Baa Baa
Yun Mi carried her backpack home, repeatedly telling herself all the way not to cry.
She also told herself she would never like Chen Yiyang again.
The school had issued a military training notice and assigned a ton of summer homework. Several subject representatives asked her to bring the homework to Chen Yiyang.
Yun Mi wanted to tear up all the test papers that belonged to Chen Yiyang.
As night fell, the vast Chen residence was quiet, with only her and Aunt Qin.
In the third-floor bedroom, Yun Mi hunched over her desk working on the long test papers. The desk lamp's light crawled into the dense cracks of the math problems.
Ding Yuan called.
Usually, they would study together on a voice call at night, but today Ding Yuan said she wanted to rest. After showering, Ding Yuan lay in bed and chatted with her casually.
For example, what sunscreen to buy for military training.
Or the handsome guy in the class next door.
Or whether to sign up for essay or informatics competitions in sophomore year.
While scrolling through the grade group chat, Ding Yuan suddenly exclaimed, "Holy crap, Mimi. There was a 6.0 earthquake in the neighboring city this afternoon. The group says Chen Yiyang and the others' route happens to pass through there."
Yun Mi froze on the spot.
A news notification popped up on her phone—heavy rain, earthquake, and a mention of a nearby landslide.
The grade group chat grew more chaotic, like a rumor mill. Someone even casually tossed out, "Nothing bad happened, right?"
Yun Mi instinctively opened the chat with Chen Yiyang. At the very bottom was her unreturned "Good luck."
The irritation and grievance that had been stuck in her chest moments ago dissipated, replaced by a chill of panic, as if her blood had reversed its flow. Her whole body tensed.
"Yuan Yuan, I'll call you back later."
She hung up quickly and dialed Chen Yiyang directly.
Once, twice, three times... No one answered.
Yun Mi was restless, her fingertips trembling. She nearly called Wen Liangyu.
Just then, her phone let out a soft "ding." It was a message from Zhou Shihui.
Zhou Shihui: Thanks, Mimi, for checking my ranking.
Yun Mi had indeed helped him check his class assignment results earlier, but being called "Mimi" so intimately by a guy she wasn't close to felt awkward. Thinking he was Chen Yiyang's childhood friend, she paused, her finger hovering over the screen, then typed a line.
Unable to reach Chen Yiyang, she could only ask: Where's Chen Yiyang?
Zhou Shihui replied quickly: Chen Yiyang? He and I had a falling out.
He added: Don't mention him in front of me from now on.
Seems like he's fine.
Yun Mi's heart dropped halfway. She leaned back in her chair, let out a small sigh, and muttered to herself, "A fight?"
As she lowered her eyes, a hint of bitterness curled at the corner of her mouth. She whispered, "Even a childhood friend of over a decade can fall out like this. Stupid Chen Yiyang, can't even handle such a small thing."
Ding Yuan's message popped in: You okay?
Yun Mi called back, her voice as steady as possible: "I'm fine."
Ding Yuan breathed out, "I knew it. This crappy Shancheng gets earthquakes a lot, but the only people I recall dying from one were Xu Zhiyu's parents... and that was over a decade ago, when they went to a neighboring province for disaster relief."
Yun Mi softly hummed in acknowledgment.
Ding Yuan probably guessed her mood—not being in the same class as her crush, and just hearing he might be in danger. Afraid Yun Mi would brood alone, she threw out a piece of news she'd been holding back.
"Mimi, I was going to wait until military training to tell you."
Yun Mi flopped onto her bed, sinking into the covers, her mind in turmoil. She felt this crush had turned her into someone she didn't recognize.
Her voice was dry: "What's up?"
Ding Yuan said, "I'll be in Class 2 for sophomore year."
Yun Mi couldn't react for a long time.
The printed blanket hung loosely over her. She froze on the bed, then sat up abruptly. After a long pause, she stammered, "You..."
"Of course, I transferred for love," Ding Yuan said matter-of-factly.
Ding Yuan added, "I've already submitted the application to the school, and it's approved."
—Voluntarily giving up her spot in key Class 1 to enter the slightly inferior Class 2.
Yun Mi had heard countless campus stories of male leads transferring classes or controlling scores for love. She hadn't met such a boy; the male lead of her youth had turned and walked toward his competitions and distant horizons without looking back.
But she met Ding Yuan, who gave up key Class 1 for her.
Yun Mi sat on the bed, hugging the giant pink rabbit at the headboard, and her eyes reddened instantly.
"You didn't have to," Yun Mi said, frowning, her voice tight. "Class 1 has better teachers, and for your future..."
Ding Yuan cut her off bluntly, her voice gentle: "But Mimi, you're better. You're more important than all of that."