Chapter 6 | The Secret in the Evening Breeze on the Playground

By the time evening self-study ended, the campus was already quiet.It was past ten o'clock at night, and the lights in the teaching buildings went out one by one.Only a few streetlights remained lit near the sports field.When Lin Nian came out of the library, she saw Zhou Yu sitting on the bleachers of the sports field.He was alone.He held a bottle of mineral water in his hand.A basketball lay at his feet.The evening breeze blew his jersey.Lin Nian had originally planned to go straight home.But when she reached the edge of the sports field, Zhou Yu had already seen her."Lin Nian!"He waved.Lin Nian stopped.She walked over."Why haven't you gone home yet?"Zhou Yu patted the seat next to him."Sit for a while."Lin Nian hesitated for a moment.She sat down anyway.The sports field was quiet at night.The occasional rustling of leaves in the wind could be heard in the distance.Zhou Yu handed her the mineral water. "Want some?"Lin Nian shook her head."I just had some."Zhou Yu unscrewed the cap and took a sip.Then he said:"Practice lasted a while today."Lin Nian glanced at the basketball at her feet."You really love basketball."Zhou Yu nodded."I've been playing since elementary school."His eyes lit up as he said this."Back then, I was on the court every day after school.""Then I gradually made it onto the school team."Lin Nian listened quietly.She suddenly noticed.When Zhou Yu talked about basketball, he was very serious.Like he was talking about something very important.She asked:"So, do you want to play professionally in the future?"Zhou Yu thought for a moment."I thought about it before.""Now..."He glanced at the night sky."Maybe.""But in my senior year of high school, I should focus on doing well on my exams first."Lin Nian smiled.“That doesn’t sound like something you would say.”Zhou Yu laughed too.“Because I’ve been influenced by you lately.”Lin Nian paused, taken aback.“Me?”Zhou Yu nodded.“You’re studying every day.”“I feel a little embarrassed playing on my phone next to you.”Lin Nian couldn’t help but laugh.“So you knew you were playing on your phone.”Zhou Yu coughed lightly.“Occasionally.”They both laughed.A cool evening breeze blew from the playground.It was a little chilly.Lin Nian pulled her coat tighter around herself.Zhou Yu noticed.“Are you cold?”Lin Nian shook her head.“I’m okay.”Zhou Yu suddenly stood up.He picked up a basketball.“Want to try?”Lin Nian froze.“What?”“Shoot.”Zhou Yu handed her the ball.Lin Nian immediately shook her head.“I can’t.”Zhou Yu smiled.“It’s simple.”He walked to the basket.“You stand here.”Lin Nian nervously took the basketball.The ball was a little heavier than she expected.Zhou Yu stood beside her.“Yes, with both hands.”“Push it up.”Lin Nian tried to shoot.The basketball hit the backboard.It bounced off.Zhou Yu smiled.“Almost.”Lin Nian was a little embarrassed.“I told you I didn’t know how.”Zhou Yu walked behind her.“I’ll teach you.”Lin Nian hadn’t reacted yet.Zhou Yu had already gently taken her hand.“Like this.”“Wrist up.”His palm was very warm.Lin Nian suddenly felt her heart beating a little fast.She tried to appear normal.“And then?”Zhou Yu said:“Shoot it again.”Lin Nian took a deep breath.She pushed the ball out.The basketball traced a short arc in the air."Thwack—"The ball hit the backboard.Then it slowly rolled into the hoop.Lin Nian froze."It went in?"Zhou Yu smiled broadly."It went in."Lin Nian couldn't help but smile too."So simple."Zhou Yu said:"It's because I taught you well."Lin Nian glanced at him."Narcissistic."Zhou Yu retrieved the ball.He sat back down in the stands.The playground grew quieter with the night.Only a few lights remained on in the distant teaching buildings.Zhou Yu suddenly asked:"Lin Nian.""Hmm?""Have you thought about the future?"Lin Nian thought for a moment."University.""Medical.""Then become a doctor."Zhou Yu nodded."That's good."He was silent for a moment.Then he said softly:"What if we're not in the same city anymore?"Lin Nian paused.She hadn't thought about that.She looked at the lights in the distance.She said slowly:"Then... let's live our own lives."Zhou Yu didn't speak.He just nodded slightly.After a while.He suddenly smiled."Let's not think that far ahead now."Lin Nian looked at him."Why?"Zhou Yu said:"Because things are fine as they are now."The evening breeze blew across the playground.The leaves rustled gently.Lin Nian suddenly realized.She seemed to be getting more and more used to it.Seeing Zhou Yu at the library every day.Walking together after evening self-study every day.And now.Chatting on the bleachers of the playground.It was almost eleven o'clock.Lin Nian stood up."I should go back."Zhou Yu also stood up.“Let’s go.”They walked out of the playground together.The campus was quiet at night.The streetlights were lit one by one.When they reached the school gate,Zhou Yu suddenly said:“Lin Nian.”“Hmm?”“That basketball shot just now.”“Is that a secret between us?”Lin Nian paused for a moment.Then she smiled.“Why?”Zhou Yu said:“Because I’m the only one who’s ever taught you.”Lin Nian looked at him.The evening breeze ruffled her hair.She nodded gently.“Okay.”At that moment,neither of them said they liked each other.But some things,had already quietly begun to change.