Summer in Your Name - 19

Delinquent

---

Sound in character, independent, with love for the country and a global vision.

If I can become such a person, then my youth isn't wasted in vain. 

Sheng Xia silently repeated the words. A feeling akin to ‘shock’ stirred in her chest. 

Or maybe resonance was the word.

"Whoa," Xin Xiaohe breathed. "Did Zhang Shu write that, or did you, Xia Xia?"

Remembering the line, "Someone told me," Sheng Xia flushed shyly. But the core idea was his. "He wrote it."

"No way. He didn't copy it?"

Uh...

The initial draft might have been. But this version was his. He'd only borrowed reference on logic and structure.

"He didn't copy it."

Xin Xiaohe was stunned. "Guess three days really can change a person. Just three days off, and Zhang Shu turns into a model youth? Please, let there be more breaks."

---

After the flag ceremony, the crowd flowed from the field back toward the teaching buildings. The underclassmen had to pass by the senior building to get to their own. And Class 6 was on the first floor, right at the edge. Seniors from other classes also had to pass by them to go upstairs.

So Sheng Xia and the others in the classroom listened to the passing students talk about Zhang Shu.

Especially the underclassmen. Their voices brimming with admiration and curiosity.

"Zhang Shu is actually that good-looking."

"When his face came up on the big screen, I thought they'd switched to some talent show backstage."

"Only three points deducted on the science comprehensive exam? That's terrifying..."

"A person like that really exists? Which window did God forget to close?"

"Hey, that’s his class right there, look.”

"It's a regular class, though..."

Xin Xiaohe listened quietly and sighed. "I feel honored by association. Is Zhang Shu, like, famous now?"

Sheng Xia nodded. "Looks like it."

More classmates trickled back in. Everyone seemed in good spirits. Maybe, like Xin Xiaohe said, they felt honored by association.

Zhang Shu was practically escorted back, arms slung over shoulders, surrounded by a crowd.

Besides the Class 6 guys, there were also the ones who'd crouched outside the window that day.

When they reached the Class 6 hallway, they didn't leave. They crowded onto the two tables there, joking and teasing loudly, their laughter nearly shook the ceiling. Everyone who passed turned to stare.

"Freaking awesome, Shu-ge! You delivered that speech so naturally. Who wrote it? Fess up, that’s some real talent!”

"A-Shu wrote it himself. I can vouch."

"For real? No way, if he wrote that, I’ll walk upside down!”

Zhang Shu's mouth twitched into a smug, brilliant smile. "Even if you piss upside down, this speech would still be written by your Shu-ge."

"Hahahahaha A-Shu, don't you have some image to maintain?"

"Seriously, A-Shu? Damn. Who knew you had such ‘positive energy’ in you?”

Zhang Shu: "When have I ever been ‘negative’?"  

“I believe you’re upright, but this positive? I'm getting chills. 'Useful to the country, useful to the world'. All heroic and patriotic. Freaking awesome!"

"Freaking awesome, freaking awesome! I don't have the words, just freaking awesome!"

"Hahaha!"

"Shu," Liu Hui'an caught something. "That 'useful to the country, useful to the world' thing, someone told you that, right? Who?"

"Yeah!" Wu Pengcheng jumped in. "And that thing about if you're ordinary, at least be a good person. That's totally about me, isn’t it? I feel attacked."

Hou Junqi pointed, "It's at least, at least be a good person!"

"Yeah, yeah."

Zhang Shu laughed. "Didn't realize you all listened so closely. Quoting word-for-word now?”

"Well, duh. It's our brother up there giving a speech."

"I bet that was the most listened to speech under the flag ever. And not just among us."

Zhang Shu cut them off. "Alright, enough flattery. That’s plenty. Clear out, you’re blocking the way.”

His group was too conspicuous. People who's about to walk past Class 6 were detouring across the lawn.

“Come on, who said it?"

“What’s with all the secrecy?”

“I made it up! Made it up, alright?" Zhang Shu kept shooing them. "Move it. Stop running wild in our class. You want to stay and do that handstand?"

"Pfft."

"Guy gets famous, and his temper’s too big to handle!”

"Haha!"

The boys jostled each other, looking back every few steps, their laughter echoing down the hallway.

Youth truly had endless energy to burn.

Zhang Shu entered the classroom, still getting teased by a bunch of guys. He fended them off with a few words, made it to his seat, pulled out his chair, and plopped down. He grabbed his water bottle and chugged.

All that talking left his throat parched.

Classmates passing his desk shot him grins, some admiring, others teasing. Zhang Shu kept drinking, nodding occasionally in response. His gaze slowly drifted to the person next to him.

His deskmate was remarkably calm. No reaction?

They'd cooperated pretty well, hadn't they?

Sheng Xia had other things on her mind.

Earlier, when she'd bent down to find her exercise book in the book crate, her gaze accidentally fell on his open backpack hanging on the chair. Inside was a pair of sports knee pads.

Unless he'd happened to buy the exact same pair, they were the ones she'd given him. And from how worn the elastic looked... they'd been used.

He'd opened them already?

He'd seen them?

Why hadn't he reacted at all?

Was he furious?

Did he know they were from her?

Questions zapped through Sheng Xia's brain like electric shocks. Each one sparked a mental fire, the flames singeing at her eyebrows.

She kept her head down. From the side, her lips were almost white.

"Are you sick?" Zhang Shu asked.

She looked up. "Huh? No."

Her voice sounded a bit strained.

Zhang Shu put down his water. Without thinking, he reached out and pressed the back of his hand to her forehead. It's cold?

But at his touch, Sheng Xia shot to her feet, her lips went even paler. “W-what are you doing?”

The classroom was bustling, and no one had noticed them. Now even Xin Xiaohe, Yang Linyu, and Lu Youze were staring. "Xia Xia? You okay?"

Xin Xiaohe shot Zhang Shu a questioning, almost accusatory look.

Zhang Shu was a little stunned too. That had been impulsive, his hand moving faster than his brain. But she was trembling even before he touched her? 

Her lips were usually pink, her skin fair and delicate. Any change was glaringly obvious.

Just now, she looked like she'd just stepped out of an icebox.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhang Shu ignored Xin Xiaohe, his gaze fixed on Sheng Xia.

This reaction... he probably doesn't know it was me, right?

Sheng Xia realized she'd overreacted. She shook her head and sat back down. "Nothing. I… my stomach hurts.”

The universal girl-excuse. 

Everyone seemed to accept it. Sheng Xia was shy, this reaction made sense. They stopped hovering, not wanting to embarrass her further.

Xin Xiaohe came over. "Want me to get you hot water?"

"No, Xiaohe, I have some. Thank you."

Xin Xiaohe still looked worried. She’d obviously been fine just moments ago?

"If you feel worse, tell me."

"Okay."

Then Xin Xiaohe turned to Zhang Shu. "You. Stay away from her. Don't touch the fairy."

Zhang Shu was, for once, speechless.

---

For the next two classes, Sheng Xia experienced what could only be described as "don't touch the fairy" treatment from Zhang Shu.

He barely spoke to her. Sat as far away as possible. If she so much as moved, he'd glance over, as if wary she'd jump up again.

When she dropped her pen, before she could bend down, he'd already reached for it, saying as he handed it back, "You'd better not move."

Sheng Xia: ...

That's really not necessary.

Now she felt guilty. She didn't have a stomachache. She felt like a bad girl scamming for sympathy.

---

Finally, lunchtime arrived. Sheng Xia had just picked up her tray at the lunch center when she saw Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi walk in, one after the other.

Now that the underclassmen had started school, the place was packed.

Sheng Xia got her food and spotted a table with two girls. She walked over and asked quietly. "Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

The two girls blinked. There was clearly an empty table nearby.

"No."

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Of course not."

Sheng Xia sat down.

Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi walked past with their trays. Hou Junqi did a double take. "Hey, Little Sheng Xia?"

Sheng Xia sighed internally. Couldn't he just pretend not to see her?

"Hm?" She looked up.

"Come sit with us!" Hou Junqi called over his shoulder.

Sheng Xia said, "No thanks, I'm almost done."

Hou Junqi glanced at her barely touched tray. "You eat that little?"

Sheng Xia: ...

Zhang Shu was already sitting at the next table, looking at Hou Junqi with exasperation. "So concerned? Why don't you go eat it for her?"

Hou Junqi finally sensed the tension and shut up. He sat down and focused on his food.

The two girls at Sheng Xia’s table exchanged glances, then looked at her, hesitating to speak.

Sheng Xia met their eyes, and one of the girls mustered the courage to whisper, “Classmate, do you know Zhang Shu?”

Sheng Xia didn't think this was a good topic, but she nodded honestly. "Yeah."

The girl's eyes lit up. "Do you have his QQ?"

Ah. The aftermath of someone's peacock show this morning.

Sheng Xia shook her head. "No."

It was a lie. But she didn't want trouble.

The girl's face fell. "Oh okay."

The other girl comforted her: "He seems super aloof anyway. But that also means his social circle is pretty clean, right?"

Sheng Xia ate in silence. If she had his QQ, would that make him unclean? Did she look like some kind of delinquent? What kind of logic was that?

Just then, the auntie came over with three bowls of red sugar egg fermented rice soup. "A treat for the girls from our owner."

Not just them, every girl in the place received one. They were all pleasantly surprised. Some turned to thank the owner, who smiled radiantly, “Back-to-school treat!”

A boy fake cried: "What about us?"

The owner replied, “Boys need to be toughened. Plain water’s enough.”

"I'm reincarnating as a girl next time!"

The girl across from Sheng Xia murmured, "It’s sweet of them, but why this on such a hot day? Watermelon juice would be so much better."

Her friend agreed: "Yeah."

Sheng Xia just thought any treat was nice. She took a spoonful of the soup. It was warm and sweet.

---

By afternoon, Sheng Xia had put the morning's panic behind her. Her mood was back up. Zhang Shu noticed her recovery and wondered: She was in such agony this morning, and a bowl of brown sugar soup fixed her?

Girls were truly mysterious creatures.

During break, Xin Xiaohe came over to check on her. "Xia Xia, are you feeling better?"

Sheng Xia froze. The memory of her lie surged back, bringing with it a wave of guilt.

Her cheeks flushed pink. Her eyes shimmering with heartfelt emotion as she turned her guilt into gratitude. “Much better. Thank you so much.”

Xin Xiaohe's round eyes widened: What's she thanking me for?

Zhang Shu frowned and turned: ???? What's she thanking her for?

---

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