Encounter in Volume 7

Encounter in Volume 7

Fang Hui said, "As we grow up, we will always learn different lessons, walk different paths, and meet different people. We can't avoid the fate of going our separate ways."

(1)

Back in Beijing, it took me a while to adjust. Occasionally, when I was half asleep, I would still habitually look for Fang Hui's shadow. It wasn't until I compared my room with the cottage in Australia that I realized that she and I were now in two different hemispheres.

After resting at home for a few days, I immediately started making a resume and looking for a job. To be honest, my main purpose in going to Australia wasn't to pick up girls; it was to get a foreign degree and find a decent job when I got back. Unfortunately, I was born at the wrong time. When others went abroad to study, international students were highly sought after, but by the time I went, the reputation of international students had already plummeted. These "half-international students" are those who, after going abroad, only hang out with their fellow countrymen, basically cheat on exams, mostly sleep in class, buy things by gesturing, and find jobs by bluffing. It's because of these mediocre people mixed in with the international student population that our overall value has declined. So when I went to apply for jobs with my embroidered diploma, the HR staff no longer looked at me with reverence; instead, they were indifferent and asked disdainful questions, practically implying that my family had spent a fortune to buy this diploma.

I studied accounting in Australia, not because I had a particular passion for it, but simply because it's relatively easy to graduate from. My mother has worked in accounting her whole life and is very knowledgeable about it. Before I even looked for a job, she told me about the sensitivity of this profession, summarizing it as mentally taxing, thankless, and high-risk. Falsifying accounts is definitely not an option; one day you'll face the law. Honest accounting isn't good either; one day you'll face the boss's judgment. So it's best not to do accounting. I thought to myself, what should I do then? I've almost forgotten everything about my undergraduate degree in automation. My mother said we could take a roundabout approach, working in related industries, like banks, securities firms, consulting companies, or accounting firms—anything you're capable of, you can try. Aren't there many cases like this? Civil engineering graduates go into advertising, environmental engineering graduates go into real estate. There were too many people initially, so society is giving you another chance to find your future. Son, go submit your resume to the bank tomorrow!

Under my mother's guidance, I arranged an interview at a bank with a very impressive-sounding English abbreviation. In the conference room, we applicants were surrounded by their manager like lambs to the slaughter. The girl next to me was clearly nervous, constantly fiddling with her stockings under her business suit; I watched as a hole appeared in them.

"Please give a brief introduction of yourself, talk about your family background, your aspirations for the future, and why you chose our company. Let's start from the left."

The woman in stockings was startled. Her voice trembled slightly as she said, "H-Hello everyone, my name is Fu Yuying. I graduated from Sun Yat-sen University, ah... I graduated with a master's degree from Sun Yat-sen University... I have a father and mother, and... my grandmother... My father is the workshop director of the No. 2 Latex Factory, and my mother..."

I almost laughed when I heard this. This isn't a report on family background, why mention grandma? The child isn't very quick-witted. The examiner thought roughly the same thing. He interrupted Fu Yuying, and she then started reciting her prepared speech and materials. Although it was fluent, it was obviously memorized, because she habitually looked up at the sky while speaking.

The interviewer was clearly not interested in her, and after giving the timer, didn't ask any further questions. Next up was me. My slightly tight tie made my throat a little sore, so I cleared my throat and said, "Hello everyone, my name is Zhang Nan, and I'm a recent graduate from XX University in Australia. I'm applying here because your bank's reputation and culture are very appealing, and I hope that the advanced concepts I've learned can be applied in your company."

Although I said that, I was secretly thinking to myself, why did I come here to apply for a job? My mom knows your branch manager!

"What do you think you have strengths in? Or in which department would you like to leverage your strengths?" the person in charge asked after looking at my resume.

Department? I haven't really thought about that much. Anyway, according to my mom, as long as we don't keep accounts, it's fine.

"Hmm... I think I have good interpersonal skills and can work in the credit department. I also studied investment in graduate school, so I can work in the financial management department as well."

"Oh. Savings? We usually arrange for new employees to start in savings to get some experience, working directly at the counter facing customers. Can you accept that?" the manager asked, looking up.

Damn! Of course not! I came all the way back from Australia just to deposit and withdraw money for people? All that knowledge I've gained would be wasted!

“Of course…practicing at the counter is also necessary,” I said with a smile but a roar in my heart.

“I heard you mention the credit department. What resources do you have? Can you attract customers?” another manager said.

“I think I can pull it in through my own efforts…” I was interrupted before I could finish speaking.

"I'm not talking about yourself, but what resources do you have available? I see on your resume that your mother is a finance manager. Could she provide you with assistance with your savings?"

Holy crap! Am I looking for a job or is my mom looking for a job? This is so damn materialistic!

"She'll give me some support if I need it," I continued, smiling on the outside but roaring on the inside.

"Okay. Next." The person in charge ignored me and casually tossed my resume aside. It seemed my mother's connections weren't strong enough; they clearly hadn't taken me seriously enough. After hearing about the illustrious family backgrounds of the next few applicants, I realized even more clearly that this trip had been a waste of time.

As I left the small conference room, I immediately loosened my tie. Fu Yuying walked ahead of me, looking quite dejected. I glanced at the barely visible... well... hole in her stockings between her legs, and very gentlemanly, I patted her on the shoulder and said, "Um... your name is Fu Yuying, right? Your stockings... are torn."

Fu Yuying looked down, exclaimed softly, and said with a blush, "Thank you!"

"It's okay," I said, pressing the elevator button. "Everyone gets nervous sometimes."

"I was really nervous just now, it's definitely not going to work this time," she said dejectedly.

"It's not entirely a matter of nervousness. Look at those three people behind us. Their families are either managers or CEOs. They must all have connections. Whether we're nervous or not, we still have no chance," I said helplessly.

"Exactly! It's so unfair! I'm not even interested in these big banks anymore, I might as well apply to an accounting firm! I'll go this afternoon! It'll be tiring, but there aren't that many people who pull strings!" Fu Yuying said indignantly.

"Which firm are you going to?" I asked her, thinking that if it was good, I might submit an application too, since I had no idea what to expect.

“Yong’an. I have a senior classmate there, and she asked me to deliver her resume today,” Fu Yuying said.

Wing On is a very famous international firm, I knew about it back in Australia. With an opportunity now before me, I naturally couldn't let it slip by. Just then, the elevator arrived, and I quickly stepped forward to hold the door open, letting Fu Yuying in. She thanked me with a sweet smile, and I waved my hand, saying, "You're welcome! Taking care of a girl is what I should do!"

"Do you have any interviews this afternoon?" Fu Yuying asked.

"No. If I had a senior sister in Yong'an, I would definitely go too. It's a pity that my senior sisters are all over the world, and there's no one right now who can help me submit my resume!" I said, feigning sadness.

"Do you still have a resume? Should I take a copy for you?" Fu Yuying said, looking at me sympathetically.

"Really? Thank you so much! You're so kind-hearted; there are so few kind girls these days!" I said gratefully, handing over my resume.

Fu Yuying smiled and said, "It's nothing, it's just helping out with a resume. My senior said that the resumes there are like snowflakes, falling layer by layer every day, I just did it on a whim."

"Thank you so much! Give me your phone number! Let's keep in touch!" I said, pulling out my phone and looking at her expectantly as I escorted her to the door.

Fu Yuying happily rattled off a string of numbers, waving goodbye reluctantly before leaving. With her help, I finally felt a little sense of accomplishment. Although my job-hunting skills hadn't improved, my persuasiveness hadn't diminished.

Unexpectedly, this unintentional act landed me a job. I successfully passed several rounds of interviews at Yong'an and became an employee of this internationally renowned firm. However, I hesitated when signing the contract. The salary figure shown on the contract was only slightly more than fifty yuan higher than that of the undergraduates who came with me. No matter how I thought about it, I felt that my education was not worthwhile. But there was nothing I could do. China has a shortage of everything except people. If I didn't come here, there would be plenty of people waiting for me. Thinking of my fellow graduates still struggling around the world, I gritted my teeth and signed my name with a flourish. One person, one job; I'll take it first!

On my very first day, I met Fu Yuying. I wasn't happy to see her at all. I felt that this indirectly proved that I was on the same level as this girl who would scratch her socks when she got nervous, which annoyed me. She, however, was very happy. She came over to greet me and enthusiastically pointed out her desk to me, and then led me to our group's area with even more enthusiasm.

Upon arriving at our group's territory, I was met with intense stares from all the female colleagues, which instantly boosted my confidence. It seemed I did have some advantages, such as a handsome appearance, eloquent speech, humility, politeness, and knowing when to advance and retreat, among other things. Just as I was giving myself a high-spirited self-praise, Fu Yuying suddenly stopped and said to me plaintively, "Zhang Nan, I really want to switch places with you..."

I looked down at the still empty table and asked in confusion, "What's wrong? Is this a feng shui treasure spot?"

“It’s an excellent feng shui spot.” Fu Yuying nodded vigorously and said, “I dare say at least half the women on this floor would want to sit here.”

"Oh dear, this is strange! I just arrived today, why am I so popular? Why is that?" I said, turning around in my chair.

"because……"

She stopped talking abruptly, smiling broadly at me from the side. I turned around and saw a very handsome man, one might even call him a heartthrob, standing beside me. He placed his things on the desk next to me, and walked over with a beaming smile, saying, "Xiao Fu, you're here? This must be a new colleague!"

“Yes! He started working today, and I just brought him here! His name is Zhang Nan,” Fu Yuying introduced.

Logically, I should have stood up by now, but I didn't move. The man's name tag was waving vigorously in front of me, and the Chinese characters on it made me feel as if time had rewound to Australia two years ago.

The man extended his hand to me, who was sitting down. His handsome face came closer, and he said with a hint of displeasure, "Hello! My name is Chen Xun."

Looking at his palm, I thought, "Life is such a damn unreliable thing!"

(2)

After saying goodbye to Fang Hui, Chen Xun and I became colleagues.

Chen Xun, that's right, the Chen Xun from F High School who's good-looking, can play basketball, can sing, can make girls laugh, and can even take Fang Hui to Australia.

We sat at two desks in the same cubicle, practically bumping into each other all the time. And most of the intense stares I received on my first day were directed at Chen Xun. This made me feel incredibly frustrated, so I didn't like him at all from the start.

However, I gradually had more and more contact with Chen Xun. There was no way around it; we saw each other every day. We shared a pigeon coop at work, a room when we were on business trips, and even slept in the same bed when we worked overtime until the early hours of the morning. I was closer to him than to Fang Hui.

To be honest, Chen Xun was really good to me. He didn't distance himself from me because of my initial coldness, nor was he annoyed by my repeated inquiries into his private life. On the contrary, he provided me with a lot of help at work. My first time doing auditing was extremely tough. I couldn't adapt to the relentless, day-and-night work intensity. Looking at piles of numbers and accounts made me want to vomit, especially when I was doing inventory checks in the middle of the night—I felt like cursing. Chen Xun, however, had been at Yong'an for two years and was already very familiar with the process. Therefore, he always comforted me, saying that after finishing his own work, he would come over and help me organize the working papers. In our free time, we would also drink, eat, and chat together.

Well, to be honest, Chen Xun is actually a pretty comfortable person to be around. He's smart and capable, unpretentious, a true friend, not stingy, and doesn't brag. But I just can't bring myself to accept him from the bottom of my heart. To be honest, I feel sorry for Fang Hui. Just thinking about how Fang Hui went to a foreign country for him, sharing an apartment with a lesbian, scavenging furniture from the street, living in a leaky apartment with a terrible smell, being robbed and penniless but not returning home, working late into the night, enduring a fever with two Panadol pills, waking up crying from dreams about him, and being so heartbroken over anything even remotely related to him, and then looking at the spirited Chen Xun, I just can't be his carefree friend.

Chen Xun never mentioned Fang Hui to me; those two words never even left his mouth. I was resentful of his coldness, so I always tried to emulate him. For example, when we ate together, whenever we had dumplings or pies, I would order fennel filling, and I would always emphasize the word "fennel." But Chen Xun had no idea. Later, before I ordered, he would always insist, saying, "Fennel, fennel, Zhang Nan loves it!"

For example, sometimes I tease him, saying, "How many girls did you ruin in high school and college? Judging by your looks, it must have been a reinforced platoon!" And he always grins and says, "Why are you always asking about my background? Did I ruin one of your girlfriends? Did you eat your brother's leftovers? Tell me the names, and I'll tell you everything, A, B, C, D. I'll tell you the whole story honestly, I won't let you suffer in silence! We're like brothers! Women are like clothes!"

In short, I couldn't get anything out of him. He's quite similar to Fang Hui in this respect—both are tight-lipped and stubborn. Later, I gave up. I felt I was wasting my time. What was the point of me meddling in their complicated relationship?

But unconsciously, I still left a trace of it. Through Fang Hui's descriptions, I learned a lot about Chen Xun. When there was a basketball game, I immediately signed him up and bragged to the female colleague in charge of the event that he had once made it to the Nike Cup finals while sick, which confused him greatly. He said he hadn't mentioned it for years and wondered when he had told me. When we went out to buy water, I would definitely buy him iced tea without him asking, and when ordering food, I would always ask for spicy dishes for him. Chen Xun once told me that he felt I was like his wife from a past life, reincarnated as a man in this life, yet still remembering every little habit of his. I naturally refuted him, and a witty banter ensued about who was whose wife in the past life. But I felt a little sad. The person who remembered all his details wasn't someone from a past life, but Fang Hui, who was still alone in a foreign land, heartbroken and shedding tears for him in this life.

At my first annual dinner in Yong'an, Chen Xun performed on stage at my urging. Originally, Fu Yuying had asked me to put on a show, but Chen Xun happened to walk by. I quickly grabbed him and said to Fu Yuying, "With him here, how could it be my turn? He's performed on stage before, singing and playing guitar, a rising star in Beijing's rock scene back in the day. If Yong'an hadn't brought him here, who knows, he might be performing in some country in the world! Let him go, let him go! He'll definitely blow you away!"

"Really Chen Xun? How come I've never heard you mention him before?" Fu Yuying asked with great interest.

"Don't listen to his nonsense! No, Zhang Nan, how do you know everything? Did I tell you this when we were drunk last time? I remember you passed out before me! Did I say that much?" Chen Xun asked me, confused.

"That's not all! Let me tell you, don't mess with me! Otherwise, I'll expose all your past affairs!" I said with a laugh.

"What's wrong? What's wrong?" Fu Yuying asked, pulling on my arm.

"Nothing's wrong! He's framing me! You actually believed him!" Chen Xun pointed at me, laughing and scolding, "You'd be surprised if he could come up with anything!"

"Don't push me! I'm telling you!" I said, glaring at him.

"Tell me, tell me! Xiao Fu, let's hear a story!" Chen Xun pulled Fu Yuying to sit down beside him, looking at me provocatively.

"You were drunk and started singing like crazy, insisting you wrote it yourself and telling me to listen carefully. What was it called again? 'The Fleeting Years'!"

Chen Xun was drunk and naturally didn't say anything; I just made this up on the spot. But the man sitting opposite me clearly looked a little sad. This was the first time I had ever seen Chen Xun with such an expression, and I was slightly taken aback.

"Really? Chen Xun, you've even written your own songs?" Fu Yuying asked in surprise.

"Oh... that was something I wrote randomly when I was in high school..." Chen Xun stammered.

"You mean 'Fleet of Time'? Then I'll sign you up for that! I'll definitely listen carefully!" Fu Yuying smiled and walked away, then turned back to me and said, "Next time, tell me more of Chen Xun's secrets! They're really interesting!"

After Fu Yuying left, I went up to Chen Xun and said, "What's wrong with you? You look so serious! The whole company gets to hear you sing this time! Aren't you happy?"

"Did I really sing that song for you?" Chen Xun asked, frowning.

"Of course! How else would I know? Do you really think you're my wife from a past life?" I quickly tried to brush it off.

"Get lost!" Chen Xun pushed me away and said, "How long has it been since I sang this song? You always ask me about my past, so I only brought it up when I was drunk. I thought I'd forgotten everything!"

"Oh my, is this written for your old flame? Look at your expression!" I teased him.

To everyone's surprise, Chen Xun didn't retort this time. He paused, then smiled faintly and said, "I suppose so."

In the winter of 2006, I finally heard a live version of "Those Bygone Years." It was a very melodious piece with a unique youthful flavor. Chen Xun looked quite bewildered while playing the guitar, which caused a burst of screams from his colleagues below.

Fu Yuying, wearing a dark purple velvet dress, stood next to me, waving her cup in response to Chen Xun's singing.

I glanced at her and said, "Don't get so excited, or you'll tear your socks again!"

"You're so annoying!" she said, blushing and playfully hitting me. "I wasn't excited at all!"

"Not excited yet? You're practically ready to go up and present him with flowers! Do all you women like this kind of melancholy pretty boy?" I asked her from my seat.

“Great! You call Chen Xun a gigolo! I’ll tell him when he comes down!” Fu Yuying said, sitting down as well.

"Stop interrupting me. Do you like him? It's okay, just tell me, I won't tell anyone!" I said mysteriously as I leaned closer.

"Come on! I don't like him, I admire him!" Fu Yuying dodged me a good distance away and said, "But a boy like him is definitely attractive, but liking him would be too tiring. Being his girlfriend would be so insecure! I know my place, I wouldn't do something so foolish!"

"I didn't realize you were so insightful! What a pity! There are just some people who love doing such foolish things!" I sighed.

"Who is it? His girlfriend? Rumor has it he doesn't have a girlfriend right now!" Fu Yuying, ever the gossip queen, leaned over and asked me.

“I don’t know, you should ask him yourself!” I said, pointing to Chen Xun, who had finished singing and was walking this way.

Chen Xun came to my table, picked up my glass, and downed the wine in one gulp. I looked at him thoughtfully, his expression slightly sad. Fu Yuying rushed between us and said, "Chen Xun, Zhang Nan said you wrote this song for your girlfriend?"

"No way! This song was clearly written especially for you that day! Zhang Nan's rambling part gave me some inspiration. How about it, are you satisfied?" Chen Xun glared at me, then returned to his usual self.

"Get lost! I'm not staying here with you two anymore, you're so annoying!" Fu Yuying walked away, her face flushed.

I laughed and said to Chen Xun, "You're really something! Be careful Fu Yuying doesn't take it seriously!"

"You're serious, aren't you? Let me tell you, no office romances allowed!"

"Get lost! I'm telling you, this is how you hooked up with your girlfriend back then, isn't it?!"

"Hehe, it was quite a struggle for me to win her over back then!" Chen Xun said, squinting his eyes.

"Which 'her'?" I asked, raising my glass with a ulterior motive.

"The worst one!" Chen Xun and I clinked glasses, and then I downed another glass of wine.

That was the first time he mentioned Fang Hui to me. Although he didn't say the name, I knew he was talking about Fang Hui.

After the annual dinner, Chen Xun and I were sent to Northeast China. The end of the year is the busiest time in our industry, and I figured I wouldn't be home until the Spring Festival. Fortunately, this company was easier to audit; it wasn't as grueling as having tons of consolidated financial statements. Chen Xun and I had time to relax and enjoy the northern scenery—thousands of miles of ice and snow.

Since I studied ASCPA, which is quite different from the domestic CPA, I asked Chen Xun to get me an old auditing textbook from his school days. His version was obviously outdated, but I knew the latest standards and so on; I just skimmed the gist. To keep my job, I had to work extra hard in my spare time. Chen Xun even teased me about it, always urging me to go back to studying when we were out, while I always dragged him into being my "teacher."

Chen Xun was a sunny and cheerful boy. We were always very noisy when we were together. We talked a lot, but very little serious stuff. I never expected that he would later tell me about him and Fang Hui. It was all a coincidence, but as Marxist philosophy says, there is inevitability within coincidence.

That day, I was still reading his book "Auditing" when I suddenly saw two lines of small print on a page in the middle: "No regrets for where my dreams lead, only regret for how fleeting it all was." I was so familiar with that handwriting; it had appeared countless times in my little house in Australia, writing things like "There's food in the fridge, heat it up when you get back," or "I won't be back tonight, you eat first, don't wait for me."

Looking at Fang Hui's handwriting, then glancing up at Chen Xun lying on the bed watching TV, I felt a mix of emotions. I felt like the two of them were a pair of cursed souls, making me uneasy. I couldn't hold back any longer, so I jumped up, threw the book in front of Chen Xun, and said, "Now I've caught you red-handed! Confess, which girl wrote this for you back then, all those tears and wailing?"

Chen Xun took the book and looked at it. He paused for a moment, then slowly closed it and said, "It was written by my ex-girlfriend."

"You've had a lot of girlfriends before! Which ones?" I asked, sitting next to him and lighting a cigarette.

"To be honest, for a very long time, she was my only girlfriend," Chen Xun said, looking at me. "Really, you don't believe me? Give me one too."

I handed him a cigarette and said, "Don't you not smoke?"

"I quit. Back in my youth, I smoked way more heavily than you!" Chen Xun said, skillfully lighting a cigarette and exhaling a smoke ring.

"Wow, you've got a story to tell! Tell me about it!" I said with a smile.

"Shut up! Why are you being so nosy!" Chen Xun shoved me and said.

“I’m just drawing inspiration from real life. Who knows, I might write an autobiographical novel about you someday!” I said, pretending to be very serious.

"You? A writer whose MSN Spaces are filled with nothing but swear words and typos, not a single complete sentence?" Chen Xun said dismissively.

"Go to hell!" I laughed and hit him. "Are you going to tell me or not?"

"Okay! I'll tell you, I'll tell you," Chen Xun said, stepping aside. "I haven't really talked about this properly with anyone else before!"

So that very night, I gave up all of Zhongnanhai's .8 liters, while Chen Xun gave up all the stories from his fleeting youth...

(3)

Fang Hui and Chen Xun had an incident before they went to university.

That was to celebrate Chen Xun's birthday, on August 29, 2001. Things were initially chaotic, and Chen Xun didn't want to celebrate his birthday anymore, but Wu Tingting took the initiative to arrange it for him. She was still thinking about what Chen Xun had told her when he sang last time, and wanted to find an opportunity to talk to Fang Hui about it.

Wu Tingting stepped in to organize the event, and Chen Xun couldn't very well refuse. Sun Tao and Yang Qing were easy to talk to, and Tang Haibing didn't complain either. The main issue was that the last birthday celebration had been so dramatic that no one wanted to create an even bigger one. Fang Hui was the least willing to go, which displeased Chen Xun. He felt that everyone should compromise, and there was no need to be so competitive. Fang Hui didn't want to spoil his fun, so she reluctantly went, and her expression was far from pleasant throughout the journey.

The meal was fairly pleasant. Having aged a bit, Tang Haibing wasn't as stubborn anymore. He poured Fang Hui a drink, raised his glass, and said, "To be honest, I really didn't expect you two to stick together. Since you're truly sincere towards Chen Xun, I have nothing more to say! Don't take any past inappropriate actions to heart. I admit I've done things wrong. Haozi told me about what happened at the Temple of Earth, and I taught him a lesson. I really didn't expect that, and today I apologize to you on his behalf. I won't say anything more; just don't hurt Chen Xun anymore. I'll drink this; you can do as you please."

Tang Haibing finished his drink, while Fang Hui bowed slightly and took a couple of symbolic sips. Neither of them said anything more. They both understood that they might be able to let bygones be bygones over time, but pretending nothing had happened was simply impossible.

Chen Xun didn't understand this and thought they had really put aside their past grievances and were having a pleasant conversation. He would ask Tang Haibing to drink with him, then ask Fang Hui to pour wine, cut the cake and tie cherry knots. In the end, Wu Tingting couldn't stand it anymore and said that Fang Hui should accompany him to the toilet, so he pulled her out.

The two walked out of the private room, still speechless. Seeing Fang Hui's awkwardness, Wu Tingting smiled and said, "Fang Hui, do you think Chen Xun and I had something going on?"

"No...no," Fang Hui quickly raised her head and said.

"Hey, it's okay if I am. I'm not afraid to tell you the truth, my feelings for Chen Xun are different from my feelings for Hai Bing and Sun Tao. Chen Xun is a very charming boy, and being liked by him is a very satisfying thing. People are always a little vain, right? Who doesn't want to be pursued by a handsome guy! I was once attracted to him too, but at most it was just attraction, not love. Because my feelings for Bai Feng are even more different from my feelings for Chen Xun. Bai Feng, you know him, right?"

Fang Hui nodded hastily. She hadn't expected Wu Tingting to be so frank; she always struggled to handle other people's genuine expressions of emotion. Perhaps it was because she lacked intense emotions, which made her somewhat uneasy.

Wu Tingting smiled and waved her hands, saying, "I've liked Bai Feng for so many years, I can't even count them on two hands. Do you know what that feels like? You could say I spent the best years of my life on him. I changed myself for him, met his friends for him, took care of his grandfather for him, and remained single year after year for him. But let me tell you, I'm not even his girlfriend, and he's never made me wait for him. There's no particularly strong feeling between us, not even as strong as yours or Chen Xun's. But I'm willing. I've gotten used to it, and I always felt that one day he would come back and give me an explanation. Our feelings are so thin, but like a loose thread, they're tangled together, forming an unbreakable knot. So, Fang Hui, if Bai Feng doesn't come back, I can't possibly like anyone else."

As Fang Hui listened to her, she suddenly felt a pang of heartache. Looking at Wu Tingting's hands, she felt particularly distressed. At the time, she didn't know what a ten-year entanglement meant, but she understood that spending more than half of her life in such a situation must have been incredibly uncomfortable.

Fang Hui walked over, took Wu Tingting's hand, and said, "You will definitely be able to wait for Bai Feng!"

Wu Tingting wiped her eyes and pulled her back, saying, "I hope so, I hope you're right!"

(4)

Chen Xun and Fang Hui enrolled in school together again.

To be precise, Chen Xun and Lin Jiaming were together, while Fang Hui was with her parents. On registration day, W University was packed with people. Many children, like Fang Hui, registered alone, accompanied by their parents; some even had grandparents with them. There were only a little over two thousand new students, but with their parents, the number quickly exceeded ten thousand. Chen Xun never liked having his parents involved in these matters, and Lin Jiaming was also a relatively independent child. The two met at the medical examination form area and completed the procedures together.

Taking advantage of the opportunity to visit each other's dormitories on the first day, the two of them went to check out each other's rooms. When they arrived at Chen Xun's room 1507, there were already two people inside. The one with the buzz cut was making the bed, while the slightly chubby boy with the veil was urging his parents to go home.

"Okay, okay, I'll buy a 201 card and call you as soon as the call goes through! The thermos is under the window, they definitely won't kick it off. The medicine is in the left drawer, the paper, pen, and notebook are in the right drawer, and the lock combination is... oh, I can't say. Is that okay? You two should go home now!"

The chubby boy's parents agreed indulgently. The chubby boy nodded a little shyly to Chen Xun, who returned a smile.

The boy with the buzz cut waved and greeted him: "Hi! My name is Song Ning, this is Gao Keshang, are you Chen Xun or Wang Senzhao?"

"I am Chen Xun. How did you know my name?" Chen Xun asked, placing his bag on the desk.

“There are signs on the bed! You’ll sleep in my lower bunk.” Song Ning nodded to Lin Jiamo as she stepped down from the upper bunk and brushed past her.

"Dude, you don't get up at night, do you?" Chen Xun said with a smile.

"You're young, your kidneys are in great shape, it's nothing!" Song Ning gave Chen Xun a lewd nudge in the lower back. Chen Xun, being a natural friend, didn't hold back and joked with him.

After Gao Keshang saw his parents off, he came into the house and said, "I really can't stand myself, I'm so nagging! I told you I came to report for duty by myself, what's wrong with that? Hey! I just wouldn't let you! Chen Xun, I really envy you, you didn't have your mom with you, but you had your girlfriend to come with you!"

Chen Xun burst out laughing when he saw Lin Jiamo. Lin Jiamo blushed and said irritably, "What are you laughing at! I'm not his girlfriend. How could I possibly reach such a high branch!"

"Oh dear, it's because I'm not good enough for you! You never even gave me a chance!" Chen Xun said with a regretful expression.

"I'm giving you a chance now, do you dare to take it?" Lin Jiamo rolled her eyes at him and said.

“If he won’t go for it, I will! Can you give me your contact information? Name, dorm phone number, mobile phone number, etc.?” Song Ning leaned over and said.

"Sorry, I'm not cut out for such a high-tech thing as a cell phone! I don't know my landline number either, I'll have to wait until I get to my dorm to tell you. As for my name, you can ask him! If he remembers, he'll tell you; if he doesn't, then forget it!" Lin Jiamo slung her backpack over her shoulder and said, "Chen Xun, I'm going to see Fang Hui, you can stay here and unpack!"

"Okay! Tell her I'm not staying here tonight, and that she can text me if she needs anything," Chen Xun said, waving his Motorola T189.

"Why don't you just send her one now! They both have cell phones, why do you have to make me relay the message?" Lin Jiamo said, making a face.

"You're really impossible to deal with! Alright, alright! No need for you to bother!" Chen Xun said with a smirk.

After Lin Jiamo left, Song Ning asked with great interest, "Chen Xun, is that girl also from our school?"

"Yeah, what's up?" Chen Xun asked, sitting on his bed with his legs crossed.

"No, no, having more friends means having more options, I was just asking." Song Ning said, supporting Gao Keshang's suitcase. "Gao Shang, why did you bring so much stuff!"

"My grandma made me take care of her! She's even more annoying than my mom!" Gao Keshang said, frowning. "By the way, how many times have I corrected you? My name is Gao Keshang, not Gao Shang!"

"Calling you Gao Shang is so cool! It's like praising you the moment you call your name, and it's high praise at that. Plus, two characters are easier to pronounce than three, isn't that right, Chen Xun?" Song Ning still didn't change his way of addressing him.

“It’s easier to call him than Gao Keshang!” Chen Xun nodded and said.

Just then, another person entered through the door. This boy was different from Chen Xun and the others; his skin was a bit darker than the average person's. He was carrying large bags and small bags, and also a roll of luggage. He blinked his big eyes and looked at them, then asked somewhat awkwardly, "Is this 1507?"

“Yes, yes, yes! You’re Wang Senzhao, right? You sleep on the top bunk, above Gaoshang!” Song Ning pointed and said.

Wang Senzhao smiled sheepishly, thanked them, and went upstairs to make the bed himself. He worked quickly and efficiently, finishing the bed in no time. Song Ning watched from below and couldn't help but exclaim, "If I had known you were so capable, I would have waited for you to help! I struggled to do it myself just now!"

“Sure, if you’ve messed up something, I’ll fix it for you!” Wang Senzhao said as he climbed down the railing.

"It's okay, I've got everything ready," Song Ning waved her hand and said. "You're not from Beijing, are you? Where are you from?"

"Yantai, Shandong," Wang Senzhao said with a smile.

"The test scores in Shandong are really high!" Chen Xun said after sending a text message to Fang Hui, putting his phone in his pocket. "What score did you get here?"

“It’s not high either, I scored 625,” Wang Senzhao said.

"625 isn't high? That's enough to get into Tsinghua University in Beijing! Why did you apply to our school?" Song Ning exclaimed.

“Where we’re from, that’s about the best we can do. I’d be happy if I could get into Beijing, Tsinghua is out of the question!” Wang Senzhao pulled a few pears out of his bag and handed them over, saying, “These are famous pears from Yantai. Take a taste, they were washed on the train, they’re not dirty!”

Chen Xun and the others didn't stand on ceremony and ate the food. They chatted and laughed for a while, getting along very well. That evening, they arranged themselves in order of age: Wang Senzhao was the eldest, Song Ning was the second, Gao Keshang was the third, and Chen Xun was the youngest, ranking fourth.

In comparison, Fang Hui's dorm was much quieter. Xu Yanxin burst in and launched into a tirade against the dorm, criticizing everything from "the beds look flimsy," to "the closets aren't big enough for books," "the washroom is filthy," and "the toilet smells awful," concluding with, "This is no place for humans to live; we should just commute." The girls already in the dorm were completely taken aback by Xu Yanxin's words. Fang Hui, both angry and anxious, pleaded with her to come downstairs. When she returned, the remaining three girls were laughing and joking. Fang Hui's entrance silenced everyone; the atmosphere was incredibly awkward.

It wasn't until Lin Jiamo came to visit that they finally warmed up to each other. They introduced themselves: the girl sleeping in the lower bunk below Fang Hui was named Li Qi, and the other two were Xue Shan and Liu Yunwei. Being Beijing girls, they had a lot in common and were easy to talk to. They chatted about Xidan and Wangfujing, knowing exactly what to buy and what to eat. The conversation even veered into details like Lin Jiamo's junior high classmate being Li Qi's high school classmate, and eventually, Lin Jiamo seemed more like one of their dorm members.

Not long after the start of the semester, W University organized military training for its freshmen at the Daxing Military Training Base in Beijing. Before they left, the department head gave a speech, saying that military training was for exercise, not a field trip. No cell phones or anything like that were allowed. They had to bring their own blankets, packed them into a military backpack shape, and try not to bring pillows, just a pillowcase, and stuff clothes inside.

Fang Hui was very obedient, putting on her military uniform and cap properly. She didn't bring anything extra, not even a pack of biscuits. If Xu Yanxin hadn't insisted on stuffing them into her hands and threatening her about how terrible the food was and how many people would steal it, she wouldn't have even bothered to bring any money. It wasn't until just before boarding the bus that Fang Hui realized the others hadn't heeded the teacher's instructions and were just doing whatever was comfortable. Li Qi had brought her own large soft pillow, Xue Shan hadn't even worn the green marching shoes she was issued, but was wearing sneakers instead, and Liu Yunwei had simply hung her phone around her neck.

Fang Hui had little luggage and got into the car early. Through the window, she saw Chen Xun helping the accounting department girls load their cars. In just a few days, he seemed to have become familiar with everyone in the department. Teachers and students called his name, and he ran around in the crowd, occasionally stopping to talk to people Fang Hui didn't know. Fang Hui lowered her head somewhat forlornly. She didn't know when it started, but it seemed she always habitually watched Chen Xun from behind. Back in high school, she could catch up with him by walking a few steps, but in university, they no longer walked side by side.

(5)

For only children who are usually lazy and ignorant about farming, military training is a very tough thing.

We got up around 5 a.m., folded our blankets into neat squares, and were led to run eight or ten laps around the playground before having breakfast. It was supposedly a slightly better meal, but it was still just steamed buns, fermented bean curd, and pickled radish. We ate standing up. Each day, a student on duty would distribute the food to everyone's lunchbox beforehand, and then everyone would wash it together. Early autumn mornings were always a bit chilly. While rinsing under the tap, the water would slowly become warmer than our hands, showing how icy our hands were. After breakfast, we had to train. First, we'd stand at attention for half an hour, then stand at attention, at ease, squat, stand up, face right, march, goose-step, and run, all at a 1-2-1-2 frequency until noon. Before lunch, we'd line up and sing "Unity is Strength." If our voices were too soft, we'd have to sing it again until the instructors were satisfied before we could eat. Lunch was still not plentiful; the staple food was rice, and two stir-fried dishes, one meat and one vegetable. After lunch, there was an hour's rest period. Most people went back to their dorms, lay down, and took a nap or a short rest before reluctantly going downstairs for the afternoon assembly. The afternoon training was the same as the morning, only the sun was much more intense. Occasionally, students would faint while standing at attention, and the teachers and instructors would rush to carry them to the infirmary, while those around them looked on with envy, wishing they could faint too. Before dinner, there was singing, followed by a short rest. In the evening, the instructors and teachers would always gather for a lecture, and the mosquitoes of the garrison area would be nourished by the fresh blood. The sound of clapping was constant, but if you clapped too loudly, you'd inevitably be forced to stand at attention for another fifteen minutes.

The first two days were particularly tough. Liu Yunwei cried and called home every day from her dorm, saying she wanted to go home. Xue Shan drew lines on her bedside table with a ballpoint pen, updating everyone daily on how many days until their triumphant return. Li Qi, upon returning, immediately opened her luggage and shared food with everyone; she had barely eaten the army's rations, surviving entirely on these snacks. Fang Hui's legs were swollen from standing, but she felt the hardest part wasn't the training, but the lack of news of Chen Xun. Everything here was incredibly difficult. Every morning when she went for a run, she desperately searched for Chen Xun's shadow in the crowd, but through the thin mist, she couldn't see him clearly at all. Occasionally, a similar figure would flash before her eyes, but when she turned her head, he was gone.

It took them four or five days to gradually adapt and become more familiar with the instructors. The training became less rigid, and during breaks, the platoons even sang songs under the instructors' guidance. Fang Hui finally noticed Chen Xun, who was particularly active, always standing up to shout slogans. One moment he'd shout to the Fifth Company: "One, two, three, four, five, we've been waiting so long; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, we're so anxious; one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, are you even here?!" Then he'd shout to the Second Company: "Sing when we tell you to! Stop being so hesitant, what are you like? A little lamb!" Sometimes he'd shout to Fang Hui's company: "First Company girls, one of you! First Company, oh so good, one of you, oh so good..." The girls weren't to be outdone; several lively ones stood up and sang along with the boys. One of them had a loud voice that completely drowned out half of Chen Xun's.

Fang Hui stared at Chen Xun from afar, her head resting on her raised arm as she laughed, wondering if he could even see her when he was shouting so loudly in their direction. Li Qi, standing beside her, nudged her and said, "Who are you secretly looking at? You're practically beaming with joy!"

"No, it's really interesting to watch them sing," Fang Hui quickly turned her head and said.

"Come on, she's definitely watching that handsome guy from the Nine-Singing Contest! Right?" Xue Shan said mischievously.

"Which one? Is it the one standing at the very front?" Liu Yunwei chimed in, "I know him. My classmate is in the same class as him. His name is Chen Xun, and he's incredibly handsome!"

"You got the intelligence so quickly? You've got your eye on her, haven't you?" Li Qi said with a smile.

"What you're saying is so vulgar! Your thoughts are so complicated! There are so many ugly people in our school, can't I even look at some handsome guys to cleanse my eyes? Is that right, Fang Hui?" Liu Yunwei said, tilting her head up.

"Yeah, that's right..." Fang Hui replied awkwardly, and then stopped looking at Chen Xun.

Chen Xun and Song Ning were both eloquent and had long been on very good terms with the instructors. Chen Xun was appointed as the vice-class monitor of their class, and Song Ning followed him around a lot, but also slacked off quite a bit, often going to the instructors' place to play. "9/11" was the first newspaper they saw, and then it spread throughout the entire training base.

When we first heard the news, everyone was a little excited. To be honest, kids our age might not even like American imperialism. Our upbringing instilled in us a strong sense of patriotism and a certain aversion to countries that had oppressed China. But after watching the scenes, comparable to a Hollywood blockbuster, seeing people jumping desperately from skyscrapers, seeing once-landmark buildings reduced to ruins, seeing blood and tears, everyone felt a pang of sorrow. After all, most of those who died in this disaster were ordinary people; they could have lived out their lives peacefully, but their lives were cruelly extinguished. Life is precious, and no one has the right to arbitrarily decide the death of another.

After two days of lively discussion about 9/11 and Bin Laden, Chen Xun and Song Ning had some free time again. That afternoon, after training, they leisurely went to call home, only to find a line of nearly twenty people already waiting at the phone booth. Chen Xun yelled in frustration, "Damn it! I told you to hurry up, but you kept dawdling in the dorm! How long are we going to wait?!"

"You're one to talk! If you hadn't been helping the girls in our class get their lunchboxes in the cafeteria, we would definitely have been the first one there!" Song Ning said dejectedly, standing at the very back.

"That's because you were the one talking nonsense to people. The boss had six lunchboxes set out, and you hadn't even finished telling us how you got into our school!" Chen Xun rolled his eyes at him and said.

"Tch! Don't try to fool me. I'm telling you, I didn't put you in line. Don't try to cut in line! Move to the back!" At this moment, a few more people were standing behind Song Ning. He said to Chen Xun, who was standing outside the line, with a gloating look, "Why don't you say something nice and I'll reluctantly make room for you!"

"I'm not going to join in your teasing! I have a cell phone, so what if the call charges are a bit higher? At least I don't have to wait in long lines, and I can call whenever I want!" Chen Xun said, waving his phone in front of Song Ning.

"Hey, Fourth Brother! Why didn't you say so sooner!" Song Ning jumped out of the team and said in a sticky voice, "I was just teasing you. Let me borrow it for a bit. I need to let my mom know I'm safe. The call won't last more than a minute!"

"Come on! After you call your mom, you'll definitely call your grandpa, then your maternal grandparents, fourth uncle, second aunt, and who knows what other sisters or god-sisters you might have. My phone bill is less than a hundred yuan in total, and you'll use it all up by yourself! No way!" Chen Xun said with a smile, holding up his phone.

Song Ning laughed and scolded as she tried to snatch the phone. As the two were arguing, Chen Xun's hand, which was holding the phone, was suddenly grabbed by another person.

Chen Xun turned his head and saw a very pretty girl grabbing his sleeve with a troubled expression. Her face was a little red, her eyes were darting around nervously, and she opened her mouth and whispered, "Excuse me... could... could I borrow your phone for a moment? I... I have something urgent to do. Ah! It won't be long, just a little while!"

“Okay, go ahead and use it! No matter how long it takes, the important thing is to get things done!” Chen Xun handed her the phone without hesitation.

A look of joy flashed in the girl's eyes. She quickly dialed home, and shortly after, she carefully handed the phone back, saying, "Thank you so much! My classmate sent me some CDs from abroad, but I forgot to tell my family before I left. They might expire if I don't pick them up soon. The post office closes at 5:30, and I was about to miss my deadline. I'm so grateful for your phone! Oh, and here's some money for you!"

"No need for money! We're classmates, no need to be polite!" Chen Xun said with a smile, putting away his phone. "What CD? Why the rush?"

"It's Night Wish, one of my favorite bands." The girl's eyes crinkled when she smiled, like two crescent moons, very beautiful.

"Nightwish! I like it too. 'Sacrament of Wilderness' is a great song! I didn't know you liked rock!"

Chen Xun became excited upon hearing this, and the two chatted more and more, both showing great expertise in music. Song Ning, listening from the side, grew impatient and stretched out her arm to separate the two, saying, "Stop, stop, stop! Your profound insights into music are simply unbelievable to a layman like me. Can't you two find some time to talk privately? Chen Xun, can I borrow your phone for a moment? You agreed to her offer the moment she asked, so why can't I? You're prioritizing romance over friendship!"

Chen Xun nudged Song Ning hard, handed him the phone, and the girl smiled shyly and said, "I'm so sorry to bother you, please go ahead and do your thing!"

"No rush, no rush." ​​Song Ning took the phone with a beaming smile and asked, "What's your major? What's your name?"

"My name is Shen Xiaotang, and I study taxation. What are your names?" Shen Xiaotang asked.

“My name is Song Ning, and his name is Chen Xun. We are both studying to become CPAs!” Song Ning said, gesturing as he spoke.

"Chen Xun? Is that the Chen Xun who sang nine songs in a row?" Shen Xiaotang asked, staring at Chen Xun.

“It’s me…” Chen Xun stared at her too. “You wouldn’t happen to be that girl who led the Fifth Company, would you? The one who sang ‘One Two Three Four’?”

"It's me!" Shen Xiaotang nodded vigorously and said, "So we've been singing together all afternoon!"

"It's fate that brought us together from a thousand miles away!" Song Ning said with a sly smile. "You two are quite destined for each other!"

"Go away! Any good words you say sound distorted when they come out of your mouth!" Chen Xun glared at him and said.

Shen Xiaotang put her hands behind her back, looking back and saying shyly, "I'll talk to you later, my classmates are waiting for me. Come visit me sometime! Thanks for today, bye!"

"Bye-bye!" Song Ning said, waving her arm reluctantly.

Chen Xun grabbed him and said, "Stop posing! Now you're not in a hurry to call your mom anymore!"

"You can talk about your ideals with others, but I can't wave goodbye to someone?" Song Ning straightened his uniform and said, "You've developed feelings for someone, but I'm not much more noble than you, and I certainly can't become a god!"

"Who's been tempted? I just found her interesting and wanted to chat a bit more," Chen Xun said, shaking his head.

"Gao Shang is quite interesting, how come I didn't see you chat with him much? You won't admit it! But speaking of which, Shen Xiaotang is really good-looking! She's at least second in our school!" Song Ning said, slurring her words.

"Then who's number one?" Chen Xun asked, puzzled.

"That one!" Song Ning gestured with her lips and waved vigorously across the street, shouting, "Jia Mo, Lin Jia Mo! Over here!"

Chen Xun glanced at Song Ning and said, "You really are always looking at what's in your bowl while eyeing what's in the pot, never missing an opportunity!"

Lin Jiamo walked over, looked at them suspiciously, and said, "Have you been slacking off? Just loitering around here!"

"No, we just finished calling home and then we saw you. We're free right now, so let's chat for a bit," Song Ning said with a smile.

"You've come at the right time. Go upstairs and call Fang Hui down. She didn't bring her phone, and I haven't been able to contact her for days!" Chen Xun said.

"I knew it. You didn't have anything good to ask me for. You just want me to be your assistant again." Lin Jiamo crossed her arms and glanced at him.

"Alright!" Chen Xun laughed and nudged her back. "Hurry up and go, I'll buy you Japanese beans when I get back!"

(6)

When Lin Jiamo entered, Fang Hui was chatting with Li Qi and the others. Lin Jiamo stood at the door without moving forward, but waved and said, "Fang Hui, come out with me for a moment. Chen is looking for you downstairs!"

Her simple sentence silenced the entire dormitory. Li Qi and the others stared at Fang Hui in surprise. Fang Hui's face flushed red, and she whispered, "I...we used to go to the same school..."

Lin Jiamo roughly understood what she meant. Chen Xun was quite famous, and the girls were all talking about him. Fang Hui obviously hadn't explained her relationship with Chen Xun yet, which was why she was causing such a stir. She smiled, slipped inside, and pulled Fang Hui aside, saying, "You haven't told your roommates yet? Well, I'll tell them for you. She's Chen Xun's girlfriend. They've been together since high school, for two or three years now, right?"

Lin Jiamo's words elicited a collective gasp from the room, and everyone began bombarding her with questions. Fang Hui, unsure where to begin with so many questions, could only manage a stiff smile. Lin Jiamo promised her that they would interrogate her again that evening before finally leading her out.

Fang Hui walked down the stairs to catch her breath, then pulled Lin Jiamo aside and said, "Jiamo, you've really put me in a difficult position! This afternoon they were talking about Chen Xun to me, and I didn't say a word. Now look what's happened..."

“This isn’t high school! Why are you hiding it from them? They’ll find out sooner or later anyway! I thought you told them already! On our first day in the dorm, everyone was already talking about their past relationships.” Lin Jiamo said, shrugging.

Fang Hui frowned as she came downstairs, and Chen Xun greeted her with a smile, saying, "You're really something! It took you so long to come down!"

Fang Hui was much happier to see Chen Xun. She pulled him aside and said, "How come you're always disappearing like a ghost? I haven't seen you during training these past two days! I only knew you were here when it was time for the singing competition!"

“You can’t see him! He’s our squad leader, and he’s always slacking off during training!” Song Ning chimed in.

Fang Hui looked at him suspiciously, while Lin Jiamo said from the side, "You haven't met him yet, have you? His name is Song Ning, and he's in the same dorm as Chen Xun!"

Fang Hui nodded, and Chen Xun smiled and pulled her over to Song Ning, saying, "This is Fang Hui!"

"Oh! This is Fang Hui! I've always heard Chen Xun talk about you. We grew up together since we were little, haven't we?" Song Ning said with a sudden realization.

“No. The girl he grew up with is named Wu Tingting. I was his high school classmate,” Fang Hui replied coldly, turning around and walking away.

Chen Xun stomped hard on Song Ning's foot and whispered, "You son of a bitch, just ruin me!"

Chen Xun caught up with Fang Hui and said with a smile, "I'm just your high school classmate."

"You don't even count as a high school classmate? Can I say I'm an alumnus then?" Fang Hui said defiantly.

"Are you deliberately trying to provoke me? How come you're talking even more aggressively than Jia Mo?" Chen Xun said, pulling her aside.

"Who knows what you said about me? I'll choose the safest way to put it, so you won't lose face!" Fang Hui said, lowering her head.

Chen Xun smiled, put his hand on her shoulder, spun her around, and said to Song Ning, "Remember this! This is my girlfriend!"

"Received!" Song Ning said with a military salute.

Fang Hui smiled, and the two of them secretly held hands.

Chen Xun pulled two spent bullet casings from his pocket and handed them to Fang Hui, saying, "Here you go! I picked these up at the shooting range during the day; they're real bullets!"

Fang Hui took it and looked at it, but didn't see anything special about it. However, she was happy that Chen Xun was thinking of her, so she handed it back and said, "Since it's good, you can keep it. I don't play with these things!"

Lin Jiamo sidled up from behind and said, "Why are you sneaking around like this? What good stuff can't you let us see?"

"It's nothing, Chen Xun picked up the bullet casings." Fang Hui held out her hand to show her.

"What do you mean 'nothing'! I squatted down and picked for ages, and these two were the most intact," Chen Xun said, his eyes wide.

"Hey! I don't want yours! Look at how stingy you are!" Lin Jiamo said, throwing the spent cartridge into Chen Xun's arms.

“That’s right, I have some too. I’ll give them to you if you like!” Song Ning said with a smile.

"Seeing how eager you are, why don't you just let Jia Mo handle that matter for you too, instead of troubling Fang Hui!" Chen Xun said, pursing his lips.

"What is it now? I've noticed that you guys always have something on your mind when you call me! There's never a time when you don't have something on your mind!" Lin Jiamo stopped and said.

"Chen Xun, you should say it. I'm embarrassed," Song Ning said, turning her head away.

"It's rare to see you feeling embarrassed!" Chen Xun smiled and whispered in Fang Hui's ear, "Go to the convenience store later and buy us some sanitary napkins."

"Huh? You... what do you want that for..." Fang Hui asked, blushing.

"There's no other way. The soles are too thin. It hurts so much from marching every day. Aren't they all filled with cotton? Just use them as insoles," Chen Xun said, pointing to the green military shoes.

"Who came up with this terrible idea?" Lin Jiamo snorted.

"Gao Shang! Don't let his chubby, auspicious-looking face fool you; he's got a lot of wicked ideas inside! He even said daytime use is fine, preferably without wings, as nighttime use is too long..."

Before Song Ning could finish speaking, Lin Jiamo couldn't help but burst out laughing. Fang Hui blushed and hid behind Chen Xun, and the group of people laughed together.

When Fang Hui returned to her dormitory, she was naturally surrounded and asked about her relationship with Chen Xun. She had no choice but to bite the bullet and tell the story. Just then, Liu Yunwei suddenly ran in from outside. She leaned on the bed frame and said breathlessly, "Breaking news, breaking news!"

"What is it? Sit down and tell me slowly!" Xue Shan said, making room for her.

"Guess who I saw on the phone just now?" Liu Yunwei sat down and said mysteriously, "I saw Chen Xun chatting with a beautiful woman!"

As soon as she spoke, everyone looked at Fang Hui, whose face clearly darkened. Li Qi quickly stood up and helped Liu Yunwei up, saying, "Your news isn't as shocking as ours."

"You saw it too?" Liu Yunwei said, her face falling.

"No, but... Chen Xun's girlfriend is sitting right next to you right now!" Li Qi said, pointing to Fang Hui.

Liu Yunwei's mouth dropped open in surprise, and she exclaimed, "Really? You're not kidding, are you?!"

Fang Hui nodded awkwardly. She didn't ask Liu Yunwei who the so-called beauty was, and Liu Yunwei didn't dare to say it directly in front of Fang Hui either. The others were naturally too embarrassed to ask any further.

When Fang Hui returned from washing up that evening, she overheard her classmates whispering amongst themselves. Xue Shan asked if the girl was Lin Jiamo, but Liu Yunwei was certain it wasn't. She said the girl was even more delicate and beautiful than Lin Jiamo. Chen Xun had even given her his phone, and the two seemed to be getting along very well. Fang Hui stood outside for a while with her basin, then went back to the washroom. She turned on the tap and rinsed her hands until they were almost frozen. She felt a little better that way, much better than the dull ache in her chest.

In the following days, Chen Xun didn't contact Fang Hui again. He was assigned a new task: preparing the performance for the Ninth Company. He didn't choose any of those songs about "soldier brothers and sisters," but instead signed up for "Actually, I Don't Want to Leave." The song wasn't anything special, but the title was good, and the instructor was very satisfied. He arranged for it to be the closing song and repeatedly reminded them to sing it well. Therefore, he could be even lazier during the day, but he had to work extra hard at night because the other students had to do drills and military boxing training during the day, and only had time to sing together at night.

Shen Xiaotang was in charge of the performance for the Fifth Company, and their song was "Night at the Military Port." The rehearsal space was quite large, and all the companies practiced there in the evenings. Chen Xun and Shen Xiaotang often bumped into each other, exchanging nods. The boys, seeing the girls, tended to tease them, sometimes even starting to sing during breaks. That day, they were all a bit tired by the end, and when the boys ran out of lyrics, they chose Chen Xun as their representative to sing a solo. Led by Shen Xiaotang, the girls from the Fifth Company started clapping, and Chen Xun, without hesitation, stood up and sang "Cinderella." Shen Xiaotang readily obliged, snapping her fingers as accompaniment. The boys and girls followed along, and the unique melody, set against the vast military camp, created a distinctive atmosphere.

When he sang, "How could I have fallen for you? I ask myself. I can give up everything, yet today I find it hard to leave," Chen Xun looked up towards the company headquarters, searching for Fang Hui. But the company headquarters was too far away; he couldn't make out the shadows clearly. He turned his head and saw Shen Xiaotang, who was sitting on the ground, clapping along and softly humming along. Under the night sky, the two smiled at each other. Fang Hui, behind the layers of people, only saw the direction of Chen Xun's smile, and that wasn't where she was.

Chen Xun said he truly doesn't believe in love at first sight. No one can fall in love with someone at first glance; at most, they might find each other pleasing to the eye. But that first meeting might generate other things, such as a sense of resonance or intimacy. And these things can slowly change, and no one knows what they will eventually become.

(7)

Although military training was tiring, the toilets were dirty, and the food was terrible, many girls still shed tears when it was time to say goodbye. They left messages on their beds and asked the instructors to sign their military belts. Leaving the garrison area, watching their instructors, with whom they had spent several days, salute and see them off, no one felt at ease. Perhaps everything begins with pain, and then various emotions grow. In any case, Fang Hui and Chen Xun's university life only truly began when they left there.

However, their relationship didn't start well; they had a fight not long after returning to school.

After Fang Hui returned, she was very cold to Chen Xun. Chen Xun tried very hard to tell her interesting stories about the boys' dormitory, but she just responded with "uh-huh" and showed no interest at all.

Seeing her like this, Chen Xun also lost interest and sat down next to her in a huff, saying, "What's wrong with you? Why are you so listless?"

"No, it's just that I don't know any of those people you mentioned," Fang Hui said, lowering her head. It wasn't that she wasn't interested, but when she thought of the pretty girl Liu Yunwei had mentioned, she lost interest in everything.

"What do you mean you don't recognize me? You met Song Ning during military training, and didn't Boss and Gao Shang have dinner together a couple of days ago? Do you think all this stuff is boring? If you don't find it interesting, I won't tell you anything next time!"

"Then who are you going to tell this to?" Fang Hui asked him, turning her head to the side.

"I...I'll tell Jiamo!"

"Jiamo knew your dorm people before I did!"

"Wasn't it your parents who insisted on accompanying you to register? Girls were allowed into the boys' dormitory that day, but you couldn't come. Jia Mo came over to see you and got to know you. I just don't understand, you're so old, why can't you come by yourself? Your parents treat you like a primary school student, they have to call and report to you every day, why do they have so many fuss over you! You're such a pampered young lady!" Chen Xun said indignantly.

"You know my family situation! With two people watching me, I definitely can't play with you every day. If you're not satisfied, find someone who can keep you company!" Fang Hui was also a little angry. She could keep Chen Xun company, but they weren't in the same department and didn't have classes together. After class, Chen Xun would always hang out with his classmates at internet cafes playing Counter-Strike. Fang Hui didn't know how to play and didn't like sitting in the stuffy, smoky internet cafes. On weekends, Fang Jianzhou and Xu Yanxin would both fight to pick her up and wouldn't let her go out. They would even pick her up and drop her off when she went out. This kind of life was completely different from Chen Xun's free and easy lifestyle.

"You talk to me so sarcastically, who am I supposed to talk to? I can only chat with Jia Mo at most, and you still look unhappy!"

"How would I know who you went to see? Don't try to deny it. When have I ever been unhappy about you talking to Jia Mo? Besides, would you quit just because I'm unhappy? You know the answer in your heart!"

"What do I know? You mean Wu Tingting? Fine, then let me be clear: don't worry, I'm not looking for Wu Tingting. Bai Feng isn't guilty of murder, and he might be back any day. Tingting won't fight you for her!"

"So I snatched her away? Am I that despicable? You went to Grandpa Bai Feng's house with her that day, and I waited for your call until midnight, but you didn't even send a message. Did I say anything to you afterward? During military training, you could play around and chat with people whenever you wanted. In a total of more than ten days, you only contacted me twice. Did I say anything to you? Chen Xun, don't be so unreasonable!" Fang Hui stood up, staring at him and said in a trembling voice.

"Alright, alright, I won't say anymore!" Chen Xun saw that she was about to cry, so he stopped scolding her. He put his hand on Fang Hui's shoulder and said, "You don't have class tonight, right? Let's go to the cafeteria for dinner together, I'm hungry."

Fang Hui dodged his hand, sniffed, and walked forward without looking back. She felt particularly wronged, and a small bitterness seemed to freeze in her heart.

Chen Xun watched her retreating figure and sighed. Fang Hui was a meticulous person, while Chen Xun was naturally easygoing. In the closed environment of high school, Chen Xun could probably help her restrain their love, but in the free environment of university, Fang Hui's sensitivity bothered and troubled him.

As they grew older, they realized that being together wasn't just about pleasing to the eye and having fun; it required hard work and effort. However, neither of them was mature enough and understood love too little. Their tolerance and compromise didn't make their bond stronger; instead, they became an indescribable weariness.

Chen Xun turned his head to look at the path through the trees, but Fang Hui had already disappeared. Thinking that she might have cried again, Chen Xun still took out his phone and sent her a text message: "Don't be angry. I'm still waiting for you here. Come back and let's have dinner together."

Chen Xun waited for about twenty minutes, but Fang Hui didn't return, nor did he receive any text messages from her. Unable to contain himself, he called her, only to be met with a flat female voice telling him that the number he had dialed was switched off. Chen Xun sighed, stood up from the stone bench, and shoved his phone heavily back into his pocket.

For some reason, although there is no longer strict supervision from teachers and parents, and he has more time and freedom, and more convenient mobile phones to contact each other, Chen Xun feels that he and Fang Hui are getting further and further apart.

Chen Xun went to the cafeteria alone. On the way, he ran into Shen Xiaotang, who had just finished getting water. She was carrying a thermos and walking towards him. Her hair was still a little wet, probably from washing it, and was hanging loosely over her shoulders. She waved happily when she saw Chen Xun, walked over, and said with a smile, "Why are you alone? Not with Song Ning?"

"Why should I go with him? If you need to find him, I can call him for you," Chen Xun said, hands in his pockets.

"It's nothing, I was just asking. You two are together every day, even more lovey-dovey than a couple! Where are you going?" Shen Xiaotang said.

"Going to the cafeteria for lunch, what about you? Going back to the dorm?" Chen Xun asked.

"Hmm, you eat alone?"

"Yeah, so what? Why don't you come with me?" Chen Xun teased.

"Sure! I haven't thanked you yet for using your phone last time. Let me treat you to dinner!"

"No need, no need! How can I let a girl pay for dinner! You're thanking me by having dinner with me! I'll treat you tonight!" Chen Xun waved his hand and said.

"Really? Then I won't be polite! I'll come over as soon as I put the thermos downstairs!" Shen Xiaotang smiled, biting her lip, revealing two adorable little tiger teeth.

"Since I'm a good Samaritan, I'll carry it over for you!" Chen Xun said, taking the thermos from her.

After delivering the thermos together, the two went back to the cafeteria for lunch. They used Chen Xun's meal card to buy four stir-fried dishes and sat down in a corner on the second floor.

Chen Xun picked up a meatball from Shen Xiaotang's plate and said, "The food at our school is too oily and not tasty. The food at our old high school was really delicious. When my friends and I sat around a table to eat, we had to fight over it, or there wouldn't be any left in your lunchbox!"

"Is it really that exaggerated? Which school did you go to?" Shen Xiaotang asked with a smile.

“F in”.

"F-ranked? The one who won the Nike Cup last year?"

"Yeah! Which high school did you go to? You're participating in the Nike Cup too?"

"Damn it! Our school was eliminated by you guys in the semifinals. I think that game was played at your school. I heard it was really intense, and we were only one point apart in the end! We were winning the whole time. I think it was in the last minute that someone from your team made a layup or a three-pointer and brought us back together."

"It was a jump shot three-pointer, I made it!" Chen Xun said proudly.

"No way! What a coincidence!" Shen Xiaotang exclaimed, her eyes wide with surprise. "So you're the culprit who made me depressed for three days back then!"

"So you were already sad and heartbroken for me before we even met. Oh, why do I feel so good about this?" Chen Xun said with a grin.

"Come on! I'm not sad for you! I'm sad for our school team! During the finals, I kept cursing that your school wouldn't win the championship."

"A woman's heart is the most poisonous! Hey, why didn't you come to our school to watch the semi-finals? I remember there were quite a few people from your school there!"

"I didn't go because it was too far, and coincidentally, my classmate said that new bootleg DVDs had just arrived at Qianmen that day, so I went to buy some with her."

"I really didn't realize you liked rock music. Which bands do you usually listen to?"

"I like RHAPSODY."

"Rhapsody, Italian epic metal, and what else?" Chen Xun asked with interest.

“NIGHT WISH,” Shen Xiaotang said, raising her eyes.

"Nightwish, Finnish gothic metal, were you in a hurry to pick up your email last time?"

"That's right, and LACRIMOSA too."

"Yes, shedding tears, German Gothic."

"METALLICA".

"Classic! I love 'Not ELSE MATTERS'!"

“NIRVANA”.

"Nirvana, an American punk movement, Kurt is my idol!"

"You're amazing, you know everything!" Shen Xiaotang said with a smile.

"Of course, I've loved rock music for more than just a year or two. I can't speak for other bands, but there's practically no outstanding rock band I don't know," Chen Xun said proudly.

“I also like a band, but you might not know it.” Shen Xiaotang raised her head defiantly.

"Go ahead," Chen Xun said, tapping the table lightly with his finger.

“Spasm,” Shen Xiaotang said confidently.

"Hehe, a Beijing underground band, their hit song is 'River,' and their base is Busy Bee." Chen Xun chuckled, looking down.

"You...you really knew?" Shen Xiaotang's expression of surprise outweighed her previous disappointment at his guess.

"It's a very strange coincidence. I've loved convulsions since high school and often went to the bustling bee. I was even lucky enough to sing there once," Chen Xun said slowly.

"Ah! It's you! I heard from the people inside that a high school student sang there! I went there right after you finished singing, and they were all talking about you! My goodness! What a small world!" Shen Xiaotang covered her mouth in surprise.

"This is absolutely amazing! What a coincidence!" Chen Xun said, covering his mouth as she did.

Shen Xiaotang laughed as she lay on the table. Chen Xun looked at her and laughed too. The troubles he had with Fang Hui before seemed to have dissipated a lot.

They chatted and laughed for a while longer. As the cafeteria gradually filled up, Chen Xun saw Wang Senzhao buy dinner and was looking for a seat with his tray. Chen Xun quickly stood up and waved to him. Wang Senzhao hesitated for a moment when he saw Shen Xiaotang, but still walked over with his tray.

"This is our dorm leader, Wang Senzhao, and this is Shen Xiaotang, the most beautiful girl in our school's finance department," Chen Xun introduced the two of them.

Wang Senzhao nodded honestly, and Shen Xiaotang gently patted Chen Xun and said, "Don't talk nonsense, what do you mean by 'department beauty'!"

"Calling you the most beautiful girl in your department is an understatement. With your talent, you're definitely a campus beauty!" Chen Xun said with a smile.

Shen Xiaotang blushed and turned her head away. She looked at the dishes on Wang Senzhao's tray and asked doubtfully, "How much rice is this? Is one dish enough?"

"Four ounces of rice is enough." Wang Senzhao didn't look up.

Shen Xiaotang frowned as she looked at the stir-fried cabbage on his tray. She pushed her tray forward and gave him some meatballs, saying, "Eat together! Try these meatballs, they're quite delicious!"

Wang Senzhao shook his head slightly nervously. Shen Xiaotang stopped and said apologetically, "I'm sorry! I just used my chopsticks to pick it up. So don't eat what I've touched, just pick it up from my side!"

Wang Senzhao hurriedly said, "It's okay, it's okay! That's not what I meant!"

"That's good." Shen Xiaotang smiled with relief.

Chen Xun knew that Wang Senzhao's family was not wealthy, and he didn't want to be as naive as Shen Xiaotang in offering to help him. He stood up and said, "I'll go buy another groceries! I'm still a little hungry!"

"No need, Chen Xun! There are still so many vegetables! Don't buy them!" Wang Senzhao said, pulling him back.

"Hey boss! I'm buying it for Xiaotang, why don't you create opportunities for your brother?" Chen Xun said with a grin.

Wang Senzhao quickly let go and grinned sheepishly. Shen Xiaotang, propping her chin on her hand, looked at Chen Xun's retreating figure and said, "Boss, can I call you Boss too? It sounds like we're gangsters!"

Wang Senzhao said shyly, "Okay! Call me whatever you want. They all call me Boss, I'm used to it."

"I'll ask you secretly! Don't tell Chen Xun, what do you think of Chen Xun as a person?" Shen Xiaotang said mysteriously.

"Hmm...very smart, a good person!" Wang Senzhao said after thinking for a moment.

"Yes! You're a good person too!" Shen Xiaotang smiled happily.

(8)

Fang Hui hadn't intentionally turned off her phone; it was just dead, and she charged it when she got back. Before dinner, she stared almost constantly at the dormitory phone, but the old, red machine never rang the ringtone she hoped to hear.

"Fang Hui, you don't eat with Chen Xun very often," Li Qi said while combing her hair in front of the mirror.

"Ah... our classes are different, so our schedules don't match, so..." Fang Hui said somewhat awkwardly. She herself felt that this was not a good reason, and added, "Their dorm eats together just like ours."

"Oh, let's go eat together then!" Li Qi tied a crooked braid, looked at herself in the mirror, and turned to Liu Yunwei, who was lying on the bed, and said, "Yunyun, are we having dinner tonight?"

"Eat!" Liu Yunwei sat up abruptly and said, "I'm starving! I only eat vegetables for lunch every day, and an apple or a tomato and cucumber for dinner. I really can't take it anymore! Losing weight is too painful."

"Then don't lose any weight!" Xue Shan said, climbing down from the other upper bunk.

“That’s right, you’re not fat either,” Li Qi said, walking over and patting her shoulder.

"No, I'm still five pounds away from my goal. I must lose weight to below 100 pounds. I can't lose to Xue Shan. She's already lost 10 pounds! I've only lost 8 pounds!" Liu Yunwei pouted.

"But I'm still eating an apple today. You can't resist, can you?" Xue Shan said, waving an apple in front of her.

"Ugh! I'll eat today, but I won't eat breakfast tomorrow!" Liu Yunwei pushed her away and pulled Li Qi up, saying, "Come on, come on! Let's go eat! I'm starving!"

While Chen Xun and his friends were eating on the second floor of the cafeteria, Fang Hui arrived with Li Qi and Liu Yunwei. Almost simultaneously, they saw Chen Xun and Shen Xiaotang walking towards a corner after buying their food. Fang Hui didn't immediately feel jealous or sad; instead, she felt extremely embarrassed and ashamed. She remembered telling her roommates not long ago that she couldn't eat with Chen Xun because of classes, and now the two of them were both in the cafeteria. Although she hadn't intentionally lied, she still felt the embarrassment of her lie being exposed.

"I guess... she has something to say." Li Qi looked at Fang Hui's pale face and tried to offer some meaningless words of comfort.

"That's the girl! I saw her during military training!" Liu Yunwei said, unable to hide her surprise.

Li Qi gently tugged at her, but couldn't help looking curiously in Chen Xun's direction himself. They said something, and then they were laughing. Shen Xiaotang's bright smile was like a blooming flower, radiating an incomparably alluring charm.

At that moment, Fang Hui felt a surge of intense pain wash over her, overwhelming her heart and lungs, making it difficult to breathe. I desperately wanted to pretend nothing was wrong and continue eating with Li Qi and Liu Yunwei, preserving the last shred of my dignity. But Fang Hui couldn't do it. She felt as if she had lost the ability to speak, eat, or smile. If she didn't get up and walk away soon, she would truly burst into tears in front of them.

"I'm not eating yet, you guys eat!"

After barely managing to finish those words, Fang Hui hurriedly turned and left. Tears streamed down her face, but she didn't wipe them away. She walked out of the cafeteria with tears still in her eyes, then aimlessly walked countless laps around the outermost wall of the campus.

During this time, she thought about many things, from Shen Xiaotang's beautiful face to the absurd thought that she might unexpectedly run into them in such a secluded corner of the school while they were having a secret rendezvous. When she thought of this, she couldn't think straight anymore; her heart ached terribly, so much so that she couldn't even conjure up such a scene or the corresponding lines she should say. She wandered around like this until after ten o'clock, and Fang Hui finally returned to her dormitory just before lights out. She made a decision. Originally, she wanted to ask Chen Xun what was going on and who the girl was, but in the end, she decided not to. More than the pain of being deceived and the unease in her heart, she feared that Chen Xun's answer would be unbearable.

When Fang Hui got home that evening, Li Qi told her that Chen Xun had called her several times, sounding quite anxious. Fang Hui nodded but didn't seem inclined to call back. Li Qi asked, somewhat puzzled, "Aren't you going to call him back? He said to call him when you get back."

"Um...no need..." Fang Hui said somewhat awkwardly. She really didn't know how to talk to Chen Xun. At this moment, the dormitory lights suddenly went out. Fang Hui seemed to have finally found a suitable reason and breathed a sigh of relief. She groped in the dark and unplugged her fully charged phone, saying, "The lights are off. He's probably asleep too."

That night, neither the landline nor the cell phone rang again.

The next morning, Chen Xun came to find Fang Hui. He waited downstairs at the dormitory building, and as soon as he saw her, he quickly walked over and asked anxiously, "Where did you go last night?"

"I took a walk around the school," Fang Hui said, looking down.

"Are you still angry? I sent you a text message yesterday, but your phone was off, and I couldn't reach you after that. I waited and waited until I fell asleep," Chen Xun said somewhat vaguely, after all, the argument yesterday wasn't very pleasant.

"No, my phone died. I saw your text message this morning."

"Did you have dinner with your dormmates last night?" Chen Xun asked casually.

"Hmm." Fang Hui nodded. She suddenly thought she could ask, "What about you?" but she couldn't bring herself to say it. While she hesitated, Chen Xun started talking about something else.

"Let's go out together for the National Day holiday," Chen Xun said with a smile, turning his head to the side. "One of Sun Tao's buddies passed his tour guide exam and now works for a travel agency. He said he can arrange for us to go to the suburbs for a couple of days, and the food and accommodation will be cheap. Sun Tao and Yang Jing want us to go with them!"

"Eleven?" Fang Hui said in surprise.

"That's right! Don't worry, it's just the four of us. Tang Haibing and Wu Tingting aren't going." Chen Xun was afraid she would overthink things, so he frankly dispelled her doubts.

"But... I want to go out with my parents during the National Day holiday," Fang Hui said with difficulty.

"Huh?" Chen Xun had never considered this before and was quite surprised.

“My dad made the arrangements. We’re going to Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand together. We’re leaving on the 1st and it’ll be a six-day trip.”

"Why didn't you tell me sooner? I even told Sun Tao it was fine, now look what's happened!"

"You didn't tell me you were planning to go out and have fun! You were talking about other things yesterday."

Chen Xun awkwardly rubbed his nose and said, "Then can you tell your parents that you're not going with them?"

"Definitely not... I've already booked with the travel agency. Besides, my parents' relationship has improved a lot recently, so I think maybe if we have a good time this time, we can reconcile."

"So, let's just treat this as our honeymoon. Why would I bring you along to be a third wheel?"

"Without me, they start arguing after just a couple of words, they can argue over the smallest things..."

"Then why do you still come together! Aren't you tired...?"

“As long as they are by my side, I’m happy even if we argue.” Fang Hui paused for a moment and said, “True love doesn’t feel tiring because of arguments.”

Chen Xun silently watched Fang Hui. The autumn morning sunlight shone through the corridor window onto her thin profile, highlighting her sorrowful strength. This made his heart ache, a feeling he couldn't quite explain.

"Then you're not coming with me?" Chen Xun asked.

"Okay." Fang Hui stopped and nodded. The two of them had already reached the door of Fang Hui's classroom. Chen Xun turned around and said, "Oh, okay then, I'm going upstairs."

"Chen Xun..." Fang Hui called out to him from behind.

Chen Xun turned to look at her.

"Six days... will you miss me?" Fang Hui murmured.

"Of course!" Chen Xun said with a smile, "I'll send you an email every day! Check it when you get back!"

"Okay." Fang Hui smiled from the bottom of her heart. She felt that Chen Xun still liked her, at least for now.

On September 30th, Fang Hui was picked up by her family at noon, while Chen Xun and Song Ning went to an internet cafe to play Counter-Strike. A few students from the neighboring law department also went with them, one of whom, Kuang Qiang, was exceptionally skilled with a sniper rifle. Chen Xun was headshot by him several times and, feeling particularly aggrieved, started a high-stakes match, with both using Desert Eagles for a one-on-one duel. After playing for a few hours, Chen Xun gradually became able to hold his own against him. When they came out to pay the bill, they all smiled and quickly became acquainted.

"You're pretty tough, buddy!" Kuang Qiang lit a cigarette and said, "Want one?"

"I don't smoke," Chen Xun waved his hand and said, "You're amazing, your sniping is fantastic!"

"That won't work either, let's just mess around!" Kuang Qiang waved his finger and said, "You're sharing a room with Song Ning?"

"Yes, he sleeps in the bunk above me. Which room are you in?"

“1513, come to my room to play later! I won’t be keeping you company today,” Kuang Qiang said, putting his arm around Chen Xun’s shoulder.

"Okay! You're not going back to school?"

"I'm not going back. I'm leaving right now. I just hitched a ride with a high school girl. She's still waiting for me in Xidan!" Kuang Qiang said with a sly wink.

"Alright, go ahead and do your thing!" Chen Xun said with a smile.

After paying, Song Ning came out and looked at Kuang Qiang walking away. She said, "This guy is quite interesting, but he's not very reliable. I heard he's tested countless virgins. His catchphrase is that he slept with a really beautiful girl yesterday in such and such a place, and she was a virgin."

"Damn! This is way too far-fetched!" Chen Xun exclaimed in surprise.

"If you told me you had the qualifications and potential, I'd believe you. Him? I don't believe it at all!" Song Ning said with a mischievous grin, hugging him.

"Get lost! Don't drag me into everything!" Chen Xun pushed him away and said.

As the two were chatting and laughing, Chen Xun's phone rang. He opened the text message and saw that it was from Shen Xiaotang. It read: "Boss and I want to go out and play, and then go to Tiananmen Square to watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow morning. Do you want to come along?"

"Who is it? 41?" Song Ning asked, leaning closer. Because Chen Xun was the fourth oldest in their dormitory and loved using the number 41 when playing CS, Song Ning gave Fang Hui the nickname 41.

"No, Shen Xiaotang, she invited me and the eldest brother to watch the flag-raising ceremony tomorrow morning," Chen Xun said.

"Oh, it's a .42!" Song Ning smiled knowingly and said, "So that's why you were using a .42 in the Desert Eagle today. You were thinking of getting a different 'gun'!"

"Fuck you! What 42?!" Chen Xun said, slapping Song Ning.

"Are you going or not?" Song Ning asked, rubbing her shoulders.

"Let me see!" Chen Xun replied casually, but he was actually sending a text message on his phone with a single, simple word:

good.

(9)

Chen Xun returned to school and immediately arranged to meet Wang Senzhao and Shen Xiaotang at a small restaurant. Seeing him arrive, Shen Xiaotang waved from afar and said, "You're twelve minutes late. We need to order an extra twelve-yuan dish; it's on you!"

“But look at my watch, I’m eight minutes late. I’ll allow you to order another cucumber salad!” Chen Xun held up his watch in front of her and said, “Tell me, how did you two plan to drag me along? Did you think I’d be an hour late, then you’d make me treat you and then dump me?”

"No, no!" Wang Senzhao hurriedly waved his hands and said, "I just happened to run into Xiaotang on the road, she..."

“My bicycle tire went flat, and my older brother helped me pump it up. While he was doing so, we talked about Tiananmen Square in Beijing. He’d never been there before, so we said we’d go together and take you along to help carry your bags and buy your train tickets,” Shen Xiaotang said with a smile.

"You flatter me!" Chen Xun said, taking a bite of shredded pork with garlic sauce. "I always felt that you had ulterior motives. Did you take advantage of our boss's honest and kind nature and want to take advantage of him? How about I make the decision and send you to the boss? What do you guys think of this?"

"Chen Xun, how can you be so annoying!" Shen Xiaotang slammed her chopsticks on the table and said.

“That’s right! Fourth brother, don’t talk nonsense!” Wang Senzhao said, blushing.

"Boss, if you don't want to take it, I'll keep it!" Chen Xun said with a smile to Shen Xiaotang.

"What are you keeping me for? Where do you plan to send me again?" Shen Xiaotang asked, raising her eyebrows.

"Send it to me, is that alright?" Chen Xun said, raising his glass.

"You...you're so annoying!" Shen Xiaotang blushed and buried her head in her food.

Chen Xun looked at Shen Xiaotang, whose cheeks were flushed from his joke, and thought she was very cute. He picked up his chopsticks and put some food on her plate. Shen Xiaotang initially pushed the food aside, but later she ate it slowly, bite by bite.

After dinner, they wandered around the campus until almost lights out before returning to their dorms. The three of them agreed that in order to catch the flag-raising ceremony, they would leave their dorms at four in the morning and tell the dorm supervisors that they were sick, had a stomachache, and needed to go to the hospital. They figured there wouldn't be many people in the dorms during the National Day holiday, so the supervisors would definitely make an exception.

Because of the holiday, lights out was extended to midnight. Wang Senzhao, who had a very regular schedule, went to bed at 11 pm. Chen Xun listened to a CD for a while, and was about to go wash up when the lights went out, when the dormitory phone rang.

"Hello," Chen Xun answered the phone. He had a gut feeling that it was Shen Xiaotang calling, so he answered very quickly.

"On a dark and stormy night..." Sure enough, Shen Xiaotang's deliberately hoarse voice came through the phone, "You suddenly heard the sound of a jump rope upstairs, 'da da... da da... da da.' You found it strange, so you went up to the roof to look. You only saw a little girl in white with her back to you, repeatedly chanting '99... 99... 99.' You went over and patted her on the shoulder, saying, 'Why are you only counting to 99?' She didn't answer, so you patted her again, and only then did she turn around. Guess what? She didn't have a face! Then she pushed you off the building and continued chanting: '100... 100... 100'..."

"Shen Xiaotang, why are you jumping rope on our rooftop for no reason?" Chen Xun said with a low laugh.

"How did you know it was me? How about it? Are you scared?" Shen Xiaotang laughed as well.

"I knew it was you right away, so I'm not scared at all!"

"Really? But I'm scaring myself... You have your boss with you, but I'm all alone in the dorm." Shen Xiaotang's voice trailed off.

“Then I’ll tell you a story too,” Chen Xun said, leaning against the window and looking at the girls’ dormitory. “On a dark and stormy night…”

"Ugh! Don't tell ghost stories to scare me!" Shen Xiaotang shouted.

“Listen!” Chen Xun said with a smile, “You suddenly hear the sound of a jump rope coming from upstairs, tap-tap...tap-tap...tap-tap. You find it strange, so you go up to the roof to look. You only see a little girl in a white dress with her back to you, repeatedly counting ‘99...99...99’. You go over and pat her on the shoulder, saying, ‘Why are you only counting to 99?’ She doesn’t answer, and in a fit of anger, you push her off the building! Then you hear her counting ‘100...100...100’ after she falls to the ground…”

"Haha! How could I dare to push a ghost!" Shen Xiaotang laughed and said.

"So, are you still scared?"

Chen Xun's voice was very gentle. Shen Xiaotang looked over from the other window and said, "I'm not so scared anymore, but I'm still a little bit scared."

"Then I'll just chat with you until four o'clock."

"That won't do. I don't have that much money on my phone card."

"I'll borrow it from the boss."

"No, he's not rich, and he still has to call home."

"What should we do then?"

“Turn on the backlight of your phone screen and hold it out the window. I won’t be scared when I see the light,” Shen Xiaotang said, leaning on the windowsill.

"Then turn on your phone too, so I can see which room you're in," Chen Xun said, leaning against the windowsill.

"Okay, I'll hang up now. Turn it on right away!" Shen Xiaotang said excitedly.

"Okay, hang up!"

Chen Xun took out his phone and waved it in front of his bed. Soon, he saw a faint, greenish light appear on the dormitory building across the way. In the quiet campus, those two distant, faint lights seemed to transform into fireflies in autumn, warm and lively. That night, a quiet change occurred in a corner of their hearts.

In the early hours of the morning, they ran out of their respective dormitories. It was easy to get out of the dormitory building, but it was difficult to get out of the school gate. The guards stopped them and asked for details before opening the gate.

Shen Xiaotang clutched her stomach, feigning pain. Chen Xun helped her up, anxiously telling the guard, "Dude, this is a girl from our class, from out of town. She didn't go home for the National Day holiday, and she's the only one in the dorm. All the other girls in our class have left. She suddenly had a stomachache in the middle of the night and called the boys' dorms one by one for help. Luckily, someone was in our room, and they quickly helped her up. You can ask Aunt Zhang, the dorm supervisor; she practically carried her down! We need to get her to the hospital right away. She came all the way from Beijing to study, and it wasn't easy. Apparently, she sold all the pigs in her family to pay for her tuition. What if something happens to her? How will the school explain this to her family?"

Shen Xiaotang almost laughed at his words, but Chen Xun secretly pinched her, and she quickly groaned, "Ouch, ouch!" The guard, hearing the exaggerated story but worried that he might actually be sick and cause trouble, thought for a moment and said, "Then write a pass, make sure you write your name and class clearly. Our school doesn't have anyone running around in the middle of the night like this!"

"Alright, alright!" Chen Xun handed Shen Xiaotang to Wang Senzhao, then hurriedly ran over to write, finally signing off with the two big characters "Song Ning".

The three of them burst into laughter as they turned the corner after leaving the school gate. Shen Xiaotang patted Chen Xun hard and said, "Your family sold all their pigs to feed you!"

"I was just trying to achieve a good effect. Didn't you see how the guard's eyes almost turned red after I said that?" Chen Xun said with a smile, dodging her.

"Chen Xun isn't making this up; there really are students like that among us from out of town. My dad scraped together the money for me to come to school," Wang Senzhao said with a simple, honest smile.

Shen Xiaotang felt a pang of sadness upon hearing this. She stepped forward, grabbed Wang Senzhao's arm, and said, "A hero's origins are irrelevant, boss. You'll definitely succeed in the future!"

“That’s right, our eldest brother has the highest score on the college entrance exam in our dorm! 625 points!” Chen Xun said, patting him on the shoulder.

"No, no, it's not considered high where we live," Wang Senzhao quickly waved his hand and said.

"But that's already considered super, super high here!" Shen Xiaotang said with a smile. "Don't be so modest, how are we going to get there?"

“Take the night bus! I asked Gao Shang for directions beforehand. He’s a walking map; just tell him your starting point and destination, and he can recite all the bus routes for you. Apparently, he learned them from his grandma when he was little.” Chen Xun pointed forward and said, “Just keep going, it’s over there!”

They took the night bus to Tiananmen Square together. Although it was only four or five in the morning, the square was already quite crowded, with many tourists from other places wearing red and white hats and tour groups, all waiting for the flag-raising ceremony. Wang Senzhao lingered over the various flowerbeds along the way, and became even more excited when he saw the Tiananmen Gate. He clung tightly to Chen Xun, saying, "Look, look! Tiananmen! Do you know? I only saw it on TV when I was a child. Back then, I thought Beijing was so far away, a place I could never visit in my life. Later, my mother told me that as long as I studied hard, I could go to university in Beijing. So I studied like crazy. I'm not very smart; what others could understand after three repetitions, I had to repeat five times. But I didn't give up. I was always the last one to leave after evening self-study, studying until the college entrance exam. Actually, with my score, I could have gone to a better university in Shandong, but I still came to Beijing. I just wanted to see Tiananmen Square with my own eyes, to see the capital! It's so beautiful!"

Wang Senzhao had never spoken so much in one breath before. Chen Xun felt a surge of warmth in his heart upon hearing this. He grabbed Wang Senzhao's hand with one hand and Shen Xiaotang's with the other, saying, "Come on! Let's walk forward! Let's go to the Jinshui Bridge to see the statue of Chairman Mao! And then come back to see the Monument to the People's Heroes! Boss, I'll be your tour guide! I danced here during the 50th anniversary celebration, and I know every blade of grass and every tree in Tiananmen Square by heart! I'll tell you all about it! After you settle down in Beijing, buy a house, a car, get married, and have children, you can tell your son about it!"

Wang Senzhao beamed with joy, while Shen Xiaotang, seeing Chen Xun's earnest expression, thought him incredibly heroic.

Before the flag-raising ceremony, they squeezed to a spot very close to the flagpole. The three of them watched reverently as the flag guard solemnly entered the field, and Wang Senzhao's eyes even gleamed. As the five-star red flag rose, the dawn's glow appeared on the horizon. The national anthem began, and the three of them sang along. Watching the flag reach the top of the flagpole, Chen Xun and Wang Senzhao cheered together. He looked down and suddenly noticed that Shen Xiaotang was looking up at him, her smile in the sunlight as radiant and beautiful as a sunflower. Chen Xun felt his heart skip a beat.

After breakfast, Wang Senzhao returned to school, while Chen Xun and Shen Xiaotang went home separately. All the way home, Chen Xun kept thinking about Shen Xiaotang's every smile and gesture; her beautiful face was deeply etched in his heart. He even dreamed of her when he got home and went to bed.

Chen Xun didn't wake up until midnight. Realizing he had slept for a whole day, Chen Xun gradually became more awake. Suddenly, the image of another slender girl popped into his mind. He remembered his promise to send Fang Hui an email every day, but when he looked at the clock on the bedside table, it was already past midnight. October 1, 2001, could never be relived, and it was all too late.

(10)

Fang Hui checked her email immediately after returning from her trip to Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand. She hadn't called Chen Xun once in six days. Actually, her parents' phones had global roaming, so contacting Chen Xun wouldn't have been difficult, but she still didn't. Fang Hui felt that Chen Xun treated her differently than before. It wasn't that he was treating her badly, but there was a subtle change in his emotional expressions; he seemed to have cooled down.

Therefore, Fang Hui thought that perhaps the lack of contact these past few days would make him miss her more deeply. However, upon returning home, she helplessly realized that her expectations and longing for him had exceeded her expectations. She didn't know whether these six days without each other ultimately tested the depth of Chen Xun's feelings or her own good intentions.

Unexpectedly, Fang Hui's inbox contained only one email, dated around noon on October 6th. Fang Hui opened the email; it was brief, simply stating:

fennel:

This is the culmination of six days of longing; I miss you so much.

I think I understand now. You are like air to me. Sometimes I may not feel it strongly, but I absolutely cannot lose you, otherwise I will not be able to breathe.

Please stay with me like this forever, okay?

Chen Xun

After reading the email, Fang Hui felt a pang of sadness. She pressed the reply button, typing "Okay" and a smiley face. But she wasn't particularly happy. She felt a void in her heart that Chen Xun hadn't been able to fill. The metaphor of air only made Fang Hui feel worse. She understood the loneliness of not having intense longing, but she hadn't yet experienced the suffocating pain.

Chen Xun called that evening and arranged to have dinner together on the 8th when he was at school. They didn't talk much else. It was a bit noisy on Chen Xun's end. Fang Hui asked him where he was, and he simply said he was outside. From the time the call connected to when he hung up, it only took about three minutes.

After school started, they had dinner together. Fang Hui said she wanted to go for a walk on the playground, so Chen Xun went with her. Early autumn still had the last bit of warmth left over from late summer; the air was cool, but the evening sunset felt warm on their skin.

Fang Hui looked at Chen Xun's thoughtful profile and asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"No."

"Is that so?"

“Yeah, what else do you think I could be thinking?” Chen Xun said with a smile.

How would I know?

"Ha ha."

There was a moment of silence between them. Fang Hui took a deep breath and said, "Do you feel like you have nothing to say to me?"

"What?! Haven't we been saying that all along?" Chen Xun replied calmly.

"Honestly, have you missed me these past few days?" Fang Hui asked, looking down.

“I thought about it, and I even mentioned it to them. You can’t swim, and I’m worried that something might happen to you if you go into the sea.”

"Really? You didn't just remember to write to me on the last day?"

"No! I just wrote whatever came to mind! There's no point in writing a 'I miss you' letter every day!" Chen Xun deliberately explained. Actually, he really did want to write one every day; if he hadn't missed the first day, he might have actually done so. But later, he went out with Shen Xiaotang for a day, went to Qianmen to look for properties, strolled around Dashilan, and even made a special trip to eat fried liver at Tianxingju. He had a great time that day and got home quite late, so he got lazy and forgot about writing the letter.

“Chen Xun…” Fang Hui paused and said, “I feel like you don’t like me as much as you used to. It seems like things are different between us now than when we were in high school.”

"What nonsense are you talking about! You're always overthinking things, there's nothing to it!" Chen Xun said irritably.

"Think about it carefully, do you really still like me?" Fang Hui stopped, looked at Chen Xun with a deep gaze, and said, word by word.

"Okay, I admit it, maybe our feelings aren't as strong as they used to be, but that doesn't mean I don't like you anymore! After all, we've grown up, and there are so many things to do in college, we can't be together every day like we were in high school. I still like you, and I know very well that I can't live without you. But I think we should both be more mature in how we treat our feelings and not keep overthinking things."

Chen Xun put his hand on her shoulder and said that Fang Hui kept her head down and her nose was sniffling. Chen Xun felt sorry for her. He hugged Fang Hui and said, "Don't cry. It hurts me to see you cry."

"Chen Xun...can you promise me something?" Fang Hui said, leaning on his shoulder.

"Go ahead and tell me."

"If you ever fall in love with someone else, you must tell me. I promise I won't bother you, but you must tell me, okay?"

"Don't talk nonsense!" Chen Xun's eyes welled up with tears as he recalled the past years. He hugged her and said, "Didn't we go to the same university so we could be together? You know, I didn't do one big physics problem on my college entrance exam because I wanted to be in the same school as you! We will always be together!"

The two embraced tightly in a corner of the playground. Fang Hui was deeply moved and it took her a while to let go of his hand, feeling a little embarrassed, and said, "Spend more time with me today."

"Alright!" Chen Xun said with a smile, "I'll leave everything to you!"

Fang Hui lowered her head and smiled. Chen Xun breathed a sigh of relief and was about to chat with her about something happy when his phone suddenly rang. Wu Tingting's name was flashing on the screen.

Chen Xun turned around somewhat awkwardly. Although he seemed hesitant, he still answered the phone. On the other end, Wu Tingting's voice was unusually panicked. She repeated the same sentence over and over like a mantra: "Come to COFCO Plaza! Sun Tao and the others saw Bai Feng!"

Chen Xun finally said goodbye to Fang Hui and went to COFCO Plaza to find Wu Tingting. Seeing Chen Xun's flustered expression, Fang Hui had nothing to say but could only agree. She wanted to give him a few more words of advice, but Chen Xun had already run away without looking back. Standing there watching his receding figure, Fang Hui felt even more lonely.

When Chen Xun arrived at COFCO Plaza, it was already completely dark. Wu Tingting sat blankly on the steps to the side with red eyes. Sun Tao and Yang Qing stood next to her, their faces full of worry.

"What exactly happened? Who saw Bai Feng?" Chen Xun went up to ask.

“The two of us!” Sun Tao pulled Yang Qing aside and said, “She’s such a fuss-maker. She insists on those scented condoms, which are sold in the supermarket in the basement of COFCO, so she dragged me here to buy them. When we were paying, I saw a guy at the checkout counter who looked really familiar. Suddenly, I thought it looked like Bai Feng, but he looked thinner than the original Bai Feng, with long hair, and a bit effeminate, like one of those people who work at a hair salon. You could say the appearance is really similar, but the temperament is completely different. Bai Feng is so manly! He seemed to see us and hurriedly went out. When we followed him out, he disappeared. I think he went to the Beijing International Hotel across the street, but I don’t know if it was really him!”

"I don't know if you're the one who brought her here!" Chen Xun glared at him and said.

“Tingting has waited all these years, we have to tell her, no matter what!” Yang Qing said, looking at Wu Tingting with pity.

"Are you out of your mind? Otherwise, it's like throwing her high into the air and then letting her fall! Could she handle that?"

Chen Xun frowned and asked, "Where's Hai Bing? Has he arrived yet?"

“They’re here. They went to the International Hotel across the street to ask, but how can they possibly find out anything from there! Even if that person is Bai Feng, he wouldn’t dare use his real name! He might run away as soon as they ask. Tingting is too emotional, so we didn’t let her go, afraid it would escalate. We’re staying here with her. You should try to persuade her to go; she insists on staying here all night, saying she wants to wait for that person to come out so she can see him with her own eyes,” Sun Tao said, stamping his foot.

Chen Xun glared at him, then turned and sat down next to Wu Tingting, saying, "You're wearing so little again! Aren't you cold?"

Wu Tingting shook her head blankly. Chen Xun sighed, took off his coat, and draped it over her shoulders, saying, "Don't think it's him yet. Calm down. I don't think it's Bai Feng. Think about it, he doesn't know he's innocent now. How could he possibly come back from Beijing? He's probably somewhere out there. Don't get all worked up over the slightest rumor. I'm telling you, just let it go for now!"

Wu Tingting ignored him and continued to stare intently at the opposite side. Chen Xun scratched his head and had no choice but to continue accompanying her.

After a while, Tang Haibing came over, and Wu Tingting stood up abruptly, grabbed him, and asked in a trembling voice, "How did it go? Did you find out?"

Tang Haibing helped her steady and said, "The people at the International Hotel wouldn't be able to help us find out if there's such a person! Besides, you can't find anything by using the name Bai Feng! Later, I secretly slipped fifty yuan to the cleaning lady in the lobby. She told me that a young man wearing a red shirt and black pants went in. He had long hair and was in a hurry. He went up the elevator. He must be staying there. I guess he should be the person Sun Tao and the others saw!"

After hearing what he said, Wu Tingting's face flushed with joy. She let go of his hand and looked at Chen Xun happily, saying, "Okay, okay! I'll go wait for you at the entrance of the International Hotel right now!"

"What time is it? What are you waiting for! Even if it's him, he needs to sleep! Go home first and come back tomorrow!" Chen Xun said, pulling her aside.

"No! What if he leaves tonight? I'm going to wait for him!" Wu Tingting broke free from his grasp and said, "If you think it's too much trouble, go back! I'm definitely not leaving."

"What are you talking about! Do you think we'd leave you here all alone?" Tang Haibing sighed. "Anyway, I live alone now, so I'll take tomorrow off work and stay with you! Chen Xun, you should go back to school! Sun Tao, what about you? If you have something to do tomorrow, you can leave too!"

“We can skip the political economy and military theory classes tomorrow. I’ll stay here and keep an eye on things!” Chen Xun said.

"I just rented a stall at the zoo with someone to sell clothes. It's not officially open yet, and I'm free!" Sun Tao said, putting his arm around Yang Qing. "Why don't you go home by yourself first?"

"No, if that person is really Bai Feng, I'd like to see him too! He was my idol when I was a kid!" Yang Qing said with a smile.

Wu Tingting glanced around at them, her lips trembling as if she was about to cry. Chen Xun pressed her head into his arms and said, "Don't cry, wait until you meet Bai Feng! Cry out all the grievances you've held in all these years and show him!"

"Yes!" Wu Tingting nodded vigorously.

A group of people found a spot to sit down in front of the International Hotel. They had been excitedly watching the hotel for the first half of the night, but by the second half, the cold and hunger were making them all feel sleepy. Sun Tao held Yang Qing in his arms as they fell asleep, while Tang Haibing chain-smoked, his eyelids drooping. Chen Xun and Wu Tingting huddled together, sharing a coat. Looking at the imposing International Hotel, Wu Tingting asked, "Chen Xun, are you sleepy?"

"Not too sleepy."

“Me too… The thought of seeing Bai Feng, even just someone who looks like him, makes my heart race and I can’t sleep at all,” Wu Tingting said, clutching her chest.

"If it really is him, what would you say to him first when you meet him?" Chen Xun asked, moving his clothes closer to her.

"I don't know either... I really haven't thought of anything. What should I say? Long time no see? How have you been? Are you alright?" Wu Tingting said, frowning. "It feels a bit fake to me!"

"No, it does have that feel to it. Isn't that what they always say in TV dramas when the male and female leads never meet again?"

"But do you think I'm the female lead?" Wu Tingting smiled gently and said, "Actually, the first thing I should have asked him when we met was, 'Do you remember who I am?'"

"Stop overthinking," Chen Xun said, covering her eyes. "Take a nap, or you'll have rabbit eyes tomorrow, and even if Bai Feng remembers you, he won't recognize you. I'll keep an eye on you for you."

“Okay.” Wu Tingting paused and then said, “Do you think I have any other expectations? I just want to tell him in person that he didn’t kill anyone and can live openly and honestly in this world.”

Chen Xun felt his palms getting wet. He hugged the girl in his arms tighter, looked up at the Beijing night sky where the stars were no longer visible, and sighed deeply.

(11)

They kept watch until a little after 10 a.m. the next day, when the man who looked remarkably like Bai Feng finally appeared. He accompanied a very imposing man out, and a Mercedes was parked at the gate. He opened the car door for the man and smiled as he helped him into the car. In the sunlight, the man looked somewhat pale, and although he was wearing expensive clothes and his hairstyle, figure, and appearance had changed significantly, Wu Tingting recognized him at a glance.

That person is Bai Feng.

Wu Tingting suddenly stood up and walked towards him. The intense exertion after staying up all night made her vision a little blurry, but she still forced her eyes open, staring intently at Bai Feng's figure, afraid that he would disappear again. She caught up with Bai Feng when they entered the lobby. He didn't notice Wu Tingting following him and just walked towards the elevator as if he were in his own apartment building.

"Bai Feng..." Wu Tingting called softly from behind him.

Bai Feng suddenly stopped, but he didn't turn around; he just walked forward even faster.

"Bai Feng, it's alright, it's me!" Wu Tingting grabbed him and said, "I am... Wu Tingting."

Wu Tingting stared into his eyes and said her name, but in her heart, she longed to hear her own name from Bai Feng's lips.

"I'm sorry, miss, you've probably mistaken me for someone else."

There was no joy or fear in his eyes, as if everything from the past had melted away in them. Bai Feng spoke these words calmly with an unfamiliar accent.

The elevator made a clanging sound as he pulled away from Wu Tingting's hand and stepped inside. Chen Xun and the others had already caught up. Tang Haibing glanced at the rising elevator floors and asked, "So, is it him?"

"It's him! It's him! It's definitely him!" Wu Tingting frantically pressed the elevator button, "He won't admit it, but I'm sure it's him! There must be too many people here, so he's afraid to admit it. Maybe he thinks we were sent by the police. I'm going up to find him! I'm going to talk to him..."

"Tingting, wait a minute! Are you sure that person is him?" Chen Xun said in a low voice, taking her hand.

“Didn’t you see it too? Can you say that person isn’t him?” Wu Tingting said excitedly.

“I know, but you should at least make sure you know which floor he stopped on, right?” Chen Xun said, steadying her shoulders.

Wu Tingting hurriedly looked up and saw that the electronic numbers on the elevator screen had stopped steadily at the 12th floor.

The group went upstairs. The hallway was quiet, and they didn't dare to make a sound, staying only near the elevator. Chen Xun turned to Tang Haibing and said, "Let's not stay on the first floor. First, it'll be too conspicuous and the hotel staff might kick us out. Second, Bai Feng might not actually be on this floor. Maybe he's afraid we'll follow him, so he's deliberately stopping the elevator here and going up or down a floor. How about this: Haibing, you go to the 13th floor, Yang Qing, you go to the 11th floor, both of you stay near the elevator. Sun Tao, wait at the main entrance. I'll stay here with Tingting. We'll keep in touch by phone. If you see him, stop him and call me immediately."

"You're such a sly one! You think of everything! Alright, that's settled then! Let's split up and get to work!" Tang Haibing said, patting Chen Xun on the shoulder.

They went to the places Chen Xun had mentioned. Wu Tingting leaned against the elevator and trembled slightly. Chen Xun supported her and said, "Can't you hold on anymore? You didn't eat much this morning. Who knows how long we'll have to wait!"

“Chen Xun…I talked to him…” Wu Tingting grabbed him and tears streamed down her face. “I really talked to him!”

"Alright, alright, I know. How is he? Has anything changed?" Chen Xun asked, leaning close to her.

"Hmm...you've become more handsome." Wu Tingting wiped her eyes and said with a smile.

"Tch! Why are you such a fangirl?" Chen Xun said, pursing his lips.

“Seriously, he’s even more handsome than you! Like a celebrity! He even smells of cologne! He’s probably in business now, he must be pretty rich! Look at the car he gave that guy! A Mercedes 320, I think! I think he first went into hiding in another city, then started from scratch, and finally became incredibly successful!” Wu Tingting put her hands together to support her chin, her eyes shining.

"Then you, his childhood sweetheart, appear and tell him he didn't commit murder. Overjoyed, he proposes to you on the spot, and then you two, hand in hand and heart to heart, skip socialism and head straight for communism! In the summer, you go to Hawaii to enjoy the breeze, and in the winter, you go skiing in Switzerland. When you're busy, you make some money; when you're free, you have a couple of kids. You rehearse every scene from a romance novel! Except for the third party, you can do whatever you want. Does my idea suit your taste?"

"Get lost!" Wu Tingting slapped Chen Xun and said, her cheeks turning red.

However, the wait was much longer than they had imagined. It wasn't until 5 p.m. that Bai Feng came out of a room on the 12th floor. When he saw Chen Xun and Wu Tingting, who looked haggard, waiting at the elevator entrance, he was stunned and could not hide his shock.

"Bai Feng, you're really unfair! I've been waiting for you for almost 24 hours!" Chen Xun said, patting him on the shoulder. Wu Tingting just stood behind Chen Xun, watching him without blinking.

"Just the two of you?" Bai Feng asked, subtly dodging Chen Xun's hand.

"Hai Bing and the others are downstairs. I'll send them a text message right away. Don't worry, they're all on our side!" Chen Xun said, somewhat awkwardly withdrawing his hand.

Bai Feng glanced around cautiously, then turned around and said, "Let's talk in my room, don't just stand here!"

Chen Xun and Wu Tingting followed him into his room. The room was different from a typical hotel room; it had a more lived-in feel, suggesting he had been staying there for quite some time. Chen Xun and Wu Tingting sat on the small sofa. Bai Feng took off his jacket, revealing a very fitted black T-shirt underneath. He walked to the refrigerator, squatted down, and said, "What would you like to drink? You've been drinking since then, haven't you?"

"No problem! I definitely won't drink less than you," Chen Xun said with a smile.

Bai Feng tossed each of them a can of beer. Wu Tingting was a little awkward. Chen Xun opened his can first and handed it to her, then took the can from her and opened it, saying, "Bai Feng, you've struck it rich now, haven't you? You can afford to stay at the International Hotel! You're really awesome!"

"Heh, do you think someone like me could get rich? I booked this room six months ago, but I didn't check in." Bai Feng pulled out a pack of slim cigarettes and said, "Don't call me Bai Feng anymore, I'm not used to it myself. Just call me Andy! Want one?"

Wu Tingting glanced at him blankly, then lowered her head again.

"No need, I don't smoke much, and I don't like this kind of menthol cigarette!" Chen Xun waved his hand and said, "Then who booked the room for you?"

"Whoever has the money can book it for me. I definitely won't stay in a room below this level. By the way, you guys saw it this morning, right? It was that fat guy I took down who paid for it. Don't let his pig-like appearance fool you, he's got real money. He just went to the Chang'an Club. Do you know how much it costs just to get in, not counting the membership fee? 15! And it's not like you can just buy your way in!"

"Wow! That's amazing!" Chen Xun exclaimed in surprise. "Is that person your boss?"

Bai Feng laughed, then coughed twice and said, "You could say that! There's a bit of an employer-employee relationship; I work for him."

"Then why do you say you have no money! How could you be poor when you're working with such a rich guy? It's okay, we won't blackmail you if you tell the truth. So what are you doing now?"

"Me..." Bai Feng leaned closer and blew a smoke ring, saying, "I'm a mattress for men and a blanket for women. I rest during the day and work hard at night. Some people call me Young Master, some call me Money Boy. My nickname is Cowherd, and my formal name is High-Class Male Escort. In Beijing, you'd call me a male escort, right?"

Wu Tingting stared at him intently, her eyes wide. Bai Feng smiled at her nonchalantly, while Chen Xun swallowed hard and stammered, "You...you're kidding me! We're here to talk about serious things!"

"I'm not kidding you. Otherwise, I'll give you my business card. If you're free, come visit me. I'll give you a 12% discount because we've known each other since we were kids. Tingting is fine too. I'm open to both men and women. I guess you guys can't handle long-term relationships, so how about a one-night stand?" Bai Feng said, sitting on the bed.

Chen Xun was about to stand up when Wu Tingting pressed him down, asking tremblingly, "What 419? 419 yuan?"

"Oh my, you're so fashionable, how come you don't know this! 419 yuan is just for me to have a drink with you, and that's only while I'm in a good mood, and you're paying. 419, FOR ONE NIGHT! Now you understand!" Bai Feng said with a smile.

Wu Tingting swayed and then slumped onto the sofa.

"Bai Feng!" Chen Xun couldn't help but stand up, grabbing him and shouting, "What were you saying to her? Are you crazy? How could you do this!"

"Why can't I do this?" Bai Feng pushed his hand away and said coldly, "What do you think I can do? Not get caught by the police, eat my fill, have powerful people backing me up! What else can I do? Do you think I'm like you, having a perfect childhood under my parents' protection, followed by a wonderful adolescence and middle age? Chen Xun, you're fucking naive! The place you're in is called society! What I broke is called the law! Do you think I can live with my head held high without paying with my life and going to jail? Bullshit! It's a miracle I'm even alive! I can only eke out a living in the dirtiest, most disgusting, and darkest places! Don't even mention being slept with by men and women here, I'll do anything even more inhuman as long as I can live! You, me, her, we're not kids playing in the alley anymore! Bai Feng died ten years ago! Do you understand?"

After Bai Feng finished speaking, he began to tremble uncontrollably. Wu Tingting was already in tears. She rushed over and hugged Bai Feng tightly, saying, "You didn't kill anyone! You didn't kill anyone! That Cao guy has been caught! He's confessed everything. He killed the person, not you! Bai Feng, you didn't commit murder! You didn't!"

"What... what did you say?" Bai Feng's dazed eyes gradually focused.

“I said you didn’t kill anyone! That person’s fatal wound was on the top of their head, not the back of their head! The police have already investigated everything; they went to your grandfather’s house themselves to tell him! Believe me! You really didn’t kill anyone!” Wu Tingting cried out loudly.

"Impossible... How could this be? I clearly saw him go there, and he was bleeding a lot... You're lying to me, you're lying to me, aren't you? You're trying to trick me into going back to turn myself in! You want me to get shot!" Bai Feng suddenly pushed Wu Tingting away and said.

Wu Tingting fell to the ground, struggling to pull at his trouser leg, crying as she did so, "I'm not lying to you! You really didn't kill anyone! If you don't believe me, ask Chen Xun, it really wasn't you!"

Bai Feng looked up at Chen Xun, who slowly nodded. Bai Feng sat up abruptly on the bed, gripping the sheets tightly, and muttered to himself, "Why? Why are you only telling me now that I didn't kill anyone? I'm no longer human, and you're telling me I didn't kill anyone? Why? Why!"

"Bai Feng, calm down..." Chen Xun walked over and put his arm around Bai Feng's shoulder.

"Calm down? I can't calm down! Try living like me for ten years and see if you can calm down!" Bai Feng struggled free and said, "Bai Feng? Who is Bai Feng? Nobody is Bai Feng! All of you get out of here! Don't talk nonsense in my presence! Get out of here!"

Just then, there was a knock at the door. Chen Xun opened it and welcomed Tang Haibing and the others in. Seeing the mess inside, Tang Haibing asked in confusion, "What... what happened?"

"It's alright! Help Tingting out first!" Chen Xun helped Wu Tingting up and placed her in Tang Haibing's arms.

"Hey! What's going on?" Sun Tao was also completely confused.

Without a word, Chen Xun pushed them both out the door. He closed the door, turned around, and said, "Bai Feng, I know you're heartbroken and can't bear such a huge change. Anyone would be devastated. But everyone has their own path to walk. Your life is tragic, and that's because you were too reckless back then! You can't blame anyone else! Let me tell you, it's not just your life that's tragic; your experiences have affected other people's lives! Do you know that Tingting has been waiting for you all these years? Isn't she tragic? She's more tragic than you! She didn't do anything wrong, yet she has to bear all the pain you've caused." It's so painful! She's been waiting for you to come back with all her heart! She doesn't ask for anything, just a few words of comfort from you, to make her feel that all these years have been worthwhile! I don't know what you'll do in the future, and I don't know what will happen to her, but I hope you can do what a man should do! Even if it's just telling her a honest, heartfelt truth! When I was little, I admired you so much; I thought you were a true hero! I hope I can still think that way in the future, that I can tell others that I have a really awesome friend! He's been through thick and thin, he's been a fugitive, he's suffered all kinds of hardships, but he's still the same!

Chen Xun gave Bai Feng a thumbs-up, and Bai Feng, looking at his hand, finally burst into tears.

Chen Xun sighed, took the paper and pen from the hotel, wrote something down, and tossed it to him, saying, "These are my and Tingting's phone numbers. Contact us if you need anything. I won't bother you anymore. Goodbye!"

Chen Xun went downstairs, and together they took Wu Tingting back to the small house rented by Tang Haibing. Wu Tingting didn't say a word the whole way, nor did she cry; she just stared blankly out the window.

Everyone settled in for the night, and Chen Xun lay down with her on a bed in the room. Wu Tingting took Chen Xun's hand and said softly, "I feel like the biggest thing on my mind is over. Really, I'm not too upset."

"Be good." Chen Xun held her tightly and said, "Live well from now on. We're only 19 years old, we have a long life ahead of us."

“But why do I suddenly feel old…” Wu Tingting sniffed and said.

"Silly girl, you can't say you're old until you're 89!" Chen Xun said, patting her hair. "Go to sleep!"

"Mmm!" Wu Tingting leaned against Chen Xun's chest, crying as she closed her eyes.

Chen Xun, however, couldn't fall asleep. For the first time, he deeply felt the cruelty of youth and the price of ignorance. The fleeting years are not something everyone can afford to play with.

Around 2 a.m., Wu Tingting's phone rang. She opened it and saw a text message. It was from an unknown number starting with 1390, and it read:

Thank you, and I wish you happiness.

Wu Tingting stared at the words for a long time, until she felt she had engraved them in her heart, before silently pressing the delete button.

The screen flashed briefly, then everything went dark.

(12)

While Wu Tingting and Bai Feng were having a high-profile meeting, Fang Hui was quietly celebrating her 19th birthday with Lin Jiamo.

Chen Xun didn't contact her for a whole day and night. Fang Hui looked at the circled calendar in her dormitory and couldn't help but call Lin Jiamo out because of her loneliness.

"Forgetting your birthday is a bit much," Lin Jiamo said, frowning. "Who's so important that they didn't come back all night?"

"The girl he grew up with, his first love," Fang Hui said calmly.

"No way!" Lin Jiamo slammed her chopsticks on the table and said, "You actually dared to let him go? And he didn't even come home all night? I'm not saying this to Fang Hui, but I think you sometimes really have no sense of proportion! Usually, you hold a grudge if he doesn't call you, doesn't text you, or doesn't write you a couple of emails during the National Day holiday. Now that he's going to see his first love and doesn't even care about your birthday, you're all set. What are you thinking?!"

"I haven't thought about it much. There are some things I simply can't stop," Fang Hui said, taking a sip of tea. "That girl is quite pitiful. They grew up together, and Chen Xun can't possibly ignore her situation. Although he promised me he would contact her less, he definitely can't keep his word."

"Aren't you afraid something might happen between them tonight?" Lin Jiamo said defiantly.

"If it had wanted to happen, it would have already happened, wouldn't it?" Fang Hui gave a bleak smile.

"Then what will you do?"

"Let's break up." Fang Hui sighed and said, "We can't just break up like we used to, no matter how much we like each other. Jia Mo, I have a feeling we might really break up."

"How did you all get to this point..."

“In his words, we’ve grown up.” Fang Hui gripped her cup tightly. “Now I realize how naive I was back then. I did everything I could to be in the same school as him, thinking that being in the same place meant we would never change. But as we grow up, things always change. We learn different subjects, walk different paths, and meet different people. We can’t avoid the fate of going our separate ways.”

"What happened between you two? Who did you meet? Who did he meet?" Lin Jiamo asked seriously.

“He met a girl, a really nice girl, but he didn’t tell me,” Fang Hui said, lowering her head.

"Who is it? How did you know?"

"I ran into them by chance. I don't know who they are, but I think they sang together during military training, and they were quite lively. I saw them eating together that day. You know, Chen Xun's talkative manner was really attractive, but unfortunately I only noticed him when he was talking to another girl."

“I know that girl, she’s in the finance department, her name is Shen Xiaotang, she’s really pretty.” Lin Jiamo thought for a moment and said, “But just because they’re having dinner together doesn’t mean anything! Don’t overthink it.”

"If you saw it too, you'd know it wasn't just me overthinking it; I can't describe the feeling."

"Then why don't you ask him?"

"Let him come and tell me. Maybe the day he mentions Shen Xiaotang will be the day I have to say goodbye to him..." Fang Hui finally lost her composure and tears slid down her cheeks, leaving a small puddle on the plastic napkin.

"Stop crying! It's your birthday, what's wrong with you! Come on, let's have a drink! Let all the troubles go away!" Lin Jiamo said, raising her glass.

Fang Hui wiped away her tears, nodded, and said, "Okay! Let's not talk about him anymore. How are you? I don't see you every day anymore. Are you still in contact with Su Kai and Zhao Ye?"

Lin Jiamo smiled bitterly and said, "When Su Kai first started university, he used to write to me often. For a while, I even thought we might still have a chance, but then the letters gradually decreased. The last letter he wrote was back when we did our mock exam. He said he had a new girlfriend in university. In the end, he couldn't wait for Zheng Xue. He was the one who vowed to wait even if there was no future, and now he's the one who sighs and says he was too young and foolish back then. So you see, everything is the same. I now think I was too narrow-minded back then. You understand when you grow up."

"What about Zhao Ye?" Fang Hui asked, raising her eyes.

“Him… he’s still writing to me.” Lin Jiamo paused and said, “He’s probably not used to it yet since he just arrived in Changchun. Once he makes new friends, he’ll lose interest.”

"Jiamo, you really didn't have even the slightest feeling for him, or any sense of being moved?"

“The feelings that come from being moved are different from love. I’m not willing to choose being moved before I’ve even experienced love. I’m going to love for myself, and it doesn’t matter if I don’t get a response, it doesn’t matter if it’s not forever!” Lin Jiamo said, looking into the distance. “Because I don’t believe in forever anymore. When we graduated, we cried and carved ‘Never to be apart’ under the tree, but what about now? Qiao Ran left for London without saying goodbye, Zhao Ye is in Changchun, and although you, me, and Chen Xun are still together, who can guarantee that we’ll always be together? Don’t you also lack confidence? It’s not that we want to break our promises, but that when we grow up, we’ve already betrayed our past, betrayed the people we were back then!”

"Did I really betray you?" Fang Hui murmured. "But I always feel that it shouldn't be like this."

"Maybe! When we're no longer young," Lin Jiamo said with a smile.

"Let's not talk about this anymore, you've confused me! I heard that Song Ning from Chen Xun's dorm is pursuing you, aren't you planning to find a boyfriend?" Fang Hui laughed as well.

“What’s the use of having people chasing after you!” Lin Jiamo sighed. “But I dreamt about Song Ning last night. I forgot what it was about, but it seemed pretty good. It was a good dream!”

"Looks like you should find a boyfriend." Fang Hui tapped her forehead.

"You're so annoying!" Lin Jiamo said, blushing.

When Chen Xun woke up, it was already broad daylight. He sat up somewhat dazedly, and after a while, he stared at Wu Tingting and asked, "What time is it?"

"3:24 PM on October 10, 2001!" Wu Tingting said, looking at her watch. "You are now in the bungalow rented by Tang Haibing. Standing in front of you and having slept with you all night is Wu Tingting. You should consider whether you should take responsibility for her."

"What date is it now?" Chen Xun asked, suddenly snapping out of his daze upon hearing the date.

"Number 10, what's wrong?" Wu Tingting stopped joking and told him with a puzzled look.

"Damn it! How come it's already the 10th!" Chen Xun sat up abruptly, wiped his face, and was about to walk out.

"What's the rush? Are you taking attendance in class? It's already late, let's grab something to eat before we go!" Wu Tingting said, pulling him back.

"No, no! Yesterday was Fang Hui's birthday! I completely forgot about it. I'd better go back now!" Chen Xun said, putting on his coat.

"Then slow down!" Wu Tingting said, stuffing two wafer biscuits into his pocket.

"Okay, I'm going now!"

Chen Xun paused at the door, then turned back and said, "Stop thinking about Bai Feng. Think about how you're going to live the next hundred years or so! If you can't figure it out yourself, call me and I'll help you!"

"Okay!" Wu Tingting gave an OK sign and watched him walk out.

Chen Xun returned to his dormitory, where Song Ning and the others had just finished class. The group met at the entrance, and Wang Senzhao anxiously pulled him aside and asked, "Fourth Brother, where have you been these past two days? We haven't heard from you, and we can't get through to your phone!"

"Don't say that, let's verify our guess first. In my opinion, there are only two reasons why you didn't come home at night: one, you hardened your heart and did 41; two, you hardened your heart and did 42."

"You bastard..."

Chen Xun had just opened his mouth when Song Ning interrupted him: "Don't rush to affirm me, wait until Gao Shang finishes speaking!"

"I think there are three reasons. First, the person who was pricked with the needle went to the hospital and found out they didn't have AIDS; second, they were spotted by the legendary beggar from Peking University and taken into their harem; third, they were recruited into a terrorist organization by Bin Laden," Gao Shang said, shaking his head.

"Damn! You guys have been talking about me behind my back like this all along!" Chen Xun said, picking up his automatic razor. "Seriously, you haven't been calling roll these past few days, have you?"

"No roll call? We didn't miss a single roll call!" Song Ning exclaimed, her eyes wide. "The first day it was political economy, and the second day it was calculus, and they called on you to answer a question. I felt sorry for you and stood up to answer it for you. It's all because I'm terrible at studying; my answer was just laughable, completely nonsensical. The teacher got disappointed and called on me by student number to fill in the gaps! Luckily, you were quick-witted and stood up to answer it for me. So remember this: in calculus class, I'm you, I'm the leader, and you're the leader!"

"Thank you, thank you so much! If I fail my calculus final, I'll definitely treat you guys to dinner!" Chen Xun said with a forced smile. "Has Fang Hui called me these past couple of days?"

"No. Hey, where have you been? Do you have 43?" Song Ning asked, glancing at him sideways.

"Get lost! I'll talk to you when I get back. I need to go find Fang Hui first."

Chen Xun picked up his wallet and keys and headed out, but stopped abruptly at the door. He pulled out a 50-cent bill from his wallet, turned around, and said, "Gao Shang, how did you fold that paper ring last time? Fold one for me quickly!"

Song Ning smiled and said, "You're something else, a complete playboy!"

Chen Xun asked Fang Hui to come downstairs to the small woods at the school. Her expression remained calm. Chen Xun pulled her aside and said awkwardly, "I'm so sorry, yesterday was really too thrilling. In the chaos, I... I didn't even say hello to you. I didn't have time to buy you any birthday present either. What do you want? Let's go out and buy it now."

"There's nothing I want," Fang Hui said, lowering her head.

"Really not?"

"No."

"Then... let's have dinner together tonight!"

"I've already eaten with my roommates."

"Then tell me, how are we going to celebrate your birthday?"

"No."

"Are you still angry?"

"No."

"Don't overthink it! There's really nothing between Wu Tingting and me. We met Bai Feng, and then..."

"I know!" Fang Hui interrupted him. "Let's not talk about this anymore. You must have your reasons."

"I really am..."

"I don't want to hear it!" Fang Hui said, somewhat agitated. "I'm begging you, please don't tell me, okay? I don't want to know what happened between you and Wu Tingting these past two days and two nights, I don't want to know at all!"

"Fang Hui, don't do this, I..." Chen Xun pulled her back and said.

"Let go!" Fang Hui said, pulling her hand back.

"What are you doing!" Chen Xun finally let go of her hand. "You have to let me finish what I have to say! I waited outside with Wu Tingting for Bai Feng for a whole day and night without closing my eyes. They were crying and making a scene, and I was afraid something would happen, so I tried my best to stop them! When I got back to Tang Haibing's room, I didn't even have the strength to take off my clothes, and I couldn't sleep soundly. I also had to keep an eye on Wu Tingting, afraid that she might do something stupid. If she hadn't gotten up and shaken the bed this afternoon, I wouldn't have woken up at all. The first thing I thought of when I opened my eyes was your birthday, I..."

Chen Xun stopped speaking midway. He saw Fang Hui's face turn an indescribably ashen white. Her body trembled, her fingers trembled, even her lips trembled, and her thin lips uttered incoherent sounds:

"You... what did you say? You're living with her? You're living together?"

"No... Fang Hui, listen to me, it's not what you think, it's not!" Chen Xun realized he had said the wrong thing, and he hurriedly grabbed Fang Hui, explaining frantically.

"Let me go! Let me go!" Fang Hui screamed, crying.

"I won't let go! Listen to me clearly, you can't just leave like this!" Chen Xun hugged her tightly and said.

"Chen Xun, let me go! Don't touch me! Don't force me! Let me be alone for a while, I beg you, I really don't want to hear about you and her, and I don't want to talk to someone who just got out of someone else's bed! Disgusting! I feel disgusted!" Fang Hui struggled and said.

Chen Xun abruptly released her hand, staring blankly at Fang Hui and saying, "You said... what did you say? You said I'm disgusting? You've been with me for so many years and this is the last thing you want to say? The way I've treated you is disgusting?"

Fang Hui glared at him resentfully, then turned and ran out of the grove. Chen Xun watched her disappear through his tears. The five-cent ring he was clutching in his hand was crumpled into a ball. Chen Xun threw it forcefully into the center of the bushes and turned to walk in the other direction.

Fang Hui and Chen Xun eventually reconciled.

Wu Tingting personally stepped in to explain the situation. Tang Haibing was very dissatisfied with their decision to have Wu Tingting mediate, feeling that no matter how much Chen Xun and Fang Hui argued, it wouldn't be as serious as Bai Feng's incident. And to make them feel better, Wu Tingting would inevitably have to recall her painful past and suffer again. Chen Xun also felt a little embarrassed, but although he said he didn't need to pay attention to Fang Hui, he still hoped to clear up the misunderstanding with her as soon as possible. Wu Tingting could naturally see this, and she was willing to do something for Chen Xun. She wasn't worried about what she was doing for him, only that she wasn't doing enough. Whether it was repayment or affection, the feelings between Wu Tingting and Chen Xun were indescribable, far exceeding the years they had spent together in their lives.

Chen Xun was reluctant to part with her, and Fang Hui couldn't let go. The two stopped arguing and didn't bring it up again, treating it as a thing of the past. However, the words spoken were like spilled water, and the hurtful things they did still left a little lingering resentment.

One of the aftereffects was that Chen Xun was less willing to be alone with Fang Hui. Fang Hui always had a faint sense of melancholy, and Chen Xun really couldn't find a way to help her relieve it, nor did he want to. He was afraid that everything would eventually turn into a meaningless cold war, and all the initial beauty would be gone.

When the beauty of memories merges with the vicissitudes and helplessness of reality, only an unsoothing desolation remains in one's heart. During that time, Chen Xun often went out with Wang Senzhao and Shen Xiaotang. It was Shen Xiaotang who suggested that they look for part-time jobs to earn some pocket money while they were still in their first year of university. Actually, among the three of them, Wang Senzhao was the most serious about working; he genuinely intended to earn some money to ease the burden on his family. Shen Xiaotang, on the other hand, was purely looking for fun, hoping to find a job like in a cake shop or fast food restaurant—something fun and lucrative, like in Japanese manga. Chen Xun, having nothing else to do, went along. He enjoyed the feeling of being happy with them, or more precisely, he enjoyed being happy with Shen Xiaotang. She always brought a different kind of novelty, which Chen Xun never tired of.

Unfortunately, they misjudged the situation. Back then, student jobs were practically unheard of in Beijing. Migrant workers and factory girls were struggling to find work, so how could these college students be expected to idly wander around? They first went to KFC and McDonald's. The staff were polite enough to have them fill out forms and then casually put them in a box filled with hundreds of identical forms, telling them to wait for a call. Judging from the situation, Chen Xun figured they'd probably graduate by the time they got a call, so he abandoned the idea of ​​working at a fast-food restaurant. Next, they looked at a pastry shop. It was a small storefront with only three people—the employee and the owner. If the three of them stood in the middle, there wouldn't be room to turn around, and they'd have to line up to get out. They found the idea of ​​working there ridiculous. Finally, they had no choice but to try the nearby restaurants. The hostess was initially very welcoming, but as soon as she heard they were looking for work, her face fell. She reluctantly went to call the owner, rolling her eyes as she went. The boss didn't immediately discourage them. He looked at Shen Xiaotang and said, "The young lady is good. She can work in the lobby, but it has to be full-time. As for the boys, they can at most help in the kitchen, carrying gas cylinders or something." Just then, two male waiters carried in a large cylinder. Their white clothes had congealed into an oily, unidentified substance. Shen Xiaotang only glanced at it before pulling Chen Xun and Wang Senzhao out. But Wang Senzhao felt they couldn't just linger like this. They hadn't gotten any work, and they'd wasted several yuan on transportation. So he went back to negotiate with the boss, intending to try working there first.

Chen Xun and Shen Xiaotang sat on the curb waiting for him. Shen Xiaotang rubbed her legs and said, "Ugh, I'm exhausted. Why is it so hard for college students to find a job? What are we going to do when we actually graduate?"

"It's not that we don't work hard, it's not that we don't practice, it's that society doesn't give us opportunities, doesn't give us broad soil to weather the storms! Not only do they not give us opportunities, but they also turn around and say that we are hothouse flowers, living in an ivory tower, a lost generation! It's fucking unreasonable!" Chen Xun sighed.

"Exactly! One day we will break free from our shackles and create our own world. The world will be ours sooner or later! We are not a lost generation, but a brave generation! We will create the future in our own way and see the world with purer eyes. You won't know until you see it, the world is truly amazing!" Shen Xiaotang said, opening her arms to the sky.

"Who taught you this? You've improved so much in just a few days!" Chen Xun said, looking at her with surprise.

"My opening statement for our department's debate is about the advantages and disadvantages of the only-child mindset in future entrepreneurship. I'm the first speaker for the affirmative side!" Shen Xiaotang said, blinking.

"Great! Why didn't you invite me to visit?"

“What’s the point of visiting…we all lost in the end…” Shen Xiaotang said, lowering her head.

"How did you lose? I thought you spoke very well! So poetic!"

"It's because it was too lyrical that my classmates said my last two sentences sounded more like a poetry recitation than a debate..."

"What did you say at the end?"

"The air is so fresh, life is so wonderful, let's set off towards a bright future..." Shen Xiaotang whispered.

Chen Xun burst into laughter. Shen Xiaotang buried her head in her arms in annoyance. Chen Xun ruffled her hair vigorously and said, "Xiaotang, you're so cute, so incredibly cute!"

Shen Xiaotang blushed and looked up. Chen Xun, gazing into her bright eyes, stopped laughing. The streets were bustling with traffic, and amidst the city's hustle and bustle, Chen Xun felt a heartbeat unlike any he'd ever experienced before.

I'm really tempted.

The beeping of a text message interrupted their gaze. Shen Xiaotang shyly turned her face away, while Chen Xun nervously pulled out his phone. It was a text from Fang Hui, saying that Song Ning was inviting Lin Jiamo to dinner later, and Lin Jiamo insisted on inviting her. She wanted Chen Xun to come along, as they had agreed last time, to create an opportunity for them.

Fang Hui once casually mentioned the dream Lin Jiamo had told her. Chen Xun said at the time that he would definitely try to bring them together if there was a chance. Fang Hui remembered this, firstly because she didn't want to see Lin Jiamo drifting alone, and secondly because she wanted to spend some time with Chen Xun, as they hadn't eaten together for a while.

Chen Xun glanced at his phone, then turned to Shen Xiaotang and said, "Xiaotang, I have something to do tonight, so I have to go first. Please tell the boss when he gets back."

"Aren't you going to eat with us? What's wrong?" Shen Xiaotang said, slightly disappointed.

"Um... about Song Ning, I'll treat you to dinner alone next time!" Chen Xun didn't mention Fang Hui's name. He had never mentioned Fang Hui to Shen Xiaotang. Sometimes he wondered if this counted as deliberately deceiving her, but he quickly convinced himself, insisting that friends didn't necessarily have to talk about girlfriends. But no matter what, deep down, he still didn't want Shen Xiaotang to know about Fang Hui, nor did he want Fang Hui to know about Shen Xiaotang.

"Okay! I want the fried milk and red bean paste from the small restaurant!" Shen Xiaotang smiled brightly.

"No problem!" Chen Xun waved and ran to the other side of the road.

When Chen Xun rushed back to school, Fang Hui and the others were already seated in the small restaurant. Song Ning greeted him with a smile, saying, "I asked you to come, and you actually came? You know I'm short on money right now, and you still came along to freeload. That's not very loyal!"

"Come on! I'm already being very generous by not calling the boss and Gao Shang!" Chen Xun snatched the menu and said, "Give me a boiled pork dish first!"

"So, you didn't call 42 over? Is that considered being loyal or not?" Song Ning said, winking.

"Get out!" Chen Xun glared at him in a bit of panic, then turned to the waiter and said, "Change the boiled pork to boiled fish!"

"Alright, alright! I give up!" Song Ning quickly stopped him, saying, "Boiled pork, still boiled pork!"

"What secret code are you two exchanging? You look like you're in cahoots!" Lin Jiamo said suspiciously.

“We’re handing you over to the Japanese. I have to be careful, don’t I? This is for your own good. If I accidentally hand you over to the Japanese, how can I face my fellow villagers?” Chen Xun said with a grin.

"Go to hell!" Lin Jiamo threw a napkin at him. "Who needs you to take responsibility?"

"I'll use it, can I use it?" Song Ning chimed in. "Chen Xun, I officially accept the arduous task you assigned me. I will definitely live up to your expectations, carry forward the spirit of not being afraid of hardship or death, and vow to complete the mission successfully!"

"What are you talking about? Don't joke with me like that!" Lin Jiamo said, somewhat angrily.

"Alright, alright, let's eat first!" Fang Hui said with a smile. She habitually placed the spicy dishes in front of Chen Xun, and Chen Xun habitually gave her the non-spicy dishes first.

"Wow, you two are so in sync!" Song Ning clicked her tongue and said, "Old married couples are just different!"

“You also have a chance to cultivate slowly with Jia Mo, and we’ll be your teachers for free,” Chen Xun said, picking up a piece of meat.

"Chen Xun, don't stop now!" Lin Jiamo glared at him.

"Jiamo, come on, eat some vegetables!" Song Ning flattered her by putting a piece of food on her plate. Lin Jiamo glanced at him, pushed the food aside, and didn't touch it.

“Jia Mo is good in every way, except that she has a bit of a fiery temper. You’ll have to be more tolerant of her in the future!” Chen Xun said to her, ignoring her.

"Definitely! Don't worry! I may not be good at anything, but I have a soft temper," Song Ning continued.

Seeing Lin Jiamo's complexion growing worse, Fang Hui couldn't help but secretly tug at Chen Xun and whisper, "Don't do this..."

"Chen Xun!" Lin Jiamo slammed her hand on the table and stood up. "You're coming out with me!"

After she finished speaking, she turned and walked out. Chen Xun followed her out without much concern. Fang Hui was a little worried and wanted to follow her out to see what was going on, but Song Ning grabbed her arm.

"It's alright, let them talk." Song Ningfei and Fang Hui ladled out a bowl of soup and said, "You eat too. After they leave, we can both eat as much as we want."

“Jia Mo is really angry. Chen Xun is so tactless!” Fang Hui said, frowning.

"No, I think it's great. Chen Xun just said what I wanted to say. I usually like to joke around, but I never talk nonsense about things like this. I won't hide it, anyway, I'm going to pursue her, sooner or later I'll do it." Song Ning ladled herself a bowl of soup and said.

“But…but she…” Fang Hui stammered.

“I know she’s not interested in me!” Song Ning answered readily. “It doesn’t matter. My feelings for her and whether she likes me or not don’t really matter, unless we actually get together, then it can be compared.”

"I feel like you're just like someone from before!" Fang Hui said with a wry smile.

“Zhao Ye?” Song Ning glanced smugly at Fang Hui’s astonished gaze and said, “Chen Xun told me all about what happened between you two, but let me tell you, Zhao Ye and I are really different! He knew Lin Jiamo liked someone else, so he backed down first, using his pride as an excuse to avoid getting hurt. But I’m not like that. Who she likes is her business, but my liking her is mine! I can see her vulnerable side, and I will carefully protect her, so I feel I can stand tall and proud in front of her. Besides, didn’t she dream about me? No matter what she dreamed about, it means I’ve left a mark on her cerebral cortex!”

Looking at Song Ning, who was radiating confidence, Fang Hui smiled sincerely and said, "Go for it! I hope you and Jia Mo can both be happy."

"Thank you!" Song Ning said sincerely. "Fang Hui, you are a good girl."

Fang Hui lowered her head shyly.

“Chen Xun is a good boy too.” Song Ning paused for a moment, “But… good girls and good boys don’t necessarily have a good ending…”

Fang Hui was stunned. She blinked hard but couldn't hide her gloomy expression. After a while, she smiled faintly and nodded, saying, "I know."

Lin Jiamo and Chen Xun walked outside one after the other. The autumn evening breeze blew the stray hairs by her ears, and the dim lights of the campus bathed her in a golden glow.

Chen Xun took two quick steps and stood in front of her, saying, "What's wrong? Are you really angry?"

"What exactly do you mean?!" Lin Jiamo demanded sharply.

"It's nothing, just that Song Ning in the drama is pretty good, so I'm trying to set you two up! Why let the good stuff go to outsiders?" Chen Xun said with a smile.

"Why do you care so much about who I'm with? Do you have nothing better to do?" Lin Jiamo said with a stern face.

"Stop pretending, I know everything, just confess honestly!" Chen Xun didn't care about her anger at all, and even said it half-jokingly.

"What do you know?" Lin Jiamo looked at Chen Xun, puzzled.

“‘I dreamt of Song Ning last night, it was a good dream…’” Chen Xun chuckled mischievously, mimicking her voice in a high-pitched voice.

Lin Jiamo gave him a cold look, turned around and said, "Chen Xun, do you find this funny?"

"It's not funny, it's not funny!" Chen Xun quickly said seriously, "That's not what I meant, I just wanted to help you break through this barrier."

“I’ll tell you something even funnier.” Lin Jiamo, with her back to him, shrugged, as if taking a deep breath. “I did have a dream, and it was a really good dream. In the dream, I even hugged someone, and that person…”

“It’s you.” Lin Jiamo slowly turned to Chen Xun, looking directly into his eyes, but her expression was one of confusion.

Chen Xun stared at her speechlessly, and after a long while, he stammered, "You...you're kidding me..."

"I'm not kidding you." Lin Jiamo slumped her shoulders, instantly becoming much weaker.

"Why?" Chen Xun asked her, his eyes flickering.

"I don't know..." Lin Jiamo said, pursing her lips.

"Fang Hui..."

"I didn't tell her."

"I……"

"I didn't mean to do anything to you, I just wanted to let you know that I don't have the energy to treat you the way I treated Su Kai back then," Lin Jiamo said decisively, raising her head.

"Do you like me?" Chen Xun asked, turning his head to the side.

"Do you like Fang Hui?" Lin Jiamo asked, turning her head to the side.

"You know what kind of feelings I have for her," Chen Xun said earnestly.

"I know, it's the feeling of instinctively putting food on her plate during meals, the feeling of wanting to send her a text message before bed, the feeling of believing it's always there, but it's not love," Lin Jiamo said, raising her eyes as if she could see right into his heart.

"Don't talk nonsense!" Chen Xun irritably avoided her gaze.

"I'm not talking nonsense. Whether I like you or not, one thing will never change: I understand you, I understand you best!" Lin Jiamo smiled slightly.

“Jiamo, this is not good,” Chen Xun said, shaking his head.

"Don't you want to know why I said this isn't love?" Lin Jiamo tilted her chin up, watching the subtle changes on Chen Xun's face.

"This is……"

“No!” Lin Jiamo interrupted him, and with a sad smile, she said softly, “Because you met Shen Xiaotang, what you and Fang Hui have is no longer love.”

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