Be Passionately In Love

Xu Zhi recalled the note she had left for him back then.

"I have one. I'll handle the registration. Is the campus competition starting soon too?" Chen Luzhou said.

Wang Yue replied, "Yeah, in about half a month. We’ll probably be swamped after that. Professor Bai doesn’t oversee many teams—just three or four—so he’ll have more time to dedicate to us."

Hearing this, Li Ke finally snapped out of his thoughts about Zhang Yu and fixed Wang Yue with a serious look. "Only three or four teams? Does that mean he’s not very capable? And isn’t Bai Jiang already in his fifties and still just a lecturer?"

Wang Yue’s eyes flickered slightly, and he instinctively glanced at Chen Luzhou. Seeing no reaction from him, he mumbled quietly, "I-I told you before he doesn’t have many teams. You said it was fine."

Li Ke grew impatient. "Dude, 'not many' doesn’t mean just three or four teams. It means he’s not even qualified to mentor students. Are you playing word games with me? What’s your connection with Bai Jiang? Why are you so insistent on us joining his team?"

Wang Yue hurried to explain, "Most of the time, professors pick students, not the other way around. We’re just freshmen—renowned professors don’t even know our capabilities. Even if we joined their teams, they wouldn’t take us seriously. Besides, let’s be real—most professors just lend their names and don’t actually have time to mentor. They usually leave it to experienced seniors or grad students."

This had become a common issue in universities in recent years—prioritizing research over teaching. Professors were too busy publishing papers and securing grants, treating lectures as casual affairs where everyone just got along. Even at A University, which was relatively better, these problems persisted. Some star professors even spent most of their time running businesses outside campus, recycling the same lecture slides for years.

Wang Yue’s reasoning was simple: even an inexperienced professor was better than a bunch of green students. He had confidence in himself, in Li Ke, and in Chen Luzhou. All they needed was a responsible advisor.

"You totally tricked me," Li Ke grumbled.

"You tricked me first—you promised to start a business together, but all I got was coding for you," Wang Yue shot back.

"I’m still applying for the startup fund! How am I supposed to get approval without any results?"

The two went back and forth, bickering relentlessly. Chen Luzhou rubbed his temples, feeling a headache coming on. After a moment of silence, he picked up his phone to check the time, then looked at Wang Yue calmly and bluntly said, "Enough. Stop arguing. Wang Yue, is there any other reason? Just lay it all out now. We don’t want to find out later and feel resentful."

One reason Li Ke always respected Chen Luzhou was his straightforwardness. He never beat around the bush—if there was something unpleasant to say, he said it upfront. If things went south later, he’d take responsibility without blaming others.Wang Yue glanced at Li Ke, who was staring at him like a frog, eyes bulging. After hesitating for a moment, he finally said, "There's no special reason. The first is what I just mentioned—his guidance is definitely sufficient. Another reason is—"

Wang Yue struggled for a long time.

"Spit it out already," Li Ke urged impatiently.

"He... is my girlfriend's dad."

Li Ke: "..."

Chen Luzhou: "..."

Wang Yue, looking flustered, quickly explained, "He’s genuinely passionate about teaching, but these past two years, he’s been sidelined due to issues within the education system. It’s left him pretty disheartened, and he plans to apply for early retirement next year. A couple of teams in our department have approached him, hoping he’d stay and teach a few more years. I’m not saying the other professors aren’t good, but after dedicating over thirty years to teaching, he’s grown disillusioned with the profession he once loved. Even if he retires, I want him to leave on a high note. Whether the school appreciates him or not, we do—"

Li Ke and Chen Luzhou exchanged a glance. Li Ke muttered, "Should’ve just said that from the start. Alright, got it. Let’s get to work."

"By the way, Professor Bai doesn’t know I’m dating his daughter. Don’t tell him—I don’t want him overthinking it," Wang Yue added, his face reddening.

Chen Luzhou, leaning back with one knee propped against the table edge and his laptop balanced on his lap, scrolled lazily through the group’s shared files. With a careless smirk, he remarked, "Got it. So when we attend your wedding someday, does that mean Li Ke and I are exempt from giving red envelopes?"

"Honestly, you and your girlfriend will probably beat us to it. You two look like you could get married tomorrow," Wang Yue blurted out, voicing his recent observations.

Chen Luzhou chuckled, hugging his laptop. "Are we that clingy?"

"You’re just realizing this now?" Li Ke rolled his eyes.

Reaching for a milk stick, Chen Luzhou laughed, his tone both smug and dismissive. "We’re in the honeymoon phase. Bear with it a little longer."

That "little longer" stretched through the entire fall semester of their freshman year. Both were busy preparing for competitions—Xu Zhi had passed the preliminary round of the math contest and was now gearing up for the finals in March, while Chen Luzhou was buried in translating and revising his mathematical modeling competition paper. Most of their time was spent in the library, occasionally exchanging glances, smiles, or a quick squeeze of hands before diving back into their books.

As winter break approached, the campus gradually emptied, leaving it desolate. The trees stood bare, stripped of their leaves. Xu Zhi found the sight rather bleak. The two had just stepped out of the library when a biting wind slipped under her collar, making her shiver. Chen Luzou immediately unzipped his down jacket and wrapped her inside, pulling her along as they walked. "Train ticket booked yet?"

Buried against his chest, shielded from the wind, Xu Zhi inhaled his familiar crisp scent and nuzzled closer. "Yeah, leaving the day after tomorrow. My dad’s been nagging. The department originally planned a sketching trip, but it got canceled because of the forecasted blizzard. Otherwise, I could’ve stayed a few more days. Are you guys staying on campus for New Year’s?"

"Zhu Yangqi isn’t going home this year either. He rented a place off-campus. Li Ke and I are moving in with him in a few days.""Why isn't he going back either?" Xu Zhi grew increasingly intrigued as she listened. Zhu Yangqi was probably staying because Chen Luzhou was here too. That little tagalong.

Chen Luzhou glanced down at her with a smile. "Did I never tell you what his family does? His parents are artisans—most of their business is in the States. They're always there during New Year's, so he's basically spent every New Year at my place. If he went back now, it'd just be him and their housekeeper."

Xu Zhi sighed. "Chen Luzhou, I'm not just saying this—I really miss you already. I don't know why, but I have this awful feeling. There might be a blizzard in Beijing. Be careful."

Chen Luzhou flicked her forehead lightly. "Cursing me now?"

Still uneasy, Xu Zhi said, "If there really is a blizzard, don't come back. The roads will be dangerous. I'll buy you some instant noodles later—if the snow gets bad, just stay inside."

As they reached the dormitory building, Chen Luzhou kept her wrapped tightly in his down jacket, her face barely visible as she buried it against his chest, clutching the edges of the coat. He looked down at her. "You're really that worried about me?"

"Just check in with me every day, okay?"

"Sure. Anything else?"

Nearby, bare tree branches stretched cleanly into the cold, patches of unmelted snow clinging stubbornly between them like an elegant old woman clutching the last remnants of life.

Xu Zhi hugged his lean waist, thinking seriously for a moment before suddenly bursting into laughter against his chest, unable to stop herself. When she finally caught her breath, she looked up at him and said, "Send me updates on everything—eating, drinking, even bathroom breaks. I don’t want you getting blown up mid-toilet trip. I read about a guy overseas who died like that."

Chen Luzhou was torn between amusement and exasperation, but he loved her all the more for it. He could feel it.

The next day, after seeing her off at the airport, Xu Zhi kept glancing back, her reluctance so palpable that Chen Luzhou didn’t dare say much, afraid she might impulsively stay if he did. He simply coaxed her onto the plane and, once her figure disappeared beyond the gate, sat slumped in a chair by security for a long while, weighed down by the thought of a month apart. The more he dwelled on it, the harder it became—but he bit his tongue, not wanting to make it worse for her.

Yet when Xu Zhi landed at Qingyi Airport, bundled in her coat and swept along by the bustling crowd toward baggage claim, the familiar lilt of Qingyi dialect filling her ears, she suddenly felt a wave of warmth. Especially when, outside the terminal, she spotted Old Xu’s tear-streaked, jowly face—his excitement so intense his cheeks trembled—waving at her with the enthusiasm of welcoming an Olympic champion.

Ah, she thought. It really is good to be home.

Settling into the car, she sent Chen Luzhou a message.

Xu Zhi: [Chen Jiaojiao, I just realized—I love you so much when I’m in Beijing.]

salt: [Missing me already? Hold on, tweaking something for Teacher Bai.]

Xu Zhi: [Actually, now that I’m back in Qingyi, not so much. Do your best in the competition! Hahaha! Winter break, here I come!!!!!!!!]

salt: [?]

salt: [?]

salt: [???????? Xu Zhi ????????]