The School Beauty from the Next Class Insisted I Confess - Chapter 55

Xu Qingfeng didn’t know how to react for a moment, but Xia Yiqiu had already replied.

“Yes, Hello Aunt Xia and Uncle Xu.” Xia Yiqiu stood up to greet them. She already knew the surnames of Xu Qingfeng’s parents from their previous chat.

“Oh, hello, student Xia. May I call you Yiqiu?” Ms. Yan Chunhua said, nudging her husband with her elbow.

“It’s my honor.” Xia Yiqiu’s smile was rare and genuine.

“Exactly. Nice to meet you, little student Yiqiu.” Xu Zhenzhong couldn’t change his usual external demeanor.

With his many years of experience, Xu Zhenzhong could tell with a shrewd glance that this girl was indeed excellent. No wonder their little Xu, who was usually so reserved, would bring her home to play.

There was another round of cheerful conversation, but they couldn’t linger. If they stayed longer, they wouldn’t make it back in time for class the next morning. Xia Yiqiu contacted Old Wang to pick her up at the gate.

Xu Qingfeng eagerly rushed to see her off, but looked up to see her mother, Ms. Yan, still chatting with Xia Yiqiu.

“Hahahaha, you child! Yiqiu, you must come and play at Auntie’s house often.” Ms. Yan held Xia Yiqiu’s hand, looking reluctant to let go. Xu Qingfeng pondered.

Perhaps Xia Yiqiu was her real daughter? At least Ms. Yan had never been so affectionate toward her.

However, Xu Qingfeng was happy to watch.

On the way out, white snowflakes began to fall from the sky.

The first snow in Weicheng in previous years didn’t come this early. On New Year’s Eve, a cruel cold wind would sweep in, bringing a more romantic moment to the people on the New Year’s streets.

Compared to the bustling streets, the great courtyard road looked desolate with its relatively dim streetlights, yet they illuminated the snowflakes clearly. The first snow wasn’t heavy; the flakes drifted down slowly one by one, not dampening anyone’s clothes, nor hindering people’s enthusiasm.

There, Xia Yiqiu looked at the streetlights in the snow and took out her phone to record the first snow. Xu Qingfeng quietly took a picture of Xia Yiqiu who was taking a photo.

The girl under the streetlight, wishing upon a deity, seemed isolated from the world outside the light. The snow was a baptism granted to her by heaven, and I, I only wish to secretly observe and forever stay by her side.

After taking the picture, Xia Yiqiu walked over to Xu Qingfeng. Xu Qingfeng also put her phone away—that picture was perfect for her lock screen.

Xu Qingfeng took Xia Yiqiu’s hand, finally having a reason to tuck it into her pocket. She looked at her.

“Yiqiu, are you happy today?”

Xu Qingfeng was a little anxious. They had originally planned to go out and play, but ended up spending the whole day at her house.

“Very happy.” Xia Yiqiu showed a brilliant smile.

“That’s good.”

Xia Yiqiu looked at the snow again and suddenly spoke, “Silly Xu, do you know the meaning of the first snow?”

Why would Yiqiu ask this?

Xu Qingfeng became flustered. She did know.

The first snow of the year symbolizes pure and flawless love; all lies will be forgiven; lovers will be eternally happy; and if you meet the person you love on that day, you will end up together.

“I know.”

Xu Qingfeng’s other hand in her pocket was constantly twisting. Her thoughts were chaotic.

In the end, what… what would happen?

“So, do you have someone you like?” Xia Yiqiu looked at her with burning eyes.

“Why… why ask that?” Xu Qingfeng blurted out her true thoughts. Perhaps her mind had suddenly cleared up, and she grasped the key point.

So, Yiqiu, why would she ask if I have someone I like? Could it be, could it be… No, that’s impossible. Xu Qingfeng slapped herself in her heart.

You ridiculous person, stop fantasizing. The greater the expectation, the greater the disappointment.

This had completely disrupted Xia Yiqiu’s plan. Taking the initiative had turned into being passive.

“Today is the first snow. If you have someone you like, hurry up and confess. Maybe they’ll agree.” Xia Yiqiu didn’t look at her, withdrawing her hand.

The warmth in her hand vanished, and Xu Qingfeng felt empty.

“I do have someone I like. She is excellent.”

Xu Qingfeng’s description of Xia Yiqiu had always been ‘excellent.’ Besides that, she didn’t know how to articulate it. ‘Good’ was the highest praise in her heart for a person; ‘excellent’ was a transcendent existence.

“Oh? Who is that person? Aren’t you going to tell me?” Xia Yiqiu coaxed.

“I can’t say.” Xu Qingfeng was adamant, leaving no room for negotiation.

“Why can’t you say? Are you not treating me as a friend?”

Xu Qingfeng’s resolve was inadvertently reinforced by this rebuttal. That’s right, you also consider me a friend, so I can’t say.

“No, I don’t mean that.” Xu Qingfeng said, feeling disheartened.

“Then describe her.” Xia Yiqiu wanted to hear a pleasing compliment.

This she could do. Xu Qingfeng didn’t think the person next to her could guess who it was.

“She is very beautiful and very kind.”

“Why did you stop? Continue.” Xia Yiqiu looked at her face, wondering why she paused.

Xu Qingfeng looked back into her eyes. “She is the brightest star in the sky. I can only look up at her from afar. And when I am fortunate enough to also become a faint star, I never want this current fantasy to be broken and turn into the person I was before… She is the definition of beauty.”

Xia Yiqiu was touched by the words. She had long suspected that this bookworm’s love confessions were unreliable, but he just opened his mouth and the words came out, making her almost want to cry and confess herself.

Yet, she managed to hold back the impulse.

“Then why don’t you confess to her? It’s the first snow today. Go try it!” Xia Yiqiu was desperately urging her to confess to herself.

If today, even without many words, if you, Xu Qingfeng, just told me you liked me, I would definitely agree to any request.

“I can’t. I don’t dare.” Xu Qingfeng avoided her gaze.

“You don’t need to be afraid,” Xia Yiqiu said, a little helpless.

“No, I do need to be.” Xu Qingfeng remained stubborn.

Just as she was about to say something more, Uncle Wang’s call came through.

“Miss, I’ve arrived.”

“Mhm, okay. Uncle Wang, wait for a bit at the gate. I’ll be right there.” Xia Yiqiu hung up the phone and glanced at the disappointing Xu Qingfeng.

“Then you deserve to stay single.” Leaving this sentence behind, the girl ran in the snowflakes, turning back to wave goodbye.

“I’m leaving, silly dummy.”

“Goodbye, Yiqiu.” Xu Qingfeng also waved, shouting loudly.

If possible, she wanted to watch the first snow with her again next year. Even more greedy, perhaps every year. Xu Qingfeng opened her phone, looked at the photo, and a smile bloomed on her lips.

Time flew by. This semester ended with Xu Qingfeng and Xia Yiqiu firmly holding the first place in the liberal arts and sciences, respectively. Gao Zhi climbed into the top fifteen for liberal arts, Han Feng reformed himself and surpassed his personal best to rank tenth, Liu Xiao was the perennial runner-up in sciences, and Liang Hao, who had played too many games, had dropped to twelfth place.

As for the other members of the psychology club, although they all had some decline, fortunately, it wasn’t too significant.

During the winter break, the head of the network department led everyone in building the psychology club’s webpage, and the two club presidents led members in completing a series of social practices. Everyone finally learned the real reason Teacher Du wanted the club space: it wasn’t because Teacher Du needed it, but because the school needed it.

The club venue would be loaned to the school’s art students for intensive training during the winter break, as their art room was scheduled for renovation. The school had even initially planned to turn the psychology club’s space directly into a branch of the art center.

The second half of the sophomore year was approaching, and this semester was destined to be unusual.

“Xu Qingfeng, look quickly! This is a writing competition organized by Hua University!” Gao Zhi excitedly shook his deskmate’s shoulder after morning self-study ended.

“Oh.”

Xu Qingfeng felt nothing. A competition is a competition. Just win an award. She had countless writing awards in her room.

“What kind of attitude is that? Look closely, what is this?”

Gao Zhi took out his phone and clicked on a post on the school forum. It was a gossip account that claimed the school would distribute printed flyers for the writing competition today, as well as details about the prizes for this competition.

“There are prizes, but something is indeed wrong.”

Why would Gao Zhi be so excited? And why would the school attach such importance to printing and distributing flyers? This wasn’t a competition for physics, chemistry, biology, or math.

Xu Qingfeng carefully looked at the words on the phone screen.

The first prize in the final round of this competition is equivalent to a national-level first prize and offers direct admission to the Literature Department of Hua University.

Wow! This is quite an incentive. That explains it.

“What’s wrong?” Gao Zhi was confused.

“Nothing.” Xu Qingfeng buried her head to continue solving problems.

Han Feng, sitting in front, turned his head and scoffed, “Gao Zhi, why are you so concerned? You probably won’t even pass the preliminary round.”

Gao Zhi’s Chinese score was indeed poor.

“I despise you! You’re no better off, and you don’t even write as well as I do.” Gao Zhi gave him a look of contempt.

“Heh, heh, dah.” Gao Zhi and Han Feng were mutually defeated.

The first period was Liu Li’s class. Sure enough, he walked in with a stack of papers.

“The school has decided to select students to participate in the writing competition. I’ll explain the details after you’ve all had a chance to look at what you’re getting. Pass them back.” Liu Li divided the flyers into several stacks and instructed the students in the first row to pass them back.

After receiving the flyer, Xu Qingfeng felt she couldn’t escape this. The school would hold a selection round to pick five representatives for the major competition.

And for their class, Liu Li added a specific instruction after his general introduction.

“Class Monitor, come find me after class.”

Inside the teacher’s office.

“Qingfeng, this is a great opportunity. Your teacher believes in you.” Liu Li uncharacteristically lost his composure and patted Xu Qingfeng’s shoulder.

It was clear that Old Liu felt this was very promising, and he had complete faith in Xu Qingfeng.

“Teacher, I don’t want to participate.” Xu Qingfeng shattered Old Liu’s fantasy.

“Why?” Old Liu’s brows furrowed tightly.

“I can pass the exams myself.”

If she went for the competition, she would be locked into a specific major, and she hadn’t decided what major to choose yet. She loved history and archaeology, but she believed that until the time to choose a major arrived, everything was uncertain. She shouldn’t make the decision for her future self now.

“Ah, tell me about you. What a great opportunity. Confidence is good, but we shouldn’t waste opportunities either. Look, even if you win the award, you can still decide whether to go or not. It’s not too late to participate first.”

This was one of the most serious pieces of advice Liu Li had ever given Xu Qingfeng. He never thought his good class monitor would one day cause him so much worry.

Though it was a happy kind of worry.

Xu Qingfeng thought Old Liu made sense. She was still considering it.

The homeroom teacher of the neighboring science class led Liu Xiao and Xia Yiqiu in. These two were now the hope of the science class; their Chinese scores were no less than those in the liberal arts class.

“Xia Yiqiu, Liu Xiao, are you willing to participate in this writing competition? If so, you can start preparing now. The school’s selection round will just be a formality for you, I believe you will pass.” The science class’s homeroom teacher also had confidence in his two excellent students.

“I am willing.”

Xia Yiqiu gave her answer, and so did Liu Xiao, but Xu Qingfeng only heard Xia Yiqiu’s sentence. The moment Xia Yiqiu walked in, her eyes were completely fixed on her. However, the other party seemed not to have noticed her, not even giving her a glance back.

Xu Qingfeng looked at Liu Li, making up her mind.

“Teacher, I want to participate.”

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