That evening, I received a call from Qin Chuan. He scolded me on the other end of the phone. I know, he's finally unwrapped the bill I had clipped to the record box.

"You and Yanagi, one or two don't say hello to me and give me money, you don't know that it will kill me? When he was stopped by the customs, Lao Tzu was stunned, and he was almost arrested and sent to prison, you know? ”

It wasn't a lot of money, it was a small part of my own savings. Imagining the picture of the confrontation between Qin Chuan and the customs in my mind, I couldn't help laughing.

"I said, what kind of bad idea is this?"

I glanced at Yuichi Fujisawa, who was sitting on the couch watching international news, and was about to keep his mouth shut.

"Susu, I'm telling you, you can't do this. I, I ......"

It's rare that Qin Chuan is running out of words.

I pressed the button on the coffee machine: "Don't worry, it's not for you." ”

"Also! Lao Tzu will double it and return it to you when the time comes! No way! Qin Chuan burst into a foul mouth, "I'm going to scold Liu Sheng!" ”

His voice was a little loud, causing Yuichi Fujisawa to glance over here.

I hung up.

"I'm making coffee."

"Do you want to turn the heating up a little higher?"

"Okay."

Winter in Kyoto was particularly cold this year.

Unless I have to go out for class and work, the rest of the time, I stay in Kamokawa's house and stay at home. In this regard, Yuichi Fujisawa objected, and changed his ways to lure me every day, such as going to a warm place for a big meal, hot spring tourism, etc., etc., I was indifferent.

My mind is on something else.

After the New Year, I will be a prospective third-year college student, and I will complete the credits including the fourth year within this year.

"Could it be that ......" met Yukiko Matsuda in front of the library shelves, and she saw the materials I was working on and guessed my intentions, "You want to graduate early?" ”

"Hmm."

She wasn't surprised: "You started preparing your essay when you were in the first grade, right?" ”

"Pretty much." I smiled at her expression, "Say whatever you want." ”

She shook her head and said, "You have your own considerations. ”

What do I think about it......

"I'm not surprised that you would choose to graduate early." She stood on tiptoe and put the book in her hand back on the shelf, "Mr. Imae is also planning to accept you as an apprentice, right?" ”

I was stunned: "No......"

"But among the interns, the only one who can be favored by her is you, aren't you?" She pulled out another book and flipped through it, "A few days ago, Mr. Imaeda read your design, and the rest of the group of incompetent guys were red-eyed. ”

"Then, if they knew what Mr. Imaeda had to say about my design, they would probably be able to gloat for a few days."

"Huh?" She raised an eyebrow, "How about it compared to the simple and rough Mr. Tsutsumi?" ”

"Tsutsumi Maki?" I thought about it for a moment and said, "In the hands of the Tsutsumi Maki, maybe you can see more hope, right?" ”

"So miserable?" Yukiko Matsuda frowned, "What did she say?" You've really been struck? ”

"Nothing." I dealt with her perfunctorily, clutched the book in my hand, and took a few steps to the left to look for other books.

"Now, Susu."

"Huh?"

"Actually, I think your design is pretty good."

I paused, looking back at her. Next to her was a glass window of magnificent colors, through which the afternoon sun shined brightly.

"Are you comforting me?" I said, "Thank you." But no. Realizing that such a tone was too cold, after a pause, I said, "I know my abilities myself." ”

"In your mind, you must think that you don't have a talent for design, right? I don't know if you're comparing yourself to a great god. Her voice was cold, in stark contrast to her gaudy lip makeup, and her beautiful lips were as vicious as ever, "If you don't have talent, most of the people in the design department can get out early." ”

I looked at her and was silent: "It's because you always say such things unscrupulously that they always say things like this in the group, right?" ”

"It doesn't matter. Those people dare to go behind their backs and say, don't have the ability to open another small group of chewing tongues behind my back. ”

“…… You got it? ”

"A screenshot of that guy gave me."

“……”

"I didn't expect you to peep at the screen, though."

"I also sent me a screenshot." I said, "I'm not in the group either." ”

“……”

"Tsk, rare." She raised the book in her hand, "Let's go." ”

I watched her walk away, retracted my gaze, and continued to look for the book I needed.

A few days ago, Mr. Imaeda's words echoed in my ears for no reason:

"I've seen countless mediocre designs, and yours doesn't fall into that category, but it's not very clever either." She turned the cigarette in her hand, which is called Shou Bai Nian with a distinctive black body, "The design will directly reflect the designer's ambition." Obviously, you're trying to get it in the wrong place. I don't know what you're desperately trying to restrain yourself, but every concern in your heart limits your design. ”

"Susu, this is much more terrible than being a mediocre talent."

I subconsciously clenched the cover of the book in my hand, and immediately reacted, trying to smooth out every fold on the cover.

Only I know that Mr. Imaeda's words are heart-wrenching.

My restraint and apprehensions accompanied me through the winter of my nineteenth year. Fast forward to the end of the New Year, and I won the third grade in early April. Throughout the first semester of the third year, I was extremely busy, busy taking credits, perfecting my thesis, busy doing my graduation project, and busy practicing the craft of plate making on the Zhinian Shuxi high-end line.

I was busy with the life of the first line, and when I came back to my senses, I had already received the graduation certificate from the dean in September when the red maple was first dyed, and successfully graduated from Beiyuan College ahead of schedule.