On a rainy night, the school beauty knocked on my door and asked for shelter

"At this time of day, many restaurants are probably just opening, and there should be quite a few people."

"I still have to go!" Wang Lan shouted. "I'm going to eat out today!"

The girls are also discussing their next steps.

Zhou Yue said to Su Yuqing, Zhao Ya, and Lin Xiaoxiao, "Let's go back to the dorm first, take a shower, and change our clothes. We're all sweaty and uncomfortable. Then we can go straight to the commercial area. I know a Hong Kong-style tea restaurant that's pretty good; this time should be perfect."

"Okay, okay!" Lin Xiaoxiao responded immediately, clinging to Zhou Yue's arm and acting coquettishly, "Is Sister Yue treating? I want to freeload a good meal!"

"Okay, eat as much as you want." Zhou Yue smiled indulgently and reached out to tap Lin Xiaoxiao's forehead.

Su Yuqing then turned her gaze to Chen Mo, with a hint of apology in her eyes.

Chen Mo smiled knowingly and said gently, "You go with them. I'll go with Wang Lan and the others."

"Okay, I'll contact you later." Su Yuqing took a step closer and gently kissed Chen Mo's cheek as compensation for not being able to be with him.

Chen Mo's eyes softened, and he lowered his head to return a light kiss to her smooth forehead.

Seeing the natural intimacy between the two, and their sweet and enviable appearance, the people around them felt both jealous and sweet.

I felt both jealous and envious, wondering when I would meet someone I could entrust my life to.

Seeing such genuine emotions always evokes a sense of longing in one's heart.

Back in the dormitory, everyone eagerly took off their heavy training uniforms, quickly washed up, and changed into light everyday clothes, feeling much more relaxed.

When I stepped out of the dormitory building again, the sunlight shone on me, and it felt as if even breathing had become much freer.

As noon approached, the commercial area near the school indeed began to bustle.

The streets were bustling with people, and students dressed in casual clothes with relaxed smiles could be seen everywhere. Many restaurants had already formed queues of people waiting for tables.

The barbecue restaurant that Wang Lan and his friends had their eye on was indeed popular. When they arrived, there were already quite a few people sitting on the plastic stools outside waiting for a table.

"My God, so many people?" one of the boys in the group exclaimed in surprise.

"Looks like we're on the same page! The large number of people means we made the right choice." Wang Lan was optimistic. She quickly ran to get a number and came back to call out to everyone, "Wait here, smell this fragrance, it's worth it!"

Hearing Wang Lan say that, the group smiled, took their numbers, and started chatting in the shade outside the shop.

"I'm finally alive again," a boy said, stretching dramatically. "What are the plans for this afternoon? I need to catch up on some sleep."

“Why sleep?” Wang Lan retorted immediately, her eyes shining. “Let’s go to the internet cafe this afternoon to play games together. I’ll carry you.”

"Come on, all I want to do right now is be intimate with my bed..."

Chen Mo stood aside, watching the bustling and energetic classmates on the street, feeling the vibrant atmosphere that was so different from the training ground.

Ordinary, real, and even somewhat mundane college life is slowly unfolding, carrying its everyday charm.

The girls were luckier. The tea restaurant Zhou Yue mentioned was quite expensive, and while it was okay for ordinary college students to eat there once in a while on important occasions, they couldn't afford to eat there often, so there were still empty seats available.

The cool air conditioning instantly dispelled the outside heat, and delicate pastries and chilled drinks were quickly served to everyone, making everyone feel relaxed. "Ah—I'm alive again!" Lin Xiaoxiao took a big gulp of iced lemon tea with satisfaction, let out a sigh, and then wolfed down a durian pastry, a tender chicken foot, and a small portion of shumai before exclaiming, "This is life!"

Zhou Yue smiled and took out her phone: "I have to remember this – the first big meal after military training!"

Zhao Ya ate the glistening shrimp dumplings in small bites, listening to her friends discuss whether to go back to the dormitory to rest in the afternoon or take a stroll in the commercial area. She felt more cheerful than she had in more than half a month.

She glanced out the window absentmindedly, remembering her appointment with Shen Xinghe. The afternoon sun no longer felt scorching, and she felt an even deeper anticipation for her ordinary yet exciting university life.

……

After the girls enjoyed themselves for a while, it was finally the boys' turn.

Wang Lan and his group managed to get a large table in a corner of the barbecue restaurant.

As soon as they sat down, Wang Lan grabbed the menu and rattled off a list of meats: "Lamb, beef, pork belly, beef tongue, chicken wings... This is it for now, we'll add more if it's not enough! We're going to have a feast today, guys!"

Seeing Wang Lan's hungry tiger-like appearance, everyone couldn't help but laugh.

The food arrived quickly. The restaurant grills the food before delivering it, and there are also self-service barbecue trays on the table.

If you feel the heat isn't enough, you can grill it a little more yourself.

As a large plate of barbecue was brought out, the sizzling oil on the grill filled the air with an enticing aroma of caramelized fat and smoky flavor, instantly whetting everyone's appetite.

Then everyone started eating and chatting.

"I have to say, that last move by Instructor Lei really broke me down," a boy said, picking up a piece of freshly grilled pork belly with his chopsticks, dipping it in sauce, and stuffing it into his mouth. "He's usually as fierce as the King of Hell, but the last move was actually quite touching."

“That’s right.” Another boy chimed in, then took a sip of the milk in his glass, and thinking back, he still felt a little uneasy.

Parting is always a painful experience.

While eating chicken wings, Wang Lan said casually, "But our performance this time really didn't embarrass him."

"That's right! We're an elite company, how could we not march well? You didn't see the looks from the other companies when we passed the reviewing stand, tsk tsk..."

Li Zhe pushed up his glasses and said, "It's mainly due to the effect of the last week of joint training. The sense of rhythm and uniformity have indeed improved a lot. Moreover, with Chen Mo and Shen Xinghe leading the way with such professional and standard movements, it's hard for the entire formation to be unstable."

Suddenly called out, Chen Mo, who was quietly sending messages to Su Yuqing to report his itinerary, looked up, smiled, and said nothing.

Shen Xinghe, sitting a little further away, merely raised his eyes slightly, as if he had heard, and continued to quietly eat the perfectly grilled vegetables and beef, appearing somewhat detached from the lively atmosphere around him, yet strangely integrated.

"Speaking of which," another boy winked at Chen Mo, "Brother Mo, how did you win over your girlfriend? Share your secrets with us, we can learn a thing or two!"

"That's right, Brother Mo, please teach us!"

At this moment, Wang Lan rolled her eyes at them and said, "The trick? Being handsome is the trick! You guys should grow up to be like Lao Mo or Xinghe first, then you don't need to be taught anything. If you can't grow up to be like them, it's a waste of time to teach you."

Hearing this, Chen Mo put away his phone, smiled helplessly, picked up the beverage bottle on the table, and said with a smile, "Just be sincere." (End of this chapter)