"The second year of high school was a pretty notebook."
"The third year of high school was a porcelain cup."
"The first year of university, you gave me a photo frame."
"The second and third of university were a necklace and an anklet... And the final gift was tonight's porcelain doll!"
Qiao Anhao recounted each and every birthday present Lu Jinnian had given her. They were a complete match to Lu Jinnian's memory, but when she said the last gift, his brows furrowed. Except for today's gift, the seventh gift... shouldn't it have been the rose and cake he had given her on her fourth year of university? Back then, he gifted her the most expensive gift he'd ever bought. Why didn't she mention it?
Lu Jinnian felt that there was something not right about that, and he quietly asked, "On the fourth year of university, I also gave you a birthday present. Don’t you remember"
"Fourth year?" Qiao Anhao asked with some skepticism. "Did you remember incorrectly? The birthday in my fourth year of university you were at a film festival in Changsha. You didn't attend my birthday party, how could you have given me a present?"
Even though Lu Jinnian couldn't clearly see Qiao Anhao's expression, but based on her words, she sounded at a loss, and so he asked her in doubt, "I didn't?"
Qiao Anhao was always protective over Lu Jinnian's gifts, so she couldn't have remembered incorrectly. But to avoid making a mistake, she tilted her head and thought about it seriously. Once she was completely sure, she said to Lu Jinnian, "You really didn't. You didn't even say 'Happy Birthday' to me that year!"
Lu Jinnian didn't say anything. From the bottom of his heart, he understood. That year, he received an award, yet he went all the way to Beijing. Seeing that the gifts were thrown in the rubbish bin, she obviously never received them, which goes to say, someone seized them
Who could it have been?
Han Ruchu's name suddenly popped up in Lu Jinnian's mind.
It was her, definitely her!
What transpired that night came too suddenly, and hit him too hard. He obviously didn't think of such a loophole back then. Thinking back now, he realized... how could Han Ruchu have been so certain that he loved Qiao Anhao. She must of definitely seen his gift to her.
Han Ruchu, who had always hated him, must of found out that he liked her son's fiance, so that's why she did that.
So, that woman, she not only killed his son, but she also made him misunderstand Qiao Anhao all those years ago.
His heart suddenly felt upset and delighted at the same time.
He was delighted that the woman he loved, even though she didn't love him, had never learned of his feelings.
He was upset that someone had him in the palm of their hands. After all the hate and blame, Qiao Anhao was actually innocent all along.
Qiao Anhao looked at Lu Jinnian for a long time without making a sound. Then she asked, "Did you really give me a birthday present in my fourth year of university?"
Lu Jinnian snapped out of his own thoughts, and calmly said, "I think remembered wrong."
Qiao Anhao suddenly settled down, as she hugged Lu Jinnian's neck. She asked a question she’d thought of whilst she was just recounting the presents. "You really like Shmily merchandise, don't you?"
"Hm?" Lu Jinnian softly asked back. "Why?"