“The physics competition is coming up soon. You two are the only ones from our class participating, so you need to prepare well. The school has high expectations for you both to advance to the national competition.”

The physics teacher said, “These are the test papers from the last competition class. You both did well, ranking first and second in the class.”

Zhou Wan took her paper – she had scored 104.

“Go review the questions you got wrong, and if there’s anything you still don’t understand, come ask me,” the physics teacher said.

Walking out of the office, the sunshine outside was pleasant.

It was break time, with students chatting and joking in the corridor.

“Zhou Wan, what did you score?” asked Jiang Yan.

“104,” Zhou Wan said. “You?”

Jiang Yan paused, his tone dejected: “103.”

Zhou Wan smiled. “About the same.”

“Can I look at your paper?”

“Sure.” Zhou Wan handed him her test paper.

Jiang Yan looked through her wrong answers.

They were the top two students in the physics competition class, and they usually struggled with the same problems. There was just one small question where Zhou Wan had worked out one extra step.

In every mid-term and final exam, Jiang Yan ranked first in their grade, while Zhou Wan ranked second.

But Jiang Yan knew that Zhou Wan was far more intelligent than him. If there was such a thing as a “genius” in this world, Zhou Wan deserved that title more than he did.

He poured all his time into studying, working on difficult problems, and correcting mistakes.

Yet Zhou Wan had plenty of time for part-time jobs to earn money.

Even so, he couldn’t widen the gap between them. This time, Zhou Wan had even surpassed him.

Jiang Yan felt unsatisfied and this sparked an even greater sense of crisis, but he didn’t dislike Zhou Wan. On the contrary, Zhou Wan was one of his few good friends.

She was his rival, and more importantly, a teammate worthy of respect.

“Zhou Wan, how did you think of this step?” Jiang Yan asked.

At that moment, they were walking past Class 7’s door.

Lu Xixiao’s class.

Zhou Wan spotted him from afar.

His elbow rested on the corridor windowsill, leaning there lazily. His hair had grown a bit long and was tousled by the wind. Backlit, his silhouette, and features took on a hazy quality, like an ink painting blurred by water.

His friends stood around him, arms around shoulders, chatting about everything under the sun, occasionally letting slip some crude jokes.

Lu Xixiao was part of their group, laughing along when they told inappropriate jokes, but standing there he seemed like a detached spectator.

Playing along with life, yet seemingly able to withdraw at any moment.

“Hey, Jiang Fan,” Zhou Wan heard one of the boys say, “isn’t that your goddess over there?”

The group of boys all turned to look.

Zhou Wan immediately shifted her gaze to the ground, walking straight ahead without looking sideways.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Lu Xixiao turn his head too, his profile cutting a sharp yet graceful line.

Jiang Fan raised his fist as if to punch.

“What’s this? Since when did you become such a coward? Weren’t you bragging last time about getting her number when you fell in love?” his friend teased.

Jiang Fan: “I wouldn’t dare go after someone Xiao A is interested in.”

This statement caused an immediate uproar, with everyone surrounding Lu Xixiao asking what was going on.

Lu Xixiao drawled lazily, his gaze sweeping over Zhou Wan as he raised an eyebrow: “When did I say I was interested?”

Jiang Fan had known Lu Xixiao for many years and understood his personality somewhat.

Though he didn’t think Lu Xixiao truly liked her that much, there was some interest there, or at least curiosity.

Otherwise, he wouldn’t have called out to Zhou Wan during the school sports meet.

Jiang Fan gave him a knowing look: “Oh, well then I’ll go get her number right now.”

Lu Xixiao gave an ambiguous laugh, neither confirming nor denying.

…

“Zhou Wan?” Jiang Yan called again.

Zhou Wan came back to herself: “Ah.”

“I was asking how you thought of this step in the problem?”

Zhou Wan looked at the test paper and explained her thought process to him.

Back in the classroom, Zhou Wan took out her phone – there were no messages.

This morning, she had sent two messages.

One was to Lu Xixiao, sending him a red envelope for the noodles, which he hadn’t accepted yet.

The other was to Guo Xiangling, saying today was her father’s death anniversary and asking if she wanted to visit. She hadn’t replied either.

*

Zhou Wan had asked for leave from her teachers today, leaving school early.

She bought flowers and pastries, then took a bus to the cemetery in the suburbs.

Today was Zhou Jun’s death anniversary.

Zhou Jun had been a liberal arts student and one of the few university graduates of his generation. Later he became a middle school Chinese teacher, cultured and refined.

Guo Xiangling was Zhou Jun’s first blind date. They made a perfect match and quickly began dating. Twenty years ago, they had been a couple that everyone admired.

Guo Xiangling’s education level wasn’t high, but in that era when artistic youth were popular, she was considered one of them.

After Zhou Wan was born, Guo Xiangling quit her job at the clothing store to stay home with the child.

Later, because Zhou Jun was such a strong teacher, he often taught graduating classes, which meant he frequently worked late into the night.

He never noticed that Guo Xiangling also often came home late.

Then gradually, luxury items she couldn’t afford began appearing – necklaces, diamond rings.

Zhou Wan had noticed at the time but only thought they were pretty, not understanding what they meant.

Until Zhou Jun fell ill and passed away, and Guo Xiangling moved out within a month.

Only then did Zhou Wan understand what had been happening.

She had been only ten years old at the time.

Zhou Wan placed the fresh flowers before the grave.

The man in the photo on the tombstone had a gentle smile, looking modest and polite, with a subtle smile in his eyes.

Compared to Guo Xiangling, Zhou Wan looked more like Zhou Jun.

“Dad,” she knelt before the tombstone, placing the newly bought pastries on a small plate, “Grandmother isn’t feeling well lately, so she couldn’t come see you this year.”

“She… didn’t come either.”

“She” referred to Guo Xiangling.

Zhou Jun had loved Guo Xiangling.

He had never dated before, meeting Guo Xiangling on a blind date – it was his first love. After marriage, he cherished and doted on her.

He would buy her flowers on their wedding anniversary, write her love letters on her birthday, and run across half the city late at night to buy fruit she was craving.

“After all these years, do you still think about her?” Zhou Wan looked at the photo and asked softly.

“But I can’t forgive her for betraying you,” Zhou Wan said. “I can understand her abandoning me as a burden for a better life, but I can’t forgive her for betraying you, nor for watching Grandmother suffer without helping.”

“Dad, I’m going to do something wrong.”

Zhou Wan lowered her eyelashes. “Will you forgive me?”

*

After leaving the cemetery, Zhou Wan went to the hospital to get Grandmother’s medicine.

As she got off the bus, Guo Xiangling called.

“Hello?” Zhou Wan answered.

“Wan Wan, I’m so sorry, Mom just saw your message now.” Guo Xiangling’s tone was apologetic.

She was always like this, doing terrible things yet maintaining a facade of being a good person.

But sometimes Zhou Wan felt she was quite similar to Guo Xiangling.

The pedestrian light turned green, and she crossed the road unhurriedly, saying flatly: “It’s fine.”

“Mom’s been too busy lately, really can’t find time to go with you. How about this – I’ll transfer you some money, you can buy more offerings to take to your dad.”

Zhou Wan suddenly felt disgusted and repulsed, but she still didn’t show it, nor did she tell her she had already visited.

“Okay.”

After hanging up, Guo Xiangling quickly transferred her some money.

One hundred yuan.

Zhou Wan walked into the hospital to find Dr. Chen and get Grandmother’s medicine.

“Oh, Wan Wan,” Dr. Chen said, “remind your grandmother to come to the hospital in a few days. It’s time for dialysis again.”

“Okay,” Zhou Wan responded, “Thank you, Dr. Chen.”

Walking out of the office, Zhou Wan took the elevator down.

It was then that she suddenly heard a voice behind her.

Unruly, carrying a casual smile but more importantly, coldness: “So?”

She turned around and saw Lu Xixiao.

He stood not far away, facing a middle-aged man in a suit who looked stern and imposing. Behind him stood Guo Xiangling.

The man exploded in anger: “Lu Xixiao! What kind of attitude is this!”

Guo Xiangling held the man’s arm, saying softly: “It’s okay, Old Lu, he’s still young. Don’t get angry with him.”

“Still young?” These words only made the man angrier. “I’ve given him the best of everything for over ten years, whatever he wanted. And look at him! Constantly embarrassing me. If I’d known you’d turn out like this, I never should have married your mother…”

Before he could finish, Lu Xixiao suddenly erupted in fury.

He grabbed the man’s collar and slammed him against the wall with a “bang.”

Zhou Wan was used to seeing him joking and carefree, but this was the first time she’d seen him so angry, veins standing out on his forehead, chest heaving violently.

“Lu Zhongyue, you’d better not say another word,” Lu Xixiao forced out each word through his throat. “You have no right to mention my mother.”

With that, he turned and strode away, his steps cutting through the air.

He hadn’t noticed Zhou Wan, passing right by her.

But Guo Xiangling had followed his gaze and seen Zhou Wan.

At that moment, panic flashed through her eyes – she didn’t want Zhou Wan to come over now.

Zhou Wan granted her wish, turning to run down the stairs.

The hospital was crowded, full of people, noisy and chaotic. Zhou Wan couldn’t catch up to Lu Xixiao until they reached outside the hospital.

“Lu Xixiao!” she called out.

He didn’t hear, continuing to stride away, his face terrifyingly dark.

Zhou Wan ran until she was out of breath. She reached out to grab his sleeve but was pulled forward by his momentum, stumbling a step before barely managing to steady herself.

Lu Xixiao turned back, looking down.

The young woman’s two fingers tightly gripped his clothes, her hand small, knuckles white from the effort.

Her face was flushed from running, she was panting, her ponytail had come loose, and strands of hair were scattered by the wind.

“Lu Xixiao,” she called his name again, still catching her breath.

Lu Xixiao looked at her without speaking.

Zhou Wan tilted her head up to look at him, the setting sun behind her, her clear eyes completely transparent.

“Would you like some noodles?”