It was the height of summer, and the August heat was scorching.
Looking out, there was a sea of towering buildings, their magnificent glass facades reflecting the dazzling sunlight.
This was Gu Siyi's first time in C City. It wasn't too far from her hometown, and her parents had mentioned bringing her here a few times before. However, plans changed quickly, and those trips were always disrupted by unexpected events.
The traffic light turned red, and Gu Zhiyuan stepped on the brakes, waiting for pedestrians to cross.
Xu Jiahui, sitting in the passenger seat, chatted with her daughter, "Your father and Uncle Xia were old classmates and had a great relationship back then. They've grown apart over the years because they haven't seen each other much... You were born on the same day, of the same month, in the same year as their son, Xia Zhijun. People the same age easily find things in common."
Gu Zhiyuan added in a serious tone, "Siyi, you should learn from Brother Xia. He's the same age as you, got the highest score in the city on the high school entrance exam, has won several national competition awards, and even participated in international competitions."
"My ears are getting calluses from hearing you praise him all day long," Gu Siyi said, turning her head to look out the window, her voice laced with displeasure.
Xu Jiahui retorted, "He's such an outstanding young man, why don't you want to learn from him?"
Gu Zhiyuan chimed in, "You're going to C City to study alone, in an unfamiliar place. We'll feel more at ease knowing the Xia family is there to look after you."
The Gu family and the Xia family decided to have dinner at a Chinese restaurant on the sixth floor of a shopping mall.
When the Gu couple arrived with their daughter, the Xia family was already waiting.
Gu Siyi looked at the middle-aged couple approaching and greeted them with a bright smile and a sweet, clear voice, "Hello, Uncle Xia, hello, Auntie."
Having been taken to various social events by her parents since childhood, she had developed an outgoing and generous personality, never afraid of the stage or strangers.
Seeing the gift box in Gu Zhiyuan's hand, Xia Guangyu said, "We're just having a casual dinner to catch up, you didn't have to bring a gift."
Gu Zhiyuan smiled and replied, "It's been so long, just a small token of our appreciation."
Xia Guangyu gestured, "Come, have a seat."
"Siyi has grown up so much in the blink of an eye," Peng Ling said, touching Gu Siyi's head. "The last time I saw you, you couldn't even walk yet, and you were smiling at me from your mother's arms..."
Gu Siyi smiled, revealing two small dimples. "So I've loved to smile at people since I was little."
Peng Ling's smile deepened. "You have such a sweet and pretty smile, little girl."
Peng Ling turned to look at the young man on the sofa. "Azhun, come here."
The young man, who was looking at his phone, looked up, stood, casually pocketed his phone, and walked towards them.
Gu Siyi was momentarily stunned as she looked at him.
The young man was tall and slender, dressed in a white shirt and black trousers. The shirt had two buttons undone, revealing his fair neck and a hint of collarbone. Above it was a strikingly handsome face, with red lips, white teeth, and eyes as black as paint, rendered with ink and water, exuding a clear and unrestrained aura.
In all her years, Gu Siyi had never seen such a handsome boy, a real, living one.
Honestly, how could the top student, the legendary genius, have the face of a school heartthrob? It was scientifically impossible!
In Gu Siyi's imagination, this genius, Xia Zhijun, should have been wearing a pair of thick glasses, with dull, squinting eyes behind them from all the studying, a flat nose bridge from wearing glasses, and dry, chapped lips. He should have looked like the stereotypical bookworm... just like the top student in her middle school class.
"This is Aunt Xu, and this is Gu Siyi," Peng Ling introduced her son, Xia Zhijun.
Xia Zhijun greeted Xu Jiahui politely and gracefully, displaying the refinement and upbringing of a well-bred young man.
"You and Siyi were born on the same day, of the same month, in the same year. You were born in the hour of the Rat, and Siyi was born in the hour of the Horse. A master once said that your horoscopes are a perfect match, mutually beneficial and enhancing. When you were little, we even talked about arranging a child marriage between you two because of this," Peng Ling said jokingly.
Gu Siyi: "..."
Xia Zhijun's gaze fell upon Gu Siyi. Seeing her long eyelashes and the small dimples on her cheeks, a blush crept up his neck, dyeing his fair face a light shade of pink.
Xia Zhijun found it slightly amusing and said calmly, "I don't believe in that."
After the initial greetings, the two families sat down at the dining table.
Gu Siyi ate slowly and gracefully, taking only two bites at most, even when her favorite dishes were placed in front of her.
When her gaze inadvertently swept over Xia Zhijun, she couldn't help but sigh inwardly: How could someone be so good-looking? Even the way he ate was like a painting.
The meal passed with the adults chatting and the younger generation remaining mostly silent.
After dinner, Gu Zhiyuan and Xia Guangyu were in the mood to play chess, and Peng Ling said to Xia Zhijun, "Why don't you take Siyi out for a walk?"
When the two of them had left, Peng Ling smiled and said, "They're still a little restrained with us here. They'll loosen up once they're on their own."
In the mall, Xia Zhijun walked ahead with his hands in his pockets.
Gu Siyi followed behind him, trying to make conversation. "So you're sixteen, just like me. You look so tall, are you 1.8 meters?"
Xia Zhijun nodded slightly.
Gu Siyi glanced around and spotted a tea shop. "There's a tea shop over there, do you want to get something to drink? I can buy you something if you'd like."
Xia Zhijun: "No, thank you."
Gu Siyi realized that the young man's face didn't show much expression. It was clean and clear, calm and aloof. Yet, it didn't make others feel uncomfortable.
Being good-looking had its perks. He could get away with anything just by flashing his face.
Xia Zhijun's phone rang in his pocket. He answered the call and listened to the other party for a few seconds before glancing at Gu Siyi and saying, "I'm busy."
After he hung up, Gu Siyi said understandingly, "If you have an appointment, you can go ahead. I can walk around the mall by myself."
Xia Zhijun: "Internet cafe, want to go?"
Gu Siyi's eyes lit up, and she nodded. "Sure."
She was bored out of her mind just wandering around here. Going to an internet cafe sounded like a much better idea.
They found a nearby internet cafe and sat down at adjacent computers.
Gu Siyi glanced at Xia Zhijun's screen. "League of Legends? You play too?"
Xia Zhijun looked at her surprised expression and asked back, "Why wouldn't I?"
Gu Siyi chuckled awkwardly. "I thought top students didn't play games. Let's play together then."
Xia Zhijun's friends were already online and waiting for him. After adding Gu Siyi as a friend, they started a game together.
Gu Siyi immediately chose the ADC position. Xia Zhijun's friends started complaining, "Who is this? Taking the carry position as soon as they join, do they even know how to play?"
Xia Zhijun: "We'll know in one round."
As soon as the game started, Gu Siyi went on a rampage, suppressing her opponents, controlling the minion wave, and dodging attacks with skillful movements.
"..." Xia Zhijun turned to look at the girl next to him.
Her fingers flew across the keyboard with incredible speed, her eyes sparkled, her expression was focused, and beads of sweat dotted her delicate nose.
She talked non-stop as she played, completely engrossed in the game. "Ouch, ouch, ouch, that hurts! Retreat, retreat, can't beat them, better play safe... This wave, I'm definitely not dying... You call that playing? Even my grandma can play better! Come on, let's fight, I'll beat you to a pulp!..."
Gu Siyi loved playing at internet cafes. She usually played at home and often chatted with friends while playing, which had developed her talkative style.
At this moment, she was so focused on the game that she didn't notice the people around them looking at her. Her pretty face, sweet voice, and cute demeanor were quite eye-catching.
The game ended with Gu Siyi, playing as the main damage dealer, earning the MVP for the entire match.
Xia Zhijun tapped his fingers on the table. Gu Siyi turned to look at him, a triumphant smile on her face, revealing her dimples.
She had just shown off her skills in front of this top student. Even though her grades weren't great, she was well-rounded!
"Please, refrain from making noise," Xia Zhijun said calmly.