Searching for someone in northern Myanmar, and you call that earning tuition fees?

The night gently enveloped the outline of the orphanage, and Su Ming ultimately did not spend the night there.

Dean Zhao escorted him to the door without saying a word, but simply straightened his collar, just like the day he was taken to elementary school when he was a child.

The drive back to Jiangnan University was very quiet.

Li Changfeng glanced at Su Ming in the back seat through the rearview mirror. The kid was leaning against the window, the neon lights of the city outside streaming across his face, flickering and obscuring his expression.

The car slowly came to a stop at the south gate of Jiangnan University.

People came and went at the entrance, their young faces and boisterous laughter mingling with the aroma of cumin from the barbecue stalls.

"We've arrived," Li Changfeng said.

Su Ming grunted in agreement and got out of the car. He didn't leave immediately, but stood there, staring at the school sign with the four large, gold-plated characters "Jiangnan University" for a full ten seconds.

Inside the car, Old Zhao looked at Su Ming's somewhat thin figure and asked in a low voice, "Aren't you going to take him to his dormitory?"

Li Changfeng stubbed out his cigarette, restarted the car, and drove into the night: "His battlefield is over, now it's time for him to go back to his life. The two of us are just there to watch over him."

Su Ming let out a breath and stepped into the school gate.

That familiar scent, a blend of grass, books, and youthful hormones, finally eased the tension that had gripped him for nearly a month. He instinctively raised his hand to stretch his shoulder, but a sharp pain made him freeze.

The wound has healed, but the memory that runs deep in my bones remains.

He lowered his hand and continued walking forward as if nothing had happened.

Pushing open the dormitory door, a familiar "masculine scent," a mixture of instant noodle seasoning packets and sweat, wafted towards him, giving him an unreal sense of intimacy.

"Who is it? Don't they know I'm in a do-or-die match in the promotion series?"

A loud, boisterous voice came from behind the computer desk.

Zhang Hao wore headphones, his eyes glued to the screen, and his keyboard clattered loudly.

Su Ming didn't say anything, but silently walked to his bed, took off his faded hoodie, and casually draped it over the back of a chair.

"Damn it! Does the support player even know how to play?! Does he even know how to play?!" Zhang Hao slammed his hand on the table, so angry he almost threw the mouse. He swung his chair around, ready to unleash a torrent of abuse, only to see Su Ming standing there.

"Su...Brother Su?" Zhang Hao rubbed his eyes, making sure he wasn't dreaming. "Holy crap! You're finally back! I thought you'd been snatched up by some rich woman, married into a wealthy family, and stopped contacting us mere mortals!"

Su Ming glanced at him: "You didn't find a rich woman you liked, but you've racked up a huge debt to the hospital."

"Huh?" Zhang Hao didn't understand, but being the oblivious person he always was, he immediately leaned closer and whispered mysteriously, "A lot of big things happened at school while you were gone! Our department's old-fashioned professor was actually discovered secretly playing a dating simulation game!"

"Also, the braised pork at the second canteen has gone up by 50 cents, but the portion is only a third smaller—it's outrageous!"

Su Ming listened to these trivial "major matters" with a blank expression on his face, but felt incredibly at ease inside.

"Come on, let's go eat!" Zhang Hao glanced at the time, then grabbed Su Ming's shoulder without a word and dragged him outside. "This will show you just how outrageous prices are these days, and I'll also give you a good critique of the ugly faces of capitalists!"

……

Security Department, Duty Room.

The newly installed high-definition surveillance display screen displays sixteen neatly divided images.

Li Changfeng's gaze fell on the screen of "Second Canteen, Section A". In the screen, Su Ming was holding a tray and queuing in front of a window.

Old Zhao sat opposite him, leisurely brewing a cup of goji berry tea, clicking his tongue with delight: "Look at those tiny steps, that precise positioning, that scrutinizing look at the menu... so professional. Who would have thought that this kid was stabbing someone in the kidney with a knife overseas just a month ago?"

Li Changfeng took a sip of tea expressionlessly: "Speak properly; that's strategic physical persuasion."

At the cafeteria window, the lady serving food saw Su Ming and her eyes lit up: "Hey, Su Ming! It's been so long! You've lost so much weight!"

Before Su Ming could speak, the auntie slammed her large iron ladle into a pot full of braised pork, scooped out the largest piece with the most even fat and lean meat, and placed it on his rice, while also pouring an extra spoonful of meat sauce over it.

"Eat more, it'll help you recover!"

Su Ming paused for a moment, his fingers tightening unconsciously around the edge of the plate. After a instant, he looked up at the aunt and nodded earnestly, "Thank you, Auntie."

After finding a seat, Zhang Hao stared wide-eyed at the "outstanding" piece of braised pork on Su Ming's plate, his face filled with indignation: "No way! Why?! When I was queuing, the auntie's hands were shaking like she had Parkinson's, and she could still scoop up the pieces of pork with precision with a spoon even when they fell!"

As he was complaining, he suddenly nudged Su Ming with his elbow, lowered his voice, and gestured towards the side behind him with his chin: "Brother Su, look, Lin Xiaoyue! She's still very pretty, isn't she?"

Su Ming glanced in the direction of his gaze and saw the girl who had once been scared out of her wits by his "five hundred yuan debt" theory. She was having dinner with her best friend, her long hair flowing over her shoulders, and she was indeed very eye-catching.

"Hmm." Su Ming looked away, picked up the braised pork, and took a big bite.

Zhang Hao asked expectantly, "How about it? Are you interested?"

Su Ming chewed, savoring the aroma of the meat melting in his mouth, then looked at Zhang Hao with a serious expression and said earnestly, "I think the auntie who served me the food earlier is prettier."

Zhang Hao: "..."

Su Ming ignored him and ate his rice and vegetables methodically.

He ate slowly, wanting to imprint the taste of this most ordinary food into his taste buds. This brought him more peace of mind than any delicacy.

After finishing the last bite of rice, he picked up his plate and stood up.

Zhang Hao was still chattering away beside her, analyzing the shade of Lin Xiaoyue's lipstick she wore today.

Su Ming ignored them. He looked around and saw that the cafeteria was bustling with all sorts of voices—complaining about how difficult the courses were, discussing where to go for the weekend, sharing the latest gossip…

Countless trivial and vivid life trajectories, unrelated to life and death, converge here.

He turned around, picked up his tray, and walked towards the food collection area.

One step, two steps.

He merged into the crowded and noisy throng, and his figure was quickly swallowed up and could no longer be distinguished.