The first thing Zhao Mingyue did after receiving her assignment notice was to go find Shen Xuyue. When Shen Xuyue heard that she was staying at the school, he picked her up and spun her around happily: "Great! Now we can rest easy."

Zhao Mingyue looked at him and said, "This wasn't arranged by your family, so how did I end up staying at school?"

Shen Xuyue shook his head: "Of course not. I asked my dad to find out that you've already been assigned to Beijing, so my dad didn't care anymore. He figured as long as you're in Beijing, that's fine. Maybe the school thinks you've performed exceptionally well, so they let you stay on as a faculty member."

Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but chuckle. This old man was really easygoing: "And you, when will you be assigned a work unit?"

Shen Xuyue said, "We'll be assigned jobs in a couple of days. We're graduating soon, when are we going to get married?"

Zhao Mingyue said, "Well, I'll have to ask my parents and see what they think. I estimate it will be after September."

"Isn't that too long? The sooner the better." Shen Xuyue had been a monk for almost thirty years, and now he could finally get married. He couldn't wait to have his beautiful wife in his arms, but then he heard this news.

Zhao Mingyue laughed: "What's the rush? If you don't believe me, go back and ask your parents. They definitely won't allow you to get married at this time. There are rules for these things. You can't get married in May, June, or July. It has to be after autumn. Do you see any family holding a wedding in these months?"

Shen Xuyue rarely paid attention to these details, and frowned as he thought, "Then my brother and Xiaorui both got married on May Day."

Zhao Mingyue said, "The fifth, sixth, and seventh months of the lunar calendar are too hot to hold weddings, so we avoid these periods."

Shen Xuyue nodded, seemingly agreeing, and said, "That's good, then we'll have time to prepare properly."

The two huddled together, feeling incredibly sweet. Shen Xuyue remarked with emotion, "Time flies! It's been seven or eight years since we met. If you include the years before we never spoke, it's been over ten years. I never imagined our connection was so deep."

Zhao Mingyue held her cheeks and looked at Shen Xuyue with a deep smile on her lips. She had known him for more than ten years, for several decades. This life felt like a dream.

Shen Xuyue asked, "Will we live in the company's housing or rent a place outside?"

Zhao Mingyue waved her hand: "Let's talk about it after you settle on a job."

"That's true." Shen Xuyue couldn't contain his excitement and started planning their wedding.

But not everyone is as fortunate as them. Near graduation, after job assignments are finalized, a few are not able to stay in Beijing as expected, but are instead assigned back to their hometowns. The current situation is this: generally, universities handle the assignments, but some local organizations may request talent from certain universities. After applying to the relevant departments, the university will recommend graduates from that region. Students in such situations have no choice but to go. If you don't go, it's considered disobeying the assignment, and the university will no longer assign you a receiving unit or issue a letter of introduction. Without a letter of introduction, you can't get a job. These days, university students have no freedom of choice in their careers; you have to go wherever you're assigned.

As a result, every year some graduates are assigned to workplaces and places they don't want to go; they have no choice but to go. Many couples who started dating in school are forced to separate, since working in different places makes it almost impossible for them to be together in the future.

The girls in the dormitory were all congratulating Zhao Mingyue and Li Chunmei. Tang Weihua said, "The second, third and youngest sisters have finally tied the knot. They can get married after graduation. It's a pity that I won't be able to attend your wedding."

Qian Sisheng said, "I guess I won't get to drink either. Let's have a get-together when we leave school and have a good drink. Let's drink the wedding wine in advance. Oh, and let's invite your half over too."

However, Gao Dongfang seemed rather depressed. Zhao Mingyue noticed that something was wrong with her mood: "What's wrong, Second Sister?"

Gao Dongfang looked at her, his eyes reddening: "Old Qin is going to Shijiazhuang."

"Huh?" Everyone was startled. "Weren't you supposed to be assigned to Beijing?"

“A unit in their province came looking for people, so the department recommended him.” Gao Dongfang said, tears welling up in his eyes.

Everyone fell silent. What should they do? Although Shijiazhuang is not far from Beijing, it is still more than 200 kilometers away. They can't just live apart like this. Zhao Mingyue asked cautiously, "Then what will you do?"

Gao Dongfang wiped away his tears: "I don't know either. It takes four or five hours to get from Beijing to Shijiazhuang."

Everyone looked at her with sympathy. She and Lao Qin were both getting on in years, and it was rare for them to find someone who shared their interests. They were almost thirty when they graduated and had planned to get married right after graduation. But unexpectedly, a rival appeared out of nowhere.

Mao Jianlan asked cautiously, "Could we transfer to another unit?"

Zhao Mingyue thought that if she were to transfer to another unit, it would be relatively easy to move from Beijing to Shijiazhuang, but it would be much more difficult to move back to Beijing from Shijiazhuang.

Zhao Mingyue said, "Second sister, don't be sad. If your relationship is really strong, distance can't separate you. People are adaptable and can be transferred. At worst, you can live apart for a year or two, and then find a way to transfer back together."

Li Chunmei said, "Second sister, you have winter and summer vacations, so we'll still have time to be together."

Gao Dongfang sighed, "I have considered these things too. If we were all in Beijing, there wouldn't be so much trouble. Transferring jobs would be so difficult." They only get one day off a week, so it's impossible for them to reunite on weekends. If they really do get together, it will only be during winter and summer vacations, and the rest of the time Lao Qin saves up during the week. In short, they will inevitably be separated more often than together.

Because of Gao Dongfang's incident, the people in the dormitory were no longer happy.

Meanwhile, their romantic relationship also caused a lot of trouble. One of their chemistry graduates was assigned to Beijing after graduation. Because he didn't return to his hometown, his ex-girlfriend from back home came looking for him. However, upon arriving, she discovered that he had already found someone else in Beijing. This ex-girlfriend was someone he met before taking the university entrance exam; they originally planned to get married. Later, when she heard he could take the exam, she supported him and they agreed to return home to get married after graduation. But at the last minute, she changed her mind. She had waited for him for four or five years, and now she was old, but he had left her for someone else.

His girlfriend also had a strong personality. She went to his department and made a scene, accusing him of being ungrateful and abandoning her after starting a relationship. The school felt that this matter had a bad influence, so they withheld the student's letter of introduction and delayed his graduation.

People are sighing and lamenting about this incident. Some say the woman was too impulsive and the man was innocent, while others say the man was too heartless and deserved what he got. Opinions are divided.

Zhao Mingyue didn't know what to say. Everyone has their own perspective, and only the parties involved truly know the bitterness of such matters. No matter how outsiders discuss it, it's all in vain.

Zhao Mingyue ran into Yu Youqing in the cafeteria and then remembered to ask about his assigned unit. Yu Youqing told her that he had been assigned to the unit where he had previously interned. Upon hearing this, Zhao Mingyue exclaimed, "So that means he's in the same school as Jianlan from our dorm?"

Yu Youqing had a barely perceptible blush on her face: "She was also assigned to the High School Affiliated to the Normal University?"

“Yes, you two are quite destined to meet. Oh, that’s great! You’ve stayed in Beijing too. Now you’ll finally have someone to talk to in your hometown dialect. I’m staying at the university.” Zhao Mingyue said happily.

Yu Youqing didn't seem surprised: "I understand."

Zhao Mingyue asked, "How did you know?"

Yu Youqing said, "I heard it from your classmates."

"Which classmate of mine told you that?"

Yu Youqing gave a vague answer: "I forgot what it was called, but it was from your dormitory."

Zhao Mingyue used to occasionally take Yu Youqing out to play, so she probably got to know their roommates: "Anyway, we're all staying in Beijing, which is great. We can visit each other more often in the future."

"Um."

Shen Xuyue's job assignment was also finalized; he went to a central government department, which was exactly what Zhao Mingyue had expected. He had indeed gone to work for the government. Shen Xuyue was somewhat surprised; he had thought he would be assigned to the environmental department, because that would be more relevant. Now, it was completely unrelated to his major. But these days, getting a job that matches your major requires a lot of luck.

Once the job assignments were finalized, a strong graduation atmosphere filled the air. Everyone was busy preparing for graduation, writing in yearbooks, taking group photos, and treating teachers and classmates to meals—a scene of bustling activity.

This Saturday night, Zhao Mingyue's dorm classmates had a get-together, inviting Shen Xuyue, Lao Qin, and Wang Xingkai. This was their first and probably last gathering like this. The next time they get together will be many years from now. Tang Weihua has returned to Xi'an, and Qian Sisheng has gone to England. Everyone will truly go their separate ways from now on.

At the dinner table, they served several bottles of Erguotou (a type of Chinese liquor). If they didn't drink now, they wouldn't have another chance. So even those with a low alcohol tolerance didn't refuse this farewell drink. As they ate and drank, they gradually became more talkative, and tears began to fall.

The girls were all moved, hugging each other and sobbing. Zhao Mingyue, emboldened by the alcohol, also cried freely. The three men looked at the women sobbing and sighed helplessly. Then they raised their glasses, clinked them together, and drank in silence. Although they didn't usually interact, seeing them like this made them brothers-in-law, a rare coincidence.

After the crying and fussing, everyone sat on the curb looking at the stars. There were few cars on the road, and the Beijing sky was still filled with countless stars. The dry summer night breeze whistled through the streets. Everyone was silent, knowing this scene would likely be etched in their memories for a lifetime. Someone started singing: "Outside the long pavilion, along the ancient road, the fragrant grass stretches to the horizon..."

This song is so fitting for the occasion; even the girls whose eyes were still red and swollen from singing it had tears in their eyes again.

Zhao Mingyue quickly interrupted everyone, "Let's not sing such sad songs anymore, let's have a concert. Let's sing some happy songs. Xu Yue, why don't you start?"

Shen Xuyue agreed without hesitation: "Okay, I'll start by offering a suggestion. What should I sing? I still love this song after all these years, so I'll sing 'Red Berries Bloom' for everyone." He cleared his throat and began to sing, "By the river in the fields, red berries bloom, and there is a young man who is my beloved..."

Everyone started humming along softly. The song made everyone feel light and romantic. After the song, everyone applauded. Zhao Mingyue said, "Now I'll sing a new song for everyone, 'The Moon Represents My Heart.' You ask me how deep my love is, how much I love you. Your feelings are true, my love is true too. The moon represents my heart..."

Zhao Mingyue's song was so gentle it was almost dripping with tenderness. Everyone listened to it secretly, but no one expected Zhao Mingyue to actually sing it, and sing it so well. Everyone was pleasantly surprised, and even Shen Xuyue couldn't help but turn around to look at Zhao Mingyue beside him frequently. There were no lights, no music, just a few friends who were slightly tipsy. The night was dark, the stars were shining, and amidst the chaotic emotions, an infinite warmth was stirred in everyone's hearts.

After Zhao Mingyue finished singing this song, Li Chunmei immediately took over and sang "Tian Mi Mi". In the past two years, Teresa Teng's songs have become popular across the Taiwan Strait and Hong Kong and the mainland, and they have gradually begun to be sung openly in the streets and alleys. This is because the era of suppressed thoughts has passed, and people's hearts are eager to break free from the cage and find a way to vent. These "decadent music" from across the strait just happens to save people's emotions that have nowhere to be vented.

Everyone sang almost every popular song they knew, including "Walking on the Country Road," "Grandma's Penghu Bay," "Small Town Story," "Just Like Your Tenderness," and "Shepherd's Song," among others. The event ended with a group rendition of "Young Friends."

Zhao Mingyue was surprised to find that everyone knew so many songs, and that the songs from this era were all so good. It was truly moving. Zhao Mingyue didn't sing many songs, only choosing those that everyone was familiar with. She didn't dare to sing songs that she herself was familiar with, in case the song hadn't been released yet and she sang it, wouldn't that give her away?

Finally, Tang Weihua concluded, "Tonight was truly a wonderful night. Well, now that the party's over, it's time for us to head home."

They got up from the ground, turned around, and were startled to find a lot of people standing behind them: "What are you doing?"

One person said with a smile, "You guys sing really well."

Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but burst out laughing: "We really are having a concert! I didn't expect there to actually be an audience. Let's go back now. Thank you all for coming."

A few scattered claps broke out, and the group quickly ran off under the cover of night, laughing and joking. This wonderful night would likely be etched in their memories for a lifetime.

There were many more banquets to come: a thank-you dinner for teachers, a farewell dinner for the whole class, and gatherings for hometown associations and clubs. It was even more lavish than the Lunar New Year. It felt like we were feasting. Everyone usually saved money, but at this time of year, they used all the money they had saved to eat and drink. From now on, everyone was no longer a penniless proletarian, but a propertied class with a salary.

One by one, people began leaving the school to head to their workplaces. Zhao Mingyue didn't need to leave; she could simply go to the school to report for duty. The school still assigned her to the history department, but she wasn't currently responsible for teaching; instead, she was in charge of administrative and secretarial work. Zhao Mingyue thought about it and realized that with her level of expertise, wouldn't it be a bit of a hindrance to her younger schoolmates if she were to teach them?

Shen Xuyue told her, "If you want to teach, then take the postgraduate entrance exam. We can take it after we get married. You can study part-time, and you can start teaching after you graduate."

Zhao Mingyue said, "Let's not talk about this for now, let's talk about it later."

Shen Xuyue looked at her and nodded in agreement. They had important things to do and needed to hurry up and get married and have children. Shen Xuyue was already thirty and should have become a father long ago.

After Zhao Mingyue registered, the school assigned her a single dormitory room, and from then on, she had her own room. If she got married, the school would also arrange a small one-bedroom apartment for her, with only a symbolic rent of a few yuan per month. It was simply wonderful.

Shen Xuyue's workplace also has single dormitories, but the benefits are even better after marriage—it's a two-bedroom apartment. It seems the benefits for civil servants are indeed better than those for employees of public institutions.

Actually, being a teacher is quite leisurely; there are several months of vacation each year. Zhao Mingyue had only been working for a short time when the school gave out a break. Zhao Mingyue got her first vacation after starting work, and it was paid—it was simply wonderful!

Shen Xuyue, a civil servant, only has a pitifully small amount of annual leave besides weekends. From now on, he will probably only be able to serve the people as a public servant and will not be able to get away easily.

Shen Xuyue couldn't leave, but Zhao Mingyue had a holiday and naturally wanted to go back to her hometown to visit and discuss her marriage with her parents. They tentatively decided to hold the wedding during the National Day holiday in October. They would definitely invite their parents and relatives to the wedding. Some details of the wedding would need to be discussed with their parents before a final decision was made.

Before leaving, Zhao Mingyue visited Shen's parents to say goodbye. When she arrived, Shen Fuyu and her husband were also there, discussing something. Upon seeing them, they fell silent.

Shen Xuyue asked, "What are you all discussing?"

Mr. Shen remained silent, while Mrs. Shen said, "Your brother-in-law wants to buy a car."

Shen Xuyue sat down, and Zhao Mingyue took the watermelon she had bought to the kitchen to cut it. She had been here many times and no longer considered herself an outsider. As she was cutting the watermelon, Jingjing, who was playing outside, rushed in: "Auntie, I just saw you!"

Zhao Mingyue looked at the child, who was covered in sweat: "What are you playing? You're all sweaty. Come wash your hands and eat some watermelon."

"Catch the spy!" Jingjing ran to the tap in the yard, turned on the water, and started rinsing herself. Then she stuck her head under the tap to rinse it, but Zhao Mingyue grabbed her arm. "Don't rinse! Don't wash like that after sweating, you'll get sick. Come and eat some watermelon. It's holiday time, isn't it?"

Jingjing took a slice of watermelon, opened her missing front tooth and took a big bite: "So juicy and sweet! Auntie, I'm on vacation now. Dad's going to buy a big truck and then take us back to our hometown to see Grandpa and Grandma."

Zhao Mingyue was taken aback. They had just been talking about buying a car. She nodded and said, "A big truck! How impressive!"

"That's right." Jingjing happily enjoyed the sweet watermelon.

Zhao Mingyue brought the sliced ​​watermelon into the living room. Chen's mother frantically fanned herself with a fan, and the ceiling fan blew loudly at them, but it still couldn't cool her down, showing that she was very agitated.

She placed the watermelon on the table, and Shen Xuyue said, "Mingyue, come sit here and enjoy the breeze."

Zhao Mingyue sat next to Shen Xuyue and heard Shen's mother say, "Today, in front of Xuyue and his wife, I'm making a statement: if you want to buy a car, you can, we'll raise the money for you, but you have to write an IOU. You have to pay it back after you make a profit. It's several thousand yuan, we don't have that much money, we'll have to borrow it for you."

Yang Maolin nodded: "Of course, Mom, I promise to pay back all the money within two years."

Mr. Shen said, “Given my temper, I don’t agree to you buying a car. You have too fiery temper. What if you can’t control yourself and cause some trouble on the road? Who will clean up your mess then?”

"Okay, Dad, I understand. I won't make the same mistake again. I'll be more careful in the future." Yang Maolin's attitude was very good.

Hearing this, Zhao Mingyue sensed something was amiss. She looked at Shen Xuyue, who shook his head slightly, telling her not to ask. Zhao Mingyue then turned to look at Yang Maolin, who had shaved his head completely, for reasons unknown.

In private, Zhao Mingyue heard Shen Xuyue explain the reason. It turned out that Yang Maolin had gone with his boss to Hebei to transport watermelons, but they were robbed by local thugs. Due to a communication breakdown, they got into a fight. Yang Maolin, being tall and strong and a native of Northeast China, was used to fighting since childhood, and the thugs, not gaining the upper hand, slunk away. The second time they went, they were robbed in the same place again. This time, the other side called the local police station, claiming they had fought. The police, without even investigating, arrested him and his boss and detained them for several days. They suspected that there were local bullies working at the police station.

Information wasn't readily available these days, and by the time their families found out, the two had already been given a talking-to and released. They weren't seriously harmed, just beaten up, but the truck was loaded with watermelons, all seven or eight tenths ripe, and in the hot weather, they'd been kept under a tarpaulin for several days. As a result, the entire truckload of watermelons, worth several hundred yuan, went bad.

Actually, Yang Maolin wasn't at fault. The boss was distressed by his losses, so he fired him without paying his salary. Yang Maolin was furious and decided to buy his own car and become his own boss, free from being controlled by others.

Zhao Mingyue said, "This isn't entirely my brother-in-law's fault. There are too many thugs and hooligans these days."

“Indeed. Social order is in such disarray, it’s time to clean it up. I don’t think it will be long before this matter is settled.” Shen Xuyue sighed.

Zhao Mingyue also knew that the crackdown was about to begin.

“It’s good that I bought my own car, so I won’t be at the mercy of others,” Zhao Mingyue said. “Only a few people get rich by working for others. To make money, you have to be your own boss.”

Shen Xuyue nodded: "That's what I think too."