Summer in Your Name - 91

As the new semester approached, Xin Xiaohe invited Sheng Xia to return together. Only then did Sheng Xia dare to surface in the group chat. The moment she appeared, the conversation veered sharply, flooding her with questions that left her cheeks burning and her heart racing. Unable to respond, she could only respond in her head.

“Did it really finish in seconds?”  

—Not at all.

"How much was consumed?"    

Sheng Xia stared at the screen, confused. Xin Xiaohe clarified: "How many boxes did you go through?”  

—Two. The first box was wasted either because it wasn’t put on properly or because of her issue. The second left a vivid memory, because his hands were so sweaty he struggled to tear it open, so he used his teeth. And that look in his eyes… Just thinking about it made her shudder.

Heaven knows how red her face was as she lay there.

“How did it feel?”  

—Painful. Hot. Nerve-wracking.

“How many times?”  

—She didn’t know how to count it.

At first, it hurt too much. He kept soothing her, but she still shook her head, her lower lip bitten pale. Sweat beaded on his forehead, yet he yielded, coaxing her while gripping her hand tightly.  

After that first frantic, clumsy attempt, he pulled her close, spooning her from behind until they fell asleep. In the middle of the night, she woke up, stifling hot, and kicked off the blankets in a daze—accidentally rousing him. He turned her face to his, and kissed her hard, making up for earlier with unrelenting passion.

In the morning, Sheng Xia was finally sinking into comfortable sleep when he woke up to the sound of the ocean waves. His body was as punctual as the ebb and flow. If he was awake, she wouldn’t get to sleep either. And yet he still had the nerve to coax her, murmuring, “Just keep sleeping.”

Keep sleeping?  

Who could sleep through this?  

So annoying!

“A guy who’s just gotten a taste is like a cat in spring, overbearingly clingy and downright annoying." Xin Xiaohe dropped this gem when Sheng Xia went silent.

Sheng Xia froze. Did Xin Xiaohe have mind-reading powers?

Xiaomai: “With Brother Shu, though...‘cat’ doesn’t quite fit."  

Tao Zhizhi: “Then, a dog?”  

Lanlan: “A lion?”  

Xin Xiaohe: “Have you ever seen a lion in spring?”

College girls were terrifying. They were way more hardcore than they’d been in high school. Unable to endure the group chat any longer, Sheng Xia first muted the notifications, but she couldn’t resist peeking. In the end, she left the group entirely. 

Soon after, Xin Xiaohe sent a private message: "You do realize that when the person in question isn’t around, the discussion only gets more explicit, right?”  

Tao Zhizhi followed with a screenshot, the group name had changed to “Shy Girl Runs Away from Home.”

…

Compared to them, her college roommates were much more reserved. They didn’t tease her outright. But whenever Zhang Shu came to Heqing and waited for her outside the dorm, they’d start hooting and hollering.

After Liao Jing’s disastrous forced group date, Room 219 had lost interest in that kind of thing. Yet, subjected daily to the sight of couples being all lovey-dovey under their dorm windows, they soon started clamoring about wanting a relationship themselves.

So Sheng Xia was tasked to arrange something. Unfortunately, of the four guys in Zhang Shu’s dorm, only one was single—a rarity in the male-dominated computer science department, where most had been in relationships since high school.  

Zhang Shu had to rope in his project group members to scrape together a 4v4 gathering.  

Before heading out, Zhong Lujie nervously asked, “Guess how many of the four will wear plaid shirts?”    

Sheng Xia answered honestly, “Zhang Shu doesn’t own a plaid shirt. And I don’t think I’ve seen his classmates wear them much either?”

The programmer-in-plaid stereotype was hard to shake.

They had agreed to meet at an amusement park. Sheng Xia and her roommates arrived a little late. They spotted the guys before they’d even gotten out of the car.

“Uh…” Sheng Xia faltered.  

One guy was wearing a plaid shirt.  

“See? One out of four. That’s not a low probability!” Liao Jing declared.

The boy had a fair, clean-cut look, his face half-hidden behind black-framed glasses. The plaid shirt surprisingly suited him. 

Sheng Xia recognized him, the taciturn academic prodigy. Both his parents worked in tech, and he'd won gold in informatics competitions, the mystical beings with a perfect GPA. Geniuses apparently had their quirks, he didn't mesh well with others. Eventually, the professor assigned him to Zhang Shu’s group. On campus, Zhang Shu was basically the only person he interacted with outside of class. Whenever Sheng Xia visited Haiyan unannounced, this guy was always glued to his side.

Zhang Shu introduced the people he’d brought. The guy in the plaid shirt was Cheng Zhuoyang.

Sheng Xia hadn’t expected an academic prodigy like him to show up to what was essentially a ‘group date’. 

The next second, Liao Jing got all excited, pointing and stammering, “You-you-you… Cheng Zhuoyang? The top scorer from our province!”  

The girls of 219 were stunned.

Sure, their prestigious department had its fair share of top scorers, but this was way too surreal, right?

“It’s me. Hi, Liao Jing,” Cheng Zhuoyang replied calmly, leaving everyone even more bewildered.  

"You two are from the same hometown?" someone asked.  

“Yeah, but…” Liao Jing was confused. She’d only ever seen the top scorer’s photo and name on the honors list. They hadn’t gone to the same high school.

Cheng Zhuoyang explained, “We were in neighboring classes in middle school.”  

His brows furrowed tightly, as if every word pained him, yet he had no choice but to.  

“Wow, what are the odds?” someone marveled.  

Zhang Shu just raised an eyebrow from the side. He took Sheng Xia’s hand, pulled her close, and handed out the tickets. “Let’s head in. It’s hot out here.”

Behind them, Liao Jing buzzed around Cheng Zhuoyang, peppering him with questions.    

Liao Jing: “Middle school? How come I don’t remember? I remember everyone who ever threatened my first-place ranking!”

Cheng Zhuoyang: "I wasn’t that great academically back then.”  

Liao Jing: “No way! How come?”  

Cheng Zhuoyang: “Games were more interesting.”  

Liao Jing: “So how do you remember me?”  

Cheng Zhuoyang: "You were first place.”  

Liao Jing: “Oh, right. Hey, you CS guys, can you write cheats for games?”

“…”  

“Do you still play? Carry me, carry me!”  

Sheng Xia wiped a bead of sweat from her brow and leaned in to whisper to Zhang Shu, “Your friend’s so honest. Won’t my roommate scare him off?”  

Zhang Shu glanced at her, then suddenly leaned down and kissed her lightly. “Silly birds flock together.”  

Sheng Xia: …  

Zhang Shu: “We’ll see who scares who.”

—

Back at the dorm that night, Liao Jing booted up her computer and logged into her game, eagerly waiting for the genius to carry her to victory.  

Zhong Lujie grinned slyly. “You’re not, like, into him, are you?”

Liao Jing waved her hand dismissively. “Nah, he’s too quiet. And, I mean, if he hadn’t been wearing that plaid shirt today, maybe. But nah.”  

“Hahahahaha!”  

—

As the semester reached its halfway mark, the Computer Science Department entered its busiest season.  

Assignments handed out like royal decrees. Midterms followed close behind. The lab was swamped, too, preparing for an upcoming visit from an inspection team.

Starting next semester, their weekends would be packed with various experiments. Zhang Shu had to squeeze in time to see Sheng Xia. Any evening he didn’t have a late class, he’d make the unbreakable trip to Heqing to have dinner with her and take a walk before heading back to his own campus.

“Brother Shu.”  

Early Saturday morning, Zhang Shu had just gotten up when Cheng Zhuoyang showed up at his dorm door. The lab was hosting visitors today, and they needed to help out.  

Cheng Zhuoyang was actually a few months older, but he insisted on calling him ‘Brother Shu’ and Zhang Shu just rolled with it.  

Both of them had joined Haiyan University’s Computer Vision Center that semester. Fewer than ten undergrads were in the entire lab, and they were the only two sophomores. For now, they were just learning the ropes, but the opportunity was huge. They were the envy of their department, even the whole college. Naturally, there were also those who weren’t convinced.  

Cheng Zhuoyang they could understand, he was top of his year. But Zhang Shu wasn’t exactly top in academic performance, and many couldn’t figure out why the department picked him.  

Cheng Zhuoyang knew why, but he couldn’t be bothered to explain. Besides, he knew Zhang Shu didn’t care.  

The lab never lacked academic talent. What it needed was a coordinator.  

Last year, the lab had made a major breakthrough in medical imaging diagnostics, one substantial enough for real-world application. Several companies had extended olive branches, leading to frequent visits from corporate reps. But the lab had never been this keyed up before.

“Who’s visiting today?”  

The senior lab members were buzzing with speculation, but not even the junior advisor had a clear answer. 

Zhang Shu, busy organizing materials and calibrating equipment, paid little attention to the chatter.  

Outside the lab, a guide's amplified voice echoed through the hallway: “Our distinguished guests, right this way.” Everyone figured it was government officials.

When Zhang Shu saw Sheng Mingfeng leading the group, a flicker of surprise crossed his face, but only for a moment. He'd read Sheng Mingfeng’s resume a long time ago—his political achievements were impressive. Many local governments were now prioritizing tech empowerment, hoping AI could improve grassroots healthcare. Sheng Mingfeng’s presence here wasn’t entirely surprising. 

What was surprising was Sheng Mingfeng spotting him through the glass door and waving with a hearty smile. “Well, if it isn’t Zhang Shu!”  

The lab director was surprised. “You know him, Secretary Sheng?”

“Of course, Zhang Shu! Nanli’s top scorer, one of our ‘Ten Outstanding Youths’ for bravery! I presented him the award myself!” Sheng Mingfeng said, beaming.

Hearing this, the director shot Zhang Shu an approving look, adding to the praise. “Nanli truly cultivates talent. Zhang Shu is an excellent student.”  

Zhang Shu stood calmly, his gaze respectful but unwavering.

But everyone nearby knew the director didn’t even know all the PhD students’ names. There was no way he knew some undergrad’s. In fact, he probably didn’t even know Zhang Shu was an undergrad.

"Excellent talent indeed," Sheng Mingfeng agreed generously. “How could anyone in Director Fan’s lab not be?”  

The office Zhang Shu was in wasn’t a main stop on the tour, and the delegation soon moved on. But the little episode had caught people’s attention. The junior advisor assigned to Zhang Shu, bursting with curiosity, came over to pump him for information. “I remember hearing you’d won some social award. So it was Top Ten Outstanding Youth! Even the big boss remembers you. Not bad, kid!”    

After the advisor left, Cheng Zhuoyang commented quietly from the side, “They give out that award to ten people every year. How could he just ‘remember’? I have to say your girlfriend bears a striking resemblance to this Secretary Sheng, though.”  

Zhang Shu gave a noncommittal nod and went back to work.  

“Brother Shu, good luck.”  

Zhang Shu: …  

Before long, an aide accompanying Sheng Mingfeng approached Zhang Shu. He set down the materials in his hand and followed him out.  

Out front, the cameras had stopped rolling. Sheng Mingfeng was shaking hands with the lab director, exchanging farewells.  

“You must visit Nanli. We can provide a wealth of training data, and the application scenarios are incredibly broad. We are very eager to…”

"Absolutely, absolutely. Secretary Sheng, your sincerity has truly moved us…”  

The aide led Zhang Shu around to the back of the building, and they met on a campus path. Soon, Sheng Mingfeng’s car pulled up.

"Classmate Zhang Shu, how about joining me for a meal?”  

Zhang Shu nodded. "Of course, Uncle Sheng.”  

The car pulled away smoothly. The secretary in the front seat briefed them on the rest of the day’s schedule. Sheng Mingfeng apologized, “I forgot about my prior commitments. It seems our meal will have to wait for another time."  

Zhang Shu remained calm. “I’m available whenever you are, Uncle Sheng. If you weren't here on official business, it really should be me hosting you."  

The secretary and driver in the front seat kept their eyes fixed ahead, silently assessing Zhang Shu.  

A slight smile played on Sheng Mingfeng’s lips, his manner as genial as always, though it carried an undeniable authority. He cut straight to the point: “Sheng Xia tells me you two are dating.”  

Zhang Shu returned the smile, meeting Sheng Mingfeng’s gaze. “What she probably said was that we’re… getting to know each other as friends?”   

Sheng Mingfeng’s brow lifted slightly, then he let out a hearty laugh. “You do understand her.”  

Zhang Shu didn’t deny it. On this point, he saw no reason to feign modesty.  

“So, is she telling the truth?”  

Zhang Shu answered without hesitation, "That depends on her."    

Sheng Mingfeng paused. “Not on me?”  

The moment these words left Sheng Mingfeng’s mouth, the two in the front seat tensed: Kid, here comes the make-or-break question.  

Zhang Shu considered this briefly, then replied calmly, “If she thinks we’re just friends, I’ll wait. If you think we’re just friends, I’ll push harder.”  

Silence filled the car. Even the secretary’s page-turning stopped.

The car had left Haiyan University behind. Towering office buildings lined the streets, a picture of prosperity.    

A weight settled on Zhang Shu’s shoulder as Sheng Mingfeng spoke again, his voice tinged with something akin to nostalgia: “Then push harder, Classmate Zhang Shu.” 

Zhang Shu nodded solemnly, the resolve clear in his mind: He already is. He’d never stopped.   

“You know what’s more important than pushing harder?” Sheng Mingfeng asked.  

Zhang Shu had answer in mind, but he knew that right now, his role wasn’t to speak, it was to listen.  

“If you don’t have Sun Quan’s birthright, be Cao Cao. If you don’t have Zhuge Liang’s genius, be Liu Bei. Whatever you do, don’t end up like Yuan Shao or Liu Biao.”  

"Classmate Zhang Shu, you’re not one to work for others, nor should you be. Do you understand?”  

(*Sun Quan: Ruler of Wu Kingdom. Inherited a powerful family legacy and vast wealth from his father and brother, giving him a strong foundation to govern.

Cao Cao: Brilliant yet ruthless strategist. Rose from humble beginnings. Renowned for his ambition and adaptability. 

Zhuge Liang: Brilliant strategist and advisor to Liu Bei, revered for his unparalleled intellect and tactical genius. 

Liu Bei: Charismatic leader who, despite limited resources, achieved greatness through perseverance, loyalty and recruiting top talents like Zhuge Liang. 

Yuan Shao & Liu Biao: Noble-born warlords who failed due to indecisiveness, poor leadership, and wasted opportunities.) 

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