The Calamity and the Whispers of the Heart

No sooner had he finished speaking than several pairs of eyes turned in unison towards Shen Qin. Ji Ye himself was curious; he had never heard his family mention the origin of his name.

Seeing their intrigued expressions, Shen Qin smiled kindly. “Before Ah Dai was born, I had nightmares for over a month straight. Later, I consulted a master who bestowed the name ‘Ah Dai’ upon him, saying it would let the mountains shield him from a calamity.”

Upon hearing the word ‘calamity,’ the four friends’ faces instantly changed, their tension palpable.

Shen Qin observed their shock and clarified, “The calamity has passed, so there’s no need to worry. As for the single character ‘Ye,’ it was chosen by his father and me, hoping he would live a life of unconstrained joy.”

The events of that midsummer night remained vivid in her memory. Even after so long, Shen Qin occasionally awoke from nightmares, a lingering sense of trepidation in her heart.

“Was it the summer he was eight?” Zhang Qian spoke before thinking, then, realizing his impropriety, quickly covered his mouth, his face full of apology.

The atmosphere suddenly grew heavy.

Shen Qin nodded. She didn’t want the children to become overly cautious because of this, so she offered a serene smile. “It’s all in the past. Xiao Dai will be carefree and joyful for years to come.”

“Carefree and joyful for years to come.”

Zhang Qian gripped Ji Ye’s shoulders, his voice firm with conviction.

Tian Jingwen and He Chuanrong’s gazes converged, and they nodded in agreement, echoing the sentiment.

Yet, the moment He Chuanrong’s eyes met Ji Ye’s, his heart fluttered. A faint smile, almost imperceptible, touched his lips, but a profound unease churned within him.

Eight years old, summer, calamity…

Each word was like a thorny vine, coiling around his heart, tightening its grip until blood dripped into an abyss, pulling him down with it.

****

The temperature steadily dropped, and the Winter Sports Meet arrived as scheduled.

“Vice Class Leader, how about I sign you up for the high jump? It’d be a pity for those long legs of yours not to compete.”

Zhang Qian held the sports meet registration form, leaning over Ji Ye’s desk as they marked items on it.

He Chuanrong paused, his pen hovering, then clenched it tightly, his fingertips whitening from the excessive force. Since that dinner, he had been waking up from nightmares for several consecutive days. Dreams and reality intertwined, leaving him disoriented, often convinced he was still dreaming.

“The Broadcasting Club has assigned me as a host during the Winter Sports Meet, so I probably won’t have time to compete,” he said slowly, his eyes fixed on Ji Ye’s actions, watching him write his name in the relay race column.

“A host?” Ji Ye and Zhang Qian looked up in unison, gazing at him.

“Hmph, look at you, making a name for yourself! Our class has another host!” Zhang Qian boasted proudly, twirling his pen between his fingers. He slung an arm over Ji Ye’s shoulder and lifted his chin towards He Chuanrong.

Ji Ye gave a perfunctory nod, then subtly winked at He Chuanrong, deliberately tapping his pen on the registration form to signal for help in distracting Zhang Qian. He Chuanrong understood instantly.

“Who was our class’s previous host?”

Seeing He Chuanrong, for once, show interest in old class matters, Zhang Qian paused in surprise. Then, like spilling beans, he launched into a passionate account of Class 8’s glorious and ignominious history.

In terms of academic performance, Class 8 and Class 5 were the parallel classes’ joint second-place contenders, quite respectable. After the subject division, most students from both classes were direct promotions, leading to an unspoken rivalry between them.

Zhang Qian spoke with gusto, spittle flying, growing more animated with each word. Eventually, he even used Ji Ye as a cushion, pressing his arms directly onto him and leaning forward.

Observing this, a subtle irritation flickered within He Chuanrong. He wanted to remind Zhang Qian not to treat Ji Ye like a backrest, but he worried about bothering Ji Ye. Thus, he could only curl his fingers, tapping them against the desktop, one by one.

As Zhang Qian continued, he noticed that He Chuanrong’s smile no longer reached his eyes as it had before; he even glimpsed a fleeting flicker of anger.

‘How odd,’ Zhang Qian mused, ‘how could He Chuanrong, a Beta, have such a volatile temper?’

Zhang Qian was puzzled. If He Chuanrong had a bad temper, Ji Ye wouldn’t continue being friends with him; he would quickly distance himself and give him the cold shoulder. Yet, Ji Ye hadn’t done that.

Moreover, he believed his relationship with He Chuanrong was better than most, so why was the double standard so obvious when it came to him versus Ji Ye?

Zhang Qian felt utterly bewildered, pondering the situation until a slight tremor ran through his arm.

He lowered his eyes to Ji Ye, who was smiling with a mischievous, almost wicked, glint.

In an instant, Ji Ye fled, leaning towards He Chuanrong as if escaping, leaving only Zhang Qian and the registration form on the desk.

“Ji Ye—”

Zhang Qian exclaimed, reaching out to grab him.

Ji Ye spun around, brushing past He Chuanrong, and darted out the back door.

Zhang Qian glanced at He Chuanrong, who stood blocking his path, and immediately understood. So, these two were playing a trick on him! He let out a helpless wail, “Vice Class Leader, why are you being so protective?”

No sooner had the words left his mouth than he braced his hands on the desk, vaulted over it, and ran out to chase Ji Ye.

The two chased each other from the corridor into the classroom until the class bell rang.

****

In the days leading up to the sports meet, everyone’s spirits were exceptionally high. Even during the usually dull physics class, they were noticeably more lively. Students eagerly stared at the calendar on the wall, wishing the sports meet would start tomorrow.

On the eve of the sports meet, Old Wen, the homeroom teacher, outlined the requirements for the event during the last ten minutes of evening study.

The sports meet arrived as scheduled. After the opening ceremony, the track and field buzzed with excitement. As the referee’s signal gun fired, the students participating in the 100-meter dash sprinted towards the finish line like arrows.

Students cheered and shouted all around. Ji Ye stood among the inner crowd, cupping his hands around his mouth, loudly cheering for Zhang Qian. Several girls nudged their way closer to him, their gazes lingering on his face.

The crowd around him steadily grew, but Ji Ye, focused on cheering for Zhang Qian, paid little attention to his surroundings. Simultaneously, Zhang Qian surged across the finish line, and cheers mingled with the click of cameras.

Ji Ye rushed over to celebrate with Zhang Qian.

Meanwhile, the school forum not only shared live updates of the competition but also photos of the school heartthrobs at the event. An ID named “Eucalyptus” uploaded a picture of Ji Ye, which instantly went viral on the forum.

Despite the overcast weather, the boy in the photo still shone brightly. His skin was as porcelain-white as jade, dressed in a light gray hoodie and a black jacket. His eyes brimmed with youthful joy, radiating pure happiness.

Soon, people tried to uncover the identity of “Eucalyptus,” hoping to find more stunning photos. However, the user’s homepage only displayed a picture of a crescent moon, surrounded by clouds as if imprisoned within them. Apart from that, there were no other posts under this ID.

****

The competition was in full swing, with cheers echoing ceaselessly. Every competition point on the track was packed with watching students. At the flag-raising platform, the two lone hosts were swamped. They had to review notes sent in to cheer for various class participants, upload competition photos from the junior reporters to the school forum to showcase the school’s spirit, and constantly broadcast announcements for athletes to gather at their respective venues. They wished they could clone themselves to simultaneously review and broadcast.

The sports meet lasted three days. The club leader divided the members into three groups, rotating them as hosts and junior reporters to handle publicity and broadcasting tasks. At this moment, Tian Jingwen and He Chuanrong, serving as junior reporters and photographers, were each moving through the crowd with their companions.

On the final day of the sports meet, it was Tian Jingwen and He Chuanrong’s turn to host.

Cold wind, occasionally mixed with fine rain, caused noses to turn red, but it failed to dampen anyone’s enthusiasm. The cheering was no less fervent than on the first day.

“The next event is the boys’ 3000-meter race. All participating athletes, please gather at the track.”

Tian Jingwen’s voice resonated over the broadcast.

“Just do your best, kid, don’t overexert yourself.” Zhang Qian attached Ji Ye’s bib number, having largely guessed Ji Ye’s intentions.

Not far away, Zhu Hao, Chen Gong, and others were also attaching their bibs, casting disdainful glances their way.

Zhang Qian returned their look with a sneer, scoffing, and reminded Ji Ye to pace himself. “Our class’s total score has improved significantly compared to last time.”

“Don’t worry,” Ji Ye chuckled, patting his chest. “Leave it to me. Just cheer me on.”

Spontaneously formed cheerleading squads from various classes soon arrived. The competing athletes stood in their respective lanes, making final checks.

Bang!

The moment the signal gun fired, everyone sprinted off, and the surrounding cheers surged in waves.

Zhang Qian stood in the crowd, a flicker of worry in his eyes as he watched the track. Ji Ye’s three events, for which Zhang Qian had signed him up that day, were all finished. Now, only Ji Ye’s two self-registered events remained: the 3000-meter race and the 400-meter relay.

Ji Ye had deliberately staggered their competition times to look out for each other. Although the class had dedicated personnel to monitor their athletes, there were too many participants and events for everyone to be perfectly covered.

Moreover, the class total score award was based on the accumulated results of each class’s prize winners. In last year’s long-distance race, Zhu Hao and Chen Gong finished three seconds faster than Ji Ye, tying for first place and pushing Ji Ye to third. It was these three seconds that cost Class 8 the third-place trophy in the overall class standings.

Though no one mentioned it, Ji Ye felt deeply uncomfortable. If he had been just one second faster, his class’s total score would have secured third place. This knot had remained in his heart for nearly a year. Today, he intended to reclaim it.

The wind blew head-on, like an invisible wall, adding considerable resistance to those on the track.

Ji Ye clenched his fists, adjusted his breathing, and maintained a steady pace, trailing behind Chen Gong, with Zhu Hao close behind. Last year’s situation had been similar, but Ji Ye was no longer impulsive; he didn’t rush to claim the lead as he had before.

Junior reporters and notes from various classes for the athletes poured in. Tian Jingwen and He Chuanrong each had a stack of them. They picked up the somewhat disheveled notes and began broadcasting.

“Zhu Hao, you are forever the undisputed top one! Keep going!”

“To Chen Gong from Class 5, wishing you first place in the 3000-meter race.”

“Wu Yang, you are the pride of Class 7! The whole class awaits your triumphant return.”

“Ji Ye, Old Eleven, we hope you win first place this time and reclaim your position among the top ten!”

…

The two took turns broadcasting. He Chuanrong pulled the notes from Tian Jingwen’s side to his own desk, allowing her to edit and upload the competition photos sent by the junior reporters to the school forum.

Tian Jingwen nodded and quickly began her work.

Compared to her, He Chuanrong was selective when reading the encouraging messages on the notes; he didn’t read every single word, as much of the content was similar, and some even took the opportunity to confess their feelings.

For example, he had just drawn several cards in a row, all containing various veiled declarations of affection for Ji Ye.

A sudden sensation, as if someone had thrown a stone at his heart, struck He Chuanrong. Similar to when he heard Ji Ye might take leave, that inexplicable emotion surged through him again, sending ripples across the lake of his heart.

As he read, the thought of high school entering its final countdown began to agitate him, his emotions prematurely plunging him into the sorrow of parting.

‘He will leave you. After that, even a distant glimpse will be a luxury.’

‘That glorious summer was a gift from heaven to you, but his calamity. See? You are destined to be abandoned by everyone.’

‘No one loves you, no one remembers you, everyone despises you, everyone shuns you.’

Like a demon whispering in He Chuanrong’s ear, he clutched the note in his hand, wanting to retort:

‘I don’t care; I just don’t want to part so soon.’

‘The way I look at him is pure, untainted by any feelings beyond friendship…’

But in the end, he felt a pang of guilt.

He Chuanrong had to admit that after eight years apart, and after meeting and spending time with Ji Ye again, he had finally recognized his true feelings:

‘My gaze towards him is indeed not pure.’

Yet, he knew better than anyone that he could never be with Ji Ye. The chasm between them, in the eyes of the world, might seem like a mere solar system, but to them, it was an entire universe.

He Chuanrong’s gaze drooped in dejection, feeling utterly lost.

Tian Jingwen, from the side, glanced at him several times. Seeing him sitting quietly at his desk, clutching a note, lost in thought, she freed a hand and tapped on his desk.

“Are you feeling unwell?” she asked with concern.

He Chuanrong didn’t speak, merely shaking his head gently, then immediately immersed himself back into work.

It wasn’t until the junior reporter relayed the results of the 3000-meter race that He Chuanrong pondered for a moment, his heart racing, even his fingertips trembling slightly. He resolutely decided to take a risk.