Summer in Your Name - 31

After finishing the formation walk, Sheng Xia stood there like a mascot, posing for photos with her classmates.

One after another, group after group, Sheng Xia’s smile started to feel a bit stiff.

A giant Pikachu waddled toward her, followed by the lean figure of Zhang Shu and a few of his friends.

The boys wore their respective class uniforms, a riot of colors, all tall and striking, drawing eyes wherever they went.

As they reached Sheng Xia, Pikachu wiggled its hips, playfully bumping her with its tail while squeaking, “Pika Pika Pi-ka-chuu!” Then it spun around and said in a cutesy voice, “Hey, beauty, care to take a pic with this adorable Pikachu?”

That deep voice trying to sound cute gave Sheng Xia goosebumps, but it also made her laugh.

Zhang Shu rolled his eyes. “That’s disgusting.”

Liu Huian chimed in, “Old Hou, there’s a limit to shamelessness!”

Wu Pengcheng sighed, “Just don’t talk, man. Beauty and Pikachu just turned into Beauty and the Beast.”

Han Xiao added, “Beauty, reject him!”

Pikachu ignored them, muttering, “You’re all just jealous!” It shuffled closer to Sheng Xia and called out to Zhang Shu, “A-Shu, take our picture!”

The costume’s oversized feet accidentally stepped on the edge of her skirt. Pikachu hopped back a bit, leaning in with just its upper body, one foot raised and bobbing playfully.

If you didn’t know it was Hou Junqi inside, it’d actually be pretty cute.

Sheng Xia tilted her head to match.

Zhang Shu held up his phone. In the frame, the girl stood gracefully, like a pure white jasmine flower blooming in a delicate vase—purer than the moon, brighter than the sun.

That morning, when he saw her at the classroom door, a line of poetry inexplicably flashed through Zhang Shu’s mind: No lotus can compare to the beauty’s adornment.

What had Fu Jie said about her?

Graceful in form, poised in manner, shy yet composed, melancholic yet radiant.

Thinking of Fu Jie, he recalled the song Jasmine Flower: So fragrant, so white, praised by all. Let me pluck you and give you to…

Give it to who? Trash lyrics.

“A-Shu, are you done yet?” Pikachu urged.

Click.

“Done,” Zhang Shu said.

Pikachu wasn’t satisfied. “Take a few more! What if I blinked?”

Zhang Shu smirked. “Who’d notice if you blinked? You’re all blurry anyway.”

“Oh, right.” Hou Junqi straightened up, realizing. “A-Shu, want me to take one for you?”

Zhang Shu replied, “Nah.”

“Come on, why not? Let’s all get in!” Han Xiao shoved Zhang Shu forward.

Liu Huian joined in, shouting, “Yeah, we want in too!”

Pikachu yelled, “Don’t you have your own class goddess? Why’re you crashing ours? Scram!”

“Hey, A-Shu hasn’t said anything, so why’re you yapping?” Wu Pengcheng teased, glancing at Zhang Shu.

The most awkward one was Sheng Xia.

This crew was so rowdy, always the center of attention wherever they went. Now they’d even drawn the school reporters’ cameras.

Han Xiao grabbed Yang Linyu nearby, shoving Zhang Shu’s phone into his hands. “Quick, take one for us!”

The group squeezed together, shouting, “Take a few more!”

Zhang Shu was pushed close to Sheng Xia, her faint, unique fragrance filling his senses. That fleeting dream crossed his mind, and he steadied himself, subtly stepping toward Hou Junqi.

His T-shirt sleeve brushed Sheng Xia’s shoulder, and she caught his slight distancing move.

Zhang Shu’s expression was too serious. Yang Linyu said, “A-Shu, smile a bit?”

Zhang Shu complied, lips curving into a mechanical grin. Yang Linyu backtracked, “Never mind, don’t smile. You turned a perfect idol drama into a horror flick. Looks like you’re plotting against the goddess.”

Zhang Shu: …

Sheng Xia: …

Click, click, click. Yang Linyu handed the phone back to Zhang Shu. “See if they’re okay?”

Zhang Shu locked the phone and pocketed it, not checking the photos. His gaze flicked to Sheng Xia’s stiffly smiling face, then he asked Han Xiao and the others, “You guys planning to camp out in our class?”

“Let’s go, it’s too hot out here,” Hou Junqi said first, reaching for his costume head. Zhang Shu pressed it back down, scolding, “Have some decency. Don’t ruin a girl’s fantasy.”

Hou Junqi: …

The group stormed in a whirlwind and left just as fast.

Yang Linyu, who’d come to pass a message, said, “Xiaohe’s group went to train. She told me to let you know—if you need help, just call.”

Sheng Xia nodded. “Got it.”

Her gaze drifted across the track, lingering on Pikachu and the boys’ retreating figures.

From the moment they met at the classroom door this morning, he hadn’t once looked at her directly today.

---

After the photos, Sheng Xia wanted to get back to studying, so she didn’t stay at the bleachers to watch the ceremony. She went alone to change out of her dress.

In the changing room, the stick propping the door was gone, leaving only a chair wedged against it.

Sheng Xia had just taken off her dress and hadn’t yet tidied up when voices came from outside.

“Are they all blind? You’re obviously prettier. Sheng Xia’s just got a nice dress, probably a knockoff. Why’re they fawning over her? Ridiculous. I don’t get it, our homeroom teacher, the Chinese teacher, they’re all sucking up to her! Even my dorm mates are obsessed with her. I just don’t get it.”

Sheng Xia heard her name, and the words weren’t kind. Her hand paused on the door.

It was Zhou Xuanxuan’s voice.

A guy’s scoff followed. “Her makeup and styling are so weird, no clear theme, just a messy mix. Super tacky.”

Probably the makeup artist.

Another girl chimed in, “She’s just a new face, so everyone’s curious, that’s all. No need to compare, Xuanxuan, don’t be mad. But what’s up with Zhang Shu? Why do I keep hearing he’s chasing Sheng Xia?”

“Chasing her?” Zhou Xuanxuan snorted. “It's just flirting for fun.”

“Isn’t he with our Mengyao… What’s he doing flirting with others?”

Zhou Xuanxuan said, “Tch, he can’t get the queen, so he’s rebelling. Messing with the little bunny, watching her get all blushing and shy to stroke his ego.”

“Enough, stop gossiping about others in front of me,” Chen Mengyao’s voice cut in, icy.

Zhou Xuanxuan realized her mistake. Based on today’s styling, Chen Mengyao was the little bunny, while Sheng Xia was the queen.

She quickly backpedaled, “I bet Zhang Shu brought Sheng Xia here just to make you jealous. You’re still the main character today.”

Chen Mengyao removed her crown and jewelry, staring at the necklace she’d bought. Her gaze was heavy. “Childish. I don’t care. Drop it.”

She’d learned through Zhou Yingxiang that Zhang Shu had asked him to buy the necklace from overseas. She thought it was for her, but seeing the price, she knew it wasn’t. He’d never given anything expensive to her, or any girl, for that matter.

But now she was uneasy. Who was that necklace for? Sheng Xia?

More people entered, and the noise grew.

Sheng Xia leaned against the wall, her back rigid, her vision blurring. She realized tears were welling up. Tilting her head, she carefully wiped a glistening drop from the corner of her eye.

Her hand was cold.

Someone knocked. “Anyone in there?”

“Yeah,” Sheng Xia answered, fanning her face, grabbing her dress, and opening the door.

Outside was chaos—class goddesses removing makeup, jewelry, searching for things. Few noticed who came out of the changing room, except those at table four.

Zhou Xuanxuan froze, staring at Sheng Xia, unsure if she’d overheard, since the room was decently soundproof.

The guy and girl beside her stiffened too, standing awkwardly.

Chen Mengyao focused on removing her fake eyelashes, but her eyes followed Sheng Xia’s reflection in the mirror—head held up high, she walked past without a glance, expression unreadable, her slim frame exuding an unyielding air.

It wasn’t like the usual Sheng Xia who always kept her head down.

“Sheng Xia?” Zhou Xuanxuan greeted, probing.

Sheng Xia was folding her dress. “Hm?” She glanced back, as if just noticing her, eyes emotionless, voice calm. “Xuanxuan, can you help me fold this dress?”

Zhou Xuanxuan exhaled, forcing a smile as she approached. “Sure!”

The dress was large. Sheng Xia held one side, Zhou Xuanxuan the other, pulling it taut. As Sheng Xia leaned closer to grab the other end, Zhou Xuanxuan heard her whisper: “Xuanxuan, are you so curious about me?”

Zhou Xuanxuan froze, a chill running down her spine.

Before she could react, Sheng Xia took the dress’s edge, passing her the other end. As they folded again, Sheng Xia leaned in once more: “Gossiping behind someone’s back… a main character would never do that.”

Zhou Xuanxuan moved mechanically, unable to meet Sheng Xia’s eyes.

The dress felt luxurious—dense velvet, intricate embroidery, fine stitching. Zhou Xuanxuan hadn’t seen the real authentic ones, but she knew this wasn’t something you could rent for six hundred yuan.

 

Sheng Xia finished folding, placed it in its box, and stood. “If you have questions, ask me directly next time.”

Her tone was gentle, like they were just chatting, to anyone listening.

But Zhou Xuanxuan was petrified—Sheng Xia had heard everything, maybe even from the start. She was making it clear: say it to her face.

And she’d subtly thrown back the ‘main character’ jab.

Zhou Xuanxuan stood motionless as Sheng Xia left with her things.

She couldn’t describe the feeling.

In her mind, Sheng Xia would be the type to pretend she hadn’t heard, hide and cry in secret, return to class like nothing happened, never telling a soul, let alone confront anyone with sharp words.

Today, Sheng Xia was like a cat stretching its soft paws, revealing sharp claws.

Those two lines weren’t even that aggressive. Anyone else saying them, Zhou Xuanxuan wouldn’t care, wouldn’t feel their sting. But this was Sheng Xia.

The Sheng Xia who always walked with her head down?

The Sheng Xia who blushed if you so much as gave her a second glance?

Sheng Xia couldn’t quite name her own feelings either.

The sting of malicious words had faded by the time she left Room 105. The thrill of verbal retaliation? Barely there. Worry about future classmate relations? A faint concern, already easing.

Growing up in a complicated family, she’d learned early how to find her own peace. Though she hadn’t spent much time with Sheng Mingfeng, she’d picked up his knack for reading people and handling situations.

She understood people like Zhou Xuanxuan, they scorned ‘backdoors’ and ‘sucking up' but secretly envied and revered them. If they ever got close to that power, they’d flaunt it to the world.

With people like them, staying silent was never the answer. A touch of firmness was the way to survive.

Sheng Xia had known these truths for a long time but rarely applied them.

Whether today’s approach was right, she wasn’t sure. Having taken the step, she could only let things unfold.

Zhou Xuanxuan was just a passing figure in her life.

She knew her unease wasn’t really about Zhou Xuanxuan, but she couldn’t pinpoint why.

It felt stifling, with no clear source.

Sheng Xia didn’t know how she’d carried all those boxes back. Entering the classroom, she drew stunned looks, like a Barbie turned warrior.

She set the boxes on the desk. Her arms were stiff from holding them so long they wouldn’t straighten, aching with every stretch. Her hands still trembled as she made a call.

Sheng Mingfeng was in a meeting, so Li Xu answered. Sheng Xia asked when he’d be free to pick up the dress.

Li Xu, confused, said, “Why take it back? Doesn’t it fit?”

Sheng Xia replied, “No, it’s perfect. The event is over.”

“Then keep it.”

Sheng Xia frowned slightly. “Don’t I need to return it?”

Li Xu, thinking she was worried about protocol, chuckled. “No need. It was bought, not a gift or favor. Keep it.”

Bought?

If renting it cost thousands, how much was buying it?

Sheng Xia knew Sheng Mingfeng well. He came from humble roots and lived frugally, it's just not for show. As he'd risen in status, he’d allowed occasional splurges for family, but he wouldn't encourage extravagance.

Zou Weiping, born with a silver spoon, loved understated luxury.

This had to be all Zou Weiping’s doing.

Now Sheng Xia was in a bind.

What to do with such an expensive dress? Taking it home wasn’t an option. Tell Sheng Mingfeng? That’d probably spark a fight between him and Zou Weiping.

In those brief seconds, countless hiding spots for the dress flashed through her mind, each quickly dismissed.

Gripping her phone, standing under the corridor stairs, she was at a loss, debating whether to contact Zou Weiping herself.

But in all these years, she’d never interact with Zou Weiping directly. How would she even start?

Suddenly, she heard Hou Junqi and Zhang Shu’s voices from above, accompanied by the clatter of footsteps. They were coming downstairs.

“Send me the pics!” Hou Junqi said. “Gotta post them on Weibo, Moments, everywhere to show off.”

Zhang Shu asked, “Show off what?”

“Our class goddess, duh!”

Zhang Shu replied, “What’s that got to do with you?”

“Fine, nothing to do with me, everything to do with you, happy?” Hou Junqi teased. “A-Shu, who’s prettier, Sheng Xia or Chen Mengyao? The dorm’s betting on it. Wanna join?”

Zhang Shu: “Boring.”

Hou Junqi pressed, “Didn’t expect Little Sheng Xia to have such a great figure, huh?”

A loud smack echoed, followed by Hou Junqi’s yelp. “Ow, A-Shu, what the hell!”

“I don't care about the virus on your computer—but don’t let your brain get infected too,” Zhang Shu said deliberately, adding, “Stop fantasizing.”

“I’m not! Geez, I was just complimenting her. Can’t I even do that?” Hou Junqi’s voice was full of grievance. “Send me the pics!”

Their voices faded. Sheng Xia figured they’d entered the classroom and stepped out from under the stairs.

Through the classroom’s glass door, she could still see the boy’s broad shoulders and sharp jawline.

Suddenly, she didn’t want to go back to class.

Didn’t want to sit next to him, didn’t want to ‘show a blushing and shy expression’, didn’t want…to be flirted with for fun.

In that moment, the harsh words looped in her mind again:

It's just flirting for fun…

Can’t get the queen, so he’s teasing the little bunny…

The little bunny’s blushing, shy look…

Stroking his ego…

Zhang Shu brought Sheng Xia to make you jealous…

Just flirting for fun.

To make you jealous.

A sour ache spread in her throat.

In that awful moment, Sheng Xia realized what the lingering knot in her chest was—she might be feeling a new emotion, something called liking.

And it didn’t feel wonderful at all.

---

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