Jiang Yubai was an honored QQ member, enjoying privileged status. He was pinned to the top of the friends panel. His username “Jiang Jiang Jiang Jiang” was displayed in eye-catching bright red. Whenever Lin Zhixia looked at her contact list, Jiang Yubai would capture all her attention.

Jiang Yubai’s QQ signature contained only four characters: binary star system.

Lin Zhixia understood his deeper meaning. Suddenly she didn’t want to type anymore; she wanted to hear Jiang Yubai’s voice. So, she sent a video chat request, and Jiang Yubai accepted without hesitation.

Only at this moment did Lin Zhixia realize—Jiang Yubai had never seen her room before.

Lin Zhixia immediately turned her head to check if her bedroom was clean and tidy. Last night, her brother had mopped the floor and helped her dust the bookshelf. The room scene captured by the camera satisfied her.

Jiang Yubai was sitting in a study. Behind him was a huge floor-to-ceiling window, outside of which was a neat and flat emerald green lawn. The evening sunlight penetrated through the glass, falling upon him, making him look somewhat ethereal.

They both put on headphones at the same time. Lin Zhixia spoke into the microphone: “How are you doing at school?”

Jiang Yubai answered Lin Zhixia’s question in detail. He said there were only eleven students in his class. On the first day of school, he had already discussed future plans with his teachers and determined his high school course selections. He was also preparing to join the school’s golf team. Next year in the first half, he would participate in the National Economics Challenge… and so on.

Lin Zhixia couldn’t help asking: “Have you made any new friends?”

Jiang Yubai said: “I’m not sure.”

Lin Zhixia probed: “You’re not sure… whether the new classmates you’ve met are your friends?”

Jiang Yubai answered briefly: “Yes.”

Lin Zhixia unconsciously raised her fingers, resting them quietly on the desk. At this point, Jiang Yubai asked her in return: “Who is your new desk mate?”

Lin Zhixia replied honestly: “Tang Tingting is my desk mate. Shen Fuxuan and Han Peng sit behind me. Oh, and Jin Baihui is also my classmate—I’m now in Class 1(27).”

Jiang Yubai seemed a bit nervous: “Has Jin Baihui given you any trouble?”

Lin Zhixia reached for her little penguin. Hugging the penguin, she was relaxed as she casually chatted with Jiang Yubai: “No. During today’s class meeting, the homeroom teacher asked each of us to stand up and introduce ourselves. Jin Baihui said she wants to get into Tsinghua University’s Yao Class and also wants to advance human scientific development. I think she’s quite a pure person. Her goals are firm, and she doesn’t care how others evaluate her…”

Jiang Yubai leaned forward a bit, closer to the camera. He asked: “Do you care about external evaluations?”

Lin Zhixia didn’t respond immediately. She thought carefully, then admitted: “I do.”

Then, she continued more honestly: “I don’t have Jin Baihui’s strong psychological quality. That’s why I still haven’t accepted any media interviews. I don’t want to be exposed in the public eye.”

Jiang Yubai discussed this issue with her: “You’re doing the right thing. Attention and discussion are both double-edged swords.”

“Yes,” Lin Zhixia’s tone was very calm, “I don’t have any noteworthy research results yet; I’m still feeling my way forward on the academic path.”

Jiang Yubai encouraged her: “You have a very good start.”

Lin Zhixia leaned against the chair, hugging the plush penguin tightly. She spoke her mind to Jiang Yubai: “Jiang Yubai, over these two years… you know, I’ve joined the national training team and participated in some international competitions. I’ve met students from various countries and regions. I’ve developed some new perspectives.”

Jiang Yubai clasped his hands, making a gesture of willingness to hear more: “What perspectives?”

Lin Zhixia’s fingers idly played with the penguin’s wings. She said: “Although teachers and classmates often praise me, I feel that I’ve only compressed the learning process.”

Jiang Yubai cited a real-world example: “My father invested in an e-commerce company in Beijing. They’re recently working on database compression.”

Lin Zhixia immediately became interested: “Database compression?”

“Database compression technology,” Jiang Yubai described, “It can save storage space.”

Lin Zhixia slowly sat up straight in her chair: “But, I remember, the current database compression technology seems not very efficient.”

Jiang Yubai cut to the point: “If compression efficiency improves by one percentage point, the results would be very noticeable.”

Lin Zhixia suddenly understood: “I get it. Are you trying to compliment me, saying my brain is like a compressed database? Much more powerful than others?”

Jiang Yubai had originally been preparing his speech. He wanted to help Lin Zhixia build strong self-confidence, to make her recognize how strong her talent was. But after just saying a few sentences, Lin Zhixia had already guessed his thoughts.

Lin Zhixia sighed: “Jiang Yubai, you’re so nice, complimenting me in such a roundabout way… When I chat with you, I feel very relaxed, like I can tell you anything.”

Jiang Yubai lowered his head and laughed once, not knowing what he was laughing about.

Lin Zhixia placed the little penguin on her lap. Facing the computer screen, she solemnly proposed: “Every day at six in the evening, if you’re online, I’ll find you for video chat, just for ten minutes, okay?”

Jiang Yubai asked her: “Why only ten minutes?”

Lin Zhixia explained with reason: “I don’t want to disturb your studies. I heard Cambridge University is quite difficult to get into. If I occupy too much of your time and delay your study progress, making you unable to get into Cambridge, I would feel very guilty.”

Jiang Yubai hadn’t expected Lin Zhixia to have such concerns.

He wasn’t flustered at all and said with exceptional calmness: “I have two years to prepare.”

“Yes,” Lin Zhixia looked forward to the future with him, “In the fall of 2010, you’ll submit your application, and then receive an acceptance letter.”

Jiang Yubai suddenly realized that if his plan could be successfully executed, he would be going to university at sixteen. Of course, Lin Zhixia’s enrollment would be earlier than his; she would become an honored university student at fourteen.

Jiang Yubai thought for a moment, then asked her: “Are you planning to participate in competitions this year?”

Lin Zhixia carefully answered: “It depends. I haven’t decided yet.”

She smiled at the screen: “You’re going to participate in the North American Economics Challenge; I can practice with you. Back then, to establish the economic background for ‘Exploring the Universe,’ I read many books in the library.”

Jiang Yubai recalled that experience. At that time, he would ask questions of his father’s generation every day, then put economic theories into the comic’s plot.

Lin Zhixia still wanted to say a few more words to Jiang Yubai when her mother’s call came from outside the bedroom: “Xiaxia, Qiuqiu, dinner is ready, come eat!”

Lin Zhixia took off her headphones, and her mother called out again: “Xiaxia, Qiuqiu, stop studying, it’s uncomfortable to study on an empty stomach. Come eat quickly; the food will get cold.”

“I need to go eat dinner,” Lin Zhixia told Jiang Yubai.

Jiang Yubai typed two characters in the chat window: “Okay.”

Lin Zhixia replied with a cute smiley face expression and said to him: “I’m logging off, bye-bye.” She closed the chat window, logged out of her QQ account, put on a pair of pink plush slippers, and happily ran toward the living room.

Lin Zhixia’s username was “Summer Strawberry,” and Jiang Yubai had changed her contact name to “Xiaxia.” Now, “Xiaxia” had changed to “Offline” status.

Jiang Yubai’s fingers scrolled the mouse, browsing through his chat history with Lin Zhixia again. Then, he turned off the computer, opened his backpack, and previewed the next day’s lessons.

Someone gently knocked on the study door. He looked up and saw his uncle and grandfather.

Grandfather was wearing comfortable home clothes. His hair was white but neatly combed, and his eyes were bright and spirited. Neither his facial expressions nor his speaking voice showed age. He said to Jiang Yubai: “You study very diligently.”

Uncle immediately added, “When my brother and I were young, we both studied hard. This is our family tradition.”

Grandfather turned to look at him and called his full name: “Is your left hand still hurting, Jiang Shaoqi?”

Recently, Jiang Shaoqi’s orchestra went to England to participate in the “Glastonbury Music Festival.” After the festival ended, the orchestra rushed to multiple venues across Europe. Jiang Shaoqi had worked at high intensity for four consecutive months. Relying on his youth, Jiang Shaoqi didn’t mind the tight schedule, but unfortunately, he developed symptoms of tenosynovitis and had to suspend all arrangements.

Jiang Shaoqi was like a balloon with its skin punctured. He answered very nervously: “It doesn’t hurt, just a minor issue.”

Jiang Yubai stood up and walked to Jiang Shaoqi’s front: “Balance work and rest, Uncle.”

Jiang Shaoqi looked at him for a moment and said with feeling: “Our little Jiang has grown up a lot. After not seeing him for a few months, little Jiang has grown taller and become more handsome. Looking at little Jiang’s talented appearance, I can tell he’s a child of our family.”

Jiang Yubai responded politely: “Thank you.” He also said: “Appearance is fleeting; inner character is most important.”

Grandfather recited a poem: “White clouds and gray dogs change constantly, while jade and gold maintain their form.”

“White clouds and gray dogs change constantly, while jade and gold maintain their form”—this poem was written by Qin Guan, a literary figure from the Song Dynasty.

Jiang Yubai and his grandfather began chatting about Qin Guan’s life experiences. Jiang Shaoqi listened in confusion, unable to interject a single word. Jiang Shaoqi could only follow behind his father and nephew as they walked toward the dining room together. As they walked, Jiang Shaoqi felt something was amiss.

Jiang Shaoqi’s father asked: “Shaoqi, what do you think of your nephew?”

Jiang Shaoqi hurriedly stated: “My nephew? As I said, little Jiang is talented and capable in all aspects. My elder brother has put in a lot of effort to educate his son well over the past decade, and it’s all been worthwhile.”

His father then said: “Your elder brother had Jiang Yubai when he was your age.”

Jiang Yubai suddenly heard his name but didn’t make a sound. He knew that his grandfather was urging his uncle to find a partner, fall in love, get married, and have children.

Seeing uncle’s expression of embarrassment, annoyance, helplessness, and guilt, Jiang Yubai decided to offer assistance. Jiang Yubai slowly sat down at the dining table and casually began: “Forced melons aren’t sweet; marriage and children depend on fate.”

Before Jiang Yubai could finish his sentence, both uncle and grandfather were staring at him.

Uncle burst out laughing with a “pfft.” Jiang Yubai still insisted on his view: “Grandfather, don’t rush uncle. Uncle is already over eighteen; he’s an adult with the right to choose.”

Uncle praised him endlessly: “Little Jiang, your uncle hasn’t loved you in vain. At such a young age, you understand so much, truly a good child of our family.”

Grandfather, quick-minded, took another approach: “Such a good child, don’t you want to raise one yourself?”

Uncle argued reasonably: “Elder brother already has a child; our Jiang family has a successor. Why must I raise one myself? Besides, I need to have a girlfriend first.”

Grandfather didn’t even eat his food, asking in a low voice: “Where is your girlfriend? Your mother and I haven’t seen a strand of her hair.”

Uncle’s face turned slightly red: “Dad, over these years, I’ve traveled all over the world; where would I find time for girlfriends and children? Do you know how competitive an orchestra is? Back then, I went through so much trouble…”

Grandfather unexpectedly countered: “Do you know how much sponsorship I’ve provided to your company?”

Grandfather held the bowl in his left hand and chopsticks in his right, picking up a spring roll and placing it in his bowl. His gestures were elegant and refined, but his previous sentence was like throwing a bomb into the water. Jiang Shaoqi was blasted out of the water, hurriedly asking: “You’ve donated money to our company?”

When grandfather spoke, his tone was steady and his breath calm: “Do you think becoming famous is an easy thing? You became the first violin at twenty-three, solely through your efforts? When you were young, with just a bit of talent and interest, your mother and I invited performers from Germany to teach you hands-on. I hired teachers, watching you practice violin for ten hours every day… How can raising a child not be arduous?”

Jiang Shaoqi spread a napkin, took a deep breath, and then said: “Dad, you’re giving me a headache.”

Jiang Yubai helped his uncle again: “Raising children is a parent’s responsibility. If someone doesn’t want to take on responsibility, then they temporarily can’t bring a child into this world. Uncle has already achieved success in his career; grandfather shouldn’t blame him.”

Jiang Yubai challenged his grandfather’s authority face-to-face, but his grandfather wasn’t angry; instead, he said with satisfaction: “Your father has raised you well.”

After this sentence, the grandfather didn’t question the uncle again. Grandfather had conveyed his intention of urging marriage, and then let it go. He instructed Jiang Shaoqi to rest well, heal properly, treat the recovery period as a vacation, and temporarily not worry about work-related trivialities.

Jiang Shaoqi agreed readily, eating very slowly. As he ate, he thought that Beijing’s medical conditions were better than those in the provincial city. Staying in Beijing to recuperate, while also caring for his nephew’s studies, fulfilled his obligations as an uncle. It was also a good thing to accumulate experience for himself to become a qualified father in the future. When his nephew grew up, he could pass on his valuable experiences to him.

Thinking this way, Jiang Shaoqi’s mood improved slightly.

Early the next morning, Jiang Shaoqi volunteered to take Jiang Yubai to school.

In Jiang Shaoqi’s current state, he really couldn’t drive. He sat with Jiang Yubai in the back of the car. After the driver started the car, Jiang Shaoqi asked about Jiang Yubai’s campus life and his friendship situation.

Jiang Yubai revealed that his friendship situation was similar to when he studied in Singapore.

Jiang Shaoqi understood and sighed: “The friendship of gentlemen is as bland as water.” Then he asked: “Little Jiang, do you still have contact with your junior high classmates? Has that Lin Zhixia with the exceptionally high IQ called you during this time?”

Jiang Yubai honestly said: “Yesterday evening, I had a QQ video chat with her.”

Jiang Shaoqi was somewhat shocked: “You’re that close with her.”

Jiang Yubai didn’t respond. The car sped along the wide road, and Jiang Yubai silently looked out the window. Those towering skyscrapers made him think of the buildings near Provincial First High School. He was distracted for a while, until Jiang Shaoqi called him: “Little Jiang, we’ve arrived. Oh, your school’s gate is quite grand. Are there any of your classmates at the school gate?”

Jiang Yubai took a glance and confirmed: “There’s a Thai classmate.”

“Is that a classmate from your class?” Jiang Shaoqi asked him.

“Yes,” Jiang Yubai said coldly.

Jiang Shaoqi, like a kind father, encouraged very gently: “Good, little Jiang, get out of the car and greet your Thai classmate. In front of foreign friends, showcase your quality and demeanor.”

Jiang Yubai opened the car door and walked straight toward the school gate.

His Thai classmate was a fifteen-year-old girl with a clean and pretty appearance, slim and well-proportioned figure, tied with a thick ponytail, and a ribbon on her hair.

This Thai classmate saw Jiang Yubai and initiated by saying: “Good.”

Next, she pronounced in not-so-standard Chinese, enunciating syllable by syllable: “Jiang, Yu, Bai.”

Jiang Yubai felt somewhat embarrassed.

He should give a polite response. The problem was, he had forgotten this Thai girl’s real name. Thai names are very difficult to remember, and he didn’t have Lin Zhixia’s memory; he could only vaguely muddle through.

Jiang Shaoqi saw his nephew chatting with the Thai girl, and his nephew’s face showed a thoughtful expression. Jiang Shaoqi couldn’t help muttering to himself: “Distance is the biggest obstacle.”

The driver in the front didn’t hear clearly what he said, looked back at him, and only felt the atmosphere was low, so he asked: “What are you saying?”

“Nothing,” Jiang Shaoqi said in a low voice, “Let’s go. We’ll go to the hospital first and come back at noon to pick up little Jiang.”

Jiang Shaoqi thought that, with Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia separated by thousands of miles, they would gradually lose contact.

Looking back on his own twenty-plus years of life, Jiang Shaoqi had experienced countless farewells. In most cases, he didn’t know which day after parting with certain people, he would never meet them again in this life.

During the month of September 2008, Jiang Shaoqi stayed at home in Beijing. He lived in the same villa as Jiang Yubai. Occasionally passing by the study, Jiang Shaoqi would always hear Jiang Yubai talking to someone, chatting freely without any inhibition… It was then that Jiang Shaoqi discovered that Jiang Yubai and Lin Zhixia would have QQ video chats every evening from six to six-ten. Afterward, starting from seven in the evening, the two of them would turn on QQ video again, staying quiet, studying together under each other’s supervision.

By the end of September, Jiang Yubai proposed that he wanted to go back to the provincial city. His grandfather thought he was homesick and immediately approved. Only Jiang Shaoqi suspected that Jiang Yubai’s rush to return to the provincial city overnight was not just because he missed home.

On the evening of September 30th, at eight o’clock, the plane landed at the provincial city’s airport. Jiang Yubai’s mother personally drove to pick him up. On the way home, she asked Jiang Yubai many questions, including whether he had adapted to life in Beijing and whether he got along well with his classmates.

The international high school that Jiang Yubai attended practiced a “small class teaching” model. There were only eleven students in his class, six of whom were not Chinese. Those students came from wealthy families in Thailand, South Korea, Singapore, and other places. Frankly speaking, most of the classmates Jiang Yubai met in high school were very friendly. He got along well with them. However, his best friend was still Lin Zhixia.

He and Lin Zhixia had agreed to meet at the Provincial Library on October 2nd.

*

On October 2nd, at 4:10 in the morning, Lin Zhixia suddenly woke up.

The room was dimly lit; it was still dark outside.

The plush penguin was held in Lin Zhixia’s arms. The walls were a pale pink, and she was covered with a soft cotton quilt. She was immersed in a warm and safe environment, just about to close her eyes and sleep a bit more when her stomach suddenly twisted in pain, so severe that she couldn’t even cry out.

Lin Zhixia was extremely panicked.

As soon as she recovered a bit, she opened the door and called out: “Mom, Mom, my stomach hurts so much…”

Dad, Mom, and Brother all woke up from their dreams.

Mom put on a coat and walked barefoot to Lin Zhixia’s bedroom door. Lin Zhixia wrapped herself tightly in the quilt, curled up on the bed. Her forehead was sweating, her body felt cold, and her abdomen had a heavy, sinking feeling, which temporarily robbed her of the ability to think. She could only hold her breath, barely alleviating the suffering.

What’s happening?

It might be appendicitis.

Lin Zhixia had eaten a full bowl of rice last night. Would she need to go to the hospital today to have her appendix removed?

Fear formed a dark cloud, hanging over Lin Zhixia’s head. She was deeply worried about her fate, both frightened and scared, while her mom touched her head but asked dad and brother to leave her room.

Lin Zeqiu was so frightened that his face turned pale: “Let’s call 120 directly. She’s in so much pain; could it be acute leukemia?”

Dad twisted his ankle and almost fell. He hurried toward the living room: “Let’s quickly take a taxi to the Provincial People’s Hospital. The Provincial People’s Hospital is the best hospital; the 120 emergency service might not take Xiaxia to the Provincial People’s Hospital…”

Lin Zeqiu had just crawled out of bed and hadn’t properly dressed yet. He hurriedly found a coat and trousers, stammering: “Dad, y-you bring money and your phone, I’ll go out to the street to hail a taxi.”

While Lin Zeqiu was talking with dad, mom shut Lin Zhixia’s bedroom door. Mom sat on Lin Zhixia’s bedside and gently called her nickname: “Xiaxia, still uncomfortable?”

Lin Zhixia answered in a muffled voice: “Mom…”

Mom said: “Can Xiaxia stand up? Mom will help you to the bathroom to check your pants. You’re thirteen now, it’s time; my friend’s daughter started when she was twelve.”

Lin Zhixia understood that when mom said “started,” she was referring to her first menstrual period.

With mom’s reminder, Lin Zhixia belatedly felt that her stomach wasn’t the most uncomfortable part. She sat up from the bed, moving forward a bit, and her eyes suddenly welled up with tears: “I… I’ve stained the bedsheet.”

Mom comforted her softly: “It’s okay, Xiaxia, mom will change it for you right away.”

At this moment, Lin Zeqiu barged in without knocking: “Mom, you take care of Lin Zhixia; I’ll go to the street to hail a car.”

Lin Zhixia immediately covered herself with the quilt. She sat cross-legged on the bed, leaning forward due to the abdominal pain. The quilt covered her head, immersing her in an airless environment, while mom told brother: “Alright, Qiuqiu, stop fussing. You and your father go back to sleep; Xiaxia is fine.”

Lin Zeqiu’s breathing stilled.

He was wearing a pair of sandals, with only a loose tank top and boxer shorts. Standing in the cold, drafty living room, regardless of his disheveled appearance, he only said: “Lin Zhixia is very sick; we need to go to the hospital today. She’s very well-behaved, has never lied from childhood. If she wasn’t in excruciating pain, she wouldn’t wake us all up at four in the morning. Dad, Mom, don’t waste time; I’ll go to the street to hail a car…”

Mom quickly blocked his path to the door: “Lin Zeqiu, stop fussing. Go back to your room. I’ve already said your sister is fine; mom can tell.”

Lin Zeqiu believed that Lin Zhixia’s condition was serious and that she needed to go to the hospital immediately. He almost got into an argument with his mother.

Mom whispered a few words to dad. Dad let out a sigh of relief, then turned to work on his son’s understanding, but was too embarrassed to speak too plainly.

Dad confirmed that Provincial First High had implemented sex education and surely had popularized this knowledge. Earlier, when he attended a parents’ meeting at Provincial First High, the homeroom teacher had given a talk on “Physiological Health Education” and asked parents to pay attention to their children’s psychological state.

Dad pulled his son to the sofa and tactfully told him: “Your sister… has grown up.”

These seven words were enough.

Dad couldn’t continue.

Lin Zeqiu still didn’t understand dad’s meaning. If he were Lin Zhixia’s older sister, he would have understood long ago, but he was Lin Zhixia’s older brother and had never experienced this. He pondered but couldn’t figure it out; his thinking became increasingly blocked, and his mind was a jumbled mess.

Lin Zhixia had grown up—what necessary connection did this have with her pitiful state?

Lin Zeqiu anxiously stood up, pacing back and forth in their living room.

Meanwhile, Lin Zhixia had just been led into the bathroom by mom.

Mom found a pack of sanitary pads, opened one in front of Lin Zhixia, and gently handed it to her.

This was the first time Lin Zhixia had touched an opened sanitary pad. All she could think about was the bedsheet from earlier. She absolutely wouldn’t stain the bedsheet again… she would definitely be careful.

Mom walked out of the bathroom, quickly changed Lin Zhixia’s bedsheet, and helped her back to bed. Lin Zhixia wrapped herself tightly in the quilt and asked with teary eyes: “Mom, when you had your first period… did your stomach hurt this much too?”

Mom honestly told her daughter: “Some people have a lot of pain, some don’t. You’re mom’s daughter, just like mom when she was young. I’m sorry it’s so hard for you.”

Lin Zhixia turned her face pitifully, her cheek touching a clean pillowcase. She asked in a small voice: “Will I feel this bad every month?”

“No,” mom stroked her forehead, which was covered in sweat, “it will be better after today. Xiaxia, don’t be afraid. Mom will go make you a hot water bottle and brew some brown sugar ginger water.”

But Lin Zhixia said: “Don’t go, Mom, Mom…” She held onto her mother’s wrist, and in this moment, she returned to her childhood years. Back then, she was afraid of the dark, ghosts, and even aliens coming to take her away. Every night, she needed mom to comfort her until she fell asleep—this situation improved significantly after Lin Zhixia turned six.

Now she was thirteen, and when her body felt unwell, the first person she thought of was still her mom.

Mom called for dad.

Dad took on the responsibility of caring for his daughter. He boiled water in the kitchen and instructed Lin Zeqiu to find a hot water bottle.

Lin Zeqiu finally understood the source of Lin Zhixia’s condition. There was also a girl in his class who came to school for two or three days each month with a hot water bottle. Male classmates privately called this the “physiological period.” Lin Zeqiu had inadvertently heard his classmates’ discussions and learned that some girls in their “physiological period” needed hot water bottles and heating patches to alleviate discomfort.

Lin Zeqiu darted to the storage cabinet, found a large-capacity hot water bottle, took it to the bathroom to clean, and then handed it to dad.

Dad filled the bottle with boiling water, wrapped the surface with a clean towel, and tied it with a soft yarn from a ball of wool to prevent the towel from coming undone and burning Lin Zhixia.

Dad brought this hot water bottle to Lin Zhixia without delay.

Lin Zhixia hugged the hot water bottle tightly and dozed off in a daze.

This sleep lasted until eight in the morning when she was awakened by her alarm clock.

Lin Zhixia hated the sound of alarm clocks. She never set an alarm unless something important was happening. She thought for a moment and remembered that today she was supposed to meet Jiang Yubai.

She was supposed to meet Jiang Yubai today!

Lin Zhixia almost jumped out of bed.

But she was now weak and listless. Forget about going to the Provincial Library; she couldn’t even walk out of her own front door. She could only pick up the receiver on her bedside table and laboriously dial a string of phone numbers. Even in her poor state, she could recite all of Jiang Yubai’s phone numbers.

At this moment, Jiang Yubai was packing his backpack.

Jiang Yubai had brought back some local specialties from Beijing. He wanted to give them to Lin Zhixia as gifts. Just as he zipped up his backpack, his phone suddenly rang. The caller ID showed Lin Zhixia’s home phone number, and he immediately answered: “Good morning, Lin Zhixia.”

In this phone call, Lin Zhixia spoke feebly: “Jiang Yubai…”

Jiang Yubai had known Lin Zhixia for four years and had never heard her speak in such a tone. Once, after receiving a hepatitis B vaccine, Lin Zhixia had developed a high fever in the classroom, but even then, her voice had been stronger than now.

Jiang Yubai asked anxiously: “What’s wrong with you?”

Jiang Yubai’s bedroom was on the third floor, with windows directly facing the garden. Birds chirped clearly in the garden, tree shadows swayed, interweaving into a beautiful autumn scene, but Jiang Yubai had no heart to appreciate it. His emotions plummeted to the bottom.

Lin Zhixia had been slow to answer his question and hadn’t hung up the phone. He felt worried and asked repeatedly: “Why aren’t you speaking? Are you safe now?”

How could Lin Zhixia possibly say it?

Last month, during a QQ video chat with Jiang Yubai, she had firmly declared that she could tell him anything… but now, she faced an embarrassing predicament.

Lin Zhixia once again covered her head with the quilt and said unclearly: “I’m sick. I’ll be better in a few days. You don’t need to worry about me; I’m fine.”

“What illness?” Jiang Yubai asked her, “Last night at six, during the QQ video…”

Lin Zhixia explained: “At that time, I was in a healthy state. Now, I’m in a weak state.”

Jiang Yubai sat down in a chair: “Weak state… you’ve got an acute illness?”

All sorts of chaotic thoughts floated through Jiang Yubai’s mind.

All the furniture in the bedroom disappeared, and his vision and soul seemed to become empty—this ethereal state of consciousness lasted for about two or three seconds before Lin Zhixia told him: “It’s a minor illness, just like a cold, just like when I had a fever after getting the hepatitis B vaccine in fourth grade… I really am fine, just don’t have the strength to talk, and my voice doesn’t sound good. I can’t go to the Provincial Library to meet you today. Wait for me for a few days; when I recover, I’ll come find you.”

Jiang Yubai immediately agreed.

Lin Zhixia said goodbye to him and then hung up the phone.

Having resolved her worries, she no longer had any burden, closed her eyes, and continued sleeping, sleeping in a daze.

From morning until evening, neither dad nor mom came to wake her.

Around five in the evening, Lin Zhixia woke up hungry.

She sat on the bed and called three times: “Mom, Mom, Mom…”

Mom opened her bedroom door and brought a bowl of warm brown sugar ginger water.

Although Lin Zhixia didn’t know what this was for, she was so hungry that she’d eat anything.

So, she drank the brown sugar ginger water.

Mom also said: “This bowl of soup was made by your brother.”

“Brother made it?” Lin Zhixia was very shocked.

It’s worth noting that the food Lin Zeqiu hated most in his life was ginger. When he was six or seven, if he discovered ginger in a dish, he would shout and jump up. He absolutely despised the taste of ginger.

Unexpectedly, at sixteen years old, Lin Zeqiu had transcended himself, endured the smell of ginger, and stood in the kitchen dutifully making soup.

Lin Zhixia was immediately touched.

Mindful of the sibling bond, she sighed: “Mom, please thank brother for me.”

Mom changed her into fresh clothes and asked: “Does Xiaxia want to eat? Mom saved a bowl of rice and a plate of dishes.”

Lin Zhixia prepared to get up, but mom told her to stay in bed.

After a while, mom brought a small table board, set it up on Lin Zhixia’s bed, and placed the food and utensils on it.

Lin Zhixia held the hot water bottle tightly, so mom simply held the spoon and fed her. By this time, Lin Zhixia felt much better, with only a slight, negligible pain.

Even so, she still lay in bed for three days.

On the fourth day, Lin Zhixia resumed her normal routine.

She called Jiang Yubai and arranged to meet him at one o’clock in the afternoon on October 7th. That day was the club preparation day for Provincial First High’s senior section. If Jiang Yubai was willing to go to school with her, he could see many junior high classmates.

Jiang Yubai responded without hesitation: “Okay.”

*

October 7th was a beautiful, clear day.

At one in the afternoon, white clouds roamed freely in the vast blue sky. A bright flag fluttered in front of the teaching building. The entire senior section was lively, and speakers placed on the ground continuously played the school anthem.

Jiang Yubai, who had sung the school anthem countless times, was stopped at the gate of Provincial First High.

The security guard asked if he was a student of Provincial First High, whether he had a student card, and requested that he show it.

Jiang Yubai explained that he was a graduate of Provincial First High’s junior section.

“A graduate?” The security guard shook his head.

The guard didn’t let him in until Lin Zhixia ran to the school gate.

Lin Zhixia asked the security guard to contact a teacher using the internal phone. Lin Zhixia thought of Teacher Zhai, the competition coach from the junior section.

During every National Day holiday, winter and summer break, Teacher Zhai never rested. He would always organize concentrated training for junior high competition class students at school. Moreover, Teacher Zhai knew Jiang Yubai. Jiang Yubai was a student he valued highly, and he was familiar with Jiang Yubai’s character, so he would certainly be willing to act as a guarantor.

Lin Zhixia’s logic was rigorous. Her deduction was not wrong. The security guard, following Lin Zhixia’s request, called Teacher Zhai’s office.

Soon, Teacher Zhai provided a response, confirming that Jiang Yubai was a student from their competition class and agreeing to let Jiang Yubai enter the campus again.

Only then did the security guard allow him through.

Lin Zhixia, just like always, gently held onto the strap of Jiang Yubai’s backpack. She led him into Provincial First High’s senior section, introducing him to the development and origin of various clubs, and also asked him: “Jiang Yubai, what are the clubs like at your high school?”

In the bright daylight, Jiang Yubai carefully examined her face. He observed her expression, complexion, and demeanor. He gazed at her eyes for a long time, wanting to confirm if she had fully recovered her health.

Lin Zhixia’s cheeks were slightly flushed, like the pale pink dawn glow of a summer morning, or like pale scarlet cherry blossoms blooming in spring.

For the first time, she actively avoided his gaze, stumbling over her words: “I… my high school club…”

“Have you recovered?” Jiang Yubai asked directly.

“Yes, recovered.” Lin Zhixia answered with absolute certainty.

Jiang Yubai walked alongside her.

They moved through the dense tree shadows, their silhouettes overlapping in the emerald green foliage. Jiang Yubai returned to their initial topic: “The clubs at my high school are similar to those at Provincial First High.”

“Which club do you want to join?” Lin Zhixia asked him.

Jiang Yubai answered almost without hesitation: “The Classical Literature Club.”

After starting high school, Lin Zhixia had become the president of Provincial First High’s “Classical Literature Club.” She couldn’t help secretly wondering whether Jiang Yubai truly wanted to join the Classical Literature Club or had given this answer deliberately because she was the president.

The Classical Literature Club had a dedicated activity room.

That room was located on the second floor of the comprehensive building, a space not very large in area. Inside were arranged eight desks and chairs, a blackboard, and a bookshelf containing Tang poetry, Song lyrics, Yuan opera, and Ming-Qing literature.

Senior Luo Ying was the previous president. During her three years at school, Luo Ying had managed the Classical Literature Club meticulously. This July, before going to Peking University, Luo Ying personally handed over the club to Lin Zhixia and also pinned the president’s badge on her.

Like a president with real authority, Lin Zhixia patiently led Jiang Yubai on a tour of her domain and book collection.