The party was short, starting at 7:30 and ending at 9:00. The students, who hadn't experienced the arts in a long time, were full of praise for the evening's performance. Although Shen Xuyue had deliberately arranged for several male students to entertain them without prior notice, which was slightly awkward, the flaws didn't outweigh the merits. Considering the wonderful performance, the girls unanimously forgave Shen Xuyue.
Of Shen Xuyue's six classmates in his dormitory, one is married, and five are unmarried, two of whom have partners, leaving three single. Zhao Mingyue's classmates also happen to have three unmarried classmates. Matching them based on the number of people would seem like a perfect match, but in this world, such things can't be handled with simple pairings. It's not a matter of a man and a woman automatically being a couple; they have to be attracted to each other.
Shen Xuyue and his classmates saw Zhao Mingyue and her group off to the bus stop. Shen Xuyue said, "I'll pick you up tomorrow morning, let's go to the bookstore. Don't eat breakfast, wait for me to eat together."
Zhao Mingyue shook her head with some difficulty: "No, we can't meet tomorrow. Our class is organizing a trip to visit the Forbidden City and the National Palace Museum; it's a class activity."
Shen Xuyue scratched his head: "Didn't we just go see it a few days ago?"
"I know, but it's the first activity for our class, it wouldn't be right not to go. Let's see each other next week, I'll write to you," Zhao Mingyue comforted Shen Xuyue.
Shen Xuyue could only say, "Alright then, have fun."
The girls were walking together, but Shen Xuyue's classmates didn't dare approach, only following behind. They probably didn't manage to talk to any of them all night, too busy being awkward to do anything. Zhao Mingyue glanced at the boys and lowered her voice, asking, "You deliberately introduced my classmate to your classmate, didn't you?"
Shen Xuyue smiled somewhat awkwardly: "It was my classmates who asked for it, cough, but it seems they didn't seize the opportunity."
Zhao Mingyue said, "In our dormitory, only the second, fourth, and fifth sisters are single. The eldest sister is married, and the third sister also has a boyfriend."
Shen Xuyue said, "That's perfect. In our dorm, only the fourth, fifth, and sixth oldest guys are single. Let's see how things go. I'm just someone who's been led in, but the rest is up to them."
They talked all the way to the station, and just then a bus came by. Zhao Mingyue's classmates quickly ran to catch the bus. Shen Xuyue said to Zhao Mingyue, "Mingyue, get on the bus, be careful on the road."
Zhao Mingyue lagged behind. She ran a few steps to the car door, then turned back and waved to Shen Xuyue: "Go back now, goodbye!"
Shen Xuyue waved and watched her get into the car last. The car door closed, taking his worries with it.
Buses were incredibly crowded back then because private cars were rare, and bicycles weren't as ubiquitous as they were in the 1980s. People had to take the bus for everything. Luckily, there weren't many entertainment venues at night, so fewer people went out, and the bus wasn't crowded. Zhao Mingyue was the last one to board, and luckily, there was still one seat left. The sisters squeezed into the last row of the bus, chattering excitedly about tonight's party.
Li Chunmei suddenly changed the subject: "Youngest brother, what did Shen Xuyue mean tonight by entrusting us all to his classmate's care?"
Zhao Mingyue pretended to be clueless and said, "I don't know either. He didn't tell me about this beforehand. I guess he just wanted them to watch the show with us."
Tang Weihua said with a smile, "I don't think it's that simple. It's more like matchmaking."
Zhao Mingyue said with a smile, "He probably wanted to introduce everyone to each other; it's always good to make more friends."
Gao Dongfang covered his mouth and chuckled: "I think all the guys who study science and engineering are so dull. His classmates didn't say more than ten words tonight. They're so boring."
Li Chunmei spoke fairly: "Not everyone is like that. Maybe they're not familiar with each other, or maybe they're all very reserved. Look at our youngest son's family."
Zhao Mingyue said, "Yes, you really can't tell anything from the first meeting. You'll know after spending more time together."
Qian Sisheng laughed and said, "It seems you want us to meet a few more times."
"It's all based on the principle of mutual consent. If you want to go, you can go; if you don't want to go, we won't force you," Zhao Mingyue said with a smile.
Gao Dongfang said, "I'd like to go see her again, but it's dark tonight and I couldn't see anything clearly. If I could meet someone as sensible as Comrade Xiao Shen, wouldn't we have another person to exchange letters with?" This was clearly a joke at Zhao Mingyue's expense.
The eldest sister, Tang Weihua, said, "Actually, I think men who study science and engineering are pretty good too. These days, there's a saying that 'If you study math, physics, and chemistry well, you can go anywhere in the world without fear.' With technical skills, you'll never have to worry about making a living. Moreover, men who work in technology are down-to-earth, honest, and kind to people. They might just not be as good at expressing themselves verbally."
Zhao Mingyue gave a thumbs up: "Big sister is right."
Several people then pinched and squeezed Zhao Mingyue, teasing her in unison: "Is this a way of praising your man?"
On Wednesday, letters finally arrived from home. Zhao Mingyue received two letters at once, one from her father and the other from Yu Youqing.
Her father's letter was filled with heartfelt advice and comforting words, informing her that Wang Zhaodi had agreed to let Zhao Mingxiu go to school. Zhao Mingyue felt greatly relieved after reading it. After reading the letter from home, she opened Yu Youqing's letter. Yu Youqing first expressed his immense gratitude, saying that he was currently working hard to improve his English so that it wouldn't interfere with his college entrance exam. The entire letter was about his studies, his life, and things at Moon Bay, and it was four pages long, showing how much care he had put into it.
Zhao Mingyue wrote letters back to her family one by one, asking them to send her her third brother's address with the next letter. She also included two pages of a letter to Mingxiu in her letters, encouraging her to study hard.
After dinner, Zhao Mingyue went to the mailbox at the school gate to mail a letter. Just as she put the envelope into the mailbox, she heard the urgent ringing of a bicycle bell. Zhao Mingyue turned her head and her face bloomed like a flower: "Why are you here?"
Shen Xuyue, perched on his bike with one foot on the ground, said, "I just wanted to come see you. What are your plans for tonight?"
Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "I have no other plans. I'm going to the library to read."
“Then I’ll go too, and we can study together,” Shen Xuyue said.
Zhao Mingyue smiled and said, "Okay."
Shen Xuyue shook his head: "Come on up."
Zhao Mingyue jumped onto the back seat of the car, and Shen Xuyue whistled as he drove into the school: "Do we still need to go back to the dormitory to get our backpacks?"
"No need, I've already carried it." Zhao Mingyue nestled against Shen Xuyue's broad back, her joy almost overflowing. She hadn't expected him to come before the weekend. "I received your letter, but I haven't written a reply yet. I received a letter from home today, so I replied first and will write to you tomorrow."
"Yes. Is everything alright at home?"
"That's great. Mingxiu has gone to school too, and I'm so happy for her." This really made her happy all day. Mingxiu is going to school now, and her future will be different.
"Really? That's great." Zhao Mingxiu was their little matchmaker, and he was happy for her if she could have a good future. "By the way, Mingyue, you should be free this weekend, right? My roommates asked me to pass on their invitation to go boating at Beihai Park."
Zhao Mingyue asked, "Has the ice in Beihai Park melted? Is it safe to go boating at this time of year?"
"It's already March, everything has melted. As long as the boat doesn't capsize, it's still quite safe."
Zhao Mingyue asked with a smile, "Which of our classmates have you taken a fancy to?"
"I don't know them either. I asked around and they said they couldn't see what they looked like because it was too dark, so they said they were going boating to learn more about them."
Zhao Mingyue said, "Then I'll go back and tell them, but by then everyone might not be here yet, so I'll have to tell you the answer tomorrow."
"Okay, I'll come over again tomorrow night to study with you." Shen Xuyue readily agreed.
It feels so good to study together. When you look up, the other person is right in front of you. You can see their smile, hear their breathing, and even smell their scent. When you lift your leg, you touch each other. You stretch your legs out and gently touch them together. The warmth of your bodies is transmitted from that small point of contact, giving you a secret joy from body to soul.
A blush slowly crept onto Zhao Mingyue's face; that gentle touch made her feel safe and happy. Shen Xuyue clearly felt the same way, and the two remained in that position, reluctant to move away. They continued to touch gently like that, and after the initial blush and restlessness subsided, they both enjoyed this little bit of warmth and peace, then buried themselves in their books and did their own things.
In this sweet and cozy atmosphere, time flew by, and efficiency seemed to be incredibly high. As class was about to end, Shen Xuyue glanced at his watch, nudged Zhao Mingyue's ankle with his foot, and Zhao Mingyue looked up. He pointed to his watch, and the two packed their things and left the library one after the other. Shen Xuyue said, "Let me walk you back to your dorm."
Zhao Mingyue shook her head: "I'll take you to the school gate."
“There aren’t any streetlights, it’s too dark. I’m worried about you going there. Come on, I’ll take you back. I’ll come back tomorrow.” Without waiting for a reply, Shen Xuyue pushed his bike toward the girls’ dormitory.
Zhao Mingyue was overjoyed at the thought of seeing him again tomorrow, so she agreed.
After saying goodbye to Shen Xuyue, Zhao Mingyue returned to her dormitory. Her roommates had already returned as well, and they all surrounded her with smiles, saying, "Little Zhao (the youngest), you have someone to keep you company today."
Zhao Mingyue smiled happily: "You all saw it."
“Sitting right by the door, how could I not see you? Face to face, that’s quite intimate.” Li Chunmei smiled very ambiguously.
Zhao Mingyue straightened her expression and said, "I have something to discuss with everyone. Is everyone here?"
"Everyone's here. So, what's up?"
Zhao Mingyue cleared her throat: "It's like this, Shen Xuyue was asked by his roommate to invite us all to go boating at Beihai Park on Sunday."
Everyone was silent for three seconds before Li Chunmei spoke first: "Wow, there really is a follow-up! Are you guys going?" She was just there for the fun of it all. Of course, the invitation was for single people, and she and Tang Weihua were just there to add to the fun.
Qian Sisheng said, "I don't care." Last time she had roughly looked around, and apart from Shen Xuyue himself, none of Shen Xuyue's classmates were taller than 1.8 meters, so they were not among her criteria for a partner.
Gao Dongfang said, "Then let's go."
Zhao Mingyue looked at Mao Jianlan, who was reading a book, and asked, "Where's Jianlan?"
Mao Jianlan said, "Let's go." Although Mao Jianlan didn't like to join in the fun, she generally wouldn't spoil other people's enjoyment.
Zhao Mingyue laughed: "Then it's settled. I'll tell him tomorrow."
"Looks like we'll be seeing each other again tomorrow, how wonderful," Li Chunmei teased her.
Zhao Mingyue said, "Third sister, you should urge your brother-in-law to take the exam in Beijing as soon as possible, so you'll have company."
So that weekend, they went to Beihai Park. The lake had thawed, its surface a clear, jade-like blue, with weeping willows swaying along the shore and the white pagoda reflected in the center of the lake. The only thing missing was some green leaves and red flowers. They rented two rowboats, and the twelve people split into two groups: one for singles and one for couples—a perfect arrangement.
Zhao Mingyue naturally shared a boat with Shen Xuyue. Shen Xuyue used to be a regular at Beihai Park, so there was no need to worry about no one knowing how to row. With Qian Sisheng, a local, leading the boat, there was no concern about the boat not being able to move.
The boat slowly entered the lake. At first, the lake was calm, and the weeping willows and white pagoda were reflected in its surface, creating a beautiful scene. Zhao Mingyue couldn't help but sing: "Let's row our oars, the little boat pushes through the waves, the beautiful white pagoda is reflected in the water..."
As soon as she started singing, everyone joined in. The song was so fitting for the occasion. Qian Sisheng chuckled on another boat: "We sang this song every year on our spring outings when we were in elementary school. I never thought I'd hear it again in college."
Shen Xuyue also said, "Mingyue's singing just now reminded me of my school days. I never thought I would have the opportunity to come back to school and even go boating on the lake with my classmates. It's truly a blessing in my life."
With everyone working together effectively, they slowly rowed the boat to the center of the lake. It turned out that Beihai was quite large; it didn't seem so from the shore, but once in the middle, it felt like their boat was just a reed adrift on the vast ocean. Zhao Mingyue reached out to touch the lake water; the freshly thawed water was icy cold, and falling in would be disastrous.
There weren't many people boating on the lake. Besides their two boats, there were four or five other boats. Perhaps it wasn't the best season for boating, hence the low number of visitors. After a while, a breeze picked up. A boy on another boat recited aloud, "A sudden gust of wind ripples the spring water." The poem was quite fitting. Shen Xuyue exclaimed, "What a wonderful poem!"
The wind gradually picked up. Just moments ago it was a gentle breeze, only rippling the surface of the lake, but now it was creating waves, and the boats began to rock violently. Zhao Mingyue, who grew up in a water town, wasn't bothered by these things, but her older sister Tang Weihua and Shen Xuyue, a classmate from Gansu, both said, "I feel dizzy, I feel a little nauseous."
Zhao Mingyue said, "Then let's row to the shore. The water is too rough. My older sister is seasick."
Shen Xuyue said, "Okay, let's row towards the shore and go to the island over there."
Zhao Mingyue called to the other boat: "Second Sister, the wind is too strong, we need to dock and go to the island to see the White Pagoda. What about you?"
The people on the other boat said, "Let's dock and go to the island to play."
So everyone quickly rowed the boat toward the shore, when suddenly they heard a splash in the middle of the lake, and someone cried out, "Help! Someone has fallen into the water!"
Zhao Mingyue turned her head and saw that a boat very close to them had capsized for some reason. There were three or four tourists on board, including two children, and they had all fallen into the water. It seemed that the group of people could not swim. There was only one life ring on the boat, which was tied to the side of the boat and could not be taken off immediately.
Upon seeing this, Shen Xuyue quickly stood up, ripped open the buttons on his cotton-padded coat, and kicked off his shoes: "I'm going to save people."
As Zhao Mingyue unbuttoned her cotton coat, she said, "Big sister, take off the lifebuoy from the boat. Throw it to me when I need it, and I'll go rescue people too."
Tang Weihua was startled: "Xiao Zhao, don't do anything reckless! Can't you swim?"
"I will, don't worry!" In front of several boys, Zhao Mingyue took off her outer clothes, pants, and shoes. These things would be a burden in the water. She roughly moved her limbs, then jumped in, following closely behind Shen Xuyue into the water.
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