Genius Girlfriend

This winter, the provincial city was blanketed by a heavy snowfall.

Fluttering snowflakes drifted down from the sky, quickly covering the school buildings. A cold wind carrying a biting chill swept over Lin Zhixia, making her shiver. She tightened her down jacket and hurried along a narrow path toward the laboratory building.

It was 7:40 in the morning, with twenty minutes left before the group meeting. Lin Zhixia had arrived neither too early nor too late, just in time. The classroom's heating was slightly insufficient. Rubbing her hands together, she took a seat close to the radiator and immediately felt warmth spreading through her body.

The front door of the classroom creaked open. Lin Zhixia looked up and found herself face to face with Tan Qianche. She greeted him, "Good morning, Teacher Tan."

Tan Qianche wore silver-rimmed glasses and a black cashmere overcoat, with a few unmelted snowflakes still clinging to his shoulders.

He seemed to have just rushed in from outside, breathing more heavily than usual, though his voice remained steady: "There are only the two of us in the classroom, yet you still call me Teacher Tan. That sounds too formal."

Lin Zhixia replied casually, "In this school, we're colleagues, equals. Calling you Teacher Tan is perfectly reasonable, isn't it?"

Tan Qianche seemed thoughtful: "It's been so long since I've heard you call me 'senior,' I've almost forgotten our days studying together."

Lin Zhixia showed no concern: "What's past is past. If you've forgotten, then forget it. Look ahead, move forward—hope always lies in the future."

Tan Qianche paused mid-step. He raised his hand to adjust his glasses but didn't respond to Lin Zhixia's words.

He placed his briefcase on a desk some distance away from Lin Zhixia's seat. Pulling out a stack of papers—essays submitted by his students a few days ago, which he had only begun reviewing that morning—he seemed unbothered. His students' abilities were far inferior to his own. Within minutes, he could easily identify flaws in their logic and writing.

While scanning the papers, he smiled and said, "When I first met you, you were just a teenager, still immature in social interactions, only interested in academics. Now you've grown up."

He sighed softly: "I have this strange intuition that you understand everything, and occasionally you intentionally remind or guide others. Am I right, Teacher Lin?"

This time, Lin Zhixia fell silent briefly.

As if competing with Tan Qianche, Lin Zhixia also took out several student essays from her briefcase. She had already reviewed them in advance, printed each one with annotations, and filed them in document folders.

To Lin Zhixia, her students' academic skills were steadily improving, and the research capabilities of their team were leaping forward. She had many innovative and clever ideas that she couldn't realize alone in a short time. Fortunately, she had several outstanding students—they were like astronauts Exploring the Universe. Lin Zhixia had discovered several unknown planets, and her students, following her guidance, cultivated the fertile soil on these planets. Though the work was arduous, they successfully created achievements of their own.

The so-called "doctoral status" was merely the starting point on the research path. The journey from "doctoral student" to "independent researcher" might still be long and distant. So far, Lin Zhixia had proven herAs an independent researcher herself, she hoped her students could persevere as well.

She calmly stated, "Actually, I don't know that much either. Rather than saying I'm guiding others, it's more like I'm sharing some life insights."

She nodded to herself: "I have many insights, and also plenty of nonsense. You can listen or not as you please."

Tan Qianche chuckled while lowering his voice slightly: "Teacher Xiao Lin is truly both modest and humorous."

Setting the thesis aside, he suddenly seemed to remember something and added: "Have you had breakfast yet, Teacher Xiao Lin? How about we treat the students to a meal at the cafeteria today? Tomorrow is Chinese New Year's Eve, and quite a few students have stayed on campus this year. They're all rushing to complete experiments and produce results - very motivated students who are easy to mentor."

Lin Zhixia didn't hesitate and replied directly: "Another day would be better. Today isn't convenient - I promised my family I'd go home early for dinner."

Such a straightforward refusal seemed somewhat blunt, so Lin Zhixia added politely: "Teacher Tan, don't work too hard either. Tomorrow is the New Year - after the group meeting, you should give yourself a couple days off."

Only the rustling of turning pages remained in the classroom. Tan Qianche resembled an extinguished furnace, no longer capable of producing enthusiastic words. His elbows rested on the desk, fingers pressed against his briefcase, the muscle lines in his arms taut.

His gaze fell on the thesis pages, but he wasn't actually reading the content. His thoughts drifted like willow catkins floating everywhere, unable to find a place to settle.

Lin Zhixia also felt somewhat awkward. She could see Tan Qianche's dejection, but didn't know what she should say now. Perhaps they could chat about winter and summer vacations?

Not all holidays are happy.

In that moment, memories surged toward her like tidal waves, all her emotions drowned out by chaotic noises.

In her daze, she seemed to return to childhood, back at her grandparents' house. The darkness was so complete she couldn't see her hand before her face. She crouched in the cold sheep pen, her exhaled breath condensing into cold mist that stung her face with freezing pain.

Her face hurt, her hands hurt, her stomach hurt even more. Back then, she couldn't cope with such suffering, so she could only convince herself that humans are born to feel pain, born to endure pain. The only difference was that her peculiar memory connected with her senses, making her constantly, repeatedly experience various torments.

She struggled to control herself - not to become anxious because of this, not to become fearful. Any anxiety or fear at this moment would be permanently engraved in her memory.

Countless memory fragments remained in her mind, all related to winter.

She selected the happy moments from among them.

She remembered her Dad and Mom preparing a full table of New Year's Eve dinner, her Brother playing cat's cradle with her by the stove, the bookcase filled with endless books to read - each book a brand new world. Back then, she was still very young, and everything seemed novel to her. She felt a powerful impulse to explore the unknown Universe, which also served as an endless driving force that helped her maintain an optimistic attitude.As she grew older and met more people, her childhood wish made at age seven—"I want a good friend"—truly came to fruition. Her thoughts drifted to Jiang Yubai, bringing a faint pleasure. What was Jiang Yubai doing now? Yet she couldn’t help wondering why her students hadn’t arrived yet.

At that moment, two professors were seated in the classroom: Tan Qianche and Lin Zhixia. One of them was enduring mental exhaustion, while the other was grappling with physical pain.

Before long, the front door of the classroom swung open again, and Lin Zhixia’s students—Zhan Rui, Chen Shihan, Fang Yiwen, and over a dozen others—appeared together.

Fang Yiwen strode in confidently and boomed, "Hello, Teacher Lin! Hello, Teacher Tan!"

Her voice, resonant and commanding, snapped both Lin Zhixia and Tan Qianche’s attention back to the classroom with just those eight words.

Tan Qianche’s fingers even trembled slightly. He reprimanded sternly, "Don’t speak so loudly; it’s quite startling."

Fang Yiwen offered an insincere apology, "Sorry, Teacher Tan. I’m in such high spirits today that my voice carries. I’ll keep it down—just loud enough for you to hear."

Originally a postdoctoral researcher in the U.S., Fang Yiwen had returned this year for her grandmother’s 80th birthday celebrations and to celebrate the New Year. Hearing that Lin Zhixia was holding a group meeting, she couldn’t pass up the opportunity. She promptly emailed Lin Zhixia and secured a spot as an observer.

As one of Lin Zhixia’s star students, Fang Yiwen was eager to assess the caliber of Lin Zhixia’s current pupils. If Lin Zhixia hesitated to critique them, Fang Yiwen was prepared to step in with guidance.

Fang Yiwen took a seat beside Lin Zhixia, her posture still relaxed. She draped her left arm over the chair’s armrest, leaning slightly to the left, her eyes gleaming brightly behind her glasses.

The moment Jin Baihui entered, her gaze met Fang Yiwen’s. Fang Yiwen froze momentarily, but Jin Baihui’s expression remained utterly unchanged.

Jin Baihui wore a gray cotton coat over pure black dress pants, with a burgundy scarf wrapped around her neck. Her glasses frames were also burgundy, yet her eyes resembled colorless, placid water—completely calm and unrippled.

She turned her attention to Tan Qianche.

Tan Qianche introduced her to the group, "This is Jin Baihui, also my junior colleague. She’ll be starting a postdoc at Princeton University in the latter half of this year. Her research overlaps with that of two students in our group, so I’ve invited her to share some insights."

Lin Zhixia, brimming with enthusiasm, led the applause, "Welcome, Teacher Jin!"

Scattered claps echoed in the classroom as Jin Baihui casually chose a seat. She hadn’t expected Tan Qianche to be so considerate in saving her face. In truth, it wasn’t Tan Qianche who had invited her to advise the students; rather, she had reached out to him after learning of Lin Zhixia’s research achievements, hoping to sit in on one of Lin Zhixia’s group meetings.

Jin Baihui’s life was intensely busy—so much so that she sometimes forgot to eat. The only time she had free all year was during the Spring Festival, and this was her only chance to observe.

Strangely enough, Jin Baihui held a deep interest in Lin Zhixia, yet she dared not look directly at her. Sitting upright, she gazed forward, hands clasped behind her back, unconsciously adhering to the decorum ingrained in her since childhood. The principle of "sitting with proper posture" was always etched in her mind.Fang Yiwen glanced at Jin Baihui a few more times, prompting Lin Zhixia to clear her throat lightly and draw Fang Yiwen's attention.

Fang Yiwen stopped staring at Jin Baihui and began reviewing the student papers on the table, sometimes frowning, sometimes marveling, before finally remarking, "Young students these days are truly remarkable."

"I think so too," Lin Zhixia nodded. "Compared to a few years ago, the bar for doctoral and master's programs has risen significantly."

A notification tone suddenly chimed from her phone. Lin Zhixia pulled it from her pocket and glanced down to see a message from Jiang Yubai: "Are all the students here? When will the group meeting end? I'd like to pick you up at the school gate."

Lin Zhixia straightened up, scanned the room, and quickly typed a reply: "Forty-three students showed up today—seventeen from my group and twenty-six from Tan Qianche's. With each giving a five-minute presentation, we probably won't finish until around noon."

Jiang Yubai replied instantly: "Professor Lin, you're working so hard."

Lin Zhixia: "Not at all, group meetings aren't tiring. They're quite relaxed."

Jiang Yubai: "As expected of Professor Lin. What would you like for lunch? I'll start preparing at home." A faint smile touched Lin Zhixia's lips: "Anything is fine."

Jiang Yubai also smiled: "No specific requests?"

He suddenly remembered how Lin Zhixia once told him her life standards were simple: having enough to eat, warm clothes, a bed, and a desk—that was sufficient.

Now, Lin Zhixia's standards had changed. She said: "I want to have every meal with you."

Just then, in the WeChat group named "Safe and Sound Family," Lin Zeqiu suddenly spoke up: "Lin Zhixia, are you still working today?"

Lin Zhixia answered truthfully: "Yeah, I'm about to start the group meeting. It'll end around noon."

Lin Zeqiu sent a voice message. She tapped "Convert to Text" and saw his roaring words: "Don't push yourself too hard! Tomorrow is New Year's Eve—what kind of group meeting is this? What student would want to stay at school now? Tell me you're not assigning Spring Festival homework! Your research group has everything except human decency."

Lin Zhixia's fingers flew across the screen as she typed: "Tan Qianche's students aren't going home for the holidays, and only two of mine went back. They strongly requested this meeting! I didn't force them! Why are you yelling at me?!"

Lin Zeqiu just wanted her to come home earlier, though his approach was poorly expressed. He was about to ease the tension when Lin Zhixia sent another message: "Mom, Mom, please discipline Brother!"

Lin Zeqiu jolted in alarm. Since childhood, he had both respected and feared their mother.

Their family WeChat group had five members: Guan, Mom, Lin Zeqiu, Lin Zhixia, and Jiang Yubai. At that moment, Guan Mom had gone out grocery shopping, leaving Lin Zeqiu home alone. He hastily put down his phone, changed into old clothes, grabbed a rag to clean, then felt resentful that Jiang Yubai must be laughing at him.

Lin Zeqiu picked up his phone again and sent Jiang Yubai a private message: "Are you working too?"Lin Zeqiu's underlying message was: You'd better not be idle with nothing to do. Keep your eyes alert for tasks and your hands busy with work. Every family member should have a sense of responsibility.

Jiang Yubai instantly replied: "I'm currently reading recipes."

He shared two links with Lin Zeqiu. The first was "Must-Read for Handsome Men! Complete Winter Beauty and Health Food Guide!" and the second was "Have You Made Soup for Your Family This Winter?"

Lin Zeqiu hesitated for a moment, his finger unconsciously clicking on the words "Must-Read for Handsome Men," and began studying the complex subject of "Complete Beauty and Health Recipes."

Meanwhile, Jiang Yubai was sitting on a chair in the study. He carefully wrote on paper: "Two hundred grams of beef, one hundred fifty grams of carrots, celery, oni..."

Jiang Yubai kept a treasured soft-covered notebook where he recorded various life tips, including a list of Lin Zhixia's favorite foods and how to prepare them. He had been cultivating his cooking skills since last year and had now achieved considerable success, far surpassing Lin Zeqiu's culinary abilities.

Jiang Yubai found joy in cooking. Whenever he thought about how every dish he made for Lin Zhixia would be forever remembered by her, his feelings became particularly subtle. What he recorded wasn't just recipes, but memories he was creating with Lin Zhixia.

A human life spans at most a hundred years, and he cherished every moment related to Lin Zhixia. Such moments were always warm and joyful, making all feelings of loneliness, irritability, worry, and emptiness vanish without a trace. As these thoughts crossed his mind, his pen unconsciously wrote the characters "Xia Xia."

He started missing her again.

How much longer until her group meeting ended?

Jiang Yubai checked his watch - still over three hours to go. This waiting period was truly difficult to endure.

The group meeting had been going on for over forty minutes, with Lin Zhixia, Tan Qianche, and Fang Yiwen having collectively evaluated eight students.

Lin Zhixia always maintained a gentle attitude, while Tan Qianche was far stricter. A young student who had joined the group last year, after being criticized by Tan Qianche, had even secretly wiped away tears that welled up in their eyes.

Lin Zhixia frowned slightly and said very quietly: "The New Year is approaching, don't be too blunt with your words."

Tan Qianche responded casually: "Today's students know nothing when questioned. Even after completing undergraduate studies, they haven't consolidated basic knowledge, waiting for teachers to teach them everything. This is still a kindergarten mentality."

He turned to look at the tearful student and raised his voice: "You need to properly plan your time. You must be clear about what should be prepared and completed at each stage. I'm here to listen to your presentations, not to hand-hold you through writing papers. Research communication is mutual, but research work is independent. Think carefully about where your deficiencies lie and take initiative to identify and fill gaps. I'm saying all this for your own good."

Lin Zhixia interrupted Tan Qianche: "Alright, who's next? Come up quickly."

The next presenter was precisely Lin Zhixia's student, Zhan Rui.

Zhan Rui stood on the podium with a pale face, trembling slightly. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, dampening his cotton robe.Zhan Rui had a natural stutter, and it worsened when he was nervous. Leaning on the lectern with one hand, he seemed to be enduring great pain as he turned his face away and stammered, "I... I..."

Before he could finish, he collapsed on the spot. The entire room erupted in shock.

Lin Zhixia reacted the fastest. She immediately instructed her students: "Chen Shihan, call the campus clinic! Fang Yiwen, you call 120 for emergency services!"

She was the first to rush to the podium and called out to Tan Qianche: "Teacher Tan, please help me take Zhan Rui to the campus clinic. Quickly, he's foaming at the mouth."

She knelt beside him, observing Zhan Rui.

Tan Qianche's expression also changed. He certainly didn't want anything to happen to a student—it would affect the research group's reputation.

He ordered: "Everyone is dismissed. Go back and rest. Today's group meeting ends here. Xiao Liu, Xiao Sun, and Xiao Hao, you three stay behind to help carry Zhan Rui later—"

"Wait!" Cui Yiming shouted. "Just because Zhan Rui left, does that mean our group meeting can't continue? I've prepared a paper on quantum dynamical system prediction models!"

Cui Yiming was very young, having just turned twenty, and was nicknamed "The God of Interdisciplinary Studies." As Tan Qianche's student, he had inherited his advisor's forceful style, radiating an unyielding aura.

Though Tan Qianche usually valued Cui Yiming highly, at this moment he found him somewhat irritating—unable to distinguish priorities and showing no sympathy for his classmate's plight.

Tan Qianche said coldly, "We'll resume group meetings after Spring Festival. It's not like they're canceled forever. Why are you in such a hurry?"

Being criticized so sternly by his respected teacher, Cui Yiming flushed red: "We can just assign someone to take care of Zhan Rui. There's no need to waste everyone's time. Learning should be about seizing every moment, identifying gaps, and making up for deficiencies—there's no time to lose."

"Enough," Lin Zhixia interjected. "Anyone with academic questions can email me directly. Today's group meeting is canceled. A human life is at stake."

Cui Yiming had been paying attention to Lin Zhixia for a long time, but he had never seen her so severe.

About three minutes later, the campus clinic's on-duty doctor appeared with a stretcher. The doctor lifted Zhan Rui onto the stretcher, and two strong students worked together to carry it. Zhan Rui's phone fell out of his pocket and landed on the floor, only to be picked up by Lin Zhixia.

The phone screen showed a WeChat message from Zhan Rui's roommate: "Are you still feeling unwell? The mushrooms you ate this morning—"

The rest of the message after "mushrooms" wasn't displayed on the screen, but Lin Zhixia could roughly guess.

Lin Zhixia followed the doctor to the campus clinic. Due to the Spring Festival holiday, only two doctors were on duty. They performed basic first aid on Zhan Rui, and just then, the ambulance arrived.

Lin Zhixia had already contacted Zhan Rui's roommate. That roommate sent her his entire chat history with Zhan Rui.

That morning, Zhan Rui had cooked a packet of instant noodles in his dorm and taken out a bag of dried wild goods gifted by his former roommate.

These so-called "wild goods" were dried mushrooms. After soaking them in hot water, Zhan Rui noticed one mushroom appeared darker and oddly shaped. He took a photo and searched online but found no results. Thinking nothing more of it, he eventually ate the mushroom.

He had been feeling unwell all morning.When he attended the group meeting, his condition must have worsened, causing him to lose consciousness and collapse in public.

After sorting out the sequence of events, Lin Zhixia followed the ambulance to the hospital and informed the doctor of the situation. The doctor immediately administered appropriate emergency treatment to Zhan Rui. Thanks to the timely medical attention, prompt diagnosis, and immediate treatment, Zhan Rui regained consciousness by noon that same day, and the doctor confirmed he was out of danger.

Lin Zhixia breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhan Rui’s academic advisor finally arrived at the hospital. After greeting the advisor, Lin Zhixia stepped out of the hospital gates. The snow had stopped, and the wind had died down. The sun cast slanting rays across the street as the accumulated snow gradually melted. The azure sky, washed clean, appeared exceptionally clear and vast.

Lin Zhixia looked up at the sky, and from the corner of her eye, she noticed a girl approaching. She turned her head and was surprised to see Jin Baihui.

“You came too?”

Jin Baihui replied succinctly, “I took a taxi. I’ll be leaving soon.”

“What a coincidence,” Lin Zhixia said. “I just left the hospital and ran into you.”

Jin Baihui stuffed her hands into her coat pockets. “No, I’ve been standing here for a while. I was waiting for you.” What for? Lin Zhixia didn’t voice the question.

Throughout their high school years, Jin Baihui and Lin Zhixia had been at odds. Now, they walked side by side on the city sidewalk like long-lost strangers who knew each other well—neither harboring malice nor any desire for closeness.

The atmosphere was unbearably awkward. Lin Zhixia grasped for a topic. “When are you returning to Beijing?” Jin Baihui answered, “This afternoon.”

Lin Zhixia didn’t press further, but Jin Baihui continued unprompted, “I’m not staying home for the New Year. I need to get back to Beijing quickly.”

They passed beneath a street-side billboard, where melting snow dripped steadily, landing on Jin Baihui’s face. She lifted her sleeve to wipe it away and, as if declaring her stance, murmured, “You wasted another morning taking a student to the hospital.”

Lin Zhixia had expected her to say something like that.

She didn’t argue, instead offering encouragement: “You have clear goals and perseverance. If you could just be a little kinder to yourself, you’ll achieve whatever you set out to do.”

Everything before Jin Baihui’s eyes grew slightly blurry. The sun seemed to tilt, lengthening their shadows. Cars sped along the road, their noise carrying far into the distance. She focused, lifted her gaze, and seemed to see the Jin Baihui of years past—a version of herself who hadn’t understood Lin Zhixia’s advice. Back then, she often unconsciously harmed herself, even using “self-punishment” as a form of motivation. Later, she finally learned how to coexist with herself, and long-suppressed emotions surged forth like a bursting dam. She let out a long sigh.

“Are you crying?”

“No,” Jin Baihui said. “You must be mistaken.”

Lin Zhixia gave herself an out: “Maybe it was just the melted snow getting in your eyes. I couldn’t see clearly.” Jin Baihui reiterated:

“I should go.” Lin Zhixia watched her leave and called out:

“Happy New Year. Hope we meet again.” Jin Baihui waved back:

“Happy New Year! Hope we meet again!”

This was the first time Lin Zhixia had ever seen Jin Baihui look so vibrant and full of life.

(Web Version Extra Story - End)