We ordinary people also need to fall in love.

Xie Shu left, just a few days after the college entrance examination. Xu Ting even took leave to personally send her to England, without even giving them time to say goodbye.

That summer passed quickly, so quickly that Li Mubai didn't even have time to think about it before autumn arrived...

The afternoon sun shone gently on the lawn of the London School of Economics campus, and the plane trees along the road rustled as the wind blew, revealing their silvery-white undersides.

The sound is somewhat similar to the camphor tree-lined road near No. 6 Middle School, but not exactly the same.

"Xie Shu, you have a very quick mind. Do you have any plans to pursue a master's degree? I can reserve a place for you here."

Xie Shu turned his gaze away from the direction of the sycamore tree and looked at the professor with gray hair in front of him:

Thank you very much for this offer, Professor. I'm truly honored. I haven't fully made up my mind about postgraduate options yet. Could I have some time to think it over and get back to you later?

"Very well, you are always welcome to come by. Incidentally, are you free this afternoon? Please come over to my house for afternoon tea. My son has just come home as well."

"I'm sorry, Professor, I already have plans for this afternoon. Besides, I also have..."

Xie Shu's voice suddenly stopped, and his gaze fixed on a sycamore tree.

"What's the matter, Xie Shu?" The professor followed her gaze with a puzzled look and saw a figure standing under the sycamore tree.

"I already have a boyfriend," Xie Shu continued.

"Oh, I see, no worries at all. Perhaps another time then." The professor smiled and didn't press further.

"Then I'd better get going, Professor."

"Of course, you go off."

She waved goodbye to the professor, her steps quickening from walking to jogging, the shadows of the sycamore trees sliding across her, dappled sunlight falling on her shoulders.

She practically crashed into the man's arms, causing him to stumble slightly.

"Is it really you, Li Mu Bai?"

"it's me."

She looked up, her eyes already brimming with tears.

"Don't cry, you'll look ugly if you keep crying." Li Mubai took out a tissue and gently wiped away her tears.

"But... I really miss you." Her voice trembled slightly. "It's so boring here, I have no friends, and every day when I go back I want to call you, but we're eight hours apart, and I'm afraid you'll already be asleep by then."

As Xie Shu spoke, she hugged him even tighter.

Li Mubai looked down at her. It had been a year since he last saw her, and she seemed to have grown taller. However, her face shape was similar to that of the girl from a year ago, except that she was no longer wearing the black and white school uniform of No. 6 Middle School.

"No, didn't I say I'd answer whenever you want to call?" Li Mubai smiled, placed his hand on her head, and gently stroked her hair.

She still didn't believe it, so she raised her hand and pinched his cheek, then pinched his earlobe.

"Why did you come here?" she asked, wiping away her tears.

The boy in front of me, compared to before, still retains a trace of his former naiveté.

"Our school has a one-year exchange program with the London School of Economics and Political Science, so I came here."

When he was a freshman, the school announced the exchange student program. A bold idea emerged in his mind. He studied hard, won the national scholarship, and also won an exchange student spot.

Even though it's only for a year, it's enough...

Xie Shu lowered her gaze slightly. They had rarely met this year. During winter and summer vacations, the professor would ask her to stay and work on the research project together. She only had the opportunity to go back during the New Year.

"Where do you usually eat?" He changed the subject. "I came here right after I got off the plane."

"Let's go to my rented place first!" Xie Shu looked up. "And where are you living now?"

"I live in the international student dormitory provided by the school."

"Come to my house!" Xie Shu let go, took his wrist, and led him towards the school gate.

Xie Shu rented an apartment in the UK. It was not far away, only a ten-minute walk away, and the surrounding environment was quiet, without the hustle and bustle of the city.

She took out her keys to open the door, but the door opposite opened first, and an elderly couple came out. The old lady smiled and nodded at her.

Good afternoon, Xie Shu. Lovely day, isn't it?

"Good afternoon, Mrs Smith."

"Xie Shu, is this your partner?" The old man looked at Li Mubai standing next to Xie Shu.

Xie Shu glanced at Li Mubai, but before he could speak, he heard Li Mubai reply:

"Yes, I'm her boyfriend. Please do look after us from now on."

The elderly couple exchanged a glance, smiled and said "Welcome," then left hand in hand.

Xie Shu turned her head to look at him, as if she couldn't quite believe that he had said those words.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

"Your spoken English is very natural now."

Li Mubai simply smiled and did not explain that he went to the Bell Pavilion by Weiming Lake every morning at six o'clock to practice his spoken English.

Xie Shu held his hand without saying anything.

Click.

The door was opened.

The room is neither too big nor too small, simple and clean, with a European style. It seems to be a two-bedroom, one-living room, one-kitchen and one-bathroom apartment.

Xie Shu pulled him to sit on the sofa, bent his knees, and turned to look at him from the side.

"Li Mubai, how are you doing at Peking University?" she asked.

"It's great, I feel very fulfilled every day."

"How much time do you spend thinking about me every day?"

Li Mubai was taken aback; it seemed he hadn't seriously considered this question before.

Xie Shu chuckled softly.

"Just kidding. As long as you still have me in your heart, that's enough."

She reached out and took off his glasses, placing them on her nose. Her vision immediately blurred; she had undergone refractive surgery last year and no longer needed glasses.

However, she remembered that his prescription wasn't this high back then...

"Can you see clearly without your glasses?" Xie Shu put down his glasses.

"Sure." Li Mubai nodded. He could see clearly without his glasses, but he needed to be very close.

"How about you stay with me for the year?" she asked, taking his hand.

Li Mubai hesitated for a moment, then finally nodded.

She smiled and didn't say anything more, just rested her face on his shoulder.

There are two rooms here. The other room was originally prepared for Xu Ting and Xie Zhiqiang, who occasionally come back to visit, but now... when they come, let's go to a hotel.

London's night is just like Beijing's morning.

Li Mubai lay on his bed in a foreign land, staring blankly at the pale white ceiling. He hadn't adjusted to the time difference yet and wasn't sleepy at all.

He could study in England for a year, but Xie Shu still had seven years to go. It would be hard to meet again and even harder to part! Compared to seven years, one year was just a fleeting encounter before they had to separate again.

crunch--

A short, sharp sound of a door being pushed open was particularly clear in the quiet night; the bedroom door was gently pushed open and then quickly closed again.

Then a pair of hands quietly wrapped around his back, and Li Mubai's body stiffened.

"Thank you for your help?" he said.

"Aren't you asleep?"

"not yet."

He sat up and turned on the bedside lamp.

Xie Shu, dressed in pajamas with her hair down, was watching him like a wary cat.

"Why don't you go to your own room?"

"Xie Shu, why don't you sleep in your room?"

I'm afraid that when I wake up the next day, you'll be gone again.

"but……"

Li Mubai was still somewhat hesitant, and his words were interrupted before he could finish speaking.

"I'm already eighteen, and I'll be nineteen next month."

After the words were spoken, the bedroom fell silent; they could hear each other's heartbeats.

"Go to sleep."

"Um."

Li Mubai turned off the bedside lamp, lay down again, and the bedroom returned to darkness.

In the darkness, she leaned against his shoulder and hugged him tightly.

"You're hugging me too tightly, I can't breathe."

"Oh." She relaxed slightly, looking at his profile, her heart pounding, not only for her, but also for his.

"Li Mubai," she called softly.

"What's wrong?"

"Close your eyes," she said.

Li Mubai turned his head away.

"Let's talk about it later."

She paused for a moment, then said dejectedly, "You're always like this."

"Because I cannot guarantee our future."

"..."

She didn't argue, but simply leaned against him quietly, her breathing gradually becoming lighter.

After a while, Li Mubai gently pulled out his numb arm, sat up, carefully got out of bed, and lay down on the sofa in the living room.

College entrance exam...admission...Peking University...studying abroad...

This year has passed too quickly, and it feels like a dream replaying in his mind...

I don't know how much time passed, but birds started chirping outside the window.

He felt a heavy weight in his arms. Looking down, he saw a figure nestled between his arms and chest, breathing steadily, with long eyelashes trembling slightly.

A jasmine plant is still alive on the windowsill, emitting a faint fragrance...