Qingteng's Mind - Middle School Era

Chapter 1346 Heartfelt Melody (Part 1)

A high ponytail swayed in front of my eyes.

The girl entered his line of sight with light steps, her swaying hair drawing youthful arcs, like the tremor that spreads when a violin bow brushes against a string.

She came from the west, at a 45-degree angle, crossed the road, and headed east.

The morning light of April filtered through the gaps in the sycamore trees, scattering across the cement path leading to the teaching building, and also landing precisely on the corners of her upturned mouth. Her smile was so bright that it reminded people of the first melting snow water, clear and warm.

She suddenly turned her head and looked north. Her eyelashes cast dappled shadows on her cheeks, a smile spread across her face, and the light in her eyes was clearer than the morning dew in April.

Lin Yijie was slightly taken aback. It was her!

That swaying high ponytail lingers on the edge of memory. It was the end of February, a bright and sunny morning like this. He walked along the bluestone path beside the playground, and she passed by on the playground next to him.

Suddenly, she turned her head and looked at him.

It seemed as if it was looking at him, yet it also seemed as if it was just looking past him, towards the diagonal rear.

With just one glance, she turned away, her high ponytail swaying behind her head like a string of musical notes leaping across a piece of paper.

He smiled and turned his head, his peripheral vision catching a glimpse of a short-haired person swaying beside the high ponytail.

However, to my surprise, I ran into them again on my way back to the teaching building the next morning.

The difference this time was that, in front of the teaching building, next to the forsythia four meters from the northeast gate, he was heading west, while she came from the playground to the north, lightly stepping down the steps, passing in front of him, and stepping into the northeast gate of the teaching building without looking to the side.

He couldn't help but smile. This girl was really interesting. She liked walking on the playground? He looked around the playground but didn't see anyone following her.

Oh, today, she's all alone?

He remembered that Guo Kai suddenly blurted out, "What are you looking at?"
Before he could reply, Ouyang chimed in with a smile, "What else is there to see? Of course, it's the spring scenery on campus! The forsythia in February is absolutely beautiful!"

He smiled without saying a word, listened to their incessant chatter at a leisurely pace, and headed west.

Whether by accident or coincidence, after the morning exercises, I glanced over and saw her again.

A high ponytail swayed, a bright smile appeared, and a slightly chubby girl with short, curly hair pulled him past, through the bustling crowd, and towards the north gate of the teaching building.

What a coincidence.

He couldn't help but smile. To meet twice in one day, was this fate?
He was startled by the thought that had just popped into his head. What was he thinking?

The campus is only so big, with teaching buildings, canteens, and restaurants forming a straight line, along with just one main road. It's only natural that we would run into each other there.

Moreover, he and she only glanced at each other from afar. No, no, no, he saw her, but she didn't see him.

Thinking about it this way, Lin Yijie suddenly felt a little ridiculous.

What's wrong with him? Has he been too idle lately? Has he become carefree? Although he has passed the professional courses for his desired university, he still needs to take the general education exams.

After all, it's only the end of February, and June hasn't even arrived yet.

He is a senior high school student facing the college entrance examination.

Lin Yijie chuckled and shook his head, then walked towards the west gate of the teaching building.

After that day, he never saw her again, neither on the playground when he returned to the teaching building in the early morning nor in the square during recess.

The girl with the bright smile and her swaying high ponytail caught his eye, bringing a splash of color to his noisy yet uneventful life. She vanished without a trace, as if at his own will. He returned to his original life with the five of them, a noisy and mundane existence, only occasionally glancing at her when passing the playground beside the forsythia.

The playground was empty, and no one came towards us.

After thinking for a moment, he changed his route, no longer passing by the north gate of the teaching building, but instead detouring to the square on the south side.

Before I knew it, the end of the month was over and the holiday was over. After returning to school, I was busy with the intense review for the first mock exam. March passed and April arrived. There was still a little over a week until the mid-term exam (second mock exam) in mid-April.

When Ouyang Moxuan and Guo Kai disagreed again about the route, he agreed with Luo Jun's idea:
In the early morning and at noon, I walk from the South Square to bask in the sun. After school in the afternoon, I walk from the north side of the teaching building to enjoy the setting sun. During evening self-study, I walk from the South Square to see the night view.

Guo Kai opened his eyes wide and nodded in agreement; Ouyang thought about it and agreed that it made a lot of sense.

So the group of people walked around the teaching building, changing routes back and forth.

Three days ago at noon, he did two extra history questions. When he walked out of the teaching building, there weren't many people on the road. As usual, he and his group walked forward at a leisurely pace.

Listening to Ouyang and Guo Kai's casual conversation, he occasionally chimed in. He glanced over and noticed two girls walking out of the northeast gate of the teaching building, about seven or eight meters away.

He glanced at it indifferently, looked away, and the next second, he looked back. It was her!

A bright smile, a high ponytail swaying.

What a coincidence!

Even more coincidentally, the girl suddenly looked westward, whether she noticed his gaze, was looking at the pedestrians on the road, or was admiring the beautiful sunset.

He looked over calmly and openly, and was slightly taken aback. The next second, he realized that he had been overthinking things.

The girl's gaze swept across his face, then she looked towards the sunset behind her, or rather, she didn't look at him at all!

But he could clearly see the bright smile on the girl's face, a smile without any impurities, clean and bright!
Just like before.

The girl turned her head and walked alongside the girl next to her. She turned her head slightly and said something, and the girl next to her nodded.

He felt a sudden tightness in his chest. Was she talking about him?
He stared at her walking not far ahead. She didn't turn around, and neither did the girl walking with her.

Or perhaps he's overthinking it.

As he thought that, he relaxed, only to find that she had stopped beside the forsythia.

She paused involuntarily: Could she be waiting for him?

What's wrong? Ouyang Moxuan rubbed his shoulder and looked at him. Why aren't you leaving?
He realized: he had twisted his ankle.

"Is it alright?" Ouyang and Guo Kai asked in unison.

He quickly lowered his head and wiggled his feet: It's alright, let's go.

That's good. Okay then. You scared me, let's walk slower then. The group chatted and joking as they walked forward.

Even walking slowly, the distance was still rapidly decreasing; they had already crossed the northeast gate and were only four or five meters away from her.

She remained there.

Was she looking at the forsythia, or was she waiting for him to pass by?

Lin Yijie felt a sudden pang of panic, and his hand, which was tucked in his pocket, clenched involuntarily.
Should he greet her when he passes by?