The Qingming Festival holiday was approaching.
Sheng Xia had lost track of the days, only remembering the countdown date beside the blackboard, no longer aware of what day it was.
If she didn't receive news from the publisher before the holiday, things would get really tight afterward.
Wang Lianhua asked almost every day, "Has it passed?"
She was even more anxious than Sheng Xia.
Sheng Xia herself messaged the editor every other day, until she eventually felt too embarrassed to keep asking.
That Friday, the sky was exceptionally clear, the clouds like overturned buckets of cream.
Weather like this was perfect for good news.
During the afternoon break, Fu Jie quietly approached Sheng Xia, who was diligently doing eye exercises with her eyes closed and didn’t notice.
Then she heard someone whisper in her ear: "You passed!"
Still unsure what had "passed," she opened her bleary eyes to find Fu Jie’s face right in front of hers.
"Sheng Xia, your manuscript got accepted!"
Sheng Xia froze.
"Accepted! Are you so happy you’ve gone dumb?"
"Wait, really?!" Sheng Xia suddenly stood up, gripping Fu Jie’s hands. "Really, teacher?"
"Of course! Why would I lie? The editor said she’s been trying to reach you all day, but you didn’t reply. With the holiday coming up, she had to notify you quickly!"
Sheng Xia didn’t know how to describe this kind of joy.
It had been so long since she’d felt this way.
So long.
She was nearly moved to tears, and Fu Jie wasn’t much better off. Teacher and student stood in the middle of the classroom, arm in arm, grinning at each other—just short of jumping up and down together.
After Fu Jie left, Xin Xiaohe came over. "What was that about just now?"
Suppressing her elation but unable to keep the corners of her lips from curling up, Sheng Xia lowered her voice to share the news with her friend: "Xiao He, I passed! My manuscript cleared the final review for publication!"
"WHAT?! NO WAY! OH MY GOD, PUBLICATION?! YOU’RE AMAZING, GIRL! IS IT THAT PUBLISHER YOU MENTIONED LAST TIME?"
Xin Xiaohe’s voice instantly drowned out the soft music at the end of the eye exercises, startling the half-asleep class awake.
Sheng Xia covered her mouth. "It’s just passed for now. It’s not official until it’s actually published. Keep it quiet."
Xin Xiaohe reined it in. "Oh, got it."
"Then hurry up and tell Zhang Shu! He’ll probably be so happy he’ll recover on the spot!"
Sheng Xia: "Yeah!"
It felt so good to have people who genuinely shared in her joy!
Before, she hadn’t wanted to say anything—partly because she lacked confidence, not just in herself but also in the bonds between them.
Now, though things still weren’t entirely certain, if he was already thinking about studying abroad in the U.S. to be near her, what did she have to hesitate about?
Sheng Xia couldn’t sit still anymore. She even wanted to message him right away.
But she wanted to tell him in person.
That evening, as soon as she got home, Sheng Xia shared the news with Wang Lianhua.
She had expected her mother to be overjoyed, but that wasn’t quite the case.
There was joy, but no surprise—as if she’d already known.
Still, her mother had always been unflappable, so Sheng Xia didn’t dwell on it.
"Tomorrow afternoon, I’m going to Dongzhou to pick up A-Xuan. I’ll be back around the time you finish school, so I’ll swing by to get you," Wang Lianhua said.
Sheng Xia thought for a moment. "I can bike to school tomorrow and come back on my own in the afternoon."
Wang Lianhua: "No."
Then she gave Sheng Xia a look that said, I know exactly what you’re thinking—don’t even try.
Deflated, Sheng Xia abandoned her little scheme.On the way back with Wu Qiuxuan, Wang Lianhua received another call from Sheng Mingfeng. She answered, her tone devoid of its usual impatience, leaving only coldness: "Hello?"
"Is Ah Xuan on holiday?" Sheng Mingfeng asked.
Wang Lianhua: "Yes, I just picked her up. We're on our way back."
Sheng Mingfeng: "Alright, then I'll arrange lunch for the holiday. Let them know in advance."
Wang Lianhua: "Fine."
After a pause, just as Wang Lianhua was about to hang up, Sheng Mingfeng added: "As for Sheng Xia's classes, I'll suspend them for now. Let her focus on the college entrance exams first."
Wang Lianhua raised an eyebrow, her words sharp: "What was the point of all this back-and-forth? Being so indecisive—it would've been better to let her concentrate on the exams from the start."
Sheng Mingfeng remained unfazed: "I don't see it as indecisive. I still believe studying abroad is the best choice. I’m just respecting her decision now."
This felt like a veiled jab at her. Wang Lianhua hung up.
Calm conversations had never suited them. Even half a sentence felt excessive when they disagreed.
A couple of days earlier, Sheng Mingfeng had called her, asking whether she would still insist on keeping Sheng Xia in Nanli if she got into Heqing University.
Wang Lianhua was furious.
Did her ex-husband really think she was that short-sighted?
"Of course not. Do you think you're the only one who cares about Sheng Xia's future?"
Hearing her reply, Sheng Mingfeng said, "Then let’s each take a step back."
She was baffled.
It turned out Sheng Mingfeng had asked Li Xu to look into the independent recruitment process and contacted a provincial-level publishing house. He had intended to pull some strings without crossing ethical lines, banking on his reputation.
But the publishing house informed him that Sheng Xia’s manuscript had already been accepted.
The editor-in-chief even called Li Xu personally, praising Sheng Xia from head to toe, calling her a rare literary talent—gifted and principled.
Naturally, they didn’t forget to compliment Sheng Mingfeng for raising such an outstanding daughter.
His reputation hadn’t needed any boosting; instead, his daughter had brought him unexpected pride.
Sheng Mingfeng was genuinely taken aback.
Provincial literary publishers—let alone provincial newspapers—weren’t easy to get into. Having overseen publicity work before, he knew how difficult the latter was.
The former was even harder.
And Sheng Xia was only seventeen.
All these years, he had prided himself on understanding Sheng Xia better than Wang Lianhua.
Now, he felt uncertain. Did he truly know his daughter as well as he thought?
His conviction wavered.
Hearing the retelling, Wang Lianhua was also quietly stunned.
Among their three daughters, Sheng Xia had always been the most academically consistent. But when it came to surprises, Wu Qiuxuan usually took the spotlight—sometimes even Ning Ning outshone Sheng Xia in that regard.
Sheng Xia was too steady, too composed, too obedient.
No one had expected her to quietly accomplish something so remarkable.
Finally, Wang Lianhua asked Sheng Mingfeng, "Why? Why did you suddenly care about the independent recruitment?"
She had assumed he would be the last person to want it to succeed—that he’d prefer it to fail so Sheng Xia would follow the path he’d arranged.
Sheng Mingfeng replied, "Because Sheng Xia said she wanted to make a decision for herself."
...
High school seniors only had one day off for Qingming Festival. When Sheng Xia learned Sheng Mingfeng had arranged lunch, she almost felt like fate was on her side.
So before leaving, she told Wang Lianhua in advance: "Mom, I made plans to visit Zhizhi’s place this afternoon."
Wang Lianhua was puzzled: "Visiting someone’s home on Qingming Festival?"
Sheng Xia: "..."She hadn't expected this question!
Unexpectedly, Wu Qiuxuan came to her rescue, "Mom, update your mindset already. Who cares about these things when dating nowadays?"
Dating.
Although Wu Qiuxuan was referring to her own date with Tao Zhizhi, Sheng Xia felt as if she'd been exposed, lowering her head guiltily.
Wang Lianhua paused for two seconds before nodding thoughtfully.
The three sisters headed out.
Zheng Dongning suddenly turned back and called into the house, "Mom, you should go on a date too!"
Her childish voice was crystal clear.
With that, she took Wu Qiuxuan's hand in her left and Sheng Xia's in her right, pressing the elevator button herself.
The shock wasn't limited to Wang Lianhua inside the house—Wu Qiuxuan and Sheng Xia outside were equally stunned.
But their mother's expression wasn't just surprise—there seemed to be a hint of panic too?
In the elevator, Wu Qiuxuan shook Zheng Dongning's little hand, "Ning Ning, what were you saying earlier?"
Zheng Dongning fell silent again.
This was more like her usual self.
Wu Qiuxuan sighed.
Sheng Mingfeng hadn't come up with anything new either—they still met at the private room in Zhenpin Garden.
This time, however, he brought milk tea.
Ning Ning happily slurped away, while Wu Qiuxuan and Sheng Xia exchanged glances conveying the same thought: There's no way Sheng Mingfeng bought this—Zou Weiping must have.
Wu Qiuxuan was never one to refuse free drinks, but Sheng Xia wasn't particularly fond of milk tea and left hers aside.
Sheng Mingfeng went through the usual questions about their studies and daily lives, asking if they needed anything.
Ning Ning naturally shook her head—what could she possibly need?
Yet Sheng Mingfeng still presented her with a set of paintbrushes, numbering two to three hundred, with colors so dazzling they could make one's eyes spin.
Wu Qiuxuan, on the other hand, had a whole list of demands, the main one being, "I want to return to Nanli for high school!"
To everyone's surprise, Sheng Mingfeng actually seemed to consider it this time. "Study hard. If your scores are good enough for No. 1 High School, Dad will think about it."
"Really?" Wu Qiuxuan hadn't expected her father to relent and was overjoyed.
"My word is my bond."
But her excitement quickly turned to worry—with her current grades and only a few dozen days left, getting into No. 1 High School would be like climbing to heaven.
Finally, it was Sheng Xia's turn.
Sheng Mingfeng asked, "Did your mother tell you that you don't need to attend the study abroad prep classes anymore?"
Sheng Xia was equally astonished, "No..."
Sheng Mingfeng repeated himself.
Sheng Xia grew concerned, "Did you help me with this, Dad? With the publishing matter?"
"No, absolutely not!" Sheng Mingfeng denied. "Ask Brother Li if you don't believe me. He's been following up on this the whole time. I had the idea, but you were faster."
Wu Qiuxuan exclaimed, "Wow, Sis, that's amazing! Can I tell my classmates my sister is an author?"
Sheng Xia scolded, "Don't go spreading nonsense!"
"Study hard. If your college entrance exam results aren't good, you'll still need to attend the prep classes," Sheng Mingfeng emphasized.
Wu Qiuxuan teased, "Dad, why are you so set on sending Sis abroad? Why not send me instead? I'd love that!"
"You wouldn't go to study—you'd just go to play!"
"Pfft, just admit you're playing favorites instead of making excuses."
...
The meal passed in rare harmony.
Sheng Mingfeng had no real holidays to speak of, as evidenced by the constant calls he kept declining during the meal.
After dinner, their driver took them home while Sheng Mingfeng drove back to work alone.
Sheng Xia gave Tao Zhizhi's home address.
Wu Qiuxuan declared she wasn't going home either—she wanted to tag along. There was no winning an argument with Wu Qiuxuan, so Sheng Xia had no choice but to bring her.
And just like that, Ning Ning clung to Sheng Xia's arm, refusing to let go.So the three sisters stood side by side waiting at the entrance of Tao Zhizhi's residential area.
Sheng Xia hadn’t planned to go to Tao Zhizhi’s house in the first place, and naturally, Tao Zhizhi wasn’t prepared either, showing up disheveled to greet them.
Tao Zhizhi’s parents had returned to their hometown for ancestral rites, and since she only had a one-day holiday, she didn’t go with them, staying home alone.
She winked at Sheng Xia: “What’s going on here?!”
Sheng Xia pouted—she didn’t know how things had ended up like this either.
Ugh, telling one lie required so many more to cover it up.
On her phone, someone was still urging: “Are you done eating?”
“Are you coming over soon?”
Sheng Xia could only reply honestly: “My sisters are still with me, I can’t come over yet.”
Song Jiang: “Bring them along.”
Sheng Xia: “…”
Compared to being exposed by her sisters, Sheng Xia felt that not seeing him would be even harder to bear.
She decided to go all out—at worst, she could just pay some hush money.
Thus, after Wu Qiuxuan squealed, “Spinning and jumping with my eyes closed,” and struck various dramatic poses, the four sisters took a taxi to the hospital.
…
In the hospital room, Zhang Sujin was quite shocked to see a certain handsome guy emerge from the bathroom—
Zhang Shu had just called her to bring him a set of casual clothes and his shoes.
Now he was wearing a black T-shirt, jeans, and sneakers, with all the bandages hidden beneath his clothes, not looking the least bit like a patient.
The stubble he hadn’t shaved for days was now cleanly gone, and his hair even seemed freshly styled?
What was this about?
Just because the nurses called him the “hottie of the floor,” was he really developing an idol complex?
Still, it had been a while since she’d seen Zhang Shu looking this energetic, and Zhang Sujin felt a bit emotional.
“Sis, cut some fruit,” he instructed.
Zhang Sujin: “…”
Soon enough, Zhang Sujin learned the truth—Sheng Xia had arrived.
And she’d brought a few friends along.
Though the age range was quite varied.
Sheng Xia was utterly embarrassed.
She’d seen people visiting patients before, but never bringing their entire family along.
Standing at the door, she awkwardly raised her hand: “Sujin-jie.”
“You’re here, come in and sit.”
“Okay…”
As soon as Sheng Xia stepped inside, she froze.
Zhang Shu was sitting on the edge of the hospital bed, his long legs planted on the ground—one stretched out, the other lazily resting on the chair’s crossbar—while he browsed something on his phone. He looked up just then—
This posture was no different from how he usually sat by his desk in class.
Relaxed, lazy, and bathed in sunlight—Zhang Shu.
Sheng Xia was momentarily stunned.
And she wasn’t the only one.
Tao Zhizhi: Wasn’t this guy stabbed? Why does he look so lively?
Wu Qiuxuan: Damn, time to change my bias—why chase celebrities when this guy is definitely going to be my brother-in-law?!
The room fell silent.
Only Zheng Dongning moved, breaking free from her sister’s grip and walking straight up to Zhang Shu. She stared up at him without a word, her eyes darting around.
Her gaze was curious—and utterly infatuated.
Sheng Xia: …If she left right now, would it make this any less embarrassing?
Snapping out of it, she quickly stepped forward to pull Ning Ning back by the hand. “Sorry about that, my sister, she…”
“She’s adorable,” Zhang Shu cut in, pinching Zheng Dongning’s cheek. “Really adorable.”
So soft and bouncy—just like her sister’s.
He gave it another pinch, wincing slightly as the motion tugged at his wound, but he straightened up almost immediately.
To everyone’s surprise, Zheng Dongning giggled, suddenly shy, and buried her face against Sheng Xia’s leg.
Zhang Sujin borrowed a few stools for them to sit, set out the sliced fruit, and then left.Sheng Xia was at a loss.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?” Zhang Shu prompted.
Sheng Xia belatedly realized, “Oh.”
Tao Zhizhi burst into laughter and whispered into Wu Qiuxuan’s ear, “What does this scene remind you of?”
Wu Qiuxuan exchanged a glance with Tao Zhizhi and replied, “Meeting the parents.”
Tao Zhizhi: “That’s too much. I was just going to say it’s like a silly girl introducing her boyfriend to her best friends.”
Wu Qiuxuan: “Huh? That’s what you think? Isn’t that just the truth?”
Tao Zhizhi gave her a thumbs-up.
Damn, when it came to shipping couples, no one could outdo fangirls. Just appearing in the same frame meant marriage.
The two of them didn’t even listen to how Sheng Xia introduced them—after all, they were already very familiar with Zhang Shu.
Wu Qiuxuan had repeated it countless times at school: the top-scoring hero who stood up for justice had a crush on my sister.
Too bad no one believed her.
With Wu Qiuxuan around, awkward silences were impossible. The real concern was whether they could even get a word in.
Her questions grew increasingly tricky, direct, and blunt—like the kind of nosy entertainment reporters celebrities hated but couldn’t shake off.
“Shu-ge, have you ever been in a relationship before?”
“Not even in middle school? No way, right? Don’t worry, I won’t post it online.”
“You’re so handsome—why haven’t you dated?”
“When are you releasing an EP?”
“Do you think studying and being good-looking conflict?”
“Which feels better—dating or being the top scorer?”
Zhang Shu was incredibly patient, as if he weren’t dealing with a mischievous little sister. In that moment, they seemed like peers.
“No.”
“Really, no.”
“Haven’t met the right one.”
“What’s that?”
“What do you think?”
“Not choosing.”
Wu Qiuxuan glanced at her sister, raised an eyebrow, and asked in a low voice, “What do you think of my sister?”
Sheng Xia finally couldn’t take it anymore. “Wu Qiuxuan!”
If the older sister didn’t assert herself, she’d be mistaken for the younger one.
Zheng Dongning giggled from the side, “Sister is pretty.”
Zhang Shu pinched Zheng Dongning’s cheek again. “Ning Ning is right.”
Sheng Xia: “…”
The afternoon was chaotic. After Wu Qiuxuan’s antics, Tao Zhizhi also stopped behaving properly. Sheng Xia’s face alternated between pale and red.
She really regretted bringing them.
She hadn’t even managed to talk to him much.
What they didn’t know was just how badly injured he was. Sitting with them for so long must have been exhausting.
So she stood up first. “It’s getting late. We should head back. You should rest.”
“Late? Sis, it’s only four!”
She hadn’t realized it until now—had they really been here for two hours?
And he had sat there, chatting and laughing with them the entire time.
“No, we’re leaving now!” she scolded.
Whenever she spoke firmly, Wu Qiuxuan still listened. She immediately hopped off Zhang Shu’s hospital bed—where she had been lounging halfway on, legs crossed, as comfortable as if it were her own home.
A guest usurping the host’s place.
And Zhang Shu had let her.
The four sisters stood up in unison. Sheng Xia met Zhang Shu’s lingering gaze.
Ugh, why did it feel like coming here had been pointless?
“We’ll go now. I’ll visit you another day.”
She had expected him to just nod or casually agree, given the crowd.
But Zhang Shu also stood up, stepping right in front of her. “Another day—which day?”
“Tsk tsk tsk.”
“Should we leave first?”
“Let’s go, Zhizhi-jie.”
Halfway out, they turned back to pull Ning Ning along. “Ning Ning, come on. You’re too bright here.”
Sheng Xia: “…”Sheng Xia lowered her head, glanced at his abdomen, then looked up again. "Has it gotten much better already? Can you walk around like this?"
He was standing too close, and now that she looked up, their breaths nearly mingled.
"Yeah," he answered simply.
Sheng Xia: "Then... will you be able to take the second mock exam soon?"
"No."
Sheng Xia: "Huh?"
"I can't walk for long, and I can't sit for long either."
"But you sat for so long today..." Sheng Xia gently pushed his chest, trying to make him lie back down. "Go rest!"
Her hand was caught.
His voice came from above her. "Don’t you have anything else to say to me?"
Anything else.
Of course she did!
"My draft got approved! I should be able to sign the contract once the holiday’s over, so I can make it in time for Heqing University’s review!" She smiled, her eyes curving into crescents as she shared her joy with him.
Zhang Shu’s eyes lit up. His fingers slid between hers, giving them a light squeeze. "You’re amazing."
Then, as if remembering something, he chuckled. "No—you’re amazhing ."
His voice was low and tender.
Sheng Xia bashfully lowered her head, her gaze landing on their intertwined fingers. Flustered, she quickly turned away.
As she did, she caught sight of two heads peeking through the small window by the door. When they noticed her looking, they hastily ducked out of sight.
Sheng Xia...
Her palms felt so, so warm. Her ears burned.
She couldn’t stay any longer.
She pulled her fingers free from his grip. "You should rest. I’ll come back another day."
"Promise?"
"Yeah, promise."
Finally, he let her go.
Sheng Xia walked toward the door but suddenly turned back after a few steps—only to find him still watching her.
"Shu," she said, her tone calm yet resolute, "if I get into Heqing University... will you be with me?"
Zhang Shu froze like porcelain.
Sheng Xia pressed her lips together slightly, then, without waiting for his answer, pulled the door open and left.
She didn’t need his reply because she already knew it would be a nod.
Zhang Shu lay back on the hospital bed, his mind replaying her words before she left.
But—was she mistaken, or was he overthinking it?
Weren’t they already together?
Why wait until university?
What’s the difference, dummy?
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