So many friends had been calling to offer their congratulations lately that Ning Deyan had been in the highest of spirits. Today he’d even brought home a bottle of red wine to mark the occasion — a celebration, he said, of their two young ones officially graduating and coming of age, embarking on the new chapters of their lives.

“You have an entire summer ahead of you — you should really think about how to make good use of the time.”

Xia Fanghui had already launched into a sweeping agenda: “Go and get your driver’s license. Then there are those international English qualifications and certifications — get those too, in case you need them later. And should you also be starting to get a head start on the content from your first-year major…”

Ning Deyan gently reined her in: “All right, all right — don’t plan that far ahead. The college exam just ended. Let the kids breathe for a bit first.”

Ning Deyan was famously unhurried — not the type to scramble or get ahead of himself. He was the sort who could sit calmly even as the sky fell.

In this regard, Ning Sui had inherited a great deal from him. She, too, had no inclination to rush to the front of anything. If the sky came crashing down, someone taller would be there to hold it up. She was tall enough — but what was the rush?

Hu Ke’er shared this quality with Ning Sui, though the distinction was that Ning Sui was simply unhurried, while Hu Ke’er was outright a procrastinator. Whenever the subject came up, she’d say with genuine pride: “Research shows that people who procrastinate tend to have greater confidence in their own abilities.”

So the moment those words left Xia Fanghui’s mouth, everyone at the table found something extremely absorbing in their rice bowls and bent their heads with great dedication.

Seeing that Xia Fanghui showed every sign of continuing, Ning Deyan quickly changed the subject: “So, little Radish Head — have you figured out what subject you want to study?”

Hu Ke’er choked slightly, then put on her most pleasant smile: “Uncle, I’ll probably apply for English. It’s my strongest subject.”

What she was actually thinking was: English is easy. She’d been studying it since primary school — twelve years of solid foundation. How hard could it possibly get?

Hu Ke’er had no particular grand ambitions. The goal she’d set for herself over four years of university was simply to be a likeable, easygoing loafer.

Of course, all the later agonizing she’d do over literary translation was a story for another day.

“You two make quite a pair in terms of foundational disciplines.” Ning Deyan smiled with avuncular warmth. “One doing mathematics, one doing English.”

Hu Ke’er immediately said something completely inappropriate with great cheer: “Exactly — we could practically build a life together.”

The dinner that night had a warm, celebratory atmosphere. Xia Fanghui kept piling food into Ning Sui’s and Hu Ke’er’s bowls without stopping.

Ning Yue watched helplessly as his two most beloved braised chicken drumsticks ended up in someone else’s bowl and offered a small, wounded protest: “Mom, you seem to have some… ideas about preferring daughters over sons.”

Fanghui had a long memory and was still simmering over the tiger simile: “Yes, and what of it? Remember to include that in your next composition — My Mother.”

Ning Yue, being the little coward he was, pulled his head back like a turtle and said nothing more.

Ning Deyan poured both girls a small, ceremonial amount of red wine, explaining that it was time they started to be introduced to such things — the so-called “world of adults.” Hu Ke’er shot Ning Sui a meaningful glance. In truth, she’d already secretly tried it long ago.

“Your dad should be back from his fieldwork soon,” Ning Deyan said. “Old Hu — I’ll never understand what keeps him racing around like that all the time. Environmentalists really are that driven? I haven’t seen him in a full month. His little… hmm —”

He’d been about to say chubby, fair-skinned little girl, but couldn’t quite pull it off, and so pivoted: “— his dark and chubby little girl is here at home — how does he bear to be away?”

Hu Ke’er: “…”

Xia Fanghui fixed him with a look that said she saw straight through him: “I think you just want someone to play mahjong with.”

Ning Deyan gave a somewhat guilty laugh and rubbed his nose to cover for himself — the exact same instinct as Ning Yue’s cowardice: “Mahjong is part of our cultural heritage.”

That meal had seven or eight substantial dishes and left everyone genuinely full.

Afterward, Ning Deyan and Xia Fanghui went downstairs as usual for their after-dinner walk. Ning Sui and Hu Ke’er sprawled across the sofa and turned on the television, flipping channels at random to a currently popular drama series.

Ning Yue’s primary school hadn’t let out for summer yet, and Xia Fanghui had commanded him to do his homework in the evening. He couldn’t sit still for long, though, and kept finding excuses to slip out and wedge himself next to the two of them to watch.

The plot itself wasn’t particularly exciting — your standard childhood sweetheart, boy-next-door type story — but the male lead’s face was genuinely handsome enough to hold your attention.

Hu Ke’er watched with bright, appreciative eyes, thoroughly absorbed.

Ning Sui reclined comfortably in the cushioned seat, watching with her while listening to Hu Ke’er sigh: “If I could ever set eyes on a genuinely stunning guy like this in real life, I could die happy.”

Xu Zhou’s looks, to be fair, were already above average for boys their age — though a lot of it came from how well he dressed himself, from his hair to his outfits. Even so, Hu Ke’er had read far too many romance novels during middle school, and it had imperceptibly raised her imagination of and standards for a significant other to dizzying heights.

“When I was little I was always fantasizing about having some incredibly handsome, well-off, funny man who would only ever dote on me. Not necessarily a romantic partner — even a big brother figure would do. Unfortunately I’m an only child without a brother, and my dad is a sermon machine, always lecturing me with the same ten paragraphs over and over.”

Ning Yue had been lying there listening for a while. He suddenly said: “Radish Sis.”

Hu Ke’er raised an eyebrow and glanced over: “What?”

“If you really want it that badly,” Ning Yue said, “I’m not entirely opposed to reluctantly taking on the role of your dad. After all, I am, objectively speaking, the only one here who meets all your criteria in a fully comprehensive manner.”

There was a beat of silence, followed by Hu Ke’er: “Get lost!”

It took some effort to shoo the irritating little pest back to his room. Once he was gone, she picked the thread back up, as though suddenly remembering something, and leaned in with a mysterious air: “Hey — I heard that this year’s provincial top scholar is from Huai’an. A Xie something-Chen. Apparently not bad-looking.”

Ning Sui had heard similar comments before, but without seeing a photo, it was all just words: “Is that so.” She thought for a moment and said with genuine regard: “A perfect CMO score is something worth admiring.”

Hu Ke’er felt that Ning Sui probably didn’t believe it was possible for someone to be top scholar and good-looking, and honestly she was half-skeptical herself. She immediately picked up her phone and went looking for photos of him online.

Much to her frustration, she couldn’t find any — only text-based news reports. Whatever images existed were either extremely blurry candid shots taken by classmates, or long-distance photos taken as he left the exam hall, none clear enough to make out his face.

How odd. The provincial top scholar had apparently declined all media interviews.

Hu Ke’er felt the world had become genuinely a little surreal.

—

Hu Ke’er’s father hadn’t returned from his fieldwork yet, and her mother wouldn’t be back from her business trip until the next day. So that night, Hu Ke’er simply stayed over at Ning Sui’s, the two of them squeezing into the same bed.

Graduation had finally come, yet somehow it still didn’t feel quite real. Those days of staying in the classroom for evening study sessions, everyone grinding through exam papers together — that chapter of life was now over and done with, never to return.

Hu Ke’er sighed into the bedcovers: “Why does it feel so hollow inside? No more rushing to the canteen in a mob to fight over food. No more dreading your results before they’re posted. No more exhausting eight-hundred-meter runs… When no one’s forcing you to do anything anymore, it actually feels strange.”

Standing at this kind of crossroads in life, it was hard not to feel a little wistful. Hu Ke’er shook her head: “All the things that used to make us miserable — we’re already missing them. I don’t even know what to make of that.”

Ning Sui lifted her gaze and said, gently: “It’s really just that we’re a bit pathetic.”

Hu Ke’er: “…”

“Ahhh, you mood-ruiner! Can’t you let me be sentimental for just a little longer?!”

Hu Ke’er flung herself over. Ning Sui laughed and dodged, and the two of them ended up in a tumbling tangle in the bedcovers. It was late, the house was quiet, and with perfect unspoken agreement they both went still, so no one outside would hear the commotion.

After a moment, someone’s phone buzzed under the blanket. Hu Ke’er rooted around and pulled it out. The screen glowed faintly. Her expression instantly went soft and tender, and she pressed a hand over her mouth, smiling to herself like a fool.

The air of someone in the grip of new love was far too strong.

Ning Sui didn’t need to guess — it was obviously Xu Zhou messaging her. She shot Hu Ke’er a warning look: “Don’t drool on my pillow.”

About ten minutes later, Hu Ke’er gave a satisfied little laugh, put her phone away, and came snuggling over again: “I’m all yours now.”

Ning Sui: “…”

“So — this whole long summer, what are your plans?” Hu Ke’er’s thoughts jumped around unpredictably. “Have you thought more about what I suggested? I think we should go once the admissions results are out, pick up our files, and then head off — ten days or so, the timing works out perfectly.”

Hu Ke’er had always adored places where the air was cool and crisp and the surroundings carried a sense of old-world charm. She’d been talking about wanting to go to Yunnan for ages, saying the old town there had so many wonderful things to eat and see. Eventually Ning Sui had said: why not go on a trip together after graduation?

But circumstances had changed somewhat since then. Now that this girl was in a relationship, she had no inhibitions whatsoever. Ning Sui had absolutely no interest in playing third wheel.

She drew the words out: “If I go with you, what about Xu Zhou?”

“We bring Xu Zhou along,” Hu Ke’er said, tugging at her sleeve with a winning smile, her agenda impossible to miss.

Once her mother was home, Hu Ke’er was going to need someone to run interference. Ning Sui gave her a politely distant look: “I’m not particularly keen on a trio.”

“There’s a saying, isn’t there: three people traveling together, and there’s always something to learn from the other two.” Hu Ke’er made up nonsense freely. “Three gives birth to all things. And a triangle is the most stable structure in nature.”

Seeing that Ning Sui wasn’t really inclined to engage, Hu Ke’er enthusiastically offered another idea: “How about this — if you can manage to start dating someone within the next two weeks, then we’d have a double date of four.”

Ning Sui: “…”

—

Though she truly, genuinely did not want to spend a trip in the company of that clingy pair of new lovers, Ning Sui did need a proper break.

Hu Ke’er had pulled out every tactic in her arsenal to get Ning Sui to agree to Dali — buying all sorts of snacks as bribes, and even treating Ning Sui to a film starring her favorite actor.

Hu Ke’er was also particularly thoughtful about finding Ning Sui a companion, insisting they add a fourth person to the group. As it happened, Xu Zhou mentioned a good friend of his — someone studying abroad who would be back in the country for the summer and had a great personality. And so it was settled: the four of them would go together.

Admissions results were released in mid-July. Before then, Ning Sui talked to Ning Deyan and Xia Fanghui about her wish to travel.

Ning Deyan thought it sounded perfectly fine. Xia Fanghui, as one might expect, was not without objections: “Just the two of you girls? You don’t know the place at all — how unsafe! What if you got kidnapped? I don’t have the money to ransom you back.”

Ning Sui considered her words carefully: “Actually, we have male classmates coming along.”

“Male classmates? You’ve invited male classmates?”

Xia Fanghui’s eyes began to move, and Ning Sui knew at once that the suspicions had begun.

Parents were such contradictory and perplexing creatures. Without male classmates, they worried there was no one to protect the girls. With male classmates, they immediately became suspicious about who these boys were, why they had been invited on a trip, and whether they intended to take advantage of their precious daughter.

“They’re friends we know fairly well. Two of them. No early romances. Both about one meter eighty. Good grades. No intentions of pursuing a future relationship.” Ning Sui thoughtfully answered the entire chain of follow-up questions in one breath.

Xia Fanghui: “…”

—

In the blazing heat of July, the four of them touched down smoothly in Dali. The temperature was quite pleasant — barely reaching twenty-five degrees, with bright, generous sunshine: the comfortable and radiant kind of summer.

Xu Zhou’s friend was named Shen Qing. He had a gentle, polished manner, pleasant-looking in an unhurried way — elegant and refined, clearly someone raised with good values.

Since Hu Ke’er had Xu Zhou to look after her, Shen Qing spent the entire journey from boarding to landing taking care of Ning Sui, offering to carry her bag whenever there were stairs to climb.

On the plane, their seats happened to be next to each other and they chatted on and off for a while.

Shen Qing and Xu Zhou had been classmates in middle school. He later went to a good high school in the United States and would continue his university studies abroad as well. In his spare time he mostly enjoyed sports and traveling, collecting stamps from everywhere he went.

“I’ve been to Yunnan before, but it was quite a long time ago.” Shen Qing smiled as he recalled it. “I remember the mushroom hot pot here was absolutely incredible.”

By the time they’d retrieved their luggage, it was dinnertime. They went straight to their hotel inside the old town. It was peak season, and looking out in any direction there was color and activity.

They were genuinely starving, so the four of them found somewhere nearby for dinner first — a mushroom hot pot, as it happened.

The mushrooms in Yunnan were fresh and tender. Among them was a variety called Jian Shou Qing — reportedly mildly toxic, but delicious.

The server placed a sand timer on the table and told them to wait until thirty minutes had passed before eating.

Before long the mushrooms had all floated to the surface, filling the air with fragrance. Xu Zhou was so hungry his stomach was practically touching his backbone. He directly scooped himself a large spoonful, then scooped another big one for Hu Ke’er. All three looked at him.

“The sand isn’t done yet,” Ning Sui said with precise concern.

Only three-quarters of the time had elapsed. Hu Ke’er wasn’t quite brave enough to eat them either. Xu Zhou shrugged without much concern: “What does it matter — they’ve been bobbing up there for ages.”

After dinner they returned to the hotel, and the couple had a difference of opinion.

Xu Zhou felt the first night should be spent properly resting without rushing into things, and wanted to stay in the room gaming with Shen Qing. Meanwhile, Hu Ke’er was already restless to explore the old town.

Fortunately they were still in the blissful honeymoon phase of a new relationship, so after a couple of exchanges it all fizzled out.

Xu Zhou hitched his bag up and conceded first: “Fine, fine — let’s go out.”

The streets were lively — people everywhere, but not so crowded as to be overwhelming.

There was something for everyone: jewelry shops, fruit stalls, tie-dye textile stalls. A few Yi ethnic women in their traditional dress came up eagerly to Hu Ke’er and Ning Sui, asking if they’d like to have colorful braids woven into their hair.

Occasionally an inn or small bar would have a live singer performing, playing all the most beloved tunes — the kind that made you want to go inside and sit for a while.

Before Hu Ke’er could say a word, Xu Zhou suddenly changed color. Clutching his stomach with a pained cry, he doubled over.

Hu Ke’er was alarmed: “What’s wrong?”

“I don’t know.” Xu Zhou’s expression was close to contorted.

He desperately needed a bathroom, and had a terrible feeling it was going to be bad, but couldn’t bring himself to say so out loud in front of his girlfriend and best friend.

Hu Ke’er grew anxious and didn’t quite know what to do. Ning Sui stood to the side and said, with sympathetic accuracy: “Almost certainly the mushrooms.”

Hu Ke’er made a small noise of comprehension and hurriedly asked if he felt dizzy.

They said Jian Shou Qing could make you see tiny dancing figures if undercooked. Xu Zhou no longer had the energy to respond. He pulled off his bag and thrust it at Shen Qing, then bolted in one swift movement into the small bar beside them and made straight for the bathroom.

The three of them stood outside exchanging helpless looks.

After what felt like a long time, Xu Zhou emerged with unsteady steps.

— Fortunately it wasn’t actual poisoning. Most likely, given the young master’s sheltered background, his stomach simply wasn’t accustomed to wild mushrooms like these, and had briefly revolted.

But this small incident had taken the edge off Hu Ke’er’s earlier excitement.

Watching her boyfriend embarrass himself was mortifying enough, and on top of that seeing his face drained of color had her genuinely worried. She felt that resting might be the better option after all.

The four of them looked at one another. In the end it was Shen Qing who stepped forward first, and he suggested calmly: “How about you and Ning Sui carry on, and I’ll take Xu Zhou back?”

This seemed like the most sensible solution. Xu Zhou didn’t want Hu Ke’er’s evening ruined on his account, and said with studied nonchalance: “You two go and have fun. I’m fine.”

Hu Ke’er: “Then — tell Shen Qing if you feel any worse, okay? We’ll go to the hospital.”

“Mm.” Xu Zhou had no more to say. “It’s fine.”

Xu Zhou was steered away by Shen Qing with a hand at his arm. Ning Sui and Hu Ke’er headed in the opposite direction and continued down the street. By unspoken agreement, neither of them mentioned what had happened. After ten minutes of unusual quiet from Hu Ke’er, her mood had settled somewhat, and her attention was drawn to a stall nearby selling bodhi seed necklaces. She pulled Ning Sui over to look.

Fifty yuan to crack open one seed — only after the outer shell was ground away would you know what color lay inside, like opening a blind box. Hu Ke’er bought one without a second thought and urged Ning Sui to get one too, so they could wear matching friendship necklaces.

From the bar next door, someone was performing Lover Missed, the beat thudding out with real energy. Hu Ke’er said: “Come on — let’s go in and sit for a bit.”

The server inside was warm and eager, pouring them water and bringing the menu over. Hu Ke’er wanted to cheer herself up, so she ordered a strong blue cocktail.

The server’s bright gaze then turned to Ning Sui. She waved her hand lightly: “Just water for me.”

“Hm? Only water?” Hu Ke’er asked.

Ning Sui patted her stomach with a look of mild regret: “I think my period’s about to come. Better take care of myself.”

“It hasn’t even started yet.” Hu Ke’er clicked her tongue. That level of discipline — she couldn’t hope to match it even at a sprint.

Their table was tucked in a quiet corner. It was a four-person table, and the two of them were sitting side by side on one end, with a clear view of the live performer on stage. The interior was clean but had a lot of character — wooden chairs, vines climbing up the pillars, colorful lights sweeping back and forth. The atmosphere was vivid and alive.

By eleven o’clock at night, the flow of people outside had gradually begun to filter into the lively, brightly lit small bars on either side of the street. The two of them had been sitting for a little while when fashionably dressed young men and women started coming in, laughing and talking as they walked through the door in pairs.

At that point, Hu Ke’er was on her phone messaging Xu Zhou to ask if he was feeling better. Xu Zhou told her not to worry.

Ning Sui sat quietly sipping her warm water, staring in a slight daze at a bright point on the table where the light caught it.

Some people were terrified of being alone. Ning Sui was the kind of person who swayed somewhere in the middle.

Most of the time she genuinely enjoyed a certain kind of quiet — but it had to be the kind that was still rooted in the world, not cut off from it. The kind that still breathed with the warmth of ordinary life.

She could let the crowd wash over her, and still hold herself intact.

“Come on, man — you’ve checked out every bar on the street and you can’t find one that’s good enough for you! We might as well not bother drinking at all — look at those clouds, it’s going to rain any minute, and then we’ll just be standing out here in the wind!”

An extremely agitated and indignant male voice came from the doorway, followed by another voice — slightly lower, unhurried and casual, but somehow carrying a great deal of presence: “The ones we passed were all too loud.”

This place did look a cut above the rest.

The first one through the door was a lanky young man — wearing a sports jacket over what looked like a red athletic jersey underneath, swinging an umbrella carelessly as he looked around: “No seats anywhere.”

Ning Sui happened to glance up just then, and found herself looking straight at him.

Sports Guy’s eyes lit up and he walked directly toward them: “Hi there — my friend and I are looking for somewhere to sit. Is it okay if we share this table?”

“…”

His manner was familiar enough that Ning Sui nearly wondered if they’d shared a group order for takeout delivery before.

She didn’t mind, so she nudged Hu Ke’er. Hu Ke’er was deep in conversation with Xu Zhou on her phone and answered without looking up: “Of course.”

Sports Guy was delighted, and immediately turned to the person behind him: “How’s this spot? Spacious, clean — the air conditioning isn’t too cold either. I think it’s pretty good —”

The way he framed this, as if asking for approval, made it abundantly clear whose decision it actually was.

That voice, which had been so full of presence moments ago, finally made its leisurely way over at close range: “Fine. This one.”

Red Jersey said: “Hey — isn’t that the song from last time, the one we had on in the car?”

Ning Sui looked up, and saw a hand first — the knuckles well-defined, the fingers long. Then the forearm: lean and taut beneath the skin, bones long and elegant, the back of the hand pale where it rested over the back of the chair, the faint tracery of veins just visible.

A familiar love song came pouring through the air, loud and urgent. Ning Sui’s reaction was a beat behind.

She raised her head instinctively, utterly unprepared, and walked straight into a pair of dark, deep-set eyes.

— Like a single rest in music where time suspended itself. The person across from her lowered his gaze with unhurried ease and looked at her, expression unreadable.

Black hair. Clean brows. Eyes shaped with a kind of natural, open elegance.

At first glance, there was something cool and reserved about him. Look again, and there was something sharp and uncontained — like ice striking the sides of a glass filled with strong liquor, producing a clear, crisp sound.

Underneath he wore a plain white T-shirt. Over it, a black jacket with a shape that suited him impeccably, the line of his collarbones just hinted at below. A face almost offensively, effortlessly good-looking.

He was tall with long legs. He stood there with that easy, careless grace, and the whole of him felt like the fierce and blooming summer night.

The music was still playing. Red Jersey raised his voice at him: “Xie Yichen! Hey, Xie Yichen — I’m talking to you, could you acknowledge me for two seconds?!”

He looked good in white too.

Ning Sui looked at him without blinking. In the span of an instant, a great many thoughts flashed through her mind — but like gold sifted from sand, only two remained.

First — ah. So this is Xie Yichen. The one with 721 points.

Second — oh. He doesn’t remember her.

At that precise moment, Hu Ke’er’s animated phone conversation finally came to an end.

She glanced up without any particular expectation — and found both seats across from her suddenly occupied. She was so stunned that a profanity escaped her: “Holy —!”

The shock was too great for any filter: “Are bars here actually staffed with male models this gorgeous?!”