Huayu: Starting with binding the front desk

"Wang Zhe, why are you only returning to school now? Are you sick?"

After class, Zhang Jingyi turned around and looked at Wang Zhe, who sat behind her.

He shook his head: "I'm not sick, I just recorded three songs during the holiday."

"You wrote another song? What song?" Zhang Jingyi's eyes lit up instantly, like a kitten whose curiosity had been piqued, looking at him expectantly.

"I'll sing it for you during the long break between classes," Wang Zhe said.

"Okay, you can't go back on your word."

As soon as Zhang Jingyi finished speaking, Wang Zhe suddenly pulled a stack of letters from his desk, held them up in front of her, and asked, "What are all these?"

Zhang Jingyi frowned slightly when she saw the stack of colorful envelopes in his hand: "They're probably... love letters."

She was somewhat annoyed.

How come there are still some? I clearly threw away all those love letters for him last night.

It must have been secretly slipped in this morning when no one was around.

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She glanced out the window instinctively.

Sure enough, several figures began peering out of the classroom.

"Wang Zhe, you're famous at school now, you know that?" a shout suddenly rang out.

Li Ran swaggered into the classroom and plopped down on Wang Zhe's desk, completely separating Wang Zhe and Zhang Jingyi.

Zhang Jingyi reached out and pushed him, but couldn't budge him. She pouted and turned away.

Li Ran, completely oblivious, pulled two more letters from his pocket and handed them over: "You're something else, kid. Now even senior girls from the high school are writing to you. Let me tell you, there's one senior who looks old..."

"Alright, are you alright or not?"

Wang Zhe interrupted him, slapping the letters in his hand into his arms, "If you're okay, throw all of these away for me."

Li Ran looked down at the thick stack of papers in his arms and clicked his tongue, "Damn, so many! How come you haven't opened a single one?"

Wang Zhe waved his hand and said, "I didn't even think about that. What are you looking at? Hurry up and throw them all away for me. Also, if anyone asks you to deliver something in the future, just refuse them for me."

Li Ran clicked his tongue twice and glanced at him sideways: "You're still putting on airs, kid. Wasn't it you who took me to watch the dance class outside our high school studio back then..."

"Screw you. Get lost, class is about to start."

Li Ran chuckled awkwardly, got up and walked towards the door. As she passed the window, she waved to the girls who were peeking in and called out with a grin, "Sisters, let's go back to class! Wang Zhe said he's not here."

A burst of laughter erupted in the classroom.

Zhang Jingyi, who was sitting in front of Wang Zhe, couldn't help but smile after hearing what he said. She couldn't suppress it no matter what she did.

……

Long break between classes.

Zhang Jingyi looked at Wang Zhe and said, "Let's do our morning exercises first."

"I won't go, I'll take you to listen to music," Wang Zhe said.

"You can come back and sing again."

Wang Zhe ignored her hesitation and took her hand directly: "I've already talked to the teacher. Let's go to the broadcasting room."

The moment he took her hand, Zhang Jingyi froze for a moment, and her ears turned bright red.

She didn't break free, letting him pull her along, through the corridor, and against the flow of people heading towards the playground.

The surrounding students hurried to the playground in twos and threes, but these two people were different and went in the opposite direction.

A girl recognized Wang Zhe, and her gaze fell on the hand he was holding, her expression immediately becoming subtle.

I started to feel uncomfortable; maybe I'm just being overly sensitive!

Zhang Jingyi noticed the gazes and quickly pulled her hand away, whispering, "Let's go, I'll go with you."

Wang Zhe turned around and smiled, but didn't say anything.

On the system panel, Zhang Jingyi's favorability rating has quietly surpassed 60, reaching 65.

Reward entry: [Succubus with Vocal Tone].

When the two arrived at the broadcasting room, the rhythm of morning exercises was still playing on the loudspeaker.

"One, two, three, four, two, two, three, four..."

Wang Zhe leaned halfway in and smiled at the teacher inside, "Teacher Chen, I brought an assistant, is that alright?"

Teacher Chen glanced at Zhang Jingyi, who was standing properly behind him, and joked, "Do you need an assistant to sing a song?"

That's what I said, but I didn't expose his little scheme.

Zhang Jingyi politely greeted "Hello, teacher," then leaned closer to Wang Zhe and whispered, "What exactly do you want?"

"Just listen to music quietly for a while. Did you bring your Walkman?"

At school, all cell phones are confiscated, and students can only listen to music on their Walkmans—which, of course, also contain a few English listening materials.

Some people genuinely use it for learning, while others are simply trying to fool their teachers.

"I brought it."

"Okay, I'll copy the song over for you first. It's an unreleased version."

Wang Zhe turned to Teacher Chen and said, "Teacher, can I borrow your computer?"

"Use it. Oh, and while you're at it, copy your recordings of 'The Wind Rises' and 'The Remaining Summer' onto the computer and play them for the classmates during breaks. Forget about 'Suspicion'."

"Okay, teacher."

Zhang Jingyi stood quietly to the side, silently memorizing the two song titles: "The Remaining Summer" and "Suspicion".

So that's what the other two songs are called.

Morning exercises are over.

Teacher Chen turned on the microphone: "Morning exercises are over. Please leave in an orderly manner according to the designated route. In this time, I've invited Wang Zhe, our school's little star, to perform his new song for everyone."

Wang Zhe leaned closer to the microphone and said in a clear voice, "Hello everyone, I'm Wang Zhe, and this is my new song, 'The Remaining Summer'."

The accompaniment began.

The moment the intro started playing, the entire broadcasting studio seemed to be muted.

When Wang Zhe sang the first line, even Teacher Chen couldn't help but turn his head to look.

This voice sounds different from when I sang "The Wind Rises" last time.

Just now, Wang Zhe quietly claimed the system entry "[Tone Succubus]".

His voice was already outstanding, but now it has acquired an indescribable magic. Every word seems to carry a subtle electric current, drilling into the ear and drawing the listener in.

The sound of cicadas is like the countdown clock outside the window.

The exam scores are like vines climbing upwards.

The butterfly I drew on your palm

Did it fly away...?

Zhang Jingyi didn't get as absorbed in it as the others.

She stood to the side, her gaze fixed on Wang Zhe's profile as he sang earnestly.

"White clouds are kites flying in the blue sky."

Youth is about us running on the playground...

The singing was clear and bright, like a ray of light shining into the broadcasting room.

But Zhang Jingyi felt a strange, inexplicable sense of crisis.

Wang Zhe is already quite well-known at school.

What about after that?

They may be classmates or sitting at adjacent desks now, but Wang Zhe will only go further and climb higher, eventually becoming a dazzling star in the sky.

And where will I be then?

Can I still stand here where he can see me as soon as he turns around, like I do now?

The two walked down the corridor back to the classroom.

"Wang Zhe, will you transfer to the arts class in high school?" Zhang Jingyi asked suddenly as she walked behind him.

Wang Zhe turned to look at her, his tone casual yet firm: "Whichever class you go to, I'll go to. We've been sitting next to each other for three years; it would be strange to suddenly be separated."

This time, Zhang Jingyi did not avoid his gaze as usual.

She looked up, meeting his gaze with equal determination, and nodded firmly: "Okay, it's a deal then, we'll go to the art class together."

……

Late at night, in the girls' dormitory.

Zhang Jingyi lay on the bed and put the earphones from her Walkman into her ears.

How long will it take to make you fall in love with me?

I've fallen in love with you, I can't move anymore.

I want to hold your hand, I want to kiss your forehead.

I have been silent for too long

Once I say "I love you,"...

She turned over and pulled the blanket up to cover her slightly flushed cheeks.

No wonder the teacher wouldn't let Wang Zhe copy this song to the broadcasting room.

She thought to herself quietly in the darkness.

But when will I be able to say "I love you"?

Wang Zhe, do you secretly like me too?