At 11 p.m., Sheng Xia finally received a message from Sheng Mingfeng: The surgery was wrapping up, and there shouldn't be any life-threatening danger.
The incident had occurred around 7 p.m.—four hours. His surgery had lasted four hours...
Sheng Xia couldn't even begin to imagine.
Since returning home, she had been in a daze, only responding absentmindedly to Wang Lianhua's words.
Sitting quietly under a desk lamp, only her eyes and hands moved as she repeatedly scrolled through updates online.
She had watched too many videos of the incident from different angles, thinking she had numbed herself, yet her spine still stiffened, and her heart still ached. As if punishing herself, she mechanically kept browsing.
Past midnight, she finally came across an official statement from the Nanli police. Even the monotonous bureaucratic language sent chills down her spine.
[...At 18:53, suspect Lu entered Yifang Bookstore, wielding a kitchen knife in his right hand and slashing the left arm of Jiang, the person in charge of Yifang Culture Co., Ltd. He then proceeded to the seating area of the bookstore, attacking with the knife and causing minor injuries to six individuals. During the process of restraining Lu, student Zhang was accidentally injured on his right shoulder when the kitchen knife fell. After breaking free, Lu used a fruit knife to inflict severe abdominal injuries on Zhang before fleeing. Currently, the suspect Lu has been apprehended by the police, and compulsory measures have been taken. The investigation is ongoing.]
Accidentally injured on the right shoulder... severe abdominal injuries...
Sheng Xia couldn’t breathe.
She didn’t even dare to read the comments.
Her Q.Q was flooded with comforting messages from classmates.
Even teachers like Fu Jie, Wang Wei, and Lai Yilin had sent her long messages.
So, the bond between them had long surpassed what could be severed with a simple "let’s end it here."
A relationship known to everyone around them, tacitly acknowledged by all—why had they both been deceiving themselves like this?
At 2 a.m., Sheng Xia received a call from Sheng Mingfeng.
He didn’t ask anything, simply relaying the facts: "He’s been moved to a ward. Rest easy..."
Sheng Xia pressed urgently, "Can I go see him?"
"Wait until he wakes up... I’ll arrange it then. Get some rest..."
Rest easy? How could she?
Sheng Xia didn’t sleep a wink all night. The next day, with weary, lifeless eyes, she arrived at school early.
Wang Lianhua was also deeply worried but unsure whether to ask.
Sheng Xia had never been like this before.
Her daughter had an astonishing ability to manage her emotions. In her memory, even when tearful, Sheng Xia would still consider others' feelings.
But now, it seemed she had no energy left for that.
Wang Lianhua could only secretly follow her in the car, watching until she entered the school before leaving with some relief.
When Sheng Xia walked into the classroom, everyone looked at her with pained expressions, hesitant to speak.
She turned on her phone’s sound, afraid to miss any call.
Yet, as the day passed, there was no news.
At lunch, Sheng Xia and Hou Junqi sat across from each other in silence. The empty seat beside them felt like a lump in their throats.
When their eyes met, both suddenly reddened.
Hou Junqi, a tall boy, buried his face in his arms and silently cried, unnoticed by those around them.
Zhang Sujin wasn’t in the shop—the meal had been prepared by an external chef, his tall hat embroidered with: "Zhen Pin Yuan."
Sheng Xia recognized the name. It was a high-end restaurant Sheng Mingfeng often visited. Their chefs weren’t easy to hire.
On Monday, the results of the city-wide first joint mock exam were released.
This time, everyone’s attention to Zhang Shu’s scores far surpassed their own.Zhang Shu lived up to everyone's expectations and returned to the top.
Although the point gap with the second-place student wasn’t as exaggerated as before, he firmly secured first place.
Wang Wei stood on the podium, and when he read out Zhang Shu’s results, his voice suddenly hitched. Then his body swayed slightly as he braced himself on the lectern, muttering under his breath, “You brat, I told you to take first place and you just did it. Why are you so obedient… you brat!”
By the end, his voice was choked with emotion. The students watched as he took off his glasses, turned away, and rubbed his eyes.
Wang Wei composed himself and said solemnly, “Zhang Shu, he is my pride, the pride of Class Six, the pride of Affiliated High School, and the pride of Nanli. We’ll wait for him to come back.”
Zhang Shu’s desk was piled high with gifts and letters.
The confession wall app was flooded with messages for him—confessions and well-wishes.
Sheng Xia recalled the comment under that Weibo post— He’s the one I have a crush on.
There really were so, so many people who liked him.
Not a trace of jealousy stirred in Sheng Xia’s heart—only a rising warmth.
Meeting someone like him was a bright spot in youth.
Being able to like someone like him was her privilege.
Social news rarely held the public’s attention for long, but because of the mock exam results, the #Nanli Stabbing Incident surged back onto the trending list, with most discussions revolving around Nanli Affiliated High School and Zhang Shu.
The hashtag #Heroic Student is a Potential Top Scorer instantly climbed to the top.
Being a top scorer, an academic prodigy, and having striking looks was already enough to make him the center of attention—let alone with the added label of a hero.
Zhang Shu’s personal hashtag also broke into the top fifty trending topics.
Media outlets caught wind of the story, and “peripheral” reports began flooding in.
For example, one interviewed a newsstand owner.
“I don’t get many customers in a day, so I remember him well,” the owner, a man in his fifties with a kind, honest face, spoke plainly. “This young man came by once a long time ago. He sat on my stool for a whole day, bought a bunch of lollipops and kept eating them while staring at the bookstore across the street. Then I didn’t see him again until recently—he’s been coming every day. Shows up around five or six, leaves by seven-something. Very polite, very handsome. Felt bad about sitting on my stool for so long, so he bought water, candy, magazines… Ah, what a fine young man!”
The reporter’s voiceover asked, “What was he doing there?”
“Well, I wouldn’t want to speculate…”
Sheng Xia froze. She rewound the video, watching it over and over to confirm.
The owner had said he’d been coming every day recently.
Five or six o’clock—wasn’t that when Affiliated High School let out?
Leaving by seven-something—wasn’t that when she left for Hengxin Plaza for her classes?
He… had been going there every day?
To see her?
The round trip would take half an hour by bike.
And he’d stay there for half an hour, maybe an hour, before leaving?
Sheng Xia didn’t need to hesitate to confirm it.
Because he had once admitted it himself: on their supposed date, he had gone. He’d been at the newsstand across the street, keeping her company the entire time.
Sheng Xia regretted it so much.
All those days—why hadn’t she once glanced in that direction?
She remembered the newsstand was nestled beside an enormous old camphor tree, its lush branches casting deep shadows like the cover of night.
Had he been hiding there, watching her every day?
Hiding—even sneaking around?
It was so unlike the proud Zhang Shu she knew.
And yet, she could picture it—him sitting on that low stool, a lollipop in his mouth, gazing at her in a daze.
She could even imagine the look in his eyes.
A-Shu—How am I supposed to deal with this?
She really wanted to see him.
When she called Sheng Mingfeng, she was told: "He hasn't woken up yet. Just wait a bit longer. The place is swarming with reporters right now, and the case hasn't been fully investigated. Let's not cause trouble for the police."
Sheng Xia was devastated.
The days dragged on painfully, as if she were merely going through the motions.
It wasn't until two days later that she even had the chance to worry about her own grades.
She was right on the borderline for the mock college entrance exam cutoff score—extremely precarious.
Wang Wei and Fu Jie each had separate talks with her.
The reason was simple: while she had made remarkable progress in last semester's final exams, her performance was unstable. This semester, she had been too distracted and hadn't consolidated the study methods she'd previously adopted.
From now on, she would have to focus even harder.
The only good news was that her manuscript had passed the first round of selection.
In such a short time. Sheng Xia knew Fu Jie had put in a lot of effort behind the scenes.
Even the first-round editor sent her a private message saying, "Your teacher treats you like her own child. This concerns the future of an outstanding student—how could I possibly delay things?"
Sheng Xia was overwhelmed with gratitude.
"But the second round and final review are extremely strict. Getting past the editor-in-chief won't be easy. I'll try to hurry things along for you, but I can't promise when you'll get a response," the editor cautioned.
"Understood."
"I suggest you submit to other publishers simultaneously, even those outside the province."
"I've already submitted to three."
"Smart."
Things were already going much more smoothly than at the beginning.
Another night, and Sheng Xia received various links from Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe.
Lately, these two had been even more concerned about online news than she was.
She skimmed through them—the links they sent were all similar.
She clicked on the first one.
A prominent influencer had reposted Nanli High School's music club Weibo post.
[#StudentWhoStoodUpForJusticeIsTopCollegeEntranceExamCandidate# Any updates on how he's doing? Check out 3:09 to see what all-round excellence looks like. //@NanliUniversityAffiliatedHighSchool: Annual May Fourth Gala—Luminous Music Club.]
[Nanli's really embarrassing itself. Would it kill them to update us on the injured student's condition?]
—This is taking way too long. Blocking every post is ridiculous!
—Heard from hospital sources that he should be fine.
[So handsome, it's breathtaking! Get well soon, little brother—debut already! Big sis will support you!]
—Better to aim for top exam scores though, wuwu! So handsome!
—This kind of star is worth following!
[Bottom of original post's comments—I think I found Zhang Shu's Weibo @SHU_abcdef]
—It's really him! Omg so cute, commenting on his own looks lol
—Not the main point right now, but go check it out for some sweet content!!
The tone shifted so abruptly that Sheng Xia was momentarily confused.
The Weibo handle did seem like his style—probably frustrated with repeated username conflicts, he'd ended up with this jumble after trying various combinations.
She clicked into his Weibo.
He had only posted about forty times, with the earliest entry dating back several years. Most were reposts of NBA updates or game livestream replays, with a basketball star as his profile picture.
When reposting the music club's Weibo, he had commented: [Damn, who's this guy? So freaking handsome!]
The overly fangirlish tone, paired with a male NBA fan profile, had caught netizens' attention.
What confirmed this was his account was a photo he posted last year—one that included him.
Sheng Xia's eyes grew warm.
Because the photo didn't just show him.
It showed her too.That was a group photo taken by Yang Linyu during the school sports meet. He had cropped it, leaving only him and her.
It wasn't a well-composed shot—the middle was empty, with both of them pressed to the very edges of the frame, so far apart that another person could have fit between them.
Even the hem of her skirt had been cut off.
Yet it was a good photo.
At just one glance, you could see a story.
She was looking at the camera, her smile faint.
His gaze, however, was slightly lowered and tilted to the left—not turning to look at her, yet more telling than if he had.
His eyes conveyed a complex emotion tinged with something like "timidity."
This also completely contradicted Sheng Xia's impression of Zhang Shu.
Could he really have such an expression?
Like... a secret crush.
Caption: 【Getting closer.】
Judging by the timing, it was posted a few days after the sports meet.
Not immediately.
He probably didn’t have many followers, and usually only used Weibo to browse news, so he had left his account wide open, treating it like a bold yet hidden tree hollow for his thoughts.
After that, he had posted a few more original updates, each spaced over ten days apart—not frequent at all.
The captions were simple, with few accompanying images.
【So cute.】
【God, how is she this cute?】
【I like her.】
On New Year's Eve:
【Still want to have her.】
Then one night, he posted three in a row. Sheng Xia checked the timestamp—it was the night of her birthday.
【I’m so damn happy, who gets it? Whatever, mere mortals could never understand!】
【What did she wish for? If it’s three wishes, I should at least get one, right?】
【Never mind, it’s fine. Just wish for yourself. I want you to have everything you desire, to be successful and happy for the rest of your life! Be so damn happy it’s ridiculous!】
He would never have imagined that one day this tree hollow would be discovered.
Much less that so many people would see it.
By the time Sheng Xia read them, there were already countless comments from netizens below.
Some praised him for being adorable, others called him handsome, and some said they made a great couple, urging him to wake up and keep chasing his girl...
Sheng Xia’s vision blurred, tears streaming down her face.
She had cried often these past few days, but this time was different—amidst the tears, she actually laughed.
What would he do when he woke up and realized so many people had witnessed his cringey, teenage confessions?
It would ruin the aloof, untouchable image he had worked so hard to build.
But even as she laughed, tears continued to fall.
She missed him so, so, so much.
Just then, Sheng Mingfeng called.
11:30 p.m.
Sheng Xia quickly answered.
"Dad!"
Sheng Mingfeng paused, then chuckled. "Since when have you been this eager to take my calls? I’m flattered."
Hearing the lightness in her father’s voice, hope rose in Sheng Xia’s chest. "Do you have news?"
"Yes."
"How is he?"
Sheng Mingfeng: "He woke up in the evening but was still out of it and went back to sleep. Just woke up again now. The nurse says he’s doing well. It’s late, so there aren’t any unnecessary people around. I’ve asked Li Xu to send someone to pick you up—go see him if you want."
"Thank you, Dad!"
Sheng Xia hurriedly changed and headed for the door, only remembering in the living room—how should she explain this to her mother?
She had never gone out this late before.
Before she could think of what to say, Wang Lianhua emerged from her room, likely having heard the commotion.
She took in her daughter’s red-rimmed eyes. "What’s wrong?"
"Mom, um... my classmate... he’s awake. Dad said I can go see him now..."After speaking, she didn't dare to look at Wang Lianhua.
A classmate?
What kind of classmate would go visit someone in the middle of the night?
But she had to go!
Unexpectedly, she heard Wang Lianhua ask, "He... is Song Jiang, right?"
Sheng Xia abruptly raised her head. "Mom..."
Wang Lianhua pressed her lips together, her face as stern as usual, revealing no emotion. After a few seconds of silence, she said, "Wait for me to change. I'll take you. Don't have your dad send someone—it's too late for all that back and forth."
Sheng Xia froze.
Wang Lianhua went back to her room to change, while Sheng Xia called Sheng Mingfeng from outside.
Sheng Mingfeng was quite surprised and chuckled twice. "That's even better. Come home early to rest. Don't stay out too late. The patient needs rest, and you should refocus on your studies soon."
"Okay..."
On the way, Sheng Xia stared blankly at the still-bustling streets.
She thought Wang Lianhua might ask something, but she didn't.
When they arrived at the hospital, Li Xu and a community officer were waiting in the parking lot and escorted them to the inpatient building.
The hospital was quiet at night, making their footsteps especially conspicuous. At the end of the corridor, Zhang Sujin stood waiting under dim lighting.
Sheng Xia's heart pounded. The calm she'd maintained on the way suddenly gave way to restless unease.
Zhang Sujin first nodded in greeting to Wang Lianhua before turning to Sheng Xia, patting her back. "It's alright, don't worry."
Peering through the small window, Sheng Xia saw the brightly lit room with three beds, only the middle one occupied.
From this angle, she could only see his hospital gown-clad body, not his face—whether he was awake or asleep.
"Can I go in?" Sheng Xia asked.
Zhang Sujin nodded. "Of course, but..." She leaned in and whispered, "He's embarrassed and pretending to sleep."
Sheng Xia: "Maybe he's really tired or still weak. I can come another day—"
"No!"
Her words were cut off by a weak but stubborn voice.
It came from inside the room...
The corridor fell silent.
Seeing her mother's clearly stunned expression, Sheng Xia's ears inexplicably reddened.
Nervously, she said, "I'll go check on him..."
Then, before the adults could react, she pushed the door open and entered.
With a soft click, she closed it behind her.
On the bed, Zhang Shu lay stiffly. The oversized hospital gown hid his injuries, but his whole body looked noticeably thinner, the pant legs mostly empty.
His lips were slightly purple and dry, lacking their usual smoothness. His hair seemed longer, the bangs covering his eyebrows—soft and dark, though not as fluffy as usual. His typically sharp eyes were somewhat dull, making him appear quiet and... well-behaved.
How had he managed to yell "No!" in that state?
Sheng Xia had come in a hurry, her hair loose over her chest. Her hands fidgeted nervously in front of her, unsure what to say.
Just seeing him lying there safely was enough.
"Sit. Can't... talk loud..." Zhang Shu scanned her briefly before speaking.
His voice was weaker than she'd ever heard, his words as brief as possible.
Following his gaze, she sat on the edge of his bed.
"How are you? Does it hurt?" she asked—a rather unoriginal question.
If his injury was in the abdomen, speaking would strain it, wouldn't it?"Don't speak yet!" Before he could open his mouth, Sheng Xia interrupted him again.
He froze for a moment, obediently swallowing back the words he was about to say.
Sheng Xia turned her head, peeking through the small window to confirm that the adults were no longer standing by the door before looking back at him. Suddenly, she leaned closer to his hospital bed, pulled over a nearby stool, and sat down, resting her elbow on the edge of the bed with her chin propped on her hand. "Then let's whisper. You don't have to strain yourself..."
As she unexpectedly drew near, a faint fragrance drifted into his senses. Zhang Shu closed his eyes briefly.
"I'll ask, and you just answer 'yes' or 'no,' okay?" Her voice was soft, as if she really intended to keep their conversation hushed.
Even though she wasn’t the one injured.
Zhang Shu smiled, though he didn’t dare move his muscles too much, giving the impression of a stiff grin.
Sheng Xia felt slightly awkward.
"Mmm..." He tilted his head slightly to look at her and agreed.
They were too close. With this slight turn of his head, their breaths mingled in the air.
A warmth crept up Sheng Xia’s neck, but she didn’t pull away. "Does it hurt?" she asked.
Zhang Shu frowned. "This question doesn’t seem like one that can be answered with 'yes' or 'no'..."
Sheng Xia: "..."
Then couldn’t he just say whether it hurt or not? Why say so much?
Sheng Xia: "Does it hurt—yes or no?"
Before her, the girl’s eyes reflected only him, filled with nothing but his image.
Who could still feel pain?
Zhang Shu curved his lips slightly and changed his answer. "No."
Sheng Xia: "Then when can you sit up? In half a month?"
Zhang Shu played along. "No."
Sheng Xia: "A month?"
Zhang Shu: "Don’t know."
Suddenly, Sheng Xia didn’t know what else to ask. She had so much to say, yet now that she was right beside him, she didn’t know where to start.
"Can I see your injury?"
Zhang Shu shook his head. "No."
"Just a quick look..."
"Fine. Yes."
He pointed at the buttons on his hospital gown. "Unbutton it..."
Sheng Xia froze for a second, glancing at him, then at his clothes.
He looked sickly, his gaze straightforward, revealing no hidden meaning.
Feeling guilty for her own improper thoughts, Sheng Xia reminded herself—he was injured. The report said his left arm was hurt too, so of course he couldn’t undo the buttons himself...
She stood up, leaning over him, figuring that since the injury was on his abdomen, she’d start from the bottom button.
But the hospital gown was not only loose but also long, the hem reaching down to his hips.
She pinched the lowest button between her fingers, then suddenly paused, completely stunned.
Because she distinctly felt the body beneath her hand—twitch!
The movement was slight, but perhaps because the ward was so quiet, the atmosphere amplified even the tiniest motion into something charged.
Instinctively, Sheng Xia looked up at him in shock, only to find him also wide-eyed, staring at his own—pants.
Sheng Xia didn’t know where she found the courage, but she steeled herself and undid the button, then worked her way up, unfastening four or five more.
Gradually, her flushed cheeks gave way to reddened eyes.
His right abdomen was slightly raised, likely wrapped in medication or some medical device. His entire midsection was tightly bound in layer upon layer of gauze, leaving no gaps.
Though the bandages were pristine, without a single stain.
And no blood, either.
Yet Sheng Xia’s mind was filled with the image of the dagger plunging into his abdomen...
It must have hurt so much.She could hardly hold back anymore. All those questions that had been tugging at her mind night after night came pouring out in a rush: "You said it was over between us, so why are you still doing this? Why did you move the desk for me? Why do you wait for me at Yifang Bookstore every day? Why do you stare at every girl in a white dress..."
She heard her own voice suddenly rise and quickly stopped, but tears began to fall in rapid drops.
Zhang Shu couldn't sit up, only lifting his uninjured hand to tug at the hem of her clothes. "Don't cry..."
She saw his brows tightly knit together, choked back a sob, then grabbed a few tissues from the bedside table to wipe away her tears before sitting back down on the stool.
Now wasn't the time to add to his burdens.
Her entire motion was fluid—from crying to wiping her tears, it took no more than a minute or two.
Zhang Shu watched her quietly.
Seems she'd been crying a lot these past few days, becoming so practiced at calming herself down.
He recalled her "accusations."
Ah. In the end, she had found out everything.
"Because..." Zhang Shu sighed, as if helpless. "Even knowing we might never meet again... I still liked you."
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