“Do you know what F University is like?”
A slow smile spread across his lips.
“The campus is huge—it takes an hour to walk from the east gate to the west gate. The library is open 24/7, so you don’t have to fight for seats when pulling all-nighters. There are eight cafeterias, and the spicy dry pot is especially delicious. The servers don’t skimp on the meat—they give you plenty.”
“The dorms are four-person rooms with lofted beds and desks below, air conditioning, and private bathrooms. The campus Wi-Fi is fast, so streaming movies never lags.”
Some people began whispering among themselves.
He chuckled, lowering his voice. “Back when I was studying for the college entrance exam, my motivation was hearing that F University had fast internet for smooth gaming. When I got here, I found out it really was smooth.”
The audience erupted in laughter.
Teacher Zhao’s cough sounded again, louder this time.
The person on stage hunched his shoulders slightly and raised his hands in mock surrender.
“Let’s get serious.”
“Before, I thought the future was pretty straightforward: do well on the college entrance exam, get into a good university, find a good job. But when you come to F University, you’ll realize the future is limitless. You can go into research, pursue creative work, or start a business. Any path is possible, as long as you dare to dream and dare to act.”
He paused, his voice softening.
“Right now, you’re sitting here, grinding through practice problems, memorizing textbooks, taking exams—it feels like an endless slog. I know, because I’ve been there too.”
“But I want to tell you, once you get through it, there’s light ahead.”
“Let me leave you with one more thing.”
He raised the microphone, enunciating each word clearly:
[This path leads to infinity.]
Applause filled the auditorium.
Loud and sustained.
Countless people in the audience screamed, “So cool! So cool! I want to get into F University!”
Mianmian watched the person on stage quietly. Gone was the earlier cockiness and laziness—now, his eyes held a serious light.
He truly believed what he was saying.
He wasn’t just reading from a script or fulfilling an obligation. He genuinely wanted to tell these younger students that there was light ahead.
Interesting.
Once the applause died down, he spoke again:
“One last thing—study hard for the exam. If you get in, I’ll take you gaming.”
He bowed and turned to leave.
Laughter, applause, and cheers blended together in the audience.
Mianmian curled her lip dismissively. What nonsense.
The two of them headed back to the middle school section.
Jin Man leaned in. “Hey, tell me honestly, what do you think of him?”
Mianmian replied slowly, “He’s definitely good-looking, but he talks like he’s asking for a punch—like a proud peacock.”
Jin Man froze for two seconds, then doubled over laughing.
Mianmian couldn’t help but smile too.
That peacock was really strutting his stuff.
“I still think studying diligently is the right way. Who acts like him, taking younger students gaming? He’s not afraid of leading them astray.”
As they chatted and laughed, they passed the teachers’ office. Suddenly, Mianmian’s smile froze.
Inside the doorway stood a tall figure, over six feet tall, looking right at them.
Oh no, did he hear?
His eyes lingered on her for two seconds before shifting away.
Mianmian stood in the hallway, her face burning.
Talking behind someone’s back and getting caught in the act.
In his eyes, she probably seemed like a petty little girl.
Whatever.
It didn’t matter—she wouldn’t see him again anyway.
After school, Mianmian saw her mother at the school gate.
Ji Lixiang stood beside the guardhouse, wearing a floral-print blouse, her hair neatly combed, holding a canvas bag. When she saw Mianmian come out, she raised her hand and waved.
Mianmian ran over. “Mom, why are you here?”
Ji Lixiang smiled. “I got off work and came to pick you up on the way. Let’s go, we’ll talk at home.”
Ji Lixiang was only thirty-eight this year, but she looked older than her actual age.
The weathering on her face was the mark left by working two jobs to support the family all these years.
How difficult it was to be a single-parent family, but she never complained, just silently worked, silently held on, silently paid for Mianmian’s education.
“Mianmian, your grandmother is sick,” Ji Lixiang said. “Back in our hometown, there’s no one to take care of her. Mom has to go back for a while.”
“How long?”
“Hard to say.” Ji Lixiang lowered her eyes. “It might be a while.”
“Mianmian, you can’t stay home alone. I’ve already spoken with Teacher Zhao,” she said. “You’ll stay at her house for a period of time, until the high school entrance exams are over.”
Mianmian froze.
Teacher Zhao?
The dean of students?
…That Jiang Yu’an’s mother?
“But Mom…” she was about to speak when Ji Lixiang took her hand.
“Mianmian, Mom knows you don’t want to trouble others. Teacher Zhao is a good person, she’ll take care of you. Be good, listen to her, okay?”
There was a hint of pleading in Ji Lixiang’s beautiful yet weary eyes.
Mianmian immediately swallowed the words on the tip of her tongue.
“…Okay. Mom, don’t worry, I’ll be good, I’ll listen to Teacher Zhao, and I’ll study hard. I’m sure I can get a high score and get into our school’s high school division, get a scholarship, and lighten your burden.”
Ji Lixiang breathed a sigh of relief, pulling her into a hug.
“Mom will be back soon.”
Mianmian had almost no luggage.
A few T-shirts and sweatshirts had been washed many times, the collars a bit loose, the colors a bit faded.
She usually wore her school uniform to school, these clothes were only worn on weekends.
There was also a pair of jeans, the knees worn a bit white, but still wearable.
She folded the clothes and put them into an old backpack.
Then she took a few books, a few sets of test papers, and a pencil case.
That was all.
No snacks, no toys, none of those plush dolls little girls liked.
She never wanted those things since she was little. Mom didn’t say it, but she knew, the family had no money.
Mianmian picked up her backpack and followed her mom out.
Teacher Zhao’s house was on the fifth floor. Mianmian climbed up floor by floor, her mind a mess.
Staying at Teacher Zhao’s house.
…Jiang Yu’an was in college, did he live at home?
She remembered that door from the afternoon, those eyes, that gaze that looked through the crack in the door, half-smiling, mocking.
It’s over.
Really over.
She stood at the fifth-floor door, took a deep breath, and rang the doorbell.
The door opened.
Teacher Zhao stood at the door, wearing a casual sweater, a smile on her face. “Mianmian’s here? Come in, come in!”
Mianmian took a step inside, then froze completely.
In the living room, on the sofa, sat someone.
Over six feet tall, white T-shirt, jeans.
He was sitting with his legs crossed, holding a magazine in his hand, his eyelids lifting to glance at her.
It was Jiang Yu’an.
Mianmian stood at the door, her mind blank.
Jiang Yu’an glanced at her, then shifted his gaze back to the magazine, lazily speaking:
“Mom, so this is the little girl you said would be staying with us?”
Ji Mianmian took a deep breath.
Good.
Very good.
Karma had arrived.