Chapter 5: Attend Class

At the school sports meeting, Song Shiyue participated in two events altogether: the women’s 800-meter race and the high jump.

The high jump drew a large crowd of spectators. Many people came to hand her water and cheer her on. The school broadcast station read one cheer script after another, and every one began the same way: “Class 1 student Song Shiyue…”

After several rounds of raising the bar, only three athletes remained to compete for the final rankings.

This round’s height was 1.7 meters.

Song Shiyue’s performance stopped here. Her last-minute crash practice had reached its absolute limit. The top two spots went to members of the school track team.

She proudly took third place. Her classmates still gave her a warm welcome, clapping enthusiastically as she returned.

Once the excitement died down,

Dali linked arms with her and strolled along the grass in the middle of the track, teasing with a mischievous grin. “Our Song Yueyue’s popularity hasn’t faded at all. Still the campus goddess, the brightest star in the crowd.”

Song Shiyue froze for a moment and instinctively replied, “You just haven’t seen a real star yet.”

“How could I not have seen one? I look up and see them every night.”

She paused slightly and then closed her mouth.

“Alright, alright, I know you’re the type who doesn’t pay attention to anything outside your books and studies. I won’t tease you anymore,” Dali said.

Song Shiyue also fell silent, quietly regretting her unthinking slip of the tongue.

Lunch break was approaching. The two of them headed toward the convenience store. Dali was rambling about her favorite vanilla ice cream. Song Shiyue’s mind wandered a little. She did not understand why, in that instant, Zhu Xingyan’s face had suddenly appeared in her thoughts.

Just then, the phone in her school uniform pocket vibrated gently with a new message notification.

Her heart skipped a beat. She took it out and opened the message, only to find it was from an unexpected person.

Zhou Zongbai: 【Song Shiyue, I’m passing by your school for something. Want to come out and play host?】

The photo he sent was of their school gate.

Dali leaned over curiously and also saw the message. She immediately asked with gossip-filled interest, “Who’s this guy?”

Song Shiyue frowned slightly. “A student from City No. 1 High School. We’ve run into each other several times at English competitions.”

“Are you two close?” Dali asked curiously.

Song Shiyue’s thoughts drifted slightly. After a moment, she hesitated and nodded. “We should… count as acquaintances.”

Her first meeting with Zhou Zongbai could only be described as unexpected.

During the junior high third-year English speech competition, both of them represented their schools and were direct rivals.

That time, Song Shiyue won by a single point and took first prize.

After the competition ended, she went to the restroom. When she came out, she had lost her school group. The grand auditorium was full of twists and turns, with winding corridors. By the time she found the exit, it was raining outside.

The steps were wet, and her phone had no signal. Song Shiyue stood in front of the curtain of rain, feeling worried, when an umbrella suddenly appeared above her head.

The boy was wearing the uniform of City No. 1 High School. His features were clear and handsome, and he looked so clean he seemed out of place in the gloomy rainy day.

“Did you get separated from your school group?”

“I think I just saw your bus earlier. Want me to walk you over?”

The bus was parked in the lot. It was Song Shiyue’s first time in that area, and she was unfamiliar with it, so she had panicked for a moment.

The following year, the two met again at another competition.

Because of that small encounter the previous time, there was naturally a little more familiarity than with others. When their schools crossed paths, the two nodded in greeting across the crowd.

After that, they met twice every year. Gradually, they became friends who could chat casually.

Song Shiyue walked toward the school gate. When she saw Zhou Zongbai, he was standing just outside the entrance of Fanhua No. 2 High School, holding up his phone to take a photo.

When he noticed her approaching, he put his phone away, waved at her, and flashed a relaxed, easygoing smile. His voice carried the same light and cheerful tone as always.

“Hey, Song Shiyue. We meet again.”

Song Shiyue stopped in front of him and suddenly realized something.

This was the first time the two of them had met outside of a competition.

—

In mid-November, Zhu Xingyan finished filming his movie.

Rumors began circulating that he would soon return to school for classes.

The earlier restlessness started flowing quietly around the campus again. During breaks, everyone was talking about it.

Her desk mate Xiao Simin had recently become obsessed with tarot cards. Every day she would clasp her hands together, close her eyes in front of the cards on her desk, and mutter prayers. If you listened closely, the content was jaw-dropping.

“Greatly compassionate Guanyin Bodhisattva, please bless my idol Zhu Xingyan so he can come back to school and attend classes this month. As long as I can see him once, I will be completely satisfied. This believer is willing to lose ten pounds as an offering…” After finishing, she reverently bowed three times. “Bodhisattva bless, Bodhisattva bless…”

“…………”

“Hey, do you think when Zhu Xingyan actually comes, we’ll be able to go up and ask for his autograph or a photo?”

“I think it’ll be hard… With so many people in school, it might turn into chaos instead of successful fan interaction.”

“The school will definitely intervene. Just wait — the homeroom teacher will probably give us another thought-education talk soon.”

During lunch break, the girls in the class casually discussed it, and sure enough, their words came true. Within a couple of days, Zhang Feng specially addressed the topic during class meeting, tapping the podium for emphasis.

“When the time comes, don’t make noise like you’re in a zoo. This is a school. You need to behave like students. Tomorrow we will issue new rules. Classes are not allowed to visit each other casually without reason. You all need to be self-aware and let Zhu Xingyan focus on his studies in peace. If I catch anyone disturbing him, I will not go easy on you.”

The combination of stern and gentle warning extinguished quite a few gossip-hungry hearts. Perhaps because everyone had prepared themselves mentally for so long, the day Zhu Xingyan actually came to school for classes turned out to be far calmer than the initial frenzy.

He appeared in the class very low-key. In fact, not many people in the school even knew about it. Students from Class 1 gradually walked into the classroom. There was still a long time before morning self-study began, and outside the sky had only just begun to brighten.

The PE rep was the first to enter the classroom. He casually took out his book and started previewing. In the corner of his eye, he saw someone come in, walk to the back, and sit down. A little while later, the second and third students arrived…

The air was unusually quiet. Compared to usual, there was not even the slightest whisper. After finishing reciting an English composition, Yu Chao relaxed a little and finally noticed something strange. His back was poked.

A note was quietly passed forward from behind.

【Is the person in the back Zhu Xingyan?!!! He’s here for class?!!!】

【Holy crap, it’s real】

【Help! How did he slip into the classroom without a sound? What do we do, what do we do? Should we say hi to him??】

【To be honest, I want to go ask for an autograph qwq】

…

The note was filled with messy lines of text — clearly passed along like a relay. When Yu Chao read the first line, he could not help but feel a jolt inside. He let out a soft “Ah” and instinctively turned his head back.

In his line of sight, a boy sat in the farthest corner of the classroom. He was wearing the blue-and-white uniform of Fanhua No. 2 High School, earphones on, head lowered as he wrote something on his paper.

From a distance, he looked like a painting — unreal and dreamlike in the early morning light.

Yu Chao quickly turned back, not daring to stare too long. He even breathed more lightly. On the note in front of him, he pressed the pen hard and wrote:

【Aaaaaah why did he just sit in the back without making a sound!!! I was the first one here and didn’t even notice (want to die) (came back to life) (anyone going for an autograph? take me with you?)】

【Autograph +1】

【Autograph +2】

【Autograph + pi】

…

When Song Shiyue walked into the classroom as usual, the note that had been passed around was already filled to the brim. The handwriting was wild and chaotic, full of cowardly yet eager cries for autographs.

She looked up in surprise and saw that, at some point, Zhu Xingyan had appeared in the back of the classroom. The big star who had always seemed so distant was now sitting there quietly, making the whole scene feel like a scene from an idol drama.

Beside her, Xiao Simin was already in a dazed, soul-out-of-body state.

Song Shiyue lowered her head, looked at the messy note in her hand, folded it tightly into a ball with gentle force, and tucked it into her desk compartment.

Before this morning’s self-study, the classroom was quieter than ever before. Although Class 1 had never been particularly noisy, it had never reached the level of silence it had now — so still that it could be described as deathly quiet.

An inexplicable restlessness flowed through the air, yet it felt frozen, as if no one dared to move. In this strange, suspended state, the bell finally rang. Zhang Feng walked in with books tucked under his arm, and everyone in the classroom let out a collective sigh of relief at the same time.

On the podium, the man swept his gaze across the room. His eyes lingered on the corner for a few seconds. He cleared his throat and straightened his expression.

“First of all, welcome Zhu Xingyan back to school for classes today.”

“Here, he is just an ordinary student. I hope everyone will not view him through colored lenses.”

A few low chuckles came from below.

Zhang Feng pressed downward with his hand and spoke solemnly: “Next, let’s welcome Zhu Xingyan to come up and give a brief self-introduction.”

The air instantly fell silent. Everyone finally had a legitimate reason, and they eagerly turned their eyes toward that corner.

The person at the center of attention stood up calmly and naturally, as if he were already accustomed to being watched by so many eyes.

Morning light poured in from all sides. The boy’s tall, slender figure filled out the school uniform. The ordinary tailoring looked expensive and refined on him. The face everyone had seen countless times on screens suddenly appeared in real life — somewhat familiar, yet overwhelmingly breathtaking.

The whispers around them could no longer be contained.

“Oh my god, Zhu Xingyan in person is just too handsome.”

“So this is what he actually looks like.”

“Celebrity visuals really are on another level compared to ordinary people…”

“Just standing there, it feels like the air around him is different.”

Beside her, Xiao Simin murmured to herself.

“Hello everyone, I’m Zhu Xingyan. It’s very nice to meet you all. I hope we can get along well in the days ahead.”

After he finished, he gave a slight nod, with a faint, shallow smile at the corners of his lips.

The world-famous big star seemed surprisingly approachable.

The students in the class unconsciously let go of a little of their nervousness and began to relax slightly. The atmosphere eased a bit.

Still, no one dared to act recklessly under Zhang Feng’s watchful eyes or say anything cheeky.

Zhu Xingyan returned to his seat. This morning self-study period felt unusually long and torturous. Everyone silently counted in their hearts, waiting for the bell to ring.

As soon as class ended and Zhang Feng stopped speaking, no one in the classroom dared to move at first. Everything seemed calm.

He paused for a moment and finally gave a subtle warning.

“Don’t forget what I said at the last meeting. Behave yourselves.”

“Got it! Instructor Zhang! Please dismiss us quickly!”

The students below replied in near-perfect unison.

Zhang Feng left with his books under his arm, looking back three times with every step. The moment he stepped out the classroom door, within two seconds, the boldest student jumped up and rushed toward Zhu Xingyan’s seat at the back.

“Classmate Zhu, can I get an autograph? It’s my first time seeing a big star in real life! It’s okay if not, I’m just asking, hehe…” Remembering the school’s warning, the boy quickly added a disclaimer at the end.

A crowd of classmates followed behind, all staring eagerly, waiting for the answer.

Zhu Xingyan, surrounded by the group, remained calm. His gaze seemed to sweep over them, and then he gave a small nod.

In the next moment, his seat was completely surrounded, packed so tightly that not even water could pass through. Half the classroom emptied out, and all that could be heard was a rush of competing voices.

“I want a personalized one — just write my name, Zhou Siyuan—”

“Can I get one for my little cousin? She’s your hardcore fan.”

“Um… can we take a photo together…?” A timid voice rose from the crowd. For a moment, no one dared move. Everyone’s unspoken wish had been voiced, and they waited in unison for Zhu Xingyan’s response.

The young idol, who had seemed so approachable, paused his hand for a second. He stopped writing, looked up, and smiled gently before politely refusing: “There are too many people, so it might not be convenient. Next time, I’ll ask my assistant to prepare more signed photos. If anyone needs one, I can bring some over.”

“Okay, okay.” The person who had asked nodded hurriedly, realizing they had overstepped, took the autograph awkwardly, and shrank back to their seat.

The commotion over there was impossible to ignore, yet around Song Shiyue, everything remained strangely quiet.

She turned her head and saw Xiao Simin staring blankly at her book in restless anxiety. She had one ear tilted toward the noise at the back, but she did not dare move.

Song Shiyue could not help whispering, “Why aren’t you going over to ask for an autograph?”

Her shoulders trembled as if she had just woken from a dream. After a moment, she spoke in a shaky voice: “I-I’m too nervous… my legs are weak… I can’t move.”

“…………”

“Shiyue, can you help me get one? Please.” She looked pitiful, on the verge of tears. “Just start with: To the universe’s invincible, beautiful, and adorable classmate Xiao Simin — wishing you happiness every day and success in all your exams—”

“Uh.” Song Shiyue quickly stopped her, helplessly pressing her forehead.

“Maybe you should go yourself.”

“Don’t you want to speak to your idol in person?”

“You’re right.” Xiao Simin froze for a few seconds upon hearing that. Finally, she mustered her courage, pushed back her chair, and stood up.

She marched toward the back with great determination. Her eyes stayed fixed straight ahead the whole way, as if she were heading off to save the world.

Song Shiyue shook her head. Just as she turned her gaze away, a miserable cry came from over there. Xiao Simin had collapsed.

“I forgot my precious autograph book! Shiyue!”

Song Shiyue looked back. Her gaze instinctively fell toward the corner of the classroom — and happened to meet those calm, dark eyes.

Zhu Xingyan sat in the distance, separated by the crowd, quietly watching her.