Back in the day, when Lin Zhixia was in middle school at Provincial No. 1 High School, she always ranked first in her class. As for second place, it was either Jiang Yubai or Shen Fuxuan.
Shen Fuxuan had excellent grades and successfully obtained a guaranteed admission spot. He was a freshman in the Mathematics Department this year and was now Lin Zhixia’s junior classmate.
Former classmates had now become junior schoolmates.
Shen Fuxuan didn’t show the slightest embarrassment. The moment he saw Lin Zhixia, he waved to her and called out naturally: “Lin Zhixia!”
“Have you noticed that Lin Zhixia has grown taller?” Duan Qiyan suddenly commented.
Duan Qiyan stood beside Shen Fuxuan with his arms crossed and back perfectly straight. He wore a baseball cap and a cotton shirt printed with the university emblem, paired with loose athletic pants. He was quite satisfied with his outfit and hoped Lin Zhixia would notice him.
After finishing middle school, Duan Qiyan had matured considerably. He had long forgotten his childhood title of “Teachers College Affiliated Primary School’s Number One Warrior.” As he grew older, he had seen the cruel side of life—for instance, in his third year of high school, he hadn’t secured a guaranteed admission spot at Peking University or Tsinghua University and had to grit his teeth and prepare for the college entrance examination.
Fortunately, his foundation was solid.
Duan Qiyan performed brilliantly, ranking in the top thirty in the province on the college entrance exam.
Teachers from the admissions office competed to recruit him.
What was there to compete for?
Duan Qiyan was destined to be schoolmates with Lin Zhixia and Shen Fuxuan.
Crowds surged everywhere, the excitement continuing as Lin Zhixia came closer, her voice tinged with surprise: “You all came? That’s great! I want to treat you to a meal. Are there any other classmates here?”
Shen Fuxuan pointed in another direction: “Your high school deskmate, Tang Tingting, she came too. She’s at the neighboring university.”
“The neighboring university?” Lin Zhixia was somewhat surprised.
Taking advantage of Tang Tingting’s absence, Duan Qiyan coldly mocked: “She said the engineering departments at the neighboring university are stronger and there are more men. She wanted to go to a university with more men, which made me laugh. I think she just wants to fool around in college…”
Lin Zhixia had a scale in her heart. For her, Tang Tingting’s weight far outweighed Duan Qiyan’s, so she chose to speak up for Tang Tingting: “You’re all seventeen or eighteen years old now, isn’t dating quite normal?”
Duan Qiyan raised an eyebrow: “Are you dating?”
Lin Zhixia firmly denied it: “I’m not.”
Duan Qiyan’s father called to him from a distance: “Son! My good son! Have you read the ‘Freshman Guide’? Have you gotten your physical examination card? Don’t forget to go for the physical exam. Dad and Mom have arranged a car for this afternoon—we’re going to climb the Great Wall. Son, take care of yourself. Dad and Mom will leave first. Call if you need anything!”
Duan Qiyan was carrying two large suitcases by himself. He lifted them with force and responded: “Dad, don’t go yet, I haven’t even entered the dormitory…”
Duan Qiyan’s voice was relatively low, and his parents didn’t hear him. Like a lone wolf, he watched helplessly as his parents disappeared at the end of the tree-lined path. He could hardly believe that his parents would abandon him for the Great Wall—abandoning him, an excellent child who ranked in the top thirty in the province on the college entrance exam and was fought over by Peking University and Tsinghua University.
Duan Qiyan stood there foolishly for a moment.
Lin Zhixia kindly consoled him: “Don’t be sad. When I first came to Beijing, my parents also told me they wanted to tour Beijing, but they were deceiving me. They didn’t tour at all. To save money, they took the train back home that very evening. Parents are the people who care about you the most in the world…”
Duan Qiyan heard Lin Zhixia’s words and believed them.
He was even somewhat moved.
Thinking about how his parents had gone back home overnight to save money, while pretending to be climbing the Great Wall, he felt a bit uncomfortable. His parents had never been so frugal before. Perhaps it was because he had been admitted to the best university in the country, and they wanted to save some money for him. Ah, he understood now. Indeed, after graduating from high school, one’s mind truly matures.
While Duan Qiyan was talking with Lin Zhixia, Shen Fuxuan had already found his dormitory building on the map.
Shen Fuxuan’s parents hadn’t accompanied him; he had traveled lightly to Beijing on his own. He didn’t have a suitcase, bringing only a backpack. He did not seem like a new college student but like a leisurely tourist.
Students bustled along the tree-lined path, the sound of suitcase wheels scraping the ground rising and falling.
Lin Zhixia volunteered to be a guide for Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan. She clearly remembered the location of every building on campus. She promised her two former classmates that she would safely escort them to the entrance of the boys’ dormitory.
Just as Lin Zhixia took a step forward, she heard a girl’s voice calling: “Goddess Xia! Goddess Xia!”
The breeze made Deng Shasha’s skirt rustle. She held a pancake in her left hand and a roll of materials in her right. She sprinted along the tree-shaded path, running toward Lin Zhixia with swift steps.
“She’s my roommate!” Lin Zhixia introduced enthusiastically, “Her name is Deng Shasha.”
As soon as Lin Zhixia finished speaking, Deng Shasha stopped in her tracks.
A few minutes earlier, Deng Shasha had been busy with her volunteer work and hadn’t been able to get away. She had waited until a colleague came to take over her shift, and then, without wasting a moment, had immediately caught up with Lin Zhixia.
With two handsome junior students right before her eyes, Deng Shasha changed her demeanor, becoming gentle, gracious, and friendly. She spoke softly: “Oh my, are these two junior students from your hometown? Our Mathematics Department’s junior students are truly talented and good-looking.”
“Hahaha,” Lin Zhixia laughed.
Then, she said generously, “These two junior students were my middle school classmates.”
As if to prove that Lin Zhixia was telling the truth, Duan Qiyan awkwardly turned to Deng Shasha and called: “Senior.” Not satisfied with just his greeting, he lightly patted Shen Fuxuan and urged, “Why aren’t you greeting the senior?”
Shen Fuxuan smiled slightly: “Senior.”
With that smile, he nearly captivated Deng Shasha completely.
Deng Shasha was now quite seasoned. She had seen several handsome men—such as the flawless Jiang Yubai, the charming and unrestrained Tan Qianche, the conservative and restrained Lin Zeqiu… In comparison, Shen Fuxuan might not appear as striking as the previous three at first glance, but he knew how to smile well, and his gaze was extraordinary. Deng Shasha felt there was something special about him.
Deng Shasha linked arms with Lin Zhixia, walking side by side with her.
Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan followed quietly behind them.
In early September, the summer heat hadn’t fully dissipated. The sky was exceptionally clear, and the autumn breeze was warm and dry. Duan Qiyan, carrying his heavy luggage, had a thin layer of sweat on his back. He coughed once and negotiated with Shen Fuxuan: “Hey, you’re not carrying anything. Can you help me carry this for a while?”
Shen Fuxuan was as leisurely as if he were strolling through the campus: “How many years have we known each other?”
“We’re close friends, right? Six years as classmates and friends,” Duan Qiyan answered hopefully.
Shen Fuxuan smiled even more gently: “After six years, how do you still not understand what kind of person I am? Think seriously, would I help you carry your luggage?”
Duan Qiyan’s last hope was extinguished by a bucket of cold water. He concluded: “Ah, you wouldn’t. You’re too weak to tie up a chicken.”
The description “too weak to tie up a chicken” made Shen Fuxuan uncomfortable again. He was merely not good at physical activities, which had no impact on his life. He helplessly raised his head, looked into the distance, and happened to spot a familiar figure.
He decisively uttered her name: “Jin Baihui.”
Lin Zhixia also exclaimed: “It is Jin Baihui!”
Jin Baihui still maintained her neat short hair. Dressed in sportswear and wearing framed glasses, she was slim and neatly dressed. Mixed among the bustling crowd, she held a book titled “Essential Dictionary for Graduate English.”
The shadow of the sun shifted slightly, and the tree shadows swayed. Duan Qiyan stood motionless. He suddenly increased his grip on his luggage, lifted it forcefully, and walked straight ahead. His pace was so fast that Lin Zhixia quickly called out to him: “Duan Qiyan, wait for me! Did you check the map? You’re taking the wrong path…”
Duan Qiyan’s luggage was cheap, and the wheels had broken on the way. He silently resolved to buy a new one in a few days.
Now, he could only rely on his strength, carrying his luggage like a porter hauling goods up a mountain.
Jin Baihui was three meters away from him. As the saying goes, “When enemies meet, the eyes burn red.” Duan Qiyan arrogantly raised his chest, glanced at Jin Baihui, his gaze sweeping across her face. He wandered around the vast campus like a headless fly.
Jin Baihui acted as if she didn’t see Duan Qiyan.
Only when Lin Zhixia approached did Jin Baihui look up: “You’re a junior now?”
“Yes,” Lin Zhixia didn’t avoid the topic, “I’ll graduate next year.”
Jin Baihui dryly said, “Congratulations.”
Lin Zhixia nodded: “Keep going strong.”
Jin Baihui asked: “Are you cheering for yourself?”
“I’m cheering for you,” Lin Zhixia said sincerely, “I hope everything goes smoothly for you at university.”
Looking at Duan Qiyan’s stubborn and tall figure, she suddenly recalled a past event and tentatively said: “Time flies. Do you remember the winter holiday training camp in middle school?”
Jin Baihui pressed her lips tightly.
Lin Zhixia’s voice grew softer: “We’re schoolmates from both middle school and university. It’s quite a coincidence.”
Lin Zhixia stopped there. However, Jin Baihui understood her meaning.
Jin Baihui knew that Lin Zhixia was persuading her to apologize to Duan Qiyan.
During that winter holiday training camp, Jin Baihui had firmly accused Duan Qiyan of being a thief. Duan Qiyan stood isolated on the podium, almost breaking down—this was the origin of the animosity between Jin Baihui and Duan Qiyan.
Jin Baihui frowned slightly and only said, “Ancient history, a waste of time.”
Lin Zhixia waved to her: “Then I won’t disturb you anymore. I’ll go now.”
After taking two steps, Lin Zhixia suddenly turned back and asked: “Are you free tonight? At six-thirty, I’m treating everyone to dinner at the cafeteria.”
Jin Baihui remained silent. She neither accepted nor declined Lin Zhixia’s invitation, consistent with her cold demeanor since childhood. Her fingers gripped the dictionary tightly, and in the early autumn season with falling leaves, the thin sweat from her palm left a misty sweat stain on the dictionary’s cover.
*
Under Deng Shasha’s guidance, Duan Qiyan and Shen Fuxuan found their dormitory building.
Soon, Duan Qiyan faced a new life challenge—both he and Shen Fuxuan had been assigned to Room 304.
In other words, Shen Fuxuan was Duan Qiyan’s roommate?!
Duan Qiyan had long discovered that Shen Fuxuan often teased him, but he couldn’t get angry at Shen Fuxuan. As the saying goes, “You don’t raise your hand against someone who’s smiling.” Shen Fuxuan was always by his side like a shadow, like his buddy, and he had been magnanimous toward his buddies more than once or twice.
Duan Qiyan, with great effort and sweating profusely, carried his luggage into Room 304. When climbing the stairs, Lin Zhixia offered to help, but he refused. Joke aside, how could he let a girl help him carry luggage? Especially a girl who wasn’t even an adult yet.
The environment in Room 304 was better than Duan Qiyan had imagined. The floor was clean, the balcony was bright, and there was nothing dirty on the bed. Duan Qiyan was quite satisfied.
He dropped his luggage on the floor, squatted down to organize his things, while Shen Fuxuan leaned against the doorframe, empty-handed, looking down at him.
He couldn’t help but ask: “Shen Fuxuan, I wanted to ask you earlier, where’s your luggage? Didn’t you bring clothes? Are you going to borrow from someone?”
Shen Fuxuan took out his phone and made a call. Before long, two men in their twenties delivered his luggage. He had arranged a VIP shipping service in the provincial capital—he was willing to spend money, not effort.
Shen Fuxuan’s capitalist style immediately reminded Lin Zhixia of Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai had also gone to university. Could he adapt to the cafeteria food? Had he made new friends?
After returning to her dormitory, Lin Zhixia eagerly had a QQ video chat with Jiang Yubai.
At around five o’clock in the afternoon, Beijing time, Lin Zhixia sat on her bed, looking at the computer screen, and asked in surprise: “Jiang Yubai, is this your dormitory?”
Jiang Yubai’s room was very spacious, with transparent light, exquisite decoration, and elegant furniture and furnishings. There was even an oil painting of a landscape on the wall. Below the painting was a bed of enormous size, covered with a fluffy velvet comforter.
“Your school is so wealthy, your dormitory is so beautiful,” Lin Zhixia admired.
But Jiang Yubai said, “We haven’t officially started school yet, this is…”
“Your family’s newly bought house?” Lin Zhixia asked again.
Jiang Yubai revealed: “Bought last year. I’m not living at school… this can be considered my dormitory.”
Lin Zhixia cupped her face with both hands: “I’ll be able to visit next year.”
Next, Lin Zhixia described her progress with her doctoral applications.
In April this year, she had taken the IELTS (English proficiency test) and GRE (US graduate school entrance exam), with final scores close to perfect on both tests.
She also had recommendation letters from three professors: Gu Likai, Shen Zhaohua, and the Vice Dean of the Mathematics Department. Her university GPA was extremely high, her laboratory work experience was rich, and her research achievements were quite outstanding.
After hearing about her application background, Jiang Yubai couldn’t help but praise: “You will succeed.”
“By the way,” Lin Zhixia hit the bed frame, “Shen Fuxuan, Duan Qiyan, Tang Tingting—they’ve all come to Beijing. Tonight at six-thirty, I’m treating them to dinner at the cafeteria.”
Since starting university, Lin Zhixia had been fully devoted to her studies and rarely participated in group activities.
Her classmates were top students from all over the country, most of whom had high standards for themselves and were generally busy. They had to write papers, prepare for exams, intern at companies… Privately, Lin Zhixia had almost no interaction with her classmates.
The arrival of Shen Fuxuan and others reminded her of her enjoyable middle school life.
Middle school and university gave her different social experiences—during middle school, she had good relationships with all her classmates. During university, she developed deep connections with senior students in the laboratory.
She said to Jiang Yubai: “It would be nice if you were here tonight too…”
Before Jiang Yubai could answer, Lin Zhixia had a sudden idea: “I’ll bring my laptop to the cafeteria and put it on the table so everyone can see you. That would be like you being here too.”
Lin Zhixia immediately put her plan into action.
At six-thirty in the evening, Lin Zhixia appeared before her classmates, carrying her laptop. She still appeared very happy, her mood seemingly especially good. As everyone looked at her, she immediately turned the computer screen around and introduced grandly: “Jiang Yubai!”
Jiang Yubai was sitting in an armchair. His face was still as handsome as ever. He took the initiative to greet them: “Since I’m not in Beijing, I can only join your gathering in this way…”
“Is Cambridge fun?” Duan Qiyan immediately asked.
“It’s alright,” Jiang Yubai answered.
“This is QQ video, right?” Duan Qiyan paused, “You and Lin Zhixia must video chat often…”
Jiang Yubai interrupted him: “What are you all planning to eat tonight?”
Lin Zhixia listed a string of dishes: “Cold noodles, rice with toppings, braised pork knuckle, spicy hot pot! Jiang Yubai, do you like these dishes?”
Not at all.
Jiang Yubai was somewhat grateful that he wasn’t at this dining table.
Students came and went in the cafeteria. Shen Fuxuan and Duan Qiyan helped bring several plates of food. Shen Fuxuan’s seat was right next to Lin Zhixia’s. He casually filled a bowl of food for Lin Zhixia, placed it in front of her, and even set up her chopsticks. She immediately said, “Thank you.”
Shen Fuxuan’s lips curved into a smile in response.
Watching this scene, Jiang Yubai lightly tapped the table with his fingertip, secretly regretting that he wasn’t there in person. He would rather eat a bowl of spicy hot pot.
“How are your university classmates?” Shen Fuxuan continued the conversation.
Lin Zhixia answered: “They’re good. My roommates are very nice…”
Before she could finish, Tang Tingting took a deep breath and exclaimed, “Xiaxia, the cold noodles at your school are so delicious! It’s already September 1st, but it’s still so hot. Cold noodles are just perfect for me.”
Then, she turned to ask Jiang Yubai: “It’s too bad you’re not here with us. Can you get cold noodles where you are?”
Tang Tingting’s bowl tilted, spilling some of the noodle broth onto Duan Qiyan’s leg. Duan Qiyan hissed, and Tang Tingting quickly tried to wipe it with her hand. Duan Qiyan immediately accused: “Did you do that on purpose? Why are you touching my thigh?”
“Who wants to touch your thigh?” Tang Tingting retorted.
Duan Qiyan generously said, “Forget it, just apologize to me.”
Tang Tingting scoffed: “You wore such short pants out, not even covering your knees, and you’re blaming me for touching your thigh?”
Duan Qiyan didn’t want to argue with Tang Tingting. But suddenly he heard someone say “I’m sorry”—it wasn’t Tang Tingting’s voice, and he gave a start. The moment he turned his head, he saw Jin Baihui.