Xu Zhilu was distracted watching him hang up sheets. This scene was familiar to her from her memories.

Shen Siyan had done this after they had fallen in love.

Thinking of this, Xu Zhilu’s face turned red for no apparent reason.

She looked away, not wanting to watch.

Noticing her gaze, Shen Siyan turned and looked over. “What’s wrong?”

“Nothing.” Xu Zhilu pretended to be calm. “Do you want to take a break?”

Shen Siyan smiled and asked, “Take a break from what?”

He pointed. “We’re almost done.”

Xu Zhilu said “Oh” and didn’t know what else to say.

Shen Siyan stared at her for a few seconds. “What are you thinking about?”

“Nothing.”

Xu Zhilu thought for a while and then sat down on a chair. “I was just wondering if the person who hit us did it on purpose or by accident.”

Shen Siyan was silent for a moment, then said softly, “It’s probably an accident. No one would intentionally hit us, right?”

Xu Zhilu thought about it seriously and agreed.

When they went to get the certificate that day, neither of them informed anyone and had planned to tell everyone afterward.

Shen Siyan stared at her for a long time, his Adam’s apple moving. “Still thinking?”

“No.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him. “I was just wondering if we have to start college life all over again.”

Hearing this, Shen Siyan smiled. “Don’t you want to continue?”

“…No.”

Xu Zhilu reflected, “Compared to entering the workforce, college life is definitely better.”

Shen Siyan chuckled. “That’s right.”

He reached out and patted Xu Zhilu on the head, saying softly, “Xu Zhilu.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him.

Shen Siyan gazed at her with intensity and said, “Let’s experience a different college life again?”

“…”

It felt lucky to experience it again, but also a bit unlucky.

Xu Zhilu didn’t know what to say.

She weighed the situation in her mind and found that she felt luckier than unlucky.

Her previous college life hadn’t been pleasant.

She would get angry at Shen Siyan sometimes, and the ideal college experience she had imagined was gone.

The only fortunate thing was that she had some good roommates and friends.

Shen Siyan looked at her. “I won’t force you.”

Xu Zhilu glanced at him. “There’s nothing you can do.”

Shen Siyan laughed, even though he was a bit annoyed.

In the evening, Shen Siyan accompanied Xu Zhilu for dinner before leaving.

“Call me if you need anything.”

“Okay.”

Shen Siyan paused. “Are you planning to find a job?”

Xu Zhilu nodded.

Shen Siyan thought for a moment and said, “My dad’s company is looking for interns. He mentioned before that if you want to give it a try, you could.”

Xu Zhilu refused directly. “No, thanks.”

She said, “I’ll find something more relaxing.”

Shen Siyan opened his mouth but couldn’t persuade her. “Okay, then I’ll head back.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him for a long while and finally said, “Be careful.”

“Will do.”

_

As soon as Shen Siyan left, the room became quiet again.

Xu Zhilu looked around the empty house, feeling unsettled.

She sat back on the sofa, feeling as though Shen Siyan’s presence was everywhere. It seemed as if he had infiltrated her life without her realizing it.

Xu Zhilu hugged her knees and thought about the events between them.

She stared into the distance, unsure of what she was thinking. It felt like she was thinking of nothing, yet everything at once.

After a long time, Xu Zhilu still couldn’t figure it out.

Now that she has recovered her memory, she shouldn’t be so indecisive.

But Shen Siyan hadn’t said anything specific about what he wanted or planned to do. Xu Zhilu decided to let things take their own course.

It wasn’t possible to return to the previous state immediately, but it also wasn’t feasible to interact with classmates as she did before.

It was better to let nature take its course and leave the rest to chance.

_

Xu Zhilu thought so, and Shen Siyan seemed to think the same.

He didn’t pressure Xu Zhilu to make a decision but continued to appear in her life every day.

After Xu Zhilu settled in, she started looking for a job.

She needed a summer job. Even as a high school graduate, she couldn’t land a high-end position, so she found a job at a milk tea shop near her home, working eight hours a day from the afternoon to the evening. It wasn’t easy, but it was also not too tiring.

The pay was more than ten yuan an hour, which was reasonable.

When Shen Siyan learned about it, he didn’t say much.

He did come to the milk tea shop every day and sometimes brought his laptop along.

Xu Zhilu could guess what he was doing.

Although Shen Siyan seemed lazy and uneducated, he had been one of the most successful entrepreneurs in their previous college lives.

He started his own small company in his sophomore year. Initially, it was just him and his roommate working on it. By the time he was about to graduate, the company had grown to ten people.

Despite being a small company, it had good profits and was steadily growing.

Now, Xu Zhilu wasn’t sure if he was doing the same thing as in his previous life, but she was confident that Shen Siyan was someone who set his own goals and plans.

He was not just an uneducated young master; he had dreams and abilities.

Shen Siyan visited the shop several times, and Xu Zhilu’s colleagues even discussed it with her secretly.

“That guy is so handsome. He’s been here several times. Do you think he’s here to see someone?”

Xu Zhilu remained silent.

Every time Shen Siyan came, he didn’t disturb her at work. They only exchanged glances, chatted briefly on the phone, or he would place an order—normal interactions between waiters and customers. This led her colleagues to misunderstand the situation.

“Zhilu, Zhilu, that person is looking at you.”

Her colleague asked excitedly, “Is he trying to pursue you?”

Xu Zhilu: “You can’t say that.”

“Ah?” Her colleague looked at her in surprise. “Why not?”

Xu Zhilu touched her nose and said softly, “He’s my friend.”

Her colleague was stunned for a few seconds, then reacted. “So he came here to see you?”

Xu Zhilu nodded. “Yes.”

There was nothing wrong with admitting it, so she said directly, “He’s a high school classmate of mine.”

Her colleague choked. “So, is he pursuing you, or is he your boyfriend?”

Xu Zhilu lowered her eyes. “No.”

She added, “It probably doesn’t count.”

Her colleagues looked at her in confusion.

Xu Zhilu smiled and said, “I don’t know how to explain it. Just ignore him.”

_

It was already ten o’clock when she finished work.

Xu Zhilu changed her clothes and went outside. As soon as she walked out, she saw someone waiting for her at the door.

The two of them looked at each other in silence.

She walked over. “Shen Siyan.”

Shen Siyan raised his eyebrows.

Xu Zhilu pursed her lips and said softly, “Actually, this place is very close to where I live. You don’t need to wait for me so late.”

Shen Siyan: “Yeah.”

He said calmly, “I know.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him, clearly questioning, “Since you know, why are you still doing this?”

Shen Siyan smiled and said, “Don’t you want me to wait for you?”

Xu Zhilu turned away. “That’s not what I meant. I just think you’re wasting time, and it’s unnecessary.”

“It is necessary.”

Shen Siyan’s voice was close to her ear. “It is very necessary.”

Xu Zhilu looked at him in confusion and pointed at the distance from the milk tea shop to her home. “It’s not that far, and the security in this area is very good. There’s no need for this.”

She analyzed seriously, “Besides, it will take a long time from here to your home. If you go home so late every day, won’t Aunt Shen scold you?”

Shen Siyan looked at her and smiled without answering.

Xu Zhilu felt his smile had an… indescribable quality. She looked away. “What are you laughing at?”

“Xu Zhilu, are you playing dumb?”

Xu Zhilu looked at him.

Shen Siyan asked, “I am pursuing you. If I don’t send you off, who will?”

“…”