Chapter 1| Hello, I am Xu Zhiyi.

For Someone,

For Everyone.

——————

At the First High School in City A, inside the school gymnasium, a platform was set up in the centre of the basketball court. 

"One, two, one, two, one..." 

"Atten-hut, eyes forward, eyes right..." 

In camouflaged uniforms, students stood in formation, with twelve smaller formations converging into one large formation, all standing tall and firm at the centre of the basketball court. 

This was the presentation performance of the military training for the freshmen of Class 201X, and also the graduation ceremony for the seniors of Class 201X.

Principal Chen concluded his speech with, "Next, I would like to invite the top scorer of this year's College Entrance Examination, Xu Zhiyi, from the former Class 2 of the senior year, to deliver a speech as a student representative." A's First High School, a prestigious institution that has always taken a unique approach since its establishment, witnessed an expected yet rousing response from the audience as they eagerly awaited Zhiyi to take the stage.

Dressed in the school's white cultural shirt paired with jeans and sneakers, Zhiyi climbed the steps to the stage with his speech in hand. After exchanging greetings with Principal Chen, he rolled the speech in his hand into a tube, and held it behind his back, with a composed and attentive gaze fixed on a certain spot in the vast audience, a hint of radiance spreading between his handsome brows and eyes.

Opposite the stage in the audience area, a girl in a white cultural shirt and jeans stood near the railing. Her hand gestured towards the stage, appearing to acknowledge it, while also possibly exchanging greetings with someone up there.

In a brief moment, Xu Zhiyi became distracted. Despite the distance of a basketball court between them, his mind drifted back a year when he last saw Meng Yin before their senior year. 

It was their fourth encounter after the senior high school entrance exam, where they had planned to have a hotpot. Zhiyi wasn't particularly fond of hotpot, but Yin seemed to enjoy it.

"Why do you like hotpot so much?" 

Yin, adding Sichuan noodles to the pot, looked at him with a puzzled expression as if questioning why someone would doubt the deliciousness of hotpot. 

"Only good friends eat hotpot together, you know?"

Yin changed her tone as she added noodles and picked up a piece of frozen tofu from the hotpot, The thick and spicy soup exploded in his mouth along with the tofu, making her gasp as she took another bite. 

Suddenly, two slender and distinct fingers appeared in front of her, holding a few tissues. "Wipe your forehead, it's covered in sweat." As the heat continued to rise in her mouth, Yin sniffed and took the tissue handed by Zhiyi to wipe the sweat off his forehead. 

After catching his breath, Yin smiled and looked at Zhiyi, asking, "Xu Zhiyi, you're not skipping hotpot just because it's summer, are you?" 

Caught off guard, Zhiyi took a sip of his soda, blurting out a vague "Hmm." 

The pot simmered vigorously, shrouded in mist, creating a hazy atmosphere, yet Yin could still hear clearly. Resting her chopsticks in the bowl, she couldn't help but burst into laughter, "Ahahaha..."

Zhiyi's expression remained unchanged, but he seemed to furrow his brow slightly, "Is it really that amusing?"

"What's the difference between you not having hotpot in summer and not having ice cream in winter!"

In a moment, Zhiyi regained his focus and began his final speech at the high school. 

"Hello everyone, I am Xu Zhiyi, the representative of the graduating class of 201X." 

A flickering fire crackled to life, resembling scattered stars, as the sound reverberated through the sports hall from the all-around speakers, cutting through the thin indoor air and seemingly transcending time itself.

Zhiyi spoke confidently, clearing his throat after a sentence and continued, "As is well known, the school spirit of our school is centred around 'democracy,' with no distinction between key classes and regular classes, no weekend or summer vacation tutoring sessions. We shine in clubs and competitions, showing gratitude, self-awareness, and discipline. The science class is immersed in the world of 'membrane disappearance into two bodies, form defines numbers, clear equator, point generation increase, two poles, two disappearances, one reconstruction,' often unconsciously touching the top of the head, hair follicles..." Pausing for a moment, a hint of cunning curled his lips as he remarked, "Close it once and for all."

After a burst of laughter, Zhiyi continued, "Xing Xiuze, a student from the liberal arts class, has been known for his favourite phrase in the past three years, 'My vassals are not converting culture of their lands.' With the belief that 'There must be a use for my talent,' he got the top one in the school's liberal arts and 22nd in the city in the College Entrance Examination. He asked me to convey a message today: 'May the liberal arts class continue to uphold his faith and ensure that liberal arts are no longer subservient to the science class.' This preceding paragraph praises the democracy of the school while the following paragraph addresses the slight imbalance between the humanities and sciences.

Meanwhile, the mentioned Xiuze sat below, chewing gum with his legs crossed, "My bro, is not wrong."

As time ticks away, his voice remains clear and firm, "I believe all of you down below have shared with me three precious years here." He gestured towards the crowd, "My dream is now my reality. This is a youthful battleground that has fulfilled my dreams and reality. I have met our caring class advisor, Mr. Wang Kai. Teachers with unique styles excelling in their respective subjects, friends with whom I have shared laughter and heart-to-heart conversations, and I have also encountered..." Zhiyi suddenly lowered his gaze and smiled, his bright eyes fixed on Yin who was still standing in place. In a standard American accent, he said, "a person who can stand by my side as we soar towards a brighter future." Switching back to Chinese, he continued, "I have also met my dearest comrade, classmate Meng Yin."

A comrade who I am willing to lie in the trench with wholeheartedly."

As the audience erupted in cheers and applause, Mr. Xu continued, expressing gratitude towards his teachers, friends, and especially Meng Yin, whom he referred to as a comrade who had stood by him throughout their time at the school.

A resounding chorus of "Wow!" erupted from the crowd, drawing attention to the well-known "Zhiyin CP" of the school. Every graduate present was well aware of this. Spectators both near and far eagerly searched for the leading lady as if they had eyes made of 24K titanium alloy. Suddenly, a corner of the audience burst into thunderous applause, shouting "Bro. Zhiyi. Good Job!" This was the gathering place for the former Class 2 of the senior year.

Zhiyi stood on the stage waiting for the noise to diminish, then spoke slowly and solemnly for the conclusion. "With the school motto 'Speak with loyalty and act with sincerity'[1], we all possess hills and valleys, stars and seas. Let us continue to forge ahead in life and may everyone's wishes come true. Thank you."

After stepping down from the stage, Zhiyi had not walked far when he saw Yin's figure. The girl stopped a few steps in front of him, smiled brightly with clear eyes and white teeth. 

Yin's eyes sparkled with starlight as Zhiyi extended his hand towards Yin with a deep yet gentle smile: "Hello, Meng Yin. I am Xu Zhiyi. I look forward to learning from you in the future." 

Yin clasped his hand warmly, returning the smile, "Hello, Xu Zhiyi. I am Meng Yin. I look forward to your continued guidance."