High school life didn’t turn out any easier than middle school. There were too many subjects and a seemingly endless mountain of homework. While Third High couldn’t quite match the prestige of the First Experimental High School, it was still a highly reputable school with a solid college acceptance rate. The only real difference was that Third High’s overall social atmosphere felt a bit more open and relaxed compared to Experimental First.
The second period of the afternoon was Chinese class, taught by their homeroom teacher, Tang Lin. Whenever she held class, she would lecture on the actual curriculum until the bell rang, then immediately pivot into a mini class meeting the second break started.
“The school’s centennial celebration is coming up, and we need to prepare some performances,” Tang Lin announced to the room. “Every class is required to submit one or two acts. Auditions are in two weeks, so our cultural activities rep needs to submit our class’s roster to me by tomorrow.”
Stepping up to the plate, teacher Tang Lin emphasized, “I want everyone to participate enthusiastically and cooperate with our rep. I know for a fact that many of you in this room are incredibly multi-talented.”
Class Eight’s cultural activities rep was Yang Xiu, a reliable guy who took his duties seriously. Since the students in their class were generally quite confident, the moment the bell rang for break, a crowd swarmed Yang Xiu’s desk. They packed the area so tightly that the students sitting directly in front of and behind him were completely boxed in.
Jiang Chen, who was just trying to sleep, found the racket entirely impossible to ignore. Realizing he wouldn’t get any rest, he got up to head to the restroom.
His current deskmate was a low-profile Beta wearing black-rimmed glasses. The guy rarely spoke and spent every break either reading or doing homework…the textbook definition of a model student.
Because of the crowd packed around them, Jiang Chen found himself completely trapped. Left with no choice, he shoved his desk aside to make a gap. The legs of the desk screeched sharply against the floor, causing everyone surrounding Yang Xiu to instantly snap their heads around.
Yang Xiu, well aware that Jiang Chen had transferred from the notorious Nineteenth High, jumped a little. Seeing Jiang Chen looking like he had just rolled out of bed, suddenly standing up and staring blankly in his direction, was honestly a bit intimidating. The guy just carried an incredibly intense aura.
“Let me through,” Jiang Chen said, his voice laced with laziness.
Only then did his deskmate quickly stand up to make room. The rest of the crowd scrambled forward to clear a path for him, making the whole scene look remarkably like a mob boss making an exit.
Jiang Chen blinked slowly, looking far less intimidating as he mumbled, “Thanks.”
His voice was almost entirely flat, leaving the surrounding students wondering if they had somehow managed to offend him. Once Jiang Chen lounged out of the room, the crowd traded bewildered glances for a few seconds before lowering their voices significantly to resume their chatter.
When Jiang Chen returned from the restroom, he noticed there were still a few minutes before the next period, and Yang Xiu’s group was still buzzing around his desk. Deciding it wasn’t worth the hassle, he walked over and sat down next to Gu Xin instead. Gu Xin’s actual deskmate, Jiang Yibai, was currently out in the hallway flirting with a girl, leaving the seat wide open.
True to form, Jiang Chen slouched into the chair as if he didn’t possess a single bone in his body. He propped his chin on his arms and turned his head to look at Gu Xin. “Class is so boring.”
Knowing full well that Jiang Chen despised the sterile environment of a classroom simply because it lacked a comfortable bed, Gu Xin asked, “Hungry? I brought two packs of biscuits this morning.”
At the mention of food, Jiang Chen’s stomach gave a timely flutter. “Yeah.”
Almost before the word left his mouth, Gu Xin was already tearing open a package. It was Jiang Chen’s absolute favorite…cheese cream sandwich biscuits.
Taking a bite, a wave of nostalgia hit him. He hadn’t tasted these biscuits since Gu Xin left for Experimental First High. He had tried looking for them in various convenience stores from time to time, but he could never find the right brand. He had no idea where Gu Xin even bought them.
But because he was fundamentally lazy, he never bothered to ask.
Savoring the familiar flavor again, Jiang Chen felt a small wave of pure happiness wash over him. He was still happily munching away when the warning bell rang for the next class.
When Jiang Yibai finally strolled back into the classroom, he caught sight of Gu Xin and Jiang Chen sharing the snacks. But just as he reached his hand toward the wrapper, Jiang Chen snatched the absolute last piece. He was fiercely protective of his food; since Gu Xin bought these specifically for him, no one else was allowed a single bite.
Jiang Yibai stared in utter disbelief. “Old Gu, got any more? Since when do you start bringing snacks to school?”
“I get hungry in the afternoons,” Gu Xin replied evenly. “That was the only pack. All gone.”
As the final bell chimed, Jiang Yibai glanced at Jiang Chen and reminded him, “Jiang Chen, class is starting.”
Jiang Chen looked up at Gu Xin, then pointed vaguely back toward his own desk, turning to Jiang Yibai. “How about we switch seats for this period? I really don’t feel like moving. You can take my spot.”
Deep down, he just felt infinitely more comfortable sitting next to Gu Xin.
Jiang Yibai didn’t mind the trade at all. Jiang Chen was flanked by pretty Omegas in front and behind, so he was more than happy to go enjoy the view.
As the chemistry teacher walked through the door, Gu Xin called out clearly, “All rise.”
Hearing Gu Xin lead the class command so sharply brought back a rush of memories for Jiang Chen; the last time he had heard Gu Xin do that was back in fifth grade.
Gu Xin had always been a stellar student. It was obvious even in elementary school; by the fifth grade, he was already tearing through middle school textbooks. While everyone else was running around playing, Gu Xin was attending advanced math olympiad classes. There were times Jiang Chen felt like he was nothing but a weight dragging his friend down. Especially with his own older sister serving as the ultimate cautionary tale at home, parents were always warning their kids to stick close to the good students and stay away from the troublemakers…and “troublemaker” was usually just code for anyone with poor grades.
Jiang Chen’s grades were never spectacular. Fortunately, Gu Xin’s parents had never judged him for it or tried to stop Gu Xin from hanging out with him. In fact, with Gu Xin’s constant tutoring, Jiang Chen always managed to pull off decent marks by the time finals rolled around.
Eventually, Gu Xin had moved on to a much better school. At the time, Jiang Chen had quietly resigned himself to the thought that someone like him simply wasn’t cut out to have a genius for a best friend.
He never could have guessed that Gu Xin would actually bomb an exam one day, end up transferring to Third High, and wind up right back by his side. It felt pretty awesome.
As the chemistry lecture droned on, Jiang Chen spent the majority of the time daydreaming. Gu Xin caught it out of the corner of his eye, slid his notebook over, and penned a quick line.
Gu Xin: Stop spacing out. Pay attention.
This was their absolute favorite pastime back in the day…having silent conversations in the margins of their notebooks.
Jiang Chen: It’s so boring. Xin-bao, how did you even meet Jiang Yibai at Experimental First anyway?
Gu Xin: Playing basketball. I joined the school team.
Prompted by sheer boredom, Jiang Chen suddenly remembered the photo he had spotted in the chat group the previous night.
Jiang Chen: I saw a photo of you and the school beauty last night. Have you two known each other for a long time?
Gu Xin’s pen paused for a fraction of a second before he wrote back.
Gu Xin: I don’t remember ever meeting her.
Jiang Chen: It was at the math olympiad training center.
Stealthily pulling out his phone under the desk, Jiang Chen brought up the photo to show him. Gu Xin cast a brief glance at the screen before jotting down his response.
Gu Xin: She probably just asked me for help with a problem. The timestamp says Christmas the year before last. Do you remember who you spent that Christmas with?
Jiang Chen bit his lower lip and wrote: You.
Gu Xin: And I wonder who walked away with my Nintendo Switch that night?
Jiang Chen: Me.
Gu Xin: Glad you remember. Now pay attention.
Jiang Chen: Oh.
Amused, Jiang Chen drew a little stick figure blowing hearts on the page. Gu Xin lingered on the drawing for a moment before softly closing the notebook and slipping it back into his backpack.
With his drowsiness completely gone, Jiang Chen spent the rest of the period scribbling in Gu Xin’s exercise book. This time, he drew two little stick figures sitting on a long bench, huddled over a gaming console. A biting winter wind was blowing behind them, but one of the figures was wearing a pair of adorable, bright red Christmas stockings. They looked entirely lost in their game, completely oblivious to the cold.
That Christmas in their second year of middle school had indeed been spent together.
It had fallen on a Saturday, which meant Gu Xin had to be in advanced math seminars. Jiang Chen had spent hours waiting in a bubble tea shop at the base of the training center. By the time Gu Xin finally walked out, it was already six in the evening. Gu Xin had surprised him with the exact new game cartridge he had been dying to get, while Jiang Chen had gifted Gu Xin a pair of soccer socks…a hilariously festive, bright crimson pair.
For two consecutive periods, Jiang Chen remained firmly planted in Jiang Yibai’s seat. Meanwhile, Jiang Yibai was living his absolute best life over in Jiang Chen’s corner. He had successfully collected the WeChat contacts of every single student sitting near him, including Jiang Chen’s usually silent, black-rimmed-glasses deskmate. The guy was a textbook social butterfly.
When the final bell finally rang to signal the end of the day, Jiang Yibai reluctantly wandered back to reclaim his desk while Jiang Chen went to pack up his things.
Given that Jiang Chen and Gu Xin had played basketball together and even casually swapped seats for a class, the rumors about them being bitter “romantic rivals” completely evaporated. The consensus among the classmates was simple: that’s just how guys were. You fight, you bond. Look at them now…the lazy new transfer student and the class monitor were practically joined at the hip, hitting it off faster than anyone expected.
The moment Jiang Chen sat back down, Yang Xiu seized the opportunity to rush over to Gu Xin’s desk, still harboring a slight intimidation factor toward the sleepy-eyed guy who usually sat behind him.
“Class Monitor! I heard from some people that back in middle school, you did a violin and piano duet with an Omega classmate for the Mid-Autumn Festival gala, and it was a massive hit. How about I sign you up for a performance?”
Gu Xin didn’t refuse; he really did know how to play the violin. “You’re incredibly well-informed.”
Yang Xiu rubbed the back of his neck, looking a bit sheepish. “Well, I have some old classmates over at Experimental First.”
“Signing up is fine,” Gu Xin agreed. “But I have basketball practice in the evenings, so my rehearsal time will be pretty limited. It would be best if you could find me a solid pianist to partner with. Thanks.”
Thrilled to have successfully fulfilled his rep duties, Yang Xiu beamed. “I’ll definitely find you someone completely reliable!”
Out of nowhere, the lazy Jiang Chen suddenly seemed to teleport, appearing right behind Yang Xiu without making a sound. Completely oblivious, Yang Xiu was still excitedly chatting away with Gu Xin about the duet details.
It wasn’t until Yang Xiu turned his head that he realized Jiang Chen was standing inches away. He practically leaped out of his skin. “J-Jiang Chen.”
Jiang Chen stared back, completely expressionless. “Yeah. Got a problem?”
Yang Xiu shook his head wildly. “No, none at all! I’m all done asking!” For some reason, the look Jiang Chen had just given him felt incredibly cold. He practically bolted from the scene.
Gu Xin effortlessly picked up Jiang Chen’s backpack, and the two walked out of the classroom together, leaving Yang Xiu staring blankly after them. Man, these guys became close way too fast.
On the ride home, Jiang Chen muttered, “Are you seriously going to perform for the school celebration?”
He distinctly remembered that back in elementary school, Gu Xin’s violin solos were practically a staple for every major school event. Whenever there was a festival or an assembly, Gu Xin was automatically sent on stage. In contrast, almost no one knew that Jiang Chen could actually play the piano.
“I get thrown up there to fill space every year. It’s whatever,” Gu Xin replied carelessly. He wasn’t just book-smart; he picked up everything effortlessly.
Jiang Chen tilted his head back to look up at the brilliant blue sky. “Tsk. I didn’t even know you did a duet with an Omega before. Was it a girl?”
Jiang Chen knew just how hard Gu Xin used to practice when they were kids, often leaving him with no time to hang out. To solve that, Jiang Chen had practically begged his own mother to sign him up for piano lessons just so he could be in the same building as Gu Xin.
Of course, the main incentive back then was that his mom would give him allowance money for takoyaki after every lesson. Once he actually learned the instrument, he became his mother’s ultimate bragging right among their relatives. Every holiday or family gathering, she would drag him out to perform. The second any aunt or uncle started boasting about their own kid, his mom would immediately push Jiang Chen to the piano.
Back then, Gu Xin had been incredibly passionate about the violin. Jiang Chen vividly recalled a time they were playing on a playground slide. He had tried to grab Gu Xin so they could slide down together, but Gu Xin had fiercely resisted. He had looked at him with dead seriousness and said that he was going to be a world-famous violinist one day, so he had to protect his hands at all costs.
Even though Gu Xin had eventually given in to Jiang Chen’s stubborn demands and held onto him as they slid down, Jiang Chen had locked that memory away. Gu Xin was going to be a violinist; his hands were precious.
“It wasn’t anything important. The teacher just arranged it,” Gu Xin offered softly, clearly wanting to clarify.
Wheeling his bicycle out of the school garage, Jiang Chen suddenly braked right in front of Gu Xin, squinting at him suspiciously.
Gu Xin blinked. “What?”
“Were you insanely popular with the Omegas back at Experimental First?” Jiang Chen demanded. “Like, lines of people fighting to confess to you?”
Gu Xin let out a low chuckle but offered no answer, simply pedaling past him into the school lane.
Jiang Chen quickly accelerated to catch up. “Hey! Why aren’t you answering me!”
Later that evening, after finishing his dinner and homework, Jiang Chen took a shower and collapsed onto his bed. Bored out of his mind, he dialed Gu Xin for a video call.
Gu Xin had clearly just stepped out of the shower himself. He was holding a large pair of pajamas, his torso completely bare, revealing the lean, increasingly defined muscles of a developing Alpha. He was wearing nothing but a pair of lounge shorts, with water droplets still glistening on his damp hair. Even now, the early signs of how striking he would look as an adult were undeniable.
Seeing that Jiang Chen hadn’t said anything after connecting, Gu Xin thought his audio might be muted. He called out softly, “Chen-chen?”
Jiang Chen sprawled flat on his stomach across the mattress, letting out a massive yawn that brought two tiny tears to the corners of his eyes. “Xin-bao, can I sleep over at your place tonight?”
For some reason, he felt like he was starting to forget what it felt like when Gu Xin used to hold him tight on the playground slide.
Gu Xin’s hand, which was actively drying his hair, froze mid-air. He pressed the towel firmly against his cheek, trying to suppress the sudden heat rushing to his face, before lowering his voice to a quiet murmur.
“Sure. Come on down. I’ll wake you up tomorrow morning.”