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Xu En’tang and Yu Xiyue went home around 10 pm.
Exiting the private room, Yu Xiyue checked her phone messages.
“My brother’s soccer game ended.”
Xu En’tang: “Did they win?”
Yu Xiyue: “Of course, they won.”
Yu Xiyue received another message.
“They’re going for a late-night snack, asking if we want to join.”
Xu En’tang: “I won’t go, I’m not very hungry.”
Even if I went, I wouldn’t be able to eat much.
Yu Xiyue: “Then I won’t go either. It’s too late to eat, I’m afraid of getting fat. Besides, I’m full from drinking tea.”
Yu Chen and his group had just sat down at the restaurant when they received Yu Xiyue’s message.
After the game, they showered at the gymnasium and changed out of their jerseys. Their hair was still damp, and they were wearing T-shirts and sweatpants, looking relaxed and casual.
As they walked into the restaurant, several women at different tables looked at them.
Yu Chen: “Xiyue and the others aren’t coming.”
His phone vibrated again.
Yu Xiyue: [Brother, you must learn to identify green teas, don’t disappoint me.]
Yu Chen: [?]
The weekend flew by, and a new week began.
Besides required courses, students in the International Class at No.1 High School chose their AP courses, such as Human Geography and Calculus.
They usually had different classes and didn’t have fixed classrooms.
There were special lockers for storing their belongings.
After playing basketball at noon, Yu Chen saw a row of lockers, one of which had many red ribbons tied to its handle.
He exclaimed, “Whoa,” and said to Tan Jili, who was lazily walking behind him, “Tan Er, what’s wrong with your locker?”
Tan Jili didn’t look up, maintaining his cool and aloof demeanor, “What’s wrong?”
Yu Chen: “Look for yourself. It can’t be that you like red and tied them yourself, right?”
“…”
Yu Chen approached and found characters written on the red ribbons.
He untied one and read the words: “This devotee vows to be vegetarian for a week, in exchange for passing the math exam??”
What the heck.
He untied a few more.
[Ritual! Exam scores will increase! Increase by 20 points!]
[Great god bless, I’ll know all the answers, and all my guesses will be correct.]
[I want to get first place this time!]
[Share some of your brains with me!!! Please.]
…
They were all wishes for the exam.
So, these weren’t ordinary red ribbons, but wish-granting red strings.
A few confessions were mixed in.
[My fateful Aphrodite, be happy every day.]
[Passing the math exam and dating Tan Jili, you have to fulfill at least one of my wishes!]
[My WeChat: feaxxxxx.]
[Shine together at No.1 High, shine at A University!]
…
Yu Chen watched with relish, clicking his tongue, “The regular high school department must have their exam soon. What’s this new trick? Treating you like a turtle in a wishing well?”
“…”
Tan Jili twitched the corner of his mouth.
He pulled out a coin from his pocket, “Reach out.”
Yu Chen was still looking at the wishes, and asked curiously, “What are you doing?”
Tan Jili: “Reach out.”
Yu Chen found it strange but still reached out his hand.
Tan Jili: “Palm up.”
Yu Chen hesitated for two seconds before turning his palm up.
Tan Jili casually tossed the coin into his hand, “Take it.”
Yu Chen held the coin: ?
Tan Jili: “Only this way can…
playing sports, or discussing projects.
As they approached the International Class building, Xu En’tang could see the differences clearly. The atmosphere felt more vibrant and dynamic, contrasting sharply with the usual school routine.
“Is this what it’s like here?” Xu En’tang asked, glancing at the students lounging around, their laughter mingling with the sound of basketballs bouncing.
Lin Jiayu nodded, “Yeah, it feels more relaxed and lively The pressure isn’t as intense as in our class.”
They walked through the corridor, and Lin Jiayu spotted the locker that belonged to Tan Jili. It was adorned with several red ribbons, fluttering slightly in the breeze from an open window.
“Here we are,” Lin Jiayu said, pointing at the locker. “Let’s tie the wish string.”
Xu En’tang hesitated. She felt a bit awkward about the whole thing but wanted to support her friend. “Alright, let’s do it quickly.”
As they approached the locker, they noticed a few students gathered nearby, some eagerly watching the scene unfold.
“Look, it’s Lin Jiayu and Xu En’tang,” one of them remarked. “Are they really going to tie a wish string to Tan Jili’s locker?”
“Seems like it,” another girl replied, smirking. “Good luck with that.”
Lin Jiayu ignored the comments and focused on tying the red ribbon securely. Xu En’tang stood beside her, feeling a mix of excitement and embarrassment.
“Done!” Lin Jiayu declared, stepping back to admire her handiwork. The red ribbon stood out vividly against the dull metal of the locker.
“Now, let’s pray for good luck in the exam,” Lin Jiayu said, closing her eyes for a moment.
Xu En’tang followed suit, albeit with a bit of reluctance. She found it amusing yet somewhat ridiculous, but she didn’t want to ruin the moment for Lin Jiayu.
After they finished, they turned to leave, but just then, Tan Jili walked by, his eyes landing on the decorated locker.
“What’s this?” he asked, raising an eyebrow as he examined the ribbons.
Lin Jiayu’s face flushed red. “Um, just a little something for luck.”
Tan Jili chuckled, “You girls are really something. Trying to summon good fortune with wishes?”
Xu En’tang felt a surge of embarrassment, but Lin Jiayu stood her ground. “It can’t hurt to try!”
Tan Jili smiled, “Well, I hope it works out for you.”
As he walked away, Xu En’tang let out a sigh of relief. “That was close.”
“Relax, it’s just Tan Jili,” Lin Jiayu reassured her. “Besides, he’s not as scary as he looks.”
They returned to their own class, the laughter and chatter of the International Class fading behind them. As they sat down, Xu En’tang couldn’t shake the feeling of anticipation and anxiety about the upcoming exam.
The days leading up to the test would be filled with last-minute preparations, and she could only hope that their little ritual would bring some much-needed luck.
“Not what you think,” Xu En’tang quickly stammered, feeling her cheeks heat up under Tan Jili’s scrutinizing gaze.
Tan Jili raised an eyebrow, a smirk playing on his lips. “Oh? Then what exactly are you doing here with that wish string?”
Before Xu En’tang could respond, Lin Jiayu, who had just finished tying her shoelaces, stood up and tried to act casual. “We were just, um, passing by and thought we’d take a look at the lockers!”
“Passing by, huh?” Tan Jili said, crossing his arms. “Seems a bit suspicious to me.”
Xu En’tang felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. “We just wanted to check out the wish strings. It’s… a trend, you know?”
Tan Jili chuckled, his expression softening slightly. “A trend, you say? I didn’t think you two were into this kind of stuff.”
Lin Jiayu, trying to salvage the situation, added, “It’s all in good fun! Just a little luck for the upcoming exams.”
Tan Jili nodded, amusement dancing in his eyes. “Well, good luck with that. Just don’t get too carried away.”
Feeling a little more at ease, Xu En’tang managed a smile. “Thanks. We won’t.”
As Tan Jili turned to leave, Lin Jiayu nudged Xu En’tang. “See? That wasn’t so bad. He’s not as intimidating as he seems.”
“Yeah, maybe,” Xu En’tang replied, still feeling her heart race. “But I’d prefer to avoid running into him again like that.”
They quickly tied the wish string to Tan Jili’s locker before leaving the area. As they walked back toward their classroom, Lin Jiayu said, “I can’t believe we actually did it!”
“Yeah, but let’s not make a habit of sneaking around,” Xu En’tang replied, a hint of laughter in her voice.
They returned to their regular routine, but Xu En’tang couldn’t help thinking about how the day had unfolded. The mixture of excitement and anxiety regarding the upcoming exam felt palpable, but she was grateful to have friends like Lin Jiayu to share these moments with.
As the week progressed, the atmosphere in school became more charged with the impending exam. Students were studying hard, and the corridors buzzed with discussions about strategies and last-minute tips.
On the day of the exam, Xu En’tang felt a knot in her stomach. Despite her efforts, she still wasn’t confident about her performance. As she entered the examination hall, the familiar scent of paper and ink filled the air, a reminder of the importance of this moment.
Taking her seat, she noticed Tan Jili sitting a few rows ahead of her. Their eyes met briefly, and he gave her a reassuring nod. She took a deep breath, reminding herself of the wish string and the good luck it was supposed to bring.
With her heart racing, Xu En’tang focused on the test before her, determined to give it her best shot.