William controlled his scores in every exam, making progress bit by bit, all to earn her praise.
He held the report card and looked at Ellie like a big dog seeking praise: "It's all thanks to the little teacher's good teaching that I improved so many points at once."
Ellie looked at him and said, "You flatterer." Although she said that, she was also very happy to see his progress.
"All because of the little teacher's good teaching."
...
"Little teacher, if I make progress in the next exam, can I hug you again?"
"No."
"Why not?"
Ellie looked up at him and said, "Just because."
William felt dejected and lowered his head, his eyes drooping, his voice carrying a hint of desolation as he said, "Alright."
"Open your mouth."
Ellie stuffed the candy into his mouth and said, "Do your homework."
Tasting the candy she fed him, William couldn't help but smirk.
The candy was very sweet, and he felt as if he was bubbling with sweetness all over.
...
"Little teacher, which school do you want to go to?" Knowing where she was going, he asked again.
"Q University, how about you?"
"Wherever the little teacher goes, I'll go."
Ellie suddenly looked at him and seriously said, "William, I've always had a question, why do you like me?"
"Little teacher, do you believe in dislocated time and space?"
Ellie looked at him, her eyes filled with confusion, and she shook her head.
"I believe it. I think I must have met you before."
Not only met, but also missed.
Relying on those memories, he walked alone for a very, very long time.
He missed her so much, so much.
He didn't catch her before, but this time, he must catch her.
Ellie thought he was joking again.
But looking at his profile, she always felt that his expression was serious for a moment.
William suddenly turned his head and smiled at her: "I also like the little teacher today."
Although it wasn't the first time she heard him say he liked her, Ellie still couldn't help but have her heart race.
She looked at him and said, "You flatterer."
"I will strive to be on par with the little teacher."
Ellie looked at him and said, "I'll wait for that day."
...
The day after the college entrance exam, the weather was very hot.
The aquamarine sky seemed like an ink painting that had been blurred, filled with a light orange-pink.
A faint rainbow appeared on the horizon.
Almost as soon as they left the examination room, many people noticed it.
William looked at the rainbow on the horizon and immediately thought of her. He took out his phone and immediately took a photo.
[William]: Little teacher, look up at the sky.
[Little teacher bae]: William, look at the sky.
He looked at the message that came almost at the same time and couldn't help but smile.
He and Ellie were not at the same test site, so he sent her a message.
[William]: Wait for me, little teacher.
[Little teacher bae]: Okay.
Ellie was sitting on a chair in a daze.
Suddenly, she saw a figure getting closer and closer.
The young man was wearing a white shirt, holding pure white roses in his hand, and even his hair was dyed with the afterglow of the sunset, hazy.
He looked at her, his black eyes filled with some laughter, and he said, "Happy 18th birthday, little teacher, congratulations on becoming an adult!"
Ellie took the flowers from his hand and smiled with a curved lip.
"And there's a gift, little teacher, come with me to get it."
He was mysterious, blindfolding her eyes with a ribbon. Ellie carefully held the corner of his clothes, following him.
She felt a heat on her wrist, the young man's hand holding her wrist, leading her step by step.
Ellie opened her eyes and saw a yard full of roses.
White roses were as pure and beautiful as jade.
"You..." she was a bit stuttering for a moment. She didn't know when he bought this house and planted a yard full of roses. She heard her own heartbeat, very fast.
William has seen many roses, but he can never forget the little rose that belongs to him.
The 18th birthday was premeditated, and the house was bought with the money he earned from developing software.
Those companies only knew that a mysterious person, code-named q, was selling software, and they didn't know that his real identity was still a high school student.
"Do you like it? Little teacher."
Ellie nodded: "I like it."
"Open your gift and see."
Ellie opened it, and inside was a light purple dress, and in another box, there was a pair of high heels.
He took her inside and said, "Put it on, little teacher."
The dress was long, with a waist-drawing design, which made her waist even more slender, and the exposed ankles were slender and white. Her face was pink and white, very suitable for wearing such light colors, a pair of apricot eyes were clear, like a deer in the forest, and like apricots.
William looked at her coming out and couldn't help but be stunned. His eyes were full of amazement. He knew it must suit her.
He knelt on one knee and carefully put on the high heels for her.
When he came out again, there were many more people in the yard.
Those were all familiar faces to Ellie, Chloe, Daniel, Mason, Sarah, and Aria.
Chloe was pushing a cart with a three-layer cake on it.
"Baby, happy 18th birthday!"
"Ellie, happy 18th birthday!"
"Happy 18th birthday, Ellie."
"Happy 18th birthday, good student."
"Happy 18th birthday! Ellie."
That night was lively for a long, long time.
Ellie was surrounded by many people and had her unique and lively 18th birthday.
The young man's gaze was always on her.
...
William and Ellie walked together on the tree-lined path.
"Little teacher, I've said it many times before, but I want to officially say it again, I like you, would you like to be in a relationship with me?"
The young man's expression was serious, and his eyes were filled with her, only her.
He was so nervous that his hands were clenched, and his fingertips were slightly trembling. A lot of different things and changes had happened, and he was afraid she wouldn't like him.
"William."
"Hmm?"
"I like you, not because you like me, but because I like you, so I like you."
So she didn't say it.
She didn't know when she had liked William.
Perhaps it was the first time the young man blocked the knife for her, or perhaps it was during the power outage, or perhaps it was at the school gate when he said "talk about your mother," or perhaps it was when he said "don't be afraid" in the dark...
Too many.
The young man's affection was pure, and she admitted she was moved.
A long time ago, a very long time ago.
William couldn't help but smile, and his lips couldn't be pressed down. He smiled so much that his eyes were curved.
"Little teacher, can I hold your hand?" His tone was gentle, with a bit of caution.
"Sure."
With her permission, William carefully grabbed her hand and wrapped it in his palm.
Her hand was small and soft, as if there were no bones, and it felt very comfortable in his palm.
He felt his heart beating a little fast.
The breeze was blowing, rustling the leaves, and the cicadas were noisy on the tree.
The two walked for a long time until the sunset.
William gently lifted her hair by her ear, his tone full of inquiry and caution, and he said, "Can I kiss you?"
Ellie closed her eyes.
William held her face with his hand and lowered his head inch by inch.
He was so nervous that his hands were trembling, and he felt his heartbeat, as if beating a drum, again and again, shaking his brain a little dizzy.
The air was full of ambiguous atmosphere, and the two people's noses touched. William could almost see the fine hair on her face.
Her eyelashes were very long, like a small brush.
William closed his eyes and put the kiss on her lips.
The soft touch made him feel a little dizzy for a moment.
The vibration from the chest, again and again, seemed to be about to jump out.
His mind was full of why her lips were so soft.
His heart was in a mess, and his brain was a mess with excitement.
He didn't even know where to put his hands.
Both were very inexperienced, and the kiss was just a touch and then separated.
He let go of Ellie and felt his face was about to explode with heat.
He looked at Ellie nervously and found her face was also very red, and neither of them dared to look at each other.
The two looked at each other for a while and couldn't help but laugh.
William gently hugged her and buried his head in her neck, greedily smelling the pleasant scent on her.
He finally didn't miss her again.
...
The room was pure white, and the man lying on the hospital