Breaks in class grew quieter. Page-turning and recitation replaced the old noise and laughter. In under a year, everyone seemed to mature unknowingly—thinking of consequences, of the future.
A month before the Gaokao, the senior classes took graduation photos. Class One was scheduled for first period in the morning, before the sun got too harsh and caused heatstroke.
Summer had arrived; the weather was hot and irritating.
He Siheng’s irritation had nothing to do with the heat.
More classmates discussed which universities they’d aim for, what careers they’d pursue. He still had no direction.
It was pretty embarrassing: only realizing before the Gaokao that he had no plans for the future. With his grades, getting into a Beijing university was a sure thing, but he’d never thought beyond that. College was just… college.
“Heng Bro, can I ask you something?” On the way to the Sports Field, Zhou Yu sidled up with a complicated expression.
He Siheng, lost in thoughts of universities and majors, absentmindedly agreed.
Zhou Yu hesitated, started and stopped, his gaze lingering on the Peace Buckle hanging from He Siheng’s neck.
For the graduation photos—class uniform version and school uniform version—they’d changed into short-sleeved class shirts in the classroom earlier, draping school uniform shirts over them to save time. The switch exposed the jade pendant He Siheng always wore; he hadn’t noticed.
Zhou Yu had seen the red string on He Siheng’s neck before, but this was his first time noticing the pendant.
Coincidentally, just moments ago, he’d glimpsed Tan Jing doing the same after changing—pulling his own Peace Buckle out from under his short sleeve.
Two people wearing Peace Buckles wasn’t odd, but identical ones? That was… thought-provoking.
Zhou Yu mulled it over, curiosity burning too fiercely to resist. “Heng Bro, under what circumstances do two people wear the exact same necklace?”
With his understanding of He Siheng, asking directly would surely result in all sorts of denials and rebuttals, and he might even get a scolding for it. This indirect way of asking was just right!
“Huh?” He Siheng was utterly baffled by the question. He turned his head and saw Zhou Yu’s grave expression, with gossip fire practically bursting from his eyes. His gaze kept darting toward He Siheng’s chest.
He Siheng reached up and touched his chest. Sure enough, he felt the Peace Buckle peeking out from his clothes.
“…”
He had originally planned to brush it off with “a close friend,” but right before he spoke, he suddenly recalled Tan Jing’s disappointed look from back when he’d given that same answer about the Peace Buckle.
Whatever. It’s only the last month anyway.
He Siheng pinched the Peace Buckle on his chest. “Others might not know, but mine is a couple’s style.”
“It’s really a couple’s style?!” Zhou Yu’s voice shot up three octaves on the spot. “You and Jing Bro?! You two???!”
Zhou Yu lived up to his reputation as the village megaphone. That shout drew every other classmate on the road staring right at them, turning the pair into the center of attention in an instant.
He Siheng’s mouth twitched, cold sweat dripping down his back.
He hadn’t planned to keep hiding it from Zhou Yu, sure, but he also hadn’t planned to go public quite so… loudly.
He suddenly regretted the decision.
As He Siheng’s mouth continued to twitch and he was about to speak, an arm slung over his shoulders from behind.
Tan Jing hooked the corner of his lips and said casually, “We’re dating. Got a problem?”
“…”
Zhou Yu was completely petrified. The other classmates were floored.
“What what? What did I just hear?”
“Cl-Class Monitor and Heng Bro are da-da-dating?!”
“How did those two get tog—pfft, how did they start dating?!”
Another person who was petrified—and cracking—was Wang Yizhou. He whipped his head toward the unflappable Song Lin. “Am I hallucinating from too much stress?”
Song Lin unceremoniously pinched him. “Not a hallucination. No need to thank me.”
Wang Yizhou: “…”
The scene descended into chaos for a moment. He Siheng glanced sideways at the gleeful culprit who’d tossed the bomb without a care. The latter shrugged, feigning helplessness while clearly smug: “I told you our relationship is great.”
He Siheng: “…”
The commotion finally died down at the homeroom teacher’s urging.
But He Siheng regretted that moment of weakness more and more. When they took the graduation photos, everyone else seemed to have glued their eyes to him and Tan Jing. Tan Jing had some thick skin too—after coming clean, he calmly and confidently draped an arm around He Siheng for the camera.
Fortunately, with only one month left until the college entrance exam, the school turned a half-blind eye to such things.
After the photos, the group headed back toward the teaching building.
It was late morning, the sunlight no longer harsh, the sky a perfect blue, and the hot summer breeze rustled the leaves.
“Tan Jing,” He Siheng suddenly asked as they walked toward the classroom, “are you aiming for Peking University’s finance program to make it easier to take over the company later?”
Tan Jing hummed in affirmation, slowing his steps to put some distance between them and the rest of the class.
He Siheng asked again, “Did your dad tell you to pick that?”
“Nah, I was interested in it anyway,” Tan Jing said with a smile. “Plus, I’ve got some talent for it.”
He Siheng: “…Never seen someone praise themselves so blatantly.”
But it was true. Even Boss He had said Tan Jing was born for business—profit-driven, skilled at manipulating hearts. Sure, they were backhanded compliments, but for Boss He, who was so biased, to say that meant he genuinely acknowledged Tan Jing’s abilities.
“What, you don’t want to go to Peking University?” Tan Jing asked.
“My sights aren’t so high that I’d look down on the top university in the country,” He Siheng sighed. “I just don’t have any ideas for my major.”
Tan Jing seemed surprised. “I thought you’d want to compete with me for life.”
He Siheng scoffed. “Get real. Studying isn’t like this—you just cram for exams. I’m not going to pick something I hate just to one-up you.”
He’d never liked social occasions since he was a kid. He Yunlang knew that, so he’d never forced He Siheng to attend any business banquets. It was precisely because he knew He Siheng wouldn’t go into business—putting them on different tracks—that he’d pushed him to surpass Tan Jing in academics.
“But I still don’t know what I actually like.” He Siheng sighed again as he spoke.
“You like me,” Tan Jing interjected out of nowhere.
“…” He Siheng: “I’ll beat you up.”
Tan Jing laughed and reached out to ruffle his hair. “No rush. Even after the exam, there’s still a month to figure it out slowly. And…”
He paused, his eyes curving up. “I believe that no matter what you do, you’ll be the best at it.”
He Siheng paused for a beat.
This time, he didn’t get prickly or dodge. He met those eyes full of gentle affection. “You too, of course.”
“Heng Bro, Jing Bro, quit showing off your love!”
Wang Yizhou’s mischievous voice called from ahead, deliberately ruining the mood.
The budding sentiment He Siheng had just mustered evaporated instantly. His face darkened as he clenched his fist and charged at Wang Yizhou. “Wang Yizhou, I’ve put up with you for way too long!”
Wang Yizhou dodged behind Song Lin while yelling that Zhou Yu had put him up to it. The classmates nearby egged them on, loving the drama.
Everyone’s faces lit up with smiles.
Blue skies, white clouds, rustling leaves, friends horsing around—the last month of high school, scenery like this wouldn’t last forever.
Tan Jing pulled out his phone, wanting to capture the moment.
The boy at the center of the frame suddenly stopped, turned back, and looked his way. His chestnut hair fluttered in the wind, his brows and eyes bright with a clear smile.
“What’re you standing there for? Back to class!” He Siheng shouted at him.
“Okay.”
Tan Jing’s eyes curved as he smiled and walked toward them.
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