"Right, you should take some useful items, especially some small practical things you might not be able to buy once you leave here... Bring some snacks, too. You might feel uncomfortable when you first get there. I remember some people even brought Pixian bean paste from home..."

She remained calm. "I don’t want to take too much. Just a few essentials will do."

"Why?" he asked.

She was forthright. "I don’t want the hassle of collecting luggage. A single suitcase should be more than enough."

The real reason was that she was scared. After all, she had never traveled alone, and the thought of having too many items to handle frightened her. She’d rather buy what she needed when she arrived.

"I’ll see you off," he offered.

"No need."

He was silent.

She explained, "You don’t need to see me off. If I lack the courage to even go to school by myself, what else in life would I dare do alone? This time, I’ll go by myself. Consider it a form of training. One always has to take the first step, right? People dare to sneak into other countries; surely I, with my admission notice, can dare to set off alone?"

"But many people are seen off by their families and friends..." he persisted.

She fell silent.

It reminded her of when she first enrolled in university. Parents always accompanied their children, handling payments and registration, making their beds, and collecting daily necessities... Everything was taken care of for you. But now, there were no friends or family left, were there?

Wan Donglin stared at her. She gave a faint smile and said, "Didn’t you once tell me that one must always have the courage and ability to live alone? I’ve given it a lot of thought these past few days. If I depend on you for everything, what will I do if, one day, I can no longer rely on you? No, I can’t develop such a bad habit. You can rest assured. I guarantee I can do anything others can do. It’s just going to school, not undertaking some perilous quest. Think of it as just taking a trip to another province. I’m not scared."

He remembered the proposed month-long trip to Europe. "Xixi, do you really not plan on taking a trip?"

She paused. "Traveling is too expensive. The store hasn’t been doing well these past three months, so it’s better to save where we can. Besides, my studies will be a significant expense over the next few years, and I don’t want to be too wasteful."

Wan Donglin was left speechless.

She was just as she had always been, making all her own decisions—he didn’t need to worry about her anymore. Wasn’t this what he had always hoped for?

She stood behind him, her hands gently resting on his shoulders. "Let me make you a cup of coffee, alright?"

"Xixi," he said, "I love your coffee the most."

She grinned. "I knew you would. How about this: for the next few days, I’ll make all your favorite dishes."

His eyes lit up. "Really?"

"Really," she affirmed. "I’ve been waiting for you to come back to eat them. I’ve been dreaming of this moment. Now that you’re finally back, just tell me whatever you want to eat."

She truly meant it. She had been looking forward to this moment for a long, long time. That was why, despite the intense heat, she had also stopped by the market on her way, carefully selecting various vegetables and fruits.

"See?" she said, "I’ve already bought the vegetables. We can’t just throw them away, can we? Starting tomorrow, I’ll cook for you."

His face lit up with excitement. "Xixi, you have no idea how much I’ve missed these dishes these past two months..."

She sighed deeply, still shaken by what had happened.

Indeed, as long as he had made it back alive, as long as he was sitting in front of her like this today, what else truly mattered?