Summer in Your Name - 41

As winter set in, the days grew short and the nights long. By the time Wang Lianhua finished her conversation, the sky had already turned completely dark.  

Sheng Xia overheard her mother chatting with Teacher Lai Yilin as they descended the stairs.  

Back at No. 2 High School, it was the same—whenever there was a parent-teacher meeting, Wang Lianhua was always the last to leave. But back then, Sheng Xia was considered a top student at No. 2 High School, and many teachers, aware of her father’s status, were particularly attentive, playing the game of social favors.  

But now…  

Sigh…  

Sheng Xia could already imagine how exasperated the younger teachers must have felt with her mother.  

She emerged from under the staircase just as Lai Yilin praised, “Sheng Xia is such a hardworking kid. Look, everyone else is out playing, but she’s still here memorizing vocabulary.”  

Wang Lianhua sighed, “Well, we’re just slow birds flying early¹. If her grades aren’t good enough, she just has to work harder.” 

(¹: Chinese idiom meaning that those less talented must work harder or start earlier to succeed.) 

“No worries,” Lai Yilin reassured. “The average math score was low this time, and it was the first time the exam covered such a comprehensive scope. It’s normal that Sheng Xia’s struggling to connect some knowledge gaps. There’s still time to catch up.”  

“Oh, oh, that’s good to hear. Thank you so much, teachers.”  

"It's our pleasure, really. We all love having Sheng Xia.”  

“…”  

More small talk followed, and Sheng Xia was certain these same words had been repeated endlessly in the teachers’ office earlier.  

What Teacher Lai said, though, was exactly what Zhang Shu had told her.  

His analysis was pretty spot-on.  

Finally saying their goodbyes, Wang Lianhua took Sheng Xia out to eat at Pao Mansion. The fish maw chicken stew took quite a while to prepare.  

Wang Lianhua asked, “You’re deskmate with the younger sister of the Afternoon Care’s boss lady?”  

Sheng Xia froze.  

Her mother usually kept her eyes straight ahead during parent-teacher conferences and barely spoke to others, how did she know this?  

Younger sister…

Um, this?

It was a facade Sheng Xia herself had created, yet now she felt too embarrassed to face it.  

“Mm.”   

“So the girl from the hospital last time wasn’t your desk mate?”  

“She is too. We take turns,” Sheng Xia explained, once again recounting the peculiar seating arrangement.  

“That’s quite a coincidence,” Wang Lianhua remarked. “You mentioned before that the Afternoon Care’s boss lady took good care of you. I should buy some gifts and pay her a visit sometime.”  

“No, no, no, that’s not necessary!” Sheng Xia hurriedly refused.  

Wang Lianhua found it odd. “Why not?”  

“I can bring the gifts over myself. The Afternoon Care is pretty busy.”  

“Alright then,” Wang Lianhua said casually before asking, “How is her sister’s grades?”  

Sheng Xia could hardly bear to hear the word ‘sister’ anymore.  

The image of the boy’s Adam's Apple, sharp as a weapon, bigger than a pigeon’s egg, flashed in her mind.  

Ugh…  

“Better than mine,” Sheng Xia managed to say.

Wang Lianhua nodded, satisfied. “Then you should learn from her. Teacher Wang also mentioned that the top student in your class is holding steady as the grade’s first place, with a score that’s untouchable. You said you were following his method for organizing mistake notebooks, how’s that going?”

Sheng Xia: “I’m using it now, it’s really helpful.”  

“Keep observing and learning. Switching to a new environment really does expose you to different kinds of classmates.”  

“Mm.”  

Sheng Xia let out a breath of relief. It seemed her mother was fairly satisfied with today’s parent-teacher meeting.  

---

Before evening self-study, Sheng Xia returned to the classroom. Zhang Shu was already there, surrounded by a crowd as usual. Lately, the NBA games had been intense, and the boys would suddenly gather to heatedly discuss them. Hou Junqi often stayed up late watching the matches and slept through classes the next day.

Zhang Shu, on the other hand, squeezed in to watch games during breaks or mealtimes on his phone.  

But today, they weren’t talking about basketball.  

Or maybe they’d already finished that topic, because now they were teasing Zhang Shu… about his desk.  

“This is way too girly, man!”  

“The pencil case is one thing, but what’s with the stickers on the bookstand?”  

“A-Shu, this is Sheng Xia’s doing, isn’t it?”  

Yang Linyu, who had witnessed everything that afternoon, chimed in, “Such a genius.”  

“It looks great. Are you blind or something?” Zhang Shu shot back, his tone sharp. “Doesn’t it look good?”  

The group reluctantly played along, their voices dripping with sarcasm. “Oh, it looks good, really good. If you say it’s good, it’s good.”  

“You guys wouldn’t get it. This is called loving the house and its crow².”  

(²: A Chinese idiom meaning to love everything associated with someone because of your love for them.) 

Loving the house and its crow…  

What kind of rule-breaking phrase was that?  

Sheng Xia’s heart felt like it had been struck by something.

 

Could she just turn around and leave right now?  

The bell rang and the crowd scattered like startled birds, spotting the slender figure lingering in the shadows by the door.  

One by one, they shot her teasing glances before returning to their seats.  

Sheng Xia kept her head down, hobbled back to her seat on crutches.  

“Should I tear those off for you?” she asked, pointing at the stickers.  

Zhang Shu shrugged. “Tear them off? So you can reuse them?”  

Sheng Xia shook her head.  

“Then why bother? Burning the bridge after crossing the river³?”  

(³: A Chinese idiom referring to abandoning something or someone after using them to achieve a goal.)

“…”  

She couldn’t tell if he genuinely thought the stickers looked good or if he was just saving face for her behind her back. He was always like this, saying snarky things to her face but speaking well of her when she wasn’t around.

He never played by the rules.  

Sheng Xia didn’t dwell on it. She gathered her notebook and pencil case, then started studying, focusing on her own work without saying another word.

After a while, she sensed the boy next to her lean closer, whispering, “How’d I do with the teamwork today?”  

Sheng Xia turned, his face inches from hers. She quickly leaned back. “What teamwork?”  

Zhang Shu took in her startled expression, grinning. “Your mom didn’t figure anything out, did she?”  

Sheng Xia’s heart pounded, suddenly recalling the whole ‘sister’ thing.  

“N-no, she didn’t.”  

“Don’t worry, I’ve already given my sister a heads-up. Your cover’s safe,” he whispered, his breath brushing her ear. “But…what's the big deal if your desk mate is a boy? Did your mom catch you in puppy love back at No. 2 High School or something?”  

Sheng Xia turned her head away, shaking it like a rattle drum. “No way!”  

“Never dated?”  

“Never!”  

He let out a soft chuckle and leaned back, finally giving her some space.

The teacher walked in, making the usual pre-class rounds.  

Zhang Shu didn’t say anything else, and Sheng Xia’s racing heart gradually calmed. 

--- 

That weekend, Tao Zhizhi visited Sheng Xia at Feicui Court.  

Because of Sheng Xia's leg injury, their weekly meetups at the bookstore had stopped. Both girls were busy with school, only occasionally chatting on QQ.  

Wu Qiuxuan was also back this weekend, while Wang Lianhua went to take Ningning to see a psychologist.  

With no ‘tiger’ at home, the ‘monkeys’ ruled the mountains. Wu Qiuxuan sprawled on the couch, watching a talent show.  

Sheng Xia and Tao Zhizhi chatted idly.

They talked about studies, new friends, and…Zhang Shu.

Sheng Xia had told Tao Zhizhi how she injured her leg. Instead of sympathy, her best friend called it a scene straight out of an idol drama and came chasing new updates like a fan.  

“So he carries you up and down the stairs every day for meals? Fetches your water, ties your shoelaces, and comes at your beck and call?” Tao Zhizhi asked, shocked.  

Sheng Xia clarified, “Not really. Only when I first got the cast. I can manage the stairs myself now.”  

“No, something's going on,” Tao Zhizhi said, ignoring Sheng Xia’s explanation. “Being responsible doesn’t have to go this far. Does he have a girlfriend?”  

“I don’t think so…”  

“What do you mean, ‘think’?”  

Sheng Xia blinked, flustered. “It’s someone else’s business. How would I know for sure?”

“Check his QQ space for clues!” Tao Zhizhi suggested.  

Sheng Xia: “His space only has game screenshots, nothing else.”  

“You’ve looked?”  

“Yeah.”  

“You went through all of it?”  

“Mm…” Well, sort of. It didn’t take long.  

“You’re done for!” Tao Zhizhi jumped up, her expression serious. “You like him!”  

Sheng Xia’s heart skipped a beat. “W-what are you talking about?!”  

“Why else would you go through his entire space?”  

She hadn’t! It was just a slip of the finger, right?  

But… wait.  

“Does going through someone’s entire space mean you like them?” Sheng Xia asked, the question feeling hard to voice.  

Tao Zhizhi nodded matter-of-factly. “Isn’t it obvious? Why else would you do it? It’s different from casually liking or commenting. Scrolling from start to finish means you want to know them—their past, the days you weren’t there, how they lived. Or maybe you just miss them. Don’t you?”  

Sheng Xia’s ears buzzed, Tao Zhizhi’s words started to blur.  

Was that it?  

Did he want to know her past?  

Did he miss her?  

Did he scroll through her entire space because he liked her?  

The realization hit like a flying frisbee, spinning wildly before slamming to a halt, the impact leaving Sheng Xia stunned.  

Tao Zhizhi rambled on, getting no response. She waved a hand in front of Sheng Xia, then shouted dramatically, “You’re done for! You’ve fallen into the river of love!”  

Wu Qiuxuan glanced over curiously.  

Tao Zhizhi asked, “Isn’t that show from two years ago? Why are you watching it now, A-Xuan?”  

Wu Qiuxuan replied, “I'm watching for my bias. He doesn't put out new content, so I’m stuck digging through old stuff with a magnifying glass.”  

Tao Zhizhi: “There’s tons of fan edits on Bilibili. They can make old content feel new!” 

“I’ve watched everything already. Bought all the merch, followed all the fan artists. They’re out of materials too. I’m starving for content, ugh…”  

“Why don’t you create something yourself? Aren't you good at drawing?”

“I’m not worthy. I can’t capture his soul.”  

“…”  

  

Sheng Xia, now recovered, listened quietly to their conversation, where every word made sense individually but strung together was incomprehensible.  

Tao Zhizhi patted Sheng Xia. “I think Zhang Shu’s better-looking than all those guys on TV. What do you think?”  

Before Sheng Xia could respond, Wu Qiuxuan shot a death glare. Tao Zhizhi quickly backtracked, “No, I mean, except for your bias, everyone else pales in comparison to Zhang Shu!”  

Sheng Xia was starting to flinch at the mention of his name.  

Though Wu Qiuxuan swore her bias was the most handsome, her curiosity was piqued. “Who’s Zhang Shu, Sis Zhizhi?”  

Tao Zhizhi raised an eyebrow, nudging Sheng Xia. “Ask your sister!”  

Wu Qiuxuan sat up, eyes gleaming, and leaned toward Sheng Xia. “Sis, who is he? Your boyfriend?”  

Sheng Xia’s eyes widened, she snapped, “Don’t talk nonsense!”  

That only fueled Wu Qiuxuan’s excitement. “Then who is he?”  

Tao Zhizhi observed her friend's reaction, stiff posture and evasive eyes, something was definitely up! 

In a mysterious tone, she said. “He’s your sister’s desk mate. A guy with no flaws; handsome, top grades, sings well, plays guitar and drums, plays basketball, good at gaming, tall, and he can draw…”  

Sheng Xia turned to Tao Zhizhi in shock. “How do you know he can draw?”  

And the gaming, singing, guitar, and drums? Even she, his desk mate, didn’t know all that!  

Sheng Xia's question was just a reflex, but her instant reaction only confirmed Wu Qiuxuan’s suspicions, her sister definitely had something going on with this Zhang Shu guy!

Tao Zhizhi grinned. “I heard about it, obviously. You have no idea how popular he is now.”

Sheng Xia: …Was she that out of the loop? He was around her all the time, but she hadn’t noticed any ‘popularity’.

“Is it that exaggerated?” Even spreading to other schools? Sheng Xia was skeptical. She’d never heard gossip about boys from other schools.  

Tao Zhizhi laughed. “Of course, I paid extra attention because of you. But there’s gotta be chatter for me to hear, right? Heh!”  

Heh? What did this have to do with her?  

Sheng Xia stayed quiet, but Wu Qiuxuan was hyped. “For real? Got any photos?”  

Tao Zhizhi: “There’s a video on Affiliated High School’s Weibo.”  

Wu Qiuxuan: “Is he really that handsome?”  

Tao Zhizhi pointed at the TV. “Probably more handsome than, like, eighty, no, ninety percent of those guys!”  

Wu Qiuxuan grabbed her iPad and opened Weibo, with Tao Zhizhi guiding like a pro. “Go to Affiliated High School’s page, search for the gala. There’s a few videos, look for the one with the music club on the cover. Yeah, skip to around three and a half minutes…”  

“Wow, these view counts are insane for an amateur…”

The two huddled over the tablet, oblivious to Sheng Xia, who’d been acting indifferent moments ago, yet now sitting up and leaning forward slightly.  

The video played.  

Under the spotlight, a full band tuned their instruments. The drummer struck a beat, kicking off a lively rhythm, followed by a lazy male voice—  

“Waiting for a natural sunny day, I want to take you to the seaside…”  

The lead singer wasn’t the guitarist, it was the drummer, Zhang Shu.  

In a simple black T-shirt, his body swayed with the rhythm of his drumming, fluid and natural. The microphone sat by the drum set, he tilted his head to sing, his hands never missing a beat. He didn’t glance at the audience once, his posture so relaxed it barely felt like a performance.  

He was just… playing.  

“No need for profound words, while we still have some time…”  

“Can you focus just a little, please don’t let your mind wander…”  

His voice was completely different from when he gave speeches. Same timbre, but the way he enunciated… Sheng Xia couldn’t quite describe it. Like a cat’s paw, lazily swiping at you, then hooking you with a sharp flick at the end, leaving you tingling and itchy.

The bridge was heavy and fast, his drumming bold and sweeping, sticks blurring with speed, his fluffy hair bouncing along. He was lost in the rhythm, fully unleashed, radiating energy and hormones.  

The crowd below erupted in cheers and screams.  

Outside the screen, the two girls’ “ahhhhs” didn’t stop either.  

“All the time we spent tormenting each other, how do we meet again…”  

At the climax, his voice hit near-shouted high notes. Zhang Shu tilted his head back, the spotlight carving out his sharp nose, his striking profile.  

And, unnoticed by most, the shadow cast by his prominent Adam’s apple.  

Sheng Xia averted her gaze, feeling strange.  

“Waiting for a natural sunny day, I want to take you to the seaside…”  

The performance ended, the music cutting off abruptly. His mic was still on, capturing his rapid breathing and a short, breathy laugh as he grinned at his bandmates.  

That laugh—Sheng Xia knew it too well. He often let out that brief chuckle, the sound escaping through his nose, laced with a breathy mix of nonchalance and arrogance.

She could barely handle it, and now he was… panting.  

“Stop panting, bro.”  

“I'm numb.”  

The video faded to the next act, but the screams outside the screen lingered.  

“Ahhh! AHHHH!”  

“Why isn’t he debuting?!”  

“Isn't he handsome?” 

Isn't he handsome?  

Sheng Xia sank back into the couch, her dry throat swallowing uneasily.  

Numb.  

“What’s he thinking, not debuting?” Wu Qiuxuan kept repeating.  

Tao Zhizhi scoffed. “Debut? He’s aiming to be the top scorer!”  

“Ugh, another one of those perfect students I can’t stand but can’t beat,” Wu Qiuxuan grumbled, though she turned to Sheng Xia with a grin. “Sis, snag him as my brother-in-law!”  

Sheng Xia’s heart raced uncontrollably. She grabbed a pillow and hurled it at her. “Stop talking nonsense, you’re only fourteen, Wu Qiuxuan!”  

Wu Qiuxuan laughed. “Why’re you so mad? You’re my gentle, gorgeous, fairy-like, universally loved sister, you’ve got this!”  

Tao Zhizhi burst out laughing. “Hahahahaha!”

---

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