Teacher Deng spread his arms, hands pressed against the lectern: “This trip will be three days and two nights, and you must pay attention to safety. During the trip, everyone will stay on Mount Penglai. When you register with Lin Zhixia, form pairs… The hotel rooms the school has booked are all standard double rooms.”

A wave of whispers spread through the class. Teacher Deng smiled and asked in a stern voice: “Is that clear?”

Shao Dongxu, a boy sitting in front of Lin Zhixia, chimed in: “For the standard double rooms, must boys stay with boys and girls stay with girls?”

Teacher Deng’s expression changed as he reprimanded: “What else would it be? Would I let boys and girls share a room?”

Teacher Deng was usually mild-tempered and rarely lost his temper. But now, he banged the desk hard and spoke sharply: “Since someone asked, let me make this clear once and for all: boys must stay with boys, and girls must stay with girls. Don’t get any improper ideas, alright? You’re all grown up now, fifteen or sixteen years old. You should know what’s appropriate and what’s not without me having to emphasize it over and over again. I don’t want to criticize anyone specifically; I’m being considerate of your dignity. You should have a measuring stick in your minds to gauge your own words and actions.”

The class immediately fell into complete silence.

Shao Dongxu quickly lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of his arm.

His deskmate also put his head down and whispered: “East Bro, that was something else. This is the first time Teacher Deng has ever gotten angry.”

Shao Dongxu grinned: “Boys and girls can’t possibly stay together. I was just thinking about it, and thinking isn’t against the law.”

His deskmate chuckled: “Which girl were you thinking about rooming with?”

Shao Dongxu turned around and glanced back. He quickly turned back, rubbed his face, and said composedly: “Enough, enough, let’s do problems. Have you finished that ‘Intensive Problem Practice’ book?”

His deskmate’s face paled: “That’s not ‘Intensive Problem Practice,’ that’s ‘Intensive Problem Errors.'”

Intensive Problem Errors?

Shao Dongxu opened his workbook and discovered that his accuracy rate for the “Math Intensive Problem Practice” was only fifty percent. After repeatedly reviewing the questions without understanding them, he wrote a note and passed it to Lin Zhixia in the row behind him.

Lin Zhixia opened the note, which read: URGENT! HELP! How do I solve the probability calculation problem on page 28 of “Math Intensive Problem Practice”?

Lin Zhixia thought for a moment, then wrote out the solution process on a scratch paper. She handed the paper to Shao Dongxu, who repeatedly said: “Thanks, thanks, thanks, beautiful.”

Lin Zhixia reminded him: “I’ve told you before not to call me ‘beautiful.'”

Shao Dongxu chuckled: “But you are beautiful.”

Lin Zhixia described her feelings: “But when you use ‘beautiful’ as a form of address, it sounds strange, like a styling director at a hair salon entrance.”

“Do you know what a styling director is, beautiful?” Shao Dongxu scratched his hair.

Lin Zhixia frowned, her tone becoming serious: “I have my name. I’m Lin Zhixia. You can call me Class Monitor Lin.”

Shao Dongxu couldn’t help teasing: “Miss Lin? Miss Lin… Little Miss Lin?”

Lin Zhixia warned: “Say that one more time, and I’ll get angry.”

“If you get angry, I won’t turn in my math homework,” Shao Dongxu declared.

In Class 27 of the first year of high school, Lin Zhixia was not only the class monitor but also the math class representative. While Shao Dongxu was joking with her, she interpreted his words as a threat.

Lin Zhixia sat up straight and said coldly: “Turn in your math homework or not, it’s up to you. I’m only responsible for recording names.”

“Are you really angry?” Shao Dongxu quickly pulled out a strawberry Swiss candy from his backpack. He placed the strawberry candy on Lin Zhixia’s desk.

Lin Zhixia didn’t respond at all and said righteously: “Take it away. I don’t eat strawberries.”

This statement shocked Lin Zhixia’s deskmate, Tang Tingting.

Tang Tingting had known Lin Zhixia for many years. Tang Tingting certainly understood Lin Zhixia’s sincere love for strawberries. Lin Zhixia’s notebook, pencil case, and folders were all decorated with strawberry patterns. Even the charm on her backpack was a pink strawberry plush ball.

Tang Tingting said with a straight face: “Shao Dongxu, you’ve made Lin Zhixia angry.”

Shao Dongxu hurriedly apologized: “I’m sorry, I’m sorry. Please take this strawberry candy, Lin Zhixia.”

Lin Zhixia was resolute: “No, I won’t take it.”

Even if Lin Zhixia was a strawberry spirit in human form, she was still a strawberry spirit with dignity.

She took out a book titled “Penetration Testing Programming” and began reading the fascinating programming knowledge. The surroundings grew quieter, and neither Tang Tingting nor Shao Dongxu spoke again.

After class, Lin Zhixia left her seat.

As the monitor of Class 27 in the first year of high school, Lin Zhixia was always conscientious in her duties. She diligently visited each group, inquiring about every student’s intentions, and wrote down the list for the “Spring Study Tour.”

Soon, she encountered a problem.

Teacher Deng had said that during the study tour, students would need to pair up and stay in standard double rooms at the mountain hotel.

To Lin Zhixia’s surprise, Jin Baihui had signed up for this activity. Jin Baihui calmly asked: “Can I have a room to myself?”

Lin Zhixia marked a star on her paper: “I’ll ask Teacher Deng.”

A total of forty-three students from the class were willing to participate in this year’s “Spring Study Tour.” Under Teacher Deng’s arrangement, Jin Baihui became roommates with a girl from Class 26 of the first year. Jin Baihui’s wish to “have a room to herself” ultimately couldn’t be fulfilled.

*

On the day of departure, Lin Zhixia was in a good mood.

She took the bus to school with her brother.

Her brother helped carry her suitcase, continuously nagging: “When you sleep outside, make sure to lock the door at night and place a chair against it… No matter which boy asks you to open the door, don’t pay any attention to them, remember?”

“I remember!” Lin Zhixia responded.

Her brother shared his experience from last year’s study tour. He said that a girl from their class had been approached by a middle-aged man at a scenic spot. The middle-aged man had blocked the girl, asked for her phone number, and wouldn’t let her leave…

“What did you do then?” Lin Zhixia looked at her brother.

Her brother said coldly: “I drove that dog of a man away.”

Lin Zhixia mimicked her brother’s tone: “Did that dog of a man give you trouble?”

Her brother’s expression was disdainful: “Would he dare to give me trouble?”

Lin Zhixia nodded: “Brother defeated the dog of a man.”

Her brother patted her head: “Be careful outside and stay safe.”

“Alright, don’t worry.” Lin Zhixia took the suitcase from her brother’s hand and walked toward the high school section playground of the Provincial No. 1 Middle School.

All 27 classes of the first year were gathered on the playground, waiting for their tour buses.

The teachers in charge of Class 27 were the homeroom teacher, Teacher Deng, and the Chinese language teacher, Teacher Chen. Teacher Chen was carrying a plastic bag, from which he took out yellow baseball caps and distributed them to the students of Class 27.

Teacher Deng stood at the front of the line and called out loudly: “Each of you must wear a yellow hat so you don’t get separated from the group. When we get to Mount Penglai, you cannot move around alone. You must follow the teachers’ arrangements, okay?”

Lin Zhixia took the lead in cheering: “Okay!”

Teacher Deng nodded slightly. He led the students onto the tour bus. This bus took everyone to the airport. After a short flight of more than an hour, they landed in Yingzhou’s Mountain-Sea County.

The local tour guide was responsible for meeting them at the airport. After one o’clock in the afternoon, the guide took everyone to Mount Penglai in Mountain-Sea County.

The mountainous area was densely forested, at a high altitude, and noticeably cooler than the city.

The mountain road twisted and turned. It was a two-way road adjacent to cliffs, and vehicles could only proceed slowly.

Lin Zhixia sat sideways, gazing at the undulating majestic mountains in the distance. Far away, strange peaks stood tall, mist curled around them, forests were dense, and white clouds gathered and dispersed, drifting in and out.

Lin Zhixia pressed her hands against the window and said: “Tang Tingting, turn your head and look over here, look at these towering mountains, this paradise on earth.”

Tang Tingting leaned against the backrest, speaking more softly than usual: “It’s so beautiful, this paradise on earth.”

Shao Dongxu, not far away, added: “In this paradise on earth, there’s a fairy from the human world, Class Monitor Lin.”

Shao Dongxu’s deskmate burst into awkward laughter.

Several boys sitting in the back rows put their arms around Shao Dongxu’s shoulders. Shao Dongxu laughed with them. His face was beaming, and he blushed.

Shen Fuxuan turned his head to look at him and abruptly said: “Hey, Shao Dongxu, we’re on a winding mountain road. Could you all be a bit quieter? Don’t joke with the lives of everyone on this bus.”

Duan Qiyan was sitting next to Shen Fuxuan. As soon as Shen Fuxuan finished speaking, Duan Qiyan became nervous: “Will their fooling around in the last row affect the driver in front?”

Shen Fuxuan looked solemn: “Of course it will. I’m on the physics competition team. I can calculate the impact they have on this car.”

Duan Qiyan was focused solely on the mathematics competition. He wasn’t very familiar with physics competitions. When Shen Fuxuan said this, Duan Qiyan believed him. Duan Qiyan asked: “Are we in danger now?”

Shen Fuxuan furrowed his brows, lowering his voice to an extreme: “If Shao Dongxu and his friends keep moving around, I don’t dare tell you what could happen.”

Duan Qiyan’s face turned pale with fear: “Damn it.”

Just at that moment, Shao Dongxu started playing around with his friends again. They were like a group of baboons in a zoo, grabbing each other’s hair, creating a lively and joyful atmosphere.

Concerned for the safety of everyone on the bus, and afraid that his voice might be too loud and disturb the driver, Duan Qiyan could only call out softly: “Shao Dongxu, Shao Dongxu?”

Shao Dongxu glanced at him: “What is it?”

Duan Qiyan kindly reminded him: “Don’t fool around. The homeroom teacher is sleeping, and the driver is driving.”

Shao Dongxu agreed on the surface. After a while, he silently played with the surrounding students again. He put another boy’s hat on his head.

Duan Qiyan suppressed his anger and asked him very kindly: “Have you watched ‘Slam Dunk’?”

Shao Dongxu only said: “I’ve seen a bit of it.”

Duan Qiyan then asked: “Have you watched ‘Star Trek’?”

Shao Dongxu asked in confusion: “What are you trying to tell me?”

Duan Qiyan turned and smiled: “I’ll tell you when we get off the bus.”

Shao Dongxu was misled by Duan Qiyan’s friendly smile and spent the rest of the journey wondering what Duan Qiyan meant.

Finally, when the car stopped, and the students got off one after another, Shao Dongxu raised an arm to stop Duan Qiyan: “Why did you ask me earlier if I had watched ‘Slam Dunk’ and ‘Star Trek’?”

Duan Qiyan swung his arm and coldly dropped a sentence: “I was telling you that I wanted to slap you to the ground like a basketball and throw you into outer space to be an astronaut.”

“Duan Qiyan?” Shao Dongxu made a hurt expression and kept backing away.

Shen Fuxuan laughed until he was out of breath beside them.

Homeroom Teacher Deng clapped his hands to attract the attention of all the students: “Hurry up, students, take your suitcases, follow the guide to the hotel entrance, and no one should fall behind.”

They stayed at a large hotel on the mountainside.

In front of the hotel was a stone staircase about two fathoms wide.

Lin Zhixia, with her backpack on and carrying her suitcase, climbed about a dozen steps before feeling she was running out of strength.

She steadied herself and used all her might to slowly walk up the stairs. As she crossed the last step, she looked into the distance. The twilight covered the mountains, turning the green vegetation into orange and light yellow hues. The mist hadn’t yet receded, and the sun’s rays were visible as strands through the mist.

Lin Zhixia sighed: “We should travel more when we have the chance.”

Tang Tingting pulled her hand: “Do you prefer staying at home or traveling?”

“I like traveling,” Lin Zhixia answered, “I always look forward to school-organized trips.”

Tang Tingting paused: “Ah, I thought you preferred staying at home to study.”

Lin Zhixia shook her head like a rattle drum: “There are many ways to learn. Read ten thousand books, travel ten thousand miles.”

She walked into the main entrance of the grand hotel with Tang Tingting.

Teacher Deng had just completed the check-in procedures. He handed out the key cards to the students of Class 27, instructing everyone to rest well in their rooms and go to the second-floor buffet for dinner later.

Lin Zhixia took the key card and pushed her suitcase along briskly.

She and Tang Tingting were staying in room 405. Next door, room 406 belonged to Shen Fuxuan and Duan Qiyan, while room 404 was for Jin Baihui and the girl from Class 26. Tang Tingting commented: “That poor girl from Class 26, having to stay with Jin Baihui.”

The hotel room was spacious and comfortable, with clean, white beds. Lin Zhixia lay on the soft bed, hugging a pillow, and asked: “Poor?”

“Yes,” Tang Tingting opened the lid of her suitcase, “they all say Jin Baihui has a terrible temper and looks down on people…”

Tang Tingting changed into a pair of slippers, hesitating to continue. After a while, she stared at Lin Zhixia: “Hey, that time Jin Baihui wrongly accused Duan Qiyan of being a thief, it’s a good thing you were there. Otherwise, Duan Qiyan couldn’t have cleared his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.”

Lin Zhixia pondered: “Jin Baihui strongly believes in her own opinions. She is a very persistent person.”

Tang Tingting smiled: “You’re quite persistent too.”

Lin Zhixia rolled on the bed: “I’m not.”

Lin Zhixia hugged the pillow and rolled back and forth until Tang Tingting held her shoulders, interrupting her movement trajectory.

Tang Tingting pointed outside the window and said: “After we have dinner at the hotel tonight, let’s go out and climb the mountain. I just saw many high mountains, but I don’t know if we can see the valley. The river water in the valley is so clear. Do you like boating? Could we rent a raft? Oh, maybe not, it would be bad if we fell in…”

Lin Zhixia raised her head: “That’s impossible. Teacher Deng won’t allow us to go out on our own.”

“Just don’t tell the teacher, and it’ll be fine, right?” Tang Tingting urged.

Lin Zhixia experienced an internal struggle. In the end, her rational thinking prevailed. Her mind floated with her brother’s earnest reminders and her parents’ loving words, making her firmly reject Tang Tingting: “After we have dinner, it will be dark. Two underage girls wandering on dark, unfamiliar mountain paths is not okay.”

Tang Tingting hesitantly took a step: “I’ll go ask the other girls.”

This statement triggered Lin Zhixia’s responsibility as the class monitor.

A flash of inspiration struck Lin Zhixia, and she quickly called Tang Tingting back. Lin Zhixia recounted several scary stories her brother had told her, word for word, to Tang Tingting.

Lin Zhixia spoke slowly, in a deep voice, accompanied by deliberate knocking sounds, collision noises, and rapid breathing, quickly scaring Tang Tingting sufficiently. Tang Tingting declared that she would never go out on the mountain paths, not even if she were killed.

On the first day of the Mount Penglai tour, Tang Tingting and Lin Zhixia sat in room 405 watching television together.

They were watching a popular romantic drama.

In the TV show, the male lead told the female lead that he married her due to pressure from his parents, and although they were a married couple, he would never love her. The person he loved most was the kind and beautiful second female lead.

Tang Tingting’s eyes welled with tears: “How can he treat his wife like that?”

Lin Zhixia rested her chin on her hand: “Why doesn’t his wife divorce him?”

Just as Lin Zhixia and Tang Tingting were chatting, someone knocked on the door of room 405. Duan Qiyan stood outside, asking: “Class Monitor Lin, is your TV working?”

Tang Tingting went to open the door: “Yes, it is. What’s wrong?”

Duan Qiyan said in frustration: “Shen Fuxuan’s and my TV is broken. Oh well, I’ll go watch TV in Cao Wu’s room.”

After taking a step out, Duan Qiyan said with a serious expression: “I’m going to tell you something, and you might not believe me. Shen Fuxuan insists on watching a romantic drama called ‘Things Have Changed, I’ve Fallen in Love with Your Beauty’…”

“We’re watching that show right now,” Lin Zhixia admitted frankly.

Duan Qiyan was shocked. He ran next door to get Shen Fuxuan.

Shen Fuxuan came into room 405 carrying two boxes of potato chips and four cans of cola. He waved at Lin Zhixia, and Lin Zhixia politely welcomed him. Without any hesitation, he sat next to Lin Zhixia and watched the urban romantic drama “Things Have Changed, I’ve Fallen in Love with Your Beauty” with the two girls.

“What on earth are you all doing?” Duan Qiyan questioned.

Shen Fuxuan and Lin Zhixia were engrossed in the plot and didn’t answer Duan Qiyan’s question.

On the TV screen, the male and female leads had just attended a banquet.

The second female lead pointed at the female lead and cursed loudly: “You married him for money! If his family hadn’t helped you, you would have gone bankrupt long ago! What do you have to compete with me? I love him with a true heart! Love doesn’t have a first-come, first-served rule; love is pure emotion… Although you are his legal wife, I am the one he loves most.”

At that moment, the sky poured down heavy rain.

The female lead knelt in the rain, her hair drenched, shivering.

The second female lead leaned against the male lead’s chest, crying weakly: “It’s all her fault. She’s made me become the very thing I despise!”

The male lead looked down at the female lead coldly and said: “I don’t want to see her. Jiaojiao, let’s go.”

With that, the male lead held an umbrella in one hand and embraced the second female lead with the other, passing in front of the female lead. His black leather shoes stepped on the female lead’s fingers, but she made no sound, and he didn’t stop.

Duan Qiyan was nearly suffocating.

Tang Tingting shouted, “Ow!”: “His wife is so pitiful!”

“I can’t believe you can stand to watch this,” Duan Qiyan resolutely announced, “you all watch TV, I’m going out to play by myself!”

With that, Duan Qiyan turned and walked out.

Shen Fuxuan sighed repeatedly, and Lin Zhixia pondered: “Why does his wife keep kneeling?”

Tang Tingting said, “The second female lead was too harsh on her; she doesn’t have the strength to stand up.”

Lin Zhixia looked at Shen Fuxuan: “What do you think?”

Shen Fuxuan thought for a moment before saying: “I think her spiritual world has been shattered. In that rain scene, the director wanted to convey to the audience the spirit of a failed struggle. In the final shot pulling away, the audience can only see the male lead’s shoes, the female lead’s fingers, and the raindrops falling on the overpass.”

“Yes,” Lin Zhixia analyzed calmly, “the director used montage techniques to complete the transition between scenes. The second female lead’s tone of howling reminds me of the style of Shakespearean theater. The long shot in the rain provokes deep thought, like the perspective pioneered by Director Quentin in ‘Sin City,’ elevating the entire plot with a philosophical atmosphere…”

Duan Qiyan believed Lin Zhixia and Shen Fuxuan’s words.

He involuntarily sat in front of the TV, adopting a learning attitude, and carefully watched this TV drama. He watched from afternoon until evening, and without realizing it, he was completely drawn into the plot.

So much so that on the second morning, when the Mount Penglai tour officially began, Duan Qiyan specifically asked the guide when they would return to the hotel. He didn’t want to miss the finale of the TV drama.

Shen Fuxuan walked at the front of the line, laughing until his stomach hurt. He whispered to Lin Zhixia: “How can there be someone as foolish as Duan Qiyan?”

“Don’t always trick him,” Lin Zhixia admonished.

Shen Fuxuan shrugged: “Yesterday afternoon, you were analyzing the philosophical thoughts of that TV drama… Duan Qiyan was completely fooled by you.”

Lin Zhixia explained: “I was just afraid he would go out and get lost. Could he find his way back by himself?”

“Not,” Shen Fuxuan answered with absolute certainty.

Lin Zhixia tightly gripped the straps of her backpack. She followed the guide’s footsteps and began to climb the mountain with full concentration.

The guide was a middle-aged woman with dark skin, short hair permed into slight curls, and gold earrings hanging by her ears. She was robust, with strong legs, able to walk steadily and quickly on mountain paths.

As the class monitor, Lin Zhixia should not fall behind. But after persevering for twenty minutes, she became somewhat tired and gradually slowed down. Meanwhile, Jin Baihui overtook her from behind, walking faster and faster, shooting ahead like a launched rocket.

“Jin Baihui has really strong physical fitness,” Tang Tingting said.

Lin Zhixia looked at Jin Baihui’s back: “She got a perfect score in the 800-meter run in the high school entrance exam.”

Through the misty, dense forest, someone ran to the front of the line—it was Duan Qiyan. Duan Qiyan hadn’t worn enough clothes and felt a bit cold, so he ran back and forth in the line to warm himself up quickly.

Duan Qiyan ran to Lin Zhixia’s side and heard Tang Tingting discussing Jin Baihui. He couldn’t help telling Lin Zhixia: “Let me tell you something.”

Lin Zhixia asked casually: “What is it?”

Duan Qiyan swung his arms, marching in place: “Shen Fuxuan has a secret crush on Jin Baihui.”

Lin Zhixia was extremely shocked: “Really?”

Duan Qiyan rarely saw this expression on Lin Zhixia. Lin Zhixia blinked her eyes at him, and he didn’t hold back, confiding: “Really, Shen Fuxuan has a secret crush on Jin Baihui.”

“Damn!” Tang Tingting, upon hearing this, let out an exclamation of surprise.

Duan Qiyan instructed: “Don’t tell anyone else.”

“I won’t tell,” Lin Zhixia said seriously.

Duan Qiyan nodded and ran to the back of the line.

On the narrow mountain path, the air was fresh and the scenery beautiful, but Tang Tingting had no heart to appreciate it. She couldn’t understand this and couldn’t help but put her arm around Lin Zhixia’s shoulder, asking: “Why would Shen Fuxuan have a secret crush on Jin Baihui?”

“Jin Baihui has many strengths,” Lin Zhixia listed seriously, “Yesterday, I told you that Jin Baihui is particularly persistent. She is diligent, hardworking, doesn’t care about what others say…”

Tang Tingting questioned: “But almost no one in our class hangs out with her, right?”

Lin Zhixia waved her hand: “No, don’t think like that. Jin Baihui has no friends in our class because she doesn’t need to get emotional value from others. Wow, how high is that level? Think about it carefully.”

Tang Tingting held her breath.

Lin Zhixia continued to enlighten her: “Jin Baihui spends all her time studying. She never invests time and energy in social interactions. She doesn’t need to chat, make friends; her self-satisfaction comes from filling in knowledge gaps.”

Influenced by Lin Zhixia, Tang Tingting followed Lin Zhixia’s reasoning and added: “Jin Baihui’s physical fitness is also really strong. Her 800-meter run is much faster than both of us.”

“Yes, yes,” Lin Zhixia nodded vigorously.

Tang Tingting frowned: “The way you put it, Shen Fuxuan has pretty high standards, huh?”

“Yes, pretty high,” Lin Zhixia agreed.

Tang Tingting muttered to herself: “I was just wondering why Shen Fuxuan has a crush on Jin Baihui and not on me. After what you’ve said, I suddenly understand. I’m not good enough for Shen Fuxuan.”

Lin Zhixia put her arm around Tang Tingting’s shoulder: “Tang Tingting, you are also a very excellent person. You’re lively and cheerful, understanding, have a strong will, and outstanding coordination skills. You’re very popular in our class; almost no student doesn’t like you…”

After hearing Lin Zhixia’s series of sincere compliments, Tang Tingting couldn’t help feeling elated. Especially when Lin Zhixia said: almost no student doesn’t like you… Doesn’t that imply that Lin Zhixia also likes Tang Tingting?

A few minutes ago, Tang Tingting was envious that Jin Baihui had Shen Fuxuan’s secret affection. Now, she wasn’t envious anymore; she had Lin Zhixia’s friendship.

Tang Tingting felt as if she wasn’t walking on a rugged mountain path but floating on soft cotton. She forgot her promise to Duan Qiyan. During the break, she told the explosive news that “Shen Fuxuan has a secret crush on Jin Baihui” to several other girls.

By lunchtime, in the entire Class 27 of the first year, everyone except Shen Fuxuan himself knew that he had a secret crush on Jin Baihui.

Shen Fuxuan noticed people’s frequent glances toward him. He asked Duan Qiyan: “What’s happening in our class?”

Duan Qiyan bent his head over his food: “Nothing.”

They were having lunch at a rural restaurant on the mountaintop. On the pure wooden round table were braised fish, steamed meat with rice flour, stir-fried Chinese cabbage, stir-fried wood ear mushrooms with eggs, tomato chicken soup, and several other dishes Duan Qiyan couldn’t name.

Duan Qiyan shoveled food into his mouth, eating rice furiously, while Shen Fuxuan looked at him and said softly: “You’d better tell me the truth.”

Shen Fuxuan was tall and thin, with very handsome features, originally a pleasing person to look at. But now, he warned with an eerie and ominous tone: “Don’t make me repeat myself.”

Duan Qiyan didn’t even dare to glance at him from the corner of his eye, goosebumps rising all over his body.

They sat on the east side of a round table, right next to a window. Outside were bamboo groves; nearby, green shadows swayed sparsely, and in the distance, mountains undulated, white clouds gradually dispersed, with an ethereal, spiritual beauty.

Lin Zhixia held her rice bowl, eating rice for a while, admiring the scenery for a while, feeling carefree and content. She delightfully took a bite of the steamed meat with rice flour when she heard Shen Fuxuan raise his voice: “Fine, if you won’t tell me the truth, when I find out from someone else, you’re finished.”

Duan Qiyan wasn’t one to swallow his anger. Provoked by Shen Fuxuan, he exploded on the spot: “I told Lin Zhixia that you have a secret crush on Jin Baihui!”

With these words, Lin Zhixia froze.

Homeroom Teacher Deng also froze.

Only Jin Baihui continued eating.

Class 27 of the first year fell into complete silence, without a hint of noise. The wind stopped, and light cast oblique shadows.

Teacher Deng stood up to take charge of the situation: “Now, we won’t discuss anything else. Everyone eats well, drinks well, plays well, sleeps well, and when we return to Provincial No. 1 Middle School, I’ll deal with this matter. Okay?”

“Okay!” Duan Qiyan agreed cheerfully.

But Shen Fuxuan’s expression couldn’t be described merely as “ugly.” His face was ashen, like a murderer, as he tore apart the fish meat. The classmates sitting around him scattered, fleeing to nearby tables to eat. Gradually, only Lin Zhixia, Duan Qiyan, and Tang Tingting remained beside Shen Fuxuan.

The reason Tang Tingting didn’t leave was that she felt she understood Shen Fuxuan. Most classmates in Class 27 of the first year hadn’t recognized Jin Baihui’s excellent qualities, hadn’t grasped the true essence, and hadn’t reached the ideological realm.

So, when they heard rumors about Shen Fuxuan and Jin Baihui, they found it incredible.

Tang Tingting shook her head and began to comfort Shen Fuxuan: “Shen Fuxuan, never mind what the classmates think. Don’t back down; Lin Zhixia and I stand with you.”

Shen Fuxuan almost couldn’t catch his breath.

He said coldly: “I don’t like Jin Baihui.”

Lin Zhixia observed his expression; strangely, he shouldn’t be lying.

Lin Zhixia was certain that Duan Qiyan wasn’t lying either.

Duan Qiyan heard Shen Fuxuan’s declaration and immediately responded: “If you like her, just admit it. No one’s stopping you. We’re not the homeroom teacher. We’re your friends of four years; do you still need to hide your little secret from us?”

Shen Fuxuan cursed fiercely: “Get lost.”

“What are you doing?” Duan Qiyan was somewhat angry, “Why are you cursing at me?”

Lin Zhixia mediated: “Don’t fight, eat quietly.”

After the meal, everyone rested for half an hour, then, under the guide’s leadership, took a cable car to view the scenery of Mount Penglai.

Each cable car was fully enclosed and could seat a maximum of four people. Thus, Lin Zhixia, Tang Tingting, Shen Fuxuan, and Duan Qiyan sat in one car together.

Lin Zhixia opened her backpack, took out a book, and placed it on her lap.

There was a strawberry-patterned notepad tucked in the pages. She held a ballpoint pen and wrote on the paper: Class 27 of the first year has come to Mount Penglai. The whole class traveling together is such a joyful thing. Now I’m sitting in the cable car, and I can see the towering, verdant centuries-old trees, the misty thousand-year-old temple…

Duan Qiyan asked: “Who are you writing to?”

Tang Tingting immediately responded: “Jiang Yubai, who else could it be?”

“It’s Jiang Yubai,” Lin Zhixia admitted.

Duan Qiyan leaned forward: “What exactly is your relationship with Jiang Yubai?”

Lin Zhixia answered frankly: “We’re good friends.”

Shen Fuxuan interjected: “Duan Qiyan, mind your own business.”

“Are you still angry with me?” Duan Qiyan turned to look at him, “I’ve already apologized to you.”

Shen Fuxuan laughed: “If I killed you and then said sorry, would you forgive me?”

Duan Qiyan answered very seriously: “If I’m dead, how could I forgive you?”

“Stop arguing,” Lin Zhixia intervened.

After she spoke, the cable car returned to silence.

Lin Zhixia looked at the beautiful scenery outside the window and wrote a poem on a blank piece of paper. The natural landscape of the continuous mountain range was abstracted in her mind as a multidimensional space. She began thinking about high-dimensional objects in three-dimensional projections, and unconsciously thought about PCA, ICA, low-variance filtering, high-correlation filtering, and other currently used data dimensionality reduction algorithms.

Duan Qiyan interrupted her thoughts again: “We’re here, we’re here, let’s go see the ancient temple.”

As the cable car reached its destination, Lin Zhixia and the others quickly followed the guide.

The guide held a loudspeaker and said loudly: “Students of Class 27, stay close to me. Next, we will visit Mount Penglai’s most famous attraction, the Treasure Lamp Temple. Have you all heard a saying from the ‘Lotus Sutra’? The ‘Lotus Sutra’ says, ‘With one lamp, light many lamps, until ten thousand lamps are bright.’ Our Treasure Lamp Temple has a long history. A bright lamp stands at the temple gate, and despite years of wind and rain, the lamp’s fire never goes out…”

The guide spoke while leading the students forward.

Ancient trees surrounded the temple, ginkgo leaves carpeted the ground, and monks in gray robes were sweeping everywhere. Inside the Treasure Lamp Temple, incense burned prosperously, visitors flowed continuously, and rows upon rows of red candles were piled on wooden racks in the front courtyard. Devout men and women who had traveled from afar were making sincere wishes.

Homeroom Teacher Deng also made a wish. He stuffed two hundred yuan into the donation box, then wrote many words on a piece of paper.

Duan Qiyan mustered his courage to peek.

Duan Qiyan saw that Teacher Deng had written that he hoped his students would achieve good results in competitions, or get satisfactory scores in the college entrance examination, and wished his students good health and happy families.

Duan Qiyan was deeply moved. Once again, he leaked the secret to Lin Zhixia.

Lin Zhixia recorded all her thoughts, filling three entire sheets of paper. After the Mount Penglai trip ended, Lin Zhixia returned home, affixed two stamps to an envelope. With a heart full of anticipation for a reply, she mailed this letter to Jiang Yubai.

*

Two days later, Jiang Yubai logged into QQ.

He told Lin Zhixia that he had just gotten off a plane and was now in the United States.

Jiang Yubai was very patient. Before making it to the finals, he hadn’t told Lin Zhixia anything about the competition situation. Lin Zhixia received his competition updates intermittently, learning that this year’s competition was exceptionally fierce. Almost half of the top-ranked private high schools in North America had come, and even European schools were involved. Lin Zhixia couldn’t help but ask: “Which country’s team is the strongest?”

“The United States,” Jiang Yubai said honestly.

Lin Zhixia cheered him on: “You can do it, Jiang Yubai, making it to the finals is already amazing!”

Jiang Yubai sent a web link through the QQ chat box. He sincerely invited Lin Zhixia to watch the live broadcast of his competition.

The finals were held in New York, USA. New York and Beijing had exactly twelve hours’ time difference. The first group match would start at six in the evening and end at eight at night, broadcasting continuously for two hours.

Six in the evening in New York was six in the morning in Beijing.

March 17, 2009, was the first day of the North American Economics Challenge finals.

At six o’clock in the morning on March 17, Lin Zhixia got out of bed, eagerly turned on her computer, entered the website address, and indeed witnessed the live online broadcast.

The host was a robust, smiling middle-aged man. He held a microphone, faced the audience, and introduced this year’s competition setup and the identities of the judges. When the host mentioned the contestants, the camera gave a wide shot, and Lin Zhixia saw elite high school teams from all major continents of the world.

It must be said that these economics competition team members all seemed to exude an extraordinary aura.

Lin Zhixia could foresee the intensity of this competition.

Lin Zhixia didn’t go to the living room for breakfast. She brought a bowl of rice porridge from the kitchen and sat in front of the computer screen. Just then, the broadcast camera cut to a close-up, and she saw Jiang Yubai wearing a suit.

She exclaimed: “You look so good in a suit, Jiang Yubai.”

“What’s so special about that?” Her brother’s voice sounded behind her, “Truly good-looking people don’t need clothes to make an impression.”

When did her brother come in?

Lin Zhixia held her bowl with both hands and belatedly turned around.

Lin Zeqiu told her, “You didn’t come to the living room for breakfast, so Mom asked me to see what you were busy with this morning. Turns out you’re watching Jiang Yubai’s competition? What’s so interesting about him, I ask you?”

Lin Zhixia sat up straight, took a sip of porridge, and then said: “He’s been studying economics for a long time, and I want to know his level. I believe he can stand out.”

Lin Zeqiu pulled up a chair and sat beside Lin Zhixia: “His middle school grades weren’t as good as yours, right? What’s the point of you paying attention to him?”