Summer in Your Name - 84

After seeing her friends off, the National Day holiday came to an end just like that.  

Heyan, with its four distinct seasons, grew colder with each passing day. College life wasn’t as fun or carefree as she’d imagined. Before she could even wrap her head around what her major actually entailed, midterms arrived. Sheng Xia’s life had essentially become a four-point loop: classroom, library, dorm, cafeteria.

Zhang Shu, on the other hand, had two additional stops: the lab and Heqing University’s cafeteria.  

Apart from midterms, they also had monthly exams, practically no different from high school, and major assignments every few days. His coursework was significantly heavier than Sheng Xia’s by more than just a bit.  

Even when they met on weekends, it was usually just a day trip to the library, with at most half an hour of romantic time together before parting ways. Life was busy yet peaceful.  

If there had to be a ripple in this routine, it was Sheng Xia losing not one, but two electric scooters in a row.  

Many in her department rode scooters, while stolen vehicles weren’t unheard of, she was the only one who had lost two in a row.  

Xiao Bai 1.0 was abandoned at Nanli, left to gather dust.

Xiao Bai 2.0 suffered organ theft, the battery was taken.  

Xiao Bai 3.0 was stolen entirely.  

Xiao Bai’s fate was fraught with hardship.  

Sheng Xia reported the theft to the security office, but it was mostly just for peace of mind. Heqing University had so many scooters stolen every year, and she’d never heard of any being recovered.  

She also felt too embarrassed to call Sheng Mingfeng again. Having recently splurged on photography gear for the club, her wallet was already strained. She figured she could tighten her belt for half a month and buy another one herself after New Year’s Day.  

So, for now, Sheng Xia had been taking the university shuttle bus with her roommates.  

Zhong Lujie whined, "No Xiao Bai to hitch a ride with today... I miss it already.”

Freshman-year classes weren’t divided by major, so the three roommates usually took turns riding on Sheng Xia’s scooter. Xiao Bai’s theft was a loss felt by the entire dorm.  

Liao Jing and Fan Jingshu hooked their arms through Sheng Xia’s. "Let’s go. Today, 219 will dominate Bus 103."  

219 was their dorm number, and 103 was the shuttle bus from the dormitory to Duxing Building.

The literature department was famous on campus for its abundance of beauties, and Dorm 219 was unanimously recognized as the ‘all-beauty squad’ within the department.

Early in the morning, Liao Jing insisted on putting makeup on everyone to commemorate their full squad assembly.

 

After much fussing, all Liao Jing managed was a dab of foundation and some eyebrow touch-ups. Though she was considered the ‘makeup guru’ in the dorm, in truth, she was still very much a novice. 

But youth had its advantages—a little touch-up was enough to make everyone glow. With the BUFF stacked, each one of them looked stunning.

Now, not only on Bus 103, but even as they walked down the campus path, they turned heads left and right.    

Watching a couple walk past all lovey-dovey, Zhong Lujie sighed, "Tell me, who in our department is even worth dressing up for? What a waste."    

In half a semester, the handful of guys in their classes had either been snatched up or the quality was… well, exactly what you’d expect.  

Fan Jingshu nudged Sheng Xia’s shoulder. "Xiaxia, does your boyfriend’s department have any quality handsome guys? Get him to introduce us?”

Liao Jing chimed in, "Yeah, yeah! Their department is full of potential stocks. We can cultivate future tech elites in advance."  

Zhong Lujie interjected, "Wake up, sisters! Computer science! IT guys! Sheng Xia’s boyfriend is what you call survivor bias!"  

Fan Jingshu sighed, "I can already imagine a room full of plaid shirts…"  

Liao Jing: “Hey, let’s not stereotype, okay? How would we know if you don’t give it a chance?”

Zhong Lujie asked, "Jingjing, why are you so enthusiastic? Weren’t you already kinda seeing someone? That guy from the university debate team, the architecture major? Did that fizzle out?”    

Liao Jing stammered, "Well, actually, I was just about to tell you guys. He asked me out to a meal…"  

"That’s great!"  

"Say yes!"  

“Oh, come on!” Liao Jing blushed. "But I have to play a little hard to get, don’t I? So I said I had plans with my roommates, and he, he said you guys could come too…”  

"Huh? You’re going on a date. How can we third-wheel?"  

Liao Jing: "This isn’t a date! Help me vet him, okay? I’d feel awkward having a one-on-one meal for the first time anyway."  

"When?"  

Liao Jing replied, "Tomorrow."  

"You’re only telling us now? Why not wait till tomorrow night while you're at it?”

"Hehe, I was shy, okay? You’ll all come, right?"  

"No problem! We’ll back you up. But tomorrow, the three of us won’t wear makeup. We’ll dress down so you can shine alone."  

Liao Jing laughed. “You're a real one! But don’t bother, if he can’t handle the 'Spider Lair¹' test, then I don’t want him anyway."  

(¹:Refers to the Cave of Silken Web from Journey to the West, where a group of spider demons attempt to seduce and trap the virtuous Tang Monk. Here, it metaphorically refers to a test of a man’s resistance to temptation.)

Fan Jingshu: “Don’t go testing men like that, especially not in this regard! How many thousands of years did it take to produce one Tang Monk²? Zhu Bajies³ are everywhere, though."  

(²: The Buddhist monk Tang from Journey to the West, known for his piety and resistance to temptation.)

(³: One of Tang’s disciples in Journey to the West, often portrayed as lazy, gluttonous, and easily tempted by women.)  

 

Liao Jing exclaimed, "Wow, Shuzai! Eighteen years single, yet you sound like a war-hardened sage?”

Fan Jingshu shrugged. "Never eaten pork but haven’t I seen pigs run? Trust me, they’re everywhere.”

The matter was happily decided. Sheng Xia gave Zhang Shu a heads-up to avoid him coming over and finding her gone.  

Zhang Shu replied, "Your roommates are something else, letting someone like you tag along?"  

What kind of comment was that?  

Sheng Xia: “Jingjing is really pretty!”

Zhang Shu: "Just go for the food. Don’t look at him."  

Sheng Xia: “?” She was going to help Jingjing vet the guy—how could she not look at the guy at all?  

Zhang Shu: “No eye contact. No guy can handle it.”

He really overestimated her! Did he think she was some kind of femme fatale?  

Sheng Xia: “We agreed to be Jingjing’s backdrop and wear sweatpants.”

Zhang Shu: “If sweatpants worked that way, how exactly do you think your boyfriend got seduced by you?"  

Sheng Xia: “Who seduced you!”

Zhang Shu: “True. I was already on my knees before your sweatpants without any seduction. Imagine if you actually tried." 

Sheng Xia was speechless. Unwilling to endure more of his "Shu-speak," she exited WeChat and unilaterally declared a half-hour cold war!  

Half an hour later, she went back online and replied, "Oh, got it."  

The next day, Sheng Xia showed up in a sweatshirt and sweatpants, layered under a puffer jacket and snow boots, making her look like the Michelin Man. She glanced at her roommates, they were all similarly dressed.  

Liao Jing, however, wore a knitted dress that showed off her figure, topped with a wool coat, striking that delicate balance between innocent and sophisticated.  

Everything went according to plan, but unexpectedly, the other side also brought four people.  

The guy had brought his buddies along.  

Fan Jingshu blinked furiously at Liao Jing, and Zhong Lujie also widened her eyes, both conveying the same message: Why didn’t you tell us first!  

Under the table, Liao Jing spread her hands and gave an innocent look, conveying: She didn’t know either!  

Fan Jingshu mouthed silently: Pretty handsome!  

Liao Jing pursed her lips and blinked lightly.  

Sheng Xia kept her head down, staring at the tabletop, diligently following certain someone’s instructions, so she missed her roommates’ eye communication. The guys introduced his roommates first, and Liao Jing introduced them one by one.  

When her name was called, Sheng Xia quickly glanced up and nodded politely.  

She had a vague feeling that the atmosphere was a bit off. This… felt a bit like a group date?  

Soon, the word ‘group date’ began to materialize. When the meal was almost over, one of the guys created a group chat and suggested playing ‘Who’s the Undercover’.

(⁴: A popular social deduction game in China, similar to Spyfall or Undercover, where players guess who among them has a different word.)  

Sheng Xia was terrible at games and wasn't particularly keen on playing, but since she was at the table, she didn’t want to be a killjoy and had to participate.  

After just one round, Sheng Xia received three ‘friend requests’. She leaned over to look at Fan Jingshu—sure enough, she had received them too.  

Liao Jing raised an eyebrow at her, then sent a WeChat: "You don’t have to accept them! Don’t worry about me, it’s fine!”

Sheng Xia replied with a cutesy, rolling-around emoji, but ultimately didn’t accept the friend request.  

It wasn’t about not giving face, in the past, she would have politely added them, treating it as just another name in her contacts list.  

But she remembered that time in high school when she added that yellow haired guy at the milk tea shop, and all the trouble that had followed. How it made someone gulp down a whole bottle of water in jealousy.  

At this thought, Sheng Xia couldn’t help but smile.  

This smile happened during the lull while shuffling the next round of undercover words, making it glaringly conspicuous in the hushed room.

Seeing everyone look over, Sheng Xia felt slightly embarrassed.  

Since it was her turn to speak first in this round, she offered, "When I see this word, I think of my boyfriend.”  

This explanation followed the game's rules while casually revealing her relationship status, that should come across as natural and unforced, right?

But why were everyone’s expressions so strange?  

Liao Jing asked, "Why?"  

Sheng Xia thought for a moment and said, "He’s a handsome hero."  

The word she had drawn was: Spider-Man.  

Her face was practically glowing with admiration, she might as well have stamped ‘lovestruck’ across her forehead. Surely no guy would have any ideas about her now?  

Zhong Lujie suddenly burst out laughing, and soon everyone was in stitches.  

"Sheng Xia is definitely the undercover!"  

"This round was way too quick! Zero suspense, she gave herself away with the first word."  

"Sheng Xia committed verbal suicide in the first round, haha!"  

Sheng Xia was baffled and was unanimously voted as the undercover.  

When the words were revealed, it turned out she was indeed the undercover.  

Because everyone else’s word was: PigPigMan⁵. 

(⁵: A popular Chinese animated character.) 

Uh… to think she'd said seeing PigPigMan made her think of her boyfriend as a handsome hero…  

That was a terrible description.  

Sheng Xia pressed a hand to her forehead, grateful Zhang Shu wasn’t here to witness this.

But before relief could settle in, Zhang Shu’s voice call suddenly came through.  

As she answered the phone, she accepted the game punishment from the guy across the table—a glass of wasabi water.  

So the moment she spoke, she choked. "Hello? Cough."  

"Sounds like a guilty conscience to me," came Zhang Shu's voice, decidedly unamused.  

"Huh? What?" Did he have super hearing? How could he possibly know?  

Zhang Shu said, "Weren’t you supposed to be vetting someone for your roommate? Is your roommate dating four guys at once?"  

How did he know?  

Sheng Xia instinctively looked around. Their private room was by the window, and with one glance, she spotted the person straddling a vehicle across the street.  

Zhang Shu was wearing a parka-style down jacket. Because of his long neck, it didn’t look bulky at all. He didn’t seem to have any particular interest in trendy fashion, his clothes were always quite casual, but he still looked pleasing to the eye.  

At that moment, his posture and gaze were exactly the same as when he had caught her adding a classmate on WeChat.  

Only this time, he was astride a sleek forest-green electric scooter, its compact design utterly at odds with his usual aesthetic.  

Sheng Xia quickly took a big gulp of plain water to wash away the pungent wasabi taste before saying, "You… why are you here?"  

Since she kept looking out the window while speaking, the others instinctively followed her gaze.  

Zhang Shu’s eyes softened from their coldness. "Shouldn’t an hour be enough to vet someone? What kind of meal takes this long?"  

So that’s why he asked where they were eating last night.  

Sheng Xia was worried his voice would carry and others might hear, especially since he wasn’t being very polite. So she stood up and said to Liao Jing, "My boyfriend is here. He seems to need me. I should probably go.”

One of the guys across the table said, "Just grab an extra seat. Invite him in."  

Sheng Xia suddenly felt annoyed but ignored him, keeping her eyes fixed on Liao Jing.  

Liao Jing handed her her coat. "Okay, message us in the group if anything comes up."  

Sheng Xia exchanged a few words with her other roommates and finally nodded politely to the guys across the table before leaving.  

She put on her coat as she crossed the traffic to the other side of the street.  

In the private room, everyone was still watching outside.  

They saw the guy get off his scooter, shouting something. From his lip movements, it was clearly "Slow down!"  

Then Sheng Xia, slightly out of breath, stood in front of him. The guy pulled her down jacket zipper all the way up to the top, cupped her face, rubbed and pinched her cheeks lightly, then leaned down and gave her a quick kiss.  

It was a light, fleeting kiss, like a greeting. Sheng Xia responded just as naturally, she took a step closer, their toes touching, her arms loosely encircling his waist as she looked up to smile at him, murmuring something.

The guy had a slight smile on his lips, his gaze so focused it made onlookers envious.  

This natural intimacy, the way they navigated public affection with such effortless grace, every bit of it was just right.    

"Dog food overload," Fan Jingshu’s words broke the silence in the private room.  

Only then did everyone realize they had been staring too intently.  

Zhong Lujie said, "I wish all couples could learn from this, maintain public decency and keep kisses elegant."  

One of the guys asked, "Which department is her boyfriend in?"  

Liao Jing replied, "Haiyan University. Computer science."  

The guy raised a thumbs-up, "Impressive."  

Another guy remarked casually, "In Haiyan’s Computer Science, the truly impressive ones are probably all in the Shensi Class⁶, right? Not in the main department."  

(⁶: A prestigious academic track at top Chinese universities, often admitting students via subject Olympiads.) 

"True."  

"Shensi Class is mostly specially admitted through competitions, right? Many are in combined master’s-PhD programs. Very research-focused."  

"So her boyfriend didn’t get in through competitions? A regular exam admit in that department’s gotta be brutal.”

“Real brutal. Hard to stand out.”

“Also, the CS field’s kinda oversaturated now.”

"Speaking of computer science prospects now…"  

The guys started discussing, their words seemingly complimentary but actually backhanded, while also trying to show off their insight.  

Did they think the girls would be impressed?  

Fan Jingshu and Zhong Lujie exchanged glances and rolled their eyes simultaneously. Liao Jing picked up her phone and typed in the group chat: "Today’s makeup was ultimately wasted, sisters. Let’s bounce."  

Fan Jingshu: “Let's split the bill. Avoid future complications.”

Zhong Lujie: “Agreed.”  

---

Sheng Xia examined the electric scooter beside her.  

Back when she had first started university, she mentioned wanting to buy a scooter. Sheng Mingfeng sent someone to take her shopping, telling her to pick whatever she wanted. The shop assistant, thinking a big spender had arrived, immediately recommended this model, which cost around seven or eight thousand. Sheng Xia thought it was too much, it was just for getting around campus, after all. In the end, she settled for a three-thousand-yuan one.    

Unexpectedly, that seven-to-eight-thousand-yuan scooter was now parked right beside her. Its retro design was undeniably gorgeous. Even the windshield was designed to match, looking warm and cozy.  

Zhang Shu said it was a gift for her. He pulled out the keys and jingled them—they had a blue key cover and a crystal keychain.  

Sheng Xia was stunned. "For me? You bought it?"  

Zhang Shu tapped her nose with the key cover. "What else? Stole it?"  

Then, as if remembering something, he suddenly smiled. "Maybe your scooter was stolen by someone to give to their girlfriend. Will you feel better thinking that way?”

To be honest, it wasn’t very comforting.  

Sheng Xia frowned. "It’s too expensive. I looked at prices when I bought my scooter before. Don’t waste money like this…"  

"How is this wasting money?" Zhang Shu shrugged. “Your previous scooter wasn’t right for you. That’s why you lost both of them. Maybe this new one’ll stick around.”

What a way to comfort her! If this one got stolen too, the loss would cut even deeper.  

Sheng Xia was still extremely uneasy. "It’s really too expensive."  

Zhang Shu looked at her worried face and sighed, pulling her into his embrace. "The most precious thing has already been taken by me. What’s this stuff compared to that?"  

He held the most precious flower in his arms and felt that nothing was good enough for her. He only hoped that within his means, he could give her the best—whatever she needed, as long as he had it.  

Zhang Shu tightened his embrace, her fragrance filling his arms. Even through the soft down jacket, he could feel how incredibly soft she was. He buried his face in the crook of her neck and nuzzled gently. "Happy six-month anniversary, dummy."  

Sheng Xia’s ears tingled.  

Six months?  

Actually, Sheng Xia had never been sure how to calculate how long they had been together. She thought he would consider it from the day he confessed or from their first kiss during graduation trip.  

But in her heart, she believed their story had truly begun the night before their college entrance exam score estimates. When he’d rushed to her building and solemnly promised that no matter their scores or future, he would move closer to her.  

That, to her, was when they truly got together.

Today was their six-month anniversary, and half a year ago would be the night before score estimation.  

So, he felt the same way she did.  

Sheng Xia felt a wave of warmth surge from the depths of her heart, suffusing her entire being with a radiant lightness. She raised her arms to hug him back, almost losing her balance through their thick down jackets. She grabbed her left wrist with her right hand, holding him tightly. An unprecedented sense of security and fulfillment swept over her.  

She lifted her head from his chest and pressed a kiss to his chin. "Want to go on a date this weekend?"  

Zhang Shu froze. This easy to please? Just give her a scooter and she’ll agree to a date?

If only he had known earlier.  

Before he could respond, she added seriously, "But I’m paying!"  

Zhang Shu’s face darkened. "No way."  

Sheng Xia struck his weak spot. “Then no date.”

Zhang Shu surrendered instantly. “Fine, I'll listen to you.” 

---

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