The two stood up and walked towards the ticket gate.

Huang Panpan followed behind.

"Alright, you can stop here!"

Su Zelin stopped walking.

"No, I'm seeing the senior off onto the train!"

Huang Panpan was very stubborn.

"Quit it, you need a ticket to get into the station!"

Su Zelin quickly said, knowing he had to appease Huang Panpan before entering the station, otherwise with her temper, she might cause a scene with the staff.

"I have a ticket!"

Huang Panpan really pulled out a ticket from her pocket.

Su Zelin was startled: "You're planning to go to Lin'an too? Stop messing around, school starts tomorrow!"

"No, I just want to personally see the senior off onto the train!"

Huang Panpan said calmly.

Su Zelin was slightly taken aback and only then noticed that Huang Panpan had bought a platform ticket.

This type of ticket doesn't allow boarding but does permit going to the platform, specifically for those seeing off passengers. It was later abolished by train stations in the future.

Huang Panpan had bought a large stack since the junior didn't know which train number the taunter was on, so she bought platform tickets for every train heading to Lin'an in the morning.

She must have been waiting here since the first train early in the morning.

Su Zelin fell into silence.

The ticket inspector was also stunned by Huang Panpan's antics.

Young people really know how to play!

She looked suspiciously at the three, unable to discern their relationship, but she could guess a bit.

Was such a soap opera being enacted by teens in real life now?

Qin Shiqing was similarly touched and couldn't resist glancing several times at Huang Panpan.

She had long known the junior was lovestruck by Su Zelin but hadn't expected this extent.

This was no longer mere blind adoration; it came from truly liking her childhood friend deep in her heart.

After checking the tickets, the three walked towards the train platform.

At that moment, a middle-aged man, with a cap pulled low and wearing large sunglasses, also came over to check in, also pulling out a stack of platform tickets.

Huang Hongbo had seen his daughter go to the ticket office this morning, and worried she might board the train and run errands, he later called the station master to inquire, only to learn she bought the platform tickets for all morning trains heading to Lin'an.

So Huang Hongbo bought them all too, needing to get to the bottom of this.

The ticket inspector was dumbfounded.

It was one thing seeing a money-foolish girl earlier that day, now even a grown-up was doing it!

Has our country's economy developed so quickly that there are so many rich people now?

Even with money to burn, one can't be so wasteful!

...

On the train platform.

Amid the university opening season, streams of people hurried about, bustling and noisy. Among them, aside from a few rushing adults with suitcases, were mostly college students.

Many new students had parents personally sending them to the platform, reluctant to part and full of earnest reminders.

As for sophomores and above, they were not taking a long journey for the first time and appeared composed and at ease, with no need for parental send-offs, casually in groups or alone.

"Woo..."

Accompanied by a long whistle, a train gradually approached like a black dragon from afar.

"Clang! Clang! Clang..."

The rapid friction between wheels and tracks produced a thunderous rumble.

The train's arrival marked the time for farewells.

Shortly, the green train stopped at the platform, and the car doors opened; passengers could board with their tickets now.

"I'm off!"

Su Zelin lifted his suitcase and boarded the train with Qin Shiqing.

"Yes, senior, have a safe journey!"

Huang Panpan's pretty face wore a smile as she waved goodbye.

Amid the crowded people, they found seats, which were two adjacent ones.

Su Jianjun bought seating tickets, not because sleeping berths were unavailable, but deliberately.

If berths were bought, Su Zelin would probably just lie down upon boarding, not interacting much with Qin Shiqing.

Anyway, Jianglan was only about 300 kilometers to Lin'an, and seating wouldn't be too tiring.

Su Zelin let Qin Shiqing take the window seat, stowed the luggage, and saw that the junior was still outside the window, watching him through the glass.

The early green trains had windows that could be opened, allowing vendors at the station to trade with passengers directly through them.

Su Zelin opened the window: "Alright, you should go!"

"It's fine, senior, I'll stay a bit longer, there's nothing much to do today anyway!"

Huang Panpan still wore a bright smile, but Su Zelin noticed tears welling up in her doe-like eyes.

"Alright, Huang Panpan, he already knows your feelings!"

Even Qin Shiqing couldn't bear it, finding the junior quite pitiful at that moment.

No matter how they persuaded her, the junior's feet seemed rooted in place.

This lasted until the train started slowly moving.

Huang Panpan pursued the train, like a fluttering butterfly.

The train's speed increased, and no matter how hard the junior raced after it, she couldn't catch up.

Instantly, tears streamed down Huang Panpan's face.

She shouted desperately at the green train: "Senior, I'll go to Lin'an next year. I will definitely be admitted to the University of Finance, wait for me!"

The train's shadow finally disappeared in the distance of the platform.

Huang Panpan stopped, her fair smooth face like peeled boiled eggs now wet with tears, yet her little pink fists were clenched tightly.

Not far behind, Huang Hongbo watched his beloved daughter, both anxious and heartbroken.

He wanted to comfort her, but dared not reveal his presence.

Apparently, Panpan's feelings for that boy were quite unusual!

This matter, I must investigate thoroughly soon!

...

Inside the green train, Su Zelin watched as that small, fragile figure slowly vanished from view, only then retracting his gaze.

In that moment, he admitted he was moved by Huang Panpan.

Earlier goodbyes to his parents felt alright, yet now his mood was inexplicably heavy.

"She's really good to you!"

By his side, Qin Shiqing sighed.

"Mm!"

Su Zelin grunted a single syllable through his nose.

That much he must acknowledge.

The hardest favors to repay are from beauties.

The better a girl treats him, the less the taunter dares to act recklessly.

Qin Shiqing was like this, and so was Huang Panpan.

There were reasons he didn't string along the junior in his past life.

Even if Huang Panpan offered herself wholeheartedly, even if she claimed she could tolerate him having other women, she was the type who would even give money for him to have fun at saunas.

But because the junior was so good, Su Zelin couldn't bear to ruin her.

He felt Huang Panpan deserved a better future, not wasting her youth entangled with him.

Of course, it was eventually wasted.

Until before being reborn, for over a decade, Huang Panpan never found a boyfriend.

As for Qin Shiqing, initially, Su Zelin didn't plan to end up with his childhood friend.

But living as neighbors, attending the same school, frequently meeting and interacting, coupled with the taunter's interest in her, made it impossible to restrain himself, extending his hands eventually.

This was why he wanted to keep a distance from Qin Shiqing in this life, knowing he couldn't control himself.

The scenery outside gradually grew unfamiliar, the distance from home increasing.

Composing himself from nostalgia, a song suddenly came to Su Zelin's mind.

...

Whose dreams lie ahead

Whose songs wander far

I leave familiar grounds with a backpack

A beam of light in my diary ignites all hopes

Who forms the image in my heart

Who ultimately becomes lost

I make a battlefield out of lonely courage

Challenging the unknown distance

Even if covered in thorns

Nothing can halt my heart's yearning

On this path towards dreams

Who can ensure no injuries

So I shoulder my bag and continue searching for that ray of light of mine

...

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