I didn’t see my dormmates again until the thesis defense day. As soon as Xiao Feng saw me, she pounced forward, grabbing my shoulders and shaking them vigorously: “Xigua, I’m so sorry! It was all my carelessness that got you wrongly accused. Please forgive me!”

As if to prove her sincerity, her grip on my shoulders rivaled that of an eagle’s talons. I felt like my shoulders were about to shatter…

“…You think destroying my shoulders will make me forgive you?”

“Hehe, sorry, I got too excited!” She withdrew her claws with an embarrassed smile. “Don’t worry, Xigua, I’ve been explaining this to everyone these past few days.”

“Explaining what?”

“Telling everyone I’m a pig who forgot to tell you about the interview call.”

Being wrongly accused was an awful feeling, but hearing her say this brought me some comfort.

Big Sister A-Fen was also nearby, and I smiled at them.

I had harbored some resentment towards them before, but thinking carefully, both Rong Rong and I were their dormmates. On the surface, Rong Rong’s evidence seemed so conclusive – I couldn’t expect others to trust me unconditionally and take my side.

Perhaps lowering the expectations of others would make oneself happier too.

My attitude visibly relieved A-Fen and the others, and they gathered around to discuss the upcoming defense. Everyone from our dorm except Si Liang and Rong Rong was in the same defense group, and we’d likely all finish by afternoon.

I drew a later number, and by the time it was my turn to present, most people had already left the classroom. Xiao Feng and the others wanted to stay for support, but I sent them away – having familiar faces watching might make me more nervous. However, just as I stepped onto the podium and was about to greet the professors, I looked up and saw Zhuang Xu standing at the back door, his gaze fixed directly on me.

I couldn’t help but freeze.

He must have come to the wrong classroom, Rong Rong wasn’t even here…

After this fleeting thought, I didn’t dare let my mind wander and focused on presenting my thesis. During the pause, while waiting for the professors’ questions, I instinctively glanced toward the back door, but it was empty.

It was already late when I left the classroom. I had planned to go straight to my uncle’s house but remembered I hadn’t packed my dorm things when I reached the intersection, so I turned toward the dormitory.

Only Si Liang was in the dorm. I gave her a lukewarm greeting and started packing some odds and ends that would be easy to take back.

After packing for a while, I discovered Si Liang had somehow ended up standing behind me.

“Xiguang, let me treat you to dinner today.”

“…That’s not necessary.”

“I insist.”

“…Should we wait for Xiao Feng and the others?”

“Just the two of us.”

I thought we were just having dinner, assuming she wanted to explain something to me. But during the meal, she didn’t say anything. Afterward, she unexpectedly dragged me to a small store to buy a bag of canned beer, then headed to the campus grove to feed mosquitoes.

Was everyone starting to act strange as graduation approached?

“Do you think I’m two-faced and like to gossip behind people’s backs?”

“…You’re overthinking it.”

She must be drunk – I counted the empty beer cans beside her, three or four, none of which were mine. Si Liang’s subsequent words further confirmed my assessment.

“You probably don’t know that you were a topic of discussion from the start. Despite not being local, you didn’t live on campus, and classmates saw you getting out of luxury cars on the street. Later, everyone learned from your high school classmates that your family was so powerful and famous.”

“And then there’s your overbearing way of pursuing him.”

Overbearing?

I never imagined I’d be labeled with those words.

I was just timid. Because I lacked confidence, I had to speak up loudly to give myself some courage. I pursued him openly and straightforwardly so that even if I failed, even if I was rejected, it would be a dignified failure.

“Later, when Zhuang Xu’s mother was sick, you casually produced so much money.” Si Liang gave a bitter smile and said, “Xiguang, do you know how shocked I was? Seeing you casually produce tens of thousands without even asking your parents, I realized for the first time the gap between people. Also, when we went to the bank together that day, it was so crowded, the number machine was broken, and there were long queues at the windows. But as soon as you walked in, the floor manager came to greet you. As if they could tell you were different by nature. You just had to say a word to the floor manager, and you could go to the VIP room to withdraw money without queuing. I’d never felt so deeply before that money meant you didn’t even have to queue.”

I barely remembered these details, though it seemed about right. I couldn’t help but explain: “Wasn’t Zhuang Xu waiting urgently for the money? It’s normal for floor managers to ask about customers’ needs, and that window was a VIP window anyway.”

“Yes, a VIP window, so matter-of-fact about it. See? There is no equality in the world.”

I wanted to say that there are always more good people in the world. That day, even if I didn’t have a VIP card if we had explained to the people in line that the money was needed for surgery at the hospital, they would have let us go first.

Why do you focus on these trivial details instead of the outcome?

I silently stared at the ground, then suddenly asked: “Si Liang, do you like Zhuang Xu?”

My question was abrupt, but I had suspected it for a long time. Si Liang’s interest in the matters between me, Rong Rong, and Zhuang Xu had exceeded normal boundaries, making me wonder. I thought Si Liang would avoid answering; she always had a diplomatic gift. However, Si Liang was unexpectedly frank.

“Yes, I do. Who wouldn’t like a guy like Zhuang Xu? Handsome and talented. But his family is so poor, his mother is sick, and his brother is young – I had to be cautious. Do you think why Rong Rong kept stringing him along before? Was it really about some stupid pride, waiting for who would speak first? Hah, if Zhuang Xu’s family didn’t have such heavy burdens, do you think she wouldn’t have thrown herself at him? Now she doesn’t want to string him along anymore, but, heh~”

I gaped at Si Liang in astonishment as she continued rambling: “Even if I didn’t mind his family situation, Rong Rong was still ahead of me. When someone’s fighting over something, it becomes more attractive – aren’t you the perfect example? They’re childhood sweethearts; even if I gave it my all, I might not win him over. So when you came along, anyone could see you liked Zhuang Xu, especially since you didn’t try to hide it at all. You know what? I both hoped you would win and feared you would.”

So Si Liang became this honest when drunk. I was so surprised that I started finding it amusing. I was almost certain that when Si Liang sobered up tomorrow if she remembered all this, she would regret it.

Her emotions were getting out of control, so I said half-comfortingly, half-ruefully: “You’re so much smarter than me. Yes, what could compete with childhood sweethearts?”

She paused, suddenly smiled, and looked at me saying: “Xiguang, you think he…”

“Hmm? What?” I asked absently.

She studied me, then suddenly stood up, swung her bag, and said: “Hmph, I’m not telling you.”

She just left like that. I stared at her retreating figure in amazement.

Si Liang always maintained such a perfectly diplomatic and proper demeanor; when had she ever acted so childishly? After my initial shock, I couldn’t help but smile wryly and murmur: “What could you tell me anyway?”

The next day, Si Liang called me, saying: “Nie Xiguang, I’ve completely forgotten everything I said yesterday.”

I paused, then laughed: “Oh, I’ve forgotten too.”

“Then tonight I’m treating everyone to hot pot, you must come.”

“Oh, alright,” I smiled and said, “Will we be drinking again?”

Si Liang hung up with a “bang.”

I arrived as promised that evening, finding both Rong Rong and Zhuang Xu present. Though not entirely without misgivings, facing graduation, I truly didn’t care as much anymore.

The last few days in my memory were filled with eating, playing cards, and groups of people going everywhere to eat, drink, and sing. On graduation certificate day, the class had their final gathering. This was the last celebration – everyone knew it was time for the music to end and for people to part ways.

People didn’t even wait until the next day; some left the dorm that very night. After the dinner, A-Fen, carrying all her belongings from four years, was the first to head home.

At first, I wasn’t sad at all, but when A-Fen was leaving, at the school gate, watching her about to board the bus, tears suddenly started flowing.

I was completely unprepared for crying, and it seemed nobody else was either, but in the end, everyone cried together, unable to stop. Later, on impulse, we all followed A-Fen to the train station, bought platform tickets, and accompanied her to the platform.

After many hugs, the train finally departed.

Standing on the platform, watching the rapidly departing train, I felt as if my youth was being carried away.

Those fleeting years of innocence.

Never to return.

No one felt like talking, and we silently walked out of the train station.

The buses near the train station were always crowded. I was originally standing with Xiao Feng and the others near the front, but when I moved slightly to make way for someone’s luggage, I got pushed out. I almost fell, fortunately, someone behind me steadied me.

Finally looking at the packed bus with barely any standing room, I gave up and watched it leave, planning to take the next one. However, when I went to check the schedule board, I discovered this had been the last bus.

I looked around in disbelief, then heard someone say beside me.

“Don’t bother looking, that was the last bus.”

A familiar voice sounded beside me. I turned sharply and saw Zhuang Xu’s handsome profile.