Zhou An Ran and Luobai Chen returned to No. 2 Middle School alone during the summer break after their freshman year of college. By then, An Ran’s family had already moved back to Nancheng.
That day was a workday. Luobai had to help at the law firm, and since Nancheng’s summer days were as hot as a furnace, they agreed to visit the school in the afternoon. Luobai picked her up from her residential complex at five o’clock.
Once in the car, An Ran assumed he would drive straight to the school gates. However, the black G-Class instead entered the residential area where Luobai had lived during his senior year.
As the car stopped in the underground parking lot, An Ran turned to ask him, “Why are we here? Did you forget something you need to bring?”
Luobai casually unbuckled his seatbelt. “No, I’m bringing you here for a meal and to change clothes.”
“Change clothes?” An Ran was puzzled. “What clothes?”
Luobai leaned over to help her unbuckle her seatbelt. “No. 2 Middle School uniforms.”
An Ran blinked.
No. 2 Middle School uniforms?
Luobai’s gaze fell on her face, his voice suddenly lowering, “Let’s wear our school uniforms back to school together. I want to see you in the No. 2 Middle School uniform again.”
Although An Ran felt it was a bit strange and embarrassing to wear school uniforms back to school now, he rarely made such a sincere request. She didn’t refuse and said softly, “You didn’t tell me earlier. I didn’t bring my uniform.”
Luobai replied, “When I prepared uniforms for Tang Jianrui and the others last time, I also prepared a set for you. It’s upstairs. Want to go up and change?”
An Ran now recalled the scene from that winter break day when he brought her the love letter. Her heart softened, and she nodded lightly, “Mm.”
After going upstairs and finishing their meal, An Ran followed him into the master bedroom.
Luobai opened the wardrobe and took out a neatly folded uniform, handing it to her.
An Ran reached out to take it. “Should I change now?”
The young man leaned lazily against the wardrobe, nodding matter-of-factly. “What else?”
An Ran: “…”
She glanced at him. “Then aren’t you going to leave?”
Luobai looked her up and down meaningfully, the corner of his mouth curling. “Why are you still so shy? Do I need to avoid you now when you’re just changing clothes?”
When it came to thick skin, An Ran could never compete with him.
She wouldn’t argue with him.
“Then I’ll change in the bathroom.”
Luobai watched her run into the bathroom with a red face, clutching the clothes, and couldn’t help but chuckle.
He didn’t rush to change into his uniform either, walking to the bathroom door and leaning against the wall to wait for her.
Soon.
The door opened from the inside.
The moment he saw An Ran come out, Luobai’s casual expression instantly vanished, his gaze fixed on her.
The girl who walked out from inside the door was wearing the blue and white uniform of No. 2 Middle School again after nearly three years. She wasn’t wearing makeup today, her small face bare. Except for her hair now being long and curly, and her height increasing slightly, there was hardly any change from before.
Youthful and beautiful.
Luobai looked at her, or rather, the times he had noticed her wearing this uniform weren’t many, but each impression was deeply etched in his mind.
On the rooftop, she stood in front of him crying.
In the final exam room, she looked up at him in a panic.
In the small supermarket, her face turned bright red at his teasing.
In the classroom, she had her back to him, explaining a problem to Ming Yu He.
…
And in Director Zhao’s office, her slender back in the school uniform as she stood in front of him.
Seeing him staring at her, An Ran’s footsteps involuntarily paused.
“What’s wrong?”
Does it not fit, or does she not look good in the uniform?
Luobai came back to his senses, walked up to her, and reached out to brush her hair back from her shoulders. His hand then fell back to her face, gently cupping her cheeks.
Feeling the slight tickle on her face, An Ran’s heart seemed to flutter. Before he could speak, she couldn’t help but ask again, “What is it?”
“Nothing.” Luobai lowered his head and kissed her forehead very lightly. “My girlfriend is truly beautiful.”
Though An Ran was already 100% certain that he liked her very much, this seemed to be the first time she heard him directly compliment her as beautiful. Her face heated up, feeling a bit embarrassed. She pushed him lightly, “Hurry up and change your clothes.”
*
After changing, An Ran walked hand in hand with him to No. 2 Middle School.
The third-year students hadn’t started their vacation yet. When they arrived at the school gate in their uniforms, they were stopped by the security guard.
Luobai led her closer to explain the situation. An Ran felt slightly embarrassed, but the security guard seemed quite accustomed to such occurrences. With a wave of his hand, he let them in.
Once inside the school gates, An Ran touched her ear and turned to ask him, “Are we just going to wander around, or is there somewhere specific you want to go?”
“Want to go back to Building One?” Luobai also turned to look at her. “We didn’t get the chance last time.”
An Ran nodded. “Sure.”
Hand in hand, they walked to Building One. After entering the teaching building and going up to the second floor, Luobai suddenly stopped.
An Ran stopped with him. “Why did you stop?”
Luobai looked up for a moment, then back at her face. “On the day of the freshman orientation, was it here that I hugged you?”
Recalling this incident now, An Ran felt no regret, only sweetness.
That was their first encounter.
It was the beginning of their fate.
An Ran nodded, then corrected him: “You supported me.”
The young man’s eyebrows raised slightly. He let go of her hand and naturally placed his arm around her waist. “You call this supporting?”
An Ran: “…”
She protested softly, “But that day, your subjective intention was just to help me stand steady.”
“Alright, you decide.” Luobai’s tone was indulgent. His gaze fell back on her face. “Let me have a good look.”
An Ran blinked. “Look at what?”
Luobai’s gaze became more focused than before, with a hint of a smile. “That time, I didn’t get a chance to see clearly what my future girlfriend looked like. This time, I need to have a good look at what my future wife looks like.”
An Ran’s ears heated up. “Who’s your future wife?”
Luobai replied matter-of-factly: “Zhou An Ran, of course.”
An Ran: “…?”
She had just denied it, not asked a question.
This person was becoming more and more shameless.
“No, I’m not.”
“Alright then.” Luobai drawled, looking quite disappointed. “Looks like I’ll have to keep trying.”
An Ran’s lips involuntarily curved up again.
“Let’s go,” Luobai took her hand again. “Let’s go see the classroom.”
The first and second-year students were already on vacation, and all the classroom doors were locked.
An Ran walked hand in hand with him to the window. As if some actions were deeply ingrained in her memory, becoming a habit she couldn’t break, she instinctively looked first at his seat in the second row, sixth column, before looking at her own two seats from her first year.
Luobai’s voice sounded in her ear: “Want to go in and have a look?”
An Ran turned to look at him, then at the tightly closed back door. “The door is locked.”
“That’s not a problem for your boyfriend.” Luobai’s lips curled up. Because he was wearing the familiar blue and white school uniform, his smile still resembled that of the most spirited youth from back then. “I’ll show you a magic trick.”
An Ran’s heart beat faster. “What magic trick?”
Luobai: “It’s in my trouser pocket. Take it yourself.”
An Ran reached into his pocket but felt nothing the first time. She carefully felt around again, and when she touched something, she paused, her face suddenly turning red.
Almost simultaneously, Luobai’s amused voice sounded above her head.
“Zhou An Ran.”
“Where are you touching in broad daylight?”
An Ran angrily pulled her hand out and glared at him. “You tricked me.”
Luobai couldn’t stop laughing. “How dare I trick you? I hadn’t even said which pocket, and you already reached in.”
An Ran: “…”
Luobai: “It’s on the right side.”
An Ran didn’t quite believe him. “Really?”
“Really.” Luobai’s tone seemed to become more serious. “If I’m lying, I’ll sleep on the couch tonight.”
An Ran’s parents were out of town on a business trip, and she had already agreed to stay with him tonight.
Hearing his promise, she hesitantly and carefully put her hand into his right pocket again, quickly feeling a thin key.
“The classroom key?” An Ran looked up at him again. “Where did you get it?”
Luobai took it from her: “I asked Old Gao for it especially a couple of days ago.”
The back door of the classroom opened.
An Ran was led in by him.
She had only stayed in this second-year classroom for about a week.
But in this first-year classroom, she had been his classmate for a whole year.
As soon as she entered, An Ran felt countless memories rushing back.
The first-year An Ran secretly turns back to look at him along with everyone else.
The first-year An Ran countless times seizing the opportunity to pass by him quietly when leaving through the back door.
The first-year An Ran briefly sat in the row in front of him.
…
But just like at the staircase on the second floor earlier, when recalling all these past events, her heart was now filled only with joy.
Luobai suddenly spoke: “Was that your seat in the first semester of your first year?”
An Ran snapped out of her memories and looked in the direction he was pointing, somewhat surprised. “You remember?”
“Of course, I even helped the English teacher call on you once.” Luobai raised his chin. “Let’s go over to your side.”
An Ran nodded.
They walked hand in hand to her first-year seat.
“I forgot to bring tissues.” Luobai looked down at her. “Will you make do with sitting here?”
An Ran didn’t know why he suddenly wanted her to sit down, but it was such a small request that she naturally wouldn’t refuse.
After sitting down, An Ran noticed that on the right corner of this desk, someone had carved a small heart.
She wondered if some junior who sat here also had someone they liked.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Luobai sit sideways on the desk, his voice sounding above her head at the same time.
“Zhou An Ran.”
An Ran looked up, about to show him the small heart.
The young man’s face suddenly enlarged in her vision.
Luobai kissed her.
An Ran’s eyes widened slightly, her gaze colliding with his black eyes at close range. She saw her small reflection in them.
The young man didn’t make any further moves, just lightly pressing his lips against hers.
Like their first kiss, but lasting slightly longer than the first kiss.
After a few seconds, Luobai pulled away.
He casually propped one hand on the desk, the other gently caressing her cheek, his eyes filled with a hint of amusement.
“I wanted to kiss you last time we came back.”
An Ran: “…?”
So that’s why during the winter break, he suggested they come back alone once more?
Luobai’s fingertip slowly moved down, landing at the corner of her lips. His gaze was particularly focused as he looked at her, his voice soft: “Also to make up for the regret of not being able to date you in high school for the high school Luobai Chen.”
An Ran felt a slight ache in her heart.
Her fingertips twitched, and she suddenly raised both hands, supporting herself on the desk, then lifted her head to peck his lips.
This time it was Luobai’s turn to be slightly stunned.
His fingers, which had been gently caressing the corner of her lips, stopped, and then he smiled. “Why are you so proactive today?”
The tips of An Ran’s ears heated up again.
She looked up at him, suppressing her shyness, her voice also soft: “Also to help the high school Zhou An Ran kiss the high school Luobai Chen. She has no regrets now, so he shouldn’t have any more regrets either, okay?”
Luobai’s heart melted instantly.
The hand at the corner of her lips moved slightly back, gently holding the nape of her neck, and then he chuckled.
“He says one kiss isn’t enough. He needs to kiss for a while longer to make up for it.”
An Ran’s face reddened even more.
She supported herself on the desk, raised her head again, and pressed her lips to his once more.
The setting sun quietly peeked through the window, crawling onto the desk, its orange-red light cut into long, square grids by the window frame.
A breeze blew in from behind, and it seemed as if one could faintly hear the sound of exam papers fluttering.
The cicadas chirped loudly outside the window.
The young man and woman in school uniforms shared a long, gentle kiss in the quiet classroom.