At the corner of the second-year teaching building corridor, a figure waved at Fang Tong against the morning light.

The blue-white school uniform looked tailored on her body. The clean fitted jacket traced a perfect curve across her chest, slender balanced pale forearms showing beyond the cuffs.

The skirt hem fell to her knees yet failed to hide the slim full lines of her legs. Her jet-black hair was tied casually into a ponytail, efficient yet playful.

Hair brushed behind her ear revealed peach-blossom brows and eyes, a straight nose bridge, naturally pink lips. Expressionless she carried a cover-model cool detachment yet a trace of allure.

No matter how many times she saw it, it was hard not to be stunned.

‘This face was artwork! I just love looking at it! So pretty!’

But having watched for a year, Fang Tong was surprised for less than a second, a personal record.

Just as she stepped forward to ask about Tang Leyan’s class, she noticed another person beside her.

Looking closely it was a handsome boy. Two heads taller, sturdy, radiating masculinity.

Ah, the form she dreamed of before crossing, a true heartthrob.

Seeing their positions, Fang Tong frowned and guessed instantly.

‘Confession? Here in the corridor on the first day?’

Sensing more gazes gathering, she wanted to turn away.

‘Shouldn’t confessions happen on rooftops or behind playgrounds? And today was day one, right? Did you raise affection before rushing in? And starting Tang Leyan’s route at that. You were doomed to fail.’

The handsome boy spared her no time, glancing then speaking.

“Can’t you reconsider? I know it was sudden but if you give me a chance I—”

“No need. I’ve made myself clear. Persistent pestering isn’t good. I’m returning to class with my friend. Continue and I’ll report you.”

Before he finished, Tang Leyan pulled Fang Tong along and walked off, whispers spreading behind.

Fang Tong knew it would settle within a day.

Tang Leyan had rejected too many confessions to count.

But leaving she felt an angry gaze.

‘Come on, just because she said no with me as an excuse you shouldn’t hate on me that hard. Would I not showing up have given you a chance?’

Tang Leyan noticed and smiled helplessly.

“Angry?”

‘So beautiful, so bright, she’s glowing!’

The sunlight on her face softened everything, coolness replaced by warmth and faint apologetic coquettishness.

‘No no,you can’t test a loli like me this way, it’s too tempting.’

Shaking free, Fang Tong sighed, “Not angry, I just realized it’s not easy for you.”

Compared to worse confessors, she shuddered imagining constant attention.

Tang Leyan withdrew her hand behind her back, clenching lightly, sighing after a pause.

“Only Xiao Tong says that.”

“Stop, I told you don’t call me Xiao Tong, surname Fang.”

Seeing her gaze almost melting, Fang Tong changed topic.

Without knowing her, one might mistake that look as affection.

No wonder lines formed confessing, it was self-inflicted.

“Xiao Tong is the first to pity me.”

She didn’t correct, and Fang Tong gave up.

Though intimate naming felt sticky, correcting had become routine, almost like saying good morning.

From that angle she wasn’t perfect either.

Distance creates beauty, prejudice mountains, gender the highest.

Fang Tong still liked pretty girls yet after a year living as one she couldn’t suppress herself as much as before.

Rather than loving soul and body, she was evolving to loving the body only.

“Not pity. Someone like me isn’t qualified to pity the great campus beauty Tang.”

“Exactly. Others assume I’ve no troubles so I can’t show weakness to anyone.”

Fang Tong glanced sideways.

‘Perhaps accepted or even enjoyed to some extent, popularity does bring convenience after all.’

Fang Tong wouldn’t pry, it was too troublesome.

“Like people ignoring that pretty girls poop. It’s not like they are still human, right?”

“The difference in treatment is big. Don’t you like being liked?”

Tang Leyan studied her, finger on chin.

A duty student mopped nearby, disinfectant smell sharp.

“Do we have to discuss heavy topics in the morning of day one?”

Tang Leyan seemed low-spirited, understandable after emotional bombardment.

Shrugging, Fang Tong didn’t care to console a superstar.

“Speaking of you should be popular. Why have you received no confessions?”

Tang Leyan stopped, looking over Fang Tong’s petite frame except chest.

Light blocked by her shadow blurred her eyes’ glimmer, unreadable.