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Aside from these occasional uncontrollable factors that played with her emotions, first love brought Yin Mengxi far more sweetness and happiness.
She had the best boyfriend in the world.
He was incredibly considerate, never like those unreliable boys who lacked patience with their girlfriends. Whenever he had time, he would accompany her—to eat, study, work, or go out. He was also adept at switching roles: in daily life, he was her gentle and caring boyfriend; at work, he became the senior student guiding her; and when she asked about course selection or writing academic reports, he transformed into her patient teacher, always treating her in a way that made her feel most comfortable. Perhaps his greatest skill was complimenting her—praising her when she proofread well, when she wore a new makeup look, or when she told him her reading report scored 95 points. He made her feel that all her efforts were meaningful, noticed, appreciated, and remembered.
This feeling was addictive. Every bit of affirmation pushed her to work even harder—95 points weren’t enough; she wanted 98. But 98 wasn’t enough either; she aimed for 100. Eventually, even 100 wasn’t satisfying anymore. She started looking for extra credit opportunities, striving for 120 points. In front of him, she had to be flawless.
She adored him so much. The distance that had once existed during her unrequited love hadn’t faded after they got together. Instead, she discovered more and more wonderful qualities in him. The result? Their relationship only grew more intense. She often couldn’t control herself from expressing her affection—like secretly holding his hand under the table while working in the studio, standing on tiptoes to kiss his cheek in front of her dorm despite others’ gazes, or sneaking into his QQ space late at night to leave bold comments before deleting them quietly before he noticed.
...Every day brought new thrills and anticipation.
And he responded, giving her small surprises and moments of romance. For instance, on that Tuesday, he casually asked, “Do you have classes tomorrow afternoon?”
No, she didn’t. Usually, they’d spend that time working overtime in the studio.
“Hmm,” she nodded. “Why do you ask?”
“Do you want to go to the studio?” he asked. “Or would you prefer to get some fresh air?”
“Fresh air?” Her eyes lit up instantly.
“Senior Sun has something to do tomorrow, so someone needs to go to the museum to pick up materials,” he reached out to smooth her hair. “Would you like to go?”
“Are you going?” She bounced like an excited little rabbit. “If you’re going, I’ll go.”
So clingy.
He chuckled, holding her hand as they walked across campus. “Alright, let’s go together.”
She was thrilled, like a primary school student anticipating a spring outing. The dimples on her cheeks never disappeared. Seeing her joy, his mood improved too. He pinched her cheek teasingly, saying, “So happy? Is working in the studio usually unbearable?”
“No…” She basked in his natural affection, though her ears turned red. “It’s just… going out on a date is always exciting.”
Every second spent alone with you makes me happy.
A City, being one of the nation’s top-tier metropolises, was prosperous both commercially and culturally. There were over ten museums throughout the city. Besides large comprehensive institutions like the City Museum, there were smaller ones with specialized collections. One such place was the Museum of Seals, Calligraphy, and Paintings, where they were headed that day.
It took about forty minutes by subway from University A. When they arrived, someone was already waiting for them—a young woman, likely new to the workforce. Upon seeing Xiao Zhi, she hesitated briefly, then blushed and cautiously asked, “Hello, are you a friend of Mr. Sun Zhuo?”
“Yes, hello,” Xiao Zhi replied politely as usual. “We’re here to borrow the previously arranged seal collection materials.”
“Oh, yes, yes…” she stammered, unable to stop stealing glances at him.
Yin Mengxi completely understood this reaction. Xiao Zhi was undeniably handsome. While part of her felt a twinge of jealousy as her boyfriend was admired, the larger part of her felt a strange sense of validation—”See, it’s not just me who thinks he’s attractive.” There was also a hint of pride—he’s my boyfriend.
The material handover was quick but extensive, filling four canvas bags. Yin Mengxi felt overwhelmed, worrying how long it would take to transport everything back to the studio. Xiao Zhi remained calm, accustomed to handling large volumes of materials, especially given his background in literary history, where reading multiple hefty books simultaneously was common.
“We’d like to view the exhibits inside,” he turned to the museum staff. “Could we store the materials somewhere first?”
“Oh, of course!” the young woman quickly responded. “There’s a storage area on the first floor. Let me show you.”
She was very enthusiastic, personally guiding them to store their belongings. Afterward, she offered to be their guide, introducing them to the museum’s collections. Xiao Zhi politely thanked her but declined. “No need to trouble yourself. We can explore on our own.”
They indeed didn’t require a guide. The museum wasn’t large, and Xiao Zhi had visited several times before, familiar with the locations of the seal, calligraphy, and painting galleries.
Perhaps because it was a weekday, there weren’t many visitors. In the seal gallery on the west side of the first floor, only five or six people lingered. The space was dimly lit, except for the bright lights illuminating the display cases, creating a serene and tranquil atmosphere.
“The museum’s most abundant collection is seals,” he softly introduced as they slowly admired the exhibits. “Mainly ancient seals and literati engravings, spanning a relatively complete timeline of official and private seals.”
He was like an encyclopedia, seemingly knowing everything. Starting with the bronze seals unearthed from the Yin Ruins of the Shang Dynasty, he explained not only the original meanings and uses of seals but also delved into methods of making them—stamping, branding, engraving. Moving through the pre-Qin period, he noted that the Han Dynasty was the peak era for seal development, with increasingly detailed classifications: jade seals, bird-and-insect script seals, pictorial seals—the terminology was endless. By the Sui, Tang, Song, Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties, each era had its own style. “Seals” gradually evolved into two distinct systems, with literati engravings becoming a unique cultural heritage emphasizing artistry and technique.
She was utterly amazed. Wasn’t this beyond the scope of literature studies? Shouldn’t this knowledge belong to museology?
“How do you know all this…” she blinked, genuinely baffled. “…Have you read a lot of books on this topic?”
Her question carried admiration, her sparkling eyes filled with adoration. He couldn’t help but feel pleased, even though he hadn’t meant to show off. Being looked at by his girlfriend with such admiration was undeniably delightful.
“I’ve read some, but not systematically,” he explained gently. “My family knows more about this. One is involved in historical research, and the other enjoys collecting.”
“Collecting?” Yin Mengxi’s heart skipped a beat.
“Yes, though not entirely traditional items—some Western pieces as well,” his tone was nonchalant. “They’re particularly fond of art.”
Ah.
Art.
...This couldn’t possibly be a hobby of an ordinary-income family.
So what Min Rui had told her about his family was true?
Her heart sank again, though she wasn’t entirely surprised. Though she hadn’t directly asked before, she had observed subtle details in their daily lives. His electronics were always the latest and most expensive models. When dining out, he never paid attention to prices. Even the lavish hotpot meal he treated everyone to at the drama club—such gestures hinted at his upbringing and refined demeanor.
...The answer was clear.
A troubling realization had been confirmed, but the silver lining was that she had mentally prepared herself beforehand, so she didn’t falter immediately. To mask her emotional fluctuations, she focused entirely on the elegant and ancient artifacts displayed in the cases. Her journalistic instincts kicked in, and she instinctively wanted to capture these moments worth recording.
Unfortunately, without a camera, she resorted to using her phone. She circled the display cases, searching for the best light and angles, painstakingly framing her shots until she finally captured a satisfactory photo. The only downside was the poor pixel quality—it was only good enough for a quick social media post.
“Sigh…” she sighed at the result, feeling helpless.
He noticed, lingering on the photo she took for an extra two seconds before suddenly asking, “Do you really enjoy photography?”
She was startled, turning to look at him. “Hmm?”
“When we were in the drama club, I often saw you carrying a camera,” he recalled. “You seemed to really enjoy it.”
“Oh, I just like taking casual photos—it’s very amateur,” she rubbed her nose, looking a bit embarrassed. “Whenever I see something beautiful, I want to capture it. Maybe it’s a habit among people in my major…”
“Beautiful?” He seemed intrigued by another interesting word. “Do you think these are beautiful?”
As he spoke, his gaze swept briefly over the silent artifacts in the display case, fleeting like a shadow.
“Of course,” she didn’t understand why he asked, but instinctively sensed there was more to his words. “They’re works of art with a sense of history… Of course, they’re beautiful.”
“But most people would find them boring,” he stated objectively, his tone neutral. Yet, when he turned to look at the Western Han Dynasty jade seal in the case, his eyes held a profound depth—perhaps tinged with pity, perhaps with loneliness. “Times move fast, and tradition can’t keep up with this pace.”
She froze again, suddenly realizing their conversation was heading toward a complex and profound direction. He seemed to grow obscure, like a drop of ink spreading on a white sheet of paper dyed with gentleness—the traces revealing its fuller form.
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Author’s Note:
Bubble alert: Tomorrow’s chapter will include content closely related to Drinking Ice. If you’re sensitive about spoilers, please consider skipping the purchase. 😊
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