In this scorching, wretched weather, Feng Ning had been eavesdropping for less than ten minutes and had already gotten four or five huge mosquito bites on her legs.

This must be karma for being such a busybody.

Itching like crazy, unable to stand still, she slipped away quietly, counting the checkered floor tiles under her feet as she walked — red, blue, green — and by the time she reached a hundred, she’d also finished off the rest of her apple, clean to the core. Satisfied, she tossed the core into a trash can by the road.

Back at the dorm, her roommates were all out.

Feng Ning leisurely went out to the balcony to catch some breeze for a while, brought the laundry in, and took a shower.

Coming out of the bathroom, shaking the water out of her wet hair, she climbed onto her bed, sat cross-legged, dabbed on some Liushen prickly heat lotion, leaned against her pillow, and called Qi Lan.

“You have no idea how outrageous that Wang Xiaoli from the cotton mill is — cheating right under my nose every single day. Caught her marking the cards last week, and today I was her partner, and halfway through the game she suddenly kicked my foot under the table. I couldn’t be bothered dealing with her, so I just got up and sat on a chair off to the side.”

Listening to her mother complain, Feng Ning couldn’t stop laughing. “Mom, you’re being so childish.”

“If it weren’t for the sake of business at my mahjong parlor, I would’ve kicked her out ages ago.” Qi Lan huffed, coughing twice. “Anyway, are you settling in alright at school? How are things with your roommates? Do you have enough money? I haven’t been sleeping well lately, my chest feels a bit stuffy, keep dreaming about you and your dad.”

“I’m doing great, studying hard, eating on time, getting along fine with everyone — don’t worry about me.” Feng Ning scratched at the mosquito bites on her leg, muttering along as she spoke. “You’re not feeling well, so make time to go get a checkup at the hospital. Don’t be lazy and avoid the hassle, health matters most. If something happened to you, what would I do?”

“I know.”

Halfway through the call, Meng Taoyu came back carrying two cups of grass jelly drink.

She pulled up a chair and sat beside her, and once Feng Ning hung up, took out a cup from the bag, stuck in a straw, and handed it over. “Ning Ning, I brought this for you, try it and see if it’s good. It’s from a new bubble tea shop near school, they say it’s really good — I waited in line forever.”

Feng Ning giggled playfully, teasing again, “You’re so good to me, I have nothing to repay you with except my own hand in marriage.”

Meng Taoyu took a sip herself too, shook her head vigorously, and said earnestly, “It’s me who should be thanking you. I don’t even know how to repay everything you’ve done for me, really.”

“How about marrying me then?”

Meng Taoyu burst out laughing, nodding repeatedly. “Sure.”

The incident between Duan Yuwei and Meng Taoyu had blown up quite badly, ending with both sets of parents called into the school, even discussed on the school’s online forum.

After laughing for a bit, remembering what her mother had told her to pass along, Meng Taoyu quickly said, “Oh right, Ning Ning, are you free Saturday evening? My family wants to treat you to dinner — along with Xi Gaoyuan, Zhao Binlin, Jiang Wen, and the others.”

“Huh, so formal?” Feng Ning changed her tone questioningly, thinking it over. “How about you tell me the location first — I’m usually working during breaks, so if you all don’t mind, you could come find me after dinner. I actually already promised to treat them to drinks anyway.”

“Where should we find you?”

“Jiantang. I’ll send you the name, you can search it on Amap when the time comes.”

“Okay, but I don’t drink alcohol.”

Feng Ning patted her chest confidently. “I’ll personally mix you a mojito — zero-proof, a ‘virgin’ drink, tastes amazing.”

She picked up her phone. “About what time? Is the headcount confirmed? Weekends are hard to get a spot, if you’re coming I’ll reserve a booth for you in advance.”

“If we eat first, we should be done by seven or eight.” Meng Taoyu’s expression turned a bit conflicted. “Jiang Wen and the others should all be coming, because my dad… specially went to ask Jiang Wen’s dad, and also invited Zhao Binlin and the others’ parents.”

“Wow, that formal? Do your parents even know each other?”

“No, it’s work-related. My mom and dad are both lawyers for Jiang Wen’s dad’s company.”

As they chatted, the other two roommates came back. Miao Le asked curiously, “Feng Ning, why didn’t you go to self-study in the classroom today?”

“Eh, giving myself a day off.”

“Want some lychees? Just bought them.”

“No thanks.”

Feng Ning shifted from sitting to lying on the bed, drying her hair while scrolling through her phone’s unread texts, picking out spam ads and confessions from strangers, deleting them all.

She had a bit of OCD — her text message count had to stay at ninety-nine. She dug up Zhao Huiyun’s number from her contacts and called. “Boss, my mom’s chest has been hurting lately, I’m planning to take her for a checkup at the hospital this week, might be a bit late getting to the shop.”

They chatted for a bit, then Zhao Huiyun said over the phone, “Are you free tomorrow at noon? Help me take Fanfan out for KFC, I’ve been crazy busy lately, no time to deal with him, he’s been throwing tantrums for days, I already cleared it with his teacher.”

Fanfan was Zhao Huiyun’s son, full name Zhao Yufan, sixth grade, also a student at Qide. These past two years, Zhao Huiyun had always looked out for Feng Ning, and she was well aware of it and grateful. Whenever she had no plans on Saturdays, she’d head to the shop right after lunch to help Zhao Yufan with his homework. This chubby little kid, just like his cousin Zhao Weichen, idolized her completely.

Feng Ning readily agreed. “No problem.”

Within half a day, gossip about Jiang Wen’s romance had spread and quickly caught the attention of the entire grade.

Having heard the news from someone else, Xi Gaoyuan ran over specially after class. “Is it true? Come clean, man! Bro, you kept this from us?”

A few other nosy guys gathered around to tease him too. One with a hint of envy in his tone said, “I’m so jealous, isn’t Cheng Jiajia the school belle? You two are actually together? Since when?”

Another said, “Probably started back at the horse ranch.”

Jiang Wen, propping his head with his left hand, working on problems, gave a perfunctory “mm.”

“Hey, Jiang Wen, the sports meet registration form from the PE committee, you and Zhao Binlin need to fill it out.” Feng Ning called out to Jiang Wen from behind, poking him with her pen.

He didn’t move.

She was annoyed, dragging out her tone. “Big brother, look at me here.”

Jiang Wen flipped a page in his book.

Feng Ning didn’t bother calling again.

These past few days, no matter who spoke to him, Jiang Wen would at least acknowledge them — except Feng Ning.

Even Zhao Binlin noticed something was off, turning around to take the registration form, asking with surprise, “Did you and Jiang Wen have a fight recently?”

“I didn’t do anything.” Feng Ning shook her head, brushing it off lightly. “It’s all on him.”

Since that night they’d hashed things out, Feng Ning had actually been hoping to reconcile with Jiang Wen all along. But he kept up that same nasty attitude — stubbornly aloof, faking indifference, refusing to talk properly.

Feng Ning got tired of getting the cold shoulder after warming up to him, and stopped trying to start conversations. Besides, wasn’t he with someone else now? She didn’t owe him anything.

“Oh right, Zhao Binlin, you and Xi Gaoyuan — do you two have plans after dinner with Meng Taoyu on Saturday?”

“Not sure, probably not.”

“Alright, if you don’t, I’ll arrange something.”

Zhao Binlin tilted his head to look at her. “Arrange what?”

“Come to Jiantang. Like I said, I owe you guys a round of drinks.”

“Sure thing!”

Hearing Feng Ning laughing and chatting with others, casually leaving his name out of it, Jiang Wen felt his temper rising bit by bit.

Xi Gaoyuan once had a buddy, decent guy, good-looking too, who pursued Cheng Jiajia for half a year — she didn’t even spare him a glance, way too proud. Thinking of that, he sighed for a couple seconds. “How’d you two even get together? Knowing you, she must’ve been the one chasing you — but hey, even our stone-cold Wen finally bloomed, huh.”

He kept pressing.

“How long are you gonna keep asking?”

His tone carried a hint of anger, catching Xi Gaoyuan off guard. “Bro, are you dating or storming a bunker?”

Jiang Wen also realized he’d lost his composure, lowering his eyes irritably. “Class is starting, go.”

The biology teacher was up front lecturing on the theory of evolution, while Feng Ning sat below talking trash about him with Meng Taoyu, criticizing his boring lectures, lack of liveliness, ugly handwriting on the board — a disgrace to Qide’s high salary, she could do better herself. Mid-rant, the Iron Lady’s face darkened as she slowly walked past by the window.

Startled, Feng Ning immediately shut up, sticking out her tongue.

Qide’s elementary division let out half an hour earlier than the high school division. Zhao Yufan sat properly on a bench in the hallway with his little backpack on, waiting for Feng Ning.

A passerby laughed, “Who are you waiting for, little guy?”

Zhao Yufan answered seriously, “Waiting for Feng Ning.”

Feng Ning was still packing up when she heard someone yelling outside, “Feng Ning, your little brother’s waiting for you!”

Feng Ning laughed, calling back, “What little brother, I don’t have a little brother, I only have a love child.”

“Wow, you’re something else.”

Class Nine was on the fourth floor. When Feng Ning went out, she was rather surprised. “How’d you make it all the way up here?”

Zhao Yufan wrinkled his face in a mature manner. “There’s a class sign, I’m not stupid.”

Feng Ning patted the chubby kid’s head, taking his backpack from him. “We’re just going to KFC, why’d you even bring your backpack.”

“Oh, take me to the supermarket later, I want to buy some snacks too.”

Feng Ning winced, scolding, “You little brat, you’re such a rip-off, sis is gonna go broke.”

Zhao Yufan protested quickly, “Use my own money, Mom gave it to me!”

“Just messing with you, sis has plenty of money.”

The crowd was packed. They walked down the stairs hand in hand, not noticing two people following behind them.

“Want to go karting this weekend? Just the two of us — or we could call others, up to you.”

Seeing the person beside her slow to answer, Cheng Jiajia looked up toward Jiang Wen.

Against the light, she couldn’t tell if he’d heard her or not, staring blankly ahead, unmoved. Cheng Jiajia froze, gazing at his profile — he really was handsome. The irritation at being ignored faded a little. She tugged at the hem of his shirt, half-serious, half-teasing. “Jiang Wen, are you not happy? If something’s bothering you, can you tell me?” Jiang Wen lifted his eyes slightly. “Nothing’s bothering me.”

“Where’s your teacher’s signed slip, let me see.”

Zhao Yufan pulled it out of his pocket and handed it to Feng Ning.

Qide’s elementary, middle, and high school divisions all had different uniforms and ID badges; elementary students couldn’t leave campus without an approved leave slip.

Feng Ning glanced it over. “You really went through all this trouble just for KFC?”

“Of course not.”

Lunch break was about two hours or so. Feng Ning took him to a shopping area near the school. After finishing KFC, the chubby kid insisted on trading the Doraemon toy for the Frozen Anna princess one at the counter.

Feng Ning found it funny, teasing him. “You’re such a girly little guy.”

Zhao Yufan glared at her. “What do you know, I’m giving it to someone else.”

“Ohh~” Feng Ning caught on. “Someone you like? A crush?”

The chubby kid squirmed for a long while before nodding.

Feng Ning smirked to herself, asking nosily, “What’s the little girl’s name?”

“Jiang—” the chubby kid started to say a surname, then quickly shut his mouth. “I can’t tell you, and you can’t tell my mom either.”

“Fine, whatever.” Feng Ning smacked him lightly on the head, teasing, “Puppy love, huh, quite trendy of you, got some skills at this age.”

Things had been quiet lately; Feng Ning had settled into a very regular routine — running at night, then heading to the classroom for self-study on time.

She’d been doing homework for a while when a girl sat down in front of her. Within a few minutes, the air was filled with the scent of a rather high-end perfume.

Not prickly heat lotion — actually quite pleasant.

The voice up front was quiet, but Feng Ning was close enough to catch some of it.

“Jiang Wen, why do we need to draw an auxiliary line for this problem?”

“Why is the acceleration different here versus there? How do I read the value?”

One inane question after another. By the end, Feng Ning was practically ready to roll up her sleeves, grab a pen, and go explain the problem herself. Might as well pitch her fifty-yuan notes while she was at it — easy to read, easy to understand, easy to remember, better than any commercial study guide.

She silently despised her own habit of eavesdropping — or maybe this was just how couples built intimacy?

Feng Ning packed up her workbook, thinking quietly to herself that it was time to change study spots.

Cheng Jiajia patiently pretended to keep looking over the math problem a bit longer. Suddenly, a short, urgent choked sound came from behind her — broken, faint, muffled, with a hint of suppression.

It sounded almost like crying.

Sensing something was off, Cheng Jiajia turned to look.

Feng Ning had her head resting on one arm, face buried underneath, shoulders shaking.

Cheng Jiajia put on a concerned expression, tapping the corner of her desk. “Hey, are you okay?”

Feng Ning didn’t respond — she hadn’t heard.

So Cheng Jiajia leaned in close to Jiang Wen’s ear and said gently, “The girl behind you seems to be crying, what’s wrong with her, is she okay? Should we ask?”

Jiang Wen’s expression stayed cold; he said nothing.

Actually, Cheng Jiajia knew who Feng Ning was.

Feng Ning had the kind of looks you don’t forget — truly beautiful. Cheng Jiajia had heard a bit about her chasing after Jiang Wen from Pei Shurou before, and later ran into her at a late-night snack place on Dong Street and immediately recognized her.

Feeling rather good about herself, tinged with a bit of pity, Cheng Jiajia thought: Feng Ning must be heartbroken right now — it really was a bit cruel of her to be so sweetly showing off affection with Jiang Wen in front of her like this.

The thought that the boy who’d broken so many hearts without a second glance now belonged to her filled Cheng Jiajia with deep satisfaction from the bottom of her heart.

That satisfaction was even enough to make her overlook the vague, hard-to-articulate disdain she felt toward Feng Ning.

In the end she still poked Feng Ning’s arm. “Are you okay?”

Jiang Wen turned to look too.

Feng Ning lifted her face, cheeks slightly pink, teeth pressed into her lip, the bitten spot the color of a ripe cherry.

She reached up and pulled out both earbuds. Her voice, a little hoarse from holding back laughter, came out soft. “Ah, what’s wrong?”

By accident, the earbud jack got yanked out along with it too, and the quiet classroom suddenly rang out with Guo Degang’s booming voice:

—I’m chasing after you with Cupid’s bow and arrow, and you’re flying away in a bulletproof vest!

Cheng Jiajia blinked, stunned. “You weren’t crying?”

“Huh, what?” Feng Ning, distracted the whole time she’d been talking to them, saw no one else was saying anything, plugged her earbuds back in, and went back to staring at her phone screen.

The comedy routine was hilarious; she chuckled to herself a couple times, eyelashes fluttering lightly, bright watery light in her eyes, like stars fallen from the night sky.

Something in Jiang Wen’s chest tightened.