Chapter 31

In the morning, a few people from 717 came to the cafeteria and each exchanged a free meal ticket, issued by the school for the first time, for a chicken leg. Unfortunately, the taste was not great.

After eating, they returned to the dormitory, where Chen Jian had already come back and was taking off his clothes to get ready for washing up.

Seeing Chen Jian's haggard face, everyone suspected that he had done something with the senior student from the elite class at the hotel.

After finishing his personal hygiene, Chen Jian lay on the bed and called Su Yi. After hanging up, he started smoking in silence.

Ai Feng asked Chen Jian, "What did you do at the hotel? You look so lost in thought."

Chen Jian said, "Do you know what I've been thinking about the most these days?"

Without waiting for a response, he continued, "I've been thinking about whether I will have the qualifications to come back in 10 years, 20 years, 30 years. I've been thinking about whether I will have the courage to come back, and what identity I will return with."

"At the hotel, all the guests were outstanding alumni. Do you know what the standard for being outstanding is? I didn't know before I went to the hotel, but I found out later. The alumni who return are divided into different levels, and everyone knows this and accepts it."

"I was paired with a senior who stayed at the school. We talked a lot over the past two days. To put it bluntly, after graduation, the yardstick for measuring us is not our character or morality, but how much money we have, how high our positions are, and how famous we are. This is the most realistic aspect of society."

"If, after several years, I achieve nothing while my former classmates are successful, I really don't know if I will have the courage to return to my alma mater. I really don't know what attitude I should take when greeting the outstanding alumni."

Chen Jian spoke alone, as if he had a lot of pent-up feelings to vent.

No one interrupted him, unsure whether they were shocked or indifferent.

Bian Xuedao, however, knew that this experience during the school anniversary was a baptism for Chen Jian. If he could calm down and absorb it, his life would be more colorful than others.

With a few exams still to go, everyone became more diligent.

One morning, Bian Xuedao was memorizing questions at home when the phone rang.

On the phone, Dong Xue complained that Bian Xuedao hadn't been in touch with her. She had to get his number through Song Jia.

Dong Xue told Bian Xuedao that her school was on break, and she was about to fly back to Songjiang. She hadn't told her family she was coming back that day, and she expected Bian Xuedao to arrange her accommodation and meals.

A few hours later, Dong Xue called again, saying she had arrived at Dongsen University's gate and asked Bian Xuedao to pick her up.

Seeing Dong Xue at the school gate, Bian Xuedao noticed that she had undergone a complete transformation in just one year.

The Dong Xue from high school was gone. Professional flight attendant training and etiquette had made her confident, bright, and charming.

Her figure had been fully developed, and almost every passing male student glanced at her.

Bian Xuedao took Dong Xue to the expert hotel on campus, put down her suitcase, and she eagerly asked him to show her around.

Dong Xue, seemingly not tired at all, almost visited every corner she wanted to see.

"This is the campus you stay in! There are so many trees, I like that."

Bian Xuedao said, "Are you hungry? Shall we go out for a meal?"

"No need to go out. The cafeteria is fine. I decided before I came that I had to try your cafeteria."

This was the first time in a year that Bian Xuedao had a meal alone with a girl in the cafeteria. Dong Xue told him some funny stories from her school and occasionally picked a few pieces of meat from his plate.

This scene was seen by Nan Jiao and Zhang Meng, who were getting food. They deliberately walked over to take a closer look at Dong Xue, then left without greeting Bian Xuedao.

A few minutes later, the entire 717 dorm, including Yu Jin, appeared in the cafeteria.

Chen Jian looked around as soon as he entered, pointed, and the seven people immediately walked over to Bian Xuedao and Dong Xue.

They scattered and sat on both sides of Bian Xuedao's table, staring at Dong Xue without speaking. Dong Xue looked at them calmly, her smile even brighter.

Yu Jin leaned over to Bian Xuedao, his eyes still on Dong Xue, "Brother Bian?"

Dong Xue's smile became even sweeter, but she didn't speak, just stared at Bian Xuedao.

"Don't talk nonsense, she's a classmate, a high school classmate." Bian Xuedao pushed Yu Jin's head back.

"Ah..."

The seven people stretched out their voices in a tone of sudden realization: "Classmate? Got it, got it, classmate!"

They asked each other in a mock serious tone, "Have you ever seen Brother Bian take a female classmate out for a meal alone?"

"No!"

"No!"

"Have you seen it?"

"Absolutely not."

Hearing this, Dong Xue looked at Bian Xuedao happily.

Ai Feng turned to Chen Jian and said, "It doesn't matter if she's a classmate. Call Su, Li, Nan, and Zhou, and let's get to know Brother Bian's classmate properly."

Li Yu got up, made a call, and came back to tell Bian Xuedao, "6 PM tonight, Room 301 at Gui Fu Yuan. Bring your classmate." Then he smiled at Dong Xue, "Hope you can join us."

Watching the seven people walk away, Dong Xue asked Bian Xuedao, "Your dorm mates?"

"Yep."

"There are some handsome guys!"

"Yep."

"If you say one more time that I'm your classmate, I'll chase after the handsome guys!"

"..."

That night, the entire 717 dorm was there, and the three girls from 603 who were already part of the 717 family came as well. Li Youcheng didn't come, but Zhang Meng did, and Zhou Ling sat next to Yu Jin, smiling without saying a word.

Ai Feng was determined to break through with Dong Xue and made Bian Xuedao drink. After understanding the situation, Dong Xue didn't let Bian Xuedao touch his glass.

Nan Jiao's initial critical look at Dong Xue turned to admiration. Su Yi smiled faintly all the time, and whenever Chen Jian tried to drink with Dong Xue, she pulled his arm. Zhang Meng stared at Dong Xue for half the night, then insisted on drinking with her, got drunk after a few glasses, and was taken to the bathroom by Nan Jiao and Zhou Ling.

Tong Chao took the opportunity to whisper to Yu Jin, "Brother, the cafeteria at the fourth brother's place seems a bit bigger than yours!"

Yu Jin pretended not to hear and then filled Tong Chao's glass with a fierce look.

At the table, when Yu Jin asked again if Dong Xue was his wife or classmate, Bian Xuedao didn't dare to answer.

The food and drinks were excellent, and when Yu Jin tried to pay, he found that Li Yu had already paid in advance.

On the way back to the school, Li Yu gave the car keys to Bian Xuedao, telling him to take Dong Xue around for a few days, saying it would be more convenient with a car.

At the school gate, Yu Jin and Zhou Ling went back to their rented house. As they parted, Yu Jin shouted, "Brother Bian, don't go home tonight. Be careful, the old folks might kick you out. Go to the hotel, or if not, come to my place, the soundproofing is better... Ouch... Ouch... Let go..."

Yu Jin didn't finish before Zhou Ling pinched him hard.

At the hotel entrance, Dong Xue asked Bian Xuedao, "What did Yu Jin mean by your home and the old folks?"

Bian Xuedao said, "I rent a shared kitchen. The landlord is an old professor, quite strict, so I didn't bring you there."

Dong Xue said, "Take me to see it."

Bian Xuedao said, "Let's go."

When they got home, Professor Shen had already gone to bed. Bian Xuedao and Dong Xue carefully entered the room, closed the door, and breathed a sigh of relief.

Bian Xuedao's room was unlike that of a typical boy his age, clean, tidy, and organized. As soon as she entered, Dong Xue saw his two computers and immediately asked, "Your computers?"

"Yep!"

"How much does one cost?"

"Ten thousand."

"Why do you have two?"

"I run a forum and write some programs. Two computers help me keep things separate."

Dong Xue asked Bian Xuedao, "Do you remember the political teacher from high school?"

The image of a blue shirt, black skirt, and black stockings immediately came to Bian Xuedao's mind. He said, "I remember. What's up?"

Dong Xue said, "Teacher Qian is in prison."

"For what?" Bian Xuedao could guess the reason.

"Before we graduated, she divorced her husband. It's said that last month, she and the head of the year went hiking. At the top of the mountain, Teacher Qian put something in the head of the year's water. Unaware, he drank it and became affected. Then, they did something on the mountain, twice. Later, Teacher Qian pushed the exhausted head of the year off the mountain, and he died."

Although it didn't affect his understanding, Bian Xuedao was still stunned by Dong Xue's bizarre description.

"Too tired, too sleepy, I'm not leaving." Lying on the bed, Dong Xue started to act spoiled.

After looking at Bian Xuedao's expression for a while, she sat up, "Okay, you take me there, I'm afraid of getting lost."

After settling Dong Xue, Bian Xuedao returned to the Red Building. He didn't dare to go back to the dorm, knowing he would be questioned to death if he did.

He absentmindedly read a programming book and received a text from Dong Xue: "Good night!"

The next day, Bian Xuedao drove Dong Xue around all day. She was surprised that he could drive and that he drove so steadily.

On the third day, Li Yu and Li Xun joined them. Li Yu brought a camera and made all sorts of faces, sticking out his tongue, crossing his eyes, squatting on the ground with a twisted face pretending to defecate, and asked Bian Xuedao to take pictures of him.

What was most surprising was that Li Xun, who usually spoke very little and was unusually quiet, acted like a long-lost sister with Dong Xue. They talked non-stop, laughed loudly, and even made a funny face for a photo with Li Yu, which excited Li Yu greatly.

At Bian Xuedao's suggestion, the four of them went to Xin'en Temple.

Seeing Bian Xuedao's solemn face as he entered the temple, Li Yu also put away his playful thoughts.

When he was very young, the elders at home had told Bian Xuedao that Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva had the deepest connection with the world. This saying had been imprinted in his mind. At the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva Hall, Bian Xuedao respectfully bowed three times.

Seeing this, Dong Xue knelt beside him and followed suit, bowing three times.

Li Xun, looking at Dong Xue kneeling beside Bian Xuedao, had a deep look in her eyes, as if lost in thought.