It Seems Like My Senior Seems to Like Me - Chapter 13

For the very first time in her life, Ye Wanjia wore a formal dress, and the girl who had grown up in poverty lived out a one-hour-long princess dream.

Standing in front of the washbasin mirror, she stared in a daze for several minutes, still unable to believe that the person in the reflection was really herself.

The off-shoulder dress was a delicate snow white, with thirteen layers of fluffy skirts adding a touch of fantasy. The slightly glossy fabric made her skin appear even fairer. Her waist-length hair had been braided into a neat and elegant fishtail plait, with a loose strand falling naturally on each side, highlighting her youthful purity.

“You look amazing, absolutely amazing!”

Wei Xiaoxiao had already taken dozens of photos of her, thrilled as if she had found a treasure. “Today, the whole school’s eyes will be on you! There are thousands of people out there, and someone in the stands even asked me for your contact information!”

Ye Wanjia’s eyes froze for a moment—thousands of people?

Her fingers instinctively pinched the hem of her dress, rubbing the smooth fabric between her fingertips, betraying her girlish emotions.

Among those thousands of people… could Pei Suye be one of them?

After changing back, Ye Wanjia carefully folded the dress into its paper bag and carried it to the college base on the east side of the sports field. Breakfast had already been distributed, and her empty stomach grumbled. She touched her belly and decided to splurge six yuan at the supermarket for some bread.

But unexpectedly, Qiu Yan, the usually cold vice president, took the initiative to speak to her:

“Pei Suye picked up two portions. She’s over there.”

Though her tone was still icy, it was, without doubt, an act of concern. Ye Wanjia didn’t dwell on it. She hurriedly thanked her and quickly walked in the direction Qiu Yan had pointed.

Her heart began racing wildly as she half-jogged along. It was as if a drum stuffed with grains was beating inside her chest—dong, dong, dong—with the grains scattering all around.

Pei Suye… had gotten her breakfast?

The little black devil and little white angel in her head popped up again.

Little White’s girlish heart burst: “Oh my god! See how much she cares about you? Out of all those people getting breakfast, she remembered that you hadn’t!”

Little Black was cold and dismissive: “Don’t overthink. As president, it’s normal for her to keep an extra meal.”

Little White argued back: “But just now during the parade, she personally braided your hair! That’s not a coincidence!”

Little Black kept pressing: “And you just admitted—it was for the parade. If she didn’t help, no one would hold the placard and the whole entrance ceremony would collapse!”

…

The two voices clashed like the warring states of Chu and Han. Ye Wanjia had to literally jump on the spot three times to shake them out of her mind. Then, taking a deep breath, her light canvas shoes carried her slowly toward the camphor tree.

Pei Suye was sitting alone on the bench beneath it, her smooth curls cascading casually over her shoulders. Beside her lay a messenger bag, and propped up next to it were two bottles of drinks. The morning sun slanted down from behind her, stretching her shadow across the ground.

Ye Wanjia’s fingers itched. She pulled out her phone and snapped a picture of the scene.

Light and shadow brush by, your silhouette imprints upon my heart.

“Senior.” She steadied her breath and sat down beside Pei Suye, a bright smile carrying a hint of shyness.

“Did you change your clothes already?” Pei Suye handed her a breakfast bag. “Eat something.”

Ye Wanjia accepted it with both hands. “Thank you.”

Inside the bag was exactly her usual portion—one cup of soy milk, a steamed bun, and a tea egg. What surprised her even more than the breakfast was the drink that was suddenly offered to her.

Peach sparkling water—her favorite flavor. What a coincidence.

Pei Suye had a perfectly reasonable explanation: “This brand of sparkling water is pretty good.”

Ye Wanjia’s eyes curved into crescents as she smiled. “Mm, you bought this last time during training too. It really is good! Thank you, Senior.”

The word thank you was starting to appear too often, putting distance between them. Pei Suye chuckled softly: “No need to be so formal. I just picked it up while buying mine.”

Ye Wanjia carefully took a sip: “That won’t do. If you’re treating me, of course I have to thank you.”

Pei Suye’s gaze lingered for a moment on the dimples in her smile. “If you really want to thank me, then work hard in the competition. If you make it into the top three, I’ll treat you to a week of drinks.”

A week of drinks. Tempting enough on its own, but even more enticing was the thought of seeing Pei Suye every day for the next week.

Suddenly, Ye Wanjia brimmed with determination. “Okay!”

The women’s high jump event began promptly at 10 a.m. Forty-two athletes from different colleges were competing. Some colleges, with fewer students, just signed up to make up the numbers. Others, rich in talent, were gunning for the championship—like the Veterinary Medicine College.

“Now adjusting the bar to 1.3 meters. Athletes, be ready—”

The referee checked both sides of the bar and confirmed the ten athletes who had advanced after three rounds.

Thanks to Pei Suye’s personal coaching, Ye Wanjia could now clear 1.3 meters with ease using the Fosbury flop technique. But this year’s competition was stacked with talent—only one athlete was eliminated at this height.

“Now at 1.4 meters. Athletes, be ready—”

At this height, only four athletes succeeded: Pei Suye, Ye Wanjia, and competitors number 9 and 12 from other colleges. It was now a battle for the top three.

Athlete #9, last year’s runner-up, cleared 1.45 meters alongside Pei Suye. But at 1.5 meters, #9 failed, securing Pei Suye the championship.

Athlete #12 was about equal in strength to Ye Wanjia. Both failed to clear 1.45 meters, leaving them to compete for third place.

In other words, whether Ye Wanjia could win a week of drinks—and a week of seeing Pei Suye—depended entirely on this jump.

From the stands closest to the high jump pit, Wei Xiaoxiao climbed the railing and shouted at the top of her lungs:

“Ye Wanjia! Go for it! Jump 1.8 meters—1.8—!”

The referee calmly directed the assistant to lower the bar to 1.42 meters. “Now, we need to decide third place between you two. You both cleared 1.4 but not 1.45, so the bar is at 1.42. Each of you gets three attempts. If one succeeds and the other fails, that decides the result.”

He then picked up the roster. “Athlete #12, first jump.”

Number 12 took a deep breath, sprinted, accelerated, and jumped. Her hips brushed the bar, but she made it through—success.

Now the pressure was on Ye Wanjia. Wearing her #19 bib, her slim figure looked tall and fragile. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the sun, sweat dripping from her temples, and her eyes locked intently on the bar.

She steadied her breathing, sprinted, and leapt.

Just like #12, her hips grazed the bar. But luck wasn’t on her side—after wobbling twice, the bar toppled to the ground.

“Ah…”

“Number 19, first attempt failed.” The referee announced firmly. Volunteers set the bar back in place. “You have two minutes to prepare.”

Two minutes.

Hands braced on her knees, Ye Wanjia’s body curved like a tense feline, back arched high. She lifted her gaze to the bar at 1.42 meters.

If she failed again, #12 would automatically win third place in this year’s high jump.

And she would lose the chance to see Pei Suye every day for an entire week.

No. She couldn’t let that happen. She had to clear this jump.

She inhaled deeply several times, quickly replaying in her mind all the training sessions, Pei Suye’s patient guidance—the timing of the sprint, the lift of the leg, the takeoff. She rehearsed the motion nine times in her head before raising her hand to the referee to signal that she was ready.

Ye Wanjia, you can do this!

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