As soon as he finished speaking, Cen Jin was bewildered: “Busy with what?”

Li Wu continued to act mysterious: “Don’t know.”

Cen Jin directly swung her handbag at his back, with considerable force.

Being unexpectedly hit, Li Wu pretended to dodge, his smile deepening: “Alright. You did well on the exam.”

Hearing this satisfactory response, her heart which had been suspended for days finally settled. Cen Jin’s face brightened: “Mm, then I’ll wait for your good news.”

They walked together toward the nearby parking lot, surrounded by a steady stream of students and parents.

“Li Wu!” A sudden shout came from behind.

Li Wu and Cen Jin turned around together. It was a boy wearing black-framed glasses, running urgently toward them before coming to an abrupt stop in front of them.

Li Wu raised an eyebrow: “Cheng Rui?”

Cheng Rui was still panting: “I knew it was you just by seeing your back!”

He then looked at Cen Jin, respectfully calling out: “Hello, sister!”

Cen Jin nodded, smiling gently: “Mm, hello.”

Cheng Rui, typically sweet-tongued, didn’t hesitate to use his good friend as a stepping stone for flattery: “Sister is so beautiful and eye-catching, if I hadn’t noticed you first, I wouldn’t have known Li Wu was beside you.”

No one dislikes hearing compliments. Cen Jin laughed: “Thank you, you’re very handsome too.”

Li Wu’s gaze slightly darkened as he changed the subject: “Which exam room were you in?”

Cheng Rui said: “I was in 24, what about you?”

Li Wu said: “26.”

Cheng Rui was surprised: “We were just one classroom apart! Let me get some of your exam luck!”

He then raised his hand and started frantically rubbing and scratching Li Wu’s body.

Li Wu was ticklish, bending and shrinking his shoulders to dodge in various ways, his face turning red from holding back.

Watching the two vibrant young men, Cen Jin shook her head with amusement.

After the boys had enough fun, they finally settled down.

Li Wu asked: “Where’s your parent?”

Cheng Rui pointed in a direction: “I wanted bubble tea, my mom went to buy it for me.”

Cen Jin looked in the direction he pointed and asked Li Wu: “Do you want bubble tea?”

Li Wu shook his head.

Cheng Rui looked at them enviously, mumbling: “How nice it would be if I had a sister too…” Then he asked: “Li Wu, what are your plans for summer vacation? Remember to find me, we barely talked during our senior year, I missed you so much.”

Li Wu nodded: “Okay.”

“You must find me!” Cheng Rui nodded again, seemingly seeing his mother coming out of the store: “I have to go now.”

“Mm.”

Watching Cheng Rui leave, Cen Jin asked: “He’s been your best friend since coming to Yi Middle School, right?”

Li Wu replied: “I suppose so.”

Cen Jin said: “I quite like him.”

Li Wu paused: “Because he’s good with words?”

Cen Jin thought for a moment: “He seems like the type of boy who’s very easy to get along with.”

“Oh.” He responded dully.

Their shoulders were aligned as they walked at an even pace through spots of light filtering through the trees. Li Wu suddenly spoke: “Am I easy to get along with?”

“You?” Cen Jin scoffed coldly: “You’re the most difficult person to get along with that I’ve ever met.”

“Really?” Her answer wasn’t unexpected, but it was still deflating.

Cen Jin complained without hesitation: “You don’t even know how awkward you were when you first came, every time I had to talk to you, my head would hurt to death.”

Li Wu protested: “But I’m better now, right?”

This point Cen Jin didn’t deny: “Mm.”

She didn’t spare any praise for him: “Now you’re tall, handsome, well-behaved, and with good grades, you’re every sister’s perfect little brother.” Li Wu heard this and his heart bloomed, unable to control his rising smile: “Oh.”

“Perfect little brother,” Cen Jin extended a warm invitation: “Whatever you want to eat, just say it, today big sister’s treat.”

—

Cen Jin took him to a Michelin-starred Japanese restaurant. The environment was serene, with soft yellow lamps and bamboo screens sectioning off booths, maintaining just the right amount of privacy between diners.

While the white-robed chef was slicing fish on one side, Cen Jin poured Li Wu a small cup of milky-white cloudy sake: “Try it, the alcohol content isn’t high.”

Li Wu took it and sipped.

Cen Jin asked: “How is it, a legal adult who can finally have alcohol?”

“…” Li Wu took another sip: “There’s a hint of fruit.”

“Mm, what else?”

He struggled for a while, but still directly expressed his feelings: “It’s like fermented rice wine.”

Cen Jin smiled, not pushing him further. She lowered her head to eat the small dish in front of her, changing the subject: “Have you decided on your college applications?”

Li Wu was stunned for a moment: “Not yet.”

“Didn’t some schools contact you in advance?” Cen Jin remembered him telling her.

Li Wu: “Yes.”

Cen Jin propped her chin: “None that you want to go to?”

“It’s not that, I just haven’t decided,” Li Wu asked her: “Where did you go to university?”

“Right here in Yi City,” Cen Jin was inexplicably proud when mentioning her alma mater: “Yi University’s School of Journalism, our department is number one in the world.”

Li Wu seemed thoughtful.

Cen Jin asked: “Did Yi University contact you?”

Li Wu nodded: “They did, they want me to take their early admission exam. If I pass, I only need to reach the first-tier university score threshold in the college entrance exam to attend.”

Cen Jin blinked twice in surprise: “That’s amazing?”

“Mm.”

The woman who once prided herself on being a top student felt challenged, forcing a smile: “You didn’t agree because you look down on Yi University?”

Li Wu said: “That’s not it.”

Cen Jin ignored his denial: “But if I were you, I’d also choose a better school, to meet more excellent people.”

Li Wu watched her for a while, then lowered his eyes for a moment, before speaking with difficulty: “If I go to Beijing, I probably won’t be able to come home very often.”

Cen Jin’s eyes widened slightly, strongly agreeing with his words: “Of course, who comes home often after starting university?”

She suddenly realized: “Are you going to miss me?”

Li Wu’s brows tightened, his nose seized by a strong acidic feeling, forcing him to quickly lower his head.

Seeing him like this, Cen Jin also felt a bit sad.

Her eyes slightly swelled with warmth, but she maintained her elder’s tone, comforting him kindly: “Ah, everyone goes through this, everyone has to grow up and fly far away, it’s not like you’re never coming back.”

“Remember? I only asked you to aim for a 211 university, but you far exceeded expectations, showing that your potential needs a bigger stage to develop,” she envisioned his future, trying to revive his spirits: “I don’t know if you plan to study physics, but I checked recently, Peking University’s physics program is the best in the country. I had a friend from Peking University when I was studying abroad, and now they’ve been hired back as a teacher. If you want to go there, I can ask around for you.”

Cen Jin was systematically comforting him, but she didn’t know that every word from her mouth was forcibly pushing someone whose limbs were stiff and immobile.

Li Wu was extremely irritated, venting by stuffing the sushi from the small plate into his mouth one piece after another: “Not necessary for now.”

“Eat slower,” Cen Jin noticed something was wrong with his state, worried about triggering post-exam anxiety, she stopped discussing these matters and just nodded: “I’m just giving some suggestions, anyway, there’s still twenty days, think about it slowly.”

—

Over the next two days, Cen Jin went to work as usual, while Li Wu stayed at home finding things to do—cleaning, running, and playing with Cen Jin’s Ring Fit Adventure. It seemed only activities intense enough to work up a sweat could temporarily help him forget the anxiety of facing major life choices.

Studying had become a mechanical behavior for him, and now that he had relaxed, he was extremely bored, suddenly not knowing what to do with himself.

He hadn’t estimated his score either. The moment he walked out of the exam room, he already knew his result.

In the class group chat, everyone was complaining about this year’s integrated science exam being too difficult, but Li Wu remained unmoved. For him, no matter how unpredictable the question types were, they were just flat surfaces he could see through at a glance.

Teacher Qi privately messaged him on QQ, asking if he had estimated his score.

Li Wu replied: No.

Teacher Qi said: Why aren’t you estimating? I’ve asked everyone in the top ten of the class, you’re the only one who hasn’t.

Li Wu asked: How are they doing?

Teacher Qi said: They’re the same as they usually are.

Li Wu cleverly replied: Then so am I.

Teacher Qi jokingly scolded: You little rascal.

Li Wu’s lips also curved slightly.

On the afternoon of June 10th, Cen Jin took time off work to accompany Li Wu back to school to pack his things.

The early summer sunlight was intense, the ground steaming with heat. By the time they reached the boys’ dormitory, Cen Jin’s face had turned slightly red.

Li Wu glanced down at her and went to turn on the air conditioning.

As he went to close the doors and windows, Cen Jin’s gaze followed him, carefully taking in the entire dormitory room. She hadn’t been here since he changed rooms.

As expected, Li Wu’s desk and bed were the cleanest among all the spots.

The desktop was spotless, textbooks on the bookstand arranged vertically by size, the blanket on the cooling mat folded symmetrically with precise corners as if he had just moved in an hour ago.

Li Wu came back and pulled out his chair: “Sit and wait for me.”

Cen Jin stood motionless: “Don’t you need my help?”

She was wearing a white sleeveless dress today, the hem falling past her knees, like a half-closed, pure gardenia.

Li Wu glanced at her clothes: “No need.”

“So today I’m still just your chauffeur?”

“…” Li Wu choked for a moment: “Then you can pack the books on the desk.”

Cen Jin nodded and began pulling out the textbooks one by one. The young man’s books were well-preserved, as neat as his test papers, but the title pages felt worn soft—well-used.

The young man was long-limbed, and after taking off his shoes, he climbed onto the bed in two moves. His movements were agile, the ankles visible below his pant legs were distinctly thin and startlingly white.

Yes, very white—that’s why Cen Jin noticed.

She was somewhat surprised: “Li Wu, are your legs this white?”

“Huh?” Li Wu was lifting the cooling mat, not understanding why she suddenly focused on this.

Cen Jin thought back: “Last year, I don’t remember your skin being this white.”

A certain moment belonging only to them suddenly surged forth. Li Wu’s hands froze, stuttering an “Oh” as he continued arranging the cooling mat, his face warming slightly.

While Li Wu was removing the pillowcase, Cen Jin had neatly stacked his textbooks and exercise books, everything in perfect order.

Cen Jin looked satisfactorily at the “book fortress” she had built, dusted off her hands, and asked: “Are there any more books in your drawer?”

Li Wu suddenly went rigid.

A white flash struck, and his mind exploded with a boom.

The sound of drawer slides came from below, followed by the creaking of bedboards. Li Wu frantically lunged toward the guardrail, his heart racing wildly.

At the same moment, Cen Jin’s hand, which had pulled the drawer halfway open, also froze.

In her narrow field of vision, she saw herself, or more precisely, her photograph.

This photo wasn’t unfamiliar, but it was quite old—her ID photo was taken two years ago when she started her job.

It was placed in the center of the drawer, against an all-white background, making it particularly eye-catching.

After staring at it for a moment, Cen Jin, somewhat incredulously, slowly reached out to take it, confirming it was real and not an illusion.

With this action, Li Wu felt all hope drain away.

His thin eyelids squeezed shut forcefully, and he collapsed back with a thud, wishing he could disappear forever.

Cen Jin’s brows furrowed slightly. She took a deep breath, placed the two-inch photo at the highest point of the stacked books on the desk, and then raised her eyes to look for Li Wu on the upper bunk.

Her angle didn’t allow her to see him well or judge his current state. Cen Jin had to step back twice before finally finding his face.

The young man sat sideways up there, completely motionless, jaw clenched, not daring to make any eye contact with her, like he was stubbornly and amusingly hiding behind a non-existent shield.

His hands were clenched white, his chest heaving violently, his reaction so intense that everything became glaringly obvious.

The entire dormitory was deathly quiet except for the air conditioner’s soft snoring-like breeze.

Cen Jin looked up, staring at him directly for a moment, then withdrew her gaze.

She bit her lower lip for a while, then looked up again, coldly throwing four words at him: “Come down and talk.”

—

The young man didn’t move—he couldn’t move, his entire body frozen.

Seconds later, he finally seemed to break free from the ice, showing movement. But due to his emotional turmoil, his movements were still uncoordinated, almost missing the ladder step. Li Wu quickly steadied himself, his consciousness returning to his body at that moment. He jumped down, stopping in front of the woman, his entire demeanor subdued.

He stole a glance at the photo. It had been placed at the highest point of the entire desk, like a public execution.

As if feeling empathy with it, Li Wu’s heart churned with shame, so mortified he could barely breathe.

He frowned, lowering his eyes in embarrassment, his expression growing increasingly gloomy, even showing a hint of hurt.

Cen Jin’s expression was equally stern, but she was bolder.

At the very least, in this confrontation, she dared to look directly at him. She glanced at the young man’s thin, long feet on the floor tiles: “Put your shoes on first.”

Li Wu’s gaze wavered, glancing at her before quickly withdrawing. He crouched down to put on his shoes.

When he straightened up again, Cen Jin went straight to the point: “Where did you get the photo?”

Li Wu’s long eyelashes trembled, desperately avoiding her sharp scrutiny. He couldn’t lie, the veins at his temples protruding: “I took it myself.”

As if hitting pause, there was silence and stillness between them.

After a moment, Cen Jin pressed her lips together tightly and continued asking: “When?”

“Last year, November, twenty-second, evening.” Li Wu clearly remembered that day, the day his secret garden was established. But speaking was exceptionally slow, his throat too constricted. He had to pause after every few words as if he’d forgotten how to speak.

“What did you want my photo for?” That evening held no impression in Cen Jin’s mind, but she could guess the answer.

But for some reason, she suddenly feared facing it, even harboring a glimmer of hope.

She meant, if—if he could give her a barely passable excuse to gloss over this, then she could also take that way out, pretending not to see from now on.

After all, once this holiday ended, he would leave for university, she would continue her life, and their connection would be essentially severed by time, distance, and other factors.

The high pressure brought supernatural calmness. Cen Jin couldn’t believe that in just two minutes, she had mentally sorted out this chaotic and thorny situation.

Now, she handed him the key, hoping he would obey and voluntarily close this door that should never have been opened.

But the next moment, the young man before her suddenly raised his eyes, looking straight at her. His eyes held a desperate brilliance as if seeking help, yet full of pressure.

“I like you,” he said.

Cen Jin’s heart raced at his trembling voice, and he was already repeating without hesitation: “Sister, I’ve liked you for a long time.”