Chapter 11.1| Then We Hug

"Why did you follow me down?" Zhiyi followed Yin out of the subway. 

"I'll walk you home." 

Yin hesitated for a moment, a thought flashing through her mind before she pushed it aside. The two walked in silence, their shadows elongated by the streetlights. If the behind one were to open their arms, the slanting shadow on the ground would resemble a boy holding a girl in his arms.

"Meng Yin." 

Yin turned the doorknob. 

"This semester, I'll walk you home," Zhiyi said, wrinkling his nose. "It's not safe for a girl to go home alone at night." It was a statement, leaving no room for Yin to refuse. 

The thought she had suppressed resurfaced, stirring in the night. Yin asked, "Xu Zhiyi, are you transferring to the day school just to walk me home?" 

He didn't directly answer, "What's wrong with walking you home?" 

Logically, there was nothing wrong, but it felt a bit off.

By next Monday, all classes are required to submit their entry themes to the administration office. Until Wednesday, Class 2 had shown no signs of progress. Xipei, burning with curiosity, couldn't resist hinting at Zhiyi during lunch, only to receive a cryptic response, "You'll find out soon enough." 

What kind of secret project were they working on? Why all the secrecy?

Upon receiving the notification, the class guides were required to attend a meeting at the auditorium on Wednesday. 

To her surprise, Yin discovered that in addition to being a class guide, she was also part of the cheerleading squad for the sports day opening ceremony and needed to perform with the squad. 

Yin slumped over the desk with an expression of dismay and asked Xipei, "Lin Xipei, why didn't you tell me that the class guide is also part of the cheerleading squad and needs to perform?"

"This is new information, Principal Chen just mentioned it in the school meeting on Monday," Xipei said while fiddling with her starry cup and blinking her big eyes. "Didn't you hear that?"

Yin took a deep breath, regretting her lack of awareness. What was she doing the other day? Oh, right, she was completely absorbed in listening to stories.

"I've only been listening to you," Yin said. 

Xipei then pulled out a large chocolate cup from under the table and handed it to Yin, saying, "Meng Yin, I think you lack confidence in yourself too much," before patting her on the shoulder. "You are such an outstanding person, you need to be more confident in yourself!"

Yin was surprised by Xipei's words, as she hadn't received any compliments other than for her grades for quite some time. Her confidence, which had been gradually worn down by various distractions, seemed to be reviving because of those words. It felt like adding honey to lemon juice, masking the sour taste.

Yin tore open the chocolate cup in her hand and clinked it with Xipei's, saying, "I won't let you down!"

Raising her drooping head, Yin finally noticed the content on the projector. She nudged Xipei's elbow and asked, "What did the class meeting to do?"

"Xu Zhiyi and Zang Kai presented three entrance proposals for everyone to vote on," Xipei said enthusiastically, gesturing towards her. "Come on, let me explain to you, it goes like this..."

The entrance participants for the sports day included guides, athletes, and class teachers. Starting from the guides, they would enter from the south gate of the field, circle around once, and perform for two minutes with the audience as the boundary. 

Last week, Kai and Zhiyi organized a meeting with relevant personnel to outline the theme. Today, Zhiyi further elaborated on the execution of the plan based on the outline. The final theme for the entrance of our class was decided as "Then We Hug."

The composition "Then We Hug" consists of three chapters - "Then", "We", and "Hug". Each chapter is a pure instrumental piece created by Shen Bin, transitioning from the clarity of "Then" to the youthful exuberance of "We", and culminating in the shared embrace of "Hug". The chapters are both independent and interconnected, maintaining the thematic integrity while expanding into broader meanings. This suite is a selection of over 50 original compositions written by Shen Bin during his time at FHS, rearranged under the invitation of Xu Zhiyi, with the first demo version now available. 

Bin shared the stories behind the moments that inspired these compositions, as well as his emotions and thoughts during the rearrangement process. Additionally, he sought feedback from listeners, asking them to share the moments, images, and aspirations evoked by each chapter of the music. 

Regardless of musical background, everyone was encouraged to provide meaningful or casual feedback.

Before the class meeting concluded, Zhiyi remarked that "Then We Hug" is not just for the students of Class 2 of Grade 12, but for everyone. 

Yin felt a sense of regret for not hearing Zhiyi utter these words, pondering on the beauty and depth required to cherish them so sincerely, to reveal his reluctance and desire to leave a mark without reservation. Suddenly, she also felt fortunate for crossing half the city to arrive here in the final stage, experiencing an unparalleled yet familiar sense of exuberance and warmth.

As Zhiyi and Yin left school due to the upcoming sports event on Friday, the moon had already climbed up the branches. 

"Are you hungry?" Zhiyi inquired. 

"Not really," Yin replied, then asked, "How about you?" "

I'm okay too." 

"Did your grandparents leave food for you?" 

Yin had informed them yesterday that she would be staying for a meeting today. 

"I'm not sure what time it will end, so I didn't ask them to wait for me." 

"Then let's grab a meal, and you can go back after eating." 

This simple and mundane conversation, lacking in substance yet comforting, blended seamlessly into the fabric of daily life.