Xia Yinuo briefly organized the progress of her current research projects and discussed the experimental arrangements for at least the next month with Tang Shuliang. Other experiments could be put on hold, but the animal trials could not be stopped. There were currently four people in Xia Yinuo’s research group. When Tang Shuliang decided to let Ke Dinghao take over the animal experiment portion, Xia Yinuo looked a bit conflicted. Tang Shuliang asked her why she had that expression, to which Xia Yinuo replied, "Because Ke Dinghao is terrified of mice."
Half an hour later, Ke Dinghao emerged from Tang Shuliang’s office with a long face. Xia Yinuo burst into laughter, while Ke Dinghao gnashed his teeth in resentment. Afterward, the two discussed the experimental protocol and the handover of progress before heading to the vivarium together.
Ke Dinghao, a shy young man, would lose all composure the moment he encountered a rat or a mouse, regardless of whether it was black or white. It was said that he couldn't stand the squeaking of the mice; it made his skin crawl with goosebumps.
As soon as they entered the main door of the vivarium, Ke Dinghao began fiddling with his earphones. The rock music leaking from them was so loud that even Xia Yinuo, standing beside him, could hear it.
"Senior Sister Xia!" a voice called out from behind.
Xia Yinuo turned around and was surprised to run into Chen Diandian again. Subconsciously, she scanned the surroundings, but unfortunately, Liang Jueyun was nowhere to be seen. Xia Yinuo forced a bright smile at Chen Diandian and then patted Ke Dinghao on the shoulder.
Ke Dinghao turned around and took off one earphone. Seeing it was Chen Diandian, he greeted her warmly, "Hi, Diandian! You’re at the vivarium too?"
"Hello, Senior Brother!" Chen Diandian gave a brief acknowledgment before ignoring Ke Dinghao to stare at Xia Yinuo’s right hand. "Senior Sister Xia, you really did get hurt yesterday? I saw how worried Professor Liang looked when she took you to the hospital, but I didn't realize it was serious enough for a cast!"
Xia Yinuo looked down at her arm and gave a radiant smile. "It’s a minor injury, nothing serious."
"If it weren't serious, I wouldn't be standing here right now," Ke Dinghao interjected. Being ignored really didn't feel good.
Xia Yinuo stuffed the lab notebook she was holding into Ke Dinghao’s hands and said to Chen Diandian, "That’s true. So for the next twenty days, your Senior Brother Ke will be taking over for me to finish the animal experiments. Unfortunately, he’s a bit afraid of—"
"Ah, yes, yes! Maybe we’ll run into each other often at the vivarium from now on. Hahaha, don't you think so, Senior Sister?" Ke Dinghao cut in hurriedly.
"Indeed. So if there’s anything you don't understand, you and Diandian can study and discuss it together," Xia Yinuo said with a smile that looked perfectly innocent.
"Senior Sister is absolutely right," Ke Dinghao said, bowing his head.
Chen Diandian said happily, "Great! Let’s go into the changing room together then. Senior Sister Xia, your hand... are you still coming in with us?"
Ke Dinghao tugged at the corner of Xia Yinuo’s coat. Xia Yinuo understood his signal but said, "It’s inconvenient for me to change clothes, so I won't go in. Junior Brother, Mouse Room Six, third row, number seven. I’ve marked the groupings very clearly. Take the notebook; you’ll understand once you’re inside."
Ke Dinghao still wore a pleading expression. Xia Yinuo lowered her voice. "It’s just mouse gavage. You know such a basic technique. Besides, you don't want to lose face in front of Diandian, do you?"
"..." Ke Dinghao truly had no grounds for rebuttal.
Over there, Diandian was already preparing her shoe covers, signaling Ke Dinghao with her eyes to hurry up.
Ke Dinghao gritted his teeth. "Senior Sister, I’ll remember this!"
Xia Yinuo smiled triumphantly and waved goodbye. "Have fun, you two."
Chen Diandian: "Senior Brother, why are you wearing earphones?"
Ke Dinghao: "Oh, I find the noises inside the vivarium rather annoying. It’s better to have some peace and quiet while doing experiments."
***
When Chen Diandian returned to the lab, Liang Jueyun asked if the experiment had gone smoothly. Chen Diandian replied that it had.
"I just ran into Senior Sister Xia at the vivarium. Her hand was injured yesterday. She even called me earlier to ask where you were, which gave me a fright. It turns out you were fine, but she ended up in a cast."
Liang Jueyun hadn't known that Xia Yinuo had called Chen Diandian before getting hurt, but she remained composed. "Yes, the animals need their medication every day. If it stops suddenly, all previous efforts go to waste."
"Mhm. I need to work hard and be as dedicated and responsible toward my experiments in the future."
"Relax, don't push yourself too hard. You’re only in your first year; take it slow."
Chen Diandian, however, was still reminiscing. "Professor Liang, don't you think Senior Sister Xia is... how should I put it? It’s like she walked straight out of the 2D world. She’s attractive to everyone, young and old, and she could totally pull off being either a 'top' or a 'bottom'! Standing there with her arm in a sling, she clearly looks low-key and gentle, yet she’s like a model on a runway. That stature, that smile—wow! A catch like her actually doesn't have a boyfriend. That senior who went hiking with us last time was so sunny and handsome! But I think someone like Senior Sister Xia is better suited for an 'Iceberg CEO' type—preferably the scheming, domineering, and wickedly charming kind. Tsk, just thinking about it is exciting!"
Liang Jueyun wore an expression that said, *I have no idea what you’re talking about.*
Chen Diandian giggled. "If you don't understand, just pretend I didn't say anything."
***
The days that followed were a bit different from what Xia Yinuo had imagined. Tang Shuliang told her she didn't need to keep regular office hours at the lab. Xia Yinuo knew she couldn't perform experiments, but she could still guide her juniors to ensure the progress wasn't affected. As for lunch, she didn't have to worry; with her popularity, plenty of people in the lab were willing to help her get takeout from the canteen. Xia Yinuo gradually got used to using chopsticks with her left hand, even starting to suspect she might have been born a lefty.
Li Qinglan would come over whenever she didn't have a night shift. Sometimes she just brought dinner; other times she helped Xia Yinuo with laundry, mopping, or changing bedsheets, or she’d have Li Xiuheng deliver some soup. Xia Yan, however, wasn't as easy to fool as the grandmother. Within a few days, he found out about his daughter’s injury and scolded his ex-wife and daughter for keeping it from him. Xia Yinuo repeatedly guaranteed that she was perfectly capable of taking care of herself and didn't need to be worried about, let alone be moved back home. She also asked him to tell Auntie Deng that everything was fine.
Zhang Jikang and Mai Shining also checked in every few days. Seeing Xia Yinuo’s state, Mai Shining eagerly offered to help her bathe, her restless enthusiasm leaving both Xia Yinuo and Zhang Jikang speechless. While bathing was a bit difficult, it wasn't impossible if she was careful and took her time.
As for Liang Jueyun, who had said she would take care of Xia Yinuo, she didn't seem to have much opportunity to help, other than bringing breakfast every day. Every morning, after Xia Yinuo finished washing up and changing, Liang Jueyun would arrive punctually with breakfast. The two would watch the morning news while eating and then walk to the lab together. Xia Yinuo found it quite cozy, though she felt bad about troubling Liang Jueyun.
On this day, Liang Jueyun woke up a bit earlier than usual. She detoured out of the residential area to a fresh milk bar to buy yogurt and sandwiches, and picked up a coffee for herself. Since winter had begun, the morning air was crisp and cold, which Liang Jueyun particularly liked. Xia Yinuo wasn't a picky eater; for Western food, she’d eat anything as long as it was paired with milk, and for Chinese food, soy milk and fried dough sticks were fine too. She just ate very little—an egg and a glass of milk would fill her up. She claimed she’d never been able to eat much for breakfast since she was a child, but she was trying her best. She would look at Liang Jueyun with pitiful little eyes, and Liang Jueyun would just smile, not forcing her to eat, and silently reduced the portion sizes of Xia Yinuo’s breakfast thereafter.
Liang Jueyun rang the doorbell while carrying the food. It took a while for the door to open. Xia Yinuo wasn't wearing her arm sling; her right arm hung naturally at her side, and she held a toothbrush in her left hand. Clearly, she had been brushing her teeth in the bathroom and had hurriedly rinsed her mouth to open the door when she heard the bell.
"Morning, Shijie. Sorry, I woke up late today! You eat first, I’ll be ready in a moment!" Xia Yinuo babbled while bending over to hand Liang Jueyun her slippers. "Ugh, the alarm didn't even go off."
Liang Jueyun watched Xia Yinuo, dressed in Crayon Shin-chan pajamas, dash back to the bathroom. She changed her shoes, set down the breakfast, and called out toward the bathroom, "No rush, take your time. The pajamas are very cute."
Hearing this in the bathroom, Xia Yinuo wanted to beat her chest in frustration. After finishing her morning routine, she scurried back to her room to change, fixed her sling, and walked out composedly.
Liang Jueyun immediately noticed a line of bold text on Xia Yinuo’s cast: "I love you," followed by a heart and a cartoon character doodle. She couldn't help but raise an eyebrow.
Noticing Liang Jueyun’s gaze, Xia Yinuo felt a bit embarrassed. "Yesterday my dad and his wife—I mean my biological dad—brought my brother over to see me. The little boy insisted on doodling this. So sentimental at such a young age, honestly ridiculous, right?"
So it was her brother. Liang Jueyun smiled. "It’s very nice. The two of you are very close."
"Yeah, he’s only five. A five-year-old boy, Xia Yiyan."
"Having a big family is a kind of happiness," Liang Jueyun suddenly sighed.
"Do you not have any siblings, Shijie?"
"No. After my father married his current wife, they didn't have any more children. My auntie’s first husband passed away early, and she didn't have any children."
"A house with only one child is a bit quiet," Xia Yinuo nodded.
"That’s why I envy you!"
"Ugh, but how am I supposed to go out with it looking like this?"
"It does seem a bit hard to explain." Liang Jueyun sounded slightly mischievous.
"That brat is dead meat next time!" Xia Yinuo gritted her teeth.
"And yet you can't bring yourself to scrub it off?"
Xia Yinuo suddenly had a bright idea. "How about you help me add a few more lines?"
"Sure!"
Xia Yinuo brought over some colored markers. Liang Jueyun took hold of her cast-covered hand, tapping it gently with her fingers. After thinking for a moment, she looked at Xia Yinuo with a beaming smile. Xiaobao immediately felt a sense of impending doom and cried out for her Shijie to show mercy.
In high spirits, Liang Jueyun lowered her head and began writing briskly.
"I am the cosmic superhero Crayon Shin-chan?!"
If Xia Yinuo really were from the 2D world, there would definitely be three black lines over her head right now.
After writing that line, Liang Jueyun wasn't ready to let go. She added the word "Sister" in front of Xia Yiyan’s "I love you." Seeing the little cartoon character Xia Yiyan had drawn, she thought for a bit and drew a Crayon Shin-chan face next to it. Only then did she clap her hands in satisfaction, signaling she was finished.
Xia Yinuo didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "I didn't expect you to watch Crayon Shin-chan too, Shijie..."
"Mm-hmm. Should I write anything else?" Liang Jueyun made a move as if to grab the marker again.
"Enough, enough! It’s great! Actually, I don't think you need to go through the trouble of buying breakfast every day. I don't eat much anyway; I can just go to the school canteen." She quickly changed the subject.
"Does the school canteen have the fresh yogurt you like?"
"No."
"Well, there you go," Liang Jueyun shrugged easily. "And it’s really no trouble at all."
"Oh."
"By the way, where did you buy those pajamas? They look good."
Not again!
"Those... my grandmother and mom saw them while shopping and thought they looked good, so they bought them for me... They’re easy to put on and take off, which is convenient."
"Oh! They really do suit you."
*Professor Liang, you’re actually quite the 'belly-black' schemer.* But seeing her so cheerful made Xiaobao happy too.
***
Mai Shining asked Xia Yinuo to go with her to get a haircut. Xia Yinuo said she didn't want to get hers cut, and her hand made it inconvenient anyway. Mai Shining said, "Well, you can at least keep me company while I get mine done."
The air conditioning in the hair salon was running high. Mai Shining helped Xia Yinuo take off her coat.
"For her, just a wash and a trim—just tidy up what’s already there. For me, cut it short. Hmm, let me think," Mai Shining said to the stylist while scanning the room. She pointed to a poster on the wall. "There, something like that will do."
The poster was a CD cover for Stefanie Sun. The album title was *My Desired Happiness*.
"What?!" Xia Yinuo was shocked. Mai Shining had always preferred shoulder-length hair.
Mai Shining patted Xia Yinuo’s shoulder. "Don't say it. My mind is made up."
Xia Yinuo pursed her lips, signaling that she’d go along with it.
The stylist looked at them both. "Decided? If so, we can begin."
"Decided. Oh, and be careful with her arm when you’re cutting hers."
After their hair was washed, the two sat side-by-side in the chairs. Xia Yinuo asked, "Why the sudden short cut?"
"I’ve been a bit too well-behaved since I got back. My old man isn't even used to it anymore, so I need to give him some visual stimulation. Maybe I should move in with you. You need someone to do your laundry and cook for you right now anyway."
"Are you sure you’d actually do my laundry and cook?"
"I mean, it’s a possibility."
"Let’s just forget it."
"I think so too..."
They saw the two stylists snickering in the mirror.
Xia Yinuo: "I need to tell you something."
Mai Shining said nonchalantly, "Go ahead."
"Wait a sec."
Xia Yinuo pulled out her phone and opened their chat app.
Xiaobao: I think I’ve fallen for someone.
Mai Shining’s head whipped toward Xia Yinuo instantly, her eyes wide and glowing like two lightbulbs. The stylist had to stop and remind the customer to please sit still.
Mai: [Shocked emoji]
Mai: Holy crap!
Xiaobao: Please use civilized language.
Mai: That fortune teller was spot on! You’re having a run of peach blossom luck!
Xiaobao: I just like them; nothing has happened yet. Calm down.
Mai: This is truly like rain after a long drought. Heaven has finally opened its eyes!
Xiaobao: [Sweating emoji]
Mai: I wonder which young gentleman has the honor of being chosen by the sole heiress of our Xia and Li families?
Xiaobao: [Sweating emoji]
Mai: For all these years, I—the legendary terror of the dating world—have been wanting to pass down my life's work to you. Sadly, you were so dull and unperceptive. Have you ever considered the loneliness of a master with peerless martial arts but no successor?
Xiaobao: You need to take your meds.
Xiaobao: I can't say who it is yet. I need to stay calm and think it through.
Mai: "When a woman falls deeply in love, she will despise all worldly rituals, norms, and even morality, because besides the other person's love, everything else in the world is insignificant."
Xiaobao: Mr. Gu Long, please take your brainless fan away.
Mai: Mr. Gu Long gave us such enlightening words all those years ago. So, girl, hold your banner high and sing all the way; you are bound to return in triumph.
Xiaobao: Heroine, don't stop taking your meds.
Mai: It’s just a pursuit, isn't it? What era is this? Sister, walk boldly forward and don't look back!
Mai: Plus, with the peerless martial arts I’ll teach you, I believe you will surely succeed!
Xiaobao: Doesn't it tire you out to type so many words?
Putting her phone down, Mai Shining looked up and asked seriously, "Sir, when will you be finished? Can you go a bit faster?"
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 灌胃 | Gavage | Intragastric administration (feeding mice via a tube). |
| 二次元 | 2D world | Refers to the world of ACGN (Anime, Comic, Game, Novel). |
| 腹黑 | Belly-black | Scheming; outwardly kind but inwardly manipulative or mischievous. |
| 冰山总裁 | Iceberg CEO | A common trope for a cold, aloof, and powerful executive. |
| 邪魅狂狷 | Wickedly charming | A trope describing a character who is dangerously attractive and unconventional. |
| 桃花运 | Peach blossom luck | Luck in romance or love affairs. |
| 孙燕姿 | Stefanie Sun | A famous Singaporean Mandopop singer. |
| 古龙 | Gu Long | A famous Chinese writer of Wuxia (martial arts) novels. |
| 蜡笔小新 | Crayon Shin-chan | A popular Japanese manga and anime series. |
