An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Thump, thump, thump—

The sound of shoe heels striking the stairs echoed through the stairwell.

Su Li had just climbed five flights of stairs without stopping for a single breath. She leaned against the wall, chest heaving, with beads of sweat clinging to her skin before dripping onto her clothes.

She looked at the back of Huang Xiaozhi’s head with some confusion. “Huh, isn’t that Princess Xiaoxiao? Why aren’t you going into the classroom? Are you too shy?” She paused on purpose, blinking her eyes. The weather was so hot her short hair was plastered to the side of her neck with sweat. “It’s only been a few dozen days, why are you shy? Xiaoxiao, Xiaoxiao, say something! Don’t…”

“Shut up!” Before Su Li could finish, Huang Xiaozhi cut her off.

She turned around sharply, looking speechless at the sweaty, short-haired Su Li with a backpack slung over her shoulder. “Cherries, why don’t you take a look at the classroom?” Her voice was deliberately low, trying to get Su Li to realize the situation herself.

Su Li glanced at Huang Xiaozhi, then moved around her, peeking into the classroom door.

The classroom was dim, and a pungent smell, an indescribable mix of disinfectant and grime, hit her squarely in the face. Squinting, she looked inside. The desks and chairs were gone. This was a toilet, through and through!

How could this be?!

Unable to believe this was their old classroom, she let out an awkward, strained laugh. “Haha…ha…haha? Something doesn’t seem right, does it? Maybe they switched classrooms, and… the teacher forgot to tell us?” Even she didn’t believe the words coming out of her mouth.

This so-called “classroom” was truly bizarre. The smell continued to waft out, and both of them struggled to keep their expressions straight, even covering their noses and mouths with their hands. The stench was just too overwhelming, absolutely disgusting. Huang Xiaozhi, in particular, was a bit of a germaphobe.

Just then, a lifesaver appeared in the form of an upperclassman holding a thick stack of test papers, who happened to be passing by.

She looked at the two of them standing frozen, their faces full of confusion and discomfort. She patted Su Li’s shoulder and asked softly, “Are you two students from Class 13 of the 11th grade?”

“Huh? Yes, yes!” At first, the smell had short-circuited Su Li’s brain, and it took her a moment to respond. She nodded vigorously.

The upperclassman gave an embarrassed smile. “You probably don’t know, but this classroom was converted into a restroom. The classroom for Class 13 is on the fifth floor of Section B. There are no classrooms for your class on the fifth floor of Section A anymore.”

Upon hearing this, Huang Xiaozhi’s expression faltered. She instinctively lowered her hand and raised her voice. Now, she wasn’t just awkward; she was completely losing it. “What… what? Fifth floor of Section B? What’s going on? Why would they suddenly change our classroom? Does the school think we go to the bathroom a lot, or…?” Before she could finish, a hand shot out and clamped over her mouth, abruptly cutting off her words.

Su Li, with lightning speed, covered Huang Xiaozhi’s mouth and forced a polite smile. “You’re busy, you’re busy! Go on, senior! Thank you so much! We’ll head back to our classroom now!”

The upperclassman nodded in understanding and disappeared around the corner of the hallway with her test papers.

In the sweltering heat, having a hand over your mouth was not a pleasant feeling.

Huang Xiaozhi frowned, her delicate face scrunching up in a way that looked a little comical.

Su Li quickly took her hand away and whispered, “Princess Xiaoxiao, let’s talk less. We need to be a little more civilized, okay? Don’t just blurt out any word that comes to mind. Your persona is a gentle, sweet, and quiet little princess.” The last few words were clearly emphasized.

Huang Xiaozhi let out a heavy sigh, rolled her eyes, and turned to walk toward the staircase, her steps filled with resentment. “Fine, fine, I get it. I can’t believe it. What did Class 13 do to offend the principal? Why would they put our classroom on the very top floor…”

Su Li quickly followed Huang Xiaozhi, her backpack swaying on her thin shoulders. “Who knows?”

Originally, Huang Xiaozhi had arrived at school not very late, not very early—just earlier than Su Li. She had stood in front of that smelly “classroom” for a long time, still unable to believe it. In her eyes, the school’s actions were unforgivable.

And now, they were officially late.

They would be late for their real class, too.

A giant plastic track and field, shimmering faintly in the morning sun, separated Section A from Section B.

The journey felt longer than a lifetime.

Even though they hadn’t seen each other in a while, this wasn’t the time to talk. They exchanged a look and broke into a mad sprint across the field.

The track was crowded with people, mostly new freshmen. The two girls weaved through the throngs of people like nimble but disheveled fish, desperate to get to the classroom quickly but terrified of running into someone. It was truly frustrating.

All they could do was speed up, their hearts burning with anxiety, their spirits miserable.

Finally, out of breath, they reached the building in Section B. Before they could even catch their breath, a familiar figure blocked their path—the Dean of Students, Yu Fuxing.

Huang Xiaozhi slammed on the brakes, stopping abruptly. She took a deep breath, quickly composed herself, and turned to the dean with a perfect, sweet, and flawless smile. Her voice was much softer. “Hello, Dean Yu. Is there something you need?” She stood ramrod straight, trying to hide her disheveled state.

Dean Yu—Yu Fuxing—was the Dean of Students. He had a classic paunch that hung over his belt, thick glasses on his nose, and a short stature. His slicked-back, perfectly parted hair was a perfect caricature of a strict dean.

You could give him 99 points, and the one point would be deducted for his flip-flops.

He frowned, squinting to identify the two panting students in front of him.

“Well, well! It’s you two again! You’re late again! This is outrageous! Lingering in the hallway during morning study session! I’m going to tell your homeroom teacher!” His spittle flew out of his mouth uncontrollably.

Su Li didn’t say a word, just wrinkled her nose and tilted her head in disgust.

Seeing Yu Fuxing walk up the stairs with his hands behind his back, she immediately covered her mouth and leaned close to Huang Xiaozhi, whispering about the dean. “You think this guy is sick? We run into him on the first day of school.”

Actually, the moment Yu Fuxing said they were late, the smile vanished from Huang Xiaozhi’s face, replaced by an expression of suppressed rage, as if she were about to let loose with a stream of profanities.

She pursed her lips and took a deep breath to calm her anger.

She glanced at Su Li beside her, her voice returning to its normal calm. “Let’s go. We’ll explain to Teacher Tang later.”

Su Li nodded in understanding.

The morning sun wasn’t very strong yet, but it was already baking the earth. The air was wet, hot, and sticky.

The clouds hung low, as if a major storm was about to break, yet it felt like a perfectly clear day. It was impossible to tell what the weather was doing, just like her demeanor.

The weather was as unpredictable as their moods at that moment.

Huang Xiaozhi’s hair was tied in a sleek low ponytail, with beads of sweat still on her forehead, dampening her stray hairs and sticking them to her temples and slender, pale neck.

A slight breeze lifted her hair. If you didn’t look closely, you might not notice such a beautiful girl.

She wasn’t the type to stun at first glance, but with her petite face and perfectly balanced features, she was pretty in a way that grew on you, becoming more captivating the longer you looked.

In contrast, Su Li had a different kind of aura.

She had the face of a naturally well-behaved student, with curved brows that made her look especially introverted.

But those who knew her knew she was anything but a quiet, obedient, and studious student. She was an interesting person, humorous and witty, the class comedian, completely at odds with the description “introverted and well-behaved.”

Though “studious” still fit her perfectly.

The two of them, having expended all their energy, finally climbed the five flights of stairs.

Su Li opened her mouth wide and panted dramatically, her hands resting weakly on her knees.

Huang Xiaozhi’s mouth was slightly agape, taking small, even breaths, trying to calm her lungs and her wildly pounding heart.

The climb had nearly killed them.

Right around the corner from the stairs was Class 10. They could hear laughter and noise even before they entered.

The class showed no signs of being in a morning study session.

Huang Xiaozhi was already used to this. Class 10 was known for being “lively,” and it was the worst-ranked among the fifteen classes.

Their grades were at the bottom, and their discipline was nonexistent.

…

Sitting by the window was a girl with black-rimmed glasses, Yu Wen. She wanted to capture the scenery of the building across the way.

The morning sun filtered through the glass, illuminating the books on the windowsill and the fine dust particles floating in the air, creating a serene atmosphere.

She felt this moment was beautiful, perfect for a photo.

She quietly pulled a small camera out from under her desk, aimed it at the scene, adjusted the angle, held her breath, and gently pressed the shutter.

Click.

At that exact moment, a person unexpectedly entered her frame—it was Huang Xiaozhi.

She had turned her head to urge the panting Su Li to hurry up. Her body was twisted slightly, and her long, dark hair was flung back by the motion, tracing a perfect arc in the air before being frozen in time.

The sunlight happened to hit the side of her face, sharply outlining her high nose bridge. Beneath her long lashes were a pair of lively, expressive eyes.

Yu Wen stood frozen, looking at the girl on her camera screen as if she were a film still. She had initially planned to delete this “accidental” shot, unsure if the person would be upset. Her finger hovered over the delete button, but she couldn’t bring herself to press it.

This series of coincidences was a moment she could never replicate. Instead, she backed out, took a new picture, and carefully put her camera away, feeling satisfied.

That candid shot was now permanently captured in a single moment.

…

Walking down the hallway, Huang Xiaozhi had turned her head to urge Su Li to hurry up. She had no idea that a student she didn’t know would capture that moment.

Huang Xiaozhi’s attention was entirely on the half-dead Su Li behind her, so she naturally didn’t notice the girl with the black-rimmed glasses in the classroom.

Su Li’s physical endurance was terrible. She had been sick for a while and the medication had left her with many side effects. Now, she was no different from an elderly person.

Finally—

After all their tribulations, the two of them arrived at the door of Class 13, their real classroom.

Most of the students had already arrived.

Su Li gripped the doorframe, greedily taking large breaths of the fresh air.

Huang Xiaozhi, on the other hand, quickly tidied her disheveled hair and clothes, straightened her back, and called out in a clear, steady voice.

“Reporting.”

Standing at the podium, Teacher Tang adjusted her glasses. Hearing the sound, she turned her head and looked at Huang Xiaozhi and Su Li with a calm gaze. Her face was expressionless, and her tone was as placid as ever. “Come in. You two are late.”

Huang Xiaozhi stood in front of the podium, her attitude sincere as she explained, “I’m sorry, Teacher Tang. We went to the wrong classroom and were delayed on the way.”

She stated the facts without any added emotion.

Su Li nodded vigorously. “Yes, yes, Teacher. We didn’t know the classroom had moved, so we went to Section A.” She nodded like a pecking chicken, which made the students below laugh.

Teacher Tang didn’t say anything, just nodded. “Go back to your seats. Study for a little bit, and then we’ll start class.” Although she didn’t say much, her tone held a kind of tolerant, I’ve-seen-it-all calm.

Both Huang Xiaozhi and Su Li let out a collective sigh of relief and quickly nodded.

They looked at two conspicuous empty seats in the back row. The last row of seats was empty, so they were theirs.

It was a godsend!

The two quickly settled into their seats.

Huang Xiaozhi unhurriedly took a new textbook and notebook out of her backpack. Her movements were graceful, as if the previous struggle had never happened. She quickly entered her morning study state.

Su Li, however, was slumped in her chair, leaning against the backrest. To be more precise, she was completely limp, as if her bones had been removed.

Her eyes were vacant as she stared at the back of the student in front of her. After a long while, she slowly spoke. “The school… is trying to force a relationship on me.” The phrase came out of nowhere, but it perfectly captured her despair.

Huang Xiaozhi paused her page-turning. Instead of responding, she changed the subject. “Aren’t you going to study?”

The person she asked laughed as if she’d heard a joke and answered lazily, “Did you forget? I always sleep during morning study.” She adjusted her posture, found a comfortable angle, and prepared to close her eyes.

Huang Xiaozhi, holding her textbook, didn’t say anything or look at her. Her gaze remained on the page as she read the text.

After who knows how long, she finally spoke in a voice barely audible to anyone but the two of them. “Cherries, you haven’t changed. You’re still the person I know.” Her voice carried a hint of subtle, complex emotion.

“Hmph… I’ll never change in this life.” Her tone was a forced lightness that felt as heavy as a stone.

Huang Xiaozhi simply said, “Mm.”

…

Actually, Su Li hadn’t always been like this.

Su Li was two years older than Huang Xiaozhi because she had been held back, having missed two years of school.

After her high school entrance exams, Su Li was in high spirits. She thought that once she entered high school, she would definitely study hard and listen carefully in class.

But when she actually stepped onto the high school campus, it wasn’t like that. The strict teachers, the long list of school rules… and the prison-like fences. It was too oppressive. This wasn’t a school; it was a prison for criminals.

Su Li thought she could accept this place, until the bullies appeared. She had fought back, and she had tried hard, but it was no use.

She would always remember their faces, the verbal attacks, the beatings. She fought back, but there were too many of them. She couldn’t do anything.

She had gone to the teachers, the dean, the principal, the police… she even tried her parents, but it all seemed useless. It only made things worse.

Everyone had abandoned her, letting go of the rope she threw to them and letting her fall into the abyss.

She was desperate. Why did it have to be her? For a long time, she was empty inside. She thought a lot of things.

What is the meaning of human life? When a person dies, where does their consciousness go? If someone had helped me, would I not have been like this?

After a two-year hiatus, she had to return to school. The people who bullied her were now in their final year. At first, when she entered the new class, she was still afraid—afraid of everything, and just wanted to go home.

Then she met Huang Xiaozhi. Huang Xiaozhi didn’t pull on the rope she threw; she came and hugged her directly, saving her.

Although she was still cautious afterward, she slowly got to know Huang Xiaozhi and realized she wasn’t malicious, just a little blunt.

Su Li knew that Huang Xiaozhi was the only daughter of the Wei family in City A. She was a little princess. Of course, in Su Li’s eyes, she was also a little princess, but a little princess with a rather assertive personality.

…

For those who were focused, morning study was the flow of knowledge. For those catching up on sleep, it was a brief rest. Either way, it passed with the rustling of book pages and the chirping of birds outside the window.

Ten minutes passed in a flash. The class bell rang on time.

Teacher Tang stood at the podium, tapping the desk with the blackboard eraser, making a “thump, thump, thump” sound.

She cleared her throat. Her voice was not loud but carried clearly to every corner. “Everyone, quiet down. Remember to gather on the field for the opening ceremony during the third period.”

The class collectively replied, “We know!”

Teacher Tang’s original name was Tang Yuan, which sounded a bit like “rice ball.” She had changed it, but it seemed for nothing.

She was middle-aged with naturally light brown hair that fell on her shoulders. She wore a simple, elegant floral dress and had a gentle demeanor. She was an excellent teacher with rich experience.

Sitting in her seat, Su Li seemed to suddenly remember something. She nudged the side of the newly studying Huang Xiaozhi with her elbow. “Hey, hey, hey, do you know who ranked first in the final exam last semester?” Her tone was filled with the excitement of gossip.

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t know. She honestly shook her head, looking at Su Li’s clear eyes.

Su Li’s mouth opened exaggeratedly into a silent “Wow” shape. She couldn’t help but pat her shoulder again and spoke rapidly. “It was Yu Wen! Have you met her?”

Huang Xiaozhi searched her memory but ultimately shook her head.

Su Li let out a soft “Tsk” and leaned closer, lowering her voice, with the excitement of sharing a huge secret. “You wouldn’t think it, but her grades are incredible. She completely crushed the second-place student—a sheer cliff of a lead! And she was a student who suddenly made huge progress in class. I almost thought the teachers were giving her an easy time!”

Huang Xiaozhi frowned slightly in thought and asked, “Yu Wen is in Class 11?”

“Yep, yep, the best class!” Su Li nodded hard.

Huang Xiaozhi raised an eyebrow, then lowered her head to continue writing. “Then it’s no surprise she’s first in the grade. Don’t make guesses about others. It’s impolite, and the teachers aren’t pushovers.” Her tone was a little more serious.

The grumbling Su Li hugged Huang Xiaozhi’s arm, resting her head against it with a hint of a whine. “I know, I know. Princess Xiaoxiao, don’t be angry.”

“I’m not. I’m not that petty. Also, don’t call me princess in school.” Huang Xiaozhi looked seriously at Su Li, who was hanging onto her arm.

Su Li closed her eyes and nodded. “Okay. You smell so good. What brand of laundry detergent do you use?”

Huang Xiaozhi’s arm was ticklish from being rubbed. She was both exasperated and amused. She forcefully pulled her arm away and lightly tapped Su Li’s forehead. “Smell good, my butt. Get away and stop bothering me while I’m doing my work.”

But the person clinging to her arm acted as if she’d heard an unspeakable word. She let go of Huang Xiaozhi’s arm and pointed at her, laughing. “You swore, you swore!” She shook her head triumphantly.

Huang Xiaozhi lowered her head, her pen gliding smoothly across the paper, leaving clear notes. “Oh, whatever. I might as well abandon this persona. I was afraid I’d suffocate if I kept it up.” A self-deprecating smile spread across her lips.

Just then, a cool breeze slipped in through the open window, carrying the crisp, earthy scent of early autumn. It gently brushed against Huang Xiaozhi’s cheek, playfully lifting a few soft strands of hair from her forehead.

The sunlight danced on her lowered eyelashes, outlining her gentle profile.

And in a camera somewhere, there was still a perfect photo.