HYSE - 12

Experimental High School No. 1 had its own Tieba forum and online community, which were quite active. These platforms tracked nearly everything happening within the school, and no news escaped the keen eyes of the forum moderators.

A handsome man naturally wouldn’t escape notice either.

As a school renowned for its science programs, it naturally had more boys than girls. With a large base, there was even a “school prince ranking.”

Shi Yin rarely browsed these forums unless dragged by classmates to check out some gossip. One day, she opened the forum and saw a highly upvoted post:

[OMG, my previous crush is now a teacher here!!!]

The excitement of the original poster was evident, with exclamation marks flying all over the screen:

[Poster here, a soon-to-be senior art student who has been painting for years. In my first year, there was a handsome assistant from the Fine Arts Academy in the studio. He was devastatingly handsome!!!!!! The entire studio went wild on his first day. He’s the non-typical icy type—though cold, he’s incredibly polite. No matter how stupid the question, he never gets impatient and always answers patiently! Soon, he became everyone’s idol, but he left after a short time. Recently, while preparing for the art exam, I returned to the school studio and discovered that this older brother is now a teacher!!!!!! He’s graduated and just happens to be teaching me!!!! Ahhhhh, I’m so excited! Is this fate? Never mind, I need to figure out how to strike up a conversation with my god-like teacher.]

Floor 1: [6666 If this isn’t love, what is?]

Floor 2: [Fate, mysterious and wonderful.]

Floor 3: [I know that teacher!!! I saw him today and thought he was a student’s older brother or something! So hot I couldn’t close my legs!!!]

Floor 4: [If it were me, I’d go for it. Isn’t this fate? What are you waiting for, OP? :)]

...

God isn’t that idle, handing out fates everywhere.

Shi Yin found the endless posts urging the OP to chase love annoying. She rolled her eyes, snorted loudly, and continued scrolling.

This thread had many replies, and later someone posted a secretly taken photo. In the twilight-lit studio, the man leaned casually on a wooden frame, speaking to a female student nearby. His expression was cold and detached, exuding an otherworldly charm.

It was undoubtedly the Mr. Gu they were talking about.

After scrolling through the entire thread, Shi Yin pieced together bits of information: his name was Gu Congli, he had graduated only a couple of years ago, and he taught art students.

Indeed, it was a subject she didn’t need to study.

Meaning his activities would mostly revolve around the arts building.

Which seemed quite far from the main teaching buildings.

No one spoke; the classroom was silent as the semester-end exams approached, and everyone was focused on their books.

Shi Yin stood out as the sole misfit, scrolling through the forum on her phone and sighing occasionally.

After sighing two or three times, Fang Shu couldn’t take it anymore. She lifted her head and tapped the tip of her pen against Shi Yin’s desk.

Shi Yin looked up, disheartened.

Fang Shu frowned: “Final exams are coming up. Do you want to be last place?”

Shi Yin gazed at her gloomily: “I’m lovesick.”

Fang Shu: “Oh.”

Shi Yin: “You’re not asking why I’m lovesick?”

“I can’t be bothered.”

“This story is long; it can’t be explained in a few sentences—”

“Then shut up.”

Shi Yin acted as if she hadn’t heard and continued: “Here’s the thing. That night was dark and windy, the gates of hell opened, and we couldn’t see our hands in front of our faces. My friends and I sat in the cold, illuminated only by a dim vintage lamp—”

Fang Shu couldn’t bear it anymore and threw down her pen: “What nonsense are you spouting?”

“It’s about that guy we met when ghost-hunting on the arts building rooftop—the one we thought was a security guard. Turns out, he’s actually a teacher, teaching art—and,” Shi Yin took a deep breath, “I kinda like him.”

“...”

Silence reigned for half a minute. Fang Shu stared at her with a stiff face, then widened her eyes: “Say that again?”

Shi Yin grinned widely: “I think I really like him.”

Fang Shu found it hard to believe: “Didn’t you say he’s a teacher?”

“He teaches art, probably not a full-time staff member.”

“But he’s still a teacher!” Fang Shu was astonished by her audacity, “And you don’t even know what he looks like, yet you already like him?”

Without hesitation, Shi Yin pulled out her phone, showing the secretly taken photo she saved from the forum: “I met him later and know what he looks like.”

Fang Shu stared at the photo for three seconds and coolly remarked: “He’s a hottie.”

Shi Yin: “...”

Sometimes, she thought Fang Shu wasn’t meant to be a top student but rather a thug.

Unaware of Shi Yin’s inner thoughts, Fang Shu continued: “This isn’t liking him; it’s lust at first sight.”

Shi Yin solemnly stated: “All love at first sight is lust.”

Fang Shu laughed: “Your feelings came so suddenly.”

Shi Yin earnestly replied: “Love knows not its depth until the moment it is revealed.”

Fang Shu: “….”

Shi Yin was always a doer.

In middle school, when she thought she liked the school bully, she dyed her hair the next day. Though they didn’t end up together, it was still a memorable one-sided first love.

After Friday classes, Shi Yin went home and spent two days researching. On Sunday morning, she woke up early with her mother and went to the market to pick peaches.

Morning produce was the freshest, and Shi Yin, who usually didn’t get up before ten, set thirty alarms to wake up early, picking a big bag of peaches.

In the afternoon, Shi Yin headed straight to the arts building.

Senior high art students undergoing intensive training had no rest days, so Shi Yin guessed Gu Congli would be there too.

If not, she’d come back tomorrow.

She was right; Gu Congli was indeed there.

He wasn’t in the studio but in the office at the end of the corridor. The door was open, revealing two desks inside.

Only he was present. When Shi Yin passed by the studio earlier, she saw a female teacher guiding students.

The woman had a great figure, wore a tight dress and high heels, and was very beautiful.

Shi Yin looked down at herself standing by the office door.

Today, she wasn’t in her uniform but in her carefully chosen outfit: a Garfield T-shirt, denim shorts, and white sneakers.

Shi Yin originally thought this ensemble was adorable—high-waisted shorts made her legs look longer, and tucking the white T-shirt into her waist accentuated her slim figure.

But compared to the female teacher’s dress, her outfit looked childish, cheap, and lacking femininity.

People shouldn’t be compared.

Holding a bag of peaches, she hesitated by the wall.

She didn’t have such clothes or curves. Should she never talk to him?

Never mind.

She still had her charm!!!

Taking a deep breath, she carried the bag of peaches to the door. Just as she was about to knock, he looked up.

Shi Yin blinked, sweetly greeting: “Hello, teacher.”

Gu Congli held a pen, nodding: “What is it?”

Shi Yin walked in, lifting the bag: “Peaches to compensate you.”

“…”

Gu Congli’s gaze turned complex.

Shi Yin scurried in, placing them on his desk: “I bought twenty, as promised. I’m really sorry about before.”

Gu Congli lowered his eyes.

A plastic bag of twenty large, plump peaches weighed heavily.

After finally placing them on his desk, the girl sighed in relief, unconsciously shaking her hand. Her soft palms bore red, almost purple marks from the bag, spreading across her palm.

His rejection died on his lips, swallowed back.

Gu Congli subtly withdrew his gaze, put down his pen, and leaned forward, pulling out his wallet: “How much?”

“One hundred sixty,” Shi Yin promptly replied.

Gu Congli paused, extracting two hundred-yuan bills, offering them.

She didn’t take them, staring at him: “You’re giving me money?”

He tilted his head slightly, silent, waiting for her to accept.

Shi Yin tucked her hands behind her back, eyes darting: “Don’t give me money. I don’t have change. Maybe you could transfer the money.” She thought this idea was brilliant, grinning smugly: “Transferring is convenient, no need for change. Teacher Gu, do you have WeChat or Alipay? Is your Alipay linked to your phone number?”

Listening to her finish, Gu Congli raised an eyebrow, meeting the girl’s eager gaze.

He suddenly smiled.

The corners of his eyes drooped slightly, his lips curving with warmth melting the ice, his gray-brown irises holding a hint of tenderness.

Shi Yin froze for a few seconds, dazed. Before regaining composure, she heard him say: “Alright.”

Blinking twice, realizing what he said, she ecstatically fished out her phone, pulling up her WeChat QR code. Leaning over, she handed it to him, sincerely praising without any ulterior motives: “Teacher Gu, you look so good when you smile.”

Gu Congli paused.

Her head dipped, hair cascading down, brushing his shoulder with a coconut oil scent mingling with the aroma of peaches on the table.

After a brief pause, Gu Congli pinched the edge of her phone: “Bringing your phone to school?”

“…?”

Shi Yin was stunned.

The man’s slender fingers held her white phone, tapping it lightly on the desk. Leaning back lazily, he reclined into his chair: “Confiscated.”

“…”

Shi Yin: ??