“The fourth, the great cause of saving the nation is not yet complete. The eldest has already done my best; the rest is up to you.” With that, he slumped over the table.

At the table, the only ones still sober were Emily Bennett and him. The two exchanged glances and burst out laughing at the same time. Just now, at the table, The eldest had mentioned that his favorite thing to drink was lotus porridge, while the eldest sister in Emily Bennett’s dorm had also said her favorite food was the little steamed buns from the second canteen.

Emily Bennett laughed so hard she was shaking, her delicate nose twitching as she finally managed to stop. Henry Foster, on the other hand, felt rather embarrassed—especially when the beautiful girl across from him laughed, her ample chest heaving, and her fair little hands occasionally patting her chest, making his face flush involuntarily.

……

That night, back in the dorm, Henry Foster couldn’t sleep. His mind was filled with images of Emily Bennett—her every expression and smile at the table, her quiet demeanor holding a glass of juice, and her playful look as she toasted the boys at the end of the meal.

“I’ve fallen for Emily Bennett. I’m going to pursue her!”

Henry Foster declared boldly. His roommates, hearing his proclamation, exchanged glances. The third closed the door, and The second pulled a book from under the computer and handed it to The eldest. The title, in bold, was “Marxism.”

The eldest earnestly pulled Henry Foster down to sit, while The second and The third gathered around. The eldest raised his voice: “The second full meeting of Dorm 208 is now in session. Four representatives in total, all present. All decisions from this meeting will be written into the Dorm 208 Code of Conduct.”

The meeting was practical and fully democratic, ranging from collectivism to the Eight Honors and Eight Shames, launching a comprehensive critique of Henry Foster. He was to deeply realize how abandoning collectivism in pursuit of personal happiness—putting the small family above the big family—was unacceptable, and that such behavior could not be encouraged in a united and friendly group like Dorm 208. This…

The eldest spoke eloquently, worthy of a debate team member. After Henry Foster promised to buy breakfast for the dorm for a week, The eldest immediately changed his tune. The meeting’s theme shifted from criticizing Henry Foster for undermining collectivism to singing the praises of “the rich helping the less rich, and collective prosperity.” Everyone offered advice, giving Henry Foster several tips on how to “get rich first.”

But the ideas these guys came up with were just too unreliable, and Henry Foster rejected them all. In the end, he got Emily Bennett’s phone number through a fellow townsman of The eldest.

“I really like you. Can I pursue you?”

That was the first text Henry Foster sent to Emily Bennett. Later, when he talked about it with his roommates, The third sighed to the heavens: “The campus beauty of Nanchang, not putting on any airs, was won over so easily. If I’d known, I would have texted her first!”

Yes, Emily Bennett replied to Henry Foster’s message very quickly, with just a few simple words: “Then come and try!”

And so, Henry Foster and Emily Bennett began dating. The two often went to class and the library together, strolled around campus, and participated in club activities side by side.

……

“Henry Foster, do you know why I came to see you this time?”

David Bennett and Henry Foster walked under a banyan tree to the side. David Bennett asked directly, pulling Henry Foster out of his memories.

“I can guess a little.”

Henry Foster nodded, not denying it. In fact, he wasn’t surprised at all that Emily Bennett’s brother would come to find him—he had a feeling it would happen. Actually, his trip was partly to avoid this.

“In that case, I’ll be blunt. You and Emily aren’t right for each other. You two should break up. I don’t want you to have any more contact with Emily in the future!”

David Bennett’s voice was tinged with coldness as he stared at Henry Foster.

“Is that your idea, or Emily Bennett’s?”

Henry Foster ignored the sharp look and shot back.

“It doesn’t matter if it’s my idea or Emily’s. The point is, you two aren’t right for each other.”

“Even though you’re Emily Bennett’s brother, I don’t think you can make decisions for her. Only those involved have the right to say whether they’re right for each other!”

“Looks like Emily hasn’t told you about our family situation.” David Bennett’s brows drew together. “No matter how you look at it, you can’t be with my sister. The gap between you two is just too great.”

“A big gap? You mean family background?”

“Henry Foster, you’re a smart guy. I believe after spending so much time with my sister, you’ve guessed that our family isn’t ordinary. Many times, marriage is about matching social status. Give up. If you agree to break up with my sister and stop contacting her, I can arrange a government job for you back in your hometown—any department you want.”

David Bennett’s tone shifted, throwing out a tempting offer.

“Haha, so if I don’t agree to break up, not only will I not get the job, but I’ll also face retaliation from your family?”

Henry Foster sneered, eyes fixed on David Bennett.

“I hope it doesn’t come to that.”

David Bennett didn’t deny it. He looked off into the distance and said softly, “Henry Foster, Emily is my little sister. As the eldest brother, I’ve always loved her. I just want her to be happy.”

“Happy? You think breaking us up will make her happy?”