Perhaps this was what they ant by young love being all you need.
Every second counted.
She chided herself as she hurried downstairs.
Before she was even out of the dormitory, she spotted Mo Si standing under a tree in the distance and waved. "Black Hole!"
The man looked up, his cool, detached aura instantly lting away as he raised his hand in a similarly goofy wave.
It was almost 12 o’clock when the two of them left the dormitory area. It was lunchti, and although the school’s cafeteria was likely not very good, they decided to follow local custom and had lunch at Federation University’s natural foods dining hall.
After lunch, the two of them took a walk around Federation University.
Many people were registering today, so Mo Si deliberately chose a more secluded route. They walked through a park and along a lake as the setting sun gradually sank toward the horizon.
Mo Si was familiar with Federation University’s rules; he knew the campus was about to close its gates for the day.
In other words, he had to leave.
A profound reluctance washed over him, even though... this was just a brief farewell.
The light of the setting sun cast dappled shadows from the trees. Mo Si stood behind Jiang Qiuqiu, his arms around her, and couldn’t resist turning to kiss her on the forehead.
He was filled with emotions he couldn’t quite put into words.
"What’s wrong? It’s not like we’ll never see each other again. We can still communicate after you go back—"
"We can’t communicate during military training."
"Then we can communicate after military training is over. I’ll think of you every day."
Those heart-pounding, blush-inducing words ca so easily from Qiuqiu’s lips, as if she had them in wholesale supply.
Mo Si didn’t doubt her affection for him, but he felt... it ca too easily.
’When she’s exhausted to her limit, she won’t be thinking of him every day.’
He held her as if she were a little doll. Jiang Qiuqiu felt the ’pressure’ on her shoulders and said with a laugh, "Hey, what if a cara bot appeared right now, took a picture of us, and I told everyone you’re the Imperial Blade? Do you think anyone would believe it?"
Mo Si said, "Probably not."
"Because I’ve never been like this before."
"I find it strange, too. Before we started dating, I’d never felt this way," Mo Si admitted, a little perplexed. "You’re just attending Federation University."
He knew full well that this was the heart of the Federation.
This was the cradle that produced the Federation’s brightest minds. It was very safe. Jiang Qiuqiu’s military training would be at a military base, which was also very safe. She wouldn’t run into any trouble here, and it was highly unlikely any accidents would happen.
And yet, he still felt anxious.
He had never imagined that he would one day feel so anxious over a farewell that wasn’t final.
He said, "I’ve been changed."
"Qiuqiu, I think you’ve changed ."
"We haven’t even parted yet, and I’m already starting to miss you."
"..."
’And he has the nerve to say I spout heart-fluttering sweet nothings without a second thought. He should take a look at himself; they just roll right off his tongue!’
Hmph!
"But it’s getting late. You have to go back."
"Don’t you have to go to your office at the Military Departnt tomorrow?"
"You always manage to rember work at a ti like this." Mo Si sighed. "That makes unhappy."
’As if work was more important than him.’
’Oho, that line again.’
"Unhappy again? So, do you need a little kiss to feel better this ti, too?"
He hadn’t been thinking about it until she ntioned it.
But since she brought it up—
Mo Si glanced over his shoulder, and after a mont’s thought, he shifted their position while still holding Jiang Qiuqiu and couldn’t stop himself from capturing her lower lip between his teeth.
This wasn’t the gentle kiss from yesterday. He kissed her as if trying to get an advance on all the daily kisses he would miss, his forcefulness like an army conquering a city. Jiang Qiuqiu cursed internally and couldn’t help but push against his shoulder.
But at tis like this, Mo Si simply refused to receive such signals. He pressed down on Jiang Qiuqiu’s shoulder with one hand, restraining her movents and seizing this mont of romance for himself.
A long while later.
A terminal chid softly. It was 5 o’clock; the campus really was about to close.
The two separated, and Mo Si said, "The military training might last for a month. You have to send a ssage the mont it’s over."
"I know, I know!"
"I have to go back now. Rember what you said."
"...Which part? That I’ll think of you every day?"
He grunted in affirmation.
One turning left and the other right—partings were always sad. As Jiang Qiuqiu watched Mo Si walk further and further away, she couldn’t stop herself from calling out, "Boyfriend! Goodbye!"
His senses were sharp, so of course he heard her. He turned to look, but his girlfriend already had her hands in her pockets and was heading toward the dormitories.
He could only say silently in his heart, ’Goodbye, girlfriend.’
Girlfriend...
The word left a bittersweet feeling in his heart.
Mo Si paid a lot of attention to the web these days. After Jiang Qiuqiu announced that she was no longer single, he started keeping a close eye on her social circles and the Star Network. Although only a few people expressed that they couldn’t accept she had a boyfriend, Mo Si still felt a little bad about it.
But on second thought, he realized her willingness to announce it was a sign of her affection.
It was the sa impulse that made him want to log into his own verified account and announce to the world that he was in love and had a girlfriend.
’Forget it. I won’t think about it anymore.’
’Ti to go back.’
’I have to get to the Military Departnt and deal with the backlog of work.’
On the hovercar ride back, Mo Si’s thoughts were in a tangle, so he switched on the autopilot.
He leaned back in the soft seat, his mind replaying the words his grandfather had once said:
Once you have a family, you need even greater resolve to stay steady on the battlefield.
He felt that was absolutely right.
How could he not think of her?
—
anwhile, Jiang Qiuqiu had arrived back at Dormitory Building 10.
It was evening now, and lights were on in many of the once-empty dorm rooms. It seed most of the students had already arrived and checked in.
Dorm Room 501.
The other three residents had all arrived. They sat on their beds, discussing the fourth person in their room.
"Where did she go?"
"I was the second one here. Her luggage arrived a long ti ago, but she never showed up..."
"You don’t think she got lost while exploring the campus for the first ti, do you? It’s getting late. Should we let our class advisor know?"
"No way," a short girl interjected. "Everyone has a terminal, and there are patrol bots all over campus. Getting lost would be pretty hard..."
Just as the three of them were talking, a knock ca at the door.
"Excuse , is now a good ti? May I co in?"
"It is!"
"Co on in."
After getting permission, Jiang Qiuqiu swiped her card and opened the door.
As the center of their discussion, all three girls’ eyes focused on Jiang Qiuqiu.
She smiled, raised a hand, and greeted them. "Hi, everyone."
The pretty girl on Bed One saw Jiang Qiuqiu, paused for a second, and let out a little "wow." "Hi," she said.
"Hello," the girl on Bed Two added, also offering a friendly greeting.
As for Bed Three—
The girl on Bed Three had already been lying down to rest, but after one glance at Jiang Qiuqiu’s face, she shot bolt upright as if miraculously cured of a fatal illness.
She threw off her blankets like a slippery eel, slid down the ladder, and zipped over to Jiang Qiuqiu, circling her once.
Then, a look of utter, absolute delight spread across her face. "Are you Juju?!"
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