BSS - Chapter 158

Chapter 158

Never mind the difficulty of making the reservation. The next morning, Deng Chuan was surprised to see her three roommates sitting in the row behind her.

Of course, she didn't pay it much mind. After greeting them with a look, she took the overcoat Xu Wei handed her, placed it on the back of her chair, and sat down.

The chair was pulled out carefully and silently over the carpet. Xu Wei tucked in the hem of her skirt and handed Deng Chuan her tablet, while she herself opened a thick tome.

There was heating indoors, so Deng Chuan had already rolled up her sleeves, revealing a section of her fair, well-proportioned forearm. Under the sunlight, it was inexplicably dazzling. She propped her head up with one arm. Some soft, stray hairs by her ear had also been tucked behind it by Xu Wei before they left that morning.

Deng Chuan rarely returned to her dorm to sleep anymore; she, along with Zhou Liu and Juzi, stayed with Xu Wei. The doctoral student dorms at P University were single rooms with 24-hour hot water and a private bathroom. The conditions were good, but the space wasn't very large. A small balcony was connected to a small, square room that could only fit a bed and a desk, leaving even the walkway narrow.

The bed was just a standard single, yet at night it had to accommodate two people and two cats. Xu Wei sometimes worried that Deng Chuan would be uncomfortable sleeping on her side. She said this purely out of concern, with no intention of kicking her out. But the kid, instantly on alert, hugged Zhou Liu and declared righteously, "What's uncomfortable? This is great."

A moment later, she had to emphasize it again: "I'm not uncomfortable."

Xu Wei looked at her and couldn't help but laugh, because compared to Zhou Liu in her arms, Deng Chuan was more like a little kitten whose fur stood on end after having its belly touched.

Although it was a bit cramped, having a human-shaped pillow at night felt wonderful. So Xu Wei just pinched her cheek and let her be.

And so, for a long time after that, they woke up together and went to the library together. Or Xu Wei would go to her office while Deng Chuan went to class, and then they would meet up for meals, end their tiring day together, and rest in bed, letting Zhou Liu and Juzi sleep above their heads.

Every day at P University, their lives were full.

Winter passed quickly.

Spring in the north arrived late, but it steadily grew warmer day by day. The P University campus had high green coverage. As the temperature rose, many fragrant flowers bloomed, crowding the sides of the campus paths. After a walk back, the faint scent of flowers would cling to one's neck and the corners of one's clothes.

Because it was the last semester of her undergraduate studies, Deng Chuan had been getting busier and busier, with even less time to go to the library. The two hadn't seen each other all day. The kid had just had a short meeting with her thesis advisor in the afternoon and had only now returned.

The moment Deng Chuan entered, she hugged Xu Wei and wouldn't let go. Even though she hadn't been gone long, she still had to cling to her affectionately, as if they hadn't seen each other in ages. She buried her face in Xu Wei's neck and took a sniff.

The scent of flowers on her was faint, and her voice was just as muffled: "Missed you."

Zhou Liu and Juzi were weaving around their feet, and the space was so small that a moment of carelessness could lead to a stepped-on tail.

Xu Wei was hugged by Deng Chuan as they moved into the room. A warm cat belly would occasionally brush against her ankle, and their feet would sometimes bump together messily as they tried to avoid the cats, the hard impact of bone on bone hurting.

Xu Wei spoke, her tone one of helpless indulgence. "Alright, let me go first."

The kid whined petulantly, "No."

Deng Chuan pulled Xu Wei to sit on the bed. The weather wasn't warm enough for everyone to be wearing short sleeves yet, but Deng Chuan was sensitive to the heat. She had taken off her jacket, leaving her in a white t-shirt. Her skin, hidden away all winter, was now exposed to the air, like the blooming flower buds along the campus paths, with their white, soft petals.

Xu Wei's heart softened as well. She brushed Deng Chuan's face and asked gently, "Are you tired today?"

Deng Chuan didn't speak, just shook her head. She let out a light sigh as if resting, then said softly, "Not tired."

She paused, then also asked, "What about you? Are you tired today?"

Because the heating had been turned off, the door to the balcony was open for ventilation. The faint fragrance of laundry detergent drifted in from outside, mixing with the dry floral scents of the north and seeming particularly moist, as if they were back in the rainy season of the south.

A washing machine from some unknown dorm was rumbling. Amidst the noise, Xu Wei's voice sounded soft, flowing as smoothly and naturally as a stream over pebbles. "A little tired."

As she spoke, Deng Chuan tightened her arms. Xu Wei didn't say why she was tired; a doctoral student's schedule was never easy. In that case, a hug was more relaxing than a detailed explanation. The two rested for a while. Deng Chuan let go, stood up to wash and tidy herself, while Xu Wei ordered takeout, asking her what she wanted to eat.

The two talked as Deng Chuan, her back to Xu Wei, took clothes from the wardrobe. The kid's back looked very slender in just a single layer of clothing. It seemed she had lost some more weight recently. Xu Wei saw this but didn't say anything out of concern. Concern, most of the time, was just an emotion, and this emotion had existed in Xu Wei's state for so long that it had almost become a helpless conditioned reflex.

Xu Wei could only speak to her child nonchalantly: "What month is your thesis defense? Can I come and listen?"

"You can." Perhaps due to fatigue, Deng Chuan's voice was quiet. "Students from other years can always come and listen."

"Then I'll definitely go," Xu Wei said. The walkway was so narrow that she could lift her foot and touch Deng Chuan's calf, rubbing against it gently, creating a tantalizing itch. "You have to do well."

Deng Chuan hummed in agreement. With clothes in hand, she turned to kiss her. She might have eaten a candy on her way back; Xu Wei tasted the light sweetness of a mint on her lips. Deng Chuan didn't kiss her for long. She quickly pulled away and, from extremely close, smiled at Xu Wei. "Of course."

The sound of rushing water came from the bathroom. A short while later, when the door opened, a thick cloud of steam billowed out, diluting the scent of flowers and laundry detergent in the air.

After her shower, Deng Chuan emerged feeling completely relaxed. The takeout had already arrived. Xu Wei was clearing the books and computer off the table, while Zhou Liu and Juzi were getting in the way beside her, earning a scolding tap on the head one by one.

Brief moments of fatigue and cuddling were a regular part of their day. A shower and a few words, and it would pass. After dinner, the evening was as ordinary as any other. Xu Wei read and did research, while Deng Chuan wrote her thesis proposal. They didn't disturb each other, and it was very peaceful.

In the blink of an eye, it was May, and the School of Economics and Management organized the undergraduate thesis defenses.

Deng Chuan had successfully secured a postgraduate spot at the same university, so she was graduating a year ahead of her roommates. Many of her classmates came to her defense session, all of them there to see her.

They were supposed to be classmates for four years, but Deng Chuan had, at most, shared a classroom with them for only a year and a half. For the remaining year and a half, she had existed in campus forums and gossip, not like a classmate they saw day in and day out.

And seeing her today, Deng Chuan was in formal attire, her hair tied back neatly, wearing light makeup. Her every move was poised and proper. Standing alone on the stage methodically setting up her PowerPoint, she seemed even more distant.

The department head who had originally recommended Deng Chuan for the study abroad program was also among the teachers seated below the stage. Mindful of the occasion, the two rows of teachers weren't smiling, which was intimidating to look at.

A group of sophomores and juniors who had come early to learn from the experience couldn't help but tremble.

Xu Wei was also sitting in the audience. She had arrived a bit late and hadn't expected so many people, so she could only find a seat in the second-to-last row.

The audience was bustling, but Deng Chuan spotted her in a single glance.

According to the grouping, she was the first to present. Once she was ready, she cupped her hand over the microphone and coughed lightly twice.

The noisy, large lecture hall fell completely silent at once.

For the next fifteen minutes of her presentation, only Deng Chuan's calm voice could be heard.

Deng Chuan's undergraduate thesis might have been slightly immature in terms of industry research. But Xu Wei could detect the traces of her thought process in her tone and explanation. Her preparation, from her explanations to her PowerPoint, all showed a sincerity and steadfastness. For an undergraduate thesis, achieving a logically complete and self-consistent argument was already a rare feat. And Deng Chuan's logic was coherent throughout. Perhaps due to her bias, Xu Wei couldn't help but feel moved.

Not just for this moment, but for the path Deng Chuan had walked step by step.

Perhaps sharing Xu Wei's sentiment, the teachers below didn't give her a hard time, asking a few routine questions before signaling that she had passed.

Deng Chuan packed her things and came down from the stage. Enduring the gazes from the side, she walked all the way to Xu Wei's side.

Mindful of the setting, the two didn't say much and listened attentively to the other students' defenses. But under the table, Deng Chuan secretly took Xu Wei's hand, lacing their fingers together and placing them on her own thigh to gently caress.

This kind of intimacy wasn't obvious on the surface, but in their hearts, they both enjoyed it immensely.

When the session ended, people gathered for photos. Many rushed up to take a picture with Deng Chuan, both men and women.

Although they were classmates, after today, she might never meet some of them again.

Xu Wei didn't interrupt. She stood at a distance, gazing at the person on stage surrounded by others. Just moments ago, her child had been sitting beside her, and now, even in a crowd, she stood out exceptionally. She was smiling and saying something to people—perhaps thanking them, perhaps making small talk—with a very composed demeanor. The spiritedness in Deng Chuan's eyes was gradually settling. As she watched, Xu Wei suddenly thought that once this moment passed, she might rarely see this version of Deng Chuan again, just as she would never again see the green, high-school-aged Deng Chuan.

With this thought, an indescribable feeling welled up in Xu Wei's eyes and heart.

She stood there in a daze until Deng Chuan had patiently finished taking photos with everyone who wanted one and walked back to her side.

The kid was still in her formal attire, with light makeup, looking composed and proper. But her hands moved deftly to pick up Xu Wei's shoulder bag, which held her laptop and books. Like a personal bodyguard, she led Xu Wei out while chattering, "I'm so hungry. I only had a small pastry before leaving this morning. What should we have for lunch?"

The people in the lecture hall gradually dispersed through the doors on either side. The room became exceptionally empty, and the sound of Deng Chuan's voice echoed within it, instantly pulling Xu Wei back to her senses.

Perhaps because the defense was just over, marking the end of a major event before graduation, Deng Chuan still sounded a little excited as she spoke: "After the graduation photos, I won't have much to do. I can spend some proper time with you and rest."

"I just saw our class's former monitor. I was originally only going to have a solo graduation photo, but he said the classmates want to take a group photo with me in a few days." The kid smiled. "What an honor."

Xu Wei asked, "Can I still go then?" Her voice was soft, but underneath, her hand tightened its grip on Deng Chuan's, as if seeking confirmation of something.

Deng Chuan turned to look at her, her eyes widening at the question. "Of course! You're my most important guest!"

It was rare to see such a lively Deng Chuan, and Xu Wei couldn't help but smile. "Okay."

After a pause, she added softly, "I won't be absent."

She seemed to be saying it to Deng Chuan, but also to herself.

High school, university—they still had a long road ahead of them.

So, there was no need to be sentimental.

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