Recitation as rain patters against the windowpane

A few rays of white light shone in from the warm midday sun, adding to the cozy atmosphere. Then came the sounds of laughter and shouts, followed by the chattering of students rushing into the classroom. Xu Yanchi, who had been lying on her desk, gently lifted her eyelids, rubbed her sleepy eyes, and then lazily sat up straight.

Xu Yanchi glanced at the teacher, took out the books she needed for class from her desk, spread them out, and listened to the teacher's lecture. A short while later, Xu Yanchi's ears were filled with noise again. The noise seemed to stop, leaving only the sound of running in the corridor. The door opened at that moment. "Report!" The voice was crisp yet powerful. Xu Yanchi vaguely heard the voice from the back row, but she didn't look up, focusing only on taking notes.

The teacher frowned, looked up and saw who it was, and then softened her tone: "Xiao Fuzhou, why are you late again? Go back to your seat."

Xiao Fuzhou bowed slightly in apology as he walked through the corridor. Sunlight streamed through the corridor windows, slanting into the classroom and creating a warm yet hazy atmosphere, making his white school uniform shirt appear slightly gilded. His handsome eyes blinked slightly, like a frightened deer's. His school uniform was worn casually and lightly, revealing the vitality of a young man. It made him even more captivating. Xu Yanchi looked up and sniffed, catching his unique fragrance, which she thought resembled cedarwood—a pleasant scent, unlike the cheap perfumes some people wear. Xu Yanchi stared blankly, unable to come back to her senses for a long time, as if his image had been deeply etched into her mind. She looked at the back of him that overlapped with her dreams, her memory somewhat hazy. She couldn't even distinguish between dream and reality, and her body swayed slightly uncontrollably. Suddenly, the eraser in her hand fell to the ground with a "thud." Xu Yanchi was slightly surprised: How strange, it's clearly the first time we've met, how can he look so familiar? She shook her head, seemingly incredulous, then bent down to pick up her eraser. She raised her eyes, recalling the dazzling white she had caught a glimpse of out of the corner of her eye, and her pen paused—this was the first time she had seen Xiao Fuzhou, yet strangely, her heart was beating even more erratically than when she had heard the "report."

Xiao Fuzhou's seat was diagonally behind Xu Yanchi. When he sat down, the chair leg lightly tapped the floor, and Xu Yanchi's earlobes inexplicably burned. She quickly pulled her wandering thoughts back to her textbook. But throughout the class, she felt a faint, almost imperceptible presence on the back of her neck, like a spring breeze tentatively brushing against flower petals. She touched her nose uncomfortably, a habit of hers. The faint, sweet fragrance she had smelled during class began to waft over again. Xu Yanchi sniffed lightly, sensing something indescribable. She felt a surge of panic. Xu Yanchi tried to calm herself, but to no avail. Her cheeks burned, and she couldn't help but wonder: Did the person diagonally behind her really notice her?

The bell rang for recess, and Xu Yanchi's movements as she packed her stationery were a beat slow. She heard soft laughter from the back row, mixed with boys teasing her with "Brother Xiao," and then heard Xiao Fuzhou reply in a low voice. She paused, wanting to hear what he was saying. Just as she was hesitating whether to get up and go to the restroom, the student in front of her suddenly turned around: "Xu Yanchi, the homeroom teacher wants you to go to the office. He said there's something about a seating arrangement."

"Seating adjustment?" Xu Yanchi nodded blankly, accidentally knocking over her pencil case as she stood up, scattering metal objects all over the floor. She frantically tried to pick them up, but a hand with distinct knuckles grabbed the pen furthest away before she could. Looking up, she met Xiao Fuzhou's smiling eyes: "Here you go." His handsome features caught Xu Yanchi's gaze, and she stared blankly for a few seconds, somewhat bewildered. After a long while, she hurriedly lowered her head, finally feeling the warmth of his body. Feeling flustered, she quickly said, "Th-thank you... um, I... I can do it." She didn't even know where to put her hands or what to do. She just stared blankly at Xiao Fuzhou, unsure what to say.

His fingertips were still warm from the sun. Xu Yanchi hurriedly took the pen. Xiao Fuzhou didn't leave immediately. He lowered his eyes and stared at her reddened earlobes. His Adam's apple bobbed slightly. "My name is Xiao Fuzhou. We should be in the same group. In the future... please take care of me."

What was this? Xu Yanchi's heart pounded like a drum. Watching his retreating figure, she belatedly realized—the thrill of their first meeting had been hidden in that "report," even before their eyes met, hidden in the moment the sunlight fell on his shoulder, becoming the hottest secret in her heart for the next ten years. The first encounter in the light and shadow came to an end. Xu Yanchi gazed at the figure diagonally behind her, belatedly realizing: "Familiarity" was never a coincidence; it was a fuse carefully laid by time, waiting to draw out a long and entangled future.