Bai Yanning returned to school and attended classes as usual. The post had been deleted, and several people who had made the most outrageous remarks were being questioned at the police station, but the rumors on campus had not subsided. As she walked on the street, she could still hear discussions and malicious glances from all around her from time to time.

Bai Yanning straightened his back and walked on the road with a clear gaze.

A figure ran up from behind and hugged her shoulders, "Sister Yan Ning!"

Zhao Shanhu's round face was filled with smiles, her eyes curved. "Are you going to the Three Religions for classes?"

They haven't been this close for a long time. Ever since Zhao Shanhu caught her saying those words to Xie Jiashu last time, she never came to see her again. Several times when Bai Yanning met her face to face, Zhao Shanhu would change direction from a distance. If she really couldn't avoid her, she would turn her eyes away and walk past her without even looking at her.

Bai Yanning was surprised and nervous at her long-lost enthusiasm. Her shoulders were a little stiff when she was hugged by her. She replied, "Yes."

Then he felt that this was too cold, and added: "I'll go to the Three Religions."

"Then let's go together!" Zhao Shanhu put his arm around her and walked forward with her.

Neither of them mentioned the coldness between them some time ago, as if such an episode had never happened.

When they reached the stairs of the teaching building, the two separated. Zhao Shanhu waved to Bai Yanning as she walked up the stairs. "Bye, Sister Yanning, wait for me on the first floor after class. We'll go to the cafeteria to eat together!"

She has natural enthusiasm and vitality, and Bai Yanning cannot resist her approach.

She stood at the stairs holding a book, raised her head and waved at her with a smile, "See you later."

The police station was very efficient. The rumormongers did not want to be detained, so they paid the fines promptly and quickly made clarifications and apologies online.

In just a few days, Bai Yanning's life returned to normal.

Her application to study abroad was approved, and there were many procedures to go through, so her life was even busier every day.

She didn't even notice when Xie Jiashu came back. She heard from Zhao Shanhu that he won a prize in a competition abroad. It was a very authoritative competition in the industry. With this award, Xie Jiashu should be able to apply directly for a doctorate in his sophomore year.

Bai Yanning was very happy for him. When she passed by the laboratory building, she saw him standing in the corridor on the third floor, leaning against the railing and talking to someone. He had his white coat open, with two buttons of a white shirt underneath. His hair was a little long and was a little messy in the wind. When she stopped downstairs and looked up at him, he seemed to sense something, turned his head and lowered his eyes to look at her.

They looked at each other quietly for a while, and then the bell rang. His classmate came over, put his arm around his shoulder and walked to the classroom with him. Xie Jiashu turned around and smiled at her.

A polite, restrained smile.

It's like meeting someone you just know.

She remembered the last time they met in City C. She had treated him in the same calm and ordinary way on the street.

Everything seemed to be going as she wished. She walked through the flower garden, around the basketball court, and out of the school gate. Zheng Yanjun honked twice. She rolled down the window, "Yan Ning, why are you crying?"

"No," Bai Yanning smiled, "I'm happy."

Zheng Yanjun didn't ask any more questions. Bai Yanning opened the passenger door. There was a bunch of rose-red flowers on the seat. The corolla was funnel-bell-shaped, with wildly growing branches and leaves. It didn't look like they were carefully trimmed in a flower shop, but rather like they were cut from the bushes.

"This is for you," Zheng Yanjun said. "I wish you a smooth journey abroad."

"Thank you," Bai Yanning got into the car and held the flower on her lap. She touched the exquisite and beautiful packaging and asked, "Sister Yanjun, what kind of flower is this?"

"It seems to be called Jindai," Zheng Yanjun turned the steering wheel and thought again: "It means a bright future."

Zheng Yanjun took Bai Yanning out for a meal, treating it as their farewell dinner. She took out a bank card from her bag and handed it to Bai Yanning, "There's 300,000 yuan in here. Consider it a loan. It's always good for a girl to carry extra money when she's out."

Bai Yanning was a little surprised and at a loss, "Sister Yanjun... I'll write you an IOU.

"No need," Zheng Yanjun waved his hand, "I don't mind this little money, just consider it as making a friend of yours."

She stood up and hugged Bai Yanning, "Go and live a good life. You still have a long life ahead of you, and everything will get better and better."

Bai Yanning hugged her back with red eyes.

When she left, Zhao Shanhu came to see her off. She hugged her in the crowded airport. At first, she was trying to hold back her tears, but in the end, she couldn't stop crying. She said what she had been holding back for a long time: "I misunderstood you. Why didn't you explain to me? I wait for you to send me a message every day. Every time I see you from afar, I hope you will come to me. Don't you know that I am angry with you? How can you pretend to be so nice?"

"Senior," she sniffed, raised her head from her arms and looked at her, "If you care about what I say, then you should tell me. I treat you as a precious friend. The more you pretend not to care during the cold war, the further you will push me away."

"It's the same for me and others. You should remember this when you go to a new place and make new friends."

"Okay?"

Bai Yanning laughed while crying and made a pinky promise with her.

In September, she started a new life and studies in Germany. She remembered the words of Zheng Yanjun and Zhao Shanhu, actively participated in activities, socialized with people, expressed her feelings, and took the initiative to care about others. Her classmates came from all over the world, and no one knew her past background. She really had many like-minded partners.

They would pat her on the shoulder and exclaim, "Bridget, how can you draw such a good chart!"

They invited Bai Yanning to a weekend party. When the door opened, Bai Yanning saw a large group of people laughing, dancing, and throwing beer bottles around to the blasting music. She dodged the spilled drinks and was led by someone through the chaotic crowd. "Come on, Bridget, let's dance!"

They sat in the classroom late into the night on weekends working on group projects. A group of people sat in a circle, tapping away on their keyboards, occasionally engaging in passionate discussions. A Gambian senior with pigtails came in with a dozen cups of coffee in his hands, pushing the door open with his butt, "Hurry, hurry, hurry! Come catch it!"

She no longer had to run around like a top, running around various restaurants and students' homes in a doll costume handing out flyers for her next dinner as she did before. Zheng Yanjun asked someone to introduce her to a very easy translation job with a good salary and very stable status.

She lived her life seriously and hard, and everything went smoothly. After graduating from college, she passed the master's exam at the same university and went straight to a doctoral program. It was the time of the year when the hydrangeas were in bloom, and she finished her defense and successfully stayed in school.

She was almost twenty-seven years old. During her seven years in Germany, she had been pursued by many people. There was once a blue-eyed, curly-haired boy who was several years younger than her. Unlike her other suitors, he was very young, with the youthfulness of a young adult, passionate, direct, and treated her with caution.

On an April night, he rode his bicycle with her across the entire campus. He deliberately rode under the cherry blossom tree. A gust of wind blew, and pink petals fell all over them. He turned around and smiled at her, "It's raining, Bridget."

Bai Yanning raised her hand and stroked the drooping branches. Another boy emerged in her mind. He was also eighteen years old at that time, riding a bicycle past her shop door, passing by like a breeze.

He is very similar to him, but not exactly.

The bicycle was parked downstairs of her dormitory. Bai Yanning declined his invitation for tomorrow. She said regretfully, "I'm sorry, I tried, but I just can't fall in love with you."

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