Chapter 78: As Long as You Dare to Want It An extra chapter dedicated to those who gifted tourmaline diamonds.

Li Wanqiu calmly drew a cross over my chest. “Congratulations, that person is Jiang Chenghuan. Amen.”

That evening, as the sun set, Li Wanqiu and I squatted by the city moat like two homeless wanderers. It was the first time I smoked, the faint taste of mint tinged with bitterness.

I couldn’t imagine what would happen if Xia Qi found out. What would she do?

She was so pure, so perfect—if she learned the truth, what would she do?

Those days, I spent all my time with Li Wanqiu. I dreaded answering Xia Qi’s calls, I was afraid she would mention her beautiful dreams with Jiang Chenghuan in front of me, and I was terrified that in the end, she’d be left with nothing but empty hopes.

I couldn’t bring myself to believe that Xia Qi would fall for a scoundrel.

I refused to accept that our fates were the same.

After the holidays began, Qilin went abroad. If he were here, things would be better—he could help us think of a plan. Without him, we could only rely on ourselves.

Originally, we planned to keep following Jiang Chenghuan, determined to strip away his disguise. But what happened next completely disrupted our plans.

The news first spread on the campus network: Luo Ange’s promised donation to Kang University had, for some unknown reason, suddenly become unavailable.

During the anniversary celebration, he had been the largest donor. Now, with his funds undelivered, even the trickle of other donations was a drop in the bucket.

Most crucial of all, the two dilapidated classroom buildings had been demolished the day after the holiday began.

At the school assembly, Principal Xia had happily announced that we would have new teaching buildings next semester.

But now, with the funds missing, construction couldn’t even begin.

Li Wanqiu and I went to the Xia family home. Uncle Xia sat on the sofa, frowning as he made phone call after phone call, his voice full of pleading and promises, but the results always seemed disappointing.

I asked Aunt Su what was going on. She shook her head. “The spokesman for Lan Feng Group called your Uncle Xia. They only said they were withdrawing their investment, but gave no reason.”

Li Wanqiu fumed, “How can someone act like this? A man should keep his word! How can he go back on it now? Mo Yinghuai is Luo Ange’s grandmother—why not look for her?”

I knew why. Mo Yinghuai had taken Luo Anxin to Switzerland on vacation; she was far beyond reach.

Principal Xia leaned back on the sofa, rubbing his temples with a bitter laugh. “What a failure. Did I do something wrong somewhere?”

I wanted so much to tell him it wasn’t his fault, it was mine.

But I didn’t dare. I hoped things weren’t as I imagined. I hoped Luo Ange wasn’t ruthless enough to do something so heartless.

I found an excuse to step outside and called him. I thought he wouldn’t answer, but after just two rings, he picked up.

My voice was full of suppressed anger. “Luo Ange, how can you be so despicable? This is a private grudge between us—what right do you have to take it out on Kang University?”

His voice was cold. “Are you finished?”

I wasn’t about to let this chance slip by. “Not even close. You’re not just twisted, you’re a devil. If you have a problem, take it out on me. Leave the people around me out of it.”

Luo Ange laughed scornfully. “Take it out on you? What makes you think you deserve that? Slept with me a couple of times and now you think you’re special?”

I was on the verge of tears, my tone softening. “What will it take for you to leave Uncle Xia alone?”

Luo Ange snorted. “Yi Lanshan, do you really not know what I want? You want freedom, don’t you? I’ll give it to you—if you can handle it.”

I wanted to say more, but the line already went dead. He’d hung up.

“I want freedom”—what did he mean by that?

The next day, I went to Lan Feng Group, but the receptionist told me Luo Ange had gone abroad and wouldn’t be back anytime soon.

I tried to get close to her. After all, last time we’d chatted quite happily, and the photos I’d given her should have satisfied her vanity.

But before I could say a word, she fluttered her exaggerated false eyelashes and gave me a sideways glance. “You’d better leave. Mr. Luo already knows you gave me those photos. I don’t want you to get me killed.”