Chuxia placed the admission notice on the table.

Cen Zhengnian and Cen Huai’an leaned in together to read the text on the notice.

Cen Huai’an, now able to recognize many characters, pointed to the large characters at the top and read out slowly in his childish voice, “Imperial Capital Traditional Chinese Medicine College, Student Admission Notice.”

Cen Zhengnian ruffled his hair, looking at the notice with even more happiness than when he had first learned he could attend the Workers-Peasants-Soldiers University. His smile was broad.

“What does the notice say?” Cen Zhengnian asked Chuxia.

Chuxia handed him the paper: “It says you need to bring the admission notice, your household registration, and proof of the transfer of grain and oil relations.”

There weren’t many details on the notice—just a single sheet of paper with instructions on what to bring, travel expenses, shipping fees, scholarships, and other explanations.

After reading it, Cen Zhengnian put the notice and the instructions back into the envelope and said, “The notice needs to be kept safe. We can’t lose it.”

He took it to the bedroom, placing it in the drawer where he keeps important documents, and turned to Chuxia, saying, “This is a safer place.”

Chuxia replied, “Okay.”

At this time, Cen Huai’an also received letters from his friends in the Northwest, and from Bangzi and the others.

Xiaohe’s letter was mostly written in characters he knew, with most of it written by hand.

In his letter, Xiaohe mentioned that he also wants to go to college.

Hupan Deng’s letter included both characters and pinyin.

He expressed his envy, saying he asked his parents about it.

Since they never attended college, he was curious about what it’s like.

He also said that once Huai’an goes to college with Chuxia, he would definitely want to hear about it!

Bangzi and the others, who could write more, included drawings, and the content of their letter had a single message: “Wait for us! We will also go to college and come to Beijing to find you!”

Cen Huai’an wrote back to each of them, saying his mother had received the admission notice.

After finishing all the letters, Cen Huai’an shook his hand, feeling tired and sore.

He realized that having so many friends was a burden too.

In the future, he decided to write fewer words in each letter.

In summer, the weather is unpredictable. One moment it’s bright and sunny, and the next, dark clouds gather and rain pours down.

Chuxia was reading a book indoors when she noticed the sky suddenly darkening.

She looked up and saw large raindrops falling outside the window.

“An an! Come help me collect the clothes!”

Chuxia shouted as she ran into the yard.

The clothes hung on the line were dry before, but now they were getting wet due to the sudden rain.

Cen Huai’an rushed out when he heard, standing on a stool to collect the lower-hanging clothes.

There weren’t many clothes for the three of them, so it took less than a minute to bring them all inside.

Just as they got indoors, the rain outside suddenly intensified, as if the sky had opened up.

Although it was only mid-afternoon, the sky was as dark as if it were evening.

The two dogs ran inside, wet from the rain. Huai’an used a towel meant for washing the dogs to dry them off.

After drying the dogs, Cen Huai’an leaned on the window to look outside.

The rain had completely soaked the ground, forming small puddles.

“Mom, the rain is so heavy!”

“Hmm.”

Chuxia looked outside with concern. Cen Zhengnian had gone to the research institute without an umbrella.

She wondered if the rain would stop before he returned.

However, summer rains come quickly and leave just as fast, so it shouldn’t last too long.

When it was mealtime, Chuxia found that although the rain had lessened, it hadn’t stopped.

Cen Zhengnian would still get wet walking from the research institute to home.

She looked at Cen Huai’an, who was playing with the dogs in the living room.

She grabbed an umbrella, put on a raincoat, and thought for a moment before grabbing another umbrella.

Since moving to Beijing, Chuxia had bought two extra umbrellas to avoid running short.

“An an, I’m going to bring your dad an umbrella. Stay home and don’t go outside!”

“Okay.”

Chuxia put on her rain boots and went out.

The air outside was damp and earthy. After the rain, the previous heat had cooled down significantly, bringing a refreshing chill.

Chuxia asked the security guard to help deliver the umbrella.

When Chuxia first arrived, she used to bring apples for the guards.

Even though it was their job to help, Chuxia wanted to offer something to express her gratitude.

But every time, they refused. Once, Chuxia slipped apples through the window, and they asked Cen Zhengnian to take them back.

When Cen Zhengnian came home, he told Chuxia, “They have rules about not accepting gifts. Don’t give them anything; they won’t take it.”

Chuxia understood and stopped offering gifts.

When Cen Zhengnian returned from the lab, his colleagues told him that his wife had sent an umbrella, which was now on his desk.

He walked over, looked at the umbrella, and then out the window, realizing it was raining.

“Zhengnian, your wife is really thoughtful. Unlike my wife and me, we’re old now, and she never thinks to send me an umbrella. I always come home soaked in the rain.”

His colleagues looked enviously at the umbrella and raincoat on Cen Zhengnian’s desk, fearing getting wet themselves.

Most others were in similar situations.

Yan and Min lived in the research institute, so they didn’t need an umbrella.

Looking at the umbrella, Yan smiled and said, “Looks like moving here was the right choice for your wife. You used to have it rough. Not just in the rain, but even hail would leave you soaked on your way back to the dorm.”

Cen Zhengnian looked at the umbrella with a gentle expression, as if imagining Chuxia holding it at the research institute’s entrance.

He nodded and said, “Yes. Professor Yan, I’ll have dinner at home tonight.”

Zhengnian looked at Yan and Min.

“Alright.” The experiments had yielded results today without errors, so it wasn’t too busy.

Cen Zhengnian could work from home in the evening.

Some researchers with family at the institute applied to go home, leaving only single researchers or those without family at the institute.

They might as well work in the lab, where there were more people.

Among them was Ye Xingxu.

When Cen Zhengnian put on his raincoat and carried an umbrella out of the research lab, Ye Xingxiu immediately followed, putting his arm around his shoulder from behind. “Zhengnian, with both an umbrella and a raincoat, this small rain is quite a waste. How about you lend me the umbrella?”

Cen Zhengnian shook off his hand without courtesy. “Speak your mind, but don’t touch me.”

“Fine!” Ye Xingxiu stuffed his hands into his pockets and continued, “How about letting me borrow the umbrella?”

“This rain isn’t heavy,” Cen Zhengnian had no intention of lending his umbrella.

“Yeah, the rain isn’t heavy now. But what if it rains heavily tonight?” Ye Xingxiu spread his hands. “I don’t have a wife like Cousin-in-law Xia, who would send me an umbrella. Don’t you pity this old single man?”

Cen Zhengnian glanced at him. “There are many people in the research lab just like you. You don’t need to wallow in self-pity.”

Ye Xingxiu: …

“Hahaha!” Yan Hemin’s laughter came from behind, his broad hand patting Ye Xingxiu’s shoulder. “Playing the pity card doesn’t work on Zhengnian. Finding a wife soon is the right path.”

Ye Xingxiu cast a resentful glance at Yan Hemin, then at Cen Zhengnian, who was about to leave with the umbrella.

A bold idea struck him, and he quickly ran up from behind, snatching Cen Zhengnian’s umbrella.

As he ran away, he grinned and said, “Thank Cousin-in-law Xia for me! I’ll return it tomorrow!”

Cen Zhengnian: Suddenly, he felt a bit itchy to take action.

Yan Hemin laughed even louder.

Cen Zhengnian looked at the muddy ground and then at the darkening sky.

Chasing Ye Xingxiu for the umbrella might cause more trouble, and he needed to go home for dinner.

Let Ye Xingxiu enjoy his brief triumph.

When Cen Zhengnian got home, he told Chu Xia that he had lent his umbrella to a colleague.

Chu Xia placed a bowl of pumpkin and millet porridge in front of him, smiling as she said, “I expected you to share the extra umbrella with your colleagues.”

Cen Zhengnian took a sip of the porridge and said, “I thought you were worried about me getting wet.”

Chu Xia served him some stir-fried green beans and gave An An a serving as well. “I was worried about you getting wet.”

Cen Zhengnian’s lips curved into a faint smile.

That night, Cen Zhengnian wanted to work late, but around ten o’clock, Chu Xia asked, “Is this work urgent?”

Cen Zhengnian looked down and calculated some data. “Not very urgent.”

Chu Xia said, “Then go to bed. You already have a weak stomach; do you want it to get worse?”

Cen Zhengnian continued to work, saying, “I’ll finish this one and then sleep.”

Chu Xia didn’t easily interfere with his work, but she reached over and covered his eyes with her hand. “You finish one, and there will be another. Last time, you stayed up until almost eleven.”

Cen Zhengnian felt the softness of her palm on his eyes.

He removed her hand but didn’t let go, holding it as he continued calculating. “I’ll keep my promise this time.”

Chu Xia’s hand felt the warmth from his, and she tried to pull it away.

Cen Zhengnian’s gentle voice said, “Wait, I’ll finish soon.”

Chu Xia stayed still, pulling up a chair to sit next to him and continuing to read the book she had been looking at.

However, she hadn’t read more than two pages before he closed her book. “Dr. Luo, staying up late is bad for you.”

Chu Xia glared at him. “I’m not planning to stay up late.”

Clearly, he was the one who stayed up late often.

“Then go to sleep.”

Cen Zhengnian’s voice sounded a bit hoarse, as if suppressing something.

Chu Xia, having been with him for so long, instantly recognized the hidden meaning in his words.