Chapter 25

Wen Xiangyi got hit!

Chen Zihao was furious: “Brothers! It’s bad enough that Class 6 looks down on us, but they even threw snowballs at our class’s girls! They’re bullying us now!”

Xie Rixin rolled up his sleeves: “Damn it! Let’s take down Class 6!”

The refined Monkey silently formed a snowball in the corridor and threw it hard at Lin Hang’s back.

Thus began a great battle.

Qin Li was still peacefully building a snowman with Duan Jia when the commotion upstairs caught her attention. She casually said, “Which class has gone mad?”

Someone nearby exclaimed in surprise, “Look, Class 5 and Class 6 are fighting!”

What?

Our class has gone mad??

Qin Li and Duan Jia exchanged a glance and quickly looked up.

It was no longer just the entrance to Class 5; it looked like a war zone at the school. Snowballs were flying everywhere—fast, accurate, and fierce. Innocent bystanders were caught in the crossfire, with snow being grabbed from the railings and thrown in anger.

Qin Li, excited, grabbed the head of their snowman and ran upstairs: “I’m coming!”

Duan Jia picked up the headless body of the snowman, pressing it tightly and jogging to keep up: “Wait for me, Qin Li.”

Upon reaching the upper floor, Qin Li’s excitement cooled a bit. She grabbed Chen Zihao and asked, “Why are we fighting with Class 6?”

Chen Zihao was already seeing red: “Class 6 threw snowballs at Wen Xiangyi!”

They hit her sister?!

Qin Li immediately lost her composure. She slammed the snowman’s head onto the back of a Class 6 student’s neck, making them yelp in pain.

Since they were on the same floor, Class 7 and Class 8, innocent bystanders, soon got frustrated and joined the fight. Snow on the third floor quickly ran out, and the battle spread up and down the stairs, turning into a full-scale snowball fight involving the entire sophomore year.

In the end, no one could clearly explain how it all started. Seeing the chaos in sophomore year, the other two grades also wanted to join in. Within a single long recess, before the teachers even realized what was happening, the whole school was engulfed in a snowball fight war, with battles raging between classes in the chilling wind filling the corridors. The entire school was in chaos.

Old Li, trying to get to the corridor as quickly as possible, shouted sternly at the chaotic students:

“What are you doing? Don’t you know it’s dangerous to mess around in the corridor—”

Thud.

In the midst of the chaos, Duan Jia, seizing the best moment, threw a solid snowball with a tight grip, hitting Old Li squarely on his bald head.

Old Li was silent for a long time.

Everyone was scared.

Song Cheng, who was closest, looked worried: “Mr. Li?”

Old Li shakily extended his hand: “Help me… I feel a bit dizzy.”

The homeroom teacher for Class 5 had suffered a concussion from the snowball!

This news spread quickly through Chen Zihao’s mouth, marking Old Li’s round, bald head as the grand finale of the epic battle.

The aftermath was that, from then on, Old Li’s head became the stuff of legend at the school. Every time it snowed, students would look at him with mysterious curiosity.

Only a few knew the true beginning of the great battle.

Lin Hang began to suspect he might be astrologically incompatible with Wen Xiangyi, as things always seemed to go awry whenever he got near her. He returned to Class 6 in frustration and decided to research astrology bloggers’ Weibo for a different approach.

The headmaster was furious and criticized each class. Because of Old Li’s injury, the criticism directed at Class 5 felt especially harsh and personal.

It was said that the homeroom teacher lay in the school infirmary for two hours. Class 5 students behaved like quail, quietly listening to the reprimand, with only the lingering joy of the fun in the air.

On the podium, the headmaster ranted passionately. Below the podium, Wen Xiangyi, who had not participated in the battle, was peacefully working on test papers, her thoughts drifting to Song Cheng, who had stayed by her side throughout the snowball fight.

Song Cheng wasn’t at all like the person who couldn’t play in the snow. During the battle, all the snowballs flying towards them were blocked by Song Cheng.

The snowballs being thrown back were dense and highly accurate, hitting their targets with a lot of force and clearing out a small area around them, marking a zone that was off-limits to the enemy.

Even the Class 6 monitor, who had been trying to get closer, found himself moving further away due to the relentless barrage.

The scene was so chaotic that it was hard to tell what was happening. The snowballs flying around looked almost identical, and Wen Xiangyi couldn’t be sure, but she thought she saw the Class 6 monitor being hit by Song Cheng several times.

In the back, Song Cheng had a relaxed expression, with a happy and carefree demeanor. She had even driven Lin Hang away.

Song Cheng proudly lifted her head.

Hmph, as if he could make Wen Xiangyi fall for him.

Wen Xiangyi was so nice to her. With Song Cheng around, no one would disturb Wen Xiangyi’s studies.

The snowball fight overshadowed the upcoming Christmas, but the real dampener on Christmas was the midterm exams.

Only after the midterm exams could they look forward to the New Year’s holiday and the pre-holiday party.

In the back row of Class 5, by the window, Qin Li and a female classmate built a tall snowman on the air conditioning unit. The snowman was slim and tall, made of stacked snowballs, with a wooden pencil for a nose, blue and pink erasers for eyes, and dry tree branches for a mouth.

The branch’s curvature was irregular, and Song Cheng thought the snowman’s smile looked exaggerated and unkind. But perhaps because of Qin Li, Wen Xiangyi said the snowman was quite cute.

In Xiangwu, where temperatures hovered around zero, the snowman always seemed to be peeking into the classroom.

After a lot of exams, the students were worn out but kept to their study routines.

Song Cheng had adapted well to the high school study rhythm and was increasingly in sync with her study plan, no longer as anxious as she had been during the midterms.

For the New Year’s party, they needed to report programs and prepare snacks. The preparation work was assigned to the arts committee member, He Nianyao, with the class funds coming from class leader Wen Xiangyi. Thus, Wen Xiangyi and He Nianyao became the main organizers of the event.

Every day after class, Song Cheng was surrounded by their discussions about the party.

He Nianyao was very attentive to the needs of the crowd, asking them what they wanted.

Duan Jia eagerly suggested adding weird-flavored beans and milk-flavored candy. Qin Li requested that there be more than just the cheapest oranges, as they had caused her to get a sore throat last year. Chen Zihao asked if his beloved basketball could appear in the program, earning a large eye-roll from passing girls.

A boy shyly asked Wen Xiangyi if she had a program. Before Wen Xiangyi could respond, Song Cheng directly said, “No.” The boy looked at Song Cheng and walked away without saying a word. For some reason, Song Cheng had a lot of authority in the class.

He Nianyao covered her mouth and laughed, then continued working on the budget with Wen Xiangyi. They had been preparing for the program and other details since early December, and now they were finalizing the arrangements and starting to buy and set up decorations.

Class 5 hadn’t collected class funds for a while, and Wen Xiangyi had only a bit over two hundred left.

Most of the boarding school students came from well-off families and had high expectations for the party. Naturally, the budget for the New Year’s party far exceeded their available funds.

He Nianyao hesitated and said, “Hmm… Should we cut back a bit? Maybe just get Qin Li the sugar oranges and not buy other fruits?”

Qin Li immediately protested: “Oranges aren’t the only fruit! Come on, with this little money, I can cover the rest myself.”

Wen Xiangyi glanced at the back where Song Cheng was still absorbed in a difficult physics problem, seemingly lost in a maze and oblivious to the commotion around her.

She looked coolly at Qin Li: “So, you’ll cover it all?”

Qin Li replied, “Sure, sure, I’ll be the sponsor and add jackfruit and cherries.”

He Nianyao exclaimed, “Wow, you really love fruit.”

It was just a joke; they definitely couldn’t let Qin Li cover everything.

Wen Xiangyi thought for a moment, told them to keep discussing, and tapped Song Cheng’s desk with her fingers.

Song Cheng looked up with a blank expression: “What’s up?”

Wen Xiangyi said, “He Nianyao and I need to buy supplies for the party. There’s too much to handle, so we need a few extra helpers. Do you want to join us?”

“Hmm?”

Song Cheng immediately said, “I’m strong. Take me along.”

How could Wen Xiangyi handle heavy things? She’d end up hurting her hands, which would be alarming. This kind of task was better suited for someone else.

Wen Xiangyi nodded and said, “You might also need to help with the setup. Is that okay?”

Song Cheng replied, “Of course.”

Wen Xiangyi, who found even turning over in bed tiring, couldn’t handle the hard work of climbing up and down.

Wen Xiangyi smiled slightly, as if she had solved a troubling issue, and said, “Great, I’ll add you to the list of staff.”

Song Cheng nodded eagerly.

Just as she was about to turn to someone else, Wen Xiangyi suddenly remembered and said, “By the way, since you’re volunteering, you don’t need to pay for the class fee for the New Year’s party.”

Song Cheng was taken aback.

Wen Xiangyi added, “He Nianyao and I are also exempt.”

She looked at He Nianyao, who realized what was happening and said with a smile, “Yes, those who contribute their efforts don’t have to pay. It’s fair.”

Qin Li cheerfully said, “If I help with the shopping too, does that mean I don’t have to pay?”

Wen Xiangyi responded, “Hmm? Aren’t you supposed to be the main sponsor and pay for forty-five portions?”

Qin Li protested, “That’s not fair…”

The laughter and conversation among the group filled the air. Song Cheng spun her pen in her hand, her gaze falling on Wen Xiangyi.

Wen Xiangyi still had a warm smile and looked back naturally, with a light, questioning gaze in her crescent-shaped eyes: “Struggling with the physics problems?”

?

Who is she looking down on?

“I’ll definitely solve it and show you in five minutes.”

Song Cheng’s determination was ignited.

Ten minutes later, during study hall.

In the unusually quiet classroom,

a small, soft voice came from behind: “Duan Jia, do you understand this problem?”

Duan Jia replied softly, “I don’t either. Maybe… ask Wen Wen?”

The classroom fell quiet again.

The back of Wen Xiangyi’s clothes was lightly tugged with a bit of impatience.

She silently smiled, not even realizing the subtle smile that had appeared on her lips.

The school quickly made arrangements for the midterms and New Year’s.

This month’s exam was different from the usual ones; it was a joint exam for eight schools in Xiangwu City, making it very important.

On the last two days before the holiday, after finishing the last exam, students would return to their classrooms to hold the New Year’s party. After the party, everyone would go home and start a three-day mini-vacation.

The day they went shopping happened to be Christmas Eve. Song Cheng suspected that He Nianyao wanted to “make use of the holiday” and chose tonight for their outing.

Anyway, while other students were buried in their homework during evening study, they were out shopping with complete justification.

After a spree of buying various items and visiting several stores, Song Cheng ended up with two large bags filled with balloons, streamers, and other miscellaneous decorations.

The timing was perfect. The festive atmosphere was strong, and they found many great decorations at good prices. The usually refined and elegant He Nianyao aggressively bargained, saving a lot of class funds.

When they passed by a home decor store, Qin Li wanted to go in and browse, and everyone followed.

He Nianyao, while looking around, discussed with Wen Xiangyi: “We have a raffle, so we could buy some small decorations as lucky prizes?”

Wen Xiangyi asked, “What if the boys win?”

He Nianyao hesitated, “The boys can wear them if they like.”

Qin Li added, “They’d actually do it.”

He Nianyao imagined that scenario and shuddered, “For the sake of my eyes, let’s skip that.”

Qin Li said, “I want to buy this antler headband. Wen Wen, since you and He Nianyao are hosting the party, you should also get animal headbands.”

He Nianyao looked a bit tempted, picking up a three-color cat ear headband to try on, clearly liking it. Wen Xiangyi was less enthusiastic, but since He Nianyao was obviously interested, she didn’t want to be a spoil-sport and was prepared to just buy something at random.

Her gaze swept over a pile of various ears when a hand moved faster than hers, picking up one of the headbands and holding it up to compare with her head.

In the mirror, Song Cheng stood behind her: “This one suits you.”

Wen Xiangyi first noticed a subtle smile in Song Cheng’s eyes before she saw the black cat ears on her head, which were almost the same color as her hair.

How strange—how could a person have ears? It felt so out of place.

She pointed and asked, “Suitable for me?”

Song Cheng nodded confidently.

What tone was Wen Xiangyi using? Could she be lying?

She had seen Wen Xiangyi with black cat ears before, and she was super cute.

Song Cheng wanted to convince Wen Xiangyi, so she put down the heavy bags she was holding and helped Wen Xiangyi put on the headband.

Wen Xiangyi didn’t even have time to finish her refusal:

“I…”

“Don’t move,” Song Cheng whispered, “I’m catching your hair.”

Wen Xiangyi pressed her lips together, concerned about Song Cheng’s actions, and had to remain still. Her gaze naturally fell on the mirror in front of her.

In the mirror, Song Cheng’s focused attention on this task was surprisingly gentle and meticulous—traits Wen Xiangyi wouldn’t have expected from her. Wen Xiangyi’s breathing was light, lost in the murmuring voices of Qin Li and He Nianyao.

The dim light in the roadside store was not very bright, and the Christmas songs playing loudly in the background were noisy.

At one moment, Wen Xiangyi suddenly realized how close she and Song Cheng were in the mirror.

Song Cheng gently adjusted her hair, her hand brushing against her ear, and Wen Xiangyi found that she no longer minded Song Cheng’s touch or warmth.

The texture of Song Cheng’s smooth fingers, like striking a match against a matchbox, was so light that it might not have even fully touched, leaving no mark, just warming the surrounding air. The warmth of the air was warming Wen Xiangyi’s cool earlobes.

“All done,” Song Cheng said, lowering her hand and addressing the reflection in the mirror.

Wen Xiangyi snapped back to reality.

The black cat ears blended so well with her black hair, and in the poor lighting, it looked quite realistic.

Qin Li glanced over and exclaimed, “Wen Wen, you look too cute!”

He Nianyao nodded in agreement, “Let’s buy this one!”

Song Cheng was very pleased with their reactions.

They had good taste.

Proud of her own aesthetic sense, she raised her chin and asked Wen Xiangyi, “How’s that?”

She was even better at picking than Wen Xiangyi herself.

Wen Xiangyi pursed her lips, took off the headband, and shoved it into Song Cheng’s hands, turning to leave with a parting comment, “It’s okay.”

“?”

Song Cheng held the headband, feeling deeply hurt by Wen Xiangyi.

Wen Xiangyi had changed! She didn’t even want to wear ears now!

He Nianyao hesitated with the three-color cat ears: “Should we still buy it?”

Song Cheng replied, “Buy it.”

Wen Xiangyi would definitely wear it for He Nianyao’s sake; she could still see it. Hmph.

Once outside the store, as the cold wind blew, Song Cheng realized that Wen Xiangyi still didn’t consider her as important as He Nianyao.

How was it the same?

Song Cheng fell into indescribable melancholy, feeling too down to speak. Wen Xiangyi, on the other hand, seemed indifferent, showing no remorse.

Song Cheng didn’t even want to think about her own usual sullen face; she had silently complained a hundred thousand words while keeping her mouth tightly shut. How could anyone notice?

A few days later, everyone was as gloomy as she was; the monthly exams had started, and hardly anyone could smile.

Subjects took turns, one after another, and students who had been tortured for two full days looked as pale as the snow on the playground. It wasn’t until the last English exam on the 30th that everyone gradually came back to life—

Grades wouldn’t be available until after the break, so let’s enjoy ourselves first!

Time for the New Year’s party back in class!

Song Cheng was taking exams in Class 8.

Class 8 was where all the underperforming students from the second year gathered.

Students with poor academic performance generally had a good attitude. Not only did they sleep well, but Song Cheng even saw a girl secretly drawing magical girl characters on the balloons in Class 8.

When the exams were over, everyone’s faces were full of joy and anticipation for the festivities, and their steps were brisk. One might think that this exam room was filled with the top 50 students of the grade.

Song Cheng walked at her usual pace, but suddenly she seemed slower compared to the others.

As she walked, someone overtook her and turned back, saying, “Song Cheng, hurry up! We need to move the tables and clear the space.”

Song Cheng looked and saw it was Qi Xiu, the girl who had been drawing magical girls.

She had a moment of strange expression.

Actually, Qi Xiu was the only friend she was somewhat familiar with in her class.

There wasn’t any special reason; mainly because Qi Xiu also had poor grades and sat in the back row, they often shared desks and would pass things back and forth, gradually starting to chat.

Then Wen Xiangyi, with her exceptional memory, once suddenly brought up high school topics and asked Song Cheng if she had ever had a crush on someone.

Song Cheng naturally said no; she truly hadn’t had those feelings. During high school, she was always outside doing physical training—how could she have had a crush?

Wen Xiangyi, stroking her neck and catching her gaze, softly asked, “Aren’t you always with Qi Xiu?”

Song Cheng was speechless at the time.

She only ever had meals with Qi Xiu. Wen Xiangyi even went to the bathroom with her girlfriends. (Given Song Cheng’s detailed observations, Wen Xiangyi sometimes also accompanied girls from other classes, so according to Wen Xiangyi’s logic, she herself would be hard to keep track of.)

Feeling so speechless, Song Cheng just said, “Ah, yes, yes, I did have a period with Qi Xiu.”

It wasn’t an exaggeration to say that day, she almost got bitten by Wen Xiangyi in her anger.

Later, it was cleared up, and Wen Xiangyi sometimes teased her about it. For example, during a high school reunion, she suddenly checked if Song Cheng had met her high school crush. Qi Xiu didn’t even come!

But back in high school, Song Cheng and Qi Xiu didn’t sit together. Even when they happened to meet, thinking of Wen Xiangyi’s smiling expression when she mentioned Qi Xiu, Song Cheng still felt uneasy and didn’t have much to do with Qi Xiu.

Now, when Qi Xiu called her, Song Cheng hesitated for a moment before catching up. There was no other way but to go along.

Qi Xiu looked her up and down and said, “Song Cheng, can you pass me the chalk later? I haven’t finished drawing the top part of my board report.”

Song Cheng’s first reaction was to refuse.

It didn’t seem right.

Although she had finished decorating for the New Year’s party for He Nianyao, if Wen Xiangyi saw… wait.

Now Wen Xiangyi didn’t even care about her; how could she care who she was with?

Song Cheng suppressed her grievances and anger towards Wen Xiangyi and responded with a serious expression, “Sure.”

Qi Xiu might not be good at studying, but she was excellent at drawing. She later became a well-known illustrator in the industry. Song Cheng admired capable people and, while handing chalk to Qi Xiu sitting on the chair, observed her serious expression, carefully watching the work of a young artistic talent.

Wow, fireworks. Wow, lion dance. Wow, the font color is a gold-red gradient. Wow, even each candy on the candied fruit skewers has its own little expression.

So impressive!

“So impressive!” Qin Li exclaimed, “Look at the drawings Qi Xiu did.”

He Nianyao looked back and said, “The lion’s eyes are really vivid.”

After the two of them complimented the drawing, they continued to focus on sorting out milk tea and snacks. When He Nianyao handed the snow spray can to Wen Xiangyi and received no response, she looked up curiously and found Wen Xiangyi still engrossed in the board report.

She smiled and waved the candy in front of Wen Xiangyi, saying, “Wen Wen, you’re so captivated by the lion dance drawing?”

Wen Xiangyi turned back, her calm face breaking into a light smile, “Yes, it’s very beautiful.”

The board report was finished.

Song Cheng and Qi Xiu pulled up two chairs and sat by the back door to admire the board report. It was all in red, giving off a strong festive atmosphere, and was very cheerful.

Song Cheng changed her sitting position. Not to mention, it had been a long time since she had been at the back door. Sitting here brought a bit of nostalgic sentiment.

Everyone was busy with different tasks as the New Year’s party was about to start.

Some were organizing snacks, some were carrying milk tea, some were counting fruits, some were getting people for selfies, some were secretly preparing performances, and others were chatting with anyone who passed by…

Qi Xiu suddenly said, “Do you think anyone would notice if I left now?”

Song Cheng replied, “Hmm?”

Qi Xiu said, “I’ve finished the board report that Old Li asked me to do.”

Song Cheng was a bit puzzled, “The party is about to start.”

Qi Xiu leaned back in her chair, resting her chin on the back, “I don’t like New Year’s parties. I don’t see the point in them. Sitting in a corner that no one cares about, clapping when everyone else does, laughing when everyone else laughs—feels like a kind of punishment for not being happy. This kind of excitement doesn’t really belong to me.”

Song Cheng was struck by these words, frowning deeply in thought. After a while, she sighed, “Yeah.”

Qi Xiu looked at her, “You too…”

Song Cheng, feeling more and more empathetic, said, “At the party, if you move up from the back, you’re still on the edge. When the drum passes by, it’s easy to mess up, and then you have to perform.”

And Wen Xiangyi was always surrounded by others in the center, never glancing at her. The focus of the world would never understand the cold and bitter feelings of those on the edges!

Song Cheng suddenly felt that she and Qi Xiu were in the same world, “How about we leave?”

Qi Xiu brightened up, “Okay, let’s go. I’ll treat you to snacks at the school gate.”

“Sure!”

Song Cheng picked up her backpack and opened the back door.

Wen Xiangyi’s voice came from behind, “Song Cheng, come over and help hang up the balloons.”

Song Cheng naturally put her backpack down and walked back, “Coming.”

Qi Xiu, who had been following and witnessing the whole process, was stunned: ???

Qi Xiu immediately looked at Song Cheng with a “How could you betray the organization?” expression.

Song Cheng frowned, “Wen Xiangyi has exempted my class fees, so I have to help.”

This reason was so compelling, and Song Cheng looked so unwilling that Qi Xiu’s reprimand turned into sympathy, “Do your best. I’ll slip away now.”

Song Cheng asked, “How about you wait for me two minutes?”

Qi Xiu thought for a moment, “I’ll help you. Let’s be quick.” She was worried she wouldn’t be able to leave if she didn’t hurry.

She and Song Cheng walked over to Wen Xiangyi.

Wen Xiangyi was always surrounded by others, the center of attention. Today was no exception. As soon as Qi Xiu arrived, she started feeling uncomfortable, like a polar bear in the tropics, feeling out of place.

Why are there so many people? This isn’t where she should be. She regretted coming to help Song Cheng.

Wen Xiangyi, talking to Song Cheng, suddenly turned to her and smiled, “The board report looks great.”

Qi Xiu didn’t expect her to speak to her, and she hurriedly put on a smile, “Ah, thank you. I followed the materials Old Li gave me.”

Qin Li, organizing materials, asked, “How long did it take you to learn to draw so well?”

Qi Xiu replied, “Two summer vacations.”

Duan Jia exclaimed, “Then you must have a lot of talent.”

Qi Xiu said, “…It’s okay.”

Finally, no one was chatting with her, and Qi Xiu relaxed a bit.

Soon she noticed that Song Cheng…

Song Cheng, with her long limbs and efficient manner, easily hung a few balloons with Wen Xiangyi’s guidance, and it didn’t require any help.

As she started to step back, just leaving the “social circle,” she turned around and found a cup of hot milk tea had been pressed into her hands.

“Little artist, you’ve worked hard. Have some milk tea.”

Qi Xiu, holding the milk tea, was momentarily stunned. In front of her, the instigator, He Nianyao, was observing her expression.

“Don’t like pearl milk tea? How about fruit tea?”

Qi Xiu hurriedly said to the busy He Nianyao, “It’s fine. I’m okay with anything.”

He Nianyao smiled as she replied, “What do you prefer?”

She asked with such attention, it seemed she genuinely wanted to know rather than just being polite.

Qi Xiu hesitated, “Do you have milk green tea?”

He Nianyao said, “I’m not sure. Let me check.”

Qi Xiu, feeling uncomfortable with her overly enthusiastic attitude, said, “Never mind, you don’t have to go out of your way.”

He Nianyao turned her back and began checking through the pile of milk tea on the table.

“Ah, I should have checked everyone’s preferences, but with the midterm exams, I really didn’t have the time. I feel a bit sorry for everyone. Thankfully, there aren’t any major issues. If there were… But everything that should be here is here…”

She paused, turned, and handed the milk green tea she had found to Qi Xiu, smiling, “Look, there’s milk green tea.”

Qi Xiu, receiving the tea awkwardly, thanked her but didn’t know what else to say.

A boy suddenly shouted, “The homeroom teacher is here,” and everyone turned to the door. Old Li shuffled in and announced:

“The New Year’s party can start now!”

Qi Xiu’s plan to slip away was completely thwarted by Old Li’s announcement.

The students arranged the chairs neatly in three sides, leaving space in the middle and at the podium. Qi Xiu, accustomed to retreating to the back door, found it occupied by boys, leaving no space for her. Standing in the middle, unsure what to do, she heard Song Cheng’s voice:

“Qi Xiu, come and sit here.”

Song Cheng was seated under the window, neither in the front nor the back, with Wen Xiangyi, Qin Li, and others beside her, and an empty seat left for Qi Xiu.

Qi Xiu reluctantly went over and sat down, whispering to Song Cheng:

“You’ve really changed, getting along so well with Wen Xiangyi and the others.”

Song Cheng only heard “Wen Xiangyi.”

She replied coldly, “Don’t talk nonsense. We’re just classmates.”

Qi Xiu was left speechless.

Chen Zihao and others handed out snacks, fruits, and milk tea. Song Cheng soon received a pile of nostalgic childhood snacks. She checked them one by one, unwrapping a milk stick and tasting it, leaning back in her chair and looking around with a sense of nostalgia.

In her memories of school days, the New Year’s party felt just like Qi Xiu’s depiction.

At home, when she needed class fees, she was scolded by Song Rongjian for her bad mood. Ni Yun threw money on the table and told her not to be so selfish, to bring the snacks back for Ni Guang. The party started, and she put the snacks into her backpack, sucking on a lollipop from start to finish.

The classmates around her were unfamiliar to her due to her absences. She barely understood the inside jokes and laughter, but she followed along, smiling and playing the role of a good audience, contributing to the vibrant atmosphere of the party.

Song Cheng never thought she would miss such high school parties after graduation, but it really happened.

She couldn’t quite explain why she felt nostalgic, perhaps because the adult world seemed more boring and her memories were softened by a nostalgic filter. Anyway, when Qin Li came to visit, Song Cheng mentioned the high school party.

She was reminiscing about the children’s parties she saw online, and casually commented about the past. Qin Li, eating cherries, said:

“I remember you were so aloof, not smiling much at the performances. You were even more serious than Old Li.”

Song Cheng was surprised. They weren’t close at the time, so how did she notice? Did she act strangely?

She asked Qin Li about it.

Qin Li replied, “Do you think it’s easy to plan a party and make everyone happy? We have to pay attention to the entire class, you know?”

She then recalled something amusing, “In our senior year, we didn’t play ‘pass the parcel,’ and it was all because of you.”

Song Cheng was shocked, “What?”

Qin Li was unable to contain her joy. Looking at Wen Xiangyi, who had just walked in looking puzzled, she shared a little secret lost to time with Song Cheng:

“After the sophomore party, we had a review meeting. Wen Wen said…”

Wen Xiangyi was sitting at her desk, with review notes spread out before her, her elegant handwriting covering half a page.

In her mind, she replayed scenes from the party, stopping at the moment when the music for “Pass the Parcel” had paused.

The girl holding the “flower” was tense, her lollipop awkwardly stuck to the corner of her mouth, her gaze instinctively shifting towards the host for help before quickly pulling away.

She stood up and said, “Teacher, I can’t.”

It was as if she were still in the serious, long classroom session, never having relaxed, struggling with the sudden, tricky question.

Her name was Song Cheng, and she was an athlete in the class.

Wen Xiangyi furrowed her brow and wrote “Pass the Parcel canceled” on her notes.

“Next year, let’s skip ‘Pass the Parcel.’ It makes some students nervous.”

The strong drumbeat of the music for “Pass the Parcel” started again.

As the toy chick, representing the flower, got closer, Qi Xiu appeared indifferent on the surface but was actually so nervous her stomach was churning.

Please don’t let it explode in her hands. She was so anxious she felt like she was going to die.

When the chick was thrown from a boy’s hand, Qi Xiu immediately handed it to Song Cheng. Just as Song Cheng was about to catch it, the music stopped.

Amidst the crowd’s clamor, Qi Xiu closed her eyes calmly, feeling like a dead body.

She accepted her misfortune and, when she stood up, she found her hands empty. Qi Xiu turned to see Song Cheng standing with the chick she had handed over.

Qi Xiu stared at her with vacant eyes.

Song Cheng didn’t look at her, but faced forward and said with composure, “A performance, right? I’ll do it.”

She now felt that “Pass the Parcel” and performances weren’t so scary. It was just a small game in a party meant to make tired and anxious students smile.

Song Cheng’s gaze fell lightly on Wen Xiangyi, the host.

Because in her memory, there had been a “Pass the Parcel” with quiet care, and this time it felt light and gentle.

Wen Xiangyi stood in the center of the space, her light brown eyes meeting Song Cheng’s gaze: “Song Cheng, what are you going to perform?”

Song Cheng scanned the crowd, “In a few days, it will be New Year’s.”

The students replied, “Yeah.”

Song Cheng continued, “And soon after that, we’ll have winter vacation.”

The students hesitated, “Right.”

Song Cheng raised her voice, “So, I’d like to wish everyone a Happy New Year in advance.”

The students: ???

In the front left, Old Li, who was drinking milk tea, nearly choked on a pearl.

Song Cheng’s face made it hard to imagine she was joking. Her serious expression combined with the silly behavior created a strong contrast, making the situation even funnier. Class Five’s first burst of laughter erupted, drawing curious glances from passersby through the window.

Wen Xiangyi managed to steady herself, but a hint of amusement still lingered in her eyes, reflected in her gentle tone:

“Song Cheng, is this your performance?”

Protests rang out from all sides, and Song Cheng couldn’t keep her head down. She spread her hands and said confidently:

“I don’t know anything else.”

Chen Zihao shouted, “Sister Cheng, do a one-handed push-up for them to see.”

Everyone cheered.

Song Cheng hesitated for a moment; it was simple and suited her well.

However, seeing Wen Xiangyi’s slightly shifting expression, she suddenly became clear-headed: “No, I can’t.”

Wen Xiangyi was still watching, so it was not an option.

He Nianyao, being attentive, suggested from her excellent English skills, “How about singing an English song?”

Song Cheng thought for a moment, “That works.”

Wen Xiangyi came over and handed her microphone.

Song Cheng glanced at the cat ears on Wen Xiangyi’s head; she had already looked several times. After all, everyone was watching the main stage.

Wen Xiangyi, who was holding the mic, looked at her openly and with a sense of ease.

The sharp black cat ears swayed under Song Cheng’s gaze. Her fingers fidgeted with the microphone, tempted to squeeze it, but she couldn’t.

Song Cheng lowered her head and tested the microphone: “I’ll sing a short a cappella piece. My singing is average, so just bear with it.”

She wasn’t fond of singing and hadn’t practiced specifically. She only knew a few songs she liked. Choosing a classic old song, Song Cheng began to sing softly. After finishing, she looked up and was startled by the many admiring looks directed at her.

Was it really that exaggerated?

She immediately glanced over at Wen Xiangyi.

Before Song Cheng looked over, Wen Xiangyi had regained her composure. She smiled at Song Cheng with a similar demeanor to usual and praised her:

“It sounded really good.”

Song Cheng felt a surge of pride but soon felt dissatisfied.

Just three words? That’s really perfunctory.

She sat down, somewhat displeased.

The party continued, and Qi Xiu quietly thanked Song Cheng: “Thank you for helping me.”

She hadn’t expected Song Cheng to be so cold on the outside but warm on the inside. At that moment, Qi Xiu was almost moved to tears. From today on, Song Cheng was her best friend in Class Five.

Before Song Cheng could respond, Wen Xiangyi glanced at them lightly, first looking at Qi Xiu, then at Song Cheng, and then briefly around before returning her gaze to the front.

What was she looking at?

There was nothing between her and Qi Xiu.

Song Cheng couldn’t be bothered to explain to Wen Xiangyi! Anyway, Wen Xiangyi didn’t care!

Song Cheng took a deep sip of milk tea and turned to Qi Xiu:

“Let me explain my motivation. Since you didn’t dare to participate in ‘Pass the Parcel,’ I, as a classmate, helped you. This is normal. I would help anyone in this situation.”

It was unusual for Song Cheng to speak at such length. Qi Xiu hurriedly nodded: “Yeah, yeah, I understand.”

But she didn’t quite get it.

Why did Song Cheng need to explain this?

It seemed like she emphasized “classmate” with extra stress?

Qi Xiu pondered this over her milk tea but couldn’t make sense of it.

Oh well, Song Cheng must have her reasons.

Unconsciously, the milk tea was finished, and the New Year’s party of the year was over.

Qi Xiu shook her straw, and He Nianyao, who had been arranging a time for a review with Wen Xiangyi, saw her and said seriously:

“Hello, Qi Xiu. Please give us your feedback on the party we organized.”

Qi Xiu thought for a moment: “This year’s party was quite short.”

It was shorter than previous years, and it ended in the blink of an eye.

Qin Li pouted: “We had a lot of programs. Class Six finished much earlier than us.”

He Nianyao initially thought Qi Xiu was referring to the duration, but being meticulous as usual, she quickly realized and gave Qi Xiu a thumbs-up with a graceful smile: “You’re so good at giving compliments.”

Qi Xiu chewed on her straw, initially wanting to say something but swallowed it instead. Seeing that He Nianyao understood, she turned to look out the window.

Song Cheng, who had heard the whole conversation, pondered deeply and suddenly realized that Qi Xiu, apart from being a talented artist, also had a restrained literary quality. She would surely get along well with Duan Jia.

The final cleanup was handled by the boys in the class. They walked over the floor covered with streamers and exited the classroom one by one.

Qin Li, the most impatient, was the first to leave the classroom door to catch her flight for vacation. Duan Jia’s small backpack was sandwiched between Qin Li and He Nianyao, and was carried out. He Nianyao noticed a ribbon sequin on Duan Jia’s head, picked it up, and held it up to the evening sun outside. It sparkled, casting light spots on Qi Xiu’s eyelids behind her. Qi Xiu squinted, looking lazy. She turned back to ask Song Cheng if she wanted to get some snacks, as she was treating. Song Cheng shook her head, having had enough snacks, and subtly let Wen Xiangyi walk in front of her so she could see easily, feeling more comfortable. Unfortunately, Wen Xiangyi had removed her cat ears.

Wen Xiangyi tilted her head back, the sunlight sparkling in her eyes, and irregular light spots dancing on the tip of her nose:

“Are you still looking for the cat ears?”

Song Cheng’s heart skipped a beat.