jiang Yule arrived 15 minutes early at the lounge, catching Su Yubai standing rigidly at the front of the room.

She’d arrived even earlier.

“Senior Jiang, you’re volunteering too?”

Jiang Yule turned, seeing a junior from her program, the student lead for the degree ceremony.

The junior was surprised a graduate was volunteering.

Jiang Yule smiled.
“My PhD advisor’s here, so I’m helping with reception.”

“Oh, I thought Dean Su specially asked you to help.”

“Huh?”
“They seem close.”

Jiang Yule’s heart tightened, unsure how to respond, when Su Yingying approached with steamed buns.

“Eaten breakfast?”
With Su Yingying’s arrival, the junior drifted to her friends.

“I did.”
“Then I’ll eat your share too.”

Jiang Yule nodded, her mind elsewhere.
In the three years since Su Yubai joined B University, they’d barely spoken alone.
How did they seem close?
Did the junior hear about her claiming to like Su Yubai last night?

But even Su Yingying didn’t know, let alone a junior.

“Please take your seats, meeting’s starting.”

The volunteer briefing was short, assigning groups.
Jiang Yule joined the in-venue media team, tasked with photographing speakers and drafting post-event press releases.

As attendees entered through the front, Jiang Yule greeted Qiao.

Qiao noticed her volunteer vest.
“Find a seat later, don’t stand the whole time.”

Jiang Yule’s heart warmed, her tone brightening.
“Got it, thanks, Professor Qiao!”

The opening ceremony began on time with leaders and key attendees giving speeches—routine discipline-building talk.

Jiang Yule, uninterested, zoned out.
Snapping back, the speeches had ended, and it was time for the group photo.

Following the crowd outside, she got stuck near the door.
Ahead, Su Yubai and Stana were swarmed by attendees.

Stana chatted animatedly, while Su Yubai spoke sparingly.
Some tried pulling her into the conversation, but her expression stayed cool.

Even in this lively social scene, Su Yubai stood apart—detached, authoritative.
As a rising star in macroeconomics, with top-tier publications and B University’s academic poster child, she drew plenty of sycophants.

Jiang Yule watched quietly, then locked eyes with her, hastily looking away.

“Time’s up, let’s take the photo.”
Su Yubai’s voice was crisp.

Her blunt tone didn’t faze the crowd, who followed her downstairs, used to her punctuality and decisiveness.

The conference was large, with many attendees.
A metal frame was set up outside the academic center.

Volunteers were assigned to the back row, atop the frame.

Jiang Yule spotted Su Yingying and stood beside her.
Nearby, younger volunteers gossiped about the leaders’ positioning.

“Professor Yu’s pulling Dean Su to the center.”
“Love their tug-of-war! Who’ll win?”
“My goddess, obviously! She always picks the edge!”

Jiang Yule followed their gaze.
Sure enough, Su Yubai stood low-key at the first row’s edge, unmoved by Professor Yu’s tugging, like an anchored pillar.

She recalled the graduation photo shoot—Professor Yu had tried dragging Su Yubai to the center then too.

Su Yingying whispered, “I remember at the grad shoot, my sis stood in the center with you.”

Jiang Yule’s lashes fluttered.