When the train arrived at Wudaokou Station, they held hands and walked down the stairs down the empty platform, blending into the black night without causing the slightest ripple. This corner of the city has fallen asleep. The crowded shops are closed, leaving only the gray neon signs. The supermarket that occupies a quarter of the corner has also closed its doors, and shopping carts that were once parked haphazardly outside the store have been put away and stacked neatly behind glass windows. The Zhongguancun Science and Technology Park across the street also fell silent, with delicate glass boxes reflecting light off the street lamps, as if to hide the emptiness of the moment. Farther away, near the school, a few barbershops have closed, leaving only the illuminations at the doors, rising like endless flames.

Such an unusually quiet scenery is no stranger to Chen Ying. Once upon a time, she walked on the road leading to the countryside outside Copenhagen and experienced more interesting and vivid scenes. Yona has repeatedly pointed out that she is in danger, that not every Dane can speak fluent English to show her the way, and that not every stranger who passes by is full of kindness. Even on buses or subway platforms, there are people who are very drunk who defecate or vomit in public. While people around the world flaunt the vastness of cultural differences, they are also sharing the commonalities of human life. Chen Ying walked down the cast-iron staircase and tossed the empty water bottle into the garbage sorting recyclable bin.

The streets are so sparsely populated that even taxis that are desperately trying to make money are not visible. Within a few hundred meters before and after, they were the few remaining night returnees on the street. The wind had stopped, and the moon was smiling. At the end of the road, the school library and science building were full of shadows, and the occasional dark shadow flashing from the corner startled them. It was a panicked cat that went out in the dead of night to forage for food or find a mate. It leapt lightly onto the wall outside the school's publishing house and disappeared. The buildings in the courtyard are all pitch black, and the cat is hidden in this darkness. The Night Elf disrupted their steps, reminding Chen Ying of the animal that always seemed to be lazy sleeping in her bed in the dormitory.

The crumpled glimmer of light coalesced at the east entrance of the school and became a ray of light that could illuminate the T-junction, a light that was as delightful as the poet of adventure returning to the world of light along a dark path. The two girls couldn't wait to gallop across the zebra crossing, rushing towards the embrace of the schoolyard. The security guard at the gate poked his head out of the sentry and waved them in. Despite the hunger in their stomachs, they happily ran towards the dormitory building. There are still some dilapidated bicycles scattered along the campus road, and locks with chains are hanging haphazardly.

This is the best time for the school roller skating association, where they can fill the ground with paper cups of various colors as obstacles or markers, regardless of the flow of people occupying the main road of the school. This is a group of energetic people who have no more passion for roller skating, and even the world-famous Mountain Eagle Club may not have the tenacity and perseverance of these members. Regardless of winter or summer, as long as you can gather three or five members, you can make the trip. When the number of people is a little smaller, stay in the school as they are now, do some basic exercises, or have the old members teach the new members the basic techniques of roller skating. When the big exam was over, they flocked out, making their way through the nearby roads, and the streets and alleys were full of them. Sun Wei joined this association for the sake of a former boyfriend, and he is still a member. She kept the hobby after she broke up with the boy, and through it met her next boyfriend. They traveled with the team, the furthest they departed from Tiananmen Square, where they watched the flag-lowering ceremony with other members.

Chen Ying didn't stop to watch the sports enthusiasts who twisted their waists and tried their best to dodge obstacles. She and Liang Jing walked briskly to the dormitory building. The sudden flickering figures in the building proved that many of the students had not yet gone to bed, and they used the light of the emergency lights to complete the night's washing work as usual. The aunt had drawn up the curtains in the reception room, indicating that there would be no one to open the door or register visitors. Liang Jing took out her student card, lightly pasted it on the access controller, and opened the door. Just as they were about to enter, they heard a male voice from the direction of the carport behind them:

"You're finally back."

The two girls looked behind them side by side, and saw Qin Hong holding a briefcase, wearing a suit with a grooved tie buckle slanted to the side. He looked at them with a tired face, but with a relieved expression. Chen Ying motioned for Liang Jing to go upstairs first and walked straight to him.