High school life was a bit different from what Lin Zhexia had imagined.

It seemed like there weren’t any significant changes—still classes and exams.

But what made her feel more changes were the classmates around her. Everyone appeared to be focused on gossip and rumors, like “who’s dating whom” or “who went to the same school before and has a special relationship.”

The girl sitting in front of her would secretly go to the bathroom after class to apply lipstick, even though the color was so light that there was barely any difference between wearing it and not.

And then there was Chen Lin beside her.

Always up-to-date with school news, chatting with her during breaks, sharing everything from “there’s a handsome guy in our grade who’s been dominating the forum since day one” to “we’ll probably have a five-day military training next week.”

Lin Zhexia, with her head down doing homework, could only remember the last sentence as Chen Lin changed topics too quickly. She casually responded: “Military training next week?”

Chen Lin: “Yeah, I thought we might avoid it. It’s so hot, and we still have to be out in the scorching sun for five days.”

The topic quickly passed.

After finishing her homework, Lin Zhexia secretly opened her phone in her desk drawer and sent a message to Chi Yao: Are you there? are you there? Are you there.

During the break, he replied quickly.

Chi Dog:?

Lin Zhexia immediately reported him: How can you be like this, playing with your phone at school? This is a warning.

Chi Dog: You’re sick

Lin Zhexia got to the point: Show me your class schedule.

She immediately followed up with: I want to see if your class overlaps with ours on any subjects, like P.E. Usually, several classes have P.E. together.

This time, Chi Yao didn’t continue to mock her but sent a photo.

Chi Dog: [Photo]

Lin Zhexia’s words became a self-fulfilling prophecy.

Class 1 and Class 7 did indeed have P.E. together.

It happened to coincide today, in the last period.

Before P.E. class, Chen Lin pulled her to the school store to buy snacks: “…I’m so hungry.”

Lin Zhexia packed up her things: “Let’s go, I want to check it out too.”

Chen Lin was enthusiastic: “I heard the sushi rolls in the school store are especially delicious.”

The school store was next to the cafeteria.

Chen Lin picked up a sushi roll and was about to pay when she felt her pocket: “I forgot to bring money.”

Lin Zhexia searched her pockets and only found two coins: “I… didn’t bring any either.”

“Then forget it,” Chen Lin put the food back, saying dejectedly, “I’ll just endure hunger for one class period.”

Lin Zhexia thought for a moment, then suddenly said: “Do you believe that I can get you this sushi roll with just two yuan?”

Chen Lin looked at her: “Is the store owner your relative?”

Lin Zhexia: “…No.”

Chen Lin’s expression started to become complicated: “Are you planning to buy on credit?”

Lin Zhexia: “Not that either.”

Chen Lin’s expression grew even more complex: “Eating without paying? That’s not right.”

Lin Zhexia used the two coins she had pulled from her pocket to get a bottle of mineral water from the refrigerator, the cheapest kind. She handed the two coins to the store owner: “Wait here, I’m going to rob someone.”

“…?”

Lin Zhexia: “Once I come back from robbing, I’ll be able to support you.”

Lin Zhexia carried the bottle of mineral water and ran to the playground, searching for Class 1.

But since class hadn’t officially started yet, people were scattered without fixed positions, making it difficult to find anyone.

She knew Chi Yao so well that even if she only saw his back or even just the back of his head, she could recognize him at a glance.

After running just a few steps, she spotted Chi Yao on the basketball court.

“Chi Yao!”

There were many people around Chi Yao. The boys were huddled together, and in the distance, a group of girls also seemed to be looking in this direction.

But Lin Zhexia didn’t notice at all. She approached Chi Yao as usual, standing in front of him with a smile: “Chi Yao, are you thirsty? Tired? Playing basketball must be hard work. I saw your heroic figure playing from afar just now. You’re like Rukawa Kaede reborn.”

Because he was playing basketball, Chi Yao had changed into his clothes, a gray T-shirt that hung loosely on him.

Class hadn’t started yet, and he was squatting on the edge of a flower bed by the court with his legs bent.

After hearing Lin Zhexia’s words, he replied with an “Oh” and slightly raised his chin: “Continue.”

“Your basketball skills are transcendent,” Lin Zhexia continued, “breathtaking, divine.”

Chi Yao: “Nice use of idioms.”

Lin Zhexia: “You flatter me. I, Lin, am somewhat culturally refined.”

After enough flattery, Lin Zhexia felt the atmosphere was properly set. She handed him the water: “Would you like some water? I bought it especially for you.”

But Chi Yao didn’t take her water.

The hand resting on his knee moved slightly, and he pointed a finger toward a direction on the court: “See that ball?”

Lin Zhexia looked in the direction he was pointing: “I see it.”

Chi Yao: “I’ve only been here for two minutes and haven’t touched it yet.”

Chi Yao withdrew his finger and looked at her: “I don’t know which Rukawa Kaede you saw, but I’m quite curious. Maybe you could introduce me to him.”

Lin Zhexia: “…”

She hadn’t seen anything.

She hadn’t seen anything at all.

And this person was just sitting on the basketball court, not playing.

Was that appropriate?

Lin Zhexia decided not to dwell on this issue: “Anyway! I bought you water!”

Having known each other for many years, Chi Yao didn’t believe she would be so kind: “It’s not free?”

Lin Zhexia: “It’s not.”

Chi Yao took the water: “How much?”

Lin Zhexia: “Two yuan.”

After Chi Yao unscrewed the bottle cap, she immediately added: “…Plus an eight-yuan delivery fee, so that’s ten yuan in total.”

“…”

Lin Zhexia extended her hand, ready to receive the money: “If you’re feeling generous and want to give a little tip, I don’t mind.”

A few minutes later, at the school store entrance.

Chen Lin held the sushi roll, completely astonished.

Lin Zhexia: “Eat without worry. This was a legal robbery.”

But Chen Lin’s shock wasn’t due to the “robbery” itself, but rather the identity of her seatmate’s “victim.”

After a moment, she finally found her voice: “That just now, Chi Yao? You know each other?”

Lin Zhexia briefly introduced: “My childhood friend, a ride-or-die buddy. But how do you know his name?”

Chen Lin enunciated each word: “Because he. Is. Very. Famous.”

Lin Zhexia: “?”

Just as Chen Lin was about to continue, they were interrupted by the P.E. teacher’s whistle. Everyone gathered at the playground.

She quickly pulled Lin Zhexia to line up: “It’s assembly time. After school, I’ll send you the link, and you’ll understand once you see it.”

Since P.E. was the last period, many students came directly to the playground with their backpacks.

As soon as the dismissal bell rang, these students put on their backpacks and ran toward the school gate.

Lin Zhexia had to return to the classroom to pack up before meeting Chi Yao at Class 1.

On the bus home after school, there weren’t as many empty seats as there had been in the morning. The bus was full of No. 2 High School students. Lin Zhexia and Chi Yao took the bus together. After following Chi Yao onto the bus and paying, she looked around and found only one empty seat left.

The empty seat was near the back door.

Lin Zhexia felt a bit embarrassed. She reached out and tugged at Chi Yao’s hanging backpack strap: “Don’t you have something to say to me?”

“Like offering me this seat or something,” Lin Zhexia continued, “otherwise I’d feel uncomfortable taking it.”

Chi Yao had changed back into his school uniform. He seemed to have washed his hair after playing basketball, as his bangs were slightly damp.

When he spoke, he glanced at Lin Zhexia: “What can I do? I have thick skin. If you’re embarrassed, I’m not.”

Lin Zhexia: “People should respect the elderly and care for the young.”

Chi Yao: “Elderly and young—which one are you?”

Lin Zhexia was pragmatic. She honestly said, “I’m the young one.” After saying this, she added, “Daddy.”

“…”

Chi Yao was speechless.

He took the backpack off his shoulder and tossed it into Lin Zhexia’s arms: “Sit and hold my bag.”

Soon, the driver pressed the door-closing button, and the bus slowly started.

The noise inside the bus was incessant.

Lin Zhexia sat in the seat, while Chi Yao stood beside her, one hand raised high, holding the handle above. She only needed to look up to see him.

With Chi Yao standing next to her as a shield, even though more and more people boarded the bus, no one squeezed toward her side.

—Like a natural barrier.

During the ride, she took out her phone to check if Lin He had sent her any messages.

Instead of messages from Lin He, she found messages from a newly added friend.

Chen Lin: [Link]

Chen Lin: This is it.

Chen Lin: He’s the one who dominated the forum on the first day of school. In just one day, the forum’s homepage was all about him. The most discussed thread has already reached over ten pages.

Chen Lin: I told you about this today, but I knew you were busy with homework and didn’t listen [○??’ Д????○]

On the bumpy bus, Lin Zhexia clicked on the URL. A moment later, a somewhat blurry candid photo suddenly appeared on her screen.

The photo was probably taken in the afternoon.

In the photo, the sunlight was intense, boldly shining through the windows.

This very casual snapshot had actually captured many people, but among this group, there was an undeniable presence.

The young man sitting in the back row wore a No. 2 High School uniform. The collar of his uniform was slightly open, vaguely revealing prominent collarbones. He sat in the middle of a group, surrounded by other boys, seemingly very popular, yet the entire person exuded a strong sense of distance.

The same uniform somehow looked different on him. His light-colored pupils were illuminated by the sunlight, with a dazzling sharpness.

But these weren’t the most important things.

The most important thing was—the person in the photo was the same person standing beside her right now.

It was the one she could recognize even if he were reduced to ashes.

Chi Yao.

“…”

Lin Zhexia’s expression changed from confused to hesitant.

Then from hesitant to speechless.

Finally, it transformed into an expression like an elderly person staring at their phone on the subway.

Below this photo were rows upon rows of replies.

1L: [Image].

2L: [Who is this person? Is he from our school?]

3L: [Whose heartbeat is so loud? Oh, it’s mine.]

4L: [Within ten minutes, I want all information about this person.]

After a while, someone started reporting information.

133L: [Before clicking in, I was wondering who could cause such a commotion. After clicking in… Oh, it’s Chi Yao. Never mind then.]

Having finally caught an insider, other commenters urged 133 not to leave.

So 133L stayed and said a few more things:

[Class 1, Grade 1, Chi Yao.]

He was my classmate at my previous school. He was famous there too.]

Does he have a girlfriend? Don’t know.]

[But I advise you not to approach him because you’ll be rejected miserably.]

Lin Zhexia’s expression grew more complex as she read on.

She hadn’t attended the same school as Chi Yao before and didn’t know he was so attention-grabbing at school.

She felt like she was seeing.

A.

A person she didn’t know.

This person shared the same name and face as Chi Yao.

And this Chi Yao at school seemed to be quite famous.

…

Lin Zhexia stared at the photo for a while, then looked up at the Chi Yao standing beside her.

Compared to the seemingly unreachable “Chi Yao” in the photo, the current Chi Yao was closer to real life. The evening sunlight shone on him, his entire being surrounded by the clamor inside the bus.

He was tall, still standing out among the many people in the vehicle. At the moment, he was also looking down at his phone.

Seeming to sense her gaze, he shifted his line of sight slightly and looked down at her: “My face charges a fee. Fifty yuan per look.”

Lin Zhexia was dumbfounded.

She was about to say “You’re extorting—”

Then, she heard Chi Yao continue:

“After all, if someone can charge an eight-yuan delivery fee, my price should be reasonable.”

Author’s Note:

Chi Dog begins to dominate (not really)