For safety reasons, the artificial lake is not very deep.
However, Ariana Thorne was determined to die and didn't stand up. The icy water engulfed her body, and under pressure, it rushed into her mouth, awakening Shea Thorne's instinctive will to survive.
She struggled internally with Ariana and externally with the lake water.
She didn't want to die. She still wanted to return to her original world. She had worked so hard to climb to the top and couldn't just hand it over like this.
Perhaps the commotion from her struggle was too significant, attracting some students. In the evening, couples usually gathered by the lake, and a few of them saw the scene and immediately jumped into the lake. The boys worked together to pull the struggling Shea Thorne out.
Shea Thorne was shivering from the cold, her dress made of thin fabric was now wet and embarrassing, barely covering her.
A few girls gathered around, those with jackets offered them to Shea Thorne, barely helping her stand up. Someone suggested going to the hospital for a check-up.
The nearest hospital was Sinclair Private Hospital, but Shea Thorne, now influenced by Ariana Thorne, felt depressed and had no will to survive. She didn't want to go to the hospital where Milo Sinclair and Miles Crawford were present.
Ariana Thorne didn't want to see Milo Sinclair, and Shea Thorne didn't want to see Miles Crawford.
The girls escorted Shea Thorne to the dormitory building. The dormitory door had long been closed. Two girls reluctantly went to knock on the caretaker Lane's door. Woken up by them, she saw so many girls still outside the dormitory and immediately frowned and scolded them.
"What are you all thinking?! Don't you know when the dorm closes?! Leave your student numbers. I'm telling your advisors one by one," Lane said angrily. Romantic affairs and sneaking out had been a persistent issue among students.
But the students were already adults, and dating was inevitable, so such situations occasionally occurred. They would just turn a blind eye. Now, they dared to blatantly knock on her door!
"Girls, don't you know how to protect your integrity, going out late at night without fear of danger?! Think about why your parents sent you here to study!!!" Lane roared with anger. Shea Thorne stood among the girls, watching them being scolded because of her, and lowered her head to endure the reprimand with them.
The boys were hidden in the corner outside the dormitory building, getting scolded along with their girlfriends.
Ariana Thorne, you've died once today. How about looking forward from now on?
Shea Thorne tried to communicate with Ariana Thorne inside her body, but Ariana Thorne felt ashamed. She hadn't meant it and didn't want to involve so many people in being reprimanded. Now not only someone had to take a serious demerit for her, but Shea Thorne was almost killed because of her.
She didn't mean to. She just wanted to escape this reality.
In front of the dormitory door, there was a large dressing mirror. Shea Thorne hid behind others, looking at her own embarrassment.
Even though the high-end dress was soaking wet, its style remained outstanding. Among the girls, Shea Thorne was still the most beautiful one.
Can we reconcile? I am you, and you are me.
But Ariana Thorne was still scared. She hadn't lived well in her three lives, and she felt unworthy of possessing anything belonging to others.
Looking at the humble and timid girl in the mirror, Shea Thorne suddenly smiled confidently.
No worries, I'm here. Forget about Miles Crawford; I'll protect you from now on. While we might not excel in other things, we can deceive men twice as well, ensuring they hold you dearly for life.
Lane's sharp eyes caught Shea Thorne's smile and her temper flared up. "What?! Are you proud or something?! Come write a reflection tomorrow! Otherwise, I'll let your department head deal with you!"
That smile got them another upgrade in scolding from Lane, enduring an hour of criticism plus writing reflections for the next day.
Each girl returned to her dormitory. Not one blamed Shea Thorne's fall for causing all this trouble; instead, at Shea Thorne's dorm door, two girls cheered her up.
"Classmate, don't dwell on it. What's so great about one guy? You're so beautiful; the next one will surely be better!"
"Exactly, if you're dead, there's nothing left. Only by living can we freely enjoy life." Another girl laughed, "Be brave, and don't let a bad guy's mistakes punish you."
"That's right! Don't let us suffer Lane's scolding in vain, not to mention writing reflections!"
"And don't let online keyboard warriors affect your life. They're just jealous of your beauty and picking on your weaknesses. If you seek death, you'd fall right into their trap."
Based on their words, Shea Thorne understood. They thought she hadn't accidentally fallen but was overwhelmed by the morning's blow from Miles Crawford and the ridicule on the campus network, deliberately dressing beautifully to end her life.
Returning the borrowed clothes one by one, Shea Thorne thanked them.
She indeed sought death but was saved.
Therefore, she would live on.
...
Back in the dormitory, her roommates were already asleep. Quietly, Shea Thorne washed up and lay on her bed. That night, Shea Thorne had a beautiful dream.
In her dream, she saw the time when Ariana Thorne was in her first life before anything went wrong. She was coming out of her junior high entrance exam, coincidentally getting into the same high school as Miles Crawford.
The high school's location was too far from the cello classroom, and she was going to be late for her cello class. She carried her cello while also having to carry her backpack, struggling as she walked.
She was in a hurry; the bus was about to leave.
At this moment, Miles Crawford stopped next to her on a bicycle and said, "Give me your backpack and cello, I'll take you."
This was a true event from her first life. This singular happy memory had sustained Ariana Thorne in her later dreams, making her continue to believe that Miles Crawford loved her, and it wasn't his fault she was tainted.
Every time in the dream, Ariana Thorne would get on the bike, and Miles Crawford would take her to class. He would read outside while she was in class, then they'd go to the night market for snacks before heading home together.
The admiration of that girlhood began with such simple companionship, but this time, the dream version of Ariana Thorne was replaced by Shea Thorne.
Miles Crawford still stopped and said, "Give me the cello, I'll take you."
Shea Thorne deeply felt Ariana Thorne's excitement. This was the happiest moment of her three lives in every recurring dream.
But this time, Shea Thorne controlled the dream.
The young girl was delicate, struggling slightly with the cello but still firmly shook her head, politely refusing, "No need, it's a long journey. It's more convenient for me to take a cab. Miles, you go ahead."
Go, don't come back.
...
The next day was a bright sunny day. Lane opened the bedroom curtains, sunlight streaming in, immediately waking Milo Sinclair.
He rubbed his eyes, stretched, and saw Lane with her back to him by the bed. He reached for his glasses and put them on, then sat up.
"Auntie, I'm already thirty. Can you please knock before entering my room in the future?" Milo Sinclair said helplessly. It's just that he wasn't doing anything odd, otherwise being walked in on would have been awkward.
Lane liked to report everything to his parents. The love letters in his backpack were discovered by her, leading to his parents teasing him, calling him a future jerk with cold violence towards girls, the ultimate jerk type.
"Thirty years old or not, you're a child I raised. Not until you're married can you discuss privacy with me. Be smart, bring a wife home soon, so I don't have to worry about you anymore." Lane tied the curtains. If not for something important today, she wouldn't have intervened.
Mr. and Mrs. Sinclair were busy, and Lane had raised both Milo and Cecilia over the decades. She also had a son who was taken care of by Mr. Sinclair. To her, these brothers were like her sons, and she naturally wished the best for them.
"Hurry up, today Mrs. Sinclair personally cooked, and your father is already downstairs. He'll definitely ask what happened with that cello," Lane urged him.
For Milo Sinclair, Lane was a respected elder, someone who cared about his major life events, just like his parents. She would always immediately report to them about anything unusual happening around him.
Lane quietly whispered a heads-up, "Yesterday, he came home in a good mood, maybe it's good news."
She wasn't exactly sure about what, but she heard that the eldest had brought a girl to the hospital, and it seemed their relationship was unusual.
The eldest returned home last night, so as a father, Mr. Sinclair would definitely ask.
Milo Sinclair understood instantly, got up, washed, dressed, and went downstairs.