Be Passionately In Love

Qingyi rarely saw snowfall in winter, but the cold was biting nonetheless. Without central heating, the chill seeped into bones, leaving hands and feet icy even outdoors. Xu Zhi hadn't acclimated yet—her thin Beijing-style layering of a light sweater beneath a coat proved inadequate here where indoor warmth was scarce.

Within moments, she was shivering violently. Old Xu couldn't bear it, draping his jacket over her shoulders while chiding, "How many times must I tell you? Layer up! My words just go in one ear and out the other."

Eager to cut short his lecture, Xu Zhi slid into the car and changed subjects. "Dad, you bought a car?"

Xu Guangji rubbed his hands together, wiping the rearview mirror with a tissue. "Secondhand. Remember Dr. Zhang from urology? His son made some money this year and bought him a new one, so he sold me this cheap."

The black Passat had decent space but showed its age—the steering wheel's finish worn pale, floor mats pockmarked with holes. For Old Xu, this marked progress. Willingness to spend was improvement; he'd long dismissed cars as money pits. His electric scooter had sufficed for his hospital-home routine.

Xu Zhi nodded approvingly. "Good. I've been meaning to say—who are you saving for? Spend when needed. That scooter's brutal in winter."

As they merged into the elevated highway's stream of traffic, silence settled. Through the window, Xu Zhi watched familiar roads flanked by leafless poplars standing sentinel over the storm-battered city. Though barren, the view filled her with vernal warmth.

Because this winter was her first with Chen Luzhou.

Downtown, her gaze lingered on Yifeng Alley—Qingyi's oldest street. Amid skyscrapers, her eyes found the dilapidated high-rise exam prep building, its cracked walls veined with vibrant ivy that defied winter's grasp. The anomaly thrived stubbornly among sterile towers.

At night when other buildings darkened, this one blazed with light past 3 AM. That relentless drive—refining gold through fire, squeezing every second to push limits—was Chen Luzhou. Was Tan Xu. Was every top student here. The city's hope. The reason the government refused to relinquish this land.There was once an entrepreneur who tried to develop this land together with the adjacent commercial district, but the government rejected the proposal. Despite the entrepreneur's extensive business plans and the argument that acquiring this land would bring limitless economic benefits, the request was ultimately denied. Although Xu Zhi never heard the official response from the relevant authorities herself, Dean Cai, who frequently interacted with officials, occasionally mentioned the inside story. According to the hints privately revealed by the responsible officials—the leaders believed that while they could demolish a building or overturn any unreasonable policies, they still wanted to reserve a piece of land for the students. That building had become a symbol of faith in the eyes of Qingyi's students. Because of their efforts, more and more people studied at home until three or four in the morning. Even my son knew, when passing by, that the place was full of top students and had produced many college entrance exam champions. A city with such a beacon for students shouldn’t lightly tear it down.

Qingyi was just that kind of city—full of human warmth. The builders worked quietly, the students studied tirelessly, trying to light their lamps, and some tried to protect those lamps for them. Xu Zhi’s mother was one of those city builders, a guardian of the light. This was also why Xu Zhi ultimately chose architecture—the lamps must burn endlessly, and the guardians of those lamps should follow one after another.

Xu Zhi carried her luggage inside and reached for the wall switch. "Dad, the light’s broken again."

Xu Guangji unwrapped the scarf from his neck and pressed the switch too. "So it is. Go take a shower. I’ll buy a new bulb later and replace it. I’ll pick up some groceries too—Yingying and Old Cai are coming for dinner tonight."

Xu Zhi hauled her luggage into her room, then poked half her head out. "Yingying’s on break?"

"No, the high school repeat class doesn’t get off that early. But since you’re back, Old Cai had to give her a day off," Xu Guangji said while washing his hands, then wiped them with a towel. "Her phone was confiscated by Dean Cai. You two haven’t been in touch much, have you?"

"Yeah, I sent her a few WeChat messages, but she never replied. I figured Dean Cai must’ve taken it."

Before Cai Yingying even stepped through the door, Xu Zhi could hear her voice. She was probably still on the fourth floor when her earth-shaking cries began, calling Xu Zhi’s name like an avalanche. "Xu Zhi!!! Xu Zhi!!!! Your grandma’s here!!! Your Cai grandma’s here!!!!"

Beside her, Dean Cai’s deep voice scolded, "Can’t you act a little more like a girl?!"

Xu Zhi had already opened the door, leaning against the frame with her arms crossed, waiting.

The footsteps pounded up without pause, and in two or three bounds, Cai Yingying was in front of her. The moment they met at the stairwell, Cai Yingying completely lost it, shrieking as she threw herself at Xu Zhi, still gasping for breath. "Ahhhhhhh, wuwuwuwu, Xu Zhi, I missed you so much, so much!"

Before Xu Zhi could even see her face clearly, she felt a dark, prickly head burrowing into her chest. Stunned, she pushed Cai Yingying back. "You got a buzz cut?!"

Cai Yingying looked miserable.

Dean Cai strolled up from behind. "She’s so devoted to studying now that she found tying up her hair and washing it too troublesome. So I just took the clippers and shaved it all off."

Xu Zhi: "..."Cai Yingying's features weren't particularly delicate, but they were pleasant to look at. She had narrow phoenix eyes and, like Xu Zhi, a small face that gave her a rather dashing appearance. However, Cai Yingying had never been particularly precious about her hair—she'd cut it very short before and had never kept it especially long. Usually, once it reached her shoulders, she couldn't resist trimming it again.

"Washing my hair is so effortless now. By the time you wash your hands, I'm already done washing mine," Cai Yingying said.

Xu Zhi laughed. "...Impressive. You could apply for a Guinness World Record. Come here, let me hug you. It's been so long since we last met."

Cai Yingying hugged her back but noticed something different. "Huh?" She looked down at Xu Zhi's chest. "Xu Zhi, your boobs got way bigger."

Xu Zhi: "..."

In the end, Xu Zhi covered Cai Yingying's mouth and dragged her into the room. The two tiptoed past the kitchen, where Old Xu and Old Cai were intently studying how to prepare salmon.

"Who the hell cooks salmon until it's well-done?"

"Raw fish has parasites!" Old Xu didn't dare eat it raw, but Xu Zhi had said she wanted to try.

"Deep-sea fish parasites can't survive in the human body—"

Xu Zhi closed the door and finally relaxed, giving Cai Yingying a hesitant look. "I have something to tell you."

Cai Yingying's eyes lit up. "I have something to tell you too!"

"Let's say it together." Xu Zhi hugged a pillow and sat on the edge of the bed.

Cai Yingying sat beside her and nodded solemnly.

"Three, two, one."

Cai Yingying: "I scored 120 on my second mock math exam!"

Xu Zhi: "I'm in a relationship."

The room fell silent for three seconds, as if frozen in time. Outside, a bare tree branch shed a leaf that spiraled down in the cold wind, landing soundlessly on the windowsill.

"AHHHHHHHHH—" Cai Yingying let out another ear-splitting scream, which was instantly muffled by Xu Zhi's hand. "Mmph—"

"Keep it down," Xu Zhi said, covering her mouth and glancing nervously at the door. "I haven't told my dad yet."

Cai Yingying pried her hand away, eyes sparkling with excitement but understanding. "Oh right, your dad relies on you so much—he'd definitely feel abandoned. But who's the dog bastard?"

"Have you not checked your phone at all? Haven't even talked to Zhu Yangqi?"

"Yeah, my dad confiscated it," Cai Yingying said. "Mostly, I just didn't feel like using it. Every time I picked it up, I'd think of that dog Zhai Xiao. Why are you asking about Zhu Yangqi? Why would I need to talk to him? Ugh, stop stalling—who's your boyfriend?!"

Xu Zhi felt warmth in her chest just thinking about him. Softly, she said, "That guy from summer vacation. You've met him."

Summer vacation?

Cai Yingying racked her brain. Someone she'd met? Zhu Yangqi? Definitely not—

She couldn't think of anyone who could be dating Xu Zhi in Beijing.

Then a name occurred to her, but instead of excitement, she was filled with doubt and disappointment. "Feng Jin?? No way, your taste is so weird. He's a catfish—not even as good-looking as Zhu Yangqi in person."

Xu Zhi studied her expression. "Zhu Yangqi's a muscle hunk now.""...Really?" Cai Yingying tried to picture the scene—Zhu Yangqi's slightly mature face paired with bulging muscles—and shuddered in disgust. "Ew, so greasy... It's not Zhu Yangqi, is it?"

"Yingying, have you forgotten Chen Luzhou?"

That name had briefly flashed through her mind earlier, but she'd quickly dismissed it. Yet for some reason, it felt like a name carved into a dusty treasure chest buried by time—both distant and faint.

For most girls, someone like Chen Luzhou wasn't worth approaching unless they had serious confidence. He was the type few could handle.

Anyone who'd witnessed that ambiguous relationship between them would feel regret on their behalf. If even Xu Zhi hadn't moved on, let alone Cai Yingying—who'd taken ages to get over it—hearing his name again now made her heart race uncontrollably. See? Someone caught the light.

For some reason, Cai Yingying felt her eyes grow warm with emotion. She asked cautiously, "Your boyfriend is Chen Luzhou? The same Chen Luzhou I met during summer break, right?"

Xu Zhi smiled and nodded.

Cai Yingying was thunderstruck. Afraid she might scream, she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands, eyes shining with excitement as she stared at Xu Zhi. "...Oh my god, didn't he go abroad? How did he end up in Beijing? I thought you two were doomed."

"It's a long story. I'll tell you later," Xu Zhi said without elaborating.

"Is he super impressive at school?"

"Pretty good. At A University, it's a battlefield of top students—the differences aren't huge," Xu Zhi sighed, lying on the bed and swinging her legs. "Working hard is just normal there. He spends weekends buried in the library, studying until two or three in the morning. It's not much easier than what we do."

"Well, that makes me feel better," Cai Yingying said, then suddenly smirked suggestively. "No wonder your chest looks bigger, huh? Hmm? Been up to no good?"

Just as Xu Zhi was about to respond, a voice called from outside, "Yingying, Xu Zhi, dinner's ready!"

The two scrambled off the bed. Cai Yingying said, "I don't have evening self-study tonight. Make him treat me to dinner later—he stole my best friend, so he owes me big time!"

Xu Zhi went to open the door, hand on the knob. "He's not back. He's in Beijing for a math modeling competition."

"He's not coming home for New Year's? What about Zhu Yangqi?"

"Yeah, the COMAP happens to fall during the holiday. Not sure if he'll make it back this year—there might be a blizzard. Zhu Yangqi stayed in Beijing to keep him company," Xu Zhi whispered. "Don't let my dad know yet. I want Chen Luzhou to have more chances to interact with him first. Once he can accept it, then we'll tell him."

Dean Cai was just coming out of the kitchen with dishes, winking conspiratorially at Xu Guangji. "Your girl looks skinnier. Could it be she misses you too much in Beijing?"

Xu Guangji, still wrestling with the salmon he insisted on pan-frying, shot him a proud glance. "Of course! She depends on me so much—calls home three times a day, worried I'm starving or freezing alone. That jacket of yours is just padded—lets all the wind in. Mine's pure wool, nice and warm."Dean Cai slammed the plate down with a thud. "Pah! Yingying is so well-behaved now, she won’t go out no matter who invites her. Just look at her mock exam scores—120 in math, 110 in Chinese—they’re skyrocketing, and I can’t even stop them! At this rate, I won’t be able to hold off the calls from University A! Hey, has Director Wei contacted you recently?"

"Yingying was always a smart kid. It’s just that you held her back all these years," Xu Guangji muttered under his breath as he chopped fiercely at the salmon. "Don’t mention Director Wei’s name later. Kids are sensitive; she might overthink it. She’s probably fully focused on her studies in Beijing—let’s not disrupt her mood."

And so, the meal unfolded with an unprecedented level of care and attentiveness, almost to the point of being overwhelming.

Xu Guangji waved his chopsticks enthusiastically. "Nannan, eat more fish. Studying in Beijing must be exhausting, right? You look like you’ve lost weight again."

Even now, Xu Guangji still used baby talk with Xu Zhi, just like when she was little.

Xu Zhi reciprocated the gesture, ladling a bowl of chicken soup for him and placing it in front of him. "Dad, drink some soup. Good for the brain."

"Here, Nannan, red bean soup to warm you up."

"Dad, why aren’t you eating any vegetables?"

Cai Binhong: "..."

Cai Yingying: "..."

Cai Binhong: "Cai Yingying."

Cai Yingying: "Yes?"

Cai Binhong: "Get your father a spoon."

Cai Yingying, busy eating: "Don’t you have hands? I’m covered in oil from peeling shrimp."

Grumbling and muttering, Cai Binhong shuffled off to the kitchen. Drafty? Hah, I’m practically being blown away...

After dinner, Cai Yingying and Xu Zhi retreated to the bedroom for more whispered conversations, while Old Cai and Old Xu washed dishes in the kitchen, utterly baffled as to how the two girls could possibly have so much to talk about. By nine o’clock, Dean Cai finally dragged his daughter away. Cai Yingying clung to Xu Zhi’s doorframe like the White Snake being sealed into Fahai’s golden bowl, wailing in despair, "I don’t wanna go! I don’t wanna go! I want to sleep with Xu Zhi tonight—we still have so much to talk about! Promise me, next time I’m on break, you’ll tell me the whole story! I’m dying to know which of the main characters confessed first!"

Once the car started downstairs, the house fell quiet again.

Xu Zhi walked over and turned on the TV. "Dad, want to watch something together? Butterfly Sword ?"

Xu Guangji, who had just noticed a missed call on his phone, was about to sneak off and return Director Wei’s call. He slipped the phone back into his pocket and feigned nonchalance as he walked over. "Sure, but let’s watch something else. I’ve seen Butterfly Sword two hundred times already. How about Country Love ?"

Xu Zhi: "Okay."

Roughly two hours later, both Xu Zhi and Xu Guangji were struggling to stay awake. Neither wanted to leave first, afraid of arousing suspicion, so they forced themselves to sit through another half hour.

Finally, Xu Zhi faked a yawn. "Dad, I’m sleepy."

Xu Guangji mirrored her with a yawn of his own. "Me too. Time for bed."

The moment the TV turned off, they both bolted for their rooms.

Xu Guangji eagerly pulled out his phone. "Hello, Director Wei—"

Meanwhile, Xu Zhi quietly locked her door and immediately sent a WeChat message to Chen Luzhou.

Xu Zhi: Mission report: Dad’s mood is stable.

A reply came swiftly.

salt: Your Beijing boyfriend, on the other hand, is not. Six hours without a single message—I thought you got blown up in the bathroom. Xu Zhi: [I'm afraid if my dad sees me replying too often, he'll get suspicious. Can we video call later?]

salt: [No way, don't even think about it.]

Xu Zhi smiled and replied: [Ah, then I'm going to sleep. Goodnight.]

salt: [You'd better pray the snowstorm in Beijing traps your boyfriend, or I'll come back to Qingyi and strangle you.]