After saying goodbye to Wang Jiaqian, Lin Jiang stopped by a bakery to pick up two buns before catching the bus to school. No. 3 High School held mandatory evening self-study on Sundays. Having spent the last two days in extra tutoring sessions, she still had more than half of her homework left and wanted to get to school early to catch up.
The weekend bus was crowded. Unable to find a seat, Lin Jiang leaned against a handrail and listened to music. Afraid of missing her stop, she only wore one earbud. Through her uncovered ear, she heard a boy behind her ask, "What did you get Zhao Siyi for her birthday?"
Her entire body froze.
"A bracelet." It was definitely Jiang Weifeng.
"That’s it? How unoriginal."
"Shut up. Don't ruin my game."
"With your skill level, can you even beat a primary schooler?" the other boy teased.
Jiang Weifeng replied with another "shut up," followed immediately by the "GAME OVER" jingle. He let out a heavy sigh.
Standing stiffly in front of them, Lin Jiang couldn't help but let out a small smile at his frustrated tone. Just then, the bus pulled into a stop. The boys behind her said, "Getting off," and within seconds, the cramped carriage felt spacious. Lin Jiang found a window seat and, only after sitting down, did she dare to look out openly.
Today, he was wearing a denim jacket paired with black trousers and Converse. The boy next to him was slightly shorter, with a conspicuous head of permed, chestnut-colored hair, and was currently lighting a cigarette for him. Jiang Weifeng leaned in slightly toward the flame, his profile sharp in the sunlight, his Adam's apple prominent as he exhaled a plume of smoke.
Lin Jiang was suddenly reminded of Leonardo DiCaprio smoking on the deck in *Titanic*.
The two boys walked together into a building called "Starlight KTV." Whatever happened after that, Lin Jiang didn't know.
As the bus pulled away, Eason Chan’s voice drifted through her earbud: *"I once wandered along snowy paths, why weep for good things? Who can possess Mount Fuji by love alone?"* Ahead, every traffic light was green.
***
Once she reached school, Lin Jiang busied herself with reviewing her previous exam papers, transcribing her mistakes into her notebook using three different colors of pens to highlight and underline.
The math teacher took up one period of evening self-study to go over problems, so Lin Jiang had to stay an extra ten minutes after the final bell to finish the most urgent assignments.
By the time she left, a few boarding students were still writing furiously. She moved quietly, closing the door behind her. When she reached the ground floor, she saw Shen Yan waiting for her, just as expected.
However, there was someone else standing next to him.
Her pace slowed.
"Lin Jiang, hurry up!" Shen Yan was the first to spot her.
Lin Jiang’s heart skipped a beat. "Oh."
The boy beside Shen Yan watched her as she approached. "Talk about perfect timing. We were just saying how you hadn't come down yet..."
Shen Yan smiled and gestured to the person beside him. "Check it out. This is the handsome guy who just transferred to your sister class, Jiang Weifeng."
Then he nodded toward Lin Jiang. "And this is Lin Jiang."
Jiang Weifeng was dressed the same as he had been earlier that day, though he now held a skateboard. His gaze fell lightly on her, and his lips curled into a faint smile. "Hello."
Lin Jiang felt her cheeks burn. She lowered her head slightly and managed a reply. "Hello."
After the stiff greeting, Shen Yan turned and grinned. "Alright, I won't keep you. Hurry up and go get your keys, or you'll be locked out of the school gates."
Jiang Weifeng nodded, said nothing, and headed toward the teaching building.
Lin Jiang hadn't expected to run into him twice in one day. Then, the realization that she really needed to wash her hair today hit her like a pang of physical pain.
On the way home, Lin Jiang asked Shen Yan indirectly when he had become friends with someone like Jiang Weifeng. Shen Yan brushed it off, saying they had played basketball together and shared some mutual acquaintances.
Lin Jiang felt a strange, airy sensation. Was this the legendary "fate"?
She bit her lip, forcing herself to stop overthinking.
That night, Lin Jiang lingered in the bathroom for a long time, reenacting her greeting with Jiang Weifeng in the mirror. When she finally snapped out of it, she laughed at herself for a while, feeling incredibly silly.
When she stepped out, Xu Mingjuan was cooking noodles for Lin Wei. Seeing her, Lin Wei gave her a meaningful look. Lin Jiang smiled. "Is Mom still mad at you?"
Lin Wei gave a bitter smile and shrugged.
Lin Jiang patted his shoulder. "Well, you were away on business for over half a month. She just missed you."
"Your mother thinks I'm not paying enough attention to you. Now that you're in your senior year, I've somehow become even busier."
Lin Jiang laughed. "Who says? My dad is just working hard to secure my position as a rich second-generation kid. That way, if I don't get into a good university, I can just live off my parents."
"Always dreaming. How many years do you think your dad's little company could support you?" Xu Mingjuan emerged from the kitchen with a bowl of noodles. Setting it down, she asked, "Do you want some?"
"I'm on a diet," Lin Jiang said quickly, then winked at her father. "See? Your wife still dotes on you."
"Diet? You're as thin as a rail. Do you even weigh 90 pounds?" Xu Mingjuan went to get chopsticks.
Lin Jiang headed toward her bedroom. "I'm 94 now!"
At the door, as if remembering something, she asked, "Mom, Dad... do you think I'm pretty?"
"You're my daughter, of course you're pretty!" Lin Wei answered instantly.
Xu Mingjuan paused while untying her apron, looking at her searchingly. "Why are you asking that all of a sudden?"
Lin Jiang felt self-conscious under the gaze. "Well, I have the art entrance exams coming up. I need to pass the image requirement."
"I'm used to seeing you every day, so I don't think about beauty or ugliness..." Xu Mingjuan said. "But looking at you now, you really do take after me. You're the type that grows on people."
All three of them laughed.
Back in her room, Lin Jiang got on QQ to chat with her friends. She asked the same question. He Lai and Wang Jiaqian were online, but Shen Yan’s icon was dark.
Wang Jiaqian replied instantly: *Don't worry, sis. You're beautiful and have a sweet voice. If you dressed up, you could star in an idol drama.*
He Lai followed up: *For the art exams? There will be tons of beauties there, so you might not stand out. But for everyday life, you're fine.*
Lin Jiang replied: *You're being a bit too honest.*
He Lai sent a smiling emoji: *In my eyes, the really striking beauties are tall and glamorous with an aura that commands attention. They stand out in a crowd—like Zhao Siyi.*
Lin Jiang sent a string of ellipses, then asked: *And me?*
He Lai: *You're not bad either. You're like an innocent white flower, the kind that makes people want to protect you. But...*
Lin Jiang: *?*
He Lai: *You're not very 'aggressive' visually. You don't stand out in a crowd. If you stand next to someone like Zhao Siyi, you'll be at a disadvantage.*
She added one last comment: *If you don't believe me, look at celebrities. They all have their own charm, but on the red carpet, it's always the tall, striking beauties who steal the show.*
Lin Jiang slowly logged off.
***
A new week began. Monday was overcast and cool. Before morning reading, everyone gathered on the playground for the flag-raising ceremony. This time, Lin Jiang actually spotted Jiang Weifeng.
During the national anthem, while everyone was standing at attention, someone hunched over and scurried up from behind. Someone whispered, "Why so late?" and his voice sounded like he hadn't woken up yet: "Was looking for my uniform."
Lin Jiang quietly caught this brief exchange.
After morning reading, many students were napping. Suppressing a yawn, she went to the teachers' office to hand in homework. As she walked in, she found herself facing a broad back.
Hearing her, the English teacher leaned to the side to look at her, but the boy didn't move.
"Teacher, here is this week's homework. I've noted the names of those who didn't submit on the sticky note," Lin Jiang said, walking over to stand slightly behind the boy.
The English teacher took the homework. "Lin Jiang, you're just in time. Meet Jiang Weifeng, the representative for Class 16."
Lin Jiang nodded, but the boy beside her didn't move.
The teacher continued, "His English score alone is worth two of yours."
Lin Jiang’s heart sank. Sure enough, the teacher asked, "What was your score on the last exam again?"
"77," Lin Jiang muttered, her fists clenched in embarrassment.
Only then did she feel the person beside her move, as if casting a glance her way. Lin Jiang buried her head lower.
"And you?" the teacher asked him.
The boy’s voice was flat. "145."
Lin Jiang closed her eyes in shame.
Defeated, she returned to class and told He Lai and Li Na about it. The two girls found it hilarious and were still stifling their laughter when class started.
During the long break, He Lai brought a math paper to ask Lin Jiang how to solve the third-to-last problem. Out of spite, Lin Jiang only explained half of it, leaving He Lai chasing after her. "How do I draw the auxiliary line? Tell me!"
Lin Jiang refused to say.
Seeing He Lai’s frustration made her feel much better.
The dull hours flowed by in a mix of petty squabbles and agonizing over countless difficult problems. For some reason, the days before Wednesday always seemed to pass particularly slowly.
When the bell rang for lunch on Tuesday, several classmates sprinted toward the cafeteria as usual.
Li Na had brought her own lunch that day, and He Lai was craving the yellow flower beef noodles from the shop behind the school gate, so she dragged Lin Jiang along.
Before they even left the classroom, they heard Li Kai’s shameless voice: "Give me a bite." Two seconds later, Li Na’s roar echoed: "Li Kai, you jerk! You took such a huge bite!"
Lin Jiang and He Lai shared a smile.
When they reached the noodle shop, there was already a long queue. A quick glance inside revealed not a single empty seat. Lin Jiang told He Lai to go upstairs and find a table while she queued to order. Both girls wanted small bowls of beef noodles.
After ordering, Lin Jiang headed upstairs. As she reached the second-floor landing, she saw that this level was also packed. Most were wearing white school uniforms, making the room a blur of white. Fortunately, the sharp-eyed He Lai waved her over.
Without thinking, Lin Jiang started walking toward her, but after a few steps, she noticed two familiar figures sitting at the adjacent table.
Lin Jiang tried to act natural as she walked past.
"What are the odds?" He Lai whispered.
"Did you do this on purpose?" Lin Jiang’s voice was even lower.
He Lai grinned. "Remember how I described Zhao Siyi? Someone like her is naturally eye-catching, not to mention she’s sitting next to the even more eye-catching Jiang Weifeng. My legs just moved on their own..."
Lin Jiang stole a glance. Neither Zhao Siyi nor Jiang Weifeng were wearing their school uniforms, but since they were both dressed in white, she hadn't noticed them immediately.
Looking closely now, she saw that Jiang Weifeng looked very youthful today in a thin white sweatshirt and washed blue jeans. If Shen Yan wore this, he would look incredibly sunny, but Jiang Weifeng carried an air of cool indifference.
And Zhao Siyi...
Lin Jiang paused when she saw her. The temperature had dropped over the last two days, and even in long sleeves, there was a chill in the air. Yet Zhao Siyi was wearing a pleated mini-skirt, revealing two long, toned legs.
Just looking at her made Lin Jiang shiver.
***
### Glossary
Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation
--- | --- | ---
星光KTV | Starlight KTV | A karaoke establishment.
课代表 | Class Representative | A student responsible for assisting a teacher with a specific subject (e.g., collecting homework).
艺考 | Art Entrance Exam | Specialized entrance examinations for students applying to arts, music, or film programs.
小白花 | White Flower | A trope referring to a girl who looks innocent, pure, and delicate.
浓颜系 | Striking Beauty | Refers to someone with high-contrast, strong, or glamorous facial features.
黄花牛肉面 | Yellow Flower Beef Noodles | Beef noodles served with dried daylily (yellow flower) buds.
16班 | Class 16 | The class Jiang Weifeng belongs to.
兄弟班 | Sister Class | Parallel classes in the same grade that often share teachers or activities.
