Chapter 3

“Draw an auxiliary line here, then drop a perpendicular. After that, the problem becomes easy.”

“Hey, Duan Jia Chen, wait… where exactly are you talking about?”

“Song Jia Nan, you’re hopeless! Right here. Draw the line here, then drop the perpendicular. You already know this length, so calculate the other side. Got it now?”

She bit her lip helplessly.

“I still don’t get it. Slow down a little. I can’t keep up.”

Duan Jia Chen slumped into his chair in defeat.

“You’re unbelievably bad at this. That’s it, I’m done. I told you before, people without talent shouldn’t study math. You’re just making yourself suffer.”

“It’s not like I want to study math. I hate this stupid subject! If it weren’t on the college entrance exam, why would I torture myself doing all these math problems? Every time there’s a math exam, I’m so nervous I can’t even sleep!” Song Jia Nan lowered her head slightly. “I know math requires talent… but I really just can’t grasp it.”

Hearing that, Duan Jia Chen immediately regretted what he’d said.

“All right, all right. I’m sorry. I was too harsh. Let’s take it slowly. If you can’t get high marks, then at least make sure you secure the basic points.”

“Look, this problem is testing arithmetic sequences…”

The front door clicked open.

A middle-aged woman, drenched in sweat, walked in carrying several plastic grocery bags.

The moment Song Jia Nan saw her, she immediately threw down her pen and hurried over.

“Mom, let me help.”

Duan Jia Chen also stood up, but Mrs. Song quickly waved him off.

“No, no, it’s fine. I just bought some watermelon. Nan Nan, put it in the refrigerator first. When Xiao Chen leaves later, let him take half with him. The watermelon is especially good today—it’s perfectly ripe.”

Duan Jia Chen smiled awkwardly.

“That’s okay, Auntie. I’m having dinner at my uncle’s house today. It wouldn’t be convenient.”

Mrs. Song laughed.

“Oh, we’ve been neighbors for so many years. Why are you still being so polite with me? By the way, Nan Nan’s math is just terrible. She didn’t even reach the class average on her final exam. I’m so worried about her. Thankfully I ran into your mother the other day…”

Mrs. Song looked as though she intended to keep talking.

Song Jia Nan hurriedly interrupted.

“Mom, I still have a few questions to ask Duan Jia Chen. Why don’t you go do your own things first? I’ll put the watermelon in the fridge.”

“All right. Nan Nan, make sure you learn properly from Xiao Chen. I’ll leave you two to it.”

The room gradually returned to silence.

The blazing sunlight streamed through the windows, filling the room with summer heat.

The air conditioner on the wall continuously blew out cool air, causing the worksheets and reference books to flutter noisily.

After being praised so enthusiastically, Duan Jia Chen felt somewhat embarrassed and remained absentminded for quite a while.

Meanwhile, Song Jia Nan’s attention had been completely stolen by a sparrow chirping on the windowsill.

It was rare to see little birds flying around among the high-rise apartment buildings.

Without realizing it, she smiled to herself.

Duan Jia Chen picked up one of the worksheets and noticed an incorrect solution.

He was about to call her over to correct it.

But the moment he looked up…

He froze.

For a long while, he couldn’t say a single word.

He opened his mouth…

Then quietly closed it again.

She rested her chin on the desk, tilting her head as she stared intently at something outside the window.

The bright afternoon sun poured over her face.

Whatever she was looking at made her smile.

A tiny canine tooth peeked from the corner of her lips.

Her dimples deepened.

Her eyes sparkled like morning dew rolling across lotus leaves.

The sweetness in her smile reached all the way into her eyes.

In that single moment…

His heart lurched violently.

His reason told him it was wrong to stare at a girl so openly.

Yet…

He simply couldn’t pull his eyes away.

Like sunlight bursting through layers of dark clouds…

She was dazzling enough to make anyone’s heart race.

Song Jia Nan noticed none of it.

The sparrow outside flapped its wings and flew away.

She turned back around and found Duan Jia Chen staring blankly into space.

She waved a hand in front of his face.

“What are you thinking about?”

He jumped in surprise and hurriedly came back to his senses.

Picking up the worksheet to hide his embarrassment, he said, “Nothing… This part is wrong.”

“Ah… it’s wrong again?” Song Jia Nan sighed in disappointment as she picked up her pen. “I worked so hard to solve it. Just thinking about math gives me a headache. Duan Jia Chen, why are you so good at it? If only you could give me half your talent.”

He suddenly became flustered.

“If I could… I’d definitely give you half.”

Song Jia Nan looked at him in surprise.

A flicker of happiness flashed through her eyes.

Then she smiled.

As she checked her work, she said casually, “Duan Jia Chen, sometimes you’re really good at discouraging me, but other times you’re actually pretty nice. It’s impossible to truly dislike you… Ah! I memorized the trigonometric formula wrong.”

She hurriedly reached for correction tape, carefully covering the mistake.

Habitually pursing her lips, she concentrated on rewriting every calculation step.

It was such an ordinary little action…

Yet it sent gentle ripples spreading through Duan Jia Chen’s heart.

After finishing her homework, Duan Jia Chen said he was going out for dinner.

Mrs. Song didn’t insist that he stay.

Instead, she asked Song Jia Nan to cut half of the watermelon and carry it downstairs for him.

Outside, the weather was unbearably hot.

It was so hot that Song Jia Nan didn’t even feel like talking.

Unusually enough…

Duan Jia Chen was quiet as well.

When they reached the entrance of his apartment building, Song Jia Nan couldn’t wait to get back inside where the air conditioner was running.

“I’m heading home.”

Just as she was about to leave, Duan Jia Chen suddenly called out.

“Hey… um… well…”

“What?”

She drew back the foot she’d already stepped forward with.

“What is it?”

He scratched his head.

“I… well…”

After hesitating for a long time, he still couldn’t find the words.

Song Jia Nan wiped the sweat from her forehead, growing impatient.

“Duan Jia Chen, if you have something to say, just say it. It’s scorching outside. You can’t expect me to stand here forever.”

“It’s nothing… really.” He quickly shook his head. “I just wanted to ask… when are you going back to school? What time?”

“Oh, that’s all?” She smiled. “The day after tomorrow, at nine in the morning. Don’t forget to bring your tuition.”

She waved.

“I’m leaving. If you need anything else, just give me a call.”

Then she turned and walked away.

Still holding half a watermelon, Duan Jia Chen watched droplets of icy water fall onto the sun-scorched ground.

With a soft hiss…

They evaporated instantly.

His emotions felt strangely conflicted.

A little restless.

Yet somehow refreshingly cool.

Like drinking iced lemonade on a summer afternoon.

It was a feeling he couldn’t quite describe.

The day before school started, Song Jia Nan planned, as usual, to buy all the reference books assigned by her teachers.

She spent a long time browsing through the bookstore before stopping at McDonald’s to buy an ice cream cone.

Later, she stood waiting for the subway.

Young women passed by one after another, dressed fashionably and sweetly.

Sleeveless dresses.

Blue jeans.

Sparkling accessories.

Everything dazzled her eyes.

Then she caught sight of her own reflection in one of the bright station pillars.

An ordinary girl.

A plain sports T-shirt.

Simple shorts.

An unremarkable face.

She seemed completely out of place among everyone else.

She wasn’t beautiful.

Nor did she have outstanding grades.

She was no different from a grain of sand on a beach.

Entirely ordinary.

Perhaps…

After entering university, she would change too.

Perhaps she would become someone completely different.

The train rushed into the station before gradually coming to a stop.

The doors slid open.

Passengers stepped off.

She followed the crowd inside.

The carriage was packed.

She was squeezed against one of the handrails, absentmindedly looking around at the passengers.

Then…

Someone entered her line of sight.

That familiar figure.

Who else could it possibly be…

Except Su Li?

Her eyes immediately lit up.

She wanted to move closer.

She wanted to see him more clearly.

But the carriage was so crowded that even breathing felt difficult.

Finally, when the train stopped again, she managed to edge forward a little.

At that exact moment…

Su Li disappeared into the flow of passengers leaving the train.

Within seconds…

He was gone.

The train doors slowly closed.

The pale white light between them gradually narrowed.

Like a curtain falling…

The shrinking gap severed her lingering gaze.

Song Jia Nan let out a long breath.

Not running into him face to face…

Somehow…

That felt like a good thing.

Summer vacation was almost over.

Once school officially started, there would be plenty of chances to see him again.

Thinking that made her feel unexpectedly happy.

As usual, the second day of school began with placement exams.

All the first-year students were randomly assigned to examination rooms according to the school’s scheduling system.

By sheer luck, Song Jia Nan remained in her own classroom.

She was even assigned to Duan Jia Chen’s seat.

His desk was spotless.

Unlike most boys, he hadn’t covered it with random doodles.

While he packed his schoolbag, Song Jia Nan smiled and said, “Maybe sitting in your seat will bring me some of your luck. I’m really terrified of math.”

“If you read the questions carefully, you’ll be fine.” Duan Jia Chen smiled. “For the last two big problems, just solve the easier parts at the beginning. If you do well…”

He grinned.

“…then you owe me a meal.”

“No problem.” Song Jia Nan laughed. “If I actually do well in math, my mom will probably want to treat you to dinner too.”

Duan Jia Chen slung his backpack over one shoulder.

“I’m taking the exam in Class Three. If you have any questions about physics or chemistry later, just come find me. I’m off. Good luck!”

Song Jia Nan waved back.

“You too! Good luck!”

Outside the window, dazzling sunlight flooded everything.

Although it was already September, traces of summer still lingered in the air.

Towering plane trees lined both sides of the school building.

They had clearly stood there for many years.

Every summer, their dense canopies shaded the entire avenue, allowing only scattered patches of sunlight to reach the ground.

Students continuously entered and left the classroom.

Resting her chin in one hand, Song Jia Nan quietly watched the bright sunshine outside.

The ceiling fan hummed steadily overhead.

Then someone walked over…

Sat down in the seat directly in front of her…

And pushed the window open a little farther.

She looked up.

It was Su Li.

He took a pen from his backpack and quietly sat there alone.

Since classes hadn’t officially begun yet, he wasn’t wearing his school uniform.

Instead, he had on a light blue shirt that suited him perfectly.

His eyes were closed.

As always…

Earphones rested in his ears.

The volume was loud enough that Song Jia Nan could faintly make out fragments of the lyrics.

“Thank you for breaking my heart… Thank you for tearing me up… Now I am a strong, strong heart…”

It was a song by Sinéad O’Connor.

The music of that sensitive, melancholy Irish woman.

Song Jia Nan silently watched the slender, lonely boy sitting before her.

She suddenly realized…

Every time she encountered him…

She always ended up looking at his back.

As though completely unaware of everything around him…

He remained quietly distant and cold.

He would always live in his own world.

While she…

Stayed in hers, imagining stories that belonged only to the two of them.