◎Guardian Knight◎

Spring and autumn in the Yangtze River Delta passed as quickly as if someone had fast-forwarded the progress bar. Entering December, Yishi’s temperature plummeted to freezing point, and students began adding cotton coats or down jackets over their school uniforms.

After evening study hall, Chun Zao put on her lambswool coat, shouldered her backpack, and walked out of the classroom alone.

Tong Yue had vanished as soon as class ended, rushing to the opposite building to intercept her boyfriend. The reason was that two days ago she’d asked for contact information from Li Wu, that transfer student from Class 10, and was reported by someone who knew them to Lu Jingheng. The boy was furious, and after arguing a few sentences, stopped replying to any of her messages.

During the last class break, Tong Yue tearfully (fake tears) defended herself: What was he saying, accusing me of cheating? I just wanted another handsome guy in my friends list, what’s wrong with that? Besides… I didn’t even get his contact info.

Chun Zao found it hard to judge her behavior, only saying: As long as you’re happy.

Walking alone on the campus avenue for once, Chun Zao tucked her hands in her pockets, humming softly, when suddenly someone called her name.

Chun Zao turned and was surprised to see it was Tan Xiao from her class.

He was one of the few boys in their class. Though not close to Chun Zao, they were nodding acquaintances in class. Being called by him out of nowhere left her somewhat surprised and confused.

Tan Xiao’s social skills rivaled Tong Yue’s. He waved at her with a familiar smile: “Hey, why are you alone today?”

Chun Zao paused: “Tong Yue had something to do and left early.”

“Oh,” Tan Xiao responded, pulling a boy from behind his left side, getting straight to the point: “This is… my friend, from Class 1.”

Chun Zao was stunned, blinking twice without understanding.

The boy wore half-frame glasses and had a refined, scholarly appearance. He looked at Chun Zao somewhat shyly, not daring to maintain eye contact for more than three seconds during his self-introduction: “Chun Zao, hello, I’m Zhao Yuning.”

Chun Zao nodded, forcing a stiff smile to her lips. Any sudden social interaction would leave her bewildered, especially when the other party called out her full name so skillfully.

“I’m leaving then.” Tan Xiao nudged Zhao Yuning’s arm, teasing as he instructed: “The rest is up to you.”

“Got it.” Zhao Yuning pushed him somewhat uncomfortably, stealing glances at Chun Zao.

Tan Xiao ran off into the dusk, leaving only Chun Zao and this unfamiliar boy from another class facing each other in silence.

Which class was he from again?

Her mind rusted a bit. Class 1, Yuan Ye’s classmate?

The girl looked thoughtful and said nothing. Seeing this, Zhao Yuning proactively asked: “Should we just keep standing here…?”

Chun Zao snapped back: “Oh.”

They started walking toward the school gate.

Chun Zao kept her hands in her pockets, stopping at a red light: “How do you know my name?”

Zhao Yuning paused for a second: “Your essays are very well written. Our Chinese teacher shared them with our class.” He lowered his voice to add: “I noticed in my first year.”

“I see.” Chun Zao nodded.

Crossing the pedestrian walkway, the boy continued searching for conversation: “Which middle school did you attend?”

Chun Zao replied: “Experimental.”

Zhao Yuning said, “I went to Yucai, in the same district as your school.”

Chun Zao recalled the specific locations of both middle schools: “That’s right.”

“Just three hundred meters apart. When I cycled home from school, I’d always pass your school. Never thought we’d end up at the same high school.”

Life saver. Chun Zao had absolutely no idea how to respond to his words.

From his sudden appearance to his eloquent chatter, this progression and development could be described as catching her completely off guard.

She could only quietly clench her fists in her coat pockets, keeping the atmosphere from becoming too cold and stiff: “Just not in the same class.”

“That’s my fault for being bad at liberal arts.”

Chun Zao stared wide-eyed. Who was blaming him?

Seeing the girl with her distant attitude showing signs of thawing, Zhao Yuning poured out all the information he’d previously collected as wingman material: “Are you the English class representative for your class?”

Chun Zao hummed in acknowledgment.

Zhao Yuning fabricated a reasonable excuse: “I often see you going to the office. Your English must be very good, right?”

Chun Zao answered modestly: “It’s alright.”

Zhao Yuning smiled: “My English is always stuck in the 130s, can’t improve.”

Talking about studies, Chun Zao finally felt an oxygen tube had been inserted into the suffocating conversation: “130s is already very impressive.”

“Do you have any tips?”

Chun Zao looked at him: “Are you here to ask about my study methods?”

Zhao Yuning was speechless, his ears visibly reddening under the dim streetlights of the small alley: “That works too.”

Chun Zao indicated the end of the narrow alley: “But it might not be convenient right now. I need to go home.”

Zhao Yuning followed her gaze: “Do you take this route home every day?”

Chun Zao: “Yes.”

Zhao Yuning: “Isn’t it scary for a girl to walk through such a dark alley alone?”

“It’s fine, I’m used to it. I can manage by myself.”

Zhao Yuning revealed his ultimate purpose and trump card: “Let me walk you home. Where do you live?”

Chun Zao fell silent for a few seconds, then nodded in agreement without wasting more time.

She scratched her head internally, deciding to ask Tong Yue how to handle this situation appropriately when she got back. It was just one evening anyway.

It was already difficult to effectively refuse or avoid unfamiliar people.

They continued walking forward, but as the narrow path grew darker, the atmosphere became increasingly stifling. Zhao Yuning cursed silently. He’d been paying attention to this girl for over a year, but knew so little about her. Apart from superficial labels like “pure and clean appearance,” “excellent academic performance,” “English class representative,” “not dating anyone,” and “has a clingy friend making her hard to approach,” he could hardly find any other breakthrough points.

All his homework felt useless.

The boy was anxious inside, but could only escort her silently.

Finally, racking his brains for an alternative approach—

Once they reached her building, he’d ask for her contact information under the pretext of “seeking English study advice” before parting.

With this plan, he relaxed and his steps became somewhat lighter.

In contrast, Chun Zao felt like she’d walked through an entire era. When she spotted a familiar noodle shop sign, she wanted to bang her head against the ground—they were barely halfway there.

Just then, a long series of urgent bicycle bells suddenly came from behind.

Continuous and sharp, impatient like out-of-control fighting sparrows.

Zhao Yuning, walking on the outside, moved aside upon hearing the sound. A black mountain bike flew past like lightning—if he hadn’t dodged in time, it definitely would have scraped his arm.

“What kind of person has such poor manners?” he looked at the rapidly disappearing figure on the bike, annoyed: “Speeding so fast on such a narrow road, not afraid of hitting someone.”

Chun Zao followed his gaze, frowned, and sighed softly. She didn’t want to tell Zhao Yuning that this person was his classmate.

But didn’t he greet two people he knew?

Amid her confusion, Chun Zao also felt somewhat displeased.

Acting like it was none of his business and escaping—couldn’t he stop and be a good Samaritan to pull her out of this torturous social quagmire?

Three minutes later, entering the residential complex, Chun Zao felt as if granted amnesty. Her pace unconsciously quickened. Fortunately, the rental building wasn’t far from the main entrance—victory was in sight.

“Just over there.” She pointed to the unit door marked with the number ①, walking toward it with practiced ease.

“Oh… okay.” Zhao Yuning was still mentally organizing how to ask for her contact information later, following somewhat sluggishly.

However, as they approached the unit door, a conspicuous tall shadow stood at the steps. Seeing them approach, the boy stopped playing with his key chain, turned his pale face toward them, his expression indifferent and emotions unreadable.

Before Chun Zao could speak, Zhao Yuning beside her called out in delight: “Yuan Ye?”

Looking up at the building right in front of them, “You live here too?”

Yuan Ye casually hummed acknowledgment, his gaze sweeping toward Chun Zao. He looked at her once without much force, then turned back to open the unit door.

That glance felt like an ice shard pressed against her neck. Chun Zao involuntarily shivered, her heart bungee-jumping along.

She quickly clarified to Zhao Yuning: “Well… I’m heading up first.”

Zhao Yuning snapped back from his unexpected encounter with a class elite and called out to Chun Zao.

Chun Zao turned back.

Zhao Yuning took out his phone from his pocket, no longer hesitating: “Should we add each other on…”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted by the boy on the steps: “Are you coming in or not?”

Zhao Yuning looked up. Yuan Ye was holding the door, motionless, his gaze unfocused.

He misunderstood, thinking this classmate with consistently good popularity was inviting him up for a visit, and politely declined with a smile: “It’s too late today. I’ll visit your place another time, whether for studying or gaming, your choice.”

Yuan Ye’s pupils trembled slightly. He lifted his chin, indicating the girl beside him: “I wasn’t talking to you. I meant her.”

Zhao Yuning froze, looking back and forth between them with suspicion and uncertainty.

Chun Zao wanted to dig a hole and bury herself alive. She steeled herself to say goodbye to Zhao Yuning for the second time: “It’s getting late. I’m heading up first. Thank you for walking me home today.”

Quickly dropping these three sentences, she passed Yuan Ye and entered the building.

Clang—the iron door automatically closed behind them. The boy’s footsteps, climbing the stairs, were also approaching. Chun Zao turned to look at him, about to complain about being ignored on the road, when he spoke first with profound meaning:

“Is that your guardian knight outside?”

Chun Zao asked with uncertainty: “Are you being sarcastic?”

Yuan Ye shrugged: “Am I? I’m stating facts.”

Chun Zao felt wronged: “What guardian knight? I ran into a classmate after school, and he pushed a boy toward me. That’s it.”

“Just met him, and you let him walk you home. You’re quite trusting of strange classmates.”

Chun Zao fell silent under his slightly mocking words.

Wasn’t this person’s angle for finding the main point bizarrely off?

Wasn’t she the victim who was forced into passive social interaction?

Instead, he was targeting her.

Chun Zao took a light breath: “He insisted on walking me home. What could I say?”

Yuan Ye was unusually aggressive: “Don’t you know how to refuse?”

His voice lowered as he reached his conclusion: “Oh right, how could you not know? You’re always very fluent when refusing me.”

Chun Zao stopped in shock, turning to argue: “Stop making this about other things. When have I frequently refused you?”

Yuan Ye also stopped on the step above, their gazes happening to meet at the same level. At this extremely close distance, the cold white light from the motion sensor fell. The boy’s bright eyes were like polished, sharp weapons, hammering fiercely at her heart, staring until her chest contracted and tightened in waves.

“Haven’t you?” He dropped the cold words and hints from after entering, confronting her directly: “Someone you just met can openly walk you to your building, but with me you have to keep distance as soon as we’re near school. Even secretly giving you a box of milk gets criticized. Tell me, am I the different one or is he the different one?”

His tone grew increasingly urgent. By the end, he no longer concealed all his accusatory meaning.

Chun Zao was speechless.

How could someone hold grudges to this extent?

How many times was he going to revisit that old account?

So boring.

So exasperating.

Her desire to argue vanished instantly. Chun Zao calmed down and pointed out his unprecedentedly bad temper: “Make it clear—what exactly are you complaining about?”

This sentence was like scissors, instantly cutting the tense atmosphere. The intensity in those serious eyes in front of her sharply diminished.

The stairwell fell silent for two seconds. The boy turned his face away, then squeezed past her without a word, striding upstairs without looking back, disappearing from view.

Back in his room, Yuan Ye threw his backpack onto the desk with a thud and collapsed powerlessly into his chair.

His eyes unfocused for a long while as his rapidly rising and falling chest gradually calmed down.

So did his brain.

After reaching the boiling point, it suddenly cooled.

What was he doing?

Regretfully grabbing his hair twice, Yuan Ye took out his phone, sat up straight with his elbows on the desk edge, and clicked on that little bird avatar. He tapped in a few words, then deleted them all, reorganizing his chaotic thoughts:

-Sorry, I shouldn’t have spoken that way.

-I also shouldn’t interfere with your freedom to make friends.

-That was my fault just now.

-I won’t do this again.

Four lines that seemed to exhaust all his remaining strength.

Yuan Ye supported his forehead, put down his phone, staying on this page, staring at it, pressing it back whenever the screen went black.

He maintained this state for a full ten minutes before getting up from his chair—sometimes lying on the bed to zone out, sometimes opening the window for air, standing by the door, leaning against the wall to listen.

Restless and unable to sit still.

College entrance exams… no, for the rest of his life, he would never forget the meaning of these idioms. This was exactly who he was right now.

Finally, the phone screen he hadn’t put down since returning lit up, indicating a new message.

Yuan Ye clicked in.

The boy’s pupils tightened slightly.

It was a message from the girl next door. She hadn’t accepted his apology, nor had she accused him of being unreasonable.

Five simple, direct words, answering only the last question he’d asked in exasperated fury in the stairwell:

「You are the different one. 」

Author’s Note:

-Five words that made the school heartthrob lose sleep all night.