“…”
- That was indeed outrageously arrogant.
Sure, getting into Jing University required something like 670 or 680 — everyone knew that in their heads — but knowing it was one thing, and having someone actually write it in their profile was another. Why didn’t this person just come right out and say their ideal match was a provincial top scorer?
The more Hu Ke’er looked, the more familiar that red jersey seemed — but she couldn’t quite place where she’d seen it. She found herself studying the photo for a few extra beats.
She spotted this person’s noticeably muscular build and thought he didn’t look like a top student at all — more like a sports jock who was too thick-headed to think straight, probably trying to ride Jing University’s prestige. She quickly stepped in to defend her future alma mater’s reputation: 【Not at all! My best friend and I are both going to Jing University — it’s nothing like that!】
Hu Ke’er’s cousin deliberately teased her: 【Did YOU score 680?】
Paopao Ke: 【I didn’t [smile] But my bestie scored 685 on the college entrance exam, and she even studied math competition, haha [doghead]】
Hu Ke’er’s cousin: 【Oh wow, impressive. You should have your bestie chat him up, haha. I certainly can’t compete with him today [doghead]】
Hu Ke’er glanced at the guy’s photo again. Though she knew Ning Sui probably wouldn’t be interested, she still turned to her with a grin and said: “I heard from my cousin that this app called Qinguo is getting pretty popular lately. Why don’t you sign up? Maybe you’d find your Mr. Right.”
Hu Ke’er was the kind of person whose brain churned out strange ideas constantly. She had no desire to actually be a player, but she was firmly convinced she had a natural talent for it.
Her dream was to live in the present and savor the moment. She especially loved the exhilarating, covert back-and-forth of the early stages of a potential romance. So even before getting together with Xu Zhou, she had enjoyed idly chatting with people across various social media platforms — her strong enthusiasm for “Qinguo” was hardly surprising.
If she weren’t in a relationship, she’d have jumped in to chat with someone herself.
But Ning Sui was the complete opposite of Hu Ke’er. She preferred in-person connections over online ones. If they hadn’t even met face-to-face, the other person was just an abstract entity with no real presence — like interacting with a robot. It was hard to maintain long-lasting, meaningful conversation.
The most memorable online exchange Ning Sui could recall was during those two years of high school, corresponding with her pen pal through a math forum.
Every exchange back then felt fresh and unlike anything else. Remarkably, she had never once grown bored of it.
She didn’t know who the person was, but she was certain they were exceptional — the way they approached difficult problems was particularly ingenious, hitting the crux of each issue with clean, efficient steps.
Back then, Ning Sui had been eager to connect with this person and had sent them a private message asking for help with a problem.
At first there was no reply. The person was incredibly reserved — they probably received countless messages from strangers and couldn’t get through them all.
Later, when Ning Sui was reviewing problems from a Nanjing training session, she came across one she wasn’t sure could be solved using an alternate method. She remembered that this person had worked through a similar type of problem on their main page, so she photographed her practice paper and sent it over.
She waited many days, long enough to assume the message had sunk without a trace — and then woke up one morning to find a reply.
Nathan: 【Mm, if you treat the membership relation between set elements and sets as a bipartite graph, you can apply the Katz-Tao inequality directly, which is simpler than using the Hölder transformation.】
Ning Sui half-understood, and followed up with several questions. The other person answered each one methodically and directly.
The explanations were lucid, but she felt uncomfortable pressing too much — she didn’t want to take up too much of their time — so she quickly offered her thanks.
She thought the conversation would end there. But to her surprise, the other person responded: 【How did you arrive at this approach? It doesn’t quite match the standard solution.】
Ning Sui explained: 【Someone showed it to me before.】
She paused, then added: 【I think it’s quite clever — it essentially treats the original inequality as a lower bound for the number of paths of fixed length three starting from a given point.】
After a moment, Nathan replied in an unhurried tone: 【I also think this is quite clever.】
Ning Sui was pleasantly startled. After some hesitation, she summoned her courage and asked: 【Can I come to you with questions again in the future?】
He said: 【Sure.】
From second year through third year of high school, the frequency of their exchanges wasn’t high — but there was never a true break. No matter how much time passed, she always knew he would eventually reply. That reliability was something she found genuinely reassuring.
The unfortunate part was that sometime in the middle of her final year of high school, their exchanges simply stopped. She became very, very busy.
Ning Sui’s lashes lowered as her thoughts drifted.
She pressed her lips together lightly, picked up her phone, and stared at the screen for a moment.
Reaching back into old memory, Ning Sui typed into the search bar and looked up the link to that math Q&A forum.
Leonhard Euler — named after Euler himself, which felt instantly familiar and endearing. A year had passed, and the math enthusiasts inside were still just as active, with someone posting a new question practically every minute.
Ning Sui remembered clearly that she had set her username to “1212Coconut” — quite impulsive, named after the second-to-last day of her Nanjing training session and her nickname.
She remembered that day vividly, because the training had felt so long and grinding, so she had specifically checked the calendar.
Later that evening, returning late from the classroom, she looked up and saw the dark blue sky. A peaceful, snow-dusted night. The ground still gave a soft, muffled crunch beneath her shoes, and the orange glow of the streetlights spilled warmly from one lamp to the next —
Perhaps it was because the scene was so unforgettable. Or perhaps it was to mark the first time in sixteen years she had traveled away from home on her own. Whatever the reason, when Ning Sui went to register her account, that date had surfaced automatically in her mind.
But she genuinely couldn’t remember the password. She tried several of her old ones — each time the system told her it was incorrect.
It had only been an impulse to try. She hadn’t held out much hope, so she simply closed the page and moved on.
Xizhou Ancient Town had a famous landmark called the Corner Pavilion. The group woke up early to take a group photo there, then wandered around the town for a bit.
It wasn’t as bustling and crowded as the old city, but still very lively. Ning Sui loved this kind of leisurely liveliness — it gave people room to breathe while still offering that sense of everyday warmth. Even in the middle of crowds, she could genuinely feel that she was free.
As they walked, she heard Xu Zhou chatting with Hu Ke’er up ahead. Hu Ke’er asked: “Do you know what Microsoft’s theme song is?”
Xu Zhou was puzzled: “What?”
Hu Ke’er burst into an expressive tune: “You hurt Word, then Excel and leave — you love so greedily, while I love so Note-lessly~ And also: Let me love you, then PowerPoint abandon me~”
Ning Sui: “…” You really do have a gift.
Even the typically solemn Xu Zhou was amused and asked how she had come up with it. Hu Ke’er said proudly, “Listen to a song a hundred times and its meaning reveals itself.”
Ning Sui tuned out their nonsensical banter and heard Shen Qing beside her strike up a conversation: “Did you travel a lot before?”
Ning Sui shook her head.
Truthfully, almost never.
Xia Fanghui always believed that it wasn’t safe for a girl to be out on her own. Even when Ning Sui lived at school during the week, she had to text home the moment she reached the dormitory. So let alone going on trips with friends — even venturing to a large shopping mall in the city of Huai’an without her mother nearby was a rare occurrence.
Sometimes Ning Sui envied classmates whose parents were laid-back and let them do whatever they wanted. But life wasn’t black and white, and looking back, Fangfang had given her so much love — an amount that could even be called extraordinary.
For instance: when Ning Sui was sick, she would take care of her down to the smallest details — filling a hot water bottle for her stomach, wrapping it in a towel so it wouldn’t burn her, testing the temperature of the water before handing her medicine.
Every week before she went back to school, her mother would slow-cook a richly seasoned broth to make sure Ning Sui was well-nourished.
And every year on her birthday, without fail, her parents would put money in a red envelope together, and her mother would separately prepare a gift and a birthday cake. When her mother was in a good mood, if Ning Sui wanted the moon in the sky, Xia Fanghui would find a way to bring it down for her.
Ning Sui pressed her lips together and smiled softly. “You’ve probably been to a lot of places, haven’t you? Is there anywhere that left a particularly strong impression?”
Shen Qing glanced at her sideways, his voice warm and gentle: “Actually, not as many as you might think. I was mostly based in the United States during high school, though I did go to Africa at one point. We were in an armored vehicle, and we saw tigers and lions up close — it was quite awe-inspiring.”
Ning Sui: “Wow, did you take photos?”
He smiled: “Of course. I’ll dig them up and show you sometime.”
“That sounds great.”
After lunch, the four of them picked up their luggage and took a taxi heading northeast. En route, Xu Zhou made a casual suggestion: “Let’s stay at Shuangyue Bay. I heard the guesthouses there are close to Erhai Lake, you can see the sunrise from there, and the rooms are spacious and clean.”
It was the first time the young master had contributed a suggestion. Hu Ke’er was mildly surprised: “Sure, did you read that on a review app?”
Xu Zhou: “I just heard Zhang Yuge and his group are staying there.”
“Zhang Yuge?” Hu Ke’er stared at him, astonished. “When did you get so close with him?”
Xu Zhou gave a small cough, his expression a touch unnatural: “No, I found out from Xie Yichen.”
Hu Ke’er was amazed that the person least likely to get along with anyone had actually managed to build a rapport with Xie Yichen. And for his part, Xu Zhou was wondering — how was it that in just a few days, his opinion of Xie Yichen had shifted so significantly? He remembered how much he had disliked him back in their second year of high school. Yet after only a brief few days in contact, he genuinely felt the person was… pretty decent. Very easy-going, willing to answer whatever you asked. Xu Zhou had heard that Xie Yichen’s family was well-off — financially comfortable, and impressive by any measure — yet he didn’t put on any airs.
While both were lost in thought, Ning Sui looked up and said: “I just checked the app — Shuangyue Bay’s rating is genuinely quite high.”
And so it was settled.
The scenery along Erhai Lake was beautiful too. Shen Qing sat in the passenger seat, snapping photos as they went. The road here was broad and winding, flanked by green mountains and water, trees lush and verdant. Scattered houses dotted the landscape, forming small hamlets with a rustic, timeless charm. The surface of the lake shimmered brilliantly in the sunlight — a breathtaking view in every direction.
Xu Zhou had already been in touch with Xie Yichen, so Ning Sui didn’t bother doing the same.
The parking lots in Shuanglang Ancient Town were all tucked along the narrow side roads, difficult to navigate, with limited spaces. Not having brought a car actually turned out to be an advantage.
The taxi came to a stop at their destination. Just as Ning Sui opened the car door and stepped out, she looked up — and saw a young man with his hands in his pockets strolling out from a courtyard dappled with sparse, leafy shadows.
Sunlight filtered through the green branches and fell across his sharp, dark brows and eyes. The loose strands of hair at his temples were a little disheveled, and his expression still carried a trace of unhurried drowsiness from an afternoon nap.
Xie Yichen spotted them the moment he came downstairs. He gave a light nod — a quiet greeting.
Xia Fanghui had packed Ning Sui’s suitcase full of all manner of things — whatever she could think of, whether or not it could be purchased locally. Wet wipes, mosquito repellent, hygiene products, a padded jacket —
Goodness knows why anyone would pack a padded jacket in the middle of summer. Her mother had called it “being prepared for chilly nights.”
Ning Sui tried to haul her enormous suitcase over the threshold. Shen Qing, still behind her talking to the taxi driver, glanced over and was about to call out and tell her to wait — but then Xie Yichen, coming out at just that moment, leisurely reached out and helped her lift it.
Ning Sui thanked him. He picked up the suitcase without ceremony, effortlessly carrying it up the steps. The effort drew faint, defined lines along his forearms.
She was just about to say something when Xie Yichen turned back, hefting the case slightly to gauge the weight, and raised an eyebrow: “What have you got in here? It’s quite heavy.”
Ning Sui thought for a moment, then answered earnestly: “Probably about ten kilograms of long underwear.”
“…”
The group exchanged greetings, sorted out their luggage, and headed inside. The front desk receptionist welcomed them warmly. Xu Zhou showed her a screenshot: “We made a reservation online.”
The service here was genuinely excellent. The receptionist worked through the system quickly and confirmed the booking in no time. They handed over their ID cards and received their room key cards.
Xie Yichen and Lin Shuyu’s group was staying in the large suite on the east side — a duplex with three bedrooms inside, two people to a room, just right. The motorcycle was parked in the front courtyard.
Noticing that this group seemed to know the others, the front desk arranged for Xu Zhou’s party of four to have their two rooms in the east corridor as well, just around the corner — close enough for easy visits back and forth.
Hu Ke’er charged ahead with her suitcase and was first into the room. Inside were two large double beds. She dropped her things to one side and flung herself onto the bed without any pretense of dignity: “Ahhhh I’m exhausted!”
Ning Sui came in a few steps behind. Xie Yichen helped push her suitcase into the entryway, and with a sense of propriety, stopped at the doorway without entering.
As Ning Sui settled into an armchair and slipped off the small crossbody bag from her shoulder, he leaned against the doorframe and asked: “Have you had lunch?”
“It’s already two o’clock — we ate a while ago.” Hu Ke’er bounced upright from the bed and jumped in first: “Xie Yichen, I heard from Xu Zhou that you have friends here?”
Xie Yichen gave a casual acknowledgement. Hu Ke’er’s eyes lit up. “Then shouldn’t we all get to know each other?”
She was a social creature — the more people around, the more energized she became. And when you were traveling, it was simply more fun with a bigger group.
Xie Yichen had no objection. He took out his phone and sent Lin Shuyu a message. He looked up again — before he could say anything, Shen Qing came over and knocked on the door, making polite eye contact with him.
He was bringing fruit — green grapes and strawberries bought on the way, roughly half left over.
Seeing the two of them standing perfectly fine inside the room, Shen Qing said: “Still fresh. You two can have these.”
Ning Sui smiled politely: “Thank you. Just set them on the table.”
Xie Yichen shifted slightly to one side. Shen Qing stepped past and set down the bright red plastic bag: “I just washed them again, so they’re clean. You can eat them as they are.”
Hu Ke’er responded with delight: “So thoughtful of you! Thank you for the offering, Brother Qing!”
Shen Qing: “It’s nothing.”
Xie Yichen kept his head lowered, casually looking at his phone.
Lin Shuyu said that Zhang Yuge was sleeping like a log, and that Zhao Yingyao and Zou Xiao hadn’t replied either. He suggested they just do their own thing that afternoon and all get together for dinner with the new friends in the evening — he’d take care of the reservation.
Hu Ke’er asked: “Xie Yichen, when are we meeting your friends?”
“Probably later — I’ll message you when it’s time.” Xie Yichen straightened up slightly, his words succinct. “You all chat. I’m heading back.”
Ning Sui was bending her head down, tying up her hair. She looked up: “Wait a moment.”
Xie Yichen’s footsteps stopped. He turned his gaze to her.
Shen Qing was still standing in the room. Hearing this, his eyes drifted around the space briefly, and he smiled: “I was just here to drop off some fruit.” After a brief pause, he added: “Why don’t we all rest for a bit, and then decide whether to go explore the town later.”
Hu Ke’er: “Sure.”
After Shen Qing left, Ning Sui caught in her peripheral vision that Hu Ke’er was already itching to lie down on the bed and sleep. She closed the door behind her and stepped out into the hallway.
She stood facing Xie Yichen. His brows were lowered slightly, his expression somewhat unreadable. He asked lazily: “What is it?”
Ning Sui looked up at Xie Yichen, turning the words over in her mind.
Though Xie Yichen hadn’t explained much about the whole situation to her, Zhang Yuge — hearing that they were all heading to Shuanglang — had already messaged Ning Sui on WeChat and told her everything without holding back, before they even arrived.
It wasn’t meant as a complaint. He simply felt that since they’d all be spending time together, it was better to have full context. And he thought a girl might understand the social nuances better. Not wanting to privately message Hu Ke’er, who had a boyfriend, he had come to Ning Sui instead.
He knew A’Chen wasn’t the type to talk behind people’s backs, so he had simply described Zou Xiao’s behavior objectively on Xie Yichen’s behalf — to prevent any awkwardness later if Ning Sui and her group walked in uninformed.
Jin Ge: 【A’Chen and I are mainly close with Lin Shuyu. Sun Hao’s alright too. The other two girls, we’re not that familiar with.】
After thinking it over, Ning Sui decided not to bring any of this up. She asked instead: “Would you all want to have dinner together tonight? Not sure if it works for your friends?”
Xie Yichen glanced downward beneath his lashes: “Mm. Works.”
“Then — should we call ahead and make a reservation?”
“My friend will handle the reservation,” he said.
Ning Sui made a small sound of acknowledgment, then changed course: “I was wondering — is this town very large?”
A breeze moved through. Xie Yichen said: “Fair-sized. Two or three evenings of exploring should do it.”
Ning Sui glanced at him again: “The sunlight looks really nice today.”
He raised an eyebrow at that: “Oh?”
“I want to take a walk through the town.”
“Now?”
Ning Sui had slept a bit in the car on the way here and was still feeling quite alert. “Yes — which parts have the best scenery?”
“There’s a spot a bit further out. When you exit and turn right onto the main road, keep walking straight for about two kilometers.” Xie Yichen pointed her in the direction. “If you search South Harbor in the navigation app, it should come up.”
“Got it.” Ning Sui stepped a little closer, looking at him. Then, out of nowhere, she said something that seemed entirely unconnected: “So — are you sleepy right now?”
Her skin was very smooth. Her face, though bare of any makeup, still looked fair and luminous. A warm amber light drifted down softly around her, falling on the fine, downy hairs along her cheek.
Xie Yichen half-narrowed his eyes and asked, carefully neutral: “Why?”
Ning Sui: “Isn’t there a place called the Sun Palace here? I saw your Moments post.”
“Mm.” His voice was, as always, low. His Adam’s apple shifted just slightly as he spoke.
Ning Sui found her gaze involuntarily drawn to that particular detail.
She noticed — it seemed like every time he spoke, that cool, indifferent protrusion would move slowly up and down.
…Like something alive.
“You’ve already been there, so you should know the route well,” Ning Sui said, her fingertips tightening slightly. The excuse sprang from somewhere she hadn’t quite anticipated. “And — I heard you have a motorcycle.”
“…”