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The boy sat in front of her, and she cautiously leaned forward, revealing a gentle and charming smile.
"Hello, I'm Zheng Mengni from Class One," she said.
The other party ignored her, putting on a hat and closing his eyes to sleep.
Zheng Mengni had never been treated with such indifference, but she remained undeterred. Quietly, she sat behind him, waiting for Zhou Minshi to wake up. She believed that as long as she showed enough sincerity, he would surely share some study tips with her.
When Zhou Minshi finally woke up and got off the bus, she followed him closely. Standing beside him as they walked, she said, "I didn't do well on this exam, so I wanted to ask how you study."
"I don't study," Zhou Minshi coldly replied, quickening his pace.
They crossed the street, the road, and a footbridge. He eventually stopped, and a puzzled Zheng Mengni continued to follow him.
He ignored her and squatted down in front of an elderly man, taking out tools from a black canvas bag: paintbrushes, paints, and a palette.
Zhou Minshi squatted in front of the old man, next to an easel set on the ground.
"Grandpa, you should go home first; I'll take care of it," he said.
"How can that be? You should hurry back to study; you're going into your senior year soon. Don't take it lightly!" the old man replied.
"I won't come back once your back gets better," Zhou Minshi insisted.
The two exchanged words for quite some time while Zheng Mengni stood quietly in place, clutching the straps of her backpack.
Only then did Zhou Minshi notice that she hadn't left. He pursed his lips in silence, his expression calm.
Zheng Mengni wore her school uniform: a blue short-sleeved shirt tucked into a plaid skirt, with brown British-style shoes on her feet. Her calves were slender and fair beneath knee-high socks.
She was staring at the gap in the floor when she felt Zhou Minshi's gaze on her. She looked up and returned his stare with a gentle and shy smile.
The old man glanced over and asked, "Child, is this your classmate?"
Zhou Minshi didn't answer, but Zheng Mengni stepped forward to greet him: "Hello, Grandpa! I'm Zheng Mengni, a classmate of Zhou's from the neighboring class."
Her smile was warm and inviting; under the soft glow of the evening sun, it illuminated her face with an indescribable beauty.
The old man's hair was gray, and he looked at her kindly as the wrinkles on his face crinkled into a smile. "So you're classmates! I didn't expect this child to make friends at school."
Zheng Mengni engaged in a friendly conversation with the elderly man, while Zhou Minshi silently sat on a low stool beside them, tidying up his things.
Through their discussion, Zheng Mengni learned that the old man was a street artist who had suffered from back pain after years of hunching over to paint. As a result, Zhou Minshi came here every day after school to help him. He was self-taught and had an extraordinary talent for drawing; sometimes he could sell a portrait for five or six times the usual price. However, the old man was concerned that helping him would interfere with Zhou Minshi's studies, so he refused to let him assist.
Zheng Mengni smiled gently, her eyes radiating pure and innocent kindness. She lowered her head and looked at Zhou Minshi with a smile, asking, "Could you draw me a picture?"
Wanting to support their business, she insisted on paying despite the old man's reluctance. "It's just a small favor for a classmate; you can give me a discount."
The old man couldn't refuse her charm and accepted Zheng Mengni's money.
Zhou Minshi held his paintbrush in silence, quietly staring at the blank white canvas before him. After a long pause, he said softly, "Please sit on the chair."
Zheng Mengni sat up straight, legs together, and tucked the stray hair by her face behind her ear.
Zhou Minshi raised his gaze, his eyes falling upon the picturesque sunset behind her. The evening sky had softened its once-dominant brightness, blending the translucent orange hues into the clear air.
Zheng Mengni's cheeks were adorned with a sweet smile, reminiscent of soft orange-flavored candy with a gooey center.
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