Chen Zhizhong spent the entire winter break washing dishes in Chinatown, netting five hundred pounds after living expenses. Meanwhile, Xiao Heling had stayed in hotels, visited private clinics, and ordered several rounds of freshly boiled pork liver congee from Cantonese restaurants—all on his tab. By the end of the week, the various expenses totaled nearly eight hundred pounds. Chen Zhizhong organized every single receipt into a stapled stack, waving it in front of Xiao Heling’s eyes every day. "Don't forget to pay me back."
At first, Xiao Heling agreed readily, but eventually, she grew exasperated by his pestering. "How can you be so stingy? Is it so bad to just lend me some money and let me owe you a favor? Do you know how many people are lining up for the chance to help me?"
"Then go call them already," Chen Zhizhong retorted mercilessly. "Save yourself from nesting in this little hotel eating takeout every day. You are what you eat; your face is looking as dark as pork liver. Drink more water so you don't get too 'heated.' And stop ordering that congee; it’s several pounds a bowl."
"You—!" Xiao Heling’s eyes went round with fury as she bolted upright from her chair. "Hmph! Fine, I'm leaving! I'm checking out right now!"
Chen Zhizhong chased her out the door. "Leaving is fine, but leave your contact info. Give me a straight answer on how you're going to pay me back."
"...I won't owe you a single penny!"
Not long after Xiao Heling returned home, a transfer of eight thousand pounds appeared in Chen Zhizhong’s HSBC account. The memo was very much in her style: *The rest is a tip for you.*
He let out a scoff and transferred the remaining seven thousand two hundred pounds back to her exactly as it had come.
As for why Xiao Heling hadn't dared to go home, she told the story in fits and starts while Chen Zhizhong listened half-attentively, eventually piecing together the whole narrative.
It was a plot more cliché than he had expected: a "good girl" under strict supervision at home moves abroad for independent life and immediately loses all self-control. Unable to face her parents with a disastrous transcript, she lied to both sides to remain in the UK.
"Professor Xiao from the Biology Department is your uncle?!" Chen Zhizhong looked Xiao Heling up and down. The girl was wearing cotton pajamas with her long hair tied in a messy bun; there wasn't a hint of her usual glamour, only a dazed expression.
"Truly, appearances can be deceiving."
"My mother would criticize me even for getting an A-minus in high school. If she knew I got a D, she’d cut off my allowance for sure." Xiao Heling was still immersed in her lingering fear, only realizing something was off after a moment. "Wait, what do you mean by that!"
Chen Zhizhong laughed and dodged the pillow she threw at him.
After this ordeal, he saw right through Xiao Heling’s "tough" exterior. She acted as though she were mature, but inside, she was still an innocent child. Her previous arrogance was likely just because she had been shielded so well growing up and had never really suffered a setback. Why bother getting worked up over a kid? Besides, once Xiao Heling started her higher-level major courses next semester, their paths wouldn't cross again anyway.
He had always been an efficient person, unwilling to waste energy on people or things that weren't worth it.
However, as soon as the second semester began, Chen Zhizhong saw Xiao Heling in the lecture hall again.
"What are you doing here?" During the following week's office hours, Xiao Heling actually showed up with her textbook to ask questions, a first for her. Chen Zhizhong finally couldn't suppress his confusion. "Didn't you pass your Fundamentals of Economics last semester? You only need to retake it if you get an F."
Xiao Heling gave a bright, charming smile. "The Department Head often comes to my uncle's house for tea. I told him I was struggling to keep up since I just arrived at Cambridge, and after a bit of pestering, he agreed."
Chen Zhizhong lowered his eyelids slightly. "I'll pretend I didn't hear that. I'd also advise you not to go around telling others."
"I only told you." Xiao Heling pulled out her book again. "So, Senior, what does Pareto Optimality actually mean?"
Xiao Heling had changed. The transformation was so drastic that Chen Zhizhong sometimes wondered if she had a twin sister back in Singapore—perhaps the older sister had caused trouble and was grounded, so the younger sister had flown to the UK to clean up the mess. Not only did she stop arriving late and leaving early, but she sat in the front row every single time. When she asked questions, her hand shot up straight, her large eyes sparkling with a thirst for knowledge.
She placed second in the class on the midterm exam. When she came to his office hours for feedback, Chen Zhizhong teased her, "It turns out you really are Professor Xiao's niece."
Xiao Heling didn't get angry. She gave a giggling grin and leaned closer to him. "Are you free this weekend, Senior? Want to grab hotpot together?"
Since the start of the term, she had stopped going to nightclubs. Instead, she wore jeans and sneakers every day, riding her bicycle through the streets and alleys of Cambridge. On weekends, she cooked with peers, spent time in the library, or drove to London for fun, looking just like a real university student.
Chen Zhizhong looked down and thought for a moment. "I shouldn't have anything going on. Count me in."
Xiao Heling’s eyes lit up. "It’s a deal then. I'll page you the time and place later."
When his office hours ended, Chen Zhizhong locked the door and left. His roommate was already waiting at the entrance; they had agreed to go to the dining hall together. As they chatted idly about a recent departmental seminar, the roommate suddenly said, "I heard there's a junior girl pursuing you lately?"
Chen Zhizhong was taken aback. "That's not true."
The roommate’s face broke into a mischievous grin. "Really? The rumors are quite specific. They say this junior comes from a very influential background. Congratulations, you might be able to save yourself ten years of struggle."
Chen Zhizhong simply smiled and let the topic pass.
