Chapter 2

The days passed like the pages of a book, flipped by the autumn wind. Classes, exams, and playful activities constituted the steady yet tumultuous rhythm of high school life. Zhao Jinglu had grown accustomed to Wang Lei's occasional "harassment" from the back seat—usually a gentle kick to the chair, followed by his hushed, pitiful voice: "Brother Lu, the last question on the math test..." or "Brother Lu, can you lend me your chemistry notes?"

That afternoon in history class, Zhao Jinglu was listening intently as the teacher reached a crucial point. Suddenly, there was another gentle knock on the chair leg. She instinctively frowned, thinking Wang Lei was "borrowing" something again, and mentally decided to make him exchange it for a McDonald's meal. She tilted her head slightly in annoyance, about to express her protest with her eyes, but Wang Lei winked at her and quickly slipped a small note into her collar, holding it between his fingers.

Not borrowing something? Zhao Jinglu was stunned for a moment.

Fan Chen, who was standing next to her, had sharp eyes and immediately sensed something unusual. He nudged her with his elbow and whispered, "Hey, what's this confidential information? Can you share it?"

Zhao Jinglu subconsciously clutched the note in her palm, feeling inexplicably guilty. She glared at Fan Chen and said, "Pay attention to the class!" Fan Chen shook his hair, said "Oh" meaningfully, and turned back with a smile on his lips.

Zhao Jinglu's heartbeat inexplicably quickened. She quietly opened her palm. The slip of paper was folded small, its edges a little rough. Using the cover of her textbook, she carefully unfolded it.

There was only one line of words on it, written in clear and powerful handwriting: "Let's go together after school."

No signature.

Her face suddenly became hot, and blood rushed to her ears. She quickly closed the note, glanced around like a thief, and then turned back abruptly, her eyes quickly scanning the back row of the classroom.

Almost at the same time, her eyes met a gaze.

It was Xu Linjie. He was sitting near the back door, looking at her, his eyes tinged with subtle nervousness and anticipation. He didn't shy away when she looked at him, but simply smiled, a faint smile, yet clear enough.

Zhao Jinglu turned her head suddenly as if she was scalded, her heart pounding so hard that it almost drowned out the sound of the teacher's lecture.

Xu Linjie. It was him. He played the clarinet in the junior high school instrument class and seemed to have won some kind of award. I'd run into him a few times before at performances on campus, but we'd never spoken. He'd also been admitted directly to the same school and was now in the same class. He was thin, fair-skinned, quiet, and a bit reserved, unlike Fan Chen and Wang Lei.

When did he notice her? Why did they go together? Countless questions exploded in her mind.

For the second half of the class, Zhao Jinglu didn't take in a single word. The note in her hand felt like a tiny branding iron, emitting a heat that couldn't be ignored.

The bell rang, signaling the end of school, and the classroom erupted in activity. Zhao Jinglu slowly packed her bag, her mind a jumbled mess. Fan Chen, Wang Lei, and Gao Xin had already done their homework and were huddled together, waiting for her.

"Let's go, Brother Lu, what are you dawdling for?" Wang Lei yelled.

Fan Chen crossed his arms, looking very excited: "Are you waiting for someone?"

As he was speaking, Xu Linjie came over, backpack on his back. He walked over to Zhao Jinglu's desk, calm and composed, his voice gentle, "Have you packed? Let's go."

His directness actually made Zhao Jinglu feel less awkward. She said "hmm", zipped up her schoolbag, and stood up.

The three boys nearby fell silent, their expressions becoming slightly odd. Wang Lei's eyes widened as he looked from Xu Linjie to Zhao Jinglu, his mouth opening but no sound came out. Gao Xin coughed softly, his eyes questioning. Fan Chen raised an eyebrow, his expression suggesting something was up.

A subtle, indescribable atmosphere spread among the four boys.

"Then... then I'll leave first." Zhao Jinglu felt uncomfortable being stared at by them, so she said in a low voice, then followed Xu Linjie out of the classroom.

Fan Chen, Wang Lei and Gao Xin were left standing there looking at each other. Looking at the backs of the figures leaving one after another, they all felt an indescribable feeling of emptiness in their hearts, just like... the subtle loss and vigilance when the flowers they carefully raised at home were picked by others.

Wang Lei scratched his head: "What's going on?"

Gao Xin shrugged: "It's the little note you handled."

Fan Chen smoothed his hair and concluded: "Tsk, a girl can't be kept at home when she grows up."

In the corridor, Zhao Jinglu and Xu Linjie walked side by side, not too far away from each other. The setting sun shone through the corridor window, stretching their shadows very long.