Shao Yuwei liked sashimi, so she ordered fresh salmon and other on seafood like prawns.

  Su Yumian wasn’t used to eating cold food, so she ordered a bowl of ramen and some sushi instead. The ramen was just average, but at least the ingredients were fresh.

  Seeing how properly Su Yumin ate, Shao Yuwei deliberately teased her, “This piece of salmon is really tender and fresh. Are you sure you don’t want to try it? You might discover a whole new world.”

  Su Yumin politely deed, “You already know I ’t handle raw food mentally. I’ll just stiy ramen.”

  “It’s been so long, and you really haven’t ged at all.”

  Shao Yuwei had noticed sihey first met that Su Yumian was alersistent about what she liked and just as firm about what she disliked.

  “Speaking of which, I haven’t goo a spa in days. My hands are getting rough from all this work.”

  She sighed and pined, “It’s all my dad’s fault. He’s been pressurio go on blind dates tely. My mom doesn’t even try to stop him. In fact, she’s even helping him set me up.”

  “It’s not like they ’t afford to support me, so what’s the rush?”

  “Besides, even my cousin Shao Wenbai, who’s so aplished, isn’t married yet. Why should I be in a hurry…”

  Hearing his name, Su Yumian remembered that even though they were neighbors, they had been busy with their own things. Siheir st hotpot meal, she had only seen him once when she brought him a sandwich.

  Shao Yuwei didn’t notice her zoning out. She popped a piece of sushi into her mouth and suddenly recalled their st meeting.

  “You went with my cousin to see Professor Ouyang. How did that go?”

  Su Yumin slurped up some noodles, chewed for a moment, and then replied, “That’s about it. The professor already reserved a spot for me, so I have to pass this year’s graduate entrance exam.”

  Shao Yuwei cpped her hands. “Nice! I love seeing you this fident!”

  “As a reward, how about I take you somewhere this weekend?”

  Su Yumian asked, “Where?”

  “You’ll see whe there.”

  …

  At Su Yumian’s insistence, after finishing their meal, Shao Yuwei drove her back to the library.

  It was still early, so she had time to study for a bit. After solving two sets of problems, she looked up to find the suing. Sitting by the window, she basked in the golden sunlight streaming through the gss, feeling its f warmth.

  She stretched and packed up her books just as the library’s closing annou pyed. Grabbing her bag, she left on time.

  The sky ainted in vibrant shades e, the su refleg across half the horizon. The colors yered from soft to rich, like an oil painting.

  Slowing her pace, she started thinking about what to eat for dinner. Before she k, she had reached the entrance of her building.

  Suddenly, a dark figure came into view.

  …

  A week ago, the test b data turned out incorrect. Shao Wenbai had been w tirelessly, redoing the experiment over and over, but the results remained unsatisfactory.

  The project’s lead researcher, a middle-aged man in his forties, had been involved since Shao Wenbai took over.

  Noroblems had arisen, he was visibly anxious. “The initial results were positive, and everything rogressing normally. Why are the numbers wrong now?”

  Shao Wenbai frowned. “Experime to test for errors. The results aren’t absolute.”

  “But if the data is wrong, it means the experiment failed. We’ve been stu this for weeks—shouldn’t that be enough to see the issue?”

  The lead researcher hesitated, then cautiously suggested, “If we ’t proceed, maybe we should cut our losses? Trying another approach wouldn’t hurt.”

  Shao Wenbai’s sharp gaze pierced through his gsses. “Are you worried about the experiment failing, or do you think Professor Zhu’s proposal serves your personal is better?”

  He adjusted his gsses. “Physics doesn’t work on impulse. It follows its own rhythm and path. You ’t just stop it at will.”

  The researcher awkwardly chuckled, “I was just saying…”

  Their versation ended on a sour note. As Shao Wenbai turo leave, he spotted Su Yumian waving at him with a smile. “Long time no see, neighbor.”

  Walking home together, she avoided mentioning his earlier argument and casually chatted instead.

  “Thanks again for st time. My problem-solving has been going smoothly these past few days.”

  Shao Wenbai didn’t take credit. “You’re just quick-witted. Have you visited the professor retly?”

  Su Yumian csped her hands behind her back, watg the ground as she walked at a leisurely pace. “No, but we’ve spoken on the phone a few times. She’s rec well and will be back at school in a few days.”

  Shao Wenbai nodded. “That’s good. She’s always dedicated to her students—resting for two days must be driving her crazy.”

  The sky darkened, and a cyclist wobbled down the road ahead.

  At the same time, Su Yumin stepped onto an uone and lost her baumbling right into the path of the oning bike.

  In an instant, Shao Wenbai grabbed her slender wrist, pullioward him just in time to dodge the collision.

  “You okay?”

  His warm fingers firmly csped around her wrist, the thin summer fabric doing little to block his body heat.

  Su Yumian’s ears instantly burned.

  “I’m fihanks.”

  They were so close—close enough to hear each other’s breaths. Realizing this, she took a step back. Shao Wenbai also came to his senses a go.

  The rest of the walk was silent.

  Ohey reached home, they exged goodbyes a inside. As soon as Su Yumin shut the door, the memory of what had just happened pyed ba her mind. The warmth of his fingers, the faint minty st of his breath, the depth of his dark eyes…

  She rubbed her wrist absentmindedly. It still felt hot.

  …

  Ba his apartment, Shao Wenbai was feeling unfortable from sweating after the long day at the b and the argument.

  He slipped into his house slippers, pnning to shower, but first, he picked up his phoo order dinner. As he opehe app, an advertisement popped up—a pair of teddy bear slippers, priced at 9.99 yuan.

  He paused.

  Last time at Su Yumin’s pce, hadn’t she been wearing a pair just like these?

  Her small, round toes had peeked out, making her pale feet look even whiter against the dark slippers.

  Then, his mind uedly drifted back to their earlier enter. He had been able to his entire hand around her wrist. Her skin there seemed even fairer.

  …

  Sunday arrived, bright and bzing, the sky a clear blue with fluffy white clouds.

  Shi Muxi carefully picked out a ruffled dress in a soft shade of green, dotted with tiny yellow flowers. It gave her a fresh, artistic look. She the aire hour applying fwless makeup.

  Her roommate oop bunk teased, “You usually sleep until noon on weekends. What’s got you up so early and all dressed up? I’m jealous of whoever’s taking our little fairy out.”

  Ever since Shi Muxi and Jiang Yihuai were caught kissing at the school gate, the entire uy knew she was taken.

  Anirl chimed in, “o guess. It’s obviously Jiang Yihuai. It’s your birthday today, right? I bet he has a surprise pnned for you.”

  Shi Muxi put on her sunflower-shaped earrings, a hint of anticipation in her heart, but she just said, “I don’t know… maybe?”

  Her roommates wao ask more, but she g the time and panicked. Grabbing her bag and ging shoes in a hurry, she called back, “I’ll tell you ter—I gotta go!”