Chapter 15

Life on the graduating class campus proceeded in a routine, tense atmosphere. The days seemed filled with exams and handouts, with calisthenics becoming a rare opportunity for relaxation.

The sunlight that day was a bit dazzling. On the playground, a square formation of students in blue and white school uniforms stretched their limbs lazily to the music on the radio, revealing a collective fatigue.

The dean took the microphone, stopped the music, criticized a few words, and then scanned the audience.

"Zhao Jinglu, Grade 9 Dance Class, step out!"

Zhao Jinglu was startled when her name was suddenly called, and she trotted forward under the gaze of her classmates.

"From now on, you will go to the podium to do the daily exercises during recess. Your movements should be standardized and set an example for everyone." The director's tone was very straightforward, more like assigning a daily task.

"...Yes." Zhao Jinglu breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, she was not criticized in public.

The next day, during break exercises, Zhao Jinglu took the podium. As the music started, she took a deep breath and focused completely on the beat. Years of dance training gave her movements a natural, smooth, and graceful flow, a stark contrast to the sloppy movements of the audience.

In the senior year queue.

Zhang Hao nudged Ling Peng and Sun Wei beside him, and raised his chin towards the stage: "Hey, look, the 'little teacher' got a promotion."

Sun Wei looked over and said, "Oh, these moves are standard, you're no wonder you're a dancer."

Zhang Hao said proudly: "Of course, he is our 'little teacher'." As if this honor has something to do with him.

Ling Peng also raised his head, his gaze passing over the crowd to the elevated platform. He saw Zhao Jinglu performing a body rotation exercise, her ponytail tracing a neat arc, her profile focused in the sunlight.

He stared at it for about two seconds, thinking to himself: It's definitely much better than us. His face showed no emotion, only the slightest raise of his eyebrows. Then he casually said to Zhang Hao, "What else? You think they're all like you, cramped?"

"Hey, I'm just being casual!" Zhang Hao retorted. Sun Wei was laughing, but he subconsciously straightened his curled arms a little.

As the days went by, leading the exercises became Zhao Jinglu's daily routine. There was nothing unusual about it, and everyone soon got used to the fact that there was always a girl on the stage who performed with exceptional precision.

For Zhao Jinglu, the daily physical exercises seemed to have become a fixed break in her busy studies, with some hidden expectations.

Standing high up, she had a particularly wide field of vision. She could clearly see the entire playground, including the ranks of the senior students.

Her eyes would sometimes unconsciously sweep across that area, as if looking for a familiar coordinate.

Sometimes, she would see Ling Peng with a sleepy look on his face, kicking his hands and legs perfunctorily to the music, or even yawning loudly.

Sometimes, she would see him whispering something to the classmate next to him, with a nonchalant smile on his lips.

Sometimes, she would see him being scolded by the inspecting teacher because his movements were not in place. He would touch his nose, calm down a little, and look a little helpless but too lazy to argue.

What she loved most was the moment when Zhang Hao would suddenly break into a wide grin, his mouth stretched almost to his ears, revealing perfectly white teeth. His entire profile became bright and vivid. Just like the first time she saw him on the basketball court, with an infectious, unclouded openness. Whenever she saw that smile, Zhao Jinglu felt the weight of her studies weighing heavily on her chest suddenly lift.

On the other hand, she would inadvertently appear in his sight.

For example, one day Ling Peng and Zhang Hao were dawdling for some reason and ran to the teaching building as the bell rang. When they passed the drill platform, they unconsciously glanced in the direction of the platform and saw Zhao Jinglu jumping down from the platform.

For example, during another break, the weather was suddenly cold and windy. Ling Peng tucked his hands into his sleeves. Looking up, he saw Zhao Jinglu on the stage, also wincing in the wind, but maintaining her meticulous movements. Then he pulled his hands out of his sleeves and meticulously completed the rest of the beat.

For example, Zhao Jinglu's movements would occasionally lag behind due to distraction. This extremely rare lapse, unnoticed by most of the audience, was caught by Ling Peng. He didn't react outwardly, but his gaze lingered on her for a moment longer. What was wrong with her? What was she thinking?

The two originally parallel lines of sight began to intersect briefly and silently at fixed times every day because one was standing high and the other was in the crowd.

They didn't know what the other's eyes meant.

But a tiny yet real connection was quietly established through day after day of silent observation. It was not enough to change anything, but it allowed two worlds that were originally drifting apart to retain a small window through which they could look at each other.