Summer in Your Name - 75

For the first time, a gathering left Sheng Xia reluctant to leave. Their group was among those who stayed until the very end. As they exited the KTV, someone suggested grabbing late-night snacks, but seeing how late it was and with Wang Lianhua already nagging her repeatedly, Sheng Xia didn't join them.  

Her friends waited with her for Wang Lianhua to pick her up.  

Sheng Xia let go of Zhang Shu’s hand and flashed him a wink.  

Zhang Shu understood.

She moved to stand beside Xin Xiaohe.  

When Wang Lianhua arrived, the group waved and shouted, “Goodbye, Auntie!” Their enthusiasm silenced any scolding she might’ve had about Sheng Xia’s late return.  

Wang Lianhua knew her daughter well. Soft spoken and reserved, Sheng Xia had never been one for large circles of friends. Growing up, her close friends could be counted on one hand. Yet, in her senior year, she’d found this lively group of friends.

Perhaps Affiliated High School was the environment that suited her best after all.  

“How did your classmates do on the exams?” Wang Lianhua asked as they drove off.  

"They should have done pretty well," said Sheng Xia.  

Today, everyone seemed to tacitly agree not to talk about scores. But judging by the mood, it didn’t seem like anyone had flunked.

Wang Lianhua asked again, “What about Zhang Shu? How did he do?”  

Sheng Xia tried to catch her mother’s expression in the rearview mirror, but the angle was wrong.  

She carefully answered, “He should have also done well.”  

Heaven knows how relieved she’d felt when, after a day of worrying, she heard him say, “See you at Heyan”. 

If he said it’d be fine, it would be.

Wang Lianhua: “If he could still do well under these circumstances, that boy is no ordinary.”  

Sheng Xia was stunned. Hearing her mother praise someone was rare.  

But praise for Zhang Shu? That was nothing short of miraculous.  

Back home, Sheng Xia saw that Hou Junqi had created a group chat with the same crew from the KTV minus Lanlan and Yang Linyu’s roommates. Surprisingly, Lu Youze was included.

Lu Youze had gone abroad with his father for a business trip right after the college entrance exams, missing both the score estimation and the teacher appreciation banquet. He’d barely been at school during the final sprint, so much so that some classmates almost forgot he existed. During the gathering, someone brought him up, joking that the ‘prince’ had gone to survey his family’s business empire in advance.    

Why did they suddenly make this group?

Before she could message privately to ask, Hou Junqi tagged her in the chat.  

Hou Junqi: “@ShengXia Everyone here is going to Fiji. Come on, Little Sheng Xia, you have to go too! Go go go!”  

Xiaomai: “@ShengXia Go go go!”  

Xin Xiaohe: “@ShengXia Go go go!”  

Sheng Xia was baffled. Fiji, out of nowhere? What exactly had they discussed over late-night snacks?  

Hou Junqi: “@LuYouze’s filthy rich uncle and @Zhang Shu’s sister are chartering a flight!”  

Just then, Zhang Shu called, explaining everything. Finally, everything made sense.  

During the late-night meal, everyone had discussed whether to go on a graduation trip together. Zhang Shu mentioned he couldn’t join because he was headed to Fiji for his sister’s wedding.  

Everyone clamored about how jealous they were and how they’d love to go on a tropical island trip too.  

It had just been chatter at first, but then Zhang Shu actually called to check.  

Lu Zheng was incredibly generous, saying that since they were Zhang Shu’s and Lu Youze’s classmates, more young faces would liven things up. He decided on the spot: anyone who could go should come. The plane had plenty of seats, and accommodations were already arranged.

Free trip falling from the sky—who’d say no?  

That said, since it was a wedding, no one would actually freeload on foods, flights, accommodations. The final expense would be folded into red envelopes as wedding gifts.  

So, while people still had to spend money, they lucked out and even got to share in the happiness of the occasion.

Lanlan was tight on cash and didn’t have a passport, so she opted out.  

Yang Linyu and Xin Xiaohe planned to expedite their passport applications the next day.  

Sheng Xia had a passport from a trip Wang Lianhua took her on after middle school graduation.  

A trip with so many people sounded like a blast.  

Of course, Sheng Xia wanted to go. But she figured Wang Lianhua would never agree.

"If you want to travel, go on your own. Why freeload off others?" Wang Lianhua, as expected, had reservations.  

Sheng Xia explained, "We’re not freeloading. We’ll pool the costs for flights and accommodation into a red envelope as a wedding gift."  

“You lot going together—people are busy with a wedding! Who’s got time to look after you? If you run wild, no one’s there to rein you in!”

"Mom, we’re about to start college. We can take care of ourselves."  

The words made Wang Lianhua pause. A half-minute of silence later, she said, "If you want to go on a trip, wait till A-Xuan’s finishes her exams. I’ll take you both somewhere."  

Sheng Xia calculated the time. "By the time A-Xuan’s done, I’ll be starting driving school. Dad already signed me up.”  

Wang Lianhua knew about that and supported it—learning skills early was never a bad idea.

"Then ask your dad for the money!"  

Sheng Xia: "Huh?"  

Wang Lianhua huffed. "If you’re going, ask your dad to pay!”  

Was that… approval?  

Seeing Sheng Xia’s stunned expression, Wang Lianhua added sternly, "Don’t cause trouble there. Video-call me daily to let me know you're safe."

"Got it, Mom!"  

---    

Sheng Xia attended several large and small gatherings over the next few days.  

With Tao Zhizhi, with her No. 2 High School classmates’, and also with Xin Xiaohe and the others.  

After dinner, she, Xin Xiaohe, and Xiaomai went shopping to prepare for the trip.

Under their sweet-talking persuasion, Sheng Xia bought some skirts she’d never worn before and a swimsuit, setting off for the trip with a mix of excitement and nerves.

The flight lasted over ten hours, followed by a half-hour speedboat ride to the island where the wedding would take place.

Night had fallen by the time they reached the island, its full silhouette obscured in the darkness. Yet even then, the warm, humid sea breeze already stirred everyone’s restlessness.

Lu Zheng and Zhang Sujin came out to greet them, with Lu Youze trailing behind, they had arrived earlier.  

“Long time no see,” Lu Youze addressed everyone, but his gaze lingered on Sheng Xia.  

“Long time no see,” she replied with a small wave.  

Qi Xiulei, being more familiar with Lu Youze, tried to break the ice. “Youze, got your offer yet?”  

“Not yet, but it should come soon,” Lu Youze replied.

“Ah, well, congrats in advance, haha!”  

That ‘haha’ sent the atmosphere plunging into new depths of awkwardness.  

Thankfully, the concierge arrived just then, ready to escort everyone to their rooms.  

Zhang Shu had been pushing Sheng Xia’s luggage the entire time. He stepped forward, ignoring the awkwardness, handed her luggage to the concierge, and reminded, “You were under the plane’s AC the whole way, don’t set the room temperature too low tonight."  

Sheng Xia: “Okay.”  

Zhang Shu: “Text me your building number later.”

“En.”  

The group dispersed, following the concierge to their rooms.

Sheng Xia, Xin Xiaohe, and Xiaomai shared a villa. Only when they arrived did Sheng Xia realize why Zhang Shu had said ‘building number’ instead of ‘room number’.

The entire resort was made up of standalone villas, each separated by lush gardens. The ride from the lobby to their villa alone took nearly eight minutes on a shuttle cart.  

The two-story villa had bedrooms upstairs and a living room downstairs. Sliding doors opened directly to a private pool, and beyond that lay a beach glowing white under the moonlight. 

The sea stretched endlessly into the horizon.  

Xiaomai connected to Wi-Fi and searched the hotel’s logo from the welcome card, then froze.  

“This place isn’t listed on Ctrip, Fliggy, or even Booking?”  

“Holy crap, it’s a private island. Only for exclusive guests, not open to the public. Rates start at $5,000…”

Xin Xiaohe gasped. “Per night?”  

“Yeah. Per night.”  

“Fam, we really underestimated this. How much gift money would even cover this?”  

Sheng Xia was equally shocked. It looked like they’d have to ‘freeload’ whether they wanted to or not.

She sent Zhang Shu her building number, and he immediately invited her to a voice call.

As soon as she picked up, he said, “Come outside, by the pool.”

Puzzled, she slid open the glass door and stepped out. The pool glowed fluorescent in the night.  

“Here.” His voice reached her ears both through the phone and somewhere nearby.  

She turned. Through the thick shadows of swaying trees, the soft glow of the neighboring pool seeped through along with the silhouette of a familiar figure.  

He was staying right next door.  

Their villas were only separated by a row of lush greenery.

Beyond that, they shared the same stretch of beach.

“Take a walk with me?” he asked.  

Sheng Xia glanced back at the mess of unpacked luggage inside. “I should probably unpack first?”  

Zhang Shu gave in. “Alright, sleep early. Don’t catch a cold.”

“Mm.”  

“Go back inside.”  

They both retreated into their villas. As Zhang Shu slid his door shut, he said casually, “Thinking you’re right next door… I will have a hard time sleeping tonight.”  

Before she could respond, a chorus of exaggerated retching and groans erupted on his end.  

Hou Junqi bellowed, “Go! Just go already! Don’t bother coming back, it's cramped enough here!”  

Yang Linyu: “Ugh, I’m getting goosebumps in the tropics!”

Qi Xiulei: “We’re exhausted from the flight. Be human, man!”

There were so many people in his villa.  

Sheng Xia, grasping for something to say, asked, “You’re all staying together?”

“Yeah. Lu Youze’s here too.”  

Sheng Xia: “……”  

“Oh. Your villa must be big.”  

Zhang Shu: “Seems bigger than yours. We’ve got a family suite with three rooms.”

Sheng Xia: “We only have two.”  

Zhang Shu: “Then you take one, let those two share.”  

Sheng Xia: “Xiaohe wants to sleep with me though?”  

Zhang Shu: “No way!”  

Perhaps that “No way” came out a little too forcefully, because Xin Xiaohe heard it.  

“Pfft—Zhang Shu, who are you to tell us what to do? Say ‘no way’ again, I dare you! Watch me shower with Sheng Xia tonight!”  

Sheng Xia: “……”  

Zhang Shu: “……”  

Every eavesdropper on both ends: “……”  

Sheng Xia hung up first, cutting off the brewing war before it could escalate.  

In the end, that night not only did Xin Xiaohe sleep with Sheng Xia—Xiaomai also squeezed under the covers with them.  

Despite the sweltering heat, the three girls huddled together on a single mattress, none willing to sleep alone.

Luckily, the bed was big enough, and the AC kept it cool.

Suddenly, Xin Xiaohe yelped, “Oh, crap!” at the same time Sheng Xia squealed in shock.

Xiaomai, sleeping on the edge, bolted upright and flicked on the light, panicked. "What? What happened?"  

Xin Xiaohe looked both apologetic and stunned. "Sorry, my bad, I touched it by accident.”

Sheng Xia’s face burned crimson.  

‘Accident’? Since when do ‘accidents’ include a squeeze?!  

"Xiaohe!!" she said angrily.  

Xin Xiaohe grinned sheepishly. “Really, it was an accident! Hahaha, I’m used to hugging something when I sleep, and then, like, instinctively, I just—you know, grabbed. I’m sorry!”

Xiaomai caught on and burst out laughing. Sheng Xia didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.  

The three of them stared at each other, until a sudden "Pfft!" broke the tension, and they all collapsed into inexplicable laughter, rolling around in the sheets.  

"HAHAHA! You did what Lanlan and I always wanted to do! Look how scared you made Sheng Xia!"  

"Sorry, I was wrong, hahaha! If I got another chance, I’d go for two squeezes, no, three! Hahahaha!”

After the laughter died down, they turned off the light and tried to sleep again.  

Then, in the darkness, Xiaomai spoke up. "...You guys asleep? I can’t sleep. I also kinda wanna know… what a C-cup feels like…"  

"Hahahahaha!"  

"NO!"  

"Just saying… fine, forget it…"  

Silence fell again.  

After who knows how long, Xin Xiaohe spoke again. “...You guys asleep? I can’t sleep. I’m kinda jealous of Brother Shu. Wonder if he knows what a C-cup feels like…"  

"Hahahahaha!"  

Sheng Xia’s whole body flushed with heat and kicked off the blankets.  

God. Are we ever sleeping tonight?!  

---  

The next day, Sheng Xia came down with a cold, right in the middle of the sweltering tropics.  

While everyone else changed into swimsuits and splashed into the sea, she stayed wrapped in a bathrobe on the shore, listlessly sipping coconut water. She video-called Wang Lianhua, careful not to mention her cold, and simply panned the camera around the scenery to reassure her mother she was fine.  

As she hung up, she noticed someone on the lounge chair beside her.  

Zhang Shu, in swim trunks, clearly wasn’t one for showing off. He'd wiped himself dry as soon as he got out of the water and put on a thin T-shirt. But with his skin still damp, the white fabric clung and gaped in turns, creating a visual effect that was, if anything, even more striking than if he’d been shirtless.  

Sheng Xia averted her gaze, set her phone aside, and hugged her giant coconut, sipping again.  

Zhang Shu watched her steadily until the straw made an empty gurgling sound. He stood in front of her, took the coconut away, and said. "You drank a whole coconut in one go. Aren’t you stuffed?"  

"It’s good. I could have another."  

"Stubborn girl. Don’t go from a cold to an upset stomach. Did you cover yourself properly last night?"  

"I did."  

"Then why’s it getting worse? Everyone else is here to vacation, and you’re here to recuperate?"  

Sheng Xia fell silent. His words were always blunt, and now he was nagging.

By nightfall, Sheng Xia was feeling increasingly groggy. Too wary of the AC to share a room, she slept alone—but it was so hot, her whole body sticky and uncomfortable, she couldn’t fall asleep no matter what.  

Tossing and turning, she finally reached for her phone.  

She noticed a message from Zhang Shu, sent two hours ago.

Song Jiang: “Asleep?”  

Since she hadn’t replied, he probably assumed she was.  

She typed back: "Not yet."  

It was already 2 a.m. local time, but Zhang Shu responded instantly: "Feeling worse?"  

"A bit hot."  

Song Jiang: “Come out to the beach behind the villa.”      

Sheng Xia tiptoed downstairs and slipped out the door, not bothering to change, simply threw on the bathrobe she’d worn all day.  

Zhang Shu, also in a bathrobe, was waiting at her villa’s gate.

As she approached, he reached out to feel her forehead, muttering, “No fever, but better check.”  

He led her by the hand toward his villa. The night breeze was gentle, neither cold nor stifling, it dispersed the stuffiness perfectly.

On a table by the lounge chairs were a kettle, a glass, and a box of medicine with Chinese labels.

Zhang Shu handed her a thermometer, then began mixing a packet of cold medicine granules into water.  

Sheng Xia, dazed, asked, “Where’d you get this?”

Zhang Shu: “Went looking for it during dinner.”

"They sell Chinese medicine here?"  

"Nope. Got it from someone." His tone was casual.  

In truth, the accommodation provided basic meds, but he worried her delicate constitution might react poorly to unfamiliar drugs. So he’d asked Zhang Sujin for the guest list and practically gone door-to-door, inquiring if anyone had brought medicine from home. Luckily, one auntie had packed some cold relief granules.  

"Oh..."  

She watched him dissolve the granules, shaking the glass until they melted completely. He added cool water, took a sip to test it, then passed it to her. "Drink."    

She took it obediently, lifting the cup to her lips. The temperature was just right. She tilted her head back, drinking slowly. The medicine wasn’t bitter, it even had a slight sweetness.

She sat, he stood, his eyes fixed on her, as if he'd be angry should she leave even a drop.

Sheng Xia had never seen this side of Zhang Shu.

It was hard to describe.

In a foreign land, sick as she was, she felt an inexplicable sense of calm, as if time had slowed.

Once she finished, he pulled her to her feet and walked her back.  

"No more phone. Go straight to sleep. You can keep the AC on, but not too cold. Tuck the blankets tight—don’t kick off the blanket even if you sweat. Bear with it and you’ll feel better tomorrow..."  

Before he could finish, Zhang Shu felt arms wrap around his waist as someone crashed into his chest.  

Sheng Xia didn’t know why. Maybe it was the dizziness, maybe a sudden boldness, but staring at his broad chest, she just wanted to lean in—so she did.  

It was her first time taking the initiative.

Zhang Shu froze, stunned. Just as he moved to hug her back, she’d already slipped away from his arms, darting into her villa like a startled rabbit.  

As she shut the glass door, their eyes met briefly. She looked away, too shy to hold his gaze.

By the time Zhang Shu snapped out of it, he realized he'd missed out on something special.

He smiled helplessly and walked back to his villa.  

When will she stop being so shy? That question had been nagging him for a while.

Unseen by Zhang Shu, Lu Youze stood on the balcony above, his gaze heavy with defeat.

---  

Sheng Xia took medicine for another day, and her cold finally improved, just in time for the wedding.

The wedding planner was brought from China, the ceremony was a fusion of Chinese and Western traditions

The morning saw a lively Chinese-style bridal procession, followed by a Western beach ceremony at noon. After the evening banquet, there will be a party—the schedule was packed with celebration.  

Sheng Xia and her friends were part of the bride’s send-off team, waking at dawn to get ready. Though not bridesmaids, they still had to look stunning.

The guys were on the groom’s team, facing all sorts of playful challenges. When the auspicious hour arrived, they burst in, red envelopes flying everywhere. 

Only then did Sheng Xia see Zhang Shu’s look for the day.

 

He wore a perfectly tailored suit, his bow tie neatly knotted, his hair styled just so. His youthful face carried a hint of mature charm.    

He looked… different.  

"Sheng Xia's eyes are practically popping out…" Xiaomai muttered.

Xin Xiaohe smirked. "Why does it feel like Zhang Shu’s the one here to ‘fetch the bride.’"  

The bride’s room was crowded, everyone busy teasing the groom and groomsmen, who were scrambling to find the wedding shoes. No one noticed the suited boy and girl whispering in the corner.

"What kind of wedding do you want someday?"  

Sheng Xia, focused on whether the groom would find the shoes, answered absently, “Doesn’t matter.”

The person is what matters.  

Zhang Shu: “Think about it carefully. Take your time, you have four years to decide."  

Sheng Xia: "……"  

---

← Previous | Table of Contents | Next →

0