Li Wei stood at the edge of the university’s open grounds, cap in hand, staring out at the sea of graduates. Cameras clicked, ughter echoed, and proud families gathered to celebrate their children’s achievements. Yet, he felt hollow.

  He had graduated.

  The end of a chapter. But instead of relief or triumph, all he felt was the gnawing ache of something left unfinished.

  Jenny.

  He hadn’t seen her since she disappeared from his life—no replies, no answers, no trace. She had chosen to vanish without a proper goodbye, and despite his efforts to focus on his own goals, the hole she left behind lingered stubbornly.

  And so, that night, with a bottle in hand and pride buried deep, Li Wei found himself once again outside her pce. Lights off. Curtains drawn.

  He knocked once. Twice. Nothing.

  “Jenny,” he called out softly. “Can we talk?”

  No answer.

  “I just want to talk.”

  Inside, Jenny sat by the door, her body frozen. Tears welled in her eyes as she clutched her knees to her chest. She could hear the sadness in his voice. She could feel her own resolve crumbling.

  But she didn’t move.

  It wasn’t just that night.

  Li Wei came again two nights ter—more disheveled, more lost. He wasn’t drunk this time, but his voice still trembled, pleading through the wood of her door.

  Jenny buried her face in her pillow, silent sobs shaking her body. She wanted to open it, to see him. But she had made her choice, and she couldn't break it now. This wasn’t just about love—it was about survival.

  A week ter, Jenny approached her nddy.

  “I want to move out.”

  The woman blinked in surprise. “Move out? Is something wrong with the unit?”

  Jenny hesitated before shaking her head. “No, it’s not the unit. It’s... someone keeps showing up. Someone from my past. I can’t focus anymore.”

  Her nddy sighed, understanding dawning in her eyes. “You’re that kind of student—quiet, determined. I’ve seen how hard you work.” She studied Jenny’s expression. “I might know a pce. It’s not walking distance anymore, but it’s just a short bus ride. Peaceful. You’ll be safe there.”

  Jenny exhaled, grateful. “Thank you. I just… I need to be somewhere he won’t find me.”

  A week ter, Jenny moved out silently. No messages. No announcements. Her new pce was farther, tucked away in a quiet street lined with trees. The silence was unfamiliar at first, but soon it became comforting. No more knocks in the night. No more ghost of Li Wei lingering outside her door.

  Her days returned to a rhythm. Wake up. Css. Training. Part-time. Sleep. Repeat.

  Her coach complimented her increasing focus. Her scores at the range improved steadily. Victor messaged her occasionally, checking in, but she kept her replies short. She was building a wall—not just between her and Li Wei, but the entire world.

  It was lonely. But it was what she needed.

  Back near campus, Li Wei returned again—this time to an empty unit.

  The windows were dark. The door was open. The unit was bare.

  She was gone.

  He sat on the floor outside the now-empty pce that once held her presence. The silence screamed louder than her absence ever did. He leaned back against the wall, defeated.

  He whispered, “Where did you go, Jenny…”

  But no one answered.

  And this time, there was no one left to hear him.

  Jenny watched the sky from her new balcony that night, tired but steady. The stars blinked quietly above, and for the first time in weeks, there was no ache—just a dull sense of acceptance.

  She whispered softly, more to herself than anyone, “You’ll stop eventually… and I’ll still be here.”

  She wasn’t running anymore.

  She was protecting her peace.

  And that was a battle she was finally winning.