Instead of messages from Lin He, she found messages from a newly added friend.
Chen Lin: [Link]
Chen Lin: This is it.
Chen Lin: He’s the one who dominated the forum on the first day of school. In just one day, the forum’s homepage was all about him. The most discussed thread has already reached over ten pages.
Chen Lin: I told you about this today, but I knew you were busy with homework and didn’t listen [○??’ Д????○]
On the bumpy bus, Lin Zhexia clicked on the URL. A moment later, a somewhat blurry candid photo suddenly appeared on her screen.
The photo was probably taken in the afternoon.
In the photo, the sunlight was intense, boldly shining through the windows.
This very casual snapshot had actually captured many people, but among this group, there was an undeniable presence.
The young man sitting in the back row wore a No. 2 High School uniform. The collar of his uniform was slightly open, vaguely revealing prominent collarbones. He sat in the middle of a group, surrounded by other boys, seemingly very popular, yet the entire person exuded a strong sense of distance.
The same uniform somehow looked different on him. His light-colored pupils were illuminated by the sunlight, with a dazzling sharpness.
But these weren’t the most important things.
The most important thing was—the person in the photo was the same person standing beside her right now.
It was the one she could recognize even if he were reduced to ashes.
Chi Yao.
“…”
Lin Zhexia’s expression changed from confused to hesitant.
Then from hesitant to speechless.
Finally, it transformed into an expression like an elderly person staring at their phone on the subway.
Below this photo were rows upon rows of replies.
1L: [Image].
2L: [Who is this person? Is he from our school?]
3L: [Whose heartbeat is so loud? Oh, it’s mine.]
4L: [Within ten minutes, I want all information about this person.]
After a while, someone started reporting information.
133L: [Before clicking in, I was wondering who could cause such a commotion. After clicking in… Oh, it’s Chi Yao. Never mind then.]
Having finally caught an insider, other commenters urged 133 not to leave.
So 133L stayed and said a few more things:
[Class 1, Grade 1, Chi Yao.]
He was my classmate at my previous school. He was famous there too.]
Does he have a girlfriend? Don’t know.]
[But I advise you not to approach him because you’ll be rejected miserably.]
Lin Zhexia’s expression grew more complex as she read on.
She hadn’t attended the same school as Chi Yao before and didn’t know he was so attention-grabbing at school.
She felt like she was seeing.
A.
A person she didn’t know.
This person shared the same name and face as Chi Yao.
And this Chi Yao at school seemed to be quite famous.
…
Lin Zhexia stared at the photo for a while, then looked up at the Chi Yao standing beside her.
Compared to the seemingly unreachable “Chi Yao” in the photo, the current Chi Yao was closer to real life. The evening sunlight shone on him, his entire being surrounded by the clamor inside the bus.
He was tall, still standing out among the many people in the vehicle. At the moment, he was also looking down at his phone.
Seeming to sense her gaze, he shifted his line of sight slightly and looked down at her: “My face charges a fee. Fifty yuan per look.”
Lin Zhexia was dumbfounded.
She was about to say “You’re extorting—”
Then, she heard Chi Yao continue:
“After all, if someone can charge an eight-yuan delivery fee, my price should be reasonable.”
Author’s Note:
Chi Dog begins to dominate (not really)