Summer in Your Name - 79

September in Heyan. The skies were clear, the air crisp, a gentle breeze carried the first whispers of autumn.    

The climate was refreshing, unmistakably autumn. 

Sheng Xia adored this weather. Though she’d only been in Heyan for half a month, she could already distinguish the seasons. 

Something she’d never quite grasped in Nanli, where summer claimed two-thirds of the year.

There, winter arrived overnight, and summer passed just as abruptly.  

Spring and autumn always slipped by without a trace.  

But the sun here blazed just as fiercely.

Even Sheng Xia’s supposedly ‘tan-proof’ complexion had darkened a shade or two after military training. 

Though compared to her roommates, she still fared better.  

Heqing University held its training at an off-campus military base, how Sheng Xia envied Zhang Shu, whose Haiyan University conducted theirs right on its own campus.    

Since Heqing’s semester started a few days earlier, Wang Lianhua had driven Sheng Xia to register. As a result, she and Zhang Shu hadn’t seen each other in a month, not even on his birthday, when they’d only managed a video call in their camouflage uniforms.  

The military training ended, and as the school bus pulled into campus, Sheng Xia’s phone rang with a call from Zhang Shu.  

"Yeah, just got to campus… Mm, still a bit to go…hmm…probably back to the dorm to unpack… No need, I have tomorrow off, I’ll come find you…okay, meet me downstairs at the dorm then. Building 23, do you know where that is? Mm, good…”  

Sheng Xia kept her voice low, but in the quiet bus, her every word rang clear.    

So gentle…  

Her tone—forget the guys, even most girls would swoon.  

After two weeks of military training, everyone knew Sheng Xia had a boyfriend. They talked on the phone or video-called every day.

Everyone was burning with curiosity about this mysterious guy, all they’d pieced together was that he went to Haiyan University next door and had a really nice voice.    

Sheng Xia looked too well-behaved, too pretty. The kind of girl who moved through the world like a moonbeam—gentle but untouchable, like she was untouched by the ways of the world. She didn’t seem like someone who’d date in high school.  

Just who on earth had managed to win over the goddess so early?

In the Literature Department, where girls outnumbered guys, the guys became hot commodities. With a beauty like Sheng Xia already taken, it took some pressure off the rest of the girls.  

During military training, plenty of guys from other departments tried to flirt with Sheng Xia. Even those from her own department weren’t exactly subtle about their interest.    

Though none succeed.  

Judging from her call, her boyfriend was coming to find her.  

Eager, isn't he?  

Then again, with a girlfriend that stunning, who wouldn’t be?  

Sheng Xia stared at her reflection in the darkened phone screen—her hair hastily tied back in a loose messy ponytail, her bangs overdue for a trim and stuck in that awkward in-between length. She also didn't manage to shower on the last day at the military training base.  

Disheveled didn’t even begin to cover it.  

And she’d gotten tan from the sun.  

A whole month had passed since they’d last seen each other. He was bound to show up looking fresh and put-together, while she’d meet him like this?  

What a disaster!  

The bus pulled into the parking lot near the dorms, and everyone started gathering their things to disembark.  

Sheng Xia, as always, brought a ton of stuff. She couldn’t fathom how others managed to embrace minimalism. To her, every single item was absolutely essential.  

While everyone else made do with a single 26 inches suitcase at most. Sheng Xia had a 28-inch suitcase and a massive hiking backpack, the kind meant for trekkers, dull gray and clashed with her delicate vibe.

It looked like the weight of it might just crush her.  

As she waited by the bus for the driver to unload luggage from the side compartment, murmurs rippled through the crowd.  

Whispers rose and fell like waves.    

Burdened by the weight of her backpack and the sweltering heat, Sheng Xia couldn’t even muster the energy to turn her head.

Then, suddenly, her shoulders feel lighter. 

Before she could react, she caught her roommate winking meaningfully at her.  

Her backpack was lifted from behind. 

The motion was so familiar, her heart leaped with joy. She spun around and, sure enough, met a pair of deep, familiar eyes.  

“How’d you find me here?” Overjoyed, she instinctively stepped forward and grabbed the front of his shirt, looking up at him.  

It was a habitual gesture, her eyes sparkling with a smile. 

She forgot where she was, the crowd now watching them with amused curiosity.  

Her abrupt turn and sudden tug caught Zhang Shu off guard, sending him stumbling back a step.

One hand steadied her backpack, the other lightly circled her waist to keep his balance. He chuckled helplessly, his gaze never leaving her face. “I biked in just as the bus convoy arrived. Followed the exhaust trail.”  

A month apart, and he seemed taller. His hair, cropped short for military training, showed off his smooth forehead and sharp brows. He’d tanned a bit too, looking spirited and dashing.  

And somehow even more handsome.  

They’d promised to meet again in September, and here it was, August 30th.  

Neither had broken their word.  

God, she missed him so much.  

The murmurs around them grew hushed yet denser.    

Sheng Xia, realizing her surroundings, quickly let go and stepped back, regaining her composure. “Oh.”  

“Got more luggage?” Zhang Shu asked.  

She glanced back. Her suitcase was huge, buried deep in the bus's compartment, the driver was now crouching under to retrieve it, muttering under his breath, “Whew, miss, this thing’s heavy…”  

Zhang Shu stepped forward to help, pulling it out and saying politely, “It is heavy. Thanks for the trouble.”    

The driver waved it off. “No problem, don’t mention it.”  

Zhang Shu slung her backpack over one shoulder, pulled the suitcase with one hand, and took her hand with the other. “Can I go into the dorm?”  

Sheng Xia felt a little self-conscious, too many people watching. "Only up to the entrance."  

Zhang Shu: “Let’s go then?”  

“Uh, yeah…” She let him lead her, but after two steps, she remembered to bid goodbye to her training roommates, “I’m heading off now. See you!”  

“Sure, let’s grab a meal sometime!”  

“Mm!”  

Under the dappled shade of the trees, the boy was laden with bags, one hand leading along a girl who walked unburdened, tilting her head up now and then to speak, her loose ponytail swaying with each step.  

They slowly disappeared into the distance.  

The crowd let out a collective sigh.  

“No wonder she dated so early, she locked in a top-tier catch.”  

“Finally, not a case of ‘beauty and the beast’. My faith in humanity is restored.”

“Man, that’s a wall no one’s breaking through.”  

“He’d be the hottest guy in our department.”  

“Oh, please, your department’s got nothing but duds to compare with.”  

---

At the dorm entrance, it was noon chaos, sophomores and juniors were checking in, while freshmen were returning from military training. The place buzzed with people dragging suitcases.  

“Look. Other boyfriends are going up,” Zhang Shu remarked, pointing with his chin. 

“Should I ask the dorm auntie?” Sheng Xia started toward the duty office.  

Zhang Shu chucked, tugging her back. “Ask, and they’ll say no. But they won’t stop you if you just go in. Understand?”  

Sheng Xia noticed several couples entering and exiting the dorm—no one asked, no one stopped them.  

Zhang Shu, seeing her hesitation, sighed. “We’re in college now, dummy.”  

Did she really think the dorm auntie cared to police her?

Sheng Xia was still stuck in high school’s strict mindset.  

“Alright, let’s go then.” She ducked her head, tugging him inside with hurried steps like a thief in the night.  

Zhang Shu’s smile never left his face.    

God, so adorable. He could kiss her right here.  

Sheng Xia’s dorm was on the third floor. Outside the window, towering trees swayed in the breeze, sunlight pouring in, the view breathtaking.  

She unlocked the door and stepped in first, scanning the room to confirm she was the earliest to return. After ensuring no roommates were present, no private items hanging about, she swung the door wide, beckoning him in.    

Zhang Shu found the scene familiar.  

Back in their third year, at the school sports meet, she’d done the same thing at the backstage room, checking if it was appropriate for him to enter before letting him in.  

Her thoughtfulness warmed him.  

Zhang Shu didn’t glance around, simply setting the suitcase by her desk, muttering, “Your school’s dorm is not as nice as ours.”    

Sheng Xia: “…Our cafeteria’s delicious!”  

Zhang Shu: “How do you know mine isn’t?”  

Sheng Xia: …  

Zhang Shu: “We’ll try both, compare them.”  

Sheng Xia: “How long’s the ride over by bike?”

Zhang Shu: “Twenty minutes.”  

“Twenty minutes by bike?”  

“Ten just to get out of my campus.”  

Sheng Xia bragged: “Our school has tons of cafeterias. If it’s that far, who knows how often you can visit. Four years might not be enough to try them all!”    

Zhang Shu: “Got it. Hint received.”  

Sheng Xia: …?  

Zhang Shu: “I’ll visit often.”  

Sheng Xia: “I didn’t say that, you did!”  

Zhang Shu: “Sure, I said it. Lunch now?”  

Sheng Xia glanced down at her disheveled self. “I was gonna shower first.”  

Zhang Shu good-naturedly leaned against her wardrobe. “I’ll wait downstairs?”

Sheng Xia hesitated, then said, “Let’s eat first!”  

After saying this, she washed her face, dried it, and took his hand to leave.  

Suddenly, he hooked his long leg around the door, and with a bang, the dorm room slammed shut.  

Then his arm wrapped around her neck, pulling her close as his warm lips chased hers in a searing kiss.  

Mmm.  

Slow, lingering, intoxicatingly sweet.

The sound of classmates greeting each other in the hallway made Sheng Xia tense.  

Zhang Shu noticed, lacing their fingers tightly, kissing her deeper before pulling back.

“I missed you so so much.” 

His voice was barely a whisper.  

With her lips still glistening, Sheng Xia grinned up at him. “Let’s go eat!”  

Zhang Shu pinched her flushed cheek, opening the door.  

---

After training, they got a day off to rest before classes began.

September 1st, opening ceremony.  

Early that morning, Sheng Xia requested leave, claiming heat stroke and dizziness. It wasn’t the most convincing excuse—no one from Nanli could credibly claim to succumb to heatstroke in Heyan’s mild climate. Even ghosts would scoff.  

Yet her advisor approved it. Sheng Xia simply didn’t seem the type to lie. Maybe she just has a sensitive constitution.  

Guilt gnawed at her. She was lying.  

At this moment, she was speeding down the road toward Haiyan University on her brand-new electric scooter.

What else could she do? Blame the clashing ceremony schedules. 

At Haiyan University’s gymnasium, Sheng Xia entered with her ticket and found her seat.

Oddly, she was surrounded by middle-aged people, making her conspicuously sticking out. 

An auntie next to her leaned over. “Are you a student or family member?”  

Family members?  

Sheng Xia hesitated. “I’m a student.”  

The auntie pointed out, “Students aren’t seated here. Students sit with their departments’ formations. This is the family section. Didn’t you go to yours?”  

Sheng Xia flushed. "I'm a student from Heqing University..."  

So awkward!    

The auntie raised her brows in surprise, teasing, “Oh! Here to crash the party, then?”    

Sheng Xia had no response for that. She could only pull out her ticket and feign confusion. "Huh? My friend gave me this seat, it should be correct?"  

The auntie glanced at it. “Yup, it’s correct.”  

The ceremony soon began.  

Such events always followed a familiar format, one leader finished their speech, another took the stage. But compared to high school leaders’ speeches, the speeches here were a hundred times more engaging.  

The elder professors spoke with earnest sincerity and eloquence, their words met with enthusiastic applause from the audience.    

"Next, we invite the student representative to speak."    

Sheng Xia’s heart skipped. Her gaze locked onto that tall, poised figure, her lips curving with pride and anticipation.  

Zhang Shu adjusted the microphone, his sharp gaze sweeping the crowd. “Good morning, teachers and students. I’m Zhang Shu, from the Information Science and Technology Department…”  

Sheng Xia had always said he was born to speak.  

No grand proclamations, no raised fists—just a calm, steady voice that inspired trust, even a quiet sense of reverence.  

She’d missed his flag-raising speech and never witnessed him lead the oath during the ‘100-Day Pledge’ rally.    

It had always been her regret.  

But today—  

He stood at the center of the gymnasium.  

At the heart of the nation’s top university.  

Surrounded by the country’s most elite students.  

Sharing his ideas, spreading his vision.    

He shone brilliantly.  

This speech was entirely his own, Sheng Xia hadn’t even seen the draft.      

Compared to the eloquent speeches of the senior professors, his words were simpler but relatable, warm.

Noticing Sheng Xia’s reaction, the auntie beside her asked, “Is the speaker your friend?”    

Sheng Xia nodded. “He’s my boyfriend.”  

As Zhang Shu reached the end of his speech, he paused briefly, his gaze cutting through the crowd and landed on the family seating area.  

A faint smile touched his lips.  

“When I was 17, someone told me we come into this world to leave a mark. If ordinary, at least be a good person. If outstanding, be useful to the country, to the world. Back then, I thought, if I could become someone with integrity, independence, with a heart for my country and global perspective, then my youth would have been worthwhile. Standing here today, from boy to young man, I still hold the same belief. I hope we can walk this path together, shouldering responsibility, staying grounded, riding our dreams like steeds, and achieving greatness.”  

“Time flies for those who waste it; years sings for those with ambition. Cherish each day at Haiyan University, every moment of youth. Let’s strive together, classmates!  

“My speech is over. Thank you.”  

Colorful flags waved, applause thundered.  

Fireworks bloomed in clusters, white doves soared against the blue sky.  

Zhang Shu stepped down calmly. Before taking his seat, he tilted his head toward the family seating area and flashed a grin.

Sheng Xia’s eyes shimmered with admiration and pride.  

That was her boy.  

Wind on his shoulders, light in his eyes.  

Like the first time she saw him, walking toward her with a soda can in hand, purple-red sunset behind him… 

Dressed in splendor, bold as blazing blossoms. 

Time never lingers, yet the world remains in eternal summer.  

—End of Main Text—  

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