The topic of mathematics sparked Lin Zhixia's intense interest.
Having soaked in the hot spring for over an hour, Lin Zhixia still hadn't had enough. At the dinner table, she started discussing the Bolzano-Weierstrass theorem with Jiang Yubai again - a theorem commonly seen in Economic Mathematics. She gave Jiang Yubai several problems, which he solved quickly, making Lin Zhixia very pleased.
After dinner, Jiang Yubai retrieved a copy of Economic Mathematics from his luggage.
The bedroom was completely silent. Jiang Yubai sat on the soft bed, leaning against the headboard as he read under the lamp. Cool night breeze drifted into the room as his mind gradually immersed itself in the world of mathematics.
As Jiang Yubai turned a page, Lin Zhixia extended a finger and placed it between the pages.
"Do you want to play a game?" Lin Zhixia asked him.
Jiang Yubai suddenly became very reserved and chaste. He had originally rolled up his sleeves. Hearing Lin Zhixia's words, he slowly straightened his sleeves. He actually pulled down the cuffs, completely covering his wrists. Maintaining his conservative, upright demeanor and keeping his distance from feminine charms, he calmly refused her: "We need to climb the snow mountain early tomorrow morning, so let's rest early tonight."
Lin Zhixia pointed at the wall clock: "It's only eight in the evening, and you want to rest already?"
Jiang Yubai closed his book and countered: "What game do you want to play?"
Lin Zhixia knelt upright properly: "Truth or Dare."
Jiang Yubai clearly remembered his torment and struggle in the hot spring. He knew in his heart that there might be an abyss waiting for him ahead, but he still charged forward without hesitation. He yielded to Lin Zhixia and asked: "How do we play?"
Lin Zhixia took out a deck of cards: "A game of probability and permutations."
Jiang Yubai muttered to himself: "Is there any possibility I could win against you?"
Lin Zhixia curved her lips into a smile and admitted frankly: "No."
For eight full years, in front of Lin Zhixia, Jiang Yubai's competitive spirit had been suppressed to its lowest point. However, at this moment, his competitive consciousness was once again ignited by Lin Zhixia. He smiled lightly: "You set the rules, and we'll play several rounds."
Lin Zhixia immediately agreed.
She introduced a casino card game called "pontoon" - an advanced version of "blackjack." It was said that "pontoon" made it impossible for players to count cards, with wins and losses depending solely on luck.
Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia played three rounds.
He lost all three.
Lin Zhixia proudly straightened her back.
Jiang Yubai remained expressionless, as if he weren't the one who lost: "Truth or Dare... I choose Dare."
Lin Zhixia had originally thought Jiang Yubai would choose Truth - that way, she could thoroughly interrogate him about his mental state in the hot spring. His psychological journey deserved to be recorded in the Human Observation Diary. He had really grown up; without realizing it, he had become an adult.
But since he didn't choose "Truth," Lin Zhixia settled for second best and played "Dare" with him.
First, she sought his opinion: "After soaking in the hot spring for over an hour today, I've become increasingly curious about you. We're returning to school tomorrow evening, and while we still have the chance, could you let me study you?"
Jiang Yubai knew he couldn't go back on his word.
From the moment the game started, he couldn't extricate himself.He turned off the bedroom light and silently pulled up the covers. To be honest, he would rather Lin Zhixia was attracted to his appearance than merely driven by curiosity, going to great lengths to study him thoroughly.
When they were soaking in the hot springs today, Lin Zhixia's eyes had sparkled with light—a similar expression had appeared on her face years ago when she and Jiang Yubai were working on the "Lin Jiang" robot together. Jiang Yubai suddenly felt this line of thinking wasn't quite right. Lin Zhixia's smile when chatting with him was always sweet; she would often tell him "I really like you so much" and even promised to write him forty thousand love poems. Her meticulous efforts to study him stemmed entirely from genuine affection.
He should try his best to cooperate.
Jiang Yubai willingly and without complaint unbuttoned his clothes.
Under the cover of darkness, Lin Zhixia happily slipped under the covers.
She suspected Jiang Yubai already knew what she intended to do. Because she faintly heard his breathing grow heavier—this made it more fun, as she actually quite enjoyed seeing him shed his calm facade.
The space under the covers was stuffy and poorly ventilated. Lin Zhixia shifted forward slightly.
Her exploration of the opposite sex would begin with his collarbone.
She quietly kissed him, then emitted an extremely faint, inexperienced sucking sound.
In the boundless darkness, Jiang Yubai gripped the headboard with one hand. His knuckles turned white from the force, but this state only lasted a few seconds—he roughly adapted to the stimulation Lin Zhixia brought. Releasing his grip, he tilted his chin upward slightly, yet kept his voice very low: "Xia Xia." He called her by her pet name: "Let's turn on the light."
Lin Zhixia mumbled coquettishly: "No way."
Jiang Yubai attempted to persuade her: "No room for negotiation?"
Lin Zhixia stood her ground: "What I say goes."
Jiang Yubai reached under the covers, touching her shoulder: "I want to see." His tone carried a hint of coaxing: "Let me look at you."
Lin Zhixia burrowed deeper under the covers: "Then I'll stop playing."
Jiang Yubai had no choice but to relent. In this pitch-black night without a shred of light, he said in a hoarse voice: "I won't turn on the light, Xia Xia, come here... don't leave me hanging like this."
He wanted to say more, but Lin Zhixia started again. The sensations that followed were like a potent stimulant injected into his bloodstream, making him more alert than ever before. At first, he kept his eyes on the covers, but later he had to look away, straining to listen carefully and capture every subtle sound, imagining her expressions and movements in his mind.
This journey of exploration ended at his waist.
Lin Zhixia didn't dare continue.
No matter how bold she was, she lost her nerve.
She threw herself into Jiang Yubai's embrace, held tightly by his left arm. Finally feeling a pang of conscience, she asked him: "Are you uncomfortable?"
"It's fine, I'm not uncomfortable," Jiang Yubai claimed, "This is normal, it'll pass soon."
Lin Zhixia nuzzled against him: "You're really so gentle." She murmured: "I like you so much..."
Before Lin Zhixia could finish her sentence, Jiang Yubai tightened his arm around her waist and kissed her passionately and urgently, leaving her disoriented and breathless. Her mind grew hazy—she didn't know what time it was or when she fell asleep. She only knew they slept embraced that night, and she dreamed beautiful dreams throughout.
*The next morning, the rising sun bathed everything in new light.
Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai went together to climb the snow-capped mountain.
At the foot of the mountain, they came across a vast pasture where flocks of sheep were scattered across the expansive, emerald-green grassland. Lin Zhixia walked briskly along the fence, and unexpectedly, a little lamb began following her closely, running wildly on the other side of the enclosure.
Lin Zhixia burst into laughter, "Hahahaha."
She held Jiang Yubai's hand as they continued along the mountain path. The temperature dropped steadily, and a biting wind swept through, sharp as a steel blade. Shivering from the cold, Lin Zhixia felt Jiang Yubai drape his coat over her. Not daring to linger, she tugged at Jiang Yubai and hurried back down the mountain.
Their trip to Switzerland thus came to a swift end.
That afternoon, Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia boarded their return flight to the city where their university was located. Jiang Yubai even escorted Lin Zhixia back to her dormitory. After she closed the door, he stood outside for a moment before finally turning to leave.
The hustle and bustle of campus life resumed once again.
Seated at her desk, Lin Zhixia opened her laptop and checked her emails. She found a reply from Han Guang—he was revising his paper and wanted to add Lin Zhixia to the author list. He planned to submit the paper next month.
Lin Zhixia wrote back to Han Guang: "Don’t rush. The experiments and models aren’t major issues. You can include me in the acknowledgments section. There’s still time—keep up the good work and best of luck."
Han Guang replied instantly: "Thank you. Once the paper is finalized, I’ll treat you to a meal."
Lin Zhixia declined politely: "No need to be so formal. As your teaching assistant, it’s my responsibility to help with the review."
Han Guang did not send any further emails.
Lin Zhixia felt relieved. Good—her reviewing work was progressing smoothly. Although journal reviewers received little to no compensation and often worked voluntarily, the role offered valuable opportunities for growth. It allowed her to stay open-minded and keep up with the latest research trends worldwide.
At eight o’clock on Monday morning, Lin Zhixia arrived punctually at the laboratory building.
Wen Qi was wandering in the hallway. When he spotted Lin Zhixia, his eyes subtly conveyed a plea for help. She approached and asked, "What’s wrong?"
Wen Qi rubbed his face with his hands. "A girl joined our research group."
"Is her name Wu PinYan?" Lin Zhixia ventured.
Wen Qi nodded.
Lin Zhixia explained warmly, "I’m her teaching assistant. I’ve already spoken with our advisor. Wu PinYan wants to pursue her PhD in our group and has signed up for our advisor’s project for her undergraduate thesis. She’s very bright and has a lovely personality—there’s no need to worry."
Lin Zhixia had known Wen Qi for over half a year. She was aware that he struggled with severe social anxiety.
Wen Qi had once mentioned that he found it difficult to engage in lengthy conversations—unless he had memorized a script in advance. Years of immersing himself in academic texts and papers meant that most of the knowledge stored in his mind was study-related. He could deliver academic presentations in front of an audience and pass his advisor’s assessments with ease, but in social situations, he felt completely out of his depth.
That morning, as soon as he approached the office, Wu PinYan had stopped him. Overwhelmed by her numerous questions, Wen Qi had fled to the hallway for refuge. Fortunately, Lin Zhixia had arrived just in time.
Lin Zhixia then escorted Wen Qi back to his office.Wen Qi's office faced directly opposite the lounge area—where sofas and armchairs were arranged.
Wu PinYan sat on the sofa, holding a thesis in her hands, earnestly seeking guidance from senior aishwarya. Wu PinYan also told aishwarya that Lin Zhixia was her role model, and she hoped that by her second year of PhD studies, the quality of her published papers would match Lin Zhixia's.
OpenNovel