CH 4.1

First day of school.

Lin Zhexia finished her breakfast early, picked up her unfinished milk, put on her school bag, and ran downstairs to Chi Yao’s house, “Mom, Uncle Wei, I’m going to school.”

There’s a bus station just a short walk away from the community. Taking the bus, it’ll only take 8 stops to get to No. 2 High School. In addition, she’ll be going together with Chi Yao, Lin He had nothing to worry about, “Mn, go ahead, make sure to properly pay attention to the lessons at school.”

She received her textbooks and new uniforms two days ago.

No. 2 High School’s uniform is simple in style. It’s white overall, only the collar and sleeves are red and black.

—This color was much more mature than the pink and white school uniform of her previous school, and looked cooler too.

Lin Zhexia put on her new school uniform and felt that she had grown up.

Girls her age yearn for the phrase “growing up”.

When she ran to the door of Chi Yao’s house, Chi Yao just happened to open the door of the unit and was coming out. She jumped over the steps and jumped in front of him, she said with a smile, “Look at me.”

Chi Yao closed the door of his unit with his backhand.

He wasn’t frightened by Lin Zhexia who suddenly appeared in front of him.

The main reason for this was that although Lin Zhexia suddenly came up to him, because of the difference in their heights, she couldn’t actually appear right in front of him, she could only reach his chin.

The girl in front of him tied a simple ponytail, her hair thin and soft.

Further down was a face that had nothing aggressive, its features haven’t fully grown out. Lin Zhexia’s looks aren’t one that’s super extraordinary in looks. She is a typical southern girl, fair and pure, with a pointed chin, hooded eyelids, and slightly lonely eyes. However, when she smiles, she looks like a little fox.

“Look at what?” Chi Yao lowered his head and said, “Look at a shorty??”

Lin Zhexia’s entire day of good mood was shattered by the word “shorty”. She gritted her teeth and said, “Look at my new school uniform. It’s the first day of school, I still want to be a good student, don’t force me to use my hands.”

“Then you’ll have to step back,” Chi Yao dragged out the last word, “—I can’t see you like this.”

Lin Zhexia said while holding her breath, “Then you’re quite pitiful, so young yet already blind.”

Although she was a little angry, it’s been so long since she went to and from school with this person. In junior high, although they spent their holidays together, when it was time for school, she had to go to her girls’ school alone. Thinking of this, her anger immediately lifted.

Faraway.

He Yang and others were also heading to the bus stop. Seeing them from afar, he waved to them, “Yao-ge, Xia-ge— you two wait for me—”

Lin Zhexia, who was following Chi Yao by his side, walked over to greet him, “You’re going to the bus stop too? Which bus are you taking?”

He Yang felt speechless, “Can you two care more about me? I’m going the same direction as you guys, we’re all taking route 3.”

Chi Yao also expressed some shock at this. The specific expression was that he condescendingly lifted his precious eyes and swiped a glance at He Yang.

Based on many years of experience being together, He Yang sensitively caught a glimpse of Chi Yao’s glance, “No way, none of you knew that I got into No. 2 High…’s neighboring Experimental High that’s 3 stops away?”

Chi Yao took back that glance, “Now I know.”

He Yang, “…”

Lin Zhexia said, “Now I know too.”

“So it turned out that you were admitted to the Experimental High,” Chi Yao said, and after dropping this sentence, he stopped talking. Lin Zhexia was considerate of He Yang’s mood and patted him on the shoulder, she said a few more words, “…Although there is still some distance from No. 2 High, I believe that as long as you study hard, you will still have a chance to catch up with us. Good luck, Big Buff.”

He Yang’s mood turned even more complicated, “Xia-ge, if you don’t know how to talk, you can try talking less.”

He Yang didn’t feel complicated for long, he soon started chattering endlessly, “Speaking of it, you guys are actually going to the same school this time, I’m really envious.”

Lin Zhexia, “Don’t be envious, you can still be sort of counted as our spiritual schoolmate.”

He Yang didn’t understand her joke.

But Chi Yao let out a laugh after hearing this.

Lin Zhexia explained, “Because you are at No. 2 High…’s neighboring Experimental High that’s 3 stops away, you count as half a spiritual schoolmate.”

He Yang, “…Thank you.”

Several people walked out of the community gates while chatting as they did in the past. The “Nanxiang Street” street sign with white characters on a blue background has been erected at the intersection of the street for several years.

However, when Lin Zhexia passed the intersection this time, she couldn’t describe it, she felt that something had quietly changed.

Perhaps it was her new school uniform.

Perhaps it was the three words “high school student”.

Or perhaps, it was her sweet sixteen.

This feeling was like a person who had been living a sullen life suddenly raising their head.

Then unconsciously, they found themselves at the intersection of the next stage in life.

Originally posted at nuebibli(dot)com, please do not read elsewhere.

–

Exiting the bus at the bus stop, people came and went at the school gate.

There was a bulletin board at the entrance that had their class placement pinned up.

Everyone circled around the board, looking for their names.

The full name of No. 2 High is “Cheng’an No. 2 High School”, which is located in the center of Cheng’an District, Lianyun City.

And it was also where Lin Zhexia currently lives.

The reputation of No. 2 High wasn’t bad, and the management wasn’t that strict. They don’t force students to live on campus. In comparison, Lianyun No. 1 High School, the one she “missed out” on, was very strict and militarized. They aren’t even allowed to bring their phones.

As Lin Zhexia pushed Chi Yao forward, she suddenly thought out of the blue: Far from home might not be the only reason why Chi Yao didn’t want to go to No. 1 High but also because he wanted freedom.

Lin Zhexia said eagerly, “Go see which class you’re in.”

It was obvious that the person dragged by her did not have her enthusiasm.

Chi Yao was a little impatient, “Don’t you feel crowded?”

Lin Zhexia, “Then you go out, I’ll see it myself.”

She didn’t notice that, despite this man’s words, he still followed behind her and let her drag him. He had one arm placed feebly around her arm, to protect her from being pushed away by other people beside them.

Lin Zhexia found Chi Yao’s name in Class 1 at a glance.

She excitedly tugged at the corner of his clothes and told him, “Chi Yao Chi Yao, you’re in Class 1.”

Meanwhile.

Almost at the exact same time.

Chi Yao also said, “Class 7.”

Lin Zhexia didn’t react in time, “What Class 7?”

Chi Yao, “You.”

The two of them would sometimes do such things very tacitly.

For example, just like now, as if picking a fight, they searched for each other’s names at the first second.

Lin Zhexia looked back, and sure enough, she saw her name in the last column, “…Class 7, so far away.”

She was afraid that her words might sound ambiguous, as if she was reluctant to part with him, so she explained again, “What I mean is that, I’m relieved to be so far away from you.”

What responded to her was a very soft scoff.

Chi Yao guessed correctly, No. 2 High School indeed divided their students into classes by grades.

Because of the entrance score, not only were they not in the same class, but also divided into two ends, with the farthest distance between them.

According to the education method of No. 2 High, this Class 1 should be a small class, while the other classes are ordinary classes.

Lin Zhexia could not decide whether she wanted to be in the same class as him or not.

As for her relationship with Chi Yao.

It belonged to two people who hated each other when gathered together.

But when they’re separated, it was actually quite hard to get used to.

Inside the school, several sculptures of famous people were arranged on campus. Through the campus and up the steps, it’s where the building for the classrooms was located.

She was in a different class from Chi Yao, so after entering the first years’ classroom building, she had a hard time finding her way.

At where the stairs were separated, Lin Zhexia had already run up, but halfway up, she called out to Chi Yao and said seriously, “I have something to tell you.”

Chi Yao’s intuition told him that it wasn’t anything good.

Sure enough, Lin Zhexia said with a serious face, “School’s just started and you’re not familiar with anything here. If you need anything, you can come to Class 7 to find your big bro, your big bro will look after you.”

“Finished?” After a while, Chi Yao asked.

Lin Zhexia thought for a while, “There’s only so much that your big bro has to say, there’s nothing else for the time being.”

Chi Yao leaned against the wall at the corner of the stairs, slightly raised his chin, and suddenly said, “Actually, I have quite a few enemies at school.”

“Not a lot, maybe about a dozen.”

Chi Yao thought for a moment, “If you want, I’ll make a group chat later and have them wait for you in the woods after school to fight it out today, you can protect me.”

Then he paused slightly and dragged out the rest of his words, “What do you think– big bro?”

Lin Zhexia said nothing and immediately fled.