by this sense of purpose, even cigarettes handed to him by others were smoked more frequently.Though Su Licheng was puzzled as to why Old Zhao changed his mind, during the year-long repair and constr...Eating Together

Hao Xiaqiao actually didn't care whether his dorm mates liked him or not. He had never been popular since high school, and the reason was simple: he always had a sour expression.

Zhang Xiaqiao didn't expect to have a group of so-called close friends in college; it seemed unrealistic to him. After graduating from university, they would still go back to their respective paths. His father's friend, who graduated with him, stayed on as an assistant researcher while the other became an associate professor after ten years.

After a painful reflection, Zhang Xiaqiao’s father decided to convert his technical skills into wealth by marrying the daughter of a wealthy businessman. She had been secretly infatuated with him for nearly eight years since college and finally succeeded despite her average looks.

With the backing of the pharmaceutical group's advertising and reputation, Zhang Xiaqiao's father elevated his academic status and achieved this position smoothly. His friend is now the head of the chemistry department. The two men have become influential figures in Nan University, often clashing with each other over academic matters.

Zhang Xiaqiao never believed that such close friends existed; they would only smile at you when there's a need and ignore you otherwise.

Moreover, he immediately recognized that the bookworm Xiao Xiu and the muscular Li Han were heartless individuals. He knew that even if he ignored them, they wouldn't bother him.

The guy named Su Can made him feel uneasy; his smile seemed mechanical, more like a protective shield for something deeper.

Su Can was definitely someone who would give you the same treatment as what you gave him. If you didn’t respect him, he wouldn't respect you either.

Zhang Xiaqiao thought this was fine; let's just leave each other alone.

The orientation will last for three days.

During these three days, Su Cen would always see countless energetic boys and girls amid the luxurious dormitories hidden in lush greenery or those European-style buildings named after Hungarian methods. The girls were particularly eye-catching, especially under the hot weather wearing light clothing.

Su Cen repeatedly looked with some anticipation but seemed to have exhausted his luck since he didn’t encounter Tang Wu again during the registration period.

At this moment, Tang Wu was probably handling matters with her parents at the school.

The campus was too vast and had too many people. Everyone here was just a tiny unit. There were not enough coincidences in the university town for two individuals who wanted to meet each other to encounter one another.

When Su Licheng visited University Counselor Su Yi, he found that the counselor was a thirty-something-year-old man who had recently been promoted from assistant counselor. He was amiable and had just resolved an incident where parents of students in the same dormitory fought over beds. Watching those freshmen, escorted by their parents and seemingly inexperienced with travel or setbacks, he shook his head repeatedly.

When Su Licheng met Counselor Su Yi, he hurriedly took out some specialties from Rongcheng as a gift—mostly dried goods and local specialties, along with two cartons of Huayan cigarettes. After much refusal, the counselor accepted only the food and特產 (local specialties), but not the cigarettes, though Su Licheng insisted on pressing them into his hands. Counselor Su Yi was touched by Su Licheng's simple nature.

This registration process included countless interludes, one of which left a rather ordinary impression of Su Cen.

Since Nan University adopted a "general education" system where students from different departments were temporarily unified in the same college before being divided into specialized departments in their second year, it wasn't surprising that his dormitory mates came from various programs.

This must be happening across the country at other universities as well. Where are those people who used to gather in Rongcheng's Second Seventh Middle School What are they up to now

Previously, Su Cen didn't have much of a feel for university life, but now, after an unexpected graduation, he was thrown into the social whirlwind like a cog in a machine.

Now, during the season when the paulownia trees shed their leaves, in front of this university, Su Cen feels inexplicably fulfilled at this moment, more so than having tens of millions of assets that continue to grow.

School life is mostly filled with countless ideals. However, after graduating and entering society for survival, it becomes another matter entirely.

There's no other way in the world to combine ideals and reality into such a fulfilling life.

The last day of enrollment was hot and sultry. Su Cen saw Su Licheng off onto the train that would take him back along the Rong-Shanghai line to Chengdu.

At this time, most parents were gradually returning home.

Su Licheng stuffed his luggage on top of the rack inside the compartment and then rolled down the window. To Su Cen below, he said, "No need for you to see me off further. Go back now! When I get home, your dad will call you. You should sort out your belongings when you return and take a shower. And make sure to communicate well with your classmates. At home, rely on parents; once outside, rely on friends. Now that you're officially attending university, neither mom nor dad can control you anymore. Everything depends on yourself.

Su Cen thought to himself, Dad is really good at this! Just a couple of words and it’s making me feel emotional. This train connects Shanghai and Chengdu, and soon it will take my father back home along the railway line.

Su Cen recalled that in his previous life, every time he returned, he saw more wrinkles on his father's forehead each year. Whenever he came back, he felt that his father was laden with worries. His towering figure gradually seemed a bit desolate, and his gaze became increasingly deep and warm. Without the harshness of memory, he could no longer be strict.

The railway line stretches across space and time, elongating these aspects of life.

A female voice from the train was already urging people to step back a meter for safety.

Su Licheng thought for a moment before remembering what he wanted to say. At this point, however, he finally managed to utter it: "When you're out too long, remember to often pull out the cotton padding and sun it dry. Change clothes frequently, don't let down those girls."

The bustling scene when school registration began soon subsided, leaving only the red sunset on the horizon and a new kind of creature that looked entirely different from its surroundings—freshmen who had just joined this school.

These students were in various states of shock, confusion, joy, or liveliness as they faced their first day at university.

Under the red glow of sunset, it was time for lunch. The students would swipe their meal cards to get used to dining in the university cafeteria. Both the delicate girls and the boys had to face one of the most criticized aspects of university life—the school cafeteria.

Tang Fu's parents left after settling her into her dormitory, but they planned to stay in Shanghai for a few more days to handle some matters. Tang Fu didn't specify what those matters were, and Su Cen naturally didn't ask about them.

He simply sent a text message: "I'm waiting for you downstairs from your dorm. Let's eat together."

Su Cen still wanted to know more about Tang Fu's activities over the past three days, such as what courses she planned to take and how her roommates were—whether they could get along well. Given Tang Fu's character and that this was her first time living in a dormitory with other girls, Su Cen worried even more whether she would fit in with them. In university girl dormitories, there were already too many instances of disharmony between roommates.

Tang Fu wouldn't take the initiative to do anything about it; therefore, Su Cen was considering inviting Tang Fu's roommates to a meal under his own name so that she could integrate into their group faster.

Alright, Su Cen admitted, he just wanted to show off his ownership over Tang Fu in an evil manner.

Was college intimidating to him

Clearly not.

Happiness would always come knocking.d her eyes. Su Can pulled her along as she had just led him down the stairs with determination, her palms sweaty from nervousness and pressure.Walking side by side, behind them stood the towering teac...