A Young Woman's Heart

"What are you doing?"

"Oh dear, Yaoyao, have you forgotten?" Hua Yinyin slowed her pace. "We're taking graduation photos at noon today!"

Huh? Graduation photo?

"Yeah, there's a coming-of-age ceremony at noon today, and all the seniors have to attend," Mo Zhuyou muttered. "If I hadn't remembered, the class monitor would probably have had to come and call us later."

"Ah... is it today?"

"Yes."

"Wow, that's fast!"

"Hurry up, hurry up, it should be starting soon. Look, a lot of people are gathering on the playground." Hua Yinyin used both hands to push Mo Xueyao's body, making her walk outside.

……

(three)

The sun was blazing overhead. The senior high school students lined up on the playground, and many junior and senior high school students came over to watch.

Some people were peering out of classroom windows or down the corridors towards the playground, seemingly finding it all quite novel.

Even as the college entrance exam approaches, many students are still not truly adults.

But coming-of-age ceremonies are generally calculated based on the majority of people, and it's impossible to deliberately favor a minority.

The coming-of-age ceremony itself is also a ritual for high school seniors.

Just like what Mo Xueyao saw a couple of years ago, the senior high school students who usually don't come out of the classrooms are spending a lot more time on the playground during this period.

Today is, after all, a coming-of-age ceremony, so the person appearing on the stage is no longer the vice principal, but the principal, Mo Kong.

He almost never uses a prepared speech on stage, and his usually unruly beard was neatly trimmed today. Even in the sweltering summer heat, he was still dressed in a sharp suit: "Students, eighteen years pass quickly, and in a person's life, there aren't many eighteen-year periods. Passing today's coming-of-age ceremony means you are one step closer to entering society. As adults, you can no longer be as free as children, because society will impose many constraints on you..."

Mo Xueyao's forehead was sweating profusely from the sun. Ye Wen coughed twice and quietly asked the students from Class Two to move a few steps to the side so that some of the students in front could stand in the shade.

Although it's impossible to take care of everyone, at least Mo Xueyao, who is relatively short, can have a little more peace of mind; otherwise, she feels like she can barely keep her eyes open.

Mo Kong, who is usually not very talkative, spoke a few more words today than usual.

"The day of parting is approaching. I hope all of you cherish these last moments. I sincerely hope that none of you will repeat a year because you didn't achieve your desired results. When you repeat a year, you won't be attending classes with regular senior high school students. Watching your friends graduate and go on to higher education while you remain in the same place, without any friends around you, is not a pleasant feeling. Alright, the sun is very strong. Please have your classes take graduation photos in order as quickly as possible. Class teachers, please make sure your students don't suffer from heatstroke." Mo Kong waved casually, picked up the microphone, and walked off the stage.

The students breathed a sigh of relief, and then became somewhat excited.

Because we're going to take graduation photos next.

This is the most important memento of my high school life.

Perhaps it will be a decade or even several decades later, when we look back at the people in the photos, that we will be able to recall those blurred figures.

……

(four)

"Classmates, come with me to take half-body photos first, then we'll come back for a group graduation photo. The headshots will be on your admission tickets, graduation certificates, and other documents. So, boys, go wash your faces and make sure you're clean. Girls, tie your hair up and comb it neatly, and make sure your foreheads are showing..." Ye Wen put her hands on her hips and looked at the students who were least compliant. "Chen Cheng! You better show your forehead right now, or I'll drag you to the barbershop at the school gate and give you a buzz cut! Xiao Xi, I'll borrow a black headband for you later, so show your forehead too."

"Tsk." Chen Cheng curled his lip in disdain and impatiently parted his bangs to the sides.

Huang Yuxi nodded obediently and responded softly.

"Awen, do you still have headbands?" Hua Yinyin jumped up and down on the spot. The summer school uniform was too thin for her, and even a simple movement showed her great elasticity, which made several boys from other classes nearby take a few more glances.

"Yes, if you need a headband, come to me. I also have hair clips!" Ye Wen sat down under the flower bed and called out to her students.

"Wanyan—help me comb my hair?" Mo Xueyao untied her hair and quickly found Li Wanyan in the crowd. "Ah, wait, I'll wash my face first... I was sweating a lot standing there."

"Ah."

"Xiaoyao, I brought some face wash, do you want to use it?"

"Huh? Okay."

"Wait a minute, I'll go upstairs to get it." Wang Jiale said, and ran towards the teaching building at the speed of a 100-meter sprint.

……

(Fives)

The students lined up according to their student numbers, and the girls couldn't help but take out a mirror to look at themselves while waiting in line.

The student whose name was called walked to the green screen, sat down in the chair, and then the photographer wearing a baseball cap adjusted the angle slightly. With the flash going off, the photo was taken, and one of the three photos would be chosen as the official half-body photo.

"Zhang Yumeng".

"Here, here..."

"Sit down in your chairs. Next, Mo Xueyao, get ready."

"We're here!" Mo Xueyao quickly walked up and stood behind the waiting line.

Zhang Yumeng, who was taking pictures in front of her, looked a little nervous. She couldn't help but touch her hair again before putting her hands back on her lap and sitting up straight.

"All right."

"Mo Xueyao, next. Tang Sishi, get ready."

"coming."

"Click".

"You blinked just now, take another picture." The photographer glanced at the photo on the digital camera.

"Well……"

"Click".

"Yes, this time it's better."

"Tang Sishi, next. Wang Jiale, get ready..."

"Here it comes! Here it comes!"

……

(six)

After taking their half-body photos, the students reassembled on the playground. The sun overhead showed no sign of hiding behind the clouds; on the contrary, it shone even more intensely.

Mo Xueyao, feeling hot, washed her face again and wiped the sweat from her face with a napkin: "Phew, is it still not our class yet?"

"Almost there, our class is next!" Wang Jiale was vigorously rubbing her cheeks. "Why can't we film in the multimedia classroom..."

"Is that why we can include the teaching buildings in the background in the photo?"

"Uh—yes—maybe?"

"Class Two students, come over here! Time for a group photo! Girls in front, boys in back, lined up according to height!"

Mo Xueyao was undoubtedly the one standing in the first row, while the taller Li Wanyan stood on the shelf behind her.

This shelf is like a staircase, with each step having its own height, and the tallest person should stand on the last step.

"Let's shoot a formal one first, then a funny one. When it's formal, everyone should be serious and not laugh. When it's funny, everyone can do some interesting things." Ye Wen nodded to the photographer, indicating that they could start.

"Teachers sitting in the front, please move a little closer to the center."

The photographer glanced at the image and gestured towards the center.

"The male teacher should stand among the students, yes, next to the blue-eyed girl."

So Qiu Yi stood up from his chair and walked to Mo Xueyao's side.

"Take the chairs out of the way, don't let them take up space."

When taking graduation photos, all the other teachers besides the homeroom teacher would come over to take photos with us.

Ye Wen and Wang Qianyu, who were best friends, sat together. The math teacher sat expressionlessly to their side, next to the head of student affairs who wore gold-rimmed glasses. The history and politics teachers stood side by side, while Qiu Yi was squeezed alone among the girls.

—In fact, he shouldn't have needed to be in the graduation photo, since there are no art classes in the senior year of high school...

Before Mo Xueyao could think it through, the photographer had already led the students to shout, "Cheese!"

"eggplant--!"

……

Chapter 292 Souvenir Photos

(One)

"Okay, let's do it again."

"Is it a joke?" Hua Yinyin asked curiously.

“No, it’s normal,” the photographer replied.

"Okay, everyone, let's keep the current situation and take one more picture."

"eggplant!"

The reason for shouting like that is probably to keep the mouth muscles in a smiling position.

After the formal group photo was taken, it was time for some funny photos.

Mo Xueyao's blue eyes rolled around, and she stood on tiptoe, placing one hand on Qiu Yi's head to make a rabbit ear shape.

At this moment, how could Hua Yinyin let Mo Xueyao go? She took the opportunity to hug Yi, and their faces were pressed together.

Influenced by her, Wang Jiale looked around, intending to find Mo Zhuyou, but found her and her older sister standing behind her.

"Tell me when you're ready." The photographer picked up a mineral water bottle from the ground, unscrewed the cap, and poured it into his mouth. Two empty bottles at his feet were slowly rolling in the wind.

"Teacher Qianyu! Can I lie on your lap?"

"Of course you can! Why don't you lie down on my and Wenwen's laps?"

"Okay~!" Wang Jiale found an interesting way to take pictures, lay down on the two people's laps, adjusted to a comfortable position, and faced the camera.

Li Wanyan gently raised the corners of her mouth and pinched Hua Yinyin's soft cheek with one hand.

"Awoo awoo awoo—" the latter protested, but did not wipe away the glistening saliva flowing from the corner of its mouth.

Cha Li and Mr. Xue each held one of Huang Yuxi's hands, looking like a young couple taking their child out to play.