Hou Junqi suggested skipping class, and quite a few people seconded the idea.
Han Xiao and his crew were obviously on board, while Qi Xiulei and Yang Linyu’s entire dorm also clamored to join. Then Yang Linyu even dragged Xin Xiaohe along, making the group…
A grand procession of three carloads of people. After getting out of the cars, Hou Junqi, tall and leading the pack, marched down the hospital corridor in their school uniforms, turning heads left and right.
Zhang Shu, hooked up to an IV, was asleep when a chorus of "Shu-ge!" woke him.
Truth be told, he hadn’t been sleeping well—unable to turn or lie on his side. Without the medication, he’d only manage light naps during the day. To pass the time, he’d listen to English audio clips or Chinese recitations.
Zhang Shu turned off the audio playing on his phone and removed his earbuds.
The nurse adjusted the bed to raise him slightly.
He watched as the group filed into the room one by one, like ducks in a row.
A sea of guys.
Finally, at the very end, he spotted a girl—short hair framing a pair of bright, dark eyes. It was Xin Xiaohe.
Zhang Shu’s gaze lingered behind her.
No one else. Xin Xiaohe closed the door.
No one noticed the dimming light in Zhang Shu’s eyes—not that he had much energy to begin with.
“What’s going on? Shouldn’t you all be in class?” Zhang Shu asked.
Hou Junqi: “Our class has P.E.…”
Han Xiao: “What’s one skipped class gonna change for us?”
Wu Pengcheng: “Hey, don’t lump me in with you guys. I’m making a huge sacrifice here, okay?”
Liu Huian: “Pfft, like it makes any difference whether you study or not.”
The group bickered chaotically among themselves while helping themselves to the fruit they’d brought.
Then came the barrage of questions—some about his condition, others about the case—leaving Zhang Shu’s single mouth utterly overwhelmed.
Hou Junqi wailed, “A-Shu, when are you coming back? When can we play ball again? Studying all by myself is torture!”
Yang Linyu called him out: “How many days have you actually shown up these past two weeks? What torture are you even talking about?”
“The torture is in my heart!” Hou Junqi shot back. “Unlike you, Mr. Secure-Admission-to-Heyan-University-of-Science-and-Technology. Must be nice, huh?”
Yang Linyu feigned humility: “Don’t jinx it, man. I still gotta clear the first-tier cutoff, okay?”
Qi Xiulei scoffed, “Oh please, like that’s even a challenge for you? A-Shu, look at this guy flexing.”
Zhang Shu knew Yang Linyu had attended the winter camp for Heyan University of Science and Technology’s independent enrollment. Seems like he did well.
“When do they announce the results?” he asked.
Yang Linyu: “We pretty much already know. The official notice comes out in April.”
“Oh! Sheng Xia’s is in April too!” Xin Xiaohe blurted.
The moment that name was mentioned, the guys exchanged uneasy glances.
The entire internet knew Zhang Shu had confessed on Weibo’s “Tree Hole,” but the heroine seemed unfazed.
Understandable, given the rumors that she was going abroad.
Realizing the slip, Han Xiao was the first to ask, “What about Sheng Xia in April?”
Hou Junqi added, “If it’s the SAT, April’s an even-numbered month, but I don’t think there are test centers in China?”
Xin Xiaohe mentally kicked herself for her big mouth.
She’d found out over the weekend at Yifang Bookstore—Sheng Xia had taken leave to prepare for independent enrollment. No one in class knew, not even her parents.
Unlike Yang Linyu, Sheng Xia was far from a sure bet.
Xin Xiaohe awkwardly backtracked, “Ah, maybe I remembered wrong.”
This time, everyone noticed the shadow that crossed Zhang Shu’s eyes.
A few seconds of awkward silence.
Wu Pengcheng tried to lighten the mood: “A-Shu, you’ve really blown up this time. That speech of yours about being useful to society and the country? Turns out you weren’t just spouting nonsense, huh?”
“Hahahaha!”"Prematurely realizing personal value, hahaha."
Uh…
Why were they the only ones laughing awkwardly while Zhang Shu remained expressionless, his gaze growing even more intense?
What exactly was wrong with that statement?
"Shu?" Yang Linyu changed the subject. "Can you participate in the second mock exam?"
Zhang Shu calculated the time. "Not sure."
The doctor said his recovery was going well, but it was hard to give an exact estimate.
Everyone exchanged glances.
Being bedridden for so long would undoubtedly affect his grades, but no one dared to say it out loud.
Zhang Shu said, "It's fine. There's still time."
Hearing this, everyone felt slightly relieved.
The group chatted a bit more about basketball and some recent school gossip before it was time to leave.
Skipping class couldn’t become a habit.
Xin Xiaohe lingered at the back, then suddenly stopped and turned around.
She hesitated.
Should she say something more? She could tell Sheng Xia had been feeling down lately.
But Sheng Xia had her own reasons for doing things. Xiao He couldn’t just overstep.
After wrestling with it for a while, Xin Xiaohe ultimately said nothing and walked away.
Zhang Shu lay half-reclined on the bed, lost in thought as he recalled Xin Xiaohe’s hesitant demeanor.
He picked up his phone, found Xin Xiaohe’s Q.Q, and sent her a message.
S: "What were you going to say earlier?"
Xin Xiaohe, probably bored in the car, replied almost instantly: "Oh, nothing, hehehe."
S: "Does Sheng Xia have any announcements in April?"
Even if it were SAT or TOEFL results, they wouldn’t be called "announcements." That term sounded too… official.
The chat box flickered repeatedly with "The other party is typing…"
But no message came through.
Zhang Shu grew impatient and directly called her.
Xin Xiaohe instantly hung up.
Zhang Shu: "..."
A moment later, her message arrived.
Xin Xiaohe: "Sorry, Shu-ge, my hand slipped just now… Um, maybe you should ask Lao Wang? I’m not too sure either…"
She wasn’t "not too sure"—she knew exactly, which was why she wasn’t sure if she should say anything.
What if she ended up causing trouble for Sheng Xia?
Without hesitation, Zhang Shu called Wang Wei, but no one answered.
Was he in class?
Most likely teaching another class.
Wait until after class to call again?
Zhang Shu couldn’t wait.
Remembering something, he found Fu Jie’s Q.Q in the class group and sent a friend request.
She accepted almost immediately, sending a cute "Hi~"
Zhang Shu didn’t reply. Instead, he called her directly.
She picked up right away. Fu Jie greeted him, "Our big hero! To what do I owe this honor? I’m flattered! How are you feeling? Teacher Wang said you’re recovering well—when can we visit?"
Zhang Shu cut to the chase. "Much better. You can come anytime. Teacher, I have something to ask you. Can you answer me honestly?"
Fu Jie: "..."
"What’s so urgent?"
"Do you know… what Sheng Xia has been up to lately?" Zhang Shu got straight to the point.
Fu Jie: "She… isn’t she just attending classes?"
Zhang Shu: "..."
He realized Fu Jie’s thought process bore a slight resemblance to Sheng Xia’s.
Zhang Shu: "Does she have any exams in April? Or a summer camp?"
As soon as he said it, he realized that wasn’t right. Schools usually only had winter and summer camps. A spring camp? Probably didn’t exist.
"Nope?" Fu Jie answered, then seemed to think for a moment. "The independent recruitment announcements come out in April. Didn’t you know?"Zhang Shu: "What independent enrollment?"
Fu Jie: "The Strong Foundation Program at Heqing University?"
Only after speaking did she seem to realize, "You really didn't know?"
Zhang Shu turned on speakerphone, his hand hanging limply.
Fu Jie's voice carried confusion: "Aren't you together every day? I thought you knew. It's been so hard—writing drafts until past midnight, working through lunch breaks too. Don't you spend lunchtimes together? How could you not know?"
Zhang Shu felt as if something had struck the crown of his head, his scalp tingling.
So that was why she insisted on carrying her backpack during lunch breaks—it was so heavy because she had her laptop inside, writing drafts?
"Teacher..." Zhang Shu struggled to phrase his question, "What independent enrollment? What was she writing?"
"I'll send you the details later," Fu Jie muttered, "It's extremely complicated with ridiculously strict requirements. Both Lao Wang and I thought it was hopeless. The first draft was rejected after 100,000 words. We assumed that was the end of it, but Sheng Xia wanted to try again. She took two weeks off to rewrite..."
"I've never seen a girl so determined to push forward when there were easier paths..." Fu Jie still sounded incredulous, "How could you not know? Then why were you at Yifang Bookstore? I thought you were accompanying her? That you'd planned it together?"
Zhang Shu stared at the ceiling, eyes tightly shut, his mind filled with her tearful words—she had tried so hard, but it was beyond her control.
Back then, he'd assumed her efforts referred to negotiating with her parents.
But in reality, had she been preparing for independent enrollment on her own?
Were those tears because her draft got rejected?
Zhang Shu remained silent. Fu Jie seemed to sense something amiss, asking apprehensively, "Did I say something I shouldn't have?"
"No," Zhang Shu replied solemnly, "Thank you, Teacher Fu."
Fu Jie paused, silent as if considering, then asked, "Don't you check Weibo?"
"I'm not planning to use it anymore."
Every time he opened it, the notifications for reposts, comments, and private messages would be flooded with red alerts.
All showing 99+.
That kind of red—he didn't want it.
But he wouldn't delete anything either.
What he'd done, what he'd said—they were all part of who he was. Open and aboveboard, no need to erase them.
"Maybe you should take a look," Fu Jie suggested.
...
That evening, Sheng Xia ran into Lu Youze at Hengxin Plaza.
She was surprised: "Didn't you finish your exams?"
Lu Youze replied, "Results aren't out yet. Can't relax—might have to take them again."
"You'll definitely pass," Sheng Xia encouraged, her tone sincere yet distant.
"Thanks," Lu Youze smiled, then asked, "How is he?"
No need to specify who "he" was—they both knew.
"He's doing better now..."
Hearing the uncertainty in her reply, Lu Youze had an inkling. "You two... haven't made up?"
After such a dramatic stand—even if it was just Zhang Shu imagining the threat—the depth of their bond was undeniable.
Made up...
Sheng Xia wasn't sure how to define that term either. She didn't know if they had.
At the very least, their current situation wasn't good.
She shook her head.
Lu Youze sighed and changed the subject: "Focus on your exams. The questions aren't hard—just stay relaxed!"
Sheng Xia merely nodded.
When Wang Lianhua came to pick up Sheng Xia, she noticed Lu Youze. After exchanging polite greetings, she asked in the car, "Is that classmate of yours also going abroad?"
"Yeah.""Where to?"
"UPenn."
Wang Lianhua was surprised: "Why UPenn too?"
"Because their business program is good."
Wang Lianhua chuckled softly, muttering under her breath: "So that's what your father was up to, pretending to be all gentle and caring when confessing to you..."
Sheng Xia sighed.
Ah, the misunderstandings between her mother and father ran too deep.
"Our teachers recommended the schools separately. It's probably just a coincidence," Sheng Xia explained.
Wang Lianhua didn't show whether she believed it or not, simply reminding: "Whatever the case, maintain an appropriate distance."
"Understood."
Wang Lianhua's ironclad principle against early romance never considered who the other person might be—not even if they were royalty.
"You haven't visited your... visited Zhang Shu in a while. You could go see him," Wang Lianhua suddenly suggested.
Sheng Xia was slightly surprised. In the past, she might have gone immediately.
"Yeah, when I have time."
Wang Lianhua looked taken aback but didn't press further.
That night, Sheng Xia followed her usual routine—doing practice problems, organizing mistakes—until late.
At 1 a.m., she went to bed.
Before sleeping, she habitually checked her phone. Hou Junqi had sent her a video of the hospital visit. The ward was filled with laughter, and Zhang Shu looked much more spirited.
He was speaking at normal volume too.
Exiting the chat, she suddenly noticed the red notification badge on "Song Jiang," who hadn't replied to her messages before.
10 new messages.
Opening it, she saw he'd responded to every message she'd sent previously.
The last one read: "Asking so much but not coming to see for yourself?"
Sent two minutes ago.
Sheng Xia: "Why are you still up so late!"
Shouldn't patients need more rest?
Song Jiang replied instantly: "Knew you'd check your phone around now."
Sheng Xia: ...
"You should get more rest?"
Song Jiang: "Then come see me tomorrow."
Sheng Xia: "Okay."
After a few minutes of watching her phone screen light up and dim repeatedly, she decided to ask: "Why didn't you reply to my messages before?"
Again, an instant reply: "I'll tell you when you come tomorrow."
This needed to be said in person?
Sheng Xia confirmed one fact: he'd been deliberately ignoring her messages recently.
She could vaguely guess the reason but hadn't thought it so serious. After his accident, many people were concerned about him. While he couldn't respond to everyone, at least receiving the concern would mean their care wasn't wasted.
Clearly, he didn't see it that way. Troublesome.
The next day was Sunday, with the afternoon free.
After informing Wang Lianhua, Sheng Xia caught a ride with Zhang Sujin to the hospital.
The ward was filled with flowers, bouquets everywhere.
Zhang Shu wasn't alone. A girl stood by his bedside, their heads close together as they looked at the same phone.
Hearing the newcomers, both looked up.
The girl was beautiful, with long black hair and straight bangs that made her eyes especially bright, though her entire demeanor exuded an aloof distance.
Zhang Shu handed the phone back to the girl, saying, "My family's here."
The girl nodded, stepped aside, made a "bye" gesture, then nodded at Zhang Sujin and Sheng Xia before slipping out.
Zhang Sujin smiled at the stunned Sheng Xia: "She's the girl by the window that day. She can't speak."
So that was it.
Sheng Xia felt an unnamed tension in her chest release as she said, "I heard she has hearing difficulties."So even when that madman had already rushed up behind her, she didn't hear any movement.
"Mhm, with cochlear implants I can hear."
"After so much difficulty."
"Yeah."
Sheng Xia looked at Zhang Shu lying on the hospital bed and suddenly felt at a loss.
Because he was staring straight at her with no particular expression, making it impossible to discern his emotions.
Zhang Sujin said, "I'll go buy some fruit and yogurt, I'll be back soon."
Of course it was to give them space—this was too obvious an excuse since the bedside table was already piled high with fruit baskets.
"Sit?" It was Zhang Shu who spoke first.
Sheng Xia put her bag aside and sat by the hospital bed, her eyes betraying guilt.
Zhang Shu sighed inwardly and decided to address the first issue.
He took out a stack of envelopes from the bedside drawer and handed them to her: "Read them to me."
Sheng Xia looked up: ...
Zhang Shu: "I don't want to read them, I'm tired. You read them to me."
Sheng Xia: "These are for you, from others..."
How could she read them?
Zhang Shu: "Read."
She felt this was a trap, but since she was already here and had acted on her own initiative first, she had to do something.
When the soldiers come, the general blocks them; when the floodwaters rise, the earth contains them.
Sheng Xia chose a less pink-looking kraft envelope to open.
"Ah Shu..." Just reading the salutation made Sheng Xia feel unnatural.
Why could others call him Ah Shu so naturally?
She checked the signature first—a second-year student. "Do you know her?" She showed him the name.
Zhang Shu shook his head: "No."
Sheng Xia was slightly surprised. You could address someone like that even if you didn't know them?
Under his urging gaze, she continued reading: "I hope this letter finds you well... Hearing about your injury, I haven't slept for two days. I hope you can return safely and see this letter..."
"The first time I met you was on Camphor Avenue when you rode your bike past me. In that moment, even the air seemed sweet. That's when I knew love at first sight truly exists..."
Sheng Xia's voice gradually weakened, stumbling slightly.
The next entire page, spanning over a thousand words, meticulously described every chance encounter between the letter writer and Zhang Shu.
She glanced up to see his eyes closed, as if resting.
Hearing her pause, he urged: "Continue."
"...I never imagined having an ending with you. I just wanted you to know there's someone who likes you, who will always, always like you. No matter what, you are the brightest color of my high school years. Ah Shu, if possible, if I'm lucky enough, I hope you'll remember my name is..."
Zhang Shu opened his eyes: "Finished?"
"Mhm..."
Zhang Shu: "Next one."
Sheng Xia: ...
"Shu..."
"When you read this letter, you should already be out of danger. Heaven has truly blessed us..."
"...You might not remember, but during first-year military training..."
"You will always shine..."
Zhang Shu: "Next one."
Sheng Xia's throat felt like something was pressing against it, tight and painful.
She didn't read. Nor did she open the third letter.
Zhang Shu slowly opened his eyes. Before she came, he'd already steeled his heart. But now seeing her with her head bowed, chin almost buried in her neck, he could only sigh softly.
"How does it feel, Sheng Xia?"
Sheng Xia didn't look up, just stuffed all the letters back into the drawer in one go. "I don't want to read anymore..."
Zhang Shu: "Why?"
She couldn't say it.
Zhang Shu: "Why, XIA-abcdef classmate?"Sheng Xia finally lifted her head.
Had he seen it? Didn’t he say he wouldn’t look?
"You saw..."
"Yeah," Zhang Shu cut her off, "I saw it."
If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes—seen those words "May we both get our wishes, and meet again in September"—he truly wouldn’t have believed that a girl who liked him would hand him love letters written by someone else.
And not just one, but a whole stack.
He spent the whole night thinking about it before finally coming to terms with it.
He couldn’t use his own values and logic to explain her actions.
All along, she had been accustomed to caring for everyone around her, possessing an extraordinary ability to empathize. Her tolerance and understanding of others often outweighed her own selfish desires.
Back when it was his birthday and he asked her to help unwrap gifts, she felt it was disrespectful to the gift-givers—let alone letters sent to him during a life-or-death moment.
And her feelings for him? To her, they were an unfamiliar emotion.
She didn’t know how to handle it, so she instinctively followed her usual logic.
"So why? Why don’t you want to think about it anymore?" Zhang Shu pressed relentlessly.
Finally unable to withstand the interrogation, Sheng Xia murmured, "Because it hurts..."
Those words, though not particularly elegant, were sincere. If she had stumbled upon them online by chance, she might have sighed in admiration. But the protagonist of those letters was him, and the scenes described were moments of his life she had missed.
She couldn’t explain it clearly—she just felt awful.
Suddenly, her fingertips were lightly touched. She looked up to meet Zhang Shu’s faint smile.
"Figured it out yet? This is called jealousy," he said, staring straight at her, enunciating each word slowly.
Jeal-ousy.
He rested one arm behind his head, looking completely at ease, yet his words made her ears burn: "Jealousy is when I get annoyed if another guy talks to you for more than three sentences. I get annoyed when someone brings you water. I get super annoyed that someone else gets to study abroad with you. Rationally, I know it’s all good for you, but emotionally, I’m just really, really annoyed. Do you understand that feeling now?"
Do you understand?
She did.
Jealousy is Lin Daiyu saying, "Had I known she was coming, I wouldn’t have come." It’s Jane walking away dejectedly from her hidden corner. It’s Bryce screaming internally, "How can she sit there smiling at someone else?"
It’s knowing everything is justified, yet still unable to shake it off.
It’s veiled sarcasm, irrational anger, losing composure.
It’s possessiveness.
Sheng Xia: "I have it too..."
Zhang Shu glanced at her, his expression one of feigned attentiveness mixed with skepticism.
"I have it too..." Sheng Xia repeated, as if emphasizing. "When I saw you rehearsing with another girl, when I heard you gave her flowers and a necklace multiple times, when I saw you two laughing together so naturally, and just now..."
"Just now..."
She paused, her cheeks already flushed crimson.
She could feel her tightly clenched hands, palms burning, covered in a fine layer of sweat.
Zhang Shu straightened slightly, even sitting up despite the faint pain in his abdomen—nothing strong enough to stop him from leaning closer.
He took hold of her tense hand—still impossibly soft.
"Just now what?"
His hand, chilled from the IV drip, suddenly cooled her feverish skin, bringing an odd comfort.
Sheng Xia met his gaze, no longer avoiding it.
"Just now... when I saw you standing so close to someone else..."Zhang Shu looked at her face, so close and flushed with a rosy hue, her eyes brimming with stubbornness and grievance. The corners of his lips uncontrollably lifted into a smile, and soon his entire face was filled with joy.
Sheng Xia stared back with unwavering determination, her heart pounding so fiercely it felt like it might leap out of her chest.
She was sincere—this wasn’t just empty talk.
He shouldn’t accuse her of understanding nothing.
“Sheng Xia…”
She heard his voice, low and tender, almost lingering.
“What should I do? I don’t just like you anymore…”
Her heartbeat, her pulse—none of them obeyed her anymore. They refused to slow down.
Zhang Shu studied every subtle reaction on her face, but in the end, he swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue.
Take it step by step. Don’t be reckless.
She wasn’t like anyone else.
Leaning in until his face was right before hers, he changed his words: “From now on, I’ll only listen to your confessions, only give you flowers and necklaces. I’ll keep a one-meter distance from other girls. What do you think?”
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