Due to her childhood friend's convincing act, Jiang Yan only noticed the changes in Song Li'an's appearance, such as—despite being ten months younger than her, he was now over ten centimeters taller.
Comparisons really can be disheartening. When Jiang Yan was younger, she had fantasized about growing up to be a mature beauty who could tease the adorable Song Li'an, but instead, she ended up being the cute one herself.
...
As soon as they returned to school, it was time for the awards ceremony for the previous joint exam.
Students from each class stood in two lines while the student council members moved among them, checking uniforms.
The class monitor went to the back to take attendance, so Jiang Yan, as the deputy class monitor, stood at the front holding the class flag. Although it was only mid-morning, the sun was already fierce, baking the ground.
The students were still wearing their full uniforms, sweating from the heat.
Song Li'an walked back and forth at the front, his tall figure neatly dressed in the blue and white school uniform, looking clean and fresh even in the summer heat.
As Jiang Yan was wistfully thinking of using the class flag to block some sunlight, Song Li'an approached her with a notebook and called out, "Classmate."
Jiang Yan widened her eyes and looked at him strangely, asking, "What are you doing?"
"What's your name?" Song Li'an asked seriously.
But they were standing at the very front, and their interactions had long since become the talk of the school. For instance, they wore matching red strings on their wrists, Song Li'an had brought Jiang Yan brown sugar water when she had stomach cramps, and Jiang Yan had lent Song Li'an money to pay class fees...
Everyone couldn't help but watch them and smile.
Song Li'an couldn't continue his little act, so he just stood in front of her and said softly with a smile, "Your collar is folded inside."
Jiang Yan reached up to fix it, and the girl behind her helped adjust it too. Suddenly, Song Li'an patted Jiang Yan's wrist where her sleeve was rolled up, and she felt something cool—a cooling patch.
Song Li'an then turned and walked away.
A single cooling patch couldn't relieve all the heat, but it felt like a net, restraining the constantly rising irritation.
...
During the evening self-study session, Jiang Yan lay on her desk solving problems. Since the start of the school year, teachers had already begun the countdown.
The pressure in the first year of high school came from final exams and class assignments for the second year; in the second year, it was from the academic test and advancing to the third year; in the third year, it was from the college entrance exam.
In any case, once you entered high school, there was constant pressure. But Jiang Yan's classmates were all lovely, her window seat offered views of clouds and trees, and Song Li'an frequently provided her with support.
So Jiang Yan's days at school were still quite happy.
Naturally, mobile phones weren't allowed at school, but Jiang Yan and Song Li'an had phone watches that could only make calls and send messages without internet access.
After Jiang Yan finished the Chinese homework assigned by the teacher in a daze, her watch suddenly lit up with a message from Song Li'an.
Song Li'an: "My mom is coming to bring food tomorrow at noon."
Jiang Yan lay on her desk to reply, taking the opportunity to rest a bit, "Got it, shall I go pick it up tomorrow?"
"Let's go together."
No matter how good the school environment was, it couldn't compare to home. Jiang Yan tended to develop minor ailments as soon as she came to school—headaches, stomachaches, mouth ulcers.
The adults were all quite worried, but only Zhou Sisi had time on weekdays, so she would come by to deliver some things when she could.
This time, it was large pieces of guo bao rou (sweet and sour pork) with a golden-brown color and authentic ingredients, salt and pepper shrimp with tender meat and a springy texture, vibrant green spinach stir-fried with golden eggs, and fragrant, fluffy white rice.
Both the cooking skills and ingredients were far superior to the school cafeteria.
Jiang Yan was instantly filled with happiness and gave Zhou Sisi a tight hug.
Zhou Sisi urged them to go back to eat and rest. On the way back to the classroom, Jiang Yan kept marveling, "How can anyone not love a woman like your mom? My goodness, she's so generous and thoughtful, and she can cook such delicious food..."
Song Li'an felt something was off and couldn't help but turn to look at her, "What do you mean by that?"
Jiang Yan shook her head dramatically and sighed, "You were born before I was, and when I was born, you were already old."
Song Li'an unconsciously tensed up and reached out to tap her, warning, "That's my mom."
Jiang Yan quickly ran a few steps ahead, then turned to look at him, joking, "What else could it be? Should I call you uncle instead?"
Song Li'an: ...I treat you like a treasure, and you want to be my elder?
Perhaps Jiang Yan was too cocky, as karma quickly caught up with her.