Chapter 5

The ancient, tranquil city was shrouded in a vast blanket of mist. The towering clock tower on campus gradually disappeared into the dim evening haze, while the orange glow of the streetlights diffused softly through the thin fog.

It wasn’t even six o’clock yet, but the sky was already half-dark. Groups of students wheeled their bicycles out of the school gates.

Song Jianan walked alongside several girls, pushing her bicycle as they complained about the school refusing to give them a day off for the anniversary celebration. After venting their frustration, the conversation naturally shifted to the anniversary performances.

Zhang Jingkang asked, “Are those handsome guys from our school performing again? Are they going to dance this time too?”

Another girl chimed in, “Who knows? I heard they formed some kind of band and have been practicing like crazy.”

“The last time they performed, they even tried doing Michael Jackson’s moonwalk.” She burst into laughter. “It was absolutely hilarious.”

“Exactly! It looked awful, but all those junior high girls kept screaming anyway. I seriously don’t understand them. Don’t you think the boys in our school are all bookworms? None of them can actually sing or dance well.”

“Seriously. They’re nowhere near the boys from No. 2 High School. Those guys are practically born to get into the Communication University or the Shanghai Theatre Academy.”

Song Jianan suddenly remembered a conversation she’d once had with Su Li about Michael Jackson’s music.

Su Li had described it as “flashy but lacking substance.”

Although she’d disagreed with him at the time, after listening to more Irish music, she gradually came to feel that popularity didn’t necessarily mean timelessness.

She and Su Li rarely chatted.

Most of the time, they simply exchanged recommendations for novels they had recently read or music they had been listening to. Every conversation was initiated by her.

What had once filled her with excitement had slowly turned into quiet disappointment.

She didn’t really know why.

Her constant efforts and Su Li’s unconscious passiveness gradually exhausted her.

In front of him, Song Jianan always felt timid, weak, and inferior.

She didn’t know how to change that, so she simply let things take their natural course.

Someone behind them suddenly called her name.

The group of girls stopped walking.

Song Jianan smiled.

“Chen Yingying, we waited for you forever just now. Where were you?”

The girl came running over, drenched in sweat and breathing heavily.

“I was at the Academic Affairs Office helping the teachers organize the scholarship list for the school anniversary.”

The moment everyone heard the word “scholarship,” the group exploded with excitement.

“I heard that because it’s the school’s centennial anniversary, the number of scholarships has doubled this year.”

Zhang Jingkang looked at Chen Yingying expectantly.

“Is that true?”

“Yep. There are a lot more scholarships this year.” Chen Yingying smiled before turning toward Song Jianan. “By the way, Song Jianan, you got the Second-Class Scholarship! Hurry and treat us to dinner!”

Song Jianan froze.

“No way… I got Second-Class? Are you sure you didn’t read it wrong?”

Chen Yingying laughed.

“My eyesight’s perfectly fine. Our class only has three scholarship spots. You got Second-Class, while Duan Jiachen and the class monitor both got Third-Class. Oh, and the First-Class Scholarship went to the academic committee member from the advanced class… I forgot their name.”

“The advanced class? Class Eight?” someone immediately asked. “What about their class monitor, Su Li?”

“Well…” Chen Yingying lowered her voice. “This is something I heard from the teachers. Originally, Su Li was supposed to receive the First-Class Scholarship, but later he asked the teachers to give it to their academic committee member instead. Apparently, that student comes from a poor family, and the First-Class Scholarship is nearly twice the amount of the Second-Class one. Besides, that student is really proud and would never openly accept charity from anyone, so this was the only way. Anyway, don’t go around telling people about this, alright?”

“Of course. Don’t worry.”

The girls sighed with admiration.

Song Jianan smiled along with them.

She thought about Su Li’s usual indifferent expression and solitary demeanor.

Behind that cold exterior, he quietly hid a considerate and genuinely warm-hearted side that no one ever noticed.

Ripples spread through her heart.

Silently repeating his name to herself, she realized that her feelings for him had deepened without her even noticing.

It rained heavily on the day of the school anniversary.

The leaves of the plane trees scattered across the walkways, with only a handful still clinging stubbornly to life, lending the campus an air of quiet desolation.

Song Jianan was late.

Braving the rain, she hurried into the auditorium, where one of the teachers organizing the event immediately grabbed her.

“Why are you only getting here now? Hurry and find your seat. The school leaders are about to present the scholarships. Second row on the right. See it?”

She nodded repeatedly and awkwardly hurried toward the second row under everyone’s gaze.

There was only one empty seat left.

Without hesitation, she sat down.

Just as she took out a tissue to wipe the rainwater from her face, the person beside her handed over a program booklet.

Without thinking, she accepted it without even saying thank you.

She skimmed through it.

The scholarship presentation wouldn’t happen until halfway through the program.

Suddenly, every light in the auditorium went out.

Darkness swallowed the entire hall.

Soft murmurs rose from the audience.

A faint glow suddenly appeared beside her.

White light slipped through someone’s fingers before the stage lights came on.

Absentmindedly, Song Jianan glanced toward the person next to her.

At that exact moment, he looked back.

Their eyes met.

Her mind exploded into chaos.

Su Li.

He was actually sitting beside her.

Su Li smiled slightly before turning away.

He slipped his phone into his pocket, rested his head on one hand, closed his eyes, and frowned faintly, looking completely exhausted.

It took Song Jianan a long time to recover.

She lowered her head as far as possible.

Her heart pounded violently.

It was the first time she had ever been this close to Su Li.

Pretending to watch the performance, she secretly studied him.

With his eyes closed, she could clearly see his long eyelashes.

The golden stage lights cast a warm glow across his face, making his features appear especially vivid.

The cheerful music echoed across the stage.

Thunderous applause filled the audience.

Yet all she could hear was the sound of her own heartbeat…

…and Su Li’s quiet breathing.

The program booklet in her hands was almost soaked through with sweat.

She had never been this nervous before.

Her thoughts spiraled endlessly.

Did Su Li know she was the girl who had been texting him?

If he found out… what would happen?

No… how could he possibly know?

About half an hour later, the lights throughout the auditorium came back on.

The familiar ceremonial march began to play.

One of the teachers waved toward the front.

The hostess announced,

“Will all scholarship recipients please come up to the stage.”

Song Jianan nervously glanced at Su Li, who still appeared to be asleep.

She had just been about to secretly tug on his sleeve when a girl sitting behind him gently poked him with a rolled-up program booklet.

“Wake up, Su Li.”

The boy slowly opened his eyes.

A mischievous smile unexpectedly appeared at the corners of his lips.

Turning around leisurely, he joked,

“Qin Yuan Yuan, I wasn’t actually asleep. If I really had been, you could’ve accepted the award for me. I’ll split the prize money with you.”

Song Jianan couldn’t help turning to look at the girl named Qin Yuan Yuan.

She was strikingly beautiful.

When she smiled, her eyes sparkled with confidence.

She seemed to know Su Li very well.

Qin Yuan Yuan laughed as well, replying aggressively,

“As if I’d want to. It’s not like I need your scholarship money. So what if I only got Third-Class? Looking down on me?”

Su Li shook his head.

“When did I ever look down on you? I’m done arguing with you. I’m heading up now. We’re treating everyone tonight, so decide where we’re going.”

He stood up and casually straightened his clothes.

Song Jianan was still staring blankly at him.

Noticing her expression, Su Li smiled knowingly.

“Classmate, it’s time to go on stage.”

She accepted the certificate for the Second-Class Scholarship, shook hands with one of the friendly school leaders, and stood for the commemorative photograph.

Su Li was standing right beside her.

Click.

The camera captured that single moment forever.

Many years later, when Song Jianan looked at that photograph again, she saw a younger version of herself.

Her face was delicate.

Her smile was sincere.

She held the certificate proudly in her hands, her eyes slightly narrowed with happiness.

Standing just to her left was the boy she had secretly loved throughout her youth.

His chin was tilted slightly upward, a faint smile on his lips.

Yet he still seemed impossibly distant.

Only ten centimeters separated them.

And yet…

That was the closest she had ever been to him.

Back then, every time she looked at the photograph, she would simply smile with foolish happiness.

Later, it became buried deep within the furthest corners of her memories, rarely brought out again.

After the awards ceremony ended, everyone began leaving.

The rain continued to fall.

The sky remained dull and gray.

Most people had already left, but Song Jianan stood on the steps, hopping back and forth as she worried about not having brought an umbrella.

Duan Jiachen walked out of the auditorium.

Seeing her staring blankly at the sky, he waved a hand in front of her face.

“Earth to Song Jianan. Congratulations on your Second-Class Scholarship. Didn’t bring an umbrella?”

“Yeah… I forgot it. How am I supposed to get back? Wait… you didn’t bring one either!”

“It wasn’t raining when we left this morning.”

He reached out to test the rain before quickly taking off his jacket and tossing it to her.

“Put this on. We’ll make a run for it together. Once we get back to the classroom, we’ll definitely find an umbrella.”

Song Jianan looked at him in confusion.

“Duan Jiachen, that doesn’t even make sense. You’re only wearing a shirt. Running through the rain like that will make you sick. Hurry up and put your jacket back on.”

“Woman, why do you talk so much?” Duan Jiachen’s teeth were already chattering from the cold, yet he still tried to sound calm. “By the time you finish talking, we’d already be back in the classroom. Come on. I’ll count to three, then we run.”

Raindrops shattered on the ground before them.

The chilly rain of late autumn drifted diagonally through the air in countless fine strands.

Water splashed beneath their feet, sending icy coldness straight through them.

By the time they reached the teaching building, more than half of their pant legs were soaked.

Song Jianan brushed aside her dripping bangs before handing the jacket back.

“Quick, put it on. It’ll be terrible if you catch a cold.”

Several damp strands of hair clung to her forehead.

Crystal-clear droplets trickled slowly down her face.

Her eyes were misty from the rain, yet still bright and lively.

She casually wiped her face with her sleeve before breaking into a wide smile.

For some reason, Duan Jiachen suddenly felt his heart racing.

He hurriedly grabbed the jacket.

His face flushed slightly red.

Without another word, he turned around and walked away.

Song Jianan assumed he was freezing and rushing off to warm himself in the staff room.

She quickly called after him,

“Duan Jiachen! Go home and take some cold medicine! Be careful not to catch a cold! I’m heading back to the classroom first!”

But the boy’s heart was already in complete turmoil.

That moment was like countless others…

Yet completely different from all of them.

Something inside him was quietly changing.

For the first time, he clearly understood…

That feeling…

…was love.