Genius Girlfriend

Lin Zhixia dashed over to Miao Danyi and greeted her very amiably: "Hello, I'm Lin Zhixia, Wen Qi's classmate."

Miao Danyi took Lin Zhixia's hand and directly wrote the three characters "Miao Danyi" in her palm as her self-introduction.

Miao Danyi added: "I know you. You're the young genius girl. I've seen many geniuses who are boys..."

Lin Zhixia smiled gently.

Wen Qi had his back to the two girls. He didn't even greet Lin Zhixia. He had known Lin Zhixia for less than half a month, they hadn't exchanged more than twenty sentences, and their WeChat chat history combined couldn't even fill one phone screen.

On the night Wen Qi sent the wrong email, Lin Zhixia sent him a message: "Do you want to talk with your senior sister?"

Essentially, this message was asking for his life.

So, he didn't reply.

From Monday to Friday this week, he took leave from the Laboratory. Lin Zhixia asked him again: "Are you feeling okay?"

He answered evasively: "I'm reading at home."

Lin Zhixia replied with a thumbs-up emoji. Wen Qi didn't know how to respond. Thus, they both fell into an awkward silence, neither speaking another word.

This afternoon, Lin Zhixia, Jiang Yubai, and Miao Danyi seemed to have made an appointment to visit Wen Qi's home, making him as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He brought his three classmates into his dorm room and accepted the lunch Jiang Yubai brought him, only then remembering he hadn't eaten lunch yet.

Overwhelmed by intense hunger, Wen Qi leaned on a chair and sat down. The air was deathly still. He tried telling a physics joke: "Are Lagrangian mechanics and Hamiltonian mechanics better than Newtonian mechanics? No, they're equivalent, hahahahahaha..."

Lin Zhixia also found it amusing and laughed along with "hahahaha."

Miao Danyi forced a slight smile.

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai remained composed and quiet, as if no joke in the world could move him. He chatted casually with Wen Qi, always finding ways to continue the conversation. Feeling like sitting on pins and needles, Wen Qi had to say: "You guys chat first, I'll go cook."

Miao Danyi quickly said: "I'll help you."

Lin Zhixia chimed in: "Jiang Yubai and I will help too. I can wash and chop vegetables... By the way, I wanted to talk to you about aishwarya. It seems you didn't receive my email."

"Probably didn't see it," Jiang Yubai seemed to be covering for Wen Qi, "The school mailbox is flooded with all kinds of emails."

Wen Qi remained silent. He walked toward the kitchen.

The shared kitchen in the dorm was not large.

With four people standing in the kitchen, the space felt somewhat crowded.

Wen Qi took out a box of vegetables and beef. Lin Zhixia deftly washed the vegetables while Wen Qi chopped them nearby. Jiang Yubai stood not far away, wiping a dining table with a cloth, while Miao Danyi sat on a chair, looking down at her phone replying to messages.

Miao Danyi's boyfriend Sun Dawei sent a message: "Miao Miao, are you still shopping with friends outside?"

Miao Danyi tilted her phone screen. Jiang Yubai, with his excellent eyesight, happened to glimpse her chat box. He remained silent, so Miao Danyi asked him: "What should I tell Sun Dawei?"

Jiang Yubai said quietly: "You should talk with him first."

"Talk about what?" Miao Danyi propped her chin with one hand.With a mocking glint in her eyes and a nonchalant tone, she said, "So you're the one who told Sun Dawei, right? Asking him to find me a bunch of tutors—what's that supposed to mean? I'm completely baffled. I've been stuck at home studying every day, putting in so much effort just to finish the assignments my teacher gave me. You're something else—such a handsome guy, yet your heart is darker than a crow's."

"If the tutors aren't suitable for you," Jiang Yubai suggested, "you can speak up. Keeping it to yourself does more harm than good, both for you and for him."

Jiang Yubai's emotions and demeanor were as serene as a thousand-foot-deep pond, giving off a very reliable and trustworthy vibe—a rare quality in young men.

Moreover, Jiang Yubai was diligently wiping the table.

Jiang Yubai was very particular about cleanliness. He didn't miss a single spot, wiping the table with more focus than a restaurant server.

While Miao Danyi was chatting idly with Jiang Yubai, Lin Zhixia was also talking to Wen Qi.

Lin Zhixia asked softly, "Wen Qi, I find it strange—why are you always unwilling to answer my questions? You rarely reply to my WeChat messages either. When I talk to you, out of ten times, you respond at most once..."

Wen Qi wiped his face harshly with an oily rag.

Instantly, his face became very, very dirty.

Lin Zhixia frowned slightly, finding it even harder to understand Wen Qi's inner world.

What was going on?

Lin Zhixia had originally thought she was getting closer to understanding normal people, but after starting her Ph.D., she once again found herself puzzled by their behavior.

Setting aside her doubts for the moment, she got straight to the point: "From what I've observed, our advisor is very busy and doesn't care about that email at all. Aishwarya is genuinely angry. You could apologize to her during the group meeting... Actually, I should take the main responsibility. If I hadn't asked you, you wouldn't have written the email."

But Wen Qi didn't see it that way.

After all, he was the one who first mentioned to Lin Zhixia that Aishwarya had been complained about. If he hadn't said anything, Lin Zhixia wouldn't have known. If he hadn't sent the email to the wrong person, Aishwarya wouldn't have been so furious.

He was the one primarily responsible.

After washing a basin of cabbage, Lin Zhixia added, "Your contribution to the paper was removed. I'm trying to find a way to fix it. I have a paper that's almost finished—would you like to collaborate? This one could also be published in Nature , and you could be the second author."

Wen Qi firmly refused, "No, don't use a second authorship to compensate me."

His tone was rushed and flustered, leading Lin Zhixia to misunderstand him: "Do you have another solution? I'll keep following up with Aishwarya. When I was little, people often called me a freak. I can understand how uncomfortable she must have felt seeing the term 'wicked witch'... You were just relaying what the undergraduates said, describing an objective fact. I believe you had no malicious intent. Would you be willing to talk to Aishwarya with me?"

Wen Qi let out a low sigh.

Bright red blood gushed from between his fingers, staining the white plastic cutting board, and even the green cabbage was dyed crimson.Wen Qi was absentmindedly chopping vegetables when he accidentally cut his finger. He quickly turned on the tap to rinse off the blood, and Lin Zhixia exclaimed, "Wen Qi cut his hand with the knife."

For some inexplicable reason, Wen Qi lied, "It's just a small cut, it's not bleeding anymore."

Lin Zhixia casually replied, "That's good."

Wen Qi turned his face away, not daring to look at her at all, and said, "I have band-aids in my room."

Lin Zhixia said seriously, "I'll go with you to your dorm to get the band-aids."

Wen Qi waved his hand, "There's a fish in the pot, you watch the stove in the kitchen."

In the end, Jiang Yubai accompanied Wen Qi back to the dorm, leaving only Lin Zhixia and Miao Danyi in the communal kitchen.

Lin Zhixia added some seasoning to the braised fish, and Miao Danyi came to her side and asked, "Do you often cook at home?"

"Yes," Lin Zhixia said with a hint of pride, slightly lowering her head, "I can cook many dishes now."

Lin Zhixia had exceptionally well-maintained skin, fair and translucent, with pores barely visible even up close. Her features were delicate and exquisite, her eyes particularly beautiful—bright and sparkling, lively and expressive, with thick, curly lashes like dark butterfly wings, and lips as red, moist, and tender as delicate rose petals.

As she spoke with Miao Danyi, she stood close to the stove, the steam continuously rising, giving her cheeks a faint pink glow. Her fair skin tinged with pink made her even more endearing. Miao Danyi asked, "Does Jiang Yubai make you cook for him at home? How could he do that?"

"No," Lin Zhixia refuted, "Jiang Yubai and I don't live together."

Miao Danyi quickly explained that she lived with her boyfriend, so she had assumed too much. She detailed her background, instantly bridging the gap between her and Lin Zhixia.

Lin Zhixia nodded and asked, "What is Malaysia like? Do you speak Burmese?"

Miao Danyi described honestly, "My mom is Burmese; she left when I was little. I live in Malaysia. My dad runs a company, and I have four half-siblings. I attended private school from age six..."

"Four siblings?" Lin Zhixia assumed, "It must be lively, right?"

Miao Danyi's lips curved into a smile.

Lin Zhixia gripped the spatula and flipped the braised fish over.

The smell of cooking oil drifted out, and the kitchen window was fogged up. Miao Danyi stirred a bowl of eggs, saying she was going to cook her specialty dish. She hadn't cooked in a long time, and as she heated the oil, splatters landed on the back of her hand.

"It splashed you," Lin Zhixia asked anxiously, "Does it hurt?"

Out of nowhere, Miao Danyi said, "You're a very special kind of smart person."

Lin Zhixia blinked.

Miao Danyi pursed her lips and smiled, "You and Jiang Yubai have a really good relationship."

Lin Zhixia returned the compliment, "You and your boyfriend must have a great relationship too."

Miao Danyi pouted, "He doesn't like me; I don't dislike him."

"What does that mean?" Lin Zhixia inquired humbly.

This complicated situation reminded Lin Zhixia of Senior Tan Qianche.

Lin Zhixia acted gentle, cute, and considerate, and in her presence, Miao Danyi's long-suppressed thoughts suddenly poured out: "He has money; my dad doesn't anymore. My classmates are smart; I'm the dumb one. I can't get a scholarship; tuition and living expenses cost tens of thousands of pounds a year..."Lin Zhixia sorted out the sequence of events: "You have your boyfriend pay for your tuition and living expenses?"

"Have you heard of sugardaddy websites?" Miao Danyi's voice gradually lowered. "There's a saying that sums it up... ah, I remember now—look beyond the appearance to perceive the essence, each takes what they need."

This statement from Miao Danyi greatly shocked Lin Zhixia, even surpassing the romantic escapades of Tan Qianche she had witnessed years ago. Her "Human Observation Diary" had gained fresh material.

Lin Zhixia couldn't resist asking: "What's your major?"

Miao Danyi lied: "Philosophy."

Lin Zhixia gripped the kitchen knife and sliced a tomato: "What you just said aligns closely with the definition of 'logocentrism.' Logocentrism uses vocabulary and language as fundamental expressions to replace external reality..."

Miao Danyi had casually mentioned "philosophy," never expecting Lin Zhixia to dive straight into specialized terminology.

The braised fish sizzled in the pan. Holding her breath, Miao Danyi asked, "Are you criticizing me?"

Lin Zhixia shook her head: "I hardly ever criticize people."

Their conversation didn't continue further.

Because Jiang Yubai and Wen Qi had returned.

Lin Zhixia had nearly finished preparing lunch. She dished out all the food, arranged it on the dining table, and even reheated that portion of Claypot Rice, serving it to Wen Qi in a porcelain bowl. The four of them sat around the table, harmoniously sharing a meal like classmates gathering for a dinner.

During the meal, Lin Zhixia repeatedly asked Wen Qi: "When are you free? Let's go chat with our senior."

Wen Qi covered his mouth and remained silent.

Jiang Yubai seemed thoughtful. After a moment, he said, "Next Friday, your advisor is treating everyone to a meal. You, Lin Zhixia, and your senior can arrive early to find a chance to talk. Even if the conversation doesn't go smoothly, once your advisor arrives..."

Before Jiang Yubai could finish, Lin Zhixia grasped his meaning. She slapped the table boldly: "Excellent strategy! It's settled then."

No one opposed Lin Zhixia.

She effortlessly finalized the plan.

After the meal, Jiang Yubai and Wen Qi went to wash the dishes, while Lin Zhixia and Miao Danyi sat at the table.

Miao Danyi's dress had a thin cord as a belt. She pulled out the cord, tied a knot, and on a whim, Lin Zhixia started playing Cat's cradle with her.

As they played, curiosity getting the better of her, Lin Zhixia quietly asked, "What does 'sugardaddy' mean?"

Miao Danyi answered with a laugh: "Wealthy older men dating female students from prestigious universities, covering their tuition and living expenses."

Lin Zhixia asked innocently: "Is this common?"

"Rare, extremely rare," Miao Danyi said, her fingers nimbly forming a bowknot.

Lin Zhixia lifted the string with her fingertip: "Are there any 'sugary' websites? Wealthy older women dating male students from prestigious universities."

"Probably not," Miao Danyi replied.

Lin Zhixia fell into thought.

Miao Danyi teased: "Thinking of creating a 'sugary' website?"

Lin Zhixia shook her head like a rattle drum: "No, no, no. I'm trying to analyze the issue using 'deconstructionism.'"Miao Danyi let out an "ah" of surprise, and Lin Zhixia explained in greater detail: "Deconstructionism means that seemingly fixed, unchanging structures can be reshaped. Starting from new perspectives can derive new meanings, dismantling centralized fixed ideologies... It reminds me of blockchain architecture too—the core theory of blockchain is also 'decentralization.'"

Miao Danyi fell silent.

Lin Zhixia chattered on incessantly. She moved from structuralism and post-structuralism to deconstructionism, then to the philosophy of science theories of Karl Popper and Thomas Kuhn. As she continued, her voice rose slightly, making her clearly audible to Jiang Yubai and Wen Qi—though they couldn't understand her philosophical terminology at all.

That evening, on their way home, Lin Zhixia held Jiang Yubai's hand and confided in him: "I feel like the people and situations I'm encountering are becoming increasingly complex. In elementary and middle school, everyone's goal was just studying—we lived routine lives following set patterns at school."

Jiang Yubai responded: "This isn't really complex yet. Wait until you finish your Ph.D. and step outside academia—you'll frequently need to interact with all kinds of people..."

"I understand," Lin Zhixia hugged his arm, "Senior Wei Ruoxing told me that university professors are very busy—they need to coordinate with schools, businesses, and institutions at all levels. Being a professor isn't as relaxed as I imagined."

She murmured to herself: "I should be able to adapt. I can accomplish anything I set my mind to do."

"Of course," Jiang Yubai encouraged her, "I'll always support you."

And always protect you too, he thought to himself.

But Lin Zhixia appeared quite independent.

Jiang Yubai suggested accompanying her to the advisor's dinner, but she politely declined.

Lin Zhixia believed she could properly handle the situation herself—resolving conflicts within the group and repairing everyone's relationships.

Her first step in the plan proved quite successful. Senior aishwarya agreed to her request. On the day of the dinner, aishwarya arrived at the restaurant half an hour early and sat at the same table with Lin Zhixia and Wen Qi.

The long table was covered with a white cloth, silver cutlery and plates neatly arranged, candle flames flickering softly, while the chandelier hanging from the ceiling shone brilliantly. Lin Zhixia's seat happened to be directly beneath the chandelier. She took a sip of lemon water to moisten her throat and greeted her senior with cheerful enthusiasm.

Tonight, Lin Zhixia wore light makeup and a pale black gradient starry evening gown, accessorized with the heart-shaped necklace Jiang Yubai had given her—her attire was stunning. Senior aishwarya watched her for several seconds, complimenting her beauty and charm, which made Lin Zhixia smile even more brightly.

However, when turning to Wen Qi, aishwarya's attitude became much stricter.

With a serious expression, she asked why Wen Qi had documented her complaint incident in such detailed manner?

Wen Qi simply said: "Sorry, I'm sorry."

Wen Qi was exceptionally handsome. He had well-proportioned facial features, a high nose bridge, and slightly upturned eye corners—these were originally excellent physical traits, but he insisted on turning his face away, only stealing glances at the senior from the corner of his eyes, giving the impression that he looked down on her.

The senior immediately flew into a rage, suppressing her voice as she unleashed a long stream of angry words.Lin Zhixia was stunned for a moment before realizing her senior was saying, "You listened to the undergraduates and took their complaints as facts! Do you know how much effort I've put in? I created training plans for every undergraduate! Yet they call me a witch behind my back, and you're still making excuses for them."

Lin Zhixia immediately defended herself. She believed Wen Qi meant no harm and hoped her senior would calm down.

Her senior remained completely uncalm.

She demanded that Wen Qi formally apologize to her in front of all the group members.

Wen Qi entered a state of suspended animation. He lowered his head, his breathing becoming slow.

No matter how much the senior provoked him, he didn't utter another word.

Lin Zhixia tried to stop the senior's one-sided attack.

The senior fired three questions at her in succession: First, when students fail to meet your expectations, do you feel disappointed? Second, can you control yourself from hurting anyone's feelings? From damaging anyone's self-esteem? Third, you discuss problems daily in the Laboratory with people at your level, thinking the whole world consists of smart people—after leaving this environment, can you still maintain a peaceful attitude toward ordinary students?

Lin Zhixia answered decisively that she wouldn't feel disappointed and could maintain emotional stability. Differences between people create diverse individuals. No one in the world could completely meet her expectations.

Aishwarya's gaze remained fixed on Lin Zhixia's face for a long time.

Aishwarya meaningfully quoted an internet saying: "Just because you're right doesn't mean I'm wrong."

At that moment, other group members began arriving one after another.

They sat around the long table, conversing in low voices.

Aishwarya glanced at Wen Qi, whether intentionally or not.

Almost everyone at the table seemed to be looking at him.

He rested his elbows on the table, hands clasped together in front of his forehead, leading others to think he was religious and saying grace before the meal.

Their group also included a handsome blond, blue-eyed German guy. That handsome guy was also a devout Catholic, so he began praying along with Wen Qi. A sacred and peaceful atmosphere permeated the dining table, but then Wen Qi suddenly spoke up.

Wen Qi said in fluent English that first, he wanted to apologize to the senior for damaging her reputation through his email. Second, he didn't intentionally write the email—unless he prepared a draft in advance, he couldn't describe something through face-to-face communication.

As for why he wrote the complaint in such detail...

It was because his memory was too good.

He said: "I'm deeply troubled by this."

Lin Zhixia seemed to have found a kindred spirit: "I understand you, I really do, I'm also... there are so many things I can't forget."

However, Wen Qi's explanation, mustered with great courage, didn't move Aishwarya, who had just shown a faint smile.

This dinner lasted over two hours in total.

The advisor never mentioned academic matters at all—he shared many interesting stories from university life. It was only then that Lin Zhixia realized both the advisor and his wife actually had high emotional intelligence. They effortlessly created a pleasant atmosphere, allowing everyone to enjoy gathering together.

Lin Zhixia felt she had learned something.

However, the conflict between Wen Qi and Senior Aishwarya remained unresolved.The morning after the gathering, Lin Zhixia called Jiang Yubai and asked him what she should do next. He advised her not to pursue perfect social relationships. Aishwarya had demanded Wen Qi apologize publicly, and Wen Qi had already done so—this matter was considered resolved.

Lin Zhixia hummed in acknowledgment over the phone.

After a few seconds, she suddenly said, "The senior is like a mirror, showing me my past self."

Jiang Yubai's voice was gentle as he comforted her, "You've always done well."

"No," Lin Zhixia reflected self-critically, "When we first met, did I ever hurt your feelings or damage your self-esteem? Tell me the truth."

Jiang Yubai faintly remembered that back in fourth grade, his life's ambition had been to "defeat Lin Zhixia." He dreamed of hearing Lin Zhixia say with his own ears: "Jiang Yubai, you're so strong, I admit defeat, please spare me."

So many years had passed that he had long forgotten that initial goal.

By a twist of fate, he heard Lin Zhixia's apology: "J-J-J-Jiang Yubai, if I made you sad back then, I'm sorry, I..."

He interrupted her: "Don't say sorry."

He continued softly: "Knowing you since childhood, I only feel fortunate."

Tears instantly welled up in her eyes. With a nasal voice, Lin Zhixia said: "You're so kind."

Before Jiang Yubai could respond, Lin Zhixia honestly admitted: "I just called my brother too. I asked him if I had ever hurt him. He said since I only call him once a month, he's already deleted me from his memory..."

Jiang Yubai chuckled coldly: "No problem. Call him again next month and let him guess who you are."

This time, Lin Zhixia didn't take Jiang Yubai's suggestion.

She wrote on the desk calendar in front of her: "Call brother more often - upgrade from once a month to twice a month."

By the end of October 2012, Lin Zhixia's life had settled into a routine.

In the research group, everything proceeded as usual.

Wen Qi would arrive at the Laboratory precisely at 8 AM every morning and pack up to go home at 5 PM. Even during windy, rainy, or cold weather, he was never late or left early.

When he met aishwarya, they would still greet each other—but beyond that, there was no further communication.

To compensate Wen Qi, Lin Zhixia insisted on collaborating with him on a paper. She assigned half of the experimental work to Wen Qi, who indeed completed it excellently. He even improved one of Lin Zhixia's theoretical derivation steps, expressing the calculation using a different basis.

Lin Zhixia accepted his inspiration. For an entire week, they discussed the paper content in the same office.

Wen Qi discovered that Lin Zhixia could understand all his thought processes.

Even when he described things obscurely or presented fragmented ideas, Lin Zhixia could quickly grasp his deeper meaning. He no longer resisted conversing with Lin Zhixia. Their division of labor and cooperation became increasingly smooth.

By early December, Lin Zhixia's paper had taken initial shape. She submitted it to her advisor, who helped her revise it several times. Before Christmas arrived, Lin Zhixia submitted the paper for publication. Beaming with joy, she told Wen Qi: "We're definitely going to get accepted!"

Wen Qi replied: "Great!"

During the Christmas period, when the school was on break, the entire laboratory building became empty. Most students from European and American countries had gone home for the holidays, but Lin Zhixia remained at her post.

Before going abroad, Teacher Gu Likai had told her: "Stay humble and grounded, keep your feet on the ground, and you will surely succeed."

Therefore, Lin Zhixia's academic goal was no longer "complete the PhD within two years" but rather "accomplish the maximum work in the shortest time possible."

For her, Christmas break was no different from regular workdays. She still left early and returned late every day, eating lunch from her lunchbox while sitting in the office. When Jiang Yubai invited her to London for New Year's, she declined because she had new research ideas—she preferred to stay in the Laboratory to solve her problems.As the New Year approached, Jiang Yubai went to London with his friends.

At 8 p.m. on December 31, 2012, Jiang Yubai sent Lin Zhixia several photos of fireworks blooming in the sky. He said that whenever he saw fireworks, he would think of that night last August.

Lin Zhixia remembered—that was the night she had confessed her feelings to him.

Now, without even mentioning the word "confession," he had sparked her imagination.

Sitting on her dorm room bed, Lin Zhixia secretly wondered if Jiang Yubai was setting a trap for her.

She spread open a research paper, her mind seemingly split in two.

One half of her brain was thinking: The greatest significance of quantum computers is their ability to solve quantum problems—no matter how powerful traditional computers are, they cannot surpass this limit.

The other half, however, was preoccupied: It's been so long since I last saw him. This is the absolute limit of my endurance as an ordinary human.

She picked up her phone and sent him a message: "I miss you so much."

Jiang Yubai replied instantly: "Look downstairs."

Lin Zhixia dropped her phone in surprise. She rushed to the window and looked down—there stood Jiang Yubai, holding a bouquet of roses under a streetlamp. In the biting cold wind, he stood tall and straight. The lamplight cast a hazy, dreamlike glow over the roses, making the scene feel both real and illusory.

Lin Zhixia's heart raced wildly.

She pushed open the door and dashed down the stairs as if eloping with him. Only when she grabbed his hand did she notice it was slightly cold. "Why didn’t you call me?" she asked.

Jiang Yubai replied matter-of-factly, "I heard you’ve been very busy lately."

Lin Zhixia declared earnestly, "No matter how busy I am, I always have time for you!"

"Is that so?" Jiang Yubai asked lightly.

Lin Zhixia suddenly felt a pang of guilt but still insisted stubbornly, "Mhmm, yes."

She led him back to her dorm and brewed him a cup of hot tea. He took off his coat, leaving only a shirt, and sat quietly by the bed. The faint fragrance of roses filled the room. Lin Zhixia moved closer to him and asked, "Weren’t you in London?"

"I just returned yesterday," Jiang Yubai replied. "I brought you a New Year’s gift."

Lin Zhixia pointed to the vase. "Isn’t that bouquet of roses your New Year’s gift?"

Jiang Yubai set down his teacup. "There’s more than just roses."

"What else?" Lin Zhixia met his gaze.

Jiang Yubai pulled out an exquisite wooden box from his coat pocket. He opened it to reveal a silver ring. Lin Zhixia exclaimed in surprise, "Are you proposing to me?"

She was wearing a cotton dress—the smallest size, which fit her snugly. When she had brought Jiang Yubai upstairs, she hadn’t paid any attention to what she was wearing. Now, she suddenly burrowed under the covers and mumbled, "It’s too early. Let’s not think about those things for now."

Jiang Yubai lifted a corner of the blanket.

He climbed onto her bed, and she shrank further into the corner. Jiang Yubai grasped her wrist and placed the ring in her palm. "Proposal is for the future… This is just a little toy."

"A little toy?" Lin Zhixia repeated from under the covers.

Jiang Yubai chuckled softly before saying, "Look."

He triggered a mechanism on the ring, and the embedded silver circles overlapped intricately, transforming the ring into an astronomical planet. Each silver band was engraved with English words.Lin Zhixia reached out her finger and gently poked the celestial globe: "So magical."

"Do you like it?" Jiang Yubai asked her.

"I do," she blinked her sparkling eyes.

Jiang Yubai pressed the mechanism again, and the celestial globe transformed back into a ring. He said: "This is a celestial globe ring designed by Germans in the sixteenth century. I commissioned a London company to make it. The day before yesterday, I went to London to pick up the ring."

Lin Zhixia played with it for a long time, reading the English words engraved on the ring that together formed a sentence: "I love you more than all the stars in the sky."

She flipped the spherical surface again and saw her own name.

She carefully put away the ring and wore it on her left index finger.

Perhaps because the air under the blanket was stuffy, her mind felt somewhat hazy. She leaned into Jiang Yubai's embrace, and he immediately held her close, whispering: "Xia Xia."

Lin Zhixia released his clothes. Lying on the bed, she murmured softly: "Hold me."

Jiang Yubai turned off the light and lay beside her. The room was pitch dark, and under the cover of darkness, they naturally kissed. At some point, rain began to fall outside, its pitter-patter accompanied by the soft howl of the winter wind, beating against the dormitory windowsill.

The rain grew heavier, but Jiang Yubai continued kissing her.

Lin Zhixia gently pushed against his chest, the warmth radiating straight to her palm. He regained his composure, pausing all movement as he said: "It's getting late, I should head home now."

"Now?" Lin Zhixia said, "It's still raining outside."

Lin Zhixia turned on the room light.

Brightness suddenly filled the space.

Jiang Yubai grabbed his jacket and tied it around his waist. He remained sitting on the bed, half-leaning against the headboard, exuding a disheveled charm that Lin Zhixia didn't quite understand. She asked: "Are you uncomfortable?"

Jiang Yubai appeared slightly flustered: "I'm very comfortable."

"Really?" Lin Zhixia pressed repeatedly.

"Really," Jiang Yubai slightly raised his chin.

Lin Zhixia touched his forehead: "You shouldn't be catching a cold, right?"

She chatted with him for a while longer, asking what he wanted to eat and play. When Jiang Yubai heard her mention "playing games," his thoughts drifted elsewhere. He could only say: "Let's play chess."

Lin Zhixia brought over the chessboard. They played several consecutive games, with Jiang Yubai being completely defeated by Lin Zhixia - he had thought she might go easy on him, but she remained her usual self. Good, that was exactly what he loved about her.

He gradually calmed down.

At midnight, the New Year's bell tolled in the distance.

Jiang Yubai still hadn't left Lin Zhixia's room. The rain outside hadn't stopped either. Lin Zhixia smoothed the blanket and invited: "Would you like to stay the night with me?"

He knew she didn't mean it that way.

Almost as if possessed, he agreed: "Okay."

That night, he slept restlessly.

The single bed in the student dorm was too narrow, while he was accustomed to spacious beds. Lin Zhixia had fallen asleep with her back to him, completely without guard. He kept his arm around her waist, but the delicate fragrance and soft warmth were a sweet torment - stimulating his senses and nerves, leaving him both excited and awake, with no trace of sleepiness whatsoever.He would never forget the last day of 2012.

Early the next morning, Jiang Yubai woke up very early.

Lin Zhixia was still in a dazed state, unable to distinguish between reality and dreams, when Jiang Yubai said, "I'm going home first. Call me if you need anything, or come find me at my place..."

Lin Zhixia nodded and asked, "Did you sleep well last night?"

Jiang Yubai recalled the previous night—Lin Zhixia leaning against his chest, his accidental touch of her breast—this really shouldn't have happened. He twisted open a bottle of mineral water, took a sip, and only then said, "I slept quite well."

Jiang Yubai really wanted to go home now to change clothes, take a shower, and catch up on some sleep.

After bidding farewell to Lin Zhixia, she watched him leave.

After the Christmas break, undergraduate students faced their final exams.

Lin Zhixia found time to attend several teaching assistant training sessions. During these training classes, she met many doctoral students and postdoctoral researchers, significantly expanding her social network.

As the new semester approached, Lin Zhixia received one piece of bad news and two pieces of good news.

The good news was that the paper she co-authored with Wen Qi had been successfully published. She also received her student roster.

The bad news was that the paper she collaborated on with her Indian senior had been rejected by the editor. The reason for rejection was simple—the core idea of her senior's paper had already been published earlier by another research group. This was quite common in academic circles.

For several days in a row, her senior had been feeling somewhat down.

This was probably the legendary "butterfly effect."

If her senior hadn't deleted Wen Qi's experimental work, she wouldn't have needed to spend time designing an alternative method. Her paper submission would have preceded the other research group's.

Lin Zhixia deeply sympathized with her senior, but there was nothing to be done. Rules were rules, and they could only comply.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhixia officially started her duties. She was a teaching assistant for the "Quantum Computing" course this semester—she had five colleagues. The six teaching assistants would jointly mentor dozens of students, conducting weekly group sessions for them.

The somewhat awkward aspect was—Lin Zhixia was younger than all her students. Her students were all young people aged nineteen or twenty.