Gardenia Blossom Season

Part 1

1

During the break, a crowd hurried out of the classroom.
A moment later, my deskmate ran back, slightly out of breath, and placed a bottle of milk on my desk. "Your Xu Xing Zhan asked me to give this to you."

She caught her breath and said, "Zhi Zhi, aren't you going to take a look? There's a new girl who just transferred into Xu Xing Zhan's class, and she's really pretty! Such fair skin and long legs! I heard she's an art student who transferred to the science class to catch up on cultural studies."

I sipped the milk and replied, "No time, I haven't finished my assignments yet."
My deskmate teased, "Aren't you afraid that Xu Xing Zhan might fall for her?"

After saying that, she immediately dismissed it herself, "But considering his aloof personality and his complete indifference to anything beyond his studies, I think the chance of him falling for someone else is pretty unlikely."

I just smiled, unconcerned.

Everyone knew that Xu Xing Zhan and I were childhood friends.

Our parents were close, and we were practically bound together before we were even born.

Growing up, Xu Xing Zhan and I were seen as the perfect match by everyone around us. He never denied it, and I never bothered to explain.

Xu Xing Zhan was a cool and distant person, always keeping a respectful distance from other girls—except for me.

He had turned down countless girls—beautiful ones, top students, girls from influential families.

So, I wasn't worried that the newly transferred, pretty art student would capture his attention.

After school that evening, I caught a glimpse of the art student.

I slung my backpack over my shoulder and left with Xu Xing Zhan, who was waiting by the door, when a wave of rose perfume drifted over.
A long-haired girl stopped Xu Xing Zhan in his tracks.

With bright, cheerful eyes and a sweet smile, she said, "Xu Xing Zhan, the group is throwing me a welcome party tonight. Why don't you come along?"

Xu Xing Zhan took a step back. "Sorry, I don't have time."

He then stepped around her and left.

After walking a few steps, he turned back to me. "Xu Zhi, let's go."

"Oh."

I pulled my gaze away from the art student, not missing the look in her eyes when she glanced at me: inquisitive, with a hint of interest.

On the way home, we talked about difficult problems, putting the little episode from after school behind us.

At my doorstep, Xu Xing Zhan suddenly stopped me.

"Xu Zhi, let's both apply to Nan University."

The soft glow from the streetlamp softened his usually sharp, handsome features. Even his tone was less frosty than usual.

My heart skipped a beat, and I smiled. "Okay."

2

Every day, Xu Xing Zhan would unfailingly buy me a bottle of milk.

One day, after returning from the restroom with my deskmate, we passed by his class, and he called out to me, handing the milk over through the window.
I looked up and saw a girl sitting backward, leaning on his desk.

Xu Xing Zhan frowned slightly. "Jian Qing Mai, go back to your own seat."

"Oh come on, what's the harm in sitting here for a bit?"

The girl pouted, then turned around, catching my gaze.

When she saw me, her smile grew, though she only gave me a fleeting glance, seemingly ignoring my presence intentionally, before turning back to focus on Xu Xing Zhan.

In a curious tone, with a hint of playfulness, she said, "You always buy this brand of milk. Is it good? Bring me one tomorrow too."

"Buy it yourself."

Jian Qing Mai made a face. "Some class monitor you are, not caring for your classmates at all."

After that, I started seeing Jian Qing Mai everywhere.

However, after pestering Xu Xing Zhan for a while, she eventually gave up on her own.

My life with Xu Xing Zhan returned to its usual calm.

One day, Xu Xing Zhan and I were discussing a difficult problem through the window, deeply engaged in our work, when he suddenly looked straight past me.

His usually calm eyes were suddenly turbulent.

Without turning around, I heard a crisp, bell-like laughter.

Jian Qing Mai was chatting with a boy, laughing as they discussed some funny story from the cafeteria.

"Jian Qing Mai."

The person in front of me spoke, his voice betraying a barely concealed irritation.

"Hm? Class monitor?" Jian Qing Mai looked up in surprise, her expression calm, "Did you need something from me?"

I quietly observed Xu Xing Zhan. He seemed to have forgotten my presence entirely, staring fixedly at the person behind me.

The corner of the test paper he held was crumpled, the veins on the back of his hand clearly visible.

Xu Xing Zhan said, "For the math group project, you're the only one who hasn't signed up."

Jian Qing Mai suddenly understood.

Before she could respond, the boy next to her spoke up, "Oh, class monitor, Jian Qing Mai told me this morning she'd be in my group. I forgot to let you know."

Jian Qing Mai feigned annoyance, "I thought you already told him."

"I forgot, hehe."

They walked away, joking as they went.

Xu Xing Zhan stood motionless, his eyes behind the glasses as deep as the sea.

At that moment, it felt as if something was slipping away from my grasp.

One day, I returned from PE class, drenched in sweat, and happened to run into Jian Qing Mai standing in the hallway with her friends.

She leaned on the railing with one hand, holding a bottle of milk in the other, laughing freely.

Jian Qing Mai glanced at me briefly before turning away, casually handing the milk to her friend beside her. "Xu Xing Zhan gave it to me. I don't want it, so you can have it."

Her friend teased her playfully, "Oh~ Has the class monitor been buying you milk every day now? Is it because..."

"Oh, stop. He's annoying."

Without breaking my stride, I returned to the classroom, expressionless.

On my desk sat the bottle of milk he had missed bringing in the morning.

It was still the brand I liked.

I took a sip, frowned, and tossed it away.

My deskmate looked at me, puzzled. "Why'd you throw it away when you haven't even finished it?"

"It's spoiled."

That evening, out of spite, I didn't wait for Xu Xing Zhan and went home early.

He didn't try to find me, either.

The next day, we crossed paths in the elevator, and Xu Xing Zhan only asked, "Was there a lot of homework yesterday? Why'd you leave early?"

I watched the numbers count down and replied, "Yeah."

After a few seconds of silence, I added, "I've been breaking out lately. I'm getting a bit heaty, so stop buying milk for me."

Xu Xing Zhan didn't say a word.

I had the feeling he was watching me the whole time.

When the elevator doors finally opened, I heard his cool reply, "Alright."