Chapter 3

After the weather turned cooler, Gu Xiaoqing found it somewhat easier to study. In fact, during this period, she had been working very hard. Every night at 7 o'clock, after finishing her evening self-study at school, she would return home, and by the time she arrived, it was nearly 8 o'clock. After hastily eating the dinner left for her by her family, she would dive back into her room to study, often not going to bed until two or three in the morning. She would wake up at 7 o'clock in the morning, washing up while also memorizing vocabulary.

In Gu Xiaoqing's life as a repeat student, there is another noteworthy person, her deskmate. Gu Xiaoqing's deskmate is named Ma Yuanbiao, a name that sounds quite fierce, yet he is not fierce in appearance at all. Standing at 1.65 meters tall, Ma Yuanbiao is even slightly shorter than her, and he is as thin as a reed, wearing thick glasses with bottle-bottom lenses. He wears the school uniform throughout the year, and the clothes have been washed to the point that their original color is unrecognizable.

Ma Yuanbiao kept watching Gu Xiaoqing's figure disappear at the door, listening to her footsteps slowly fade away in the empty corridor. That silhouette remained deep in his memory, so much so that many years later, in such a dim and noisy environment, he recognized her at first glance when he saw her again

Gu Xiaoqing is not someone who enjoys meddling in others' affairs, but every day she sees Ma Yuanbiao stretching his neck to look at the blackboard, and she cannot believe that the teacher is unaware of his situation. However, those sitting in the first few rows all have some background. Moreover, she knows that Ma Yuanbiao studies very diligently; if he had complete notes, his grades should be even better.

Gu Xiaoqing performed very well in her exams, and there is absolutely no problem for her to be admitted to a first-class undergraduate program. However, she has been hesitating about choosing the right major, and it was not until the next day when she had to submit her application form that she found herself staring blankly at the form in front of her desk that evening

Tang Guo looked at Gu Xiaoqing and replied: "They also operate hotels. The hotel where I currently work is also under the control of Yulong Group."

Gu Xiaoqing felt that staying here would only become more awkward, so she scratched her head and said, "Well, I wish you good results in your exam, um, we will have the opportunity to meet again in the future." She smiled at Ma Yuanbiao and continued, "Then I will take my leave, goodbye."

After meeting downstairs, the two of them walked together to the bus stop, intending to take a bus to the pedestrian street. With the New Year approaching and today being a weekend, the bus was extremely crowded. Gu Xiaoqing tightly held onto Tang Guo's hand as they struggled to board the bus. Tang Guo, holding onto her arm from behind, quickly wrapped her arms around Gu Xiaoqing's waist once they were on the bus, fearing that a sudden brake might cause them to fall.

Ma Yuanbiao looked at her in surprise, his face suddenly turning bright red. He took Gu Xiaoqing's notes and stammered, "How, how could it be, be that you would dislike it, thank you, thank you."

Regarding her choice of major, they still allowed her to decide for herself as before. Before the results were released, Gu Xiaoqing spent her days at home, eating and sleeping, living in a daze. Finally, when the results came out, she felt a bit more spirited after seeing her grades

Oh," Gu Xiaoqing replied softly

During the first midterm examination, among the entire grade of 175 students, Gu Xiaoqing ranked 151st, while in her class of 35 students, she ranked 31st. After the results were released, Ma Yuanbiao looked at his own scores and then at Gu Xiaoqing, saying to her: "It's alright, your foundation in mathematics and science is just too weak. If you practice more, you will improve gradually"

After finishing these tasks, she went to the restroom to dispose of the dirty water, then went to the school store to buy a bread, eating it while walking back. She planned to return to the classroom to pack her bag and go home

In the last mock exam, Gu Xiaoqing ranked 15th in her grade. This achievement, barring any unforeseen circumstances, has undoubtedly opened the doors to university for her. Her progress has become a positive example for teachers in educating their students, drawing envious glances from others. Despite this, Gu Xiaoqing remains unfazed, continuing her cool and solitary demeanor each day. In the eyes of others, her behavior is no longer seen as isolation but rather as a display of individuality. It seems that in this society, strength is always the language spoken, regardless of the time.

Gu Xiaoqing, who had taken a day off, slept all day at home. The next day, she got up early, had breakfast, and went out. With three days left until the New Year, she had made plans with Tang Guo to go shopping for New Year clothes today

With 5 days remaining until the college entrance examination, Gu Xiaoqing and her group of transfer students are required to return to their original schools to collect their examination permits. The school has now allowed them to study at home, and today marks Gu Xiaoqing's last day at this school

Since then, the two individuals became familiar with each other. They began to have some conversations in their daily interactions. After copying Gu Xiaoqing's notes, Ma Yuanbiao would take the initiative to explain some problems that Gu Xiaoqing could not solve.

Gu Xiaoqing held tightly to the handrail, trying her best to protect Tang Guo. Gu Xiaoqing lived in the west of the city, and it took at least 40 minutes by car to reach the pedestrian street in the city center. There were many people getting on and off along the way, and the bus remained crowded.

Gu Xiaoqing and Ma Yuanbiao had not been sitting together for long when she noticed that he was severely nearsighted. Although he wore thick glasses, he still struggled to see the blackboard. Gu Xiaoqing observed that during class, he often leaned his upper body on the desk, stretching his neck and leaning forward as much as possible, adopting a very strenuous posture to copy the notes from the blackboard. Even so, he still could not see the smaller characters clearly.

Gu Xiaoqing turned her head to look at the rapidly passing street scene outside the window. At 19 years old, her young heart was filled with romance and excitement, and she couldn't help but silently pray: "Please go a little slower, give me time to catch up with your pace"

Little did she know that Gu Xiaoqing had been carrying her backpack for half a day without making a sound. She turned her head and curiously looked at Ma Yuanbiao

In fact, for Gu Xiaoqing, she does not allow herself to feel hardship; this is just the beginning, and she still has a long road ahead to travel

Ma Yuanbiao actually performs very well in his studies, consistently ranking within the top ten in every exam. Perhaps due to his slender build and the poverty of his family, he is largely ignored by his classmates, which contributes to his feelings of inferiority. He remains silent every day, unable to see the blackboard, yet he does not dare to ask the teacher for a seat change, nor does he feel comfortable borrowing notes from his classmates

Gu Xiaoqing looked up at her father, this tall and strong man whose eyes were filled with pride. She gently nodded and said: "Okay"

Tang Guo has been very dependent on Gu Xiaoqing since childhood, and this kind of emotion is often reflected in body language at times

Time gradually passed amidst diligent busyness. During the final exams, Gu Xiaoqing's score finally rose to 98th in her grade, which is considered average. If things go smoothly, it should not be a problem for her to aim for a second-tier university next year. Looking at the prominently displayed list on the bulletin board, Gu Xiaoqing revealed a satisfied smile

Gu Xiaoqing smiled at him while sipping her milk and said, "I know." After saying that, she did not continue the conversation with Ma Yuanbiao and went on to solve problems after finishing her milk

Regarding Ma Yuanbiao's confession, Gu Xiaoqing did not take it to heart. In her view, Ma Yuanbiao merely harbored a special affection for a girl who had once helped him during his youth. As he ascended to another height in life, this youthful sentiment would naturally fade away with the passage of time.

Gu Xiaoqing had no acquaintances in this class, and now she couldn't even recall the names of some of her classmates. On the day before the holiday, she went to collect her report card, greeted Ma Yuanbiao, and then left with her backpack. It seemed that Ma Yuanbiao wanted to say something to her, but before he could finish hesitating, Gu Xiaoqing had already disappeared.

Gu Xiaoqing gradually noticed that the volume of the television at home had inexplicably decreased. Every day at dinner, there was a bowl of soup specifically prepared to nourish the brain. Sometimes, in the dead of night, her father would bring in a bowl of noodles, looking worried as he said to her: "Daughter, let's take a break. Don't push yourself so hard. If it doesn't work out this year, we can try again next year." Gu Xiaoqing did not want to go through another year. While eating the noodles, she replied to her father: "Dad, it's fine. My foundation is too weak. Once I catch up, it will gradually get better." Her father, feeling helpless, looked at her for a moment and shook his head as he left.

On the way home, the words "Yulong Group" kept flashing in her mind. After returning home and lying down on the bed, it still wasn't over, ultimately driving her to the point of frustration, so she simply turned over and went to sleep

In mid-June, the highly anticipated college entrance examination finally arrived, capturing the attention of the entire nation. Gu Xiaoqing naturally joined the fervent tide of the examination. During those three days of testing, Gu's father did not drive his taxi; instead, he drove Gu Xiaoqing to the examination venue each day and waited outside with a group of other parents. On the first day, as he dropped Gu Xiaoqing off at the entrance, he patted her on the shoulder and said, "My girl, our Gu family has yet to have a college graduate; do your best in the exam"

After three days of the college entrance examination, Gu Xiaoqing can be said to have performed exceptionally well. She walked out of the examination hall and jumped into her father's car, giving him a radiant smile. Her father, Gu, ruffled her hair, said nothing, and with a smile at the corner of his mouth, started the car and drove in the direction of home

Ma Yuanbiao looked at Gu Xiaoqing as she turned to him, and his face suddenly flushed. He moved his lips a few times before finally saying: "Gu, Gu Xiaoqing, I, I like you. I do not want your answer; I just want you to know that I like you, and also, please do not forget me." At first, Ma Yuanbiao spoke hesitantly, but as he continued, he became more fluent, and his face no longer flushed, revealing a look of determination.

Gu Xiaoqing paused for a moment without saying anything further and turned to leave the classroom.

Gu Xiaoqing walked over, bending down to pick up her backpack while asking him, "Aren't you leaving yet?"

After the New Year, even before the fifteenth day, this group of high school seniors had to obediently return to school for classes, regardless of their reluctance. Gu Xiaoqing was even more diligent than before; studying had become a habit for her. If she were not allowed to study now, she would not know what to do with herself. During the remaining semester, her days were extremely mundane. As the numbers on the blackboard at the school gate indicating the days left until the college entrance examination grew smaller each day, her heart felt increasingly at ease.

At around 10 o'clock, she suddenly stood up, casually ran her fingers through her hair, and went to the entrance of the hall. While changing her shoes, she called out to her father, "I will step out for a moment." Then she closed the door and left the house.

In Ma Yuanbiao's eyes, Gu Xiaoqing is a somewhat cool girl. He has never seen her take the initiative to speak to anyone in this class. Regarding this new deskmate, he assumed that Gu Xiaoqing would look down on him like the other classmates, and they would remain strangers throughout the year. After graduation, everyone would go their separate ways and never meet again. However, today Gu Xiaoqing took the initiative to lend him her notes, which left him somewhat flabbergasted. They would remain strangers throughout the year. After graduation, everyone would go their separate ways and never meet again. However, today Gu Xiaoqing took the initiative to lend him her notes, which left him somewhat flabbergasted.

Gu Xiaoqing could not muster the grandiloquent language of Su Mu, so she walked over and patted Ma Yuanbiao on the shoulder, saying: "Thank you, I understand now, and I will remember you"

At first, Ma Yuanbiao would blush a little, but after several instances, it became quite natural.

As the car turned onto Shaoshan Road, it passed by a newly built residential complex with an impressive entrance. Next to the complex, a towering billboard stood at the sales office. The words "Developer: Yulong Group" flashed into Gu Xiaoqing's sight.

Gu Xiaoqing was biting half a loaf of bread while listening to him speak. After he finished speaking, she stared at him with wide eyes, still holding the bread in her mouth, her expression somewhat comical. She struggled to swallow the bread and fell into an awkward silence for a moment

Gu Xiaoqing walked across the playground, slowly making her way to the teaching building. In the afterglow of the setting sun, she surveyed the entire campus. Although this was not her alma mater, she took an important step in her life here. She hoped that this scene would forever remain in her memory for the rest of her life

Finally, one day, Gu Xiaoqing could no longer hold back. During a break between classes, she handed her notes to him and said, "If you don't mind, I would like to lend you my notes to take a look."

Gu Xiaoqing usually buys an extra portion of buns or bread every now and then, eating while handing it to Ma Yuanbiao, saying: "Here, I bought too much, help me out." Her expression is casual.

"Does Yulong Group still engage in real estate?" This question unconsciously slipped from Gu Xiaoqing's lips

As she walked back to the classroom, she thought everyone had left. To her surprise, when she entered, she saw Ma Yuanbiao still standing in the center of the classroom, revealing a look of relief upon seeing her return, as if he had been waiting specifically for her

One week after the college entrance examination, Gu Xiaoqing returned to school to retrieve her application form. To be honest, before this, she had only focused on studying hard to get into university and had never considered the issue of her major. Gu Xiaoqing spread the application form open and stared blankly at it on her writing desk in her room.

After the midterm exams, the weather gradually began to cool down, and the hottest summer in this city in 58 years has finally come to an end

After arriving at the pedestrian street, Gu Xiaoqing casually bought a set of casual clothes at Metersbonwe and accompanied Tang Guo for a whole morning of shopping. At noon, Tang Guo insisted that she wanted to treat Gu Xiaoqing to a meal since she had earned some money, and Gu Xiaoqing smiled and went along with it. After lunch, Tang Guo had to go to work in the afternoon, so Gu Xiaoqing saw her off to the hotel shuttle bus and then took a bus back home.

Although this score is quite poor, Gu Xiaoqing is still relatively satisfied. While this score ranks low here, it would be considered average at her previous school, No. 5 Middle School, indicating that she has made some progress. She still has a few months left and will gradually catch up.

Ma Yuanbiao also smiled at her and said: "Xiao Qing, goodbye"

Not long after the final exams, they will begin their winter vacation. In fact, for these senior high school students, there is no real winter break; they only have a 10-day holiday during the New Year. However, even during these ten days, they are assigned a pile of homework by their subject teachers

Gu Xiaoqing occasionally brings an extra breakfast for Ma Yuanbiao. She does not have any ulterior motives; she simply feels a sense of sympathy for him. In the school, there is a cafeteria, and students either bring their meals from home or eat in the cafeteria during lunch. Gu Xiaoqing has noticed many times that Ma Yuanbiao tends to sneak out during lunchtime, and when he returns, he does not appear to have eaten. She did not expect that Ma Yuanbiao's family would be in such difficult circumstances.

On this day, it was Gu Xiaoqing and her group's turn to take duty. After her classmates in the group finished cleaning and left, Gu Xiaoqing went to the restroom to fetch a bucket of water. She meticulously and thoroughly wiped her own seat and the teacher's podium. She held a deep sense of gratitude towards this school