That sentence about the floor being hard was loaded with double meaning.

  Zhuang Zi'ang froze for several seds, his eyes wide, utterly speechless.

  Su Yudiel then realized the implication, and her face flushed. "I meant... the floor mat you're sleeping on looks too hard."

  Zhuang Zi'ang cleared his throat a couple of times. "I know, it's okay."

  An awkward silehiough to cut with a knife, settled over the small bedroom. The young man and woman, each lost in their own thoughts of worry and unspoken longing, remained silent for a long time. They had po chat, but now, her of them knew how to begin.

  After ay, Su Yudiel finally spoke, her voice soft and tinged with sadness. "Zhuang Zi'ang, I have something to take care of these few days. I probably won't be able to e to school."

  "What is it?" Zhuang Zi'ang asked, surprised.

  "It's just... something that'll take a few days," Su Yudiel hedged, not wanting to reveal the details.

  "What about the weekend? You won't e see me theher?" A knot of aightened in Zhuang Zi'ang's chest.

  "Yeah, maybe you feed the stray cats for me this weekend. Tell them I'll be back to see them soon, okay?" Su Yudiel said, lying ft on her back, staring at the stark white ceiling.

  She didn't dare meet Zhuang Zi'ang's gaze. She didn't o see his eyes to know they would be filled with disappoi.

  " I at least call or text you?" Zhuang Zi'ang asked tentatively, his voice trembling slightly.

  "Calling might be tricky, but if you text me, I promise I'll reply as soon as I see it," Su Yudiel said, a veil of sorrow clouding her eyes.

  She finally mustered her ce, turned her head, and looked at Zhuang Zi'ang on the floor. She saw his eyes were red-rimmed, as if he was desperately trying to hold back tears.

  Su Yudiel reached down and took Zhuang Zi'ang's hand.

  "It'll only be a few days. As soon as I get back, I'll e find yht away."

  Zhuang Zi'ang gripped her soft, delicate hand tightly, sav this fleeting moment of warmth. You silly girl, he thought desperately, don't you know that, let alone a few days, even a single sed with you is incredibly precious to me? I'm running out of time.

  The image of the stack of bnk leave slips in Little Butterfly's bag fshed through his mind, and a powerful sense of unease, like a spreading stain, ed him.

  You have to e back soon!

  Sleep was impossible that afternoon.

  Their hands remained csped together, never letting go. Little Butterfly, ever the optimist, chattered on, telling silly jokes. Zhuang Zi'ang listened quietly, occasionally f a ugh.

  Unbeknownst to him, tears welled up and silently streamed down his cheeks, soaking into the pillow. Fortunately, from her angle, Little Butterfly couldn't see.

  Time always seemed to fly when he was with the person he loved.

  Before the afternoon exams began, Zhuang Zi'ang and Su Yudiel said their goodbyes by the flower bed.

  "Study hard ahat first pce. But don't expect me to do anything too eous for you," Su Yudiel reminded him of their agreement, encing him to do his best.

  "I will. And you... you have to e back soon," Zhuang Zi'ang said, his voice thick with reluce.

  "When I e back, the peach blossoms will probably all be gone," Su Yudiel said wistfully.

  Yet, the peach blossom tucked behind her ear remained vibrant and fresh, showing no signs of wilting. It was as if it were drawing nourishment from her silky, cloud-like hair.

  Zhuang Zi'ang sighed inwardly. After seeing the peach blossoms this season, I'll never see them again.

  With the exams about to begin, the campus was deserted and unusually quiet. Only the rustling of leaves and flowers in the wind broke the silence.

  "You should get going. Don't be te," Su Yudiel urged.

  Zhuang Zi'ang nodded silently and slowly turo leave.

  Suddenly, he felt a warm body press against his back, and a pair of slender arms ed around his waist.

  "Little Butterfly..."

  "Shh, don't say anything. Just let me hold you for a little longer."

  In that instant, it felt as if the wind had ceased to blow. The only sound Zhuang Zi'ang could hear was the frantic thumping of his ow.

  How he wished that time could stand still at this very moment.

  If this is eveen-thousandth of the sweetness of love, I'd gdly be buried in this moment forever.

  The bell signaling the start of the exam shattered the stillness. It was time to part.

  Su Yudiel released her embrace. "Zhuang Zi'ang, don't look back. Just keep walking forward."

  Zhuang Zi'aed the urge to turn around and started walking. The faint, sweet fragrance of the girl lingered in the air, gradually fading with each step.

  When he reached the sed floor of the exam building and looked back at the flower bed, she was o be seen.

  Only the pink and white hyaths remained, swayily in the breeze.

  The afternoon exam was Math, the most grueling subject. Although Zhuang Zi'ang wasn't a fan of math, his sharp mind usually allowed him to score close to full marks. Since he often tackled advanced petition problems, these ordinary exam questions were a piece of cake.

  He posed himself, fihe exam, and still had a full half hour to spare. In the sealed se of the answer sheet, he once again wrote "Su Yudiel, Css 23."

  He handed in his paper early and walked dowairs, bumping into Deng Haijun.

  He greeted him, "Haijun, you might actually ch first pce this time."

  Deng Haijun smiled and asked, "What do you mean? Did you get tripped up by the math problems?"

  "Not a ce! The problems were a piece of cake. I just fot to write my hat's all," Zhuang Zi'ang replied.

  Deng Haijun was stunned, his eyes filled with disbelief. The top student in the grade, fetting to write his name? How could you be that careless? And you handed in your paper early, too. How could you not notice you hadn't written your name?

  "Haijun, wanna take a walk with me?"

  "What's gotten into you? You're ag weird. Two guys strolling around campus together? Isn't that a bit... awkward?"

  Despite his words, Deng Haijun agreed to Zhuang Zi'ang's request. However, instead of walking around the campus, they headed towards the bus stop outside the school.

  Zhuang Zi'ang gazed into the distand said softly, "Haijun, after this monthly exam, I won't be taking any more tests. From now on, you'll probably be the top student in rade."

  Deng Haijun was taken aback. "What are you talking about? Are you transferring schools?"

  "Something like that. I probably won't be at school anymore, not for much longer," Zhuang Zi'ang answered.

  "Are you out of your mind? Why would you transfer so close to graduation?" Deng Haijun excimed, raising his voice.

  "With me gone, you'll be number one. Why do you sound a little upset that I'm leaving?" Zhuang Zi'ang teased.

  "You'd better be serious. This isn't something to joke about," Deng Haijun said, his expression turning grave.

  "Of course, I'm serious. We petition students are all about precision and rigor," Zhuang Zi'ang said, his pyful tone repced with solemnity.

  The two of them had participated in numerous petitions together, fighting side-by-side as rades. They had shared the glory of victory and the bitterness of defeat.

  It was time for a proodbye.

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, you bastard," Deng Haijun said, his voice thick with emotion. "Running away before the final battle? What kind of man are you? I want to beat you, but I want to do it fair and square, in a real petition, not because you're handing it to me. If it weren't for wanting to surpass you, I wouldn't have achieved what I have today. What's the meaning of you leaving now?"

  Deng Haijun suddenly exploded, catg Zhuang Zi'ang off guard. He hadn't expected the guy who always saw him as a rival to be so relut to see him go.

  "Haijun, you'll meet many more, even stronger oppos iure. But don't fet me, that old rival who pushed you to be better."

  "Zhuang Zi'ang, do you really have to go?" Deng Haijun asked in a low voice.

  "I really have to go," Zhuang Zi'ang replied with a wry smile.

  This was something he had no trol over.