Ruan Jiang happened to be looking at her and wrapped his arms around her, resting his chin on her head.

  "Regret?" he asked.

  His hands deftly unbuttoned her buttons, while his other large palm pinched her slender waist.

  Actually, Ruan Jianglin couldn't quite understand this sense of regret, because their ideals and views were not very similar.

  Jiang Yan also couldn't quite understand Ruan Jianglin's string of numbers, nor could she understand just how important a single bid could be.

  What's important is the interest behind those numbers.

  Outside was a night view, he and she treated each other sincerely.

  Jiang Yan felt that she had been thoroughly corrupted by Ruan Jianglin in recent days. He taught her all those things, and they were all tested on himself.

  Ruan Jianglin said she is quite clever and can learn some things quickly.

  She also unreservedly accepted his praise, straddling his thigh: "It's a bit higher than you."

  *

  Gu Jiaming and his family returned a week ago, and Jiang Yan had already gone back to school.

  It was Ruan Jianglin's driver who sent her over, and she took a look, but it wasn't the same driver as last time.

  It seems she was right last time, and it really has been replaced.

  This time he was tight-lipped and didn't say much to her.

  Tang Man sent her many messages, all asking when she was going back.

  She had never given a definite answer before, always saying "soon soon", so much so that Tang Man asked three times a day.

  It's probably because her major doesn't have many extra holidays, so she can only spend her days on campus, and the only two friends around her are Jiang Yan and Gu Jiaming, but they both left suddenly.

  Can't help but feel bored.

  Then she waited and waited, and Jiang Yan really came back.

  However, she recognized the driver who sent Jiangyan back at a glance, because she had seen him not long ago, and it was Ruan Jiangjin who found him.

  She had a look of disappointment on her face and shook her head silently: "Sigh, indeed, they are all people who value lust over friendship."

  Tang Man helped Jiang Yan carry her luggage upstairs. Actually, she was looking forward to Jiang Yan's return for another reason, which was that she was going to leave.

  The university student enlisted; she signed up.

  The number of places for girls was less than that for boys, so she still won out with her high score in the college entrance examination.

  Jiang Yan was somewhat surprised when she found out, although Tang Man always seemed to be a person who would change her mind easily, but this time she had made up her mind.

  Jiang Yan went upstairs and saw that she had already packed her own luggage.

  Normally a small room was filled with their things, now suddenly looking at it, it feels somewhat empty.

  "Have you thought it through? Are you really going?" she asked.

  Tang Man tousled her own big wavy curls, her bright eyes sparkling: "The list is out, can't be a deserter after all."

  She didn't join the army on a whim. She had thought about it for a long time, probably because she had something to rely on. When she saw her name on the list, she was very happy.

  She pulled Jiang Yan's hand: "Come with me to get a haircut."

  Jiang Yan didn't understand why Tang Man would want to join the army. She had always been particularly fond of her beautiful hair, and in her first year of university, she had impulsively gotten a perm with big waves, which had pained her for a long time.

  Now with her hair cut short, she is neat and tidy to the point of being somewhat abrupt.

  Jiang Yan asked if her family knew about it, because Jiang Yan had not heard a single word from Ruan Jiang's mouth before.

  "I want to go see him directly." Tang Man smiled, with a hint of expectation in her eyes that she couldn't hide.

  "Are you my uncle?"

  "Uh-huh."

  She and Ruan Jiangjin were always separated, he occasionally came back once, but couldn't stay for long, he had a passionate soldier's dream, since he couldn't come back, then she went to find him.

  Although she did it behind his back, Tang Man thought that Ruan Jiangjin should be happy about it.

  After all, he had mentioned it before, asking her if she wanted to be a soldier in the future.

  She said forget it at that time, it's too hard, she can't bear it.

  He never mentioned this topic again.

  That night, Jiang Yan and Tang Man walked along the riverbank, the cold wind of winter biting painfully on their skin.

  Her eyes stung from the smoke of ginger, she had never quite understood what it meant to be apart.

  At least in her view, leaving Yang Si Fang was a pretty good choice.

  "Does Gu Jiaming know?" Jiang Yan asked in a low voice.

  Tang Man placed her hands on the railing and gazed out at the river: "He didn't come back, did he."

  "Afterwards, without you two arguing, I'm afraid I won't be used to it." Jiang Yan smiled and shook her head.

  "Jiang Yan, you'll get used to it eventually."

  At the crossroads of life, some people meet and others part ways. Everyone carries their own luggage on their backs, rushing to the next intersection, in order to reunite again, for the sake of those who want to see each other.

  Besides, university students enlist in the army and it's not like they won't come back, you'll still meet again.

  The wind blew up her newly cut short hair, and Tang Man subconsciously reached out to brush it back, still a bit unaccustomed.

  "That's great, you and I can both see the people we want to see."

  It's rare for them to be so sentimental.

  Jiang Yan stood beside Tang Man, looking at her neat short hair, and seemed to be able to imagine her wearing that military uniform when she retired from the army.

  "Great, now you also have a chance to go to the border of our motherland. Probably I won't be so lucky in this lifetime."

  Tang Man leaned in close and bumped her gently: "Aww, wait till I get there, I'll definitely send you photos."

  The next morning, at dawn, Tang Man left.

  They were all sent away by the school bus. According to Tang Man's previous words, they took a train and had to transfer several times along the way.

  She stood still until the bus was completely out of sight before leaving.

  Wishing the deceased peace and safety from afar as I journey on.

  Jiang Yan could also guess why Tang Man would go.

  I hope she can travel across mountains and seas, rush to a distant place, and the person she wants to see will also want to see her.

  She didn't notice until she got home that there was a post-it note on the fridge, probably put up by Tang Man this morning when she wasn't paying attention.

  "Baby, don't be too sad, we'll meet again. Also, drink less iced drinks. Now that I'm not here to split the rent with you, remember to save a bit or just ask my little uncle for help, he's got plenty of money, just think of him as a rich fool who throws his money around, don't worry too much about it. Anyway, I hope you're doing better, then I'll be doing better too."

  For more than a year, Tang Man had never heard her mention her own family members. Her tuition fees, rent, water and electricity bills were all earned by herself.

  I remember when I was a freshman, Jiang Yan brought a child from her tutoring class, and she was busy with her own part-time job, almost sleeping only once a day.

  She is not a person who often speaks out for help, probably because she has a strong sense of self-respect.

  It wasn't until she was able to apply for a scholarship with her excellent grades that her financial situation slowly improved.

  Jiang Yan held the Post-it note and looked at it repeatedly many times before putting it in the storage box.

  There were many ice packs in the refrigerator, she took them all out and put them at room temperature.

  @, ~, Wei Xi Wendy, X, rrr, Branch wants to lose weight, Luo Ying, Dawn, MAYBE, Put the moon in your heart, Nan Chi, Tail number 244, One way star river, Familiar honey, Love words yyds, Light smile heart soft, Can't get into the top fifty had to change name, Witch Capri, Lycoris radiata these babies' recommendation votes, and also summer sunshine baby's monthly vote, thank you very much.

  This is a supplement to last night's update, and today's two updates will be released later.

  There may also be some typos, after the reminders from all of you, I have already revised them. I usually might not notice, hope you can help me point out and I will revise later, just don't let it affect your feelings too much.

  (End of chapter)