After the end of the final mock exams, the school began to help students relax.
In early June, the seating chart for the college entrance examination was made public, and Meng Yin was assigned to THS due to academic reasons.
After class, Xu Zhiyi accompanied her to THS to find her exam seat.
Returning to THS after a year felt surreal. There was no longer the sense of escape, resistance, or aversion from a year ago; Meng Yin only felt calm. Unpleasant memories would not change or disappear, but they would be replaced and healed.
Meng Yin and Xu Zhiyi walked towards the teaching building in the uniform of the FHS along the tree-lined path.
A girl holding books walked towards them with a desolate expression, hesitantly calling out to Meng Yin.
When Lu Zi called out to her, she also noticed Lu Zi. Among the three isolated individuals from the past, one of them was Lu Zi, who had rapidly gained weight due to hormonal medication at one point. Yin had seen her cry secretly buried in her sleeve, seen her sigh in relief after avoiding the crowd, seen her desk being rummaged through by others, and witnessed her embarrassment when forgetting to bring a sanitary pad and not daring to ask for one from others...
Meng Yin waved and greeted Lu Zi with a smile, saying, "We're about to graduate."
Because they had stood in the same position and shared the same perspective before, some topics did not need to be explicitly mentioned. A simple greeting was enough to convey understanding.
In Lu Zi's memory, Meng Yin would smile, albeit a subconscious and gentle smile, unlike the lively and expressive smile she had just witnessed when a boy in the same uniform spoke to her.
"Yes, we're about to graduate," Lu Zi expressed with a hint of relief, then noticing Meng Yin's uniform, she asked, "Did you transfer to First High School?"
Meng Yin responded with a simple "Yes."
At the beginning of their senior year, the first news she heard was that Meng Yin had transferred. Not knowing the reason behind her sudden transfer, Lu Zi always found herself grappling with guilt, as her conscience reminded her that Meng Yin might have transferred because she failed to step forward and help her when she was isolated and helpless, standing idly by like an ostrich, wanting to lend a hand but unable to do so. This incident remained a thorn in Lu Zi's heart.
Upon hearing about the unique teaching attitude and style at FHS, and seeing the current Meng Yin, Lu Zi knew she was doing well at Yizhong.
After some thought, Lu Zi asked Meng Yin why she suddenly transferred schools.
"It wasn't a sudden transfer, it was planned for a long time," Meng Yin pointed to Xu Zhiyi and said candidly, "because I really wanted to fight alongside him in the third year of high school."
The conversation was filled with the blooming of midsummer that couldn't be concealed.
Lu Zi suddenly realized that the thorn stuck in his heart had disappeared. They chatted for a few more moments before parting ways.
Meng Yin stopped Lu Zi and said, "Good luck with the college entrance examination."
Lu Zi smiled, gentler than the early summer breeze. "Good luck with the college entrance examination."
Xu Zhiyi guessed that Lu Zi was one of the three people Meng Yin had mentioned before but didn't ask.
They quickly found Meng Yin's examination room and classroom. After leaving the teaching building, they strolled around THS.
Yin shared some stories from their time at THS. Despite spending two years here, Yin was not very familiar with the school. They got lost in the shaded path, and eventually, Xu Zhiyi led Meng Yin out. "Not remembering the way in THS is fine, remembering the stories at FHS is enough," Xu Zhiyi said as they walked out of the school gates. They did not look back.
The A city's college entrance examination lasted for 3 days, with the first two days covering Chinese, Mathematics, Comprehensive Science/Arts, and English, while the last day focused on the optional module for top-tier universities.
Traffic was cleared for the candidates, with traffic police guarding the roads, as cars honked and the streets quieted down.
Equipped with admission cards, black ink pens, 2B pencils, erasers, everything was prepared.
The sound of fans and air conditioners filled the room, paper rustled against carbon ink, the clock ticked away, as they bravely marched into the same battlefield at the age of 18.
Xu Zhiyi was the first to leave the Mathematics exam room.
Dressed in the school's summer uniform, holding a pencil case, he walked out of the exam room door neither fast nor slow.
Before he could blend into the crowd, he was surrounded by several journalists in front of the camera.
The Xu Zhiyi on the screen was clean and composed, relaxed and at ease.
A female journalist asked, "Hello, you are the first to leave the exam room, how do you feel now?"
Xu Zhiyi replied, "I feel like waiting in the car for my friends to come out and go home together."
The male reporter followed up, "What do you think about the overall difficulty of this year's Mathematics exam?"
He furrowed his brows slightly, then his lips curved up, and he answered, "The average level of Class 2 of First High School."
The male reporter: "..." How would I know what the average level of Class 2 of High School is like?
Another female journalist seized the last chance, "After the college entrance examination, what is the one thing you most want to do?"
With a smile that couldn't be suppressed, Xu Zhiyi approached the camera and said, "Go to the beach with someone I like."