We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

On October 7th, senior high school students were dismissed, while junior and sophomore students returned to school.

The school's back gate was completely blocked, with cars lining up from the school gate all the way to the intersection. Traffic police officers wearing reflective vests stood in the middle of the road, efficiently directing vehicles to pass in turn.

Xie Zhiqiang drove his Mercedes-Benz closer unhurriedly, glanced at the school gate from afar, hesitated for a few seconds, and instead of squeezing towards the school gate, he continued driving in the opposite direction for a while before finding a spot to park on the side of the road.

His fingers tapped rhythmically on the steering wheel; people tend to make unconscious movements when they are thinking.

Ring ring—

The bell ringing to signal the end of the exam on campus interrupted his thoughts, and he took out his phone.

"Xiaoshu, Dad is here to pick you up today. Just walk about 70 or 80 meters to the right after you leave the school gate, and you'll see Dad's car."

He put down his phone and looked back at the rearview mirror.

After a while, a small dot slowly appeared from the school gate, getting closer and closer, and finally opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat.

"Xiao Shu, how was your week at school?" Xie Zhiqiang asked with a smile.

"Dad, let's go home first." Xie Shu didn't look at him, put her schoolbag on her lap, and said, "I just finished the exam and I'm a little tired."

"Okay." He released the handbrake, and the car slowly merged into the traffic, gradually driving away from the school.

The carriage was quiet for a moment, then the train radio crackled twice, and the host's cheerful voice came through:

"It's time for our daily afternoon reading session again. Today we received a submission from a listener who wanted to share a short poem. I thought about it for a long time, and finally this one came to mind—"

His voice paused for a moment.

"Life is precious, love is more precious. But freedom is the most precious of all." This short poem was written by the famous Hungarian poet Petőfi Sándor in 1847. Xiao Chu also had a sincere love affair in high school, but...

"Dad, can we turn off this radio? It's a bit noisy," Xie Shu suddenly interrupted.

"well."

Xie Zhiqiang smiled and turned off the radio. Xie Shu opened the car window. Logically, since they were about to enter the ring expressway, the windows should have been closed, but Xie Zhiqiang did not stop him.

The early autumn wind whistled into the carriage, causing the stray hairs on Xie Shu's forehead to sway gently.

"Little Shu, Daddy's been a bit busy this week and hasn't had a chance to ask you about what Mommy mentioned last Mid-Autumn Festival about studying abroad. Is it still for eight years?"

As Xie Zhiqiang finished speaking, only the sound of the wind remained in the car. He glanced at the passenger seat, while Xie Shu turned his face away, his gaze fixed on the scenery outside the window.

"Are you asleep?" He was about to close the car window.

"That should be true," Xie Shu suddenly said, his tone indifferent.

Xu Ting naturally hoped that she could complete her undergraduate, master's, and doctoral studies abroad.

"Eight years. In eight years, Dad will probably be a white-haired old man." Xie Zhiqiang joked, chuckling twice. "By then, Pingyang will have changed beyond recognition."

Things have changed...

Xie Shu lowered her gaze. It wasn't that she didn't believe Li Mubai's feelings for her, but there were too many variables involved, and besides, she had already agreed to go to Peking University with him.

It seems she agreed to two completely contradictory things at the same time.

"Xiao Shu, I remember you prefer literature, right? Can you adapt to studying business abroad?" Xie Zhiqiang continued, "What are your thoughts? You can talk to your father about it."

The car windows were closed, and the whistling wind prevented any sound from reaching the other person's ears.

Xie Shu remained silent for a long time. Just when Xie Zhiqiang thought she wasn't going to answer, she uttered a sentence in a low voice:

"I don't have any particular thoughts on this; I can adapt."

……

"It's alright, I should be able to adapt."

On another bus, Li Mubai sat in an aisle seat with his backpack on his lap. Chen Qiuhe sat next to him, looking at him sideways.

"It'll be freezing in winter and sweltering in summer, you'll die of heat," Chen Qiuhe muttered.

"Dormitories in the north should all have air conditioning, right?"

"Is there air conditioning?" Chen Qiuhe asked, her tone filled with doubt.

"Yes." He nodded. "I looked it up online out of boredom, and they usually have air conditioning."

"But the North is so far away."

"It doesn't matter, it's good to go out and see the world." Li Mubai shook his head and smiled again. "Besides, whether I can get into Peking University is another matter."

"If I can't get into Peking University, I'll just settle for any other university in Beijing," Chen Qiuhe said matter-of-factly.

"no the same."

"What's different?"

"You don't understand." Li Mubai offered no explanation.

"You're showing off by dating someone." Chen Qiuhe pouted.

Li Mubai smiled, then suddenly thought of something:

"Chen Qiuhe, didn't you also want to go to the North to see the world?"

"I just want to travel to the north."

"So, do you have a target university yet?" he asked curiously.

"Hmm—" Chen Qiuhe pinched her chin and thought for a while, "I don't think I've thought about this question yet."

"Aren't you going to think about it now? Without a goal, you're like a headless fly, not knowing which direction to strive for."

"You talk like an old woman," Chen Qiuhe said disdainfully.

"Don't think I'm nagging, it's all for your own good."

Chen Qiuhe raised her hand, pretending to punch him, then paused for two seconds before lowering it.

"I haven't really looked into it," she said, turning her head away. "What kinds of majors do universities offer?"

"There's no rush. After the exam, you'll get a college admissions plan booklet where you can see the different majors."

"Oh." Chen Qiuhe nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

"Is there anywhere you'd like to go?" Li Mubai then asked.

She thought for a moment, then finally shook her head: "It seems not."

She only knew that she had to work hard to get into a good university, but she never seriously thought about where to go specifically. That goal was still just a vague outline for her, lying far away.

"Why don't you try applying to Peking University too?" Li Mubai said.

"Are you kidding me? How could I possibly pass the exam?" Chen Qiuhe, who had been leaning against the bus seat, immediately sat up straight.

"You have to try to know."

"Trying won't work either. How am I supposed to get in? A university in Beijing might be the best I can get into," Chen Qiuhe muttered.

"Universities in Beijing? Then consider Tsinghua University."

"Are you trying to cause trouble?"

Li Mubai chuckled twice, then stopped joking:

"Okay, actually I don't really know which universities in Beijing are right for you."

"Never mind, it's still early anyway." Chen Qiuhe shook her head, leaned back in her chair, and turned to look at him. "Good luck and hope you get into Peking University."

"Do your best."

"Don't just say 'tried your best,' say 'affirm,' Xie Shu has been waiting for you!"

Li Mubai opened his mouth, but said nothing.

"We have arrived at Gaoxin Road Station. Passengers who wish to alight, please exit through the rear door." The voice announcement sounded at the appropriate time.

"Let me have a moment."

Li Mubai stood up and made room for her.

Chen Qiuhe walked quickly to the back door, jumped out of the car, then turned around, ran a few steps, and stood outside the car window.

"Goodbye, Li Mubai." She smiled and waved to him, standing on the platform with her schoolbag on her back. The evening wind made her hair a little messy.

"goodbye."

The bus started moving again, and she stood there watching it slowly turn the corner and disappear from sight.