Sheng Xia was awakened by several muffled thunderclaps.
Outside the window, a storm raged, a stark contrast to the clear, starry night from before, making her briefly wonder if it had all been a dream.
She instinctively touched her neck, and the metallic sensation beneath her fingertips confirmed it—last night was no dream.
He had appeared downstairs, extended an invitation, and she had reached out, interlacing her fingers with his.
Standing before the mirror, Sheng Xia examined the delicate floral-patterned necklace. Its simple lines outlined the shape, with a tiny diamond in the center.
Worried he had spent too much, she had hesitated, but Zhang Shu had assured her it was cheap—probably just cubic zirconia.
Sheng Xia usually only wore a watch, never jewelry. She had no particular interest in accessories, though she had seen enough to recognize decent taste. His choice wasn’t the tacky "straight guy aesthetic" Xin Xiaohe and her friends often complained about.
He had said she resembled jasmine.
Did she?
Her gaze shifted to her reflection.
Starting today, this disheveled, unwashed jasmine in the mirror had a boyfriend.
The thought made her blush, and she hurried to wash up.
During breakfast, she could feel Wang Lianhua’s eyes on her, though her mother said nothing. Uneasy, Sheng Xia proactively shared her plans: “Mom, I’m going to school this afternoon to estimate my scores. There’s a dinner gathering tonight, so I might be back late.”
Wang Lianhua offered no objections. “Call me when you’re about to head back. I’ll pick you up.”
“Okay.”
As soon as Sheng Xia entered the classroom, Xin Xiaohe studied her with narrowed eyes. “You’re wearing a necklace now?”
Sheng Xia tensed, suddenly understanding why her mother had been staring.
Had she gotten too carried away? She should’ve hidden it first.
Nearly everyone had arrived—except Zhang Shu.
Wang Wei grew impatient and called to hurry him along.
Sheng Xia knew he was handling passport paperwork—Zhang Sujin was holding her wedding in Fiji soon, and the timeline was tight. Expedited processing was necessary.
After hanging up, Wang Wei announced, “No point waiting. Let’s start estimating without him.”
The school’s score estimation process had three rounds, starting strict and gradually loosening, with the final score being the average.
Sheng Xia began with math, the subject she felt most confident about. The result stunned her—136.
Even accounting for minor deductions in steps, she was certain to score above 130.
This gave her immense confidence, and her science subjects also turned out surprisingly strong.
By the time she finished estimating English, she felt an overwhelming sense of disbelief—she might have outperformed her own expectations.
Though the simulated cutoff scores weren’t out yet, after the first round, Sheng Xia was already certain:
She was getting into Heqing University.
Because her first-round estimate was the strictest.
“Xia Xia, you must’ve done really well!” Xin Xiaohe exclaimed excitedly beside her.
Sheng Xia: “Ah, I don’t know.”
“Your cheeks are practically glowing! You definitely aced it!”
So when joy struck, it really was impossible to hide.
“What about you, Xiao He?”
Xin Xiaohe frowned. “Hard to say.”
But judging by her demeanor, it didn’t seem bad.
“You must’ve crushed it!”
“Hope so!”
Yang Linyu made his way across the classroom to ask Xin Xiaohe, “How’d it go?”
Xin Xiaohe: “Not telling!”
Yang Linyu looked wounded but still managed a faint smile. “You’ll make it for sure.”
Xin Xiaohe: “Make what?”
Yang Linyu: “Dongzhou University. Your dream school.”
Xin Xiaohe continued estimating her third-round scores without looking up. “Who says my dreams can’t change?”
Yang Linyu: “…”"Remember to enter your estimated scores into the system once you're done. The school will simulate cutoff lines based on your estimates, so be responsible—both to yourselves and your classmates. Estimate carefully, don't just guess randomly," Wang Wei reminded from the podium.
The classroom buzzed with noise as students began comparing scores, some still unwilling to let go and discussing test questions. Zhang Shu arrived fashionably late.
He didn’t enter the classroom, instead leaning by the window and quietly watching—more specifically, watching Sheng Xia, who sat near the window. A faint smile played on his lips as he waited for her to notice him.
But Sheng Xia was too absorbed in entering her scores to look up.
"Enough already, stop eye-flirting in public..." Xin Xiaohe was the first to spot Zhang Shu. "We’ve graduated, give us a break."
At her words, everyone turned to look.
Sheng Xia finally glanced up and nearly bumped into his chin.
Zhang Shu reached out to ruffle her hair before circling to the front door and entering the classroom.
The room erupted in teasing cheers.
"Ooooh, looks like someone’s already forgotten about Lao Wang the moment we graduated."
Lao Wang: "..."
"You two... did it?" Xin Xiaohe sidled up, tapping her fingers together suggestively.
Sheng Xia’s ears turned red. Did what? What exactly did Xiaohe mean by that gesture—were they officially together now, or had they kissed, or... something else?
Of course, she wouldn’t ask. Instead, she shot Xin Xiaohe a sidelong glare and ignored the question.
"Seriously?" Xin Xiaohe glanced at Sheng Xia’s necklace, already filling in the blanks herself. Her voice was hushed but excited. "How far have you gone?"
Sheng Xia: "..."
Her expression was equal parts exasperated and innocent. Xin Xiaohe sighed in frustration. "Hey! It’s time to do what you gotta do! It’s not like it’s puppy love anymore! Don’t tell me you two haven’t even kissed yet?"
"Estimate your scores, hurry up!" Sheng Xia protested weakly.
Xin Xiaohe shook her head, clicking her tongue. "Shu-ge’s slacking."
Zhang Shu estimated his scores late but finished quickly. Many, including Lao Wang, tried to probe him indirectly, but he only said, "I’ve entered them."
He revealed nothing else, his cryptic demeanor leaving everyone guessing.
The school forum was flooded with posts about score estimates, and one about Zhang Shu floated at the top of the trending page.
[Any Class Six folks here? How much did Zhang Shu estimate? Spill the tea!]
1st floor: [Want to know +1]
2nd floor: [Want to know +2]
3rd floor: [Want to know +10086]
4th floor: [Class Six here, no clue. Shu-ge didn’t reveal a single subject.]
5th floor: [Which Class Six traitor is this? Shu-ge didn’t treat you well?]
6th floor: [Did he bomb it? If he did well, wouldn’t he say so?]
7th floor: [Of course he wouldn’t. Big shots have their pride, no?]
8th floor: [Shouldn’t we just wish him high scores regardless? This post is so gossipy.]
9th floor: [Don’t pretend you don’t wanna know. Everyone wants our school to have a top scorer, but Zhang Shu’s condition is really up in the air. Can’t we even discuss it?]
10th floor: [Why are we still talking about him? Is our school that lacking? I really don’t get it. He’s only extra noticed because he’s good-looking. His foundation was never that strong—he transferred from Zhenzhong. If you really break it down, he only stood out in sophomore year. Since senior year, hasn’t he been slacking?]
The post gradually shifted into dissecting Zhang Shu’s past academic performance.
They even nitpicked details like which math problem he got wrong in a certain exam to prove his weak foundation—the level of meticulous deduction was truly astounding.The class was buzzing with complaints, and some were firing back on the forum posts.
This time, Zhang Shu didn’t log into his flashy SHU_xxrmm account to reply. He merely glanced at the comments and chuckled, "Impressive. Even I don’t remember these details myself."
Those grades—he couldn’t recall them either.
Though Class Six students were quick to retort, deep down, they weren’t entirely confident.
As for Zhang Shu’s results, everyone silently agreed not to bring them up on this day.
Sheng Xia didn’t plan to mention it either, despite her burning curiosity and anxiety.
But whether it was about the future or their grades, their fingers were already tightly intertwined.
No other thoughts mattered.
After estimating their scores, everyone began packing up.
Zhang Shu had to leave early to help Zhang Sujin pick out a wedding dress.
Before leaving, he crouched beside Sheng Xia’s seat, tilting his head up to pinch her cheek. "Did well on the exams?" he asked.
His affectionate gesture was unabashed, and the onlookers didn’t even try to hide their stares.
Sheng Xia reminded herself to get used to it quickly, though her expression still betrayed a hint of awkwardness. She quickly changed the subject, "Are you coming to the dinner tonight?"
"Yeah, I’ll join you after I’m done."
Sheng Xia nodded, correcting him, "Join us ."
"Oh, join you ."
"..."
If the day of the gaokao had been all about relief, now the bittersweetness of parting had truly set in.
Sheng Xia gazed at the once-cluttered desks, now clean and empty, stretching out like an open plain. A sudden wave of melancholy washed over her.
Senior year—gone in the blink of an eye.
The corridors had turned into a massive flea market, with stalls popping up everywhere.
Underclassmen browsed through notebooks and problem sets, marveling at the pristine ones, exclaiming how cheap and worthwhile they were—never questioning why they were untouched.
Nor did they realize that the seniors might have bought them from the class above.
The sound of haggling filled the air. Sheng Xia didn’t feel right charging for her things, so she left her box of books in the corridor for the underclassmen to take freely.
Zhang Shu, however, didn’t seem to have anything to sell.
She strolled around the campus with Xin Xiaohe and the others, visiting every memorable spot and taking group photos to make up for the rushed graduation day.
The farewell banquet for their teachers was held at a restaurant near the school.
Upon arrival, they realized the place was practically taken over by their high school, with different classes occupying private rooms. Walking down the hallway, they could hear multiple versions of thank-you speeches.
Class Six had reserved a small hall with five tables. Hou Junqi commandeered the main table—aside from the teachers’—and waved Sheng Xia and the others over.
The entire table was filled with familiar faces.
Hou Junqi, Qi Xiulei, Yang Linyu, and two of Yang Linyu’s roommates.
Xin Xiaohe, Lanlan, and Xiaomai.
With Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu, it made ten.
When Zhang Shu walked in, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He headed straight for Sheng Xia and naturally took the seat beside her, greeting everyone.
He didn’t even ask whose spot it was—as if the place next to her was always meant to be his.
Yang Linyu teased, "Shu-ge, tone down the PDA later. I want to eat a lot tonight—don’t spoil my appetite before I even start."
Qi Xiulei chimed in, "Seconded."
"Same here."
Sheng Xia was puzzled. What PDA? He hadn’t even looked at her! He’d only been talking to them!
Lanlan, however, disagreed. "No, I don’t second that. Please, go ahead—flaunt it all you want. I doubt I’ll ever get to witness such a perfect couple up close in college."
Hou Junqi muttered, "This feels like a wedding banquet.""HAHAHAHAHAHA you're right!"
"Come on, come on, the emcee is starting to speak."
As Xin Xiaohe's words fell, Wang Wei on the stage was testing the microphone, "Testing, testing."
"HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Their table burst into laughter.
"This is just too perfect."
"Laughing my ass off."
Their table was the closest to the front, and Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu happened to be seated in the main guest positions. The scene...
Sheng Xia was beyond just having red ears. She leaned back in her chair, trying to hide herself, her cheeks and neck flushed red. If one didn’t know her, they might think she was having an allergic reaction.
Zhang Shu propped himself up with one hand on the table, turning to look at her.
She was wearing the necklace he gave her—how perfectly it suited her.
Lost in thought, he instinctively reached out to pinch her cheek, but his hand was intercepted mid-air. Sheng Xia swatted his hand away, fuming, "Stop messing around!"
Or so she thought she was fuming. To Zhang Shu, she just looked utterly adorable.
"Alright, sure, sure," he raised an eyebrow, playing along.
Sheng Xia sighed in relief. The dishes were already being served, and Wang Wei was giving his speech. Even after graduation, it was the same old clichés. Everyone ate and drank, occasionally clapping and cheering to be polite.
Suddenly, the hand Sheng Xia had resting on her lap was grabbed. She turned her head and glared at him.
Zhang Shu, eyes full of amusement, gave her hand a squeeze and leaned in.
Amid Wang Wei’s impassioned speech, a low voice murmured in her ear, "Missed you."
Sheng Xia: ...
You’re right here—what’s there to miss?!
Then he let go of her hand and straightened up, chatting with someone from the next table who had come over to toast.
Sheng Xia was momentarily dazed.
Had he really just spoken to her?
The guys had their glasses filled with real alcohol, and some of the girls could hold their liquor too, making rounds without batting an eye.
The room buzzed with clinking glasses. Sheng Xia, substituting juice for alcohol, also made rounds to toast the teachers.
She was with Xin Xiaohe and had no idea someone was standing right behind her.
Fu Jie suddenly stood up, looking at Sheng Xia with emotion, but what she called out was, "Zhang Shu!"
Only then did Sheng Xia turn around, nearly bumping into his chest. Zhang Shu didn’t dodge, just looked at her helplessly, tapped her forehead, and pushed her away slightly. "Listen to the teacher!"
Fu Jie sighed. "You’ve graduated. Teacher Sprite might need years to recover, wuwuwu. When will I ever meet students like you again?"
The name sounded familiar to Sheng Xia, and she suddenly remembered—on Weibo!
"The super strict Teacher Sprite," Zhang Shu teased, pointing out the username. "So strict indeed."
Fu Jie protested, "I was strict with you, Zhang Shu. You should cherish that."
She hiccuped mid-sentence, clearly a bit tipsy.
But she was still a teacher, so she left it at that.
Sheng Xia understood the underlying meaning, and so did everyone else around.
Zhang Shu clinked his glass against Fu Jie’s. "Listening to the teacher. I’ll finish mine—you take your time."
Then he downed his drink in one go.
Sheng Xia also took a big sip of juice.
Naturally, they ended up making rounds together—Sheng Xia in front, Zhang Shu close behind her, nearly a head taller. When his arm tired from holding his glass, he rested it on her shoulder. Sheng Xia turned to glare at him, annoyed.
Lai Yilin whispered to Fu Jie.
"How did Zhang Shu’s score estimate turn out?""The teacher portal isn't open yet, can't see anything?"
"Sheng Xia should be set."
"Never thought the first one to be set would be Sheng Xia."
"She's a girl with great potential, slow but steady progress."
"Zhang Shu is really strong; the college entrance exam won't stop him. Even if he doesn't do exceptionally well, this student won't be ordinary in the future."
"Students like these are rare to come across even once, let alone a pair—it's like a fairy tale, old pal."
"Probably won't see it again in this lifetime."
"A perfect match."
"A match made in heaven."
...
After eating and drinking their fill, they moved on to the second venue: KTV.
Perhaps because graduation was near, everyone was especially uninhibited, even the teachers joining in the fun.
The VIP room was spacious, with several areas for different activities—card games, dice, singing—so everyone could enjoy themselves.
The boys gathered to play cards, while most of the girls sang. When Wang Wei picked a song, everyone paused their activities to cheer him on.
They expected Wang Wei to choose songs like "Wild Goose" or "Love Song of the Western Sea," but instead, he went with "Someone Like You" by Adele.
"Damn, Adele? Lao Wang's cheating or what?"
Ignoring the comments, Wang Wei confidently followed the music.
His pronunciation wasn't perfect, but his tone and emotion were spot-on, even nailing that slight Western inflection.
Eyes widened in surprise.
The whole class was stunned.
It was in that moment they realized: Wang Wei was only in his early thirties—still a young guy.
Earlier during dinner, they had noticed that Wang Wei was dressed in casual sportswear, finally looking his age. Even his ringtone wasn’t "Moonlight Over the Lotus Pond" anymore.
Fu Jie remarked from the side, "Your Teacher Wang put on quite the act to reassure parents about entrusting you to him!"
His demeanor at school was exactly what most parents expected from an experienced teacher.
This reflection brought a brief silence to the otherwise lively room.
Some of the girls had tears welling up in their eyes.
Including Sheng Xia.
She recalled her first meeting with Wang Wei, their first "Big Brother Talk," when he asked her, "You don’t want to study abroad, do you?" and when he signed her leave slip...
He would have many, many more students in the future.
But for everyone in that room, he was the one and only homeroom teacher of their senior year.
As the song ended, thunderous applause erupted.
Wang Wei took off his glasses to wipe his eyes, then grabbed the mic and shouted, "Dear friends, happy graduation, and may your futures be bright!"
Friends.
At that moment, they were no longer just his students—they would be his lifelong friends.
Most of the teachers left early, and others gradually trickled out, but the energy in the room never faded.
Sheng Xia didn’t sing or play games, just sat and watched them roll dice.
Zhang Shu rarely lost at dice, almost as if he had a sixth sense.
After losing several rounds in a row, Hou Junqi got frustrated. "A-Shu, move aside! Are you cheating? Let Little Sheng Xia roll!"
Zhang Shu raised an eyebrow, glanced at Sheng Xia, then pulled her over from the girls' side to sit next to him. He casually wrapped an arm around her waist and said to Hou Junqi, "If you lose again, two drinks per round."
Hou Junqi: "Fine, fine, no problem!"
Qi Xiulei: "You’re bullying a girl? Make it three!"Hou Junqi: "Damn, would any girl taught by Shu ever lose out? Are you out of your mind?"
Qi Xiulei: "Yeah, yeah, yeah, alright, let's start!"
Amid their clamor, Sheng Xia felt an electric sensation where his arm wrapped around her waist. Yet he seemed completely unfazed by the gesture, chatting and laughing with his friends as usual.
"Know how to play?" Zhang Shu turned to ask her.
As he spoke, his hand resting on her waist moved slightly up and down—just a casual motion to get her attention.
So natural.
"No," she replied, feeling anything but natural!!
"I'll teach you. You'll get it in one round. Just give the dice a shake, doesn't matter how."
Sheng Xia gripped the dice cup. "What if I lose?"
"No worries. I haven't lost yet anyway—I'm thirsty."
"Fuck me," Hou Junqi couldn't take it anymore. "Stop showing off in front of your wife and just get on with it!"
Sheng Xia stiffened completely.
In the end, she never quite grasped the rules of the game. She simply followed his instructions—shaking when told, calling out numbers as directed.
By the end, Hou Junqi had downed several bottles while Zhang Shu only drank one cup.
They'd won, she knew.
Hou Junqi threw up his hands. "No more, let's take a break!"
Zhang Shu turned to her. "Having fun?"
Sheng Xia pursed her lips. "It's alright."
Zhang Shu just chuckled and gave her chin a playful pinch.
She noticed he had so many little physical quirks!
And how could they come so... effortlessly natural!
Meanwhile, her waist still felt stiff—because he hadn't let go all evening.
"Sing something, Shu. Haven't heard you in ages."
Ever agreeable, Zhang Shu said, "Sure," then turned to ask her, "What do you want to hear?"
"Anything's fine."
Finally releasing her waist, he went to select a song. Returning with the microphone, he remained standing to sing.
A ballad.
"If I Were Young And Accomplished."
"The TV keeps flickering, your contact still saved / All your kindness to me, destroyed by my mistakes"
His rendition of ballads was truly irresistible.
Many stopped to listen. Many glanced at Sheng Xia. Many recorded videos.
Zhang Shu focused solely on singing.
"If I were young and accomplished, not insecure / Knowing what's truly precious / Those beautiful dreams I couldn't give you / Would leave me lifelong regret"
Sheng Xia couldn't tell if it was her imagination, but she sensed this wasn't just a random song choice.
Every line spoke of regret, yet the singer seemed to remind himself—don't regret, become accomplished while young.
As she pondered this, Zhang Shu suddenly reached for her hand. When she hesitated, he simply took it himself, holding it lightly while keeping his eyes on the lyrics.
He stood singing. She sat listening.
Their hands clasped together.
Before a room full of witnesses.
Strangely, Sheng Xia felt no nervousness.
They would become accomplished while young.
The song ended, leaving everyone in contemplative silence.
"Damn, why'd you ask him to sing? Now who dares follow that?" someone joked, breaking the spell as new music filled the lively room again.
Zhang Shu collapsed onto the sofa, leaning back as if exhausted from playing.
Sheng Xia leaned back too, about to ask when they'd leave.
Just as she settled, she felt a weight on her shoulder.
His head rested there. She tilted slightly to look.
At this proximity, she caught the faint scent of alcohol in his breath.
Noticing her gaze, he lifted his chin slightly—still leaning on her shoulder—and stared directly back at her.Too close. Sheng Xia straightened her neck slightly, putting a little distance between them.
After a long moment, warm breath brushed against her neck, and his deep voice sounded in her ear: "Sheng Xia, September. See you in Heyan."
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