You're my wife, don't doubt it!

Shen Jie's eyes lingered on the words "new and old classmates" for a moment, then she pulled Xiao Yao's hand: "Let's go. You naughty student, always worrying about being a disciplinary committee member. The 'Middle School Student Code of Conduct' can't possibly govern college students, can it?"

"Do you have a 'Code of Conduct for College Students' and a 'Daily Behavior Norms for College Students'?" Xiao Yao asked.

"You could try asking at the library here if they have a book called 'Criminal Law'?"

As they talked, the two finally walked the long Qinfen Street and entered the back gate of T University.

"You know, once you get to the dazzling world of America," Xiao Yao asked Shen Jie, "it'll definitely be even more extravagant than here, right? Will you be able to resist then?"

Shen Jie let out a "pfft".

"Shen Jie, I know this sounds a bit low in emotional intelligence, and please don't laugh at me for being insecure. I've heard people say that the overseas study circle is quite chaotic..." Xiao Yao stammered.

A smile appeared on Shen Jie's lips, and her mischievous side emerged. She decided to tease him a little: "Okay, don't worry, I'll try my best."

Xiao Yao was taken aback. Was this really something to be asked? He glanced at Shen Jie, who had a mischievous smile on her face. Knowing he had been tricked again, he went along with her and said, "Well then, please, Little Dingdang."

Shen Jie reached out and put her arm around Xiao Yao's waist, continuing to tease him, "Then... if I accidentally make a mistake again, will you forgive me?"

Xiao Yao thought for two seconds, then grimaced in pain: "I will definitely try my best."

As night fell, the streetlights and lights under the buildings illuminated the campus, twinkling like stars in the darkness.

T University has a mysterious yet warm atmosphere at night. Along the main road of the campus, the various trees become blurred and unreal in the darkness. The figures of students sway under the lights; some jog slowly in the night, while others carry books under their arms, seemingly on their way to evening self-study.

What caught Xiao Yao's attention most was the tranquil and romantic atmosphere.

Under the streetlights, several couples nestled together, their figures blending with the dim light, creating what seemed to be the most beautiful scene of the night.

A couple strolled hand in hand along the riverbank, their reflections shimmering on the water, highlighting their tender expressions; another couple sat on the grass, gazing at the sparse stars in the sky, whispering secrets to each other.

A sense of sadness welled up in Xiao Yao's heart. He wished that time could stand still on this night, or that it could loop endlessly.

How many more opportunities will there be in the foreseeable future for me to stroll with Shen Jie through the beautiful campus like this?

He chose a deserted street lamp, pushed Shen Jie under it, and, mimicking the posture of the boy next door, hooked his arms around the girl's neck.

"Why do you have to copy others..." Shen Jie slapped his arm, but the boy silenced her with a kiss.

One minute later.

Shen Jie took a few deep breaths: "Okay, let's go. Aren't we going to eat at the cafeteria?"

"Guess what I'm thinking?" Xiao Yao asked her.

"You're thinking, 'If only we could go to university together at this school, and walk hand in hand like this every day, that would be wonderful.'" Shen Jie said without hesitation, "You feel sad because you don't want to be separated, because we couldn't go to middle school and university together..."

Xiao Yao was somewhat moved, not expecting Shen Jie to understand him so well in such a short time: "So, how are you feeling?"

“Just like you,” Shen Jie rested her head on Xiao Yao’s chest, “I feel that walking together like this is very romantic, very warm, a little happy, but also a little sad.”

"You really think so?" Xiao Yao asked, somewhat incredulous. "Or are you just saying this on purpose to meet my expectations?"

Shen Jie rolled her eyes at him: "Phew... Can't you be a little more confident? It's true."

The two finally arrived at the location of the first canteen of T University—they first found the second canteen, but it was already closed at this time.

Inside the first canteen, the lighting was dim and it was somewhat noisy. The chatter of people and the hum of machines mingled, creating a unique atmosphere. There weren't many people eating, but there were also quite a few. Some students had stainless steel trays in front of them, sitting at their respective seats, focused on eating their food. Their faces were somewhat indistinct in the dim light.

The air in the cafeteria was filled with all sorts of smells, from the enticing aroma of roasted meat and fried chicken to the subtle fragrance of soup pots.

The prices in the cafeteria are indeed very low—two meat dishes and one vegetable dish cost six yuan, and three meat dishes and one vegetable dish cost eight and a half yuan. There are several food windows with a wide variety of dishes.

At the very edge, there's a "Fat Master Rice Bowl" where all sorts of meat and savory dishes, like "Sweet and Sour Pork Ribs Rice" and "Oyster Sauce Beef Rice," are only eight yuan. Judging from the plates the students are holding, the toppings are quite generous.

In addition, there are various other stalls serving stir-fries, casseroles, spicy hot pot, and more, all at very low prices.

The only problem was that they didn't accept cash, only student cards. Xiao Yao struck up a conversation with a quiet girl wearing glasses, successfully borrowed her card, and gave her the cash.

The fast food was served on a rectangular stainless steel plate, which Xiao Yao held in his hand, enjoying the feel of it. He had a good appetite and ordered a piece of grilled pork chop with scallions, a serving of sweet and sour pork ribs, a slice of braised duck, and a side of green vegetables.

Shen Jie only ordered one serving of stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers and one serving of stir-fried shredded potatoes.

The two found an empty table and sat down facing each other. Xiao Yao placed the iron plate he was holding in his left hand in front of Shen Jie: "It really feels like we're going to college together now—is this enough for you?"

"That's enough, why eat so much at night?" Shen Jie smiled, not revealing that she had little interest in these cheap fast foods.

The food in T University's cafeteria was delicious. Although it was cooked in large batches, it followed the eating habits of Shanghainese, with rich and flavorful sauces. It was heavy on oil, salt, and sugar, and Xiao Yao ate with great relish, praising it highly.

Shen Jie was very polite when ordering food, but seeing Xiao Yao eating with relish, she couldn't help but feel greedy and kept putting her chopsticks into Xiao Yao's plate.

At first, Xiao Yao didn't think much of it, but he soon realized that he was running out of food.

The instinct to protect food deep within human genes was triggered, and like a grumpy person upon waking up, Xiao Yao felt slightly unhappy: "If you keep putting food in my bowl, I'll run out. If you want to eat, don't order it yourself, and then keep putting food in mine."

Shen Jie stuck out her tongue: "Look how stingy you are. I just love taking your food, it tastes so good to me—why don't you buy another one?"

"The woman I borrowed the card from is gone! Where am I supposed to borrow another card from?" Xiao Yao said, heartbroken.

"Okay, okay, I won't eat anymore," Shen Jie abruptly stopped the sweet and sour pork ribs she was about to put to her lips, and shoved them into Xiao Yao's mouth instead: "Following you is really bad luck—"

Xiao Yao, with a rib in his mouth, paused for a moment, and Shen Jie finally realized the subtlety of this action.

"I want more," Xiao Yao said after finishing the rib.

"roll!"

……

In the first canteen of T University, a boy and a girl were having a meal. They looked younger than most of the students around them.

The boy scooped up a spoonful of shredded potatoes and carefully offered it to the girl's mouth. The girl glanced around warily, and seeing that no one seemed to be looking in their direction, she opened her mouth and accepted the shredded potatoes the boy fed her, her face turning as red as a teapot.

Then, the boy patted the girl's arm, and the girl picked up a spoon, scooped up a spoonful of white rice, added a small piece of green vegetable, and reluctantly handed it over, lingering it near the boy's mouth for a few seconds.

The boy grinned foolishly with satisfaction, opened his mouth, took a mouthful of food from the spoon, and chewed slowly.

"Is that enough?" Shen Jie's voice was very soft and trembling slightly: "It's a public place, and people are looking at us."

"Who's watching us?" Xiao Yao pointed around.

Shen Jie surveyed her surroundings again. It seemed that no one really cared about the dog food (a Chinese slang term for public displays of affection), and everyone had an indifferent expression.

Is this what the world of college students is like...?

Just as she was lost in thought, Xiao Yao brought the spoon to her lips again. Without even looking, Shen Jie swallowed it in one gulp and then continued to scoop rice and vegetables for Xiao Yao.

Just like everything else, Shen Jie adapted quickly.

But didn't we agree to be good friends again (even though the other person hasn't officially agreed yet?)? What's going on now?

Shen Jie began to worry that she might be spoiling him too much, but then she thought that after going home, whether or not they became friends again, they would see each other less often, so what was wrong with being nice to him for the next couple of days?

"Ah—" Shen Jie handed the spoon over again, her eyes filled with tenderness and affection as she looked at the other person.

"Wife," Xiao Yao said, taking another bite of rice and vegetables, "when are your exams? When are you planning to go abroad?"

Shen Jie was stunned for a moment.

"What's wrong?" Xiao Yao swallowed the food in his mouth and fed Shen Jie vegetables again.

"It's okay," Shen Jie said, her eyes crinkling with delight as a piece of cartilage was stuffed into her mouth. "It's just that, after knowing each other for so long, this is the first time you've asked me these questions."

Xiao Yao was startled—upon closer thought, it was indeed true.

A strong sense of guilt and self-reproach welled up in his heart.

He kept saying he loved her, yet he was completely indifferent to her life plans—this guilt made him restless.

With my mind filled with lewd thoughts, how much time do I actually spend caring about and understanding Shen Jie's life and feelings?

He felt like a selfish boyfriend and a selfish husband, only thinking about telling Shen Jie his problems, only wanting her company, and demanding emotional support from her, without ever considering his responsibilities and obligations.

The boy began to recall the moments he had spent with Shen Jie, and was dismayed to find that he often only cared about his own things and forgot that Shen Jie also had her own dreams and needs.

Even now, when I finally ask these questions, it's only because the crisis of separation is approaching, and it's just to calculate how much longer the other person can stay with me.

Xiao Yao wished he could slap himself hard across the face.

He knew he had to make a change: "I'm sorry, really."

"As for me..." Shen Jie continued feeding Xiao Yao, "I'll be taking the ACT exam as soon as school starts in September—you can think of it as the college entrance exam in the US."

"What?!" Xiao Yao's spoon clattered onto the metal plate. "Then the college entrance exam is only two months away?!"

“You can take the test three or four times; it’s not a one-time test that determines your future,” Shen Jie told Xiao Yao. “You can take the ACT once a month from September to November.”

"What about IELTS?" Xiao Yao asked her.

“I’ve already passed IELTS,” Shen Jie said. “The exams were from September to December, and the interviews were from January to April.”

"interview?"

"University admissions require interviews; university admissions and scholarship applications involve writing application essays, interviews, contacting alumni at various universities, and learning from their interview experiences..."

"Wait, wait a minute," Xiao Yao said, feeling a little dizzy. "You have two months until your exam. Shouldn't you be focusing all your summer vacation on preparing for it?"

"Yes, that's right," Shen Jie said matter-of-factly.

"As a result, you ran away from home and lived in my house. You were so busy with my affairs that you didn't have much time to study—" Xiao Yao said anxiously.

“Actually, I’ve been studying and doing practice questions every day, you just haven’t noticed,” Shen Jie frowned slightly. “But it’s true that my efficiency isn’t very high—besides, I ran away from home. If I can’t reconcile with my dad about this, even if I pass all the exams, will you give me the money to go abroad?”

“I can borrow it from my grandma—” Xiao Yao blurted out.

"Don't be ridiculous," Shen Jie sighed. "At worst, we can take the exam again next year."

"Aren't you...aren't you anxious?" Xiao Yao asked her.