10,010.

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High school students don’t get weekends off, especially those in their final year. In Jiangzhou, most high schools let out early on Saturday afternoons, but Sunday evening study sessions remain mandatory. Students can only go home once a week and must return to school after just one night.

Even so, the classmates eagerly awaited Saturday’s arrival—any break, no matter how small, was precious.

Regarding the matter with Li Jiayue, Zhang Yunyi wanted to resolve it quickly. Without a hint of embarrassment, she called her mother and told a small lie, “Dai Jia and the others want to eat out and pick up some study materials. You and Dad don’t have to come get me today; I’ll take the bus home myself.”

“All right, don’t stay out too long. Be back before ten or else your mother will have a fit.”

“...”“Beauty, I told you we’re just buying study materials, not playing around.”

Her mother’s cold laugh came through the line before hanging up.

Zhang Yunyi couldn’t help but think that Mrs. Yin had been tough and unyielding for ten years straight.

Dai Jia listened quietly nearby, expression calm as if the person being mentioned wasn’t herself. “Don’t worry, if your mom calls me, I know how to cover for you.”

Before Zhang Yunyi could express gratitude, Dai Jia hesitated and asked, “But what happened between you and Li Jiayue?”

They had been spotted watching a movie together during summer break, and things seemed fine then.

“Nothing much.”

Zhang Yunyi didn’t shy away from taking responsibility. She was straightforward: “He’s a good person, but I suddenly realized I don’t like him anymore.”

She would never deny that her past feelings for Li Jiayue had been genuine.

No relationship can continue on one side’s insistence alone. If the feelings fade, forcing it only hurts both parties.

Dai Jia opened her mouth, unable to understand, yet still stood by her friend’s side. “Well, I guess that’s okay...”

Zhang Yunyi had arranged to meet Li Jiayue at the busiest mall in the district. It was bustling now, crowded with people. Ten years later, it had fallen into decline, but she wanted to visit, as it was her favorite shopping mall in high school and held many memories.

The bus stop outside the school had direct routes.

Dai Jia and Xu Shishi took different routes, but when Zhang Yunyi struggled to squeeze onto the bus alone, she was surprised to find Chen Kuo there too! She quickly maneuvered to stand beside him. Wearing headphones, he was tall and could easily reach the overhead handles.

Chen Kuo hadn’t noticed her at first, immersed in music.

She tapped him on the shoulder, her familiar voice cutting through the melody into his ear: “Class monitor, what a coincidence. You’re on this bus too?”

Chen Kuo turned his head, recognizing her. His brow twitched as he reluctantly took off one earphone and nodded, “...Yeah.”

“Where are you getting off?”

“Far away.”

Zhang Yunyi didn’t press further—not because she wasn’t interested, but the bus was too crowded to converse normally. They had to either whisper close to each other’s ears or shout to be heard. Saturdays were especially packed. When the bus stopped and started, she pitched forward and backward. After a few stops, she ended up very close to Chen Kuo.

He could clearly feel her leg pressed against his.

He tried to shift sideways, but a nearby passenger immediately shouted, “What’s all this pushing? There’s nowhere to stand!”

Chen Kuo frowned: “Who are you yelling at?”

Zhang Yunyi and he spoke in unison: “Who are you yelling at?”

Both were taken aback.

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The person muttered a few words but fell silent, accepting defeat—after all, one person can’t win against a pair.

Chen Kuo tilted his head slightly. Zhang Yunyi steadied herself on the seat as if sensing his gaze. She looked over, met his eyes, and smiled reassuringly. “In two stops, a lot of people will get off.”

Just as she said, two stops later, the bus became less crowded.

A seat closer to Chen Kuo emptied. He called to her, his long legs blocking others trying to grab it.

Zhang Yunyi bent quickly, slipping under his raised arm resting on the window, and sat steadily. Her movements were smooth and natural. She looked up and smiled at him, noticing his backpack seemed heavy. Quickly, she offered, “Class monitor, let me carry your bag.”

“No need.”

Chen Kuo held his phone in one hand, scrolling down busily, signaling he didn’t want to talk.

Zhang Yunyi understood and stopped pushing. She took out her phone and saw a message from Li Jiayue: [Where are you? Don’t you want me to pick you up?]

She typed back: [No need, I’m already on the bus.]

Another stop arrived.

The short-haired girl sitting by the window next to her whispered, “Excuse me, I’m getting off.”

Zhang Yunyi pulled her legs in and turned sideways to let her pass. As the girl exited, Zhang Yunyi shifted inward and tugged on Chen Kuo’s backpack strap, “Quick, class monitor, there’s a seat—sit down!”

Chen Kuo was caught off guard.

Before he could react, he found himself seated, somewhat dazed. What was going on?

Next to him, Zhang Yunyi smiled warmly. Today she wore light-colored frayed denim shorts, revealing fair, well-shaped legs that brushed lightly against his gray sweatpants.

This left Chen Kuo’s long legs nowhere to rest.

They had been classmates for so long, but this was the first time sitting so close. The music in his earphones continuously pounded on his eardrums, and he felt overwhelmed by the sudden closeness.

When the bus announced the next stop, he immediately stood up, causing a noise that startled Zhang Yunyi, who was absentmindedly running her fingers through her hair. She looked up at him with questioning eyes that seemed to ask what was wrong.

Chen Kuo whispered, “This is my stop.”

Zhang Yunyi blinked, waved her hand slightly, and smiled with crescent eyes, “Bye, see you tomorrow~”

Chen Kuo responded with a grunt. The driver braked; Chen Kuo stumbled but caught the handle just in time. The rear door opened, and he stepped off onto an unfamiliar street.

At this hour, it was hard to hail a cab; all passed by were full. He had to wait for the next bus.

He lowered his eyes and texted a friend: [Running late, I’m hungry. You eat first, don’t wait for me.]

...

In McDonald’s on the mall’s first floor, Wang Xuran was focused on a game, head down. Suddenly, a shadow blocked the light. Guessing who it was, he didn’t even look up. “I’m about to finish this round; you go ahead and sit.”

Chen Kuo sat opposite him with a blank expression, neither urging nor playing on his phone.

It was Wang Xuran’s voice that pulled him back to reality.

“Hungry?” Wang Xuran glanced at the pile of burger meals on the table behind them and asked casually, “Want to eat here?”

“Whatever, I’m fine.”

Wang Xuran pulled out a coupon from his backpack, scanned it quickly, and after a moment’s thought, shrugged. “Alright, finally vacation. Sick of the cafeteria food. Let’s eat something good. Wanna check out the fourth floor?”

Chen Kuo was indifferent about the food but heavy-hearted. He stood and followed Wang Xuran out of McDonald’s, both taking the escalator up.

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Wang Xuran was still thinking about what restaurants the fourth floor had when he turned to see Chen Kuo frowning deeply, curious, “What’s wrong?”

They had been childhood friends but went to different high schools. Based on yearly advancement rates, neither school clearly outperformed the other. They occasionally exchanged study materials.

The escalator moved slowly upward.

The bright mall lights cast Chen Kuo’s distracted face plainly. Had it been Fei Shijie asking, Chen Kuo wouldn’t have said a word, especially since it involved another girl from his class.

But Wang Xuran was different—he was from another school and could keep secrets.

Chen Kuo remained silent.

This only piqued Wang Xuran’s curiosity further. So there was something wrong? But he held back from pressing too much, fearing Chen Kuo might shut down completely.

“There’s a girl, she’s strange.”

On the second floor, Chen Kuo lowered his voice, a bit annoyed, “She keeps trying to talk to me about nonsense.”

That was all he could say.

He couldn’t tell his friend that this girl seemed to study his preferences closely, even noting what brand of milk he often drank.

“Is she a girl?” Wang Xuran asked, confident in his guess, then puzzled, “But haven’t you dealt with this kind of thing before?”

Chen Kuo was not outgoing, but he possessed many traits and qualities that attracted the opposite sex. Aside from being quiet and reserved, he had no flaws in appearance or intelligence. Many liked him, and some even boldly confessed to him face to face.

So, logically, he should be well-versed in handling such matters. Why did this feel like the first time he was liked?

Chen Kuo pinched the bridge of his nose, resigned, “She’s in the same class.”

“Wasn’t there a girl who gave you chocolate back in first or second year?” Wang Xuran recalled. “Why weren’t you bothered then, but now you seem so troubled? You could handle it in first year, but now in senior year you’re helpless?”

If Wang Xuran’s curiosity had been ten percent before, it now shot up to eighty.

Chen Kuo: “...”

He explained slowly, “First, don’t listen to him talk nonsense. Second, I said, she’s in the same class—”

The elevator reached the fourth floor.

Most of this floor was restaurants, bustling on a Saturday with many waiting in line. A pretty girl sat on a bench outside a restaurant, holding a colorful menu, thoughtfully deciding what to order. A boy in a black top and jeans approached, holding a swirling ice cream cone, leaning down to smile as he offered it to her.

Both their backpacks bore matching plush keychains.

One was a pink pig.

The other, a gray pig.

“Okay, so you know they’re classmates. Then what? Keep going,” Wang Xuran urged, growing impatient. Why did he stop there?

Chen Kuo slowly looked away, paused, and said, “Just pretend I didn’t say anything today.”