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Chapter 23: You Like Him

The start of a new week brought even colder temperatures to North City. The wind felt like a dull blade scraping skin.

The professor had assigned a new experiment. Jian Li’s group remained the same three people. This time, the experiment had to be completed as a group, and the results would be tied to their final grade. Everyone took it very seriously.

Wearing a mask, Jian Li pulled her arm out from the testing mold.
“Density: 1.45 kg/m³, tensile strength: 1.472 GPa, specific strength: 1.02 N/tex.”

She repeated the data aloud to confirm that Chen Runzhe had written it down, and then, just to be safe, they re-tested it once more.

The results were the same both times, so they proceeded to the next step.

While they waited for the test to run, Qian Hao chatted with Chen Runzhe and glanced over at Jian Li.

The lab was filled with the smell of mixed materials. Even with masks on, people would occasionally step out for fresh air. But Jian Li stayed focused the entire time, not complaining or showing discomfort.

Qian Hao was curious.
“Jian Li, why did you want to study robotics engineering? I’ve been wanting to ask that since the semester started.”

Jian Li paused slightly while recording data. “Curiosity.”

Qian Hao gave a thumbs-up.
“Genius mindset—I don’t get it at all.”

“Stop sucking up, Qian Hao. Xiyuan isn’t even a big city. Everyone in this lab is a top student,” said a boy named Ding Qing, who had previously blocked Jian Li’s way in the classroom. “Coming from a fifth- or sixth-tier city, I don’t know what she’s trying to brag about.”

Chen Runzhe adjusted his glasses.
“Ding Qing, you’re out of line.”

Qian Hao added, “What’s it got to do with you if we’re talking? Can’t sit still unless you’re interrupting? Want me to knock some sense into you?”

Qian Hao was an athlete—tall and strong. Ding Qing knew he’d lose in a fight, so he shut up.

“You’re not mad?” Qian Hao asked Jian Li, noticing she hadn’t reacted at all.

Jian Li smiled faintly. “Nothing to be mad about.”

They were irrelevant people.

By the time they left the lab, it was already late. Jian Li took off her mask and gloves and washed her hands. She saw two WeChat messages on her phone:

[Already a Mature Adult]: Li Li, can you grab me a meal from the cafeteria on your way back?
[Already a Mature Adult]: It’s too cold, I don’t want to go out.

Jian Li wiped her cracked phone screen with a tissue and replied:
[What do you want? But I’ll be back a bit late.]

She glanced at the time:
[Probably around 7:30.]

[No worries, I’m not that hungry yet.]
[Pork and mushroom dumplings!]
[Love you.]

Tan Xueying sent two heart emojis. Jian Li accepted the money transfer and put her phone back in her coat pocket.

Chen Runzhe and Qian Hao also came out just then.

“Want to eat together?” Chen Runzhe asked.

Jian Li declined,
“I have something to do.”

Chen Runzhe looked a bit disappointed but didn’t press her.

The three of them walked downstairs together.

Qian Hao suddenly remembered, “The student council is organizing an event. You can earn extra credit and go to the Ice River for fun. Want to sign up together? It’ll be a nice break after the experiment.”
He continued, “I skated once as a kid. Tried to be all heroic, but smashed the ice too hard and fell in. My dad nearly killed me, then made me learn martial arts to toughen up. Never let me skate again.”

Chen Runzhe laughed. “If I were your dad, I’d have beaten you too. You’re lucky they got you out in time. A bit later, you might’ve lost your legs.”

“Hey, I was young! Didn’t know better—just thought it was fun,” Qian Hao said, getting more excited. “Let’s go ice skating!”

“I already have a team,” Jian Li said.

“What? Then we’re late to the party,” Qian Hao said. “Do you still need a pianist or saxophonist? We can do both. Might make your team even stronger.”

Just as Jian Li was about to respond, she caught someone in her peripheral vision.

Zhou Shubei was wearing a black jersey, a basketball tucked under his arm. His bangs were damp with sweat, and he casually pushed them back.

Song Lang was two steps behind him, tying his shoelaces. He saw Jian Li and greeted her, “Hey, Jian Li!”

Qian Hao turned around.
“Wait, your team isn’t… them, right?”

Jian Li replied, “Yes.”

Qian Hao glanced at Chen Runzhe, who shook his head.
“Alright, we’ll get going then.”

Jian Li: “Okay.”

After they left, Jian Li walked toward Zhou Shubei. He still had sweat on his neck from working out, and the arteries in his neck were more prominent than usual—wild and attractive.

The cut on his left index finger had already scabbed over, healing faster than her own hand.

“Qian Hao’s your classmate?” Song Lang asked.

Jian Li nodded. “You know him?”

“Seen him around. Your robotics team played against the first-year finance team. He plays small forward, like Zhou,” Song Lang said.

“Not quite,” Zhou Shubei lazily chimed in, spinning the ball on his finger. “I don’t run people over.”

“True. Qian Hao charges around like a bulldozer, and gets mad when he loses,” Song Lang laughed. “Don’t worry, junior. Our Zhou isn’t reckless—he’s got a great temper. Whoever ends up with him won’t suffer a bit.”

Jian Li looked down. She already knew that.

Zhou Shubei was always respectful and measured. Even when joking, he never crossed the line. He’d defuse awkward moments without making anyone feel uncomfortable.

Which also meant—whoever held his hand in the future wouldn’t be her.

Snap!

His slender fingers snapped in front of her eyes.

“Miss Jian, daydreaming again?” Zhou Shubei smiled. “Eaten yet? Want to go together?”

Jian Li’s hands twisted in her coat pocket. “No thanks. I’ve got something to do. You guys go ahead.”

Zhou Shubei’s eyelids flickered, his smile fading just slightly. “Alright.”

After saying goodbye, Jian Li quickly walked off. She turned back once but Zhou and Song were already far away, the basketball bouncing in his hands like a toy.

As she turned again, Zhou looked back. He saw her darting away like a rabbit—like she was off to meet someone important.

Jian Li took Bus 52 and got off at Jingnan Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital.

A white sign with red letters hung outside. Inside, a doctor in a white coat sat among piles of herbs, grinding them.

“Hi, I’m Jian Li. I booked an appointment through WeChat,” she greeted politely.

The doctor, a woman in her sixties with elegant poise despite her graying hair, was surnamed Qiao. She put down her tools. “You want something to help sleep and calm the nerves? Sachets or incense?”

“Incense.”

Ms. Qiao pulled out a few herbs and showed her how to grind them and measure the proper ratios.

“Don’t use too much. Too much is as bad as too little,” she advised.

Jian Li memorized it all and followed the steps carefully.

“Making it for someone you like?” Ms. Qiao asked while sorting herbs, chatting casually. “You could just buy it, but you insisted on doing it yourself.”

Jian Li ignored the question. “It feels more sincere this way.”

He had helped her so much. This was all she could do in return.

She learned quickly, but time was limited. She didn’t get to finish making the incense, so she said goodbye and returned to campus. She picked up two orders of dumplings from the cafeteria.

“Sorry, Xueying, I got delayed,” Jian Li said.

Tan Xueying climbed down from her bunk.
“Perfect timing. I wouldn’t have been able to eat earlier anyway.” She noticed the extra food. “You’ve been in the lab all this time?”

Jian Li nodded. The dorm was warm with the heater on. She took off her coat and spotted the hand warmer on her desk, plugged it in to charge.

Tan Xueying sat next to her with her food and cautiously asked, “Li Li, do you like Zhou Shubei?”

Jian Li flinched as static shocked her fingers. Numb, she denied it. “No.”

Xueying didn’t believe her at all. “You do.”

“You don’t even like sweet things. That fruit tea had full sugar and was super sweet—even I found it too much. But you drank it. And how did Zhou Shubei know you had candy in your bag? You never eat candy.”
She continued with logic and evidence. “Whenever you talk to him, even if you look calm, your eyes give you away. You’re nervous. That day, when you listed his good traits, you suddenly became enthusiastic and animated. That’s not like you.”

“You’re usually quiet. You never ask questions about things that don’t involve you. But you know Zhou Shubei well. Only someone who really likes another person would be that curious about them.”

Jian Li looked at the glowing red light on the hand warmer. She’d thought she’d hidden it well, but Xueying had seen through it all. Suddenly, she remembered that day at Zhou’s place—when Song Lang said she’d liked Zhou since high school.

Had Zhou guessed too?

Xueying seemed to read her mind. “He probably doesn’t know. He doesn’t know you don’t eat sweet things.”

Jian Li let out a breath. “Xueying, can you keep this a secret for me?”

“Of course.” Xueying zipped her lips. “So, when did you start liking him? In high school?”

Since it was all out now, Jian Li briefly explained what had happened back then. Xueying was furious and slammed the table, cursing the guy, then rested her chin in her hand and looked at Jian Li.

“So, what are you going to do? Just keep quiet forever?”

Jian Li: “Yeah.”

“I don’t get it. If you like him, just tell him. Hiding it doesn’t help.”

“I’m scared of being rejected,” Jian Li admitted now that she had someone to confide in. “Scared we’ll lose even this casual friendship. That he’ll start ignoring me completely.”

“I’ve thought about telling him. But I don’t want to go back to square one after finally getting close.”

After all, she’d seen with her own eyes how impatient Zhou could be when rejecting others.

The hand warmer was fully charged. Jian Li exhaled slowly, confronting her own insecurity.
“I don’t think I’m good enough for him.”

“What?!” Xueying stared like she’d heard the world’s worst joke.
“You’re more than enough. You’re beautiful, smart, kind, independent, and super organized. You’ve just been hiding all your strengths.”

Jian Li blinked and touched her face. The person Xueying described sounded like someone else.

Her phone buzzed.

A message from the very person they’d been talking about:

[Zhou Shubei: Where are you?]