The bell rang, signaling the end of class. The classroom remained silent, however, as the morning’s lethargy suppressed the usual rowdiness of the long break. Many sleep-deprived students simply slumped back onto their desks.
“Gu Yu.” The girl in the seat in front of him tapped his shoulder just as he was about to lay his head down. She placed a form on his desk and looked at him. “This is the sign-up sheet for our class’s basketball tournament. We don’t have enough volunteers. Are you in?”
Gu Yu looked up and met a pair of clear, pure eyes. The girl was beautiful, with fair, rosy cheeks and thick eyelashes. The corners of her eyes tilted up slightly into a faint curve. Her shoulder-length black hair was tied into a neat ponytail, radiating an air of youthful vitality.
This was He Yu, the Class Monitor of Class Four, Grade Twelve. She was a lively and cheerful girl with a silver tongue, high emotional intelligence, and a strong sense of responsibility. Not only was she pretty, but her grades were also among the top in the class, making her the ultimate model student favored by every teacher.
Naturally, she was very popular — her reputation even rivaled that of Luo Ming.
She was a vivid example of someone living in the light. A good family background had molded her optimistic personality. Unlike Gu Yu’s casual indifference, she was truly untouched by darkness, vibrant and untainted.
Gu Yu glanced at the list. The last slot was empty, missing a name. “I don’t mind. If you’re short on people, I can play. I’ll just be there to make up the numbers, though. My skills aren’t great.”
“That’s fine. It’s just a friendly match anyway. No one will blame you if you don’t play well.”
“All right then, I’ll do it.” Gu Yu agreed, picked up a pen to sign his name, and pushed the form back to her.
“Also, did you do the English homework from the weekend? if you haven’t, beg me, and I’ll let you copy mine,” He Yu said with a sly smile, waving her workbook. She was the group leader for this row and was responsible for helping the subject representative collect the assignments.
Gu Yu pulled a notebook from his bag and handed it over, declining with a hint of pride. “No need. I actually did it this time.”
“How unexpected.” He Yu took the notebook and flipped through it. The blank spaces were indeed filled with handwriting. “Didn’t you use to say you didn’t want English to torture you on the weekends? Did you… finally see the light?”
“Someone helped me tutor this time, so I just got it done along the way.”
“Tutoring? A teacher helped you?”
Gu Yu slumped back onto his desk with a lazy expression, looking at her from the side. “No, it was… a girl.”
He still didn’t mention Luo Ming’s name. Their relationship had just been clarified, and adding fuel to the fire might cause her trouble.
“Oh, a girl. You certainly know how to find help.” The girl, who had been eager just a moment ago, suddenly lost interest. She tucked the notebook away, pursed her lips, and turned around without asking anything further.
All Gu Yu could see now was her fair neck and her black ponytail. Her silhouette was slender and straight.
He prepared to close his eyes for a nap, but as he buried his head in his arms, he caught a glimpse of something outside.
Luo Ming and another girl happened to be walking past the window. Her gaze swept coldly into the classroom. There was none of the usual tenderness that rippled like spring water; instead, it was replaced by a sharp, biting severity he had never seen before. It sent a chill through his heart.
She withdrew her gaze, her demeanor shifting from cold to warm in an instant. A charming smile returned to her face as she continued chatting with the girl beside her.
Gu Yu was baffled. He brushed it off as an illusion, found a comfortable sleeping position, and cleared his mind.
His seat was against the wall, directly facing the mottled glass window.
A layer of white mist had condensed on the glass. In the blurred world outside, the old trees were withered. Only a few yellowed leaves remained on the dry branches, trembling in the cold wind, ready to be swept away at any moment.
The grass was covered in a thin frost, and all signs of life seemed submerged. It was strangely cold, as if a bitter winter was approaching.
The peace lasted until just before class began. His seatmate, Chen Yang, returned from playing outside, drenched in sweat and radiating heat.
Wiping his sweat with tissues and piling the damp clumps on the desk, Chen Yang stopped his heavy panting to tease him. “Why didn’t you go out to play ball? You’re huddled up here like an old man. Are you hibernating?”
“I’m not interested. I don’t like sports.”
Class was about to start, so Gu Yu stretched and sat up, waiting for his vision to clear. “The only times I’ve played before were because you guys dragged me into it.”
“But you signed up for the basketball tournament in a few days, didn’t you? Why not practice more and show off your skills?”
“How much can I even improve with practice? I’m not that tall, and my skills are mediocre. I have nothing to show off.”
“No, no, no. Before, it was just a few of us guys messing around. This time it’s a school-organized tournament. There’s going to be a huge crowd.”
Chen Yang leaned in closer and lowered his voice, acting secretive. “Think about it. With a face like yours, as long as your skills are decent, if you happen to score a basket on the court and catch some attention, won’t you be the center of the world? You’ll capture the hearts of so many girls. Maybe even Luo—”
*Clatter.* The sound of a mechanical pencil hitting the floor cut Chen Yang off. Both of them instinctively looked over. He Yu was leaning over to pick up the pen, her lovely profile flickering past them.
Her smooth black hair spilled over her ears, veiling her face. He Yu sat up straight, tucked her hair back, and gave the two of them a blank look. Without saying a word, she turned back and continued working on her problems.
The little interruption didn’t deter Chen Yang. He continued his persuasion. “How about it? We’ll create some opportunities for you. You might even be able to win over Luo Ming.”
“Didn’t I already say there’s nothing between Luo Ming and me?” Gu Yu spun his pen, his tone composed. He didn’t show the excitement typical of other boys hearing such things; instead, he was easygoing and indifferent.
“That’s just for now. Once you show off your style, maybe the great school beauty will take notice. A fine young man like the Great Master Gu shouldn’t waste his potential.”
It sounded like quite the temptation. Putting aside that face, which was widely considered the most handsome in the school, gaining the admiration of a girl in Luo Ming’s position would satisfy anyone’s vanity. It was enough to stir the hearts of most high-spirited young men.
But Gu Yu was an exception. He lived a humble life, focusing all his energy on his part-time jobs and his studies. He did it so he could survive now and live better in the future; he had no energy to spare for such things.
“Forget it. I don’t have those kinds of thoughts, and Luo Ming herself said she’s over it.”
“Fine, fine. You’re so noble, so impressive.”
Chen Yang gave up, dejected. He tossed the crumpled tissues into the trash and opened his book for class.
The third period was Math, taught by the Class Advisor. She was a middle-aged woman in her fifties with a dry voice and wrinkles at the corners of her eyes, carrying a common air of weariness.
She was rigid and strict in her teaching, unable to stand seeing young people waste their youth. When she didn’t have a class, she often patrolled the hallways, peeking through windows to check on the students. She had caught many people over the years, earning her the nickname ‘Old She-Devil’ behind her back.
Gu Yu had also been caught a few times and called to the office to explain himself. Perhaps his circumstances had sparked some sympathy, as the Class Advisor had uncharacteristically softened her tone, allowing him to rest during morning self-study while warning him that he needed to study even harder because of his situation.
Study hard — Gu Yu knew that. Forced to face the heavy burdens of basic survival early on, that obsession pushed him toward the light. It wasn’t for some grand ideal of rising above others; it was simply to live a better life.
However, Gu Yu had to admit that his grades were severely lopsided. His math and science scores were among the best, but his English was poor to mediocre, only slightly better than those at the bottom.
Recalling Luo Ming’s tutoring over the weekend, he realized she was actually a very good teacher. Her explanations were clear and easy to understand. The grammar that had tortured him for days was finally beginning to make sense.
‘Maybe… I should ask her for help again in the future?’