Shen Jia Yan zipped up her backpack. “These things are all military training essentials, especially since you just suffered from heatstroke. You need to be even more careful.”
“Or…” She thought for a moment, frowning as she added, “If your body can’t handle it, get a medical excuse and skip the training.”
The thought of Wen Wan Ning fainting made her worry endlessly. Plus, she herself would start formal classes tomorrow and wouldn’t be able to accompany her during training. Anxiety churned in her heart.
Wen Wan Ning packed away the small bag she had given her and said softly, “It’s fine, don’t worry. The doctor said I’m okay, and I’m not that fragile.”
“Really?” Shen Jia Yan expressed doubt about her last statement.
Wen Wan Ning caught her meaning, her ears growing slightly warm. “Today was an accident. Starting tomorrow, I’ll seriously follow the advice from you, the ‘experienced one,’ and do everything step by step as you said. It won’t happen again.”
“Fine. Then I’ll send you a list of everything you should do from the moment you wake up.”
Wen Wan Ning looked at her furrowed brows, which still hadn’t relaxed, and promised, “I’ll WeChat you at noon and in the evening every day to tell you how I’m doing. How about that?”
Shen Jia Yan’s eyes suddenly lit up. “Really?” Her voice carried uncontainable joy. “Then, then you have to send me photos.”
Wen Wan Ning looked at her instantly bright eyes and couldn’t help reaching out to poke that little dimple. “Okay.”
Shen Jia Yan returned to school in a pretty good mood. She bought some fruit cut boxes from the fruit supermarket at the school gate and brought them back to the dorm.
She placed the fruit on the table. “I bought some fruit. Everyone, come eat.” Then she took out her phone and messaged Wen Wan Ning: [I’m back at the dorm. You went through so much today, so rest early.]
Xu Jingyao climbed down from her bed first, forked up a piece of watermelon, popped it into her mouth, and teased, “Looks like the date went pretty smoothly today.” She then raised an eyebrow. “I thought you weren’t coming back tonight?”
Shen Jia Yan’s cheeks flushed red. She forked a piece of pineapple and stuffed it into her mouth. “Eat more.”
“Hahaha…”
Fu Jinxi ate while asking, “Jia Yan, which university in North City is your classmate at?”
“Jingbei University.”
The three of them turned to look at her simultaneously.
Xu Jingyao said excitedly, “Your classmate is amazing. Jingbei University isn’t something you can just get into casually.”
“Of course.” Shen Jia Yan beamed with pride.
“Tsk tsk.” Xu Jingyao swallowed the pineapple in her mouth. “Looking at how proud you are, people who don’t know might think you got into Jingbei University.”
Shen Jia Yan shot her a glance.
In her heart, hearing others praise Wen Wan Ning made her happier than praise for herself.
Fu Jinxi set down her fork and scooted closer to Shen Jia Yan, teasing, “This super excellent classmate of yours—is it a boy or a girl?”
The air in the entire Dormitory 406 instantly filled with gossip vibes.
Her phone rang opportunely. Shen Jia Yan picked it up and casually replied, “A girl.”
The WeChat showed a message from Wen Wan Ning: [Good that you’re back. I just showered and am about to lie down.]
Pretty obedient.
Shen Jia Yan’s lips curved up unknowingly. She immediately replied: [Okay, then rest early. Make sure to eat breakfast tomorrow morning and apply sunscreen. If you really feel unwell, take another day off.]
Xu Jingyao shook her head. “Don’t ask her. She won’t tell us the truth anyway.” She covered the empty box and tossed it in the trash. “Look at that radiant smile—she’s definitely in love and not telling us.”
Fu Jinxi and Zhang Min nodded in agreement.
Shen Jia Yan was immersed in chatting with Wen Wan Ning on WeChat and didn’t notice what they said at all. Holding her phone without even looking up, she said, “I’m going to shower,” grabbed her pajamas, and headed straight to the bathroom.
“Hey, see that?” Xu Jingyao pointed toward Shen Jia Yan and said to Fu Jinxi and Zhang Min, “We’ve been talking for nothing. She didn’t hear a word.”
“Pfft.” Zhang Min burst out laughing.
“Min Min, you laughing at me?” Xu Jingyao narrowed her eyes at her.
Zhang Min composed herself. “No, I was laughing at how cute Jia Yan is—’ears deaf to things outside the window.'”
Xu Jingyao frowned toward the bathroom. “Not cute at all. Wait till I figure it out properly. I’ll dig out the news of her being in love.”
Shen Jia Yan brushed her teeth while staring at her phone, afraid to miss a WeChat from Wen Wan Ning.
The “typing…” indicator ended, and Wen Wan Ning’s message came: [Okay, I’ll check how I feel tomorrow morning. Should be fine. You went through a whole day with me too—rest early.]
Shen Jia Yan kept the toothbrush in her mouth, quickly wiped her hands, and replied: [Okay, rest then. Contact me anytime if anything comes up.]
Wan Ning: [(Kitten good night.jpg)]
Jia Yan: [(Puppy good night.jpg)]
In the lights-out night, Shen Jia Yan curled up on her single dorm bed, hugging a bundled-up thin summer quilt.
She closed her eyes. In the darkness, memories surged like tides.
The white curtain in the School Infirmary fluttered lightly in the breeze. Wen Wan Ning lay on the sickbed, her camouflage uniform collar soaked with sweat, revealing a patch of sunburned skin at her collarbone. She trembled as she wrung out a wet towel, wiping from the other’s reddened neck all the way to her slender wrist. Wen Wan Ning’s lashes fluttered uneasily in her coma, her dry lips slightly parted, the hot breath brushing her fingertips…
The night breeze lifted the curtain, and moonlight suddenly spilled across the bed. Shen Jia Yan pressed her flushed cheek against the cool back of her phone, as if she could touch that longed-for warmth this way.
Her toes under the quilt curled up quietly, like mimosa leaves folding in, carefully cherishing this flutter of her heart.
Shen Jia Yan’s major was music performance. The course schedule at the start of the semester wasn’t too packed, and the day ended fairly relaxed.
All four in Dormitory 406 were in the same major, so their schedules matched.
After class, they ate dinner together at Canteen No. 2. Xu Jingyao saw it was still early and suggested strolling around the campus.
After all, from military training until now, they hadn’t had time to properly familiarize themselves with the campus scenery.
On this early autumn evening, the air still held the lingering heat of the day, but a breeze brought a hint of coolness. The sky glowed with pale purple clouds, like watercolor strokes of orange-red and gray-blue blending accidentally, enveloping the entire campus in a gentle, hazy atmosphere.
Chatting and laughing, they arrived at the sports field.
The field was crowded with people running, strolling, and some… lovey-dovey couples.
“Look at these clingy couples—not considering us single dogs’ feelings at all,” Fu Jinxi complained.
“Hey, hey, don’t generalize,” Xu Jingyao stressed. “I’m not a single dog. I have a boyfriend.” She flicked the fringe on her forehead.
Xu Jingyao’s boyfriend had come to the dorm on enrollment day to help her unpack and introduced himself.
“Fine, fine, you’re not single, you’re proud,” Shen Jia Yan glanced at her.
Xu Jingyao was just about to use this opening to interrogate Shen Jia Yan when she spotted a familiar figure ahead. She scooted into the middle of the three and whispered, “Look.” She quietly pointed ahead. “It’s Lin Xingyu from the dorm next door.”
The three looked in the direction she pointed.
“It’s her. So what?” Zhang Min asked puzzled.
Xu Jingyao tsked at her. “Min Min, don’t always think about studying. We’re in university now—time to gossip a bit and relax.”
Zhang Min rolled her eyes at her. “So? What are you getting at?”
“I’m not telling you to look at her, obviously. Look at the girl next to her.”
Shen Jia Yan urged her, “Can you not drag it out? Just say it all at once.”
Xu Jingyao wagged her finger at them. “See? You guys don’t care about classmates at all. You know nothing—good thing you have me.”
Shen Jia Yan teased, “Yeah, you shouldn’t go into music. ‘Entertainment reporter’ is your calling.”
“Hahaha…” Fu Jinxi and Zhang Min both laughed.
“Okay, okay.” Xu Jingyao cut them off. “Want to hear the intel from your frontline reporter?”
They quieted down. “Go on, go on.”
Xu Jingyao lowered her voice even more. “I heard that girl is her girlfriend.”
“What? Real or fake?” Fu Jinxi’s eyes widened.
“Source is reliable.”
The four simply sat on the grass, whispering gossip.
During it all, Shen Jia Yan didn’t say much. She wanted to gauge her roommates’ views on this kind of relationship through this.
They hadn’t discussed long when a familiar voice came from above.
“Jia Yan, Jingyao. Your dorm came out for some air too?” Lin Xingyu smiled.
The gossip subject appeared suddenly, startling them.
They quickly composed themselves, stood, and greeted her. “Yeah, yeah, out for a stroll.”
“Reporter” Xu Jingyao boldly asked nonchalantly, “Xingyu, you out strolling with a friend too?”
Not bad, the other three in 406 silently gave her a thumbs-up in their hearts.
Lin Xingyu’s lips curved slightly. “Out for air with my girlfriend.”
Simple, straightforward introduction.
The four’s gazes flashed with surprise simultaneously.
Lin Xingyu continued, “I already introduced her in our dorm but not to you guys yet.” She raised their clasped hands. “This is my girlfriend, Tao Yi. She’s in our school’s broadcasting and hosting major.”
Then she turned to the girl beside her. “Yi Yi, these are my dormmates next door. You’ll see them around a lot.”
“Hello.” The girl’s soft voice slid past their ears.
“Then we’ll keep strolling. Chat next time.” Lin Xingyu said with her usual faint smile.
Shen Jia Yan watched their departing backs.
Their fingers intertwined tightly, swaying gently with their steps, like two vines naturally entwined. Lin Xingyu said something, and Tao Yi laughed, resting her head on her shoulder, their hair mingling in the night breeze.
Shen Jia Yan unconsciously held her breath.
Her ears still echoed with that candid “my girlfriend.” The night breeze swept the grass, carrying early autumn’s chill, but it couldn’t dispel the ripples in her heart.
