After the start of the semester, Beijing University lost a principal named Xiao Yuanyang, and at the same time, welcomed a batch of new faces.
Schools are like this, sending away maturing faces and welcoming fresh ones, remaining young and vibrant.
At the beginning of the semester, Su Ciliang, dusty from his travels, also returned to Beijing University.
This time, he returned as a student in the postgraduate program.
After more than a year away, Su Ciliang felt a little unaccustomed to being back on the familiar campus.
The school was still the same school; it was he who had changed.
After a year of reflection, Su Ciliang had made significant progress.
Upon his return, his entire demeanor had transformed.
He was now not only a successful painter but also a worldly individual who understood how to make money.
During his year in Licheng, he had invested considerable thought and effort into establishing the factory.
During this period, he had encountered all sorts of people and even learned a great deal about politics from his uncle.
These interactions with people had brought about many shifts in his thinking and a deeper understanding of human nature.
Despite being busy, Su Ciliang strictly adhered to his teacher's instructions and did not slacken in his painting.
In fact, during the holiday, Su Ciliang's teacher had specifically traveled to Licheng to supervise him, fearing that his favorite student might fade into obscurity and become a mere businessman.
Fortunately, Su Ciliang's paintings remained as good as ever.
No, it should be said that Su Ciliang's paintings had improved. Previously, they had an abundance of spirit but lacked depth.
After gaining a touch of worldly experience, Su Ciliang's paintings now possessed a more profound substance, a rare and commendable progress.
His teacher even felt that Su Ciliang's paintings now exhibited the style of a master, and given time, he would undoubtedly become a leading figure in the art world.
Even after a year's absence, Su Ciliang had many admirers at the school.
When these young women saw Su Ciliang return to school, it was no exaggeration to describe their numbers as a relentless tide.
They had been disappointed when Su Ciliang graduated, but they never expected him to return a year later.
How could they not be overjoyed?
However, the girls who had been pursuing Su Ciliang watched as he emerged from the postgraduate dormitory and headed straight for the Fengshang Boutique store on the street behind the school.
Students at Beijing University all knew that the owner of Fengshang Boutique was the school's prominent figure, Su Xiaotian.
This student was only fifteen years old this year, yet she was the most illustrious person Beijing University had ever seen.
Indeed, the most illustrious, without exception.
Even in a place as rich with talent as Beijing University, Su Xiaotian maintained a singular brilliance.
Even the shop, which had gone through three previous owners without success, was now making a fortune under Su Xiaotian's casual management.
Yes, Su Xiaotian had not invested much effort into this boutique. She simply opened it, hired a regular shop assistant, and two part-time students to help manage the store.
She occasionally went to restock, but most of the goods were brought back by Li Mumu or sent to her by Su Ciliang from Licheng and Rongcheng.
Upon seeing her second brother, Su Xiaotian was arranging newly arrived merchandise in the store.
"Xiaotian!"
"Second Brother, you're back?" Su Xiaotian looked at her second brother, who had tanned and lost weight, her eyes welling up.
Her second brother had been away from home for a full year, even timing his return precisely with the start of the semester, not even having time to visit home.
"Second Brother, if you had come back two days earlier, you could have visited home."
"It's fine, I'm a postgraduate student now, so I have plenty of time. I'll just visit home when I have a chance," Su Ciliang said with a smile.
His little sister had grown a bit more, becoming a young lady.
Standing tall and graceful, he wondered how many admirers she had at school.
Fortunately, he was back and in time to protect his sister.
He especially needed to guard against that rascal Chi Yiyuan, who had been up to no good since childhood and always had his eye on his little sister.
Chi Yiyuan, far away in his dormitory, couldn't help but sneeze.
That shouldn't be right. It was only early September, and although the weather wasn't as hot as a few days ago, he wondered if he had caught a cold.
In the Fengshang Boutique store, after a few words, the siblings agreed to go out for a meal.
The place they chose to eat was Yiming Pavilion.
That's right, the Su family's Yiming Pavilion had opened a branch, managed by Li Linlin.
Although the elders in the family hoped to have grandchildren and great-grandchildren soon, they decided to let Li Linlin recuperate for a couple of years, considering her physical condition.
Since they weren't planning to have children for the time being, Li Linlin took the opportunity to open a branch of Yiming Pavilion near the school.
Yiming Pavilion had a good reputation in Beijing, and after the branch opened near the school, it was bustling with customers every day.
Nearby restaurants were envious and jealous, and they had tried various methods, but Li Linlin, following the teachings of her elders, persisted with an unchanging approach.
That was to consistently maintain top-notch quality and service.
In a restaurant, nothing is more important than the freshness of ingredients and the deliciousness of the food.
Sometimes, these factors are even more important than marketing strategies.
Li Linlin was overjoyed to see her brother-in-law and sister-in-law arrive at the store together.
"You two are here together? When did Ciliang arrive in Beijing? I only heard you were coming back, but I didn't know when!"
Li Linlin spoke rapidly. This brother-in-law had been away for a year, and the elders in the family always missed him during holidays.
"Sister-in-law, I just arrived at school today. I went to find Xiaotian, and we came to see you together."
"Perfect timing, your eldest brother will be here soon too, so the three siblings can catch up."
Hearing Li Linlin's words, Su Ciliang felt a sense of how much everyone had grown up.
The times they used to spend together, early mornings and late nights, felt like yesterday, but in the blink of an eye, they had all grown up.
So much so that they now needed to get together for a reunion.
At this moment, the Yiming Pavilion branch was doing very good business, with many students dining in the restaurant. When they saw Su Ciliang and Su Xiaotian, they were somewhat shocked and confused.
After all, Su Xiaotian had always been accompanied by Chi Yiyuan, the most handsome "campus heartthrob."
Why the change today?
Why were all the outstanding boys at the school accompanying Su Xiaotian?
If Su Xiaotian were not so outstanding, these girls might have felt a pang of jealousy.
But since it was Su Xiaotian, they couldn't even muster the feeling of jealousy.
In the past year, they had witnessed Su Xiaotian's excellence.
Some had even said that Su Xiaotian was a living encyclopedia, possessing knowledge on every subject.
In reality, this was an exaggeration, but it was inevitable that such a comprehensively talented individual, appearing for the first time at the school, would be mythologized.
While some were disappointed, others recognized Su Ciliang and, noticing that Su Xiaotian also had the surname Su, guessed that they must be siblings.
After overhearing Li Linlin's conversation with them, they finally confirmed that the two were indeed siblings.