Life is a process of accumulation.

Faced with Zhang Pa's question, no one responded, which meant no one was willing to learn. Not just them—even you and I, how many of us still think about actively learning after growing up?

Zhang Pa waited for a while, saw that no one spoke, and sighed, "You all..."

The fat man complained, "What kind of tone is that?"

Zhang Pa replied, "What's wrong with learning something new? How could it possibly harm you?"

Turtle interjected, "Did you see the news? In foreign prisons, inmates are made to learn programming. Those repeat offenders never came back after being released; they said they'd rather die outside than go back and learn coding. From that perspective, our ambitions are the same."

Zhang Pa laughed, "Not quite. You haven’t been locked up yet."

Turtle cursed, "Damn, can't you wish us something good?"

Zhang Pa breathed out gently, "So, you're sure you won't learn?"

"No, we won't."

Zhang Pa nodded, "Alright then, I'll go bully my students." He took his camera and two dogs out for a walk, wandering around different places, filming and recording various actions.

Thinking about the animation he might create, he even took the two big dogs out of the neighborhood, wandering the streets for a while. He returned just in time, grabbed his small bag, and headed to the Conservatory of Music.

Once again, he waited for Liu Xiaomei after class. He had shown up so many times that when the dance studio door opened, the girls pouring out all greeted Zhang Pa, giggling and cheerful.

Liu Xiaomei was the last to come out, smiling as she asked, "Do you ever feel like you’re being teased?"

Zhang Pa replied, "They really don't treat me as an outsider."

Liu Xiaomei handed him her bag, "Let’s go."

Zhang Pa slung the bag over his shoulder and walked out with Liu Xiaomei. "So, does this mean we're officially together now?"

Liu Xiaomei asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Isn't carrying a woman's bag usually something her boyfriend does?" Zhang Pa said.

Liu Xiaomei waved her elegant index finger, "No, no, no—there are also bag salesmen."

Zhang Pa said, "Do I look like a bag salesman?"

Liu Xiaomei looked him up and down, "True, bag salesmen aren’t as poor as you."

Zhang Pa asked, "Since you met me, have you been especially happy?"

Liu Xiaomei retorted, "Why do you say that?"

"I think you find joy in mocking me. The more you tease me, the happier you are," Zhang Pa replied.

Liu Xiaomei laughed and admitted it, then asked, "If I keep teasing you for a lifetime, would you accept it?"

Zhang Pa sighed, "Though my morals are noble and I’m a principled man, at this moment, I’d rather despise myself and say, 'I do.'"

Liu Xiaomei was delighted, standing on Zhang Pa’s left side, slipping her right hand into his arm and her left hand over, hugging his left arm with both hands, "You’re really adorable."

Zhang Pa said, "Isn’t it time for a reward?"

Liu Xiaomei asked, "What kind of reward?"

Zhang Pa replied, "You said you’d dance for me in that sexy, skimpy ballet outfit."

"That? I was just joking, don’t take it seriously," Liu Xiaomei laughed.

Zhang Pa complained, "You’ve mocked me again."

Liu Xiaomei chuckled, then suddenly said, "Let’s buy a house together."

"What?" Zhang Pa was startled.

"I think we should buy a place near school, each with our own room, so we can see each other every day. Wouldn’t you like that?" Liu Xiaomei asked.

Zhang Pa said, "I’d love that, but you overestimate my finances."

"I never said you had to pay," Liu Xiaomei replied. "I’m asking your opinion. I believe such things must be discussed with you—otherwise, you might not be happy."

Zhang Pa sighed, "This is a combo attack... a super combo, I might faint."

Liu Xiaomei said, "Even if it's a combo, it’s a sweet combo... Let’s play video games together! You’ve never invited me, so let’s do it one day. I want to play fighting games and combo attack you."

Zhang Pa said, "Games are fine, but about the house..."

Liu Xiaomei said, "I knew you wouldn’t agree." She let go, jumped in front of him, made a funny face with her hands raised, "Tell me—what would it take for you to agree?"

A beauty acting cute, even though she wasn’t young, she managed to be so adorable that Zhang Pa was briefly stunned.

Zhang Pa said, "I don’t know. I want to buy my own house, but I don’t have the money."

Liu Xiaomei said, "I know. Most dreamers are tragic, but you’ll succeed—you’ll marry me in glory... Oh, did I slip up?"

Zhang Pa laughed, "You did that on purpose."

"Heh, it was not on purpose," Liu Xiaomei said. "My mom’s quite pleased with you. She said you should come home once a week."

"Every week?" Zhang Pa asked.

"Is it difficult? I go home every week, you come with me... or do you not want to?" Liu Xiaomei smiled.

Zhang Pa said, "You’re using another super move. You always do, I can never win."

Liu Xiaomei said, "That's the war of love. Who told you to pursue me?"

From the music academy’s teaching building to the elementary school’s building, they walked together easily, happiness accompanying them all the way. Liu Xiaomei didn’t care what others thought, showing her closeness and joy with Zhang Pa, just like a couple deeply in love.

It was, in effect, a declaration to the world that they were together.

Soon they entered the elementary school’s dance studio for today’s practice.

After all the recent effort, Zhang Pa could finally do a split—not perfectly, but it was a hard-fought victory bought with pain. So in class, he showed off his split proudly.

He forgot it was a dance studio filled with children. The kids were eager to show off—seeing Zhang Pa’s imperfect split, a little girl immediately demonstrated, "You’re doing it wrong, this is how you do it."

One after another, soon nearly every child gave Zhang Pa a lively lesson. He grumbled, "You’re all bullying me."

Liu Xiaomei laughed heartily, and once the children were done teasing, she clapped her hands, "Let’s start class."

Zhang Pa was the best reference. Without him, the kids sometimes misbehaved or were inattentive, sometimes quarrelled...

Now things were different. All their attention was on Zhang Pa. Whenever they went home after class, nearly every child boasted to their parents, "That big brother is so clumsy, I taught him to dance and he just couldn’t get it."

As usual, the two-hour class stretched into three. Afterward, Zhang Pa had his extra practice time; Liu Xiaomei taught for half an hour, then packed up and left.

Walking out, Zhang Pa said, "I wrote a script for an animated film, about an autistic patient and two big dogs. If you’re inspired, could you write a theme song?"

"Sure, send me the script," said Liu Xiaomei.

Zhang Pa promised to send it when he got home.

Twice a week, Wednesdays and Saturdays, their meetings ran from beginning to end like an assembly line—no great difference: learning dance, eating out, seeing Liu Xiaomei home... Tonight’s dinner was at a copper hotpot place.

An old-fashioned copper hotpot, coal burning below, bubbling with sauerkraut and pork above.

Liu Xiaomei said she hadn’t eaten this in years and wanted it tonight. Zhang Pa said the same.

Liu Xiaomei clarified, "I meant I haven’t had Northeastern sauerkraut in years."

Zhang Pa nodded, "That's what I meant too."

Liu Xiaomei laughed.

They ordered one hotpot. Liu Xiaomei had a bottle of mineral water, Zhang Pa a beer, and he solemnly joked, "I’m drinking and driving, don’t tell the police."

Liu Xiaomei wondered, "You still haven’t lost that bicycle?"

Zhang Pa said, "It’s my only big possession—would you really be so heartless?"

The hotpot was delicious—cilantro, scallions, sauerkraut simmered in copper, the best part was the soup. Liu Xiaomei kept drinking, blowing it cool but still hot, the flavor especially fresh, a real treat.

Liu Xiaomei liked it because no oil was added, just a couple slices of pork for flavor and some lean meat. Soon she was sweating, eating and exclaiming how satisfying it was.

Zhang Pa said, "We could get a hotpot and cook this at home."

"You’re in charge," Liu Xiaomei assigned, "Learn to pickle sauerkraut, buy a copper pot, and master sauerkraut hotpot."

Zhang Pa agreed.

Liu Xiaomei asked, "If you finally win me over, will you still be as patient as you are now?"

Zhang Pa shook his head, "I don’t know about the distant future, but right now, all I want to do is hold your hand and walk everywhere."

Liu Xiaomei laughed, "Are you trying to tire me out?"

The restaurant was two stops from the music academy. After dinner, they strolled back. Liu Xiaomei asked, "When are you moving in?"

Zhang Pa joked, "Are you so eager to possess me?"

Liu Xiaomei said, "It’s your chance to see me every day. You should treasure it."

Zhang Pa promised he would.

Liu Xiaomei reminded him, "Send me the script when you get home."

Speaking of scripts, Zhang Pa remembered "Weight One Hundred and Ninety," and said, "We actually have a web series script, but the actors can’t act. I’ll send it to you too—give me some advice."

Liu Xiaomei agreed.

They walked and chatted, finally reaching home after eight. After seeing Liu Xiaomei upstairs, Zhang Pa flew down, dashed out of the neighborhood, and rode his bike home.

He typed at lightning speed, barely had time for the two big dogs, just opened his computer and got to work.

Performing above his usual standard, he finished before midnight, finally had time to talk to the dogs. While still awake, he filmed more footage of them.

The next day at school, he held a meeting to share yesterday’s idea.

According to Zhang Pa, he wanted to start with the fat man and those rascals. But they didn’t engage, so he turned to the students of Class Eighteen.

Zhang Pa asked who could draw, who could use the computer for graphics, who liked computers.

The answer was bleak—just like the fat man’s group, among the forty-three students, not one responded.

Zhang Pa sighed, "Don’t you know what it means to strive?"

Yu Yuan said, "You’re throwing labels around. Not learning computers doesn’t mean we lack ambition."

Zhang Pa nodded, "Alright, you’re right. Let’s start class." He took his computer bag and went back to the office.