Time flew by, and it was already May.
"Qiu Xi, I'm back to latch onto your coattails!" Luo An, clutching his thick notebook, found Qiu Xi again.
Since senior sister Mo Yaya had gone out for an internship, Luo An had become the one seeking Qiu Xi's guidance, replacing Mo Yaya.
There was no helping it; his senior brother's thesis review had ended last month, and he was currently frantically preparing for his graduation defense, leaving him no time to deal with Luo An.
Teacher Qi also seemed exceptionally busy lately; at least, Luo An hadn't seen him much.
Therefore, temporarily left to his own devices, he could only go find someone else to latch onto.
"Luo An, wait for me for just a moment, I'll get these organized."
Luo An sat beside her, nodding repeatedly, "Okay, you focus on your work, I'm fine."
"Mm."
As she spoke, Qiu Xi resumed clicking her mouse.
Luo An sat by, watching with envy in his eyes.
When would he also be this capable?
Qiu Xi now spent her days attending classes, with Old Qi rarely calling on anyone.
Only he, at every group meeting, was reprimanded.
Although, in fairness, he deserved the criticism, he also wished for days when he would be praised...
"Alright, what did you want to ask? Tell me."
Qiu Xi glanced at the PPT, which was now nearly perfect, and smiled with satisfaction.
"Great!"
"I don't have many questions today, just these two." Luo An pointed to the two points he had noted down.
After all, he was a student chosen by Teacher Qi after much deliberation, so even though he always said he was bad, he was actually quite talented.
"Okay, let me see."
"Mm, thank you for your trouble."
...
"Alright, any more questions?"
"No, thank you!"
"It's nothing."
"You two are still here?"
Wei Ziqin, looking up suddenly, saw them and seemed surprised. Wearing headphones, he had thought he was the only one left in the office.
"Senior Brother, we've been here all along," Luo An explained with a smile.
"Senior Brother, how are your defense preparations coming along?" Qiu Xi asked, concerned, looking at him as if he hadn't slept for days.
"It's going alright. I just finished the PPT and plan to find some time to revise it again."
With his defense in mid-May, he still had some time.
"Senior Brother, you can do it!"
"...Alright."
Graduating late was a terrifying prospect; he absolutely didn't want that!
So, for the past two days, even if he didn't sleep, he had to get these things done.
"Senior Brother, I won't disturb you any longer, I'll be going now."
"Okay."
"Then, Senior Brother, goodbye."
With that, the two of them left the office one after the other.
"Xiao Xi, it looks like I need to work harder too!" Luo An was startled by his senior brother's appearance.
He thought that if he didn't try harder, the "quota" for graduating late might fall to him in the future.
Qiu Xi, not quite understanding, glanced at Luo An and nodded silently, "...Alright, you can do it."
"Mm!"
"Then I'll head back now, goodbye."
"Goodbye."
...
Evening -
"A Hua, if you have something to say, just say it!"
Qiu Xi sat cross-legged on the sofa, facing Nan Hua, and they had been glaring at each other for quite some time.
This person had said he had something to tell her earlier, but he hadn't opened his mouth.
Qiu Xi had waited for a long time and was getting anxious.
"A Hua, did you do something that you feel guilty about towards me, so you're afraid to speak?" Qiu Xi leaned forward, her bright eyes staring at Nan Hua at close range.
Being spoken to like that by Qiu Xi, the slightly tense atmosphere immediately dissipated.
Nan Hua looked at Qiu Xi and even chuckled relaxedly, "What are you talking about!"
The next second, he reached out, pulled her into his arms, and said, "What you're thinking will never happen."
"Then why are you still hesitating? I've been waiting here for a long time."
"My fault." Nan Hua apologized sincerely.
"Mm, I accept it."
"Tell me, what is it that's making you hesitate to speak?"
"Xiao Xi... if I have to go abroad in the second half of the year, would you be unhappy?" Nan Hua rested his head on the girl's shoulder and spoke softly.
"Go abroad? What for?" Qiu Xi didn't quite understand at first.
"Wait!"
"A Hua, you're not saying you're going abroad to study, are you?" Qiu Xi exclaimed in surprise.
"As expected of my Xi Xi, your mind works so fast."
Qiu Xi turned around to face Nan Hua, "What's the situation? Tell me about it."
"Okay, sit properly, I'll tell you slowly."
"Alright, you tell me."
"The thing is, the teachers in the department have been talking about graduate exchange programs. They approached me before and asked if I wanted to go study."
"Lately, my experiment has finished again, and this timing is about right..."
Nan Hua explained his current situation to Qiu Xi as simply as possible.
"So that's how it is..." Qiu Xi murmured, "No wonder you were so strange before!"
She recalled Nan Hua's odd behavior from the past two months; it turned out the teacher had told him about it back then.
Nan Hua also nodded seriously, "Mm, I've been considering it."
"Have you decided now?" Qiu Xi asked.
Nan Hua nodded and then shook his head, causing Qiu Xi to fall silent for a moment.
Recalling what he had just asked, Qiu Xi wasn't foolish and immediately understood his meaning.
They remained quiet for a long time.
"Alright, look at you!"
"If you want to go, then go!"
"I'm not that selfish. You just need to make your own decision."
Qiu Xi spoke first.
Besides love, they also had their own lives.
Before them, there was always more than just what they could see now; there was a more distant future they needed to pursue.
Her only concern was... how she would proceed.
"Xi Xi..."
Although Nan Hua had already expected this outcome, he was still overjoyed.
"Enough!"
"A Hua, you're being a bit sentimental today~"
Once she had made up her mind, everything else seemed insignificant.
"Sentimental?" Nan Hua suddenly leaned in.
Qiu Xi giggled, "Sentimental!"
"Since Xi Xi says so, then I'll be sentimental just this once."
"Xi Xi~"
"You're annoying!"
"Xi Xi..."