If I don't have money to go to college, I can only go to slay the dragon.

Lin Nian and the others ate some buffet at the restaurant of the Hyatt Regency Hotel. The sunlight outside the floor-to-ceiling windows also climbed into the sky, covering the tall buildings with golden gauze. White seabirds carried the laziness and comfort of the afternoon in their mouths and flew past the tall buildings. In the long sky between the buildings, the wings of the planes falling towards O'Hare Airport cut through the clouds and flowed out thick blue honey.

Take the elevator from the hotel restaurant to the ground floor. As soon as the door opens, Su Xiaoqiang pulls Xia Mi and jumps outside. It seems that the friendship between the two is warming up very quickly. This is not a good thing - it means that after Su Xiaoqiang trapped Xia Mi, Xiawang's care work will naturally fall on Lin Nian.

The lady at the front desk of the hotel reminded everyone who was about to leave that the ultraviolet rays were slightly stronger today and that they should take sun protection measures. But after all, it was still a suitable weather for travel. The high temperature and sweltering heat that lingered in Chicago yesterday was probably just a coincidence. Most of the time, summer is Chicago. the best season.

After all, the city of Chicago still gives people the impression of "Iceberg Beauty". It is extremely beautiful and often extremely cold, so the temperature is as pleasant as today most of the time. The sunshine is bright and the vast Lake Michigan is intoxicatingly blue. , the wind from the north blows across the lake bringing coolness, and there are girls in bikinis and handsome handsome guys everywhere along the beach.

When talking about beauties and handsome guys, the receptionist couldn't help but look at this group of young people acting like tourists. Her eyes focused on the two men, and then she smiled politely and suggested that the artificial beach on Lake Michigan is a must-visit attraction. Please If you have time, you must try it. If you are nearby, I recommend the North Avenue Lake Beach, which supports all kinds of beach volleyball, inline skating, cycling or fitness sports.

Lin Nian and Chu Zihang didn't say anything yet, but at least Lu Mingfei had temporary tinnitus after hearing beach volleyball. His expression was fascinated and smooth, probably thinking of some beautiful scene.

After leaving the hotel, you can see that there are really more urban men and women on the streets of downtown Chicago today. You can often see refreshing fashionistas on the streets, wearing the most fashionable outfits of the season from "VOGUE" and adding a pair of sunglasses to protect them from the sun. Occasionally appear on the street, and suddenly disappear in the crowd.

The overall style and rhythm of a city ultimately depends on the people living in the city. At least Chicago, which relies on Lake Michigan, retains the feeling of a typical American metropolis in terms of living conditions and culture.

Finely grind pizza, skyscrapers, Lake Michigan and academic universities into colorful pieces, and then sprinkle the sunny sunshine as seasoning into the blue Lake Michigan to make a pot of soup that brings together art and blends leisurely. This is probably That's Chicago.

Although it is generally not as prosperous and passionate as the New York next door, in front of that bowl of blue soup called Lake Michigan, people in this city will eventually tend to enjoy and relax (but this is only limited to the North Side of Chicago, and the South Side of Chicago). District is another world).

"With such good weather, it would be a pity to go to the beach by car. Let's go by bike!" As the person in the team who is always the most courageous with ideas, Su Xiaoqiang immediately decided to take a "self-driving tour" on the go. .

Chu Zihang took the time to plan a route on Google Maps, and then gave Lin Nian a nod, because he found that the plan Su Xiaoqiang casually mentioned was indeed feasible.

After leaving the Hyatt Regency Hotel, ride along the Chicago River in the direction of Lake Michigan. Crossing the bridge to the north is a straight cycling road. That road is specially prepared for walking and cycling citizens, and it is close to the edge of Lake Michigan. By the lake, you can sit by the lake and play in the water when you are tired.

The 24-hour bicycle rental price is $7, which is very cheap. However, when renting a bicycle at the nearest rental point, I unexpectedly encountered a helpless thing. Xiawang did not know how to ride a bicycle.

Lin Nian always had an inexplicable sense of déjà vu when he saw Xiawang sitting on the bicycle, stepping on the pedals with both legs and then falling neatly to the ground at a 90° angle with the bicycle. With those blue eyes, he knew that he might not be able to save the back seat of his bicycle.

I heard that there are a thousand species of birds on Lake Michigan, but I don’t know if this number is true. Riding on the long walking path by the lake, Lin Nian turned his head and looked at the white shadows flying in the sky in the distance of the blue ocean. Under the sun, The beauty of some disillusionment.

Carrying Xia Wang, who was hugging his waist, Lin Nian was riding a bicycle far away at the back of the team. The leaders were Xia Mi and Su Xiaoqiang, followed closely by Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei.

It seemed that two young people and girls of the same age really got along well with each other. They chatted while riding their bikes and had a very heated fight. Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei also followed side by side, chatting while riding. Most of the time, Lu Mingfei asked casually, and Chu Zihang answered casually. The topic was not in-depth and probably not nutritious.

Even with Lin Nian's hearing, he could clearly hear what everyone was talking about in the vast lake breeze.

For example, Su Xiaoqiang and Xia Mi's topics were close and off-topic. In one sentence, they mentioned that they just saw a girl in the hotel lobby who had a really good temperament and good clothes. In the next sentence, they mentioned that Six Flags Roller Coaster Amusement Park is on the Internet. The reviews seem to be very good. Do you want to play together tomorrow?

Chu Zihang and Lu Mingfei rode for a long time. Lu Mingfei, who was staring at Lake Michigan in a daze, suddenly asked, Senior brother, why is Lake Michigan so green near and so blue in the distance?

It's a very boring topic, and I feel like I'm running out of words to talk about, but it's much better than asking my senior brother why your shadow's head is rounder than my shadow's. At least Chu Zihang can still pick up the conversation.

Chu Zihang thought carefully for dozens of seconds, and then answered Lu Mingfei that it might be a water quality problem, and the microorganisms in the water would determine the color of the water. It may also be due to the scattering of light. The seven colors of sunlight have different absorption rates by seawater. Therefore, if the scattering effect is not obvious in the shallow water layer, the water will be transparent, and if the water layer is deep, the water will appear light blue-green.

Lu Mingfei sighed and said, "Brother, you are so knowledgeable." Then he stopped talking and continued to stare at Lake Michigan in a daze, not knowing what he was thinking.

Xia Mi, who was riding in front, slowed down a little and lined up with Chu Zihang: "Senior brother, senior brother, is there more mineral water? Senior sister and I have finished drinking the water."

"There is no unopened water. We can ride up there to find a convenience store." Chu Zihang suggested.

"That's too slow." Xia Mi, who was riding the bicycle, seemed completely tireless. The more he rode, the more enthusiastic he became. He even had a free hand to clenched his fist and shook it. "I want to challenge my senior sister to ride to the beach in one go! Complete the conquest. Lake Michigan mission!”

Chu Zihang silently thought to himself that the total distance from the Hyatt Regency Hotel to the artificial beach was not even one-tenth of the lake's circumference. To conquer Lake Michigan, he would have to go around in a circle or drive a sailboat across it, right?

His eyes fell on the basket of his bicycle, which contained mineral water that he had only taken two sips of. A suggestion almost came to his lips, but he stopped because it was not appropriate.

But at this moment, a shadow flew over his and Xia Mi's heads and landed accurately in the basket of Su Xiaoqiang's bicycle in front of him. There was no need to think about what was thrown and who was thrown.

"Um, senior brother, do you mind if I drink your water?" Xia Mi sighed.

Chu Zihang didn't know why Xia Mi sighed, but now that the other party proposed it first, he had no reason to refuse.

"Then, thank you very much!" Xia Mi said, reaching out and grabbing the bottle of mineral water from the side-by-side bicycle basket. He leaned on the handle with both hands and unscrewed the mineral water, and couldn't wait to take a big sip. .

"I'm alive." Xia Mi exhaled comfortably from his long neck, wiped the water from the corners of his mouth and neck, and returned the mineral water to Chu Zihang. Half of the water in it was still shaking and refracting in the basket. Dazzling shimmer.

However, it is worth mentioning that after drinking the water, she did not speed up to ride to the front. Instead, she leisurely maintained a slowed down speed and turned her head to look at the view of Lake Michigan over Chu Zihang.

Chu Zihang looked forward, glaring at the bicycle. Xia Mi looked at the lake across which the Chidori crossed. The shadows on both sides cast on the ground and moved forward, occasionally overlapping and occasionally separating.

"Brother, why do you think the lake is so blue?" Suddenly, Xia Mi asked casually.

Chu Zihang paused for a few seconds, probably because he didn't expect Xia Mi to ask almost the same question as Lu Mingfei, but after thinking about it carefully, it seemed quite reasonable for the two of them to ask the same question.

He restated his previous answer to Lu Mingfei.

"Water quality and light problems? Is there a third possibility?" Xia Mi listened carefully and then asked.

"I don't have a deep understanding of water quality. You can wait until you go back to the college and let Norma look up relevant academic information in the library." Chu Zihang said.

Xia Mi stared at the blue lake in the distance in front of Chu Zihang for a long time, and suddenly he laughed as if he thought of something. Chu Zihang next to him listened to the girl's laughter, and for some reason it sounded. I picked up the silver wind chimes hanging under the eaves and windows. The lake breeze kept blowing here from a distance, and the crisp bells kept ringing.

"Senior brother, I suddenly thought of an explanation. Do you want to hear it?" Xia Mi tilted his head and looked at Chu Zihang and said.

"Say it." Chu Zihang shut his ears and listened.

"But before that, I have to ask you a question. Senior brother, do you think fish can talk?"

"You should, right?" Chu Zihang paused, and his tone was a bit unsmooth, mainly because the girl's topic was too off-topic, making it impossible to figure out what she was thinking.

"The fish can talk. What language do they speak?" Xia Mi asked again.

Chu Zihang was stunned.

Because this touches on his knowledge blind spot. In the past, there might be junior sisters or senior sisters who would take their notebooks to ask him some professional questions about magic mechanics after class, and there would also be some more maverick ones who would consult the executive department about life-saving techniques in field missions, but now this He had indeed never encountered this situation before.

Therefore, Chu Zihang answered honestly, "I don't know."

"I guess it's English," Chami said. "The fish in Lake Michigan speak English because they're American fish."

"English?" Chu Zihang thought of the old brain teaser questions, such as whether dogs in New York can understand the barking of dogs in Tokyo. Xia Mi's question and answer were quite similar.

"But what's the difference between this and Lake Michigan?" Chu Zihang didn't figure out the key point.

"No, senior brother, think about it, the fish in Lake Michigan can communicate with each other. They are American fish, so they speak English and blow bubbles all the time. The sea water is blue every day. Is it going to be blue?"

Xia Mi looked at the blue line of water and sky above Chu Zihang's head with bright eyebrows, his black hair was blown by the wind, and his eyes were fascinated.

Chu Zihang stared at her glistening side face in the sun for a long time, then turned his head silently and looked at the back figures of Su Xiaoqiang and Lu Mingfei competing on their bicycles in the distance in front of them.

There was a sound of wind coming from beside him, and Lin Nian, who was carrying Xia Wang behind him, passed Chu Zihang on the right side.

Chu Zihang saw Xia Wang holding Lin Nian on the bicycle like a koala. The boy seemed to be enjoying the scenery in the back seat. He was basking in the sun with half of his face pressed against Lin Nian's back and taking a nap while looking at the Blue Lake. .

"They are riding too fast. I will go to the front to ask them to slow down. There is still some distance from the beach. You may be able to help her do some entrance training or something." Lin Young's fluttering words were left in the wind, The figure on the bike quickly moved away, leaving Chu Zihang and Xia Mi behind.

ps: There are still one or two chapters before we say goodbye to daily life.