“Mm, what else?”
He struggled for a while, but still directly expressed his feelings: “It’s like fermented rice wine.”
Cen Jin smiled, not pushing him further. She lowered her head to eat the small dish in front of her, changing the subject: “Have you decided on your college applications?”
Li Wu was stunned for a moment: “Not yet.”
“Didn’t some schools contact you in advance?” Cen Jin remembered him telling her.
Li Wu: “Yes.”
Cen Jin propped her chin: “None that you want to go to?”
“It’s not that, I just haven’t decided,” Li Wu asked her: “Where did you go to university?”
“Right here in Yi City,” Cen Jin was inexplicably proud when mentioning her alma mater: “Yi University’s School of Journalism, our department is number one in the world.”
Li Wu seemed thoughtful.
Cen Jin asked: “Did Yi University contact you?”
Li Wu nodded: “They did, they want me to take their early admission exam. If I pass, I only need to reach the first-tier university score threshold in the college entrance exam to attend.”
Cen Jin blinked twice in surprise: “That’s amazing?”
“Mm.”
The woman who once prided herself on being a top student felt challenged, forcing a smile: “You didn’t agree because you look down on Yi University?”
Li Wu said: “That’s not it.”
Cen Jin ignored his denial: “But if I were you, I’d also choose a better school, to meet more excellent people.”
Li Wu watched her for a while, then lowered his eyes for a moment, before speaking with difficulty: “If I go to Beijing, I probably won’t be able to come home very often.”
Cen Jin’s eyes widened slightly, strongly agreeing with his words: “Of course, who comes home often after starting university?”
She suddenly realized: “Are you going to miss me?”
Li Wu’s brows tightened, his nose seized by a strong acidic feeling, forcing him to quickly lower his head.
Seeing him like this, Cen Jin also felt a bit sad.
Her eyes slightly swelled with warmth, but she maintained her elder’s tone, comforting him kindly: “Ah, everyone goes through this, everyone has to grow up and fly far away, it’s not like you’re never coming back.”
“Remember? I only asked you to aim for a 211 university, but you far exceeded expectations, showing that your potential needs a bigger stage to develop,” she envisioned his future, trying to revive his spirits: “I don’t know if you plan to study physics, but I checked recently, Peking University’s physics program is the best in the country. I had a friend from Peking University when I was studying abroad, and now they’ve been hired back as a teacher. If you want to go there, I can ask around for you.”
Cen Jin was systematically comforting him, but she didn’t know that every word from her mouth was forcibly pushing someone whose limbs were stiff and immobile.
Li Wu was extremely irritated, venting by stuffing the sushi from the small plate into his mouth one piece after another: “Not necessary for now.”
“Eat slower,” Cen Jin noticed something was wrong with his state, worried about triggering post-exam anxiety, she stopped discussing these matters and just nodded: “I’m just giving some suggestions, anyway, there’s still twenty days, think about it slowly.”
—
Over the next two days, Cen Jin went to work as usual, while Li Wu stayed at home finding things to do—cleaning, running, and playing with Cen Jin’s Ring Fit Adventure. It seemed only activities intense enough to work up a sweat could temporarily help him forget the anxiety of facing major life choices.
Studying had become a mechanical behavior for him, and now that he had relaxed, he was extremely bored, suddenly not knowing what to do with himself.
He hadn’t estimated his score either. The moment he walked out of the exam room, he already knew his result.
In the class group chat, everyone was complaining about this year’s integrated science exam being too difficult, but Li Wu remained unmoved. For him, no matter how unpredictable the question types were, they were just flat surfaces he could see through at a glance.
Teacher Qi privately messaged him on QQ, asking if he had estimated his score.
Li Wu replied: No.
Teacher Qi said: Why aren’t you estimating? I’ve asked everyone in the top ten of the class, you’re the only one who hasn’t.
Li Wu asked: How are they doing?
Teacher Qi said: They’re the same as they usually are.
Li Wu cleverly replied: Then so am I.
Teacher Qi jokingly scolded: You little rascal.
Li Wu’s lips also curved slightly.
On the afternoon of June 10th, Cen Jin took time off work to accompany Li Wu back to school to pack his things.
The early summer sunlight was intense, the ground steaming with heat. By the time they reached the boys’ dormitory, Cen Jin’s face had turned slightly red.
Li Wu glanced down at her and went to turn on the air conditioning.
As he went to close the doors and windows, Cen Jin’s gaze followed him, carefully taking in the entire dormitory room. She hadn’t been here since he changed rooms.
As expected, Li Wu’s desk and bed were the cleanest among all the spots.
The desktop was spotless, textbooks on the bookstand arranged vertically by size, the blanket on the cooling mat folded symmetrically with precise corners as if he had just moved in an hour ago.
Li Wu came back and pulled out his chair: “Sit and wait for me.”
Cen Jin stood motionless: “Don’t you need my help?”
She was wearing a white sleeveless dress today, the hem falling past her knees, like a half-closed, pure gardenia.
Li Wu glanced at her clothes: “No need.”