The final school year had truly begun. The schedules were crammed with mock exams, review sessions, and career counseling, leaving students barely any time to breathe. A new announcement had just been pinned to the school bulletin board:"Inter-Class Study Groups – Starting Next Week."
Lin Keqing stood in front of the board, her gaze trailing down the list of names. The edge of the paper fluttered in the corridor breeze. Her eyes froze when she found her name.
Lin Keqing (12A1 – Social Science) ↔ Gu Yuyan (12A3 – Natural Science).
For a second, she just stood there. Normally, the brief encounters with Yuyan in the library or a shared glance across the courtyard were rare and quiet enough, but now being officially paired meant attention. Whispered voices began to float from behind her.
"Look, the silent couple," someone murmured.
Keqing tightened her grip on her bag straps, pretending not to hear.
By the end of that day, a blurry photo began circulating among parents in their group chat: an image from the previous week when Gu Yuyan had put his jacket around Keqing's shoulders under a sudden downpour. The caption read:"Whose kids are these? Grades have slipped this month… now I see why."
Rumors traveled fast among students. No one confronted Keqing directly, but the stares—curious, skeptical—were enough to make her uncomfortable.
That night, Gu Yuyan received a short, cold message from his father:
Mr. Gu:Focus on your exams. No time for distractions.
Yuyan stared at the screen, jaw clenched. It wasn't unexpected, but it weighed on him like a heavy stone. He set the phone aside and flipped open his sketchbook, as if the lines and shades could drown out the noise.
The following day, Keqing was called into the counseling room. The teacher's tone was calm but firm:"Keqing, you're one of the top students in the social science track. I hope you'll stay focused for the exams. People can easily misunderstand when they see you spending so much time with a student from another class, especially Gu Yuyan—he's under scrutiny lately."
Keqing nodded, lips pressed together."Yes, ma'am. I understand."
The words lingered in her mind. For the next two days, her replies to Yuyan's messages became short:"Busy tonight.""See you at the study session."
It wasn't her usual way of talking, and Yuyan noticed.
Just a week before, Yuyan had a quiet encounter with Bai Andiu in the art room—a place rarely visited during lunch break. Yuyan was sketching casually when the door creaked open. Bai Andiu walked in, holding a large sketchpad.
"Oh? You can draw too?" Bai arched a brow, a hint of surprise on his face."Just a way to clear my head," Yuyan replied curtly.
Bai flipped through some of Yuyan's sketches, unable to hide his admiration. "You're hiding talent. If there was a competition, you'd probably win."
Yuyan shrugged. "I don't need to win. I just… don't want more pressure."
Bai fell silent for a moment, then said quietly, "You know, you're more like me than I expected. People think being top-ranked means we don't carry burdens. But the higher you are, the heavier it feels."
Yuyan turned to look at him and saw something weary but proud in Bai's eyes."I respect you," Bai continued. "Not many have the guts to stay at third place on purpose. It feels like… you're choosing freedom."
That day, they didn't talk much more. They simply sketched in silence, a faint understanding forming between them.
When Bai Andiu threw a cutting remark during the study session, Yuyan's memory flickered to that moment in the art room. He knew Bai didn't mean harm—he was just blunt and competitive, especially in front of others.
The first inter-class study session took place on Saturday afternoon in the shared self-study hall. Tables were pushed together, and the room buzzed with students exchanging notes between tracks.
Keqing sat opposite Yuyan, a tower of books stacked between them."You look tired," Yuyan said, his voice low."I'm fine," she replied quickly, flipping through her history notes.
Nearby, Chen Yuke tried to explain a timeline to Yahan, while Yahan wrestled with chemistry formulas. Their overlapping voices made Fang Zichen laugh and hand them extra paper.
Keqing tried to focus on the math problem Yuyan had given her, but her mind kept wandering back to the counselor's words and the stares of others. Yuyan noticed."Keqing, you just wrote '1760' as '1960,'" he pointed out.
"Oh… yeah," she muttered, embarrassed.
At that moment, Bai Andiu passed by. His gaze swept over them, and he smirked."Next time, pick study partners for skills, not feelings."
The words weren't loud, but sharp enough to cut.Yuyan looked up, voice icy. "Don't butt into things that don't concern you."Bai raised an eyebrow but didn't respond, walking away.
Keqing's fingers trembled slightly as she turned the page.
The next day, a sudden downpour soaked the campus. Students ran for cover, but the library stayed open. Keqing entered, her damp hair clinging to her face. Yuyan was already there, sitting by the window, tapping his pen against a blank page.
When she saw him, her heart clenched. She almost turned to leave, but his voice stopped her."Keqing. Are you avoiding me?"
The question, so direct, froze her. She turned, hugging her books. "No, I… I just don't want you to get into trouble."
Yuyan looked at her steadily, setting down his pen."Trouble? Because of rumors? Because of my father? I don't care."She bit her lip. "I don't want to add to your burdens."
He leaned slightly forward, voice calm but firm."The pressure comes from him, not you. Don't think that way."
For a moment, neither of them spoke. The rain tapped against the glass in steady rhythms. Then, Yuyan picked up her pen and wrote on the corner of her notebook:"Studying together isn't a distraction. Call it strategy."
Keqing let out a small laugh. "Strategy, huh?""Yeah," he said, pushing a geometry problem her way.
For the next hour, they exchanged lessons—she explaining essay structures, he teaching graph analysis. The library's warm glow made everything outside feel distant.
Meanwhile, Yahan and Chen Yuke were stuck on their own study schedule."You promised to review history with me. Why are you buried in essays?" Yahan complained."And you said you'd check my literature, but you're solving equations," Chen Yuke shot back.Fang Zichen, leaning on the back of their chairs, chuckled. "How about you two just make a joint schedule instead of arguing?"Both glared at him, but Yahan sighed."Fine. Tomorrow at 5 p.m., milk tea shop. I'll bring history notes.""Deal," Chen Yuke nodded.
That evening, Keqing received a voice note from her father. His tone was calm, reassuring:
"Keqing, don't worry about what others say. Study with whoever helps you improve—that's what matters."
She played the message twice. It struck her how different her father's attitude was compared to Yuyan's strict and demanding father.
She took a photo of the notebook page where Yuyan had written "strategy" and sent it to him with the caption:"Our strategy's working, right?"
His reply came within a minute:"Yes."
The next evening, they met again—this time in the science lab because the library was too crowded. The air smelled faintly of chemicals, the room silent except for the scratch of pens.
Keqing bent over her essay draft. Across from her, Yuyan worked on parabolas but occasionally glanced up at her. After a while, he slid a cup of warm tea toward her."You've been writing for two hours. Take a break," he said.
She sipped, meeting his eyes. "Thanks… for not giving up on me, even when I…""When you tried to avoid me?" he cut in, raising an eyebrow.She smiled faintly. "Yeah, something like that."
For the first time in days, the distance between them felt like it melted away.
Late at night, Keqing opened her journal:"There are bridges between two classes, between expectations and reality. Adults call them distractions. I call them surviving this final year together."
Her phone buzzed. A message from Yuyan:"Lab is free tomorrow afternoon. Bring your essays. I'll bring math."
Keqing smiled, typing back a single word: "Okay."
The night wind rustled her curtains. For once, the lines dividing their worlds didn't feel so far apart.