Josie pushed her softly out of the school gate. “No need to worry. It’s not my first time spending the New Year at school. You should hurry back. I still need to go to Aloville Traditional Medicine Hospital this afternoon.”

Their research project had begun, and progress had not been delayed despite the school’s winter break.

“I’m sorry for what happened before,” Zoey reached out and hugged Josie. “Remember what I said. If you ever need anything, be sure to call me.”

“Yeah, yeah, understood.” Josie’s face was filled with gratitude and amusement. After she coaxed Zoey to leave, Josie returned to her dormitory.

But on her way back, she encountered Kyle. After the school’s public announcement, Kyle had not appeared on campus, especially following the publication of Josie’s thesis. While discussing her thesis, people occasionally brought up previously published papers by Kyle for comparison. These were the details of how Kyle was expelled. Before the holidays, news spread of a certain someone from David’s team withdrawing from school. It then quickly reached every corner of the university. But there was nothing David could do. After all, he and his team had always been in the spotlight at the university, so even the slightest incident quickly became the talk of the campus.

In the past, every news story about them was often about commendable achievements that brought honor to the university and aroused envy. Since it occurred quite frequently, the waves were not as high. However, the emergence of such a significant scandal this time had stirred up a storm. No one could ignore such news. Even some of Kyle’s teammates’ reputations were badly affected. Even though the holiday hadn’t started yet, Aiden and Jaden, whose homes were in Aloville, had already returned early. Gavin and Vincent were either staying in their dormitory without coming out or returning to campus very late. As a result, Josie was finally able to enjoy a few rare days of peace.

“Why haven’t you gone home yet?” Josie asked.

Kyle explained that he had come back to school to collect his luggage. Natalie had secured a job for him. He had rented a single room near his workplace and planned to move his belongings there first. After the New Year, he intended to look for a new place to live. As for the school, he would no longer go there. The face he had carefully maintained for years was completely lost in just a few short days. Kyle was aware of what people at school said about him behind his back. In fact, it was precisely because he knew that he suddenly found himself asking, ‘What have I done to Josie?’

Some of his peers condemned him for his incompetence, for bullying an orphaned girl, for his lack of integrity, and for not being fit to be called a human being. He repeatedly recalled all that had happened during this time and remembered the kindness Josie had once shown him. Hence, Kyle understood that the insults from his friends were justified. Yet, even though they were right, he still felt unbearably distressed, because those insults made him afraid to leave home or to have any more contact with Aiden and the others. It made him wonder, ‘What if all of this were to happen to Josie?’

‘As a young girl, she must endure overwhelming criticism, much of which consists of filthy and obscene language targeting her reputation. How does she handle such pressure? Might she end up driving herself to death?’

Upon seeing Josie’s eyes again, Kyle’s feelings of self-reproach reached their peak. “Please return home early and have a wonderful New Year. Although I know you may not need these wishes, I still want to wish you a happy New Year. You will definitely be even better next year, Josie. I’m sorry.”

The unexpected apology caught Josie a bit off guard. She glanced at Kyle and noticed he was carrying bulging luggage in his hands and slung over his body. It appeared he had returned to pack his belongings while the school was less crowded.

“I have no home. I never have.” Josie smiled and said, “Did you never realize that, for the past few years, I have applied to stay on campus every year during the New Year?”

Kyle was genuinely unaware of this matter, and a trace of embarrassment flickered across his face. “I’m sorry.”