On a weekend in early August, Song Cong received a message from Qi Qi, “When are you going home? Let’s get everyone together.”

He sent her his schedule, and after a long wait, Qi Qi replied, “Got it.”

The chat ended quickly.

This was their first contact since breaking up.

The painful emotions had long since subsided. Song Cong thought perhaps busyness had accelerated everything – intensive coursework ended and the hospital internship began immediately, and he knew Qi Qi had been focused on preparing for studying abroad. Like two trains running parallel, each racing along their tracks without disturbing the other.

Perhaps not a bad thing.

Near noon, Jing Xi Chi called asking if he was at school. Song Cong said yes, and this guy immediately commanded, “Meet at the cafeteria where we ate last time in half an hour, bring your meal card.”

The busy man was rarely seen, his meal-mooching skills increasingly refined.

Putting down his phone, Song Cong unhurriedly read a few more pages. Closing the book right on time, he grabbed his car keys and left.

When he reached the cafeteria entrance, Song Cong was genuinely surprised. Before his bicycle had fully stopped, he strode forward, “Yuan Er! How come you’re here?”

“Surprised?” Yuan Er grinned. Seeing these two about to hug, Jing Xi Chi quickly grabbed her hand, “Old Song, show some awareness.”

“Huh?” As Song Cong expressed confusion, he immediately understood, pointing his index finger at them both, “You kept it from even me?”

Indeed, there wasn’t much surprise. He had known Jing Xi Chi’s feelings even earlier than the person himself, and as for Yuan Er… it seemed this day would come sooner or later, just a matter of timing.

“Wanted to tell you in person.” Yuan Er smiled sweetly, “Actually it hasn’t been long, graduation day…”

“Alright, alright.” Jing Xi Chi became somewhat embarrassed, hurriedly interrupting, “Let’s eat, let’s eat.”

The three entered the cafeteria together, Song Cong asked, “When did you arrive?”

“Yesterday.” Yuan Er couldn’t help yawning, “I came directly from school, staying for a week before I have to go back.”

“So rushed?”

“I’ve been working on projects with my advisor, even this week was hard-won through persistent begging.” Speaking of this, Yuan Er suddenly remembered something academic, “Oh right, I saw Professor Li Guangyi from your school just published a paper on water channel protein antibodies, he’s a supervisor in your department, right?”

A research heavyweight, Song Cong had heard of him, so he nodded, “Yes. I attended one of his lectures once, he mainly does cardiovascular pharmacology and kidney physiology research.”

“Amazing!” Yuan Er’s eyes sparkled, questions flowing, “Can anyone attend the lectures? Are there any recent ones? Do you know what topics?”

“Oh I remember, he also talked about multi-target drug design strategies.”

“Multi-target? Which specific direction?”

“You two settle down first.” Jing Xi Chi pouted at the auntie holding a big ladle waiting for their order at the window, “Please excuse them.”

The auntie waved her ladle, showing her worldly wisdom, “Chat away, figure it out before eating.”

Yuan Er seriously gave a thumbs up, “Good horse needs good saddle, prestigious school needs prestigious auntie.”

This made even students several steps away laugh together.

She could always unexpectedly become everyone’s source of joy.

The three ordered and found seats. Song Cong suddenly said, “Qi Qi messaged me today, talking about getting together.”

Yuan Er and Jing Xi Chi exchanged glances, looking at Song Cong, “Qi also asked me on the way here. You… know she’s leaving?”

“Mm.” Song Cong smiled bitterly, “How could I not know?”

Even though Qi Qi had never said it.

Yuan Er paused briefly, “Qi has a flight next Saturday, to England. Xi Chi’s been working overtime lately, I’m going back to school Saturday morning, you… she said since you can’t make it back either, let’s not meet.”

Once close friends scattered to their own lives, no longer a time when they could jump on their bikes and appear at each other’s doorstep with just a phone call.

Song Cong made a low sound of agreement. When he sent his home dates, Qi Qi already knew they couldn’t meet, but she didn’t say anything. If… if she had told him she was leaving next Saturday, Song Cong thought he would try to switch shifts, even if it meant rushing back on a weekday night and returning the next day – Qi Qi didn’t want him to make such an effort.

It seemed it seemed she already knew, in that now-ended relationship, they had both forced themselves too many times for each other.

“There are many odds and ends before leaving.” Yuan Er saw Song Cong’s downcast expression and tried to comfort him, “Even I, with all my free time, have to check her schedule to meet. Qi said she has many appointments lined up, she still needs to take two days to visit her grandparents.”

“We’ll meet again sometime.” Song Cong smiled, lifting his chin, “Try our food here.”

Yuan Er accordingly picked up a piece of fish-flavored eggplant and put it in her mouth. As the taste spread, she exclaimed “Wow!” “It’s exactly like Third Academy’s twin eggplant!”

Jing Xi Chi twisted open a drink and placed it beside her tray, “I knew you’d love it.”

This sweet and sour flavor with a hint of spiciness was their shared memory.

“Heard from my dad that the cafeteria changed chefs.” Song Cong said while eating, “The former master chef opened a restaurant, and hospital doctors get 10% off showing their faces.”

Jing Xi Chi responded, “Then we need to bring one of you to enjoy the discount benefit.”

“Hey,” Yuan Er pinched his chin, “With your flower-blooming handsome face, you get discounts everywhere.”

“Flatterer.” Though Jing Xi Chi said this, his expression of enjoyment couldn’t be hidden.

Song Cong waved his hand in disgust, “You two, hurry and leave after eating.”

Yuan Er clicked her tongue twice, her tone full of endless regret, “It’s over, we’ve become rich.”

Jing Xi Chi played along in their tragic family visit drama, “Told you not to come to the city but you insisted, all this wind and frost on the road ends in emptiness.”

“Can’t blame others, let’s pack two more meals and be on our way.”

Song Cong doubled over laughing at these two, “Already eaten and still thinking about takeaway.”

Rare to meet, and happening to be a leisure weekend, after eating the three moved to a corner spot to chat. Song Cong asked Yuan Er where she was staying, Yuan Er pointed at Jing Xi Chi, “Crashed at their place last night, arranged to stay at Du Man’s dorm tonight.”

Jing Xi Chi quickly added, “She’s in my room, I’m staying with Qiu Yang.”

“Who asked for such detail.” Song Cong raised an eyebrow, “Afraid I’ll tell on you at home?”

Yuan Er blushed.

Jing Xi Chi seemed unconcerned, “Afraid you’ll give us a physiology lecture.” Seeing Yuan Er’s shyness, he changed the topic, “Have you been in touch with Du Man lately?”

“Occasionally.” Song Cong said, “She’s always wanted to do graduate studies at our school, can’t avoid internship this year either, lots of pressure.”

“No wonder.” Yuan Er sighed hearing this, “She was crying throughout our call the day before yesterday. Song Cong, help her more.”

Since setting her graduate school goal, this girl showed signs of returning to her high school state – WeChat moments never updated, takes three days to remember to reply to messages, and when asked where she is, always either library or studying room. Before Yuan Er came, they had one phone call where Du Man cried after just a few words. That day she had been severely scolded by her teaching doctor in front of everyone – the hospital doesn’t keep idle people, do it if you can, get out if you can’t – because she was doing graduate entrance exam questions in the department and didn’t answer a colleague’s call in time. Du Man cried breathlessly on the phone, “I’m studying for grad school just to have a wider path, Yuan Er I want to be a good doctor, I haven’t had a day since starting medical school when I didn’t think this way.”

Fish and bear paws have always been hard to obtain, but Yuan Er completely understood her friend’s overwhelm.

Du Man’s brightly shining dream led her to choose a lonely and difficult path.

“We’re all classmates, I’ll definitely help however I can.” Thinking of this, Song Cong added, “I really didn’t know Du Man was this kind of person before.”

“What kind of person?”

“Just… a bit stubborn, principled.” Song Cong recalled their not-too-many interactions, “Maybe the most persistent one among all of us.”

“You transferred away later.” Jing Xi Chi said, “Barely a year as classmates, how much could you understand?”

“True.” Song Cong nodded, “People are understood more the more you interact.”

“Could you imagine Xin Yan going back to take the civil service exam?” Yuan Er propped her chin on both hands, “Such an active person.”

Changing boyfriends so frequently everyone lost track of names, never missing out on fan activities, travel, student clubs, posting graduation photos twice in nine-picture sets on moments – if anyone lived these four years most successfully, Liao Xin Yan would be first.

Yuan Er worried she’d turn the Tianhe Finance system upside down if she got in.

Unexpectedly, both Jing Xi Chi and Song Cong shrugged, “Not surprising.”

“Xin Yan’s been a class cadre all along,” Song Cong counted on his fingers, “Middle school Youth League secretary, high school class monitor, university department chair…”

Jing Xi Chi continued, “Future March 8th Red Flag Bearer strong female leader, who’s more suited for this path than her?”

Yuan Er was convinced. She suddenly had a feeling – Liao Xin Yan had known very early what she wanted or needed to do, these four years were more like a planned deliberate self-liberation.

When the clock struck midnight, the characters returned to their positions, and the fairy tale abruptly ended.

People who are certain about life rarely regret or feel remorse, because that’s the life they seriously chose.

The cafeteria window closed and opened again, someone in the space humming “Love to Strive is to Win.”

“A moment’s setback brings complaints

A moment’s hardship brings fear

Those who lose hope

Drunk and confused every day

Soulless body like a scarecrow

Life is like waves on the sea

Sometimes up sometimes down

Good luck bad fate

Must still get up and go on

Three parts destiny

Seven parts striving

Love to strive is to win”

Probably a Fujian chef, the Minnan dialect pronunciation is precise and clear.

The three listened quietly until it ended, Yuan Er stood up, “Let’s go, it’s late and Man Man is waiting for me.”

Jing Xi Chi rode with Yuan Er, and Song Cong cycling on the outside, a crescent moon suddenly appearing in the clear sky.

On the way home after some evening self-study session in high school, there was a gentle breeze, passing people, and words only they understood.

Time takes away some sorrows but bestows new troubles, brings heart-fluttering love, and also leaves precious companions.

For them, these eight years since the meeting couldn’t be described in a few words.

The only thing they were certain of was that in the many eight years to come in the future, the others would always appear in their lives like that moon.