The water droplet refracted a dazzling glint in the afterglow of the setting sun, like a pearl slipping into her collar.
Her profile was serene and beautiful, and she exuded an air of youthful vitality so enchanting that one couldn’t take their eyes off her.
For a moment, Shen Zhihua was mesmerized.
An Hao had had her fill of water, screwed the lid back on the bottle, and handed it to Shen Zhihua with a contented smile, "Thank you, class leader."
"Ah?" Shen Zhihua came back to reality upon hearing her voice, "You’re welcome."
As they walked back together, An Hao suddenly remembered something and asked, "By the way, class leader, were you standing under the big willow tree with the water bottle for any particular reason? Were you waiting for me on purpose?"
Of course, he was waiting for her!
After being busy all day, he must have been terribly tired.
But though Shen Zhihua felt this way, he couldn’t say it; he feared that saying it outright would make An Hao feel repelled by her, "No. I... "
He... stumbled over his words, unable to articulate anything.
His true purpose was to wait for An Hao.
While waiting for her under the tree, he even thought about the issue, wondering what to do if An Hao asked him.
But after much thought, he believed An Hao probably wouldn’t ask. He knew that even if An Hao realized his feelings, she probably wouldn’t reciprocate.
Yet, contrary to expectations, she posed the question to him.
For a moment, he genuinely didn’t know what to say.
"You weren’t just standing at the village entrance enjoying the spring scenery with that water bottle, were you?" An Hao teased him with a smile.
"Might as well say so," Shen Zhihua self-deprecated, having expected this outcome all along.
An Hao saw right through his thoughts and pressed her lips together in a slight smile before speaking sincerely, "I know you were waiting specifically for me."
Shen Zhihua was taken aback, stopping in his tracks.
Seeing him suddenly halt, An Hao looked at him with confusion, "What’s wrong? Did I say something incorrect?"
"An Hao, I don’t want to always hear you call me ’class leader’, and I don’t want you to be so polite and thank me," Shen Zhihua said, his expression turning serious, "You’re a smart girl, I know you understand what’s in my heart."
An Hao shifted her gaze aside, trying to temporarily escape from the conversation, but Shen Zhihua stepped in her way, "An Hao, stop avoiding me."
An Hao fell silent for a few seconds, took a deep breath, and raised her head, "Class Leader Shen, I can’t reciprocate your enthusiasm. I understand how you feel, but I’m sorry... I can’t!"
"Why? Am I not the person you like?" Shen Zhihua looked into her eyes, a deep sense of loss surfacing in his own.
He hadn’t planned to confess at this time, especially since An Hao had family issues to deal with, and the high school exams were fast approaching. He wanted An Hao to take the exams with a clear mind before discussing this.
But the more he tried to suppress his feelings, the less control he had over them, and today, the words tumbled out one after the other.
An Hao cast her eyes downward, biting her lower lip as if in contemplation, appearing troubled.
Shen Zhihua held his breath, waiting for her response.
"I’m sorry, but my heart already belongs to someone I like," An Hao also hadn’t intended to tell Shen Zhihua this now, but since she had already spoken, she decided to come clean. It was better to completely extinguish his hope, so he would stop his wishful thinking.
Shen Zhihua watched An Hao, his Adam’s apple bobbing a few times, "You’re talking about that soldier... Am I right?"
"Stop guessing. As you said, the priority is the college entrance exam. Don’t get distracted by me," An Hao said, then left Shen Zhihua behind and walked back by herself.