In his third week after transferring, Li Wu faced his first grade-level assessment – the midterm exams for the first semester of the second year.

For him, this exam wasn’t just a test of his learning outcomes for a particular phase. Like a floating dandelion seed, whether it could establish firm roots in broader soil would depend on what feedback the final results would give him.

Friday noon, after turning in his answer sheet and leaving the exam room, Li Wu absentmindedly reviewed some of the options in his mind, having a rough idea of his score.

He lowered his eyes and folded the exam paper, putting it in his backpack along with his pencil case, then picked it up and walked forward.

Cheng Rui caught up and hooked his shoulder: “You’re leaving too fast.”

Li Wu was pulled back to reality by his action and immediately asked a question he wasn’t sure about: “For the cloze test, question eighteen, did you choose ‘retire’ or ‘retreat’?”

“You’re asking me? I’ve already forgotten what we even tested on.” Cheng Rui pointed at his face in disbelief: “You might as well ask what I plan to do on the weekend break.”

Li Wu belatedly realized: “We have a weekend break?”

“Mm.”

He confirmed: “A real weekend break?”

“Of course, have you studied yourself stupid?” Cheng Rui’s tone suggested he wanted to knock on his head, then the next second, he noticed his roommate’s slightly changed expression and asked curiously: “What are you suddenly smiling about?”

Li Wu quickly straightened his lips, quickening his pace: “Nothing.”

Cheng Rui caught up, somewhat surprised by his reaction: “So you get happy about weekend breaks too? I thought you’d wish for forty-eight hours a day just to study.”

Li Wu stopped: “Isn’t a day twenty-four hours?”

“…” Cheng Rui was dumbfounded: “Do you have any sense of humor at all?”

Li Wu caught on, his dark eyes looking at him, lifting the corner of his mouth without any emotion.

The feeling of being patronized was too obvious, and Cheng Rui couldn’t help but curse: “Damn.”

The neighboring class had just finished too, and suddenly the corridor was filled with students, like fish crowded in a water pipe.

Li Wu walked straight ahead, maintaining his usual calm and proper demeanor.

Boys this age couldn’t wait to show off various inner T-shirts to express their personality and style, but he alone meticulously zipped his school uniform jacket to the top, completely sealing himself in.

Girls frequently turned their heads to look at him; the bolder ones would wait for him to pass by, then deliberately giggle and push each other forward, just to brush past him.

Li Wu’s arm was bumped, his steps pausing for a moment.

There were too many people around to find the culprit, leaving him only with a string of clear giggles.

Li Wu felt somewhat helpless. During these days, he still struggled to adapt to the direct and brave behavior of city girls, only able to slightly turn his shoulders and quickly leave the crowd.

Cheng Rui followed him down the stairwell: “If I were you, I’d fake an injury.”

Li Wu asked: “How to fake it?”

“Immediately grab your shoulder, look miserable,” Cheng Rui held the railing and demonstrated with flair, wailing out loud: “Who was that! Who bumped me? You might even catch a pretty one…”

“You can stop now, I won’t need it.” Li Wu gave a reasonable response while avoiding the spectating gazes gathering from all around.

“Then why did you ask, idiot.”

…

Back in the dorm, Li Wu took out his phone from the drawer, pondered for a moment, and typed: We have a weekend break this week…

His thumb paused, and then he deleted it all and changed his approach: We had midterms on Thursday and Friday.

After checking for typos, he sent it.

After experiencing the most anxious twenty seconds of his life, the other side replied: Next week?

Li Wu let out a small breath and replied: This week.

The next moment, a call came through.

The phone’s body felt like a pot near boiling point, vibrating in his hand, making Li Wu’s face feel hot too.

He hurriedly stood up, gripping the phone tightly, and strode to the balcony.

Upon answering, the other side immediately questioned with an unfavorable tone: “You’re only telling me about midterms now?”

The young man’s eyelids lifted slightly, noticing his roommates all looking over strangely.

He immediately turned his back, looking at a branch of the ginkgo tree outside, where the leaves clustered like golden butterflies perched together.

Li Wu didn’t know how to respond, maintaining a speechless state for nearly half a minute.

He just didn’t want her to worry.

“Are you finished?” Perhaps seeing his silence, the other side calmed down.

Li Wu said: “Not yet.”

“What do you still have to take this afternoon?”

“Two more subjects.”

“Do you still have class this Saturday?”

“No more.” He carefully answered as she finally reached the key point.

“So it’s a weekend break?”

“Mm.”

“I’ll pick you up after work today.”

“Okay.” A smile spread across the young man’s face.

―

The comprehensive science test was Li Wu’s strong suit. After the final biology exam ended, he felt relaxed in body and mind, running downstairs quickly, and heading straight to the dorm to pack his things.

Although this efficiency was meaningless – no matter how quickly he got everything ready, the person waiting would only arrive at a fixed time.

Still, the process of preparing made this empty period a little more bearable.

Cen Jin didn’t get off work particularly early, but just like the previous two weeks, she bought Li Wu some takoyaki from a roadside shop.

She seemed to understand those female colleagues who would complain in group chats while painfully breastfeeding during their maternity leave – feeding children was indeed a physically and mentally pleasant thing. This joy ended when Li Wu got in the car and refused her offer.

While fastening his seatbelt, he said: “Not hungry right now, you eat it.”

Cen Jin’s face dropped slightly, and after considering various factors, she chose the most likely reason for his loss of appetite: “Didn’t do well on the exam?”

Li Wu looked at her: “Should be okay.”

“How okay is okay?” Cen Jin didn’t put the lid back, casually placing the takoyaki box on the center console, letting the savory smell of bonito flakes fill the entire space.

Li Wu couldn’t explain it, changing his words: “Just not bad.”

“Top thirty in the grade?” She suddenly made an outrageous demand, her words shocking.

Li Wu went quiet, honestly saying: “Probably not.” Yi Middle School had talents beyond talents, people beyond people – he was self-aware enough not to make such meaningless boasts.

Cen Jin didn’t speak anymore, took the box of takoyaki, picked out one, and started chewing it herself.

Only immortals could eat a whole takoyaki in one bite.

The hot filling burned Cen Jin’s mouth, making her hiss. She pulled out two tissues and spat it out. Her tongue feeling intensely scalded, she twisted open a bottle of water to drink.

Just as she was about to cap the bottle, she glanced sideways and saw Li Wu watching her. In the dim light, his eyes were bright, though his expression wasn’t very clear.

“What are you looking at,” she said irritably: “You won’t eat it, what a waste?”

Li Wu turned his face slightly toward his window, as if wanting to send some emotion away with the wind, then turned back a moment later: “I’ll go throw it away.”

His gaze fell on her right hand, where the tissue wrapped around takoyaki bits was crumpled in her palm.

Cen Jin retaliated: “No need, I’ll throw it away.”

After speaking, she opened the door and got out to find the nearest trash can.

When she returned and opened the car door, the young man was sitting properly in the passenger seat, eating the box of takoyaki.

Cen Jin paused for a moment, got in, and wanted to say something to mock him, but in the end, only said coldly while turning the steering wheel: “Are you suspicious I poisoned it?”

“No.” How to appropriately express his true feelings – he just wanted her to eat because she had just gotten off work and hadn’t eaten either.

Cen Jin insisted on getting to the bottom of it: “Then what?”

The young man hesitated for a while, then spoke as if making up his mind: “Afraid you’re hungry.” His voice was slightly deep, as if somewhat embarrassed to say it.

“Oh…” But Cen Jin’s annoyance was instantly relieved by these three simple words. She glanced at him, suppressing that joy of “not raising an ungrateful wolf,” and said calmly: “Then save half for me.”

Li Wu’s face immediately brightened: “Mm.”

Back home, considering Li Wu had just finished his exams, Cen Jin proactively asked if he wanted to use the computer or watch TV.

Li Wu shook his head, walking to the study room familiarly and silently.

Cen Jin was stunned by his obedience, spontaneously feeling a sense of pity. She quickly called out to stop him, crossing her hands in front, casually inviting: “Don’t be so tense, you just finished exams, there’s nothing wrong with relaxing a bit.”

Li Wu turned back: “I never had these things before either.”

His expression was honest, showing no signs of fishing for sympathy, but it sounded miserable. Cen Jin hadn’t expected this and was completely stunned, only finding a way to respond after a moment: “Then you should try them even more now.”

“What do you want to watch?” She walked to the coffee table to find the remote: “Anime? Or variety shows?”

The TV in Cen Jin’s house had a distinctive shape, completely breaking from traditional models. The bottom had no TV cabinet support, only four slender pure black legs holding it up. Rather than a TV, it looked more like a clean, simple, and sizeable whiteboard that you could write on at any time.

Li Wu stood without moving.

“Come here,” the woman stood in front of the screen, her light-colored sweater splashed with colorful light. Her expression fully showed that her patience was running low: “Sit on the sofa.”

Li Wu stopped refusing: “I’ll go put down my backpack.”

“Mm.” She wasn’t looking at him anymore, holding the remote control and nodding while staring at the screen.

Li Wu quickly walked back to his room, hung up his backpack, then returned to the living room.

Cen Jin switched channels for a while, completely clueless about Li Wu’s preferences, and had to turn back to ask him: “Do you have any favorites?”

“Anything is fine,” he said.

Cen Jin suggested: “How about a movie then, what genre do you want to watch?”

“You choose.”

Countless posters and movie titles spun in Cen Jin’s head, suddenly, she had a flash of inspiration, settled on one, and turned back excitedly saying: “Let’s go with Marvel, you’ll like it.”

“Okay.”

“Hmm…” She turned back, switching to the movie selection interface, muttering: “Iron Man 1… where is it.”

Li Wu stared at her back, unconsciously lifting the corner of his lips.

Afraid Li Wu would feel uncomfortable alone, Cen Jin removed her makeup, cut a plate of honeydew melon, and sat down to watch with him.

They each occupied opposite ends of the sofa. Cen Jin forcefully suppressed her desire to spoil the plot, curled up as usual, and took small bites of honeydew with her fork.

Finding it tasty, she picked up another piece with a different fork, turned sideways, and called Li Wu’s name.

The movie was playing the scene where Tony was building the prototype Iron Man suit in the underground lab. The young man was watching without blinking, completely immersed, deaf to the outside world.

Cen Jin raised her voice: “Li Wu.”

He finally turned his face, his big eyes still showing the dazed look of being suddenly interrupted while watching.

Cen Jin smiled, tilted her body, and held out the honeydew.

The leather sofa creaked, Li Wu tried to reach for it from where he was but couldn’t quite make it, so he got up to take it.

One high, one low, the metal fruit fork was limited in size, and he inevitably brushed past the woman’s finger skin, just once, but like a tiny electric shock. His mind flashed with a moment of panicked blankness.

He put the whole piece in his mouth, sat back down restlessly, and only after a while did he chew it up and swallow it.

Afterward, Li Wu held onto that fruit fork, letting his skin’s temperature conduct onto it. His whole body felt uncomfortable, and he adjusted his position several times. The sound from the sofa seemed to make it all obvious, his ears completely red. Not daring to move anymore, he could only sit even more formally than before.

Cen Jin noticed these little movements and couldn’t help but mock: “Is there an interviewer living on the TV?”

“…”

―

That night, Li Wu had a dream. The dream’s plot was similar to a scene at the beginning of the movie that had made him blush, where he was lying down, and a woman climbed onto his shoulders, leaning down to softly press against him.

They pressed against each other, kissing breathlessly, lost in passion. His ears itched from her hair strands, and he couldn’t help but raise his hand to brush them away, to see her face…

Li Wu sat up startled, his chest boiling, his back already soaked through.

Of course, his back wasn’t the only thing soaked through.

The young man sat motionless in the darkness, intensely and desperately realizing that the face he had just revealed would become his most shadowy and humid fantasy from now on.