Chapter 25: The Graduation Confession

May arrived in a blink, and a new activity swept through the class: filling out graduation autograph books. To Lin Duo’s surprise, many male classmates, who rarely interacted with her, now actively sought her out.

They hoped she would leave a message, preferably accompanied by a sticker photo. After all, who wouldn’t be charmed by a girl who was not only beautiful and academically excellent but also kind-hearted?

Lin Duo had taken several sticker photos with Gu Xuexuan before, accumulating a decent stock. However, they quickly ran out, forcing them to rush and take several new sets.

Amidst the monotonous grind of revision, time quietly slipped into June. In the stuffy classroom, Lin Duo sat at her desk, scrolling through the calendar on her phone.

She recalled that exactly one year ago, on this very day, she had been on a long-distance bus from Jiangbei City to Nan’an City, utterly bewildered by her future.

Now, however, she had a warm new home, a group of friendly new classmates, and a somewhat talkative best friend. Reflecting on a year ago, it truly felt like a lifetime had passed.

Wang Linshu, her deskmate, leaned his head over, curiosity gleaming in his eyes. “What are you looking at so intently?”

“Go on, scram! What business is it of yours?” Lin Duo unceremoniously pushed his large head away with her small hand. “Speaking of which, the high school entrance exams are in just over ten days. Are you nervous?”

Wang Linshu took a deep breath. “Nervous? Of course, I’m nervous! Especially with my grades, getting into Nanli Affiliated High School will be quite a challenge.”

“Yet you still dared to apply? Such confidence!” Lin Duo put away her phone, redirecting her gaze to the exercises on her desk.

“It’s all for you…” Wang Linshu mumbled softly, a sound only he could hear. He, too, began to bury himself in his studies.

****

In mid-June, the ninth-grade students of Gutang Middle School welcomed their graduation ceremony.

A stage had already been set up on the sports field. First, each class took turns for their class photo, followed by the entire grade for a group photo.

For the class photos, the photographer would adjust the students’ positions based on their height and build. However, for the grade photo, there were simply too many people—over 400 students, a dense sea of bodies. The photographer lacked the energy to arrange everyone, allowing the students to find their own spots.

Naturally, girls generally occupied the front rows, while boys stood in the back.

As expected, Gu Xuexuan seized the opportunity to claim a spot beside Lin Duo. With a beaming smile, she wrapped both arms around Lin Duo’s shoulders. “This is great! I finally get to take a group photo with Duoduo!”

Lin Duo, feeling a little embarrassed, tried to break free. “Stop that! Stand straight, they’re about to take the picture.”

“Oh, come on! There are so many people, the photographer won’t even notice us!” Gu Xuexuan’s arms clung to Lin Duo’s shoulders like octopus suction cups.

Indeed, the photographer paid no mind to this minor detail within the dense crowd.

The shutter clicked.

After the photos were taken and the junior high graduation certificates distributed, the ninth-grade curriculum officially concluded. The students would spend their final week before the high school entrance exams at home.

During this period, her adoptive parents no longer allowed Lin Duo to involve herself in the family business. They simply wished for their beloved adopted daughter to rest well, even if she wasn’t studying.

Wang Linshu also stopped visiting, likely in the midst of his final academic push.

****

On June 20th, the high school entrance exams finally commenced. Comprising seven subjects, they concluded on the morning of the 22nd.

Given Lin Duo’s solid academic foundation and her consistently meticulous approach to exams, she felt quite good about her performance.

However, Nanli Affiliated High School was, after all, a mid-tier municipal key school, and competition was bound to be fierce. She wasn’t one hundred percent confident of admission.

As the bus carried the students back to campus, someone started it, and soon many began tearing up their textbooks in celebration. Shredded pages drifted down from above like snowflakes.

Lin Duo rested her chin on her hand, quietly watching out the window, a surprising sense of calm settling in her heart.

The morning after the exams concluded, Lin Duo received a call from Wang Linshu. It turned out the class monitor wanted to arrange a graduation dinner for the entire class.

Although Lin Duo wasn’t particularly fond of lively gatherings, she considered that this might be the last time the classmates would all meet. Recognizing its significant commemorative value, she ultimately agreed.

****

The dinner was held at a mid-range restaurant, where a large table had been assembled in a private room. About eighty percent of the class attended.

Out of years of habit, seating was still segregated, with boys on one side and girls on the other. Lin Duo found herself seated between two girls she didn’t know particularly well.

Fortunately, everyone was in good spirits after the exams, chatting about their summer plans, which prevented any awkwardness.

Once the food was served, some boys proposed drinking alcohol, and many enthusiastically agreed. Soon, a waiter brought in a large case of beer.

Most of the boys poured themselves a glass, and a few of the more outgoing girls also helped themselves to beer. However, the majority of the girls, including Lin Duo, continued to drink juice.

As the dinner progressed into its latter half, a wave of melancholy swept over the gathering. After all, they had been classmates for three years, and meeting frequently in the future would be difficult.

Some of the more emotional girls began to embrace each other, shedding tears. Lin Duo had, after all, only been in this class for a year, so her feelings weren’t exceptionally deep.

Nevertheless, surrounded by classmates she had spent so much time with, a touch of sadness crept in, and her eyes grew slightly moist.

Just then, a tall boy who had clearly had a bit too much to drink suddenly stood up. His gaze fixed directly on Lin Duo. “Lin Duo, there’s something I need to tell you right now! I’ve actually had a crush on you for a long time, ever since you transferred to our class!”

Instantly, every eye in the private room turned towards the same spot.

Lin Duo had never been comfortable as the center of attention. Moreover, the confession was far too sudden, causing her to lower her head in embarrassment, unsure how to respond.

Unexpectedly, at that very moment, another short, stout boy also stood up. “Lin, I’ve also had a crush on you for a long time! I still remember the first day you transferred; when I saw you, it felt like an angel had descended. Since then, I’ve always secretly watched you.”

As the saying goes, the first step is always the hardest. With these two setting the example, new boys quickly rose to their feet. “Lin Duo, I really like you too! Actually, it doesn’t matter if you say yes or no; I just wanted to express my feelings today!”

“Me too! Me too!”

…

In a flash, five out of the twenty-one boys at the table were standing. Lin Duo had never imagined that someone as low-key as herself could be so popular among the boys.

Most of the girls also looked at Lin Duo with gazes of either envy or jealousy, awaiting her reaction.

It was precisely at this moment that Wang Linshu, who had been largely quiet, slowly rose to his feet. “Lin Duo, I’ve liked you since the very first day of school, and I haven’t been able to stop since.”

This time, however, Lin Duo laughed aloud. She made a downward gesture with her small hand. “Why are you joining in the fun? Sit down, sit down!”

Unexpectedly, Wang Linshu’s voice was exceptionally firm. “I’m serious. Lin Duo, will you be my girlfriend?”

The smile slowly faded from Lin Duo’s face as her gaze met Wang Linshu’s. His eyes held an intense, scorching heat, as if a roaring fire burned within them.

Lin Duo was utterly at a loss.

She had never imagined that Wang Linshu, whom she had always considered a close friend, harbored such feelings for her.

In that instant, all the memory fragments in Lin Duo’s mind connected: borrowing stationery, buying fruit, choosing gifts, asking about exercises, playing basketball, watching the fountain…

Lin Duo wasn’t slow-witted; she was simply a late bloomer when it came to romance. Moreover, she had previously only wanted to become a girl for its own sake, never because she liked a specific boy.

In this moment, Lin Duo finally understood. Wang Linshu’s feelings for her were so fierce and ardent, yet he had tried so hard to keep them hidden within his heart, never revealing them.

However, these emotions were like a raging fire, destined to burn through the paper that enveloped them, erupting completely at some point.

That point was now.

Lin Duo and Wang Linshu remained locked in each other’s gaze. The private room fell into a profound silence, every classmate awaiting Lin Duo’s answer.