Time flows like water, bringing a sense of calm in its ordinariness. The daily routine of classes, self-study, library readings, computer lab sessions, morning jogging, and various other activities fills Xiang Yu's life. Every other day, she has a brief phone call with her grandmother and Lu Heng, just for chatting simple daily matters. Weekends are reserved for going home, where she can snuggle in her grandmother's arms and inhale the familiar scent of soap on her clothes, which represents the most reassuring happiness for Xiang Yu. Almost every week, she meets with Lu Heng, usually with him coming to her school to take bus to home together. Sometimes, they meet in the city center for a meal, go Karaoke or watch a movie before heading back. Occasionally, they take walks, play badminton, or go ice skating on weekends. These are the days that bring Xiang Yu immense satisfaction and joy.
After getting accepted into university, she wrote letters to Han Xing and Si Ping, and received replies from both. Han Xing decided to quit studying and pursue a career in the entertainment industry, aiming to become a star. In his letter, Si Ping mentioned that he would continue to uphold his promise, studying diligently and supporting Han Xing, regardless of her final decision. Xiang Yu felt a pang of regret, a sense of helplessness about life. She sometimes thought of Xiao Zhanyuan, which also brought an inexplicable feeling of powerlessness. However, when it came to her own life, everything was as she wished, bringing her peace and the hope that things could always remain this way.
Since Xue Min's confession and rejection, their interactions returned to normal, limited mostly to club activities with rare encounters. Recently, due to a new project in the club, there were more frequent meetings, and Xue Min's presence increased as well. Xiang Yu approached this with a normal mindset, having already rejected him and clarified that she had a boyfriend, Lu Heng. Yet, she could still sense Xue Min treating her differently from others. Unsure of how to respond, she chose to stay true to herself, hoping time would fade everything. During a club activity in the computer room, everyone was working on their parts when Xue Min occasionally checked Xiang Yu's progress. One time, she was stuck and had no ideas. Feeling Xue Min standing behind her, she was startled as he leaned down, enveloping her in his presence, and spoke almost directly into her ear, "Look, here..." Xiang Yu felt a shiver and moved her chair, bumping into Xue Min. He stepped back, and she quickly stood up, saying, "Mr.Xue, you sit here and explain." Xue Min, as if nothing had happened, touched his nose and said, "It's fine, I just saw you were stuck here and wanted to give you some ideas. Just a few words, no need to sit." Xiang Yu stubbornly stood aside until another student nearby offered Xue Min a chair. Only then did Xue Min sit beside her to help sort out her thoughts. Xiang Yu wondered if she was overreacting; Xue Min seemed genuinely just helping. She sighed inwardly, feeling a bit guilty for her earlier reaction. After all, Xue Min hadn't done anything wrong. He had been upfront about his feelings and, after being rejected, didn't persist. Instead, she wondered if she was being too deliberate. Because the club activity was on a Friday, Xue Min invited everyone to a dinner and karaoke session as a treat for their hard work. Although Xiang Yu usually didn't enjoy such gatherings, this being the first club outing and feeling some guilt towards Xue Min, she agreed to join.