Chapter 11

The morning felt heavier than usual.

Maybe it was just the early spring humidity, or maybe it was the chatter filling the hallways before first period. Everywhere I turned, students were talking about the same thing:

Tomorrow.
Joint project with Class 2-B.

Cheng practically sprinted into the classroom, slamming both hands on my desk.

"Yuan. It's happening."

"...What is?"

"The project! The fate of my romantic life!"

I slowly blinked. "So dramatic for someone who hasn't even spoken to Cai Qing outside lunch."

"That's why it's fate!" he argued. "Tomorrow, destiny will throw us—"

He paused, eyes narrowing at something behind me.

"Oh. Speaking of destiny."

I turned instinctively.

Zhao Yiyi had just entered the classroom with Xia, the two chatting quietly.
Yiyi's expression was calm as always, but her steps slowed slightly when she noticed the unusually energetic atmosphere.

Students in our class were buzzing:

"Do you think we'll get paired with Rui's class?"
"I want to be with Cai Qing—she's so smart."
"What about Ye Ling? She's calm but scary talented."
"I bet boys from 2-B will fight to join our group."

I put my bag down and sat.
Cheng leaned toward me again.

"What about you, Yuan? Anyone you wanna be paired with?"

"No."

"You're impossible."

Our homeroom teacher entered carrying a stack of printed papers.

"Alright, everyone, simmer down. Today's class will be preparation for next week's joint project."

The class straightened immediately.

He wrote the project title on the board:

"Cultural Connections: Modern Youth Perspectives"

Around me, students gasped in mixed excitement and dread.

"It's a research-based creative project," he continued. "Presentation style is flexible. Essays, posters, short videos, interviews—anything that fits the theme. Each mixed group will contain four students."

Cheng whispered loudly, "FOUR?! That's prime romance-building number!"

I nudged him under the desk.

Our teacher continued:

"Tomorrow, Class 2-B will join us in the multipurpose hall. Group lists will be announced then. Today, you may start brainstorming."

Yiyi listened quietly, pen resting against her chin.
Xia tapped her shoulder, whispering something that earned a small, soft smile from her.

The classroom turned into a quiet hum.

Students formed loose clusters, tossing ideas around.

Cheng flipped to a fresh page in his notebook.

"Yuan, think with me. If I get paired with Cai Qing tomorrow, what topic makes me look intelligent?"

"None," I answered honestly.

"Please take this seriously!"

He started listing themes:

generational pressure

study habits

love and youth

internet culture

family expectations

I didn't comment.
I was looking at something else instead.

Across the room, Yiyi and Xia were discussing quietly.
Xia seemed animated; Yiyi listened with her calm, thoughtful expression.
It struck me suddenly how quietly observant she was.
She rarely pushed her ideas, but she always listened first.

At the same time, I saw something else from the corner of my eye.

Through the classroom door window:
Ye Ling walking by with her classmate, carrying documents again.

She wasn't here for us today, but Class 2-B had their own preparation.
When she passed the door, her eyes flicked inward—

—and met mine briefly.

She gave a small, polite nod before continuing down the hall.

Cheng froze mid-sentence.

"...Did she just look at you?"

"No."

"She DID!"

I ignored him.

Before the bell rang, the teacher raised his voice.

"Remember—tomorrow is important. Be on time. Class 2-B will join us during first period. Mixed groups will be posted then."

Everyone reacted at once.

"Finally!"
"I hope I'm with someone fun."
"Please not the boring kids."
"Let me get Rui— just once!"
"Ling from 2-B is like a princess— I'm scared to talk to her."

Cheng punched the air dramatically.
"Yuan! Tomorrow is the day!"

"Please stop."

Even Yiyi glanced over at our noisy corner, expression unreadable but slightly amused.

A small glance.
Nothing more.

Yet somehow, the classroom felt filled with energy that wasn't there yesterday.

Tomorrow would change things.

Quietly.
Slowly.
But definitely.

******

The hallway outside our classroom was louder than usual when the lunch bell rang. Students rushed out faster than I expected, some practically sprinting toward the bulletin boards near the stairwell.

Cheng grabbed my sleeve before I could even stand fully.

"Yuan—let's go! The group lists are up!"

"So soon?"

"Of course! Teachers love ruining lunch with dramatic timing."

I allowed him to drag me into the hallway.

When we arrived, a crowd had already formed around the bulletin board.
Students leaned in close, calling out names as if reading lottery numbers.

"Ahhh I'm with Class 2-B!"
"No way! I got paired with Rui!"
"Who the heck is this 2-A kid...?"
"Where's Ling? Who got Ling??"

Cheng elbowed his way in with surprising skill, pulling me with him until we stood directly in front of the list.

It didn't take long to find our names.

Group 3 — Class 2-A & 2-B Mixed Group

Tang Yuan (2-A)

Liu Cheng (2-A)

Cai Qing (2-B)

Ye Ling (2-B)

Cheng stared at the paper like it contained divine prophecy.

"...No way."

"You didn't get what you wanted?" I asked.

"No, I DID."
He slapped my shoulder. "I'm in the same group as Cai Qing!"

He looked like he was trying not to scream.
I felt a dull ache in my ear.

Then he frowned suddenly.
"But wait—why are YOU also in this group?!"

"I can leave if you want."

"No! No, stay. You're like... the calming force. She'll think I'm a psychopath if I'm alone."

I didn't argue.

My eyes drifted to the next group list.

Group 5 — Class 2-A & 2-B Mixed Group

Zhao Yiyi (2-A)

Lin Xia (2-A)

Li Rui (2-B)

'another classmate from 2-B'

I didn't know the fourth student, but the first three names were familiar enough.

Cheng followed my gaze.
"Oh? Yiyi and Rui in the same group? Dang. This is gonna be fun to watch."

"For who?" I deadpanned.

"For ME. Obviously."

Students behind us commented openly:

"Poor Yiyi... Rui's gonna malfunction every meeting."
"Xia will protect her."
"Group 3 is insane... Ling AND Cai Qing? Lucky guys."
"Who's Tang Yuan again? He's quiet, right?"
"Yeah, but Ling greeted him yesterday, remember?"

I slowly stepped back before more whispers could surface.

Cheng clapped his hands together.
"Alright! Food time!"

By the time we reached the cafeteria, the line was already long.
Cheng talked the whole way through.

"Bro, imagine this: me, Cai Qing, exchanging ideas—"

"She'll ignore your flirting."

"Then I'll flirt harder—"

"Don't."

"I'm a natural! It's my destiny."

I sighed.

After we got our food, we searched for a table.

That's when we spotted Ling and Cai Qing sitting together on the far side, both already finished eating.

Ling noticed us first.

"Hello," she said softly, giving a small nod.

Cai Qing waved energetically.
"Looks like we're group mates, huh?"

Cheng nearly dropped his tray.

"We—uh—yeah! Looking forward to it! Heh."

I took the seat opposite Ling; Cheng forcefully planted himself beside Cai Qing.

Ling folded her hands neatly.
"I hope we can work well together. The project is quite broad, but cooperation should make it manageable."

Cheng nodded too fast.
"O-Of course! Totally! Cooperation! Yes!"

Cai Qing giggled. "Relax, Cheng. You're shaking."

"I'M NOT—"

He was.

Ling's gaze drifted from Cheng to me.
"We passed by the bulletin board earlier. I was surprised to see your name next to ours. It's... reassuring."

"Is it?" I asked.

"You're reliable," she said plainly.

Somehow, that felt heavier than a compliment.

Cheng mouthed silently at me:

"She called you reliable?! HOW?!"

I ignored him.

Across the cafeteria, I noticed another scene:

Yiyi and Xia sitting at their usual spot—
Rui standing a respectful distance away, awkwardly trying to start conversation.
He looked like he was reciting lines he practiced.

Yiyi listened politely, but she seemed unsure how to respond.

Xia hid her laughter behind her drink.

Cheng followed my gaze.
"Ohhh boy. Rui's already warming up."

I looked away.

Ling noticed my brief distraction, but didn't comment.

Cai Qing sipped her drink.
"Tomorrow will be interesting, won't it?"

Cheng exhaled as if preparing for war.
"Interesting is an understatement."

I didn't say anything.

But he was probably right.

******

The afternoon classes felt different.
Not louder... just heavier. As if the paper on the bulletin board had changed the air itself.

Even during math, when everyone was usually half asleep, students were quietly glancing around, whispering to their seat partners.

"Did you see your group?"
"I can't believe I got paired with 2-B."
"Ling in Group 3... lucky."
"Yiyi and Rui... poor girl."

It was impossible not to hear the last one.

I focused on my notes.

When literature began, the teacher assigned quiet reading.
Pages turned softly. Pens tapped occasionally.
Outside, the wind brushed against the windows.

Cheng nudged my elbow.

"You ready for tomorrow, partner?"

"Yes."

"That's it? 'Yes' ? Bro, show some spirit!"

"I don't need spirit for a project."

He groaned dramatically.

Across the room, Yiyi sat with her usual calm posture.
Xia leaned in, whispering something, probably about the group placements.
Yiyi listened quietly, her expression unreadable.

But once—just once—
she looked up from her book and met my eyes.

Only for a second.

A small, simple moment.
Easy to overlook.

She blinked, then lowered her gaze again, returning to her page.

I looked down too.

During the short break before the final period, I went to refill my water bottle.
When I came back, someone was standing by the doorway.

Ye Ling.

She held a notebook, maybe for delivering instructions, maybe for something else.
When she saw me, she offered a calm smile.

"Ah. Tang Yuan."

"Hello," I said quietly.

"I reviewed the project theme during lunch," she said. "There's potential for many directions. We can discuss it tomorrow."

"Alright."

She nodded once, graceful as always, then stepped past me into the classroom.

As she did, I noticed something—

A few students from 2-A standing near the back stared, whispering.

"That's Ling, right?"
"She's talking to Tang Yuan again."
"What's their relationship?"
"They look... familiar."

I pretended not to hear it.

Cheng slapped my back as soon as I sat down.

"You're attracting attention again."

"I'm just talking."

"Bro, that's the problem. You talk calmly to everyone like nothing's happening."

I didn't know what he meant, so I ignored him.

The last period of the day was mostly review and announcements.
The teacher repeated tomorrow's schedule:

"Class 2-B will join us first thing in the morning. Bring writing materials and be prepared for group introductions."

Soft murmurs spread across the room.

Cheng was vibrating with excitement.
Rui (from the next classroom over) peeked into our class twice during the period.
Xia wrote something in her planner.
Yiyi sat perfectly still, listening without reacting.

I... tried to stay focused.

But even I felt the strange anticipation spreading under the surface.

When the bell finally rang, the teacher ended with:

"Good work today. Rest well. Tomorrow will be busy."

Students rushed to pack, the entire classroom lively again.

Cheng slapped his book shut.
"Tomorrow, my destiny begins."

I closed my notebook.
"Let's hope it doesn't end immediately."

He glared at me.
"I'll ignore that."

As we headed out the door, I glanced once more toward the window side.

Yiyi was packing slowly, while Xia talked excitably beside her.
She seemed a little quieter than usual...

Or maybe I was just imagining it.

Either way, tomorrow would change something.
Maybe only a little.
Maybe a lot.

But change was coming.

Quietly.
Naturally.
Step by step.

Just like everything else so far.

******

The hallway emptied quickly after the final bell.
Cheng slammed his locker shut, clutching his manga like treasure.

"Yuan, I can't walk home with you today. I promised my little sister we'd go buy some snacks."

"That's fine," I said.

"You sure?"

"I'm not a child."

He laughed. "Okay, okay. Have fun walking alone. Think about tomorrow! Destiny awaits!"

I shook my head as he ran off, waving dramatically.

I stepped outside into the cool afternoon air.
The sky was slowly turning orange, the shadows longer but gentle.

I didn't expect to see anyone else I knew.

But near the school gate, Ye Ling and Cai Qing were finishing a conversation.

Cai Qing's eyes darted toward me, and she smiled mischievously.

"Oh~ Look who's here! Group 3 already gathering outside school?"

Ling blinked, confused. "Cai Qing..."

"I suddenly remembered I need to stop by the convenience store," Cai Qing announced loudly. "Ling, go on ahead! You and Tang Yuan live in the same direction, right?"

"We do...?" Ling turned toward me.

I nodded. "More or less."

Cai Qing winked — literally winked — then practically skipped away, humming a tune.

Ling sighed softly, holding her bag with both hands.

"...Shall we walk?" she asked.

"Sure."

We fell into step naturally.

The street wasn't crowded — just students returning home, shop owners closing blinds, and a few members of the basketball club jogging past us.

For a while, neither of us spoke.

Then Ling broke the quiet.

"You have a calm way of walking."

"...Is that good or bad?"

"It's good," she said gently. "Some people rush everywhere. It's tiring to match their pace."

"I don't like rushing."

"I can tell."

Her voice was soft but steady — like someone used to choosing her words carefully.

After a block or so, she turned slightly toward me.

"Yesterday... thank you again for helping during the dinner rush."

"You don't need to thank me every time."

"It's polite," she insisted.

I glanced at her.

"...You consider me reliable?"

She paused, surprised I remembered.

"Of course," she said. "You do things efficiently. You listen. You don't panic under pressure."

I wasn't used to being evaluated like that.
I looked ahead, unsure what to say.

Ling added quietly:

"My mother likes you too. She said you have a steady presence for someone our age."

That didn't help calm me at all.

Ling shifted the strap of her bag.

"About the project... I think our group will work well. Cai Qing has creative ideas, and Cheng seems enthusiastic."

"That's one word for it."

She smiled faintly.
"You two seem close."

"We've known each other for years."

She nodded.

"And... Cai Qing seems to know him too."

"That's because she teases him constantly."

Ling covered a small laugh with her hand — a rare expression.

"Cai Qing seems very... observant."

"That's dangerous."

"Well," Ling said, "it seems she already noticed how Cheng acts when he's near her."

I froze. "...He's obvious?"

"Very."

I sighed. "He's doomed."

She laughed again — soft, like a bell almost too quiet to hear.

"Your class is interesting," she said after a moment.

"You think so?"

"I've been watching during breaks. Everyone reacts strongly to group formations."

"That's normal."

Ling's eyes softened slightly.
"They also reacted strongly yesterday. When I greeted you."

I didn't respond.

She looked forward again.

"Do you dislike being noticed?"

"...I'm not used to it."

"I see."

Before I realized it, we arrived in front of a modest, well-kept two-story home.
The signboard beside the entrance read:

Ye Family Noodle Shop.

The lights inside were warm.
The smell of broth drifted faintly from the kitchen.

Ling stopped at the gate.

"Thank you for walking with me."

"Same direction," I said.

She shook her head lightly, amused. "Still. Thank you."

The front door slid open, and Ye Aunty stepped out, wiping her hands with a towel.

"Oh! Yuan!" she said brightly. "Walking Ling home?"

"Not exactly— we just... happened to be going the same way."

"Even so, thank you," she said warmly. "You should come in for a drink. You've worked hard yesterday."

Ling blinked, slightly flustered. "Mother... Yuan probably wants to go home."

I raised a hand. "It's okay, Aunty. I should head back. My mom's waiting."

"Aiya, such a polite boy. Come again soon, alright?"

"I will."

Ling's eyes followed me as I stepped away.

"Goodbye, Tang Yuan," she said softly.

"See you tomorrow."

As I walked the last part of the route alone, the sky deepened from orange to gentle pink.

Today wasn't dramatic.
But it felt... different.

A quiet shift.
Not loud or intense.
Just subtle, like a breeze you don't notice until it leaves.

Tomorrow would be busy.

But for some reason, I didn't mind it.

Not at all.