Chapter 66

Fang Qingye drove out of the county town onto the Shenhai Expressway, heading southeast, music playing in the car as he chatted and laughed with Bai Ou, not feeling lonely at all.

After nearly two hours of driving, as he prepared to enter the Changjia Expressway, Bai Ou said, “Ye Zi, why don’t you rest a bit and let me drive?”

“You?”

“I have a car at home—I drive it often when I come back,” Bai Ou said.

“Alright, let’s switch at the next service area.”

After another hour on the ring expressway, they exited onto the Shenzhuan Highway, stopped by the roadside, found a relatively clean restaurant for lunch, then continued their journey.

This time Fang Qingye took the wheel again; after another forty minutes of driving, they arrived at their destination: the Songjiang Campus of the University of Political Science and Law.

Today was enrollment day—the campus was bustling with students and parents; cars ranged from Audis and BMWs to ordinary Lavans and Jettas, but most were people dragging suitcases on wheels, even some parents using woven sack bags to carry their children’s belongings.

Only here could you see families from different social classes coexisting harmoniously.

Following Bai Ou’s directions, Fang Qingye parked in front of the female graduate dormitory, got out, and helped her carry her luggage upstairs, while Bai Ou held a large cardboard box containing orchids.

“Bai Ou!”

A girl with shoulder-length hair called out to her.

Bai Ou turned and saw her roommate, Quan Shasha, and smiled in greeting.

Fang Qingye carried Bai Ou’s suitcase up to her fourth-floor room, set it down, and prepared to leave.

“Ye Zi, why not sit for a bit?” Bai Ou invited.

“No need—the car’s parked downstairs, I’ve got to move it fast or the security guard will come,” Fang Qingye said.

“Alright then, drive safely.”

“Got it—see you when I get back!”

Fang Qingye nodded, smiled at Quan Shasha beside him, then turned and left the dorm.

Through the window, Quan Shasha watched Fang Qingye drive off in his Buick Regal, then asked Bai Ou: “That guy is really handsome—what’s his name? Your boyfriend?”

“He’s my childhood friend—Fang Qingye.”

“Childhood friend? So you’re childhood sweethearts? Almost like a boyfriend… Which school? Do you work now?” Quan Shasha asked.

“Graduated from Shencai, now works at a bank in our county,” Bai Ou replied honestly.

“Shencai’s pretty good… why come back to the county? Why not stay in Shencheng?” Quan Shasha asked, puzzled.

“Everyone has their own path.”

“I wouldn’t want a boyfriend like that. Bai Ou, don’t you dare go back—even if you don’t stay in Shencheng, at least go to Huijing!”

“We’ll see,” Bai Ou smiled.

Fang Qingye drove out of campus straight toward the gathering spot—the main campus of Shencai University on Guoding Road.

It took him a full hour and a half to arrive; he checked into the nearby Hawthorn Grand Hotel, a five-star establishment.

If you’re going to stay, stay well—he had money now.

The weather outside was hot, and Fang Qingye had no desire to go out; besides, before his rebirth, he’d lived in this city for nearly twenty years—he knew every corner of it.

At 11:30 the next day, Fang Qingye went downstairs—he didn’t drive; the restaurant wasn’t far. Following Liu Shuai’s text message, he went up to a private room on the second floor of Jinding Restaurant.

The room was already full—men and women alike; Fang Qingye glanced around and estimated about a dozen people, roughly a third of the class.

Liu Shuai was chatting with classmates.

He wore a T-shirt and casual pants, his short haircut giving him a sharp, energetic look; it had only been a year since graduation, yet his style had already climbed at least a notch.

They were all classmates, hadn’t seen each other in over a year, and now reunited, they felt warm—talking about their current lives and funny memories from school, the atmosphere was lively and easy.

Fang Qingye noticed the classmates who’d come seemed to be doing quite well.

Two had been accepted into graduate school here, two ran their own companies, one—like Liu Shuai—had passed the civil service exam but at the prefectural level, and many others, like Fang Qingye, had joined banks, with some even staying in Shencheng’s investment banking sector.

Liu Shuai had arrived early and was greeting classmates.

When Fang Qingye walked in, someone immediately called out: “Fang Qingye! Looking sharp—looks like you’re doing well back home.”

“Not bad—just getting by in a small county, nothing like your big-city prospects,” Fang Qingye laughed.

“Prospects? We’re all just lifelong employees—Shencheng’s housing prices are insane… when will we ever afford one?” someone immediately sighed.

You can’t afford it now? You’ll never afford it later!

Fang Qingye smiled inwardly, but he wouldn’t say anything cruel—just smiled and said they’d all just graduated, and everything was still possible.

With most people arrived, Liu Shuai called everyone to sit; the table was large, with a rotating center, and since they were all classmates, no one bothered with formal seating—friends clustered together, eating and talking, the noise lively.

Fang Qingye said he’d driven in and needed to drive back home that afternoon to start work tomorrow, so he couldn’t drink alcohol—just soda would do; no one pressed him.

At that moment, the door opened and a man and woman hurried in.

“Sorry we’re late,” the delicate-looking man apologized quickly.

“Li Ye? How come you live on campus and still show up late?” someone asked.

“Yeah, three rounds of drinks!” someone immediately chimed in.

“Fair enough, I’ll take it.”

Someone brought two chairs, and the server brought two more sets of utensils; they sat down.

Fang Qingye recognized them.

The man, Li Ye, and the woman behind him were a couple, both accepted into graduate school here.

The woman was Zhang Dongwen, from Shandong, quiet and reserved; Li Ye was from Zhejiang, usually lively.

After a few drinks, Li Ye said to everyone: “I can’t drink much today—I have to catch a flight with Dongwen to Chuan Province.”

“What? To Chuan Province for what?” Liu Shuai asked curiously.

“Teaching in the countryside.” Li Ye said.

“What? Teaching? Aren’t you in grad school?”

“Yeah, why suddenly decide to teach in the countryside?” Everyone immediately began asking questions.

“I heard you guys were going to Chuan Province to teach—I thought it was just a joke, but it’s real?” Liu Shuai finally said: “Why?”

“Didn’t Chuan Province have a big earthquake recently? During summer break, Dongwen and I went there as volunteers—you probably weren’t there, but the devastation… ah…”

Li Ye sighed, then continued: “We couldn’t really help much, but later we heard basic education in western Chuan was terrible—teachers were scarce. Dongwen and I talked it over and decided to teach there for a year. We told our advisor—he fully supported us. We’ve already completed our leave-of-absence paperwork.”

“Where exactly?”

“Mount Daliang.”