Chapter 957 Finale Extra — Encounter in Youth

After the new school year began at Yunqu Middle School, a fresh batch of first-year students arrived.

The second-year students moved locations, vacating their classrooms and switching to Xingyuan Building, which was originally where the second-year classes were held, making it somewhat distant from both the cafeteria and the sports field.

If one were to talk about location, the first-year area was the best. Apart from the dormitory being far, it was close to everywhere else, with the sports field right under the classroom building. The shouts from the boys and cheers from the girls stirred one’s heart.

Mu Qiu had already been with the school’s early admission batch, staying at school for nearly two months now, and only in recent days did she see a normal number and energy level of other students.

The early admission students were all like old scholars, good students who continued self-study in the classroom even after class, never going to the sports field or chatting and playing around on the way back to the dormitory. No one would hold her hand and gossip with her.

She felt a bit bored.

Fortunately, once all the first-year students entered the school, there was finally some liveliness.

She got along well with Zhao Yu, and during the time after class and after school, they were always together, either going to the supermarket to buy snacks or to the sports field to watch the boys play basketball.

Zhao Yu even taught her some tricks: “There aren’t many particularly good-looking guys in our first year; if you want to see them, you have to watch the second-year guys. And it’s best to go watch them right before or after evening study; when the light is poor, even if we’re staring at them, they won’t know who we are! Aren’t you writing a novel? How can you get inspired without observing more people?”

Mu Qiu found it very reasonable, and every few days, she would go with Zhao Yu to the edge of the basketball court.

The sports field was surrounded by a mesh to ensure basketballs wouldn’t accidentally hit people outside. Sometimes, when they went there, they sat outside the mesh eating snacks, drinking beverages, and chatting. Only when handsome seniors showed up did they peek inside for a few glances.

Usually, the girls around shared the same intention, and they had decent relationships, but others were bolder, often cheering and shouting encouragement to the seniors on the basketball court.

Once the students inside started laughing, they would blush and turn back.

“Are the ones playing today from Second Year Class Nine and Eleven? Didn’t get to see Class One.”

“I heard Class One only has PE on Wednesday afternoons; they don’t usually come out to play basketball.”

“It’s rare to encounter them; all the second-year senior girls say it takes luck just to see a few of them.”

“I haven’t seen the school heartthrob yet; I’ve heard he’s super handsome! The senior cheerleaders say whenever he’s playing, the crowd is absolutely packed.”

“I once saw him at the academic office! Really! Incredibly handsome! Tall nose, fair skin, beautiful eyes, handsome lips… just generally indescribably handsome!”

The description was a bit exaggerated, Mu Qiu silently commented to herself.

She probably had seen that school heartthrob in some teacher’s office in passing. He had his head down, didn’t seem particularly handsome. At best, he was sturdier than other boys, taller, cleaner…

Well, that was already quite rare.

But she wasn’t interested at the moment because the main character in her current story was like a boy from Second Year Class Nine, with tanned skin, a bright and sunny disposition like a little sun.

After sitting with Zhao Yu for a while, Mu Qiu prepared to return to the classroom to do her homework.

No idea what’s going on with the Second Year Class Nine guys, they haven’t shown up at the basketball court these days.

On Wednesday, the PE class for First Year Class One got moved to the fourth period in the afternoon, overlapping with Second Year Class One. The PE teacher simply combined the students from both classes, didn’t conduct much training, just let everyone do their own thing after some warm-up exercises, with one rule: don’t wander into the teaching area.

Mu Qiu held a little vocabulary notebook, sitting on the side steps, memorizing words.

Overhead was a canopy of trees blocking the sun, she wore a white T-shirt school uniform, seriously looking at the vocabulary book, occasionally tucking loose hair behind her ear, her fair face slightly flushed from recent exertion.

A few boys, from across the basketball court, secretly looked at her, talking among themselves.

Until someone called out her name, she was startled and looked up.

A girl in the middle relayed the message: “Mu Qiu, they called you to go over.”

“Is there something up? The sun is blazing there; I’m not really keen on going.”

“Do you want to watch the second-year guys play basketball? There’s a spot there that won’t be in the sun.”

She thought for a moment, nodded, and said okay.

Following the girls to watch the handsome guys play basketball was definitely better than being jeered at by a bunch of boys.

In the basketball court occupied by the second-years, outside the mesh, there indeed was a spot shielded from the sun. Mu Qiu sat down at ease, not joining in the chatter of the other girls, continuing to memorize vocabulary words.

The weather was still a bit hot, someone was planning to head to the supermarket for water, halfway they noticed her still outside the mesh, calling out loudly: “Mu Qiu! What do you want to drink? We’ll bring you some!”

“Can I have a chilled Sprite? We all drink that, easier to split the cost!”

On the court, hearing that name, someone froze for a moment, looked towards the group of girls, then followed their gaze outside the mesh.

Mu Qiu looked up and responded: “Sure! Thank you!”

About to lower her head again, she noticed a clean-looking youth on the court staring at her.

High nose bridge, thin lips, beautiful eyes, fragmented black hair, and arms and calves exposed under his black basketball uniform were notably fair and sturdy compared to other boys.

Mu Qiu took another glance, offering him a smile.

Her brows curved, her eyelashes forming a line at the corner of her eyes, slightly upwards, like intricately drawn eyeliner.

A clean and handsome appearance, that raised smile in the light seemed to emit a glow.

Cheng Zhirang felt dazed by that smile, only reacting when his teammate’s basketball hit him.

“What are you staring at, Cheng Zhirang?”

“Playing or what? Don’t tell me you’re thinking about going back to do homework?”

“Hurry up, hurry up, before those girls come back, we need to pull the score back!”

The boys laughed and joked, Cheng Zhirang caught the ball, glanced outside the mesh again, and then returned to merge back into the basketball team, scoring a three-point basket amidst the boys’ defensive effort.

After playing halfway, he subbed out for a rest, walking to the mesh area, squatting down to observe that girl always with her head down.

“Hello.”

Mu Qiu raised her head, surprised at his sudden closeness.

“Hello, is there something you want?”

Cheng Zhirang pursed his lips, somewhat shyly asked: “What’s your name, classmate?”

They were already considered close with a layer of iron mesh between them; she could see his beautiful eyes, like a shimmering lake, stunningly beautiful.

After gazing a few moments longer, she replied: “Mu Qiu. Admire, Mu; autumn, Qiu. And you?”

Cheng Zhirang squatted in front of her and introduced himself: “Cheng Zhirang. Degree, Cheng; courteous, Zhirang. I’m from Second Year Class One.”

Mu Qiu couldn’t help but laugh: “Why such a detailed introduction, senior?”

Feeling a bit embarrassed, Cheng Zhirang stood up, conveniently teased by classmates behind him, he ran back.

Mu Qiu lowered her head once more, her lips curved in an unstoppable angle.

After PE class ended, most had already left the field early, rushing to the cafeteria.

Mu Qiu held an unopened iced Sprite, avoiding the rushing crowd for food, leisurely heading back.

When she reached the 400-meter track, someone called her from behind.

“Mu Qiu.”

Mu Qiu smiled and then turned to hand the iced Sprite over.

“Did senior call me? Want something to drink?”

With a grin, Cheng Zhirang couldn’t help himself and reached out to take the drink.

It felt like a secret signal between two newly acquainted people, exchanging the drink equaled a unique signal for them, both lowering and raising their eyes, meeting each other’s gaze, then awkwardly averting their eyes.

Their ears had the same subtle blush.

During youthful evenings, the summer breeze lifted the girl’s hair and the boy’s shirt hem, the sunset bathes the two with limitless possibilities, casting a mesmerizing glow upon them.

I once said, as long as you smile in the sunlight, I will surrender.