Lu Qiaowei sat demurely beside Dai Lijun, listening to him recount his experiences in the United States. Meanwhile, Wang Qiqi and the others were engaged in an animated discussion. Of course, Shi Man kept out of their conversational fray, instead moving from one delicacy to the next. “Weiwei, this one is excellent.” “Weiwei, this is supposed to be good for your health; women should eat more jujubes.” Shi Man genuinely didn't want to join the conversation. It wasn't just a craving for food; it was that Dai Lijun kept mentioning a certain name, which made her uncomfortable.

Although she had mentioned wanting to visit Feng Xuanxiang in the States during a holiday, that was just talk. It wasn't that she couldn't adjust her schedule, but airfare was so expensive. With her man working hard across the ocean, she felt it was wrong to spend frivolously. Thankfully, the food today was superb; the rich folks knew how to order without looking at the price tags. Lu Qiaowei assumed Shi Man wasn't joining in to accommodate her, which made her regard Shi Man with increasing fondness.

She knew that if it weren't for Shi Man, her relationship with Dai Lijun might not have survived. “It’s quite tasty. Why aren't you chatting with them?” Although having someone discuss food with her was nice, Lu Qiaowei still asked. Shi Man glanced at the engaged group and shook her head. “Why should I join?

It would be foolish not to enjoy such wonderful food. Honestly, we can chat later.” Shi Man then raised her voice, “Are you all treating this like a teahouse or your living room? Such excellent private dining and superb cuisine, and you barely touch it. You aren't planning on packing up the leftovers, are you?” While wasting food was a shame, it never tasted as good as when it was fresh. They really were a group of thoughtful people, yet they forgot their surroundings the moment they started talking.

Among them, only Lu Qiaowei hadn't been abroad, and she knew they were being sensitive about her reservations, yet they kept bringing it up. Alas. Wang Qiqi and the others only then noticed that much of the food on the table remained untouched. That suggested either a couple of people disliked it or the flavor was off. The dishes that were half-gone were definitely delicious, no question.

Wang Qiqi bristled, her hand moving faster as she picked up a dish. “Hmph. We were just showing concern for someone’s man. You know only Feng Xuanxiang is over there. You know how enthusiastic American women can be.

What if he gets seduced away? That’s why I’m concerned about the whereabouts of a certain person. I didn’t realize…” Han Tao picked up a piece of meat for Wang Qiqi, then took one for himself, chewing thoughtfully. Yes, the taste was good, quite nice, though he felt the seasoning was a bit heavy and it felt a little greasy. But overall, it was okay.

“Still, Daizi is really something. He keeps talking about this and that, never getting to the point.” Dai Lijun was dumbfounded. He was the one they first asked about his time in the States and his feelings about America. How did the blame suddenly fall entirely on him? He felt deeply wronged, especially for his wife.

No, he had to defend himself. He couldn't accept such a serious accusation. “I didn’t! You asked me how I felt about going to the States. If I’d known you were focused on Feng Xuanxiang, I wouldn’t have said so much.

Oh, right, Weiwei, have you ever considered just going to the States directly, without getting a domestic degree?” Dai Lijun had also inquired and learned that he didn't necessarily have to separate from Lu Qiaowei; it just meant she would have to reapply to university and start over. No domestic degree? Lu Qiaowei’s hand froze as she was picking up a meatball, which promptly slipped off her chopsticks. She didn't understand what Dai Lijun meant. “You mean…” Did he want her to abandon her studies in China and become his dutiful helpmate in the States?

To be honest, Lu Qiaowei had never considered that possibility. No matter how much she loved Dai Lijun, she had her limits. She couldn't place all her hopes on him; it would leave her deeply unsettled. Wang Qiqi and the others understood what Dai Lijun was suggesting, but his words were too vague, making it impossible to grasp his meaning. However, Wang Qiqi thought his suggestion had merit.

But Weiwei was entering her junior year in September. Giving up now meant she would graduate three years later than her peers. Moreover, whether she could study in the same city as Dai Lijun in the States was another issue—in short, there were all sorts of problems. Wang Qiqi’s idea was for Lu Qiaowei to finish her degree in China first. Whether she went to the US to study or be a helpmate afterward would be her decision, as having a diploma made a difference.

Dai Lijun realized his ambiguous words had confused his girlfriend. He patiently explained himself again, and Lu Qiaowei, hearing the proposal, admitted she was quite tempted. However, she remained uncertain about the suggestion and needed time to think it over. “Let me consider it. I can’t give you an answer right now.” For Lu Qiaowei, this was genuinely a difficult choice.

“If it were you, I guarantee you wouldn’t agree,” Han Tao whispered into Wang Qiqi’s ear. “Naturally,” Wang Qiqi thought. Only Daizi would ask Lu Qiaowei such a thing. If it were her, even without her family’s wealth, she wouldn't stake all her hopes on Daizi. “Is Daizi the only man in the world?

While he's good, saying this…” From a man’s perspective, it seemed considerate of the woman’s situation. But from a woman’s angle, Wang Qiqi saw it as a chauvinistic idea. Even though Lu Qiaowei’s university wasn't top-tier, her major was good. Even if the job market was tough now, as long as her demands weren't completely absurd and her grades weren't terrible, she could secure a decent job. Going to the States, Wang Qiqi thought, presented language as the first major obstacle.

While written English might be fine, professors wouldn't slow down their lectures just for her, would they? Foreign universities were truly about deep learning. Wang Qiqi considered herself diligent, but she estimated that abroad, she would barely manage an average ranking. By the time Lu Qiaowei became fluent in English, Wang Qiqi wondered if she would still care about schooling, and if she did continue, seeing former classmates discuss their thriving careers might make Lu Qiaowei sigh in regret. “Everyone’s perspective is different.” Han Tao was curious about Lu Qiaowei’s choice but speculated, “I think Lu Qiaowei might actually drop out.” Of course, if she dropped out, it would trigger numerous issues; whether she could even go abroad depended on passing the TOEFL exam.

Wang Qiqi looked at Han Tao in surprise. She knew that even if she started preparing for the TOEFL now, the earliest she could go would be early next year, which was just over a year before her graduation. Furthermore, in her senior year, life was genuinely free—mostly just writing her thesis and job hunting. “The choice is hers; it depends on what she decides.” Dai Lijun knew this was a big deal; perhaps Weiwei would need to discuss it with her parents. “Graduation is just a few months away.

I was quite sentimental when Gong Junyu and the others graduated. I planned a big reunion before I left for the States, but alas…” They used to see each other daily, but now they were scattered across several locations. They had hoped to gather properly when Dai Lijun left, but in the end, only Gong Junyu made it, partly because he was close to Boston and had the time. “Han Tao, once we go our separate ways, we must meet at least twice a year. We can’t end up like them.” No matter how deep the bond, it would fade without regular meetings and communication.

Dai Lijun didn’t want to lose Han Tao as a friend. Han Tao was also a bit melancholic. “Don’t talk to me about it. You’ve only been gone a few days. I was there for the whole winter break and there was no reunion, and besides…” Han Tao didn't voice that as time passed, even though they occasionally exchanged emails, the frequency clearly dropped.

Previously, they discussed life in the US—studies, living situations—but now the emails were almost exclusively about computer science. “They have their new lives. Daizi, no matter what, we are brothers. We must stay in touch, we must meet often.” Han Tao felt deep gratitude toward Gong Junyu and the others. He knew his current success was inseparable from their initial help and tutoring.

While he felt a touch of sadness about drifting from them, Han Tao considered it normal, just like primary, middle, or university classmates—a faint melancholy, and then life moves on. But Han Tao desperately didn't want his bond with Dai Lijun to wither away. “Yeah, yeah, we can't be like them.” Dai Lijun raised his glass. “We’ll use soda instead of alcohol; a clean pledge.” Wang Qiqi chuckled inwardly at Dai Lijun’s words. With Han Tao, a Southern man, it was understandable he wasn't good at drinking.

But why was Dai Lijun, clearly a Northern man, also not adept at drinking? “Daizi, this won't do. When you get married, you’ll need banquets in two places, and both your family and Weiwei’s are in the North. You’re going to get toasted.” Wang Qiqi wasn't worried about Han Tao; she only had a couple of relatives, and if Wang Damei took charge, even if Song Ziwen tried to cause trouble, he’d behave. But Daizi was different; for Northern men, drinking baijiu was like drinking beer.

Daizi had already considered this issue. “Don’t I have groomsmen? Besides, I really can’t drink; what can they do to me?” He could just play dumb. “I’ve already planned it out: once I become a US citizen, I’ll be a foreigner, right? They won't dare pressure a foreigner, will they?” (To be continued)