Sheng Xia had no idea how much time had passed; she had lost all sense of it.
"Zhang Shu... I don't want..." she began, though she hadn’t actually figured out what to say.
The little voices in her heart were at war, while the person before her was clearly far calmer.
"I didn’t plan to say this now. At this stage, the best relationship isn’t romance—it’s moving forward together, like interlocking rings. Even if we’re back-to-back, we should reach the finish line before turning to face each other. I think you feel the same way. So, I was afraid telling you would make you uncomfortable, but when it comes to liking someone… well, you’ve seen it—it’s impossible to hide. Who wouldn’t notice that I like you?"
He spoke as if the words were flowing effortlessly, without pause.
"But not saying anything seems to trouble you even more."
"Don’t be scared, and don’t panic."
"I can’t say something like, ‘I like you, but it has nothing to do with you.’ I just don’t want you to feel pressured, though knowing you, you’ll probably still feel it. Just think of me as someone who wants to be good to you. Like… you could think of me as your dad?"
Sheng Xia: "..."
Uh, it seemed he wasn’t all that calm either.
Zhang Shu propped himself up on his elbows, but it was all bravado—he was actually so nervous he started stumbling over his words. He regretted his usual habit of running his mouth, now sabotaging him at a critical moment.
He stopped himself and quickly corrected course, laying all his cards on the table: "Wrong example. How about… brother? Big brother, okay? I’ll treat you well, and you just accept it. Even if you don’t, it’s not like I can help it—I can’t stop myself. And when the day comes that you’re ready to date, I’ll be first in line to be your boyfriend. Deal?"
He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a whisper, as if sharing a secret: "Just let me like you for now, alright?"
The turmoil in her chest stilled, as if every frantic movement had been paused by his words.
This moment was exactly like the very end of that video they’d watched.
Numb.
He wasn’t out of breath, but she had lost all control over her muscles and pulse.
"Hmm?" Not getting a response, he leaned in until his tall nose was nearly touching hers.
Startled, Sheng Xia jerked back, her head almost hitting the wall—until his hand suddenly caught her arm, steadying her. Then, a broad palm cradled the back of her head, pulling her gently toward him, closing the distance between them to mere inches.
"Can I?"
His voice was so low only they could hear it, sending a shiver through her.
The hand at the back of her head began to stroke softly, coaxing…
Thump. Thump. Thump.
Her heartbeat seemed to reverse course, relentlessly battering against her defenses.
Staring at his face, now so close she could no longer make out his features, she didn’t dare move. Her breath instinctively slowed, nearly suffocating her!
Just before her nerves completely snapped, Zhang Shu released her, sitting back upright.
But his gaze remained fixed on her.
Sheng Xia’s hands rested on her knees, her fingers lightly checking her pulse as she struggled to find her voice.
"I—I don’t know. I… I need to think about it."
The moment the words left her mouth, both of them froze.
Sheng Xia suddenly realized—
What was she saying?!
How was this any different from agreeing?!
It was all his fault for phrasing it so cunningly. What did he mean by "let me like you"? If she said no, would he stop? Was that something she could even control?
How was anyone supposed to answer that?!
It was an impossible question!
No matter how she responded, unless she outright rejected him, didn’t it imply she felt the same?
This was clearly a trap!Ahhhhhhh!!!
Zhang Shu indeed laughed, then seemed to realize he was laughing. Covering the bridge of his nose, he gave a light cough, but ultimately couldn't hide his joy. Suddenly leaning back against the sofa, he threw his head back and laughed twice, his Adam's apple bobbing sharply with an air of confident triumph.
Ha, ha!
The entire lobby echoed with his two abrupt bursts of laughter.
Sheng Xia: ...
"Sorry," he said with a smile, "just verifying this is real space-time, not a dream."
Sheng Xia needed to do something to ease the tension, but her mind was completely blank.
It was Zhang Shu who regained composure first, his gaze returning to the neglected cake. "Still want some? Though this one's probably the same as yours, maybe not as tasty..."
Sheng Xia snapped out of it, confirming the unprecedented note of dejection in his tone—likely still upset about the cake collision and that his was smaller than hers.
She found her voice again, "Actually, they're different."
Zhang Shu: "Hmm?"
"This brand's cakes... I heard their delivery guys are all over 1.8 meters tall, with... proper looks and demeanor. That's part of their... brand premium..."
Zhang Shu looked even more confused: ?
"But mine was bought by my family, so I... didn't get to see the delivery guy. What a loss..." Sheng Xia hesitated, staring at the small red heart before her, murmuring, "With yours... I saw."
Saw this delivery guy before her, whose looks and demeanor went far beyond just "proper."
Brand premium—totally worth it.
"No loss." The last two words were spoken so softly with her head bowed they were almost inaudible.
As she spoke, Sheng Xia's ears buzzed. She wasn't even sure what she'd said or if she'd made herself clear.
True to form, Zhang Shu froze for several seconds before nodding: "Oh, well sorry about that—I'm 1.85 meters."
Sheng Xia: ... He definitely didn't get it.
He too was too nervous for quick thinking. Only after a long pause did it dawn on him—was she... comforting him?
Going all that roundabout way?
Meaning his cake was special because he was the delivery guy?
Was that it? Had he interpreted the cultured girl's words correctly? Zhang Shu turned it over in his mind.
Looking at her crimson face, lowered as far as possible, his heartbeat suddenly lost its rhythm too.
Countless times he'd marveled—how could she be this adorable?
He was nearly at his limit, desperately wanting—so badly wanting—to touch her, pinch her cheeks, hold her hand, pull her into his arms, kiss—stop.
Anything would do. He wasn't picky.
Regaining some mental clarity, Zhang Shu asked, "So, want some?"
Sheng Xia nodded.
Just as he was about to cut her a slice, he remembered he hadn't sung her birthday song or watched her make a wish. But this small cake didn't come with candles. He suddenly stood up, "Wait here a sec."
Then he strode out. Before Sheng Xia could react, she saw him stop, turn back, pull out his phone from his pocket, turn on the flashlight, and shine it at the white wall, brightening the entire space by several degrees.
"Don't be scared. This is a library—ghosts can't read so they can't get in. I'll be right back." He jogged backward as he spoke before running off.
Sheng Xia was stunned.
Was he worried she'd be scared alone in the dark?
Had her superstitious image become this deeply ingrained?
Then, through the window, she saw him dash up the circular staircase of the teaching building.
Round and round he went, his figure disappearing on the fifth floor...What on earth was he up to?
In less than a minute, she saw him circling around again, practically taking three or four steps at a time as he descended the stairs.
Then he appeared before her, panting heavily.
Wind on his shoulders, light in his eyes.
"I don't smoke, just borrowed one from Han Xiao," he explained, raising the silver lighter in his hand.
Sheng Xia looked at him in confusion.
Zhang Shu didn't return to his original seat. Instead, he crouched by the table, right in front of her, one knee higher than the other—a posture resembling a half-kneel.
Though it wasn't exactly that, Sheng Xia's ears grew slightly warm.
He turned off his phone's flashlight, holding the cake in one hand while flicking the lighter with the other.
With a click, the flame leaped up.
Using the lighter as a candle, he sang deeply in the flickering light: "Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to you, Happy birthday to my baby, Happy birthday to you..."
His voice was completely different from when he sang rock in the video—magnetic, low, and impossibly tender, accompanied by his ragged breathing and light gasps from the sprint... each note striking Sheng Xia's heart.
Especially that "to my baby" line—it sent an electric jolt down Sheng Xia's spine, her ears burning as if on fire.
Who! Who was his baby?! Ahhh!
Shock, delight, nervousness, bashfulness... all these complex emotions swirled together, creating an overwhelming impact that nearly drowned her.
She recalled Hou Junqi's often-used phrase—who could withstand this?
"Make a wish," he said as the song ended, lifting his gaze with raised eyebrows, looking at her expectantly.
Sheng Xia stared blankly at him for two seconds, pursed her lips, clasped her hands beneath her chin, and closed her eyes devoutly.
She sensed the light might have gone out, but he quickly flicked the lighter again.
When she slowly opened her eyes, the flame was still dazzling.
"Done?" he asked.
"Done."
Zhang Shu said, "Blow out the candle."
Sheng Xia hesitated, and he tilted his chin slightly toward the lighter.
She leaned in and blew gently.
At the same time, he released his grip, and the flame vanished back into the lighter.
Immediately, he tossed the lighter onto the table, shaking his hand. "Damn, that traitor Han Xiao—what kind of crappy lighter is this? Almost burned my hand off."
Sheng Xia: "..."
The angry outburst shattered the lingering ambiguity and awkwardness in the air.
Yet he remained crouched, and she didn't move either.
She was still in the same position from blowing out the "candle," very close to him.
The two of them locked eyes under the dim light for what felt like an eternity.
Finally, as his gaze shifted from intense to teasing, Sheng Xia snapped back to reality and abruptly straightened up. "Earlier, Teacher Wang said five minutes... I'll eat the cake later..."
"Dummy, those five minutes are long gone. Can you stay a little longer? Let me look at you some more."
Still crouching, he gazed up at her slightly. Beneath his soft, tousled bangs, his eyes were focused and indulgent—enough to make anyone lose themselves.
Look at what?! What kind of line was that?!
How could he say something like that so naturally?!
The heat in Sheng Xia's ears spread uncontrollably, like wildfire.
Could he please not talk like that?!
So effortlessly smooth!
So frivolous!
"No! Absolutely not!"
She huffed indignantly, unaware of the unmistakable coquettishness in her tone.Zhang Shu felt his heart melting. Unable to hold back any longer, he naturally gave a gentle squeeze to her hand resting on her knee. "Alright, let's head back."
His fingers tightened slightly—a warm, damp heat that released almost instantly. Yet Sheng Xia froze completely again, feeling that spot go numb as if it no longer belonged to her!
How could he—how could he touch her hand!
She stood up abruptly and started walking away. But even that didn’t feel right. After a few steps, she suddenly turned back. "Zhang Shu."
"Hmm?" He responded smoothly.
"No more of this from now on," she demanded.
Zhang Shu looked at her flushed, indignant face. "No more of what?"
"We're just classmates. You can't—you shouldn't—you…" Too embarrassed to articulate it, she grew flustered, looking as if she might cry.
"Alright, alright," Zhang Shu quickly reassured. "I won’t do it again. Don’t be angry…"
Sheng Xia turned and stormed off in a huff.
Zhang Shu smiled helplessly, rubbing his fingertips together as if trying to forget the sensation—lest he become addicted. But it was futile. The softness of her hand seemed permanently imprinted; just the memory of it made his heart melt uncontrollably.
How could a hand be so soft? Did she even have bones?
No more of this? What exactly? If even this wasn’t allowed, was she trying to suffocate him?
He packed the cake back into its box and caught up to her in a few strides, maintaining a steady distance of a couple meters behind her.
Just as they were about to enter the school building, Sheng Xia suddenly heard her name again.
"Sheng Xia."
She glanced back slightly.
Zhang Shu didn’t close the distance. He stood where he was and said, "I think I should tell you something."
She remained still, silent, waiting.
"Just now, I realized I like you even more than I thought."
Even more than I thought.
She had lost count of how many times he’d said "I like you" today. Sheng Xia wanted to beg for mercy—could he please slow down, stop saying it? She feared the little strength she had left wouldn’t be enough to get her back.
His voice carried on from behind, solemn and earnest.
"Up until now in my life, I’ve never liked anyone. Apart from my sister, I’ve never treated anyone well. If I ever cross a line, please remind me—or forgive me."
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