"Do you really think Aunt Zhao believes it?"

"Of course not. She will believe it for ten seconds at most, but that's not important. What's important is that as long as she deliberates the motive of this lie a little, she can understand that we are serious."

--Xie Lan didn't understand Dou Sheng's last sentence after thinking about it all the way.

He went to the northwest gate of T University with great confusion, met He Xiu as soon as he got off the car, and rushed directly to the Mathematics Building with his bag on his back.

At the end of August, the campus of T University was full of trees and flowers, and there were students carrying books and computers speeding to and fro. Bicycles were riding the wind down the slope and whistling past Xie Lan.

He Xiu showed his student ID in front of the Mathematics and Physics Building, and stopped to wait for Xie Lan after entering.

Xie Lan was still standing under the shade of the door, looking back at the university.

He has been to many top universities in Britain and the United States. Those schools have elegant and solemn buildings and well-repaired vegetation and gardens, but they are not as big as this one.

Xie Lan trotted a few steps to keep up with He Xiu.

"How do you feel?" He Xiu asked with a smile.

"Slightly surprised."

"Surprised?" He Xiu was a little surprised, "Where is the surprise?"

Xie Lan thought for a while, "I thought the bookish atmosphere was very solemn..." He wasn't sure if he used the word solemn enough, so he paused and continued, "But just now I thought the bookish atmosphere here is very lively."

He Xiu picked up his lips and smiled, walked up the steps, and said softly: "It is true."

The written test was conducted in a small classroom. There was a professor surnamed Wu, in his forties, and He Xiu.

After a simple self-introduction, he got straight to the point. He Xiu took out a paper from his portfolio and put it on Xie Lan's desk.

"The written test takes 3 hours, and you choose 2 out of 3 questions. Let's start now."

Xie Lan didn't understand the operation of choosing 2 out of 3 at first, turned over the paper and glanced at the questions, and suddenly understood.

Each IMO competition lasts 4.5 hours and usually has 3 questions. The admissions office set the test time for him according to the average problem-solving time.

IMO and domestic data competitions are not on the same road, but for him, there is a sense of familiarity that has not been seen for a long time. Among the 3 questions, there is 1 question type of Hunter and Rabbit, which is a variant of the IMO super-difficult purpose in a certain year. It is estimated that the admissions office of T University will not choose this question by default, so it is very kind to put it at the end. The first two questions They are all average.

Xie Lan was a little excited holding the paper.

The admissions office of T University took good care of him, and even gave him an English test paper, which had not been seen for a long time.

He couldn't help touching the print on the scroll lovingly.

Professor Wu and He Xiu sat in front, and He Xiu also took a paper, frowned and whispered into Professor Wu's ear, Professor Wu pointed to the paper and replied a few words.

It took He Xiu a long time to nod his head, and he glanced down, only to see that Xie Lan had already quickly calculated on the paper.

For 3 hours, Xie Lan fought a hearty battle for the first time in a long time.

Mathematics competitions cannot bring this kind of experience. His mental and physical exertion is very peaceful when doing mathematics competitions. Although he sometimes feels confused when he does not understand the questions, and sometimes he will immerse himself in thinking about the tricky questions, but that feeling is like I was doing ordinary math problems with a bit of a brain teaser. It was difficult to say, but it was an awkward and difficult way. The IMO questions are completely different. Each question is comparable to the weight of a whole math test. Brain cells are burning wildly. Looking for that kind of pleasure in constant deduction and overthrow, even if you go to ten dead ends, you still have a kind of masochistic joy.

He was chanting words, and used a thick stack of paper for calculations. He threw the pen on the table and sucked his fingers from time to time, then picked up the pen and continued to write.

He Xiu moved on the podium several times, as if he wanted to come over to check on the situation, but he was afraid of disturbing him, so he didn't move in the end.

When there were still ten minutes before the end, Xie Lan sat up straight.

He threw away the pen and raised his hand, "I want to hand in the paper."

He Xiuxiu was about to get up, Professor Wu held him down, and smiled at Xie Lan: "Try the last question too. It doesn't count as your time, if you have an idea, write it down."

"I wrote it." Xie Lan hesitated for a moment, and put the light paper and the thick calculation

Picking up the paper, "I have finished writing three questions."

There was a moment of silence in the classroom, and both Professor Wu and He Xiu were obviously taken aback.

Xie Lan explained frankly: "The invisible rabbit problem is a real problem a few years ago. My former coach took me to practice it. This problem has changed based on it, but there are still a small part of it that is similar, and it is simpler than the original problem. , I tried to do it."

Only then did Coach Wu say "Oh-" and turned to look at He Xiu.

He Xiu looked calm, got up and took the paper in front of him, "What about the other two questions?"

"I haven't done the other two questions before." Xie Lan said, "It feels good to get started."

Professor Wu asked kindly: "Didn't you grow up in England? Why did you go to AMC instead of BMO?"

"Actually, they are almost the same." Xie Lan said, "One is from the United States and the other is from the United Kingdom. I have taken both exams. But AMC is more widely used in countries around the world. I... my father also planned to let me apply. American schools."

Professor Wu nodded, "Have you officially entered the British and American national teams?"

Xie Lan shook his head, "I didn't have time, I only got in touch with the coach of the training camp, he trained me a lot."

Professor Wu nodded, took the paper from He Xiu and flipped through it.

Xie Lan stood there waiting for him to watch, and sucked his finger again.

After about ten minutes, Professor Wu raised his head and said, "Let's come here today, and we'll have an interview tomorrow about signing the contract. Is this your first time at T University?"

Xie Lan was stunned for a while when he heard the words. The arrangement he received was an interview tomorrow, and he didn't mention the signing.

But he still replied: "It's the first time."

"Then let He Xiu take you around tonight." Professor Wu patted He Xiu on the arm, "This is not from our department, but this year's student assistant of the Admissions Office. You can show him the campus with him. Oh yes , is there any fellowship music festival in the School of Architecture tonight?"

He Xiu smiled, "Well, our department and Yangyin's student union jointly organized it. I'll take my juniors to relax."

Xie Lan didn't quite understand it, but it felt powerful.

He said goodbye to the professor, and then walked out with He Xiu.

Leaving that classroom, He Xiu suddenly became more approachable, and asked with a smile, "How do you feel?"

Xie Lan also breathed a sigh of relief, "It's okay, I haven't done an English paper for a long time."

He Xiu asked casually: "I see you throwing pens repeatedly, which question is so stuck?"

"No, senior." Xie Lan sighed upon hearing this, "I got a prick in the belly of my finger."

He Xiu's feet suddenly stopped.

From Xie Lan's point of view, his facial lines are a little stiff.

He looked at Xie Lan, "What thorn?"

Xie Lan had no choice but to raise the belly of her right index finger holding the pen, "Here, can you see it?"

On the premise of keeping a certain distance from him, He Xiu looked as close as possible, shook his head and said, "I can't see it."

"I can't see it either." Xie Lan withdrew her hand, gently rubbed the pricked place with her thumb, and muttered: "It's clearly there, but I just can't see it. Maybe this is called turning a blind eye."

"...?"

He Xiu showed a bewildered expression that was somewhat inconsistent with his cold and handsome face.

I originally thought that the written test would be done according to the number of hours, and it would only take more than an hour, but I didn't expect it to take almost four hours. It was still afternoon when I entered the building, and when I went downstairs and looked through the corridor window, I saw that it was already evening outside.

There is a low round teaching building nearby, and there is a large wave of students coming out of the building, and the sound of their talking and laughing is sent into the window by the wind, which is really real.

He Xiu went downstairs and said: "The Admissions Office originally wanted to recruit you directly, but Professor Wu was not willing. Today's test paper probably convinced him completely. I listen to him. There is a high probability that you will be exempted."

Xie Lan walked beside him with her schoolbag on her back, a little lost in thought.

He Xiu called him: "Xie Lan?"

"Huh?" Xie Lan suddenly recovered, "What's wrong?"

He Xiu laughed, "What are you thinking?"

"No..." They passed by another window, facing the opposite direction from before, facing a shade of trees.

Xie Lan glanced over there in a hurry

The lush branches and leaves sighed lightly.

He suddenly missed Dou Sheng a little bit.

Although we had dinner together at home yesterday, it seemed like we had been separated for a long time.

18:18. Dou Sheng should have gotten off the high-speed train by this time, and it is estimated that we will meet soon.

Thinking of this, Xie Lan's mood rose again, "What kind of concert was Professor Wu talking about just now?"

He Xiu smiled, "It's in our courtyard, it's about to start, just in time to take you there."

you?

Xie Lan just stepped on the last few steps of the first floor, the door of the Mathematics Building opened, and a familiar figure stood beside the tree outside the building.

It was the person he was thinking about just now.

Dou Sheng casually grabbed the thin and tough branches hanging on the side of his face, and was debating whether to send a message to Xie Lan.

If he didn't send it, he would be bored waiting, and if he did, he was afraid of disturbing Xie Lan's exam.

"Dou Sheng."

The evening wind suddenly brought Xie Lan's voice into his ears.

Dou Sheng turned around unexpectedly, Xie Lan ran down the last few steps in front of the door, and the wind blew in front of him and hit him.

He subconsciously opened his hands to catch his boyfriend, and hugged him all at once.

The hugs when we were teenagers were head-to-head, bone-to-bone, and we had to hurt each other so much that it seemed to be a proof of intimacy.

But if the relationship is one step closer, you will know that each other is actually soft.

"I've been waiting for you here." Dou Sheng's fingers slipped between Xie Lan's fingers, and he clenched them.

Xie Lan nodded and immediately asked, "How is Aunt Zhao?"

"Sleeping at home, I didn't sleep well last night." Dou Sheng subconsciously wanted to pinch his fingers, but suddenly paused, "Did you pick the thorn?"

"No." Hearing this, Xie Lan felt pain in his fingertips again, "Go back tonight and help me take a look."

After Xie Lan said this, he suddenly remembered that there was He Xiu, and looked back a little embarrassed, but saw that He Xiu just walked over with a smile and put his mobile phone into his trouser pocket.

"Let's go. My boyfriend has a picnic cloth over there and is about to lose it."

*

The music fellowship is open-air. There is an empty grassland between the two teaching buildings and a shallow grove behind it. There is a pit in the middle, surrounded by slopes, and picnic cloths are spread everywhere on the slopes. The students chattered and romped in groups of three or five, and a few others seized the hammocks among the big trees and read books on their tablets under the moonlight.

Two student bands came from Yangyin, one for orchestral music and one for folk music.

As soon as Xie Lan and the others entered, they saw a very fair-skinned boy in a red T-shirt not far away jumping up and down and waving.

He Xiu's "boyfriend" is the boy he met in the Yingzhong Administration Building last time.

They walked around the picnic cloths all over the place, and the boy rushed over and hung on He Xiu, covering half of his body behind his back, beckoning to Xie Lan and Dou Sheng, "Hello, boys, are you done with the exam?"

Xie Lan nodded and took off his schoolbag, "Senior, I'm Xie Lan."

Dou Sheng casually took his bag and threw it on the lawn beside him, "I'm Dou Sheng."

"I'm Ye Si. Please sit down." Ye Si sat down, pulled He Xiu down, and quickly opened the paper bag on the ground.

The four words "Fat Brother Grilled Skewers" are printed on the paper bag.

"This restaurant is delicious." Ye Si said, "The big bag is spicy, but the small bag is not spicy. Take what you eat."

He opened his schoolbag and took out a huge thermos. "I also brought peach wine and ice cubes. I made it myself. The wine is very strong."

He Xiu heard the words and sniffed closer, "Is it time?"

"It's here, I've been drinking secretly for a week." Ye Si filled all four glasses, "Come on, future student, do one."

Xie Lan originally planned to break the ice in his heart, but it seemed that there was no need to break the ice at all. He glanced at Dou Sheng, and Dou Sheng raised his glass naturally, so he joined in, and the four of them bumped into each other casually.

The peach wine is ice-cold. The peaches hit the forehead first, and then the taste of the wine lingers on the tongue.

Xie Lan took a sip and a half of the glass, and felt dizzy when he put down the glass.

The forehead rushed away, like a sea wave, and it slowly subsided after a while.

Dou Sheng drank a glass in two sips, and Ye Si poured it for him again. Dou Sheng said to Xie Lan: "You have less time, you have an interview tomorrow."

He Xiu smiled, "I think we will discuss the conditions tomorrow and sign the contract directly. The junior has a very good written test today."

Dou Sheng curled his lips when he heard the words, but quickly regained his composure and nodded lightly, "Xie Lan is really great."

The aroma of grilled meat and cumin is mixed with the smell of wine. Xie Lan sat next to Ye Si, wondering if it was an illusion, but felt that there was a faint smell of disinfectant on his body.

"Senior, are you also a student of T?"

Ye Siya gritted the meat skewer and said vaguely, "Call your name directly, don't be a teacher. I'm next door."

Dou Sheng nodded, "What's your major?"

"Clinical Medicine."

Xie Lan froze for a moment, "Medical student?"

He Xiu answered with a smile, "It's great, you will be Doctor Ye in a few years."

Ye Si kicked over when he heard the words, "Stop milking me, if the hospital doesn't accept you for internship next year, I'll kill you."

Dou Sheng then asked about their college entrance examination situation that year, Xie Lan listened to their chat with one ear, and listened to the band performance over there with the other ear.

Two violins came tonight, both of them are very good, one of them is especially good, the player is a senior in a black dress.

The pipa at the other end is also very powerful. The seemingly random student band has a luxurious configuration, with pipa and drum music. The passionate pipa playing just now fascinated Xie Lan. At the end, the audience applauded. Someone called out the title of the song, "The Music of the King of Qin Breaking the Battle".

Xie Lan couldn't help clapping along, until the music stopped for a while, and he turned around with a little aftertaste.

Ye Si lay down on He Xiu's lap in a disfigured manner, holding a bamboo stick to eat, while He Xiu was chatting with Dou Sheng.

"The old horse is going to be a senior in high school again." He Xiu smiled and sighed, "Last time he said that he would not be a senior in high school again, so he slapped him in the face again."

"He said that we are the last time he will lead the senior year." Dou Sheng poured another glass of peach wine, "Who knows."

Xie Lan didn't know how many cups he had drank, but he saw that his cheeks were very red in the night.

Dou Sheng seldom blushed when he drank alcohol, and the only time he blushed once or twice was when he drank a lot.

"Are you the UP master?" He Xiu asked with a smile, "I seem to have seen your video, the one that speaks in dialect."

Dou Sheng didn't change his face, "It's me." He paused and asked again, "Then have you seen Xie Lan's?"

"I've seen it!" Ye Si struggled to raise his hand, "The one that was very popular a while ago blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah blah-just that song, what anime?"

Xie Lan was shocked, "Are you talking about Jianxin Mingyue when I was young?"

"Yes!" Ye Si clapped his hands, "I really like it, and I even learned to sing."

Xie Lan: "..."

dare not comment.

The phone vibrated suddenly, Xie Lan took it out, but saw Aunt Zhao on the screen.

He froze for a moment, Dou Sheng patted the back of his hand, "Go and pick it up."

"Yeah." Xie Lan got up quickly, took the phone to find an empty tree, and picked up the phone.

"Aunt Zhao." He was so nervous that he picked up the phone and immediately said: "I just finished the exam, and I was with the seniors and Dou Sheng. I'm sorry that Aunt Zhao didn't tell you right away. Dou Sheng said you were sleeping. So I haven't..."

Zhao Wenkai smiled, "How did you do in the exam?"

Her voice was very gentle, perhaps because of her illness, even softer than usual.

Xie Lan's words disappeared in an instant, her heartbeat slowed down a little, and she said slowly, "I did well in the exam. Tomorrow night, I will go back with Dou Sheng, and I will bring back the delicious food here."

He paused, looked at Dou Sheng in the distance, lowered his eyes and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry, Aunt Zhao."

The music started again on the lawn, this time it was a violin solo, melodious and soothing, but there was a trace of loneliness in the night.

The noisy talking stopped, the world became quiet, and everyone was listening to the violin playing.

Captivating, this is the magic of the violin.

on the phone

After being quiet for a while, Zhao Wenkai sighed softly.

"If you and Dou Sheng are serious, Aunt Zhao can only bless you." Zhao Wenkai said softly, "But you have to be responsible to yourself and to each other. In addition to not delaying your studies, the two of you have a good relationship online. It doesn't matter if you have some influence, but you have to have a degree and know how to protect yourself, you know?"

The evening wind was warm, Xie Lan suddenly choked up, and paused for a while in embarrassment before humming, "I see, thank you Aunt Zhao."

Zhao Wenkai didn't say anything else, and told him to go back to the hotel and lock the door, and not to leave his documents on the plane. Before hanging up the phone, he casually asked Dou Sheng to take him to eat roast duck tomorrow. .

After hanging up the phone, Xie Lan stood behind the big tree, staring at the violin humming in the wind for a long time.

When the violin finished the three solos, Dou Sheng looked back at him several times, and each time he smiled and turned back, leaving him alone in a daze.

The sky turned from gloom to drowsiness, and another piece of music was played on the field. This time it was an ensemble of orchestral music and folk music, and it was the last piece of tonight.

As the prelude sounded, Xie Lanfang felt his legs go numb, and walked slowly back to the picnic cloth, only to find that Ye Si was completely sitting on He Xiu's lap, He Xiu was holding his side waist, and his lips were on his cheek. Touching the ground, talking in a low voice.

Xie Lan looked away a little embarrassed, and sat next to Dou Sheng, with his back to them.

Dou Sheng is using his mobile phone to broadcast live, the rear camera is facing the band on the field.

When Xie Lan passed by, he heard his low magnetic voice, "He's back."?

Dou Sheng was blushing from the base of his ears to his cheeks, and then to the depths of his neck. He looked back at Xie Lan, his dark eyes were as clear as if they were soaked in a pool of water, their light trembled slightly, with drunkenness.

Bullet screen full of confusion -

What came back? -

Who is back? Xie Lan? -

Didn't he go to London? -

I'm confused, didn't Xie Lan come to T University for the exam today, why did he go to London? Why are you back again? -

It is reasonable to doubt whether London is the name of a certain street in City B... This time is too fast-

Where are you now? Where is he? Where are you guys? ? ?

Xie Lan was stunned, and elbowed Dou Sheng, "What nonsense are you talking about?"-

Xie Lan is by your side? ? -

Fuck you toxic-

What's the phone number for the anti-fraud center?

Dou Sheng only turned his head and glanced at Xie Lan hastily, then looked away and sighed softly.

"Do you have a problem with your comprehension? When did I say that he returned to London? What I said just now is, ahem, listen carefully. The greatest fear in my life landed at the moment when I knew Xie Lan was going back to London."

Xie Lan's heart trembled, his cheeks quickly heated up, and he grabbed his sleeve, "Stop talking nonsense."-? ? -

Isn't that what the fuck we thought it meant? -

Bean, what happened to you? Mom is so worried

Dou Sheng was a little speechless, he threw his phone on the grass, looked at the live broadcast and the picture went dark, and muttered: "I'm not wrong, I didn't say that what I know must be right, I misunderstood." -

...-

Leave. spectrum-

I...I x you...-

You can just wave, but Jinlang, we fans are shameless-

Don't scold, don't scold, I drank too much beans, isn't it obvious-

It's been a long time, I've been following Douzi for more than three years, and it's the first time I've seen him drink too much-

Seriously, I always thought he could drink a thousand cups-

Beans, please pick us up, thanks

"Don't pick it up." Dou Sheng put his hand on Xie Lan's shoulder, and gently played the piano on his collarbone, "I quit the live broadcast by myself, I'm too lazy to move." -

...-

I crawled along the network cable and beat you to death-

Is there an audience of T size? Hurry up and put on the sack!

Xie Lan leaned into Dou Sheng's ear and asked in a low voice, "Are you drunk?"

"A little bit." Dou Sheng blinked.

The speed was a little slower than usual, stared at him for a while, and whispered: "I was almost scared to death by you today."

As he spoke, his center of gravity was unsteady. He clearly held Xie Lan's waist with one hand, but his lips were still close to Xie Lan's ear bone.

Xie Lan said "Ugh..."

What are they talking about? I prick up my ears and can't hear-

All I hear is music and loud background sounds-

It's so loud, they shouldn't be talking-

But it's weird that they both don't talk-

I always feel like something big is going to happen-

Same, wait with bated breath-

Right now I'm very afraid to move

Dou Sheng stared at Xie Lan for a long time, leaned over to pick up the phone, the live broadcast screen shook a few times on the lawn, and then disconnected very roughly.

[The anchor is visiting Station B, come back later. 】

Question marks swiped across the message area quickly.

The music on the field came to an end with a gorgeous coda, Dou Sheng pressed Xie Lan on the lawn, and gently kissed her boyfriend's eyes.

The pair of eyes that had been parted for a whole day and night.