June-
Spring passed into summer, bidding farewell to the autumn breeze, and welcoming the heat.
Having just attended the university's postgraduate graduation ceremony, Qiu Xi and Luo An, upon exiting, gathered their teacher and a few junior students to take photos.
"Senior brother, senior sister!"
"Happy graduation!"
"Thank you~"
"Come on, all of you together. Let's take some photos to commemorate this for everyone," Qiu Xi fiddled with the items in her hands.
For today's photos, she had specifically prepared a tripod and a selfie stick. This was for when people couldn't be found, making it convenient for them to take group photos, and crucially, it meant not bothering others.
"Senior Qiu, we'd like a photo of just the two of us with you."
Qiu Xi smiled and nodded, "Sure~"
"Senior Qiu, I'm here too!"
"Mm, okay."
"Senior Luo, you come too..."
For a moment, the asphalt road outside the office building was lined with tall, verdant fir trees, filled with laughter.
......
After taking photos and sending off the junior students, Qiu Xi and Luo An, carrying the graduation gifts they had prepared, returned to the office with their teacher.
"Teacher, here you go!"
Qi Xizhi frowned, his wrinkled eyes, usually creased, now slightly reddened. "Just put it here."
Qiu Xi and Luo An placed the gifts down.
Qi Xizhi glanced at them and reached inside, taking out a photo frame.
"This is nice..." He stroked the people depicted on it.
"Teacher, this was specially prepared by the two of us. Other gifts can be forgone, but we felt this photo frame was essential."
This was from a recent school photoshoot. They happened to be wearing specific attire, so they used it as an excuse to pull the teacher and a few junior students for a group photo. They then selected the best one, had it developed, and framed it.
"Mm, it seems you've all grown up..." Qi Xizhi looked at them and said, "Happy graduation!"
"Thank you, teacher!" The two bowed slightly.
"Alright, alright." Sentimental moments weren't suitable for him, a man of his demeanor.
"Dinner tonight, don't be late!"
"Don't worry about that, teacher, we'll be there right on time!"
"Mm, then that's settled."
......
After leaving the office, Qiu Xi and Luo An went their separate ways.
"Ah Hua!" Seeing Nan Hua, also dressed in the same attire, outside the office building, Qiu Xi was a little surprised.
"Why are you here? I was just thinking of looking for you now!"
"Here, our hearts were in sync, so I came." Nan Hua's lips curved upward, and he smiled.
"Xi Xi, dressed in green, happy graduation!"
Qiu Xi leaned closer, looking at the person before her, "You too, happy graduation!"
This was someone who had walked with her through five or six years. It felt truly wonderful to be graduating together here!
"Let's go, we should take some photos too."
"Okay~"
With that, the two strolled away leisurely.
"It's a pity there's no photographer today, so we'll have to rely on ourselves," Nan Hua said, gesturing to the photography equipment slung over his shoulder.
"You don't mean you want to ask Zhao Huasheng and the other two? They might just make you sick with their affection this time~" Qiu Xi immediately recalled their undergraduate graduation three years ago, when the four of them had taken photos of each other, enduring each other's displays of affection.
"That won't happen!" Nan Hua chuckled and shook his head.
"With this rare free time, and just the two of us, there's no need to bring along the electric bulbs who naturally generate their own heat."
"Let's go, we have plenty of time today."
"Mm!"
Afterward, the two rode shared bikes, meandering through the vast campus. This journey lasted the entire day!
It wasn't until the evening, with the sky filled with crimson clouds, that the two finally slowed their hurried steps.
"I want to look a little longer before I go back," Qiu Xi said softly, sitting on a stone bench.
"Alright, but you have dinner with your advisor and the others later, so you can't be late," Nan Hua reminded her.
"Mm, I remember, I won't forget."
Gazing greedily at the scenery before her, Qiu Xi admitted that even though she had seen this place many times, she still felt reluctant this time.
However, time never stops for anyone, so one could only seize opportunities themselves.
Just like now, she had to go to dinner...
Qiu Xi stood up, looking into the distance, "Ah Hua, let's go."
"Okay~"
......
Evening-
Qiu Xi and her group continued their dinner until very late before leaving the restaurant.
At this moment, the group had just alighted at the school entrance.
"Teacher, why don't you head back first? We youngsters will take our time strolling here."
Perhaps this was the last time, so they wanted to wander through the campus together and rest wherever they felt tired.
But Teacher Qi, given his age, looking at the young people, insisted on joining them.
"What's the rush!" Qi Xizhi glared at his students.
"It's only seven or eight o'clock now. At this time, I usually take my stroll around campus. Why can't I join you today?"
"Are you perhaps looking down on this old man, thinking I can't walk anymore?" Qi Xizhi asked with feigned indignation.
"......"
They had underestimated him!
They had been worried about the elderly gentleman getting tired, but he turned out to be a fitness enthusiast.
"Teacher, what are you saying!"
"We were overthinking earlier. Since you're up for it, we'd be delighted!"
"Come, you walk in the middle, and we'll chat as we go."
Qi Xizhi nodded in satisfaction, "Mm! That's more like it!"
"Let's go."
"Okay~"
With that, the seven or eight of them entered the school gate, chatting and laughing.
They walked and walked for nearly two hours before parting ways outside the classroom and dormitory buildings.
"Getting old, sending off another batch of students."
"You know, you should retire in a couple more years."
"It is time to retire. I've been reluctant before, but now it seems about right..."
"Indeed..."
In the darkness, the elderly couple stood beneath the green fir trees, watching the students slowly walk away, sighing in quiet contemplation.
After a long while-
"Ugh!"
"I can't take it anymore! I need to go back and take a good bath and soak my feet!"
"Walking with this group of youngsters today was simply too much..."
The sudden words made Zheng Jiu beside him laugh.
"Oh, you!"
"Don't you know your age! You still insisted on joining the students in the fun!"
"And now look..."
"Never mind, never mind... let's go back and sit down to rest, that's the priority..."
"Alright, let's go, let's go!"
"Let's go..."
Saying this, the two walked inwards, supporting each other, their voices filled with laughter.
Not far behind them, bursts of laughter could also be heard.
Youth had turned into young adulthood, yet they remained youths at heart!
At this moment, they held passion in their hearts, about to embark on their next journey across mountains and seas!
......