The internet really was a great thing.
In the past, you could only listen to whatever the teacher taught, but now it was different. Qin Guanglin had a bunch of videos from various famous professors stored on his computer, downloaded from the internet. Not just in the arts, but in other areas like sociology and archaeology as well.
If he continued his studies, he could certainly listen to these academic giants' lectures, but going to lectures merely out of interest seemed like too much of a waste of time. This was the best way; admiring their flair in his free time was quite enjoyable.
Broadening his knowledge base and delving into areas of interest was what Qin Guanglin enjoyed. Watching their lecture videos often gave him that sudden clarity moment.
Anyone who excelled in their field had a different way of thinking than ordinary people. Learning this way of thinking was the best way to broaden his perspective, and of course, it also enhanced his cognitive level.
After watching the bosses explain Western culture for a while, Qin Guanglin searched for papers on the differences in Eastern and Western views of love. He had a somewhat hazy understanding and fell asleep thinking about it.
May 20th, light rain.
Qin Guanglin got up and sighed at the window. This darn weather was definitely not suitable for going out with He Fang. Frustrating.
He turned back to the bed to grab his phone. As usual, He Fang had already greeted him good morning, so he replied and, after some thought, got dressed and decided to go out for a walk by himself.
Out of the room, Qin's Mom was sitting in the living room reading a newspaper. Seeing him come out, she called out, "There's porridge in the pot."
"Oh, okay."
Qin's Mom looked back down at the paper, then remembered something after a moment: "There's a plate of pickles in the fridge that's quite tasty. Did He Fang make it?"
By the looks of it, it wasn't store-bought but made with white radish at home.
"Probably." Qin Guanglin remembered He Fang mentioning she was going to make some pickles, so it must be that plate.
"Ask her to come over another day to teach me how to make it. It's great with meals."
"Sure." Qin Guanglin served himself a bowl of porridge and reminded, "Don't let her know what I told you yesterday."
"Your mom isn't stupid."
Qin's Mom was indifferent, not taking this too seriously. The eight characters hadn't even been written yet, and he was already thinking about marriage while still in a relationship. Silly boy, he was still too young.
But then again, it wouldn't be bad if it worked out. Kids these days were so pampered, and He Fang was indeed much better than most... Qin's Mom couldn't help but smile and ask, "How do you plan to marry her?"
"Just… just… just like that." Qin Guanglin stammered without really saying anything.
"What does 'like that' mean?"
"Uh… after dating for a while, naturally, we'd get married."
Qin's Mom snorted, "The more common result after dating for a while is breaking up."
"Pft, how could that be?" Qin Guanglin thought his mom was deliberately trying to annoy him.
"Why not?" Qin's Mom put down the newspaper and turned to have a proper conversation with him. "Look, He Fang is still in school and about to graduate."
Once she left school and started working, she'd meet more people and her perspective would surely broaden. Society and school were not the same, and there were plenty of outstanding people outside, tsk, tsk…
The more Qin Guanglin listened, the more it didn't sit right. But upon thinking it over, it made a lot of sense. He couldn't even finish the half bowl of porridge in his hand and simply put it on the table. "So, what should I do?"
"What does she like about you?" Qin's Mom became an emotional analyst and began to help.
"I don't know."
"Then that's it." Qin's Mom shook her head. "You might as well end up breaking up one day without realizing it."
"Don't curse me."
Qin Guanglin pondered for a while, "She wants to be a teacher. There're only so many teachers at school, right? There shouldn't be someone particularly excellent there?"
"A teacher?" Qin's Mom had a remarkable fondness for the teaching profession. "Then you'd better hold on tight. Such a good girl is hard to find."
"You have to help me, I'm clueless right now, and it makes me feel too passive." Qin Guanglin, made nervous by Qin's Mom's earlier words, felt uneasy.
"Let me think about it."
Seeing Qin's Mom lost in thought, Qin Guanglin downed the porridge in his mouth, tidied up the table, and sat in front of her, waiting to receive some guidance.
"Do you know her friends? Or does she know yours?" Qin's Mom asked.
Qin Guanglin shook his head. "No."
"That's not good. Your circles of friends need to intersect to help things develop."
"Seems reasonable."
"Do you have common hobbies?" Qin's Mom asked again.
"Reading."
"That's not enough." Emotional expert Qin's Mom suggested, "The more interests you have in common, the better, and preferably those you can do together."
Qin Guanglin slapped his thigh, "Yeah! How didn't I think of that?"
"Because you're stupid." Qin's Mom sneered.
"Anything else? Teach me more."
"These things take time. I'll let you know when I come up with something."
Qin Guanglin sat for a while, knowing that this couldn't be rushed, so he grabbed an umbrella and got ready to go out.
"Think it over carefully; I'm going for a walk." He told Qin's Mom, "I won't be back for lunch."
"Where are you going?"
"Wandering along the Luo River."
With nothing else to do, he might as well stroll by the river and find some inspiration. The Luo River was significant to Luo City. Paintings of the Luo River's scenery never had trouble selling—of course, they had to be well-painted.
Whether dating or getting married, money was indispensable.
Opening his umbrella and heading out, the street outside was slightly wet and sparsely populated by hurried pedestrians. Little Fatty squatted at the door of Pan's convenience store, teasing Blackie, and yelled, "Brother Lin! I'm taking Blackie's painting to the competition tomorrow!"
"Great, bring a prize back," Qin Guanglin replied.
What prize could be won at an elementary school competition? A pencil case? An eraser?
Little Fatty was confident, "I'll definitely win. I'll give you the prize when I get it!"
"You keep it for yourself."
Qin Guanglin declined his good intentions and leisurely walked towards the bus stop, still pondering over what Qin's Mom had said about life after graduation. Was school love really that fragile?
Becoming a better version of himself was the right path.
The light rain fell densely on the umbrella, making a faint sound. The cars passing by didn't splash water on the road's surface, but the tires did throw up little sprinkles of mud. He tried to walk at the road's edge.
The bus shelter was crowded with people waiting, maybe some just avoiding the rain. Several people weren't holding umbrellas.
He didn't compete for the limited sheltered space; instead, he stood with his umbrella at the side of the bus stop, quietly watching as the bus arrived, paused to let passengers board, and then left.
The bus was like a giant iron beast, devouring people at every stop. Qin Guanglin suddenly had the idea of buying a car—it would not only be much more convenient but also save He Fang from being squeezed on the bus.
He knew He Fang didn't like any physical contact with others. Outside, whenever she handed something to someone or paid, she'd always try to put the money on a table or counter, rarely handing it directly.
Thinking about his savings, Qin Guanglin felt this plan was feasible. Without affecting his life, with his current income, he could buy a mid-range car as early as next year. Anyway, he had already gotten his driver's license while in college.