When September arrived, the senior students stirred restlessly. Some were seeking jobs, some internships; others were eyeing postgraduate exams or civil servant exams. Everyone was charting their own course. Yan Xixi, however, remained unperturbed, maintaining her daily study time of over fourteen hours.
Only those who have experienced society truly understand that work consumes decades of a person’s life, while the time for learning is so fleeting. Yan Xixi was like a glutton for knowledge. Perhaps because she had never experienced the luxury of focusing solely on her studies without a care in the world, she was utterly ravenous for it.
She hardly ever interacted with her classmates, had no close personal friends, and never participated in any extracurricular activities. This wasn’t because she was several years older than her classmates and felt a generation gap, but because she knew Wan Donglin was watching her every move.
To avoid any trouble, she even stopped going to the library, heading straight home instead.
Her home was equipped with the best computer, and all the reference materials she needed would be purchased and delivered the day after she made a list. Yan Xixi understood this was Wan Donglin’s doing, and she naturally complied. Compared to graduating from college, everything else was trivial.
Everyone said a diploma wasn’t important, but at critical moments, Yan Xixi knew the difference between having one and not was immense. Moreover, this diploma held significant weight, being from one of the nation’s top universities. Factoring in the money Wan Donglin had d to the school, its value was astronomical.
This diploma was worth its weight in gold.
She had to give it her all.
「In the autumn, she met Xu Xiaoya.」
They met at a cafe. When they saw each other, they both stared, wide-eyed, as if they had become strangers and barely recognized one another.
Xu Xiaoya spoke first, "Xixi, is this really you? I almost don’t recognize you! Wow, you’ve completely turned into a student. It’s like you’ve gone back in time!"
Yan Xixi gave a faint smile. Xu Xiaoya’s transformation was even more significant. The heavy makeup of her former days was gone. Her once-exaggeratedly long eyelashes now looked fresh and natural, and her simple attire was surprisingly more appealing. However, a hint of weariness lingered in her eyes.
"Xixi, I’ve changed jobs. I now work in a department store as a jewelry sales associate."
"Well, it’s only three or four thousand yuan. That’s just enough for rent, utilities, and basic living expenses, so I can’t even afford decent cosmetics..."
She laughed. "But it’s peaceful. I don’t have to worry about being discovered by Zhong Minghui like I did when I worked at the Harem."
"Isn’t Zhong Minghui working? Why are you working so hard?"
Xu Xiaoya grinned, "My Minghui is really great. Xixi, you have no idea, having a doctorate really makes a difference. Didn’t he go to work for a big state-owned enterprise? That’s a well-known monopoly industry, and the salary is very good. Even before he started, a leader there really valued him. He got promoted within six months and was even assigned a company car. He said he’s up for another promotion after the New Year..."
"That’s great. Xiaoya, aren’t you two getting married yet?"
At the mention of "marriage," Xu Xiaoya’s expression darkened. She took a sip of her coffee with a troubled look. "Xixi, I’ve been distressed about this. I’ve brought it up with Zhong Minghui several times, but he always evades the topic. We’ve been together for so many years, and now that he has finally made his mark, it’s time to get married, don’t you think? But he always disagrees."