We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

"Hakibai, are you going or not?"

Every time Chen Qiuhe calls him Hajibai, it's to ask if he's going to feed the cats.

That wretched Chen Qiuhe gave him two nicknames: Haji Bai and Mu Bai Li Mu Bai.

Li Mubai nodded, indicating that he would go.

Where are you going?

Xie Shu asked, "My relationship with Chen Qiuhe is already quite good; we sometimes even eat together."

Li Mubai didn't speak, but Chen Qiuhe leaned closer and whispered, "Go feed the cats, Xie Shu, are you going?"

"go."

"You guys go ahead, I'm not going, I have to do my homework." Li Mubai gave Chen Qiuhe his cat food container and cat treats.

"Really not going?" Chen Qiuhe asked.

He shook his head; doing homework was just one of the reasons he wasn't going.

"Alright, Xie Shu, let's go."

He sighed inwardly.

The sky turned gloomy again, and he needed to hurry up and finish his homework, since Wednesday evening self-study was Chen Gou's turn.

Chen Qiuhe led Xie Shu to the place where the cats were fed. The orange cat wasn't there today; it was probably out hunting.

Chen Qiuhe skillfully opened the jar and poured the contents into a bowl.

"The cat isn't here today, we'll come again next time," she said to Xie Shu, turning around.

"Hmm, what kind of cat is it?"

"A big orange cat. It was very thin when we first fed it, but now it's so big." Chen Qiuhe gestured with her hands to show the size of the orange cat.

"Was it very thin when you and Li Mubai first started feeding it?"

"Yes, yes, it was not only thin but also very dirty, with many worms on its body. After it got a little cleaner, Li Mubai still gave it medicine to treat the worms."

So that's why he didn't want to tell me—that they had been feeding stray cats for so long.

Feeding stray cats, deworming... Is what she's doing now also feeding a stray cat that's separated from its group, making it healthy?

What happens after he recovers? Should we continue feeding him? Or let him go?

"Meow." A yellow figure darted out from the bushes.

"Xie Shu, look! The big orange is here!"

"Um."

What an adorable cat...

Hey.

Li Bubai: "Has that manuscript been submitted to the literary society?"

Yan Shu: "I've paid it. What's wrong?"

Li Bubai: "I suddenly feel like I chose a bad song and want to change it, but since I've already submitted it, I'll just leave it at that."

Yan Shu: "Okay, I'm going to sleep."

Li Mubai sensed that Yan Shu wasn't happy today; she hadn't even said goodnight. Could it be that something sad had happened? Should he comfort her? Li Mubai felt conflicted. Comforting someone was something only someone you were very close to would do.

Li Bubai: "Are you feeling unwell?"

Yan Shu: "It's nothing."

If a girl says she's fine, then something is wrong.

He's probably the only one who knows he writes poetry; hopefully he won't be discouraged.

Li Bubai: "I don't know what happened to you, but don't be sad, stay optimistic (*¯︶¯*)"

Li Mubai thought of how Chen Qiuhe had comforted him in the same way, so he decided to pay homage to her. He struggled with the thought of using an emoticon for the first time, but ultimately hoped it would work.

"Hmph," she chuckled softly. "Could you say that to Xie Shu?"

Actually, she could understand Li Mubai. The main reason he didn't tell her was probably because he didn't want his disguise to be exposed.

Yan Shu: "Thank you, but I really need to sleep now. Goodnight [moon emoji]".

Li Bubai: "[moon emoji]".

……

Before Friday even arrived, after the first period of Chinese class on Thursday, Xie Shu called Li Mubai over to talk to Teacher Yang Qin about participating in the essay competition.

"Okay, since you're willing to participate, I'll be your instructor. Take notes on this Cuiling Cup and check it on your phones when you get back," said Teacher Yang.

"Okay." Just kidding, you can watch it at school without going home.

"See if you can write it over the weekend. If you can, bring it to discuss during Monday evening self-study. If not, then wait until after your monthly exams next week."

"OK."

Back in the classroom, Chen Qiuhe immediately asked, "What did you go to the office for?"

"Teacher Yang asked us to participate in an essay writing competition. Do you want to participate?"

With Xie Shu present, Li Mubai answered honestly; otherwise, he would have said they had been recommended to Peking University.

"No, no, I'm afraid I'll steal your first prize if I go."

If Chen Qiuhe wins first prize, he can definitely be admitted to Peking University without taking the entrance exam.

The school bell shattered his dream of being admitted to Peking University through a special admission program...

"Good luck in the game, you silly Li Mubai." Chen Qiuhe cheered him on on the bus on Friday.

"You don't think I have no hope, do you?"

"Hey, your true colors are showing when XS isn't around," Chen Qiuhe teased.

"That was in class. As the vice class monitor, I had to set a good example and not lead my classmates astray."

"Yes, yes, yes, Squad Leader Li has the wonderful qualities of being 'introverted and kind'."

If you can't get over this hurdle, it really is...

"But seriously, I hope you do your best to win first place." Chen Qiuhe's joking expression disappeared.

"I'll do my best." He wasn't sure if he would win an award.

"And I have a brilliant idea, want to hear it?"

"Um?"

Chen Qiuhe leaned slightly closer to him and said, "Actually, you could invite Xie Shu out this weekend under the pretext that you can't write anything, wouldn't that..."

Li Mubai stopped Chen Qiuhe from continuing halfway through the conversation. Even now, he was unwilling to admit this fact to others, even though in Chen Qiuhe's mind it seemed like a foregone conclusion.

When he got home that evening, he told Yanshu that he was preparing for a competition and might not have time to work on his research project for half a month.

Yan Shu was also understanding and expressed his appreciation, telling him to prepare well and try to win an award.

He's writing about the construction and development of his hometown, but how can he write about that? He's hardly ever been back home...

Solitudo: "Have you got any ideas yet?"

On Saturday morning, Xie Shu inquired about his essay via WeChat.

Li Bubai: "No."

Solitudo: "I haven't either."

I remember Xie Shu saying that her hometown is in Jiangnan. I wonder if she, like him, rarely goes back.

Solitudo: "Shall we come out and discuss this?"

……

Li Mubai thought back to the last time he visited Teacher Wu with Xie Shu. He felt anticipation, but even more so, nervousness, especially after Xie Shu gave him the peach gummies... He decided to forget about it.

Li Bubai: "Let me think about it some more."

Solitudo: "Okay."

Hometown, hometown, should I do my homework first before thinking about it?

Li Mubai took out his homework, picked up his pen, and began to work on the problems.

This essay is really hard to write, especially for someone like him who left his hometown at a young age and only goes back once or twice a year. It needs to reflect on construction and development, and also be authentic and sincere. It's easy to end up with a pretentious, empty, and slogan-shouting essay.

Xie Shu didn't come to ask about the writing progress today; he's probably thinking about it too.

Li Mubai tidied up his stationery, prepared to wash up and go to bed, and would continue writing tomorrow.

At night, especially after closing their eyes, people's rational inhibition weakens, and divergent thinking and emotional association become more active, making it easier to generate creativity.

I've got it!

Li Mubai got out of bed, turned on the lamp, picked up his pen, and wrote:

"With green mountains as witnesses and a long road as a preface, as the first rays of dawn pierce the bosom of the mountains, the highway becomes like a..."