“2017.09.04 Partly cloudy turning to heavy rain”
Boil over, burn with fervor, never admit defeat.
— Excerpt from Tao Shuran’s Diary
At that moment, Tao Shuran’s heart lost its rhythm.
She lowered her eyelashes, hiding all the fluttering emotions, pretending to be a calm, unaffected person.
Since they had formed the study group, they needed to study seriously.
Before entering study mode, Fu Changpei analyzed each person’s learning issues and improvement directions for them.
He was very familiar with Fang Qingyi and Zhao Zhengnian, so he could tell what they lacked without looking at their test papers.
But when evaluating Tao Shuran, he hesitated for a moment. Thinking of some things he had heard recently, Fu Changpei handed her another of his notebooks.
“This is the notes I took during the first round of lectures over the summer. If you want to improve quickly, you can memorize the key points in this one first.”
Tao Shuran let out an “Mm” and said, “Thank you.”
Fu Changpei smiled faintly. “We’re all friends; no need to say thanks so many times.”
“I looked at your test paper. Your liberal arts basics are weak, though your essay was pretty good. But it seems like you haven’t grasped a lot of the key points in math and physics?”
Tao Shuran nodded. “I’ve never been good at sciences, so later my mom had me switch to liberal arts.”
“Then take a look at what you don’t understand on this paper, and I’ll reteach it to you later.”
Fang Qingyi said hurriedly, “What about me? What about me? I can’t be hopeless, right?”
Fu Changpei looked over her paper again. This time, his words were much sharper, and he said bluntly to her, “You’re just lazy. You don’t memorize formulas, you don’t study grammar, and your Chinese essay was off-topic.”
“Then write down the formulas I need to memorize for me. I’ll take them home and memorize them tonight.” Fang Qingyi put on a pleading expression. “Teacher Fu, please save me. My dad said if I rank near the bottom of the class on the next monthly exam, he’ll cut off my allowance.”
“But I just promised to help her with questions.” Fu Changpei looked a bit troubled.
“Hey, just have Liang Yuanjing teach her. Liang Yuanjing is the science genius who got a perfect score in math.”
Fang Qingyi turned back to Tao Shuran and asked her, “Ranran, for the questions you don’t get later, is it okay if Liang Yuanjing teaches you?”
“…Okay.”
The study group split into two pairs with astonishing efficiency, and Fang Qingyi quickly moved from the seat next to Tao Shuran to Fu Changpei’s side.
The girl’s emotions were fresh, vivid, and bright.
Tao Shuran suddenly envied her, envied her fearless drive.
“Which question don’t you understand?”
Tao Shuran froze for a moment, apparently not expecting Liang Yuanjing to actually set aside what he was doing to teach her.
The thin test paper suddenly felt hot in her hands. She pursed her lips, her fingertip lightly tapping a major problem toward the back before quickly pulling it away.
Liang Yuanjing glanced at her faintly through his raised eyes, asked for a pen from her, pulled a sheet of paper from nearby, glanced at the question, and wrote out the complete solution steps.
He didn’t waste words. He handed the paper to her and said straightforwardly, “Ask about any step you don’t understand.”
Unexpectedly, Tao Shuran could follow every one of his solution steps.
Liang Yuanjing raised an eyebrow in slight surprise. His problem-solving habits differed from others’; he tended to skip some points briefly. He hadn’t expected this girl in front of him to be so familiar with his thought process.
He asked casually, “Have you met me before?”
But he hadn’t expected this simple question to throw Tao Shuran into instant panic. She shot to her feet, her long eyelashes trembling nonstop, as if some secret had been exposed and she couldn’t calm down.
Liang Yuanjing smiled.
His voice was low, sounding coaxing.
“I was just kidding.”
The first study session ended promptly at eight in the evening. Fang Qingyi’s phone, buried in her bag, rang again and again. Finally, on the third call, she stood up reluctantly to say goodbye.
Zhao Zhengnian snorted. “Since when do you love studying so much?”
Fang Qingyi made a face. “None of your business.”
Outside the supermarket door, Fang Qingyi’s family’s car waited at the entrance. Tao Shuran glanced at it; it was a black BMW.
“Ranran, want me to have the driver take you home?”
Tao Shuran pointed at the small building inside. “My home is right here.”
“You’re so lucky.” Fang Qingyi’s eyes sparkled. “I want to live here too.”
Tao Shuran didn’t know what was so enviable about living here. The alley was narrow with poor lighting; it got very dark just after dusk. Cicadas droned endlessly under the lush wutong trees, and flying insects occasionally darted through the windows, startling people.
The only advantage was probably the liveliness.
After seeing Fang Qingyi off in the car, Tao Shuran slowly walked toward her own home.
Fang Qingyi must have been bored too, because she messaged her as soon as she got in the car.
“Ranran, your face was so red tonight.”
Tao Shuran’s steps halted. She subconsciously lifted a hand to her cheek, panicking at the thought of being found out.
“But that yard at Fu Changpei’s house was really hot. Next time, let’s find a place with air conditioning.”
“Oh, right—don’t tell Wen Fangfang about Liang Yuanjing tutoring you today.”
To change the subject, Tao Shuran asked, “Why?”
“Because Wen Fangfang likes Liang Yuanjing. Didn’t you notice?”
“Not just Wen Fangfang—a lot of people like him. So to avoid trouble, it’s better not to tell anyone.”
Tao Shuran’s heart sank a little. She replied with an “Mm” and lost the mood to chat.
She looked up at the night sky, where the bright moon and dim stars hung low. Their lights might intersect for an instant, but most of the time, the moon and stars were worlds apart.
…
Fu Changpei’s yard was a natural stargazing spot. In summer for cooling off, Liang Yuanjing lounged on a woven rattan chair with his legs propped up, lazily watching the stars.
“It’s eight o’clock, and you’re not leaving?”
Liang Yuanjing drawled, “No point going back early.”
Fu Changpei cursed him. “You don’t know when you’re well off.”
Living alone in a villa in Zhongshan Mansion with three floors at his disposal—the young master just had to beckon, and people rushed to tend to his every need.
But Liang Yuanjing didn’t like that kind of life.
Liang Yuanjing stood, grabbed a bottle of water from the shelf at random, and as he pulled out his phone to pay, he noticed the paper money pressed under something on the cashier counter.
He pinched it up with two fingers, turned his head to Fu Changpei, and asked, “What’s this?”
Fu Changpei paused, not remembering any customers that evening.
Liang Yuanjing lifted his chin toward the drinks they had taken during the study session.
“Tao Shuran’s?”
Liang Yuanjing didn’t confirm or deny it.
Just a few bottles of water—not much money. He hadn’t expected this girl to show nothing on the surface but leave the money under the counter when she left.
Fu Changpei chuckled lightly. “Pretty thoughtful.”
“I heard you weren’t interested in her on the first day of school?”
“Was that what I said?”
Liang Yuanjing slipped one hand in his pocket, his eyes dark as stars. “Don’t spread rumors with those people.”
He walked slowly into the night. Fu Changpei busied himself packing up and closing shop. As he pulled down the shutter, he asked, “Did you finish the speech for Monday’s opening ceremony?”
“Nope.”
Liang Yuanjing slowly fished a candy from his pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it in his mouth. His silhouette in the night was tall and casual, even his voice carrying a carefree nonchalance.
“I’ll just say a couple things on stage.”
Time off always flew by. On the last weekend before senior year, Tao Shuran took a cab to the bus station and smoothly picked up Tao Hongfeng.
Facing his unannounced arrival, Zhao Yanyun said nothing, just awkwardly pulled a spare key from her bag before hurrying to catch the subway for work.
Tao Hongfeng’s arrival meant she no longer had to rush back midday every day to cook for Tao Shuran.
And for Tao Shuran, it finally meant mornings without chaos.
Tao Hongfeng’s arrival also marked the official start of her senior year at Affiliated Middle School.
When Monday came, Tao Shuran finally had her first hot breakfast. She was so sleepy when she got up that she could barely open her eyes.
The dim sky after drawing the curtains felt like it was still night.
Before heading out, Tao Hongfeng stuffed an umbrella in her hand and told her to come straight home after school; the weather forecast warned of extreme weather, possible rain.
Fuqing City’s weather in August and September was as changeable as human moods—clear skies one second, raging storm the next.
Tao Shuran didn’t take it too seriously and arrived at the classroom at her usual time.
Today was the first day back, and the school had prepared some ceremony for them: an opening ceremony on the sports field at eight sharp, with speeches from outstanding student representatives—a Gaokao pep rally of sorts.
From six to eight, Zhao Zhengnian prayed nonstop at his seat.
“Please don’t rain.”
Fang Qingyi’s ears were callused from hearing it. She snapped irritably, “Relax, heaven will hear your prayers. Someone’s even more devout than you.”
Following Fang Qingyi’s gaze, Tao Shuran spotted Wen Fangfang in the front row.
She huddled with a bunch of girls. At the homeroom teacher’s command, they each took out a pen and notebook, excitedly discussing what Liang Yuanjing, one of the student representatives, would say.
Tao Shuran trailed behind the group, quietly savoring the sudden good news that Liang Yuanjing would be speaking.
The sky remained overcast, thick with humid heat that teetered on rain.
It wasn’t pleasant weather.
But because of her anticipation, Tao Shuran’s mood lifted a bit.
The opening ceremony proceeded as usual: a row of leaders up front giving speeches in turn. The early parts were boring; students sat below, expressionless, clapping on cue while cameras roamed for photos.
When the student speeches began, the crowd stirred faintly.
That subtle repression exploded into fervor once the real star appeared.
Liang Yuanjing wore the blue-and-white school uniform, zipper undone, hanging loosely on him. The mic stand was too low; he leaned down, revealing a stretch of pale collarbone, lips curved in an unsparing smile that sent the front-row girls screaming.
Finding the mic too low, he fiddled with it twice before simply detaching it, holding it in hand. Even in his lazy stance, his posture showed years of training—straight and upright.
“Classmates, good morning. I’m Liang Yuanjing from the Flight Class. I’m ashamed to say, as a student speaker, I’m the only one who didn’t rank in the top three.”
Liang Yuanjing paused, slowly curving his lips in an amused smile. “So, to thank the teachers for their favor, I decide to take first place next time—for fun.”
The audience erupted.
Such an outrageous speech could only come from Liang Yuanjing’s absurd personality. He alone in the world could boldly say something like “take first place for fun.”
But no one dared question it aloud.
Because this was Liang Yuanjing, the Liang Yuanjing everyone at Fuqing Affiliated Middle School’s junior division knew.
On Gaokao day, he had said “just messing around,” and took first in the province. On competition day, he said “playing around,” and became the youngest national champion.
From the crowd, someone from the Flight Class suddenly shouted, “Liang Yuanjing, you’re awesome!”
At that moment, the pent-up rain from all morning burst forth violently. Raindrops pelted their shoulders like a warning for an impending war.
The wet microphone emitted a piercing screech.
The speech was cut off. Liang Yuanjing, the protagonist, patted the mic nonchalantly. He tilted his head up; his wet black hair curled slightly, revealing proud brows and eyes that gleamed clearer after the drenching.
“I thought of a very fitting line to share with everyone.”
“Even if the world is drenched in pouring rain, our youth burns like an eternal lamp, unceasing.”
Liang Yuanjing lifted his head slightly, chuckled lightly, and casually brushed the rain from his shoulder.
His fingers against the mic, the young man’s voice clear and magnetic—
“Boil over, indulge freely, never yield.”
The atmosphere below was completely ignited by that one line. The torrenting rain toppled the stifling senior-year mood. No one cared anymore; they all mimicked Liang Yuanjing, battling the reckless downpour.
In that rain, every student shouted.
“I’m definitely getting into Fuqing University!”
“I want to study architecture and become China’s most outstanding female architect!”
“Gaokao score of 650!”
……
Amid the successive shouts, Tao Shuran heard Fang Qingyi, standing beside her, call out in a moderate voice—
“I really like Fu Changpei!”
She widened her eyes slightly and turned her head to meet Fang Qingyi’s gaze.
The latter smiled at her. “Ranran, what is your wish?”
Tao Shuran was stunned for a moment. Her rain-blurred vision was slightly fuzzy, yet the youth standing on stage remained dazzling beyond measure.
She blinked her eyes.
She said softly, “My wish is to be alone.”