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There was much to prepare, so neither of them stayed late; shortly after five, they had an early dinner, and Huang Qi saw Xiao Ying off. On her way back from the station, she remembered him mentioning that his hair was getting long, so she detoured into a barbershop just outside the campus gate to have hers trimmed.

Barbershops, part of the traditional trades, hadn't yet seen all their staff return after the New Year, yet there were plenty of customers. After washing her hair, Huang Qi found the barber still occupied and was told to wait a while. Bored, she took out her phone and began texting Xiao Ying. She had sent several messages when a shampoo girl approached and said, "Our barbers are pretty busy right now, so you'll need to wait a bit. Let me give you a free massage to help you relax."

Huang Qi, absorbed in her phone, declined without thinking, "No need, thank you." The girl persisted, "This is a complimentary service for waiting customers; it doesn't cost extra. Are you a student? I could massage your shoulders and arms to help prevent muscle strain." Huang Qi looked up at her. The girl, dressed in the barbershop uniform, seemed even younger than Huang Qi, likely under twenty. She had a round face, dark brows and eyes, bright features, but was a little stout and had the rustic earnestness of a country girl—a pretty but unadorned soul. Huang Qi considered that a massage would mean she couldn't use her phone, so she politely declined again.

After a while, the girl returned, bringing her a glass of water. Huang Qi sensed the girl was watching her—curious, hesitant, unsure, but not unfriendly. Seeing the intern badge pinned to her chest, Huang Qi guessed she was new, perhaps wondering if this female student getting a haircut was from the famous university nearby.

Huang Qi didn’t dwell on it. Soon the barber arrived, quickly trimmed and dried her hair, then handed her a customer satisfaction survey. Huang Qi filled it out politely, marking everything as satisfactory, paid, and handed it in at the counter. As she turned away, the shampoo girl immediately went over to check what she’d written.

Huang Qi stepped out of the barbershop, when suddenly someone called from behind, “Huang Qi? Are you Huang Qi?” She turned and saw the shampoo girl had chased after her, beaming with delight. Huang Qi looked at her closely, certain she didn’t know her. “And you are…?”

“I—my name is Zheng Tongfu, ‘Tongfu’ as in sharing fortune and hardship. I’m from Xiba Village, and I went to Huangsha Middle School too, three grades below you. I was in first year when you moved on to No. 1 High. But everyone knows you—teachers often used you as an example to inspire us…”

So she was a fellow villager. Xiba Village was where Li Mingzhi’s family lived, near Huangsha Town; kids from the village all attended the town’s schools. With Huang Qi’s reputation, children of her age would certainly know of her.

Zheng Tongfu continued, “I saw you once when I was still in elementary school. I wasn’t sure it was you just now, but your signature on the survey confirmed it…” Her smile was both shy and excited. “You’re even prettier than when you were in middle school…”

Huang Qi’s hometown was near the Yangtze Delta, a prosperous region with few people working up north; meeting a fellow villager here made her happy, too. “How did you end up so far from home working here? Are you alone?”

Zheng Tongfu replied, “I’m here looking for someone… I have a girlfriend with me; we came from the provincial capital and only arrived a few days after the New Year.”

They chatted for a while by the roadside, talking about their hometowns. Zheng Tongfu told her she’d found work easily here, though the pay was modest, but meals and lodging were provided, and now she and her friend were settled. Huang Qi still worried about such a young girl, in a strange city far from home, without family, so she left her phone number, telling her to contact her in any emergency. Zheng Tongfu, without a mobile phone, gave the shop’s landline instead.

After a bit, Zheng Tongfu spoke hesitantly, “Huang Qi, I—I want to ask you something…”

Huang Qi had seen she had something to say. “What is it?”

“There’s a guy from our village who also got into your university for graduate studies—Li Mingzhi. Do you know him?” The mention of Li Mingzhi irked Huang Qi, but the girl wasn’t at fault. “I know him, but we’re not very close. Why?”

“I wanted to contact him, but he changed his number after coming here and didn’t tell me… I went to your school, but it’s so big I nearly got lost, and couldn’t find his classroom… Have you seen him? Could you… help me get in touch?” While she spoke, her face showed worry, longing, uncertainty, and reluctance all together.

Huang Qi recognized that expression—it was the look her mother wore when her father’s flight was delayed and unreachable, or Yun Lei’s when she’d fought with her boyfriend and hoped for an apology. A girl not yet twenty, with no guile, wore all her feelings openly.

Huang Qi understood immediately: this girl liked Li Mingzhi.

The thought that a girl, and a pretty one at that, could be so devoted to Li Mingzhi, made Huang Qi uneasy. It seemed Zheng Tongfu had come here just for him—traveling alone across provinces, working while searching, a kind of reckless courage for love. She said she’d come from the provincial capital, where Li Mingzhi had studied as an undergraduate; perhaps they shared some history. But if they were close, surely she’d know his number.

Huang Qi found it absurd—what about Li Mingzhi warranted such admiration and pursuit from a young, beautiful girl? Either Zheng Tongfu was as misguided as he was, or just naive.

She didn’t show her irritation with Li Mingzhi to Zheng Tongfu, only saying, “University classrooms aren’t assigned by class; there aren’t fixed rooms. I don’t have his number, but I know someone who’s his classmate—I can find out.”

Zheng Tongfu was instantly elated. “That’s wonderful! If you see him, please tell him I’m working here and ask him to come find me, or just pass my number to him and he’ll contact me. Thank you!”

Huang Qi remembered the troubles earlier in the day and had no desire to see Li Mingzhi. “It’s late now; I’ll look for him another day. I promise to get word to him within this week.”

Zheng Tongfu’s eagerness showed plainly, but she restrained herself. “No rush, I’m always at the shop, even on weekends, so you can find me anytime.”

Huang Qi said goodbye to her fellow villager and returned to the dormitory, thinking to call Ye Shuo Kai’s dorm to ask for Li Mingzhi’s address and contact, but recalling the unpleasantness at noon, it didn’t seem the right time. She’d promised Zheng Tongfu to help within a week, so she could wait a couple of days.

Yun Lei was in the dorm as well and greeted her, “Huang Qi, I’m sorry—Kai asked me to apologize to you on his behalf. Xiao Xu was really out of line today; he’d drunk too much and wasn’t thinking straight, he’s regretting it now and feels too embarrassed to apologize himself…”

Huang Qi replied, “It’s fine, it’s over, I haven’t taken it to heart. If anything, your birthday got disrupted by me—I was too impulsive, so I owe you an apology.”

Yun Lei hurriedly said, “No worries, no worries, so many people celebrated with me today, I was happy. As long as you’re not upset.”

After a while, seeing Huang Qi seated at her desk opening her laptop, Yun Lei carefully and curiously asked, “Huang Qi, about your boyfriend… is he really a construction worker?”

Huang Qi said, “He works at the northern site, a project contracted by a boss from our hometown.”

Yun Lei pressed further, “And your family… they approve?”

Tian Yu Jia walked out of the small hall, coughed loudly to interrupt Yun Lei, “Huang Qi, there’s a call for you.” Huang Qi went to the hall to answer, hearing Tian Yu Jia quietly scolding Yun Lei outside, “You’re such a gossip! Why ask her that? Always picking the sore spot!” Yun Lei whispered back, “I’m genuinely curious! Don’t you want to know? She said she didn’t mind, so why not ask?”

Huang Qi pretended not to hear and picked up the phone. “Hello?”

The call was from a male classmate of Ye Shuo Kai, asking for Bai Luyao’s phone number and QQ ID—clearly moved by the beauty and hoping to pursue her. Huang Qi wasn’t familiar with him, and Bai Luyao was famously indifferent toward suitors. She replied, “I’m not sure if she’d mind me sharing her contact. Let me check with her first, and if she agrees, I’ll pass it on.”

The boy thanked her repeatedly, and they exchanged numbers. Back at her desk, online, she found Bai Luyao was also online and messaged her, “Great beauty, another admirer wants your number—can I give it to him?”

Bai Luyao replied quickly, “Is it Sun Hongguang? I already gave him my number at dinner.”

Huang Qi was intrigued, “So you liked him—you gave your number after just one meal together.”

Bai Luyao admitted honestly, “He’s not bad. He’s the most unusual guy I’ve met recently; talking to him feels easy. It’s just a number, to be friends—not necessarily anything more.”

Huang Qi was pleased, “Yaoyao, it’s great you’re so open-minded. Such a beautiful woman, never dated—what a pity for the boys.”

Bai Luyao said, “My mom spoke to me recently about graduation and marriage. She said relationships are complicated; first-timers make all sorts of mistakes and detours, so first loves often fail. Gaining experience is important, so when you meet the right person, you know how to seize the chance. I think she’s right—I really don’t know how to interact with men. Now’s the time, while I’m a student, to learn.”

Bai Luyao, with her outstanding qualities and countless admirers, had never dated, partly due to the psychological shadow left by the military training incident. Now, seeing her in good spirits, Huang Qi was happy for her. “Since you’ve got your eye on someone, I’ll turn down the other boy.”

Bai Luyao replied, “No problem, go ahead and give him my QQ. Making more friends is always good.”

Huang Qi teased her, “Ah, the perks of being beautiful—a queue of suitors, and you get to pick whoever you want. With handsome men doting on you, are you really interested in the average ones?”

Bai Luyao was embarrassed, “I’m not two-timing! Looks are just a first impression—handsome doesn’t always mean suitable. I want to get to know more guys, start as friends, and if it doesn’t work out, that’s fine…”

They chatted and laughed for a long time, and all the gloom of Huang Qi’s day melted away. It was wonderful—her reunion with Xiao Ying had become a romance, and now Yaoyao too was blossoming, as if love had brought a happy ending to all. May everything go smoothly.