Moonlight shone through the window, casting a cold light across the dormitory.
Xu Xiuwen and Cheng Lu chatted late into the night.
They exchanged goodnights and stopped texting.
Cheng Lu wasn't sleepy. She scrolled through their previous messages and almost laughed out loud at some funny parts.
Before liking Xu Xiuwen, Cheng Lu had never liked anyone else, but she had imagined what kind of guy she would like in the future.
She had high expectations for her partner.
Xu Xiuwen wasn't her ideal perfect boyfriend.
Yet she fell for him anyway.
Only after being with Xu Xiuwen did Cheng Lu truly understand what it meant to like someone.
When you really like someone, the criteria you had in mind become unimportant.
Even if the person doesn't fit your ideal image, you still like them wholeheartedly.
On this night before they parted, Cheng Lu suddenly realized she liked Xu Xiuwen very much.
Thinking about not seeing him for a month made her feel down and somewhat sad.
The next day, Xu Xiuwen woke up early.
He felt it was particularly cold today.
He looked out the window and saw light snow falling.
Thinking he was seeing things, he quickly sat up.
He opened his eyes wide and stared outside, astonished.
It was really snowing!
Xu Xiuwen climbed down the ladder from his bed, skipping the last four rungs.
He walked to the balcony's glass door, watching the snowflakes flutter outside through the glass.
It was truly beautiful.
After admiring the snow for a while, Xu Xiuwen remembered his task.
He turned around and saw Shi Xiangming still sleeping and couldn't help but feel exasperated.
He thought, "Are you the one taking the train home today or is it me?"
He immediately woke Shi Xiangming.
Shi Xiangming rubbed his sleepy eyes and asked, "What's up, Xiuwen?"
"Don't you remember your train is at 8:30? How long are you planning to sleep?"
"I almost forgot, thanks for reminding me."
Shi Xiangming smiled sheepishly at Xu Xiuwen.
After Shi Xiangming got up and washed, he asked, puzzled, "Xiuwen, you're not leaving today, so why are you up so early?"
Xu Xiuwen explained, "I'm seeing Shen Minyao off today."
To avoid misunderstanding, he emphasized, "She seems to have a lot of luggage, so she asked me to help."
Shi Xiangming didn't doubt him, nodded, and said no more.
Then Xu Xiuwen and Shi Xiangming left the dorm and headed to the girls' dormitory.
The snow had stopped at some point.
The campus was covered in a blanket of white snow.
When they arrived outside the girls' dormitory, Shi Xiangming called Bai Yue'er.
She answered quickly.
Shi Xiangming asked, "Yue'er, we're downstairs. When will you come down?"
Bai Yue'er replied, "Don't rush me, we're almost ready. Just wait a bit longer."
"Okay, take your time. I'm not in a hurry."
Shi Xiangming was about to hang up when Bai Yue'er suddenly said, "Wait, don't hang up yet!"
"What is it?"
"You just said 'we'. Who else is there?"
Shi Xiangming glanced at Xu Xiuwen beside him and said, "Xiuwen. He's seeing Shen Minyao off, so he came with me."
Bai Yue'er was surprised, "Xu Xiuwen is with you?"
"Yes."
The phone was silent for a few seconds.
Then Bai Yue'er said, "Okay, I got it. We'll be right down."
After hanging up, Shi Xiangming and Xu Xiuwen chatted.
Xu Xiuwen asked, "Do you need to transfer when you get to Lanshi?"
Shi Xiangming replied, "Yes, we have to take a bus to the town, then hire a tricycle to take us to the market, and finally walk two miles to the village."
Just listening to Shi Xiangming made Xu Xiuwen realize how difficult it was for them to get home.
Perhaps guessing Xu Xiuwen's thoughts, Shi Xiangming smiled and said, "Our village is quite remote. You're lucky, Xiuwen, living in the city and close by, you can go home whenever you want."
Xu Xiuwen patted his shoulder, comforting him, "Don't worry. Our country is developing fast. Transportation will get better, and it won't be this troublesome in the future."
"Let's hope so."
They chatted for a while.
Bai Yue'er and Shen Minyao came out of the girls' dorm, each pulling a suitcase, with Tang Weiwei following behind, empty-handed.
As soon as Bai Yue'er came out, she called, "We're out."
Shi Xiangming naturally walked over to Bai Yue'er, intending to help with her suitcase.
Bai Yue'er said, "Shi Xiangming, you also have a suitcase. No need to help me. I can handle it. It's not heavy."
Shi Xiangming didn't insist after hearing this.
Xu Xiuwen looked at Shen Minyao in front of him and asked, puzzled, "Didn't you say you had a lot of luggage?"
Shen Minyao smiled, "Sorry, I thought about it and decided not to take so many clothes back. I'll just leave them at school."
Xu Xiuwen nodded, "Alright, I got it. Give me your suitcase."
He reached out to take her suitcase.
Shen Minyao shook her head, "It's okay. The suitcase is light. I can carry it myself."
Xu Xiuwen said no more.
Bai Yue'er snorted beside them.
She glared at Xu Xiuwen, "Xu Xiuwen, why do you only ask sister Minyao and not me?"
Xu Xiuwen explained, "Because I promised her yesterday."
Bai Yue'er pouted, "It's one thing if you're good to Weiwei, but you're also good to sister Minyao. You're so biased."
Xu Xiuwen laughed and retorted, "Helping her with her suitcase and not you is biased? What kind of logic is that?"
Bai Yue'er snorted, "Then why don't you help me?"
"Shi Xiangming wanted to help you, but you said you could handle it yourself. Now you're blaming me for not helping you. You're saying everything yourself."
Bai Yue'er pouted, "That's because Shi Xiangming has a suitcase too. It's inconvenient for him to carry two."
Xu Xiuwen glanced at Shi Xiangming, noticing his not-so-happy expression.
After a moment's hesitation, he thought it's just carrying a suitcase and said, "Fine, since you're going home soon, I'll help with your suitcase, okay?"
Bai Yue'er immediately smiled, pushing her suitcase to him, "Thanks."
Xu Xiuwen took Bai Yue'er's suitcase.
He turned to Shen Minyao and Shi Xiangming and said, "It's getting late. Let's go."