Chapter 43: University

Everyone’s travel plans still couldn’t proceed. There was always someone missing, and just like that, the wonderful summer vacation after the college entrance exams slipped away quietly without a sound.

Lu Nan and Song Wenwei both attended university in A City, in the University City area. Tang Jiu, however, had been sent abroad to study. When they saw her off at the airport, she cried her heart out, snot and tears streaming down her face, refusing to go no matter what.

Sobbing, she said, “I don’t want to go study abroad. I’ll be all alone. I don’t know what they’re thinking, wuwuwu…”

Song Wenwei and Lu Nan took turns comforting her.

Tang Mom couldn’t hold back anymore. She scolded, “If you didn’t stay up all night surfing the internet and studying like your brother, would your dad have sent you away?”

Tang Jiu instantly stopped crying. She said, “Yeah, you two get to stay sweet together while I’m left all alone and miserable.”

In the end, Tang Mom had to coax and persuade her before Tang Jiu finally boarded the plane. The three of them watched her figure disappear into the terminal.

Lu Nan and Song Wenwei took a taxi home. The scenery along the road flashed by in an instant.

Just a short while ago, they had been in high school, and now everyone was about to embark on a new chapter in life.

“Will you cry?” Lu Nan sat by the window, propping her chin on her hand as she turned to look at her. The question came out of nowhere.

“Cry about what?”

“Leaving home, going alone to a strange city—would you?”

Lu Nan had heard about Song Wenwei’s family situation from Tang Jiu. Song Wenwei had been raised single-handedly by her dad. Back then, human trafficking was rampant, so her dad had always kept her close, taking her everywhere he went.

She recalled reading in a book that people in unfamiliar environments would rely on familiar faces. Song Wenwei didn’t have any familiar people here.

So… what had it felt like for her, coming from another city to this unfamiliar one to study? Had she felt the same unease about the future as Tang Jiu, the same reluctance to leave family and friends?

She didn’t know why she was dwelling on this long-past issue. It had nothing to do with her, after all.

Seeing how persistent Lu Nan seemed about the question, Song Wenwei unusually didn’t answer.

“What about you?” Song Wenwei countered. “You’re going to university in A City. Will you cry?”

The words slipped out almost automatically, and Lu Nan replied firmly, “I won’t.”

Song Wenwei took her hand. She somewhat understood Lu Nan’s thinking now—probably seeing Tang Jiu looking so pitiful had made her worry if her friend would feel upset about the unknowns ahead.

That was just how Lu Nan was: a sincere heart beneath a cold exterior.

Her palm was warm, different from the scorching summer heat—it carried a strange feeling that Lu Nan couldn’t quite describe.

“Don’t worry, I won’t cry either.”

—

“Take this one, and this… Oh right! This too…”

Li Erning looked around Lu Nan’s room, finding endless reasons to pack things away.

Lu Nan watched as the house was nearly emptied, leaving only the wardrobe and bed frame. No way! This had to stop. She wasn’t going to school; she was moving out.

“Stop stuffing things in, sis… The suitcase is about to burst.” She spoke helplessly, pulling out the useless items and setting them aside neatly.

Li Erning nodded thoughtfully, as if she agreed it made sense.

“If anyone bullies you at school, tell sis. I’ll fly over and teach them a lesson.”

“Sis, I can beat anyone in the world.”

After Lu Nan said that, Li Erning pulled a thick stack of cash from her pocket. Without any reluctance, she handed it to Lu Nan, her voice gentler than usual.

She said, “Take it. Don’t be shy…”

“I don’t want it!”

Before Li Erning could finish, Lu Nan stepped back.

She could see clearly: that thick wad was money scraped together from who knows how many people. Everyone was struggling; she had no face to take it.

“What’s there to want or not want? It’s not just my money—it’s living expenses from everyone.”

Li Erning didn’t know how much it cost to live on campus for a month, but this amount should last several months anyway. If it ran out, they could deal with it then.

She was determined that Lu Nan wouldn’t miss out on anything she deserved.

She pushed the money forward again.

“I’ve got money, sis. Take it back. I’d rather die than accept it!”

“Where’d you get money from?” Li Erning narrowed her eyes, suddenly realizing. “Did you sneak off to do a part-time job again!”

“…”

In the end, that stack of cash still didn’t get handed over.

That evening, Li Erning looked at the tidy-to-the-point-of-stifling room and nearly couldn’t breathe.

The person had only been gone a little while, but the place already smelled so stale, devoid of any life—like lying in a coffin.

She’d grown up and gone to university in the blink of an eye. Not long ago, she’d been just a little kid.

She locked the door, and the brass key vanished into her pocket.

—

The first day of university life ended.

Lu Nan closed her book after class. She felt it wasn’t much different from before.

The school had postponed military training until after National Day, leaving Lu Nan quite free. She didn’t join any clubs, and no one got close to her.

Her roommates had invited her to eat together at first, but Lu Nan figured she must not have listened carefully back then, or maybe her cold expression had scared them off.

By the time she realized, they were gone.

[One-Armed Hero: Wanna grab dinner?]

Lu Nan typed and deleted before finally sending it.

Her school and Song Wenwei’s were opposite each other—not too far. A drive would take just a moment.

She worried Song Wenwei might have plans. With her outgoing personality, without the cold face, someone was bound to ask her to hang out.

Lu Nan rationalized inwardly: It couldn’t be that after just one day of school, they’d grown distant. Anyway, she just wanted to eat out with her.

[Mosquito: Sure, wait for me at the east gate. I’m coming now.]

[One-Armed Hero: Send your location. I’ll pick you up.]

Lu Nan looked down confidently at the beige bike frame under her feet.

[Mosquito: You have a car? Wait! Electric bikes can’t carry two people, right?]

[One-Armed Hero: It’s a bicycle…]

After Song Wenwei sent her location, she waited downstairs.

Their school had a long slope. Lu Nan would definitely struggle riding up it. She could already picture it—

On the school’s long slope, Lu Nan pedaled with great effort, one foot after another. Her usual icy expression twisted unnaturally, her face strained, body heaving as she slowly made her way up.

The image was hilarious. Song Wenwei bowed her head and couldn’t help but chuckle out loud.

“What are you laughing at?”