Chapter 30: See You in North City

The bell for the final evening self-study rang, but no one rushed out of the classroom like they usually did. Everyone slowly packed up the mountains of test papers piled in their drawers, each one with frayed edges like an old calendar flipped through countless times.

Shen Jia Yan finished packing her things and walked out of the classroom, waiting in the usual spot for Wen Wan Ning.

The last time walking this road they had taken together for three years.

She leaned against the doorframe, her backpack strap loosely hanging over her shoulder, her gaze firmly fixed on the stairwell where Wen Wan Ning would come down.

Normally at this time, she would pretend to casually look around, waiting for Wen Wan Ning to lightly tap her shoulder from behind. But today, she didn’t want to miss a single second, didn’t want to miss any moment when Wen Wan Ning might appear.

“Waited long?”

The familiar voice came from above her head. Shen Jia Yan looked up and saw Wen Wan Ning standing on the stairs, tilting her head to look at her.

The dim yellow corridor lights bathed Wen Wan Ning in a soft glow, the edges of her hair shimmering with a hazy golden halo. As she tilted her head, a stray strand fell by her lips, swaying gently with her breath. The night breeze quietly blew through, lifting the hem of her school uniform and revealing half of her slender waistline, strikingly pale in the shadows.

“No.” Shen Jia Yan shook her head, her throat suddenly tightening.

She watched the side of Wen Wan Ning’s face as she adjusted her backpack, remembering three years ago when she had waited for her the first time—Wen Wan Ning had lowered her head slightly then too, her bangs covering her eyes. But back then, there had been a safe half-meter distance between them, unlike now, when they were close enough to smell the faint fragrance on each other’s school uniforms.

“Let’s go.” Wen Wan Ning said softly.

“Okay.”

They descended the steps of the academic building, their footsteps unconsciously slowing in unison.

Shen Jia Yan glanced at the girl beside her with her peripheral vision. Three years had changed a lot.

She, who had already been tall, seemed even taller now. Her face had shed the childishness from when they first met, her jawline more defined, and there was a newfound steadiness and confidence in her brows.

They walked side by side, and scenes from the past three years flashed through Shen Jia Yan’s mind.

Sharing an umbrella in the rain, warming hands in winter, and countless times on this road, words left unsaid…

“What’s wrong?” Wen Wan Ning suddenly turned to look at her. “Is there something on my face?”

Shen Jia Yan then realized she had been staring too long, her ears heating up. “No, just—” She paused. “Thinking that this is the last time we’ll walk this road together.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, the air between them seemed to freeze for a moment. Wen Wan Ning’s steps hesitated imperceptibly, then she said softly, “Yeah, three years.”

The early June evening breeze carried the scent of flowers across their cheeks. They had walked this road from the academic building to the school gate nearly a thousand times together.

“Remember that big rain in sophomore year?” Wen Wan Ning suddenly spoke, her eyes looking ahead. “The water was up to our ankles. We took off our shoes and socks and walked barefoot.”

Shen Jia Yan smiled. “How could I forget? It really pissed me off at the time. But good thing you weren’t hurt.”

…

Twilight enveloped the campus. Shen Jia Yan wished the road could stretch longer, long enough that tomorrow would never come. But the school gate at the corner was already in sight, and the gate guard uncle nodded and smiled at them as usual.

Wen Wan Ning stopped at the entrance and turned to Shen Jia Yan. Her eyes were exceptionally bright in the dusk, as if filled with all the starlight from these three years.

“Gaokao…”

“Good luck.”

They spoke at the same time and laughed together. Shen Jia Yan felt a warm liquid surge to her eyes, but she didn’t look down. She just met Wen Wan Ning’s gaze and nodded lightly.

※

June’s sunlight already carried a scorching heat. Outside the exam venue, cicadas chirped incessantly in the parasol trees. Beyond the barriers, parents sending off their kids crowded together—some holding “Gaokao Fighting!” banners, others fanning themselves with flyers.

Inside the barriers, volunteers in red vests maintained order. They held megaphones, their voices clear amid the noisy crowd: “Candidates, please show your admission tickets and enter in an orderly manner…”

After greeting her parents, Shen Jia Yan walked toward the exam venue.

Suddenly, she spotted a familiar figure.

“Wan Ning!” she called out.

Wen Wan Ning stopped, turned around, and a beautiful smile bloomed on her face. “Jia Yan.”

Shen Jia Yan approached and pulled a mint candy from her pocket. “Here, to refresh your mind.”

“Thanks.” Wen Wan Ning took the candy, unwrapped it, and the cool sweetness spread on her tongue.

Then, she asked worriedly, “Did you bring your admission ticket?”

“Brought it.”

“ID card?”

“The marking pen?”

…

Wen Wan Ning’s questions came one after another, her eyelashes trembling nervously in the morning light.

Shen Jia Yan had a similar candy in her mouth, puffing out her left cheek a little, and laughed. “Got everything. Don’t worry.”

Wen Wan Ning let out a breath of relief, her lips curving up slightly. “Then let’s go, into the exam hall together.”

“Okay.”

They walked together to the fork where their exam rooms split.

Shen Jia Yan turned to Wen Wan Ning, tiny lights shimmering in her eyes. “Good luck, Wan Ning. You’ll definitely get into your ideal university.”

Wen Wan Ning turned back, raising her fist against the light toward her. “Good luck! See you at university!” Sunlight leaked through her fingers, falling into her crescent-moon eyes.

Shen Jia Yan gripped her admission ticket tightly and headed to her exam room. The corridor echoed with overlapping footsteps, and teachers were giving final reminders.

She found her seat. Sunlight slanted through the window onto the desk corner, where her exam number sticker waited—a brand new beginning to be filled…

The bell signaling the end of the Gaokao rang. Shen Jia Yan gazed at the swaying parasol tree shadows outside the window and suddenly realized that twelve years of youth had been packed into a thin answer sheet just like that.

Twelve years—from ignorant childhood to vibrant adolescence, from phonetic letters to function formulas, from the excitement of the first schoolbag to the weight of the pen now—it had all ended.

※

The day to fill out university applications.

Everyone came to school with their estimated scores from checking against standard answers at home.

Shen Jia Yan had done well, over 20 points above last year’s admission line for Jingbei Media University. Shen Yan and Jiang Jing were both very satisfied.

She had wanted to WeChat Wen Wan Ning beforehand about her score and intended schools but felt it was too sensitive, so she hesitated and didn’t ask.

Though she believed Wen Wan Ning’s abilities meant no problem, she didn’t want to be too abrupt and planned to ask tactfully when they met.

In the classroom, she discussed scores and intended schools with classmates she hadn’t seen in days, then filled out her application form based on her estimated score.

Once done, Shen Jia Yan rushed out of the classroom to the stairwell, waiting to “bump into” Wen Wan Ning.

Xia Yuxin watched Shen Jia Yan’s retreating figure and muttered softly, “Favoring your crush over friends, favoring your crush over friends.” They were about to part ways, yet she wouldn’t spend more time with good classmates and roommates.

Shen Jia Yan stood by the stair railing, glancing upward from time to time.

Soon, she saw Wen Wan Ning coming down with Lü Xin and Lü Yue.

“Jia Yan.” Lü Xin spotted her first and greeted her.

Shen Jia Yan waved to them.

The three reached her side.

“Applications filled?” Wen Wan Ning asked, parting her lips.

“Filled.”

Lü Xin eagerly chimed in, “Which university?”

Shen Jia Yan smiled without answering directly, instead asking them, “What about you? Which schools did you apply to?” Had Wan Ning successfully applied to Jingbei University?

Lü Xin glanced at her with a smile and said, “Yue Yue and I both put Fuhai University first. Wan Ning’s first choice, you should know—Jingbei University.”

Great. Shen Jia Yan felt relieved in her heart. They still had a chance to study in the same city.

After Lü Xin spoke, she pressed on, “Now you can tell us your first choice, right?”

Shen Jia Yan’s lips curved slightly. “Jingbei Media University.”

Lü Yue looked envious. “Then you and Wan Ning can study in the same city. So nice.”

Shen Jia Yan glanced at Wen Wan Ning, then suppressed her upward-curving lips. “If we get admitted as wished.”

Wen Wan Ning lowered her head and smiled, lips pursed, very gratified. She had seen the changes in Shen Jia Yan from receiving her reply letter to before the Gaokao.

She had truly taken her words to heart and worked hard for the future.

Lü Xin said as they walked, “But seriously, Jia Yan, you’re amazing—second in the province in the art exam, and smoothly applied to Jingbei Media University.”

Shen Jia Yan’s cheeks flushed, and she scratched her head shyly. “Aw, don’t praise me. Compared to you all, I’m really not that great. You can get into key universities just with culture classes.” She turned to look at Wen Wan Ning. “Especially Wan Ning—Jingbei University is top three nationwide.” Her tone was proud, as if sharing the glory.

Lü Yue teased, “Starting the mutual praise now, huh.”

“Hahaha…”

Wen Wan Ning subdued her laughter, a gentle curve still on her lips. She turned to Shen Jia Yan, her clear eyes filled with soft sunlight. “You’re really great, Jia Yan.”

Shen Jia Yan’s heart skipped a beat.

Sunlight filtered through the parasol leaves, dappling Wen Wan Ning’s body. Her face was coated in a soft warm hue, even the fine fuzz visible. The wind brushed her loose strands, shimmering with light brown sheen in the glow. As she spoke, her eyelashes fluttered like butterfly wings, stirring a breeze in Shen Jia Yan’s heart.

Shen Jia Yan’s throat bobbed, her fisted hand unconsciously tightening. She saw the sunlight swirling in Wen Wan Ning’s eyes, as if holding all of summer’s light. The faint dimple by her lips flickered, more disorienting than any math formula.

“I…” Her voice tightened, fingers unconsciously rubbing together.

I could achieve these scores because of you, because of your honesty and encouragement, because of what you said—hoping to get into the same university as me…

“Thanks.”

Wen Wan Ning suddenly leaned close, brushing a parasol leaf off Shen Jia Yan’s shoulder. This sudden proximity made Shen Jia Yan’s breath hitch, the faint lavender scent from her hair filling her nose.

As she pulled back, her eyes crinkled with a smile brighter than the sun overhead. “Why so polite? Aren’t we the best deskmates?”

Classmates’ laughter echoed in the distance, but right now, Shen Jia Yan only heard her own pounding heartbeat.

She steadied her emotions and smiled faintly. “You’re right. The best.”

At the school gate fork, the sunlight stretched their shadows long.

Wen Wan Ning stopped, turning to face Shen Jia Yan. Her hair tips lifted gently in the wind. “See you in North City.”

“Mm.” Shen Jia Yan lifted her head, a shallow curve on her lips. “See you in North City.”