When Xia Xia woke up, one side of the bed was ice cold. Xie Huai had been gone for a while.

Xie Huai had taken an early morning flight back to Nan City. Last night felt like a fleeting dream—if not for the fragrant breakfast he’d bought sitting on the TV cabinet, Xia Xia would have thought it was all just a dream.

She shouldn’t have slept so soundly, not even knowing when Xie Huai left. But sharing a bed at night, their limbs intimately pressed together, the delicate warm sensation of skin touching skin had made her nerves unusually active.

Until three in the morning, Xia Xia had been excited, tossing and turning restlessly. Xie Huai hadn’t slept either, responding to her slightest movement. When she turned her back to him, he would slightly loosen his hold; when she turned toward him, he would tighten his embrace.

All night long, that part of Xie Huai had been very energetic, nearly poking a hole in her.

Xie Huai showed no embarrassment, but Xia Xia was half shy, half curious. Covering her eyes with her fingers, she recklessly asked: “Brother Huai, are you uncomfortable?”

Xie Huai gave a faint “mm”: “It’s fine.”

Xia Xia found it incredible: “How can it be so hard…”

Xie Huai shifted slightly away, letting Xia Xia rest on his arm. Unable to sleep, Xia Xia wondered if Xie Huai was so hard because he was lying in bed with her and wanted to do that with her. Then she worried if staying like this until dawn would be uncomfortable for him—what if he got hurt and couldn’t perform in the future?

She tossed and turned, her mind full of inappropriate thoughts.

“Can’t sleep?” At three in the morning, seeing Xia Xia still turning, Xie Huai asked.

“Mm.” Xia Xia nestled against his chest. “How do you plan to earn eight million in a year? With compound loan shark interest, won’t eight million multiply several times over in a year?”

Xie Huai laughed almost imperceptibly: “Scared?”

Xia Xia shook her head.

“It won’t increase anymore,” Xie Huai said. “They won’t dare push me too far. If they provoke me into suicide, they won’t get back a single cent—they’d be the ones losing…”

Xia Xia covered his mouth, angry: “What nonsense are you talking?”

Xie Huai smiled, holding her hand in his palm: “After my father’s incident, my mother sold her house for two million. I’ve also paid back over a million these past few years, leaving about five million.”

“Five million is still a lot,” Xia Xia played with the fuzzy balls on his collar, feeling down.

Xie Huai: “Xu Dalong has good luck and connections, and he’s sincere with me. There’s money to be made following him in the short term.”

“Why just short term?” Xia Xia asked.

Xie Huai explained: “It’s the environment. The golden age of construction materials has passed. Besides, there are too many people doing it now, and information spreads fast. Middlemen can barely fill their own pockets, let alone make more. Xu Dalong makes money because of the connections he’s built over years of contracting projects, but connections have their limits.”

Xia Xia half-understood: “This business isn’t profitable?”

“Like grasshoppers after autumn—no big profits left.”

“Then what business is profitable?” Xia Xia asked.

Xie Huai thought for a moment: “Environmental and new materials. The government supports green projects now, and not many people are doing these yet.”

Xia Xia: “Then why don’t you suggest this to Xu Dalong?”

Xie Huai laughed: “Are you stupid?”

He pressed his palm against her forehead, speaking flatly: “I’m following him now to learn experience and build connections. Do you think I plan to work for him forever?”

Xia Xia blinked, understanding. She snuggled closer into Xie Huai’s embrace.

Xie Huai talked with her some more. When drowsiness overtook Xia Xia, she responded a few times before falling asleep.

She had made Xie Huai’s arm go numb, but he didn’t dare move for fear of waking her.

Xia Xia thought Xie Huai hadn’t slept well last night—no, more accurately, he hadn’t slept at all.

The room’s curtains were half-drawn, letting in bright sunlight through the gap, casting a clear white shadow on the wall opposite the window.

In the outdoor light, Xie Huai gazed at Xia Xia’s face with fascination.

Her skin was fair and delicate, flawless, her lips soft and thin like ripe cherries in June.

Xia Xia slept deeply, her defenseless sleeping face like a baby’s. Xie Huai gently turned to his side and placed a kiss on her straight nose—just a light brush, but her pleasant scent filled his nose irresistibly. His lips moved up to kiss her thin eyelids.

Feeling someone touch her in her sleep, Xia Xia irritably tried to turn over. Xie Huai’s arm reached out, holding her tightly in his embrace.

That part of him was too hard to sleep, but looking at the girl before him, counterbalanced by the careful feeling of protecting a treasure, it became more bearable. That night Xie Huai didn’t sleep. He held Xia Xia, watching the shadows of falling snowflakes reflected on the wall, eyes open until dawn.

…

Xia Xia climbed out of bed and stretched.

Glimpsing the wrinkled sheets where Xie Huai had lain, she giggled and dove into the soft blankets, rolling around where his scent lingered.

After rolling a while, she sat up straight. Instead of brushing her teeth or washing her face, she took out her phone to post on Weibo.

[December 10th, Light Snow.

I love him so much, I want to give him everything I have.]

After posting, her lips curved up as she went to unwrap the breakfast Xie Huai had bought—enough for two people.

A sticky note was attached to the breakfast packaging, with Xie Huai’s rough handwriting.

[Eat more, you’ve gotten thin.]

Xia Xia turned the note over to find Xie Huai had written on the back in a schoolboy’s careful hand:

[Brother Huai loves you.]

After that night, life changed dramatically for Xia Xia, though on the surface she acted normal—eating, drinking, studying, and working her part-time job as usual.

Xie Huai still sent her messages occasionally, reminding her to eat well, to bring an umbrella when it rained, or to tell her about recent business troubles. His tone and words were no different from before, but Xia Xia could sensitively detect the different emotions hidden in each of his expressions.

—Brother Huai loves you.

Xia Xia tucked that sticky note into her notebook, kept under her pillow, taking it out to look at every night before bed.

Xie Huai wasn’t her first love, but when she dated Ping Jiapeng in high school, she never felt this heartbeat and excitement, never had so many girlishly subtle romantic thoughts. In comparison, those days were naive and boring—classes, meals, walking around the playground, conversations revolving endlessly around school life.

But with Xie Huai, it was as if the world had suddenly brightened.

Her world floated with countless stars and fireflies; closing her eyes, dazzling points of light sparkled before her.

Xia Xia rarely actively bothered Xie Huai. He was busy, and besides, he had proposed the one-year wait which she had agreed to. If she now constantly showed concern for the girl he liked, acting like they were dating when they weren’t supposed to be, it wouldn’t be good.

Xie Huai was a grown man with his thoughts and considerations.

Xia Xia respected him and was willing to give him time. As long as she was in his heart, she could wait not just one year, but any number of years.

Xia Xia often received packages containing five-spice melon seeds, nuts, or shelled roasted chestnuts. These weren’t ready-made from Taobao, but ones Xie Huai had bought and shelled one by one, vacuum-packed and mailed to her.

Every time she saw Xie Huai’s name in the sender field, she couldn’t help wanting to call him, or even impulsively return to Nan City to see him. She often imagined how Xie Huai must look, quietly sitting at his desk shelling nuts after a busy day. How did his long but clumsy fingers, with their short nails, pick out the kernels one by one?

Whenever she thought of these things, she would curl up laughing.

And after thinking about it all, she didn’t feel such an urgent need to go see him anymore.

Distance is a mysterious thing. Like a vacuum pump, it compresses all deep emotions into a narrow bag, and then one day, when the lid opens and the wind blows, all those accumulated thoughts that have built up day and night surge forth. The more unbearable the waiting was, the more wonderful that moment of release became.

Winter passed, and spring arrived.

Xia Xia was smiling foolishly again.

Her textbooks for the final exam review lay on her desk, with a package of walnut kernels beside her.

Chen Manxi: “You’re smiling even while reading—have you gone silly? Did your boyfriend send you something again?”

“No,” Xia Xia said. “He’s not my boyfriend yet.”

Chen Manxi was about to be a senior. While her classmates were busy looking for internships, she took things slowly, sleeping until noon, putting on makeup to go shopping, sometimes returning in the evening, sometimes not returning at all. But whenever she did return, it was always in a black Cadillac that dropped her right at the dormitory entrance.

Xia Xia had once seen the driver—young and handsome, easily ranking as one of the most attractive men at Hai University, making a seemingly perfect match with Chen Manxi. But she later learned that he was just a chauffeur for Chen Manxi’s boyfriend, who was much older than Xia Xia had imagined.

Chen Manxi leaned back in her chair, painting her nails: “I don’t understand you young people. If you’re dating, just date. Why play these ambiguous games?”

Xia Xia didn’t explain, just smiled and offered her the walnuts: “Want some?”

Chen Manxi took them: “Tell your boyfriend not to go through so much trouble next time. They sell pre-shelled ones on Taobao. It’s more expensive but saves effort.”

Xia Xia said: “It’s not about the money.”

Chen Manxi saw the crooked handwriting on the kraft paper bag saying [Finals are coming, here’s some brain food] and remembered her youth. She couldn’t help smiling: “In high school, there was a boy who pursued me madly. I still remember all his strange methods and gestures, but we broke up in the end.”

Xia Xia asked casually: “Did he ever shell walnuts for you?”

Chen Manxi’s expression darkened, thinking of something: “Shell walnuts for me? I wouldn’t dare even dream of it.”

Her tone was like discussing naive children: “Xia Xia, once you enter society you’ll understand. Student romance is beautiful, but love without money is nothing. Life isn’t just about romance—you have to think about yourself.”

Chen Manxi turned the package over in her hands, her gaze falling on the other side with four characters.

[Brother Huai loves you.]

Chen Manxi asked: “Which Huai is your boyfriend?”

Xia Xia made a sound of agreement: “Xie Huai.”

Chen Manxi went still. After a while, she asked softly: “The one who came to find you and spent the night with you last time?”

Xia Xia said: “Yes, that’s him.”

Chen Manxi fell silent. She returned the walnuts to Xia Xia and went back to painting her nails.

Xia Xia studied for a while until her mind grew fuzzy. She stood up to get some fresh air on the balcony.

Chen Manxi put down her nail polish and called out: “You’re from Chang City—was your boyfriend your high school classmate?”

Xia Xia said: “No, he’s from Zhang City. We met in university.”

Chen Manxi nodded, frowning without saying more.

Xia Xia noticed her strange expression and wanted to ask if she knew Xie Huai, but swallowed the words.

How could Chen Manxi know Xie Huai? Xia Xia thought. She was from Hai City—there couldn’t be any connection between them.

Hai University’s final exams were in late June, followed immediately by summer break.

During her exchange year, Xia Xia had excelled in both academics and comprehensive assessments. If she wished, she could continue studying at Hai University for another year. When the supervising teacher asked her thoughts, she only took a minute before deciding to return to Nan University.

The teacher joked: “Is Nan University really that good? Even our prestigious Hai University can’t keep you.”

Xia Xia smiled gently: “Hai University is wonderful, but I’ve been away too long. I miss my friends at Nan University.”

In late June, Nan University was still in review week, busy with classes.

Xia Xia didn’t tell anyone about her return. She bought her ticket, planning to sneak back to school and surprise Xie Huai.

While she was packing, Chen Manxi in the next bed was also packing her suitcase.

“Going traveling?” Chen Manxi always traveled abroad with her boyfriend during breaks, showing off scenery and romance on social media. Seeing her packing again, Xia Xia asked curiously.

Chen Manxi nodded, then shook her head: “Not going abroad. I plan to visit a friend in Nan City. Since you’re going back anyway, let’s go together.”

“Is your boyfriend going too?”

Chen Manxi’s expression became unnatural: “I’m going to see my friend. Why would he go?”

Chen Manxi had originally booked a flight but bought a train ticket specially to travel with Xia Xia.

She seemed preoccupied and barely spoke during the journey. Unless Xia Xia called her, she just sat by the window wearing her Gucci sunglasses, staring absently at the passing scenery.

Xia Xia had no time to worry about her mood changes. As the train got closer to Nan City, she couldn’t help smiling foolishly at the thought of seeing Xie Huai soon.

With nothing to do, she played with her phone and noticed Chen Manxi had just viewed her Moments and liked an old post. A QQ notification showed that Chen Manxi had also browsed her QQ Space.

Xia Xia hadn’t used QQ in ages. Many of her old posts were from when she was with Ping Jiapeng, but now seem affected and outdated. She rarely used QQ after starting university, leaving those old memories there undeleted.

Feeling embarrassed, she quickly locked her Space.

Chen Manxi, interrupted mid-browse, looked at her puzzled: “What’s wrong?”

Xia Xia: “What’s wrong with you? Why are you suddenly looking through old posts? Are you investigating me?”

Chen Manxi said nothing.

After leaving the train, Xia Xia was going to take the bus to Nan University, but Chen Manxi stopped her: “It’s too crowded. Let’s take a taxi.”

Seeing Xia Xia’s scrutinizing look, she said flatly: “My friend is at Nan University too.”

Chen Manxi hailed a taxi. Xia Xia tried to transfer her half of the fare.

Chen Manxi didn’t accept it, sitting in the front seat and taking out her powder compact to touch up her makeup, then applying a mauve lipstick, making herself look radiant.

“Chen Manxi,” Xia Xia asked seriously, “are you going to make that old man wear a green hat? Who are you getting all dressed up to see?”

Chen Manxi scoffed: “He doesn’t need me to give him a green hat. His second and third mistresses have already given him plenty—his head is already green.”

Xia Xia: “…”

Chen Manxi stuck to Xia Xia like glue, following her step by step.

When Xia Xia got out of the taxi, she got out; when Xia Xia entered the campus gate, she entered; when Xia Xia walked toward the dormitory, she walked toward the dormitory.

Xia Xia had no way to deal with her. Standing at the girls’ dormitory building, she looked at her seriously: “Chen Manxi, can you stop following me? I’m going back to my dorm now. Isn’t your friend at Nan University? Go find them.”

Chen Manxi’s gaze passed over her, falling on a spot not far behind.

Xia Xia followed her gaze and turned to see Xie Huai and Jiang Zhizhou walking side by side down Chunhe Road, having just finished lunch at the cafeteria.

After not seeing Xie Huai for half a year, his appearance hadn’t changed much, though his temperament had become more reserved.

Xia Xia had known Xie Huai for two years now without realizing it. She remembered how he looked two years ago—a spirited youth with sharp edges, his pride natural and innate, his backbone straight as if nothing could bend it.

And now.

Looking at him like this, she couldn’t say exactly what had changed about Xie Huai, but the change wasn’t bad—it made him even more captivating. She felt that in his every movement and expression, he carried not just that half-grown youth from before, but also a mature man.

Jiang Zhizhou noticed Xia Xia first. He stopped and nudged Xie Huai to look that way. Xie Huai casually lifted his head and unexpectedly met Xia Xia’s gaze.

After a moment of brief surprise, his lips curved up, unconsciously revealing a tender smile.

Summer silk trees were in full bloom overhead as he walked toward Xia Xia.

Just as Xia Xia was about to run up and hug him, Chen Manxi beside her moved.

Chen Manxi set down her suitcase and walked past Xia Xia.

She curved her lips in a smile at the two men: “Jiang Zhizhou, do you remember me?”

She casually removed her sunglasses, her water-filled passionate eyes turning to Xie Huai, her voice pure yet coquettish: “Xie Huai, long time no see. Have you missed me?”

Xia Xia stood frozen in place, her expression stunned. She instinctively looked at Xie Huai.

The smile that had bloomed on Xie Huai’s face upon seeing Xia Xia disappeared, his expression suddenly darkening to ice-cold.