Chapter 11

When the National Day holiday arrived, Luo Shu managed to snag a plane ticket home and left.

At school, Xie Jieyu made two phone calls and promptly gathered Zhang Yu and Meng Shengsheng.

“Sisters, I still have so many things to buy for my apartment. Come with me to shop.”

Shopping at the mall? Sure.

The three girls each held a cup of milk tea, trailing behind Xie Jieyu.

Zhang Yu took a sip of her milk tea and asked, “What exactly are we buying at the mall?”

Xie Jieyu waved her hand grandly and said, “Whatever catches our eye, we buy!”

Zhang Yu’s eyes sparkled as she grabbed her arm. “Rich lady sister, please sponsor me!”

Xie Jieyu ruffled her hair affectionately. “No problem!”

The trio wandered around the university town. Zhang Yu bought herself two sets of clothes, for both indoors and outdoors. Meng Shengsheng picked up some daily necessities for home and, spotting some quirky couple’s shirts, couldn’t resist buying a pair.

Shortly after, Wang Chuanze called, saying that after National Day, his current work would wrap up, and he could come back to rest for a few days.

Meng Shengsheng inquired about him for a moment, then hung up. Zhang Yu was already holding Xie Jieyu’s arm and striding far ahead.

Meng Shengsheng quickened her pace to catch up. “Wait for me!”

Xie Jieyu laughed, “Why wait? Are we supposed to watch you and your boyfriend show off your love?”

Zhang Yu nodded in agreement. When Meng Shengsheng answered the phone earlier, her voice had softened noticeably. They weren’t about to “consume dog food” — that is, be subjected to public displays of affection.

They had been enjoying their shopping trip until they bumped into some women visiting Jing City. Those women clearly recognized Xie Jieyu and, after some exchange, Xie Jieyu’s mood dipped.

Meng Shengsheng didn’t press. Everyone carries their own burdens; no one wants their wounds prodded.

But just because she didn’t ask didn’t mean Zhang Yu wouldn’t.

Xie Jieyu sighed and didn’t hide it. “Back in high school, I liked a boy. But he didn’t like me; he liked another girl named Yang Yinyi. She was beautiful, talented, and came from a good family. The women we met today were her close friends…”

Meng Shengsheng’s eyes flickered with recognition, surprised that after coming so far, Xie Jieyu would still cross paths with someone connected to her sister.

“…He wasn’t with Yang Yinyi, though. So what if I chased after the one I liked? But they think otherwise, calling me a homewrecker.”

Zhang Yu asked, “Did the boy end up with Yang Yinyi?”

“I don’t know. He didn’t like me and even mocked me, so I gave up. After the college entrance exams, I traveled abroad for two months. When school started, I flew straight to Jing City and never went back.”

They comforted her for a while. Fortunately, by the next day, she was back to her lively self, pulling them to a theme park for a full day of fun.

The seven-day National Day holiday flew by. They had originally planned to go hiking, but the holiday budget ran out.

Monday marked the first day of classes since the new semester began. Meng Shengsheng could have woken early for morning exercise and breakfast before class, but her three roommates were typical college students who treated the 8 a.m. start as a battle.

The four always moved together, so she settled for previewing the first class’s material in the dorm while waiting for the others.

Once ready, the three of them grabbed breakfast from the cafeteria and ate it on the way to class. Most students walked and ate breakfast simultaneously.

Returning to the classroom felt refreshing. Memorizing the textbook content before hearing the teacher’s explanation deepened understanding.

Meng Shengsheng listened and took notes diligently, while Zhang Yu quietly searched the campus forum for posts about changing majors.

She didn’t mind. They were adults responsible for their own choices.

After three days of classes, Wang Chuanze returned.

At the semester’s start, coursework wasn’t too heavy. On Wednesday afternoon, with no classes, Meng Shengsheng brought her laundry back to the rented apartment.

Upon entering, she noticed a suitcase in the living room and found someone lying on the bed in the bedroom.

She quietly peeked: Wang Chuanze was fast asleep, so she didn’t disturb him.

In a good mood, she went out to the market and bought several dishes he had been craving over the phone.

Back home, she started cooking.

As she chopped meat, a warm body leaned against her from behind.

His chin rested atop her head as he asked, “Beef brisket?”

“You said on the phone you wanted it.”

Wang Chuanze wrapped his arms around her waist, explaining, “That day, Ding Chengkai’s wife visited the set and made tomato beef brisket. He kept showing off in front of us…”

Meng Shengsheng chuckled. “So that stirred your competitive spirit?”

His chin brushed her hair affectionately, like a big cat being playful.

After putting the dishes on the stove, she asked, “Any work left after wrapping up filming?”

“A few days off. Xiong Yueyue said there are some commercials to consider and events to assist with. Later, I’ll help Director He promote the film…”

After dinner, they cuddled on the sofa, watching a classic foreign movie. Meng Shengsheng nestled in Wang Chuanze’s arms, chatting about events since his departure. “I don’t know why, after running so far, we still bump into people connected to the Yang family. The world really is small…”

When the movie ended, they barely noticed the plot. They hadn’t seen each other for a while and were excited, so their evening stretched on.

The next morning, Meng Shengsheng’s internal clock woke her. Opening her eyes, she saw the beauty sleeping beside her.

She pulled out her phone, took a photo of him, then a selfie of them together. After admiring the pictures, she checked the time—it was time for early class.

Her body was sore, and her neck bore a few hickeys. She covered the marks with concealer before heading out.

As she closed the door, Wang Chuanze opened his eyes, turned toward her bed side, smelled the lingering scent on her, and fell back asleep.

He woke again to a phone alert.

A message from Xiong Yueyue reminded him to rest well these days. She was already handling his endorsement contacts and would notify him when there was news.

Wang Chuanze set down his phone and went to freshen up.

Once Meng Shengsheng arrived at school, Xie Jieyu sensed something indescribable in her mood.

“Found money?”

Meng Shengsheng laughed softly. “Everyone pays by phone now. Who finds cash lying around?”

“You seem really happy today.”

Meng Shengsheng gave her a sidelong glance. The girl’s intuition was sharp.

That night, Xie Jieyu invited her to the shooting range, but Meng Shengsheng declined. “I’m not going. I have plans.”

Luo Shu grabbed Xie Jieyu’s arm. “The three of us are going. Ignore her. Her boyfriend must be back, and she’s on a date, so no time for dorm activities.”

Meng Shengsheng hadn’t gone out with Wang Chuanze. She attended class and then reviewed the pharmacopoeia at home, closing the book as her thoughts drifted toward the future.

Studying medicine—whether traditional Chinese or Western—meant a bachelor’s degree wasn’t enough. Graduate studies were necessary. If family connections existed, working in hospital administration was an option, or perhaps civil service, where relevant positions could be applied for.

She was inclined toward this path, but currently lacked contacts, so she needed to improve herself and consider other avenues.

Ideally, she wanted to apprentice under a skilled traditional Chinese medicine master to learn what the classroom couldn’t teach. That would smooth her future path.

This industry was entirely new to her. The top professionals she knew were basically her university professors.

She had to try harder, observe, and see if she met their standards for apprentices.

Staring at a diagram of human meridians, she mapped out her future repeatedly. Following this path, if all went well, her prospects would be promising. She set goals, planning to advance step by step, knowing that with effort, success was attainable.

At that moment, Wang Chuanze’s phone rang again. He glanced at it—it was a message from his stepmother, polite in tone, inviting him home on October 15th for his younger siblings’ birthday party.

Meng Shengsheng saw it and asked, “Are you going back?”

If he went, it was a weekend, so she could accompany him, and if they argued, there would be more people to support him.

Wang Chuanze considered it. “It doesn’t matter if I go or not. She’s not sincere in inviting me. Every time I deal with that family, it’s unpleasant. I might have work on the 15th anyway, so I probably won’t go.”

Alright, then no trip home.

That evening, the two went for a stroll. It was past eight, and the sky was fully dark. Meng Shengsheng linked arms with him, stepping on dry yellow leaves that crunched beneath their feet.

Along the street, a few street vendors were scattered about. Meng Shengsheng stopped at a small stall selling knitted crafts.

The stall was modest but displayed flowers made from needle and thread—purple petals, yellow centers—several bunches tied together, exquisitely beautiful.

She picked out a bunch of lily of the valley and selected a pale purple translucent vase.

Passing through the night market, she eyed two fluffy plush toys and bought some grilled skewers from a barbecue stall, eating as they walked.

By the time they returned, it was already eleven at night.

Lying in bed, Meng Shengsheng nestled in Wang Chuanze’s arms, gazing out at the night scene. “How many days until you leave?”

“Early morning after.”

Meng Shengsheng sighed. Once he got busy, who knew when he’d be back again.

Seeing her mood dip, Wang Chuanze rubbed her head. “Why don’t you quit school and join me in the entertainment industry?”

She sighed. “Tuition’s already paid. Quitting now would be a loss.”

Wang Chuanze, serious, said, “Then we ask the school for a refund. If they refuse, we make a scene…”

Did he really mean that?

He chuckled softly, holding her hand and guiding her. “If you don’t quit, let’s test your learning成果—feel here, what acupoint is this…”