At New Year’s, several teachers at No. 1 High School received gifts from students who had graduated this year and last year, along with invitations to a class reunion.
[Tang Yuan Hides from Cats]: Director, do you like the big tea mug?
[Director Wu]: …
[Cicada]: We spent ages choosing that big tea mug with the engraved names. We had everyone’s names carved on it, along with the words “Wishing You Peace and Safety.” I even painted the flower on it by hand. It was all made with heartfelt effort!
[Cicada]: Director, smile a little.
[Director Wu]: \*Smiling.jpg\*
[Cicada]: Cute.jpg That’s a much friendlier smile.
[Director Wu]: …
[Little Spicy Strip]: We specifically kicked Director Wu out of the group that day, spent ages picking out a gift, and ended up giving him a big tea mug. The only reason it looked presentable was because Xiao Yan sponsored the tea leaves. Face-covering emoji
[Orange]: The tea leaves were complimentary. I can’t take credit for that, I really can’t.
[Tang Yuan Hides from Cats]: Director, come to the reunion this week! There’s a surprise waiting for you.
[Tang Yuan Hides from Cats]: We invited Teacher Xu, too. They’re all familiar faces.
The surprise these students had mentioned was that on the day of the reunion, they had all rushed back from different parts of the country and put on their No. 1 High School uniforms. The name tags pinned to their chests were the very same ones they had worn back then. Having graduated only recently, once they put on their uniforms, they looked just like the students they had been in those days.
As soon as school let out on Friday, a group of people wearing No. 1 High School uniforms appeared outside the school gates. They were fooling around at the entrance, attracting quite a bit of attention.
“No leaving campus this week,” the new security guard said. “Everyone, go inside. Go on.”
“Great!” the group cheered.
“They’re graduates. They’ve come back for a visit,” Director Wu explained to the guard. “Why has every single one of them followed Xiao Yan’s example and come running back in their uniforms?”
“You’ve gotten fat, you’ve gotten fat.” Lu Minggui, who had put on a whole circle of weight since starting university, couldn’t even pull up his uniform zipper. He could only wear the jacket draped over his shoulders. “After I finish eating this meal today, I’m going back to exercise.”
“University is great, huh? Look at how much free time you have now that you’ve gotten into university.” Director Wu, who had just arrived, made a polite remark. “Do you spend every day doing nothing but eating and sleeping? Having a wonderful time, are you?”
His words immediately drew protests from several freshmen present.
“It’s all a lie! Before the college entrance exams, everyone said life would be easy once we got into university. It’s all fake! University students are exhausted!”
“Waaah, I’m in the translation program, and I study until I’m practically unconscious every day. We have morning reading sessions and evening self-study, too.”
“You picked the wrong major, and every day feels like another college entrance exam. Waaah, I’m going to lose all my hair. I have to fight for my GPA!”
“Another one who’s practically studying until unconscious! And after sophomore year, we still have professional internships.”
Director Wu: “…”
He’d only been making polite conversation. He hadn’t expected these little brats to take the opportunity to pour out all their grievances. He could only comfort them one by one.
“Look at you all. Every one of you has grown up.” Teacher Xu smiled. “Are you really that busy?”
“Some of us are.” One student said, “I remember one time at three in the morning, Luo Zhiyu posted on Moments saying he was still working on a design. It just goes to show we’re all equally busy.”
“That time?” Luo Zhiyu remembered. “That was the only time. I haven’t done it since.”
Because the very next day, someone had given him a thorough scolding, claiming that he would never again let Luo Zhiyu have enough energy to stay up all night.
Meanwhile, the group on the other side was still complaining to Director Wu.
“Ah, high school really was better. I miss you guys. My current roommates aren’t great. They play games until late every night. I’ve complained twice, but it hasn’t helped much.” Lu Minggui sounded a little frustrated. “Have any of you had similar problems?”
“My college roommates are pretty good,” Tang Yuan said. “They even help me bring back lunch. Although they only ever bring me chicken cutlets, I’m already very touched.”
“We don’t live on campus.” Luo Zhiyu raised his hand. “Brother Yan and I live off campus. My dorm room is just sitting empty.”
He only went back occasionally when he wanted to experience dorm life.
“We’re not including you in this topic.” Fan Yue laughed and shooed Luo Zhiyu away. “I have a friend in the same department as you. I basically know all the outrageous things you two get up to.”
“Did those two do something?” Luo Zhiyu’s former homeroom teacher from high school asked curiously.
“I know this one!” Zhang Shu raised his hand. “Around that time, U University seemed to be going through a Renaissance. It became popular to arrange candles under the dormitory building and confess your feelings. Brother Yan specifically told Luo Zhiyu to go back and stay one night. Then he arranged roses and little candles downstairs at the dormitory. Hahahaha!”
“Later, a bunch of people chased me out with brooms, saying we had deliberately come back just to show off our relationship.” Luo Zhiyu said indignantly. “Was I showing off my relationship? I was just angry and went back to stay one night. I’d paid my accommodation fees!”
And there was only one reason he’d been angry.
He just hadn’t expected Xiao Yan to go out and buy flower petals and little candles, and even successfully win over the sanitation worker downstairs.
His roommates had thrown both him and his luggage out, so Luo Zhiyu had no choice but to give up on experiencing dorm life and go home with Xiao Yan.
“Hahahaha, Brother Yan actually did that?” Tang Yuan was hearing about it for the first time. “You two hardly needed a confession scene, did you?”
Luo Zhiyu shook his head and glanced at the teachers with a hint of regret.
They really hadn’t needed one.
Back in high school, Xiao Yan had already cornered him on the path behind the teaching building. When it came to confessing his feelings, he’d given Luo Zhiyu two choices that would lead to exactly the same result.
“All right, all right.” Director Wu said, “You’ve brought this up again just to make fun of me.”
“Do a good job catching students dating early, Director,” Luo Zhiyu said. “Couples like Xiao Yan and me, who don’t let it affect their studies, are really rare.”
“A long-distance relationship separated by a floor of concrete.” Jing Ximing added. “I could laugh about that for years.”
“I have a question,” Teacher Xu said.
“Hmm?” Xiao Yan noticed.
“What’s wrong with the green uniforms at No. 1 High School? Why is everyone wearing green tonight, while you two are wearing the uniforms from freshman and sophomore year?” Teacher Xu was thoroughly puzzled.
“It’s not me.” Luo Zhiyu waved his hand. “Brother Yan is the one who doesn’t want to.”
Director Wu: “?”
Luo Zhiyu had grown taller since his freshman year. Now, Xiao Yan’s old freshman-year uniform fit him just right. The name tag printed on it read: Xiao Yan, Class 3, Grade 10.
Just like back then, when Luo Zhiyu had borrowed Xiao Yan’s uniform and pretended to be him, charging around the school as though he owned the place.
The boy who had once charged recklessly through the world had gradually grown up.
Everyone in that room would soon go their separate ways, each pursuing their own future.
“We’ll come back to visit often!” After the reunion ended, a group of people, all slightly drunk, waved at the teachers. “We’re really good at climbing over the school wall!”
Xiao Yan had been busy talking with the teachers that evening and hadn’t had time to keep an eye on Luo Zhiyu. By the time he turned around, Luo Zhiyu was already drunk. The usually unpredictable fellow had become uncharacteristically quiet and obedient. He clung tightly to Xiao Yan’s sleeve, following him one step at a time.
“You two go ahead. I think Cicada’s a little out of it,” Fan Yue said, telling them to leave first. “We’ll get a taxi ourselves.”
“All right. I’ll take him home first.” Xiao Yan said goodbye to them.
“Little sophomore.” Luo Zhiyu’s lips carried a faint scent of alcohol. He seemed unaware of where he was. “Are you going back to your classroom?”
Xiao Yan froze. Only then did he realize that, somewhere between being half-drunk and half-dreaming, this person had seen the uniforms they were wearing and thought they were back in those days.
“I’m not going back to class,” Xiao Yan said. “Peach, it’s the weekend. You don’t have to stay at school. Your little sophomore is taking you home.”