During Monday’s long break, Sheng Xia attended the affiliated school’s flag-raising ceremony for the first time. As expected of a provincial key school with deep pockets, even the flag-raising ceremony had large screen broadcasts on both sides, usually hidden in the light fixtures – Sheng Xia was seeing them for the first time.

Today’s speech under the national flag was given by a freshman representative, a clever girl who looked a bit nervous.

On such large screens, with such close-up shots, every blink was visible.

Sheng Xia couldn’t help wondering what Zhang Shu’s face would look like magnified. What expression would that unruly face have while reading such formal content? With thousands of people below, had he been nervous?

She suddenly felt a bit regretful for not seeing it last week.

“This effect doesn’t compare to Shu-ge’s speech last week!”

“No comparison at all!”

“Must be record-breaking last week? Should be included in the school’s documentary.”

The classroom duty students also joined in discussing last week’s flag-raising ceremony from afar.

The boy sweeping the floor suddenly clicked his tongue, standing by Zhang Shu’s desk, looking at a crumpled note in his hand, “Damn, Zhang Shu isn’t dating Sheng Xia, is he?”

“What?”

Zhou Xuanxuan turned around, “How is that possible? Zhang Shu was still eagerly watching Chen Mengyao’s rehearsal over the weekend.”

“Want to see?” The boy waved the note, and everyone gathered around.

Zhou Xuanxuan took it, another girl also leaning in close, reading word by word:

“Any questions?”

“?”

“You can ask me.”

“No.”

“You understand everything?”

“Is that not allowed?”

“Fine, of course, it’s fine, you’re the most capable.”

“[Speechless]”

“If you don’t understand just ask me, don’t go embarrass yourself outside.”

“Oh.”

After reading, the girl rubbed her goosebumps, “Eww~ so sickeningly sweet!”

The boy who found the note said: “You can tell it’s their handwriting, right? Too recognizable.”

Sheng Xia’s handwriting was as beautiful as a calligraphy textbook, everyone had seen it on the model essay wall. Zhang Shu’s was slightly messy, free, and flowing, also very distinctive.

Zhou Xuanxuan frowned: “Looking carefully at this conversation, there’s nothing to it?”

Another girl thought for a moment, also reversing her previous opinion, “Yeah, school just started, how could it be possible? Sheng Xia seems so well-behaved, you boys just love making things up, ruining people’s reputations!”

“This… I didn’t say anything?” The boy pouted.

Another boy said: “I think Sheng Xia’s responses were all normal, it was just Zhang Shu being flirty.”

“Hahaha you’re right, so flirty!”

Zhou Xuanxuan glared at that boy, “Zhang Shu likes Chen Mengyao, okay?”

Everyone knew Zhou Xuanxuan was close to Chen Mengyao – Chen Mengyao often came to their class to find Zhou Xuanxuan, and having previously pursued Lu Youze, Class 6 was quite familiar with her. The boy spread his hands, not dwelling on this topic, walking aside to start a “bro talk.”

“Don’t you think Sheng Xia is prettier?”

“Overall she has a good temperament, hasn’t looked at her face closely, figures too… no impression feels like she’s always looking down.”

“She does lack presence, not as eye-catching as Chen Mengyao, but, one time I was getting water next to her, she turned around, that face was like transparent… hard to describe.”

“What kind of description is that, a ghost?”

“Angel would be more appropriate, right?”

“You like her?”

“No no no, don’t make things up, just saying she’s pretty, okay?”

When Sheng Xia returned from the flag-raising to get water, she found almost everyone in line was from Class 6, including today’s duty students. Sheng Xia found it strange – usually duty students would get water and use the restroom while everyone was at flag-raising, why were they all lined up behind her today?

Whether it was her imagination or not, they all seemed to be observing her intentionally or unintentionally, making Sheng Xia feel uncomfortable all over. She nodded to Zhou Xuanxuan, whom she was relatively familiar with, as a greeting.

Zhou Xuanxuan also smiled slightly, “Morning, Xia Xia.”

The girl beside Zhou Xuanxuan called out, “Sheng Xia, wait for us, let’s go back to class together.”

The speaking girl was Zhou Xuanxuan’s desk mate and seemed to be called Li Shiyi. Sheng Xia had barely spoken to her, but still nodded, “Okay.”

She stood aside waiting, then heard Zhou Xuanxuan wave behind her, “Mengyao, over here!”

Sheng Xia saw a girl with chestnut curls walking over holding a water cup, her face radiating a bright smile. She wore the blue and white uniform top with missing ultra-short denim shorts barely showing underneath, and canvas shoes worn like slippers with the backs crushed down.

The morning sun slanted into the corridor, her long legs glowing white.

Many people around were secretly turning to look at her.

So this was Chen Mengyao – truly dazzling. Sheng Xia’s gaze briefly rested on her face before politely moving away.

Chen Mengyao queued at the end, several boys letting her go first. She thanked them courteously, then said to Zhou Xuanxuan: “Xuanxuan, wait for me.”

“Of course!” Zhou Xuanxuan responded.

So Sheng Xia could only wait along with them.

Chen Mengyao finished getting water, and linked arms with Zhou Xuanxuan, “Let’s go.”

So Li Shiyi linked arms with Sheng Xia, the four walking side by side.

Sheng Xia felt increasingly uncomfortable, the feeling was strange, like being inexplicably pulled into an unfamiliar girls’ gathering.

Zhou Xuanxuan said: “Are your rehearsals all done?”

Chen Mengyao said: “Still have dress rehearsal tonight.”

Zhou Xuanxuan said: “Is your training in Dongzhou finished? Still going?”

Chen Mengyao said: “Of course, I still have to go, will be commuting until the art college entrance exam.”

“What about your regular subjects,” Zhou Xuanxuan asked concernedly, “The schools you want to go to require high scores too?”

Chen Mengyao sighed: “I don’t know either, probably still need extra tutoring, but it’s all so expensive.”

“Ask Zhang Shu. Why not use such a good resource?”

Chen Mengyao pouted: “We’ll see, don’t want to deal with him.”

Zhou Xuanxuan freed her arm to pat Chen Mengyao’s shoulder, “Hey! Is it okay to leave our Class 6’s big shot, top student, and handsome guy hanging like this?”

Chen Mengyao just smiled without speaking.

Chen Mengyao was in Class 4. When they reached her classroom she went in, turning back to call to Zhou Xuanxuan before entering, “Wait for me for lunch?”

Zhou Xuanxuan made an OK gesture.

Chen Mengyao also made a heart shape, squinting one eye in a wink, looking very energetic and pretty. Before withdrawing her gaze, her eyes inconspicuously swept across Sheng Xia’s calm profile.

Walking with her head slightly lowered, Sheng Xia naturally didn’t notice, nor did she notice the boys whispering behind her.

“I think you’re right, Sheng Xia seems prettier.”

“Right?”

“Beautiful, and not even dressed up much. Very obvious when they stand together – Chen Mengyao is what she is, but Sheng Xia is still a blank canvas.”

“Yeah, I have about the same feeling, just couldn’t describe it.”

“No wonder Zhang Shu was flirting so hard.”

“Hahaha!”

…

On Teachers’ Day evening, the whole school watched performances in the lecture hall. The third years were like caged beasts finally released, unusually excited, the entire senior building boiling over.

The gala once again overturned Sheng Xia’s perception of the “top student” group, the quality of performance incomparably higher than No. 2 High School. Sometimes she really couldn’t understand why God was so partial – how could some people excel at everything from academics to sports to arts?

Sheng Xia had studied guzheng for many years and was once a main performer at school events, but her guzheng was broken during one of Sheng Mingfeng and Wang Lianhua’s arguments. After that, though Sheng Mingfeng bought her an even better one, she never touched it again.

Seeing the complete traditional music ensemble on stage, Sheng Xia’s fingers twitched on her knee.

Chen Mengyao’s dance number set off the climax of the entire gala, paying tribute to “High School Musical” with singing, dancing, and dramatic performance, creating a very lively atmosphere. When the performance ended, besides Class 4, Class 6’s seating area had the most enthusiastic cheers.

When Chen Mengyao took her bow, she waved in Class 6’s direction, causing another round of hooting as everyone looked at Zhang Shu, and then at Lu Youze.

The drama off-stage was even better than on-stage.

“Will Zhang Shu go give flowers later?”

“Probably, isn’t he Chen Mengyao’s number one fan?”

“And expensive peonies too, tsk tsk, for Shu-ge that’s really like plucking feathers from an iron rooster!”

“Hahaha!”

“Love is so strange, right? Even like this the goddess still didn’t end up with him, how tragic.”

“If Zhang Shu can’t win her over, who can?”

“Money can! Like Young Master Lu!”

“Hey, if it were you, would you choose the crown prince or the school heartthrob?”

“I’m not the school beauty, how could I have such choices?”

“True, but will their story have another update before graduation? Hope I’m not still gossiping about the high school beauty, heartthrob, and rich kid’s drama triangle when I’m in college.”

“Haha, who knows.”

Sitting towards the back, Sheng Xia heard all the whispers around her.

She looked at that head in front of her, his elbow propped on the armrest supporting his chin as he watched the stage – what expression would he have? What look did he have when watching someone he liked?

Probably like that day watching rehearsal, focused and entranced.

At least not the look he gave idiots.

Sheng Xia shook her head – what was she thinking about?

When the gala ended, all performers went on stage for the finale. The background music was youthful and passionate, with streamers flying creating a lively scene. Many audience members rushed up to give flowers, Chen Mengyao holding several bouquets that almost covered her entirely, but among them, there were no peonies.

As the audience gradually left the lecture hall, Sheng Xia saw that handsome head walking ahead, having never appeared on stage to give flowers.

Sheng Xia returned to class and studied for a while before packing up to go home, not noticing it had gotten quite late. In the deep night, she took a shortcut through Wenbo Garden. As her bike passed the neighborhood garden, she suddenly heard a familiar voice.

“Don’t you already have lots of flowers?” Zhang Shu sat coolly on the edge of the pavilion stone table.

“Shu-ge, are you jealous?” Chen Mengyao stood nearby, still in her stage makeup, eyebrows flying up to her temples, lips red and teeth white, especially gorgeous in the night.

Zhang Shu sighed heavily.

He stood up and walked in front of Chen Mengyao, looking down at her from above, very close – from Sheng Xia’s angle, if he lowered his head slightly he could kiss the girl opposite him, the atmosphere ambiguous and tense.

And because of the movement, he seemed to notice the sound of the electric bike on the path, his gaze sweeping over.

Sheng Xia hurriedly accelerated, eyes straight ahead as she quickly drove away from the romantic drama scene.

Hidden by the night, she didn’t know if he had seen her. After all, running into him repeatedly, and always during rather private moments, made Sheng Xia quite flustered.

Zhang Shu watched the white bike tail disappear around the corner, his eyebrows lifting slightly.