So at this moment, the gift isn't about being precious, but about memories.

Li Zhiyuan recalled when he used to watch movies with Alii, Alii would sit next to him, enjoying playing with bubbles.

After the movie, everyone walked home along the road, sparse and silent, with Li Sanjiang at the front, the tip of his cigarette flickering.

There were not many places to have supper in the village, so after returning home, Li Sanjiang took out the gifts Lin Shuyou bought and shared them with everyone.

At night, Li Zhiyuan wanted to chat and hear stories from Li Sanjiang again, but he was refused: "Little Yuanhou, sleep early, you have to get up early to return to school tomorrow."

Late at night, Li Zhiyuan heard the wind again.

He stepped out of his room, onto the terrace, where below the dam, Little Huang Ying appeared again.

Under the night sky, her long hair fell damp, the black qipao made her red high heels seem particularly eerie.

However, just as Li Zhiyuan planned to go down and invite her up, she only raised her head to look at him.

Then, with her arms lightly resting at her sides, she turned around and vanished into the darkness.

For the past two nights, she had indulged in memories.

So tonight, she specifically came to bid farewell to Li Zhiyuan.

Tomorrow, once Li Zhiyuan and the others left, Xiao Yingying would take care of household matters, return to Li Sanjiang's house, and continue working.

Li Zhiyuan looked up at the fragmented moon, then returned indoors to rest.

The next morning, after breakfast, they said their goodbyes.

Li Weihan packed peanuts, crispy cakes, sausages, and other items into the car.

Cui Guiying bundled various homemade pickles and sauces into mesh bags to deliver them.

Li Sanjiang gave everyone a red envelope, the thickest one to Lin Shuyou, double that of the others, since it was his first visit to their home.

Perhaps the preparations were made yesterday, or in the eyes of the elderly, it was just the kids going to and from school; the emotions of parting were present but not overly dramatic.

The three elders stood by the village road, waving at them; after the pickup truck drove far, they lowered their hands but remained until it completely disappeared from sight, then Li Sanjiang patted his pants and said:

"The delicate sparrow at home has flown away again."

...

Compared to the elders' casualness and acceptance, the atmosphere inside the pickup truck was somewhat serious and somber.

They were leaving the Peach Woods Reserve.

The luxury of laughing freely and sleeping soundly seemed distant.

Even though life before wasn't overly tense, most of the time they lived normally, but lacking just a little final security added a slight element of risk, making their mindset completely different.

Sitting in the passenger seat, Li Zhiyuan turned to open the rear window, looking at Run Sheng and the others in the back.

"Considering the time, the phase, it's time for the next wave; the relaxed and steady times are gone, everyone remember to adjust your physical and mental state.

Stay alert, increase vigilance.

You can lose to lack of strength, fail by plan flaws, but absolutely cannot die from foolishness.

Gents,

We can face all outcomes except regret."

Tan Wenbin, Run Sheng, Yin Meng: "Understood!"

Lin Shuyou: "Got it!"

Driving, Tan Wenbin glanced at the rearview mirror, a smile appearing on his lips.

The former Brother Xiao Yuan wouldn't say these words so formally; he would warn you with simple language or even just a look.

Those words just now clearly weren't Brother Xiao Yuan's style; he showed more patience than before.

It seems for Brother Xiao Yuan, going home and seeing Alii both enhance his warmth.

If that's the case, as the ship's caller, I should be even more enthusiastic!

Come on, let's burn with passion.

Tan Wenbin reached out, pushed the tape in, and pressed play; Fei Xiang's voice came out:

"You're like a fire in winter, warming my heart. Every time you quietly approach me..."

Li Zhiyuan: "So, next..."

Oh shit!

Tan Wenbin quickly turned off the volume out of fright.

Then he turned his head and started whistling outside the car window, as if he wasn't the one who interrupted the Dragon King's speech by playing music.

"So, from now on, don't deliberately avoid daily interactions, make choices based on your true self:

With this kind of person, will you engage with them? As for these matters, will you deal with them?

Learn to take one step and consider three steps ahead, see yourself as a dot, and all people and things connected with you should be pulled out into lines.

Catch any drop of river water that splashes out first before a wave comes.

I'm lacking in this aspect, so, everyone, it's hard work."

Tan Wenbin, Tan Wenbin, Yin Meng: "Got it!"

Lin Shuyou: "Understood!"

Lin Shuyou: "..."

Li Zhiyuan finished speaking, took the initiative to turn on the volume, and adjusted the sound to the maximum:

"You're like that fire, the blazing flames warm me!"

...

After returning to school, life resumed its original track.

Run Sheng worked in the shop selling goods, and when he met the fellow student, Marquis Hua, he would also say a few words in Nantong dialect.

Yin Meng still went shopping with Zheng Jiayi, their styles and habits were similar, liking to browse without buying.

However, they would occasionally visit the antique street, as Yin Meng needed to understand and familiarize herself with the market.

Her family had been prosperous two thousand years ago, if it weren't for Xiao Yuan, her grandfather wouldn't have been able to rely on her to send him to the ancestral tomb.

Thus, her understanding of antiques and curiosities isn't much different from ordinary people; watching more and learning a bit can also help her pick up something useful on her next outing, which she can sell to save up some money for a bus?

That way, when they return, Brother Xiao Yuan can bring Alii along, sit in the last row, and not be affected.

Yin Meng thought her plan was excellent, as a member of the team, sometimes it's not just about playing up to others, but also about showing her ambition.

Tan Wenbin, on the other hand, was running between classes, home, and auditing — taking turns at several places, luckily, the pickup truck didn't need to restock every day, so he could drive it out, otherwise just the taxi fare would be painful.

Lin Shuyou's activities almost overlapped with Tan Wenbin's, with the only non-overlapping area being when Tan Wenbin was alone with Zhou Yunyun, during which he would cleverly disappear.

Li Zhiyuan continued his "school-wide elective course" mode, continuing to scout for excellent teachers.

Sometimes, when Tan Wenbin didn't have class, he would go along with Brother Xiao Yuan's schedule to audit some teachers' classes, and truly, any teacher certified by Brother Xiao Yuan, regardless of whether they taught subjects he understood or not, made him feel like the teacher had real knowledge.

Tan Wenbin thought, if the school had an evaluation for outstanding teachers at the end of the year, the principal should really look at Brother Xiao Yuan's timetable, absolutely without any personal biases.

This morning's three or four classes were Li Zhiyuan attending Professor Zhu's political science class.

One phenomenon was very obvious in the classroom, which was that Professor Zhu truly used his solid theory and ability to connect theory with practice in each lesson to transform the teaching atmosphere gradually.

Many students actually listened and began to think.

In the classroom, the sarcastic voices decreased a lot, and occasionally there were "Awakeners" and "Independent Thinkers" surprising everyone…

What they garnered was no longer follow-the-leader jeering, but dissatisfaction with their disrespect for the teacher and disruption of the learning environment.

In the low tide of the era, there are always some people who silently act as a beacon, steadfastly illuminating and influencing those around them; only time can prove whether they were right.

The class ended, leaving everyone thinking deeply, with some students hoping Professor Zhu would continue the lecture.

Professor Zhu: "Next time, students, it's time for lunch, you should hurry to the cafeteria."

The students laughed, gathered their things, and left the classroom.

Li Zhiyuan, as usual, was the last to leave, and Professor Zhu approached him at this time:

"Xiao Yuan, do you have plans for noon? Although the invitation is abrupt, my wife wants to meet you, she's very interested in you, a young person who likes ancient texts."

"Thank you for your invitation, it is my honor."

Initially, Li Zhiyuan didn't think this was anything worth noting, nor was it surprising, but when Professor Zhu said the next sentence:

"Oh, I should've invited you to our house sooner, but my wife caught a strange illness recently and hasn't improved. I originally wanted to invite you when she got better, but now, I'm afraid she can't wait."

Wave,

Here it comes!

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