First acquaintance
The June wind, wrapped in heat waves, thudded against the corridor windows, making a dull thud. Chen Yu, clutching a stack of newly distributed exercise books, walked slowly along the wall. The collar of his school uniform, damp from sweat, clung to his neck like a snake that couldn't be shaken off.
Suddenly, there was a commotion at the end of the corridor, accompanied by the clang of tables and chairs falling to the ground. Chen Yu paused and subconsciously shrank to the side, trying to hide himself in the shadow of the stairs.
He didn't like noise, especially this kind of noise that was tinged with tension. In the two years since his parents left, he had been like a frightened rabbit, always looking for a corner where he could completely wrap himself up.
"Jiang Yizhou! You're fighting again!" The dean's angry voice pierced through the crowd with a deafening buzzing sound.
Shen Yu's gaze drifted over involuntarily.
The boy, surrounded by them, stood tall and straight with his back to him, his school uniform jacket draped loosely over his shoulders, revealing the black T-shirt beneath. He seemed to dismiss the dean's words, tilting his head to say something to a nearby boy with dyed-blonde hair, which elicited a low laugh. The slanting sunlight hit the tips of his hair, casting a golden glow that made his unruly demeanor stand out even more.
This is Jiang Yizhou.
Chen Yu had heard this name before. In the teacher's name-calling, in the whispers of his classmates, in all the labels associated with "bad boy." He was the kind of boy who would saunter into the classroom after the bell rang, popsicle in hand, the kind who would knock his opponent to the ground on the basketball court and whistle, the kind whose parents would be called in but never show up.
Chen Yu lowered his head and quickened his pace to leave. However, at this moment, several exercise books in his arms suddenly slipped and fell to the ground.
The noise around seemed to stop for a moment.
Chen Yu's fingertips suddenly tightened, and his heart felt like it was being gripped by an invisible hand, causing a dense pain. He was most afraid of this kind of sudden attention. Even a few casual glances could make him stiffen all over.
He squatted down and hurriedly picked up the scattered exercise books. His fingertips trembled slightly due to nervousness and he missed several times.
"Hello."
A voice that was not gentle, and even a little careless, sounded above his head.
Shen Yu paused.
He raised his head and met a pair of eyes that were a little impatient, yet unusually bright. Jiang Yizhou had walked over at some point and was looking down at him. His hair was wet with sweat and stuck to his full forehead. A few rays of sunlight leaked through the hair, casting a light shadow under his eyes.
He had already sent the dean away, and the people who had gathered there had also dispersed, leaving only the two of them in the corridor.
Shen Yu's heart skipped a beat, and he subconsciously wanted to lower his head, but was confused by the other party's next action.
Jiang Yizhou bent down, picked up the exercise book that was scattered farthest away, and threw it back into his arms. His movements were not gentle, even a little rough, and the corner of the exercise book cover scraped the back of Shen Yu's hand.
"Watch your step." Jiang Yizhou said, then stood up and, without looking at him again, turned and walked towards the stairs. The hem of his black T-shirt swayed with his movements, revealing a slender waist.
Chen Yu stood there holding the newly stacked exercise books, watching his back disappear around the corner of the stairs.
There was still a slight numbness on the back of my hand from being scratched just now. It was very light, but it spread along the skin like an electric current and reached the heart.
He looked down at the exercise books in his arms. The cover of the top one still retained the warmth of Jiang Yizhou's fingertips, which was hotter than the summer sun.
This was their first encounter.
Like a stone dropped into stagnant water, it sent a subtle ripple through Shen Yu's world, which had been silent for two years. He didn't yet know that this young man, looking like a blazing fire, would soon become the light that illuminated his desolate world, bringing spring back to the long-dead tree.
The wind in the corridor was still hot, but Chen Yu felt that something seemed to have quietly changed.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com