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That night, Zhu Xingyao didn’t attend her German class. Coincidentally, Ding Yu and Zhu Yunping were busy and couldn’t keep track of her. By the time she finished accompanying Lin Jiayu for her medical check-up, it was almost 10 p.m. It wasn’t until they got into the car that the two girls remembered—they hadn’t eaten dinner…
Lin Jiayu felt extremely embarrassed and whispered: “Let me treat you to a meal. You took me to the hospital and even helped with the discount—I don’t know how to thank you.”
Zhu Xingyao turned and smiled: “Alright, next time—when you can walk again.”
Cars couldn’t enter Hexi Alley, and Lin Jiayu’s parents were on night shift, unable to pick her up. She had tried calling Jiang Tu, but he hadn’t answered. Zhu Xingyao could only help Lin Jiayu slowly make her way through the narrow alley. The streetlights emitted a dim yellow glow, making her vision blur slightly.
She might have been feeling faint from hunger.
In the distance, several tall men approached.
Lin Jiayu squinted, gripping Zhu Xingyao’s hand tightly and lowering her voice: “Ah… it looks like Chen Yi and his gang.”
Chen Yi?
That name sounded vaguely familiar.
Ah, yes—Jiang Tu had been chased by him over a debt. That thug who had ruined one of her jackets.
The group’s rowdy voices gradually grew closer—
“Tsk, that Jiang Tu is such a pain. Every time I see his cold face, I feel like punching him. Next time, don’t stop me.”
“Show some decency. If you’ve taken the money, don’t beat him—he’s still a minor.”
“You’re such a saint. Last time when we beat him up, I didn’t see you holding back. Stop pretending.”
…
Hearing their words, Zhu Xingyao froze in place. So Chen Yi and his gang were here to collect debts. Had they beaten Jiang Tu? She frowned, about to look up, when Lin Jiayu tugged at her collar and whispered: “Come closer. Let’s not provoke them.”
She could hear Lin Jiayu’s slightly rapid breathing—she was nervous and afraid.
Zhu Xingyao pursed her lips, moved closer, and stepped aside to let the group pass.
As Chen Yi and his gang walked past, they noticed the two school uniform-clad girls pressed against the wall. Someone whistled: “Hey, isn’t this Jiang Tu’s little wife?”
Little wife?
Did they mean Lin Jiayu?
The alley was dark, with only the entrance lit. Zhu Xingyao was slightly taller than Lin Jiayu. She looked down at her, noticing Lin Jiayu’s flushed face—whether from walking or fear, it was unclear.
Lin Jiayu lifted her head slightly, irritated: “Stop talking nonsense. You’ve already taken the money, so stop bullying people.”
The thugs burst into laughter.
“Jiayu—is that you?”
A middle-aged man called out from behind them.
Lin Jiayu looked up in delight: “Dad!”
Lin Jiayu’s father, worried about her, had taken leave to come home and check on his daughter. He hadn’t expected to stumble upon this scene. The houses in Hexi Alley were densely packed, and everyone knew each other. With his good reputation, a call for help would bring several neighbors running.
Zhu Xingyao sighed in relief and looked up as well.
Chen Yi had already started to leave but turned back, catching sight of the delicate, pale profile of the girl. Her skin was so fair it dazzled his eyes. After a few seconds, he suddenly remembered—this was Zhu Xingyao, the cellist. It was too dark here, and she was wearing her school uniform, so he almost hadn’t recognized her. But… she really was beautiful.
He also recalled the performance they had wanted to attend last time, but Jiang Tu had disrupted their plans, and they hadn’t ended up going.
He gave her a couple more glances, whistled, and then turned to leave.
At the same time, Lin Jiayu’s phone rang.
One minute later.
Jiang Tu appeared, dressed in black casual wear. The tall, lean figure of the young man stood frozen at the alley entrance. His gaze locked onto Zhu Xingyao, as if she always inadvertently barged into his chaotic life.
Pure and clean, like a star that had suddenly fallen into the mortal world.
His throat bobbed a few times, and he mechanically walked toward her.
Zhu Xingyao was oblivious to everything. Seeing him, she smiled happily, tilting her face upward. Jiang Tu was much taller than her. Standing before her, he looked down at her, his eyes hidden behind his glasses, deep and dark.
Lin Jiayu turned and said: “Jiang Tu, please escort Zhu Xingyao out. She helped me a lot today…”
A few seconds later, Jiang Tu spoke in a low, hoarse voice: “Let’s go.”
“Ah, okay.”
He turned and walked ahead, with Zhu Xingyao following closely behind.
Lin Jiayu continued chatting with her father in hushed tones. Jiang Tu didn’t pay attention to what she was saying; all his focus was on the girl behind him. He stared at their elongated shadows on the ground and noticed her sneakily glancing at him. They walked in silence until Lin Jiayu’s voice came from behind: “My classmate’s mom is a doctor at the hospital. She has a discount card, so it didn’t cost much—it was about the same as going to a clinic.”
He abruptly stopped in his tracks.
Zhu Xingyao nearly bumped into his shoulder. She quickly steadied herself and looked up in confusion, catching a faint whiff of tobacco.
In the dim, narrow alley, the two stood close together. Zhu Xingyao lightly furrowed her brows, as if to confirm something, and suddenly tiptoed, bringing her cheek near his collar.
The sweet scent of the unsuspecting girl wafted closer, her hair brushing lightly against his face.
Jiang Tu’s heart nearly stopped. His voice grew tense and hoarse: “What are you doing?”
“Tu Ge, did you smoke?”
The girl’s voice was soft and gentle, right by his ear, carrying a hint of cautious curiosity and concern. It felt like a sharp blade sinking deep into Jiang Tu’s heart.
If Zhu Xingyao had looked down at their shadows on the ground just then, she would have noticed the boy’s hand, which had been hanging by his side, rise up to touch her school uniform before abruptly stopping, clenching into a fist, and dropping back down.
Jiang Tu’s Adam’s apple bobbed as he stiffly leaned back slightly, avoiding the sweet scent of the girl.
At the same time, Zhu Xingyao sniffed his collar and lowered her toes back to the ground.
She looked up at him, her eyes bright as stars. Her complete lack of guard made Jiang Tu feel ashamed of his earlier impulse to embrace her. He subtly took a step back and silently gazed down at her, struggling to speak: “Mm, I smoked.”
When Lin Jiayu had called him, he had been halfway through smoking. He had extinguished the cigarette and rushed out.
Smoking was prohibited at school, but Zhu Xingyao knew that many boys secretly smoked. She just hadn’t expected someone as aloof as Jiang Tu to do it. Thinking about his family situation and the Chen Yi gang they had encountered earlier…
Perhaps Jiang Tu wasn’t as carefree as he appeared on the surface.
His smoking wasn’t out of curiosity or desire—it might have been a way to vent his suppressed emotions.
Zhu Xingyao suddenly felt a pang of pity. In her teenage mind, this pity was categorized as sympathy. She raised her hand and promised: “It’s okay, I was just curious. I promise I won’t tell anyone—you can trust me.”
In truth, this wasn’t much of a secret anymore.
Seeing how serious she was, Jiang Tu’s lips curved slightly upward. Just as he was about to speak—
Gurgle—
A faint sound, but clear in the quiet alley.
It was the first time Zhu Xingyao’s stomach had growled in front of someone else. Her face flushed red, and she lowered her head, awkwardly explaining in a small voice: “I… Lin Jiayu and I didn’t have dinner. It’s almost 10 p.m., and I’m really hungry…”
Jiang Tu looked at the top of her head, the curve of his lips widening slightly. He asked softly: “The duck blood vermicelli shop isn’t closed yet. Want to eat there?”
Zhu Xingyao immediately nodded: “Yes!”
He turned and walked ahead. “I’ll take you there.”
The boy’s voice remained indifferent, but for some reason, Zhu Xingyao felt as though he seemed suddenly happier. She touched her flat stomach and thought that Tu Ge must be laughing at her now. Her image…
The girl hung her head slightly, feeling a bit disheartened as she followed behind him.
The moonlight softened, sprinkled with stars, illuminating their shadows. The narrow, dim alley seemed endless as they quietly walked. Zhu Xingyao had initially wanted to ask him about Chen Yi, but after some thought, she decided against it.
Some things, Jiang Tu might not want to talk about. Besides, his mood had just improved—why bring up Chen Yi and ruin it?
As if remembering something, Jiang Tu glanced back at her: “Who brought you back?”
“The driver…” Zhu Xingyao pulled out her phone. “I’ll call him and ask him to wait.”
He paused briefly before asking: “And your parents?”
Zhu Xingyao kept her head down as she tapped on her phone: “My dad is working overtime, and my mom went out of town for a meeting. She won’t be back for a few days…”
Old Liu’s family affairs hadn’t been resolved yet, and the new driver was more honest and straightforward. Whatever Zhu Xingyao said, he did without question. After finishing the call, the two walked out of the alley, turning toward the street ahead.
Ten minutes later, they arrived at the duck blood vermicelli shop.
This shop stayed open late into the night, and people were already eating late-night snacks, creating a lively atmosphere.
Zhu Xingyao ordered a bowl of duck blood vermicelli, a plate of pan-fried buns, and a bottle of soy milk.
She was starving. While waiting for her food at the table, she kept staring intently at the pickup counter. Jiang Tu leaned back in his chair, watching her like this for the first time. He found it fresh and endearing, his gaze unconsciously softening.
A few minutes later, their number was called.
Jiang Tu stood up: “I’ll go get it.”
They had grown very familiar with each other. Zhu Xingyao trusted Jiang Tu completely and felt no need to be guarded around him. Once the tray was placed on the table, she didn’t even bother talking to him. Grabbing the disposable chopsticks he had split apart for her, she began eating earnestly, mumbling: “I’m starving…”
Jiang Tu sat across from her, leaning back in his chair, relaxed and openly watching her.
Since she couldn’t see him.
He allowed himself to be a little more unrestrained.
Even though Zhu Xingyao was extremely hungry and eating quickly, her manners remained graceful. After the initial wave of hunger subsided, she turned her head, biting the straw to take a large sip of soy milk. Only then did she look up at Jiang Tu. He shifted slightly, and his glasses slid down his high nose bridge, concealing all his emotions.
Zhu Xingyao contentedly squinted her eyes: “Ah, finally comfortable.”
Jiang Tu pushed his glasses back up and reminded her: “Don’t do this again. It’s bad for your stomach.”
“I don’t usually do this—it’s just a special case today…” Zhu Xingyao picked up her chopsticks again and looked at him. “Do you want some? I might not finish the pan-fried buns…”
In the end, Zhu Xingyao left two pan-fried buns uneaten.
She simply couldn’t eat anymore.
Jiang Tu glanced at her, reached for a pair of chopsticks, and said in a low voice: “Don’t waste food.”
Zhu Xingyao was momentarily stunned, watching him eat the remaining two buns. Something about it felt off. If he had eaten with her earlier, it wouldn’t have been strange. But now… it felt like he was eating her leftovers.
Lost in thought, Jiang Tu had already stood up and casually said: “Let’s go. You should head home.”
“Ah, right.”
Zhu Xingyao hurriedly stood up. His calm and natural demeanor made her feel as though she had overthought things. Tu Ge simply didn’t want to waste food, that’s all. She followed him out, glancing at the clock on the wall—it was already 10:20 p.m.
Just as she was thinking about it, her phone rang.
It was Ding Yu calling.
They must have returned home and not found her, so they were calling to check.
Jiang Tu heard the soft, endearing voice of the girl behind him as she coaxed her parents, promising she’d be home soon. He glanced back.
The two had just exited the street and were turning toward where the driver had parked when Chen Yi and his gang crossed the road. One of the henchmen pointed in their direction: “Hey, isn’t that Jiang Tu? Tsk, I didn’t expect it. Just got pressured into paying his debts, and now he’s out flirting. It seems good-looking guys, whether rich or poor, always attract young girls.”
Chen Yi looked over and indeed saw a school-uniformed girl walking beside Jiang Tu. Her figure was slender, her ponytail slightly curled at the ends, cascading down her back beautifully. Wasn’t this Zhu Xingyao they had seen earlier in the alley?
Another henchman excitedly chimed in: “Isn’t that the one we saw in the alley just now? I saw her face—gorgeous!”
“Indeed, beautiful,” Chen Yi remarked casually. “Jiang Tu’s got some skill.”
By the time they crossed the road, Jiang Tu and Zhu Xingyao had already disappeared around the corner.
Aside from the commercial street, the streetlights in Hexi Alley were dim, flickering faintly like they might go out at any moment. Zhu Xingyao’s family car was parked next to an old residential building, with the driver thoughtfully leaving the headlights on to illuminate the path.
From a distance of several dozen meters, Jiang Tu stopped, glanced at the car, and looked down at Zhu Xingyao: “Go ahead and get in.”
It was almost October, and the autumn nights were chilly. Zhu Xingyao rubbed her slender, pale arms and smiled up at him: “Then I’ll go now.” She took two steps backward, waved, and turned to leave.
A few seconds later.
“Zhu Xingyao.”
He called out to her.
Zhu Xingyao turned back, standing gracefully under the moonlight and the dim yellow glow of the streetlamp. “Hmm?”
Jiang Tu looked straight at her, his lips curving faintly as he reminded her: “Next time, don’t use the excuse that hospitals give discounts. Only fools like Lin Jiayu would believe that.”
Zhu Xingyao: “…”
For some reason, even though he referred to Lin Jiayu as a fool, Zhu Xingyao felt as if he was directly calling her one. Only a fool would use such an excuse to deceive others…
Zhu Xingyao’s expression grew slightly awkward, and she couldn’t help but glare at him: “Every time you laugh at me, I feel like I’ve made some incredibly stupid mistake.”
Jiang Tu chuckled softly, his voice low: “You did make a bit of a foolish move.”
Zhu Xingyao: “…”
There it was—a direct insult.
Jiang Tu sobered his smile and looked at her: “Don’t do this again. Go ahead and get going.”
Zhu Xingyao thought for a moment and said: “Then don’t tell her.”
Jiang Tu nodded slightly, tilting his chin to gesture for her to get in the car. She smiled, waved, and turned to run off.
With his hands tucked into his pockets, Jiang Tu watched the car drive away before turning to leave.
When he returned to Hexi Alley, Lin Jiayu hopped out, leaning on the doorframe and shouting: “Why did it take you so long to come back?”
“I went to grab something to eat.” He stood still, looking up at her. “You guys ran into Chen Yi in the alley earlier, right? Did he do anything?”
Lin Jiayu replied: “My dad happened to return, so they left.”
Jiang Tu nodded and turned to go inside. Lin Jiayu called out again, and he glanced back: “What else?”
Lin Jiayu hesitated, feeling a bit embarrassed, and whispered: “Can you ask Zhu Xingyao for me… how much she spent at the hospital? My dad said hospitals don’t give discounts, so she must have paid for me. I need to pay her back.”
“Do it yourself.”
“I don’t have her number.”
Jiang Tu glanced at her and recited a string of numbers: “Did you get that?”
Lin Jiayu: “…”
Her mind was blank—how could she possibly remember that?
Jiang Tu’s expression grew impatient. He pulled out his phone from his pocket and said: “I’ll send it to your phone later.”
After a while, Lin Jiayu’s phone vibrated on the table. She hopped back and opened the message, but something felt odd. How had Jiang Tu memorized Zhu Xingyao’s number so quickly?
The next morning, as soon as Jiang Tu stepped out of his house, he saw Lin Jiayu hobbling out with a makeshift crutch. Spotting him, she immediately asked: “Jiang Tu, what’s my phone number?”
Jiang Tu paused mid-step. Lin Jiayu sniffed: “You definitely don’t remember.”
“Do you really think I have the same memory as you?”
Jiang Tu gave her a disdainful look and turned to leave.
Lin Jiayu: “…”
Was he insulting her bad memory or calling her dumb?
Not long after finishing breakfast, Zhu Xingyao received a text from Lin Jiayu saying she wanted to repay her. Zhu Xingyao sighed as she read the message. Sure enough, the lie about hospital discounts was too naive, and Lin Jiayu had figured it out.
In the living room, there was a suitcase and her cello bag. Chen Lan had carved out some time from her busy schedule in Beijing to teach her a few lessons, and Zhu Xingyao was heading to the airport soon.
Zhu Yunping picked up the suitcase and smiled at her: “What’s worrying you?”
Zhu Xingyao shook her head: “Nothing. I just made a silly mistake… Dad, don’t ask. Let’s hurry to the airport.”
Zhu Yunping shook his head as well: “You’ve really grown up. You won’t tell us anything anymore?”
Ding Yu picked up her cello and urged: “Alright, let’s go. We’ll be late if we don’t hurry.”
The three of them walked out of the house. After getting into the car, Zhu Xingyao replied to Lin Jiayu: “Focus on recovering first. We can talk about repayment when school resumes.”
________________________________________
After the National Day holiday ended, since Lin Jiayu’s injury hadn’t fully healed and her parents had to work, Jiang Tu had no choice but to drive her to school. At the school gate, they were stopped by Principal Liu, who raised his voice: “What’s going on with you two?”
Jiang Tu frowned slightly and explained coldly: “She’s injured.”
Students passing by all turned to look. Lin Jiayu hurriedly got out of the car, tiptoeing, and added: “I really am injured.”
Principal Liu scrutinized her, skeptical: “How did you get hurt?”
The onlookers whispered among themselves. Lin Jiayu, unused to being the center of attention, blushed deeply. Just then, Zhu Xingyao arrived at the school gate and saw the scene. Hurrying forward, she supported Lin Jiayu and turned to Principal Liu: “Principal, she really is injured. I was the one who accompanied her to the hospital.”
Principal Liu recognized Zhu Xingyao and trusted her words. He waved them off: “Go ahead and head inside.”
Zhu Xingyao glanced up at Jiang Tu: “I’ll help her inside.”
Jiang Tu nodded slightly and rode off on his bike.
Zhu Xingyao helped Lin Jiayu into the school. Lin Jiayu looked at her gratefully and whispered: “Principal Liu must have misunderstood me and Jiang Tu just now. If my leg weren’t still injured, Jiang Tu wouldn’t have even given me a ride… Who would’ve thought that the first time I rode his bike, we’d get caught by the principal?”
“It was your first time riding his bike?”
Zhu Xingyao was surprised. Lin Jiayu and Jiang Tu had grown up together since childhood, yet this was her first time riding with him?
Lin Jiayu replied: “Yes, if my leg weren’t hurt, he definitely wouldn’t have agreed to take me.”
Zhu Xingyao recalled the last time he had carried her, and a subtle feeling stirred in her heart. Before she could dwell on it, someone suddenly hugged her from behind. Startled, she turned around to see Li Xixi jumping out, laughing loudly: “Did I scare you?”
Zhu Xingyao rolled her eyes: “You scared me half to death.”
Li Xixi laughed cheerfully, but upon noticing Lin Jiayu’s odd gait, she asked curiously: “What happened to you?”
Lin Jiayu sighed: “I sprained my ankle practicing high jump before the National Day holiday…”
“Ah, are you okay?”
“I’m fine. It’s almost healed.”
Zhu Xingyao and Li Xixi supported Lin Jiayu as they walked up to the third floor. Lin Jiayu pulled out over a hundred yuan from her pocket and handed it to Zhu Xingyao, smiling awkwardly: “Here’s the money I owe you. Thank you…”
Zhu Xingyao glanced at the money, recalling how Jiang Tu had called her naive earlier. Her feelings were mixed as she accepted it.
Morning reading was about to start, and Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie Ya appeared at the staircase. The three of them quickly entered the classroom. As soon as Zhu Xingyao stepped in, she heard Zhang Sheng laughing: “You guys didn’t see it—this morning, Jiang Tu got stopped by Principal Liu at the school gate while giving his girlfriend a ride.”
Someone gasped in shock: “Really or fake?”
Zhang Sheng replied: “Ask him yourself—he’s from the neighboring class.”
Everyone turned to look at Jiang Tu, who stared back at Zhang Sheng with an icy gaze. Though they hadn’t been in the same class for long, everyone knew that Jiang Tu and Zhang Sheng didn’t get along. Jiang Tu was cold and aloof, while Zhang Sheng couldn’t keep his mouth shut.
Standing in the aisle between groups three and four, Zhu Xingyao frowned at Zhang Sheng: “Don’t spread rumors. Jiang Tu and Lin Jiayu just grew up together—they’re not dating.” Such talk could reach the teachers’ ears and lead to serious consequences, like parental meetings.
Jiang Tu paused, his gaze shifting toward her.
Li Xixi glared at Zhang Sheng disdainfully: “How can a guy be so gossipy?”
Zhang Sheng: “…”
Xu Xiangyang cleared his throat and tapped on the desk: “Stop arguing—the homeroom teacher is coming down the corridor.”
Zhu Xingyao returned to her seat and noticed Jiang Tu still looking at her. She whispered: “What’s wrong?”
Jiang Tu remembered how earnestly she had defended him earlier, and his heart swelled with a mix of emotions. She always unknowingly did things that left him defenseless. Narrowing his eyes, he murmured softly: “Nothing.”
Ding Xiang seemed to snap out of his thoughts and turned around: “That scared me—I actually thought Brother Tu had a girlfriend.”
Li Xixi blinked: “Is it so shocking for Brother Tu to have a girlfriend? You looked like your soul flew out of your body.”
Without thinking, Ding Xiang replied: “Of course it’s shocking! Do you think Brother Tu looks like someone who dates? Not at all! I can’t even imagine what it’d be like if he liked someone.”
Zhu Xingyao and Li Xixi exchanged glances. They had once thought there was something between Jiang Tu and Lin Jiayu, but later realized they were overthinking it.
Jiang Tu withdrew his gaze and turned to Ding Xiang: “Is it appropriate to talk about this in front of me?”
Ding Xiang: “…”
Zhu Xingyao and Li Xixi stifled their laughter and turned away.
________________________________________
At first, when Zhu Xingyao rode Jiang Tu’s bike, no rumors spread—no one talked about it. However, the rumors about Jiang Tu and Lin Jiayu quickly gained traction. Jiang Tu’s personality was cold and taciturn, so he certainly wouldn’t bother explaining himself to unrelated people.
He only ever explained it to Zhu Xingyao.
After Lin Jiayu clarified things in class and Zhu Xingyao spoke up during morning break, the rumors evolved into mere gossip.
“Jiang Tu and Lin Jiayu both live in Hexi Alley—they’ve known each other since childhood. They’re not in that kind of relationship.”
“I knew it. Jiang Tu seems so cold—he doesn’t seem like someone who dates… It’s hard to imagine him with any girl.”
“Jiang Tu is very handsome, though. Of course, there are girls who like him—it’s just that his family situation makes it hard for anyone to dare get close to him…”
The gossip circulated for a day until the monthly exam results and rankings were released.
Since the division into arts and sciences, Jiang Tu’s grades had indeed become exceptionally strong. This time, he ranked first in the grade, followed by Lu Ji in second place. Zhu Xingyao came in tenth—a result that was more than sufficient for her, considering she also had to divide her time between practicing the cello and studying German.
As for the class average rankings, they were brutal. Among the five key classes, Class 1 ranked second-to-last, while Class 2 took first place.
During the break, Zhu Xingyao tested herself on some German vocabulary and then turned to look at Jiang Tu. He wasn’t wearing his glasses and was gazing out the window. Tilting her head, she smiled: “Congratulations on ranking first.”
Jiang Tu was momentarily dazzled by her smile and murmured softly: “It’s nothing.”
Zhu Xingyao said: “It’s really impressive.”
His gaze lingered on the small mole near the side of her nose, and he felt an urge to reach out and touch it.
“There are still a few events for the school sports meet that need participants!” Zhang Sheng stood at the front holding a sign-up sheet. “Javelin, shot put, and two relay races—are there any volunteers?”
Few paid him any attention.
Zhang Sheng’s expression turned sour.
Xu Xiangyang stepped forward and took the form. Managing a class with so few girls was troublesome. Looking up, he said: “We’re short two runners for the girls’ 400-meter relay. Zhu Xingyao, you’re running the 100 meters—you should be pretty fast, right? Can you run another leg?”
Zhu Xingyao turned to look at him, about to respond, when Xia Jin spoke up: “I’ll sign up for one—I can run.”
Li Xixi chimed in: “I’ll do it too. Stars already signed up for the 200-meter relay.”
“Are you sure?” Xu Xiangyang looked at Li Xixi.
“How am I not capable? Are you saying I have short legs and can’t run fast, Mr. Class President?”
“…”
Xu Xiangyang’s lips twitched as he quickly wrote Li Xixi’s name down and showed it to her. He didn’t dare provoke this vengeful young lady. Within moments, he finished filling out the registration form and handed it to Zhang Sheng.
Zhang Sheng turned toward the office with a sour expression, taking the registration form with him.
________________________________________
Each class had to select someone to carry the class sign during the school sports meet. Typically, the class beauty was chosen for the role. During the freshman year sports meet, Cao Shujun had asked Zhu Xingyao to carry the sign. This time, during the class meeting, he brought up the matter again.
Zhu Xingyao hesitated. Li Xixi discreetly leaned over her desk and glanced at Xia Jin’s expression—sure enough, it didn’t look good.
Seeing her hesitation, Cao Shujun asked: “Is there a problem?”
Zhu Xingyao noticed that Xia Jin hadn’t stepped forward to volunteer, so she nodded: “No problem.”
Jiang Tu hadn’t participated in the sports meet last year and was unaware that Zhu Xingyao had carried the sign. Suddenly, Ding Xiang pulled out his phone, flipped through the photo album, and mysteriously placed it in front of Jiang Tu, lowering his voice: “Tu Ge, you didn’t see this last year—our goddess wore a short skirt. I took some photos.”
The phone’s resolution wasn’t great back then, and the screen was small. Jiang Tu lowered his gaze to the image on the screen: a girl in a white shirt, red short skirt, and bow tie. Her legs were straight, slender, and smooth, and her radiant smile shimmered under the sunlight—youthful and beautiful.
Ding Xiang whispered: “There are a few more photos after this.”
Without showing any emotion, Jiang Tu flipped through them. Suddenly, he realized something—he didn’t have a single photo of Zhu Xingyao. Not one.
By late October, autumn was deepening, and the school sports meet arrived as scheduled. On the day of the opening ceremony, the weather wasn’t ideal, and the temperature was lower than the previous two days. After changing into the outfit, Zhu Xingyao trembled from the cold. She had been too busy lately, and her immune system seemed weaker. A gust of wind hit her, and she sneezed.
Jiang Tu stood behind her, frowning slightly. When Xu Xiangyang called everyone to line up, he turned and walked to the back row.
Zhang Sheng stood in front of him, his eyes fixed on Zhu Xingyao ahead. Cao Ming nudged him with his shoulder and teased maliciously: “Do the goddess’s legs look good?”
Zhang Sheng licked his lips, his Adam’s apple bobbing twice as he lowered his voice: “Of course they do. Her legs are the straightest I’ve ever seen—straight, fair, and well-proportioned. Anyway…” His mind wandered into inappropriate territory when he suddenly felt a piercing glare from behind. Turning around, he saw Jiang Tu staring at him coldly, his eyes narrowed.
Annoyed, Zhang Sheng snapped: “Why are you looking at me like that?”
Many boys liked Zhu Xingyao, but Jiang Tu despised people like Zhang Sheng the most. The way he looked at Zhu Xingyao reminded him of Chen Yi—though not as obvious, it still carried a tinge of vulgarity. Jiang Tu smirked faintly: “That’s how I always look at you.”
Zhang Sheng glared at him, his face tightening as he muttered an insult.
With this new grudge added to their old ones, tensions between the two grew even sharper.
After the opening ceremony, Zhu Xingyao returned to the class seating area and quickly slipped on her school uniform jacket. Another gust of wind hit her, causing her pale, slender legs to shiver, and she sneezed twice in succession. Li Xixi looked at her worriedly: “Are you catching a cold?”
Zhu Xingyao sniffled, her voice slightly hoarse: “I don’t know…”
The class representative called out: “Hey, if you have time, come help write some cheering messages. The 100-meter race is about to start.”
Zhu Xingyao poured herself a cup of hot water. After drinking it, she felt a bit better. She rummaged through her desk for her backpack and told the class rep: “Let Xixi write first. I’ll go change into something else—I have the 100-meter race soon.”
Next to the sports field was the freshman teaching building. Carrying her clothes, she walked inside and found a bathroom stall on the first floor to change into her school uniform. As soon as she stepped out, she bumped into Jiang Tu standing in the corridor. She blinked in surprise and smiled: “Tu Ge, what a coincidence.”
It wasn’t a coincidence—he had followed her here.
Jiang Tu looked down at her. She had changed into her school uniform and running shoes, holding a backpack in her arms.
“Zhu Xingyao.”
Lu Ji and Zhou Yuan approached from the sports field, calling out from behind. Jiang Tu subtly raised his eyes and glanced at them.
Zhu Xingyao turned around, looking at Lu Ji. Seeing him wearing running shoes, she smiled: “Are you going to run later?” For some reason, even though she received letters from him every Friday, she still felt somewhat distant and unfamiliar toward him. Thinking about those letters whenever she saw him made her feel awkward.
It seemed she always had this expression around Lu Ji—shy and a little flustered. Jiang Tu watched her, his hands tucked into his pockets, gripping a lighter. His expression remained cold.
Lu Ji replied: “Mm, I signed up for the 100 meters and 3,000 meters.”
Instinctively, Zhu Xingyao said: “Tu Ge is also running the 3,000 meters.”
Tu Ge?
Lu Ji and Zhou Yuan froze simultaneously, both turning to look at Jiang Tu. In school, when girls called boys “Ge” (older brother), it often carried a subtle romantic undertone. But Jiang Tu… he didn’t seem like someone who would allow such familiarity. Even Lin Jiayu, his childhood friend, didn’t share that kind of closeness with him.
Still, a strange feeling stirred in Lu Ji’s heart.
Noticing their expressions, Zhu Xingyao quickly realized it might sound inappropriate to call him “Tu Ge” in front of them. She hurriedly explained: “I meant Jiang Tu. I’m used to hearing Ding Xiang and Xixi call him that, so it just slipped out…”
Little did she know, her explanation sounded like she was clarifying things specifically for Lu Ji’s benefit.
He shifted slightly, lowering his gaze to her.
After explaining, Zhu Xingyao herself felt that the atmosphere had grown a bit strange, though she couldn’t pinpoint why.
Zhou Yuan inexplicably felt a bit out of place. Clearing his throat, he looked at Jiang Tu and broke the awkwardness: “Uh… Jiang Tu, what are you doing here?” Surely he hadn’t come here just to follow Zhu Xingyao, right?
Jiang Tu’s expression remained indifferent as he withdrew his hand from his pocket: “Smoking.”
Lu Ji and Zhou Yuan noticed the lighter in his hand and exchanged knowing smiles.
But Zhu Xingyao seemed utterly surprised, looking up at him.
Just then, the announcement for the 100-meter race registration came over the loudspeaker, calling for participants to proceed to check-in. The men’s and women’s races were only ten minutes apart. Lu Ji, hands in his pockets, glanced at Zhu Xingyao: “Let’s go together.”
Zhu Xingyao had no reason to refuse. She nodded: “Okay.” Looking at Jiang Tu, she asked: “Are you going to watch the race?” She had wanted to say, “Don’t smoke anymore, come watch the race,” but realized she had no right or reason to tell him what to do.
Jiang Tu replied: “I’ll head over later.”
Zhu Xingyao walked back to the sports field with Lu Ji and Zhou Yuan. Jiang Tu stood where he was, took a deep breath, and was about to turn around when Xu Xiangyang called out to him. Running up, Xu Xiangyang said: “Ding Xiang suddenly has a stomachache and can’t run the 100 meters. Can you take his place?”
He added: “I’ll run the 1,500 meters, and you can focus on the 3,000 meters later.”
Jiang Tu raised his eyes. Zhu Xingyao stood at the edge of the sports field, turning to look at him with a hint of anticipation in her eyes. He slipped the lighter back into his pocket and walked toward the sports field with an impassive expression: “Sure.”
In the end, Jiang Tu, Zhu Xingyao, and Lu Ji went to register together.
Among the participants in the men’s 100-meter race was Zhang Sheng. Xu Xiangyang had said he’d find someone to replace Ding Xiang, but no one expected it to be Jiang Tu. Coincidentally, upon seeing Jiang Tu participating, Li Xixi had specially written a cheering message for him. When the announcer called Jiang Tu’s name, Zhang Sheng’s face darkened.
In the preliminary round of the men’s 100-meter race, Jiang Tu and Lu Ji almost crossed the finish line simultaneously.
Jiang Tu trailed Lu Ji by 0.01 seconds.
Zhang Sheng came in third, and all three advanced to the finals.
Li Xixi accompanied Zhu Xingyao to prepare for the race, glancing over at the group. “I don’t know why, but I feel like the atmosphere over there is a bit strange. Zhang Sheng looks like he’s ready to fight Jiang Tu at any moment. And… it feels like all three of them are competing, trying to outdo each other.”
Zhu Xingyao was warming up and didn’t pay much attention. She glanced over and said: “Isn’t it normal to want to win? It’s a competition after all.”
Li Xixi muttered: “That’s true, but it still feels off…”
The preliminary round of the women’s 100-meter race was about to begin, so Zhu Xingyao didn’t have time to chat further and went to prepare.
She came in second place and advanced smoothly to the finals.
After the morning events ended, Zhu Xingyao felt a bit listless. Having caught a chill earlier, she seemed to be developing a cold. She didn’t go to watch the afternoon races and instead rested her head on her desk in the classroom. Li Xixi kept running back and forth between the sports field and the classroom, unable to stay away for long.
Jiang Tu left the school grounds for a while and returned with a bag in hand. He walked into the classroom.
Zhu Xingyao lay motionless on the desk, her eyes tightly shut, her delicate brows furrowed. Her pale cheeks were tinged with an unnatural flush.
There were only two boys in the classroom, both also resting their heads on their desks, completely silent. Jiang Tu glanced around the room, then lowered his gaze to the girl in front of him. His right hand twitched slightly, and finally, he reached out, his cool fingers gently pressing against her forehead—it was warm.
Zhu Xingyao didn’t wake up, but her brows furrowed as if trying to avoid his touch, burying her face deeper into her arms.
Jiang Tu paused his hand mid-air, slowly withdrawing it.
From the window, he saw Li Xixi running toward the teaching building.
A few minutes later.
Li Xixi rushed into the classroom and noticed a bag on the desk. She began rummaging through it, pulling out boxes of medicine—fever reducers, anti-inflammatory drugs, and cold granules. The rustling sound of the bag filled the air as Zhu Xingyao groggily opened her eyes.
Li Xixi pulled out a note from the bag, raising an eyebrow with a smile: “Look, someone bought you medicine.”
Still not fully awake, Zhu Xingyao rubbed her eyes and took the note. On it was a single line of familiar handwriting: You have a fever. Take the medicine.
This handwriting…
It belonged to J.
Confused, she looked toward the empty corridor, her voice nasal: “When did he bring this? Did you see him?”
Li Xixi shook her head: “No.” She glanced out the window and gasped: “Oh! Look, Lu Ji just left.”
Zhu Xingyao turned her head, looking down from the window. Lu Ji, dressed in black sportswear, was jogging toward the sports field, his back straight and agile.
Li Xixi unpacked the medicine, carefully counting out several pills and handing them to her: “Hurry up and take the medicine. Don’t waste Lu Ji’s thoughtfulness.”
Zhu Xingyao: “…”
Lost in thought, she turned back, raising her hand to touch her forehead. She wasn’t sure if she had dreamed it, but she felt as though someone had touched her forehead earlier—cool fingers that brushed lightly against her nose.
That sensation… Zhu Xingyao couldn’t describe it. It was like a feather brushing delicately over her skin, leaving behind a faint itch.
Li Xixi handed her a cup of water.
Zhu Xingyao frowned and swallowed the pills.
It was already 4 p.m. The management of the sports meet was looser than usual, and dismissal was earlier than normal. After taking the medicine, Zhu Xingyao stayed in the classroom to practice German vocabulary while Li Xixi ran off to the sports field again.
The medicine seemed to have a sedative effect, and Zhu Xingyao drifted in and out of consciousness until 5 p.m., when she gathered her things and decided to leave early.
Before leaving, she planned to stop by the sports field to make an appearance.
Carrying her heavy backpack full of books, Zhu Xingyao passed by the basketball court, walking past the green nets. She turned right and stood on the steps, lowering her eyes as she descended one step at a time. Suddenly, a pair of somewhat familiar sneakers appeared in her peripheral vision.
She paused, looking up.
Jiang Tu stood two steps below her, gazing upward at her.
Before they could speak, a sudden jet of water shot unexpectedly from the side, drenching Zhu Xingyao from her right shoulder down. The icy water soaked through her clothes, clinging tightly to her body. The sudden cold shocked her into a scream: “Ah…”
Everything happened so fast that Jiang Tu barely had time to process it before a familiar voice shouted: “Shit, you stepped wrong! You got the goddess all wet! Hurry and stop it!”
It was Cao Ming’s voice.
Zhang Sheng and Cao Ming were standing near the faucet outside the court. Zhang Sheng had been stepping on a flexible hose, and the water had burst out of it. Originally, he had intended to prank Jiang Tu, planning to soak him completely when he came up.
But Zhu Xingyao had walked by unexpectedly.
Startled, Zhang Sheng quickly moved his foot, and Cao Ming pulled him. Just as his right foot lifted, his left foot stepped on the hose again.
The next second, another jet of water sprayed out.
Jiang Tu reacted swiftly, stepping up a level and pressing his hand against Zhu Xingyao’s shoulder. He turned her toward the wall, shielding her. Zhu Xingyao slipped, nearly falling, but he quickly steadied her by the waist, his body completely covering hers.
Their bodies pressed together, his hair, shoulders, and back thoroughly soaked.
Water dripped from the tips of his hair, his glasses, and his sharp jawline, landing on Zhu Xingyao’s eyelashes, forehead, and nose.
She clutched tightly to the fabric of his chest, breathing heavily. Her long, fluttering lashes trembled as water seeped into her eyes.
She raised her wet, shimmering eyes and met Jiang Tu’s deep, unfathomable gaze. His chest rose and fell rapidly, his dark eyes fixed intently on her.
In that moment, Zhu Xingyao’s entire being trembled inexplicably—whether from the cold or something else, she couldn’t say.
It was hard to tell who was wetter between the two of them, perhaps Jiang Tu, but he felt no chill. His body was restless, agitated.
Zhang Sheng and Cao Ming continued to blame each other.
Passersby looked over in shock.
A gust of wind blew, and Zhu Xingyao sneezed, the cold seeping into her bones. Her whole body trembled like a drenched kitten—soft and fragile.
Jiang Tu’s hand tightened instinctively around her. His Adam’s apple bobbed as he took a deep breath, pulling her up. His voice was low and hoarse: “Are you… alright? Did you twist anything?”
Zhu Xingyao leaned against the wall, shaking her head. She whispered softly: “No, it’s just…”
Before she could finish, she sneezed again, raising her hand to rub her nose.
She was just so cold.
Jiang Tu’s lips were tightly pressed together as he turned to glare at the culprits, his voice icy: “If you’re going to play around, at least aim better. Don’t drag innocent people into it.” His cold demeanor, combined with his drenched appearance, made his gaze unsettling.
Cao Ming suddenly felt a pang of regret—they had gone too far. Zhang Sheng looked at the soaked Zhu Xingyao, too remorseful to approach.
Soon, several people ran up from the sports field.
When they saw the sorry state of Zhu Xingyao and Jiang Tu, they froze in shock.
Zhu Xingyao regained her senses and lowered her head to check if her backpack had gotten wet. Suddenly, a large black sportswear jacket was draped over her head, blocking her vision completely. She felt someone ruffle her hair like they would a puppy…
She froze.
After her head was ruffled a few times, she heard Lu Ji’s low voice: “Dry yourself off. Don’t catch a cold.”
Zhu Xingyao: “…”
A cold? Wasn’t she already sick?
Hadn’t he just bought her cold medicine and fever reducers?
She pulled down the jacket, revealing her face, and looked at Lu Ji, softly saying: “Thank you…”
Jiang Tu glanced back briefly before silently turning away again.
Li Xixi ran up to Zhu Xingyao, glaring furiously at Zhang Sheng: “Zhang Sheng, are you insane? Are you still in elementary school? Playing around with a hose!”
Zhang Sheng glanced at Zhu Xingyao and tried to explain: “I didn’t mean to get Zhu Xingyao wet. I…”
“Then who were you trying to prank?” Zhu Xingyao clutched Lu Ji’s clothes and looked up at Zhang Sheng. This time, she was truly angry. “You’re always the one starting trouble. Jiang Tu didn’t do anything to provoke you. How can you be so childish?”
The crowd grew larger, and Zhang Sheng’s face turned beet red. He clenched his teeth but didn’t retort.
Cao Shujun and Teacher Xie Ya had thought there was a fight between students from two classes. Pushing through the crowd, they realized it wasn’t quite what they expected. Cao Shujun looked at the soaked Jiang Tu and Zhu Xingyao, frowning: “What happened here?”
Li Xixi, with her quick tongue, exaggeratedly recounted the events she had witnessed.
Zhang Sheng and Cao Ming wanted to defend themselves but found no way to justify their actions.
“The two of you, come with me to the office,” Cao Shujun ordered, glancing at Jiang Tu. “Change your clothes and come as well.”
Zhu Xingyao was freezing and had no extra clothes. Xia Jin stepped out from the crowd, pulling a bag from her backpack and handing it to her: “I have a set of school uniform here. We’re about the same height—you can wear this for now.”
Since she had offered it, Zhu Xingyao couldn’t refuse without seeming pretentious. She accepted the bag and said with a nasal tone: “Thank you.”
Jiang Tu took off his jacket, wrung out some water on the spot, and walked toward the office, still half-soaked. Zhu Xingyao’s gaze followed him, and she couldn’t help but call out: “Aren’t you going to change? What if you catch a cold?”
Just moments ago…
The two had shared a moment of mutual hardship.
He had shielded her from the water.
Jiang Tu didn’t have any spare clothes. He glanced back at her and said indifferently: “I don’t catch colds easily.” With that, he turned and left.
Lu Ji withdrew his gaze and looked down at her: “Boys don’t catch colds easily. But you—hurry up and change your clothes.”
Perhaps due to her illness, she felt dizzy and disoriented, even somewhat delirious. She looked up at Lu Ji, and the image of Jiang Tu’s dripping face suddenly flashed in her mind. She pushed her wet hair back and handed the sportswear to him: “Here’s your jacket. Thank you…”
Teacher Xie Ya stood nearby, watching them closely.
Lu Ji had no choice but to take the jacket.
After changing into Xia Jin’s clothes, Zhu Xingyao returned to the car and silently curled up in the seat to sleep. By the time she got home, she soaked in a hot bath for half an hour before feeling somewhat revived. It was past 7 p.m. when Ding Yu returned home with takeout from a fancy restaurant, only to find Zhu Xingyao lying in bed with a high fever, her face flushed red.
Fortunately, Ding Yu was a doctor. After bustling about for most of the night, Zhu Xingyao’s fever finally subsided.
Throughout the night, Zhu Xingyao dreamed. She dreamt of a pale-faced youth, his features dripping with water, his deep black eyes like a vortex silently gazing at her. Every time she blinked and opened her eyes again, his expression reverted to its usual cold indifference, the same toward everyone.
By the time she woke up the next day, it was already noon. She crawled out of bed, her dreams from the previous night fading from memory, leaving her tired and hungry.
Ding Yu had taken the day off for her—it was the sports meet anyway, so missing it wouldn’t matter.
Seeing that she was awake, Ding Yu knocked on the doorframe: “Get up, wash your face, and come downstairs to eat something. You’ll feel better after eating.”
Zhu Xingyao dragged herself up weakly. Her phone vibrated on the table. Picking it up, she noticed several unread messages.
Li Xixi: “Rest well. If you’re not feeling better tomorrow, rest again.”
Li Xixi: “It’s okay if you don’t run in the 100-meter final.”
There were also messages from classmates, including apologies from Zhang Sheng and Cao Ming.
Zhu Xingyao ignored them.
The latest message was from Lu Ji, telling her to take care of herself. She replied: “Thank you.”
________________________________________
On the third day of the sports meet, during the men’s 100-meter final, Jiang Tu crossed the finish line first, beating Lu Ji by 0.01 seconds. Lu Ji accepted the water Zhou Yuan handed him and looked at Jiang Tu: “In the 3,000 meters this afternoon, I won’t lose.”
Jiang Tu turned to look at him, his tone indifferent: “Not necessarily.”
At 2 p.m., after finishing her IV drip at the hospital, Zhu Xingyao had Old Liu drive her back to school. Li Xixi called: “Hurry up and come! Brother Tu and Lu Ji are going head-to-head. Everyone’s placing bets on who will win!”
The betting had been Zhou Yuan’s idea. Once he started, the two classes got competitive—Class 1 bet on Jiang Tu, while Class 2 bet on Lu Ji.
Zhu Xingyao was confused: “It’s just a 3,000-meter race. Why are you betting on it?”
Li Xixi said: “Never mind the betting. Just tell me—who do you think will win?”
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