Who had sent blessings this early. I raised an eyebrow and opened it. Inside was a large, red, glossy apple. I picked up the apple. And discovered a small card tucked underneath. "Merry Christmas, Qian—may you be safe and sound—Z." Z? Who was Z? Zhang? Zheng? Zhou? Did I know anyone with these surnames who was close to me? I thought about it but couldn't figure out who had sent it, so I gave up. I washed the apple and took a bite. It was very, very sweet.
At lunch in the cafeteria, I saw that flashy underclassman again. He excitedly greeted me. I was carrying my freshly served food, looking for a place to sit. He suddenly asked me, "Is it good?" Was this guy mentally ill? I hadn't even taken a bite yet, how would I know if it was good. Brainless much? I sighed. Walked past him, and sat down. I didn't understand why this person always said such bizarre, off-the-wall things.
And so day after day passed. Because this guy kept coming to our class to find me. The whole class knew there was a first-year underclassman relentlessly pursuing me. It even alarmed my teacher. "Shuhan, I know you've always wanted to get into University A, but early dating will be a distraction." If a person could literally turn to stone. I would have petrified on the spot. Early dating? With whom? With that flashy, smooth-talking, nonsensical underclassman? Was I crazy? How could I possibly like him? This guy's behavior had already become a nuisance in my life. I had clearly rejected him multiple times. But he acted like he couldn't understand a word I said. I sighed. My thoughts returned to the test paper spread open before me. I was about to get back to writing. It was evening study hall, and the classroom was quiet. You could only hear pages turning and pens scratching. Suddenly someone poked me. "Hey, Shuhan, isn't that that underclassman?" Underclassman? What underclassman? This was evening study hall. Shouldn't everyone be studying in their classrooms? I puzzledly looked up and followed the direction they pointed. Outside the window facing the corridor. That flashy underclassman was wearing a duty patrol badge. And our eyes met. Fine, I admit it. Perhaps it was the gentle quality of that night. When he saw that I'd noticed him, for once he didn't say anything, just smiled faintly at me. Although I always found him annoying. I had to admit he was indeed quite handsome.
Handsome or not. Liking him was still impossible. After duty patrol, I got even busier. There was a mountain of things to do. I hadn't encountered that underclassman for a long time either. Just when I thought I'd almost forgotten about him. He dealt me a critical blow. On a bright and sunny morning. I heard someone call my name. "Qian Shuhan, someone's looking for you." I set down my pen and went out. It was him again. Today he was wearing a shirt under his school uniform. His collar was finally straight and not crooked. When he saw me come out. His face immediately turned red. I sensed this wasn't good. This setup... could it be... Just as my mind started racing. He spoke. My back stiffened. "Senior, I like you." Well, speak of the devil. I looked up helplessly. He looked very nervous, and when I didn't say anything, he opened his mouth again to say something. I cut him off. "You don't need to say anything else. I wouldn't like someone like you. No matter how much you say, it won't work. You don't need to come find me anymore." I didn't dare look at his face. I felt like my conscience was stabbing me. But saying anything less would only give him a sliver of hope. Better to let him think I was a thoroughly terrible person. I finished speaking, but the person before me clearly didn't believe my words. He seemed both incredulous and devastated. He stammered and asked me. "Then what kind of person do you like?" I looked up. His eyes were red. I felt even guiltier, but I still cruelly said what came next. "Ah, I like guys who are chubby, short, quiet, don't like sports, and dress plainly." I once again described the exact opposite of the person standing before me. Yet every word I spoke reminded me of Theo. Rather than saying I liked this kind of guy, I might as well just admit I liked Theo. After I listed all those traits that were his complete opposite, I figured he would think I was crazy and storm off in anger. But I never expected his reaction. Tears instantly streamed down his face. This guy who was nearly six feet tall was standing right in front of me, sobbing uncontrollably. He looked at me and said, "Qian Duolai, you liar." I startled and looked up at him, but he had already run off. How did he know my middle school name? Completely bewildered, I returned to my seat feeling guilty. The people around me all sighed and shook their heads at me. As if condemning me for being so heartless. I sat there silently, on pins and needles. Thinking to myself: "I really am a terrible person." Perhaps my words were too hurtful. After that day, he truly never appeared before me again. At first there was a sense of relief, like a burden had been lifted. But gradually, I always felt something was missing. Being used to his pestering, and suddenly having no one greeting me with a grin every day asking what I'd eaten. I felt like something in my life was missing. But I would never regret my words. Nor the things I had done. I continued with my routine as always. This person and Theo were like a pair of opposites. Yet somehow. They felt similar in some way.
Wednesday. It was unusually cold. Perhaps because autumn was setting in. The sky was overcast and gloomy. Like a storm was brewing, dark clouds pressing down. I frowned. It was probably going to rain. I hadn't brought an umbrella. The last two periods before school ended were club activities. I missed the first one. When I arrived for the second, it happened to be the end of the session. The vice president saw me and came over to chat. She was my high school classmate. We were in the same class and got along well. At that moment, the underclassman I'd rejected came out of the club activity room. He didn't seem to notice us and walked straight past. The vice president noticed him. Then started talking about him. "He's actually pretty cute, tall and skinny. I heard he pursued you and you turned him down?" I nodded awkwardly, not sure what to say. "But I'm really curious, what kind of guy do you actually like?" This question stumped me. I stood there pondering what to say. "I have someone I like. His name is Theo, he was my middle school classmate." Since there was no one around, telling her was fine. I confessed honestly. Sometimes it's easier to be honest with someone you don't know well. Things you'd never normally say out loud come out effortlessly. I knew she didn't know Theo, so saying his name out loud didn't matter. But I didn't expect her to look at me in surprise. "Theo?" I looked at her in confusion. "Yeah, Theo. Do you know him?" She practically lunged toward me. "Theo—theo as in Theodore?" I was even more confused. "Yeah, is something wrong?" She asked in disbelief, "Were you at Sycamore No. 2 Middle School?" I nodded helplessly. Then she said something I would never forget for the rest of my life. "That underclassman is Theo, isn't he? And he's from the same middle school as you. You like him, so why did you reject him?"
It was like a bolt of lightning. I felt as if two thunderbolts had literally split me in half. It was my turn to be dumbfounded. All the unsolved mysteries from before were instantly decoded after she said that sentence. The familiar running posture. The familiar voice. That card with "Z" tucked under the apple. The day I rejected him. He cried and called me a liar. It was because. In middle school health class. I had said. I like tall, skinny, talkative, smart, athletic guys who dress flashily. Everything matched up. That's why he had become this. And appeared before me once more. Yet I hadn't recognized him. I slid down into my seat, dazed. The class bell rang. The last club activity period. The vice president headed inside to organize things. Inside, people were bustling about. But I could only see Theo. He had gotten so much thinner. The chubby little face that used to be all round was now sharp and angular. He had gotten so tall. He used to be about my height, maybe even a bit shorter. Now he was nearly two heads taller than me. He had changed so much. Even a former classmate standing face to face with him wouldn't recognize him. But I should have recognized him. How could I not have recognized him? He hadn't changed. Those eyes that were always clear. That smiling mouth. That voice calling my name. How could I not have recognized him? Three years had passed. My wish to see him again, just once more.