133: Chapter 133 If you want to come back, just come back. Why are you asking me?

A banner was stretched across the school entrance, white characters on a red background, reading "A Warm Welcome to the 2008 Freshmen." Nearby stood several upperclassmen wearing matching T-shirts, holding signs to guide the new students and their parents inside.

Hu Tian parked the car in a temporary parking area on the side of the road and turned off the engine. The two of them got out and moved the luggage out of the trunk.

Cousin Zhang Fei stood at the school gate, looked up at the banner, then at the path inside the gate, and took a deep breath.

"What's wrong?"

Hu Tian set the large suitcase upright and glanced at her.

"Nothing."

Cousin Zhang Fei shook her head. "It's just... it feels a bit surreal."

"What feels surreal?"

"Just that, I'm really here."

She paused. "Back when the college entrance exams ended, I thought I wouldn't make it. Then when the scores came out, I thought I had filled out my preferences wrong. When the admission notice finally arrived, my mom cried, but I didn't. It just felt like it hadn't actually happened yet."

Hu Tian listened without speaking immediately. He just pulled up the handle of the suitcase and handed it to her. "It's happening now."

Cousin Zhang Fei took the handle, looked down at the things in her hands, then looked up and gave him a smile. "Yeah, it's happening now."

The two followed the crowd into the school. Upperclassmen came over to guide them, asking for her department and pointing the way. They said freshman registration was in the East District—follow the main road to the end, turn left, and keep going past the library to find the registration building.

Hu Tian carried the large box and followed Cousin Zhang Fei inside. The campus was full of trees that blocked much of the sunlight, making it cooler in the shade. The lawns along the road were neatly trimmed, and occasionally a squirrel would hop down from a tree, run a few steps across the grass, and then skip away.

"The environment here is quite nice,"

Hu Tian said casually.

"Yeah, I looked it up. The greenery rate is quite high, and the library is huge. I saw photos of it online before."

Cousin Zhang Fei said, her eyes scanning the surroundings. "It looks better than the photos."

After walking for about ten minutes, they found the registration building. There was a queue at the door, with staff checking information, handing out dormitory keys, and distributing various materials.

Hu Tian accompanied Cousin Zhang Fei in the queue. After waiting a while, it was her turn. They verified her admission notice and ID, gave her a dormitory number, a stack of materials, and told her which building, floor, and room her dorm was in.

The dormitory building was next to the registration building, just a short walk away. Inside the hallway, there was also a queue at the elevator. Hu Tian glanced at the floor—the fourth floor. "Let's take the stairs; it'll be faster."

Cousin Zhang Fei nodded, and the two carried the boxes up the stairs. On the fourth floor, they found the dorm room. The door was open, and a girl was already inside making her bed. Her mother was helping nearby. Seeing Cousin Zhang Fei enter, the girl looked up and smiled. "Hello, I'm Lin Xiao. Where are you from?"

"Southern Anhui. I'm Cousin Zhang Fei."

"Oh, Southern Anhui. That's quite close. I came from Chengdu; I was on a plane for four hours."

Lin Xiao said, glancing at Hu Tian. "Is this your brother?"

"My cousin."

Cousin Zhang Fei said.

"Oh, your cousin brought you here. That's so nice," Lin Xiao said with a smile, then went back to making her bed.

Lin Xiao said with a smile, then went back to making her bed.

The dorm was a four-person room. Two people had arrived, and the other two spots were still empty. Cousin Zhang Fei chose the bed by the window. Hu Tian helped her move the large box over and set it down, then stepped back to the door. "You unpack first. I'll wait for you outside. Call me if you need anything."

"Okay, go sit outside for a bit. There are chairs in the hallway."

Hu Tian left the dorm and found a spot to stand in the hallway. He took out his phone and checked it; there were no messages. He tucked it back in, leaned against the wall, and watched the people coming and going in the hallway. They were all freshmen and parents, carrying large and small bags. The sounds of talking and dragging suitcases mixed together, making it very lively.

Standing there, looking at those eighteen or nineteen-year-old faces, he remembered when he went to university. It was the same—his parents brought him, his mom helped him make the bed, and his dad stood at the door, not knowing what to say, just standing there. Later, he walked them downstairs and said goodbye at the school gate. His mom cried, and his dad patted his shoulder, said "Do your best," and then turned to leave.

Back then, he felt like he was going to conquer the world. But after four years of university, he hadn't made much of a name for himself. After graduation, he still had to start from the very bottom, trying one job after another and hitting walls time and again.

But things were different now.

Hu Tian looked down at his hands and thought of the system, the items in the underground collection room, the Lotus Leaf Lidded Jar, and the place he was going next. The corners of his mouth twitched slightly.

After about half an hour, Cousin Zhang Fei came out of the dorm. "Cousin, I'm mostly done. I'll do the rest myself. Let's go explore the campus."

"Is all the luggage put away?"

"Yes, and the bed is made. It's just that the quilt is a bit thin. I'll go to the school supermarket later to see if they sell any."

"Do you have enough money?"

"I do. My mom sent me my living expenses."

Cousin Zhang Fei said, then paused. "Cousin, thank you for bringing me here today."

"What's there to thank? You're my cousin."

Cousin Zhang Fei pursed her lips and looked at Hu Tian, something in her eyes. "Also..."

She hesitated. "For the National Day holiday, when you take Sister Zhou home to see my aunt and uncle, can I go too?"

Hu Tian glanced at her. "If you want to go back, go back. Why ask me?"

"I'm just asking," Cousin Zhang Fei said softly.

"I also want to see Sister Waner."

"We'll see when the time comes. Settle into school first."

"Okay."

The two of them spent over an hour wandering the campus, visiting all the main spots: the library, teaching buildings, playground, and cafeteria. Cousin Zhang Fei looked around as they walked, taking many photos with her phone, saying she wanted to show them to her mother.

By nearly twelve o'clock, the sun had risen, making people's backs feel hot. Cousin Zhang Fei fanned herself with her hand. "Cousin, I'm a bit hungry."

"Let's eat out. There are too many people in the school cafeteria today; we won't be able to squeeze in."

The two went out through the side gate of the school. Outside was a wide main road lined with French plane trees. Their large leaves provided plenty of shade, making it cooler as they walked.

This area was the university town, with several universities built next to each other. The road was filled with students and parents coming and going. It was lunchtime, and people were standing outside all kinds of restaurants.

Hu Tian didn't go into the crowded places. He walked further in and turned into a small alley. The alley was quieter, with a small restaurant that had been there for some years. The storefront wasn't large, and the sign was a bit old, reading "Liu's Home Cooking." A handwritten menu was posted on the glass door. There were a few tables, and two of them were occupied by customers, so it wasn't noisy.

"Let's go to this one."

Cousin Zhang Fei glanced inside. "Is this one okay?"

"A restaurant that can stay in business won't have bad food."

The two pushed the door open and went in, finding a seat by the window. The server was a middle-aged woman who came over, set down two cups of tea, and handed them the menu. "What would you two like to eat?"

Cousin Zhang Fei took the menu and flipped through it. Hu Tian didn't look at it; he first took a sip of tea—a light jasmine tea. The tea leaves were a bit old, and the fragrance wasn't strong, but it was pleasant to drink.

"Cousin, what do you want to eat?"

"You order. Anything is fine with me."

Cousin Zhang Fei ordered braised pork, sautéed greens, and a tomato egg soup. After thinking for a moment, she added dry-fried green beans. She looked up and asked Hu Tian, "Is that enough?"

"It's enough."

The server noted it down and left. The two sat across from each other. Outside the window was the alley; occasionally someone walked by, but it wasn't noisy.

Cousin Zhang Fei put her phone on the table and flipped through the photos she had just taken. "The playground is quite big. One of my roommates said she likes running, so we can run together in the future."

"Lin Xiao?"

"Yeah, she's from Chengdu. She seems easy to get along with and isn't shy around strangers."

Hu Tian gave a grunt of agreement.

Cousin Zhang Fei continued flipping through the photos. She came across one of the library and held it up for Hu Tian to see. "This library is so beautiful. It has a lot of books. I asked around, and the collection is over a million volumes. I should be able to read quite a few books over these four years."

"You should read more books."

"I know."

Cousin Zhang Fei put down her phone and held her teacup. "Cousin, did you like reading when you were in university?"

Hu Tian thought for a moment. "Just okay. I read the textbooks for my major, but not many extracurricular ones. I couldn't settle my mind back then."

"So do you regret it now?"

"Regret what?"

"Regret not reading more books in university."

Hu Tian lowered his head and took a sip of tea. "A little, but there's not much point in regret. You can't change the past; just look forward."

Cousin Zhang Fei nodded, looking thoughtful. "My mom told me to study hard in university, not always think about playing, and strive to go to graduate school."

"Do you have that plan?"

"I do, but I'm not sure. I'll focus on my undergraduate studies first."

Cousin Zhang Fei said, looking up at Hu Tian. "Cousin, do you think I should go to graduate school?"

"It's up to you. Think clearly about whether it's for academic research or to make it easier to find a job before you decide. Don't just follow the crowd."

"Okay."

The food arrived. The braised pork was well-stewed and dark in color. When picked up, a piece showed a perfect mix of fat and lean meat with a heavy soy fragrance. The dry-fried green beans had charred edges and were perfectly sautéed. The soup was light, with tomatoes broken up inside and some egg drops added; the flavor was simple but comforting.

The two ate quietly as more customers gradually filled the restaurant.

The noise level increased slightly. At the next table was a pair of parents who had brought their child to school. The student looked like a boy, sitting there with his head down eating. His mother was talking incessantly, nagging about this and that, while his father occasionally chimed in. The boy just responded with "mm-hmm," looking a bit impatient but not saying anything.

Hu Tian glanced at that table out of the corner of his eye, said nothing, and lowered his head to pick up another piece of braised pork.

Cousin Zhang Fei also looked over and whispered to Hu Tian, "That boy looks a bit unhappy."

"He's just left home; he's not used to it."

"His mom is saying so much; I'd be annoyed too."

"Saying it is one thing, but her heart is in the right place."

Cousin Zhang Fei paused. "Yeah, my mom said a lot last night too. I was a bit annoyed, but I didn't dare say anything."

"Auntie is just like that; she can't stop talking, but she gets everything arranged for you. If she were someone who said nothing at all, you wouldn't be used to it."

Cousin Zhang Fei thought about it and nodded. "That's true."

The two finished most of the dishes and drank the soup. Cousin Zhang Fei put down her chopsticks and wiped her mouth with a tissue. "Cousin, I'm full. How about you?"

"Just about."

Hu Tian called the server for the bill. It was eighty-two yuan in total. He paid; Cousin Zhang Fei tried to pay, but he didn't let her.

Leaving the restaurant, the wind in the alley was a bit stronger than before. As the two walked toward the main road, Cousin Zhang Fei walked beside him, the leaves of the plane trees rustling overhead.

"Cousin, are you going back this afternoon?"