Summer in Your Name

Sheng Xia felt like she had turned into a giant panda, being paraded around by Wang Lianhua and Sheng Mingfeng in turns to "show off."

Throughout the entire Spring Festival holiday, Sheng Xia spent almost every day at dinner gatherings. She hadn't seen many of Wang Lianhua's friends in years, nor had she met the extended Sheng family relatives for a long time.

These dinners always began with "Look who's here, the top student from Heqing University!" and ended with "If my child were this accomplished, I'd be laughing in my dreams. XX, you should learn more from Sister Sheng Xia, understand?"

The rest of the time, Sheng Xia was stuck at driving school. She had passed the written test during summer break but failed the road test. Sheng Mingfeng arranged for a private instructor, but she still didn't pass the retake, so she had to keep grinding during winter vacation.

Hou Junqi, who had finally returned from abroad, created a small group chat insisting they must get together. Everyone was excited—they definitely wanted to meet, but couldn't settle on a date. After days of discussion (though Sheng Xia didn't follow the details), Hou Junqi finally posted the confirmed time in the group announcement. Since she was free then, Sheng Xia replied without thinking: "I'm fine with anytime!"

Zhang Shu immediately responded: "...Are you sure?"

Hou Junqi: "Han Xiao is traveling abroad with his mom and won't be back until the 8th. I have to return to Canada on the 10th, so the 9th is the only day. Everyone, just make it work."

Wu Pengcheng: "Nice date you picked—Valentine's Day. If we can bring partners, I'm in."

Liu Huian: "Isn't your girlfriend at your school? Is she coming to Nanli?"

Wu Pengcheng: "Who said I was bringing my girlfriend?"

Han Xiao: "Bro Cheng, one at school and one at home?"

Liu Huian: "Don't."

Zhang Shu: "@Wu Pengcheng Then don't come. Disgusting."

Wu Pengcheng: "Damn, just joking."

Hou Junqi: "Not funny, Lao Wu."

Xin Xiaohe: "This isn't your bros-only group chat, okay? Keep this up and you're getting kicked @Wu Pengcheng."

Wu Pengcheng: "My bad, my bad. Sorry, Sister Xin."

Yang Linyu: "@Xin Xiaohe, babe, no group attacks."

Wu Pengcheng: "See? The lovebirds are already at it. Gonna be unbearable when we meet."

Hou Junqi: "There's another pair here @Zhang Shu @Sheng Xia."

Sheng Xia: "Honest person.jpg"

Zhang Shu: "@Sheng Xia, babe, no group attacks."

Wu Pengcheng: "Where's my knife?"

Hou Junqi: "Bloody knife.jpg, here."

Xin Xiaohe: "@Sheng Xia, babe, bring Taozi! Monkey Bro, don't worry—you have an official match, remember?"

Xiaomai: "Yesss! Heard @Sheng Xia's bestie is super cute! Need to squish!"

Lanlan: "Bring her! The guys outnumber us girls, waaah!"

The boys were always extra enthusiastic about matchmaking and warmly welcomed Taozi, eagerly giving Hou Junqi advice on how to impress her.

Sheng Xia: "I'll ask her then.Tao Zhizhi's reserve lasted less than three minutes before she agreed.

With the squad assembled, Hou Junqi insisted that since they'd finally gathered, they couldn't just eat and call it a day—future meetups would only have fewer people.

He wasn't wrong. In college, everyone was busy chasing their futures, so gatherings like these would only become rarer.So the plan became a two-day, one-night trip. On the morning of the eighth, they would all return to their high school together. Since the junior students had just started their make-up classes and the teachers were all present, they could visit their former teachers. In the afternoon, once Han Xiao returned, they would set off for Lianli.

The Lianli barbecue they'd planned last summer vacation was finally happening.

When Wang Lianhua heard about their destination, she raised an eyebrow and asked, "Who are you going with?"

"Taozi, Xiaohe, Xiaohe's roommate, and a few guys from our class..." Sheng Xia's voice grew quieter as she spoke.

Wang Lianhua: "How many guys?"

Sheng Xia actually counted on her fingers: "Six."

"And girls?"

"Five."

"How are five of you going to stay together?"

"Last time we went out, three of us shared a room..."

Wang Lianhua pondered for a long time, fingers tapping lightly on her knee, before finally making a request: "Then take your sister along. You can share a room with her."

This...

Although A-Xuan was very outgoing, wasn't this inappropriate?

Just as Sheng Xia was hesitating, Wang Lianhua added, "If you feel embarrassed, have your dad arrange a car with a driver as compensation for bringing extra family. That way it'll be more convenient for all of you."

"Mom..."

"Either that or don't go. With such a big group going out overnight, you'll definitely go wild."

"..."

Sheng Xia couldn't understand—wouldn't bringing A-Xuan make things even wilder?

Wu Qiuxuan was all for it, raising both hands and feet in agreement. She loved hanging out with people older than her.

Sheng Xia sat worried in her room, too embarrassed to mention it in the group chat. She felt like she was the only one with so many complications.

Wu Qiuxuan slipped into Sheng Xia's room, hugging her arm and pleading, "Sis, just let me go! I promise not to cause any trouble! You guys can do whatever you want—I won't interfere! And I'll give Mom a perfect report, okay?"

"What report?"

"Did you really think Mom sent me along for no reason? Of course it's to make sure you guys don't... you know, cross any lines."

"..."

"Don't worry, I'm on Zhang Shu's side."

"..."

Sheng Xia had no choice but to first mention this to Xin Xiaohe and then casually bring it up with Zhang Shu. Once Xin Xiaohe announced it in the group chat, the matter was settled. Everyone was happy that the transportation issue had been resolved.

Early on the morning of the eighth, the Class Six group gathered at the school's north gate. Wang Wei personally came out to greet them, calling from afar, "Let me see who's here! Let's see if university has changed you at all!"

As he got closer, he hugged the guys one by one. "Zhang Shu, you rascal, even at Haiyan University you haven't roughened up. Looks like you're living the good life instead of studying hard!"

"Hou Junqi! How come you've lost weight abroad? No good food over there?"

"Qi Xiulei! Your glasses got even thicker—must be staying up all night reading novels in college, huh?"

"Yang Linyu! How did you end up with Sister Xin? Look how tan you've gotten..."

"Lao Wang! Watch your words!" Xin Xiaohe scolded angrily. "What do you mean 'how did you end up with me'? What's wrong with being with me?"

Yang Linyu chuckled. "I got lucky, I got lucky."

When Wang Wei turned to the girls, his expression softened as if looking at his own daughters, finding everything about them pleasing. He praised, "Each of you has grown more beautiful! If I saw you on the street, I wouldn't dare recognize you!"

Lanlan: "We'd recognize you, though!"

Wang Wei then took them to see the class he was currently teaching.

This year, Wang Wei was still handling a graduating class—another honors class at that.The previous homeroom teacher of this class was on maternity leave, and since she also taught chemistry, Wang Wei—who had outstanding teaching achievements—was entrusted with this critical task by the school leadership, placing high hopes on him.

Class Six was indeed Wang Wei’s pride.

A parallel class had produced a top scorer in the college entrance exam, one admitted to Heqing University, another to the University of Pennsylvania, and over half the students got into 211 Project universities. It was undeniably an impressive record.

At the moment, the class was in the middle of a math lesson. After exchanging a few words with the teacher, Wang Wei asked Zhang Shu to come up and say a few words.

Unprepared, Zhang Shu looked at Wang Wei with resignation and disdain. "Why don’t you just let them focus on the lesson?"

"You don’t understand the power of role models or how important spiritual guidance is. Back then, if I hadn’t talked to you all again and again..." Wang Wei began earnestly. The students exchanged glances, stifling giggles.

Here we go again. Lao Wang really hadn’t changed a bit.

"Class, standing beside me is last year’s provincial top scorer in the college entrance exam. You probably all know him—my student, your senior Zhang Shu. And those by the door are also your seniors—some from Heqing University, some from Heyan University of Science and Technology, and others from Dongzhou University. Today, they’ve come back to visit me..."

As he listed these prestigious university names, Wang Wei’s smile was so wide it looked like his cheekbones might burst.

"Zhang Shu, as a representative, say a few words—share some study methods or encourage your juniors!"

Amid thunderous applause, Zhang Shu glanced at Wang Wei’s expectant expression, then smirked and asked the class, "Isn’t Lao Wang pretty annoying?"

Wang Wei’s face darkened, and the class erupted in muffled laughter.

"We thought so too—really annoying," Zhang Shu said, glancing at where Sheng Xia and the others stood. They nodded in agreement, lips pressed together in amusement. Wang Wei’s expression grew even stormier.

"Don’t worry. Once you’re in college, there won’t be someone like this buzzing around you anymore," Zhang Shu continued, his tone shifting slightly from teasing to something more subdued. "In college, the teachers leave right after class. Assignments are posted online, submissions are online—no need to meet the teacher. If you have questions, email them, but no rush—check back in two or three days because that’s how long it’ll take for a reply. If you don’t finish your homework, no one will chase you down. If you fail an exam, no one will scold you. And there’s no more ‘heart-to-heart big brother’ time. It’s pretty comfortable..."

Seeing the juniors’ smiles fade into pensiveness, Zhang Shu paused before asking, "Doesn’t sound so great now, does it? Right now, it’s tough, but you’re surrounded by people walking the same path. No matter how hard it gets, you’re not alone."

"Teacher Wang asked me to hype you up, but I don’t have the right or the status for that. The ones who most want you to succeed are your families, your ‘heart-to-heart big brother’ Teacher Wang, and yourselves."

"You’ve got one semester left. Whether time flies or becomes a song—that’s up to you."

Zhang Shu finished speaking, but the class didn’t react much. His ending wasn’t rousing or particularly encouraging—it just ended.

He looked at Wang Wei. "Done."

Only then did delayed applause ripple through the room.

"Say a bit more?" Wang Wei urged.

Zhang Shu: "Every minute of math class is precious."

The class burst into laughter, and even the math teacher standing nearby chuckled. "Go ahead, talk a little longer."Wang Wei said, "This is a rare opportunity. Does anyone have questions for Zhang Shu? There are also several outstanding seniors here you can ask."

Several hands went up—some asked about maintaining the right mindset during the final sprint, while others inquired about specific study techniques. Zhang Shu answered each one concisely and clearly.

Sheng Xia stood by the door, watching his profile. That feeling of "He seems different somehow, but I can't pinpoint how" surfaced again.

Lost in thought, she suddenly heard a male student ask, "Senior, you mentioned having companions on the same path makes things less lonely. Does that mean university life is lonely?"

Zhang Shu replied, "I'm doing fine. I'm not lonely."

"Why not?"

Just as everyone expected the top-scoring senior to say something profound, he simply smiled and said, "Because I have a girlfriend."

The room erupted in laughter. A bold female student called out, "Senior, you started dating so soon after entering university despite being so outstanding?"

"Because she's outstanding too."

Sheng Xia had guessed he'd answer this way when the question was asked, but hearing it still made her cheeks warm. Beside her, Xin Xiaohe and Xiaomai nudged her shoulders teasingly.

The underclassmen quickly noticed their reactions, their curious gazes darting between Zhang Shu and Sheng Xia as whispers spread.

Sometimes, the chemistry between people is like this—even when standing far apart, they seem intrinsically connected.

On stage, Wang Wei said, "That's right, no need to guess. Your senior Sheng Xia, the talented literature major from Heqing University, is Senior Zhang Shu's girlfriend. She was also my student."

Gossip fueled excitement, and the whispering grew louder. Both boys and girls looked on with admiration and envy. A male student asked, "Senior, how did you manage to both top the exams and win over Senior Sheng Xia?"

Zhang Shu pondered briefly. "For that, I have to thank Lao Wang. He diligently guided me for two years and gave me a precious five minutes."

The underclassmen didn't understand, nor did Xin Xiaohe and the others. They could only interpret it as Zhang Shu attributing his success to Wang Wei—undoubtedly a huge compliment to him.

Five minutes.

The five minutes on that birthday night.

A precious five minutes.

Sheng Xia understood.

Wang Wei also understood, pretending to wipe away tears.

Zhang Shu soon yielded the floor to the math teacher, and the group exited the classroom to visit their former subject teachers.

The most excited was undoubtedly Fu Jie, who immediately blurted, "Zhang Shu, when are you and Sheng Xia getting married? You have to invite me!"

Sheng Xia was utterly embarrassed.

Zhang Shu replied smoothly with a laugh, "Teacher Fu, we'll serve Sprite at your table."

Fu Jie: "Hahaha, you get me!"

Xin Xiaohe: "Sprite? The super strict Sprite Teacher?"

Fu Jie: "Yes, hahaha, did you all see that?"

Xiaomai: "Wow, who knew you were the frontline shipper all along?"

Sheng Xia was stunned—how did everyone know?

Did that mean her forwarded wish was also public knowledge?

Oh no!

The delayed realization of her exposure sent a chill down her spine.

The group toured the school, stopping by the lake to tease the peacocks and chase the aggressive geese, then bought drinks at the convenience store before finally lounging on the sports field bleachers to bask in the sun.

"Nanli's climate is still the most comfortable," Hou Junqi sprawled out and sighed.

"Are you serious?" Xin Xiaohe questioned. "The summers are scorching, and every evening study session turns into a debate over whether to turn on the AC."

Xiaomai added, "Not just the summers—when other places are covered in snow, Nanli's still in short sleeves."Lanlan said, "Exactly, it's summer all year round, and your arms are always sticking to exam papers."

Sheng Xia rarely chimed in, "But the cucumber juice in Nanli is so good. I’ve never had anything like it outside."

Xin Xiaohe laughed, "Haha, is it just the cucumber juice at the affiliated high school that’s good?"

Sheng Xia nodded, "Seems that way. Too bad it’s a summer special."

Xin Xiaohe replied, "Summer special—what isn’t these days?"

Their youth was also a summer special.

Only when they returned to Nanli did it feel endlessly stretched.

...

In the afternoon, a minibus carried a lively group of young people to Lianli.

The hotel was arranged by Zhang Shu—a quaint homestay with all six rooms booked out. The owner, a local of Lianli and a good friend of Zhang Sujin, was an artist who had returned from Dongzhou after the area was designated a scenic spot. He opened this homestay, which hadn’t officially launched yet, and treated them as valued "test sleepers," personally welcoming them with fruit and desserts.

The girls stayed upstairs, the boys downstairs. Zhang Shu helped Sheng Xia and Wu Qiuxuan carry their luggage to their room and said, "We’ll go out together in the evening to buy ingredients for the barbecue. Think about what you’d like to eat."

Sheng Xia asked, "Are we making it ourselves?"

"Yeah."

"Wow, looking forward to it."

Zhang Shu smiled, naturally lifting her chin to kiss her lips. "Rest for a bit."

"Okay."

Wu Qiuxuan, seeing this, covered her eyes and hurried into the room first.

Perhaps because it was Valentine’s Day, the room was adorned with roses, exuding romance.

After Zhang Shu went downstairs, Sheng Xia closed the door and entered the room to find Wu Qiuxuan lying on the bed, propping her chin and staring at her with a grin. "Sis, don’t you think it’s a bit much for me to share a room with you on a day like today?"

Sheng Xia put her hands on her hips, pretending to scold her. Wu Qiuxuan rolled over, giggling. "Hehe, just let me know if you need me to step out, okay?"

Sheng Xia: "..."

...

The Lianli market was fascinating. While most markets greeted visitors with vegetables or meat, the entrance here was lined with barbecue stalls, complete with all the necessary tools. Some even sold secret recipes, promising to turn novices into grill masters overnight.

Hou Junqi was particularly engrossed, carefully selecting items and even asking the stall owner for tips. He joked about opening a barbecue shop in Canada, earnestly asking if they shipped internationally.

Sheng Xia’s hand remained in Zhang Shu’s grip as he carried several bags of ingredients in his left hand, never letting go to balance the load.

The group of young people stood out in the small town. Zhang Shu was somewhat of a local celebrity in Lianli, often stopped by acquaintances for a quick chat. He greeted them casually, but their gazes invariably drifted to Sheng Xia. He introduced her naturally, "My girlfriend."

This was fine with peers, but when he did the same with elders, Sheng Xia felt a little embarrassed.

"A-Shu is so accomplished—got into a top university and now bringing his girlfriend home. Wonderful, just wonderful!" an auntie remarked cheerfully before riding off on her scooter.

Sheng Xia smiled politely, noticing him glance at her and chuckle. She looked up and glared. "Who’s going home with you?"

"Not coming?"

"Nope.""But what can I do? The B&B we're staying in used to be my family's old house," he suddenly leaned down and whispered in her ear, "The room you're staying in, coincidentally, happens to be the one I lived in as a child. And you picked it yourself."

Perfectly normal words—why did he have to whisper them right by her ear, making it seem so intimate?

Making a mountain out of a molehill, all bark and no bite!

Sheng Xia was still suspicious when Zhang Shu chuckled, straightened up, and pulled her along to catch up with the group.

What a coincidence! He must be lying!

...

The evening barbecue was held in the B&B courtyard. The owner provided a grill and set up a dining table for them, with easels and a TV arranged around. The boys prepared the food while the girls watched TV and chatted, creating a lively atmosphere.

Wu Qiuxuan and Xiaomai turned out to be fans of the same idol. The two fangirls chatted endlessly and soon cast their idol's talent show onto the TV screen.

"Haven't you watched this countless times already?" Tao Zhizhi asked Wu Qiuxuan.

Wu Qiuxuan: "Stop talking. If there were new episodes, would I be watching this?"

Sheng Xia turned to look—it was indeed the same show they'd watched together at home before.

Tao Zhizhi: "Who was it that said it wasn't as good as Brother Zhang Shu's singing?"

Wu Qiuxuan: "Oh, come on, Brother Zhang Shu is my sister's boyfriend now—no mystery left. You need distance when chasing idols, understand? Look at him now, grilling skewers for my sister... Never mind, this is so not idol-like."

Hearing this, Zhang Shu seemed to smile faintly, showing little interest in being an idol. The other boys perked up at the conversation. Wu Pengcheng asked, "Little sister, who sings better? Where did you hear it?"

Wu Qiuxuan blabbered away, spilling all the details about watching Zhang Shu's performance video at home.

Phrases like "My sister was stunned," "My sister's leg injury healed halfway," and "Numb, seriously numb" tumbled out of her mouth. Sheng Xia really wanted to stuff a wad of cotton into it.

Over by the grill, Zhang Shu took some meat Hou Junqi had cooked, placed it on a plate, and brought it over. He sat beside Sheng Xia, handing her a skewer.

Sheng Xia took it and immediately shoved it into Wu Qiuxuan's mouth.

The annoying "rumor machine" finally stopped blabbering.

Zhang Shu handed her another skewer, and she instinctively took a bite. He propped his chin on his hand, watching her eat. "Good?" he asked.

Sheng Xia nodded. "Good."

"Spicy enough?"

"Just right."

"Numb?"

"Not numb."

"Not numb? Want me to add some?"

Sheng Xia paused mid-bite and glanced at him—he was indeed pressing his lips together to hold back a laugh.

"I'm not eating anymore!"

How could he be so annoying.

She was just saying it—she still took small bites, though she refused to look at him.

After she finished, Zhang Shu handed her a napkin. She took it, wiped her mouth casually, and was about to drink some water when he lifted her chin and pressed his lips to hers, sucking lightly on her freshly barbecued mouth.

"Numb now? Who said it wasn't?" he said, then picked up a skewer himself and took a big bite.

He moved so fast that no one else noticed—except Sheng Xia.

...

Nanli's Spring Festival weather was always unseasonably hot, but the evenings brought a slight coolness. The occasional breeze made sitting by the charcoal fire, eating barbecue and drinking beer, incredibly pleasant.Just drinking wasn't fun enough, so they soon started playing drinking games. Sheng Xia, being a novice, didn't have much luck. Even with Zhang Shu covering for her, she ended up drinking quite a bit and was feeling dizzy. Wrapped in Zhang Shu's jacket, she practically draped herself over his arm.

"Want to go sleep first?" he asked softly.

"Mmm~" Sheng Xia's voice was slurred. "No... happy... want to stay with everyone."

Zhang Shu cupped her cheeks and stroked them gently. "Tell me if you want to sleep."

"Okay."

Xin Xiaohe started organizing another game—this time, it was "I Am, You Are Not."

Sheng Xia hadn't played before, but she got the hang of it after one round. Everyone was a bit drunk by then, saying all sorts of things—from "I'm a physics major, you're not" to later rounds of "I'm a B-cup, you're not..."

The shameless ones always won.

At first, Zhang Shu had emphasized that there were high schoolers present, but who knew Wu Qiuxuan's remarks would grow increasingly bold with each round, and her drinking was even more impressive—Wu Pengcheng couldn't help but feel outmatched.

Qi Xiulei was the most bullied among the guys. With his overly innocent background, he ended up drinking almost every time.

When it was his turn, he staggered to his feet and declared fiercely, "I'm a virgin, but you're not."

He just wanted to make Wu Pengcheng, who had been taunting him relentlessly, drink.

Fine. Wu Pengcheng indeed wasn’t, so he obediently downed his drink.

This round had too few losers—nearly everyone at the table was still a virgin.

After a long pause, the group noticed Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu slowly raising their glasses in the corner, drinking a ceremonial toast with linked arms.

"Holy shit! That’s explosive, guys!"

Wu Pengcheng: "Did I just uncover some major news this round?"

Han Xiao: "When did this happen? Oh my god!"

Qi Xiulei: "Damn, Linyu, you’ve outdone yourself—beating Shu to it!"

Yang Linyu: "..."

Zhang Shu: "..."

Sheng Xia was completely dazed by now, but she could feel the arm around her shoulders tighten slightly, fingers absently rubbing up and down her shoulder.

Wu Pengcheng laughed heartily. "I’m dying. Alright, how about this—let’s make it a ‘virgin drink.’ From now on, at every gathering, whoever’s still a virgin drinks first. Saves the rest of us from having to ask, yeah?"

Such an absurd proposal would’ve been ignored under normal circumstances, but perhaps the charcoal fire was too warm, or the background music from the TV too suggestive—either way, everyone raised their glasses with rowdy cheers, and just like that, the rule was set.

The group games eventually wound down, and people split off into smaller clusters to chat or play. Sheng Xia lay with her head on Zhang Shu’s lap, listening to him respond sporadically to others.

From this angle, looking up at him, his jawline was perfectly defined, sharper than ever. When he turned his head, the tendons in his neck stood out starkly, his back broader than before. His Adam’s apple remained as prominent as ever—like a weapon—bobbing sharply as he swallowed his drink.

Now she understood why she’d been feeling lately like he’d changed.

A man.

The word suddenly came to her.

Her boy was slowly, steadily, becoming more of a man.

As she stared dazedly, the man suddenly looked down, tilting his head slightly. "Sleepy?"

"A little."

He gently patted her cheek. "I’ll take you back."

Sheng Xia clung to his arm as she stood, already unsteady. Zhang Shu pulled her fully into his embrace, turning his head to Hou Junqi and the others. "I’ll owe you a drink."

Then, arm around her, he led her upstairs.

Behind them, Wu Pengcheng remarked, "Tsk tsk. Who’d have thought after a whole semester, Shu’s still a virgin. Wonder if tonight’s the night."

Hou Junqi shot back, "The hell do you know?"

Tao Zhizhi suddenly turned to Hou Junqi. "Do you know?"

Not realizing who had asked, Hou Junqi mumbled through a mouthful of grilled meat, "Course I do. Shu and Sheng Xia are different."

"How so?"

"Just—I don’t know how to explain it, but they’re different."

"I get what you mean."

Wu Pengcheng: "???"

What kind of people are these?!

...

The moment they rounded the stairwell, Sheng Xia felt Zhang Shu halt abruptly. She stopped too, about to turn and look at him—when a strong push sent her stumbling backward. Just as she thought she’d crash into the railing, an arm braced against the small of her back, and then the figure before her pressed close, sealing her lips in a fierce kiss.

In her ears, Sheng Xia caught every word of the conversation just beyond the stairwell wall.

Virgin...

Tonight’s the night...

Shu and Sheng Xia are different...

How so? Where?

He kissed her, sucking gently with his lips, yet his hands at her waist gripped with desperate force. His body pressed closer, pushing Sheng Xia until her upper torso hung precariously over the armrest.

Her long hair cascaded as she tilted her head back, feeling as though her waist might snap. Overwhelmed by the lack of security, she murmured, "A-Shu..."

Zhang Shu buried his face in the crook of her neck before suddenly straightening and scooping her up in his arms.

Already dizzy, Sheng Xia panicked, instinctively tightening her arms around his neck. He carried her steadily upstairs, setting her down at the door. Retrieving the room card from her pocket, he swiped it open, twisted the handle, and before she could react, pulled her inside. His hands gripped her waist as he lifted her onto the bar counter, immediately claiming her lips again.

How did he know this room so well?

How did he know there was a bar counter here?

Tonight, he had drunk beer and then liquor, while Sheng Xia had sipped on fruit wine. The mingled scents of alcohol in their mouths overwhelmed all other senses.

Strangely, it wasn’t unpleasant—instead, the blend grew richer, more intoxicating.

The room was pitch black, the power card uninserted, the lights off. The door remained ajar, a sliver of light spilling in, along with the laughter and chatter from the courtyard below, invading this intimate space.

Outside, the courtyard buzzed with joy; inside, two people kissed with abandon.

From tender pecks to ravenous bites, he kissed her urgently, leaving her no room to breathe. Sometimes, suffocation could drive one mad—just like Sheng Xia in this moment.

She had no idea how long they had been entwined like this, only that the once-cool surface of the bar beneath her had grown warm before he finally released her. Their eyes met for barely a second, her breath still uneven, when suddenly she was airborne again. He carried her, their bodies crashing together onto the soft bed.

He gazed at her quietly, their ragged breaths a silent signal. His pause felt like a question.

Now accustomed to the dark, Sheng Xia boldly studied him—the deep-set eyes, the tall bridge of his nose exhaling scorching breaths, his slightly parted lips, and the ever-arresting prominence of his Adam’s apple.

She reached up, tracing it lightly, pressing down. It was a surprisingly soft protrusion, yet why did it look so intimidating?

No—not intimidating.

Sheng Xia finally admitted it: it was sexy .

From the first time she had noticed his Adam’s apple, her heart had raced uncontrollably.

This wasn’t fear.

It was seduction .

Zhang Shu’s barely steadied breathing faltered again. "Baby, stop touching it..."

Ignoring him, Sheng Xia countered, "What’s inside here?"

His voice was rough. "An Adam’s apple."

"I know it’s an Adam’s apple. But what is it? Why is yours so big?"

Damn it.

Zhang Shu growled, "Do you even realize what you’re saying?"

"I want... to kiss it and see."

Before he could respond, she had already wrapped her arms around his neck, pressing her lips to it. Feeling nothing unusual, she kissed it again, mimicking how he kissed her earlobe—lightly flicking her tongue against the protrusion. It bobbed under her touch, and Sheng Xia, pleased, chased its movement with her lips.

" Sheng Xia! "

"Hmm? Can’t I?"

The next second, both her wrists were pinned above her head, pressed into the mattress.

Zhang Shu straddled her, his knee digging into the bed, his voice dangerously low. "Don’t move."

His tone was terrifying—a severity she had never heard before. She nodded mutely.

Releasing her, he got up and strode to the door, inserting the power card and switching on a small lamp.Sheng Xia had no idea there were so many switches, yet he turned them on with such precision.

She watched as he picked up the coat that had fallen to the floor, pulled out a velvet box from the pocket, walked to the bedside, knelt on one knee onto the bed, and took out a necklace from the velvet box.

Only then did Sheng Xia belatedly realize she was still lying on the **—this posture was way too...

She quickly sat up, and just as she did, he moved behind her and fastened the necklace around her neck.

Sheng Xia touched the key pendant, lost in thought.

What had she just done?

From behind, Zhang Shu's voice came, "Happy Valentine's Day. Although I really wanted to... in this room, but if you want to... kiss somewhere else, wait until you're sober to say it. 'Drunken lust' isn't a good phrase—don't let this be the memory..."

With that, he got off the bed, draped his coat over his arm to cover his lap, then leaned down to peck her lips twice.

"I'll head downstairs first. Call me if you need anything."

"Mm," she replied dazedly.

He adjusted the air conditioning temperature for her, advised her to shower before sleeping, left a nightlight on for her, and finally closed the door behind him as he left.

Sheng Xia's face burned fiercely.

Had she just... been making advances?

And... got rejected?

Drunken lust.

Though she wasn't exactly drunk, and he definitely wasn't either. But if she were to look back on this later, if ** started like this... it would be somewhat regrettable, wouldn't it?

Sheng Xia flopped back onto the **, absentmindedly fiddling with the necklace pendant.

It felt like he had only been there briefly, yet the room was already filled with his scent.

And this bed—

Even though the entire house had been redesigned and renovated, and this couldn’t possibly be his old bed, Sheng Xia suddenly flushed red, hugging a pillow and rolling over with a muffled "Ahhh!"

A childhood bedroom... was really way too suggestive, wuwu!