Rebirth: Illuminating a Brilliant Life

The posting of midterm exam results this week was like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, creating ripples in the hearts of the students.

Su Xuan and Cheng Ran arrived together at the results bulletin board, their eyes searching among the dense numbers and names.

Su Xuan's gaze quickly settled on her score, and seeing that it was steadily within her familiar range, the tension in her heart quietly eased.

Cheng Ran was the same. His originally serious expression relaxed after seeing the results, and the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile.

The two smiled at each other and were about to turn and leave when Su Xuan seemed to suddenly remember something. Her eyes turned to the list again, this time looking for Meng Jiawei's score.

In past exams, Meng Jiawei's grades have been like a sturdy lighthouse, consistently standing in the upper-middle range of the class, radiating a stable and reliable light.

However, the results that Su Xuan saw at that moment shocked her greatly. Meng Jiawei's ranking was like a falling meteor, plummeting and almost falling out of the range of excellence they had always known.

Su Xuan couldn't help but exclaim softly, "Cheng Ran, look at Meng Jiawei's grades! How could this be? The decline is outrageous!"

Upon hearing this, Cheng Ran quickly turned his gaze to where Su Xuan was pointing, his brows instantly furrowing into a deep frown. He stared at the glaring score, his mind racing, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

After a moment, Cheng Ran seemed to have grasped a clue and slowly said, "Could it be because he's in the science class? Science questions are always much more difficult than those in our humanities class. Maybe he lost points on some difficult questions in this exam."

After listening to Cheng Ran's analysis, Su Xuan nodded slightly, but the doubt in her eyes did not completely disappear: "But even if the questions are difficult, Meng Jiawei's strength should not have dropped so much."

The two stood in front of the results bulletin board, speculating amongst themselves, their anxieties spreading like wildfire.

They knew Meng Jiawei's serious attitude towards learning, and such a difference in grades was extraordinary.

In their memory, Meng Jiawei was a diligent boy who was attentive in class and often buried in books and exercises after class. His current decline in grades must have some unknown reasons behind it.

Su Xuan searched all over the campus, but couldn't find Meng Jiawei in the corners he usually frequented.

The classroom was empty, and his familiar face was nowhere to be seen in the library seats. The benches by the playground were deserted. Her anxiety grew, and her steps quickened.

Just as she was about to search the entire campus, she suddenly remembered the rooftop located on the top floor of the teaching building.

It was a somewhat secluded and rarely visited place, only frequented by those in a state of extreme distress or seeking solitude for quiet contemplation. With a glimmer of hope, Su Xuan hurried towards the teaching building.

She climbed the stairs step by step, each step seemingly carrying her concern and worry for Mong Jiawei.

When she finally pushed open the somewhat heavy iron door to the rooftop, a gentle breeze swept over her. She immediately saw that lonely figure standing on the edge of the rooftop, his back to her, his form appearing somewhat solitary and insignificant against the vast backdrop of the sky.

Meng Jiawei stood there quietly, gazing at the distant horizon with a blank and bewildered look in his eyes.

His hair was slightly disheveled by the wind, and the hem of his clothes swayed gently in the breeze. Su Xuan slowly approached him, her steps very light, as if afraid of disturbing his thoughts, which he was currently immersed in.

She could see Meng Jiawei's shoulders trembling slightly, as if he was suppressing the turmoil in his heart.

Su Xuan walked gently to Meng Jiawei's side and stood beside him without saying a word, simply keeping him company as they gazed into the distance.

After a long silence, Su Xuan spoke softly, "Jiawei, I know this result is hard for you, but don't bear it all alone." Meng Jiawei turned his head slightly, glanced at her, and looked at her with a hint of gratitude in his eyes, but more so with frustration: "Su Xuan, am I really useless? I've been trying so hard, but I still failed the exam."

Su Xuan quickly shook her head: "No, one exam can't define you. We all know how hard you usually work, this must just be an accident. Cheng Ran said it might be because the science questions were too difficult. Let's analyze the test paper together, we're sure we can find the problem."

Meng Jiawei gave a wry smile: "I feel like I'm trapped in a vicious cycle. The more I want to do well, the less I can concentrate. Lately, I keep getting distracted in class and I can't sleep at night. My mind is filled with my grades and my parents' disappointed expressions."

Su Xuan was still racking her brains trying to figure out how to comfort Meng Jiawei, but his thoughts had already drifted far away. Meng Jiawei was extremely conflicted. He knew that the root cause of his declining grades was closely related to Su Xuan, but he didn't know how to bring it up.

In fact, ever since he returned to his hometown with Su Xuan, Meng Jiawei's heart had been stirred by something different. He would often look for Su Xuan during breaks between classes, and his heart would race whenever he brushed past her on the campus paths.

On those nights, he should have been focused on the complex formulas and problems in science, but Su Xuan's every smile and frown would always float into his mind, making it difficult for him to concentrate on his studies and greatly reducing his sleep quality.

Not to mention that when he fell asleep at night, his dreams were filled with Su Xuan. In those picturesque dreams, the cherry blossoms on campus fell like snowflakes.

Meng Jiawei and Su Xuan stood under the cherry blossom tree. Su Xuan reached out, caught a petal, and gently placed it in Meng Jiawei's palm, smiling as she said, "Look, doesn't this petal look like a little fairy's wing?" Meng Jiawei gazed at her, his face slightly flushed, and whispered in response, "Yes, it does. It's beautiful."

They strolled along the lake on campus, the water shimmering in the sunlight. Su Xuan saw the koi in the lake and excitedly pulled Meng Jiawei's arm, saying, "Come look, these fish are so beautiful!"

Meng Jiawei felt her touch, his heart racing. He squatted down with her by the lake, watching the koi fish frolic in the water. Suddenly, a gentle breeze blew by, and Su Xuan's hair brushed against Meng Jiawei's cheek, tickling him, yet he couldn't bear to move away even a fraction.

Sometimes, they would be in the school's music room, where Su Xuan would sit at the piano and play a melodious tune.

Meng Jiawei stood quietly to the side, listening. After the piece ended, he mustered his courage and sat down next to Su Xuan. His fingers trembled as he pressed a few keys, producing an off-key melody. Su Xuan didn't laugh at him; instead, she patiently taught him, her fingers intertwining on the keys. Each touch felt like an electric current running through Meng Jiawei's body.

Sometimes, in the depths of those hazy dreams, Meng Jiawei would vaguely feel that he was sharing a bed with Su Xuan. Moonlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting a hazy silver glow that enveloped them. Su Xuan lay quietly on her side beside him, her hair, as black as ink, scattered on the pillow. Her sleeping face was serene and beautiful, her long eyelashes casting soft shadows beneath her eyelids.

Meng Jiawei's heart raced involuntarily. He turned slightly to the side nervously and cautiously, his gaze fixed on Su Xuan, afraid that his movements would disturb this tranquility and beauty.

His hand hovered hesitantly in the air, but in the end he simply tucked the blanket around her gently, feeling the faint warmth of her touch. In this gentle dreamlike realm, time seemed to stand still. He was immersed in the wonderful atmosphere of being so close to her, his heart filled with a complex mix of sweetness and trepidation.

However, as the merciless dawn pierced the veil of his dream, Meng Jiawei was abruptly jolted awake from this illusory dream. Staring at the empty bed, reality poured over him like a bucket of cold water, instantly washing away any lingering romantic feelings, leaving only deep worry about his declining grades and endless regret for his inappropriate emotions.

When his thoughts returned, Su Xuan had just figured out how to comfort him. Su Xuan took a deep breath, looked at Meng Jiawei with gentle yet firm eyes, and said softly, "Jiawei, I know you may be feeling down because of your grades right now, but this is only temporary. Everyone encounters low points, but that's precisely the opportunity for us to start afresh. Don't push yourself too hard. No matter what, I'll be there to support you."

Meng Jiawei felt a mix of emotions as he listened to Su Xuan's words.

He was touched by Su Xuan's concern, yet conflicted about whether to tell her his secret. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, "Su Xuan, you don't know, there's a reason why my grades have slipped this time." Su Xuan tilted her head slightly, looking at him with a puzzled expression, "What reason? You can tell me."

Meng Jiawei's eyes darted away, avoiding Su Xuan's gaze, and he said with difficulty, "It's because... because I've been thinking about some things lately, and these things have made it impossible for me to concentrate on my studies like before."

Su Xuan became even more curious: "What could be bothering you so much?" Meng Jiawei's throat seemed to be choked by something. He hesitated for a long time but still didn't tell the truth. He just said vaguely, "Some random things. Don't worry about them. I'll sort them out myself."

Seeing his hesitant expression, Su Xuan knew he might have something difficult to say, but she didn't press him further. She patted Meng Jiawei's shoulder and said, "Okay then, you can tell me anytime you want. Let's not think about it too much now, how about we go get something to eat? Good food can heal your mood." Meng Jiawei nodded, temporarily burying his inner turmoil, and walked with Su Xuan towards the school cafeteria.