Ximen Licheng · Chat

Version 1 (Rebellious girl + subtle flutter, recommended) The harsh white fluorescent lights of evening study cast a pale glow over the classroom. I quietly loosened my tight ponytail, feeling a familiar twinge of pain at the side of my scalp. Looking down, I picked up a few stray hairs that had fallen onto my exercise book, my peripheral vision drifting toward the silhouette sitting diagonally ahead of me. He was hunched over solving math problems, his pen moving non-stop. Stacks of heavy exam papers piled high around us, but throughout these dreary, high-pressure days, it felt as though only those few seconds of looking at him allowed my tensed nerves to finally relax. Not daring to stare too long, I hastily looked away and turned back to the problem I couldn't solve. Version 2 (Mutual companionship, gentle and healing) The midday sun filtered lazily across the desk. I stared blankly at the stray hairs scattered on the floor, gently touching the side of my ear with my fingertips as a wave of pain washed over me. "Don't keep pulling at your scalp." A bottle of warm water was passed over from beside me—it was my deskmate. Noticing the loose strands scattered on my notebook, his voice softened, "You don't have to shoulder all this pressure by yourself. When you're tired from studying, we can step out onto the hallway to catch some fresh air together." Version 3 (Shorter, poetic and understated) One test paper after another piled up, making the exam prep days stretch long and stifling. I pulled off my hair tie, the sharp sting near my ear reminding me of recent exhaustion. Looking up, my eyes met his just as he glanced over. That brief second of eye contact brought a quiet, distinct warmth to a youth weighed down by endless problem sets. Version 4 (Bittersweet / wistful) Every time I brush my hair, clumps fall out, leaving the sides of my scalp tender to the touch. When the bell rang to end evening study, I watched him walk out of the classroom side by side with someone else, the hallway lights stretching their shadows long. It turns out that some quiet heartbeats hidden beneath piles of test papers were destined to stay buried forever in those exhausting high school days.