After graduation, life suddenly became quiet.
No morning alarms for school.
No uniforms.
No last row seats.
No teachers telling Zhao Ming to stop talking.
For the first few days, it felt like a long holiday.
Then slowly, reality came back.
University applications. Future plans. Results.
---
The Group Chat Was Alive Again
Their group chat, which had been silent for a few days after graduation, suddenly became active again.
Zhao Ming:
I am very nervous.
Su Ran:
You are nervous about everything.
Zhao Ming:
This is serious. University results are coming out this week.
Jiang Chen:
They should be released on Friday.
Zhao Ming:
Why do you always know everything.
Jiang Chen:
I read the website.
Zhao Ming:
I rely on fate.
---
Results Day (Again)
On Friday morning, all three of them were at home refreshing the university portal again and again.
Su Ran stared at her laptop screen like it would run away.
Zhao Ming kept sending messages in the group chat every five minutes.
Zhao Ming:
Did you check?
Did you check?
Did you check?
Su Ran:
Not yet. I'm scared.
Zhao Ming:
Same.
Jiang Chen:
Just log in.
Zhao Ming:
You log in first and tell us.
Jiang Chen:
I already did.
The chat went silent for a few seconds.
Then Su Ran typed:
Su Ran:
AND??
Jiang Chen:
I got in.
Immediately:
Zhao Ming:
CONGRATS
SMART PERSON
EXPECTED
WHICH UNIVERSITY
Jiang Chen sent the name of the university.
Su Ran stared at the screen.
That was the same university she applied to as her first choice.
Her heart suddenly started beating faster.
She quickly logged in to check her result.
A few seconds later, she covered her mouth with her hand.
She got in.
She immediately typed in the group chat:
Su Ran:
I GOT IN TOO
Zhao Ming replied immediately:
Zhao Ming:
WAIT
WAIT
WAIT
YOU BOTH GOT INTO THE SAME UNIVERSITY??
Su Ran:
Yes
Zhao Ming:
THIS IS SUSPICIOUS
YOU PLANNED THIS
Jiang Chen:
We did not.
Zhao Ming:
Wait. I am checking mine now. If I also get in, this is destiny.
A full minute passed.
Then suddenly:
Zhao Ming:
I GOT IN
I GOT IN
I GOT IN
WE ARE GOING TO THE SAME UNIVERSITY
Su Ran stared at her phone and started laughing.
Jiang Chen looked at his screen for a long time without typing anything.
Zhao Ming kept sending messages:
Zhao Ming:
LAST ROW TRIO UNIVERSITY VERSION
THIS IS AMAZING
WE ARE TOO POWERFUL
---
Meeting Again
They decided to meet that evening at the same small restaurant they used to go to after school sometimes.
When Zhao Ming arrived, he opened the door dramatically and said,
"University students have arrived."
"You are still the same," Su Ran said.
"I am now an educated man," he replied.
"You were educated before too," Jiang Chen said.
"That is debatable," Zhao Ming replied.
They sat down and ordered food.
For a while, they just talked and laughed like nothing had changed.
But actually, everything had changed.
They were not high school students anymore.
They were going to university.
A new life. New campus. New people.
But somehow, the three of them were still sitting together at the same table.
---
A Quiet Moment Again
At some point, Zhao Ming went to order more food because he said the portions were "emotionally too small."
So again, it was just Jiang Chen and Su Ran sitting at the table.
Su Ran smiled slightly and said,
"Same university."
"Yes," he said.
"That means we didn't really separate," she said.
"No," he replied.
"I guess not."
She looked at him and said quietly,
"High school ended, but it doesn't feel like the story ended."
He nodded slightly.
"It feels like a new chapter," he said.
She smiled.
"Chapter after the last row."
He thought for a moment and said,
"No. Still the last row."
"University also has last rows," she said.
"Then we'll sit there too," he replied.
---
Zhao Ming Returns
Zhao Ming came back with too much food again and put everything on the table.
"I have decided something," he said seriously.
"What?" Su Ran asked.
"No matter if it's high school or university, we will still be the Last Row Trio."
"That is not an official organization," Jiang Chen said.
"It is now," Zhao Ming replied.
Su Ran laughed.
"Then what is our rule?" she asked.
Zhao Ming thought for a moment and then said,
"Rule number one:
No matter how busy we get, we still eat together sometimes.
Rule number two:
If someone is sad, the other two must help.
Rule number three:
If one of us becomes rich, they must buy food for the other two forever."
"That rule was always there," Su Ran said.
"That is the most important rule," Zhao Ming replied.
Jiang Chen looked at both of them and said quietly,
"Okay. Last Row Trio. University version."
They all put their drinks in the middle of the table and tapped them together like a small celebration.
High school was over.
A new life was starting.
New classrooms, new schedules, new people.
But some things didn't change.
They were still the three people who met in a classroom years ago,
sat in the last row together,
and somehow ended up walking into the future
together again.