It was just dawn.

Zhong Yuxiu packed up and went downstairs. It was not Sister Lian's shift now. The hotel had two shifts a day, night and day. The day shift was Sister Lian, and the night shift was someone else. She didn't know the person and had never spoken to him.

She hurried out of the hotel and went to a state-owned restaurant for breakfast. Seeing that time was running out, she didn't even have time to see Uncle Wang off. Zhong Yuxiu went straight to Hua University and found the Great Hall according to the time and address given by the male comrade yesterday. The hall was already bustling with people.

Zhong Yuxiu walked in, quietly found a secluded seat, and wanted to sit down; next to her was a thin and short male classmate, whose eyes lit up when he saw Zhong Yuxiu.

"Hey classmate, are you also in our Physics Department Class 1?"

"Yes." Zhong Yuxiu smiled lightly, took a step back, and sat down next to a female classmate behind the other person.

The male classmate didn't notice Yuxiu's distant attitude, but became even more enthusiastic. "Classmate, my name is Diao Pingyuan, and we will be classmates from now on."

"Zhong Yuxiu." Out of politeness, Yuxiu gave her name.

"What a nice name! Zhong Lingyuxiu." Seeing her willing to answer, the male student's eyes brightened even more. "Ms. Zhong, how did you choose the Department of Physics when you first chose your major? There are so few female students in our Department of Physics. Look at us. So far, including you, I've only seen five. I wonder if there will be more."

Zhong Yuxiu pursed her lips and smiled without saying anything.

The female classmate next to her turned her head and said, "Diao Pingyuan, could you be quiet for a moment? You keep nagging every time a classmate comes over. My ears are getting calluses."

"Okay, okay." Diao Pingyuan turned his back in shame, probably because he was humiliated without mercy.

"Is he good at talking?" Zhong Yuxiu nodded her chin at Diao Pingyuan, who had turned his back, and asked.

The female classmate nodded heavily. "He's not a very talkative person, but he's very talkative. Every time a classmate comes, he asks their name, age, and where they live. If he meets a male classmate, he'll discuss physics with them. If he meets a female classmate, he'll even ask why they chose to study physics. He's a grown man, but he's so talkative. I wonder who will be able to stand him in the future."

“Puff…”

This female classmate must have been extremely annoyed, and her comments were sharp and venomous.

Zhong Yuxiu covered her mouth and chuckled, and her impression of Diao Pingyuan improved a bit. Before, when she saw his eyes shining and he was chatting up a girl like her, she was a little displeased.

"Don't laugh, I'm serious." The female classmate frowned slightly, looking serious.

Zhong Yuxiu couldn't help laughing. "Okay, okay, I know you're serious; but as long as he doesn't have any bad intentions, that's fine."

After the female classmate thought about it carefully, she realized that it was indeed the case and she was no longer so dissatisfied.

"You're right. He really doesn't have bad intentions, he's just a bit of a mouthy person." The female classmate sighed. "Let's not talk about him anymore. I just heard you say your name is Zhong Yuxiu?"

Yuxiu nodded, "Yes."

"Hello, classmate Zhong, nice to meet you. I'm Xu Hongqi from Class 1 of the Physics Department. I'm 28 years old, married, and from Xiahe County, Yunnan Province." Xu Hongqi extended his hand, his irritable mood subsided, a smile appeared in his eyes, and a smile played at the corners of his mouth.

Not to mention, Xu Hongqi is quite attractive when he smiles. He has a square face and wheat-colored skin. He looks very funny when he smiles, but it doesn't conform to the aesthetic of this era.

"Hello, classmate Xu. I don't know where I'm from, so I won't tell you." He stretched out his hand to shake it with her. The two smiled at each other and withdrew their hands at the same time.

Xu Hongqi was a little curious, but she knew better than to ask such questions. "It's okay. You can live in that dormitory now. I'll visit you when I have time."

"I don't live on campus."

"You live off campus? Is rent expensive?"

Zhong Yuxiu was stunned for a moment, then shook her head lightly, "I'm sorry, I don't know."

"Aren't you renting a house?"

"No, it's my relative's house. They're not in Beijing, so they let me live here first and help look after the house for them." Now she has no backing and no background. Anyone who investigates will find out that she is an orphan. She has to be cautious in her actions and be on guard against outsiders.

Xu Hongqi nodded in understanding, filled with envy. "You're so lucky to have relatives willing to let you live in their house. I'm even thinking of bringing my partner and kids over if I can find a place to rent. Finding a part-time job in Beijing shouldn't be difficult. With the two of us earning, it shouldn't be a problem to support the whole family."

"Student Xu, I suggest you give up your plan of bringing someone here." Under Xu Hongqi's puzzled gaze, he slowly said, "Back home, you have food rations and a job, and even in the countryside, you can earn work points. But what can you do after coming to Beijing? Is the salary high? Is it enough for your family's expenses? Also, there's the issue of their household registration. If a child's household registration is not there, the tuition will be very high."

In her first life, she heard her grandparents talk about how everyone wanted to move to the city in the 1970s and 1980s, and household registration was strictly controlled. If a child wanted to go to school in the city, but their household registration was not in the local area, the tuition would be several times higher than that of other children, and if they did not study well, they would be asked to drop out.

Xu Hongqi obviously hadn't thought of this. "Then, what should we do?"

"Let it go." She spread her hands. How could she know what to do?

Xu Hongqi sat there blankly for a while, sighing regretfully, "Forget it, I'll talk about it after I graduate and have a stable job."

Zhong Yuxiu didn't respond. In such matters, only the parties involved can make the decision.

"Mr. Zhong, I live in Room 201 on the second floor of Wenhua Building. You can come and visit me when you have time. There are four people in Room 201, two of whom are from the Department of Physics. We can share what we have." After putting aside his thoughts, Xu Hongqi brought up another topic.

"Okay, I'll go when I have time."

While the two were talking, several leaders walked into the Great Hall; the leader was a white-haired old man, followed by several middle-aged and elderly people, each wearing a Zhongshan suit.

The oldest person in front was the dean of the School of Physics and Chemistry, and the others were professors of the Department of Physics. Each of them took turns to go on stage and make an impassioned speech, but Zhong Yuxiu listened with one ear and out the other, tired of hearing these clichés.

After they finished, Zhong Yuxiu breathed a sigh of relief. If they continued, she would fall asleep.

"Next, please invite the top scorer in the science exam to come to the stage and give a speech."

The students below applauded excitedly, and the applause echoed throughout the cathedral.

A tall young man walked up from the stage. He had an upright posture and was full of vigor. Even from a distance one could feel his joyful mood.

"Hello, distinguished president, professors, and students. I am Yan Wenqiang, a student enrolled in the Department of Physics. I am honored to be standing here today. After ten years, I have the opportunity to attend university again..."

Zhong Yuxiu rubbed her ears while listening to it. This speech was just boasting and hope for the future, and then encouraged her fellow students not to let down the opportunity they had waited so hard for; to study hard now, and to work hard to become a person who contributes to the country and the people in the future, etc.

When Xu Hongqi heard the passionate part, he took Zhong Yuxiu's hand and said, "That's so well said! Now that we are stepping back into university, what we should cherish most is what we have now. Entering university is the first step, and we still have a long way to go. This road is our long-term goal."