The next day, Xue Yuanqing and his wife woke up early. After washing up, they waited in the villa’s first-floor hall for Xue Yang and Lin Xi to appear. With his hands clasped behind his back, Xue Yuanqing took another stroll around the villa’s yard.

The morning air was fresh and natural. Sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains and scattered across the soft sofa, creating a pleasant mood. The paintings on the walls and the intricate decorations were a feast for the eyes. The white walls and light-colored flooring created a sense of comfort and tranquility. Outside the bay window, pots of thriving plants on the terrace emitted a subtle fragrance. The entire villa was filled with an atmosphere of peace and serenity.

Seeing all this, Xue Yuanqing was filled with a complex mix of emotions, yet also joy. This was his son’s home. Before this, he wouldn’t have dared to even imagine that his son would one day live in such a grand villa.

Around ten o’clock, Xue Yang and Lin Xi woke up.

"Dad, Mom, you really don’t have to rush back," Xue Yang said.

Deep down, he hoped his parents would stay in Yancheng. He could fully support them now, couldn’t he? What a wonderful thing it would be to come home from school or work every day to a hot meal cooked by his parents.

"We still have chickens to feed back home, and the vegetable garden hasn’t been tended to in a long time," Zhong Hailan said. "I asked your aunt to help water the plants, but after all this time, the weeds must have grown tall..."

Zhong Hailan couldn’t stop thinking about everything back home. Although this was her son’s house, when it came down to it, their home in Hui City was truly her own. Still, if one day their son said, "Dad, Mom, I can’t handle things by myself in Yancheng, please come and help me," they would undoubtedly drop everything and rush over to help him.

Xue Yang didn’t press the matter. He drove his parents to the airport in his Audi and watched as they went inside to board their flight. Only then did he reluctantly tear his gaze away.

After all, he was only in his early twenties. It was hard to watch his parents leave, and his heart ached with reluctance.

At that moment, he felt a warmth in his palm. Xue Yang looked down and saw a delicate, jade-like hand lacing its fingers with his and squeezing tightly.

Lin Xi leaned her head on Xue Yang’s shoulder and murmured softly, "Xue Yang, you still have me."

Her words were worth more than a thousand sweet nothings. Xue Yang pulled her into his embrace, holding her close.

That’s right, he wasn’t alone. He still had Xiao Xi. And they had their home.

Lin Xi hugged him back. The two held each other tightly amidst the bustling airport.

...

「Meanwhile, with Xue Xing.」

He had just gotten home and hadn’t even had a chance to unpack his backpack when Si Wen called.

It was a good thing she called early. Otherwise, he would have already turned off his phone and left it at home, since he planned to head straight to school after getting back.

"Xue Xing." Si Wen’s voice was flat, revealing no emotion.

"Sister Si Wen, why did you call?" Xue Xing asked in surprise.

"Are you home?" she asked.

"Just got back."

"Good. Study hard."

With that, Si Wen hung up.

Xue Xing was baffled. She called him just to tell him to study hard?

"Tch. I’ll study hard whether you tell me to or not," Xue Xing scoffed to himself. He turned off his phone and tossed it into a drawer.

Then he opened his backpack and started taking out its contents. It wasn’t a small bag, and it was packed full. When he had left, he had only brought a few practice tests and a change of clothes or two, so the backpack had been just right, not bulging at all. Now, however, it was stretched to its limits. Even his mother had found it strange, wondering what he had packed to make it bulge like that. She had offered to carry it for him, but Xue Xing had refused.

Now, as he finished unpacking everything, his pupils constricted. So that’s what was added to the backpack.

It was a set of college entrance exam practice tests and several sets of brand-new clothes. They were none other than the ones Si Wen had bought with him at Xiang Naier. He had originally planned to buy just one outfit to wear to his brother’s engagement ceremony. But unexpectedly, they had no sooner arrived back at the villa than the store staff delivered the remaining outfits. Si Wen had simply stuffed the clothes into his hands and said icily, "You’re not allowed to refuse."

Only then did Xue Xing accept the clothes. He carefully took them out, hung them up meticulously, then placed them in the wardrobe and closed the door.

Afterward, he picked up the college entrance exam practice tests, gathered the other useful books from his desk, and packed them all in his school bag. Then, he slung the bag over his shoulder and headed out.

Xue Yuanming had already started the motorcycle and was waiting at the door. When Xue Xing came out and got on, Xue Yuanming revved the engine and sped off toward the school.

Half an hour later, he arrived at the school gates.

Seeing the familiar entrance, Xue Xing felt as if he had stepped out of another world.

Those two days in Yancheng felt like a wonderful dream. The scenery was breathtaking, and there was a girl as beautiful as the Snail Girl from the folktale. She was so good to him. So good, in fact, that he almost hadn’t wanted to come back.

Shaking his head vigorously, Xue Xing cleared the thoughts from his mind. He was about to step through the school gate when he heard a voice call out to him from behind.

Xue Xing turned and saw Fatty Xiong running toward him, carrying a bag full of books.

Upon seeing Xue Xing, Fatty Xiong immediately started chattering. "Xue Xing, how was Yancheng? That’s a huge city! I’ve read in books that it’s beautiful there, especially the Imperial City. They say when you step inside, you can almost feel the supreme power of the ancient rulers. And there’s the Royal Courtyard, the Fragrant Hills..."

Xue Xing looked at him and declared firmly, "My goal is to get into Yanbei University."

"Your grades are definitely good enough for a top-tier university, but Yanbei... that’s a bit of a stretch. No, wait... I was asking you how Yancheng was. Who asked what university you want to get into?"

Fatty Xiong’s grades weren’t ideal. In his homeroom teacher’s words, the best he could hope for was a vocational college. Still, that was a decent option—certainly better than entering the workforce right after graduating high school.

"There’s still a year. I can definitely do it," Xue Xing said, again ignoring the question.

Seeing Xue Xing’s fighting spirit, Fatty Xiong felt his own resolve stir. "You’re so confident, it looks like I need to work hard too. Even if I can’t get into Yanbei University, I at least shouldn’t do too poorly."

"Alright, then let’s make a pact. In one year, we’ll see who can truly break through their limits."

"Deal!"

The two seventeen-year-old boys had already mapped out their futures. And in the time that followed, they truly dedicated themselves to achieving those goals.

"Where’s Xue Xing?" a girl with two small braids demanded harshly, grabbing Fatty Xiong by his clothes. She wasn’t very tall but had a delicate face.

"He should be in the library..."

...