Be Passionately In Love

In November, not long after the two had officially started dating, rumors were already swirling across campus. Xu Zhi knew gossip spread fast, but she hadn’t expected it to happen this quickly. One afternoon during a specialized class, Zhu Yangqi sent her two WeChat messages, one of which was a screenshot.

Zhu Yangqi: Tsk tsk, you’re the third one today. Several girls from our high school came asking me which high school you used to attend.

Xu Zhi: ?

Zhu Yangqi: It’s normal when dating him. After all, so many girls had crushes on him in high school, but he ignored them all. Everyone thought he’d stay single at least until graduation, but who knew he’d start dating right after high school? That’s gotta sting for the girls at our school. You’ll definitely have a lot of people snooping around about you soon. But don’t worry—he’s my bro, so I won’t spill anything about you. I told them you graduated from Fairy High School and are drop-dead gorgeous.

Xu Zhi: The girls in his class have probably seen me before.

Zhu Yangqi: Think bigger. You think only the girls in his class at our high school knew about him? Every girl in the arts campus knew him. And he hasn’t even posted about you on his Moments yet. If he ever does, my phone’s gonna explode.

Xu Zhi: Then how do they know now?

Zhu Yangqi: There are a lot of alumni from our high school at your university. Apparently, one of his buddies accidentally sent a message in our old high school competition group chat asking where he was. Someone replied saying he was eating with you in the cafeteria, and then I started getting flooded with messages from all the girls. Just wait till winter break—you’ll see how legendary he was at our school. There’ll probably be no shortage of gatherings.

……

At the time, Chen Luzhou was playing basketball on the court, his phone tossed carelessly on the mat beneath the hoop. When he came off the court, he sat on the ground, arms propped behind him, watching intently as the others played. Someone noticed his phone lighting up repeatedly and picked it up from the mat, handing it to him. “Damn, you got a call.”

The phone slid down from his shoulder. Chen Luzhou was dressed in loose gray athletic wear, the zipper pulled all the way up to his chin. He sat lazily, reaching out a hand to take the phone and casually pressing it against his chest without answering immediately. Instead, he called out unhurriedly to the players on the court, “Clock’s ticking. If you don’t shoot now, you’re getting blocked.”

Too late. The moment he spoke—

Smack! The ball was swatted away from above, flying straight toward Chen Luzhou.

His reflexes were sharp. With precise anticipation, he tilted his head slightly to dodge, adjusting his posture as he straightened into a cross-legged sit. He sighed and looked down at his phone.

The guy beside him was in awe of Chen Luzhou’s anticipation skills. “Damn, your prediction game is insane.”

“Just a good angle,” Chen Luzhou replied dismissively, still staring at his phone without looking up. “Where’s this call you mentioned?”

Upon closer inspection, it was a WeChat message—from a name that felt vaguely unfamiliar. It took him a while to remember: it was that girl who had dropped out of their class in freshman year due to stress.

Zhang Yu: You didn’t go abroad?

Cr: Nope. What’s up? Zhang Yu: [No, I was just in the class group chat. They were talking about you, which reminded me—I heard you went abroad before. Didn’t expect you still ended up at A University. Li Ke and the others are there too, right? I’m at B University. Let’s grab a meal sometime?]

Cr: [Maybe later. Been busy recently.]

Zhang Yu: [Alright.]

The next second, another message came in—not from Zhang Yu, but a WeChat contact saved as "Racatsanddogs."

Racatsanddogs: [Where are you?]

Cr: [Basketball court. Class over?]

Racatsanddogs: [Not yet. Kind of…]

Cr: [Hungry?]

Racatsanddogs: […Miss you.]

During their first week together, their WeChat conversations had been pretty proper.

[Where are you?]

[Library.]

[Wanna eat together later?]

[Sure. Do you have class in the afternoon?]

[No. Not sure if there’s a meeting, though. I’m craving crab.]

[Okay, I’ll take you later.]

Stuff like that.

Later, as they got more comfortable and their true natures surfaced, the chats gradually became a little more straightforward—though their straightforwardness was limited to things like "I miss you" or "I miss you too," nothing beyond that.

Just as Chen Luzhou was about to reply, someone happened to walk right into the line of fire—Zhu Yangqi called. He had just finished arguing with his roommate, and hearing Chen Luzhou slightly out of breath, an ominous feeling crept in. He preemptively asked, "Why are you panting? Can’t breathe again? Or is your girlfriend hugging you too tight?"

Chen Luzhou chuckled. "I’m playing basketball. No class this afternoon."

Zhu Yangqi let out a relieved sigh and was about to speak when—

Chen Luzhou added, "But she just said she misses me so much she can’t stand it." Leaning back, he propped himself up on one elbow and asked mischievously, "Hey, Zhu Yangqi, do you have a girlfriend?"

Zhu Yangqi nearly choked on his own breath, gritting his teeth as he cursed Chen Luzhou’s ancestors: "…Do you have a conscience?"

Chen Luzhou stopped laughing, his tone finally turning serious. "What’s up?"

Zhu Yangqi, utterly drained, said, "I can’t take my two weirdo roommates anymore. They fight every damn day. I’m planning to rent a place off-campus next semester. Wanna move in with me?"

Chen Luzhou sat up straight, shifting his posture—phone in one hand, the other elbow resting casually on his bent knee. "Our schools are so far apart. How would that work?"

Zhu Yangqi said, "Fine, I’ll take the L and find a place closer to your school. Our course load’s light anyway—just a few major classes a week."

"Wouldn’t be… very convenient," Chen Luzhou mused, tilting his head back as he thought it over, his Adam’s apple bobbing slightly before he drawled the words out.

Zhu Yangqi knew his hesitation was because of his girlfriend. But still fuming from his roommate drama, he had chugged a bottle of Sprite, his stomach now bubbling with irritation. He couldn’t hold back. "Is it because of Xu Zhi? I don’t mind living with you two—"

"Overthinking it," Chen Luzhou cut in. "Our school only allows off-campus living starting sophomore year. Li Ke’s also thinking about moving out then—he’s planning to apply for a startup fund next semester, so living off-campus would be more convenient. I’ll room with him. If you really wanna join, I’ll ask him to find a place slightly closer to your school. If you can’t stand your dorm next semester, find a temporary place yourself first.""Is Xu Zhi not planning to move out with you? A lot of couples at our school have already rented places off-campus."

Chen Luzhou sighed helplessly, watching the lively figures darting across the basketball court. The place was open on all sides, with no sealed walls. "Who knows what kind of rumors would spread around campus then," he said. "Even finding a spot to share a proper kiss at school takes half a lap around the building just to avoid being seen."

And Xu Zhi loved kissing so much.

Getting caught would be troublesome—someone might take photos and post them all over social media and forums, which wouldn’t look good. Zhu Yangqi understood perfectly. After all, they were at a top-tier university, and Chen Luzhou had always been someone with a strong sense of boundaries. "Yeah, you’ve always been the pure type since we were kids."

New love was always extra clingy, but Zhu Yangqi still hadn’t quite wrapped his head around what his childhood friend—this self-disciplined, pure, and aloof guy—was like in a relationship.

In public, he definitely wouldn’t act shameless. In private, though? No doubt shameless as hell.

Then, Chen Luzhou asked over the phone, "Want to come over this weekend?"

Zhu Yangqi immediately grew wary. "What for? To be fed dog food?"

Chen Luzhou chuckled lazily. "It’s my birthday. I haven’t treated you and Li Ke to a meal since Xu Zhi and I got together, so we might as well celebrate my birthday too."

"Aren’t you two spending your birthday alone?" Zhu Yangqi said. "If it were me, after being single for so many years, I’d definitely make my girlfriend go all out with surprises for my first birthday in a relationship."

Chen Luzhou had actually thought about it for a while but ultimately decided against it. He sighed. "Nah. You cherish your own girlfriend. Planning surprises is exhausting, and she’s been busy lately."

Zhu Yangqi was a little shocked. "Cut the crap. Weren’t you the drama queen who cared the most about romantic gestures?"

"Xu Zhi’s major isn’t like others—it’s mentally draining. The upperclassmen in her department joke that they’ll only last five to ten years working for the country at most. Seeing her pull all-nighters working on designs all the time annoys me too. I want her to live a long life," Chen Luzhou said, frowning. "It’s only been a few weeks into the semester, and she’s already downed who knows how many cups of coffee."

So, a few days earlier, Chen Luzhou had repeatedly reminded her: Don’t prepare anything for my birthday. Just spending it with me is enough.

The birthday on Chen Luzhou’s ID was in March, but his close friends all knew his real birthday was in November—on Singles’ Day. Back in high school, he usually didn’t celebrate much. If Zhu Yangqi hadn’t gathered a group to go drinking and singing every year, he’d probably just sleep the whole day at home. The date wasn’t exactly a happy one for him.

But this year, Jiang Cheng had actually sent him a birthday gift, along with a few other high school friends he wasn’t even that close with, who texted him birthday wishes on WeChat.

Chen Xingqi had sent one too.

[ Happy birthday, bro. ]

After the court had granted custody of Chen Xingqi to Chen Jishen, the two of them had stopped contacting each other. That night, when Chen Luzhou and Lian Hui were packing up to move out of the villa, Chen Xingqi had clung to his neck like a koala, refusing to let go, crying and asking, Bro, can I go with you? I don’t want to stay with them.

Chen Luzhou had been in worse shape back then, his voice completely gone. "No," he’d rasped. "I’ll have to work part-time just to support myself. How am I supposed to take care of you?"Chen Xingqi's eyes were swollen from crying, yet he still whispered softly, "I'm easy to raise. Just let me eat."

At that moment, Chen Luzhou's clothes were nearly torn off by him, his shoulder half-exposed. He glanced at Lian Hui, who stood silently by the car door. In the end, he picked Chen Xingqi up and coaxed him, "Stay home and behave. I'll come back to see you when I have time."

But Chen Xingqi knew it was a lie and immediately screamed, tearing through the deception, "Liar! Neither you nor Mom will ever come back!"

Chen Luzhou said nothing.

In the end, Lian Hui walked over wordlessly, dragged Chen Xingqi inside, locked the door, and ignored his wailing as he pounded on the door like a frantic puppy.

It was at that moment Chen Luzhou seemed to see his younger self.

When Lian Hui had first abandoned him, she must have left even more resolutely than she had just now.

Later, after they got in the car and drove in silence for a while, Lian Hui asked the driver to pull over. She stepped out to smoke a cigarette. When she returned, she fished out a new house key from her bag and tossed it to him. After staring out the window in silence for a moment, she finally spoke, "If I had known he would send you to an orphanage, I would never have handed you over to him back then. Our relationship was falling apart at the time. After we broke up, I found out I was pregnant. I had planned to get rid of you, but the night before my hospital appointment, I had a dream. In it, you kept calling me 'Mom.' The child in the dream looked just like you. I couldn’t bring myself to do it. But there was no love left between him and me. When he found out I was pregnant, he proposed marriage. It was ridiculous."

She paused, the memories clearly painful, the corners of her eyes tightening. "You’ve never met him. You don’t know what kind of man he is—a chronic liar, tangled in countless romantic messes. When we were together, he supported me financially. After we split, I had no choice. I had no income, so I had to work while heavily pregnant. That’s when I met Chen Jishen. He already had some money by then and said he didn’t mind the child in my belly—he’d raise you as his own. Later, that man tracked me down and caused a huge scene. It was ugly. He even stormed into Chen Jishen’s company, demanding that if I married Chen Jishen, I had to hand you over to him. He refused to let another man raise you. Though he’s a scumbag, his family had some wealth."

Cars passed by them one after another, their orange-red taillights flickering in the distance. At this point, Lian Hui gave a helpless smile. "Back then, I thought if you stayed with me and married Chen Jishen, I’d always be the weaker party, dependent on him for everything. My job at the TV station was his doing. If Chen Jishen had his own children later, you’d always live under someone else’s shadow. But if you went with your father, no matter who he married later, you’d always be the eldest son. Do you understand? After all, he’s your biological father. Whatever he has, you’d have a share."

"Why did he abandon me too?" Chen Luzhou leaned back in his seat, his face expressionless as he stared out the window. His voice was devoid of any emotion, so hoarse it was barely audible."He used to race cars, young and reckless, offending a lot of people. Later, he got into a car accident and was in a coma for three or four years. Right after that, the racing incident exposed his father's dirty dealings, and he was arrested. His mother had some mental issues and sent you to an orphanage. When he woke up, it probably took him a long time to remember he even had a son. He went looking for you, but back then, he was such a scoundrel he couldn’t even remember your birth details. Before the accident, you were mostly raised by a nanny anyway."

"After three or four years, he had no idea what you looked like. Desperate, he came to me and asked me to identify you at the orphanage. I was furious, but I couldn’t hand you back to him. So I lied and told him you’d been adopted. Later, I discussed it with Chen Jishen. He agreed, but on one condition—that I send you abroad once you turned eighteen. That’s when I realized how could he be so magnanimous? He never really let it go."

Her throat tightened, strained. Chen Luzhou couldn’t speak anymore. Days earlier, he’d already screamed himself hoarse. The sheer devastation and despair had drained him dry the moment he learned the truth. Back then, his heart was nothing but stagnant water, his eyes lifeless, eerily calm. "So you used the birth details as an excuse to trick him?"

Lian Hui’s throat was parched too. By the end, her voice cracked, and she struggled to inhale, her words fragmented as she forced out the last of her strength: "No. Chen Xingqi really had been running a fever constantly back then. Knowing how superstitious he was, I had him consult a fortune-teller. Sometimes fate just works that way. The fortune-teller said Chen Xingqi needed a godmother, but I refused. Then he suggested a godbrother—that Chen Xingqi was destined to have an older brother. Chen Jishen and I both knew what it meant. When we went to the orphanage to finalize the paperwork, you were six. You didn’t hesitate at all, calling us Mom and Dad so sweetly, so obedient. Suddenly, I didn’t dare tell you the truth. I was afraid you’d resent me, or that you wouldn’t be able to handle it. I thought I’d wait for the right moment."

She lowered her head with a self-mocking smile. No matter how well she maintained her skin, the fine lines at the corners of her eyes betrayed her age. "You never held any grudges against us. When you were ten, I almost told you, but you and Chen Jishen got along so well—better than he did with Chen Xingqi. I didn’t want to ruin that balance, so I never found the right time. But deep down, Chen Jishen is still rigid and old-fashioned. As his business grew, he started distrusting not just you—but even me. No matter how careful I was, he always believed that even though I treated Chen Xingqi well, my heart secretly favored you. So that night when you called me past midnight, I didn’t answer. I wasn’t in a meeting at the studio—he was right beside me."

"I’d just hung up on Chen Xingqi. He’d been pestering me for new sneakers, so I ignored him since it wasn’t urgent. Chen Jishen accused me of being cold toward him. Then your call came right after. Later, you asked why I insisted on sending you abroad. It was because the firmer I acted, the more at ease he’d feel. Back then, I kept telling myself that no matter what, Chen Jishen was the only person we could rely on. As long as we went along with him, things would be fine."The car fell silent for a few seconds. Chen Luzhou pushed the door open to get out, his emotions having dulled by now. Yet he didn’t know what to say to Lian Hui. Some things, once broken, stayed broken—no one could paper over the cracks. After learning the truth, he simply felt like he shouldn’t exist in this world at all.

He leaned back against the seat, first staring out the window, then tilting his head up at the car ceiling after a pause. His throat was painfully dry, his Adam’s apple bobbing stiffly as swallowing scraped raw. Exhaustion weighed on him as he fixed his gaze blankly on the ceiling before finally parting his lips. His voice, barely audible, came out like a scratched tape—muted yet unnervingly precise. With self-mockery, he murmured, "Sometimes, people really do need to love something to keep living."

His tone was as careless as ever, but like a fish gasping in drying mud, his heart had already turned to ashes. He’d given up struggling, letting the rain batter the duckweed, the plantain leaves scatter—more despondent than ever, yet clinging to a stubborn, reckless defiance.

Lian Hui’s face was deathly pale, but she smiled. "Love is the most illusory thing. Most of the time, it’s just cheap sentimentality and a trick of the mind."

Chen Luzhou kept his eyes on the window, offering no reply.

**

Chen Luzhou called Chen Xingqi back.

The call was declined, only for a video request to pop up seconds later. But no face appeared—just a mountain of test papers and workbooks piled on a desk, several PSPs strewn haphazardly among them. Chen Xingqi’s voice, still untouched by puberty (the latest in his class), rang out childishly, "Bro!"

Chen Luzhou was in his dorm. Hearing the voice, his roommate assumed it belonged to a ten-year-old. Glancing at the haystack of homework on screen, he teased, "Damn, elementary school kids these days really get buried in assignments."

"Middle schooler. Just a late bloomer," Chen Luzhou corrected.

He was lounging back in his chair, legs spread, wearing just a short-sleeved shirt with his jacket draped over the backrest, pressed under his back. His frame remained broad and lean. The familiar sight of his brother’s wide shoulders and sturdy back instantly filled Chen Xingqi with a sense of security, reminding him of the days he’d nestle in his brother’s arms playing games. Now, he couldn’t help but eye that broad chest with longing. “Bro, why are you still in short sleeves? Shouldn’t it be snowing in Beijing by now? I heard the northeast’s already buried in snow.”

Chen Luzhou rocked his chair slightly, ignoring the question as he pointed his phone at himself. “What was that weird thing I just saw? Point your camera at yourself.”

When Chen Xingqi had first opened the video call, he’d forgotten to flip the camera, so his face had been the first thing visible—and his brother had clearly noticed.

“You dyed your hair?” Chen Luzhou gave the screen a dubious look. “What color is that?”

Chen Xingqi replied offhandedly, “Yellow-green.”

“What kind of logic is that?” Chen Luzhou asked, baffled.

“The kind that pisses off Dad.”

Chen Luzhou shook his head in exasperation, too tired to argue. Instead, he teased, “Have you gone outside with that?”

“Yeah, it’s been days since I dyed it,” Chen Xingqi said, glancing up from his PSP.

“Did anyone mistake you for a traffic light?”

Chen Xingqi smirked. “Now that you mention it, Dad almost ran me over yesterday. Maybe he did think I was a traffic light.”

“Pretty sure he just genuinely wanted to hit you.”

“Whatever. I’m his only son now. If he kills me, who’s gonna take care of him when he’s old?”

“Chen Xingqi.” The sudden seriousness in Chen Luzhou’s voice made the younger boy pause his game, though his expression remained defiant. Not that Chen Luzhou cared whether he listened—he cut straight to the point. “Don’t bother with that. Live your own life, focus on your studies, and dye your hair back.”

“Can I come to Beijing to see you?”

“Get into City No. 1 High School first, then I’ll show you around.”

“City No. 1? I’m not you, bro. Seriously, what did you eat growing up to get so smart? Our teacher said yesterday that most people can get into a decent university if they work hard, but top-tier schools? That takes real talent. And then he said everyone at your university—A University—is both insanely gifted and insanely hardworking. I can’t even imagine what you guys talk about. Rocket launches?”

Chen Luzhou wasn’t in the mood to humor him. “We talk about everything. ‘Gifted’ or not, everyone here puts in the work. Just study hard. If you’re really struggling, I’ll find you a tutor—probably someone from Qinghua. Don’t tell your parents. Contact me directly from now on.”

After hanging up, Chen Luzhou tossed his phone onto the desk and turned to the roommate who’d chimed in earlier. “Midterm grades out yet?”

Only a few foundational courses had been tested—calculus, English, and the like. The humanities experimental class had more exams since their curriculum was broader.

Chen Luzhou scored a 96 in calculus and a perfect score in English.

“Pretty impressive, considering you started a month late,” his roommate remarked.But Li Ke was shocked. "You didn't get full marks in calculus? That can't be right. Isn't calculus supposed to be the easiest for you? I just heard someone from the humanities department aced both English and calculus. I was sure it had to be you. Has dating affected your performance?" The two were walking off campus, surrounded by passing classmates. Li Ke glanced around before leaning in conspiratorially and whispering seriously, "I heard that after losing your virginity, both intelligence and energy levels drop. Have you been... overindulging?"

Chen Luzhou: "..."

They had arranged to meet at a street-side seafood stall across from the university. When they arrived, Zhu Yangqi was already there, impatiently tapping his bowl. Seeing only the two of them, he looked behind them. "Where's Xu Zhi?"

Chen Luzhou pulled out the chair opposite him and sat down while Li Ke automatically took the seat beside Zhu Yangqi. Leaning back, Chen Luzhou first unwrapped the plastic-packaged utensils from the empty seat beside him, crumpling the plastic film in his palm before saying, "She's in class at the architecture building. She'll be here soon."

"Eating at a street stall for her birthday? What were you thinking?" Zhu Yangqi remarked.

They were seated right by the roadside. He glanced around—there weren't many people, typical for their campus on a Friday. Most students were either out having fun or buried in the library.

"Why make it such a big deal? Don't scare her. It's just a birthday," Chen Luzhou said nonchalantly, his eyes downcast as he arranged the chopsticks for her before unwrapping his own.

"Fine, fine. You're the considerate one," Zhu Yangqi teased.

This seafood stall had been closed for a while before recently reopening. Upperclassmen had mentioned it had flavors reminiscent of their hometown. Since Xu Zhi had never tried it, Chen Luzhou had chosen this spot. A few other tables were occupied, mostly by graduate students taking a break from the lab. They couldn't help but glance at Chen Luzhou's table, sighing about the relentless passage of time, remembering how they too had once had eyes as clear and bright as stars when they first arrived.

The stall's background music was playing a recent hit song, "Lost."

Zhu Yangqi didn't like it—it practically embodied loneliness to the extreme. The lyrics were heartbreaking, lines like "A thousand glowing homes, yet not a single light stays for me."

Li Ke returned with several cans of cola, sliding one over to Chen Luzhou before bringing up the topic again. "Hey, about what I mentioned earlier, you should really think it over."

"Think about what?" Zhu Yangqi asked curiously.

"Nothing. We're planning to join the math modeling competition, but he's been off his game lately. I think dating might be affecting him," Li Ke said, then asked curiously, "Hey, how long does the honeymoon phase usually last?"

"Three months?" Zhu Yangqi guessed. "Depends on the person. With this guy, who knows? Might last a whole year. He's kind of a hopeless romantic."

"That won't do. The MCM would be over by then."

Chen Luzhou chuckled, sighing as he twisted open his cola. Returning to the earlier topic, he admitted frankly, "I definitely don't have the same energy as in high school. Some distractions are inevitable."

"Distractions from what?" The chair beside him was pulled back as Xu Zhi sat down, looking at them curiously.The two of them were dressed quite harmoniously. Chen Luzhou wore a layered outfit with a gray knit sweater over a white T-shirt, the white edges peeking out slightly at the bottom, giving him a clean and sharp silhouette. Xu Zhi was also in black and gray—a black wool coat, black skinny jeans, and a gray knit sweater underneath—but her lines were softer.

Chen Luzhou had been sitting there alone, strikingly handsome in a somewhat solitary way, making it hard to imagine who could possibly sit beside him. Yet when Xu Zhi took her seat, the scene became effortlessly complete. Next to them stood a prestigious university, its streetlights casting a gentle glow over the aged, yellowed streets. The orange-red car lights on the nearby road flowed like a river, blending into a hazy, dreamlike backdrop. Perhaps it was the sharp and elegant contours of their figures that made them stand out so vividly—looking clear-headed, independent, tender yet resolute.

Chen Luzhou leaned back in his chair, one arm casually draped over the backrest while the other rested on the table. A black hair tie was looped around his wrist, and his index finger tapped idly against the surface. He turned slightly to look at her, his gaze dissecting her from head to toe before finally lingering—almost imperceptibly—on the bag behind her. With a meaningful, unhurried tone, he tossed out a question, "So you really came empty-handed for your boyfriend’s birthday?"

White railings lined the roadside, and their table was right beside them. It was already winter in Beijing, coinciding with Double Eleven (Singles' Day), and several delivery trucks were parked at the school gate, unloading packages. Xu Zhi glanced absentmindedly in that direction before turning back to him with a smile, her eyes settling on his slender, pale wrist. "Didn’t you say not to prepare anything?"

"Fine."

He fell silent. Li Ke and Zhu Yangqi stared at them blankly, but Chen Luzhou remained sprawled lazily in his seat, his gaze fixed on her for a long moment before he tilted his chin toward the bag behind her. "Is it in there? Come on, take it out." His tone was full of certainty, as if there was no way she hadn’t brought anything.

Xu Zhi couldn’t help laughing. She picked up his Coke and took a sip but still insisted, "Really, there’s nothing."

"Really nothing?"

"Nope."

Chen Luzhou wasn’t angry, just a little disappointed. But he knew Xu Zhi had been busy lately—she’d been pulling all-nighters to finish her midterm project for her major. The architecture department was notorious for having no weekends, and after submitting her work, she had slept for a full day and night in her dorm.

He sighed, still leaning back, and lowered his head in thought. After all, they were in the honeymoon phase—he could understand. But to avoid future arguments over this, he tried to convince himself. With a faint lift of his chin, he looked past the dense, shifting river of orange-red car lights and the bustling delivery trucks, searching for an out. Spotting only a basketball store nearby, he spoke in a cool, slightly arrogant tone, "Go buy me any random basketball. Doesn’t have to be a Spalding or anything expensive—just treat it as my birthday gift. If I ever bring this up in a fight later, you can just throw it at me."

Xu Zhi chuckled softly. Chen Jiaojiao was still Chen Jiaojiao. Without another word, she obediently stood up and left.

By the time she returned, the dishes had just arrived. The group was discussing midterm grades, and Chen Luzhou pulled out her chair for her. He held out his hand, and Xu Zhi placed a Spalding custom-series basketball keychain in his palm—probably no cheaper than an ordinary basketball. Stunned, he set down his chopsticks and looked up at her suspiciously.Xu Zhi's fair skin was already delicate, and the dry Beijing wind made her face taut, her features smooth and flawless. Her long black hair, slightly wavy, cascaded down her back. As she sat down, she naturally took a hair tie from Chen Luzhou's wrist and loosely tied her hair up, saying, "I asked the shopkeeper which ball wouldn't hurt if it hit someone. He said probably only a keychain wouldn’t. Since you get angry so easily, I thought this would be safer. Is this the same one from summer?"

He hummed in response. "It fell outside my bedroom door."

"Not mad anymore?" Xu Zhi asked. "Then can I make a request?"

Chen Luzhou laughed in exasperation, resting an arm casually on the back of her chair as he turned to look at her. "Pushing your luck?"

Xu Zhi felt this wasn’t something to discuss in front of the other two, so she pulled out her phone and quickly sent him a WeChat message.

Racatsanddogs: Can we stay out tonight?

Just as Xu Zhi’s message whooshed out, Chen Luzhou’s phone on the table dinged immediately.

Zhu Yangqi and Li Ke: "..."

Could you two be any more obvious?

Chen Luzhou ignored them. Li Ke was still talking to him about the math modeling competition, enthusiastically painting grand visions, his impassioned speech drawing sidelong glances from the condescending graduate students nearby. They thought today’s youth were too brash, unaware of their limits. Yet that fiery passion felt oddly familiar—wasn’t that how they used to be?

Li Ke: "I checked. Our school can enter the MCM directly without going through the national competition. Winning awards in math modeling can secure grad school admission. We’ve been doing competitions for three years in high school—this is practically our forte. Though it’s different from math competitions, modeling feels more interesting."

"I’ll think about it," Chen Luzhou said after a moment.

Then Xu Zhi chimed in, "I signed up for the national math competition—calculus division. Prelims are at the end of the month."

Li Ke: "You did? That’s great. Your girlfriend can handle the math competition, and you can join me for modeling. Have you done competitions before?"

Xu Zhi: "No, so I was hoping to learn from you guys."

Li Ke grinned. "Your boyfriend’s the expert here. He won first prize in the national math competition and made it to the training camp. If it weren’t for last year’s special education reforms in our province canceling all direct admissions and only offering bonus points, he’d have been admitted long ago."

Beside them, whether out of pride or something else, Chen Luzhou started humming along to the song playing at the food stall—low, steady, and perfectly in tune. His voice blended seamlessly with the melody, standing out clearly.

"Without my romance, what romance do they have? You’ll only be left with regret..."

Chen Luzhou might not have even realized he’d started humming along as he nibbled on a crab leg, listening to their conversation.

When the chatter died down, he noticed everyone at the table was staring at him. Tossing a peeled crab leg into Xu Zhi’s bowl, he coughed. "What? Is singing illegal?"

Xu Zhi smiled at him. "Did you check WeChat?"

"Yeah."

"So? Can we? I have a gift for you."

Chen Luzhou’s arm still draped over her chair, gloved hands methodically dropping peeled crab legs into her bowl. His expression remained indifferent as he gave her a meaningful glance. "A gift?""Want a reward, do you?" He added with a half-smile.

Author's note: "No more of my romance..." Shen Yicheng's salt.

Next chapter will feature Jiaojiao's birthday, which happens to be tomorrow in real life too.

This chapter has more plot development, but the sweetness starts next chapter.

Due to health reasons, updates might follow a pattern of four days on, one day off. Should be finished by month's end.