University
She picked up her phone, and Song Chengrui's message was already there:
"Meet at the entrance of the school's Xiyuan cafeteria at 6:30. I heard the grilled fish there is pretty good."
"Okay." Xu Zhiyi responded with a nodding little rabbit expression.
Xiyuan Canteen is some distance away from both of their dormitories, but it has a good reputation and affordable prices.
When Xu Zhiyi arrived, Song Chengrui was already waiting at the door.
He also changed his clothes, wearing a simple gray T-shirt and sweatpants. His hair was wet and it looked like he had just taken a shower not long ago.
"Let's go, I've got a good seat." Song Chengrui naturally took the small bag from her hand and led her inside.
The cafeteria was bustling with people, almost all the seats were occupied, and the air was filled with the aroma of various foods.
Sure enough, he found a double seat in a relatively quiet corner by the window.
The two ordered the signature spicy grilled fish and added a few side dishes.
While waiting for their meal, they were finally able to take a good look at each other through the steaming air.
"Pfft..." Xu Zhiyi couldn't help laughing and pointed at Song Chengrui's forehead and nose bridge. "You look like you're wearing a white mask here, and it's not evenly applied."
After half a month of military training, the area covered by the hat and the skin exposed to the sun formed a sharp contrast.
Song Chengrui was not to be outdone. He took out his phone, switched it to selfie mode, and handed it to her: "It's the same here. Xu Zhiyi, your neck and face are not the same color."
The two of them looked at each other's faces on the phone screen and laughed.
After laughing enough, Song Chengrui looked at her carefully and said, "But fortunately, she didn't get sunburned. My roommate's neck was completely peeling from the sun, and it hurt just looking at it."
"Thanks to your sunscreen." Xu Zhiyi narrowed his eyes.
The grilled fish arrived quickly, covered with bright red peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, and the aroma was fragrant.
Both of them were very hungry and didn't bother to talk much. They just buried their heads in work.
"It's delicious!" Song Chengrui took a big sip of iced sour plum soup and breathed a sigh of relief. "What have I been eating for the past half month? I feel like my stomach is starving."
Towards the second half of the meal, they slowed down and started chatting.
"Oh, right," Song Chengrui recalled something, "How did you find me on the day of the welcome party? Our courtyard was packed with people."
Xu Zhiyi blinked, a little proud: "I didn't find you, it was pitch dark, I was so nervous when I went up, my mind was not on the stage at all."
Song Chengrui was amused by her and took out a photo from his mobile phone. It was taken when she was dancing that night. The distance was a bit far and the pixels were not high, but the outline and movements could be clearly seen.
"It's not that I have good eyesight, it's that you really stand out when you jump. Your movements are spot on, and most importantly, you look good."
"Tsk, stop being poor!"
"Tell me the truth!" Song Chengrui was slightly proud.
Xu Zhiyi looked at the blurry photo and felt sweet in her heart.
In fact, she knew that her dancing level was only average, but after he said that, she seemed to have become the most dazzling one on the stage.
"By the way, are you going home during the National Day holiday?" Song Chengrui asked.
Xu Zhiyi shook her head. "It's too far. It'll take two days to go there and back, and tickets are hard to buy. My parents also told me not to bother and just get familiar with the school. What about you?"
"I'm not going back either. My parents are on a business trip, and I'll be alone when I go back. It's perfect, why don't we go for a stroll around Beijing North? I've been here for half a month, and apart from the school playground, I haven't been anywhere else."
"Okay!" Xu Zhiyi nodded immediately, her eyes lighting up. She was filled with curiosity about this city.
The two of them began to plan their holiday itinerary with great enthusiasm, wishing they could cram all the famous attractions into the seven-day vacation.
"But," Xu Zhiyi suddenly thought of something and hesitated, "There must be a lot of people at the 11 scenic spots. Could they be here to see the crowds?"
Song Chengrui agreed: "That's right. Then we can find someplace with fewer people, or... just walk around the city, through the alleys or something, that would be nice too." He looked at her, "Anyway... with you, we can go anywhere."
These words were said naturally and casually. Xu Zhiyi lowered his head, used chopsticks to fiddle with the fish bones in the bowl, and said "hmm" softly.
After dinner, the two took a walk on the campus.
The evening breeze in late summer and early autumn brings a hint of coolness, blowing away the daytime heat.
The street lights cast mottled shadows on the ground. Students walked past them in groups of three or two, some in a hurry, and some strolling leisurely like them.
Passing by a small supermarket, Song Chengrui went in and bought two ice creams, and handed one with mung bean flavor to Xu Zhiyi.
The two of them walked aimlessly while licking their ice cream and chatting about the recent situation of their high school classmates.
When I walked downstairs to Xu Zhiyi’s dormitory, I had just finished eating the ice cream.
Many couples were saying goodbye downstairs, all sticky and sticky.
"Then...can I go upstairs?" Xu Zhiyi threw the wrapping paper in his hand into the trash can.
"Yeah." Song Chengrui nodded and threw the other wrapping paper in his hand. "There will be no military training starting tomorrow. Sleep a little longer in the morning."
"I know, you too."
Xu Zhiyi turned to leave, but Song Chengrui called her again: "Hey, Zhiyi."
"What's wrong?"
He took a small step forward and stood in front of her, blocking most of the light from the street lamp. Then he raised his hand and gently touched the corner of her mouth, which was still a little red from the spiciness. His fingertips were slightly cool from having just held an ice cream.
"There's a little popsicle stain," he whispered.
Xu Zhiyi's face suddenly turned red, fortunately it was night and he couldn't see clearly.
"Oh...thank you." Her voice was a little low.
Song Chengrui withdrew his hand, put it back into his trouser pocket, and curled the corners of his mouth: "Go up, good night."
"Good night." Xu Zhiyi didn't dare to look any longer, turned around and walked quickly into the dormitory building.
When I returned to the dormitory, only Jiang Qinghe was reading at the desk. The other two probably went to visit other dormitories.
"Are you back?" Jiang Qinghe raised his head from the book, pushed his glasses, and smiled gently.
"Yeah." Xu Zhiyi responded, trying his best to make his expression look normal.
Jiang Qinghe didn't ask any more questions and continued reading her book.
Xu Zhiyi put down her bag, took her toiletries and went to the bathroom to brush her teeth. Looking at herself in the mirror, she couldn't help but curl up the corners of her mouth.
The next few days will be a short break before formal classes start.
No need to get up early or stand at attention, life suddenly becomes comfortable.
Xu Zhiyi and her roommates walked around the school, familiarized themselves with the locations of the various teaching buildings, applied for a library card, and, under the guidance of Song Xingyu, found several delicious restaurants hidden in the back streets of the school.
The atmosphere in the dormitory is becoming more and more harmonious.
Although Zhao Jintang has a hot temper, he is straightforward. He says what he thinks and never holds grudges.
Song Xingyu is knowledgeable, fun-loving, and always brings up new topics.
Jiang Qinghe is quiet and steady, like an older sister, and her occasional words always hit the nail on the head.
Xu Zhiyi became the glue between them. She has a gentle personality and is good at listening.
That afternoon, the four of them had nothing to do, so they gathered in the dormitory, eating snacks and chatting.
Zhao Jintang was arguing with her sister again on video, this time over a scarf knitted by their mother.
"...Zhao Rumeng, please be reasonable! Mom said she would send me that scarf!"
"Who told you not to take it when you went home last time? Now it's mine!"
"You bandit!"
"Just bandits, so what?"
Xu Zhiyi and Song Xingyu looked at each other and smiled helplessly. They were already used to it.
Jiang Qinghe put on his headphones silently.
After arguing for about ten minutes, Zhao Jintang angrily hung up the video call and threw his phone onto the bed: "I'm so pissed! This Zhao Rumeng, I'll beat her up when I get home!"
Song Xingyu handed over a bag of potato chips: "Calm down, sisters, even if our bones are broken, our tendons are still connected."
Xu Zhiyi also laughed: "You two quarrel every day, but your relationship is still good."
Zhao Jintang stuffed a handful of potato chips into his mouth and mumbled, "What's good about that? I'm going to beat her up next time we meet."
That's what she said, but after a while, she picked up her phone again and started messaging her sister.
Song Xingyu looked at Zhile and turned to ask Xu Zhiyi: "Zhiyi, you and your classmate Song don't quarrel, do you? I think you two are so sweet."
Xu Zhiyi blushed: "We... have nothing to argue about." She and Song Chengrui both have gentle personalities and rarely get angry.
"That's great," Song Xingyu leaned back and lay on the bed. "My ex-boyfriend was a firecracker, flaming up at the slightest provocation and exhausting me. It's better to have a steady and long-lasting relationship like yours."
Jiang Qinghe, who had been wearing headphones, took them off at some point and suddenly whispered, "Being able to be together peacefully, quarreling over trivial matters, or being sweet and loving, are all very happy things." Her tone was calm, but it made the dormitory quiet for a moment.
Xu Zhiyi thought of Jiang Qinghe's life experience and felt a little touched. Yes, for most of them, the sweet troubles and harmless quarrels in their youth seemed so insignificant, yet so precious, in front of the life choices Jiang Qinghe had faced.
Zhao Jintang was silent for a moment, then jumped off the bed, picked up Jiang Qinghe's water cup and poured her a cup of hot water: "Qinghe, drink some water. Don't think about the past. From now on, our dormitory sisters will protect you!"
Song Xingyu also sat up: "Yes! From now on, I will take you out to play and show you the world!"
Xu Zhiyi nodded vigorously.
Jiang Qinghe looked at them, his eyes slightly red, but a genuine smile appeared on his face: "Thank you."
In the few days before the holiday, Xu Zhiyi mostly went shopping in the city. In the last few days, they took time to visit the Great Wall.
As expected, there were huge crowds of people, and I was basically pushed by the crowd as I climbed up.
The two men were so tired that they were out of breath. They finally found a slightly empty battlement and leaned against the city wall to rest.
"I finally understand what a hero is," Xu Zhiyi wiped the sweat off his face, "Anyone who can squeeze in is a hero."
Song Chengrui smiled and unscrewed the water bottle and handed it to her: "Hold on a little while, I'll treat you to a big meal later."
Xu Zhiyi took the water and took a sip. Looking at the rolling hills and winding city walls in the distance, his heart was filled with a sense of accomplishment.
"Song Chengrui, tell me, have we now climbed over a mountain and reached the top?"
Song Chengrui's passionate gaze followed her all the way, "Of course, you and I started from the foot of the mountain and went straight to the top. This is called meeting at the top."
Xu Zhiyi looked at the other person, a happy smile on his face, and stretched out his hand and said, "Yes! Come on, let's celebrate. You and I will meet at the top!"
Song Chengrui also smiled and walked hand in hand with her.
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