The next morning, Liang Meiyu arrived at school early, her uniform still damp from yesterday's rain. Her hair was tied into a loose braid, and her cheeks were pink from the morning chill.
She reached her desk, set down her bag—and stopped.
There was something on her desk.
A small, neatly wrapped piece of chocolate with a folded sticky note attached. She picked it up carefully, eyes narrowing with suspicion. It wasn't anyone's birthday. It wasn't a holiday.
The note read:
"Don't let the rain get you down.
Smiling suits you better.
— Definitely Not Zhao Yichen"
Meiyu blinked.
Her heart skipped.
It was his handwriting. She was sure of it. A little messy, sharp-edged, but somehow… trying not to be obvious.
She looked around the classroom. It was mostly empty, but at the very back, Zhao Yichen sat with his head down, pretending to scroll through his phone.
She turned to face him.
He didn't look up.
She cleared her throat.
Nothing.
"Zhao Yichen," she called softly.
Still nothing. Though she was certain his ears twitched.
She walked over to him, chocolate and note in hand. "Did you leave this on my desk?"
He raised his head just a bit and met her eyes—casual, bored. "Huh? What is that?"
She held it out. "A chocolate. With a note."
"Looks like someone has a secret admirer," he said smoothly, eyes glinting with amusement. "Don't look at me. I prefer spicy chips."
She narrowed her eyes. "It's in your handwriting."
He leaned forward, elbows on the desk, resting his chin in one palm. "I think you're obsessed with me."
Meiyu turned red. "W-what?!"
"You're blaming me for anonymous love letters now?"
"It's not a love letter!" she hissed, glancing around.
He chuckled. "Sure, sure. You're blushing though."
She shoved the chocolate into her pocket and stalked back to her seat. But the smile on her face refused to disappear.
---
That day, Zhao Yichen didn't tease her as much. He passed her a pen when hers ran out. Didn't make a single comment when she dropped her notebook. He even handed it back quietly.
"Thank you," she mumbled.
"Don't get used to it," he said, looking away.
But when she tucked the chocolate into her bag at the end of class, he smiled behind his notebook.