A month after the graduation ceremony, the calendar has flipped through by leaps and bounds. Regarding the incident on the night of the dinner, Qin Hong apologized to Chen Ying again and again, he didn't mean to say those foolish words, they all understood this. Under the domination of youthful energy, it is especially natural to occasionally do something absurd that does not exceed the norm. After that indulgence, probably because he was afraid that she would be angry, he never drank with anyone again. They all live their lives according to the rules and their lives are back on track. It was midsummer, and the arrangements for leaving the school were quickly put on the agenda after the defense. Every day, people move out of the dormitory, and countdown notices are posted on the door of every building with graduates.

One of Qin Hong's roommates had left two weeks ago and had taken care of all the clutter before leaving. He gave everything he couldn't take with him to his classmates who were still in the dormitory, and ran south with only a half-person tall suitcase. Qin Hong had also negotiated the rent two days earlier, and another roommate would stay with him for a few days until he flew to the other side of the Pacific Ocean a few weeks later.

"Have a nice trip, have time to connect." They said at the time of their breakup. I don't know how many times I've said this recently, and everyone's hearts are like grass, and no one knows when they will see you next time.

"Are you free tonight?" Qin Hong looked at the slightly empty room after his roommate left. He had already found a roommate online, also a boy of the same age, and they had agreed to move in the next afternoon.

"I can help you clean up and get rid of the trash." Chen Ying said as she stood up and searched the balcony for an old plastic bag placed behind the door. She had left her there when they moved in, and she had been part of their evacuation of the school that afternoon, along with a tall girl. They called her Jena. Ji Na is very talkative, Qin Hong's high school classmate, graduated from another university in the same city last year.

"Ji Na will come in a while, let's eat first and then clean up." Qin Hong stopped Chen Ying at the balcony door.

Hearing this, she put down the broom in her hand and the plastic bag she had just picked up. She is not a stingy person, but she is inevitably uneasy to see Qin Hong leaning on another girl so frequently. Before it was worth the incident, she went back to her room, found a second-hand plastic stool and sat down, silently flipping through the yellowed magazines on the table.

"Chen Ying, Jina is just my friend." He read her thoughts, crouched on the ground and held her hands.

The argument didn't work, and tension still hung in the stuffy air.

"We've known each other since high school, and she's one of the few acquaintances I've known in the city—"

The doorbell rings.

They all got up and went to open the door. Gina was standing outside the door, wrapped in a short leather skirt and wiping her blood-red lip gloss.

"Coming?" Qin Hong beckoned her in. Chen Ying stood aside and watched.

"I'm sorry, I'm a little late from work." Gina said as she walked into the house and laughed at the sight of the mess.

"The boys are so messy, and they leave so much garbage behind before leaving." She laughed enough, and sat down on a plastic stool, gesturing with her hands, "Say, what don't you want here?" We've got to hurry, I've got to go to work tomorrow. ”

"Eat first - I'll go downstairs to buy food." Qin Hong put his wallet in his pocket, "I'll invite you for dinner." ”

With the gust of wind he took with him as he left, there were only two girls left in the room. Chen Ying continued to flip through the magazines in her hand, and Ji Na moved the stool and sat in front of her.

"What are you looking at?" She asked. Chen Ying raised her eyes to look at her.

"I think you're mistaken." She continued, "I'm only here because I'm classmates with Qin Hong. He was quite shy in our high school and didn't like to talk to anyone. Because we all sat in the back row, there was still a bit of communication. He didn't do well in the college entrance examination in the first year - the next year's English reform, we have to add listening - the level of English teaching in our place is not good, and everyone is afraid that the performance will be worse because of listening and repetition. As a result, he was the only one in the class who wanted to repeat the school—we all persuaded him at the time—but he still insisted and was finally admitted to your school. He's not easy - he always tells us about your good ......."

Chen Ying listened to her quietly. All the things she talked about were things that Qin Hong didn't say, maybe she believed in him too much, and always tried to deliberately beautify the past that he didn't mention. Sometimes, when he says it is too painful, he is busy interrupting or changing the subject. She could always find excuses for things he didn't want to talk about. She is not interested in his past flaws, and does not want the past to affect his perfect image, and in order to do so, she tolerates his evasion.

"It's a lively chat, what do you say?" Qin Hong came in from the door carrying a few plastic bags, and a few small clumps of white poplar catkins flew around him.

"Didn't say anything." Chen Ying took the food in his hand and glanced at Ji Na.

"Really? Jena, let's pick your favorite food. He beckoned to them.

They gathered around a table with a missing corner, eating and talking about the current situation of a few classmates they knew. Chen Ying couldn't interject, but she liked to see him in high spirits. His occasional exaggerated expression and the small gesture of gently squeezing her hand under the table always made her heart flutter. She propped her chin in her hands, her elbows resting on the edge of the table, her eyes bobbling between them. Occasionally, in the silence, he touched her head, as she usually stroked Xiaobai.