Winter in Qingyi rarely saw snow, but it was still cold. Without central heating, people’s hands and feet would freeze outdoors, and their bones would shiver involuntarily. Xu Zhi hadn’t adapted yet. She was underdressed, wearing only a thin sweater under her coat, as she was used to indoor heating in Beijing.
After just a few steps, she shivered, her whole body trembling from the cold. Old Xu couldn’t bear to watch and took off his jacket to drape over her, not forgetting to scold her a bit: “What did I tell you? Wear more layers. You just let my words go in one ear and out the other.”
Afraid he would never stop nagging, Xu Zhi opened the car door and got in, quickly changing the subject, “Dad, did you buy a car?”
Xu Guangji sat in the car, rubbing his hands. He took out a tissue and wiped the rearview mirror while saying, “It’s second-hand. Remember old Zhang from the Urology Department? His son made some money this year and bought him a new car, so he sold this one to me at a good price.”
It was a black Passat, fairly spacious but showing its age. The steering wheel was almost worn white, and the floor mats had several holes. But for Old Xu, this was a big step forward. The fact that he was willing to spend money was a good thing. He used to think cars were consumables, and since he rarely had any entertainment activities, mostly shuttling between home and hospital, an electric bike was enough.
Xu Zhi looked around and nodded approvingly, “That’s great. I’ve been wanting to convince you. Who are you saving money for? Spend it when you should. Riding an electric bike in winter is so cold.”
The car left the terminal and slowly merged into the flowing traffic on the elevated bridge. They were silent for a while. Xu Zhi looked at the familiar scenery outside the window. The tall white poplars stood as steadfast as ever in this city of wind and rain. The trees were bare and lifeless, but her heart felt like spring, filled with a gentle warmth.
Because this winter was the first winter with Chen Luzhou.
As the car passed through the city center, Xu Zhi couldn’t help but take another look outside. Next to them was Yifeng Lane, Qingyi’s oldest historical street. Xu Zhi immediately spotted the high school revision building standing among the many skyscrapers. It was a shabby tube-shaped building, its surrounding walls covered with lush green ivy. Even in this chilling winter, the plants remained vibrant and surprisingly cold-resistant. It stood out oddly among the cold, towering buildings, yet full of life.
At night, all the other buildings turned off their lights. Only this building remained brightly lit, even at three or four in the morning. That spirit of true gold fears no fire, seizing every moment to challenge one’s limits, was Chen Luzhou, and also Tan Xu. It was every top student here, even the hope of this city, and the reason why the government refused to give up this piece of land.
Once, an entrepreneur tried to develop this land along with the nearby commercial area but was rejected by the government. Although the entrepreneur had made many business plans, believing that taking this land would bring endless economic benefits, it was still rejected. Although Xu Zhi had never heard the official answer from the relevant departments, Dean Cai, who had more dealings with officials, occasionally talked about the inside story.
The unofficial word from the relevant unit leaders was that the leaders believed we could demolish a building, and overturn all unreasonable policies. But they still want to leave a piece of land for the students. That building has become a faith in the eyes of Qingyi students, and because of their efforts, more and more people are studying at home until three or four in the morning. Even my son knows that it’s full of top students when he passes by, and it has produced many top scorers in the college entrance exam. We shouldn’t easily overturn such a student benchmark in a city.
Qingyi is probably such a city full of human touch. The builders build silently, the students study tirelessly, they try to light the lamps, and some try to protect these lamps for them. Xu Zhi’s mother was also one of the city’s builders, a lamp keeper. This was also why she finally chose architecture. The lights burn continuously, and those who guard the lights should also carry on the mission.
Xu Zhi carried her luggage in and reached for the switch on the wall. “Dad, the light’s broken again.”
Xu Guangji unwrapped the scarf around his neck and also tried the switch. “You’re right. Go take a shower. I’ll go buy a light bulb to replace it later and buy some groceries while I’m at it. Yingying and Old Cai are coming over for dinner tonight.”
Xu Zhi took her luggage to her room and poked half her head out. “Is Yingying on break?”
“No, how could the high school prep class have such an early break? Since you’re back, Old Cai has to give her a day off,” Xu Guangji said while washing his hands. He turned and wiped his hands with a towel. “Her phone was confiscated by Dean Cai. You two haven’t been in touch much, right?”
“Yeah, I sent her a few WeChat messages, but she didn’t reply. I guessed Dean Cai had taken her phone away.”
Before Cai Yingying even entered, Xu Zhi could hear her voice. She was probably still on the fourth floor when her earth-shattering voice could be heard calling Xu Zhi’s name repeatedly, “Xu Zhi!! Xu Zhi!!!! Your grandma is here!! Your Grandma Cai is here!!!!”
Dean Cai’s deep voice could be heard scolding her: “Can’t you behave a bit more like a girl!”
Xu Zhi had opened the door long ago and was leaning against the doorframe with her arms crossed, waiting for her.
The footsteps were thunderous, not stopping for a breath, and in two or three bounds, she was in front of Xu Zhi. As soon as they met at the staircase, Cai Yingying couldn’t contain herself anymore. She screamed and threw herself at Xu Zhi, still out of breath, “Ahhhhh, wuwuwu, Xu Zhi, I missed you so much, so much.”
Xu Zhi couldn’t even see her face clearly before feeling a black stubble buried in her chest. She could hardly believe it and pulled her out of her embrace, “You got a buzz cut?!”
Cai Yingying had a bitter expression.
Dean Cai walked up from behind, “She’s really into studying now. She found tying up her hair and washing it troublesome, so I just used a trimmer and buzzed it off.”
Xu Zhi: “…”
Cai Yingying’s features weren’t particularly delicate, but they were pleasant to look at. She had long, phoenix-like eyes, and like Xu Zhi, she had a small face, which made her look quite spirited now. However, Cai Yingying had never been particularly attached to her hair. She had cut it very short before and had never kept it particularly long. Usually, when it reached her shoulders, she couldn’t resist cutting it.
“It’s super easy to wash my hair now. In the time it takes you to wash your hands, I’ve washed my whole head,” Cai Yingying said.
Xu Zhi finally smiled, “… Impressive. You could apply for a Guinness World Record. Come here, let’s hug. It’s been so long since we’ve seen each other.”
As Cai Yingying hugged her, she felt that the sensation was different from before. She made a questioning sound and looked down at Xu Zhi’s chest, “Xu Zhi, your breasts have gotten much bigger.”
Xu Zhi: “…”
Finally, Cai Yingying was dragged into the room by Xu Zhi, her mouth covered. The two tiptoed past the kitchen, hunched over, and saw Old Xu and Old Cai engrossed in studying how to cook salmon.
“Who eats salmon fried well-done?”
“Eating it raw can cause parasites!” Old Xu wouldn’t dare eat it raw, but Xu Zhi said she wanted to eat it.
“Deep-sea fish parasites can hardly survive in the human body—”
Xu Zhi closed the door and let out a sigh of relief. She looked at Cai Yingying, hesitating before saying, “I have something to tell you.”
Cai Yingying’s eyes lit up, “I have something to tell you too!”
“Let’s say it together then.” Xu Zhi hugged a pillow and sat on the edge of the bed.
Cai Yingying sat beside her and nodded solemnly.
“Three, two, one.”
Cai Yingying: “I scored 120 in math on the second mock exam!”
Xu Zhi: “I’m in a relationship.”
The room was silent for three seconds. The scene seemed to freeze. Outside the window, a leaf fell from the bare branches, spinning in the cold wind and silently landing on the windowsill.
“Ah—” Cai Yingying let out a second ear-piercing scream, instantly muffled by Xu Zhi’s hand, “Mmph—”
“Keep it down,” Xu Zhi covered her mouth, fidgeting as she glanced at the door. “I haven’t planned to tell my dad yet.”
Cai Yingying removed her hand, her eyes excited but understanding: “Oh right, your dad depends on you so much, he’ll feel abandoned. But who’s that dog man anyway?”
“Haven’t you checked your phone or contacted Zhu Yangqi?”
“Mm, my dad confiscated it,” Cai Yingying said. “Besides, I don’t want to use it anymore. Picking up the phone reminds me of that dog Zhai Xiao. Why are you asking about Zhu Yangqi? Why would I need to contact him? Oh, come on, stop being mysterious! Tell me quickly, who is your boyfriend?”
Xu Zhi thought of that person, feeling a warmth in her heart, and said softly, “The one from summer vacation, you’ve met him.”
Summer vacation?
Cai Yingying wracked her brain for a moment. Someone she had met? Zhu Yangqi? Not—
She couldn’t think of anyone who could be dating her in Beijing.
Cai Yingying remembered a name, filled with confusion and completely unenthusiastic: “Feng Jin?? No way, your taste is so unique. He’s a catfish, you know. In person, he’s not even as handsome as Zhu Yangqi.”
Xu Zhi observed her expression and said, “Zhu Yangqi is now a muscle hunk.”
“…Really?” Cai Yingying tried to imagine the scene—Zhu Yangqi’s slightly anxious-looking mature face paired with a body of bulging muscles. Unable to bear the thought, she made a disgusted sound. How greasy. “…It’s not Zhu Yangqi, is it?”
“Yingying, have you forgotten Chen Luzhou?”
This name had flashed through her mind earlier but was quickly erased. Somehow, it seemed like a name carved in a dusty, ancient treasure box, very old and distant.
For most girls, someone like Chen Luzhou was not to be trifled with unless they had some confidence in themselves. Most likely, you couldn’t handle him.
Those who had witnessed that ambiguous relationship would feel regretful for both of them. Not only had Xu Zhi not gotten over it, but even Cai Yingying hadn’t moved on for a long time. So when she heard this name again, Cai Yingying’s heart suddenly surged with emotion. Look, someone had caught the light.
Cai Yingying felt inexplicably emotional for her, carefully asking, “Your boyfriend is Chen Luzhou, the Chen Luzhou I met in the summer, right?”
Xu Zhi nodded with a smile.
Cai Yingying was shocked as if she had swallowed a muffled thunderbolt. Afraid of crying out, she instinctively covered her mouth with both hands, her eyes shining with excitement as she looked at her. “…My God, didn’t he go abroad? How did he end up in Beijing? I thought you two had a sad ending.”
“It’s a long story, I’ll tell you later,” Xu Zhi didn’t explain much.
“Is he really impressive at school?”
“He’s doing alright. At A University, it’s a battlefield of top students and geniuses, not much difference,” Xu Zhi lay back on the bed, swinging her legs, and sighed, “Working hard is already the norm. Everyone spends weekends cooped up in the library studying, even staying up until two or three in the morning. It’s not much easier than what we’re doing.”
“Well, that makes me feel better,” Cai Yingying looked at her and suddenly became mischievous, “No wonder I thought your chest got bigger. Hmm? Hmm? Have you been doing naughty things?”
Just as Xu Zhi was about to speak, a voice called from outside, “Yingying, Xu Zhi, dinner’s ready.”
The two got up from the bed, and Cai Yingying said, “I don’t have to go to the evening study hall tonight. Later, let him come out and treat me to dinner. He stole my best friend, he should at least make it up to me with a good meal, right?”
Xu Zhi went to open the door, her hand just touching the doorknob: “He hasn’t come back. He’s in Beijing participating in a mathematical modeling competition.”
“He’s not coming back even for the New Year? What about Zhu Yangqi?”
“Mm, the American Mathematical Contest in Modeling happens to be during the New Year holiday. Not sure if he’ll be back this year. There might be heavy snow. Zhu Yangqi stayed in Beijing to keep him company,” Xu Zhi hushed, “Don’t let my dad know. Let’s keep it a secret for a while. I want to give Chen Luzhou a chance to interact with him more. Once he can accept it, then we’ll tell him.”
Dean Cai was about to come out of the kitchen with dishes, still winking and making faces at Xu Guangji, “Your daughter looks like she’s lost a lot of weight again. Could it be that she’s missing you in Beijing?”
Xu Guangji was still struggling with the salmon, insisting on frying it. Hearing this, he glanced at him, quite proud: “Of course! She’s so dependent on me, you know. She calls home three times a day, worried that I’m not eating well or staying warm enough on my own. That jacket of yours is just a liner, it lets the wind in. This one of mine is pure wool, much warmer.”
Dean Cai put down the plate with a bang, “Bah! Yingying is so well-behaved now, she won’t even go out to play when someone asks her. Just look at her mock exam results—120 in math, and 110 in Chinese. Her scores are skyrocketing, I can’t even stop her. At this rate, I won’t be able to hold back the calls from A University! Hey, hasn’t Director Wei contacted you recently?”
“Yingying has always been a smart child. It’s you who held her back since she was little,” Xu Guangji said in a low voice as he chopped down on the salmon, “Don’t mention Director Wei’s name later. Children are sensitive and might overthink things. She’s focused on studying in Beijing now. Don’t affect her mood.”
So, the meal was eaten with unprecedented care and consideration, making everyone feel uneasy.
Xu Guangji raised his chopsticks: “Nainai, eat more fish. Is studying in Beijing very tiring? I think you’ve lost weight again.”
Even now, Xu Guangji still likes to use reduplicated words when coaxing Xu Zhi, just like when she was little.
Xu Zhi reciprocated by ladling a bowl of chicken soup for him and placing it in front of him, “Dad, drink some chicken soup, it’s good for the brain.”
“Come, Nainai, have some red bean soup to warm up.”
“Dad, why aren’t you eating any vegetables?”
Cai Binhong: “…”
Cai Yingying: “…”
Cai Binhong: “Cai Yingying.”
Cai Yingying: “Yes.”
Cai Binhong: “Get a spoon for your dad.”
Cai Yingying, eating happily: “Don’t you have hands? My hands are oily from peeling shrimp.”
Cai Binhong grumbled as he walked to the kitchen, “Let the wind in? Ha! I’m about to be blown away…”
After dinner, Cai Yingying and Xu Zhi went back to the room to chat. Old Cai and Old Xu were washing dishes in the kitchen, wondering how the two girls could have so much to talk about. At nine o’clock, Dean Cai took Cai Yingying away. Cai Yingying, looking like a White Snake being captured by Fahai in the golden bowl, clung to Xu Zhi’s doorway with her hands and feet, crying out in agony: “I don’t want to go! I don’t want to go! I want to sleep with Xu Zhi tonight. We have so much more to talk about… Baby, promise me, next time when I’m on holiday, you’ll tell me the whole story! I’m dying to know who confessed first, the male or female lead!”
After the car downstairs started, the house became quiet again.
Xu Zhi went over to turn on the TV, “Dad, shall I keep you company and watch some TV? ‘The Meteor, Butterfly and Sword’?”
Xu Guangji had just noticed a missed call and was about to go to his room to secretly call Director Wei back. He put the phone back in his pocket and walked over, pretending to be casual, “Alright, let’s watch something else. I’ve seen ‘The Meteor, Butterfly and Sword’ two hundred times. How about ‘Rural Love Story’?”
Xu Zhi: “Okay.”
About two hours later, both Xu Zhi and Xu Guangji were struggling to stay awake. They both wanted to leave but were afraid the other would be suspicious, so they forced themselves to sit for another half hour.
Finally, Xu Zhi deliberately yawned, “Dad, I’m sleepy.”
Xu Guangji also yawned, “Me too. Let’s go to bed.”
As soon as the TV was turned off, they both quickly retreated to their rooms.
Xu Guangji eagerly pulled out his phone, “Hello, Director Wei—”
Xu Zhi quietly locked her door and sent a WeChat message to Chen Luzhou.
Xu Zhi: [Reporting today’s battle situation, my dad’s mood is very stable.]
A reply came back quickly.
Salt: [Right now, it’s your Beijing boyfriend whose mood isn’t stable. Six hours without a single message, I thought you’d been blown up in the bathroom.]
Xu Zhi: [I was afraid my dad would get suspicious if he saw me replying to messages too often. Can we video chat later?]
salt: [No, don’t even think about it.]
Xu Zhi smiled and replied: [Ah, then I’m going to sleep. Good night.]
Salt: [You’d better pray that the blizzard in Beijing keeps your boyfriend stranded, otherwise he’ll strangle you when he gets back to Qingyi.]