Zhou Wu stood at the very back with both hands in his pockets.
He was also wearing the school uniform today. Aside from his hairstyle, he looked almost identical to the photograph. The only difference was the added restraint and composure of an adult man, which made him even more eye-catching.
Zhou Wu was tall and long-legged. Even standing at the back, he remained the centre of attention.
He had originally been looking at his phone. Only after hearing something did he lazily raise his eyes.
The instant their gazes met, Wen Ci quickly looked away.
“I’d already heard that the school was inhumane and made the teachers do manual labour, but this is beyond ridiculous.”
Qin Yun looked over the display board and asked, “Wen Ci, is this the entire list of outstanding alumni? Is there a second board? Why isn’t my name here?”
Wen Ci replied regretfully, “There’s only this one.”
Dou Yiqing said, “It’s a shame there isn’t a wall of shame. You’d be ranked first.”
Having been insulted for no apparent reason, Qin Yun looked at the person beside Wen Ci in confusion.
“Hey, lady, why are you insulting me—Dou Yiqing?!”
Dou Yiqing ignored him. She climbed down the ladder in a few quick movements, while Wen Ci held the handrail and returned steadily to the ground.
“Thank you, uncles. Here are your ladders. Where should we put them?” Dou Yiqing asked.
“No need. We’ll carry them back ourselves.”
The two security guards each picked up a ladder and smiled.
“You two can go and enjoy yourselves.”
Dou Yiqing nodded.
“Then we’re leaving.”
“Hey, the anniversary celebration hasn’t even started. Why are you leaving? Come and see Old Yu with us.”
Qin Yun grabbed the hem of Dou Yiqing’s shirt and leaned closer, full of curiosity and utterly unafraid of death.
“Dou Yiqing, why do you look like this now? Did you lie about your age in high school? You must be at least thirty this year.”
Dou Yiqing immediately shook him off.
“Who wants to go with you? Are we even close? What does my age have to do with you? Let go!”
Wen Ci had not expected that even after so many years since graduation, the two would still begin fighting the moment they met.
They still looked as though the very next sentence would lead to an actual brawl.
She was about to step forward and take Dou Yiqing away when—
“Wen Ci!”
The sweet fragrance of perfume reached her nose as Duan Wei linked her arm through hers.
“Long time no see!”
Wen Ci stopped and smiled.
“Long time no see.”
Duan Wei wore exquisite makeup, and her hair had clearly been specially curled. She looked like a beautiful doll, and even her voice was pleasant to hear.
“I just heard Qin Yun say that you’re teaching here. I didn’t expect Yiqing to be here too.”
As she spoke, Duan Wei looked Wen Ci over.
Wen Ci was dressed in a long-sleeved top, jeans and white trainers—clothes that were convenient for working and protected her from the sun. After working all morning, her hair had become messy and casual.
Duan Wei said, “It seems everyone was right. Teaching really does wear people down.”
Wen Ci smiled but did not respond.
“It’s perfect that I ran into you. I was worrying just now because everyone who came today is a man, and none of them will take good photographs.”
Duan Wei took a camera from her bag.
“Wen Ci, could you take a few pictures for me? I want one with this display board.”
Wen Ci accepted the camera.
“Of course.”
Duan Wei showed her a few basic buttons.
Wen Ci lowered her head to familiarise herself with the camera and tried taking one photograph.
Duan Wei said with satisfaction, “Yes, exactly like that. Make sure you take flattering ones. Thank you!”
Then she called out, “Zhou Wu, come over. Let’s take a picture together.”
“I don’t want one. Take it by yourself.”
Zhou Wu finally spoke.
His voice was slightly hoarse, as though he had only just woken up.
His jet lag still seemed unresolved.
Wen Ci remembered the last time she had stayed overnight with him. Zhou Wu had shown no signs of waking throughout the entire morning, so she had left him a message and gone first.
By the time he replied, it had already been afternoon.
Wen Ci raised the camera and searched for a suitable angle facing the display board.
“Is this because I stood you up for dinner last night? You’re really petty!” Duan Wei said. “Come and take one with me. There are even pictures of both of us on the board.”
“Qin Yun arranged last night’s gathering.”
“All right, then I didn’t stand you up. I stood Qin Yun up. That means you have even more reason to take a photograph with me now.”
Duan Wei began calling him repeatedly.
“Zhou Wu, take one. Zhou Wu, Zhou Wu, Zhou Wu!”
Her way of acting spoiled had not changed since high school. It was both irritating and endearing.
Wen Ci thought back. Usually, after this, Zhou Wu would turn his face away with a quiet laugh before giving in to Duan Wei.
Wen Ci could not see his reaction now.
Several seconds later, Zhou Wu appeared in the camera frame.
Duan Wei stood on the right, while Zhou Wu slowly walked to the left.
The distance between them was so great that they almost did not fit within the same shot.
However, both were exceptionally attractive and wore the same school uniform. The result was still a pleasing scene.
“Are you going to stand like that?”
Perhaps she had worked too long beneath the blazing sun, but Wen Ci suddenly felt her throat become dry.
Suppressing the discomfort, she asked softly, “Aren’t you standing too far apart?”
Zhou Wu looked directly into the camera, as though he were looking at her.
“This is fine. My photograph is on this side.”
On the display board, Zhou Wu and Duan Wei were positioned at opposite ends—one on the far left and the other on the far right.
Duan Wei hesitated before reluctantly agreeing.
“Fine.”
Wen Ci pressed her lips together and could only step backwards with the camera raised.
A breeze passed.
A strand of hair that had fallen loose while Wen Ci was working was lifted into the air and refused to settle. Combined with her slightly bent posture, it made her look somewhat dazed.
At the exact moment Wen Ci pressed the shutter, Zhou Wu raised an eyebrow and faintly curved his lips.
After she finished taking the photographs, the argument beside them was still continuing.
Dou Yiqing and Qin Yun seemed born to be enemies.
Back in school, the class bell had at least forced them into temporary ceasefires. Now, only human intervention could stop them.
Wen Ci took Dou Yiqing’s hand.
“Yiqing, everything has been arranged. Shall we go home?”
“Wen Ci, it’s too sunny here. You go first. I’m going to insult him a little longer.”
Dou Yiqing did not even turn around as she continued attacking him.
“You have the nerve to mention high school? I still haven’t settled the score over how you stole my discipline notebook every day! You rotten person! Scumbag!”
Wen Ci failed to pull her away and instinctively searched for someone capable of stopping them.
When she turned around, she discovered Zhou Wu already standing behind her.
Zhou Wu had been staring at the back of her head for a long time.
Only half a step separated them, so when Wen Ci turned, she nearly collided with him.
When Zhou Wu met Wen Ci’s pleading gaze, he remembered that she seemed to have always done this in the past.
They had clearly not been close, yet whenever Qin Yun and Dou Yiqing began arguing, Wen Ci’s first reaction had always been to look towards him.
This was the first time Wen Ci had looked directly at him all day.
Remembering the way she had hurriedly avoided his gaze while sitting on the ladder earlier, Zhou Wu inexplicably felt like laughing.
He knew exactly what her expression meant, yet pretended not to understand.
Lowering his eyelashes, he silently held her gaze.
After the photograph, Zhou Wu appeared to have fully awakened. His expression was relaxed, one eyebrow carelessly raised.
For a moment, he looked even more like the boy in the photograph.
When Wen Ci realised her heart had suddenly begun beating several times faster, she returned to her senses.
She took a hurried step backwards and looked away.
Seeing that Zhou Wu apparently had no intention of intervening, Wen Ci decided to try herself.
She reached for the hem of Dou Yiqing’s shirt again and considered pretending to have a stomachache.
A breeze brushed past her, carrying a faint clean scent of soap.
“Are you leaving or not?”
Zhou Wu walked over to Qin Yun and spoke lazily.
“It’s about to begin over there.”
“I’m leaving. F*ck, how did it get so late?”
Qin Yun glared at Dou Yiqing.
“I won’t lower myself to your level. This great man has to give a speech in the auditorium now. Old Yu is still waiting for us.”
There was an event in the school auditorium at three that afternoon. One of the segments involved outstanding alumni going onstage to give speeches.
As a member of the school staff, Dou Yiqing naturally knew about it.
She gave a loud, derisive snort.
“You? Don’t make me laugh. Zhou Wu will probably be giving the speech onstage while you stand at the very bottom applauding.”
Qin Yun’s eyes widened in fury.
Before he could prepare another insult, Wen Ci hurriedly pulled Dou Yiqing away.
“You should go quickly. You really will be late if you wait any longer. Goodbye.”
…
They arrived late, and the auditorium was almost completely full.
When the school staff saw Zhou Wu, they invited him to sit in the specially reserved seats in the front rows.
Zhou Wu declined.
“There’s no need. I’ll stand at the back with Mr Yu. Thank you.”
After the organiser left, Yu Binhong looked over the former students standing before him.
His gaze eventually settled on Zhou Wu, and he nodded in satisfaction.
“Not bad. You were obedient enough to actually wear your uniform.”
Yu Binhong had been their high school homeroom teacher. He was now retired—a small, loud elderly man who wore glasses.
Zhou Wu smiled faintly.
“You personally asked me to. How could I refuse?”
“The school wanted photographs. They said everyone would look neater in uniform.”
Yu Binhong smiled cheerfully.
“It would have been nice if you had been this obedient in high school.”
“Wasn’t I always most obedient when it came to you?”
“That’s enough. Don’t stand here rewriting history.”
Yu Binhong asked, “Are you really refusing to say a few words during the outstanding alumni speeches later?”
Zhou Wu nodded unseriously.
“All right. I’ll teach the younger students my experience of climbing walls and skipping class. I studied the subject for three years.”
Yu Binhong laughed angrily and slapped him on the shoulder, exactly as he had in the past.
…
Wen Ci had expected Dou Yiqing to be furious after running into Qin Yun.
Unexpectedly, after they had walked some distance away, Dou Yiqing was actually smiling.
“That felt amazing!” Dou Yiqing exclaimed. “Normally, I can’t insult those little bastards in my class like that. It felt so good!”
Wen Ci burst out laughing.
Reassured, she coaxed, “Shall we go and eat, then?”
“Yes!”
Dou Yiqing shouted, “I want food! I want a massage! I want to sleep!”
At that moment, Wen Ci’s phone rang.
It was a call from one of the activity coordinators.
The moment Dou Yiqing saw the caller ID, she broke down.
“Don’t answer—don’t answer!”
Suppressing her laughter, Wen Ci answered the call while dodging Dou Yiqing’s hand as she tried to hang up for her.
“Ms Chen… Yes, I’m still at the school. Is something wrong?… All right. Yiqing has already gone home, so I’ll come by myself… Yes, I’ll be there immediately.”
After ending the call, Wen Ci said, “They’re short of someone at one of the stalls for the school fair. I need to fill in. You should go home and sleep. I can go by myself.”
“As if I could leave you here alone to suffer.”
Dou Yiqing wrapped an arm around her neck and looked utterly hopeless.
“Wen Ci, you’re simply too kind. You can’t keep being like this. Come on.”
By the time they finished working, it was nearly five in the afternoon.
The two crossed the sports field and headed towards the school gates.
Dou Yiqing ordered, “Turn on Do Not Disturb immediately. Don’t let them catch you for another job.”
Wen Ci laughed.
“What do you want for dinner? I’ll treat you.”
“No. You paid last time, so it’s my turn.”
Dou Yiqing rubbed her stomach.
“Let’s have barbecue…”
“Dou Yiqing? Wen Ci?”
For the second time that day, someone called out to them.
The two turned around and found themselves facing the same group of people again.
This time, however, the speaker was not Qin Yun.
It was Yu Binhong.
They froze briefly before stopping to greet him.
“Mr Yu.”
“I was wondering why I hadn’t seen either of you today.”
Upon seeing his former beloved class officers, Yu Binhong’s smile became noticeably gentler.
“Why didn’t your parents come today?”
Wen Ci answered, “They’re both attending an academic conference in another province. They won’t return until this evening, so they didn’t come.”
Yu Binhong nodded.
“How does it feel teaching here?”
Dou Yiqing answered far more honestly.
“It makes me realise how truly remarkable you were.”
Yu Binhong burst out laughing.
“Since we’ve run into one another, the timing is perfect. These people insist on dragging me out for dinner. You’re all former classmates, so the two of you should come as well.”
Only after saying this did Yu Binhong remember that Wen Ci and Dou Yiqing had never belonged to the same social circle as the conspicuous group beside him.
He did not know what had happened that afternoon.
Looking towards the others, he said, “You should all still remember one another, shouldn’t you? Wen Ci and Dou Yiqing were class officers. They’re both teaching here now…”
“Of course we remember.”
Wen Ci had just begun thinking of a polite way to refuse when Zhou Wu spoke first.
He smiled faintly.
“We already met Ms Wen when we arrived.”
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