Acknowledgments
The girl's skin was delicate, and her breasts, nestled beneath her fragrant hair, rose and fell slightly with her breath, like a silent seduction.
"Watch me solo kill this round!" Zhu Shiyi shouted, staring intently at the screen, without a second thought.
Distracted thoughts have become a sin. Pan Yue sighed silently, forcing himself to come back to his senses, and secretly watched Zhu Shiyi's actions with his three fingers.
--
The next day.
Zhu Shiyi was pulled up by Pan Yue on time to go to the hospital for X-rays and a doctor's appointment. After the doctor gave her the order for X-rays, she went to get them done and had to wait until the afternoon for the results. So she went to the supermarket to buy some groceries and went home to cook lunch for the two of them.
After finishing their meal, Pan Yue took the plates and went straight to wash the dishes. Zhu Shiyi was happy to be left alone; she really didn't want to wash the dishes. At home, unless she was trying to please her mother, it was never her turn to do so.
But then I thought, they still have many, many years to live together. Does that mean Pan Yue will cook and wash the dishes every single day?
...Actually, Zhu Shiyi hoped for this.
She doesn't want to do any housework at all.
But, is it really possible?
She turned around and leaned against the back of the single sofa, asking Pan Yue out of the blue, "Who will do the dishes in our family from now on?"
Pan Yue glanced casually to the side, gesturing to his foam-covered hand, and raised an eyebrow, a gesture that could be considered tacit agreement.
The answer to this question is self-evident.
But Zhu Shiyi still wanted to ask: "But what if you're too busy or too tired, who will wash you?"
Pan Yue actually thought about it seriously.
“Before, I lived alone and only had one or two bowls, so I didn’t need them.”
"Huh?" Zhu Shiyi was completely confused and didn't understand.
“Now,” he said, washing his hands, setting out the dishes, wiping his hands, and pulling out his phone to scroll through them, “it’s time to buy a dishwasher.”
......
I went to pick up the results in the afternoon. It was interspinous ligament inflammation, which can be understood as lumbar muscle strain. It's not as serious as a herniated disc. The doctor prescribed some ointment and advised me to adjust my lifestyle, exercise appropriately, and avoid sitting for long periods. If the pain is still severe, I will have to go to the inpatient department for a week of physiotherapy.
"Is there something wrong with your sleeping posture?" the doctor asked seriously.
Zhu Shiyi is indeed a restless sleeper: "Possibly."
"Many young people have back pain, so they like to sleep with one leg bent and the other straight, like climbing a mountain. How can they not have back pain?" The doctor turned to Pan Yue and instructed, "Young man, keep an eye on your girlfriend when she sleeps at night. Only by maintaining a good sleeping posture can you prevent potential problems, understand?"
Zhu Shiyi opened his mouth, feeling incredibly embarrassed, wishing he could disappear into a crack in the ground.
Pan Yue remained calm and offered no explanation: "I understand."
The doctor continued, "I recommend buying a back brace. Some girls have better flexibility in their lower back, but correspondingly, they lack support and are more prone to lower back muscle strain."
......
I'm home.
Zhu Shiyi was a little embarrassed and casually complained, "I have to take the postgraduate entrance exam, so it's impossible for me to sit for long periods of time."
Pan Yue took the lumbar support from the cabinet and stuffed it into Zhu Shiyi's schoolbag: "You'll start wearing it today."
She said she understood, and then Pan Yue said, "From now on, come to my place on Saturdays and we'll exercise together."
The pressure of preparing for postgraduate entrance exams is immense, making people more susceptible to illness. Everyone understands that moderate exercise can help improve physical health and relax the mind, but few can actually stick to it. Zhu Shiyi was eager for someone to lead her in exercising, so she readily agreed.
“I still have a lot of work to do this afternoon,” Pan Yue said, gathering the scattered books into his bag. “Shall I take you back to school?”
Zhu Shiyi immediately tensed up and seemed reluctant, as she had originally planned to return to school that evening: "Where are you going?"
"I'm not going anywhere, I'll just stay home. But I have a lot of things to do, so I might not be able to take care of you."
"It's alright!" Zhu Shiyi was happy again upon hearing this. "As long as I can take care of you, that's enough."
Pan Yue paused in his tidying up, but did not refuse.
--
Pan Yue wasn't making excuses; he was genuinely busy that afternoon, constantly reviewing documents and replying to messages. He spent most of the afternoon in his study, only taking a short break to cut some fruit for Zhu Shiyi and grab some desserts and drinks he'd bought from the supermarket the day before.
Pan Yue was happy to "serve" her, and Zhu Shiyi felt perfectly at ease. For the entire afternoon, she dragged a stool and sat opposite Pan Yue. Fortunately, Pan Yue's desk was large enough to accommodate her, so she monopolized Pan Yue's iPad and listened to the lectures for the whole afternoon.
She thought that without being in the library and with handsome men around to tempt her, her study efficiency would be low; however, Pan Yue was so serious about his work that he didn't say a word the whole time unless she got annoyed and tried to talk to him. The study atmosphere in this room was comparable to that of a library.
The sky was tinged with orange as dusk began to fall.
From sunrise to sunset, Pan Yue showed no sign of stopping. But Zhu Shiyi couldn't concentrate on her studies anymore. Instead of disturbing Pan Yue's work, she quietly played on her phone, and with nothing to do, she devoured the fruit platter at an alarming rate.
"Are you hungry?" Pan Yue's gaze fell on them without them noticing.
Zhu Shiyi nodded; he was indeed a little hungry.
Pan Yue pulled out a food delivery app and handed it to her, saying, "Take a look at what to eat." Then he went back to looking at his computer.
Zhu Shiyi browsed through the food delivery apps, but felt that none of them were quite right. She still preferred Pan Yue's cooking. Thinking of this, she couldn't help but feel a little soft-hearted.
Just then, Pan Yue's phone rang. Zhu Shiyi didn't think much of it and went over to hand it to him.
Pan Yue answered the phone, and she followed suit and sat in his lap.
Pan Yue instinctively put his arm around Zhu Shiyi, paused for a moment, his legs stiffened slightly, but he didn't push her away and continued talking about work.
But the girl in his arms was restless, touching his head one moment and his waist the next. He glanced at her secretly, and Zhu Shiyi paused, then gave a sly smile and hugged him tightly.
Pan Yue sighed silently and hurried on with his story. After hanging up, he gently pulled the girl by the back of her neck, making her look at him: "Have you had enough?"
Zhu Shiyi blinked her big eyes: "I wasn't making a fuss."
Pan Yue's eyes darkened: "Then sit on my lap." His voice also became deeper.
Zhu Shiyi cupped his face in her hands and said righteously, "I was just saying that you were missing something here!"
Pan Yue gave a short, hesitant sound, shifted slightly, and the chair turned slightly in response: "Something is missing."
Zhu Shiyi suddenly felt her cheek soften and gave it a light peck. She immediately turned around, like a mischievous kitten, tilting her head and winking at him: "It's not less now."
Pan Yue's mind went blank for a moment, then he suddenly laughed and bent down to kiss the kitten, but the kitten in his arms darted away.
......
With no takeout options in mind and no time to cook for Pan Yue, Zhu Shiyi decided to take matters into her own hands and become the chef.
She didn't tell Pan Yue that he was also busy in the study and didn't come out during the entire process of washing and cooking vegetables.
It wasn't until he started cooking that the aroma wafted into the study, prompting him to come out and take a look: "Why are you cooking?"
Zhu Shiyi said confidently, "Let me show you my cooking skills!"
Pan Yue raised his voice, and, intrigued, walked over to take a look, turning on the range hood as he did so.
Just as the oil was hot, Zhu Shiyi poured in the beaten eggs. The egg mixture sizzled and danced with the oil. She instinctively flinched, and Pan Yue, probably thinking she was scared, reached out to take the spatula from her: "I'll do it."
"No way!" Zhu Shiyi objected. "Who do you think you are?"
Pan Yue: ......
He compromised, took the apron from the side, and tied it on her from behind.
As Zhu Shiyi stirred the food, he boasted smugly, "I'm a master chef!"
Pan Yue didn't bother to argue: "Fine."
A chef who doesn't know how to turn on the range hood and forgets to wear an apron.
Zhu Shiyi couldn't resist the praise and his desire to perform kicked in: "Let me show you how to flip a wok!"
She grabbed the handle with one hand, but the pot was too heavy, and she could only barely lift it, feeling a little embarrassed. Undeterred, she grabbed the handle with her other hand, her hair all disheveled, and managed to give it a wobble.
But this pen has to keep up the act: "Impressive, right!"
Pan Yue hummed in agreement, reached out to help her lift her hair, gathered it behind her neck, and praised her without changing his expression: "Amazing."
Zhu Shiyi glanced to the side. She thought that if this were a chat online, Pan Yue would definitely send an old man's thumbs-up emoji.
She continued to stir-fry diligently, even humming a couple of lines of a song.
Pan Yue's eyes softened, as if all the fatigue of the afternoon had vanished. His hand, which was gripping her hair, loosened involuntarily. He gazed silently at the girl, a few stray hairs floating on her face, making her appear serene and gentle.
Adults lead busy lives, carry heavy burdens, and bear great responsibilities. He never imagined that one day, the girl he admired would be in the kitchen, tying up her hair and cooking soup for him.
After sprinkling the salt, Zhu Shiyi picked up a piece with her chopsticks, blew on it, and held it to his lips for him to taste: "How is it?"
He looked at her, opened his mouth and ate it, saying bluntly, "Delicious."
Zhu Shiyi picked up another bite with her chopsticks, pursed her lips, and frowned slightly: "It seems to have no taste."
She asked him to add salt, and Pan Yue casually sprinkled some on. She tasted it again and said it was just right.
Dinner was very simple, as Zhu Shiyi only knew how to cook some vegetarian dishes. But isn't the life of an ordinary person just like this meal? Plain and uneventful, with the occasional touch of salt, pepper, star anise, sour, sweet, bitter, or spicy flavors, it's still quite flavorful.
The postgraduate entrance exam came to Zhu Shiyi amidst a life filled with occasional high mountains and ever-present streams.
Before the exam, her parents and friends were all very nervous for her, and they all called her on video to cheer her on. Yu Fan promised that after the exam, they would definitely have a big meal together.
Before the formal exam, Pan Yue didn't say much, but silently escorted Zhu Shiyi to the exam venue.
He carried the bag in one hand, silently checking her exam supplies, not disturbing her last-minute cramming. When it was almost time, he zipped up the bag and put it on Zhu Shiyi's back: "Go ahead."
Zhu Shiyi moved the book aside, slipped her arm under the bag, and asked, "Don't you have anything to say to me?"
The words that needed to be said have already been conveyed through the various flavors of life—sweet, sour, bitter, spicy, and salty—transformed into silent comfort, expressing everything.
In the cold December, there was no snow, only the wind, gently carrying the fragrance of red plum blossoms.
"Don't take off your coat," Pan Yue reached out and helped her straighten her scarf. "I'll wait for you outside. What do you want to eat tonight?"
Zhu Shiyi smiled knowingly. A thousand words are not as good as silence; all the unspoken thoughts were hidden in tonight's dinner.
"White radish and chicken soup, sweet and sour pork ribs, and vegetables—you can choose whatever you like." She shook her backpack strap and turned to walk towards the light ahead.
With a healthy body, unyielding spirit, firm ideals, and daily hard work, we have finally begun to build a new chapter today.
He passed the first test smoothly. The second test was full of great talents. Zhu Shiyi was also quite good. Because of the previous re-examination work, he received a lot of extra points and ranked among the top three to pass.
The willows by the lake have sprouted new branches once again, and the cherry trees are in full bloom again. The undergraduate studies of senior students are coming to an end. Before they can even lament the passing of time, their graduation theses have already taken over.
"The more I write, the more I feel like I've meticulously crafted a pile of crap. What should I do?" In her small dormitory room, Ni Yuqi raised a big question.
Xu Mengyao: "I'll go with one."
"What are you going to do, take a bite?" Zhu Shiyi laughed. "It doesn't matter. You at least have the finesse, I'm just a Ctrl+C+Ctrl+V tailor."
"Who isn't?"
......
University life passes by much faster than any other stage of schooling; perhaps it's because joyful times are always too short, or perhaps the four years of growing up are even shorter than the three years of childhood. Whether we admit it or not, we have to turn this page in the book of life. This time has truly passed, but what awaits us is poetry and distant horizons.
In the graduation thesis, when you reach this point, the final acknowledgments should include thanks to your supervisor, parents, friends, and yourself.
After thinking about it, Zhu Shiyi wanted to thank one more person at the end.
Pan Yue.
With your support, I am determined to reach the summit, even if it means braving the snow.
On the day of the graduation photo shoot, which was a weekday, Pan Yue came to accompany Zhu Shiyi. The classmates around them stared in amazement. Who is this handsome guy? Is he from our Tourism College? I feel like I've never seen him before. But it's university, so it's normal not to have seen him before. Even classmates in the same major don't recognize everyone's faces.
Several girls with good memories and sharp eyes said, "Why does this guy look so familiar?"
"It seems so. Was it him giving the lecture at the academy before?"
"I remember now that you mention it."
"......"
Xu Mengyao and Ni Yuqi finally met Zhu Shiyi's legendary boyfriend and teased him freely:
"Shiyi, you're definitely the first person in our dorm to get married!"
"You'll have to ask us to be your bridesmaids!"
The afternoon sun was scorching, but it was softened by laughter. Amidst the clamor and merriment, a short, crisp sound pierced the air. Zhu Shiyi, standing in the middle and leaning against Pan Yue, gave a peace sign to the front. The small camera captured this moment, freezing the fleeting moment into eternity.
--
Beneath the starlit buildings, amidst the green tiles and blue bricks, the city of Jiangming is gradually entering autumn.
Zhu Shiyi's graduate school life has been going on for a full month. Master's life is not very similar to undergraduate life. Roommates have more boundaries, which also means that the relationship is more distant; there are many courses, and the intensity has increased; lectures come one after another, and everyone attends them not for credits, but because they really want to learn something.
In addition, she also had to help her mentor with various projects, most of which were her mentor's private work. Zhu Shiyi was lucky to have a normal mentor who provided her with the necessary support, but she also received a lot of scolding.
After being scolded, Zhu Shiyi returned to the dormitory and complained to her roommates. But life is tough, and they had to keep going.
"I'm not chatting anymore, I need to finish the orders I've taken on first." My roommate, Liao Yan, fiddled with her computer.
Zhu Shiyi asked casually, "Did you take on another part-time job?"
“Yeah, to earn some pocket money and gain experience along the way,” Liao Yan said without turning her head. “What career path do we music students have? With an art degree, there are no restrictions on civil service exams or government jobs. Shouldn’t we hurry up and prepare some works to enrich our resumes? None of Jiang Ming’s music companies have low requirements.”
Are you planning to work in Jiangming?
"Of course, most of our students will stay in Jiangming. Most art colleges are not top-tier universities, so their recognition outside the city is definitely not as high as it is locally. Besides, the resources and connections are wherever you study for your master's degree. Jiangming's music industry is also very developed, which is incomparable to my hometown. It's more worthwhile to stay here."
Liao Yan paused, as if realizing something, and turned around, her bright eyes filled with curiosity: "But Shi Yi, you're different. Yuecheng is doing well, so you should go home, right?"
A year later, when asked the same question again, Zhu Shiyi thought for a few more seconds, but remained resolute.
"I'm not going home."
"I want to go to Jinrong."
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