When Hou Junqi suggested skipping class, quite a few people agreed.

Needless to say, Han Xiao and his group were in, and Qi Xiulei and Yang Lingyu’s entire dorm was also clamored to go. Then Yang Lingyu brought along Xin Xiaohe – this group…

Three cars full of people arrived magnificently. After getting off, with tall Hou Junqi leading the way, the group walking in school uniforms through the hospital corridor turned quite a few heads.

Zhang Shu was sleeping after getting an IV when a “Shu-ge” woke him up.

He hadn’t been sleeping soundly – unable to turn over or lie on his side. Without medication, he could only doze lightly during the day. During these times, he would listen to English audio or Chinese recitations.

Zhang Shu turned off the audio playing on his phone and removed his earphones.

The caregiver raised the bed slightly.

He watched as the group filed into the ward one by one like counting ducks.

All guys.

Finally, at the end he saw a girl, with dark eyes under short hair – it was Xin Xiaohe.

Zhang Shu’s gaze continued looking behind her.

No one else. Xin Xiaohe closed the door.

No one noticed Zhang Shu’s dimming eyes, since he didn’t look energetic to begin with.

“What’s going on with you all, not going to class?” Zhang Shu asked.

Hou Junqi: “Our class has PE…”

Han Xiao: “Does it matter if we skip one class or not?”

Wu Pengcheng: “Hey, don’t drag us into this, I’m making a huge sacrifice here, okay?”

Liu Hui’an: “Whatever, does it make any difference whether you study or not?”

The group started inexplicably bickering while sharing the fruit they brought among themselves.

Then some asked about his condition while others asked about the case, all talking at once – Zhang Shu couldn’t keep up with responding.

Hou Junqi complained: “Shu, when can you come back, when can you play basketball? Studying hard alone is too painful!”

Yang Lingyu exposed him: “How many days have you gone in these two weeks? What are you complaining about!”

“I’m suffering inside!” Hou Junqi retorted, “Not like you, already set with Heke University right? Living the good life.”

Yang Lingyu modestly cautioned: “Don’t say that, still need to pass the first-tier university line, okay?”

Qi Xiulei: “Hehe, isn’t that line child’s play for you? Shu, look how fake and humble this guy is?”

Zhang Shu knew Yang Lingyu had participated in Heyan University of Technology’s independent recruitment winter camp, seems the results were good.

“When do the announcements come out?” he asked.

Yang Lingyu: “Basically everyone knows their scores already, announcements in April.”

“Really? Sheng Xia’s is in April too!” Xin Xiaohe chimed in.

At the mention of this name, several of the guys inwardly sighed – not good.

The whole internet knew Zhang Shu had confessed through Weibo tree holes, but the subject of his affection seemed to not react.

Understandable, since she was reportedly going abroad.

Realizing something, Han Xiao asked first: “What’s Sheng Xia’s thing in April?”

Hou Junqi said: “For SAT, April is an even month, but seems there are no test locations in China?”

Xin Xiaohe silently cursed her big mouth.

She had learned about it at Yifang Bookstore last weekend – turns out Sheng Xia’s leave was to prepare for independent recruitment. No one in the class knew, not even Sheng Xia’s parents.

Sheng Xia wasn’t nearly as certain as Yang Lingyu.

Xin Xiaohe awkwardly said: “Ah, I might have remembered wrong.”

This time, everyone noticed Zhang Shu’s dimming eyes.

A few seconds of awkward silence.

Wu Pengcheng teased: “Shu, you’ve become famous this time. What you said in that speech about being useful to society and country wasn’t empty talk after all, huh?”

“Hahaha!”

“Achieving personal value ahead of schedule hahaha.”

Uh…

Why were they the only ones laughing awkwardly while Zhang Shu remained expressionless, his gaze growing even more intense?

What exactly was wrong with what they said?

“Shu?” Yang Lingyu changed the subject, “Can you participate in the second mock exam?”

Zhang Shu calculated the timing: “Not sure.”

The doctor said his recovery was considered good, but it was hard to judge accurately.

Everyone exchanged glances.

Such a long period of bed rest would affect his grades significantly, but no one dared say this.

Zhang Shu said: “It’s fine, there’s enough time.”

With him saying this, everyone felt somewhat relieved.

The group chatted more about basketball and recent school gossip before having to leave.

They couldn’t skip multiple classes in a row.

Xin Xiaohe, walking last, suddenly stopped and turned back.

She was conflicted.

Should she say something more? She could see Sheng Xia had been very dejected lately too.

But Sheng Xia had her reasons for doing things, she couldn’t overstep.

After hesitating for a while, Xin Xiaohe still said nothing and turned to leave.

Half-lying in bed, Zhang Shu pondered Xin Xiaohe’s look of having something unsaid.

He picked up his phone, found Xin Xiaohe’s QQ, and sent her a message.

S: “What did you want to say earlier?”

Xin Xiaohe, probably bored on the bus, replied almost instantly: “Nothing hehe.”

S: “What announcement does Sheng Xia have in April?”

Even for SAT or TOEFL, it would be called getting results, not announcements. The word “announcement” was too socialist.

The chat box repeatedly flashed “The other party is typing…”

But no message came through.

Zhang Shu waited anxiously and directly called her via voice chat.

Xin Xiaohe instantly cut it off.

Zhang Shu: …

Then Xin Xiaohe’s message came through.

Xin Xiaohe: Sorry Shu-ge, my hand slipped just now… Um, why don’t you ask Teacher Wang? I’m not sure…

It wasn’t that she wasn’t sure – she was too sure, which is why she didn’t know if saying anything would be right.

What if she accidentally caused trouble for Sheng Xia?

Zhang Shu didn’t hesitate, called Wang Wei, no answer.

Was he in class?

Most likely teaching another class.

Wait until class ends to call.

Zhang Shu couldn’t wait.

Remembering something, he found Fu Jie’s QQ in the class group and added her as a friend.

She accepted almost instantly, sending over a cute “Hi”.

Zhang Shu didn’t reply, directly called her with voice chat.

She picked up immediately, greeting: “Great hero, why are you calling me? I’m honored! Are you feeling better? Teacher Wang said you’re recovering well and strong, when can we visit?”

Zhang Shu kept it brief: “Much better, you can come anytime. Teacher, I have something to ask you, can you answer me honestly?”

Fu Jie: …

“What’s so urgent?”

“Do you know… what Sheng Xia’s been up to?” Zhang Shu got straight to the point.

Fu Jie: “She’s… isn’t she attending class?”

Zhang Shu: …

He realized Fu Jie’s thought process was somewhat similar to Sheng Xia’s.

Zhang Shu: “Does she have any exams or summer camps in April?”

After saying it he realized that was wrong – schools usually only had winter and summer camps. At this time, spring camp? Didn’t seem to exist.

“No?” Fu Jie answered, then seemed to think for a moment before saying: “Her independent recruitment announcement comes out in April, don’t you know?”

Zhang Shu: “What is independent recruitment?”

Fu Jie: “Heqing University’s strengthened foundation program?”

After saying it she seemed to realize something, “You don’t know?”

Zhang Shu put the phone on speaker, his hand falling limply.

Fu Jie’s voice carried confusion: “Aren’t you two together every day? I thought you knew. It’s been really hard, writing drafts until midnight, and writing during lunch break too. You’re together at lunch too, how could you not know?”

Zhang Shu felt like something had struck his head, his scalp tingling.

So that time when she insisted on carrying her heavy backpack during lunch break – she was carrying a laptop to write?

“Teacher…” Zhang Shu organized his thoughts, “What kind of independent recruitment is it, what is she writing?”

“I’ll send it to you in a bit to look at,” Fu Jie muttered, “It’s very complicated, the conditions are incredibly strict. Teacher Wang and I both thought there was no hope and indeed the first draft didn’t pass – wrote a hundred thousand words, didn’t pass. Originally thought that was it, but Sheng Xia wanted to try again, so took two weeks off to rewrite everything…”

“I’ve never seen such a determined girl when there are easier paths…” Fu Jie still couldn’t believe it, “How is it that you don’t know? How can that be? Then why were you at Yifang Bookstore? I thought you were accompanying her. Thought you two had planned it?”

Zhang Shu stared at the ceiling, eyes tightly closed, his mind full of her crying saying she had tried her best but was powerless.

But at that time he thought her efforts meant negotiating with her parents.

Was she preparing for independent recruitment?

Was she crying then because her draft hadn’t passed?

Zhang Shu didn’t speak. Fu Jie seemed to realize something and became a bit anxious, “Did I say something I shouldn’t have?”

“No,” Zhang Shu said solemnly, “Thank you, Teacher Fu.”

Fu Jie paused, fell silent, seemed to be thinking, then asked: “Don’t you look at Weibo?”

Zhang Shu: “Not planning to use it anymore.”

Opening it would show a sea of red from reposts, comments, and private messages.

All 99+.

This kind of red, he didn’t want.

But he wouldn’t delete it either.

Things did, words said – they were all marks of who he was, open and aboveboard, no need to erase them.

“Maybe you should take a look,” Fu Jie suggested.

…

Sheng Xia ran into Lu Youze at the Hengxin Building that evening.

She was a bit surprised: “Didn’t you finish your exam?”

Lu Youze answered: “Results aren’t out yet, don’t dare relax. Might need to take it again?”

“You’ll be fine,” Sheng Xia encouraged, tone sincere but distant.

“Thanks,” Lu Youze smiled and asked: “How is he?”

This “he” needed no explanation, it was understood.

“Should be much better…”

Hearing this uncertain response, Lu Youze had a vague guess, “You two… haven’t made up?”

Such a dramatic situation, risking life for each other, even though the object was only Zhang Shu’s assumption – this friendship was quite profound.

Made up…

Sheng Xia had no definition for this term either, she didn’t know if they counted as having made up.

At least the current state wasn’t good.

She shook her head.

Lu Youze sighed, and changed topics: “Prepare well for the exam, the questions aren’t hard, stay relaxed!”

Sheng Xia just nodded.

When Wang Lianhua came to pick up Sheng Xia, she saw Lu Youze. After polite greetings, in the car, she asked Sheng Xia: “This classmate is also going abroad?”

“Mm.”

“Where to?”

“UPenn.”

Wang Lianhua was surprised: “How is it also UPenn?”

“Probably because the business school is good.”

Wang Lianhua gave a couple of dry laughs, muttering under her breath: “So your father, speaking to you so gently as if he cares so much, was planning this…”

Sheng Xia sighed.

Ah, her mother and father’s misunderstandings of each other ran too deep.

“Our teachers recommended the schools to us separately, it should be a coincidence,” Sheng Xia explained.

Wang Lianhua didn’t show whether she believed it or not, just reminded: “Whatever the case, maintain appropriate distance.”

“I know.”

Wang Lianhua’s firm principle against early dating was never to consider who the person was, even a prince wouldn’t do that.

“You haven’t gone to see your class… to see Zhang Shu for a while, you can go visit,” Wang Lianhua suddenly suggested.

Sheng Xia was somewhat surprised. Previously, she might have gone immediately.

“Mm, when I have time.”

Wang Lianhua showed surprise but didn’t say much.

At night, Sheng Xia went about her usual routine – practicing problems, and organizing wrong answers, until late.

At 1 AM, she went to bed.

Before sleeping, she habitually checked her phone. Hou Junqi had sent her videos from the hospital visit – there was laughter in the ward, and Zhang Shu looked much more energetic.

His voice was back to normal volume too.

Exiting the chat window, she suddenly noticed the unresponsive “Song Jiang” had red message notifications.

10.

10 new messages.

Opening it, she saw he had replied to every message she’d sent before.

The last one said: “Asking so much without coming to see for yourself?”

From two minutes ago.

Sheng Xia: “Why aren’t you resting so late!”

Weren’t patients supposed to sleep more?

Song Jiang replied instantly: “Knew you check your phone around this time.”

Sheng Xia: …

“You should get plenty of rest?”

Song Jiang: “Then come see me, tomorrow.”

Sheng Xia: “Okay.”

After several minutes passed, Sheng Xia watched her phone screen brighten and dim, dim and brighten, before deciding to ask: “Why didn’t you reply to my messages before?”

Song Jiang replied instantly again: “I’ll tell you when you come tomorrow.”

This needed to be said in person.

Sheng Xia confirmed one fact: he had been deliberately not replying to her messages lately.

She could vaguely guess some reasons but thought it wasn’t so serious. After his incident, she wasn’t the only one worried about him. Though it was impossible to respond to everyone’s concerns, at least receiving it would mean the care wasn’t wasted.

He didn’t think so. Worrying.

The next day was Sunday, afternoon off.

Sheng Xia told Wang Lianhua and caught a ride directly to the hospital with Zhang Sujin.

The ward was full of flowers, and bouquets everywhere.

Zhang Shu wasn’t alone in the room. A girl stood by his bed, their heads close together looking at one phone.

Hearing people arrive, both looked up.

The girl was very pretty, with long black hair falling loose, and straight bangs framing especially bright eyes, though her whole demeanor carried a sense of cool distance.

Zhang Shu returned the phone to the girl, saying: “My family’s here.”

The girl nodded, stepped aside, made a “bye-bye” gesture, and then nodded to Zhang Sujin and Sheng Xia entering before leaving sideways.

Zhang Sujin smiled, saying to the stunned Sheng Xia: “She’s the girl who was sitting by the window that day, she can’t speak.”

So that’s how it was.

Sheng Xia’s heart lifted at some unknown point and settled back down heavily. She said: “Heard it’s hearing impairment.”

So even when that madman had rushed up behind her, she hadn’t heard anything.

“Mm, she can hear with cochlear implants.”

“Must be difficult.”

“Yes.”

Sheng Xia looked at Zhang Shu lying in the hospital bed, suddenly feeling a bit lost.

Because he was staring straight at her, without any particular expression, showing no discernible emotion.

Zhang Sujin said: “I’ll go buy some fruit and yogurt, and be back in a bit.”

To give them space, it was too conspicuous since the bedside table was already full of fruit baskets.

“Sit?” Zhang Shu called to her first.

Sheng Xia put her backpack aside, and sat by the bed, her eyes showing guilt.

Zhang Shu sighed inwardly, deciding to address the first issue.

He took out that stack of envelopes from the bedside drawer, and handed them to her: “Read them to me.”

Sheng Xia looked up: …

Zhang Shu: “I don’t want to look, too tired, read them to me.”

Sheng Xia: “These are from others, for you…”

How could she read them?

Zhang Shu: “Read.”

She felt this was a trap, but since she was here, and she had taken the initiative first, she had to do something.

Deal with things as they come.

Sheng Xia chose a kraft envelope that looked less pink and opened it.

“A-Shu…” Just reading the address, Sheng Xia felt unnatural.

Why could others so naturally call him A-Shu?

She looked at the signature first, a second-year student, “Do you know them?” She showed him the name.

Zhang Shu shook his head: “Don’t know them.”

Sheng Xia was slightly surprised – you could address someone so familiarly without knowing them?

Under his urging gaze, she continued reading: “Hope this finds you well… Hearing news of your injury, I haven’t slept for two days, hoping you can return safely and see this letter…”

“The first time I saw you, on Xiangzhang Boulevard, you rode your bike past me. At that moment, even the air seemed sweet. Only then did I know that love at first sight exists…”

Sheng Xia’s voice gradually weakened, starting to stumble.

The next full page, over a thousand flowing words, meticulously describes every chance encounter between the letter writer and Zhang Shu.

She looked up to see his eyes closed, appearing to be resting.

Hearing her stop, he urged: “Continue.”

“…I never thought we would have an ending, just wanted to tell you, that someone likes you, will always, always like you, no matter what, you are the brightest color of my high school years. A-Shu, if possible, if lucky enough, hope you can remember, my name…”

Zhang Shu opened his eyes: “Finished?”

“Mm…”

Zhang Shu: “Next one.”

Sheng Xia: …

“Shu…”

“When you see this letter, you should be out of danger already, thank heavens…”

“…You might not remember, during military training in the first year…”

“You’re always dazzling…”

Zhang Shu: “Next one.”

Sheng Xia felt something stuck in her throat, tight and painful.

She didn’t read. Didn’t open the third envelope either.

Zhang Shu slowly opened his eyes. Though he had steeled himself before she came, now seeing her head lowered, chin almost buried in her neck, he could only sigh softly.

“How does it feel, Sheng Xia?”

Sheng Xia didn’t look up, just stuffed all the letters back in the drawer, “I don’t want to read anymore…”

Zhang Shu: “Why?”

She couldn’t say it.

Zhang Shu: “Why, Student XIA-abcdef?”

Sheng Xia finally raised her head.

Had he seen it? Hadn’t he said he wouldn’t look?

“You saw…”

“Mm,” Zhang Shu interrupted her, “I saw.”

If he hadn’t truly seen it, seen that line “May we both get our wishes, meet again in September,” he really couldn’t believe that a girl who liked him would hand him love letters from others.

Not just one, but a stack.

He’d thought about it all night, finally understanding.

He couldn’t use his values and logic to explain her actions.

All along, she was used to caring for everyone’s feelings around her, had extremely strong empathy and her tolerance and understanding of others often exceeded self-interest.

Before when it was his birthday and he asked her to help open gifts, she felt it would be an insult to the gift-givers. How much more so with letters sent when his life hung by a thread?

And liking him was an unfamiliar emotion for her.

Not knowing how to handle it, everything habitually followed existing logic.

“So why? Why don’t you want to read anymore?” Zhang Shu persisted.

Sheng Xia finally couldn’t take his questioning, murmuring: “Because it feels bad…”

Those were not particularly elegant but sincere words – if she’d read them randomly online, she might have been moved, but the protagonist of these letters was him, and the scenes described were moments of his life she had missed.

She couldn’t explain clearly, she just felt very bad.

Suddenly, someone touched her fingertips. She looked up to meet Zhang Shu’s faint smile.

“Get it now? This is called jealousy.” His eyes fixed straight on her as he stated word by word.

Jea-lou-sy.

He put one arm behind his head, appearing relaxed while saying things that made her ears burn: “Jealousy is when I get upset if other guys talk to you for more than three sentences, when they bring you water I get upset, them being able to study abroad at the same school as you makes me super upset. Rationally I know it’s all good for you, but emotionally I’m just really upset. This feeling, do you understand now?”

Understand now?

She understood.

Jealousy was Lin Daiyu saying, “Had I known you were coming, I wouldn’t have come”; was Jane quietly leaving her hidden corner; was Bryce inwardly raging how could she sit there smiling at others?

Was knowing everything was understandable yet still being unable to resolve it.

Was indirect criticism, extreme anger, and loss of composure.

Was possessiveness.

Sheng Xia: “I have it too…”

Zhang Shu glanced at her, with an attitude of listening respectfully but not quite believing.

“I have it too…” Sheng Xia repeated as if emphasizing, “When I saw you practicing with other girls when I heard you gave her flowers many times and a necklace when I saw you chatting so naturally with them, and just now…”

“Just now…”

She stopped her cheeks already bright red.

She could feel her tightly clenched hands, palms burning, breaking out in fine sweat.

Zhang Shu straightened slightly, actually sitting up. A twinge of pain came from his abdomen but wasn’t enough to stop him from leaning closer to her.

He held that nervous hand – still unbelievably soft.

“What about just now?”

He had an IV, and his hand was cold, suddenly cooling her feverishness, and feeling quite comfortable.

Sheng Xia met his gaze, no longer avoiding it.

“Just now, seeing you and someone else, so close together…”

Zhang Shu looked at her face so close by, flushed white, eyes full of stubbornness and grievance. The corners of his mouth could no longer be controlled, slowly rising until even his eyes were full of smiles.

Sheng Xia faced him with her heart pounding like it would burst out, persistently maintaining eye contact.

She was very sincere, not just saying it.

He shouldn’t accuse her of not understanding anything.

“Sheng Xia…”

She heard his voice very low, gentle, and lingering.

“What should I do? I don’t just like you anymore…”

Sheng Xia’s heartbeat, and pulse, all stopped obeying. They wouldn’t slow down at all.

Zhang Shu carefully observed her every reaction, but in the end, swallowed back the words that had reached his lips.

Take it step by step, don’t be rash.

She was different from others.

He moved his head completely in front of her, changing to: “From now on I’ll only listen to your confessions, only give you flowers and necklaces, keep a one-meter distance from other girls, what do you think?”