Bai Ming specifically looked around behind him: "Hey, where did that boy go for his exam? The one who was with you last time."
“Oh, we’re not in the same department. He’s in the finance department,” Su Jinning said with a smile.
Bai Ming was even more shocked: "You two both passed the exam?"
"Um."
"You two are really great. Come on, let me help you with your luggage!" Bai Ming generously offered to help.
"No need, senior, I can go up by myself." Su Jinning felt it was really too embarrassing to have a girl help her with her luggage.
"Alright, be careful going upstairs."
Su Jinning nodded with a light laugh: "Thank you, senior. Um, I heard there's a freshman welcome party tonight?"
Bai Ming paused for a moment, then nodded: "Yes, it starts at seven o'clock. There are performances and such at the second campus venue. I heard there will be fireworks after it ends." She pouted: "I didn't get this treatment when I enrolled."
"Aren't you second- and third-year students going?"
“I can go, but we’re really not in the mood.” She yawned as she spoke: “We’re exhausted every day, how can we have time to watch a performance? You have to remember this too, don’t think that you’ll have an easy time when you get to college, especially in the finance department, you’ll be working yourself to the bone.” She showed off her hairline: “Advice from an older student.”
Su Jinning found her humorous and couldn't help but laugh twice: "Okay, thank you, senior."
Bai Ming nodded, and for a moment neither of them spoke. Finally, Bai Ming tossed her hair and asked, "By the way... do you have a girlfriend?"
Su Jinning paused in her movements and shook her head.
"It's a shame you're so handsome and don't have a girlfriend. You're definitely going to be the most popular guy in the department, with lots of girls chasing after you," Bai Ming joked. "If you want a girlfriend, just tell me. I have plenty of pretty girls around!"
Su Jinning gave an awkward laugh and calmly said, "No need, I have a boyfriend."
Bai Ming looked completely bewildered: "Didn't you say you didn't have a girlfriend?"
Su Jinning suppressed a laugh: "Do you remember the boy I took photos with last time?"
Bai Ming nodded: "Of course."
He is my boyfriend.
Bai Ming choked for a moment: "Holy crap..."
Good men are either dead or gay.
——
The welcome party for new students officially started at seven o'clock. The two of them quickly ate some bread and rushed over. They were just lying in the dormitory anyway, and it wasn't very interesting.
Good schools certainly have a lot of talented people; the performances by the upperclassmen on stage completely captivated the freshmen in the audience. The venue was huge, easily accommodating tens of thousands of people, but the surrounding noise was unbearable. Shen Moyu, annoyed by the noise, tugged at Su Jinning's sleeve: "Do you still want to watch?"
Su Jinning looked away from him, the light from the big screen flashing across his face, a little dazzling: "Then let's go for a walk."
"good."
It was really difficult to squeeze out of this sea of people. Even after we finally left the venue, there were still quite a few people on the playground.
"Are you hungry? You only ate a little bread. Do you want to go to the cafeteria?" Su Jinning asked.
Shen Moyu shook his head, rubbing his eyes wearily: "I don't want to eat, I just want to take a walk. This place is too noisy."
After a long day, he was bound to be a little tired. Su Jinning gently smoothed the messy hair on his head and said softly, "Okay, I'll take you to your dorm later."
Hearing this, Shen Moyu felt a little down. The campus was so big, and the two of them weren't even on the same campus. It was already good enough if they could see each other every day. He twitched his nose and said, "Even though we're in the same school, the distance between us is comparable to a long-distance relationship."
Su Jinning was amused by him: "Didn't you say you were fine today? Why are you suddenly feeling down now?"
Shen Moyu held his hand, perhaps because she was sleepy, and her voice carried a hint of coquetry: "Is it too late for me to change my major now...?"
Back in high school, he couldn't bear to leave even when there was only one school building between them, let alone someone he could never see again.
"It's okay, I'll come pick you up every noon from now on, alright?" Su Jinning rubbed his head.
Taking advantage of the fact that there were few people on the walkway at this time, the two of them hid behind the big screen.
The night was deep, and the dim light reflected on Su Jinning's face, making her eyes sparkle like stars. Shen Moyu could even see himself reflected in them.
He buried his face in Su Jinning's arms: "You're so handsome, what if a little girl steals you away?"
Who can resist their boyfriend's sweet and affectionate gestures?
Su Jinning reassured him, "Don't worry, it won't happen."
"You won't?" Shen Moyu pouted and looked him up and down. "How can I believe you?"
Su Jinning looked at him, remaining silent for a long time. Their eyes met, and Su Jinning smiled meaningfully: "If you don't believe me, what can I do?"
Shen Moyu opened his mouth but couldn't say a word, his face flushed with anger, like a wronged little girlfriend. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a bottle of Coke. "Sizzle—" He opened the can and gulped down half of it.
Seeing him drink so quickly, as if he were being given poison, Su Jinning asked, "Hey, what are you doing?"
Shen Moyu burped, threw the can into the trash can, and slipped the remaining pull tab onto Su Jinning's wrist: "From now on, you'll carry this with you every day. If anyone pursues you, show this to them and say you have a boyfriend!"
Su Jinning was both amused and exasperated, even suspecting he was drunk: "What kind of nonsense is this? At least use a plastic ring!"
"I don't have money now, we'll talk about it later." Shen Moyu wiped her mouth and took his hand again: "Just do as I say, or I'll hold you responsible if I find this pull tab is missing!"
"Okay, okay, okay!" Su Jinning stroked his hair down. She put her arm around his shoulder and gently kissed him on the cheek: "Then shouldn't I return the favor or something, so others know you have a boyfriend?"
Shen Moyu raised an eyebrow: "I don't want a pull tab."
Su Jinning chuckled, "Of course it's not a pull tab." Her sharp, phoenix-shaped eyes followed his downward gaze, slowly softening, an indescribable emotion instantly filling both of their chests. Su Jinning lowered her head and kissed his lips.
The ginkgo tree was indeed a good hiding place. Under the cover of darkness, he pressed himself against the trunk and kissed and rubbed against it, and soon he was sweating.