Summer in Your Name - 62

At the hospital’s nurse station, Wang Lianhua and Zhang Sujin sat side by side, the air thick with a subtle awkwardness.  

Zhang Sujin was mulling over how to address the ‘little sister’ matter when Wang Lianhua broke the silence first: "What did the doctor say?"  

She sidestepped the ‘little sister’ issue entirely.  

Though Zhang Sujin was considered to have a strong presence for someone her age, she was still no match for Wang Lianhua’s seniority and experience. 

Sheng Xia, that young girl, seemed to have a striking resilience under pressure.  

“The surgery went well,” Zhang Sujin replied. “He’s in great shape—always been into sports since he was a kid. Basketball, soccer, volleyball, badminton, you name it, he’s good at it. Takes cold showers year-round, tough as nails, strong immunity. This injury’s no big deal to him…”

Wang Lianhua: "…"  

Some of that answer, was all that… really necessary?

“Will this affect his studies at this stage?” Wang Lianhua asked, brushing past the self-praising spiel.  

Zhang Sujin frowned, her tone cautious. “It’s hard to say it won’t have some impact. He’ll be hospitalized for over a month…”

Noticing Wang Lianhua’s deepening frown, she quickly adjusted her tone, "But Zhang Shu’s disciplined and hardworking. Pain won’t stop him from studying. His foundation’s solid, so it shouldn’t affect him too much…”  

Even she sounded unconvinced by her own words.

Wang Lianhua: "What does he want to do in the future?"  

This... is a loaded question.  

Zhang Sujin weighed her words. "He’s always been independent, with his own ideas. His brother-in-law and I will respect his choices and won’t push him into anything he doesn’t want.”  

Studying Wang Lianhua’s every expression, she added, "Of course, if he returns to Nanli, that’d be ideal. His brother-in-law could help out, though I doubt Zhang Shu would take it…”  

As expected, Wang Lianhua asked casually, "Where does his brother-in-law work?"  

"Junlan Group."  

Wang Lianhua nodded. "We're familiar with Junlan. And his brother-in-law is…?”

"Lu Zheng."

Wang Lianhua’s eyebrow lifted, a mix of surprise and admiration crossing her face. "Little Lu is quite remarkable. In just a few years back in China, he's achieved outstanding results."

Working at the Natural Resources Bureau, Junlan was a frequent topic in her office, so Wang Lianhua knew a bit about him.  

Zhang Sujin smiled, relieved to find Lu Zheng’s name useful for once. "The industry climate helped."  

"When Sheng Xia injured her leg, you took great care of her. I meant to visit during the New Year to thank you, but she wouldn't let me…" Wang Lianhua shifted topics. "I didn't expect we'd meet here at the hospital. It feels a bit improper to say thanks here, but I’m truly grateful.”  

Zhang Sujin: "It was only natural."

Wang Lianhua found this phrasing slightly ambiguous—why ‘natural’?  

The two exchanged small talk until Wang Lianhua glanced at her watch and stood. “It’s late. The patient needs rest. Let me go call Sheng Xia, we'll head back first. If there's anything you need help with, please don't hesitate…”

Zhang Sujin quickly stood too, "You've already been very considerate. Really, you're too kind.” 

The two walked to the ward and peered through the small window. Wang Lianhua’s hand froze mid-knock.  

Inside, her daughter—who blushed at a stranger’s glance—was buttoning up the shirt of the boy lying in bed.  

Zhang Sujin’s eyelids twitched. Good grief, little brother, what have you done now?  

The two adults exchanged a glance, then awkwardly looked away.  

Moments later, the pair inside noticed movement and glanced toward the door.  

Wang Lianhua cracked it open and said softly, “Time to go.”  

Sheng Xia’s back stiffened. “Oh, okay.”

To Zhang Shu, she added, "I’ll visit again tomorrow."  

Zhang Shu: "Come early."  

Sheng Xia: "Mm-hmm!"  

Wang Lianhua: "…"  

Zhang Sujin: "Uh…"   

Wang Lianhua left with Sheng Xia.

Soon after, Lu Zheng’s call came through.  

"How is it, did it go well?”

Zhang Sujin: “Not sure.”

Lu Zheng: "What do you mean?"  

Zhang Sujin: "She seemed polite enough, but didn't even go in to see A-Shu, which means..."  

Lu Zheng: "She's only there to bring her daughter."  

Zhang Sujin: "Right."  

Wang Lianhua had drawn a line. She understood this very well. Polite yet distant—she really was just accompanying her child to visit a classmate.

Lu Zheng: "There’s time. Mother-in-laws always warm up to sons-in-law eventually.”  

Zhang Sujin: …You’re planning pretty far ahead.

---

On the car ride home. 

Sheng Xia knew it was time for a serious talk.

"Sheng Xia..."

"Mom..."  

They were indeed mother and daughter, they were in sync even at this moment.

Sheng Xia: “Mom, you go first.”  

Wang Lianhua didn’t hold back. “Do you even realize what time it is in your life right now?”

Her tone was firm.  

Sheng Xia lowered her head and mumbled, “Mm.”

Wang Lianhua sighed. “I know my words might sound repetitive, and you’re probably tired of hearing them, but I have to say it. You’re not studying for the present. You’re fighting for a future where you can be independent, make your own call, and have the freedom to choose your own path.”

Sheng Xia: "I haven’t neglected my studies—"  

"Then explain your mock exam results. Don't you know how important that test was? These ups and downs aren't acceptable at this stage." Wang Lianhua interrupted.

Sheng Xia’s heart sank. Her mother hadn’t used this tone since her senior year began.  

"Mom, I've been preparing for Heqing University's independent enrollment. I got sidetracked recently because I was gathering materials for the application."

The traffic light turned red ahead. Wang Lianhua braked and turned to look at her daughter. "Heqing University?"  

Sheng Xia saw the disbelief in her mother's eyes.

Yes, with her grades, who would associate her with Heqing University? 

"Yes," she answered firmly. "It’s their new Classical Chinese Literature program. I've done some writing before, so I gave it a try. It’s not guaranteed, but there’s a chance…”

Wang Lianhua turned back to the road. “We’ll talk at home.”  

She’d never imagined her daughter would pull off such big plans.

  

She recalled when Sheng Xia asked her if she should still stay at Nanli if she could get into a better university a few days ago.

Wang Lianhua kept glancing at her daughter in the rearview mirror, suddenly feeling a touch of unfamiliarity with the girl she saw every day.

At home, in the dining room, two glasses of water sat between them. 

The standard setup for serious talks.

Wang Lianhua meticulously read through Heqing University’s Strong Foundation Program enrollment guidelines online, still shocked. "What did your teachers say? Is this really feasible?"  

Getting into Heqing University just by passing the first-tier cutoff?

It sounded like a pipe dream.

Wang Lianhua knew that many science programs offered competition advantages, but Sheng Xia struggled with regular studies, let alone competitions. She’d never looked into such options.

Sheng Xia nodded. "Teacher Wang and Teacher Fu have both consulted for me, it’s possible. Now it just depends on the publication. I've finished writing and submitted it; my manuscript has already passed the first review. As long as it gets approved before the material submission deadline, and I sign the contract, everything should be fine. The book just needs to be published before the first batch of undergraduate applications.”

“When did you write this?” Wang Lianhua asked, bewildered.

Sheng Xia omitted the twists and turns in between, answering simply. "During my free time… and when I took a few days off…” She lowered her head, bracing for her mother’s disapproval, her voice grew quieter, “I wrote it during that leave.”  

"No wonder I keep hearing your keyboard clicking away." Wang Lianhua said, still processing. She hadn’t even registered the fact that Sheng Xia had taken a leave. "What are your odds?"  

Sheng Xia shook her head. "Hard to say. If the review goes fast, signing the contract won't take long. But getting publication licenses is unpredictable. No one can guarantee it…”

She answered honestly. As a minor, she’d need Wang Lianhua to sign the contract if the manuscript passed final approval anyway, so there was no point in being vague.

Wang Lianhua pieced it together. "So you're saying that if the book isn’t published by the time you apply for colleges, all this effort is for nothing?”

“You could say that…”  

Wang Lianhua’s hands turned cold.  

Sheng Xia had made such a huge decision behind her back. Now, with only the results left to wait for, she was finally telling her mother. Scolding her for wasting time now would be pointless.  

Wang Lianhua didn’t know how to react.  

Should she be proud? Worried? Angry? Reassured?  

She didn’t know anymore. 

All she could think was: My eldest daughter has grown up.

Not everything needed her approval anymore.  

Sheng Xia watched her mother’s prolonged silence with growing unease.  

She knew what consequences this act-first-report-later move would bring.  

But just this once, she wanted to be her own general.  

"Mom…"  

Wang Lianhua snapped back, pursing her lips. After a few seconds, she carefully chose her words before asking. "You’re so set on Heqing University… Is it because of that boy? He’s definitely going to Heyan, isn’t he?”

Sheng Xia's heart tightened.

She glanced up slightly, "No."

Even without him, she would still want to go.

Wang Lianhua knew Sheng Xia wasn’t lying or dodging the question. And if she wasn't lying, it meant genuinely didn’t want to stay at Nanli.

This realization pierced Wang Lianhua's heart. She massages her temples, feeling dizzy. 

"If you can go to Heqing University, of course, Mom will be happy. But I hope you understand clearly who you’re studying, improving, and growing for. I hope that answer is always yourself. You must do it only for yourself!"

Sheng Xia remained silent. In truth, there was also his influence later on, but admitting this now would be unwise and unnecessary. She decided to keep it to herself.

Wang Lianhua continued, "These past days, you haven't been in a good state, so I held back from saying anything. That boy—I’ve read a little about him online. He’s admirable, but Mom still advises you not to limit your life so early."

Sheng Xia waited until her mother finished, then replied softly, "Mom, his name is Zhang Shu."  

Wang Lianhua froze.  

Sheng Xia wasn’t sure why, but hearing her mother call Zhang Shu “that boy” or “that kid”, she felt uncomfortable inside. It was just like when she heard people say ‘that kid from Class 12’ as she walked through the Top Scholar’s Gate.  

Such impersonal address. 

Zhang Shu deserved to be called by his name.

"Sorry, force of habit," Wang Lianhua conceded. "Zhang Shu is exceptional. At your age, it’s not shameful to like a boy like him.”

"But."  

Sheng Xia listened, knowing a “but” was coming.

"But you're both still too young. Everything requires caution. What you think you see clearly now might just be rose-tinted. The feelings you believe are true might not withstand time. The gap in your family backgrounds, which you think you can bridge, could end up leaving you battered and bruised.”

Wang Lianhua stopped, realizing she was describing herself.  

“I’m not trying to be the bad guy,” she said, softening. “I just want you to know life is long. How old are you? How many people have you met? You’ll encounter countless others more accomplished, more handsome, more compatible—"  

“But Mom,” Sheng Xia interrupted, a rare defiance, “every heartbeat is unique.”  

Wang Lianhua froze.

Sheng Xia murmured, almost to herself, “The Little Prince met thousands of roses later on. They met all his criteria—sweet, passionate, charming—unlike the one he raised, who was delicate and temperamental. But only that one was his rose.”  

“I may not understand all emotions yet, but I believe good feelings make you better. Even now, I think…" She hesitated, the topic too personal, deep, and sentimental. "The me who liked him was the better me.”

“Meeting him showed me someone can live like that—understanding all beings are equal yet each is unique; stand atop a mountain and look down upon the grass, yet willing to kneel and toil in the dirt; facing worst outcomes while striving for the best ones."  

"I learned that a person's true worth isn’t defined by proving how exceptional they are, but by walking steadfastly toward their goal, no matter the highs or lows, no matter the praise or criticism…”  

"I’ve never met anyone like him, and I doubt I ever will again. Even if I do, they won’t be my rose."  

"I want to be like him. This is the most honest evaluation I can give."  

At these words, both mother and daughter were surprised.

Sheng Xia was surprised that she would blurt out so much.   

Wang Lianhua was surprised...there were too many surprises that she didn't know how to process, much less what to say next.

The middle-aged woman found herself speechless by her teenage daughter's words.

The room fell silent.

“Let's sleep first…” Wang Lianhua finally said.  

Sheng Xia looked up to glance at her mother, unable to read her expression.

“Goodnight Mom…”

“Goodnight.”

Lying stiffly in bed, Sheng Xia stared at the ceiling, heart still racing.

She'd said it.  

Did she actually say it out loud? 

It had spilled out so fast she hadn’t had time to think or react. The words weren’t polished—they just came.

It turned out that, 

She wanted to be like him.  

Her own words had struck her like a revelation.  

The feelings deep inside her heart that had never been brought to light. Even when alone, she'd never dared to let it out. 

Maybe part of her had deemed it was too absurd. 

A warmth rippled through Sheng Xia’s heart. In the quiet darkness of her bedroom, she smiled.

So that’s what it was?

She reached for her phone on the nightstand and opened Weibo.  

Her account was mostly for browsing nrws—she rarely posted.  

Scrolling to the post Zhang Shu had made on her birthday, she clicked Comment, then hesitated. Too many strangers would see it. Instead, she clicked Repost. 

Feeling it wasn’t sincere enough, she changed her username. Finally, satisfied with the neatly formatted post, she turned off her phone and went to sleep.

---

The next morning, the dining room carried a faint awkwardness. Sheng Xia downed her milk in one go and stood to leave, but Wang Lianhua stopped her.  

Her mother looked weary, as if she had a sleepless night.

“About what you said last night… Mom thought about it for a long time, and I still think it’s too early.”

Sheng Xia’s grip on her backpack tightened.    

After a pause, Wang Lianhua added, “Focus on your studies. The first tier cutoff line is your baseline, not your goal. As for Heqing… we’ll talk about it if you get in. That’s the prerequisite for everything else. Take it one step at a time. Listen to me—you’re a girl. There’s no need to rush.”  

Sheng Xia agreed instantly. "Mm."  

She understood.  

And she wasn’t rushing.    

Wang Lianhua continued, “Go see him today… Zhang Shu. You promised, so don’t break your word. But after that, try to… visit less.”

Sheng Xia left without answering, head bowed dejectedly.  

---

At classroom, Sheng Xia’s first thought was to message Zhang Shu, letting him know she’d visit that evening.

But as soon as she opened her phone, she saw a Weibo notification.

Her heart skipped. Had he seen it already?  

She clicked on it nervously.  

Under last night’s repost, a new comment had appeared, posted that morning.

But it wasn’t from Zhang Shu.  

Huh? How did a random user find this?  

[@XIA_abcdef: First, may the rivers run clear and the seas be calm. Second, may our parents be healthy. Third, may you and I both get our wishes. See you again in September. //@SHU_abcdef: What did she wish for? If it’s three wishes, I’ve got to be one, right?]

[@SuperStrictTeacherSprite: "Your wishes are so sincere, the evening wind will remember, and so will the moonlight."] 

Sheng Xia: ?  

Who is this?!  

---

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