In September 2012, Lin Zhixia bid farewell to her family at Beijing Capital International Airport.
Lin Zhixia pulled her carry-on suitcase and walked forward alone when Lin Zeqiu suddenly called out to her, "Call home as soon as your plane lands."
Lin Zhixia nodded, "Okay."
Lin Zeqiu murmured softly, "Buy more delicious food when you see it, don't be reluctant to spend money, don't go hungry."
Lin Zhixia turned back to his side, "You shouldn't save money either, don't stay up late coding, eat on time, get enough sleep, health is the most important thing... Brother, I'll miss you."
A bitter taste rose in Lin Zeqiu's throat.
Lin Zhixia said sincerely, "After living in the school dormitory for three years, I finally realized how troublesome washing clothes, airing quilts, mopping and sweeping floors are... Since childhood, you've been cleaning my bedroom and changing my bedsheets and duvet covers. This summer vacation, you still wouldn't let me do housework. Brother, all these years, you've worked hard."
After speaking, Lin Zhixia turned around and walked straight toward the security checkpoint.
Lin Zeqiu's vision blurred for a moment. Dad asked in surprise, "Qiuqiu, are there tears in your eyes?"
Lin Zeqiu muttered to himself, "I'm afraid she'll be bullied abroad. She's not yet an adult, she stands out wherever she goes, and there's no one to look after her."
Mom comforted him, "Qiuqiu, don't worry, your sister is very smart. She'll call us if anything happens. You focus on your studies in Beijing, your dad and I are heading home first."
Lin Zeqiu remained worried.
He took it for granted that Lin Zhixia was going abroad alone.
He didn't know that Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia had long agreed to take the same flight.
Jiang Yubai originally wanted to give Lin Zhixia a first-class ticket, but she refused him. On his seventeenth birthday, they confessed their feelings to each other, but he still hadn't had the chance to cover her expenses. She always said, "Jiang Yubai, it's okay, I have money too."
To sit with Lin Zhixia, Jiang Yubai gave up first class and voluntarily chose economy class.
It was Jiang Yubai's first time stepping into economy class. Sitting closely beside Lin Zhixia, he truly realized how narrow the seats were. Yet in such a cramped and limited space, he felt an indescribable joy because Lin Zhixia rested her hand on his.
He caressed the back of her hand, his fingertips slowly stroking back and forth. She leaned her head against his shoulder, nuzzled slightly, and said, "It's a bit ticklish."
She really knew how to act spoiled.
Jiang Yubai tightened his grip on her wrist.
At 10 p.m. Beijing time, the cabin lights were dimmed, and Lin Zhixia felt somewhat sleepy, so she curled up in her seat to sleep.
As the plane passed over Russia, it encountered a strong cold air current. The temperature inside the cabin dropped, and many passengers felt cold. Jiang Yubai shook out two blankets and gently covered Lin Zhixia with them. She was drowsy as if in a dream, vaguely sensing Jiang Yubai was very close to her. Completely relaxed, she slowly leaned toward his side.
Jiang Yubai directly pushed aside the armrest, and Lin Zhixia fell into his embrace. Jiang Yubai carefully held her tighter, silently savoring her fresh, sweet fragrance. In the hazy darkness, he cautiously loosened his grip, letting her rest her head on his lap.
He tucked the blankets around her.
She was sound asleep.
Jiang Yubai leaned against the seatback, not feeling sleepy at all.
The passenger next to them was watching a movie, the electronic screen emitting a faint glow.By that faint light, Jiang Yubai's gaze lingered on Lin Zhixia's face for a moment, stirring unwarranted delusions that crept restlessly in his heart. He raised his left hand to lightly cover the corner of his lips, as if to suppress his wicked thoughts and distractions.
The next evening, Lin Zhixia and Jiang Yubai successfully arrived in London.
Departing from Heathrow Airport, they took a business sedan along the M1 motorway and soon reached Cambridge.
Lin Zhixia's dormitory building was named "Pearce Hostel." Jiang Yubai accompanied her to the entrance of Pearce Hostel.
The September weather was chilly, and the dark night stretched endlessly. In this unfamiliar foreign land, Lin Zhixia took a deep breath and silently stepped out of the car.
Jiang Yubai carried her luggage and walked with her to the dormitory reception. The staff checked her identification documents and handed her a key.
Lin Zhixia eagerly found her room and pushed the door open. Through the dormitory window, she could see the ancient street scene under the dim glow of streetlights. Moved by the sight, she remarked, "For the next year, this will be my home."
Jiang Yubai set her luggage down on the floor. He glanced around, his eyes settling on the single bed. "You don't have a quilt or pillow. How will you sleep tonight?"
Before Lin Zhixia could answer, Jiang Yubai suddenly suggested, "You could stay at my place for the night and make do in the guest bedroom. The mattress there is very soft."
Lin Zhixia found a cylindrical package in the wardrobe. "I came prepared. I pre-ordered a bedding set for the dorm..." She unwrapped the package and, sure enough, shook out a brand-new pillow and quilt.
With Jiang Yubai's help, Lin Zhixia made the bed.
She then rummaged through her suitcase and pulled out a bag of strawberry biscuits, inviting Jiang Yubai to share them with her. The room had no sofa, so both Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia sat on the edge of the bed. Lin Zhixia took a bite, chewed for a moment, and exclaimed, "It's strawberry flavor. I feel alive again."
Jiang Yubai had endured over ten hours of long-haul flight, eating little and barely sleeping on the plane. Even now, he didn't feel tired—his excited subconscious kept him going. He explained to Lin Zhixia, "Since you've just moved into a new dorm, you'll need to buy quite a few things. Tomorrow, I'll take you to the commercial street..."
At that moment, Lin Zhixia studied his face closely and frowned. "Your eyes are bloodshot."
He avoided her direct gaze. "It's normal. A good sleep will fix it."
"You must have had a tiring time on the plane," Lin Zhixia reflected self-consciously. "How could I have used your lap as a pillow... I'm sorry."
Jiang Yubai insisted, "It's fine. I'm not tired."
Not only was he not tired—he was quite pleased.
Lin Zhixia asked again, "Will you be up for shopping tomorrow? At noon, I'll come to your place to check on you. The day after, I have a freshman Q&A session and need to meet my supervisor, so I won't have time to spend with you."
Jiang Yubai could imagine that after meeting her supervisor, Lin Zhixia would wholeheartedly dive into her research. Their chances to meet would depend entirely on his efforts to seek them out.Jiang Yubai had also heard that the university only guaranteed dormitories for first-year doctoral students. By the second year, if students couldn't secure campus housing, they would have to rent apartments off-campus... And next year, when Lin Zhixia turned eighteen and entered her second year of doctoral studies, she could live with him. They would see each other every morning and evening, commuting to school together. He could also take care of her daily needs—a perfect arrangement all around.
Lost in thought, Jiang Yubai was interrupted by Lin Zhixia's question: "What are you thinking about?"
"Nothing much," Jiang Yubai replied with practiced nonchalance. "It's getting late, I should head home now. See you tomorrow."
The phrase "see you tomorrow" stirred fond memories in Lin Zhixia. Smiling, she responded: "Alright, see you tomorrow."
Shortly after Jiang Yubai left, Lin Zhixia turned off the lights and went to bed. From today onward, her doctoral journey had officially begun. She would meet more classmates and professors, achieving fruitful results in the laboratory. In the near future, she would have her own research team and laboratory... She hoped Jiang Yubai would always stay by her side, weathering every challenge life presented together.
Exhausted and drowsy, her mind still lingered on thoughts of Jiang Yubai.
Though they had parted less than ten minutes ago, she was already looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.
The next morning at nine o'clock, Lin Zhixia woke up.
After a hot shower and changing clothes, she stepped out radiantly. Following her phone's navigation, she successfully found her way to Jiang Yubai's residence. She saw a lush garden and a rather ordinary-looking villa—much more modest and understated than the luxurious mansion she had imagined.
The breeze carried floral scents as Lin Zhixia approached the garden and called Jiang Yubai.
The phone rang several times before Jiang Yubai answered: "Good morning."
"Good morning!" Lin Zhixia urged. "Open the door, I'm here."
Jiang Yubai thought he was still dreaming. Glancing at the wall clock showing 11:37 AM, he sat silently on his bed wearing loose pajamas while Lin Zhixia waited outside.
Lin Zhixia didn't wait long before the butler opened the door for her, at which point she realized Jiang Yubai hadn't gotten up yet.
Jiang Yubai was taking the fastest shower of his life.
Steam filled the bathroom as water droplets from the showerhead clung to his body. Grabbing a snow-white towel to drape over his shoulders, the floor mirror reflected his lean and well-defined musculature—able to withstand the most critical inspection from any angle. But he paid no attention to his reflection, simply using a razor to shave his stubble before hastily throwing on some clothes and rushing from his bedroom straight to the living room where Lin Zhixia waited.
Lin Zhixia sat properly on the sofa.
The butler had prepared tea and sushi for her. Having only eaten two strawberry biscuits for breakfast, she couldn't resist picking up chopsticks when she saw several plates of sushi, completely unaware of when Jiang Yubai appeared.
Apparently, good food was all it took to keep Lin Zhixia content.
Jiang Yubai leisurely sat down beside her.
Turning to look at him, Lin Zhixia asked: "Are you awake now? Are you hungry?"
Before Jiang Yubai could answer, Lin Zhixia picked up a tuna sushi with her chopsticks and brought it to his lips. Holding the chopsticks in her right hand while supporting with her left underneath, she said softly: "Try it, it's really delicious."
Lin Zhixia was personally feeding him sushi.He savored the taste of the sushi—it was the most satisfying meal he had eaten since going abroad. Picking up a cup of green tea, he took a sip before saying, "I slept well last night. Let’s go out on the street later."
Lin Zhixia made plans: "There’s a refrigerator, stove, and microwave in our dorm’s shared kitchen. I want to buy pots, pans, and seasonings... but it just occurred to me—I’ve never cooked before."
Jiang Yubai had never cooked either.
Lin Zhixia had asked the wrong person.
Jiang Yubai had rarely even stepped into his own family’s kitchen. But he didn’t show any sign of hesitation. Putting on an air of familiarity, he spoke in a seasoned tone: "Cooking isn’t easy. You have to control the heat, measure the seasonings properly..."
Just as he was about to suggest, "Why not come to my place for meals?" Lin Zhixia happily chimed in: "I love controlling experimental variables the most. Hearing you say that, cooking sounds quite interesting. Alright, I’ve decided to cook for myself. I’ll come to your place to eat with you when I have time."
Jiang Yubai hadn’t expected to shoot himself in the foot with his own words.
That afternoon, Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia went to the commercial street.
Pedestrians came and went on the street, and shop windows displayed a dazzling array of goods. Lin Zhixia walked with great interest, stopping here and there, and naturally took Jiang Yubai’s hand. Their fingers intertwined, palms touching, each a source of warmth for the other.
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