Teacher Deng spread his arms, palms braced against the lectern. "This trip lasts three days and two nights. You must all pay attention to safety. During the trip, everyone will stay on Penglai Mountain. When you sign up with Lin Zhixia, pair up in teams of two... The hotel rooms booked by the school are all standard double rooms."
A murmur rippled through the class. Teacher Deng smiled and asked in a deep voice, "Understood?"
Shao Dongxu, the boy sitting in front of Lin Zhixia, interjected, "For the standard double rooms, must boys room with boys and girls with girls?"
Teacher Deng's expression changed sharply. He snapped, "What else? Would I allow boys and girls to share a room?"
Teacher Deng was usually mild-tempered and rarely angry. But now, he rapped the lectern hard and said sternly, "Since someone asked, I'll make this clear once and for all: boys must room with boys, girls must room with girls. Don't get any clever ideas, alright? You're all big kids now—fifteen or sixteen-year-old boys and girls. You should know what's appropriate and what's not. Don't make me repeat this over and over. I don't want to criticize anyone; I'm considering your dignity. You should have a moral compass to measure your words and actions."
The class fell completely silent.
Shao Dongxu quickly bowed his head, burying his face in his arms.
His deskmate also leaned down and whispered, "Dong-ge, you're something else. This is the first time Teacher Deng has lost his temper."
Shao Dongxu grinned. "Boys and girls can't room together. I was just thinking about it—thinking isn't a crime."
His deskmate chuckled. "Which girl were you thinking of rooming with?"
Shao Dongxu turned around and glanced back. He swiftly turned back, rubbed his face, and said calmly, "Alright, alright, let's do our exercises. Have you finished that 'Small Exercise Frenzy' book?"
His deskmate paled. "That's not 'Small Exercise Frenzy'—that's 'Small Exercise Disaster'."
Small Exercise Disaster?
Shao Dongxu opened his workbook and realized his accuracy rate for "Math Small Exercise Frenzy" was only fifty percent. He repeatedly reviewed the questions but couldn't figure them out, so he wrote a small note and passed it to Lin Zhixia in the back row.
Lin Zhixia opened the note. It read: Urgent! Save me! How do you solve the probability problem on page 28 of "Math Small Exercise Frenzy"?
Lin Zhixia thought for a moment, then picked up her pen and wrote out the solution on scratch paper. She handed the paper to Shao Dongxu, who repeatedly said, "Thank you, thank you, thank you, beautiful."
Lin Zhixia reminded him, "I've told you before not to call me 'beautiful'."
Shao Dongxu chuckled. "But you are beautiful."
Lin Zhixia described her feeling, "But when you use 'beautiful' as a form of address, it sounds strange—like a styling director at a hair salon entrance."
"Do you know what a styling director is, beautiful?" Shao Dongxu ruffled his own hair.
Lin Zhixia frowned, her tone somewhat serious. "I have my own name. I'm Lin Zhixia. You can call me Class Monitor Lin."
Shao Dongxu couldn't resist teasing, "Lin Beauty? Lin Beauty... Xiao Lin Beauty?"
Lin Zhixia warned, "If you say it again, I'll really get angry."
"If you get angry, I won't turn in my math homework," Shao Dongxu declared.In Class 27 of Grade 10, Lin Zhixia was not only the class president but also served as the math representative. Shao Dongxu joked with her, but she interpreted his words as a threat.
Lin Zhixia straightened up and said coldly, "Whether you hand in your math homework or not is up to you. I'm only responsible for recording names."
"Are you really angry?" Shao Dongxu quickly rummaged through his backpack and pulled out a strawberry-flavored Swiss roll candy. He placed the strawberry candy on Lin Zhixia's desk.
Lin Zhixia remained completely unmoved and declared righteously, "Take it away. I don't eat strawberries."
This statement shocked her deskmate, Tang Tingting.
Tang Tingting had known Lin Zhixia for many years. She was well aware of Lin Zhixia's sincere love for strawberries. Lin Zhixia's notebooks, pencil cases, and folders were all adorned with strawberry patterns. Even her backpack charm was a pink strawberry pom-pom.
Tang Tingting said seriously, "Shao Dongxu, you've really made Lin Zhixia angry."
Shao Dongxu hurriedly apologized, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. Please accept this strawberry candy, Lin Zhixia."
Lin Zhixia stood firm: "No, I won't accept it."
Even if Lin Zhixia were a strawberry spirit reincarnated, she was a strawberry spirit with dignity.
She took out a copy of "Penetration Testing Programming" and began delving into the fascinating world of programming knowledge. The surroundings grew increasingly quiet, and neither Tang Tingting nor Shao Dongxu spoke again.
After class, Lin Zhixia left her seat.
As the class president of Grade 10 Class 27, Lin Zhixia had always been diligent and responsible. She tirelessly visited each group, asked every classmate about their intentions, and recorded the list for the "Spring Research Trip."
Soon, she encountered a problem.
Teacher Deng said that during the research trip, students would need to pair up and stay in standard double rooms at a mountain lodge.
To Lin Zhixia's surprise, Jin Baihui had actually signed up for the event. Jin Baihui calmly asked, "Can I have a room to myself?"
Lin Zhixia marked an asterisk on her paper: "I'll go ask Teacher Deng."
A total of forty-three students in the class were willing to participate in this year's "Spring Research Trip." Under Teacher Deng's arrangement, Jin Baihui was paired with a female student from Class 26 of Grade 10. Jin Baihui's wish to "have a room to herself" ultimately went unfulfilled.
On the day of departure, Lin Zhixia was in high spirits.
She and her brother took the bus to school together.
Her brother carried her suitcase and chattered on with instructions: "When you're sleeping away from home, make sure to lock the door at night and prop a chair against it... No matter which guy asks you to open the door, don't pay any attention to him. Got it?"
"Got it!" Lin Zhixia replied.
Her brother shared his own experience from last year's research trip. He said that a girl in his class had been approached by a middle-aged man at the scenic spot. The man stopped her, demanded her phone number, and wouldn't let her leave...
"What did you do then?" Lin Zhixia looked at her brother.
Her brother said indifferently, "I chased that bastard away."
Lin Zhixia mimicked her brother's tone: "Did that bastard cause trouble for you?"
Her brother's expression was dismissive: "Would he dare cause trouble for me?"
Lin Zhixia nodded: "Brother defeated the bastard."
Her brother patted her head: "Be careful outside and stay safe.""Alright, you can rest assured." Lin Zhixia took the suitcase from her brother and walked toward the playground of the Provincial No. 1 High School's senior high division.
All 27 classes of the first-year high school students had gathered on the playground, waiting for their respective tour buses.
The lead teachers for Class 27 were their homeroom teacher Teacher Deng and Chinese language teacher Teacher Chen. Teacher Chen carried a plastic bag from which she distributed yellow baseball caps to the students of Class 27.
Teacher Deng stood at the front of the line and called out loudly: "Everyone must wear the yellow caps so you don't get separated from the group. When we reach Penglai Mountain, you cannot go off alone and must follow the teachers' arrangements, understood?"
Lin Zhixia led the cheering: "Understood!"
Teacher Deng nodded slightly. He led the students onto the tour bus, which took them to the airport. After a short flight of over an hour, they landed in Shanhai County of Yingzhou.
A local tour guide was responsible for meeting them at the airport. Around one o'clock in the afternoon, the guide brought everyone to Penglai Mountain in Shanhai County.
The mountain area was densely forested with relatively high altitude, noticeably much cooler than the city.
The mountain road had eighteen bends. It was a two-lane road running alongside steep cliffs, forcing vehicles to slow down.
Lin Zhixia sat sideways, gazing at the continuous majestic mountain ranges in the distance. Peculiar peaks stood steeply amid swirling mist, with dense forests and drifting white clouds gathering and dispersing as they floated by.
Lin Zhixia pressed her hands against the window and said: "Tang Tingting, turn your head and look over here, see these towering mountains - it's like a fairyland on earth."
Leaning against her seatback, Tang Tingting spoke more softly than usual: "It's really beautiful, this fairyland on earth."
Shao Dongxu, who wasn't far away, added: "In this fairyland on earth, there are fairy maidens too, Class President Lin."
Shao Dongxu's deskmate burst into nervous laughter.
Several boys sitting in the back row put their arms around Shao Dongxu's shoulders. Shao Dongxu laughed together with them, his face beaming and flushed red.
Shen Fuxuan turned to look at him and suddenly said: "Hey, Shao Dongxu, we're on a winding mountain road - could you keep it down? Don't joke about everyone's lives in this bus."
Duan Qiyan sat beside Shen Fuxuan. As soon as Shen Fuxuan finished speaking, Duan Qiyan grew tense: "If they're messing around in the back row, will it affect the driver in front?"
Shen Fuxuan looked solemn and serious: "Definitely. I'm from the physics competition team - I can calculate their impact on this vehicle."
Duan Qiyan focused entirely on math competitions and wasn't very familiar with physics competitions. Hearing Shen Fuxuan say this, Duan Qiyan believed him. Duan Qiyan asked: "Are we in danger right now?"
Shen Fuxuan furrowed his brow and lowered his voice: "If Shao Dongxu and his friends keep moving around recklessly, I hardly dare to tell you what the consequences might be."
Duan Qiyan turned pale with fear: "Damn it."
Coincidentally, at that moment Shao Dongxu started playing around with his friends again. They were like a group of baboons in a zoo, grabbing each other's hair while the atmosphere around them grew lively and cheerful.
Concerned for everyone's safety in the bus but afraid his voice might be too loud and startle the driver, Duan Qiyan could only call out softly: "Shao Dongxu, Shao Dongxu?"
Shao Dongxu glanced at him: "What do you want?"Duan Qiyan kindly reminded them, "Don't mess around. The homeroom teacher is sleeping, and the driver is driving."
Shao Dongxu agreed on the surface. After a while, he silently played around with the surrounding classmates again. He put another boy's hat on his own head.
Suppressing his anger, Duan Qiyan asked him with unusual kindness, "Have you watched 'Slam Dunk'?"
Shao Dongxu only said, "I've seen a bit."
Duan Qiyan asked again, "Have you watched 'Star Trek'?"
Shao Dongxu asked suspiciously, "What are you trying to tell me?"
Duan Qiyan glanced back with a smile, "I'll tell you after we get off the bus."
Misled by Duan Qiyan's approachable smile, Shao Dongxu spent the entire journey pondering what profound meaning Duan Qiyan might have.
Finally, when the bus came to a stop and students began disembarking one after another, Shao Dongxu raised an arm to block Duan Qiyan: "Why did you ask me earlier if I'd watched 'Slam Dunk' and 'Star Trek'?"
Duan Qiyan swung his arm and coldly dropped a sentence: "I was telling you that I want to slap you to the ground like a basketball and throw you into outer space to become an astronaut."
"Duan Qiyan?" Shao Dongxu made an injured expression and repeatedly stepped back.
Shen Fuxuan laughed until he was breathless nearby.
Homeroom teacher Teacher Deng clapped his hands to attract the whole class's attention: "Hurry up, classmates, take your luggage and follow the tour guide to the hotel entrance. No one should fall behind."
They checked into a large hotel on the mountainside.
In front of the hotel was a stone staircase about two zhang wide.
Lin Zhixia carried her backpack and lifted her suitcase, climbing forward about a dozen steps before feeling nearly exhausted.
She steadied herself, mustered all her strength, and slowly ascended the steps. When she crossed the final step, she looked up into the distance. The twilight glow covered the mountain ridges, dyeing the dark green vegetation with shades of orange and light yellow. The mist hadn't yet dissipated, and the sun's rays were clearly visible like strands in the fog.
Lin Zhixia sighed, "We should really make time to go out and have fun more often."
Tang Tingting reached out and pulled her up: "Do you prefer staying at home or traveling?"
"I like traveling," Lin Zhixia replied, "I'm always looking forward to school-organized trips."
Tang Tingting was momentarily stunned: "Ah, I thought you'd prefer staying home to study."
Lin Zhixia shook her head like a rattle drum: "There are many ways to learn. Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles."
She and Tang Tingting walked together through the hotel's main entrance.
Teacher Deng had just completed the check-in procedures. He distributed room cards to the students of Class 27, Grade 10, instructing everyone to rest well in their rooms and go to the second-floor buffet for dinner in the evening.
Lin Zhixia took her room card and pushed her suitcase along briskly.
She and Tang Tingting were staying in room 405, with Shen Fuxuan and Duan Qiyan next door in 406, while room 404 belonged to Jin Baihui and that girl from Class 26. Tang Tingting commented, "That girl from Class 26 is so pitiful, having to room with Jin Baihui."
The hotel room was spacious and comfortable, with clean white beds. Lying on the soft large bed and hugging a pillow, Lin Zhixia asked, "Pitiful?"
"Yes," Tang Tingting opened her suitcase lid, "They all say Jin Baihui has a terrible temper and looks down on everyone..."Tang Tingting changed into a pair of slippers, hesitating to speak. After a long while, she stared at Lin Zhixia and said, "Hey, that time when Jin Baihui falsely accused Duan Qiyan of being a thief, it was lucky you were there. Otherwise, Duan Qiyan wouldn't have been able to clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River."
Lin Zhixia pondered, "Jin Baihui strongly believes in her own opinions. She's a very persistent person."
Tang Tingting laughed, "You're quite persistent too."
Lin Zhixia rolled around on the bed, "No, I'm not."
Hugging her pillow, Lin Zhixia kept rolling back and forth until Tang Tingting pressed down on her shoulders, interrupting her movement.
Tang Tingting pointed out the window, "After we finish dinner at the hotel tonight, let's go mountain climbing. I just saw many particularly high mountains, though I'm not sure if we can see the canyon from there. The river in the canyon here is so clear. Do you like boating? Could we rent a raft? Ah, never mind, it wouldn't be good if we fell in..."
Lin Zhixia lifted her head, "That's impossible. Teacher Deng wouldn't allow us to go out on our own."
"Just don't tell the teacher, okay?" Tang Tingting persuaded.
Lin Zhixia's mind went through an intense internal struggle. Ultimately, her rational thinking prevailed. Her brother's earnest advice and her parents' caring words floated in her mind, making her firmly refuse Tang Tingting: "By the time we finish dinner, it will be completely dark. Two underage girls wandering around unfamiliar mountain paths in pitch darkness - that's really not acceptable."
Tang Tingting hesitated for a moment before taking a step, "I'll go ask the other girls."
This statement triggered Lin Zhixia's sense of responsibility as class monitor.
A sudden inspiration struck her, and Lin Zhixia quickly called Tang Tingting back. She recounted several horror stories her brother had told her, repeating them word for word to Tang Tingting.
Speaking slowly in a low voice, accompanied by deliberately made knocking sounds, collision noises, and rapid breathing, Lin Zhixia soon thoroughly frightened Tang Tingting. Tang Tingting declared that nothing could make her go out on the mountain paths.
On the first day of their Penglai Mountain trip, Tang Tingting and Lin Zhixia sat together in room 405 watching TV.
They were watching a popular romantic idol drama.
On screen, the male lead told the female lead that he had married her only because of his parents' pressure, and although they were husband and wife, he would never love her. The person he loved most was the kind and beautiful supporting female character.
Tears welled in Tang Tingting's eyes, "How could he treat his wife like that?"
Lin Zhixia rested her chin in her hand, "Why doesn't his wife divorce him?"
Just as Lin Zhixia and Tang Tingting started discussing this, someone knocked on the door of room 405. Duan Qiyan stood outside asking, "Class Monitor Lin, is your TV working properly?"
Tang Tingting went to open the door, "Yes, it's working. What's wrong?"
Duan Qiyan said irritably, "The TV in my room with Shen Fuxuan is broken. Ah, forget it, I'll go watch TV in Cao Wu's room."
After taking a step away, Duan Qiyan said with a serious expression, "You might not believe me when I say this, but Shen Fuxuan insists on watching this romance drama called 'Everything Has Changed, I've Fallen for Your Beauty'..."
"We're watching that exact drama right now," Lin Zhixia revealed without hesitation.
Duan Qiyan was utterly shocked. He ran to the next room and brought Shen Fuxuan over.Shen Fuxuan walked into Room 405 carrying two boxes of potato chips and four cans of cola. He waved at Lin Zhixia, who politely greeted him. Without any hesitation, he sat down beside Lin Zhixia and joined the two girls in watching the urban romance idol drama "Everything Has Changed, Yet I've Fallen for Your Beauty."
"What are you all up to?" Duan Qiyan demanded.
Shen Fuxuan and Lin Zhixia were so engrossed in the plot that neither of them answered Duan Qiyan's question.
On the television screen, the male and female leads had just returned from a banquet.
The female supporting character pointed at the female lead and shouted angrily, "You married him for money! If it weren't for his family helping you, you would have gone bankrupt long ago! What right do you have to compete with me? I love him with all my heart! Love doesn't care about who came first; love is pure emotion... Even though you're his legal wife, I'm the one he truly loves!"
Just then, a heavy downpour began to fall from the sky.
The female lead knelt in the rain, her hair soaked and her body trembling.
The female supporting character leaned against the male lead's chest, weeping weakly: "It's all her fault! She's made me become the kind of person I hate the most!"
The male lead looked down contemptuously at the female lead and said coldly, "I don't want to see her. Jiaojiao, let's go."
With that, the male lead held an umbrella with one hand and embraced the female supporting character with the other, walking past the female lead. His pure black leather shoes stepped on the female lead's fingers, but she made no sound, and he didn't pause.
Duan Qiyan felt like he was suffocating.
Tang Tingting let out a cry: "His wife is so pitiful!"
"I can't believe you can keep watching this," Duan Qiyan declared resolutely. "Keep watching your show, I'm going out by myself!"
Having said this, Duan Qiyan turned and walked out.
Shen Fuxuan sighed repeatedly, while Lin Zhixia seemed thoughtful: "Why does his wife keep kneeling?"
Tang Tingting said, "The female supporting character was too cruel to her. She doesn't have the strength to stand up anymore."
Lin Zhixia looked at Shen Fuxuan: "What do you think?"
Shen Fuxuan pondered for a moment before saying, "I think her spiritual world has been shattered. That scene in the rain - the director wanted to convey to the audience the spirit of failed resistance. In the final shot, as the camera pulls away, the audience can only see the male lead's leather shoes, the female lead's fingers, and raindrops falling on the overpass."
"Yes," Lin Zhixia analyzed calmly. "The director used montage techniques to achieve the scene transitions. The female supporting character's roaring tone reminds me of Shakespearean stage drama style. The long take in the rain provokes deep thought, similar to the perspective Quentin pioneered in 'Sin City,' elevating the entire plot with philosophical depth..."
Duan Qiyan believed what Lin Zhixia and Shen Fuxuan said.
He couldn't help but sit in front of the television, adopting a learning attitude as he earnestly observed this drama. He watched from afternoon until evening, and before he knew it, he had become completely captivated by the plot.
So much so that when the Penglai Mountain tour officially began the next morning, Duan Qiyan specifically asked the guide what time they would return to the hotel. He didn't want to miss the series finale.
Shen Fuxuan, walking at the front of the group, laughed until his stomach hurt. He whispered to Lin Zhixia, "How can someone be as foolish as Duan Qiyan?"
"You shouldn't always trick him," Lin Zhixia admonished.Shen Fuxuan shrugged. "Yesterday afternoon, you kept analyzing the philosophical ideas in that TV drama... Duan Qiyan was completely led by the nose by you."
Lin Zhixia explained, "I was just afraid he'd get lost if he went out alone. Do you think he could find his way back by himself?"
"Absolutely not," Shen Fuxuan replied with certainty.
Lin Zhixia tightened her grip on her backpack straps. Following the tour guide's lead, she began climbing the mountain with single-minded focus.
The tour guide was a middle-aged woman with sun-darkened skin, short permed hair that curled slightly, and golden earrings dangling from her ears. She had a robust build and powerful legs that allowed her to walk steadily and swiftly along the mountain path.
As the class monitor, Lin Zhixia absolutely shouldn’t fall behind. But after persisting for twenty minutes, she was genuinely tired and gradually slowed her pace. Meanwhile, Jin Baihui overtook her from behind, walking faster and faster, darting ahead like a launched rocket.
"Jin Baihui is really physically strong," Tang Tingting remarked.
Lin Zhixia gazed at Jin Baihui’s receding figure: "She got full marks in the 800-meter run during the high school entrance exam."
Amid the mist-shrouded dense forest, someone jogged all the way to the front of the group—it was Duan Qiyan. Duan Qiyan hadn’t dressed warmly enough and felt a bit cold, so he ran back and forth between the front and rear of the group to quickly warm himself up.
As Duan Qiyan ran up beside Lin Zhixia, he overheard Tang Tingting discussing Jin Baihui. He couldn’t resist telling Lin Zhixia, "Let me tell you something."
Lin Zhixia casually asked, "What is it?"
Duan Qiyan swung his arms and marched in place: "Shen Fuxuan has a crush on Jin Baihui."
Lin Zhixia was utterly shocked: "Really?"
Duan Qiyan rarely saw this expression on Lin Zhixia’s face. As she blinked at him, he held nothing back and confided, "Really, Shen Fuxuan has a crush on Jin Baihui."
"Holy crap!" Tang Tingting exclaimed upon hearing this.
Duan Qiyan urged, "Don’t tell anyone else."
"I won’t say a word," Lin Zhixia said seriously.
Duan Qiyan nodded and ran off toward the back of the group.
On the narrow mountain trail, the air was fresh and the scenery beautiful, but Tang Tingting had no mind to appreciate it. Puzzled beyond measure, she couldn’t help but put an arm around Lin Zhixia’s shoulder and ask, "Why would Shen Fuxuan have a crush on Jin Baihui?"
"Jin Baihui has many strengths," Lin Zhixia listed earnestly. "Yesterday, I told you that Jin Baihui is especially determined. She’s diligent, hardworking, and doesn’t care about outside opinions…"
Tang Tingting questioned, "But almost no one in our class hangs out with her?"
Lin Zhixia waved a hand dismissively. "No, don’t think that way. Jin Baihui doesn’t have friends in our class because she doesn’t need to seek emotional validation from others. Wow, how elevated is that state? Think about it carefully."
Tang Tingting held her breath.
Lin Zhixia continued enlightening her: "Jin Baihui spends all her time on studying. She never invests time or energy in social interactions. She doesn’t need to chat or make friends—her self-satisfaction comes from filling gaps in her knowledge."
Influenced by Lin Zhixia, Tang Tingting followed her train of thought and added, "Jin Baihui is also really physically strong. Her 800-meter run is much faster than both of ours."
"Yes, yes," Lin Zhixia nodded vigorously.
Tang Tingting furrowed her brow: "So, from what you’re saying, Shen Fuxuan’s standards are pretty high, huh?"
"They are quite high," Lin Zhixia agreed.
Tang Tingting muttered to herself, "I was just wondering why Shen Fuxuan has a crush on Jin Baihui and not me. But after what you said, it’s all clear to me now—I’m not up to Shen Fuxuan’s standards."Lin Zhixia wrapped an arm around Tang Tingting's shoulder. "Tang Tingting, you're an outstanding person too. You're lively, cheerful, understanding, possess strong willpower, and excellent coordination skills. You're very popular in our class—almost no one dislikes you..."
After hearing Lin Zhixia's string of sincere praises, Tang Tingting couldn't help but feel a bit elated. Especially when Lin Zhixia said: "Almost no one dislikes you..." What did that imply? Wasn't it hinting that Lin Zhixia also liked Tang Tingting?
Just minutes earlier, Tang Tingting had been envious of Jin Baihui being secretly admired by Shen Fuxuan. Now, she no longer felt envy—she had gained Lin Zhixia's friendship.
Tang Tingting felt as if she weren't walking on rugged mountain paths but floating on soft cotton. She forgot her promise to Duan Qiyan. During the break, she shared the explosive news of "Shen Fuxuan secretly liking Jin Baihui" with several other girls.
By lunchtime, in the entire Class 27 of Grade 10, everyone except Shen Fuxuan himself knew about his secret crush on Jin Baihui.
Shen Fuxuan noticed the frequent glances from everyone. He asked Duan Qiyan, "What's going on in the class?"
Duan Qiyan kept his head down while eating. "Nothing."
They were having lunch at a farmhouse restaurant on the mountaintop. The solid wooden round table was laden with braised fish, steamed pork with rice flour, stir-fried cabbage, wood ear mushrooms with scrambled eggs, tomato chicken soup, and several other dishes Duan Qiyan couldn't name.
Duan Qiyan vigorously picked up food and shoveled rice into his mouth. Shen Fuxuan watched him and said in a low voice, "You'd better tell me the truth."
Shen Fuxuan was tall and slender with strikingly handsome features—originally quite pleasant to look at. But now, with a gloomy aura and gritted teeth, he warned, "Don't make me repeat myself."
Duan Qiyan didn't even dare glance at him out of the corner of his eye, goosebumps rising all over his body.
They sat on the eastern side of the round table, right next to a window. Outside stretched vast bamboo groves—emerald shadows swaying nearby, distant rolling mountains, and clouds gradually dispersing, creating an ethereal, almost mystical beauty.
Lin Zhixia held her rice bowl, alternating between eating and admiring the scenery, completely at ease and content. She blissfully took a bite of steamed pork with rice flour, but then heard Shen Fuxuan raise his voice: "Fine, if you won't tell the truth, just wait till I find out from someone else—you're done for."
Duan Qiyan wasn't one to swallow insults. Provoked by Shen Fuxuan, he exploded on the spot: "I told Lin Zhixia that you secretly like Jin Baihui!"
The moment these words were spoken, Lin Zhixia froze.
Homeroom teacher Deng also froze.
Only Jin Baihui kept eating.
Class 27 of Grade 10 fell into silence—not a single stray sound remained. The wind stilled, and slanted light and shadows fell across the scene.
Teacher Deng stood up to take control. "For now, let's not discuss anything else. Everyone, eat well, drink well, enjoy yourselves, and rest well. When we return to Provincial No. 1 High School, I'll address today's matter. Alright?"
"Alright!" Duan Qiyan replied cheerfully.
But Shen Fuxuan's expression couldn't merely be described as "ugly." His face turned ashen as he peeled the fish apart as if committing murder. The students sitting around him scattered one by one, fleeing to neighboring tables to eat. Gradually, only Lin Zhixia, Duan Qiyan, and Tang Tingting remained beside Shen Fuxuan.Tang Tingting hadn't left because she felt she understood Shen Fuxuan. Most students in Class 27 of Grade 10 hadn't recognized Kim Baihui's fine qualities, hadn't grasped the true essence, hadn't reached that level of intellectual enlightenment.
Therefore, when they heard the rumors about Shen Fuxuan and Kim Baihui, they found it unbelievable.
Tang Tingting shook her head and began comforting Shen Fuxuan: "Shen Fuxuan, don't mind what the classmates think. Don't back down. Both Lin Zhixia and I are on your side."
Shen Fuxuan nearly choked on his breath.
He said coldly, "I don't like Kim Baihui."
Lin Zhixia observed his expression and found it strange - he probably wasn't lying.
Lin Zhixia was certain Duan Qiyan wasn't lying either.
Upon hearing Shen Fuxuan's declaration, Duan Qiyan immediately chimed in: "If you like her, just admit it. No one's stopping you. We're not your homeroom teacher. We've been your friends for four years - do you still need to hide your little secrets from us?"
Shen Fuxuan snapped viciously, "Screw you."
"What's your problem?" Duan Qiyan grew somewhat angry. "Why are you cursing at me?"
Lin Zhixia mediated: "Stop arguing. Let's eat quietly."
After the meal, everyone rested for half an hour before following the tour guide to take the cable car and enjoy the scenery of Penglai Mountain.
Each cable car was fully enclosed and could seat up to four people. Thus, Lin Zhixia, Tang Tingting, Shen Fuxuan, and Duan Qiyan got into one car together.
Lin Zhixia opened her backpack and took out a book, placing it on her lap.
Between the pages was a piece of strawberry-patterned stationery. Holding a ballpoint pen, she wrote on the paper: Class 27 of Grade 10 has come to Penglai Mountain. Traveling with the whole class is such a joyful thing. Right now I'm sitting in the cable car, seeing lush century-old trees standing tall, ancient temples shrouded in mist...
Duan Qiyan asked, "Who are you writing to?"
Tang Tingting immediately answered, "Jiang Yubai, who else could it be?"
"It's Jiang Yubai," Lin Zhixia admitted.
Duan Qiyan leaned forward: "What exactly is your relationship with Jiang Yubai?"
Lin Zhixia replied frankly, "We're good friends."
Shen Fuxuan interjected, "Duan Qiyan, stop meddling in other people's business."
"Are you still mad at me?" Duan Qiyan turned to look at him. "I already apologized to you."
Shen Fuxuan chuckled scornfully, "If I killed you, then said sorry, would you forgive me?"
Duan Qiyan answered with utmost seriousness, "If I'm dead, how could I forgive you?"Stop arguing," Lin Zhixia interrupted.
After she spoke, the cable car returned to tranquility.
Matching the beautiful scenery outside the window, Lin Zhixia wrote poetry on a blank sheet of paper. The natural landscape formed by continuous mountain ranges abstracted into multidimensional spaces in her mind. She began contemplating the three-dimensional projections of higher-dimensional objects, then unconsciously thought about currently common data dimensionality reduction algorithms like PCA, ICA, low-variance filtering, and high-correlation filtering.
Duan Qiyan interrupted her train of thought again: "We're here, we're here! Let's go see the ancient temple."
As the cable car reached its destination, Lin Zhixia and the others quickly followed the tour guide.The tour guide raised a megaphone and shouted loudly, "Class 27 students, stay close to me! Next, we'll visit the most famous attraction on Penglai Mountain—the Precious Lantern Temple. Have any of you heard this saying from the Lotus Sutra? It states, 'Pass one lamp to numerous lamps, until ten thousand lamps are all illuminated.' Our Precious Lantern Temple has a long history, with a bright lamp standing before its gate that has remained lit through wind and rain for many years..."
While speaking, the guide led the students forward.
The temple was surrounded by towering trees, with ginkgo fan leaves scattered all over the ground. Monks in gray robes were sweeping everywhere. Inside the Precious Lantern Temple, incense smoke rose thickly, and visitors swarmed like weaving threads. The wooden racks in the front courtyard were piled with row after row of red candles, and devoted pilgrims from afar were making sincere wishes.
Class advisor Teacher Deng also went to make a wish. He stuffed two hundred yuan into the donation box, then wrote many words on a piece of paper.
Duan Qiyan mustered his courage and sneaked over to peek.
Duan Qiyan saw that Teacher Deng had written: He hoped his students could achieve good results in competition venues, or obtain satisfactory scores during the college entrance examination. He wished his students good health and happy family lives.
Duan Qiyan was deeply moved. Once again, he leaked the secret to Lin Zhixia.
Lin Zhixia recorded all her thoughts and reflections, filling three entire pages. After this trip to Penglai Mountain concluded, Lin Zhixia returned home and affixed two stamps to an envelope. With an expectant heart hoping for a reply, she mailed this letter addressed to Jiang Yubai.
Two days later, Jiang Yubai logged into QQ.
He told Lin Zhixia that he had just gotten off the plane and was currently in the United States.
Jiang Yubai was remarkably composed. Before advancing to the finals, he hadn't told Lin Zhixia anything about the competition situation. Lin Zhixia intermittently received his competition updates, learning that this year's competition was exceptionally fierce—nearly half of the top-ranked private high schools from North America had participated, and even European schools had joined in. Lin Zhixia couldn't help but ask, "Which country has the strongest team?"
"The United States," Jiang Yubai answered honestly.
Lin Zhixia cheered him on: "You can do it, Jiang Yubai! Just making it to the finals is already impressive!"
Jiang Yubai sent a URL through the QQ chat window. He sincerely invited Lin Zhixia to watch the live broadcast of his competition.
The finals were held in New York, USA. New York and Beijing happened to have a twelve-hour time difference. The first group match would run from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with continuous live broadcast for two hours.
6:00 PM New York time meant 6:00 AM Beijing time.
March 17, 2009, marked the first day of the North American Economics Challenge finals.
At 6:00 AM on March 17, Lin Zhixia crawled out of bed and eagerly turned on her computer. She entered the URL and indeed witnessed the live online broadcast.
The host was a middle-aged man with a robust build and beaming smile. Holding a microphone, he faced the audience and introduced this year's competition setup and the judges' backgrounds. When the host mentioned the contestants, the camera showed a wide shot, allowing Lin Zhixia to see elite high school teams from continents around the world.
It must be said that these economics competition team members all seemed to radiate extraordinary temperaments.
Lin Zhixia could foresee how intense this competition would be.Lin Zhixia did not go to the living room for breakfast. She brought a bowl of congee from the kitchen and stayed in front of the computer screen. Coincidentally, the live broadcast cut to a close-up shot, and she saw Jiang Yubai wearing a suit.
She exclaimed, "He looks so handsome in a suit, Jiang Yubai."
"What's the big deal?" her brother's voice sounded behind her. "Truly good-looking people don't need clothes to make an impression."
Why was her brother here?
Holding the bowl with both hands, Lin Zhixia belatedly turned around.
Lin Zeqiu told her, "You didn't come to the living room to eat, so Mom asked me to check what you were busy with this morning. So you've been watching Jiang Yubai's competition all this time? What's so interesting about him, I ask you?"
Lin Zhixia straightened up, took a sip of congee, and then said, "He's been studying economics for a long time. I want to see how good he is. I believe he will definitely stand out."
Lin Zeqiu pulled up a chair and sat beside Lin Zhixia. "His middle school grades weren't as good as yours, right? What's the point of paying attention to him?"
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