Ch -30 Of Dreams, Dorms, and Goodbyes ☆
POV: Lin Tianxin
College had turned me into someone who could eat a bun while running to class, debate over instant noodles at midnight, and still have time to argue with Shan Jiasheng before the professor walked in.
That morning, I rushed into class five minutes late, hair tied in a crooked ponytail, breathless.
"Miss Lin Tianxin," the professor raised an eyebrow, "late again?"
"Character development," I wheezed. "It's part of my academic arc."
Laughter echoed through the classroom as I slid into my seat next to Jiasheng. He smirked without looking.
"New record. Five minutes late instead of ten."
"I tripped over my dreams," I muttered.
After class, our usual chaos continued. Jiasheng and I bickered about who lost the dorm keys (again), Mei nearly spilled bubble tea on Yuki's assignment, and Lan was busy trying to prank the boys from the engineering block.
But beneath all that noise… a quiet hum of time ticking toward graduation.
That night, back in Meihua Dormitory, the lights were off except for the soft fairy lights around Mei's bed. We lay in our bunks, quiet, until I spoke.
"Hey… can I ask something stupid?"
"You always do," Lan replied, throwing a pillow at me.
"No, seriously," I said. "If we love someone… do we always feel nervous around them? Like… even just sitting close or touching?"
A pause.
>Yuki smiled gently. "Not always. Sometimes love feels like calmness. Like home."
Mei added, "It's okay to be nervous, but it's also okay to want to be close to them."
Lan, of course, teased, "Ooo someone's in love! Who is it, huh?"
I buried my face in the blanket.
"You're all useless."
The room filled with laughter — warm, sleepy, sisterly.
---
🧑🏻🎓🎓 Graduation Day: Zhou Rui & Junxi
Junxi adjusted his robe again and again.
"Do I look okay?" he asked, surprisingly nervous.
Zhou Rui chuckled, smoothing the corner of his collar.
"You look like you passed… barely."
"Ouch."
They stood beneath cherry blossoms, the whole courtyard buzzing with graduation excitement. Cameras flashed, families gathered. But in that moment, the world shrank to just the two of them.
Junxi handed her a small box. Inside was a silver compass keychain.
"So no matter where life pulls us… you'll find your way back."
Zhou Rui stared at it, then at him, eyes shining.
"You remembered."
She leaned in and kissed his cheek.
"Now you're stuck with me."
"Gladly," he whispered.
---
The Water Balloon Chaos
The graduation ceremony had ended, but the school grounds were still alive with laughter, camera flashes, and the sound of sneakers scuffing the courtyard bricks. Students were hugging, crying, joking — saying goodbye in every messy, beautiful way.
Tianxin stood with a balloon in her hand, eyes locked on Jiasheng from across the grass.
"Hey hoodie boy!" she yelled, mischief glowing in her eyes.
Jiasheng turned just in time to see her launch a water balloon straight at him — and miss. Completely.
It splashed harmlessly onto the ground near his feet.
"Seriously?" he smirked. "You throw like a baby squirrel."
"Come here and say that again!"
Tianxin grabbed another balloon, but before she could aim, a cold splash hit her shoulder — dead-on. She gasped and spun around.
Jiasheng stood there holding an empty balloon, smug.
"Target locked, soaked, and slightly shrieking," he teased.
"You're dead!"
What followed was a full-on chase across the schoolyard. They darted around benches, past their classmates, even knocking over someone's leftover lunch box. Everyone was cheering or dodging out of the way.
Laughing and breathless, Tianxin caught him near the rose garden.
Just as she raised a balloon, Jiasheng turned suddenly, and in one awkward twist of limbs and slippery grass, they both fell to the ground, tangled together in a puddle of water.
Time froze.
Tianxin was on top of him, hands pressed against his chest to stop her fall, their faces just inches apart. His breath brushed her cheek, and her heart stuttered wildly.
Neither of them moved. Jiasheng's usual teasing grin faded. For once, he looked quiet. Soft. Almost nervous.
"Why…" Tianxin whispered, her voice almost lost in the breeze, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
He opened his mouth — then closed it again.
"Dunno," he finally said, eyes flicking to her lips and then back up quickly. "You got a leaf in your hair."
"Liar," she mumbled, blushing furiously.
She tried to get up, but her gown got caught on his. He gently untangled it, his fingers brushing against her waist — and they both flinched slightly.
The moment stretched awkwardly long… until Tianxin suddenly flicked water at his face.
"Don't stare at me like a drama hero. You're not cool enough."
"You fell on me. Who's the dramatic one here?"
They both laughed, still pink-faced, still very aware of how close they'd just been.