January 1st, 2014. The golden winter sunlight filtered through the curtains, spilling warmly into the bedroom. The two figures on the bed were curled together like nesting spoons. Xia Yinuo pressed against Liang Juejun’s back, feeling the warmth of her heartbeat radiating through her spine. Liang Juejun kept her eyes closed lazily, listening to Xia Yinuo begin her "morning story" for the day.
Xia Xiaobao: "Do you know where the safest place in the world is?"
Liang Juejun: "I don't know."
Xia Xiaobao: "Take a guess!"
Liang Juejun: "I don't know."
Xia Xiaobao: "Fine. The safest place in the world is the Duvet Barrier."
Liang Juejun: "What’s a barrier?"
Xia Xiaobao: "Think of it as... a massive Golden Bell Shield!"
Liang Juejun: "What’s a Golden Bell Shield?"
Xia Xiaobao: "The Golden Bell Shield is the bestie of the Iron Cloth Shirt."
Liang Juejun: "What’s an Iron Cloth Shirt?"
Xia Xiaobao: "You’re doing this on purpose, aren't you?!"
Liang Juejun suppressed a laugh and continued, "And what’s a bestie?"
Xia Xiaobao suddenly dove under the covers. Liang Juejun let out a startled cry as a head ducked under the hem of her nightgown. Xia Yinuo’s muffled voice drifted out: "I’m your bestie!"
Liang Juejun cradled Xia Yinuo’s head, giggling. Xia Yinuo’s light kisses, accompanied by the brush of her stray hairs, fell upon Liang Juejun’s flat stomach, sending ticklish shivers through her. After a moment, Xia Yinuo emerged from under the covers, propping herself up over Liang Juejun. She panted with a smile, her index finger poking Liang Juejun’s abdomen restlessly. She lowered her head and asked earnestly, "How do girls train their abs? You know, the '11-line' abs or the 'Sichuan' muscles?"
"Just regular exercise. Yoga, planks, or other crunches—take your pick," Liang Juejun laughed. "I actually have plans to meet May at the campus gym today. Want to come along?"
Xia Yinuo was surprised. "Since when did Ms. Cheng start caring about working out?"
Liang Juejun lifted her head slightly and pecked Xia Yinuo’s lips. "I heard a new yoga instructor started there..."
Xia Yinuo understood instantly. "Oh! Ms. Cheng really knows how to... play to someone's interests!"
Liang Juejun pinched Xia Yinuo’s chin. "You haven't said what you're choosing yet."
Xia Yinuo collapsed onto Liang Juejun, acting like a spoiled child. "I choose to admire your abs!"
Liang Juejun hugged the shameless girl, a smile playing on her lips. "Oh... Tell me, what are the odds of me running into a young, beautiful girl with 11-line abs at the gym?"
Xia Yinuo couldn't help but shed a metaphorical tear for herself. *Professor Liang, have you switched back to 'black-bellied' mode? Tell me you aren't that shallow about looks!*
Xia Yinuo gritted her teeth. "Fine! Starting today, I’m doing fifty sit-ups every day!"
The two of them dawdled and played around for a long time, finally getting up after eight o'clock. Xia Yinuo drove Liang Juejun to the gym, stopping by the cafeteria on the way to buy breakfast. The area near the cafeteria was packed with bicycles and electric scooters. After finally finding a parking spot, Xia Yinuo told Liang Juejun to stay in the car while she ran in.
As Shen Xuanyi walked out of the cafeteria, she caught sight of a figure that looked like Xia Yinuo. Driven by a strange impulse, she followed. It really was Senior Xia! Xia Yinuo returned to the car with a bag of breakfast and opened the door. Shen Xuanyi quickly ducked behind a nearby flowerbed. She hadn't expected that once the car started, the road ahead would be blocked, forcing the car to reverse. If she didn't move now, she would be face-to-face with Xia Yinuo.
Panicking, Shen Xuanyi dodged to the side. The bag of soy milk in her hand slipped and hit the ground, right where Xia Yinuo’s tire rolled over it. It was a clean, total burst.
Xia Yinuo saw a shadow flash in the rearview mirror, followed by a girl’s low cry. She slammed on the brakes, killed the engine, and rushed out to check.
"Haha, good morning, Senior Xia!" Shen Xuanyi said awkwardly, terrified that her little scheme would be seen through.
"It's you?" Seeing it was Liu Yan’s roommate, Xia Yinuo looked her up and down. She wasn't hurt, though her shoes were soaked with soy milk. Xia Yinuo’s heart only half-settled. "Are you hurt anywhere?"
Immediately after, Liang Juejun stepped out from the passenger side. Seeing Shen Xuanyi’s state, she asked with concern, "Is your foot okay?"
*Liang Juejun from the Immunology Department!* Shen Xuanyi was stunned, shaking her head blankly.
There were some amusingly strange phenomena in the departments of the Basic Medical School. For instance, for some reason, those who researched cardiovascular health often seemed to have cardiovascular issues themselves; the three department heads were jokingly called the "Cardiovascular Three Fatties." In the Pathology Department, perhaps because diagnosis required decades of experience, the professors were all quite elderly, leading to the nickname "Pathology Three Baldies." The Immunology Department had many young female teachers and had long been known for the "Three Beauties of Immunology." When Liang Juejun arrived, she broke that balance, turning them into the "Four Golden Flowers of Immunology." Of course, these were just things students gossiped about in private.
And this Professor Liang Juejun was actually sitting in Senior Xia’s car so early in the morning?
Xia Yinuo frowned. "Your shoes are soaked, how can you be okay?"
Shen Xuanyi snapped out of it and waved her hands frantically. "I’m really fine! It was my own clumsiness, I didn't notice you were reversing."
"Your shoes..." Liang Juejun pointed at Shen Xuanyi’s feet.
Shen Xuanyi: "Oh, it's fine, really! I'll just go back to the dorm and change."
Xia Yinuo bent down to pick up the crushed soy milk bag and tossed it into a nearby trash can. "I'll drive you back. Your dorm is in the East District, right?"
Shen Xuanyi felt bashful. "Would that be too much trouble?"
Liang Juejun gave Xia Yinuo a serene smile, then turned to Shen Xuanyi. "It’s no trouble, it’s on our way."
The three of them got into the car. Liang Juejun returned to the passenger seat, took a wet wipe from the center console, opened it, and handed it to Xia Yinuo. Sitting in the back, Shen Xuanyi’s mind was a chaotic mess.
After wiping her hands, Xia Yinuo started the car and joked with Shen Xuanyi, "You gave me a scare just now. I'm glad you're okay. You have to watch the road next time; what if you actually got hit?"
Shen Xuanyi nodded submissively.
Liang Juejun rummaged through the breakfast Xia Yinuo had bought, turned around, and handed a bottle of milk to Shen Xuanyi. "Your soy milk spilled. Is this okay instead?"
Shen Xuanyi’s face turned bright red. "How could I... No, really, it's fine!"
Xia Yinuo glanced at the rearview mirror with a smile. "Just take it, we have more."
Hearing this, Shen Xuanyi stopped being coy and took the milk from Liang Juejun. "Alright then. Thank you, Professor Liang!"
Xia Yinuo asked with a smile, "Oh, you know Professor Liang?"
Shen Xuanyi replied shyly, "I’ve heard people talk about her, and I’ve seen her around the faculty building."
Liang Juejun smiled gently but didn't say anything.
Shen Xuanyi composed herself. "I don't usually see you driving, Senior Xia."
Xia Yinuo: "I live close by, so I usually bike or walk."
Shen Xuanyi: "Senior Xia, you're a C-University 'indigenous,' aren't you?"
"Yeah, I've been at C-University for many years," Xia Yinuo replied, turning slightly to explain to Liang Juejun, "An 'indigenous' is a student who does their Bachelor's, Master's, and PhD all at the same place."
When they reached the East District dorms, Shen Xuanyi thanked them and said goodbye. Xia Yinuo dropped Liang Juejun off at the gym before heading back to the lab.
On the first day of the New Year, not a single person was missing from the lab—the master's and doctoral students were truly moving in their dedication to research. Xia Yinuo didn't have many experiments scheduled. Midway through, she couldn't find her usual ophthalmic forceps, so she asked casually, "Has anyone seen my forceps? The curved ones."
Liu Yan looked around and handed Xia Yinuo a pair of straight-tipped forceps. "I only found these."
"Straight ones aren't as good to use," Xia Yinuo muttered, rummaging through her drawer. "Strange, I used them yesterday. I don't know where they went."
Ke Dinghao chimed in from the side, "Just make do for now. I'll go to the supply department to get more later. Or just heat those straight ones over an alcohol lamp and bend them."
Xia Yinuo: "These aren't glass pipettes. Even if you heat them up to bend them, they won't be smooth."
Wang Meng clapped her hands and roared with laughter. "Hey, why does that sound so wrong? Straight, bent, and having to bend them?"
The group burst into laughter. This was how they usually joked in the lab; they’d said far more scandalous things before, so Xia Yinuo didn't take it to heart.
However, Liu Yan said, whether intentionally or not, "Actually, people are like that too. When they meet a flame, the chance of being bent is quite high. And once you're bent, it's hard to go back to being straight. Don't you think so, Senior Xia?"
Xia Yinuo raised an eyebrow but didn't respond.
After finishing her morning experiments, Xia Yinuo skipped lunch and rushed to Mai Shining’s studio. The Li family—Li Du and Li Qinglan, the siblings Li Xiuheng and Xia Yinuo, and Li Qingfeng’s family of three—gathered around the grandmother. With Mai Shining personally behind the camera, they took a set of festive family portraits.
Mai Shining spoke respectfully to the Li family elders, "I'll send the edited photos to Xiaobao later. You can pick your favorites, and once the final prints are ready, I'll deliver them."
"Alright," Li Qinglan said, her hand resting on Mai Shining’s shoulder. "You should get off work early today. It’s rare for everyone to be here; come over to the house for dinner tonight."
Mai Shining readily agreed.
Xia Yinuo: "Mom, you guys head back first. My brother, Mumu, and I have something to do. Once Jikang arrives, the five of us will head back for dinner together."
Li Xiuheng gave Xia Yinuo a curious look. Mai Shining quickly added, "Auntie Lan, I won't see you out then. See you tonight!"
Mai Shining led the group to a coffee shop across the street. They sat down and chatted about nothing in particular for a while. Within half an hour, Zhang Jikang arrived late.
Seeing everyone there, Zhang Jikang was surprised. "Why the sudden gathering? Just us?"
Xia Yinuo gestured for him to sit. "That's right. I have something to tell you all."
Mai Shining cleared her throat. "Ahem. We're all civilized people here. Everyone stay calm."
Li Mu blinked her eyes, resting her chin on her hands. Zhang Jikang and Li Xiuheng looked at each other, both feeling completely baffled.
Xia Yinuo said seriously, "Brother, Jikang, what I want to tell you is... Liang Juejun and I are together. I mean, in a romantic way."
"What?" the two of them exclaimed in unison.
Mai Shining: "To put it bluntly... she's gay."
Zhang Jikang’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. Mai Shining nudged him. "What? Don't be so provincial!"
Li Xiuheng was momentarily speechless, staring blankly at Xia Yinuo.
Xia Yinuo called out softly, "Brother..."
Li Xiuheng’s voice trembled slightly. "Is it true?"
Xia Yinuo nodded.
Li Xiuheng’s eyes suddenly turned red, and he quickly covered them with his hand.
"Brother..." Xia Yinuo was stunned. She moved to pull his hand away, but he blocked her with his other hand.
Zhang Jikang started to say something, but Mai Shining glared at him, forcing the words back down his throat.
After a moment of silence, Li Xiuheng lowered his hand and looked up at Xia Yinuo. "Xiaobao, actually, there are things I've kept in my heart for many years."
Xia Yinuo nodded again.
"I’m a selfish person," Li Xiuheng said with a bitter, raspy laugh. "Xiaobao, your parents divorced when you were seven, and you lost a complete family. When you were ten and I was twelve, my dad married your mom. For me, that was the start of a real family life. My memories before the age of five are very blurry; I have almost no impression of my biological mother. So, when I found out I was getting a new mother, even though I was already a big twelve-year-old kid, I was so, so happy! And Mom even brought me a sister. That anticipation and joy..."
Li Xiuheng choked up. A wave of bitterness surged in Xia Yinuo’s heart, and her eyes welled up instantly. She reached out and took Li Xiuheng’s hand.
"What I didn't expect was that my sister wouldn't live with us often... because she still had her own father. Usually, she lived with Grandma in the old school housing and only came back on weekends and holidays. Back then, I used to wonder... did I steal my sister's mother?!"
Li Xiuheng’s tears finally broke through, streaming down his face. Li Mu pulled out a tissue and handed it to him, gently tugging at his sleeve.
Xia Yinuo’s heart was overflowing with sorrow. Tears blurred her vision as she struggled to hold them back. "Brother, I didn't know you thought that way. I really..."
"Xiaobao, let me finish," Li Xiuheng wiped his tears haphazardly, forcing a smile. "My mother, such a smart and beautiful woman, treated me as her own. My sister, such a bright little sun, called me 'brother' without a hint of resentment, sharing everything fun or delicious with me. I feel like my childhood became whole because of my father’s remarriage. But we, father and son, were the ones who truly caused you and Mom to live apart."
"How could that be? Before Mom remarried, I would still go back to stay with my dad. I was just stubborn and immature back then. Looking back, I was so willful."
"When we were in school, I wanted to be the big brother who protected you, but you never did anything to worry anyone. Besides, you had Mai-Mai and Jikang in your class to look after you... Later, I went away for university, and by the time I came back to work, you were doing your PhD. Grandma moved back in, and I took Grandma away too... Xiaobao, I want you to be happy, do you know that? You always pretend nothing is wrong, that everything is fine. But your brother has never done anything for you! So, whatever decision you make, I believe in you. I support you unconditionally!"
"Brother..."
"As long as it's someone you love, I will accept them and give you both my blessing!"
Hearing this, Xia Yinuo’s vision blurred completely. Tears fought their way out and began to fall uncontrollably.
Li Xiuheng hugged her tenderly, patting her back. "What did I say to make my sister cry like this? There, there, don't cry. I'll stop crying too."
"How can you say you've never done anything for me? You even got into fights for me. Do you remember when we first moved to Sanhe Villa? You took me to play in the park, and that chubby kid from downstairs said to my face that we weren't real siblings. Without a word, you rushed up and fought him. Uncle Li punished you when we got back, but you refused to say why you hit him. You’ve done so much for me, for Mom, for Uncle Li, and for Grandma. Grandma always tells me how sensible Xiuheng is, how he chats with her and massages her shoulders. When I’m not living at home, you do everything I can't. You gave Mom a son and a daughter, and you gave me a brother I can rely on. Compared to you, I’ve done so little..."
The two siblings, eyes red and tearful, poured their hearts out to each other. People at nearby tables were already casting curious glances their way.
Mai Shining tried to smooth things over. "So, uh, what should I say? Look, over a decade has passed in the blink of an eye, and we're all grown up. Time is like amber; it preserves everything and remembers everything. But for now, shhh—look, the table next to us must think we're in some complicated, dramatic love polygon!"
Zhang Jikang laughed and threw an arm around Mai Shining’s shoulder.
Li Xiuheng wiped his face and smiled. "Still talking? Why did you pick a place like this? It’s embarrassing. What’s wrong with me? Is it because I'm getting old that my tears are so cheap? None of you are allowed to tell anyone about today! I don't even have a girlfriend yet!"
Li Mu, who had been teary-eyed a second ago, burst into a heartless laugh. "Alright, we're all family here. We understand! We all understand!"
Xia Yinuo had already turned her tears into a smile, adding insult to injury. "It was all Mai-Mai’s idea. She said if you wanted to hit me, you’d be too embarrassed to do it in a public place!"
Li Xiuheng scolded playfully, "Nonsense, how could I bear to hit you? That said, it turns out I was the last to know, wasn't I? You little brats, keeping it from me... how cruel!"
Zhang Jikang finally found his voice. "Ahem, Brother Xiuheng, there's also me. I just found out too..."
Mai Shining nudged Zhang Jikang with her elbow and began to recite dramatically: "Even flowers and trees, though heartless, will eventually wither. A heartless person must one day grow weary. If a person has no heart, what is the point of living?"
Xia Yinuo and Li Xiuheng shared a smile.
Zhang Jikang asked, "And which great master said that?"
"Gu Long, of course," Mai Shining said proudly. "But what I actually wanted to say was another line of his—love is not a mistake, nor is it a sin."
***
**Glossary**
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
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马甲线 | 11-line abs | Toned abdominal muscles where two vertical lines are visible.
川字肌 | Sichuan abs | Another term for toned abs, referring to the shape of the character '川'.
心血管三胖 | Cardiovascular Three Fatties | A nickname for the department heads of Cardiovascular research.
病理三秃 | Pathology Three Baldies | A nickname for the elderly professors in the Pathology department.
免疫四朵金花 | Four Golden Flowers of Immunology | A nickname for the four beautiful female teachers in the Immunology department.
土著 | Indigenous / Local | Slang for a student who completes all their degrees (Bachelor's, Master's, PhD) at the same university.
三河山庄 | Sanhe Villa | The name of the residential complex where the family lived.
古龙 | Gu Long | A famous Chinese wuxia novelist.
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