When Yin Yunyi first transferred to Xifu Experimental Middle School, it was the height of summer. She wore a light backpack and a baseball cap for sun protection. At the school entrance, Yin Yucheng reminded her, “Remember to take off your hat when greeting classmates.”
“I know,” she responded softly.
Following the teacher’s instructions, Yin Yunyi bowed properly: “Hello everyone, I’m Yin Yunyi.”
The teacher pointed to an empty seat.
The boy sitting next to it had delicate features, with wisps of hair falling across his forehead. His brow naturally carried an air of impatience, making him appear unfriendly.
“Hello,” Yin Yunyi greeted him nervously.
The boy merely grunted “Ah” in response before lazily turning his head to stare out the window.
Yin Yunyi observed the boy’s reflection in the window, his nose and mouth buried in the crook of his elbow, eyes drooping.
She didn’t notice that her reflection was also visible in the glass.
Yun Ye could see Yin Yunyi staring at him.
The slouching boy slowly moved, sitting up straight and turning to look at her. “Why are you staring at me?”
The boy’s hair was slightly messy, his eyes clear, his expression defiant.
Yin Yunyi’s eyes widened, undaunted by his unfriendly demeanor. “I’m Yin Yunyi.”
Yun Ye: “I heard earlier.”
Implying she didn’t need to repeat herself.
The boy behind them poked Yun Ye with a pen, laughing, “Yun Ye, you’re being too difficult. She’s asking you to introduce yourself.”
Yun Ye let out a long “Ah?” with a rising tone, then flatly said, “Oh. I’m Yun Ye.”
On the first day, no one actively engaged with Yin Yunyi. She tried talking to her deskmate Yun Ye a few times, but he mostly responded with just “Ah,” “Oh,” or “Mm.”
She couldn’t understand why he was so aloof.
It even made her feel he was a bit impolite.
Yin Yunyi completely gave up on trying to talk to him.
After classes ended on the first day, she felt somewhat discouraged as she walked out with her backpack.
Before she’d taken two steps, she heard the boy’s voice: “You forgot your hat.”
The boy walked past her, placing the hat on her head.
Yin Yunyi stared at his back as he disappeared down the hallway.
Yin Yucheng was waiting for her at the entrance: “How was the new school?”
Yin Yunyi thought about the uneventful day, unsure how to describe it. She opened her mouth: “It was fine.”
At home, Yin Yunyi’s mind was filled with thoughts of how to get along well with her classmates.
By “classmate,” she specifically meant Yun Ye.
After lying awake for half the night, Yin Yunyi hadn’t come up with any particularly good methods. Instead, Yun Ye’s handsome face became increasingly clear in her mind.
The next day, her classmate Xu Yao chatted with her in the hallway: “Did you know your deskmate is our class’s top student? And he’s super cool. Look at that face, it’s like the whole world owes him.”
Yin Yunyi, who hadn’t slept well the night before, blurted out, “Oh, so he’s in debt?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, Yin Yunyi felt guilty, as if she’d spoken ill of Yun Ye.
When she returned to her seat, Yin Yunyi saw Yun Ye with his forehead pressed against the desk. She was puzzled by this strange sleeping posture, but after sitting down, she realized Yun Ye was secretly playing a game.
School rules prohibited bringing such handheld game consoles to class.
Yin Yunyi opened her homework book, but finding this behavior quite different from her image of a top student, she couldn’t help but glance over a few times.
Yun Ye suddenly raised his head, a red mark on his forehead. His eyes sparkled, and his smile revealed small canine teeth: “Want to play?”
“…”
Was this the “super cool” person Xu Yao had mentioned?
Staring at that adorable smile, Yin Yunyi politely declined: “No, thank you.”
Yun Ye showed no disappointment at being refused. With a smile still on his lips, he lowered his head and continued playing: “Don’t tell the teacher.”
From Yin Yunyi’s angle, she could still see the faint red mark on his forehead.
Yin Yunyi flipped through her book, somewhat distracted, thinking Yun Ye’s behavior was bold, unrestrained, and unconventional.
A shout came from behind: “Yun Ye—”
“You’re playing games again—”
The homeroom teacher directly grabbed Yun Ye’s collar and took his game console, but Yun Ye managed to turn it off at the last second.
Yun Ye remained perfectly calm: “I wasn’t playing. The console is off.”
The teacher rapped him hard on the head, and Yun Ye winced, pressing his hand to the spot.
The teacher turned to Yin Yunyi. Faced with what he saw as a quiet, well-behaved model student, his voice softened considerably: “Yin Yunyi, was Yun Ye just playing games?”
Yun Ye, still held by his collar, glanced up at Yin Yunyi. She clenched her hands, instinctively not wanting to lie, but meeting the gaze of her deskmate of barely a day and a half, Yin Yunyi’s expression became troubled.
The teacher encouraged her: “Just tell the truth.”
Yun Ye saw her expression.
The teacher had thought Yun Ye would stubbornly deny it to the end, but he honestly admitted: “I was playing.”
It seemed he was done for.
Yin Yunyi watched as Yun Ye was dragged away by the teacher, while other students looked on with schadenfreude or bewilderment. She frowned, her voice still gentle: “Teacher, you shouldn’t pull him by the collar.”
Yin Yunyi said decisively: “It’s not right.”
The classroom fell silent.
The teacher’s mouth twitched, about to lose his temper, but faced with Yin Yunyi’s innocent face, he controlled his anger and released Yun Ye’s collar.
When Yun Ye returned, the student behind him pushed his shoulder: “You’ve got some nerve today.”
Usually, when caught playing games, everyone would obediently admit their mistake and hand over the console.
“Damn. That was my sister’s. She’ll kill me when she gets back.” Yun Ye rubbed his head, frowning. “I need to buy an identical one.”
Yin Yunyi had thought he would blame her when he came back, and she gripped her pen tightly.
She hadn’t interacted much with Yun Ye, but she didn’t want things to become awkward between them.
She wrote several cards for Yun Ye but never gave them to him. As she worked on her problems, Yin Yunyi gradually forgot about the incident. When she came back to her senses, she found Yun Ye counting the change in his backpack.
Yin Yunyi asked, “Are you going to buy a game console?”
“Mm-hmm.” Yun Ye counted again, and Yin Yunyi hesitated for a moment before saying bluntly, “No matter how many times you count, the money won’t increase.”
Yun Ye: “…”
He said nothing, gathered up the bills, and stuffed them into his pocket.
Yin Yunyi reached into her bag and pulled out a ten-yuan note from a compartment, offering it to Yun Ye. He looked down at it but didn’t take it.
She felt a bit awkward: “Is ten yuan too little… My parents don’t give me pocket money, this is all I have.”
Yun Ye was silent for a moment, then said, “It’s not too little.” He casually took Yin Yunyi’s bag, folded the ten-yuan note neatly, and put it back in its original compartment.
He then placed the bag behind her.
He picked up one of her books from the desk, flipped to the first page, and glanced at it before saying, “Yin Yunyi, thank you.”
They were deskmates for half a semester. Normally, Yun Ye wouldn’t talk to her, only occasionally borrowing her ruler or eraser.
Yin Yunyi found Yun Ye to be a complex person.
When something fun happened, he would be quite lively, showing his trademark smile. At other times, he was indeed as Xu Yao had described – so aloof that people dared not approach him.
After the midterm exams, Yun Ye ranked second in the grade, while Yin Yunyi ranked eighth.
It was an unwritten rule at the school to separate students with significant grade differences. The homeroom teacher came to their desk after class, intending to change their seats.
Yun Ye: “She’s not good at math.”
Yin Yunyi was stunned for a few seconds, not understanding why he would say that about her. She calmly retorted, “Yun Ye isn’t good at Chinese.”
Yun Ye immediately changed his tune: “Right, I’m poor at Chinese.” Fearing the teacher wouldn’t believe him, he added, “I only got second place this time because Yin Yunyi helped me with Chinese. If we change seats, I’ll do even worse.”
The first attempt to change seats failed.
That day after school, Yin Yunyi pondered for a long time why Yun Ye would think her math was poor. She followed behind him with her backpack and asked, “What’s wrong with my math?”
Yun Ye scratched his head, confused: “Who said that?”
Yin Yunyi: “You did.”
He suddenly remembered: “That was because—”
Looking into those gentle, light-colored eyes, Yun Ye’s voice abruptly stopped.
He unlocked his bicycle and mounted it.
The boy’s slender legs pedaled twice, and he rode past Yin Yunyi leisurely.
His voice lingered in the air: “I’m off.”
…
One day, the hygiene monitor assigned Yin Yunyi and Yun Ye to clean duty together.
Girls developed earlier than boys, and Yin Yunyi was quite a bit taller than Yun Ye at the time. She took the initiative: “I’ll clean the blackboard.”
Yun Ye, holding the eraser, paused at the blackboard, jumped up, and erased a few words at the very top.
Having proven himself in this childish way, he showed no embarrassment and simply handed the eraser to her.
After finishing their duties, only the two of them were left in the classroom. Yun Ye quickly stuffed his books into his bag, slung it over his shoulder, and waved at her: “I’m off.”
Yin Yunyi asked, “Can you wait for me?”
As soon as the words left her mouth, she felt a bit uncertain.
She thought he would refuse, but Yun Ye stopped in his tracks. He sat back on his desk, bored, supporting himself with both hands on the wooden surface, his head tilted slightly back.
Yin Yunyi leisurely packed her belongings. Yun Ye glanced back at her desk, noting the neatly arranged pens, sticky notes, and notebooks. Her pencil case was clean and transparent, adorned with translucent cherry blossoms.
He shifted his gaze to Yin Yunyi and said, “There’s chalk dust in your hair.”
“Oh,” Yin Yunyi responded, running her hand through her hair.
Yun Ye yawned and added, “Not there.”
Yin Yunyi tried again.
Yun Ye glanced over, and suddenly, Yin Yunyi saw his arm block the light, casting a shadow around her eyes.
She froze.
His hand barely touched her as he brushed the dust from her hair.
Feeling nervous, she hastily stuffed her things into her bag and said, “I’m ready. Let’s go.”
“Alright,” Yun Ye replied, landing lightly on the ground.
Yin Yunyi noticed his sneakers, the toes slightly worn from frequent basketball games.
On Yun Ye’s birthday, Yin Yunyi told Yin Yucheng she wanted to buy her desk mate a pair of basketball shoes as a gift. Not knowing Yun Ye’s size, she asked Yin Yucheng to buy a pair near the school and include the receipt so Yun Ye could exchange them if needed.
After school, she walked towards the gate as usual. Passing the basketball court, she spotted a familiar figure.
Yun Ye wore the shoes she’d given him, dribbling a basketball. He paused for several seconds, meeting her gaze.
He only snapped back to reality when someone stole the ball.
Yun Ye never told anyone the shoes were from Yin Yunyi.
While he typically wore his basketball shoes to school and used them all day, he treated this pair differently. He carried them in a bag and only changed into them at the court, trying to minimize wear and tear.
As Yin Yunyi realized this, a basketball flew toward her. She instinctively raised her hands to block it.
This wasn’t the first time. Yin Yunyi had been hit by basketballs before, often by boys trying to get girls’ attention.
Each time it hurt, Yin Yunyi brushed it off, telling the apologetic boys it was fine.
This ball was fast, about to hit her, when a figure stepped in front of her and caught it easily.
The boy who’d thrown the ball had aimed carefully, encouraged by his friends, and was ready to approach Yin Yunyi.
Yun Ye threw the ball back at him forcefully, his tone icy: “If you’re playing basketball, play properly. Do you want to get hit yourself?”
Already feeling guilty and seeing Yun Ye’s unfriendly expression, the boy quickly picked up the ball and ran back to the court.
Yun Ye turned his head, about to say “You’re welcome” after making a reasonable deduction, but Yin Yunyi spoke first.
“You shouldn’t be so harsh next time. Aren’t you afraid they’ll beat you up?” she said, looking at his thin, slender figure and tilting her head disapprovingly.
Showing no gratitude for being saved, Yin Yunyi matter-of-factly stated, “They’re so much taller than you.”
Yun Ye turned to look at her, utterly speechless for a moment.
Covered in sweat and breathing heavily, he told Yin Yunyi, “I’m going back to play.”
“Yun Ye,” Yin Yunyi called. He looked at her, puzzled. She gripped her backpack straps, biting her lip before asking again, “They won’t beat you up, right?”
“They shouldn’t be that bored,” he replied.
Someone from the court called for Yun Ye. Without further words, he ran back.
By the time Yun Ye finished playing, it was nearly six o’clock.
Sweat had soaked his hair. He walked to the bike shed where only his bicycle remained locked. Across from the shed was a public water fountain. Yun Ye went over, turned on the tap, and splashed cold water on his face with one hand. Eventually, he soaked his hair with the cold water.
Turning off the tap, he looked up. Though water blurred his vision, he saw Yin Yunyi standing in front of him, offering a pack of tissues.
Yun Ye took the tissues, saying, “Thanks.”
He paused before asking, “Why haven’t you left yet?”
Yin Yunyi usually left earlier.
“I was about to,” Yin Yunyi mumbled. Seeing Yun Ye struggling with the tissues one-handed, she opened the pack for him and handed him a sheet.
She was too embarrassed to tell him she’d stayed out of concern he might get beaten up for his earlier ‘rudeness’.
It was as if… she only saw his lack of height.
Yun Ye opened the tissue and carelessly wiped his hair. Bits of tissue stuck to his eyelashes, and he frowned, brushing them away with his fingers. His eyes were unfocused for a moment, then he blinked, and her outline became clear again.
Just like when they first met, she was tall with a high ponytail, her neck slender and delicate. Her oval face featured light-colored almond eyes, a small nose, and lips.
Yun Ye felt his breathing become unnatural. He hurriedly said, “I have to go,” and walked past Yin Yunyi.
After a few steps, he turned back and asked, “Aren’t you leaving?”
Remembering his usual swift movements, Yin Yunyi said, “I don’t have a bicycle. You go ahead.”
She turned and walked towards the school gate.
After a few steps, she heard the tinkling of a bicycle bell.
Yun Ye rode up beside her and got off the bike.
Yin Yunyi noticed it was a mountain bike.
She looked at Yun Ye’s height again and softly asked, “Isn’t it a bit dangerous for you to ride this?”
Yun Ye responded with a light hum, leaving her unsure of its meaning.
They walked a bit further.
The sunset stretched their shadows. Yun Ye pushed his bike beside her, and she heard the wheels scraping the ground. She glanced at him sideways.
Yin Yunyi’s mind went blank for a few seconds, and a thought naturally occurred to her: when Yun Ye grows taller, he’ll probably be even more handsome.
Though he was already very good-looking.
Whenever seating arrangements changed, Yun Ye’s Chinese grades would drop.
To protect this potential top student in the district, the homeroom teacher kept them as desk mates for two years.
Yin Yunyi’s parents were extremely strict with her. Apart from studying and cramming schools, she had almost no other entertainment in her life. Even to use the computer, Yin Yunyi had to request permission from her parents for study purposes.
As a result, despite being desk mates for two years, she and Yun Ye hardly participated in any activities together.
They had barely exchanged a few words.
After the high school entrance exam, Yin Yunyi opened the class group chat and stared at Yun Ye’s default penguin avatar. She clicked to send a friend request. To make it seem less intentional, she added several other people at the same time.
Yun Ye accepted immediately.
Their chat window remained blank for the entire holiday.
When high school started, Yin Yunyi didn’t see Yun Ye. She felt a bit disheartened. It wasn’t until a month later, during the class placement exam, that she entered the top class and saw that familiar figure in a corner of the new classroom.
The boy was lying on his desk, with an empty seat beside him.
Just like those two years in middle school, Yin Yunyi walked over and quietly sat down next to him.
Yun Ye sat up nonchalantly.
Their eyes met, and they both quickly looked away, as if shocked.
The class used a random seating arrangement, so Yun Ye and Yin Yunyi were no longer desk mates.
With increased pressure from high school coursework and little interaction between boys and girls in daily activities, Yin Yunyi didn’t blindly indulge in those vague feelings. Instead, she focused all her attention on her studies.
That day, they happened to be assigned cleaning duty together. Yin Yunyi habitually picked up the blackboard eraser and turned her head to find Yun Ye also standing at the blackboard. The golden sunset light fell on him, making his light brown eyes appear even more vibrant as he looked down at her.
Yun Ye naturally extended his hand towards her, palm up.
She then noticed that over the holiday, Yun Ye had grown rapidly, becoming tall and lean.
Yun Ye stared at her unmoving, his tone unchanged from before: “The eraser.”
In that moment, Yin Yunyi’s heart suddenly accelerated, indescribable emotions seeping from her heart. She hurriedly handed him the eraser and grabbed the newspaper from the podium, running to the window.
Through the window, she saw Yun Ye with one hand in his pocket, easily reaching the top of the blackboard as he raised his arm.
It was the hottest time of the Western heat wave. Even in the evening, the heat and sunlight could scorch a person.
By the time they finished their duties, it was already 5:30 PM. Yin Yunyi rummaged through her bag, muttering, “How come I didn’t bring a hat?” She searched again in disbelief before giving up and shouldering her backpack.
Yun Ye had just returned to his seat after washing his hands. Yin Yunyi glanced at him and reminded, “You’ve got chalk dust in your hair.”
Yun Ye couldn’t be bothered: “Let it be.”
Remembering the incident from middle school, she stood on her tiptoes and brushed his bangs with her fingertips. Yun Ye stared at her, bewildered and frozen for a moment.
Yin Yunyi quickly withdrew her hand: “It’s clean now.”
Yun Ye, not understanding the feeling in his heart, felt his face heat up and found it hard to breathe. He awkwardly said, “No need, I like having dust on me.”
Without further conversation, Yin Yunyi walked towards the school gate.
Just as she stepped out, a breeze passed by, and a hat was gently placed on her head. Yun Ye, like the first time, rode his bike past her and waved.
“See you,” he said.
The boy’s head circumference was larger than the girl’s, so the hat sat loosely on her head, partially blocking her vision. She only saw the bicycle wheels. By the time she adjusted the hat, Yun Ye was already out of sight.
The fabric seemed to carry his warmth.
At that moment, Yin Yunyi suddenly realized that the heart-racing feeling she experienced every time she saw Yun Ye was called love.