Chapter 31: The End of Sophomore Year. Xu Shaojie summarized his achievements over the past year, and there was nothing to be proud of. Two words: calm.

  The third year of university has arrived, and it's a turning point. For freshmen and sophomores, they often discuss their studies and encourage each other to work hard and make contributions to society in the future. However, after the third year, such discussions completely disappear. The most talked-about topic is women, and if you can't talk about girls or don't have any female friends around you by the third year, you'll be considered useless and emotionally crippled.

  The atmosphere in the dormitory has undergone a significant change, and Xu Shaojie feels it deeply. Ma Jianhua and Du Yuxin were the first to change, starting to pay attention to their appearance, and later Sun Yong and others followed suit. Except for Xu Shaojie, everyone else began to care about their image, and even perfume appeared in the dormitory. At first, Xu Shaojie didn't mind these things much, as there were many successful examples of dating in college. As he grew older, Xu Shaojie realized that college romance is somewhat romantic, not pursuing material conditions, but focusing on each other's abilities and talents, with fewer worldly concerns. It was precisely because of this that college students' love seemed pure. Xu Shaojie thought that if some realistic factors could be added to this purity, it wouldn't be a bad thing. However, the discussions among his dormitory brothers caught Xu Shaojie's attention.

  Ma Jianhua, Du Yuxin and Sun Yong believe that when it comes to having a girlfriend, one must have high standards. The other person must be beautiful, knowledgeable, reasonable, of high caliber, romantic, and although one may not consider the future for now, when two people are together, they must have feelings for each other and appreciate each other mutually. Such views occupy most of the thinking in the dormitory. It is difficult for university students to keep secrets about their love lives. If someone does not have a girlfriend, he is considered incompetent, so everyone does not want to keep it a secret.

  Xu Shaojie disagrees with this view. In school, most students who study hard are pure and flawless, and few have experienced the hardships of society. After returning to their hometowns, they are also considered to be of high status and admired by those around them. It is precisely because of such an environment that many college students feel inferior, especially those from prestigious universities. Through his own experiences, Xu Shaojie understands that when college students fall in love, they invest their whole heart and soul. Once they suffer a setback, many people cannot bear it.

  Xu Shaojie had always refrained from commenting on everyone's views, listening to their enthusiastic discussions every day. He finally couldn't bear it anymore and engaged in a debate with the crowd. This debate had a significant impact on Ma Jianhua and others.

  "Xu Ban Zhang, why don't you ever speak up? Have you been through too much and no longer believe in emotions? We don't think that way. There's beauty everywhere, but I think you're like someone who was once bitten by a snake and is afraid of the rope for ten years."

  "Brown-noser is right, I also think Xu class monitor is too pessimistic."

  "Du Shi Niang, I'm thinking, can't you have some independent views for once? Always following Ma Pi Jing's words. I think Xu Ban Zhang is accumulating strength and waiting for his next outburst. However, Xu Ban Zhang, be careful, as the saying goes, 'don't mess with a friend's wife.' We're all trying hard to find our way, don't end up running after you."

  "Stop bragging, you're the only one who can do it. I see you flirting with pretty girls every day, but nothing ever comes of it. What's the point of just talking big? When can you actually get a girl to follow you around, that's what I call real skill."

  Xu Shaojie smiled as he looked at the crowd, it was their third year and everyone had a nickname except for him. Probably because no one could think of a suitable nickname for him. There were many discussions about love in the dormitory, Xu Shaojie didn't speak up because he was worried that some people might not be able to take it, when they were enjoying the beauty, even if it was just an illusory self-comfort, suddenly being splashed with cold water wasn't a pleasant feeling.

  "Xu Ban Zhang, I see you've been quiet all along, do you have any opinions about us? So much time has passed and we're all struggling for love. You're an experienced person, can't you give us some guidance? Also, to avoid us suffering a heavy blow, let our love flower be exceptionally brilliant."

  "Do you really want to hear me out?"

  Xu Shaojie's face showed a rare seriousness, he looked at the brothers in the dormitory, so far, no one has truly experienced the taste of love, however, Xu Shaojie himself also hasn't fully experienced it. Everyone looking at Xu Shaojie's serious expression couldn't help but become solemn as well.

  "Bitter medicine is good for you, faithful words are hard to hear."

  "Alright, I'll be straightforward. Although I don't have any concrete feelings about it, my views are more practical and you brothers all know this. The purpose of dating is what? It's definitely to get married. We all say that we want to establish a family and career, no one wants to spend their whole life just dating without getting married. So, I think the purpose of us brothers dating is to get married."

  "Xu Ban Zhang, this is nonsense, dating without getting married, what's wrong with you?"

  Xu Shaojie glared at Sun Yong, and Sun Yong shrank his head, no longer speaking.

  "It's precisely for this purpose, so what I think of is not romance, not sweetness, but the practical life from now on. Of course, dating is sweet, but this sweetness won't last long. After marriage, countless practical problems will arise. If you brothers have thought it through and are prepared to deal with future life, then go ahead and date, or even discuss getting married after graduation."

  "Xu Ban Zhang, you're too realistic and vulgar. I admit what you said makes sense, but difficulties can be overcome. The power of love is great and can conquer everything. We're learning Chinese, haven't we seen enough literary depictions of this? Don't know how many songs praise love."

  "Brown-noser, what you said is all descriptions from literature books. Have you seen any real-life examples? What's the feeling of going through life? Do you know? Can you still conclude that love can conquer everything just based on book descriptions?"

  "Xu Ban Zhang, we know you're being realistic and looking ahead, but you also need to provide concrete examples to convince us. These principles of yours are just something you read in books."

  "Du Shi Niang, I'm not married, where would I get practical experience from? You're not trying to make things difficult for me, are you? I also gained these experiences from reading books, just like all of you. However, I do have some very real questions and I'd like to hear how you'll answer them."

  "Alright, Xu Ban Zhang, you bring it up and we'll listen. Let's see how your pragmatic views can withstand our unparalleled strength. We must defend love and not let you profane it."

  "Alright, I'll ask you a very practical question first. Ma Pi Jing, your family is in Beijing. If you have a girlfriend from a county town, would you not return to Beijing after graduation and follow her to the small county town instead? Du Shi Niang, it's the same for you. Your family is in Shanghai. Are you not planning to go back to Shanghai? Po Xiang Luo, your family is in a small county town in Shaanxi province. If your girlfriend is from Xi Lin city, would she follow you to the small county town? If none of these conditions apply, do you have the ability to get your girlfriend transferred to work in Beijing or Shanghai, or would you stay in Xi Lin city yourself? Taking a step back, do you believe that the power of love is great and has no regional restrictions? When two people are together for a long time, it's not just about being together every day. You can tolerate it, and maybe it's even more romantic that way. So, what would happen in the future when you have kids? Would they follow you or their mother? I reckon you haven't experienced the sweetness of love yet, but you still have to consider practical life."

  "Xu Ban Zhang, I admit what you said makes sense. However, when we're discussing friendships, can't we consider these factors? If someone wants to find a sycophant, they can look for one in Beijing; if someone wants to find Du Shi Niang, they can look for her in Shanghai; and if I want to find someone, I can look for them in Shaanxi. Wouldn't that solve the problem?"

  "Of course, I'm not denying the existence of this fact, nor do I look favorably on such a situation. Nowadays, girls have increasingly high demands. Brothers, times have changed. When we graduated, we had nothing but the diploma issued by our school. What else did we have? My feelings are even more profound than yours. In recent years, while in school, we smoked good cigarettes and ate well. After going out to work, do you want to live a good life? Do your wives want to live a good life? If we don't have a certain material foundation, and always live frugally, will love still exist after a long time? Moreover, even if you're a smooth talker, Beijing girls may not necessarily look up to you. Du Shi Niang, Shanghai girls may not necessarily like you either. As for those from small towns, the problem is not that big, their demands are naturally lower."

  "Xu, I'm telling you this, Du Shiniang and I have decided not to think about getting married for the rest of our lives. We can just date and that's it. If we keep living such ordinary lives, we'll never find a girlfriend."

  "No, a group of wooden people, don't know how to read and learn, went out to work, after a short time, everything stabilized, at that time, we can consider all aspects according to our actual situation, of course, just consider, then make a decision, see what kind of friends are suitable."

  "Xu Ban Zhang, you're not being considerate. We've finally mustered up the courage and passion to pursue love, and then you come along and hit us with a ton of bricks, leaving me dazed and confused. How sad! Tomorrow I'll go rob a bank, once I have money, nothing will scare me."

  "Don't forget to loudly sing in front of the bank entrance that you're robbing the bank for love, not on purpose."

  Everyone lost interest in joking, Xu Shaojie's words left them speechless. In school, it's not uncommon to see people dating, but those who can get married are few and far between. It seems what Xu Shaojie said is true - beautiful love blossoms often wither in the face of harsh reality.

  "Gentlemen, would you like to hear me out?"

  "Go ahead, go ahead, your mouth is on your own face, say whatever you want."

  "Hehe, don't be pessimistic, there's another way, you can get what you want. Mainly targeting Ma Pi Jing and Du Shi Niang, you guys should be bolder and pull down your pants a bit. In college, it's best to turn raw rice into cooked rice, even if it's half-cooked, it doesn't matter. If you reach this point, it would be hard for you not to succeed."

  "Xu Ban Zhang, you're putting us in harm's way. If something like this happens, do you want us to get expelled from school?"

  "Otherwise, how can I say you guys are stupid? Such things can only be done secretly, and it's unlikely that you will report your thoughts to the class teacher. You won't not wear a condom, right? If something happens, I didn't say that."

  Ma Jianhua and Du Yuxin glared at Xu Shaojie with anger, while Sun Yong burst out laughing on the side, and the rest of the people in the dormitory were also laughing so hard that they were crying.

  "Flatterers, Du Shiniang, you are really stupid, this is Xu Banlang teasing you, Mr. Ma Sanli has a cross talk, teasing you to play, I think you are more stupid than the children in the cross talk, haha..."

  Xu Shaojie's words still had a certain effect, and although everyone was still talking about relationships between men and women, discussing which freshman girl was pretty or which sophomore girl looked comfortable, their tone was much more subdued, without that arrogant attitude of "I'm above all this". Many times, they were just making small talk. Xu Shaojie was delighted to discover that the smell of perfume in the dorm had disappeared, although it wasn't as clean and tidy as before.

  The change in the senior year is obvious, Liu Hong and Zheng Yuxin often take a stroll on campus, during meals, they are always together, no one gossips about it anymore, after all, they are all young people over 20 years old, this kind of thing is not unusual. Of course, Liu Hong and Zheng Yuxin's identities are also different, no one will bother them, as for others, they still secretly date, after all, the school does not allow dating, it's a rule.

  Xu Shaojie regained his calm, after the singing competition, the school also organized a ballroom dance competition, Xu Shaojie did not participate again, and Class Director Xu Zhuxin did not require Xu Shaojie to participate. Liu Hong and Zheng Yuxin paired up and won first prize, becoming the subject of everyone's discussion for a while, but these things all passed quickly.

  Zhang Shao Cai's matter, caused Xu Shao Jie's high attention, Zhang Shao Cai finally went to Huai Yang City, after Ding Yuan took office, after the Spring Festival, Zhang Shao Cai went to Huai Yang City for inspection, it is said that Ding Yuan appreciated Zhang Shao Cai, not long after, Zhang Shao Cai brought Yan Yu Huan to Huai Yang City, the business in Xi Lin City was handed over to Xu Yi Jie to manage, the business must have been worse, the provincial government's project, was slowly being taken over, Xu Yi Jie lacked such communication skills, Zhang Shao Cai didn't care, relying on his connections in the provincial city, he often came back to pull some small projects.

  Xu Shaojie was really concerned about the fact that Zhang Shaocai had finally divorced and was officially with Yan Yuhuan. The two obtained a marriage certificate, but did not hold a wedding banquet. After obtaining the marriage certificate, Xu Shaojie, Xu Yijie, and Liu Xiaomei went out to eat with them. Zhang Shaocai didn't mention anything about his old home or how he handled it, and Xu Shaojie didn't ask either. To this day, Xu Shaojie still hasn't met Zhang Shaocai's ex-wife and daughter.

  Xu Shaojie saw Zhang Shaocai much less often, and when Zhang Shaocai returned to the provincial city, he was busy dealing with things and Xu Shaojie found it hard to see him. Yan Yuhuan's mental state had undergone a huge change, Xu Shaojie knew that Sister Yan had achieved her goal and would have something to rely on in the future, so she must be happy.

  Xu Yijie and Liu Xiaomei have already lived together, obtained a marriage certificate, and the two are now legally husband and wife.