Chapter 49 Chapter 49 "Lin Qianyuan, you must have a bright future...

The reason why he agreed was because Liang Siyu was her friend, so he did not refuse.

Lin Qianyuan heard the subtext, but couldn't argue with him. He tugged at the corner of his clothes, looking frustrated, "That's not what I meant."

Pei Lanqing smiled, pretending not to understand her intention. He lowered his head, touched her wrist, and squeezed her palm. "Are you hungry?"

Lin Qianyuan took his hand and tightened it. She could clearly feel the warmth of his palm. She felt less depressed and replied, "I'm hungry."

Pei Lanqing looked at her with a smile and went to dinner with her.

After dinner, Lin Qianyuan received a message from Xue Yuan, asking her if she planned to go back with him.

Her work is currently in the coloring stage, and time is a bit tight. Lin Qianyuan is willing to work with you without hesitation.

Xue Yuan quickly replied to the message, "I'm in the office. I'll be at the school gate in about five minutes."

Lin Qianyuan: [Okay, I understand.]

Xue Yuan locked the office door, turned around and went downstairs. Passing by the alumni wall of the college, she couldn't help but stop and look at Song Wenci in the photo.

Time cannot defeat those who cannot grow old.

That year, Song Wenci brought Lin Qianyuan to visit Xue's house, and Xue Yuan knew that Lin Qianyuan would also be admitted to this school and become her student in the future.

Not long after, Song Wenci said that Lin Qianyuan's parents planned to send Lin Qianyuan abroad. Xue Yuan nodded, thinking that this was something to be expected. Turning her head, she saw Song Wenci's uneasy look and smiled to comfort her, "Gold can shine anywhere. There is no need to be restricted to what is in front of you. Don't you believe in Qianyuan?"

Song Wenci smiled stiffly and murmured, "I just worry about her."

"Wenci," Xue Yuan said, walking a few steps closer to the alumni wall, her eyes full of kindness. "Qianyuan's work style is very similar to yours, and his abilities are similar as well. You can rest assured that you don't have to worry too much about him over there."

After saying that, Xue Yuan stepped back slightly, left with a relieved smile, and returned to the studio with Lin Qianyuan who had just arrived at the door.

After about a week, Lin Qianyuan had completely finished the details of her work and began waiting for it to dry. When she had some free time, she would sit alone in the attic, flipping through the notes Pei Lanqing had given her.

There were always moments when she felt that he understood her better than she did herself. This feeling was indescribable and extremely subtle, like a secret known only to her and him.

Lin Qianyuan couldn't help but smile, then straightened her lips in the blink of an eye and began to review with a very aloof look. Halfway through, her phone continued to ring, and she reached out to pick it up and answered the call.

Liang Siyu casually closed the game and said in a careless voice, "Are you in need of anything recently? Or do you want to transfer money directly this year?"

Lin Qianyuan didn't understand what he was talking about. He frowned and looked at the date on his phone: September 8th.

Liang Siyu waited a long time for her choice, and pretended to count with his fingers before complaining, "Lin Qianyuan, you didn't forget that tomorrow is your birthday again, did you?"

Lin Qianyuan was very calm, "Yeah, I forgot."

Liang Siyu was speechless for a moment, but when he thought about it, it seemed normal. After all, she never celebrated this day, did not hold a party or eat cake, and lived a dull and ordinary life.

He just gave her a symbolic birthday gift, and she gave it back more than a month later. After a few years, both of them felt that there was nothing left to give as gifts, so they decided to transfer the money.

Lin Qianyuan raised his eyes and shrugged nonchalantly, "Just transfer the money directly."

"Okay," Liang Siyu hung up the phone decisively and transferred some money.

Lin Qianyuan clicked to receive, put her phone down without hesitation, and continued to flip through her notes. She hadn't rested well last night, and it was already noon, so she couldn't help but feel sleepy and wanted to take a nap.

Lin Qianyuan left the desk and lay down on the sofa covered with a thin blanket.

The osmanthus tree outside the room swayed in the autumn wind, faintly revealing tiny golden petals dotted with light.

As the second class in the afternoon was drawing to a close, Zhang Shurui noticed the person next to him looking anxiously at his phone. He followed his gaze, but the phone's screen was dark and didn't vibrate.

Zhang Shurui looked at him, not understanding what he was looking at. After a while, he found that he still maintained the same look.

The classroom was noisy. He moved closer to him and couldn't help asking, "Are you waiting for a message from Teacher Qin?"

After the start of his sophomore year, Pei Lanqing joined a research group led by Qin Shouan. His usual tasks were not heavy, and he just did some basic work on writing papers, mainly to learn and accumulate experience to prepare for the future.

Pei Lanqing suddenly came back to his senses, his eyes flickering slightly, "No."

The bell for the end of get out of class just rang. He lowered his head to pack up his books, looking calm and composed again. "I won't be going back to the dormitory for now."

Pei Lanqing picked up his cell phone and schoolbag and walked out of the classroom. He stood outside the teaching building holding the cell phone. After hesitating for a while, he called Lin Qianyuan.

Lin Qianyuan had just woken up and was looking at the ceiling while putting the phone to his ear.

Pei Lanqing leaned against the wall, leaned down slightly, and looked at the ground. "Are you busy now?"

"not busy."

Lin Qianyuan felt that he wanted to ask her out, so she quietly curled her eyes and said, "I'm in the attic, not in the studio."

Pei Lanqing smiled and nodded, "Then I'll come find you."

"Okay," Lin Qianyuan hung up the phone. After hanging up, she remembered that she hadn't asked him why he came.

It didn't matter, she didn't care anyway. She pushed the thin blanket away happily, stood up, and walked happily to the first floor to wait for him.

The city has entered autumn, the sky is getting darker earlier, and the hazy twilight covers the entire floor-to-ceiling window.

Lin Qianyuan turned on the light in the living room and sat on the sofa.

Not long after, the night completely enveloped the city. The doorbell of the small building rang. She put down the pillow and went to open the door.

There was only one street lamp on in front of the door. Lin Qianyuan could see clearly what he was holding in his hand in the dim light and stood there in a daze for a moment.

Pei Lanqing looked at her leisurely and smiled gently, "Don't you want me to go in?"

"Hmm? No."

Lin Qianyuan stepped aside to make room, closed the door, and remained in a daze.

The person walking in front looked back at her. Her eyes moved slightly, and she followed him unconsciously and went into the house with him.

Pei Lanqing placed the birthday cake on the dining table and spoke to her slowly, "People usually think of birthdays as adding years to one's lifespan. Celebrating birthdays early means adding years to one's lifespan, while celebrating birthdays later is considered to be supplementing one's lifespan, which sounds unlucky. Since I'm not sure if you'll be free tomorrow, I wanted to celebrate your birthday in advance today."

Lin Qianyuan sat in front of the cake, not looking at it, but her eyes were fixed on his face, not moving an inch.

Pei Lanqing didn't know whether it was because of her stare or because of what he was about to say, but he gradually felt uncomfortable after explaining, "I don't mean that you can't have another chance tomorrow, but..."

"And what?"

Pei Lanqing's face flushed slightly, and she tried to relax. "I'm just worried that I won't be able to make an appointment with you tomorrow."

He knew very little about her past experiences, and avoiding asking her directly, the only way left was through social media.

This was also his selfish reason for agreeing to add Liang Siyu as a friend. He hoped to get to know her better through this.

Lin Qianyuan's social media updates were blank, but fortunately Liang Siyu posted frequently and did not set any time limits, allowing him to imagine what her birthday would be like.

Even if she is not at home and does not eat birthday cake, does she still have a group of friends?

Pei Lanqing recalled the past updates she had found in Liang Siyu's circle of friends. Compared to others, she seemed to dislike appearing in audio-visual products.

In a few videos, you can hear her asking Liang Siyu to take the camera away. Pei Lanqing couldn't help but laugh after hearing this. The tone of her voice really has never changed, and it is so heartless.

Besides that, he also discovered that she really didn't like to smile. All the photos he found showed her with a cold expression. But she looked very beautiful when she smiled, and her aggressiveness gradually subsided. She didn't need to smile too much, just a slight raise of her lips was enough to make people unable to take their attention away.

After Pei Lanqing said this, he looked up at her.

Lin Qianyuan looked into his eyes, then suddenly lowered her head and nervously scratched her hands, "Pei Lanqing, you don't have to worry about this at all. Even if it were tomorrow, no one would celebrate my birthday."

She had not been blessed since she was born, and naturally she would not be blessed when she grew up.

Pei Lanqing lowered his gaze along with hers, his eyes flickering as he slowly called her, "Lin Qianyuan."

Lin Qianyuan raised his head.

Pei Lanqing bent down and looked her in the eye. There was a faint but very comforting smile in his eyes. "After you finish eating the cake, I will cook you a bowl of longevity noodles, okay?"

Lin Qianyuan nodded without hesitation, "Okay."

Pei Lanqing curled the corners of his lips and leaned over to open the cake package.

Lin Qianyuan was watching him, watching him put candles on the cake, light them one by one, and then turn off all the lights in the room. He was completely focused on the whole process, as if it was something of vital importance.

He turned off the overhead light. With him as the boundary, the moonlight outside the floor-to-ceiling window stagnated behind him. The faint light of candles was around him, covering the entire world with a lasting and soft glow.

Pei Lanqing returned to her side and saw her staring at him in a trance. He smiled and reminded her, "Now you need to make a wish for this."

"Close your eyes, don't say your wish out loud, just make it in your heart, and then remember to blow out the candles."

After saying this, Pei Lanqing touched his nose uncomfortably, and even spoke in a much lower voice, "Do you want me to sing the birthday song?"

To be honest, he hasn't sung it many times. The impression he has is that after he started junior high school, no matter whose birthday it was at home, this process was skipped, but the others still had it.

Lin Qianyuan didn't blink and answered affirmatively: "Yes."

Pei Lanqing's ears turned red, and he lowered his brows and eyes and replied, "Okay."

He stood beside her, his lowered gaze fixed on her, and hummed softly.

Perhaps because she was a little embarrassed, Pei Lanqing's singing was a little awkward, but it was pleasant enough, and the lingering sound was so long that it filled the gaps in her life, just like the eternal moonlight outside the window.

When she was a child, she stood in the attic and looked up at the sky inadvertently. It was the same as tonight.

Lin Qianyuan closed his eyes and silently made a wish in his heart according to his words.

Before meeting him, Lin Qianyuan never thought of herself as a greedy person. She always felt that she had enough, so she should not covet care that did not belong to her. She was very content, but now it was different. She also had greed, but she didn't ask for much, only him.

Lin Qianyuan opened his eyes and blew out the candle.

Everything went dark before my eyes, and the singing stopped, replaced by another sentence, "Lin Qianyuan, happy birthday to you."

Lin Qianyuan raised his head, his eyes sparkling brightly in the cold moonlight. "Pei Lanqing, I will celebrate your birthday in the future too."

Pei Lanqing couldn't help laughing. After thinking for a few seconds, he asked her seriously, "Do you know my birthday?"

Those who knew the truth simply shook their heads and said, "I don't know."

Pei Lanqing smiled and told her the date, but then she heard her ask herself, "How did you know my birthday is tomorrow?"

Lin Qianyuan looked confused. She herself didn't take this seriously, so why would she take the initiative to mention it to him?

Pei Lanqing turned on the light and answered her question while cutting the cake, "Last year when I went to the hospital with you."

"Oh," Lin Qianyuan remembered the time when her ankle was hit by a scooter and he accompanied her to the hospital to register.

Pei Lanqing smiled, cut the cake, and placed a piece in front of her, "Eat it."

Lin Qianyuan nodded and took a sip of the cream.

Pei Lanqing wanted to ask her how it tasted, but when he saw her smiling face, he smiled and shook his head, obviously there was no need to ask any more questions.

Lin Qianyuan finished one piece and then went on to eat the second piece.

Pei Lanqing got up to cook longevity noodles for her. Lin Qianyuan followed him with the cake in his hand, never leaving his side.

Pei Lanqing wanted to laugh and closed the cabinet door. "Just sit there and wait for me. This will be done soon."

Lin Qianyuan curled his lips and refused decisively, "I don't want it."

Pei Lanqing could only follow her and said nothing.

Lin Qianyuan ate while looking at him. When she finished the piece in her hand, Pei Lanqing turned off the fire and opened the lid of the pot. The mist dissipated slightly, and he scooped out a bowl with chopsticks.

Lin Qianyuan stood on tiptoe to peek inside. There was a soft-boiled egg lying on Changshou's face. Her eyes and brows were immediately filled with smiles, which she couldn't contain. She happily followed him back.

Pei Lanqing put the noodles and chopsticks on the dining table. Lin Qianyuan sat down and suddenly frowned, "Aren't you going to eat?" He had just eaten a piece of cake.

Pei Lanqing shook his head, "I'm not hungry yet."

Lin Qianyuan picked up the chopsticks and then put them down. "Can't I eat if I'm not hungry?"

She lowered her eyelashes, as if she was organizing her words, her cheeks turned red, and she looked a little shy.

"I want you to eat with me."

She hasn't forgotten that this is longevity noodles.

Pei Lanqing looked at her, suddenly turned his face away and coughed lightly, his voice hoarse and obscure, "Well, okay." He closed his eyes calmly, then stood up and walked towards the kitchen.

After dinner, Pei Lanqing went to wash the dishes. Lin Qianyuan put the uneaten cake in the refrigerator, saying that she could eat it tomorrow. After confirming that it was put away, she called Uncle Chen to pick her up and take Pei Lanqing back to school before returning to the Lin family.

Before getting off the car, Pei Lanqing looked at her as if he had something to say.

Lin Qianyuan looked away and said calmly to the driver's seat, "Go down and wait."

“…”

Uncle Chen didn't even need to turn around. He knew Miss Lin was talking to him from the tone of her voice. He opened the car door and got out. "Okay."

Lin Qianyuan raised his chin and asked, "Do you have anything to say?"

"Yes," Pei Lanqing opened his schoolbag and handed her a sky-blue sachet, "a birthday gift."

Lin Qianyuan opened it and saw that there was a red rope inside the sachet, which looked like a bracelet judging by its length. In the middle hung a wooden plaque of just the right size, which gave off a fragrance that seemed to be a mixture of sandalwood and agarwood.

"What's this?"

"Agarwood amulets can also be said to be protective amulets."

The card was written in Sanskrit, a Buddhist term. Lin Qianyuan couldn't understand it, so she subconsciously touched it with her hand and found the back of the card. There were also words engraved on it, in Chinese. They were her name and birthday.

Lin Qianyuan lowered her eyes, making it difficult to discern her facial expression. She lowered her voice and asked, "Did you make this yourself?"

He was very handy and she once received a wooden carved swan from him.

"Yes, I made it myself."

"Where's the red string? Did you weave it yourself too?"

"Yes," Pei Lanqing said stiffly, feeling somewhat embarrassed, "the size should be just right."

Lin Qianyuan remained silent after hearing this. Pei Lanqing's eyes moved, and she looked at the bracelet with her. "In Buddhism, agarwood is regarded as a tree that connects the three realms and is used for praying. There are many temples near my home, and this agarwood pendant has been enshrined in the most famous one."

Pei Lanqing smiled, his eyes calm, "It's what's commonly known as consecration."

He believed in science, but also respected other beliefs. Sincerely praying would work, so he calmed down and prayed for blessings over and over again.

Lin Qianyuan dropped the sachet and suddenly threw herself into his arms, pressing her face tightly against his chest, listening to his heartbeat in silence.

Pei Lanqing's body stiffened. After reacting, he gently placed his hand on her back and looked down at her. "What's wrong?"

Lin Qianyuan buried his head deeper and said sullenly, "I just want to hug you."

Pei Lanqing smiled lightly, his brows becoming more gentle, and he raised his hand to hold her tightly in his arms in response.

Lin Qianyuan frowned, suddenly feeling distressed, "Is this wood very expensive?"

Agarwood has been used as a material for royal sacrifices since ancient times. It has a subtle and long-lasting fragrance and is sold by the gram. The formation of natural agarwood is extremely difficult and can take hundreds of years to obtain.

Every penny counts, and those who don't realize how much they spend feel heartbroken for him.

Lin Qianyuan raised her head in his arms. Pei Lanqing looked down at her, not avoiding her gaze, and spoke slowly, "It's not very expensive. I bought it from my wood carving teacher. He was embarrassed to charge me too much, and I was embarrassed to take it for free, so we decided to trade it at cost price."

Pei Lanqing thought for a moment and smiled. "I don't know what you need, but even if you do, I probably can't afford it right now. After much deliberation, I finally decided to give you this."

Pei Lanqing stared at her eyes, cherishing them with concentration. After a long moment, he continued, "Lin Qianyuan, please don't get sick. You must stay healthy."

Her hair grows very fast, but it is still not long now. She must like long hair very much. The length is fixed, about below the chest, just like when he first met her. When it grows longer, she will cut it slightly shorter, so the length of her wig is the same now.

His eyes, as clear as ink, looked only at her, deep and gentle, reflecting her figure.

The words he just said echoed in her ears. Lin Qianyuan lowered her head, sniffed, and then quickly raised it. She knew her eyes must be red, so she smiled and said to him, "I used to think I had everything I needed, but not anymore. Whatever you give me, I need it."

Pei Lanqing frowned slightly and was about to speak, but Lin Qianyuan pretended not to notice, stepped out of his arms, and handed the sachet back. "I really like this gift of yours."

Because she is particularly cherishing her life now.

Lin Qianyuan stretched out his hand and looked at him with a gloomy look in his eyes. "Help me put it on."

Pei Lanqing said nothing more and bent down to help her put it on.

She doesn't need it, and he also has to work hard to have the purchasing power in the future. It has nothing to do with wanting it.

Uncle Chen squatted on the side of the road, talking to his wife on the phone while keeping an eye on the cars nearby.

Hearing the sound of the car door being opened, he immediately turned around and said to the person on the other end of the phone: "Wife, Miss Lin has released the person. I have to go to work now and will be home soon."

After saying that, he hung up the phone, smiled and stood up, "Lan Qing, you're going back."

Pei Lanqing smiled slightly and nodded. He waited until the car left before turning around and entering the school.

At the end of September, Xue Yuan submitted photos and a statement of Lin Qianyuan's work through the official website of the competition. After confirming that the submission was complete, she took off her glasses.

Noticing the distraction of the person next to her, she held her hand and asked softly, "Are you worried about the outcome of the game?"

Lin Qianyuan turned to look at her and told her the truth, "Don't worry. Although I hope I can win an award, it's no big deal if I don't. I can afford to lose."

Xue Yuan smiled after hearing this. The longer she spent with her, the more she felt that she was actually a very thoughtful child, with both independent thinking and inner qualities.

Lin Qianyuan walked out of Xue Yuan's house and received a call when he returned to the car.

Liang Siyu spun his chair idly, "Lin Qianyuan, what have you been busy with lately?" He sighed and commented, "University is so boring."

How long has it been since he started? Lin Qianyuan didn't bother to pay attention to him and just sat there casually. "Just came out of Teacher Xue's house."

Liang Siyu's chair spun around again, his eyes suddenly lighting up. "So you're okay now?"

"Come out for dinner?"

Lin Qianyuan was not interested and said, "No."

Liang Siyu snorted and complained casually, "You're so hard to get an appointment with. I was even thinking of asking you to help me pick a venue for my birthday." He said in a dragging voice, "Who told me to only trust your aesthetic taste?"

Lin Qianyuan was amused by him. He turned his eyes to look out the window and said kindly, "If you don't mind, just send me the pictures and I'll help you choose online, okay?"

Liang Siyu was also a very contented person. He nodded happily and said, "Okay." He hung up the phone and sent a few photos.

Lin Qianyuan quickly selected one.

Liang Siyu hesitated for a few seconds, and with the attitude of trusting his employees, he decided to choose this venue, so he began to send out invitations in his friend group in a big way.

Lin Qianyuan couldn't help but hold her forehead after receiving the message. According to her understanding of him, he was going to start reminding people once a week again, for fear that others would forget.

Lin Qianyuan sighed and turned off his phone.

After seeing Liang Siyu's reminder in the group for the fourth time, Lin Qianyuan received an email notification that she had been selected as a finalist. Before she could open it, Xue Yuan happened to send a voice message, "Qianyuan, I saw your name on the official website."

She beamed and sent another message, "The finals are next week. Remember to ask for leave from school in advance."

Lin Qianyuan: [Okay.]

She quickly read the email, put her phone on the dining table, and propped up her chin while waiting for Pei Lanqing to finish the call.

It must be a teacher from the department who was looking for him. He listened calmly, occasionally replying with a smile, using professional terms, without any haste or impatience, but slowly and leisurely.

Lin Qianyuan didn't understand, so she just stared at his face in a daze as she waited.

He had a fair and handsome face, with prominent brow bones. When he lowered his eyes, his long eyelashes cast a light shadow. His lips were slightly lighter under his straight nose, and his bone structure was excellent.

After a while, Pei Lanqing ended the call and turned around to see her staring at him. He let her stare at him in silence for a few minutes, and finally he spoke first.

Pei Lanqing couldn't help laughing, "Why aren't you eating?"

Lin Qianyuan was stunned for a moment, then turned his head and said, "Oh."

After she finished her competition work, she had been preparing for the art entrance exam, had stopped her academic classes, and rarely saw him on weekends.

Today she was off and asked him to have dinner together. He replied OK, and she read it and added, "You do it."

Pei Lanqing agreed to everything she said, "Okay."

Lin Qianyuan took two bites and then suddenly remembered that she had something else to say. Her eyes wandered to her side, and she pressed her lips tightly together and poked Pei Lanqing's arm.

Pei Lanqing instinctively looked over with an inquiring look.

Lin Qianyuan withdrew his hand and frowned slightly, as if he didn't know what to say.

A smile appeared in Pei Lanqing's eyes and he waited quietly.

Lin Qianyuan looked at him, then at the dishes on the table. They were all her favorites. She lowered her head, pretending to eat, but her chopsticks didn't move at all, and she couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth. "Pei Lanqing, do you want to praise me?"

Lin Qianyuan looked up and glanced at him quickly, unlocked the phone and handed it to him, then his eyes fixed on his face, motionless.

Pei Lanqing read the email and understood it. He replied, praising her generously, "You're amazing."

Lin Qianyuan raised his eyebrows, cleared his throat, and pretended to be calm despite blushing, "Thank you."

Pei Lanqing smiled and patted her head, returning the favor. "You're welcome."

Lin Qianyuan doesn't wear a wig now. Her hair has grown to the upper part of her collarbone. She trims the ends of her hair neatly, making it look neat and clean. Compared to her long hair, she looks more heroic with short hair, provided you ignore her blushing face.

Lin Qianyuan held her chopsticks and buried her head in her food. As soon as she left the table, she ran to the attic to pack her luggage. She often used the excuse of preparing for exams to avoid returning to the Lin family, and she was not used to sleeping in a bed, preferring to sleep on the sofa in the attic, so she left a lot of clothes there.

Pei Lanqing wiped the sink clean, but when she didn't come down, he walked up to the attic.

Because of the phone call he received while eating, he had to return to school temporarily and could not stay long.

Lin Qianyuan's eyebrows suddenly drooped, she stopped folding clothes, looked up at him, full of reluctance.

Pei Lanqing walked in, his heart softened. He helped her fold her skirt and put it aside, then leaned over and hugged her in his arms.

Every time they separated, she would look at him with this look. He had no way to deal with her and surrendered every time, and could only coax her softly in her ear.

Lin Qianyuan hugged his waist, and after slowly calming down, she slowly let go of his hand, "Remember to call me."

Pei Lanqing agreed as usual, "Okay, I remember."

He smiled and patted her back. When he spoke again, his tone was somewhat serious, "Lin Qianyuan, good luck in the competition."

Lin Qianyuan nodded, the corners of his mouth rising uncontrollably, unable to hide it at all.

Pei Lanqing smiled, felt relieved, turned around and left.

The finals were held at a North American university. From the judges, contestants to the specially invited audience, there were few Chinese faces. There were many people, speaking many languages, and the environment was unfamiliar.

Xue Yuan had seen many big scenes, so she was not moved at all. Instead, she was a little worried about Lin Qianyuan. She had never expected that Lin Qianyuan was staring at his wrist in a daze.

Xue Yuan was stunned for a moment, then couldn't help laughing. She didn't say anything and waited quietly in the backstage for notification.

The time difference between North America and China is more than ten hours. Liang Siyu's birthday is today. He went to bed early last night. When he opened his eyes, he saw a missed call from Lin Qianyuan, followed by two messages, one about money transfer and the other about happy birthday.

Maybe they had never expressed this to each other or only expressed it verbally. Seeing it in written form for the first time, Liang Siyu couldn't help but feel shocked. The degree of shock was no less than suspecting that her phone had been stolen abroad. He rubbed the goose bumps on his body, clicked the payment button, and got up to celebrate his birthday.

Liang Siyu walked slowly to the school gate and ran into Pei Lanqing who was also coming out of the gate.

However, he was with four or five people, and I couldn't hear what they were talking about. I just saw them talking and laughing along the way. Pei Lanqing stood aside, not saying much, but not seeming unfamiliar. He always had a smile on his face and blended in with them.

Liang Siyu watched for a few seconds and suddenly thought that if Lin Qianyuan saw this scene, her face would be extremely cold.

Liang Siyu couldn't imagine how angry Lin Qianyuan would be, but that didn't stop him from laughing rather unkindly at this moment. He coughed lightly and walked over, greeting Pei Lanqing in a familiar manner.

Pei Lanqing heard someone calling his name, stopped and smiled at him politely.

He took a few steps back. "Pei Lanqing," the classmate in front of him called out, "The bus is here, let's go."

Pei Lanqing turned back and walked quickly through the school gate, "I'm coming."

Liang Siyu stared at them from afar, stroking his chin in thought. He thought it was not good, this guy seemed very popular.

Zhang Shurui, who was sitting in the passenger seat, looked out of the car and asked, "Pei Lanqing, does that person know you?"

"I know him, a friend." Pei Lanqing replied.

Zhang Shurui had no doubts about it. No one knew better than him how popular Pei Lanqing was. He thought about it and thought that maybe this was what they called a gentleman making friends with all the good people.

Imperial Capital University has a cooperative project with the city’s legal aid agency. Several of them are going to the aid center to volunteer today, which is equivalent to extracurricular practice.

In the afternoon, a middle-aged woman pushed open the glass door of the aid center, holding a little boy in her hand.

Pei Lanqing was sitting close to the door, so he stood up in time to open the door for her and stepped aside to let them in.

The woman lowered her head, hunched her shoulders, and said with deep fear, "Thank you, thank you."

Her face was covered in large purple and blue marks, and one look at them revealed the reason. Pei Lanqing calmly looked away, smiling faintly, "You're welcome."

The lawyer involved in the legal aid took the woman to the consultation room. Before leaving, the woman asked the boy to stay there and wait for her and not to follow her.

The boy nodded dully and stayed where he was.

Pei Lanqing walked over and kept a social distance from him. He squatted down and said in a friendly voice, "Do you want to sit there?" He raised his hand and pointed to the reading corner.

The boy raised his head and looked straight into his eyes without any effort. He was smiling at him with kindness.

The boy quickly lowered his head, but the brother in front of him did not leave and was still squatting in front of him. He slowly raised his head again, and their eyes met for a long time. He tried to say "hmm".

"Then come with me." Pei Lanqing stood up with a smile and walked into the reading corner on his own.

The boy followed him and imitated him by sitting on the chair.

Pei Lanqing poured him a glass of warm water and spent a long time picking through the pile of legal books in the reading corner before finding a geography magazine that he could understand.

He sat down next to him, opened the book, and naturally invited him, "Do you want to read it with me?"

The boy looked at him and nodded slowly.

Pei Lanqing placed the magazine between the two of them, half for each. Gradually, the magazine began to move towards the boy to take his perspective into consideration.

Pei Lanqing occasionally followed his gaze and found that he had read to the end of the page, so he quickly turned the page.

The page was filled with photographs. The boy suddenly held out his hand and asked shyly, "Brother, what kind of animal is this?" He scratched his head and said, "There's no description next to it, but I think it looks like..."

The person who was speaking lowered his voice unconsciously until it became silent, and he stammered twice, perhaps thinking that he shouldn't talk too much.

Pei Lanqing smiled gently and slowed down his speech to explain to him, "This is an albatross, a marine bird with a very long wingspan. It uses the updrafts above the waves to fly for long periods of time, almost without flapping its wings. It reproduces once every one to two years, laying only one egg each time, so its reproduction rate is relatively low."

The boy listened carefully and asked, "Why?"

Pei Lanqing's eyes lit up slightly, and her voice was clear and melodious. "Because they are loyal, once they choose a mate, they often stay together for life. Even if they migrate thousands of kilometers each year, separated by great distances and for long periods of time, they will return to the same breeding grounds, recognize their mates by their unique scent or sounds, and reunite with them."

The boy frowned in distress. "What if one of them doesn't come back in time? What will happen to the other one?"

"Wait," Pei Lanqing smiled, his elegant demeanor softened by the hint of a smile on his face. "It will keep waiting. No matter how many other birds appear around it, it only cares about its partner."

The boy nodded confusedly and smiled slightly, "I see."

"Kankang," the woman from before called over here.

Her eyes were red, obviously she had just cried, but she didn't bow her head anymore. She walked over and took Kang Kang's hand, smiling awkwardly at Pei Lanqing, "Thank you for your help."

Pei Lanqing politely replied, "It's no trouble."

The woman was about to leave with her child, Pei Lanqing opened the door for them, and the mother and child walked out of the aid center. After a few steps, the woman suddenly came back.

Pei Lanqing exchanged a glance with the lawyers involved in the legal aid process and took the initiative to go out and inquire.

The woman looked at him hesitantly and asked, "What safety order was this just mentioned? Can I really apply for it?"

Pei Lanqing thought about it and responded quickly, "Okay."

Seeing she was still hesitant, he raised his brows gently and spoke slowly, "The Anti-Domestic Violence Law clearly stipulates personal safety protection orders. If you apply to the People's Court because you have suffered domestic violence or are facing the real danger of domestic violence, the People's Court should accept the application. The validity period of the protection order shall not exceed six months, and you can apply for an extension based on your needs."

He spoke in a leisurely tone, pausing deliberately between sentences. The woman slowly understood and smiled. "I remember it now. Thank you."

Pei Lanqing smiled and said, "You're welcome." He watched them leave and then turned back.

The lawyer looked at their backs and said with emotion: "Since she already knows that the law is a weapon, I hope she can defend her rights to the end."

Pei Lanqing nodded slightly and put the magazine on the reading corner table back to its original place.

He took out his cell phone and clicked on the chat box with Lin Qianyuan. The message stopped at last night. Guessing that she was busy, he did not disturb her without permission.

The dialog box remained quiet for several days. That night, after Zhang Shurui finished watching the last episode of a TV series and got out of bed to drink some water, he accidentally saw Pei Lanqing sitting there distracted. He raised his hand and waved it in front of his eyes, "Why don't you take a shower?"

"Hmm?" Pei Lanqing came back to his senses and forced a smile. "I'll go right away."

He put down his phone, and the screen lit up in an instant. Pei Lanqing looked down and didn't bother to go to the balcony. He stood in front of the desk and answered the call.

Lin Qianyuan squatted under the streetlight, her black skirt hanging to the ground. She didn't care at all, her vision blurred by tears. She spoke first in a steady voice: "Pei Lanqing, I'm near your school now. Do you want to come out to see me?"

Pei Lanqing could tell that she was in a bad mood and asked her softly, "Where is the exact location?"

Lin Qianyuan answered with her eyes lowered, and then she hung up the phone.

Before the finals officially began, Lin Qianyuan heard the judges announce the final awards, which were divided into three levels: gold, silver and bronze. In addition to the prize money, the winners of the three levels will receive direct recommendation qualifications from colleges and universities, international exhibitions and the opportunity to publish their portfolios. Just yesterday, the official website of the competition announced the list of winners.

The leaves of the sycamore tree turned yellow, and Lin Qianyuan stared at a spot on the ground until a shadow fell there.

The wind in November is chilly, the whole city is cooling down, the days are getting gloomy, and early winter is approaching.

Lin Qianyuan didn't look up, but hugged his knees with his hands, burying half of his face.

Pei Landan knelt on one knee in front of her and asked softly, "What's wrong with you? Is... the result not good?"

He was thinking of words of comfort when she suddenly raised her face and tears that had been accumulating in her eyes fell from the corners, sparkling and clear, hitting his heart.

Lin Qianyuan looked at him with red eyes, "No, I won the gold medal."

But she didn't look happy. Pei Lanqing raised his hand silently and wiped away her tears.

Lin Qianyuan was still crying, her voice barely audible. "Pei Lanqing, because of this award, I'm going to study abroad soon."

She has obtained the qualification for direct recommendation from the university and will be enrolled next year, but she needs to attend a language class this winter to connect with the start of school in the fall.

Lin Qianyuan lowered her head, letting her tears soak the cuffs of her sweater.

She was wearing a black sweater today, and it was obvious that a large part of it was wet. I wonder how long she had been hiding here and crying alone.

Pei Lanqing looked at her, his heart filled with unspeakable pity and hardship, and he was somewhat speechless. After a few seconds, he spoke gently, "Lin Qianyuan, this result is very good. You were already very capable, and now that you have won the gold medal, it further proves your own strong abilities."

Lin Qianyuan was crying silently. She didn't want to hear him praise her at all. She raised her head and asked in a choked voice, "Pei Lanqing."

"Don't you have anything else to say to me?"

Pei Lanqing looked at her tearful face, his eyes suddenly sore and embarrassed. He lowered his eyelashes to hide his emotions and said in a relaxed tone, "Yes."

"Lin Qianyuan, you must take good care of yourself, eat and sleep on time, remember to put your health first, and try not to stay up late."

Lin Qianyuan couldn't stop crying and couldn't control the sound.

Pei Lanqing wiped her tears and said the last words to her, "Lin Qianyuan, you must have a bright future."

Lin Qianyuan had long guessed that he would definitely not say a word to keep her. As soon as he said it, she became even more reluctant to leave. He always understood her better than she did, but why was she still sad?

Lin Qianyuan's eyes were filled with tears. Seeing that he was about to speak again, she didn't want to hear a word. She moved a few inches closer and suddenly blocked his lips.