“It’s called returning to a familiar place with fresh eyes — finding that sense of novelty.”
Wang Yuxuan was five years older than Zhu Yun. Because their mothers were close friends, the two had known each other since childhood. Wang Yuxuan liked to boast that when he was little he had held Zhu Yun when she was still a baby, which Zhu Yun flatly refused to believe.
The trouble was, once school started taking over their lives, they had drifted apart — both too absorbed in their studies for much contact.
Zhu Yun poured Wang Yuxuan a glass of water, and the two of them settled into the small sofa to talk.
“Aren’t you going to ask me anything?” Wang Yuxuan said. “What did your mother specifically tell you to find out?”
Zhu Yun pulled out her laptop from her bag. “Is the moon really rounder overseas?”
Wang Yuxuan clicked his tongue. “Could you try any less hard?”
Zhu Yun powered it on. Wang Yuxuan gestured at it. “Talking to me is so boring you have to go online for entertainment?”
“…No. I just want to check my emails.”
In truth, Zhu Yun wasn’t actually going to check her emails — it was more like a habit she had developed, where whenever she found herself idle she instinctively opened a laptop. But since she had said it, she had to follow through and actually log in, and to her surprise there really was an email waiting — from the academic affairs office, notifying students that final exam results had been posted.
“Oh! Oh! Oh! Oh!” Wang Yuxuan perked up with sudden excitement. “Grades are out — go check them, quick!”
“…”
Zhu Yun gave Wang Yuxuan a look.
Wang Yuxuan urged her on. “Come on, look!”
Zhu Yun logged onto the academic portal and pulled up her final grade report.
Wang Yuxuan was even more invested in this than she was. He leaned right over and did a quick scan, then said with clear admiration, “Not bad at all, Zhu Mei — the real deal. Every single subject so high! Open up the overall class ranking, let me see what the standard is at domestic universities these days.”
He said this, and then waited. The page didn’t load.
“Zhu Mei?”
Wang Yuxuan turned his head — and caught Zhu Yun smiling.
Not at him, of course.
She was smiling at one particular line on the grade report.
Fundamental Principles of Marxism — Final Exam Score: ninety-seven.
Three short of a hundred. Not that it mattered — the world was never perfect.
The face of a certain top scorer, effortlessly brilliant under that cool, sharp gaze, surfaced in her mind — and her smile deepened.
By the time she came back to herself, she found Wang Yuxuan looking at her with a slightly dazed expression.
“What?” she asked.
Wang Yuxuan shook his head. “Nothing.” He looked away toward the bookshelf beside her, but after a moment turned back.
“Zhu Mei.”
“Hm?”
“Can I say something complimentary?”
“Go ahead.”
“I’m worried you’ll get a big head.”
“Then don’t say it.”
“But I can’t help myself.”
“…”
Zhu Yun closed her laptop.
Wang Yuxuan said suddenly, “You’ve gotten prettier.”
Zhu Yun paused, then raised an eyebrow. “Have I?”
Wang Yuxuan: “See — this is exactly what I was worried about.”
Zhu Yun shrugged. Wang Yuxuan set the teasing aside and asked, “Your mother seems to have ideas about sending you abroad. What do you think yourself?”
“Haven’t thought about it yet.”
“If you wait until the moment it matters, it’ll be too late. If you’re considering it at all, you need to start preparing early. Don’t fall behind in any subject, but make your major stand out — and try to get published in some well-regarded journals if you can. I have some connections there, if you ever need help.”
Zhu Yun scratched her cheek. “I’m not really a theory person. Writing papers isn’t my thing.”
“The practical route works too — enter as many major competitions as possible, the more activities the better.” Wang Yuxuan said. “I’m in finance, so I don’t know much about computer science, but I’d imagine it’s similar. When I get back I can help you look into—”
“Hold on.” Zhu Yun reminded him. “I haven’t even finished my first year yet…”
Wang Yuxuan looked at her, then laughed.
“Fair enough — still just a kid. But it’s still worth planning ahead early. Opportunities go to those who are prepared.”
You could stay on and become a school counselor.
“Is life abroad hard?” Zhu Yun attempted to steer the conversation elsewhere.
Wang Yuxuan shook his head, his expression growing thoughtful. “If you know yourself clearly, it isn’t.”