Back in the day, when Lin Zhixia was in middle school at Provincial No. 1 High School, she always ranked first in her class. As for second place, it was either Jiang Yubai or Shen Fuxuan.
Shen Fuxuan, with his excellent grades, smoothly secured a direct admission spot. He was now a freshman in the School of Mathematics and also Lin Zhixia's junior.
A former classmate had unexpectedly become her junior today.
Shen Fuxuan showed not a trace of embarrassment. The moment he saw Lin Zhixia, he waved at her and called out cheerfully, "Lin Zhixia!"
"Have you noticed that Lin Zhixia has grown taller?" Duan Qiyan suddenly remarked.
Duan Qiyan stood with his arms crossed beside Shen Fuxuan, his back ramrod straight. He wore a baseball cap and a cotton shirt printed with the university emblem, paired with loose athletic pants. He was quite pleased with his outfit and hoped Lin Zhixia would notice him.
After finishing high school, Duan Qiyan had matured considerably. He had long forgotten the proud title of "The primary school's First God of War" from his childhood. As he grew older, he had witnessed the harsh realities of life—for instance, during his senior year, he failed to secure a direct admission spot to Peking University or Tsinghua University and had no choice but to grit his teeth and prepare for the college entrance exam.
Fortunately, his foundational knowledge remained solid.
Duan Qiyan performed exceptionally well, ranking in the top thirty in the province for his total college entrance exam score.
Recruitment officers from various universities vied for him.
What was there to fight over?
Duan Qiyan was destined to become a schoolmate of Lin Zhixia and Shen Fuxuan.
Amid the bustling crowds and lively atmosphere, Lin Zhixia walked closer, her tone tinged with surprise, "You all came? That's great! I'd like to treat you to a meal. Are there any other classmates?"
Shen Fuxuan pointed in another direction. "Your high school deskmate, Tang Tingting, is here too. She's at the university next door."
"The university next door?" Lin Zhixia sounded somewhat surprised.
Taking advantage of Tang Tingting's absence, Duan Qiyan sneered coldly, "She said the university next door has a stronger engineering program and more men—she wanted to go to a university with more men. I really laughed at that. I think she just wants to slack off in college..."
Lin Zhixia had a set of scales in her heart. To her, Tang Tingting carried far more weight than Duan Qiyan, so she chose to defend Tang Tingting: "You're all seventeen or eighteen years old—isn't it normal to want to date?"
Duan Qiyan raised an eyebrow. "Are you dating?"
Lin Zhixia firmly denied it. "I'm not."
Duan Qiyan's Dad called out to him from not far away, "Son! My good son! Have you read the 'Freshman Guide'? Did you get your health checkup card? Don't forget to go for your checkup! Your Mom and I have booked a car for this afternoon to visit the Great Wall. Son, take care of yourself. We're heading off now. Call us if anything comes up!"
Duan Qiyan stood alone, carrying two large suitcases. He strained to lift them and replied, "Dad, don't go yet—I haven't even moved into my dorm..."
Duan Qiyan's voice was rather low, and neither of his parents heard him. Like a lone wolf left behind, he watched helplessly as his parents disappeared at the end of the tree-lined path. He could hardly believe they would abandon him—abandon him, an outstanding student ranked in the top thirty in the province, fought over by both Peking University and Tsinghua University—just to go climb the Great Wall.
Duan Qiyan stood there dumbfounded for a while.Lin Zhixia comforted him kindly: "Don't be sad. When I first came to Beijing, my parents also told me they were going to travel here, but they were lying. They didn't actually travel—to save money, they took the train home that very night. Parents are the ones who treat you best in this world..."
Duan Qiyan believed Lin Zhixia's words completely.
He was even somewhat moved.
Thinking about how his parents had taken the overnight train home to save money while pretending they'd visited the Great Wall, he felt a pang of discomfort. His parents had never been this frugal before. Perhaps they wanted to save up money for him now that he'd been admitted to the nation's top university. Ah, he understood now, he got it. Indeed, after graduating high school, a person's mentality matures considerably.
While Duan Qiyan was talking with Lin Zhixia, Shen Fuxuan had already located his dormitory building on the map.
Shen Fuxuan's parents hadn't accompanied him. Traveling light, he came to Beijing alone with just a backpack, appearing more like a leisurely tourist than a new university student.
Students crowded the tree-lined path, the sound of rolling suitcases rising and falling around them.
Lin Zhixia voluntarily acted as guide for Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan. She clearly remembered the location of every building on campus and promised her old classmates she would safely deliver them to the entrance of the male dormitory.
Just as Lin Zhixia took her first step, a girl's voice called out: "God of Study! God of Study!"
The breeze made Deng Shasha's skirt flutter noisily. Holding a jianbing in her left hand and a rolled-up document in her right, she sprinted down the shaded path, swiftly approaching Lin Zhixia.
"She's my roommate!" Lin Zhixia introduced enthusiastically. "Her name is Deng Shasha."
As soon as Lin Zhixia finished speaking, Deng Shasha came to an abrupt stop.
A few minutes earlier, Deng Shasha had been tied up with volunteer duties and couldn't get away. After waiting for her replacement to arrive, she immediately rushed to catch up with Lin Zhixia without delay.
With two handsome underclassmen right before her, Deng Shasha adopted a gentle, gracious, and amiable demeanor. She asked softly, "Oh, are these two underclassmen your hometown friends? Our math department's new students are really quite impressive."
"Hahahaha," Lin Zhixia laughed.
Then she declared heartily: "These two underclassmen were both my high school classmates."
As if to prove Lin Zhixia's words true, Duan Qiyan shyly turned to Deng Shasha and called out: "Senior." Not content with just his own greeting, he lightly patted Shen Fuxuan and urged: "Why aren't you calling her senior?"
Shen Fuxuan smiled slightly: "Senior."
That single smile nearly made Deng Shasha's soul leave her body.
Having been through numerous experiences by now, Deng Shasha had encountered several extremely handsome guys—such as the flawless Jiang Yubai, the dashing Tan Qianche, the reserved and abstinent Lin Zeqiu... In comparison, Shen Fuxuan might not immediately stand out like those three, but his smile was too captivating, and his gaze was particularly remarkable. Deng Shasha felt he was no ordinary person.
Deng Shasha linked arms with Lin Zhixia, walking forward side by side.
Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan followed quietly behind them.In early September, the lingering summer heat had yet to dissipate. The sky was exceptionally clear, and the autumn wind felt warm and dry. Duan Qiyan carried a heavy suitcase, a thin layer of sweat beading on his back. He coughed and negotiated with Shen Fuxuan, "Hey, you're empty-handed. Can you help me carry this for a while?"
Shen Fuxuan lounged as if strolling through the campus. "How many years have we known each other?"
"Aren't we close buddies? Six years as classmates and friends," Duan Qiyan replied expectantly.
Shen Fuxuan smiled even more gently. "After six years, how come you still don't know what kind of person I am? Think carefully—would I help you carry luggage?"
Duan Qiyan's last hope was dashed like a bucket of cold water. He concluded, "Ah, you wouldn't. You're as weak as a kitten."
The phrase "as weak as a kitten" bothered Shen Fuxuan again. He was just not good at sports, which didn't affect his daily life at all. Helplessly, he lifted his head and gazed into the distance, catching sight of a familiar figure.
He decisively called out her name, "Jin Baihui."
Lin Zhixia also exclaimed, "It really is Jin Baihui!"
Jin Baihui still had her neat short hair. Dressed in a tracksuit and wearing framed glasses, she looked slender and tidy amidst the bustling crowd, holding a copy of Essential English Dictionary for Graduate Students .
The sunlight slanted slightly, and tree shadows swayed. Duan Qiyan stood still. Suddenly tightening his grip, he hoisted the suitcase fiercely and strode straight ahead. He walked so fast that Lin Zhixia hurriedly called out, "Duan Qiyan, wait for me! Did you check the map? You're going the wrong way..."
Duan Qiyan's suitcase was a cheap one, and the wheels had broken on the way. He secretly resolved to buy a new one in a few days.
For now, he had to rely on his own strength, carrying the luggage like a mountain porter.
Jin Baihui stood three meters away from him. As the saying goes, "When enemies meet, their eyes blaze with rage." Duan Qiyan puffed out his chest arrogantly, glanced at Jin Baihui, and swept his gaze over her face. Like a headless fly, he wandered aimlessly around the vast campus.
Jin Baihui ignored Duan Qiyan completely.
Only when Lin Zhixia approached did Jin Baihui look up. "You're a junior now?"
"Yes," Lin Zhixia replied without evasion. "I'll graduate next year."
Jin Baihui said dryly, "Congratulations."
Lin Zhixia nodded. "Keep it up."
Jin Baihui asked again, "For yourself?"
"I'm cheering for you," Lin Zhixia said sincerely. "I hope everything goes smoothly for you in college."
Watching Duan Qiyan's stubborn, tall figure, Lin Zhixia suddenly recalled a past incident and tentatively asked, "Time flies, doesn't it? Do you remember the winter training camp in middle school?"
Jin Baihui pressed her lips tightly together.
Lin Zhixia lowered her voice. "We're middle school and university alumni—it's quite a coincidence, really."
Lin Zhixia stopped there, but Jin Baihui understood her meaning.
Jin Baihui knew Lin Zhixia was urging her to apologize to Duan Qiyan.
During that winter training camp, Jin Baihui had firmly accused Duan Qiyan of being a thief. Standing alone on the platform, Duan Qiyan had nearly broken down—that was the origin of their enmity.
Jin Baihui frowned slightly and merely said, "That's all ancient history. A waste of time."Lin Zhixia waved at her: "Then I won't disturb you anymore, I'll be going now."
After taking two steps, Lin Zhixia suddenly turned back and asked: "Are you free tonight? I'm treating everyone to dinner in the cafeteria at 6:30 PM."
Jin Baihui remained silent. She neither agreed nor refused Lin Zhixia's invitation, perfectly consistent with her aloof demeanor since childhood. Her fingers tightly gripped a dictionary, and in the early autumn with falling leaves, the thin sweat from her palms left a fog-like stain on the dictionary's cover.
Under Deng Shasha's guidance, Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan found their dormitory building.
Soon, Duan Qiyan faced a new challenge in life—both he and Shen Fuxuan were assigned to Room 304.
In other words, Shen Fuxuan was Duan Qiyan's roommate?!
Duan Qiyan had long noticed that Shen Fuxuan often teased him, but he couldn't bring himself to get angry at Shen Fuxuan. As the saying goes, "You don't hit someone who's smiling." Shen Fuxuan followed him around like a shadow all day, much like his buddy, and he had been magnanimous with his buddy more than once or twice.
Summoning all his energy, Duan Qiyan sweatily carried his luggage into Room 304. When climbing the stairs, he refused Lin Zhixia's offer to help. Seriously, how could he let a girl carry his luggage? Especially when that girl wasn't even an adult yet.
The environment of Room 304 was better than Duan Qiyan had imagined. The floor was clean, the balcony was bright, and there was no dirt on the bed boards. Duan Qiyan felt quite satisfied.
He threw his luggage on the floor and crouched down to organize his things, while Shen Fuxuan leaned against the doorframe, empty-handed, looking down at him from above.
He couldn't help asking: "Shen Fuxuan, I've been meaning to ask you—where's your luggage? Didn't you bring any clothes? Are you going to borrow from someone?"
Shen Fuxuan took out his phone and made a call. Soon after, two men in their twenties delivered his luggage. He had arranged for VIP-level shipping services in the provincial capital—he was willing to spend money but not effort.
Shen Fuxuan's capitalist attitude immediately reminded Lin Zhixia of Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai had also gone to college—was the cafeteria food to his taste? Had he made new friends?
After returning to her dorm room, Lin Zhixia couldn't wait to have a QQ video call with Jiang Yubai.
Around 5 PM Beijing time, Lin Zhixia sat on her bed, looking at the computer screen in surprise: "Jiang Yubai, is this your dorm?"
Jiang Yubai's room was very spacious, filled with natural light, and exquisitely decorated. Every piece of furniture and furnishing in the room was refined, with a landscape oil painting hanging on the wall. Directly below the painting stood an oversized bed covered with a fluffy velvet duvet.
"Your school is so wealthy, your dorm is so beautiful," Lin Zhixia marveled.
But Jiang Yubai said: "We haven't officially started school yet, this is..."
"A newly bought house your family purchased?" Lin Zhixia asked again.
Jiang Yubai revealed: "Bought last year. I'm not staying in the school dorm... you could consider this my dorm."
Lin Zhixia rested her chin in her hands: "I'll be able to visit next year."
Next, Lin Zhixia updated him on her PhD application progress.
In April this year, she had taken the IELTS (English proficiency test) and GRE (Graduate Record Examinations), achieving near-perfect scores on both tests.She also had recommendation letters from three professors: Gu Likai, Shen Zhaohua, and the vice dean of the mathematics department. Her university GPA was exceptionally high, with extensive laboratory work experience and remarkably outstanding research achievements.
After hearing about her application background, Jiang Yubai couldn't help but praise: "You're definitely going to succeed."
"Oh, by the way," Lin Zhixia patted the bed frame, "Shen Fuxuan, Duan Qiyan, and Tang Tingting have all come to Beijing. I'm treating them to dinner in the cafeteria at 6:30 tonight."
Since starting university, Lin Zhixia had devoted herself entirely to studying and rarely participated in group activities.
Her classmates were all top students from across the country, most of whom had high expectations for themselves and were usually quite busy. They had to write papers, prepare for exams, do internships at companies... Privately, Lin Zhixia had almost no interaction with her classmates.
The arrival of Shen Fuxuan and others reminded her of her happy high school days.
The social experiences high school and university brought her were different—during high school, she got along well with all her classmates. During university, she developed deep friendships with the seniors in her laboratory.
She said to Jiang Yubai: "It would be so nice if you could be here tonight too..."
Before Jiang Yubai could respond, Lin Zhixia suddenly had an idea: "I'll bring my laptop to the cafeteria, put it on the table, and let everyone see you. That would be just like you being here too."
Lin Zhixia immediately put her plan into action.
At 6:30 in the evening, Lin Zhixia appeared before her classmates holding her laptop. She still looked cheerful and seemed to be in particularly good spirits. As everyone turned to look at her, she immediately rotated the computer screen and formally introduced: "Jiang Yubai!"
Jiang Yubai was sitting in an armchair. His face remained as handsome as ever. He proactively greeted them: "Since I'm not in Beijing, this is the only way I can join your gathering..."
"Is Cambridge fun?" Duan Qiyan immediately asked.
"Not bad," Jiang Yubai replied.
"This is QQ video, right?" Duan Qiyan paused, "You and Lin Zhixia must frequently use QQ video..."
Jiang Yubai interrupted him: "What are you planning to eat tonight?"
Lin Zhixia listed a series of dishes: "Cold noodles, rice with toppings, braised pig trotters, spicy hot pot! Jiang Yubai, do you like these dishes?"
Not at all.
Jiang Yubai felt somewhat grateful he wasn't at this dining table.
Students came and went in the cafeteria as Shen Fuxuan and Duan Qiyan helped bring over several plates of food. Shen Fuxuan's seat was right next to Lin Zhixia. He casually served her a bowl of food, placed it in front of her, and even arranged her chopsticks for her. She immediately said: "Thank you."
The corners of Shen Fuxuan's lips lifted slightly as he smiled back.
Witnessing this scene, Jiang Yubai lightly tapped the table with his fingertips, secretly regretting that he wasn't physically present. He'd rather eat a whole pot of spicy hot pot.
"How are your university classmates?" Shen Fuxuan struck up another conversation.
Lin Zhixia replied: "They're quite nice, my roommate is very good..."
Before she could finish, Tang Tingting took a deep breath and exclaimed: "Xia Xia, the cold noodles at your school are so delicious! It's already September 1st, but it's still so hot. Cold noodles really hit the spot."
Then, she turned to ask Jiang Yubai: "It's such a pity you're not here with us. Can you get cold noodles where you are?"Tang Tingting tilted her bowl, splashing noodle broth onto Duan Qiyan's leg. Duan Qiyan hissed in pain, and Tang Tingting immediately reached to wipe it off. Duan Qiyan instantly accused her, "Did you do that on purpose? Why are you touching my thigh?"
"Who wants to touch your thigh?" Tang Tingting retorted.
Duan Qiyan said magnanimously, "Forget it. Just apologize to me."
Tang Tingting sneered, "You're the one who went out wearing such short pants—they don't even cover your knees. And you're blaming me for touching your thigh?"
Duan Qiyan didn't want to stoop to Tang Tingting's level. But suddenly, he heard an "I'm sorry"—it wasn't Tang Tingting's voice. A shiver ran through him. The moment he turned his head, he saw Jin Baihui.
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