☆, 04. Peeping at Chen Yang.

The bell signaling the end of class suddenly rang.

The other teaching building transitioned from silence to noise as students poured out of classrooms, occupying the corridors.

Liang Qian leaned against the railing. “So many girls from the main campus!”

From his spot on the fourth floor, he could clearly see the first four floors of the opposite building, just a dozen meters away.

Zhao Mingri kept pointing out girls here and there, commenting on their appearances until he spotted someone at the second-floor corner.

He widened his eyes and nudged Liang Qian. “Hey, isn’t that the girl we saw before the National Day holiday?”

Liang Qian perked up and looked over. “It really is.”

She was unmistakable. Facing their direction, she held an umbrella, and the person beside her carrying books was none other than Chen Yang.

Le Ya wasn’t tall to begin with, and now she was partially hidden behind him.

She looked as small as a squirrel.

Zhao Mingri gawked, pointing across the corridor. “Is that guy Yang-ge’s twin brother or something…?”

Liang Qian snorted. “Do you think this is a TV drama?”

Zhao Mingri stroked his chin. “Who knew that after sending a kid home last night, today he’d be helping her carry books?”

Liang Qian squinted. “Damn, he’s crazy. Early in the morning, he goes and helps someone else carry books but doesn’t remember to carry his own.”

Their exams had just ended, and the books hadn’t been fully moved from the dorms yet.

As they spoke, Chen Yang from the opposite corridor had already reached the fourth floor.

Le Ya had assumed Class One would be on the first floor, but she realized the classrooms weren’t arranged that way here.

This five-story teaching building housed four classrooms per floor. Class One was located in a corner on the fourth floor, near the corridor connecting to the adjacent building.

This building housed Classes One to Sixteen, while the opposite one housed Classes Seventeen to Thirty, with the same layout.

Directly across from Class One was Class Seventeen.

When Le Ya arrived at the fourth floor, she couldn’t help but glance across. Many students were leaning against the railings, watching their side—mostly boys.

After entering the building, she folded her umbrella and couldn’t help but look at the boy in front of her.

His back was straight, exuding an air of restrained elegance.

Le Ya recalled yesterday. Although his behavior had seemed strange, today he appeared to be a decent person.

She noticed his clothes were damp, but his shoulders had gotten wet later when the rain intensified.

Xie Qingyu, lagging behind, whispered, “Who is he?”

Le Ya replied softly, “I don’t know.”

Fearing the boy in front might hear, she deliberately lowered her voice.

Xie Qingyu shifted the books in her arms and guessed, “If he’s helping you carry books despite not knowing you, it must be because you’re so cute.”

Le Ya quickly made a gesture for her to be quiet.

“Alright, alright, I’ll keep it down.” Xie Qingyu nodded. “Honestly, this guy is handsome. He’s probably a senior too, right?”

Le Ya said, “I don’t know.”

The classroom’s back door was near the stairs.

When the three entered, the previously noisy chatter inside immediately quieted, and all eyes turned to the back door.

Le Ya heard two nearby classmates, who had just been teasing each other, suddenly transform into refined young ladies discussing softly.

“Isn’t he from our class?”

“How could our class have someone so handsome? There are only fifteen boys in our class—you forgot?”

“Could he be from the opposite building?”

Le Ya heard every word clearly and couldn’t help but glance at Chen Yang’s expression. To her surprise, he seemed completely unfazed, as if used to it.

“Your seat.”

Chen Yang suddenly turned around.

Le Ya quickly stopped in her tracks. She had been too close to him and instinctively took a step back.

Xie Qingyu reminded her, “He’s asking about your seat.”

Le Ya pointed to a spot near the window. “That one…”

With his long legs, Chen Yang took just a few strides to reach it. He placed the books on the desk and leaned casually against the table behind it, looking at her.

He narrowed his eyes slightly. “Aren’t you coming over?”

Le Ya shuffled over, her voice soft. “Thank you.”

She only reached up to Chen Yang’s shoulder, so she had to tilt her head upward to meet his gaze.

A stack of books sat on the desk, and Chen Yang’s hand rested on the damp Compulsory Math II at the top.

His voice trailed off playfully. “How will you thank me, hmm?”

Le Ya thought for a moment and came up with the most straightforward answer. “I… I’ll treat you to a meal?”

Chen Yang chuckled. “Alright.”

His gaze lingered on Le Ya, gradually shifting to her ear. The hearing aid there had been replaced with a smaller, prettier one.

But no matter how small it was, it didn’t detract from the delicacy of her earlobe.

Caught in a fleeting moment of fascination, Chen Yang reached toward Le Ya’s ear.

Le Ya quickly dodged his slender hand.

Chen Yang paused, calmly withdrawing his hand without showing any other emotions. He chuckled softly, then rose and left his seat.

Le Ya called after him, “Hey.”

“Hmm?” Chen Yang stopped at the door.

Le Ya’s voice was as soft as a mosquito’s. She held out her umbrella. “I noticed you didn’t bring an umbrella. Why don’t you use mine?”

Chen Yang thought to himself, What use is this tiny thing? It’s shaped like a rabbit. But he still took it without hesitation. Water dripped from the umbrella, tracing a path from the tip all the way down.

Le Ya watched him walk toward the corridor and turned back to head to her seat.

Zhou Xiaoqing blocked her path, her eyes still fixed on the window. “Le Ya, was that boy who helped you carry your books your boyfriend?”

She had been Le Ya’s desk neighbor before, but after they were moved apart, they hadn’t interacted much.

Le Ya denied it. “No, I don’t have a boyfriend.”

Zhou Xiaoqing pressed further. “If not, then why did he help you carry your books? Do you know him? Is he single? Can you introduce him to me?”

Xie Qingyu stepped forward and pulled Le Ya aside. “We just met him on the way here. That’s all we know. If you want to ask, go ask him yourself.”

Le Ya glanced outside. Chen Yang had already left. She looked slightly embarrassed, as if she’d forgotten to ask his name.

Zhou Xiaoqing walked away, disappointed.

Xie Qingyu said, “We still need to get back to school. Let’s grab lunch and come back for class later. We can share one umbrella.”

Le Ya nodded.

As they passed through the corridor on their way out, Xie Qingyu suddenly said, “This way, we can watch the handsome guy from the opposite corridor now. Maybe even serenade each other with folk songs.”

Le Ya giggled at her wild imagination and replied sweetly, “The teachers probably won’t allow that. The student handbook forbids dating.”

The main campus only had one standalone building, which was increasingly unable to meet the needs of the entire high school. That’s why the focus had shifted to the new campus.

Xie Qingyu burst into laughter. “Who cares about the student handbook? Only you remember it all the time. Look at the two couples in the neighboring class!”

Le Ya shook her head.

Xie Qingyu sighed inwardly. Truly, ignoring external distractions could be terrifying.

Just then, the bell rang.

________________________________________

Class Seventeen.

Liang Qian and Zhao Mingri sat in the last row. This was math class—the most incomprehensible subject for them.

The math teacher hadn’t arrived yet, so the classroom buzzed with chatter.

Zhao Mingri muttered, “Why hasn’t Yang-ge returned yet?”

Liang Qian said, “Probably got his soul stolen. He’s probably forgotten which side his class is on.”

They had witnessed the scene earlier.

A girl sitting in front glanced back, her eyes flickering. “Class has already started. Where did Chen Yang go?”

Liang Qian casually replied, “I don’t know.”

Zhao Mingri leaned on the desk and teased, “When the math teacher asks later, why are you so curious, Wu Yami?”

Wu Yami said, “I’m just asking.”

“Right, right, just casually asking,” Liang Qian nodded, then nudged Zhao Mingri. “Why haven’t you ever asked us?”

The two burst into laughter, their meaning clear without words.

Wu Yami snapped, “Who’s asking you two? You’re always dragging the class down. Instead of wasting time, you should solve another problem.”

Liang Qian chuckled knowingly, fully aware of her intentions.

Class Seventeen was perhaps the strangest class in the school. Half of the students ranked in the top 100 in the school, with Chen Yang consistently securing first place in the grade.

The other half ranked among the bottom 100, with Zhao Mingri and Liang Qian permanently competing for last place.

The teachers had tried to manage them for a year but eventually gave up.

The math teacher entered and noticed an empty seat in the back. “Chen Yang isn’t in the classroom?”

Liang Qian raised his hand and answered, “He’s sick.”

At this, Wu Yami in the front grew even angrier. Just moments ago, he had claimed ignorance, and now he knew?

Seeing it was his star student, the math teacher softened his tone. “Is it serious? If it’s serious, then—”

Before he could finish, he was interrupted.

“Reporting.”

The math teacher turned his head and saw Chen Yang standing at the classroom door.

Tall and backlit, he seemed to glow. His delicate features caught the attention of several girls, who secretly snapped photos with their phones.

Seeing him arrive, the math teacher automatically softened his voice. “Come in quickly.”

Wu Yami watched as Chen Yang walked in with lowered eyes, stopping at the very back of the classroom.

She placed a hand over her chest, feeling her heart race.

Chen Yang lazily hung the umbrella on the side of his desk. Since it wasn’t a folding umbrella but a long-handled one, its carrot-shaped handle stood out.

Liang Qian turned around. “Where did you go, Yang-ge? Why are you just returning now?”

Chen Yang replied lazily, “Nowhere.”

From the podium, the math teacher tapped the blackboard. “Liang Qian, no talking during class. Don’t disturb the other students.”

Originally, the teachers wanted to place Chen Yang in the second or third row—the golden seats—but his height would block the view of those behind him.

Later, Chen Yang had moved himself to a seat near the back door.

The homeroom teacher had pleaded with him for several lessons, but when they noticed his grades hadn’t dropped, they stopped intervening.

Liang Qian said, “It’s not like I’m the only one talking.”

The math teacher threw a piece of chalk at him. “You’re disturbing others and still have the nerve to talk? Would Chen Yang ignore you?”

Liang Qian thought to himself, He might, but he didn’t say it aloud.

All the teachers believed Chen Yang was a good student—polite and considerate. Sitting in the last row was purely due to his height.

Only the students knew that was all a facade!

Chen Yang smiled faintly, lazily resting his cheek on his hand as the teacher droned on about the monthly exam paper. The knowledge felt dull and lifeless.

His gaze fell on the umbrella handle.

Suddenly, Chen Yang reached out and grasped it, completely covering the small carrot with his hand.

It still seemed to carry the warmth of Le Ya’s touch.

________________________________________

Before noon classes began, Le Ya and Xie Qingyu brought the remaining books to the new campus, completing the move.

There were still thirty minutes before class, and many classmates hadn’t arrived yet.

The rain had stopped, and the sun peeked out slightly. Xie Qingyu leaned against the railing. “It’s so much better when it doesn’t rain.”

Le Ya agreed. “Yeah.”

Xie Qingyu suddenly turned her head. “Le Ya, why has Uncle Le never mentioned to you that he sponsors someone?”

It had been five years. Surely, even if he didn’t mention it the first year, he would’ve said something afterward. She knew Uncle Le and Le Ya were close.

Le Ya said, “I don’t know.”

If she hadn’t overheard it this time, she probably wouldn’t have known.

Xie Qingyu guessed, “Five years is quite a long time. Uncle Le hasn’t said a word, so he must not want you to meet him.”

Le Ya recalled the report card she had secretly seen. “Dad doesn’t know that I know.”

Xie Qingyu said, “See? He doesn’t want you to find out.”

Uncle Le only had one daughter, so it made sense for him to be cautious. After all, Le Ya was incredibly naive about the world.

Hearing this, Le Ya said, “Then I’ll just pretend I don’t know.”

“Just let Uncle Le think you’re unaware.” Xie Qingyu suggested, “Actually, I’m curious what he looks like too.”

Le Ya thought about it but felt too shy to say anything.

Xie Qingyu stroked her chin and proposed, “Why don’t we go ask and sneak a peek? If he’s not there, we’ll hurry back.”

Le Ya nodded vigorously.

She planned to take just a quick look and then leave without disturbing him.

Xie Qingyu checked the time—it was still early.

Taking advantage of the sparse crowd, Le Ya and Xie Qingyu crossed the corridor directly. The sign for “Senior Three, Class Seventeen” faced the corridor.