Summer in Your Name - 82

The planned date fell through once again because Sheng Xia had a lecture on Sunday.  

Zhang Shu felt helpless but still asked with patience, “How about National Day then? That should work, right?”  

Turns out, no. Tao Zhizhi was coming for a visit, and Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu were also coming into the city.  

It was the perfect chance for everyone to get together.  

Tao Zhizhi had entrusted the important task of booking accommodation to Sheng Xia. Upon hearing the news, Xin Xiaohe insisted on staying at the same hotel. So, Sheng Xia simply booked a vacation rental near the school—three bedrooms, two living areas, complete with a kitchen.  

In the group chat, Xin Xiaohe asked, “Are you and Zhang Shu coming to stay with us?”  

Sheng Xia: “No, why would we?”  

The school was right nearby, why would they stay elsewhere?  

Xin Xiaohe: “Then why did you book three bedrooms?”  

Sheng Xia was puzzled: “One for Taozi, one for you, and one for Yang Linyu. That’s three, right?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “observing-secretly.jpg”  

Sheng Xia: “It’s a duplex. You and Zhizhi can take the upstairs.”  

Privacy shouldn’t be an issue.  

If it was a vacation rental, she and Zhang Shu could also come over to hang out.  

Tao Zhizhi popped up: “Xiaxia, is there a chance, just maybe, that couples would want to share a room? That’d leave one room free, you know?”  

Xin Xiaohe scrambled to clarify: “No way, Taozhi! I meant you and I could share!”  

Tao Zhizhi: “Really? Don’t force it, Sister Xin. I’m fine alone.”    

Xin Xiaohe: “…”  

Sheng Xia really hadn’t considered this, Xin Xiaohe and Yang Linyu share a room?  

So soon?  

That didn’t seem right…  

Xin Xiaohe: “Xiaxia, why don’t you and Brother Shu come stay with us? The three of us girls can share one room, the boys can take the other!”

Tao Zhizhi: “Yeah! We can have meals together, watch movies, play cards!”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Celebrate the holiday together!”  

It does sound fun. Sheng Xia went to ask Zhang Shu.  

He replied: “What’s up with Xin Xiaohe? Why’s she so obsessed with sleeping with you? No way.”  

Sheng Xia: “I haven’t seen her in so long.”  

Sheng Xia: “Puppy eyes.jpg”  

Zhang Shu: “Haven’t seen her in so long, so you sleep together? Is that the logic now?”    

Sheng Xia: “?”  

Zhang Shu: “Then let’s not meet till next month?”  

Sheng Xia: “…”  

Foul!    

This guy, his words were getting more and more out of line!  

And she still hadn’t settled the score about that ‘soft and squishy’ accident with him yet! 

No matter how much Zhang Shu objected, on the first day of the National Day holiday, Xin Xiaohe came bustling up to the gates of Heqing University, wrapped Sheng Xia in a tight hug, and even puckered her lips in a dramatic air-kiss.  

Mwah! Mwah!  

Yang Linyu cautiously glanced at Zhang Shu, who was standing nearby.  

Zhang Shu’s expression was unfriendly: “Are you sure your girlfriend actually likes you?”  

Yang Linyu: …  

Zhang Shu stepped forward, pulling Sheng Xia to his side and putting some distance between her and Xin Xiaohe. “Aren’t we supposed to pick someone up at the train station? Shouldn’t you get going? If your silly sister is left waiting, she'll probably start bothering the police and cause a public disturbance.”  

As he spoke, he wrapped an arm around Sheng Xia’s shoulders and walked ahead without waiting for the others.  

Xin Xiaohe paused for a moment, stifling a laugh, then linked arms with Yang Linyu and followed behind, whispering, “Brother Shu’s mouth is as sharp as ever, tsk tsk tsk!”  

Yang Linyu: “Who told you to kiss his girlfriend?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Do you have a problem with that? Besides, I didn’t actually kiss her!”  

Yang Linyu shut up.  

Then the group picked up Tao Zhizhi at the train station. The three girls embraced conspicuously, almost spinning on the spot in their excitement.  

Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu, who were handling the luggage, exchanged a look.  

Yang Linyu sensed danger. Was Brother Shu about to complain about Xin Xiaohe again? He hurriedly explained: “They’re really close, haha.”  

Zhang Shu took a step back: “What’s with that look? Thinking of copying them? Don’t even dream about it.”  

Yang Linyu: Yep. Brother Shu hasn’t changed one bit. That mouth of his!    

When they arrived at the vacation rental, they settled in according to Xin Xiaohe’s arrangement.  

The three girls stayed upstairs, while Zhang Shu and Yang Linyu stayed downstairs.  

After several months apart, Xin Xiaohe had changed dramatically.  

She had slimmed down significantly, her hair now reached her collarbone, and she had wispy curtain bangs that gave her a delicate, feminine air.  

Tao Zhizhi cupped her face: “So envious. I thought people were supposed to gain weight when they’re in love? I think that’s just something single people say to comfort themselves. Clearly, I’m the only one expanding horizontally.”  

“Military training saved me!” The moment Xin Xiaohe opened her mouth, it was clear she hadn’t changed at all—still as boisterous as ever. “The food at the university district training camp was so bad even dogs wouldn’t eat it! I lost almost 5 kg!"  

Sheng Xia: “Yang Linyu doesn’t seem to have changed much?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “That guy devouredit all with relish, he’s a dog.”  

Sheng Xia: “Poor Brother Yu. Getting dragged into this.”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Poor dogs, you mean. Dogs are actually cute."  

Tao Zhizhi: “What about you, Xiaxia? Weren't you two supposed to be comparing which school's cafeteria was better? How come neither of you seems to have changed size at all?”  

Sheng Xia: “Not sure. Haven't weighed myself. Probably not much change.”  

She and Zhang Shu didn’t seem to be the type to gain weight easily.  

“Really?” Xin Xiaohe suddenly leaned in mischievously. “Let me check and see if there’s any change?”  

With that, she buried her face in Sheng Xia’s chest. Caught off guard, Sheng Xia fell back onto the bed. “Xin! Xiao! He! Get off me!”  

“Hahahaha!”  

“There is a change! You’ve gotten more soft and squishy!”  

Sheng Xia couldn’t stand hearing those words now. She grabbed a pillow and threw it at Xin Xiaohe. “Shut up!”  

“So fierce, so scary,” Xin Xiaohe easily caught the pillow and lowered her voice. “Hey, is this Zhang Shu's handiwork?"

Flustered and embarrassed, Sheng Xia chased after Xin Xiaohe, trying to tickle her waist. “Stop talking nonsense!”  

Xin Xiaohe dodged while chattering away: “Huh? Isn’t it? Is Brother Shu not up to it?”  

“Hahahaha!”  

“Giggle giggle!”  

Upstairs, the three girls chased each other around, laughing and tumbling into a heap.  

Downstairs, the two guys sitting on the sofa playing games fell into silent resignation.  

This was a duplex with an open layout, right? It’s just a vacation rental, so the construction materials aren’t great, OK? That door is so thin it might as well not exist, OK?  

Did they really think they were being quiet?  

Zhang Shu shot a sharp glance over. Yang Linyu offered an apologetic, awkward smile: “Heh heh, don’t blame them, Brother Shu. They’re really close, heh heh heh.”  

“You really can’t control Xin Xiaohe at all, can you?” Zhang Shu’s gaze returned to the game screen.  

Yang Linyu rubbed his nose and muttered, “Like you’ve got Sheng Xia under control. Wild horse, both of them. We’re in the same boat here…”

Zhang Shu: “…”  

Everyone was pretty tired from the journey, so they didn’t bother cooking. They found a local specialty restaurant for dinner. When they went to split the bill, they realized Zhang Shu had already paid. He didn’t accept the red packets everyone sent to the group chat either.  

Sheng Xia had skimmed the menu earlier. Their order must’ve cost at least six or seven hundred.  

She felt a little distressed. Going out inevitably meant spending money.  

Hou Junqi once mentioned offhand that Zhang Shu had stopped using Zhang Sujin’s money a long time ago. So it was all money he’d earned himself.  

She hadn’t seen him take on tutoring or doing part-time jobs or anything, so he probably wasn’t rolling in cash.  

This was also why she was reluctant to go out on dates.  

Because he would never let her pay, and she couldn’t bring herself to spend his money without guilt.

Actually, just meeting up, taking a walk, talking, hugging and kissing when they felt the mood struck—that was plenty good for her. She didn’t think they needed to go out on fancy dates or outings to deepen their relationship. Being with him was enough.  

Back at the rental, Xin Xiaohe suggested everyone turn in early. She had already packed the next day’s schedule full of activities.  

So they took turns washing up and getting ready for bed.  

The three girls squeezed onto one bed, and the pillow talk began.  

Xin Xiaohe: “Xiaxia, you’re so shy. How does Brother Shu usually coax you?”  

Tao Zhizhi was also curious: “Hehe, little fists pounding his chest?”  

Sheng Xia was a little confused. “Coax? Why would he need to? We don’t really fight.”

Xin Xiaohe: “Who said coaxing is only for after arguments? Just look at today, I barely did that thing to you, and you wanted to hit me with a pillow!”  

Sheng Xia still didn’t understand.  

Tao Zhizhi rolled over. “Huh? Don’t tell me Brother Shu hasn’t…?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “How is that possible? What guy doesn’t touch breasts when kissing?”  

“…”  

“…”  

Silence fell.  

Tao Zhizhi giggled: “Sister Xin, must you be so blunt? Have mercy on this single dog who haven't seen the world!”

Sheng Xia, fed up with being teased all day, retorted lightly: “Oh? So you mean Brother Yu does?”  

Silence again.  

No one expected those words to come from Sheng Xia.  

Xin Xiaohe cleared her throat lightly: “Hmph. As if he'd dare.”

Sheng Xia: "Then your premise is..." Flawed.  

Xin Xiaohe: “I touched him.”  

Tao Zhizhi: “Hahahahaha!”  

Sheng Xia lay flat on her back between the two, hands neatly on top of the quilt, her eyes fixed on the ceiling, blinking. 

Do guys always touch… when kissing?  

Now that she thought about it, he never had?  

Even when their kisses got intense, when it felt like he might devour her whole, his hands never wandered.

Thinking carefully, he usually cupped the back of her head with one hand. The other hand was sometimes around her waist, sometimes…  

Vanished who knows where.  

More often than not, he just held her face with both hands.  

Even their bodies kept a measured distance.  

The closest they had ever been during a kiss was actually during their first kiss, when he'd held her so tightly, as if trying to merge themselves into one.  

Every other time, even that day on the lawn with him on top and her Below, such an intimate position, he still kept himself propped up, never letting himself fully press down on her.  

Every kiss they had shared since they started dating played like a movie before Sheng Xia’s eyes.  

Her face flushed deeper by the second.    

Kissing was already dizzying enough. Adding that on top of it…  

Forget it, forget it.  

Don’t think about it, don’t think about it!  

“Go to sleep now! We have to get up early tomorrow.” Sheng Xia pulled the quilt over her face.  

Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe exchanged knowing looks. 

“Hehehe, we’ll let you off for now!”  

How could Sheng Xia fall asleep? Once she felt Tao Zhizhi and Xin Xiaohe’s breathing even out, she slowly opened her eyes, reached for her phone, and sent Zhang Shu a message.  

“When we go out tomorrow, there are lots of attractions. Just give your student IDs to Xiaohe then, and we can all settle the expenses together when we get back at night.”  

“Don’t you pay again!”  

It was already past midnight, but he replied instantly.  

Zhang Shu: “Up so late? Want to manage my money already?"

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