"A boy?" Lin Zeqiu's voice suddenly rose an octave. "Lin Zhixia! You're a girl, you can only play with girls! Boys and girls should maintain proper boundaries, do I really need to tell you this?"
Lin Zhixia hadn't expected her brother to focus only on this point.
When this could have been discussed reasonably, he had to make a scene, had to argue with her, and now he was shifting the conflict onto Jiang Yubai!
Lin Zhixia picked up her Little Penguin plush toy and used Lin Zeqiu's own argument against him: "Lin Zeqiu, I'm a girl, you're a boy, so we should maintain proper boundaries too. I'm not talking to you anymore."
Lin Zeqiu's anger reached its breaking point: "I'm your brother! Where did that kid even come from?"
"None of your business," Lin Zhixia lifted her chin. "He and I are good friends at school, but you and I aren't known as siblings at school."
She hugged Little Penguin tightly and turned to head to the living room.
Lin Zeqiu raised his left hand, reached over her shoulder, and directly snatched Little Penguin away.
He held the plush toy high above his head. Lin Zhixia stood on her tiptoes, reaching for it, but couldn't get it no matter how hard she tried. Compared to her brother's 180cm height, Lin Zhixia was simply too short.
Little Penguin was visible but unreachable. Furious, Lin Zhixia grabbed Lin Zeqiu's shirt hem: "Give it back! Give it back to me! I need to hold it to sleep every noon and night! Hurry up! I'll give you four seconds to think about it!"
"You have to promise me you'll find a girl to be your best friend, then I'll give it back. Otherwise you'll never see this penguin again." Lin Zeqiu proposed an extremely harsh condition.
He hoped Lin Zhixia would make the right choice.
He guessed that boy's position in Lin Zhixia's heart couldn't compare to this penguin.
He didn't get Lin Zhixia's response. Consumed by rage, Lin Zhixia stormed out and slammed the door.
A moment later, she returned carrying a basketball and brought a pair of scissors with her.
Lin Zhixia knelt on the floor, slowly placing the basketball on her lap. Holding the scissors, she pointed the sharp tip at the ball's surface, her tone unyielding: "Lin Zeqiu, no one in this world can threaten me. I hate being threatened. If you don't return Little Penguin to me, I'll puncture your favorite basketball, turn it into a honeycomb."
Lin Zeqiu felt his heart tremble. He sat cross-legged, bowed his head, and respectfully returned Little Penguin with both hands.
Lin Zhixia finally rescued her plush toy. But her resentment toward her brother deepened another layer. In her view, her brother's series of actions were completely unreasonable. He was almost fourteen years old, why was he behaving like a four-year-old child?
Her brother hesitantly patted Lin Zhixia's head. His warm palm covered the top of her head, his fingertips gently stroking her hair, as if soothing a restless little animal.
Lin Zhixia gradually calmed down: "I'm hungry, I want to eat, my stomach is growling."
"Stop dawdling, let's eat," her brother led her out of the bedroom. "Mom made braised chicken legs."
"Braised chicken legs!" Lin Zhixia hopped and skipped toward the dining table.
The dining table was set with steaming hot dishes - three dishes and one soup. Braised chicken legs, eggplant in sauce, cold cucumber salad, and a bowl of tomato egg soup. The food emitted an enticing aroma, and the gloom around Lin Zhixia instantly vanished. Happily, she picked up her bowl, then used a small spoon to scoop up the chicken leg sauce and poured it over the white rice in her bowl.Lin Zhixia took a bite of the chicken drumstick, savored it carefully, swallowed, and exclaimed delightedly: "Mom's braised chicken drumsticks are the most delicious."
She then picked up two pieces of eggplant, placed them over her rice, and continued eating in small bites.
Lin Zeqiu suddenly said to her: "Lin Zhixia, boys and girls are different. Do you understand what I mean?"
"Why are you bringing up this topic during lunch?" Lin Zhixia used her chopsticks to shred the chicken meat and mixed it into her rice.
Holding his bowl, Lin Zeqiu spoke emphatically: "Lin Zhixia! This morning at school, I saw you walking very close to that boy, with no female classmates around. That's absolutely unacceptable. Middle school is different from elementary school—you must be mindful of boundaries in your interactions. Don't think just because you're smart, you can be fearless. You absolutely cannot be alone with male classmates or male teachers; there must always be others nearby. If a male teacher calls you to his office, scout the location first to ensure other teachers are present—preferably female teachers. If a male teacher keeps you after class alone or asks you to go to his home for extra lessons, don't even acknowledge it. Do you understand? Mom and Dad haven't told you these things, so don't complain that I'm nagging."
Lin Zhixia pondered: "Where did Brother learn all this?"
"Never mind that," Brother frowned deeply. "Anyway, I wouldn't harm you."
Lin Zhixia took a sip of tomato and egg soup, feeling warmth spread through her body. After filling her stomach, her mindset became much calmer. Perhaps humans become more irritable and impulsive when hungry? She absentmindedly defended herself: "Brother, what you understand, I understand too. When danger comes, whether the other person is male or female, I don't have the advantage in strength. But I've always been very careful about self-protection. I observe the expressions of classmates and teachers, guess their psychological activities, and judge whether they have malicious intent... That's how it is, Brother! This morning, I felt you had a lot of malice toward me."
Lin Zeqiu put down his chopsticks, his gaze drifting elsewhere. When something weighed on his mind, he couldn't taste his food.
Lin Zhixia picked up a chicken drumstick for her brother: "My friend is a very good person. He and I skipped grades together from Experimental Elementary School to the Olympiad class... By the way, he was born in the same year as me—our birthdays are only one month apart."
Brother's breathing halted: "Your friend is also ten years old this year?"
"Yes," Lin Zhixia nodded repeatedly.
Brother confirmed again: "He also tested into the Olympiad class?"
"Not only did he test in," Lin Zhixia said with a hint of pride, "he ranked ninth in our class! Our class is full of talented students—not only is there the First War God from Normal University Affiliated Elementary School, but also the elementary school division runner-up of the city's fourth Primary and Secondary School Go Competition. For Jiang Yubai to rank ninth in our class is really impressive!"
The expression on Brother's face shifted unpredictably. Pretending to be calm, he picked up the plate and served a braised chicken drumstick into his bowl. He silently bowed his head, mechanically putting food into his mouth, not even noticing there was a slice of ginger in his bowl.
Ginger was Lin Zeqiu's most hated ingredient. When he was five or six years old, if he saw shredded ginger in his bowl, he would jump up and shout.
Over the years, Lin Zeqiu had been tempered by life's experiences and had indeed matured considerably—he could now tolerate ginger slices without changing his expression.Lin Zhixia looked at her unusually quiet brother and couldn't help but wonder: Brother cares deeply about the Olympiad class. So when he heard that Jiang Yubai skipped two grades at age ten and successfully tested into the provincial No. 1 High School's Olympiad class, would he feel ashamed by comparison?
Lin Zhixia tried to comfort him: "Brother, you often rank first in the advanced class too. This shows you're quite smart among ordinary people. Don't put too much pressure on yourself. Today I met a girl from Class 18 named Jin Baihui. I think she puts too much pressure on herself - she's not happy even in the Olympiad class."
Her brother remained silent.
Lin Zhixia focused on her meal.
After eating, she washed her face, brushed her teeth, lay down on the bed, covered herself with a soft quilt, hugged Little Penguin, and prepared for her afternoon nap.
Her brother appeared like a ghost at her doorway. He deliberated for a long time, preparing what to say, before telling Lin Zhixia: "Lin Zhixia, I still mean what I said earlier - you must find several girls to be your best friends. You can't spend all day playing with boys. Even though you're young, your classmates and those in neighboring classes are all two or three years older than you - their thinking is definitely different from yours. How about this: distance yourself from Jiang Yubai and spend more time with other girls for a few days?"
"Don't disturb my nap," Lin Zhixia replied coldly.
Her brother entered her room and tugged at her pillow. She protested indignantly: "Lin Zeqiu! If you bother me one more time, I'll immediately tell Mom!"
"Telling Mom" was a brilliant strategy that worked every time.
Lin Zeqiu immediately returned to his room. Sitting on his bedside, he felt utterly exhausted - why did he have to worry about so many things all day? The lunch dishes hadn't been cleared or washed yet. Completely drained, he collapsed onto his bed, the chaotic thoughts in his mind merging into a muddled mess. Too lazy to sort through them carefully, he simply closed his eyes and unknowingly fell asleep.
He had a fragmented dream.
In the hazy light of the dream, a boy in school uniform was brazenly lecturing him: "Lin Zeqiu, your sister is so young and talks annoyingly. She could be tricked with just one strawberry candy - what if someone at school bullies her? The Olympiad class isn't that important. Even her elementary school classmates can skip grades and test into it."
He also heard Mom shouting in his ear: "Wake up! Wake up! Lin Zeqiu!"
Startled, he suddenly opened his eyes.
The sunlight streaming through the window was intense. Mom stood by his bed, telling him: "Lin Zeqiu, both your homeroom teacher and your sister's homeroom teacher called me. They asked why you two didn't come to class this afternoon? Your Dad and I were checking inventory earlier - several customers ordered seven cases of beer. Your Dad went to deliver them, and I was too busy in the shop to notice you and your sister overslept. Quickly take your sister to school."
Lin Zeqiu instantly became fully alert. Grabbing his backpack with one hand, he rushed straight to Lin Zhixia's bedroom. Pushing the door open and looking inside - sure enough, Lin Zhixia was still sleeping. She lay on her side, completely unconscious in her slumber.Generally speaking, if Lin Zhixia experienced strong emotional fluctuations while awake, she would sleep particularly soundly during her midday nap and at night. Lin Zeqiu knew his sister's habits like the back of his hand—he just hadn't expected that today, he himself would oversleep.
He slapped the wall loudly: "Hey, get up, Lin Zhixia! Lin Zhixia!"
Lin Zhixia groggily opened her eyes: "What is it?"
"It's three in the afternoon," Lin Zeqiu reminded her.
Lin Zhixia asked in surprise: "Why didn't Mom come wake me up?"
Lin Zeqiu explained: "You and I go to the same school. Mom assumes I'll take you with me when I leave."
Mom stood at Lin Zhixia's doorway and said: "Xia Xia, next time before you nap, set an alarm."
"No need," Lin Zeqiu said casually. "I don't take naps. I'll wake her."
Lin Zhixia hated the sound of alarms. And Lin Zeqiu never napped. He was used to spending his lunch breaks memorizing texts and English vocabulary. He was a role model for many students in the Provincial No. 1 High School's advanced class. Since entering middle school, he had never been late or left early once.
Today, he broke his own record.
After Lin Zhixia got ready, Lin Zeqiu led her rushing out of the house.
She followed her brother running toward the bus stop. Her brother had long legs—each of his steps covered twice the distance of hers, and he ran much faster. However, he often stopped to wait for her.
She suddenly remembered when they were children, when Mom and Dad took her and her brother back to their hometown. Behind their old house on the mountainside grew a dense bamboo forest. Because stir-fried bamboo shoots with pork was delicious, Lin Zhixia would often go pull up a few bamboo shoots. Her brother would always carry a wooden bucket behind her—no matter which corner she ran to, whenever she turned around, she could see Lin Zeqiu.
She remembered how Lin Zeqiu's gaze was always watching over her.
Family bonds were truly complicated, Lin Zhixia silently reflected—there were moments that made her feel secure, and moments that made her sad.
At 3:20 PM, Lin Zeqiu and Lin Zhixia arrived at Provincial No. 1 High School. The security guard checked their student IDs and let them through the gate.
It was currently break time between classes. The campus was noisy and bustling with lively chatter. Lin Zeqiu and Lin Zhixia, carrying their backpacks, walked one after another toward the teaching building—clearly two tardy students.
Lin Zhixia closely followed her brother's footsteps when suddenly someone ahead shouted: "Lin Zeqiu! Lin Zeqiu, you're late? Who's the girl next to you?"
Lin Zeqiu was in Class 4, Grade 8.
The Class 4, Grade 8 classroom faced south and was located on the first floor of Building A, near the middle school entrance of Provincial No. 1 High School. Lin Zeqiu's classmates stood in the corridor, craning their necks to look, their attention focused entirely on Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia whispered: "Lin Zeqiu, are you going to say I'm your junior schoolmate again?"
Lin Zeqiu stopped walking.
After pausing for two seconds, he stepped up onto the platform, his back looking resolute.
Lin Zhixia couldn't see his expression.
Facing the many classmates of Class 4, Grade 8, he stood tall and straight like a robust poplar tree. His hands remained in his pants pockets the entire time, never taking them out, which made his entire presence more imposing.
He formally introduced: "This girl is my sister. She's a new student in this year's Grade 7 Olympiad class."
A wave of teasing erupted from the crowd of Class 4, Grade 8 students.Lin Zhixia didn't understand the underlying meaning of that tone. Standing at the door of Class 4, Grade 8, she continued speaking to herself: "My name is Lin Zhixia, and my brother is Lin Zeqiu. Summer and autumn—they sound like siblings. Our parents specifically chose these names."
Lin Zeqiu waved a hand at her. "Hurry to your classroom."
Lin Zhixia cheerfully agreed: "After school, I'll come find you so we can go home together."
She had just taken a step when she heard a classmate behind her ask: "Lin Zeqiu, if even your little sister got into the Olympiad class, why couldn't you?"
Lin Zeqiu didn't respond. He had long known this day would come. He had lived through this moment countless times in his imagination and nightmares, and had prepared a foolproof response.
Lin Zeqiu glanced sideways, curling his lips into a smile as he told the classmate: "What the hell are you talking about? Everyone has their own destiny."
Unexpectedly, the classmate persisted: "I'm not talking nonsense, Lin Zeqiu. Are you planning to take the test for the fourth time?" He laughed lightly, adopting a teasing tone: "Lin Zeqiu, look how far you've fallen! Even your little sister is better than you..."
Lin Zhixia whirled around.
She responded seriously: "Even if my brother took the test four times, that's proof of his efforts. He keeps moving forward toward his goal—there's nothing funny about that. Have you never failed? Do you succeed at everything on your first try? Does your real life match your expectations perfectly?"
The classmate froze in place.
Lin Zhixia had napped longer than usual today and wasn't fully awake yet. She was organizing her words. She planned to make that classmate cry right at the door of Class 4, Grade 8—this was among her capabilities.
But her brother patted her shoulder. "Enough, you should go. Class is about to start."
Lin Zhixia nodded.
She ran toward the Grade 7 teaching building.
The class bell suddenly rang, drifting across the entire campus. The chime was a gentle piano melody, and she felt as if she were running across swirling musical notes.
At the beginning of the school year, Lin Zhixia's only worry was that "her brother might cut ties with her."
She successfully resolved this worry in just half a day.
She believed at least half the credit belonged to Jiang Yubai.
Regarding this, Jiang Yubai modestly said: "You communicated well. It has nothing to do with me."
"No, it does involve you!" Lin Zhixia insisted. "You helped me find the breakthrough. Thank you! Jiang Yubai."
Jiang Yubai replied reservedly: "You're welcome." He turned to the next page in the notebook he held—this was the birthday gift Lin Zhixia had given him.
When he first received this gift, he only felt this notebook was extremely precious... or rather, it wasn't just a notebook, but more like a handwritten book.
After reading it for several days, Jiang Yubai gradually discovered the depth of Lin Zhixia's effort. The book contained hundreds of variations of problem types, gathering various exquisite and profound problem-solving techniques. While writing, Lin Zhixia seemed to have organized her thoughts as well. She would jot down some fragmentary reflections in the margins.
Jiang Yubai often left comments for her using pencil.
Lin Zhixia simply took out a new notebook, titled it "Exchanges and Reflections on Learning and Life," and signed it: Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai—thus it became their shared diary.Compared to the gift Lin Zhixia had given Jiang Yubai, Jiang Yubai felt he hadn't reciprocated enough. He decided to make up for it on September 24, 2005—which happened to be Lin Zhixia's tenth birthday.
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