After dinner that evening, once Chen Qingqing and Shen Xinyi were back at the dorm, Xu Ye drove Qin Zhiwei to the hotel.

Whatever Qin Zhiwei had done with Shen Xinyi that afternoon, he was in a fine mood. He hummed "The Most Dazzling Ethnic Style" in the bathroom while he showered.

Xu Ye got out his phone, answered several messages from Pei Youwei, and then messaged Zhang Ruowei unprompted. "I've set dinner up with him for tomorrow evening. Everything all right at your end?"

Zhang Ruowei replied quickly. "It's fine. Remember to make me an opening."

Xu Ye typed back, "Don't worry. Leave it to me."

Zhang Ruowei answered in a second. "Good man!"

Once Qin Zhiwei was out of the bathroom Xu Ye went in after him. When both were done they lay on their beds scrolling their phones and talking.

"What did you and Shen Xinyi do this afternoon?"

"Nothing much. Walked around the park, then got bubble tea." Qin Zhiwei added with a laugh, "But since we went away together over the summer I think things between us have moved on quite a bit. This afternoon we were even talking about where to travel next time we get the chance."

Xu Ye laughed. "Of course they have. A lot of people package themselves very well while they're dating and then show their true colors once they're married. Plenty of couples travel together for a while before the wedding now, because a trip throws up all sorts of problems and it's easy to see what somebody is really like."

"So desu ne (I see)."

"Just take it slowly with Shen Xinyi. Sooner or later it'll come the way water carves its own channel."

Qin Zhiwei broke into a foolish grin.

But he soon changed the subject. "Oh — Xu Ye, do you know where Fiji is? Shen Xinyi told me this afternoon she wants to go there and see the ocean."

"Your old man's never been out of the country. You ask me, who do I ask?"

Xu Ye rolled his eyes and went on, "If you…