Young love and secret crushes seem to always bloom in summer, with cicadas buzzing in your ears and green shade all around.
In late spring, she was lucky enough to catch a glimpse of the springtime, and clung to it like a vine, growing around it.
By midsummer, her wish finally came true.
Warm on the outside and warm on the inside x cold on the outside and warm on the inside
-
Wen Huai first saw Chu Yan during the freshman introductions in their first year of high school. He wore his uniform, but his broad shoulders and lean waist were still noticeable. He introduced himself without the slightest awkwardness, smiling as his voice rang out like water over stones. As he passed by her, she caught a faint scent of soapberry.
That day, she remembered only him.
“An instant sensation” could not have suited him better.
At their first monthly exam, he took the top spot and quickly became famous.
At the awards ceremony, Chu Yan wore that same uniform, bowed slightly to the stage and the students below, and shared his study methods.
It was the first time Wen Huai had listened so intently to a top student speaking at the front of the hall. She filled an entire page with notes.
Before, she would have found it dull and wished the time would pass faster.
In the second semester of their first year, Wen Huai heard that Chu Yan planned to choose the science track, and made him her motivation. As luck would have it, Teacher Jiang moved her to the seat in front of Chu Yan. Taking advantage of the proximity, she turned around every day to ask him questions.
“Chu Yan looks like he doesn't want anyone coming near him, but he's actually quite helpful.” That was Wen Huai's assessment of him.
After studying intensely for quite some time, Wen Huai eagerly chose the science track after the exams. Her parents said, “It's up to you,” but sighed repeatedly whenever she was around.
In their eyes, girls had better prospects if they chose the humanities, especially someone like Wen Huai, whose grades were just above average.
Knowing she lacked natural talent, she had no choice but to work harder than other people.
Fortunately, hard work paid off, and she received an acceptance letter from Youjin University.
Only after she returned from a trip around China did she hear from someone else that Youjin University had also been Chu Yan's first choice.
“Wen Huai: Wait, didn't he say he wanted to go to Shiyuan University?”
“An Ji: Who knows? He suddenly changed his mind. Anyway, the two schools are evenly matched.”
-
No real-life models.
A short, sweet story with a slow, everyday rhythm. (A coming-of-age story?)
“Content warnings: Poor writing, slow updates, writing whatever comes to mind, just for fun. The leads sometimes like to ask questions they already know the answers to and throw in some English.”
I may revise the story.
This blurb was screenshotted and archived on May 5, 2026, at 00:00.
Theme: Spring into summer.
