Sporadic praises sounded around.
Beautiful, unique, and gentle, and also ranked second in the grade.
There was no girl more perfect than Xu Zhiyu.
Someone casually remarked, "Xu Zhiyu will definitely get into Class One in sophomore year, right?"
"She originally came from a rural school. Her grades weren't top at first, but with better teachers, she shot up."
Someone else lamented, "Looks like we're all on the same side then. What's the point of saying Class One or Class Two?"
Yun Mi gently rested her chin on her hand. Actually, everyone in Class One was happy for her after this monthly exam, and they were all very friendly. But no one believed she would stay next semester.
Ding Yuan sat next to her, watching. She had been wanting to say it: "Yun Mi, I'm choosing sciences too. If only we could be in the same class next semester."
At Shanfu, at the end of sophomore year, classes would be reassigned based on final exam scores. The top fifty in sciences would enter Class One, then Class Two, and then evenly into the regular science classes.
Chen Yiyang had such good grades; he would definitely be in the key class.
She wanted to get into Class One too.
With her ranking of over five hundred... Yun Mi laughed just thinking about it.
"Alright, thanks everyone for your hard work today! Please memorize your lines when you get home. I'm counting on you."
At half past eleven, the rehearsal officially ended.
Yun Mi picked up her backpack and walked out of the school gate with Ding Yuan.
She instinctively searched for that tall figure in the crowd of students leaving. Chen Yiyang stood not far away, together with a girl who was talking and laughing softly. The two were only half a head apart, looking especially well-matched.
"What are you looking at?" Ding Yuan asked.
Yun Mi pulled on her backpack straps, lowered her eyes, and said casually, "Xu Zhiyu told me today that her grandmother woke up."
"Really?" Ding Yuan immediately showed a delighted expression. "That's great!"
She followed Yun Mi's gaze and also saw the two standing side by side. She couldn't help letting out a "Wow."
Ding Yuan had changed her opinion of the "stinky cheater" somewhat because Chen Yiyang had tricked Xie Yue into joining the play. She pursed her lips and said, "Come to think of it, if it weren't for Chen Yiyang, Xie Yue would never have come to save the day. Chen Yiyang still has feelings for my goddess, right?"
Yun Mi was surprised and turned to ask, "What does that have to do with liking someone?"
Ding Yuan said earnestly, "Of course! If not for Xu Zhiyu, would a prodigy like Chen Yiyang stoop to join my little show? Wouldn't he rather do competition problems in his spare time?"
Yun Mi frowned, wanting to correct her.
—No, even if Chen Yiyang didn't like Xu Zhiyu, he would still participate.
She hesitated to speak.
Actually, she had quite a few questions.
—Would someone as strong-willed as Xu Zhiyu really accept gifts from her ex-boyfriend?
—And Chen Yiyang...
Yun Mi watched the two from afar.
Actually, from start to finish, Chen Yiyang only said a few words to Xu Zhiyu. They parted ways naturally at the school gate, without any hint of ambiguity.
Yun Mi wanted to ask even more: why did she care about Chen Yiyang?
The girl's heart nearly stopped. She waved to Ding Yuan and said, "I'm heading home first. I'm going to find out something. Wait for me."
Ding Yuan didn't have time to react.
Yun Mi had already run a few steps, like the wind, full of energy. As if remembering something, she suddenly turned back and made a phone gesture at Ding Yuan, saying, "After I investigate and figure it out myself, Da Yuan Zi, I'll tell you!"
...
"Chen Yiyang!"
Behind him came the light, rapid footsteps of a girl.
It was at the end of the snack street. Yun Mi crossed the road, carrying her backpack, and caught up to Chen Yiyang's side.
Chen Yiyang was looking at his phone. Knowing it was her, he didn't even lift his head, only slowed his pace and asked, "What's up?"
His tone carried no hint of amusement.
"Nothing much." Yun Mi looked down at their long shadows, then up at the sky.
Tonight.
Rarely, the moon was bright and the stars sparse. The scattered stars made the sky seem even more vast and boundless.
It made one feel the insignificance of the self.
Throughout the evening, Yun Mi had been thinking about many things.
For example, why she didn't like Chen Yiyang being with Xu Zhiyu.
Why she felt bad when she saw Chen Yiyang.
Why she wanted to stay in Class One.
But Chen Yiyang was still cold to her.