Three Years Later, He Came Back Begging novel Chapter 308

For her graduate defense, Bonnie's thesis focused on the revitalization of historic alleys, integrating the highly debated topic of smart infrastructure.

Researching the application of smart tech in traditional architecture had practically made her brain short-circuit. The relentless, non-stop grind left her sleeping so deeply that when her alarm went off, pulling herself out of bed felt like moving mountains.

She dragged herself up, washed her face, and changed into a professional button-down shirt and tailored trousers. She shoved her laptop into her bag, grabbed an umbrella from the shoe cabinet, and headed out.

The rain had stopped by the time she stepped outside, but the sky was still a bruised gray. The air was thick, humid, and heavy. Slugging her bag over her shoulder, she unlocked a shared bike, thoroughly wiping down the handlebars and seat. She pressed her hand firmly against the saddle to ensure no water seeped out before finally hopping on.

The breeze from the ride offered a little relief. As soon as she parked her bike in front of the architecture building, the faint, melodic notes of a piano drifted toward her.

There was a grand piano in the first-floor lobby. Bonnie had played it a few times herself. Usually, she wouldn't have paid it much mind, but the suffocating weather combined with her pre-defense nerves had her on edge.

The light, lively melody cut through the oppressive humidity, soothing the knot of anxiety in her chest.

But her mind wasn't entirely focused on the calming effect. The song dragged out a flood of romantic quotes associated with the film it belonged to.

*Whether it's raining or shining, I just want to meet you.*

*I don't care about the past or the future; I just want to be with you.*

*More than a clear blue sky, I need you.*

As Bonnie pushed open the glass doors, she recalled that the movie was a fantasy romance by the director Silas Vance. She and Lawrence had watched it together on a lazy afternoon. It was a story about a girl who could control the weather and a runaway teenage boy, woven around themes of love and sacrifice.

She had loved the piano track so much that Lawrence later took her to a high-end restaurant and played it for her. That was the day she found out he could play the piano.

And he was infuriatingly good at it. Far better than her.

He had smugly claimed he was forced to learn a dozen different refined skills as a kid, but abandoned them all because he was too busy being utterly obsessed with dating her.

Flustered, Bonnie had aggressively shoved a piece of steak into his mouth to shut him up.

All the physical models for their defense group were displayed in the first-floor lobby. With the constant foot traffic, bumps were inevitable. Bonnie's model—a massive, intricate replica of a historic street—had taken a hit, and one of the corners was damaged.

Yvonne had arrived early and tried to soothe her panic. "I checked it. It's not a big deal, you have time to glue it back. But hand me your presentation file first. Professor Dale wants them all loaded onto the main drive."

Bonnie nodded, digging her flash drive out of her bag. "The file is right on the main screen. I wanted to run through my notes one last time, but it looks like I won't have the chance."

"Oh, please. You're fine," Yvonne laughed. "Professor Dale loves you so much that he'd probably pass you even if your entire model collapsed into splinters."

Bonnie's eyes crinkled in amusement as she crouched down to repair the damaged section.

The entire streetscape was built from solid wood, meticulously scaled down. She had sanded and polished every single miniature beam and pillar by hand. Just as she secured the final piece, Professor Dale and the rest of the judging panel took their seats.

The lobby was transformed into a chaotic presentation floor, filled with rolling whiteboards covered in hand-drawn schematics.