Jiang Yubai picked up the glass and poured a cup of water for Lin Zhixia.
He handed the cup to her, and she naturally lowered her head to drink directly from it.
Jiang Yubai slowly adjusted the angle of the rim, not daring to make the slightest mistake, so that Lin Zhixia could drink more comfortably.
Jiang Yubai's service skills were exceptional. He was so considerate and meticulous that Lin Zhixia couldn't help but admire him. She raised her hand to rest on his shoulder and said boldly and freely, "Let's go dance."
Jiang Yubai took her by the wrist and led her up from her seat, heading straight for the dance floor. He suddenly said, "Throughout these three years of high school, I often thought about elementary and middle school."
Lin Zhixia really wanted to ask him, "Are you missing life in elementary and middle school, or are you missing me as your deskmate?" She hesitated for a long time but ultimately couldn't bring herself to ask.
This was truly strange.
She had always been straightforward—why was she being so hesitant now?
She tightly held his hand, stole a glance at him, and then said, "Being your deskmate for four years is one of the things that made me happiest. I can recall every day from that time—what you wore, when you arrived at school, what you said to me... I remember it all."
The temperature of Jiang Yubai's palm seemed to grow warmer. His heart burned like fire, as if boundless energy was bursting forth from within, but he wasn't good at responding with passion. He said softly, "I envy your memory."
Like countless ordinary people, he had forgotten the details of those precious times.
Lin Zhixia patted his arm reassuringly: "No need to envy me."
She explained, "Sometimes, I also feel down and remember some not-so-good things... It's not just visual memories, but sensory ones too. Do you understand? When I was little, I went hungry in my rural hometown. Whenever I think of that day, my stomach aches a little."
Jiang Yubai took this phenomenon seriously: "In the seven years I've known you, this is the first time I've heard you mention sensory memory."
Near the dance floor, young couples were dancing gracefully—the girls elegant with their flowing skirts, the boys smiling, the atmosphere ambiguous.
Jiang Yubai lowered his voice further: "Tell me if you're feeling unwell. Don't endure stomach pain; if it gets bad, we'll go to the hospital."
Dim, warm orange-yellow light enveloped the dance floor. Lin Zhixia lifted her head and looked at him with bright, clear eyes in the dusky environment.
He thought she would say a lot.
But she only nodded: "Mm!"
Jiang Yubai murmured to himself, "You always seem so happy..." He gently wrapped an arm around her waist, his comforting voice soft and gentle as it drifted into her ear. He said that no matter what she encountered, she could tell him, and they would figure it out together—he wasn't just her good friend but also her supporter and follower.
The melodious music continued, but Lin Zhixia stopped moving. She buried her face in his collar and praised, "You're so good, you're too good."
In her heart, she silently celebrated this profoundly moving bond.
That night, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai stayed on the dance floor for over two hours.
At first, all the classmates were dancing the waltz, but then the music changed, and the students formed a circle, randomly exchanging partners.
Lin Zhixia suddenly had a whimsical idea—she decided to try the male dance steps.She stopped a beautiful woman in a water-red spaghetti strap maxi dress—this beauty was Korean and didn't speak much Chinese. Lin Zhixia knew a little Korean, so she struck up a conversation with her. The Korean woman thought Lin Zhixia was an ethnic Korean Chinese, instantly feeling a sense of familiarity, and half-reluctantly started dancing with her.
Lin Zhixia held her wrist, watching her spin gracefully under her guidance, and praised in Korean, "You dance so well."
Lin Zhixia and the Korean beauty got along harmoniously.
Jiang Yubai called out her name: "Lin Zhixia?"
The surroundings were bustling with noise and lively music, so Lin Zhixia didn't hear him.
Jiang Yubai stood absentmindedly at the edge of the dance floor. Zhao Gefei invited him to dance, but he politely declined. Blushing, Zhao Gefei insisted on asking, "Do you like that girl?"
Jiang Yubai avoided the topic.
Zhao Gefei pressed further, "She must have many good qualities, right? Besides her looks and education."
Jiang Yubai listed them effortlessly: "Yes, she's intelligent, kind, pure, honest, optimistic, lively, and loves to laugh..."
Zhao Gefei crossed her right hand over her chest, slightly covering her collar, and hinted, "I've been praised for being intelligent and kind too."
Jiang Yubai held a wine glass and, out of courtesy, clinked glasses with her. His every move was graceful, but his words were a mood killer. He said, "Your dance partner is looking for you."
Zhao Gefei clasped her hands together: "Aren't you going to say something quickly to make me stay?"
Jiang Yubai didn't respond. He walked to the other side of the corner.
Jiang Yubai was very popular. Even standing in a remote corner, many classmates specifically came over to greet him. He chatted with them, holding a wine glass in one hand filled with mineral water. He swirled the glass, took a sip of water, and the light refracted off the cup, revealing an approaching figure—Lin Zhixia finally snapped back to reality and hurried over to him.
"Why did you stop dancing?" Lin Zhixia asked him.
He said, "Everyone changed dance partners."
Lin Zhixia tilted her head: "You could change partners too and dance with other girls."
Jiang Yubai smiled: "I'd rather stand at a distance and watch you dance."
Lin Zhixia's left hand fingers twisted tightly around her skirt: "You..." The high-quality dress wrinkled under her grip before she finally said, "You're so good with words."
Outside the window, the night was vast, and the dance was nearing its end.
Lin Zhixia didn't want to return too late, so Jiang Yubai left early with her. They got into the same car and headed straight to Lin Zhixia's university.
Jiang Yubai rolled down the window, and the summer night breeze blew in, ruffling his black short hair slightly. Gazing at the scenery speeding past outside, he spoke a few heartfelt words: "I've graduated from high school and will soon go abroad for university. I might not be able to come back during holidays. When I was in Beijing, you went to the Laboratory every day..." He realized he had let slip a hint of resentment.
Pausing briefly, he corrected himself: "That's good. If you love studying, you should study more and contribute to human technological progress."
"I'll miss you, Jiang Yubai," Lin Zhixia replied.
Jiang Yubai sat silently.
Lin Zhixia took the boutonniere from the left lapel of his suit and removed the hand flower she had worn all night, placing it in his suit pocket. She didn't seem to feel any sadness about the parting, only asking, "Will you miss me too?"
"Every day," he answered.
Lin Zhixia laughed and said, "Okay."She clutched the bouquet of complementary flowers, gently stroking the pale red petals.
Around 11 PM, Lin Zhixia returned to the dormitory. The lights were brightly lit, and all three of her roommates were still awake.
With the final exams of the second semester of sophomore year approaching, everyone was busy reviewing intensely. Deng Shasha knelt on her upper bunk and exclaimed, "You're finally back! There are so many problems I can't solve. Save me, God of Study."
Lin Zhixia hurried over to her. "Coming, coming."
Deng Shasha slowly lay back, a serene expression on her face.
Lin Zhixia stepped onto the ladder, gripping the bed frame's railings with both hands, and asked excitedly, "Are the questions from past exam papers really difficult?"
Deng Shasha puffed out her cheeks.
How should she put it...
She seemed to detect a tone of exhilaration in Lin Zhixia's voice.
Not wanting to disappoint Lin Zhixia, Deng Shasha declared, "They're insanely hard! So difficult it's maddening, so difficult it's deadly. If you threw the exam paper into the sky, it would blast a hole, and Nüwa would have to patch the heavens all over again. Just one glance at the questions makes me dizzy, two glances leave me breathless, and three glances would send me into shock on the bed."
Lin Zhixia froze for a moment, then beamed with delight. "Hurry, hurry! Give me the exam paper to see, let me take a look. I want to solve the problems."
Deng Shasha respectfully handed over a test paper with both hands.
Lin Zhixia snatched the paper and jumped to the floor. Clutching it, she dashed to her desk and began reading the questions with voracious enthusiasm. Deng Shasha added, "God of Study, the average score for this course last year was forty... out of a hundred. The professor is ruthless. I had no idea when I signed up for it, really no idea. Feng Yuan chose it, so I followed suit..."
As Deng Shasha recounted her tragic plight, Feng Yuan interjected, "Is it really that hard?"
While speaking, Deng Shasha tossed her pillow around. "There's a world of difference between humans and gods."
Truthfully, Deng Shasha could have asked Feng Yuan for help, and Feng Yuan would have been willing to explain the problems. However, Feng Yuan's teaching style followed the principle of "strict teachers produce outstanding students." If Deng Shasha didn't understand after two explanations, Feng Yuan would sigh in frustration. In contrast, Lin Zhixia never showed any impatience. She was always eager to help, earnest and meticulous in her approach.
Deng Shasha pulled up a chair and sat beside Lin Zhixia.
"Alright, God of Study, I'm ready," Deng Shasha said, picking up her paper and pen.
Lin Zhixia spread out the exam paper and began explaining from the first question. She wore a beautiful red dress and carried a faint scent of perfume. As she wrote on the paper with her pen, Deng Shasha stared at her profile and couldn't help but express admiration: "That guy who danced with you tonight is really lucky."
Lin Zhixia's pen paused.
The scene from the dance replayed in her mind like a high-definition movie, with Jiang Yubai as the undisputed male lead, continuously offering her gentle yet steadfast strength.
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