On the way back.
Xiao Bai hadn't been charged for a long time, and its battery was draining rapidly. Fortunately, Binjiang Square wasn't far from the school, so it didn't completely die on the way—just slowed down to a turtle's pace of about 10 mph.
A fully equipped middle-aged cycling group whizzed past them.
The uncles and aunts looked at them curiously, with some even greeting them warmly.
"Kid, your ride's no good, huh? Can't even keep up with my bicycle!"
Zhang Shu laughed boldly, "Uncle, you wouldn't stand a chance if I were on a bike."
"Oh yeah? Let's race if we meet then!"
"Anytime! I'll even give you a kilometer head start," Zhang Shu replied.
"Cocky brat."
An aunt scoffed, "What do you know? No sense of romance. Slowing down is part of young love!"
Sheng Xia: "..."
Zhang Shu chuckled briefly but said nothing.
The school security stopped them, but Zhang Shu lied outright, "Took her for a follow-up check."
The guard glanced at her crutches and leg, recognizing her as the student whose parents were allowed to drive onto campus for pickups, and let them pass.
Only after their car disappeared around the corner did he mutter belatedly, "Shouldn't follow-ups be with parents? Are these two students dating?"
...
It was still early; everyone was in PE class, so the classroom was empty.
Soon, the boys returned first, drenched in sweat, complaining that the PE teacher had been ruthless today—anyone failing the fitness test had to stay behind for a lecture, and now it was the girls' turn.
Hou Junqi and Yang Linyu were probably helping out, as they weren't around.
Qi Xiulei wiped his sweat and asked, "Shu, why'd you skip class? The teacher said you'll have to make up for it next period."
Zhang Shu ignored the question and suggested, "Anyone up for the convenience store?"
"Definitely! It's so damn hot—what's with this weather? It's almost December!"
"Me too."
"Count me in."
The boys clamored to go. Suddenly, Zhang Shu turned back and asked, "Want anything to drink?"
No name was mentioned, but everyone knew who he was talking to.
Because his voice seemed to soften just a touch.
Sheng Xia was drowsy and shook her head groggily. "No, thanks."
Zhang Shu smiled and was dragged away by the boys, who teased him with playful nudges and glances.
"Shu, where'd you go earlier?"
"Lunch breaks are worth their weight in gold—you wouldn't get it!"
"Oh, and you do?"
"Duh, a date!"
...
...
When the bell rang, the girls finally returned, utterly exhausted, grumbling about the merciless PE teacher.
Xin Xiaohe flopped onto Zhang Shu's chair the moment she entered, even though her own seat was just around the next group.
"I'm dead..." she panted.
Sheng Xia had been napping at her desk and now stirred awake.
Xin Xiaohe fanned herself with Zhang Shu's scratch paper. "I'm so hot and sleepy. Gonna grab a soda from the store. Xia, you want anything?"
Sheng Xia checked the time. "Class starts in five minutes."
Probably not enough time for a round trip, right?
"True," Xin Xiaohe said. "Should've asked them to bring something back."
Sheng Xia suggested, "Qi Xiulei and the others just went. Maybe call them?"
"I don't have Qi Xiulei's number. Wait, 'the others'—who else?"
"Just," Sheng Xia paused, "all the boys went."
"Why not just say Zhang Shu went too?" Xin Xiaohe immediately caught on. "Is his name too hot to say?"
At that very moment, the so-called "hot name" appeared by the window, holding a can of soda, and froze mid-step upon hearing this.
Sheng Xia: "..."With her back to the window, Xin Xiaohe hadn't noticed anything. "Speaking of which, Zhang Shu skipped class. Have you seen him?"
Sheng Xia didn't know how to respond. She was about to signal to Xiao He that Zhang Shu was right behind her when she caught his warning glance. Swallowing her words, she stammered, "N-no..."
Xin Xiaohe suddenly looked intrigued. "Why are you stuttering? I heard from Hou Junqi that he went looking for you?"
This—
Sheng Xia felt like she was standing next to a bonfire.
"He didn't find you? Tch, all talk again. Is Brother Shu even capable?" Xiao He muttered, watching Sheng Xia avert her eyes. "Haha, I'm just teasing. I'll call Zhang Shu then. Want anything to drink?"
Sheng Xia had no idea why Zhang Shu wasn't coming in. She shook her head. "I don't really like soda."
"Then what do you like?"
"Cucumber juice."
"I'll buy some for you after school."
"It's already sold out," Sheng Xia said regretfully. She'd tried signaling, but Xiao He hadn't noticed, so she had to continue. "The owner said it was a summer limited edition."
"Why limit cucumbers?" Xiao He was speechless.
Sheng Xia replied, "No idea."
Xin Xiaohe scoffed, "Just a marketing gimmick."
Sheng Xia nodded. "Probably."
Xin Xiaohe declared, "Then forget it! So pretentious!"
Sheng Xia echoed, "Forget it! Pretentious."
Xin Xiaohe: "Pretentious!"
Sheng Xia: "Tious."
Xin Xiaohe: "In."
Their conversations always devolved into this fading echo-chamber pattern.
"Alright, enough. I'm making the call," Xiao He chattered as she stood up, then suddenly yelped, "Zhang Shu! What the hell? Are you a ghost?!"
Zhang Shu hadn't had time to wipe away the smile their silly, childish banter had brought to his face. "What's your problem? Every time you steal my seat, you curse at me. I was in a good mood letting you keep it—was that wrong?"
His laughter-laced voice drifted into Sheng Xia's ears, sending a tingling sensation down her spine. She rubbed her earlobes.
"When did you get back?!" Xiao He was mortified. Please don't tell me he heard all that "all talk" nonsense.
Zhang Shu said, "Right when you said my name burns your tongue."
Xin Xiaohe: "..."
Sheng Xia: "..."
Zhang Shu added, "Sorry, can't bring you soda. Want the leftovers from your dad's drink?"
Xin Xiaohe: "Piss off!"
Zhang Shu laughed heartily, his teeth perfectly white and even.
His smiles always started with one side of his mouth quirking up, the other following half-heartedly—mischievous and cocky.
But his full grin was different from his usual smirks. The arrogant edge faded, replaced by a sudden brightness, like sunlight bursting through clouds, radiating youthful energy.
He entered through the back door and placed a small cake and yogurt on Sheng Xia's desk.
She looked up questioningly.
"You barely ate lunch. Not hungry?" He sprawled lazily in his own seat.
Only then did Sheng Xia notice the hollow feeling in her stomach. She was indeed quite hungry.
Xin Xiaohe, ever sharp-eyed and still smarting from being shut down earlier, wasn't about to let this opportunity slide. She shot Sheng Xia a sly look before turning to Zhang Shu. "Oho, Brother Shu! Tiramisu and Käs yogurt? Big spender. What business have you been running lately to make bank? Take me with you!"
Sheng Xia's ears burned.
Zhang Shu, however, remained unbothered. He scoffed lightly. "You'd trust someone who's 'all talk' to make you money? Bold."
Xin Xiaohe: "..."
When it came to verbal sparring, she was no match for Zhang Shu's skill—his comebacks were relentless.Sheng Xia silently ate a few bites of the tiramisu before the class bell rang. She carefully placed the remaining half back by the drawer.
The sweetness lingered on her tongue.
She discreetly glanced at the price tag—she’d find a chance to pay him back later. He wasn’t exactly rolling in money.
…
During dinner, the landlady had prepared a special treat for her—a glass of cucumber juice.
Though the taste differed slightly from the fruit shop’s version, it was still incredibly refreshing. Sheng Xia’s appetite soared, and she nearly finished everything on her plate.
As she left, she hobbled over to the counter on her crutches and thanked the landlady.
The landlady smiled warmly and whispered, “No need for thanks. If you ever want anything to eat or drink, just call me directly. No need for that boy to keep reminding me~”
That boy…
Sheng Xia wasn’t stupid. Connecting the dots from their earlier conversation, it wasn’t hard to guess. She turned her head and saw Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi waiting for her by the door.
In a flash, she suddenly recalled that bowl of sweet fermented glutinous rice from before…
Could it be?
Her legs felt numb, each step heavier than the last.
“You ate so much—did dinner suit your taste tonight?” Zhang Shu asked casually as she approached.
Sheng Xia didn’t answer, walking slowly beside him instead.
Her mind was a mess.
Did he even realize—
If this kept up, she was really going to misunderstand.
…
During evening self-study, Sheng Xia reworked her incorrect problems, fully focused on solving each step. The night passed in a blur.
As usual, Wang Lianhua came to pick her up at eleven, her expression not exactly cheerful. Sheng Xia knew—tonight wouldn’t be peaceful.
Sure enough, on the drive home, Wang Lianhua spoke up casually, “Xiaxia, why don’t you ask your homeroom teacher if they can recommend any tutoring centers? If we’re going to get extra help, we shouldn’t do it blindly, especially at this stage…”
“Mom.”
Sheng Xia suddenly interrupted her. Wang Lianhua paused in surprise. “Hmm? Or do you already know a teacher who offers private lessons—”
“I don’t need extra tutoring, Mom.”
The car slowed abruptly. Wang Lianhua turned on the interior light and studied Sheng Xia through the rearview mirror. “Last time, we agreed that if this time—”
“I can do it myself,” Sheng Xia said, rarely contradicting Wang Lianhua’s plans. But this time, she decided to try. “I think I’ve figured out the problem.”
Wang Lianhua was visibly taken aback. “You think ? Isn’t it too risky to say ‘think’ at this point?”
Sheng Xia replied, “But is hiring a tutor any less risky? There’s only so much time left. Getting a tutor now would be like transferring schools all over again.”
Wang Lianhua fell silent, seemingly deep in thought.
The quiet lasted until they got home. Only then did Wang Lianhua speak again. “Then what’s your plan? How do you intend to improve?”
“Improving scores isn’t something that happens overnight. I need time and space. Even though I didn’t do well this time, it exposed some issues—but there’s progress too. Unlike before, when I didn’t even know what went wrong, now I have direction.” Sheng Xia hesitated before adding, “But if you want specifics… I don’t want to talk about methodology right now. I just need to tackle the immediate problems first.”
Wang Lianhua stayed quiet for a long time, the living room air thick with tension.
Finally, she nodded. “Alright then. Mom will choose to believe in you too. Do your best.”
Sheng Xia stared at her mother in disbelief.
Wang Lianhua patted her head. “I’ve told you before—I want you to share your thoughts with me more. I like hearing them.”
But… this wasn’t originally her idea.
Sheng Xia pressed her lips together and nodded.
…After struggling with the matter for so long, it was resolved more easily than expected, leaving Sheng Xia pleasantly surprised.
Half-lying in bed before sleep, she couldn’t help but think that perhaps it wasn’t her mother who had been stubborn in the past—it was herself.
Keep it simple.
Whether in studies or life, one should keep it simple.
He was right.
Sheng Xia picked up her phone again and opened QQ. She wasn’t even sure why she did it until the time in the top-left corner jumped to 00:00. The slight movement on the screen snapped her out of her daze, and she realized she had been staring blankly at Song Jiang’s chat window for over five minutes.
What was she doing?
Pining over someone at the sight of their name?
The thought flashed through her mind, and Sheng Xia quickly exited the chat interface, her heart inexplicably racing...
Just then, a notification popped up on the homepage under [Friend Updates]: Song Jiang visited your profile.
Sheng Xia’s eyes widened. She abruptly sat up, pulling her back and inadvertently yanking her calf— "Ouch!" —the sharp pain instantly jolted her awake.
Hesitantly, she tapped the notification. At the same time, the top of her QQ Zone displayed: [26 new messages >]
Beside it was his pitch-black profile picture.
What had he done?
Sheng Xia didn’t even realize she was holding her breath as she clicked in.
"Song Jiang" liked your post with style.
"Song Jiang" liked your post with love.
"Song Jiang" liked your post with energy.
...
...
He had liked 26 of her posts.
That was probably every single status she had ever posted on QQ.
Most of them were "inspirational quotes," especially from her elementary and middle school days—either pretentiously wordy or dripping with teenage angst, lacking substance, overly dramatic, and full of forced melancholy.
"Life is dull by nature; only by running can you feel the wind."
"Go chase away the snow; spring is coming soon."
"Peace, joy, and wishes fulfilled."
"If you are well, it is a sunny day."
...
All of them were once wildly popular but now seemed like painfully dated relics of their time!
A few others were reposted poems.
This!
Her space didn’t get many visitors, and most who saw these posts would just exit out of boredom.
What was he even doing?!
Oh god, her embarrassing past!
Public humiliation!
Just kill her now!
Sheng Xia wanted to disable her QQ Zone, but in her panic, she couldn’t find the setting no matter how hard she tried.
She thought it was over, but then another notification popped up at the top of the homepage: [8 new messages >]
Sheng Xia groaned in despair.
Resigned, she tapped it.
"Song Jiang" commented on your post.
"Song Jiang" commented on your post.
"Song Jiang" commented on your post.
...
...
At this point, she didn’t need to guess—there were definitely more than eight, and he was still adding more comments on the other end.
Did he think likes alone weren’t mocking enough? Did he have to go through and comment on everything too?! Did he have to be this mischievous? Was he that free?!
His comments were even more nonsensical than her melodramatic posts.
"Life is dull by nature; only by running can you feel the wind."
—[I’m dizzy.]
"Go chase away the snow; spring is coming soon."
—[You like spring? Nanli doesn’t have spring, thanks.]
"Peace, joy, and wishes fulfilled."
—[Happily off to school, merrily back home.]
"If you are well, it is a sunny day."
—[You clearly don’t respect the Thunder God and Lightning Mother.]
...
...
While reading, her fingers slipped, and she accidentally tapped his profile picture. The page flashed, redirecting her to his space.
Sheng Xia froze completely. Now, there would be a record on his end. It was over—no pretending she hadn’t seen it now.With a pained cry, Sheng Xia threw her phone aside and grabbed a plush toy, burying her entire face into it.
"Ahhhhhhh!"
Why! Why must misfortunes always come in pairs for the unlucky!
Eventually, she faced reality and picked up her phone again. Since she'd already clicked, there was no harm in looking.
But—
His profile was even more boring than hers. He hadn't posted a single status update, and she had reason to suspect he'd deleted them on the spot. Who doesn't have embarrassing past posts? Impossible.
There were photo albums, though—all filled with screenshots from games she didn’t understand. She quickly exited.
Almost the moment she backed out, Song Jiang sent a message: "Stalking?"
What kind of weird phrasing was that!
Even if it was stalking, he did it first! How dare the guilty party file the first complaint!
In a flash of inspiration, Sheng Xia remembered something important that might save her from this awkward situation.
She sent him a red envelope, then typed: [For today’s afternoon tea...]
Before she could hit send, he had already replied.
Song Jiang: "What’s this? Payment for critiquing your masterpiece?"
Sheng Xia: "..."
So annoying ahhhhhhhh!
OpenNovel