On the first weekend after the official start of the semester, Qianye began her tutoring job following the address Zhou Yuqin had provided. The door was opened by a polite woman who invited her in. After explaining her son’s situation, she expressed her hope that Qianye could help improve his English grades and promised to pay double if his scores improved. Qianye nodded politely, assuring her that she would do her best.

When she pushed open the study door, she saw a clean and tidy boy. Qianye asked him to take out his usual test papers and practice exercises so she could identify his weaknesses. Obediently, the boy retrieved the papers and introduced himself as Zhang Cheng. Qianye also introduced herself. After reviewing the papers, Qianye analyzed his mistakes, noting gaps in his usage and vocabulary. She then began systematic reviews to address these issues. Zhang Cheng was very cooperative, diligently taking notes on everything Qianye said.

Unlike other tutors, Qianye didn’t engage in casual conversation with her students. She believed that life should be simplified, focusing on efficiency above all else. Of course, there was one exception to this rule—Han Chao. When it came to him, everything was different; with everyone else, she preferred to keep things as straightforward as possible.

From then on, Qianye tutored Zhang Cheng every weekend. On Wednesdays and Fridays, she spent time with Han Chao. The rest of her days were occupied with classes or studying. Occasionally, she would call Zhao Nanzhuo or Zhou Ran. These orderly, peaceful days were rare for Qianye. In her younger years, she had either felt isolated or faced unfulfilled desires. Moments of true tranquility and satisfaction were few and far between. Now, she wished time could stand still, cherishing her life as never before.

Qianye recalled a recent interview she had watched. The host asked a female celebrity how her life had changed since finding love. The celebrity replied, “I’ve become more afraid—afraid of getting injured while filming.” Indeed, falling in love makes one less fearless, clinging to precious moments with the beloved and wishing for eternal youth and longevity.

Some lights can only shine faintly in the dark, but once extinguished, they leave behind profound emptiness and silence.

College life was much more relaxed than high school, but Zhou Yuqin remained as busy as ever, like a spinning top. Her family circumstances meant she couldn’t indulge in activities other girls enjoyed—shopping, lounging in the dorms, or even falling in love.

After meeting Lin Chen in the lab, Zhou Yuqin spent a long time quietly watching him play basketball alone during dinner breaks. Though she allowed herself these brief moments of indulgence, she devoted the rest of her time to studying and earning money. Like a professor advising students preparing for graduate school, she believed in recognizing one’s abilities and choosing the right goals. Otherwise, the farther you go, the more mistakes you make. Zhou Yuqin saw herself as someone with self-awareness. Lin Chen came from a good family, excelled academically, and was on par with her in grades. There was no way he could like someone as ordinary as herself. Rather than face awkwardness, she preferred to retreat into her own world.

Later, they met in the library’s study room, where Lin Chen asked Zhou Yuqin for help with a few difficult problems. She explained them methodically, leaving Lin Chen deeply impressed. Afterward, they exchanged names and MSN contacts.

Years later, Qianye encountered Lin Chen in another city and learned that Zhou Yuqin and he had once been entangled in a complicated relationship.

One day, while washing clothes on the balcony, Qianye’s roommate called out that her phone was ringing. She quickly dried her soapy hands with a towel and picked up the phone. It was Zhou Ran, and they ended up talking for two hours. By the time they finished, the clothes she had left on the balcony were nearly dry. On the call, they shared updates about their lives, and Qianye listened to Zhou Ran talk about her love life. Zhou Ran said she and Zhao Nanzhuo visited each other’s cities every month, and that Zhao Nanzhuo remained as wonderful as when they first met.

The blurry confusion of youth eventually gives way to clarity. Even after missing certain people or enduring pain, there comes a day when things fall into place. Time has a way of illuminating everything, no matter how long one has struggled against fate.

Sometimes, Qianye would visit Zhao Nanzhuo’s social media page to see how he was doing. His albums were filled with photos of him and Zhou Ran, both smiling brightly. The warmth in their expressions seemed to wash away all the scars of the past. Knowing that someone who had once loved her was now happy gave Qianye a deep sense of contentment.

In the evening, the dorm leader reminded Qianye to log into the campus network to select courses. Together with Zhou Yuqin, she chose electives: “Appreciation of The Book of Songs” from the Chinese Department and “Readings in Theological Classics” from the Philosophy Department. Zhou Yuqin joked that she needed to cultivate her artistic sensibilities, as her days spent with architecture students and a bunch of rough boys were making her increasingly coarse.