The Story of City and Dust

Xingzai took out an insulated lunch box from his bag: "I brought you ribs from the school cafeteria. Eat them while they're hot." "Xingzi," she hesitated for a moment, then spoke softly, "Do your classmates at school... Know about my existence?" Xingzi's expression suddenly stiffened, and then he forced out a smile: "Of course I know, I told them that I have a childhood sweetheart fiancée who works in the city to make a living." The three words "fiancée" were like a piece of honey, temporarily soothing Zhang Shiman's uneasiness. But the next second, Xingzai's words instantly extinguished all her warmth: "But Shiman, don't come to school to find me in the future. My classmates have different ideas and can't quite understand our relationship." "What kind of relationship?" Zhang Shiman raised her eyes and looked directly into his eyes. Xingzai deliberately avoided her gaze and looked at the flashing neon lights in the distance. His tone was vague and perfunctory: "Just... You know. Nowadays, when college students fall in love, they pay attention to being well-matched and having a common topic. They all think that I should find someone with a similar status..." Zhang Shiman understood everything instantly. This novel and its characters are purely fictitious. Any similarity is purely coincidental and should not be imitated.