An Earlier Meeting - Chapter 19

Chapter 19

The four-day holiday always flew by quickly.

On Monday morning, Huang Xiaozhi woke up early.

She had to hurry, or else the famously strict grade dean, known as “ninety-nine points,” would criticize her by name on the broadcast and deduct points again.

She had already had that “honor” once this semester and didn’t want a second time.

While Wei Qingwen was still having sweet dreams in her warm bed, Huang Xiaozhi was already packed and quietly left the house.

She had agreed to meet Yu Wen downstairs to walk to school together last night. She didn’t want to be late, and even more, she didn’t want Yu Wen to wait in the cold.

Before leaving, she saw the leftover homemade snowflake crisps on the table. After thinking for a moment, she put them in her backpack—it would be a nice snack for school.

Autumn was in full swing. The morning air was slightly chilly, but the sky was a clear blue. It was another sunny day.

She wrapped her jacket around her and walked quickly downstairs.

She thought she was early enough, but she didn’t expect Yu Wen to be even earlier.

Downstairs, a figure in a hooded sweatshirt was standing quietly. The hood was loosely covering her head, and a backpack was slung over one shoulder, making her look a little thin.

Huang Xiaozhi’s eyes lit up. She jogged over and slapped Yu Wen’s shoulder with a smile. “Hey!” She didn’t control her strength, and it was a little too hard. She immediately pulled her hand back and apologized repeatedly. “Oh, I’m so sorry! That was too hard!”

Yu Wen only swayed slightly. She shook her head, her voice a little hoarse from just waking up. “It’s fine. Just slap me a little lighter next time. I’m afraid you’ll break me in half.” As she spoke, she naturally reached out and held Huang Xiaozhi’s wrist. “Let’s go.”

Huang Xiaozhi let her hold her. She fumbled in her backpack with her other hand and took out a small bag. “Here, snowflake crisps. Do you want some?” She held them out to Yu Wen.

Yu Wen looked at the bag of homemade snowflake crisps. She took it. “Did you make these?”

“My mom did,” Huang Xiaozhi shook her head and explained. “We finished the ones we bought the day before yesterday, so she made a bag herself yesterday.” Seeing that Yu Wen had already taken them, she added, “I noticed you seem to like them? My mom is a great cook. If you tell me what flavor you like, I’ll have her make a different batch just for you.” She had noticed the packaging of snowflake crisps at Yu Wen’s house.

Yu Wen was a little surprised that she was so observant. Her heart warmed a little. She took a piece and put it in her mouth. “I like matcha. Then… thank you, Auntie.” The crispy and sweet texture melted on her tongue, with a familiar milky and nutty flavor. It was… a little similar to the taste of the ones her father used to make.

She chewed as she walked, lost in thought for a moment.

“Little One,” she couldn’t help but ask. “Where did your mom learn to make these snowflake crisps?”

Huang Xiaozhi had just taken a piece from Yu Wen and was enjoying it. She didn’t expect her to ask this and said vaguely, “Huh? This? I don’t know either. Maybe she learned it from somewhere else?” She really didn’t know. It seemed her mom had been making them ever since she could remember.

A hint of disappointment flashed in Yu Wen’s eyes, but it quickly disappeared. “Okay.” The two walked side by side on the morning street. As they neared the convenience store, Yu Wen looked down at her watch. “No rush. We have plenty of time.”

Huang Xiaozhi nodded, and her pace also slowed down.

On the road, students on bikes and scooters zipped past, and there were a few people hurrying on the sidewalk.

Su Li rode her bike past them and glanced sideways.

In the sunlight, Huang Xiaozhi and Yu Wen walked side by side, with relaxed smiles on their faces. Their relationship seemed to be getting better and better.

Su Li’s lips curved, and she sped up and left with a sense of relief. She was leaving this place for good in a couple of days and wasn’t coming back.

She had chosen to escape this place that carried so much exhaustion.

…

The classroom was still sparsely populated.

The two returned to their seats and took out their textbooks, spreading them out on their desks, but they were in no hurry to read.

Huang Xiaozhi took out her breakfast from her backpack—steamed buns and dumplings. They ate together as if no one else was there.

He Wei walked in with his lesson plans. He looked at the classroom, which had no one reading, and helplessly tapped the podium with a blackboard eraser.

“Thump, thump, thump!”

“Everyone, at least read something in the morning! If Director Yu comes to check later, we’ll lose points again!” His tone was almost begging. “Just read. I’m begging you all, my little ancestors.”

Yu Wen slowly opened her book. Her gaze was on the pages, but she didn’t make a sound, as if her mind was elsewhere.

Huang Xiaozhi had two steamed dumplings in her mouth. Her cheeks were puffed out, and she was “looking” at the words in the book with a vacant look in her eyes. Her soul seemed to have floated to the ninth heaven.

Seeing this, the other students also started reading sporadically.

But this “reading” quickly changed. Some people started humming, and some were chatting quietly. The morning reading class had become a large “concert.”

Huang Xiaozhi finally managed to swallow the food in her mouth. She suddenly leaned closer to Yu Wen, her eyes sparkling. “What kind of songs do you like?”

Yu Wen tilted her head slightly. “How about… I hum a few lines for you?”

“Okay, okay!” Huang Xiaozhi nodded in surprise and immediately moved her chair closer.

Yu Wen cleared her throat and hummed in a low voice:

“So autumn is lonely—”

“It can’t be held on to—”

“Winter always comes too early—”

“I have no way to refuse.”

She stopped after only four short lines. Huang Xiaozhi was still wanting more. She poked Yu Wen’s arm with her finger and smiled mischievously. “My dear deskmate sings so well. Why don’t you sing a few more lines?”

Yu Wen propped her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her hand, looking at her. “The pitch is a little high later on. It’s not good to sing with a suppressed voice.” The main reason was that she had forgotten the lyrics a little.

Huang Xiaozhi didn’t force her. She gave her a thumbs-up, her smile bright. “It’s really good! I hope I can hear you sing the full version someday!”

“You can.” Yu Wen agreed straightforwardly.

The various sounds in the classroom were mixed. Compared to other classes with their uniform reading, it was particularly “lively.”

He Wei didn’t mind this. He always felt that high school students should arrange their own studying, and being too rigid wasn’t good.

Amid the noise, He Wei suddenly called their names. “Huang Xiaozhi, Yu Wen, come up here for a second.”

Yu Wen calmly got up.

Huang Xiaozhi’s heart sank. She quickly tried to recall what mistakes she had made this semester—it seemed like none? Was she already being “called in for a talk”? She followed him nervously.

He Wei looked at the two of them and said happily, “My two top students, have you considered performing in the art festival?”

Huang Xiaozhi was stunned and blurted out, “Teacher, isn’t it already decided that I’ll do the peacock dance?” Did Su Li lie to her?

He Wei seemed to have short-circuited. He froze for a few seconds before slapping his forehead. “Oh, right! Look at my memory! It was decided that you would. But one performance isn’t enough. Our class needs to sign up for two.” He turned his gaze to Yu Wen. “Student Yu, what do you think…”

“No,” Yu Wen said directly before he could finish. “I’ll be the photographer.” She didn’t want to perform. She just wanted to be in the audience and capture Huang Xiaozhi’s dance with her camera.

He Wei sighed in disappointment and turned to Huang Xiaozhi. “Then you should practice well. The rehearsal is on Wednesday or Thursday. Remember that.” His expression was serious but also a little adorably confused.

Huang Xiaozhi quickly nodded. He Wei waved his hand, and the two returned to their seats as if they had been granted a reprieve.

“Why don’t you perform?” Huang Xiaozhi asked softly while tidying her desk.

Yu Wen’s hand paused. She didn’t want to tell her the real reason, so she casually came up with an excuse. “I don’t really want to. I’m a little… afraid of the stage.”

Huang Xiaozhi listened and nodded thoughtfully. Many people were afraid of the stage, and she completely understood.

She remembered a time when she was also afraid of getting on stage. She empathized and lightly patted Yu Wen’s shoulder, conveying a message of “I understand.”

…

The progress of the top class was always fast. The textbook knowledge had already been covered, and they were now entering the advanced stage.

He Wei handed out a difficult math test paper and emphasized, “Just do it seriously. Don’t worry about whether it’s right or wrong.”

Huang Xiaozhi took the test paper and glanced at it. Her vision went dark—this difficulty was beyond “normal.” It made her a little dizzy.

Yu Wen, however, didn’t react. She just calmly took out her scratch paper and started writing.

That focused and composed look made Huang Xiaozhi once again deeply appreciate the value of being the “number one in the grade by a landslide.” She admired her silently.

She shook her head, cast aside her distractions, and buried herself in the sea of problems.

The classroom was unusually quiet. The only sounds were the scratching of pens on paper and He Wei occasionally flipping through his phone.

Everyone was immersed in their world of problem-solving. Their scratch papers were filled with traces of their thoughts and calculations.

…

The last class in the afternoon was a self-study session. Every Monday at this time, the teachers had a meeting.

Huang Xiaozhi took a novel from the inner pocket of her backpack. Yu Wen noticed her small action and was a little curious. “You like reading novels?”

As soon as she finished speaking, a beautiful postcard and a pen were pushed in front of Yu Wen.

“Not particularly,” Huang Xiaozhi shook her head. “It’s just to pass the time and read other people’s stories.” She explained, her eyes a little sly.

Yu Wen picked up the postcard with an enticing picture of a souffle on it. She was confused. “What’s this for?”

“For you to write a few words, of course!” Huang Xiaozhi said as if it were the most obvious thing in the world, with a mischievous smile on her face. “Your handwriting is so beautiful. It would be such a waste not to use it.”

Yu Wen finally understood. The girl was praising her handwriting. She picked up the pen but had a difficult time. “What… should I write? Sentences from the novel? But I haven’t read this one.” She looked at Huang Xiaozhi helplessly.

Huang Xiaozhi then realized she hadn’t made it clear. “Oh! Actually, this postcard isn’t from the book. I brought it myself.” She blinked. “Write whatever you want. Just think of it as… a souvenir for me?” She paused and then added, “Of course, if Miss Yu wants one from me, I can write one for you, too.”

Yu Wen understood. This girl wanted her handwriting. Okay. She also liked Huang Xiaozhi’s lively and spirited handwriting. “Okay, then you write one for me, too. The content… can it really be anything?”

Huang Xiaozhi nodded vigorously and took out another postcard with a different style from her backpack and handed it to her.

Yu Wen held the pen and fell into deep thought. What should she write? They were friends now, deskmates… anything too direct or sentimental seemed inappropriate.

Forget it. I’ll just write whatever comes to mind. I’ll write something from my heart.

The pen glided smoothly across the card:

I will always protect you where you can’t see me.

— YW.

This sentence was applicable now and in the future.

If she had to hide in the darkness, protection was the only promise she could make.

On the other side, Huang Xiaozhi was also biting her pen, thinking for a long time.

What should I write? Whatever I write feels a little sappy or awkward.

But in the end, she picked up her pen and wrote what she wanted to say the most in her heart:

You won’t be trapped in a dark cage forever. Because you are an angel with your own light. One day, you will fly out, and you will be free. Freedom belongs to everyone, including you.

— HXZ.

She hoped she would always be free and always live the way she wanted.

After writing, Huang Xiaozhi couldn’t help but sneak a peek at Yu Wen’s card. “What did you write? Can I see?”

Yu Wen flipped the card over, covering the writing. “Let’s not look at it yet. We’ll look at it when we get home. I’m afraid… it’ll be too awkward to look at here.”

Huang Xiaozhi agreed completely. She could already imagine the expression on Yu Wen’s face when she saw the word “angel” she had written.

The two of them, in silent understanding, placed the written postcards face down and exchanged them. They both resisted the urge to take a peek.

A promise is a promise. We’ll look at it when we get home.

The autumn afternoon wind was slightly cool. It blew through the open windows, ruffling the strands of hair on their foreheads.

The wind was gentle. The golden sunlight fell on their desks and also on their youthful faces. At this moment, the beauty was in the autumn, and the unspoken understanding and friendship between them.

…

The school bell rang like a bugle call, instantly igniting the classroom.

The students who had already packed their bags rushed to the door like arrows, instantly clogging the narrow hallway.

Huang Xiaozhi and Yu Wen had also packed, but they didn’t join the crowd.

They sat quietly in their seats, waiting for the crowd at the door to thin out a little before leaving. They got up and walked to the less-crowded back door.

Just as they stepped out of the classroom, a boy in a senior-year uniform stood awkwardly by the door and gently tapped Huang Xiaozhi’s shoulder.

The two of them stopped and looked at him at the same time.

The boy seemed a little nervous. His cheeks were a little red, and he was tightly clutching a light blue envelope in his hand.

Huang Xiaozhi understood. A gentle smile appeared on her face, and she asked softly, “Senior? Who is this letter for?” She respected his feelings.

The boy seemed to get even more nervous with both school beauties looking at him at the same time. He summoned his courage and held the letter out to Huang Xiaozhi. His voice was a little tight. “For… for you.”

Huang Xiaozhi took the letter with both hands. Her smile was still polite. “Thank you for liking me, Senior.” She paused, her tone sincere. “I’ve accepted your feelings, and I’m very grateful. However, I think my life story doesn’t need a male protagonist for now.” After saying that, she gave a slight bow to the boy.

Although the boy was mentally prepared, a hint of disappointment flashed in his eyes. He then smiled in relief. “It’s okay. I just wanted you to know. I hope… you can find someone you truly like in the future.”

“Thank you, Senior.” Huang Xiaozhi thanked him again.

…

As they walked down the stairs, there were far fewer people. Yu Wen laughed and teased, “A little flower is indeed easy to attract butterflies.” She was, of course, talking about Huang Xiaozhi’s popularity at school.

Huang Xiaozhi proudly lifted her chin, like a peacock showing off its feathers. “Of course. It’s not my fault I was born with such a beautiful face! But,” she changed the subject and looked at Yu Wen mischievously, imitating her tone. “Our Miss Yu is no less popular, right? Your drawer is almost full of love letters? Could my ‘butterflies’ really be more than yours?”

Yu Wen was amused by her. She admitted frankly, “I really don’t. I have several boxes full at home.”

An exaggerated “tsk, tsk, tsk” sound echoed in the stairwell from Huang Xiaozhi.

The two of them had been privately called the “two school beauties” since their freshman year, but they rarely paid attention to it themselves.

The campus forum was always hot with discussions and pictures of them, especially a candid photo of them walking side by side in a crowd, which was repeatedly brought up.

Adolescent crushes were always so innocent and intense, and unrequited love was often the most cautious and most agonizing of secrets.