Military off-road vehicles carried students from the Federation to the airport at high speed over a short distance. The students sat in the vehicles, gazing blankly at the scenery, frequently turning back to look at that place they longed for but could never return to.
Although this place is just an insignificant stop on the long road of life, it holds unforgettable memories for the young people. When they return home and find that war has broken out, they may remember that they were once part of this place. It's just that... they didn't manage to stay. When they are seventy or eighty years old, sitting in rocking chairs, and recalling their brief time of struggle, the longing in their hearts goes without saying.
They were eliminated, packed their meager belongings, and left the Federation immediately, their names crossed off the list. For every success, there is a failure; no matter how much regret one feels, there's nothing one can do—that's life, I suppose. Disappointment exists at every stage of the journey.
Of the original thousand-plus personnel, only about seventy remained, becoming members of the first combat readiness group. These individuals would not be eliminated, and even if they did not become pilots of the battle maidens, they could still handle other tasks within the Federation's frontline command and control center.
The dormitories where the students used to live were now empty rooms. Xiao Rou was exhausted after the assessment and collapsed on the grass. When she woke up, it was already very late; she had slept for seven or eight hours. The first thing she saw when she woke up was a warm meal on the table, which Ke Bing must have brought for her. She opened the door and found the dormitory incredibly empty, without a single person in sight, and eerily quiet.
Only then did she recall the terrifying events of the day. Countless people had already left this place, which was why the dormitory had such a terrifying atmosphere where you could hear a pin drop.
She decided to go outside and casually threw on a coat, then combed her messy hair. Actually, she looked pretty bad. She had cried so much during the assessment that her makeup was all messed up, and when she looked in the mirror, she saw her crooked eyeliner and uneven foundation.
Forget it, nobody will see it tonight anyway.
With this thought in mind, Zhao Xuerou came outside and sat on a bench in the open space on the other side of the dormitory. Behind this place were the apple and rose trees that she and Ke Bing had planted, and in front were the dormitories of the researchers.
Countless students walk this road in the morning on their way to driving lessons, much like the tree-lined avenue of Lanjing Institute of Technology.
A gentle evening breeze was blowing. She was squatting on the bench, hugging her knees, humming a song that sounded like the charming woman of the artist Alan. Xiao Rou really liked this posture—no, I mean sitting posture—it gave people a sense of security, like a bear being wrapped up in a blanket.
I remember when she turned eighteen, her birthday wish was rather naive back then... What was her birthday wish? She hoped that one day she could be with the person she loved, taking a walk together in the evening, just sitting on a bench. At that time, she could take off her high heels, wear bear socks, put her legs on her boyfriend's lap, and be a carefree, adorable girl.
She looked around listlessly. It was getting late. There were no classes today, and the students would be dismissed in about ten minutes. Xiao Bing and Xiao Li would be back soon.
It was peaceful at that moment, and she was enjoying it.
No longer needing to worry about Gu Ling's exams, she could finally relax completely. At least she could stay here, and even if she failed future assessments, she wouldn't be kicked out. She was truly happy because she hadn't accomplished anything significant, nor could she, like others, talk grandly about her lofty ideals. Even Ke Bing, that woman, had things she wanted to do, knew how to spend her short life, and enjoyed it. Meanwhile, she was about to graduate from university and hadn't even considered what kind of job she would get. She'd probably have to rely on her mother's connections to find a job in a public institution, feeding lab rats every day, earning a meager salary, and spending her days thinking about what to eat and how to dress up.
Zhao Xuerou was amazed by her own growth; she found it incredible, and at the same time, a sense of satisfaction was almost overflowing within her.
This kind of joy cannot be compared to wearing any beautiful clothes.
In fact, whether it's getting into university through hard work, pursuing a master's degree, investing all your savings in a small shop and watching it thrive, or writing novels, seeing the long road ahead but having walked it all, that feeling is truly wonderful.
Giving up and lying low is one way of life, and striving to reach a higher stage is another.
If every visionary young person in the world could stand on the stage, then China would surely be a splendid land.
With her hands in her pockets, she hummed an entire song by artist Alan Tam, feeling an unprecedented sense of relaxation.
It was nearly nine o'clock when the soothing music started playing from the loudspeaker. Xiaorou's gaze drifted towards the road. Soon, small groups of people emerged from the slightly dark corner, a stark contrast to the large crowds of federal students leaving class earlier; now, the number of people was pitifully small.
She first spotted Adela's figure; this girl, over 1.8 meters tall, was so conspicuous in the crowd that it was impossible not to notice her. Her former enemy, Xiaorou awkwardly turned her head away, pursing her lips. After Adela's figure passed, she carefully scanned the passing classmates in the dim light, trying to find her roommate. She felt a strange mix of emotions, like a resentful woman eagerly awaiting her husband's return. After searching for a while, she saw two figures turn the corner. The lights from the buildings above were too high and too far away, only allowing her to vaguely make out their front. Xiaorou's eyes lit up because she saw that one of the girls had an ambitious air about her; her tall, imposing figure was very attractive. The other girl beside her was terribly flat-chested. Xiaorou's face lit up with joy, and she waved from afar. Sure enough, the two girls walked towards the bench after seeing her.
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