Since it was the middle of the night, the subway station had long closed. Xiao Feng planned to hail a taxi home with Liu Qing, but she refused—insisting he carry her all the way back.

Xiao Feng sighed helplessly. The subway would’ve taken just two stops—minutes. Carrying her? Half an hour. Exhausting.

And it was peak summer. The night breeze felt nice, sure, but the heat still clung thick in the air.

“Sister Qing, my back’s getting tired. How about we grab a cab instead?”

Xiao Feng felt the soft, generous weight of Liu Qing’s chest pressed firmly against his back. Tired? Yeah. But… maybe, possibly, he could still manage.

“Can’t your sister ask you to carry her just once? Today you’re *my* little boyfriend. I’m being spoiled. Or… do you think your sister’s too heavy?!”

*Xiao Feng’s thoughts: Those alone weigh a few pounds easy—of course she’s heavy!*

But he kept it silent. A gorgeous woman—tipsy, trusting—asking to be carried home? Fine. Let Sister Qing have her moment.

*Never again, though.*

Strolling down the quiet streets with her on his back, cool wind brushing his face, Xiao Feng actually felt pretty good.

“Xiao Feng… why do girls today make marriage so complicated?”

“Huh?”

He was totally lost by her sudden question.

Liu Qing didn’t clarify. Nestled against his solid back, comforted by his warmth, she murmured softly,

“Why do so many girls set such high standards for guys?”

“What standards? Tall, rich, handsome?”

Xiao Feng asked, genuinely confused.

Liu Qing gave a gentle shake of her head, a soft laugh escaping. “Why must a guy have a car, a house, savings… before marriage?”

“Aren’t those basics? Without them, how can he promise happiness?”

“But… why should a woman at forty—who no longer has her twenties’ looks—demand a twenty-year-old man already own a forty-year-old’s achievements?”

Xiao Feng fell silent. Her words were blunt, unfair even… yet painfully true.

What could he do? Society placed these weights on men. Change the world? No. Adapt.

“Sister Qing… why do you see it that way?” he asked with a wry smile. He agreed inwardly—but as a guy, he had no room to argue.

“Because love shouldn’t be measured in money. Maybe… I’m just too idealistic.”

“If you really believe that,” Xiao Feng chuckled, “the man who marries you will be the luckiest guy alive. Winning a beauty like you so easily—hahaha!”

His offhand remark sent a sweet flutter through Liu Qing’s heart. *The one I want to marry… is you.*

“What if… your sister marries you someday? How about that?” she whispered, voice warm and teasing right by his ear.

Xiao Feng brushed it off as another one of her playful jabs—he’d heard them before.

He nodded casually with a laugh. “Sure! A wife like you? Why say no? Hahaha!”

Watching his utterly clueless smile, Liu Qing sighed inwardly. Confessing to this oblivious guy was harder than she thought.

Mid-conversation, Liu Qing gradually drifted asleep against his back.

Xiao Feng glanced at her peaceful face, shook his head with a faint wry smile, and kept walking toward their apartment complex.

At home, he gently woke the groggy Liu Qing. They parted ways to their own units.

After a shower, Xiao Feng collapsed into bed. Tomorrow was college application day.

Submit the forms, and he could relax—just wait happily for semester start.

He and Li Wei had already decided: Province H Institute of Information and Arts, a top university in Province H. Major in Information Technology.

Time to become the strong (if slightly bald) man he was meant to be!

Time is as precious as gold—but gold can’t buy back a single moment.

Xiao Feng slept straight until noon. After freshening up and a light meal, he filled out his applications on the home computer.

Texted his mom. Messaged Li Wei: “Applications submitted! Scores are solid—completely all set!”