Sheng Xia thought she would cry her heart out or toss and turn all night, but neither happened.

After returning home, she began reviewing her manuscripts, carefully categorizing them, and finally nearly resigned herself to the fact that they were indeed too scattered. She had read extensively, mostly works by lesser-known poets, some so obscure they were difficult to even categorize.

She reread them one by one, trying to find common threads, working until midnight before playing a meditation track and falling into a deep sleep.

The pace of senior year never allowed time for melancholy. After the new seating arrangement, Sheng Xia hardly had any interaction with Zhang Shu. Everyone in the class was perceptive – seeing this “class couple” seemingly break up, no one teased or made a fuss anymore. Everything seemed to return to how it was at the start of the term.

It wasn’t until the weekend that Sheng Xia noticed she had many QQ messages.

Since deleting that post, she hadn’t opened QQ, only logging in now because she needed to make plans with Tao Zhizhi.

The messages were all from the same person, an unlabeled “new friend” – Yellow Hair.

At first, he asked many direct questions like whether she had a boyfriend. Later, receiving no response, he became slightly more restrained but persisted with daily good morning and good night messages.

Sheng Xia had encountered such pursuers since middle school.

She politely replied: “Thank you for your greetings, but I’m very busy with studies and rarely check. You don’t need to send anymore.”

Things did quiet down, and Sheng Xia thought all was well.

During Monday morning reading, a yellow-haired figure appeared at Class 6’s door.

The boy stood at the doorway looking around. Sheng Xia heard the surrounding whispers and finally looked up. Yellow Hair saw her, broke into a smile, waved, then handed a paper bag to a classmate by the door, saying: “Please give this to Sheng Xia, thanks.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but half the classroom could hear.

Not to mention Zhang Shu, who had just moved to the first desk of the second row.

Yellow Hair left without making much of a show, seemingly understanding the importance of taking things step by step.

The classmate by the door had just turned around when they met Zhang Shu’s icy stare and froze: Should… should they deliver it?

Finally, the classmate mustered the courage to walk to the back of the third row and give the paper bag to Sheng Xia.

Then they scurried back as if getting rid of a hot potato.

Seatmate Li Shiyi winked suggestively, “Wow, what is it? Breakfast! Who is he, Sheng Xia?”

Sheng Xia was extremely embarrassed and stammered under everyone’s attention: “I don’t know.”

“A mysterious admirer, impressive.”

The paper bag contained a plastic box with paper wrapping; inside were elaborate Cantonese breakfast items.

Sheng Xia had eaten such food before but had no appetite now, so she just set it aside.

During break, she checked her phone and sure enough saw Yellow Hair’s message: “Okay, I won’t send messages, I’ll come find you instead.”

Sheng Xia: … What kind of logic was this?

She had to reply: “Please don’t come to my classroom anymore. It’s troublesome for me. I’m going to delete you, sorry.”

After sending this, she clicked delete friend.

…

Regular classes had started, which meant PE class. Sheng Xia still had trauma from basketball class, and this semester was equally hardcore – volleyball.

In their second year, Fu Zhong organized inter-class volleyball tournaments, so almost everyone in Class 6 could play.

So without any warm-up, the teacher immediately divided them into groups for matches.

Teams were drawn by lots, three boys and three girls per team, choosing team names and matching opponents by alphabetical order.

Sheng Xia was drawn into Hou Junqi’s team – quite a fateful pairing. Hou Junqi gave their team a resounding name: Glory of the Ancestors Team.

The boys thought this team name was extremely cool, while the girls just smiled slightly.

Well, boys will be boys – they had to be dramatic.

While waiting for opponent assignments, another yellow-haired figure appeared at the edge of the field.

Yellow Hair carried a bag of drinks – mineral water, sports drinks, C100, yogurt, iced tea, and so on – quite a comprehensive selection.

Everyone knew without asking what this guy was here for.

He smiled and waved at Sheng Xia, not being too forward, just sitting under a tree waiting.

Whispers spread across the field.

Sheng Xia’s face was red under the blazing sun.

She sighed softly but still walked over.

Yellow Hair handed her the bag, “Don’t be angry, I came to apologize. It won’t happen again – add me back?”

Sheng Xia said: “No need for this, classmate. I… understand your meaning, but I’m planning to study abroad. Please stop bothering me.”

Yellow Hair probably hadn’t expected someone who looked so soft to speak so directly.

He paused before saying: “It’s fine, just think of it as having a moon saved in your phone. I won’t come again. Take these – I didn’t know what you like to drink, so I got a variety.”

“Take them back,” Sheng Xia insisted.

“If you don’t take them, I’ll come again,” Yellow Hair also insisted.

Sheng Xia had no choice but to accept the bag of drinks and return to the field.

Yellow Hair called after her: “Remember to check QQ!”

Sheng Xia didn’t answer, unconsciously sighing again.

She put the drink bag beside the court. Her teammates teased: “Xia Xia, how thoughtful – exactly six bottles!”

Sheng Xia thought for a moment – the breakfast earlier had gone to waste, so: “Why don’t we share them?”

No one stood at the ceremony, first asking what Sheng Xia wanted before choosing themselves.

Sheng Xia felt somewhat troubled and casually said: “Just water.”

After teammates had picked, one bottle of iced tea remained. They handed it to Hou Junqi, who reflexively took it, then suddenly glimpsed his brother’s gaze from across the field. His hand trembled, and the iced tea fell, spraying white foam.

Personified, you could say it died a natural death.

“Don’t talk to strangers, understand? And drinking strangers’ water – people like you wouldn’t last half an episode in a TV drama!” Hou Junqi ranted, his naturally loud voice deliberately shouting so the whole field could hear clearly.

Laughter erupted everywhere.

Finally, when opponents were assigned, Sheng Xia looked at who stood opposite and froze.

What kind of fate was this?

Zhang Shu wore a basketball jersey over his T-shirt, basketball shorts below, and on his knees – the knee pads she had given him, now slightly worn.

Sunlight fell on his fluffy hair, casting delicate shadows under his eye sockets, also giving his piercing gaze a soft light filter.

Otherwise, winter would have already arrived.

She withdrew her gaze.

The teacher came to explain the rules. When reading the opponent team’s name, the court burst into laughter. Only Sheng Xia froze like a winter snowman.

Glory of the Ancestors Team VS Early Love Inspection Team.

Zhang Shu’s team was called – the Early Love Inspection Team.

This class had quite a few dramatic cases.

Sheng Xia could play volleyball, but her serves weren’t great, often grazing the net. Though not against the rules, it was somewhat problematic.

After her third net-grazing serve, she received a warning glance.

Zhang Shu calmly caught the ball and said deeply: “Don’t repeatedly challenge my tolerance.”

The atmosphere became slightly peculiar.

Zhang Shu’s words seemed a bit… much? Unless they had a deeper meaning, not just about volleyball.

Sheng Xia froze slightly – this was the first time he’d looked directly at her since the game began.

Through the sparse net squares, a cold aura swept over.

“I…” she avoided his blade-like gaze.

Hou Junqi tried to smooth things over, “Little Sheng Xia, stop serving – go to the front!”

She moved to the front row, just facing the tall figure across the net.

That gaze nearly pierced through her.

The halftime whistle was like a lifeline. Sheng Xia quickly fled to rest under the shade.

She saw Xin Xiaohe running toward her but stopping halfway, eyes fixed on the other side of the field.

Following her gaze, Sheng Xia saw Zhang Shu walking toward her with a bottle of mineral water.

In this direction, she was the only one there now.

Xin Xiaohe blinked and turned away.

With his long legs, Zhang Shu reached her in a few strides, hands on his hips, looking down at her.

Not saying anything.

Sheng Xia was a bit drowsy after exercising, her mind not quite working.

She just stared up at him blankly.

A breeze passed by, bringing hints of coolness.

Neither noticed the gazes from all directions.

Zhang Shu spoke first: “You’re so naive, who knows if you’ll get scammed studying abroad?”

Sheng Xia came to her senses, feeling too vulnerable in this position. She stood up, dusting off her hands, somewhat annoyed, and replied: “No need for your concern.”

Zhang Shu opened the mineral water and offered it to her.

Sheng Xia felt uncomfortable – this gentlemanly gesture was too different from his behavior today.

Just as she was about to take it, he withdrew his hand and tilted his head back to drink, gulping too quickly. His Adam’s apple bobbed repeatedly, water droplets – sweat or water, unclear – running down his lean neck.

Sheng Xia hurriedly looked away.

Also putting away her presumptions.

Zhang Shu turned to look at her, “Testing if it’s poisoned for you. Don’t drink just anyone’s water in the future.”

Huh?

Sheng Xia hadn’t reacted, only now noticing her mineral water from earlier was gone from the court edge.

Was this bottle in his hand the one Yellow Hair had given her?

This… he’d almost finished it – testing?

She looked at him with complete skepticism.

Zhang Shu looked away at the nearly empty bottle, not embarrassed at all. “Finished it, sorry.”

With that, he tossed the bottle in an arc into a garbage bin several meters away.

“Clang” – clean and precise.

Showing no sign of an actual apology.

Then he told her: “Don’t look like you’ve been taken advantage of. I’ll buy you another bottle – wait.”

Then he ran off toward the dormitory supermarket.

Before the second half began, Zhang Shu returned. Sheng Xia accepted his “compensation” water – not the same brand as before, but a recent viral brand printed with various internet catchphrases that had gained popularity.

Sheng Xia had never bought it because it didn’t taste good and was overpriced.

She looked at the bottle’s text, which read: “The wise don’t fall in love.”

Sheng Xia: …

A cool breeze blew past as she didn’t know how to control her wandering thoughts.

…

That night, lying in bed, Sheng Xia tossed and turned again. Next week she would start intensive courses at the institution every evening – she couldn’t attend evening study at school anymore, or she wouldn’t be able to explain to Sheng Mingfeng.

Lu Youze messaged asking if she wanted to take extended leave together, as he had been rarely attending evening study lately.

Sheng Xia asked: “During the day?”

Lu Youze: “Yeah, evening classes, need to review during the day.”

Sheng Xia said: “I don’t know, let me think about it.”

Let me think about it, let’s wait a bit longer.

In the darkness, the image of the young man tilting his head back to drink appeared again – as if trying to swallow all his helplessness and indignation, making them cease to exist.

But… he was the one who gave up first, wasn’t he?

Why say things like “Don’t challenge my tolerance”?

Sigh…

Silently sighing, Sheng Xia opened “Meditation Space” again.

She had become increasingly dependent on this channel, relying on it for good sleep.

Toward the end, beyond just sleep aid content, deep meditation would guide anxiety relief.

This episode’s introduction was: Busy urban life has led people to create rules, living and working within them, following procedures in an orderly manner, but also trapping people in frameworks. Trying to step outside these frameworks and consider different perspectives might be a good way to break through bottlenecks and relieve anxiety.

The gentle female voice came through. Sheng Xia closed her eyes, entering relaxation.

“Now, treat your troubling issue as a polyhedron. Stop looking at the side you can’t break through, turn to another side. Imagine there’s a door – you’re standing in front of it. Push it open, and see if there’s anything you’ve overlooked. It might contradict your usual framework and might be something inconspicuous. Imagine, could it have a use you’ve overlooked… If not, close the door, let’s move to another side…”

Sheng Xia felt like she was floating in space, dense manuscripts surrounding her. She pasted them one by one inside the polyhedron…

What remained were those difficult-to-categorize, not-famous pieces.

A full twenty-some pieces.

So many?

“Imagine, could it have a use you’ve overlooked…”

Sheng Xia suddenly opened her eyes.