There will be a class meeting on Wednesday to discuss two matters: rearranging the seats and electing class committee members.

Every semester, the seating arrangement for Class Seven is personally decided by our homeroom teacher, Mr. Zhuang. It’s not based on grades, nor is it the classic “one-on-one help” model. The specific logic behind it is something only Mr. Zhuang understands.

However, one thing is very clear: Mr. Zhuang, like other traditional homeroom teachers, absolutely forbids boys and girls from sitting together. But since there are only 11 boys in the class, one boy always ends up sitting next to a girl.

The boys call this person the “Chosen One.”

This semester, the “Chosen One” happens to be Xiao Yulong, who previously did cleaning duty with Xia Li. Xiao Yulong’s grades are only in the lower-middle range of the class, but he’s very popular and has a carefree personality, often making jokes and lightening the mood.

While moving his desk, Xiao Yulong sang, “At a speed of seventy miles per hour, my heart feels free and easy…,” which annoyed his good friend, the labor committee member, who kicked him.

Xia Li straightened a few tilted books and adjusted the Doraemon-shaped bookends at both ends. When she turned around, she met Xiao Yulong’s smile.

Xiao Yulong asked with a smile, “Is there enough space around your seats? Can we move forward a bit?”

“Sure,” Xia Li replied, moving her chair forward a little.

After a while, Mr. Zhuang returned to the classroom, and everyone immediately quieted down.

“That’s fine with me.”

Mr. Zhuang nodded, “Then continue serving your classmates. Organize the election of the class committee, and once it’s done, everyone can study by themselves quietly.”

With that, he left the classroom.

The class monitor went to the podium and wrote all the positions on the blackboard. Most of the committee members continued their roles from last semester, except for the discipline committee member and the geography class representative. The original discipline committee member, Tao Shiyue, transferred to the international class, and last semester’s geography class representative didn’t want to do it anymore.

Most people in Class Seven, as the later popular term goes, were quite “Buddhist” – they were all focused on getting into top universities and weren’t very interested in class duties. Moreover, Mingzhong didn’t evaluate based on titles like “Outstanding Student,” awarding scholarships each semester solely based on grades. Being a committee member didn’t add points; it was purely a service role.

The class monitor called for volunteers several times before a girl raised her hand to take on the role of discipline committee member.

“What about the geography class representative? Is anyone willing to do it?”

Xia Li’s heart suddenly pounded, a surge of emotion coming out of nowhere. She was a very inconspicuous girl in the class, ranking around 11th or 12th in grades, with no particular talents, and a gentle, uncompetitive nature. She never thought about standing out or serving her classmates.

She suddenly realized that going to the liberal arts office in the administrative building would mean passing by Class Twenty on the first floor each time.

Xia Li took a deep breath and raised her hand, “I’ll give it a try.”

No one competed with her.

The class monitor wrote her name under “Geography Class Representative.”

The next afternoon, there was a geography class. After class, Teacher Wu asked Xia Li to go to the office with her.

Teacher Wu had a pleasant personality and was the most approachable among all the teachers. However, Xia Li was worst at geography among her social science subjects, making her fear Teacher Wu the most.

Following Teacher Wu, Xia Li felt uneasy. Teacher Wu asked with a smile while walking, “What made you decide to become my class representative?”

Xia Li gave the prepared answer, “My poor geography is dragging down my social science scores, so I want to improve.”

Teacher Wu nodded approvingly and said with a smile, “Having the motivation to improve is good. However, as a class representative, you need to set an example, so keep it up.”

Feeling a lot of pressure, Xia Li responded, “…Teacher, I will work hard.”

“Geography analysis is more flexible compared to history and politics. You need to ask more questions about what you don’t understand in class; just doing exercises won’t work.”

Xia Li nodded quickly.

As they talked, they reached the first floor. Xia Li quickly glanced into the Class 20 classroom. In the fleeting glance, she didn’t see Yan Sishi. She dared not look openly and quickly withdrew her gaze.

In the office, Teacher Wu took out a set of practice questions for the day’s course knowledge points from the college entrance exam and asked Xia Li to distribute them to be discussed during tomorrow’s evening self-study session.

Holding the papers, Xia Li walked through the corridor and passed the Class 20 classroom again. This time, what she saw delighted her.

The international class had only about twenty students, each with their own desk, making the classroom look spacious and bright. The boy’s seat was the third from the last in the innermost row. He was standing up, with one hand on the desk and the other pushing the window wide open. Outside was a tall Gleditsia tree. As the window opened, white pages fluttered, and the wind seemed to carry a hint of cool green scent.

The Mingzhang Middle School uniform was black and white. The summer uniform was a short-sleeved polo shirt, which looked somewhat dull. However, on him, it had an unmatched refreshing look.

Xia Li’s heart skipped a beat. Quickly looking away, she walked briskly, almost running, only realizing it after climbing the stairs.

It wasn’t the first time she had seen Yan Sishi from a distance. After all, it had been several days since he transferred.

During the second period break, except for the senior students, everyone else did the broadcast calisthenics, including the international class. Once, she went downstairs with Lin Qingxiao and others, and at the landing between the first and second floors, she saw Yan Sishi leaving from the bottom exit. Several people surrounded him, yet his back appeared solitary.

However, the chances of meeting during calisthenics were not many because Class 7 was on the third floor, and by the time they went downstairs, the first-floor classrooms’ students were already on the playground. Moreover, Class 7 and Class 20 were not next to each other during exercises, so whenever Xia Li glanced in the direction of Class 20, she only saw a crowd of heads.

Another time was during a physical education class. Mingzhang’s PE classes were relaxed; after a lap, everyone had free activities. She was cooling off with some girls under the shade of camphor trees beside the basketball court when someone exclaimed, “Yan Sishi!” Everyone turned around.

The tree-lined path outside the sports field fence was the only way from the classroom to the cafeteria and the school store. Yan Sishi was passing by, holding a bottle of mineral water. Beside him was a boy with black-framed glasses, talking to him. Yan Sishi occasionally nodded or responded.

No matter how many times she saw him, Xia Li always marveled at his fair skin and how clean and pristine he looked, like frost and snow.

At that moment, Xia Li was glad she had decided to become the geography class representative. Her courage had been instantly rewarded.

Later, whenever she went between the teaching building and the office building, she often thought, “I have a secret now.”

Returning to the classroom, Xia Li divided the papers into four sets according to the number of students and handed them to the first student in each row to pass back. She picked up a piece of white chalk and wrote neatly in the homework section below the timetable on the right side of the blackboard, “Geography quiz review on Friday evening.”

She dusted off the chalk from her hands and sat down.

“Geography class representative,” someone called from the back row.

Xia Li turned around.

Xiao Yulong smiled and said, “I’m celebrating my birthday on Saturday. Want to join us for karaoke?”

At that time, there were limited entertainment options in small towns, and karaoke was the most popular choice.

Xia Li was somewhat surprised.

She wasn’t really familiar with Xiao Yulong.

“Who else is going?” Xia Li asked.

“The class monitor, the labor committee member…”

“Class committee team building?”

Xiao Yulong was amused, “Anyway, we’ve invited a lot of people—oh, you get along well with Xu Ning and Lin Qingxiao, right? They’re also going.”

With that, Xia Li didn’t hesitate, “Sure, I’ll go too.”

Since entering the second year of high school, the experimental class only had one and a half days off per week. They had to return to school for classes on Sunday afternoons, so Saturday was the only time they could fully relax.

Xia Li’s home was in the development zone, far from school. After evening self-study ended at 10:30 PM, her parents, who often stayed at the factory, didn’t feel comfortable letting Xia Li commute.

In the first year, Xia Li stayed in the school dormitory, but the dormitory conditions at Mingzhong were hard to describe: eight people to a room, shared bathroom facilities, with half a floor sharing three toilets, and the limited washing time each day was a constant battle.

Xia Li could endure all these hardships.

However, she was a light sleeper and would wake up at the slightest noise.

There was a girl in the dormitory who snored loudly, so Xia Li had to wear earplugs to sleep every night. The prolonged use caused her ears to ache, ring, and eventually develop external otitis.

In the end, she had to bring up the issue with her parents.

Jiang Hong scolded her for not mentioning it earlier. With such limited rest time each day, how could her body withstand it if she couldn’t sleep well?

After some inquiries, they found a nearby apartment specifically rented to students—it was actually a retired teacher’s old house, divided into small rental rooms. Each room was very small, only enough for a 1.2-meter bed and a desk. But it had a shared living room, a washing machine, and 24-hour hot water.

The smallest room was 230 yuan per month.

In 2008, an annual cost of 2,760 yuan was a significant extra expense for Xia Li’s family.

But Jiang Hong persuaded Xia Jianyang, and they eventually rented a room for Xia Li.

Xia Li never resented her modest background.

She knew her parents had done their best to provide her with the best conditions.

Living in the student apartment was much freer than staying in the dormitory.

Xia Li would call Jiang Hong on Fridays. If her parents weren’t going home for the weekend, she wouldn’t go back either.

On Saturday afternoon, before going to the KTV, Xia Li first went to the bookstore.

It was Xiao Yulong’s birthday; she couldn’t go empty-handed.

But she wasn’t familiar enough with him to know what to give, so she decided a book was the safest choice.

On Yangfeng Road, a block away from school, there was a Yangfeng Bookstore with a wide variety of books. Xia Li often visited it.

After wandering around the bookstore, she finally stopped at the Chinese literature section and picked a book by Liang Shiqiu, “Elegant Essays.” It was a safe choice.

Before leaving, she noticed a book by Bai Xianyong on a high shelf, stood on tiptoe, and pulled it out by the spine.

The book was wrapped in plastic, so she couldn’t see the contents.

As she was reading the blurb, she heard footsteps approaching and instinctively moved aside.

A moment later, a calm voice said, “Hello.”

Xia Li’s eyelashes fluttered, and she turned her head sharply.

Since they were outside school, the boy wasn’t wearing a uniform. He was in a loose white T-shirt, with one strap of a black backpack slung over his shoulder, and a white earphone wire trailing from the side pocket of the backpack.

He was wearing only one earphone, holding the other in his hand as if he had just taken it off.

Xia Li’s breath caught for a moment, “…Hello.”

“…You’re here to buy books.” Xia Li felt her language center had failed her. What else would one do in a bookstore?

Yan Sishi hummed in acknowledgment.

Xia Li desperately wanted to keep the conversation going, to say anything to prolong their exchange, “…Did you transfer to our school? I think I saw you during the morning exercises one day.”

Yan Sishi glanced at her, “You go to Mingzhong?”

“Yes. I’m in Class 7.”

“Class 20.”

I know, Xia Li said in her heart.

“Thanks for your help last time,” Yan Sishi said.

Xia Li shook her head, “…I’m glad I could help.”

“I’m Yan Sishi. I don’t know your name yet.”

“Xia Li. Xia as in summer, Li as in the Li River.”

Yan Sishi nodded, his gaze briefly resting on the book in her hand, then asked, “Are there any other bookstores nearby?”

“There’s a Xinhua Bookstore on Tianxing Street. What kind of book are you looking for?”

“Comics. This bookstore doesn’t seem to have any.”

Xia Li felt a dizzying thrill. She was immensely grateful at that moment that Xu Ning had introduced her to the world of “second dimension” fandom.

“They do, at the front corner…” Xia Li suddenly stopped, then said, “It’s a small shop, hard to find. Want me to take you there?”

“Would it be too much trouble for you?”

“Not at all… Just wait for me a moment, I need to settle the bill.”

Xia Li took the two books to the counter to pay, while Yan Si had already stepped out of the bookstore.

He stood at the entrance, the dusk light casting a delicate, cicada-wing-like glow around his silhouette.

Xia Li put the books into her backpack, walked down the steps in three strides, and said, “Let’s go.”

Only she knew how hard she had to try to appear nonchalant; her heart was pounding more fiercely than after running an 800-meter race, the sense of oxygen deprivation identical.

Yan Si nodded, then paused to remove his other earphone, took out a silver iPod from the side pocket of his backpack, neatly wound the earphone cable, and stuffed it into the pocket of his black trousers.

Xia Li lightly grasped the straps of her backpack, only daring to glance at Yan Si from the corner of her eye.

She didn’t know what to say; asking him why he transferred from North City seemed too abrupt.

She could sense that Yan Si was actually quite unapproachable.

Though he wasn’t the type to ignore people, like how he politely dealt with Luo Weiguo despite the awkwardness.

His politeness was, in fact, a reflection of his attitude: an impartial courtesy laced with equal indifference.

In the silence, they had reached the intersection ahead.

As they passed the corner, a fragrant scent wafted over, causing Xia Li to pause.

In front of a cylindrical grill, a woman wearing a red face cloth deftly used tongs to pick out corn cobs, still wrapped in their husks, from the grill. The man next to her, possibly her husband, wearing gloves, swiftly peeled off the husks, bagged the roasted corn, and handed it to customers.

Despite the small stall, there was a long queue. An iron biscuit tin was filled with change, and people conscientiously paid and made their own change.

Xia Li pointed to the corn stall, “Their corn is especially delicious… you should try it.”

The more she spoke, the more uncertain she felt.

Because she couldn’t imagine someone like Yan Si eating corn.

Yet Yan Si said, “If I get the chance.”

His tone as calm as ever.

Turning into an alley, shaded densely by plane trees on either side.

The street was lined with shops, selling all sorts of things.

The bookstore was nestled among them, its old sign reading “Shangzhi Bookstore,” quite inconspicuous.

The shop might be only about ten square meters, so cramped it was hard to turn around. Due to limited shelf space, some books were simply stacked on the floor, as haphazard as scrap sold by the pound, yet rummaging through would reveal treasures.

This place had all the obscure sci-fi, manga, and suspense novels that you couldn’t find at Xinhua Bookstore, Yangfeng Bookstore, or the newsstands near the school.

There weren’t many customers; it felt more like a secret haven for niche enthusiasts.

The shopkeeper, a stern-faced lady, never initiated conversations with customers, just sat behind her single-person counter, absorbed in her own book.

Xia Li felt it her duty to act as a host, lowering her voice to tell Yan Si, “They have all the popular manga here… and the obscure ones too. They’re in those few rows in the back, you’ll have to look for them yourself.”

Yan Si nodded, “Thanks. I’ll take a look.”

The bookstore had a dusty smell mixed with the scent of ink, like the feeling of spilling a bottle of carbon ink while writing a diary on a rainy day by the window.

Xia Li didn’t follow Yan Si, as it would be impolite, like a sales clerk.

She stood in front of a shelf, picking out what interested her.

She heard Yan Si’s footsteps moving around the shelves to the other side.

Books were being taken out, pages flipping, a sound as subtle as dragonflies’ wings.

This faint noise made Xia Li too afraid to breathe loudly.

Outside, the sun dipped further, setting behind the buildings across the street, and in an instant, the sky darkened, making the store dim.

At that moment, Xia Li felt a profound stillness in the world.

Footsteps neared and then receded; ten minutes later, Yan Si had chosen his books and emerged from behind the shelves.

Xia Li looked at the stack he was holding.

The complete set of “Mushishi” volumes.

“Do you read manga too?” Xia Li asked.

“Occasionally. A classmate recommended it to pass the time.”

“Mushishi is indeed a good one.”

“I will definitely finish reading it.” Yansi Shi placed the entire set of comics on the counter, glanced at the magazine rack near the door, and casually picked up the latest issues of “Watching Movies” and “Popular Software.” Xia Li felt a joy similar to winning a scratch-off lottery ticket: “Watching Movies” was also her favorite in every issue.

Yansi Shi put the two magazines on the counter, glanced at Xia Li’s hands, and said, “Let’s pay together.” Xia Li took this statement very innocently and handed over the latest volume of “Soul Eater” directly.

The shopkeeper aunty used a computer to tally the total, rounding off the change. Yansi Shi paid the bill, took the change, and handed Xia Li her book. The two walked out together. Xia Li took off her backpack, swung it to her front, threw the comics inside, took out her wallet from her bag, and handed ten yuan to Yansi Shi.

Yansi Shi hesitated for a moment. “I meant that as a gift when I brought you here. Thank you for bringing me to this bookstore.”

“I… It was just a small gesture,” Xia Li stammered.

“Please accept it.”

“Thank you,” Xia Li reluctantly said, not refusing further. It was her selfishness at play, she admitted, but at least she now had a “gift” from Yansi Shi.

Suddenly, the classic Nokia ringtone rang. Yansi Shi put the comic in his backpack, took out his phone from his pocket, and turned slightly away to answer the call. He checked the street sign ahead and reported the address at the other end.

After hanging up, Yansi Shi looked at Xia Li. “I’m waiting here for a ride. Do you need me to drop you off?”

Xia Li believed that if it were any other classmate, Yansi Shi would politely ask the same. She didn’t want to trouble him with mere courtesy.

“No need. I’m meeting a classmate at Tianxing Street, very close by.”

Yansi Shi didn’t say anything more.

“Then I’ll go ahead. Bye,” Xia Li said.

“Bye.”

Xia Li turned around and walked quickly to the alley entrance before looking back. Yansi Shi put on his earphones, stood under a tree, and waited for his ride. The wind blew, and the sky had completely darkened, with streetlights illuminating behind him.