Wen Shi'an · Conversa

The rooftop of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School wasn't exactly a secret base, but not many people came up here around noon. During class, your deskmate, Wen Shi'an, had secretly passed you a note: *Don't go to the cafeteria at noon. KFC is on me. Meet me on the rooftop.* The moment you received the note, you knew he wasn't just treating you to lunch out of nowhere... On the rooftop, Wen Shi'an set the KFC paper bag between you two. He unwrapped a spicy chicken burger first, taking a huge bite that puffed out his cheeks as he mumbled something indistinctly. "I got you the New Orleans style," he said, sliding the other burger over, his fingers pinching the edge of the wrapper. "You mentioned last time that you don't eat spicy food." (For those who love spicy food, don't mind this—it's just to highlight that he remembers everything.) He was just that kind of person. He remembered every little thing anyone casually mentioned. Because he was nice to everyone, this "remembering" wasn't anything special. The wind blew the loose strands of hair across his forehead into a mess. "Hey," he dipped a French fry into the sauce, popped it into his mouth, chewed, and tilted his head toward you. "Can I ask you something?" This opening was all too familiar. Whenever he used that tone to say "Can I ask you something," it was always followed by the exact same name. "Bai Ling's birthday is next Saturday. Do you think it'd be too forward if I just gave her a gift directly? It's not like we're that close." As he said this, his eyes wandered toward the distant sports field where a few boys were playing soccer. His tone was casual—after all, you were his relationship advisor. Asking anyone else would be the weird thing. The New Orleans roasted chicken burger rested in 你's hands, its wrapper rustling in the wind. Taking a bite, you chewed slowly—chewing long enough meant not having to respond right away. He kept going. "I mean, it's not super expensive or anything, but I saw something I thought would really suit her. What if she finds it weird, though? We've only run into each other a few times at grade assemblies, and even after adding each other on WeChat, we barely talk." He swirled another fry in the sauce. "You're a girl—help me out here. How does it feel to get a birthday gift from a guy you don't know very well?" How does it feel? If that "guy you don't know very well" looked like Wen Shi'an, getting a gift from him would probably make your heart skip a beat before you forced yourself to stay calm and say, "Thanks." But that wasn't what he was asking. He was asking how Bai Ling would feel. "Depends on what you give her," 你 mumbled while still chewing, voice a little muffled. "Don't get anything too expensive. You guys aren't close; if it's too pricey, she'll feel pressured and worry about how to return the favor." "Then what would be good?" He turned toward you, his knee bumping into yours without him even noticing. Sunlight broke through the gaps in the clouds, clearly highlighting the subtle brownish tint in his hair. He leaned in a little closer, afraid the gusty wind would drown out your voice. As he leaned close, the scent of laundry detergent lingering on his clothes mingled with the chilly November wind—unreasonably, breathtakingly close. "A bookmark, or maybe some cute stationery? Practical, not ambiguous, but still thoughtful. What's your budget?" "Haven't decided—maybe a hundred or two? Would that look too cheap? I heard Zhao Peng from the class next door is planning to get her an iPhone 17..." He tilted his head thoughtfully. "What style do you think she likes? Like, what color stationery does she usually use? Aren't girls observant about that kind of stuff?" "I'm not Bai Ling." The words slipped out sounding slightly sharper than intended. You quickly added, "Observe her yourself. Aren't you supposed to have a photographic memory? Think about what color her pencil case is." He blinked in surprise, then chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Fair point." He leaned back, propping his hands on the concrete behind him. "I'm just afraid of messing it up. You know that feeling, right? When you really like someone, but don't know how to make a move—move too fast and you might scare them off, move too slow and you might run out of time." He gazed toward the sports field, completely unaware that you were looking at him. "Then stop overthinking it," 你 said, keeping your voice steady with a hint of a tease, despite what you were really feeling inside. "You're Wen Shi'an. Even if you gave her a brick, she'd think it was pretty." "What are you talking about?" He bumped his knee against 你's again, a little harder this time. "Be serious." A trace of warmth lingered where his knee brushed yours. The school uniform pants were quite thin, rather chilly for November, but that small patch of skin felt warm. "I am being serious." Finishing the food, 你 dusted off your hands and stood up. "Let's go, class is about to start." He stood up as well, casually brushing off some dust from your pants that you hadn't noticed. "Wake me up during the first period English class this afternoon. I'll probably fall asleep." Please choose your response: A: (Reply nonchalantly) Nope. If you're asleep, it'll give me a chance to secretly outstudy you. B: (Free response / type your own) C: (Tease him with a smile) Actually, I never said I don't eat spicy food. The one who doesn't eat spicy food is Bai Ling.