Sixty

Chapter 1

Huang Qi spent six years in graduate school. In the first two years, she participated in an exchange program in Australia, where her project went smoothly. Under Professor Fang’s guidance, she published a paper as the second author in a journal indexed by EI. The Environmental Department’s requirement was for doctoral candidates to publish four core journal papers, among which at least one must be SCI or two EI. This was the bottleneck for graduation. Huang Qi had already met half the requirement during her master's, so Professor Fang encouraged her to transition directly from her master's to a PhD and continue her research. The project was thriving, and she was just starting to find her footing and develop a keen interest, so she agreed and switched to the PhD track in her third year of graduate studies.

There was a minor incident that contributed to this decision. Huang Qi had always thought she was unattractive—her skin had a yellowish tone, she was too thin, and her features were somewhat masculine, not fitting the conventional beauty standards. But abroad, for reasons unknown, the locals’ aesthetic standards seemed to differ, and someone even considered her to possess an “Oriental beauty.” A handsome guy of Irish-Italian descent began courting her.

The City Lord Huang nearly coughed up blood at this. Oriental beauty, in its classical sense, evokes images from old Shanghai movie posters; in its modern sense, it references Chinese stars like Lü Yan and Lucy Liu, who are popular in the West. Huang Qi felt she didn’t fit either mold—she certainly lacked the requisite curves! Moreover, when it came to her own preferences for men, Huang Qi was firmly supportive of the Oriental ideal; no matter how handsome a foreigner might be, she could only appreciate from afar, not be captivated.

She rejected the half-blind mixed-blood suitor and, during a video call with her family, told her mother about it as a bit of gossip. Teacher Ding said, “Qi, don’t undervalue yourself. I’ve seen the photos you sent home, and I think you look better and better these past two years. As long as a girl’s features are upright, a little dressing up makes anyone beautiful. Besides, you have inner beauty as well. It’s perfectly normal for outstanding men to pursue you.”

Huang Qi joked, “If I really found you a blond, blue-eyed son-in-law, wouldn’t the whole town drown you in gossip? Would Grandpa and Grandma accept it?”

Teacher Ding replied, “Why wouldn’t they? Finding a foreigner is trendy, and those comments would be out of envy. Tell me, what’s the boy like?”

Huang Qi laughed, “No way, I still think it’s too exaggerated. Anyone who’s interested in me probably isn’t right in the head.”

Teacher Ding complained, “Child, why are you so lacking in confidence? Are you any less than others? You have education, ability, character, and you’re becoming more beautiful. Why shouldn’t boys pursue you? Don’t let your opinion be shaped by the fact that some who liked you before weren’t great—it doesn’t mean you don’t deserve better.”

Huang Qi understood exactly whom she meant, and didn’t want to hear any more. Teacher Ding had spent the past two years subtly disparaging Sha Zhouyin in front of her and encouraging her to move on. Huang Qi knew well what her mother was aiming for. All the talk about needing a college degree and a marital home was just a delaying tactic; in truth, she wanted to split them up, so that with time, their feelings would fade and they’d break up naturally.

“Mom, don’t say that. The boys who like me have always been quite outstanding—much better than this foreigner.”

Teacher Ding, having made little progress after two years of subtle persuasion, felt discouraged: “Qi, why are you so stubborn? Your situation is much better now than in college—you’re a graduate student at T University, you’ve been abroad, you look beautiful, and he’s still just a foreman. Do you really expect anything to come of it?”

Huang Qi looked down at her keyboard in silence.

Teacher Ding continued, “You’re twenty-four or twenty-five now. When dating, you need to consider the realities of married life. Let’s not talk about his external conditions or financial ability; just the fact that your environments are so different—can you really get along? Think about the people he deals with and those you interact with; your perspectives are worlds apart. Qi, you’ve always made your father and me proud—why must you insist on something that would embarrass us?”

In the end, it all came down to saving face. Finding a foreigner seemed fashionable and prestigious, and differences in lifestyle and values weren’t an issue; but dating a construction worker was shameful, and all sorts of problems arose.

Huang Qi parted with her mother in displeasure once again. Frustrated, when Professor Fang brought up the possibility of converting to a PhD, she agreed immediately. Teacher Ding was surprised, “Qi, are you really going for the doctorate? You’ll be quite old by the time you graduate—have you thought it through?”

Huang Qi retorted, “Don’t you want me to bring you more honor? Isn’t a doctorate enough?”

Teacher Ding was left speechless.

Huang Qi spent three and a half years in Australia, only returning after the collaborative project was fully completed. She then continued with follow-up work, published papers, attended various international conferences, and frequently traveled the world. The regions most affected by environmental issues were mainly developing countries; she even visited the rainforests of South America and the barren deserts of Africa.

In her sixth year, she finally had some spare time. Her papers were published, and she returned to school to calmly prepare her thesis and defense. The doctoral dorms were single rooms, with two adjacent rooms sharing a small lounge and balcony. Huang Qi shared hers with Ruan Jing, who was born in the year of the dog and had a passion for collecting dog toys, filling the place with stuffed animals. While Huang Qi was abroad, the room was empty and perfect for Ruan Jing to store her things.

After Huang Qi returned, Ruan Jing had to clear out her trinkets. The bed and desk were piled with Huang Qi’s own collections from her doctoral years, leaving barely any space to step. A junior master’s student came by to help her tidy up.

The junior, petite and doll-faced, looked more like an undergraduate. Huang Qi found her familiar but couldn’t recall where they’d met. Ruan Jing packed all her dog toys into a box, but a sleepy-eyed plush pug was lovingly taken away by the junior.

Huang Qi asked Ruan Jing, “Those dogs are your treasures—you wouldn’t even let me have one to sleep with, but you gave one to the junior just like that? Not fair!”

Ruan Jing smiled, “That dog has special meaning for her.”

After several years apart, Huang Qi felt Ruan Jing had changed. She was no longer buried in her dorm studying every minute; her life had become much richer, with new hobbies and collections. One day, Huang Qi found her playing online games.

Having spent years abroad and fallen behind the times, Huang Qi still thought online games were harmful to youth—only the idle and unmotivated played them. So she was surprised, “You play this?”

Ruan Jing replied, “A junior from the association introduced me. After playing, I realized it’s quite fun—just a way to relax. I don’t have your luck, living carefree abroad. Doctoral work is so stressful, people call me the Iron Nun. If I didn’t find some amusement, I’d really go crazy.”

Huang Qi watched her play for a while; the screen was full of icons, making her dizzy. “Looks so complicated. I thought good students like you wouldn’t play games.”

Ruan Jing laughed, “What do you mean ‘students like me’? Are you not a good student, Dr. Huang? You seem pretty free lately—want to play together?”

Huang Qi shook her head, “No, I can’t figure it out. I couldn’t even finish Minesweeper on advanced mode.”

Ruan Jing said, “Actually, I’m not much better—my skills are terrible. Anyone can beat me; I just pick flowers and make medicine like a casual player, and often get beaten up in the wild.”

Huang Qi imagined Ruan Jing getting into fights and coming out battered, and unexpectedly found it endearing. It seemed that impressive people with a quirky hobby or minor flaw were quite charming—like Conan from ‘Detective Conan,’ brilliant but clumsy at video games and tone-deaf at karaoke; it didn’t diminish his aura, but made him more likable.

Ruan Jing also enjoyed Japanese anime, always following several series at once and recommending new ones to Huang Qi. Huang Qi commented, “You’re really trendy, into all the young people’s stuff. How do you keep up with so many shows?”

Ruan Jing replied, “Not really; the junior recommends them, and his picks are usually good.”

Huang Qi asked, “So your trips and photography hobbies—were those also inspired by the junior?”

“Yeah.”

Half-joking, Huang Qi said, “Seems like this junior has a big influence on you.”

After hearing about the junior so often, Huang Qi began to pay attention. Ruan Jing’s junior was a male student from the School of Economics and Management, two years below them, who went to work at a bank right after graduation but kept in touch and often visited her at school.

For a junior so devoted to his senior, who could doubt his intentions? Huang Qi later met him and saw his unabashed gaze fixed on Ruan Jing—plain as day.

Someone as perceptive as Ruan Jing couldn’t possibly be unaware, but she hadn’t accepted him. Huang Qi asked, “I think the junior is great—handsome, wealthy, sincere, mature, a real catch. Why aren’t you making a move?”

Ruan Jing stared at her in surprise, “He’s three years younger than me!”

Huang Qi retorted, equally surprised, “Three years is nothing!”

When they had time, the two chatted about relationships. Huang Qi told Ruan Jing about her own experiences. After listening, Ruan Jing sighed, “True, three years is nothing.”

“Exactly,” City Lord Huang pressed her point, “Men’s average lifespan is shorter than women’s anyway. Finding a younger one means there’s less chance of becoming a widow.”

Ruan Jing finished her doctorate in five and a half years, half a year earlier than Huang Qi. Huang Qi returned late and missed the winter defense, so she waited for summer, giving herself plenty of time. By the time Huang Qi graduated and left the university, Ruan Jing and the junior had already registered, held their wedding banquet, and invited Huang Qi to attend.

At the banquet, the groom, tipsy, kept toasting Huang Qi: “I just found out that it was you, senior, who spoke up for me and helped change Ruan Jing’s mind. You’re my benefactor! I must toast you several times today!”

The bridesmaid shouted from the side, “Me too! Me too! When he confessed, I used myself as a counter-example and did my best to help him—I sacrificed a lot too!” She was soon dragged away by the best man.

The bridesmaid was the same junior who took the dog toy from Ruan Jing. What surprised Huang Qi even more was the best man, whose appearance was distinctive—she immediately recognized him as the burly guy from the cafeteria who could eat a pound of rice, made Xiao Ying jealous, and drank Erguotou after being dumped on Women’s Day.

Seeing him, Huang Qi finally remembered why the junior looked familiar—she’d seen her in the cafeteria before, and had even imagined how many steps the petite girl would need to reach the tall guy. Her prediction turned out to be accurate—they really ended up together. Did she deserve some credit?

Ruan Jing had her job lined up early, staying on as a university lecturer after graduation. Staying on as a doctoral graduate was a good option; Professor Fang even asked Huang Qi if she was interested, but she remained undecided.

The three-year promise with Xiao Ying had already passed, but she hadn’t forgotten. From bits of news at home, Uncle Biao was doing well in Lanling City, now a renowned private entrepreneur. Xiao Ying was still working under him and likely doing well. Their roots were in Lanling; if Huang Qi stayed at the university, the thousand-plus kilometers distance would provide her parents with yet another reason to object.

That autumn, she leisurely worked on her dissertation while keeping an eye on job postings. Doctoral job prospects were indeed limited; Lanling City was a small place with few opportunities.

But perhaps fate smiled upon her. One day, leaving the lab, she saw a recruitment notice posted in a glass case, surrounded by several doctoral classmates eyeing it with interest. She went to take a look—it was a talent development program from some emerging second- and third-tier cities, recruiting PhDs for local positions. The conditions were very generous: some offered deputy department-level positions, cars, housing, large settlement allowances, and high salaries.

Huang Qi looked closely, and among them was the Lanling City Environmental Protection Bureau.

Author’s note: With a slip of the hand, six years have passed~