"The Physics Competition is coming up soon, and you two are the only ones from our class participating. You need to focus and prepare seriously. The school has high expectations for both of you to make it to the National Competition."
The physics teacher continued, "This is the test from the last Competition Class session. You both did well, ranking first and second in the class."
Zhou Wan took her paper—she scored 104.
"Go over your mistakes when you get back. If there’s anything you still don’t understand, come ask me," the physics teacher said.
As they stepped out of the office, the sunlight outside was bright.
It was break time, and students stood along the corridor chatting and joking.
"Zhou Wan, what did you score?" Jiang Yan asked.
"104," Zhou Wan replied. "What about you?"
Jiang Yan paused, his tone downcast. "103."
Zhou Wan smiled. "Pretty close."
"Can I take a look at your paper?"
"Sure." Zhou Wan handed it over.
Jiang Yan reviewed the questions she had missed.
They were the top two students in the Physics Competition Class, and the problems they struggled with were mostly the same. Only one small question set them apart—Zhou Wan had calculated one extra step.
In every midterm and final exam, Jiang Yan ranked first in the grade, while Zhou Wan was always second.
But Jiang Yan knew Zhou Wan was far more intelligent than him. If there was such a thing as a "genius" in this world, Zhou Wan undoubtedly deserved the title more than he did.
He poured all his time into studying and tackling difficult problems.
Zhou Wan, on the other hand, spent much of her time working part-time jobs.
Yet, despite this, the gap between them never widened. This time, she had even surpassed him.
Jiang Yan felt a twinge of resentment, which fueled his sense of urgency. But he didn’t dislike Zhou Wan. On the contrary, she was one of his few close friends.
To him, she was both a rival and a teammate worthy of respect.
"Zhou Wan, how did you come up with this step?" Jiang Yan asked.
Just then, they reached the entrance of Class 7.
Lu Xixiao’s class.
Zhou Wan spotted him from a distance.
He was leaning lazily against the corridor windowsill, his elbows resting on the ledge. His hair had grown a bit long, tousled by the wind. Backlit, his silhouette and features took on a hazy, almost watercolor-like softness.
His friends stood around him, arms slung over each other’s shoulders, chatting and laughing. Occasionally, a few crude remarks could be heard.
Lu Xixiao blended in with them, laughing along when they told off-color jokes, yet he seemed like a detached observer amidst the chaos.
He moved through life as if playing a game, yet gave the impression he could walk away at any moment.
"Hey, Jiang Fan," one of the boys said, "isn’t that your little crush over there?"
The group of boys turned to look.
Zhou Wan immediately averted her gaze, staring at the ground as she walked straight ahead without glancing sideways.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Lu Xixiao turn his head as well, the sharp yet graceful lines of his profile cutting through the light.
Jiang Fan raised a fist, pretending to throw a punch.
"What’s wrong? Since when did you become so timid? Weren’t you boasting last time about getting her number if you fell for someone?" his friend teased.
Jiang Fan replied, "If A Xiao’s interested, I wouldn’t dare compete."
His words caused an uproar, and everyone crowded around Lu Xixiao, demanding to know what was going on.
Lu Xixiao took his time, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Wan before he raised an eyebrow and said, "Did I say I was interested?"
Having known Lu Xixiao for years, Jiang Fan understood his temperament.
He didn’t think Lu Xixiao was genuinely smitten, but there was definitely some interest—or at least curiosity.
Otherwise, he wouldn’t have called out to Zhou Wan during the last school sports day.Jiang Fan glanced at him knowingly. "Oh, then I'll go get her number now."
Lu Xixiao let out an ambiguous chuckle, neither confirming nor denying.
...
"Zhou Wan?" Jiang Yan called again.
Zhou Wan snapped back to attention. "Ah."
"I was asking how you came up with this step in the problem just now?"
Zhou Wan looked at the test paper and explained her thought process to him.
Back in the classroom, Zhou Wan took out her phone - there were no new messages.
This morning, she had sent two messages.
One was to Lu Xixiao, sending him a red packet with the money for the noodles. He hadn't accepted it yet.
The other was to Guo Xiangling, telling her it was Dad's Death Anniversary and asking if she wanted to visit. She hadn't replied either.
Zhou Wan had asked her teacher for leave today and left school early.
She bought flowers and pastries, then took the bus to the suburban cemetery.
Today was Zhou Jun's Death Anniversary.
Zhou Jun had been an arts student, one of the rare university graduates of his time. Later he became a junior high Chinese teacher - gentle, cultured, and refined.
Guo Xiangling was Zhou Jun's first blind date. With his talent matching her beauty, they quickly established a relationship. Looking back twenty years, they were once the enviable perfect couple everyone talked about.
Though Guo Xiangling wasn't highly educated, during that era when artistic youth were admired, she counted herself among them.
After giving birth to Zhou Wan, Guo Xiangling quit her job at the clothing store to raise their child at home.
Later, because Zhou Jun had strong teaching abilities, he was often assigned to teach graduating classes, which meant he frequently came home late.
He didn't notice that Guo Xiangling was also often coming home late.
Gradually, she began appearing with luxury items she couldn't afford - diamond necklaces, rings.
Zhou Wan noticed at the time, but only thought they looked pretty, unaware of what they signified.
It wasn't until Zhou Jun passed away from illness, and Guo Xiangling moved out within a month, that Zhou Wan understood what had been happening.
Back then, she was only ten years old.
Zhou Wan placed the flowers before the tombstone.
The man in the photograph on the tombstone smiled gently, appearing modest and polite, with faint laughter lines around his eyes.
Compared to Guo Xiangling, Zhou Wan looked more like Zhou Jun.
"Dad." She knelt before the tombstone, placing the freshly bought pastries on a small plate. "Grandma hasn't been feeling well recently, so she couldn't come see you this year."
"She... didn't come either."
"She" referred to Guo Xiangling.
Zhou Jun had loved Guo Xiangling.
He'd never been in a relationship before meeting Guo Xiangling through a blind date - she was his first love. After marriage, he cherished and adored her.
He would buy her flowers on their anniversary, write her love letters on her birthday, and travel halfway across the city late at night to buy fruits she craved.
"After all these years, do you still miss her?" Zhou Wan asked softly, gazing at the photograph.
"But I can't forgive her for betraying you." Zhou Wan said. "I can understand her discarding me, the burden, for a better life. But I can't forgive her for betraying you, nor can I forgive her for leaving Grandma to die without help."
"Dad, I'm going to do something wrong."
Zhou Wan lowered her eyelashes. "Will you forgive me?"
After leaving the cemetery, Zhou Wan went to the hospital to pick up Grandma's medicine.
As she got off the bus, Guo Xiangling called.
"Hello?" Zhou Wan answered.
"Wanwan, I'm sorry, Mom just saw your message now." Guo Xiangling's tone was apologetic.
She was always like this - doing all the wrongs of a villain, yet putting on the facade of a good person.
But sometimes Zhou Wan felt that she was actually quite similar to Guo Xiangling.The crosswalk signal turned green, and she crossed the street unhurriedly, her tone indifferent. "It's fine."
"Mom has been too busy lately and really can't accompany you. How about this—I'll transfer you some money later, so you can buy more offerings for your dad."
Zhou Wan suddenly felt nauseated and disgusted, but she didn't show it, nor did she mention she had already visited.
"Okay."
After hanging up, Guo Xiangling quickly transferred her the money.
One hundred yuan.
Zhou Wan entered the hospital to find Dr. Chen and pick up Grandma's medication.
"By the way, Wanwan," Dr. Chen said, "remember to bring your grandmother to the hospital in a couple of days. It's time for her dialysis again."
"Okay," Zhou Wan replied. "Thank you, Dr. Chen."
Leaving the office, Zhou Wan took the elevator downstairs.
It was then that she suddenly heard a voice behind her.
Careless, tinged with a nonchalant laugh, yet carrying more coldness: "So what?"
She turned and saw Lu Xixiao.
He stood not far away, facing a middle-aged man in a suit—stern, deep, and imposing even without anger—while Guo Xiangling stood behind the man.
The man erupted in fury: "Lu Xixiao! What kind of attitude is that!"
Guo Xiangling linked arms with the man, soothingly saying, "Alright, Lao Lu, he's still young. Why get so worked up over him?"
"Young?" The words only fueled the man's anger further. "I've provided for him all these years, given him everything he wanted, and this is how he repays me! Constantly embarrassing me. If I'd known he'd turn out like this, I never should've..."
Before he could finish, Lu Xixiao exploded.
He grabbed the man by the collar and slammed him against the wall with a "bang."
Zhou Wan was used to seeing him laughing and carefree, but this was the first time she'd seen him so enraged—veins bulging on his forehead, chest heaving violently.
"Lu Zhongyue, you'd better not say another word," Lu Xixiao gritted out, syllable by syllable. "You have no right to mention my mother."
With that, he turned and strode away, his steps swift and forceful.
He didn't notice Zhou Wan, brushing past her.
But Guo Xiangling followed his gaze and spotted Zhou Wan.
In that moment, panic flashed in her eyes—she didn't want Zhou Wan to approach just then.
Zhou Wan obliged, turning and running downstairs.
The hospital was crowded, bustling and noisy. Zhou Wan couldn't catch up to Lu Xixiao, chasing him all the way outside.
"Lu Xixiao!" she called.
He didn't hear, continuing his long strides, his expression terrifyingly dark.
Zhou Wan ran until she was breathless, reaching out to tug his sleeve, but his forward momentum pulled her off balance. She stumbled a step before barely steadying herself.
Lu Xixiao turned and looked down.
The girl's two fingers clutched tightly at his clothes—her hand small, knuckles white from the strain.
Her cheeks were flushed from running, her ponytail coming loose, a few stray strands tousled by the wind.
"Lu Xixiao," she gasped, calling his name again.
Lu Xixiao watched her, silent.
Zhou Wan looked up at him, the setting sun sinking behind her, her clear eyes utterly transparent.
"Do you want to eat noodles?"
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