The end of the year was packed with holidays. Winter Solstice, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day—all could be marketed as Valentine's Day equivalents. But Sheng Xia and Zhang Shu didn’t go on any more dates.
Finals were approaching, and securing a seat in the library during study week was nearly impossible. If you were lucky enough to snag one, you had to make the most of it—staying until closing time was the norm. Everyone was out early and back late; at the very least, none of Sheng Xia’s roommates were slacking off.
As for Zhang Shu? He was even busier. Even during finals, he still had major assignments to complete—on top of reviewing, he had to write various lab reports. Managing a trip to Heqing was already a luxury.
Being busy was one thing, but another reason was that Sheng Xia still felt uneasy about their last date. The next morning, her chest had still ached, and the culprit had the nerve to think he’d been a gentleman!
Just seeing him annoyed her.
The busier people were, the less aware they became of time passing. It wasn’t until the class monitor posted in the group chat about booking train tickets that Sheng Xia realized winter break was coming.
Originally, Sheng Xia had wanted to take the train to experience crossing the country from north to south—it would have been a wonderful journey. But Wang Lianhua planned to bring Wu Qiuxuan over for a vacation trip, with the main goal of touring several prestigious universities to instill a "dream school" mentality in Qiuxuan, who had just started high school.
Sheng Xia would wait for them in Heyan, and after the trip, they’d all return to Nanli together.
Zhang Shu’s break was already late to begin with, and he still had a "mini-semester"—basically, extra classes. His winter break was only ten days, and his summer break just over twenty.
"Mini-semester"—such a fresh-sounding name for what was essentially remedial classes.
Even in university, the school still held collective make-up sessions. The academic grind never ceased to amaze.
Sheng Xia booked the same homestay as before, surrounded by prestigious universities and conveniently located. Wang Lianhua was very satisfied.
The itinerary was entirely planned by Wang Lianhua—mornings were for touring campuses, afternoons for sightseeing. Strangely, Haiyan University was scheduled for the last day.
Shouldn’t it have been first? Or at least second?
Wu Qiuxuan had an explanation: "Maybe it’s like a mother-in-law meeting her future son-in-law—nervous?"
Sheng Xia was speechless. That couldn’t be it. The word "nervous" didn’t even exist in Wang Lianhua’s dictionary, let alone "son-in-law."
That was non-existent.
Sheng Xia hadn’t even mentioned Zhang Shu to Wang Lianhua yet. To her mother, dating now would probably still count as "puppy love."
As soon as they entered Haiyan University’s gates, Wang Lianhua asked, "Why are there still so many students here?"
Sheng Xia explained, "They have a mini-semester," and then elaborated on what that meant.
"Oh, I see," Wang Lianhua said, feigning sudden understanding. "So Zhang Shu hasn’t returned to Nanli yet?"
Sheng Xia: "Not yet."
She answered too quickly—clearly the kind of response from someone who kept tabs on the other person.
Wang Lianhua shot her a glance.
Now Sheng Xia understood. Her mother wasn’t nervous about meeting a "son-in-law." She simply didn’t want to meet him at all.
Wu Qiuxuan piped up beside them, "Sis, can you ask Zhang Shu to give me a tour? Haiyan University is so big and historic—I heard it takes three or four hours to see everything properly, and you need a good guide to make it worthwhile. Are you familiar with the campus?"
If she said yes, it’d be suspicious—why would she be familiar? Because she came often?
If she said no, then she’d have to call Zhang Shu.
Caught in a dilemma, Sheng Xia tactfully declined, "His department is notoriously busy, even in Heqing."
Wu Qiuxuan pouted. "No way. You can’t even boss him around?"
Wang Lianhua had been about to dismiss her younger daughter’s suggestion, but hearing this, she swallowed her words.
Seeing her mother not refute the idea but simply watch her calmly, as if waiting for an answer, Sheng Xia was both shocked and increasingly uneasy.She had no choice but to call Zhang Shu.
In the lab, Zhang Shu heard his phone vibrate and glanced at it before answering, "What's up?"
Though there was no name mentioned, his classmates around him recognized this familiar opening line—it was clearly his girlfriend on the other end, the talented girl from the Literature Department at Heqing University, whose books occupied the prime spot on Zhang Shu’s dorm bookshelf.
When answering others, he’d just say a curt "Hello." For closer acquaintances, like his roommates, it was even shorter: "Speak."
But with his girlfriend, it was different. Those three simple words—"What's up?"—though spoken in his usual deep voice, carried a light, cheerful tone, laced with faint amusement and an inexplicable tenderness.
After listening for less than half a minute, Zhang Shu hung up and said to his group members, "I need to step out for a bit."
"When will you be back?"
"Let’s call it a day for now," Zhang Shu negotiated. "I’ll finish the report tonight."
"What’s so urgent?"
"Pretty urgent," Zhang Shu chuckled. "It’s about whether I can marry my wife in the future."
Since there were no girls in the lab, the guys all started teasing him.
"Then hurry up, go, go! A report is nothing compared to a marriage certificate!"
"Thanks!" Zhang Shu grabbed his jacket and left without a second thought.
In the lab, members from other groups joined in the fun.
"Isn’t this project Zhang Shu’s baby? He’s leaving in the middle of testing? Abandoning his own baby?"
"Who cares about a baby if you can’t get a wife?"
"Zhang Shu can’t get a wife? Are you kidding?"
"He only wants this one, doesn’t he?"
"They’ve been together since high school—how rare is that?"
"High school sweethearts ending up at Heqing and Haiyan Universities? That’s one in a million."
"Exactly. No wonder he’s fine leaving his baby behind. Zhang Shu’s baby, wanna hang with Uncle instead?"
……
……
Sheng Xia led her mother and Wu Qiuxuan along the main path, and before long, they spotted Zhang Shu riding his bike toward them.
"Is that Zhang Shu? It is, right?" Wu Qiuxuan started cheering excitedly even though he was still a hundred meters away. "It has to be! If it’s not, then Haiyan University has way too many handsome guys!"
Sheng Xia: "..."
Wang Lianhua: "..."
Well, there was no denying it—Zhang Shu on a bike, with his long limbs, was a sight to behold.
Even the ruthless winter wind tousling his hair couldn’t diminish his looks.
Zhang Shu pulled over by the roadside, first calling out, "Auntie." Seeing Wang Lianhua nod slightly, he parked his bike properly and walked over.
"Zhang Shu! You’re getting even more handsome—are you sure you don’t want to debut as an idol?" Wu Qiuxuan blurted out without restraint.
Zhang Shu laughed. "Qiuxuan, you’re getting prettier too."
Wang Lianhua shot Wu Qiuxuan a glance before turning to Zhang Shu. "You must be very busy?"
"I was swamped recently, preparing for an important experiment. But now we’re in the final stages, and it’s going smoothly," Zhang Shu replied, neither humble nor pushy, his tone both sincere and casual.
Sheng Xia knew her mother would be pleased with that answer.
She had once heard Sheng Mingfeng ask Li Xu the same question, and Li Xu’s response had been almost identical: "I was very busy before, working on something crucial"—showing diligence and ambition, not idleness; "It’s going smoothly"—indicating he was doing well; "Final stages now"—meaning he wasn’t busy anymore and was ready to serve at any time!
Li Xu had been navigating bureaucratic circles since graduation, handling social niceties flawlessly.
But Zhang Shu hadn’t.
Some people really had two different personas—one for peers and another for elders.Wang Lianhua nodded with a faint smile at the corners of her lips. "We were just wandering around casually and shouldn’t have troubled you. Sheng Xia was being thoughtless."
Zhang Shu still wore a hint of a smile. "When I visited Heqing with classmates earlier, it was Sheng Xia who showed us around—explaining things and even treating us to a meal. Truth be told, I still owe her one. This is a good chance to return the favor."
Sheng Xia was baffled: When had he visited Heqing with classmates?
Wang Lianhua raised an eyebrow.
Didn’t she know her own daughter? One glance at that expression told her there was no such thing. Besides, when they had visited Heqing, Sheng Xia hadn’t been able to explain anything coherently.
Zhang Shu’s response was quite something—layered meanings in just a few words: He went with classmates, so it wasn’t a solo outing; he owed Sheng Xia a favor, so she wasn’t being thoughtless; and now he had a chance to return the gesture, which was even more impressive—effectively arranging their lunch in one stroke.
"Then we’ll trouble you to show us around?" Wang Lianhua remained composed, her tone neutral, revealing nothing of her thoughts.
Zhang Shu: "I haven’t had a proper walk in days, so this is perfect. But Auntie, coming from Nanli, you might not be used to the cold here. If we walk too long, it’ll get uncomfortable. How about we take a route that’s half indoors, half outdoors?"
Wang Lianhua: "Fine, you decide. Mostly, we want Qiu Xuan to see what makes a top university different."
Wu Qiuxuan: "Just seeing Zhang Shu is proof enough of how a top university is different, isn’t it?"
"Shall we go, then?"
Sheng Xia: …Sigh, their world is so complicated.
Just as she was thinking this, Zhang Shu gave her fingers a subtle squeeze—out of Wang Lianhua’s line of sight.
Sheng Xia flinched away, only to be caught by Wu Qiuxuan’s teasing gaze.
Zhang Shu’s hospitality was impeccable—so much so that even Sheng Xia hadn’t known he was this good at conversation or this knowledgeable about Haiyan. No matter what Wang Lianhua asked, he had an answer, and even when he wasn’t entirely sure, he deftly redirected her attention in a few words.
Especially when discussing certain academic disciplines, Wang Lianhua grew particularly interested and even started making plans for Wu Qiuxuan.
She also paid extra attention to his career prospects, asking pointed, detailed questions—average graduate salaries, notable alumni achievements, whether he planned to pursue graduate studies, any entrepreneurial ambitions…
Even Wu Qiuxuan couldn’t take it anymore, let alone Sheng Xia. This was practically an interview for a potential son-in-law. Couldn’t she at least pretend a little?
Zhang Shu answered fluently, clearly having mapped out his life—or at least his four years of university—with precision.
Sheng Xia was embarrassed all over again. They were both freshmen, so why was she completely clueless about her own future?
Moreover, he was considerate without seeming deliberate.
For instance, after touring most of the campus, he adjusted their route, casually passing by a convenience store to buy a pack of hand warmers for them—just as Wang Lianhua had remarked that their feet were getting cold.
For lunch, he arranged for them to eat in the canteen. The top floor had private dining rooms where they could order à la carte, similar to an outside restaurant, though the service and food quality were slightly inferior.
Wang Lianhua was pleased with this arrangement.
After all, they were here to experience campus life. Eating in the canteen gave them a feel for the atmosphere and the food, but the self-service downstairs wouldn’t have been appropriate. This was just right.Going out to a restaurant might seem more respectable, but for a student treating their elders, it would come across as overly extravagant and eager.
Wang Lianhua didn't order too much or too little—just the right amount for n+1 people. No waste, yet not appearing stingy or looking down on the host.
Respect is mutual.
After lunch, they were about to leave. Zhang Shu only saw them off to the school gate, with no additional arrangements—just the right balance of courtesy and distance.
After all, helping them hail a cab wasn’t his role—at least not yet.
While waiting for the taxi, Wang Lianhua struck up another conversation with Zhang Shu: "Zhang Shu, when are you heading back to Nanli?"
"Right after the short semester ends."
"Going back for the New Year?"
"Yes."
"Will you be staying in Lianli or the city?"
Zhang Shu hesitated for a few seconds before answering. "I’ll definitely spend New Year’s Eve in Lianli. The rest depends on whether I have any plans."
Wang Lianhua smiled. "Rare to have a break—make sure to relax and catch up with old friends. Sheng Xia should do the same."
Sheng Xia, suddenly mentioned, froze for a moment.
Zhang Shu’s smile deepened as he nodded. "Got it."
Once they were in the taxi, Wu Qiuxuan leaned in with a grin and whispered in Sheng Xia’s ear, "Sis, Mom seems to be encouraging you two to meet up during the holidays!"
Sheng Xia: "...No way."
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