After Confessing To My Childhood Friend - Chapter 1
Chapter 1: First Day of School
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Early in the morning, thick beige curtains shut out the sunlight.
The person still lying in bed seemed to hear footsteps outside the door. She groaned in protest and tucked her head deeper under the blanket, refusing to get up.
“Chen Mengyin, how long are you planning to sleep!? If you don’t get up now, I’m throwing out all your game consoles!” It was the first day of school. Li Ran, waiting in vain for Chen Mengyin to appear at breakfast, slammed on her daughter’s bedroom door after abandoning the buns steaming in the kitchen.
Chen Mengyin heard her. But she didn’t want to move. She covered her ears and tried to go back to sleep.
Li Ran stood outside for a moment without hearing any movement. Her fists clenched—but reminding herself that this was the daughter she gave birth to, she forced herself to hold back.
“It’s the first day of school today. Are you going to make Zhirou late with you too?” If the hard approach didn’t work, it was time for the soft one. Li Ran tried to remain calm. “You don’t want the teacher to think you’re dragging down her favorite student, do you?”
—Zhirou.
The ostrich-impersonating girl’s eyes flew open. She sat up dazedly and scratched her messy hair.
She glanced at the alarm clock—6:53 AM. She still had 28 minutes before morning study period began.
Throwing off the blanket, she got out of bed and slipped on her slippers, muttering to her mother through the door, “Mom, I’m up. Stop nagging—my head hurts.”
Li Ran grumbled, “Fine. But don’t blame me next time you’re late.”
“Sorry, my bad,” Chen Mengyin said with zero sincerity, dragging her slippers into the bathroom to wash up.
Today was the first day of senior year at Yonghuai No. 1 High School.
Last night, Chen Mengyin had gotten carried away gaming and insisted on finishing the final level before going to sleep. That meant she didn’t go to bed until 3:30 AM.
Even though she was practically falling asleep at her desk, she still managed to take a victory screenshot—planning to post it online in the morning to celebrate.
Still half-asleep as she brushed her teeth and washed her face, Chen Mengyin put on her school uniform. With her wild hair tamed and in proper clothes, she instantly transformed from a zombie into a radiant high school girl—albeit one with rather dark under-eye circles.
Yawning, she stepped out into the living room. The whole place smelled of steamed buns, and her stomach protested loudly.
“Mom, did you steam buns?” she asked.
“Of course. You said you were craving them, and you never like the ones from outside. Since it’s the first day of school, I figured I’d make you some as a treat.” Li Ran packed a few into a plastic bag for her daughter to take along. “But you! Sleeping in again! Just take them and eat on the way—otherwise, you’ll really be late.”
The buns were fresh and piping hot. Chen Mengyin couldn’t resist—she bit into one right away, earning her a swat on the butt with a spatula.
“Are you crazy? Use your hands! What if you burn your mouth!?”
Chen Mengyin didn’t dodge, letting her mom hit her. “I’m just super hungry. Pack a few more for me, I’m starving.”
“One tray enough?” Li Ran, still grumbling, stuffed more buns into the bag. “Focus on your studies today, alright? You finally made it into the experimental class. Don’t waste it by thinking about video games all day. Study hard. After the college entrance exams, you can game as much as you want.”
Neither Li Ran nor Chen Lin demanded perfection—just that their daughter study well, get into a good university, and have no regrets later in life.
“That’s enough—I can’t eat too many,” Chen Mengyin mumbled as she wiped her oily mouth with a napkin. “Don’t worry, Mom. I’ve got Zhirou with me. I’ll definitely get into a 985 university!”
Li Ran smacked her again. “985, huh? If Zhirou didn’t tutor you every day, you wouldn’t have even touched the experimental class’s cutoff. Now go before you annoy me further.”
Chen Mengyin saluted. “Yes, ma’am!”
Li Ran was amused by her antics and hurried her along.
Grabbing her backpack off the sofa, Chen Mengyin headed out.
Before she could leave, Li Ran came over and shoved two yogurt drinks into her arms. “Give one to Zhirou. Don’t drink both yourself. Got it?”
“Got it, Mom! I’m off—bye~”
“Be careful on the way!”
Outside the courtyard gate, Xie Zhirou was already waiting.
Chen Mengyin had always known Xie Zhirou was pale, but she hadn’t realized someone could be this radiant.
Standing in her school uniform beneath a vine of blooming jasmine, the soft morning sunlight haloed her in a faint glow—like freshly whipped cream, so tempting you’d want to sneak a taste.
Seeing her, Xie Zhirou waved gently.
Chen Mengyin shook her head—what was she thinking comparing Zhirou to whipped cream!?
“Wait long?” she jogged over. “My mom just steamed buns. Want a couple to tide you over?”
“Thanks,” Zhirou took the bag but shook her head. “Not long. I just got here.”
Chen Mengyin bit into one. “That’s good. I overslept again and got a long lecture.”
“Gaming again?” Zhirou chewed with her cheeks puffed adorably. From Chen Mengyin’s angle, she looked like a little hamster stocking up for winter. Too cute.
“Cough, yeah, just a little too long. Won’t happen again.” Chen Mengyin’s heart practically melted. She wanted to pinch those cheeks but didn’t want to interrupt her eating. “I’ll learn to make them over winter break. Then I’ll steam some for you anytime you want.”
Zhiyou smiled, her dimples faintly showing. “Then I’ll thank Chef Chen in advance.”
Pleased, Chen Mengyin puffed her chest and brushed her nose. “Piece of cake. Just wait.”
They walked side-by-side under Bauhinia trees lining Linjiang Road, which were in bud. Every year when they bloomed, Chen Mengyin dragged Zhirou here for pictures.
As they walked, Mengyin sleepily nibbled her bun. She’d only slept three hours after gaming till 3:30 and being woken up at 6.
Zhirou asked, “What time did you sleep last night?”
Scratching her head, Mengyin avoided eye contact. If Zhirou found out the truth, she’d definitely scold her.
But under Zhirou’s piercing stare, she caved. “Three-thirty. I was up until 3:30. I won’t do it again!”
Zhirou sighed. “Don’t let it happen again.”
Mengyin nodded furiously.
Soon they reached the school gates. Mengyin stuffed her leftover buns into her bag and swiped in behind Zhirou.
As class neared, students rushed down the hall like blurs.
“So everyone likes a bit of last-minute thrill, huh?” Mengyin muttered.
Zhirou ignored her, just grabbed her hand and led her to the classroom.
Their homeroom teacher Ms. Zhu Ling hadn’t arrived yet. Probably still distributing textbooks. Students chatted quietly.
“Has Ms. Zhu been by yet?” Mengyin asked a classmate near the front.
“She came earlier, posted the seating chart, and had some of us go fetch books.”
Mengyin went to the podium to check the chart—and her heart sank.
She wasn’t sitting with Zhirou!
“I really thought we’d be desk mates,” she sniffled. “Guess I was too greedy.”
Zhirou comforted her, saying the teacher often changed seats—maybe next time. But secretly, she planned to ask Ms. Zhu to switch after the first quiz. Better to keep her little childhood sweetheart close before someone else snatched her up.
“Yeah, let’s go sit. Teacher will be back soon,” Mengyin sighed.
Zhirou: “Okay.”
Zhirou’s seat was in the third row, fifth desk. Her seatmate was Jiang Yingxia, a quiet top student.
Mengyin was up front—first row, third desk. Thankfully, she knew the students nearby from visits to the experimental class last year.
“Girl, you smell amazing,” said her new deskmate Ye Siying, sniffing around like a puppy.
Mengyin unzipped her bag. “What are you, part dog?”
Ye Siying waved a finger. “It’s the buns—they smell divine.”
“Liar. Just eat. I brought extras.” Mengyin handed out buns.
Ye Siying, a boarding student, was nearly in tears from the warmth and flavor. “Oh my god, I haven’t had buns this good in forever. Cafeteria ones suck.”
“You’re hopeless. I’ll bring more next time my mom steams some.”
“From today, your mom is my second mother!”
“Get lost. She doesn’t have such a gluttonous daughter.”
Just then, Ms. Zhu returned with the students carrying books.
“Careful on the stairs,” she called. Then to the class, “Class leaders, help distribute books. Everyone else, keep quiet.”
She glanced at Mengyin. “New semester. We’ve got some new faces, but I think you all know each other already?”
Whole class: “We do—!”
“Once you’ve got your books, start self-study. I’ll post the class schedule later—copy it during break.”
“Focus, everyone. Just because you made it into the experimental class doesn’t mean you can slack off. One summer’s enough fun—now get serious. Understood?”
Whole class: “Yes!”
Books were distributed swiftly. Mengyin stashed them and reluctantly started memorizing English vocabulary.
Why hadn’t Qin Shi Huang found a world map and unified the planet back then? Then she wouldn’t have to learn English at all!
After morning study, the bell rang and Mengyin leapt up to go find Zhirou for a water break.
Mengyin: “(≧▽≦)/ Being able to hold hands with Zhirou every break is the best!”
Ye Siying: “So jealous. No more long-distance relationship between classes, huh?”
Mengyin: “You jelly?”
Ye Siying: “Move it, I’m copying the schedule.”
Mengyin: “Siying~ don’t forget to copy two for me~”
Ye Siying: “Yeah, yeah.”
By the vending machines, students crowded the halls. Mengyin dragged Zhirou through the crowd, shouting for space, and managed to buy three bottles of water.
Back in class, she gave one to Zhirou and another to Siying as thanks for copying the schedule.
Ye Siying: “Thanks boss. May you get full marks in every subject.”
“You too.” Mengyin took a swig and glanced at the schedule.
Seeing Math followed by English on Monday morning, her eyes went dark.
“Seriously? Who made this schedule? Two bosses right at the start—is this some kind of hardcore game?”
Siying patted her shoulder. “Welcome to the experimental class—Yonghuai No. 1’s nightmare-level dungeon. Ready, Chen Mengyin?”
“NOOOOO—”
With the bell ringing again, Chen Mengyin’s adventure in the experimental class officially began.