Summer in Your Name - 46

On Monday, Sheng Xia appeared in the classroom. At first, no one noticed anything unusual. It wasn’t until the break, when Sheng Xia went to fetch water on her own, that everyone realized—she had fully recovered.

A bunch of classmates rushed over to congratulate her, clamoring to see the cast she’d had removed, telling her she absolutely had to keep it as a memento.

"I will!" Sheng Xia promised.

She returned to her seat at the northernmost row, next to Zhang Shu’s.

With final exams looming, she had already completed the task Zhang Shu had given her, working through all the Affiliated High School practice exams and even organized her mistake.

So, honestly, they didn’t have much else to talk about.

Everyone was swamped, each buried in their own studies.

Zhang Shu would occasionally remind her to keep reviewing her mistakes.

She noticed that Zhang Shu’s study method was also to grind through his mistakes. It didn't matter if he couldn't finish new problems; he focused on mastering his mistakes.

So, Sheng Xia followed suit, doing exactly as he did.

With the final exam just around the corner, Sheng Xia threw herself wholeheartedly into studying. At night, she still had to write articles. The agency teacher arranged by Sheng Mingfeng contacted her, but she just brushed them off half-heartedly, constantly rescheduling and making excuses.

Time flew by, day and night blurring together.

She completely forgot that her birthday was also coming up.

Sheng Xia went by the lunar calendar, so her birthday’s date varied each year in the solar calendar, but it almost always fell during exam week.  

This year, by some twist of fate, it landed the day before the exams.  

Naturally, she wasn't in the mood for celebrating, but Zou Weiping bought a cake and had it sent over. She couldn't exactly take it home, so she brought it back to class for her classmates to share as a night snack.

Before evening self-study started, Sheng Xia handed the cake to Xin Xiaohe. "Take it back to the dorm to eat?”

Xin Xiaohe exclaimed, “Wow, is it your birthday?”

"Yeah."

“You were born in the dead of winter, how’d you end up with a summer name?”

"I know right." Just one of those weird twists of fate.  

"Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks!"

"Holy crap, Black Swan!" Xin Xiaohe glanced inside the cake box, her eyes widening in shock.

That attracted the attention of Xin Xiaohe’s roommates and a few other girls nearby. Even the boys got curious about what had the girls so hyped.  

There was no way to take it back now—everyone who saw it deserved a share.

---

In the bike shed, Hou Junqi eyed the cake in Zhang Shu’s hand, holding up his palm to compare. It was barely the size of his hand. He gaped in shock. "This? Not even enough to fill the gaps in my teeth, and it’s 299? Highway robbery!”

Zhang Shu shrugged, just as baffled. “Who knows.”

Hou Junqi kept ranting. “It doesn’t even look that pretty. A big red heart with two big white geese stuck on top, like something you’d find in a two-yuan store.”

Zhang Shu said, "Maybe they stuffed gold foil in the cake base.”  

The two of them walked back to class, still complaining.

“A-Shu,” Hou Junqi teased, “how about getting me one for my birthday?”

Zhang Shu: "Nah, not worth the price. A mountain pig like you wouldn’t appreciate fine grain.”

Hou Junqi: “…” He couldn’t help but feel envious of Sister Sujin and Sheng Xia, one got an expensive necklace, the other an expensive cake. He, Hou Junqi, was just a cheap brother picked up along the way.

But then it hit him—who said A-Shu is stingy?

For his sister’s birthday, he’d gifted a necklace worth over six thousand. For his girlfriend, er, no, his close female classmate’s birthday, he got her the Hermès of cakes. Sure, it was a bit small… but if he hadn’t just splurged on the necklace, A-Shu would’ve gone for the bigger one.

Man, his brother’s freaking awesome. How many guys could pull that off? And the kicker? He earned that money himself.

Zhang Shu didn’t notice the pink-tinted thoughts swirling in Hou Junqi’s big, burly head. He glanced at the cake, a slight smile tugging at his lips.

That girl, a real Disney princess. He was afraid she’d turn her nose up at anything less. He remembered how she barely touched the tiramisu he bought from the school cafeteria.

For the first time, Zhang Shu didn't think such pickiness was pretentious—it made sense. That's how someone like her should be.

As they approached Class 5, they heard "Happy Birthday" sung in chorus from inside Class 6, followed by excited cheers. Xin Xiaohe's voice rang out above the rest: “I can’t bring myself to cut it! This isn’t just a cake, it’s RMB!”

Zhang Shu and Hou Junqi stepped inside and saw a familiar cake on Sheng Xia’s desk. Their steps faltered.

It was the large version of their ‘Two-yuan store model’.

Hou Junqi muttered, "Oh wow! Isn't that the 1999 yuan one...?"

Zhang Shu’s expression matched the day’s weather forecast—sunny turning cloudy.

The cake on Sheng Xia’s desk was the same style as the one in Zhang Shu’s hand. But the large version had a black swan, handcrafted and far more exquisite.

The curves of the swan's neck were work of art quality.

Unlike the mini version, which was just white chocolate poured into a mold—a mere model.

Seeing them arrive, Xin Xiaohe sighed, "You two sure know how to pick a time. Now it’s even harder to divide.”

Hou Junqi glanced at Zhang Shu, whose face showed no emotion.

At this moment, the evening study bell rang abruptly.

“Quick, divide it up!”

“Wait till Old Wang comes, and we’ll have to give him a piece. Hurry!”

The cake wasn't big, but it was dense. With so many people, there weren’t enough utensils to go around, but no one minded. They shared in a group of three or four, each taking a few bites just to soak up the festive vibe.

"Am I imagining things, or does RMB taste extra delicious?"

"Not imagination, it's true."

“Hahahaha!”

After all the laughter and commotion, everyone remembered they had an exam tomorrow. When Old Wang came, the class quickly settled down.

Sheng Xia was about to start reviewing her notes when a crumpled paper landed on her desk. She instinctively turned to look at Zhang Shu.

He was twirling his pen, focused on his review.  

Not him?

She looked up and caught Hou Junqi, seated in front, winking at her.

Sheng Xia was slightly surprised. She glanced at the door, Old Wang was gone, probably off somewhere. Only then did she dare to open the note.

Hou Junqi’s handwriting was a crooked mess. Sheng Xia flipped it over, realizing she’d read it upside down.  

If only his handwriting were better, his essays wouldn’t be stuck at 35 points.  

 

The note read: Little Sheng Xia, A-Shu bought you a cake!

Sheng Xia froze, then glanced at Zhang Shu again.  

This time, he seemed to sense it and turned to meet her gaze, his eyes carrying that familiar ‘you're-being-silly’ look. When she didn’t look away, he tilted his head slightly, as if asking: What’s wrong?  

Sheng Xia finally looked away, only now noticing the white paper bag by his feet, no logo, no handles, but she recognized it. It was from Black Swan.

He really bought her a cake?

Zhang Shu gazed at the note she tightly held in her hand and her expression, immediately understood.

He shot Hou Junqi a glare, then suddenly pulled out his notebook from his desk and stood up.

Everyone, including Sheng Xia, looked at him with confusion.

Zhang Shu stood still for nearly half a minute, lost in thought, then let out a sigh through his nose, like he’d made up his mind.  

"Bring your mistake notebook and come with me,” he said.

Everyone: “…”

Sheng Xia: “…”

His tone was even more imposing than that of their teacher.

She tried to ask him with her eyes: Is this really okay?

Zhang Shu reached into her desk, pulled out her notebook with precision, and said, “Let’s go.”

Then everyone watched as Zhang Shu led Sheng Xia out, holding her notebook and a paper bag.  

But they didn’t stop at the tables outside for their ‘study’. Instead, they headed toward the corridor.

“That’s a gift, right?”

"Gotta be. It’s Sheng Xia’s birthday, after all.”  

"How long have those two been together now? Why bother being so secretive? Do they think we're fools?"

"Zhang Shu probably didn’t notice he didn’t bring a pen. Study, my foot.”  

Sheng Xia followed him, starting to panic. She stopped and asked, “Where are we going?”

Zhang Shu: “Don't talk. Let me think.”

Sheng Xia: “…”

Just then, Wang Wei appeared from the other end of the corridor, likely back from the restroom.

They ran right into him.

Sheng Xia lowered her gaze, unsure whether to turn back or keep going.

Zhang Shu just said, “Follow me.”  

Sheng Xia: “…!?”

And so, they brazenly walked past Old Wang.

Old Wang’s gaze was like a spotlight, stunned. They’re just ignoring him so blatantly?

"Zhang Shu! Where do you think you're going?"

Zhang Shu sounded irritated, “Don’t bother me!”

Old Wang was dumbfounded: …

These two—one his star student, the other a princess he couldn’t afford to cross. He wasn’t blind to the budding romance between them, and today's Sheng Xia’s birthday. Zhang Shu had a sense of propriety and Sheng Xia was well-behaved. He wasn’t too worried. Still, as a teacher, he had to maintain some authority. "Five minutes!"

Zhang Shu didn’t look back, just raised his empty hand in an ‘OK’ gesture.  

Sheng Xia, unable to read his intentions, was so nervous she nearly tripped.  

They reached the library lobby. Zhang Shu placed the notebook and bag on the table and said, “Sit.”

Sheng Xia had only been there during the day and always marveled at how fancy Affiliated High School was—a whole library building for a high school, with a lobby, glass tables, leather sofas, a reception desk, and upstairs, a sizable study room with cubicles.

It was ridiculously luxurious.

The library was closed now, the lobby lit only by dim lights.  

Sheng Xia sat down nervously.

She knew he probably had something to say.

And so did she.

That’s why she had followed him here so obediently.

"Sheng Xia..."

"Zhang Shu..."

They spoke at the same time, then both paused, startled.  

Zhang Shu sat across from her, his hand making a ‘go ahead’ gesture. "You first."

Sheng Xia hesitated, her hands gripping the fabric of her pants at the knees.

Zhang Shu noticed her small movements but didn’t rush her. He leaned forward, opened the paper bag, and pulled out a small box. The elaborate packaging revealed a plump red velvet heart with two entwined white swans on top.  

 

Sheng Xia’s eyes widened, it was the mini version of her cake.

Zhang Shu’s expression was a bit unnatural. “Didn’t expect you’d already had one and a better one at that. But I already bought this, so it’s yours. Do whatever you want with it…”

His tone was light, casual as always, but Sheng Xia caught a hint of loneliness in it.

But what she wanted to say clashed with the mood, she had to hold back the strange empathy bubbling up.  

 

Yet when she opened her mouth, all that came out was: "How…..did you know today was my birthday?"

Since she followed the lunar calendar, even if you knew her ID number, you might not necessarily know her birthday.

Zhang Shu leaned back in the chair. "Your QQ space message board. Someone leaves you a birthday greeting every year, but the date always changes. So I looked it up, it’s actually the same day in the lunar calendar."

Sheng Xia was taken aback. He must be talking about Tao Zhizhi. She nodded lightly, suddenly at a loss for words.

He went to all that trouble?

Did he realize how much this made her want to overthink things?

She fell silent, and surprisingly, Zhang Shu, who usually had more to say, was quiet too.

His hand rested on the sofa armrest, his eyes unfocused, staring somewhere distant.

Sheng Xia swallowed and said softly, "Zhang Shu."

He looked at her.

In that moment, her heart skipped a beat.

Sheng Xia looked away before speaking again. “My leg’s fully healed.”

Zhang Shu: “Mm.”

His nonchalant response threw off her carefully steadied heart. "The doctor said it was well taken care of, there shouldn’t be any lasting issues.”

Zhang Shu: “Mm.”

Sheng Xia: “…”

"So... you don't need to take care of me anymore. It was never your fault to begin with, and I’ve never blamed you, really.” Her tone was earnest.  

Zhang Shu didn’t reply with another ‘Mm’. His eyes locked onto her, unwavering.

Sheng Xia’s gaze dropped slightly as she continued, "In the future, please don't do things that cause misunderstandings. The recent rumors have been troubling me.”  

Finally, she said it.

It wasn't as hard as she imagined, but a sour ache surged through her chest, impossible to swallow down.  

She was at fault too, in a way.  

Looking back, hadn’t she been playing along with his subtle flirting whether intentional or not? Even indulging in it?   

She kept telling herself not to read too much into it, yet she just couldn't help herself.

She braced herself, only to hear a short laugh from across the table.  

Zhang Shu sat up straight, elbows on his knees, leaning toward her. His gaze was intense, burning into her.

From where she was sitting, he looked like a hawk about to swoop down on its prey.

"What misunderstanding?" His pretty lips moved as he spoke.

Sheng Xia once again gripped her knees tightly.

Ambiguity. The word popped into her mind again.  

There was a song that went: Ambiguity leaves you drowning in grievances.  

In just one semester, she seemed to understand it.

 

Ambiguity was like a half-empty glass of water left on an empty table—you couldn't tell if it was poured for you or if someone had simply left it there.

Drinking it made you uneasy, but leaving it felt disrespectful.

Doubt, hesitation, lingering unease.

“Misunderstanding,” she said heavily, “misunderstanding…”

She couldn't bring herself to continue.

“Misunderstandings that I like you?” Zhang Shu finished for her.

Sheng Xia’s heart thudded—thump, thump, thump, thump…

“How is this a misunderstanding? It’s the truth, Sheng Xia. Are you really that oblivious? Can’t you see it?”

Thump thump, thump thump, bang, bang, bang, whoosh—

Something inside her was boiling, leaping, bursting in her chest!  

She looked up dazedly into a pair of sparkling, eager eyes.

Zhang Shu said, "Sheng Xia, listen carefully. I, Zhang Shu, like you. Only you. This is not a misunderstanding.”

His voice wasn’t loud, but every word seemed to collide with the air, echoing in her ears like a reverberating hum.  

“Rumors say that we’re together? That’s a rumor for now, but it’s also my—wish.”

---

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