Summer in Your Name - 76

Witnessing happiness is always a joy, so even though Sheng Xia had been up since dawn bustling about until the evening party, she was still brimming with energy.

Aside from their little group of ‘freeloaders’, the wedding guests were all close family and friends of the bride and groom.

Lu Zheng hadn’t invited any business associates—a rare choice.

 Who didn’t know that for people of their status, weddings were often networking events, designed to maximize connections and benefits?

By contrast, Lu Zheng and Zhang Sujin’s wedding felt refreshingly pure.  

Zhang Sujin’s friends all looked vaguely familiar. Even someone like Sheng Xia, who paid no attention to the entertainment or music industries, recognized them. And for those whose faces didn’t ring a bell, the moment they opened their mouths to sing, the entire crowd could join in.  

These were industry giants, yet today, they were all here to play supporting roles for Zhang Sujin.

It was only today that Sheng Xia and her classmates learned Zhang Shu’s sister was once a singer. No wonder Zhang Shu had such a knack for music—those genes clearly ran in the family.

The party was set up on the beach, with a stage framed by wooden posts draped in gauzy fabric and roses, twinkling with lights, utterly romantic.

Perched on a high stool, microphone in hand, Zhang Sujin spoke, “It’s been so, so, so long since I last sang. I thought I’d never sing again. This song, I wrote when I debuted, is for all my forever-young friends.”

The band of industry legends was a feast for both eyes and ears. Zhang Sujin’s voice was deep, slightly husky, and achingly tender. 

Sheng Xia’s mind flickered to someone.

And she wasn’t alone. Xiaomai whispered, “Now I get why Brother Shu was into Chen Mengyao before.”

Xin Xiaohe swatted her mouth. “What do you mean ‘into’? They were just close!”

Xiaomai: “No, no, not even that well either.”  

Sheng Xia turned to look at Zhang Shu.  

Sheng Xia turned to look at Zhang Shu. He was gazing at Zhang Sujin on stage, his focus unwavering. She’d seen this look before—outside the auditorium, when he watched Chen Mengyao rehearse. It was the same intensity.

Of everyone present, the happiest to hear Zhang Sujin sing might not have been Lu Zheng, but Zhang Shu.  

Sheng Xia recalled his confession on her birthday: “I’ve never been good to anyone, except my sister.”

She was the most important person in his life.  

How lucky to witness this wedding by his side.  

The party buzzed into the early hours. Exhausted, people sprawled across the beach in twos and threes. The final song of the night belonged to Zhang Shu.    

One foot propped on a high stool’s crossbar, an electric guitar slung over his shoulder, he struck a chord, and the beach sank into the humid summer night.

“At dusk, the world falls into a river of light…”  

The warm midnight sea breeze carried his voice, sultry and magnetic.   

“Beneath the starlit curtain, breaths tangle, fervent and hot…”

“In a haze, impossible to grasp…”

Sheng Xia had never heard a song like this—psychedelic, rock-infused, brooding, lazy, wild, sensual. Every contradictory element woven seamlessly in his voice.   

“Perhaps it’s the unexpected possibility of a summer night…”  

“A warm breeze arrives, perfectly timed…”

“Into the wind...”  

Zhang Shu’s voice—  

Carefree, yet thick with desire.  

The song was made for daydreams, for kissing.

Sheng Xia’s gaze drifted to his lips, opening and closing as he sang.

Those lips, spinning romance into the air, tempting her to drown in this summer night.  

The sea breeze swirled, gauzy drapes fluttering, waves crashed behind her, and stars glittered above.

The world seemed to hold its breath, spellbound.

Sheng Xia wondered: Could there ever be a better summer than this?

Probably not.  

If there were, it would only serve as a comparison to this one.

---

Back in the room, it was four or five in the morning, dawn’s first light crept across the horizon.

Sheng Xia expected to sink into deep sleep, but her mind was filled with his voice, especially those lines: “fervent and hot,” “the unexpected possibility of a summer night.”

Restless, she flipped over in bed. Xin Xiaohe’s prim voice broke the silence. “Young lady, when your heart’s racing, don’t just toss and turn—act on it.”

Xiao Mai giggled. Apparently, no one was asleep. “Xiaxia, how do you resist pouncing on a demon like Brother Shu? Truly the world’s greatest mystery.”  

“Brother Shu looked so desirable today, ugh. Not that it’s any of my business. I just want to see you pounce."    

Xin Xiaohe: “I bet Zhang Shu’s the one who can’t do it.”

Xiaomai: “Yeah, Zhang Shu can't do it. All these days, and he’s done nothing.”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Should we swing by the guys’ next door tomorrow?”  

Xiao Mai: “You just want to see Yang Linyu, don’t you?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Get lost.”  

---

When did the girls’ hearts finally settle? No one knew.  

All they knew was that when they woke the next day, the sun was already setting.    

Such was the rhythm of vacation: eat, sleep, stroll along the beach, chase each other in the glow of dusk, and watch the sun sink below the horizon.

Rested and refreshed, the group boarded a yacht the next morning under the gentle sunlight for a snorkeling trip arranged by Lu Zheng.

The sea was turquoise, the sky clear, white waves curling in the distance.  

At the snorkeling site, the water was so clear you could see straight to the ocean floor.  

The guide handed out gear, and one by one, everyone plunged into the water with eager splashes.    

Sheng Xia, who couldn’t swim, had no intention of joining, but under her sun cover-up, she’d worn her swimsuit. Xin Xiaohe had insisted, saying not wearing it would be a waste. 

Zhang Shu settled beside her, picking up a snorkel mask. "Know how to use this?”

Sheng Xia shook her head. “I don’t know how to swim."    

Zhang Shu: “You don’t need to swim for snorkeling. You just float.”  

She hesitated, eyes betraying her fear.

Zhang Shu chuckled, sliding the mask over her face. "I’ll guide you.”    

He grabbed a clean life jacket and sized her up. “No swimsuit?”  

“I’m wearing one.”  

“Mm, take off the cover-up.” His tone was casual, but Sheng Xia felt her face heat up.

Noticing her flush, Zhang Shu realized his wording was a bit bold. He coughed lightly, handing her the life jacket. “Put this on.”

And with that, he turned away.

Sheng Xia peeled off her sun-protective shirt, then paused at the life jacket.  

It wasn’t a typical jacket but a specialized one for snorkeling. After slipping her arms in, she couldn’t figure out the straps. Helpless, she called out, “A-Shu…”

A jolt shot through Zhang Shu’s ears.

Damn it. Even after all this time, that nickname still got to him.  

He turned, his gaze flickering briefly.  

Her swimsuit was modest, with ruffles at the chest and hem concealing most of her figure, but the glimpse of fair skin at her collarbone was striking enough, not to mention her slim waist and the curves the ruffles couldn’t fully hide.

 

Zhang Shu averted his gaze. “What’s wrong?”  

“I don’t know how to fasten this,” she admitted.  

He glanced at her again, studying the life jacket.  

Truthfully, he didn’t know either.  

“Raise your arms,” he instructed.  

She complied.  

As he leaned in, her faint fragrance nearly made his knees buckle. He bent down, fiddling with the straps until—click—the jacket was secured snugly just below her chest.  

“Done.” he said, his voice rough, like something was stuck in his throat.

 

“Come on, what are you two doing?” Hou Junqi shouted from the water, pulling off his diving mask.

“It’s amazing, Xiaxia! Get in!” Xin Xiaohe called.

“Coming!” Sheng Xia replied, her voice tinged with excitement.  

Zhang Shu plunged into the sea with a splash, resurfaced, and reached out to her. “Hold the railing and come down slowly. Don’t be scared.”  

She followed his instructions, but the moment she stepped into the water, Zhang Shu regretted it. He should’ve gotten her a swimsuit that covered her legs completely.  

He glanced around—good, no one was looking their way.  

But his glance threw Sheng Xia off. Just as she hit the water, she couldn’t meet his gaze and panicked. Her foot slipped and plunged under, missing his hand.  

She flailed, splashing wildly. Zhang Shu dodged back from the spray, then swiftly pulled her into his arms.  

The water overwhelmed her, a wave of insecurity crashing over her as she thrashed. 

His helpless chuckle reached her ears. “Don’t panic, you won’t sink. Relax, let go…”

Her palms collided with solid muscle. Sheng Xia froze, stopping her movements. His arm was around her waist, holding her afloat.

His bare torso gleamed under the sunlight filtering through the water, casting sharp lines across his arms where her hands now clung.    

Between the jacket and the chaos, she felt their heartbeats synced. 

Rapid and intense.

Saltwater flooded her mouth. She coughed a few times.  

Zhang Shu gently rubbed the back of her neck to soothe her, their bodies pressing closer. His chest brushed hers, and as he glanced down, her damp swimsuit had slipped slightly, revealing a hint of cleavage.

Zhang Shu jerked his gaze away, Adam’s apple bobbing.  

“Bite the mouthpiece. Just float,” he instructed stiffly, eyes deliberately elsewhere.  

Sheng Xia let go, and he withdrew his arm, letting her drift with the life jacket, occasionally tugging to keep her steady.

She plunged her face into the water, and the world transformed into a freeze-frame from nature documentaries—reefs, coral, fish in vibrant hues.

She quickly mastered breathing through the snorkel, losing herself in the scene.  

She didn’t notice his steadying hand had slipped away.

She let herself drift.    

Suddenly, the water stirred. A lithe figure swam past her, scattering the fish.

He grinned up at her from the seabed, then surged toward her. Her heart pounded as his arm wrapped around her waist, pulling her close. Together, they sank deeper.  

Under the water, they locked eyes through their masks.

Sheng Xia forgot to breathe, as if caught in a dream.

Before she could react, he kicked upward, breaking the surface.

The sudden pressure change sent her heart racing.

Seeing daylight felt like salvation.

Sheng Xia gasped, meeting his smug, teasing grin. Annoyed, she kicked him lightly underwater, pushed away, and swam to the railing, climbing aboard with jerky movements.  

Looking back, he was still floating there, eyes crinkled with laughter. “Put your clothes back on now that you’re above.”  

He had the nerve to boss her around.

Sheng Xia turned away.  

Xiaomai’s words were spot-on.  

Demon.  

Sea demon!  

---

Life on the island was leisure and joyful, but in a blink, the trip was nearing its end.

The resort had prepared a picnic.  

The boys were grilling, while the girls lounged on swings, swaying gently.

“Ugh, I don’t want to leave. It’d be so great to stay here forever…” Xin Xiaohe sighed.  

Xiaomai: “Totally agree…”  

"How did time fly so fast?”  

Sheng Xia also sighed.  

Relaxed moments were always fleeting; busyness was life’s true rhythm.    

Xiaomai asked, “When we get back, isn’t it about time for scores to come out?”  

Sheng Xia: “Yeah.”  

Xiaomai: “So scary. If my estimates are off, the day this trip ends will be my doomsday."  

Sheng Xia reassured her, “It won’t be that far off.”

Xin Xiaohe: “I’m freaking out too. Once scores are out, there’s still so much to worry about—where to go, what to study… Why do they force us to make these choices when we know nothing about these majors?”

“Sigh…”  

“Sigh…”  

As the three wallowed in gloom, a voice called, “Sheng Xia.”

It was Lu Youze.  

“Can we talk?” He stood a few meters away, his tone gentle.

Sheng Xia stood up, brushing the sand off her clothes. “What’s the matter?”  

“Walk with me?”  

Sheng Xia was surprised but didn’t hesitate. “Sure.”  

They strolled along the shoreline, away from the barbecue.

Hou Junqi sprinkled cumin over the grill, raising an eyebrow. "A-Shu, what’s Lu Youze up to?"  

Zhang Shu barely glanced over, his expression unreadable. “Who knows.”

--- 

Sheng Xia’s feet sank into the soft white sand, breaking the silence first. "Congratulations in advance."  

Lu Youze smiled. "Same to you."    

Another quiet pause settled.  

Sheng Xia knew he had something to say—knew he was searching for the right words—so she waited.  

“This might sound absurd, but… I’ve liked you for a very long time. Since middle school.”  

Even though she’d braced herself, the admission still caught her off guard.  

Middle school?  

“How should I put it…” he continued, his smile a bit strained. “Zhang Shu was right about me. I'm the type who lets things happen naturally. Growing up with everything handed to me, I guess I never learned to fight for what I want.”

"Saying I’ve liked you for a long time might be a exaggeration. Back in middle school, I did have a good feeling about you, but it was too vague. If we hadn’t crossed paths again in senior year, I’d likely have forgotten it entirely.”  

"But then we did. And it felt like fate. When I heard you're going to Penn too, I—I can’t even describe how that felt. Like stumbling into the person you’re destined for. That kind of joy…”  

Their steps slowed, the half-meter distance between them unwavering.  

“Saying this now feels out of place. Living with Zhang Shu recently, I’ve figured some things out.”

“He’s got this energy, making everyone around him feel at ease so effortlessly, almost magically so, like he was born with it."

“But it isn't.”  

"He knows Hou Junqi acts tough but is actually sensitive. In friendships, you need to give him plenty of attention, so even if he teases him mercilessly, he never ignored him. In the group chat, when everyone’s talking, he makes sure to respond to what Hou Junqi said.… He knows Qi Xiulei timid but won't admit it, so he pretends to play games in the living room to wait for him to come back from the bathroom… He knows Yang Linyu likes Xin Xiaohe, so when Qi Xiulei brings up Dongzhou University, he steers the topic away…"  

“He knows the others weren’t close to me, so he insisted we room together...”    

“He knows you caught a cold and asked every Chinese guest in the resort for a pack of Chinese cold medicine…”  

“That ease comes from his extreme attentiveness.”  

Sheng Xia turned to look at Lu Youze. His lips were pressed together in a faint smile.  

“Haha, weird, right? Praising my rival here.” He laughed self-deprecatingly.

It was indeed a bit weird.

“You’re attentive too,” Sheng Xia said sincerely.  

To notice someone else’s attentiveness—that took attentiveness itself.    

Lu Youze chuckled. “Maybe it’s true, when you’re about to leave, your words turn kind. I just think everything’s great, everyone’s great. Then I realized I don’t really have friends. I’m leaving soon, and I don’t even know who to say goodbye to.”

Sheng Xia understood what Lu Youze had been feeling these past few days.  

Surrounded by classmates, yet never quite among them, that kind of distance bred introspection.  

Loneliness could cloud the mind, but it could also bring clarity.

Lu Youze stopped and faced her, his gaze drifting toward the smoky haze rising from the barbecue spot in the distance. He said solemnly, “So, Sheng Xia, be my representative. Consider this my goodbye—to everyone.”

---

Sheng Xia returned alone to the barbecue spot.  

Hou Junqi asked nosily, "Where's Lu Youze?"  

Sheng Xia: "He said he had a flight at dawn and needed to pack."  

Hou Junqi: "What’d he want to talk about?"  

His eyes flicked toward Zhang Shu as he spoke.  

Sheng Xia followed his gaze. Zhang Shu was focused on grilling.

“Just saying goodbye.”  

Hou Junqi pursed his lips, nodding slowly, half-convinced.  

Zhang Shu plucked a golden-brown chicken wing from the grill and handed it to Sheng Xia. “Try this.”    

She took it, blew on it lightly, and bit in. The flavor burst in her mouth. “Delicious!” 

Qi Xiulei chimed in, "Lianli's barbecues are famous. When are you taking us there, Brother Shu?”  

Zhang Shu: “When do you want to go?"    

Qi Xiulei: “Before college starts?”  

Zhang Shu agreed, “Deal.”  

Hou Junqi: “Awesome, another get-together! Han Xiao, that little punk, is in Lianli too!"  

Xin Xiaohe reminded him, “Aren’t you leaving for prep school abroad soon?”

Hou Junqi’s face fell.  

Zhang Shu: “Getting this worked up over barbecue? With that appetite, you’ll starve abroad. Fine, we’ll go before you leave. Eat your fill.”  

Hou Junqi brightened again. “Who knows? Maybe I'll learn a thing or two from Lianli and open a franchise in Canada!”  

“Oho, sounds like we won’t afford it then!”

“Then we’ll call you the Barbecue King of Canada!”

“Or King of Extra.”  

“Can I name-drop you to get VIP treatment when I visit?”

"Sure, sure."  

Somehow, the group dissolved into laughter again.  

Sheng Xia’s gaze lingered on Zhang Shu’s profile, the phrase ‘extreme attentiveness’ surfacing in her mind. 

The one who’d been quietly tending to every unspoken emotion, it turned out to be the same sharp-tongued boy who never missed a chance to tease.    

Looking back, without him, she wouldn’t have meshed with this group.

At the start of the school year, he'd teased her about being a poor student with too much stationery.  

The room had roared with laughter, and that’s how she’d entered her classmates’ radar, painted as the pitiful transfer student. Hou Junqi and Xin Xiaohe had warmed to her because of it.

Maybe it was just a throwaway comment for him.    

But wherever Zhang Shu was, the vibe was always good.  

Maybe it was arbitrary. Maybe it was fated.    

Sheng Xia had never met anyone like him before.  

And she doubted she ever would again.

Lost in thought, she barely registered the boom-boom-boom—fireworks exploding in the distance.  

Someone, somewhere, was staging a romance.  

A romance that became the backdrop to these youths’ final night together.  

---

That night, everyone drank.  

Sheng Xia tried beer for the first time—bitter but refreshing. She took a tentative sip, then another. It quenched her thirst and paired well with the barbecue. Emboldened, she tilted her head back for a gulp and nearly choked.

Zhang Shu saw her wince and snatched the can away. “Here, coconut juice instead."

“Brother Shu, how’s she supposed to know if she likes it if you don’t let her try?"  

“Try what?” Zhang Shu lifted her half-finished beer and downed it in one go.  

“Whoa!” The group erupted in cheers.  

Sheng Xia’s cheeks burned, must be the grill’s heat, she told herself.  

That was the can she’d just drunk from…  

Xin Xiaohe cheered the loudest. Sheng Xia thought she could hold her liquor, yet before the first can even finished, Xiaohe was already slurring nonsense.  

Yang Linyu offered her water, which she slapped away, suddenly throwing her arms around his neck, yelling, “Are you gonna confess or not, you coward!”

Everyone: …Explosive!  

Yang Linyu froze stiff. Zhang Shu pointed toward the villa. “Go on, there’s roses in the garden.”

“So brutal, A-Lei,” Hou Junqi said, exchanging looks with Qi Xiulei.

Qi Xiulei: “Don't worry, Xiaomai’s suffering with us too.”    

Xiao Mai wasn’t faring much better, cupping her face with starry eyes. “No suffering. Not at all. This is so exciting! So shippable! Hey, Brother Shu, can you do it? We all think you can’t! You know, Sheng Xia is so pretty, her figure is amazing, her chest—mmph…”  

Sheng Xia clamped a hand over Xiao Mai’s mouth.  

Somehow, Xiaomai tipped over, face-planting directly into Sheng Xia’s chest.

And stayed there.  

Fireworks burst overhead in glittering sprays, but not even that could salvage the awkwardness.  

---

The sea breeze rustled through the coconut grove.  

Sated and tipsy, the teenagers sprawled across the beach.

Under the starry dome, only the faint glow of dying charcoal remained.  

Zhang Shu turned his head. Sheng Xia was curled toward him, her cheeks flushed.  

A smile tugged at his lips. Propping his hand below his ears , he shifted to face her, gazing quietly.  

At this close distance, her scent filled his senses.

Sometimes, Zhang Shu wondered if she had casted a spell on him.  

That embrace on the sea had tormented him relentlessly.  

By the time he realized he was inching closer his nose already grazed her cheek.  

The girl’s lashes fluttered faintly, just once, and stilled.

He paused, gaze lingering on her rosy lips.  

A first kiss shouldn’t be stolen like this.  

If he did that, he'd truly be a failure.

His arm, braced beside her, tensed, muscles taut. Finally, he gritted his teeth and lay back down.  

Propping his head up with one hand, he glanced at her, then up at the deep blue night.

He sighed helplessly—he had to be serious about this, had to be careful.  

Because she was the most precious.  

In the distance, Lu Youze, luggage packed, watched this scene quietly, then turned away, abandoning any thought of waving final goodbye.    

---

Sheng Xia was stirred awake by the sea breeze.    

Her head throbbed. Was she hallucinating? Why was Zhang Shu lying beside her?    

Then, the coarse grit of sand, nothing like a mattress, told her where she was.  

Everyone was asleep.  

Even the charcoal had burned out.  

Beer cans lay toppled, the barbecue half-eaten.  

The night had deepened.    

Her gaze drifted back to the boy next to her.  

Zhang Shu.  

His features were all sharp—blade-like brows, the ridge of his nose, the cut of his jaw, the prominence of his Adam’s apple...    

Even his gaze, when awake, was piercing.

Yet he had the softest heart.  

Encased in a tough shell, unbreakable, blazing.  

And that heart belonged to her.    

The thought alone filled her chest to bursting.    

Sheng Xia did the bravest thing in her 18 years—  

She leaned in slowly, her gaze tracing his features, landing on those maddening lips.  

The same lips that sang “fervent and hot,” “the unexpected possibility of a summer night,” “into the wind.”

Into the wind, she pressed her warm lips to his in a fleeting caress. 

Sheng Xia froze, then jerked upright, in disbelief.  

His lips were so soft.  

Were lips this soft?

She touched her own lips dumbly, pressing with her fingers.  

Hers didn’t feel nearly as soft.  

Was it his lips, or was it the act of two pairs meeting that created such softness?  

She didn’t know.  

Her courage spent, she didn’t dare try again.  

—

Over by the coconut grove, Yang Linyu and Xin Xiaohe, hand in hand, stood frozen, exchanging shocked looks.  

Xin Xiaohe: “Xia Xia made the first move!”  

Yang Linyu: “A-Shu’s useless.”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Did you get it on camera?”  

Yang Linyu: “Mission accomplished.”  

---

Yang Linyu woke everyone up.  

“Get up! You’ll all catch colds and miss your damn flights! Move it!”  

The sprawled teens on the beach woke up one by one, rubbing sleepy eyes.  

Only Hou Junqi wouldn’t budge.  

Xin Xiaohe kicked his butt, and he jolted up. “What, what?! Flash, flash¹!”  

(¹: A League of Legends spell that lets a player’s character teleport a short distance, often to escape or reposition.) 

"Nexus is cracking, what are you flash-ing for? Stop daydreaming in the rift, your moves’s worse than the Scuttle Crab²." Zhang Shu taunted. 

(²: Nexus: The core structure in a team’s base; Scuttle Crab: A weak neutral monster in League of Legends.)

Hou Junqi snapped awake. “Who’s worse than Scuttle Crab? A-Shu, you forgot how I…”  

Their bickering carried on, relentless, all the way back to the villa.

---

As soon as Xiaomai entered the room, she collapsed onto the bed without bothering to shower.

Sheng Xia took a quick shower and came out to find Xin Xiaohe still glued in her phone, eyes sparkling with excitement.  

She teased, “What’s got you so excited? Chatting with Yang Linyu? About what, all lovey-dovey?”

Xin Xiaohe nodded with a “mm-hmm”, thinking: Silly girl, we’re talking about you.  

Sheng Xia smiled knowingly, thinking, ah, so this is what it feels like to tease someone. It’s actually kind of fun.

As she reached for her phone to loop Zhang Shu in on the teasing, the doorbell rang.  

Who’d come at this hour?    

Sheng Xia’s stomach twisted.

Xin Xiaohe also froze.

The two girls tiptoed to the door, peering through the peephole. Sheng Xia had Zhang Shu’s number ready to dial, but to her surprise, the face staring back at her through the peephole was none other than Zhang Shu himself. 

His expression was intense, as if something serious had happened.

Anxious, brooding, cold, but not quite upset.

Complicated.  

Sheng Xia opened the door.  

Zhang Shu glanced at Xin Xiaohe. “Turn around.” He grabbed her head and spun it to face the wall.

Sheng Xia gaped.

Just as she was about to voice her confusion, Zhang Shu cupped her chin, leaned down, and kissed her lips.  

Her eyes widened in shock.  

Before she could process, he let go of Xin Xiaohe’s head, stepped inside, wrapped an arm around Sheng Xia’s waist, and kissed her again, deeper.  

Sheng Xia’s body stiffened.  

His lips sent electric tingles through her, spreading to every limb.

He seemed unsure, kissing once, then tentatively pecking again, before finally capturing her lower lip and sucking gently.  

Sheng Xia felt her body ignited in fire. She instinctively shrank back, but he wouldn’t let her, cradling the back of her head, kissing her fiercely.

Xin Xiaohe stood facing the wall, too afraid to turn around, but the smack of their kisses was so close—she wasn’t deaf.  

Help!  

HELP!  

She edged toward the door and finally bolted out as soon as she reached it. 

Despite her caution, she still startled the lovebirds inches away.  

Zhang Shu eased off Sheng Xia slightly.  

Xin Xiaohe: “You two continue, continue.”  

Then she fled next door.  

Sheng Xia stared at Zhang Shu, both their chests heaving, breaths unsteady.  

“You… you…” She barely managed to find her voice, tilting her head back to put some distance between them.

Bang. Zhang Shu kicked the door shut. He pinned her waist, and trapped her against it. “Sheng Xia, you kissed me first.”

Her heart skipped.  

He knew!  

He wasn’t asleep?!  

Her cheeks flushed crimson, her ears burning so hot they felt like they might melt. Her heart trembled.   

He didn’t wait for a reply—didn’t need one. Cradling her face, he kissed her hard.

Sheng Xia couldn’t reach him, she instinctively rose on her tiptoes, only to feel her legs give out, trembling. 

Zhang Shu tightly wrapped one arm around her waist, lifting her slightly, his other hand anchored the back of her head, refusing to yield an inch.    

He boldly pried open her lips, tangling with her tongue.  

A flick, a suck—gentle, then hard.

Sheng Xia closed her eyes, her tongue numb, unfamiliar sensations overwhelming her.

 

His scent filled her senses.  

Blending, surging, entwining…

What kind of world was this?  

A desolate wasteland, a soul adrift—now drenched in sweet rain from the heavens.    

She felt like she was drowning.  

Her mind fogged from lack of oxygen, her legs limp, held up only by his arms.

She pushed weakly, and he slowed, peppering her lips with featherlight kisses before pulling back slightly, resting his forehead against hers, breathing heavily. His warm breath fanned across her face, reigniting the heat in her cheeks.

His eyes, so close, roamed over her face, lingering on her slightly swollen lips.  

“Got it? This is a kiss.”  

“This is a first kiss. Remember it.”  

Still unsatisfied, he kissed her again. 

Sheng Xia surrendered completely.  

A desolate world—now set ablaze.      

---

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