Parallel Lines Chapter 1 - Encounter

This is a long campus love story set against the background of a traditional famous school in Hong Kong from 2003 to 2007. This story is purely fictional and has nothing to do with real people, places, groups, or events. (However, when writing about what happened nearly 20 years ago, archaeology is required from time to time. If you find any mistakes, please let me know)

That year was the first year that Xie Xuanlan and He Huiwen were in the same class, but before that, the two knew each other existed.

"The Chinese, English, English Literature, Geography and History prizes go to… Rebecca Ho from 1C." After the vice-principal announced the winners of the five discipline awards, he did not forget to add a sentence amid warm applause: "Good job, Rebecca!"

The girl's supple ponytail hangs on her chest, and she steps onto the podium lightly and gracefully. Xuan Lan, who was in Class A of Secondary One at the time, sat in the front row of the auditorium. As soon as she looked up to see this girl, her eyes were seized—the flawless white face, the bright and charming almond eyes, and the delicate facial features were as perfect as the craftsmen carved out ingeniously.

Does such a beautiful and refined girl really belong to this world?

“The Integrated Sciences and Mathematics prizes go to… Jacky Tse from 1A.”

"Hey Jacky, I'm calling you." If it wasn't for a push from the classmates next to her, she wouldn't be able to recover from the surprise and take the stage to receive the mathematics and comprehensive science awards.

Jacky? Girls of different levels in the auditorium, including Hui Wen, heard the gender-neutral name and looked at the stage together: This classmate named Jacky, how tall is her hair gel? Will it be cool?

There are all kinds of girls in the girls' school, some are squeamish like dolls, and some are neutral or even masculine. Everyone calls them Tom Boy (TB).

In Jieling Girls' High School, the basketball team has the highest TB density, and the senior players have a bunch of fans. "Jieling Women's Basketball" has become famous in academia, and it compares boys.

The first-year student who came to the stage to receive the award, although tall and thin, has short, close-fitting hair and a fair complexion. At first glance, he knows that he is not athletic. She has bangs that are divided between three and seven on her forehead. Her eyes are black and white, with a masculine atmosphere, with clear and distinct outlines. She wears a pair of small black-rimmed glasses on the bridge of her nose, and she exudes a gentle bookish air.

Although the subject award is being presented, everyone curiously looks at the winner's appearance and guesses whether she is a TB.

Well, the word TB is actually ambiguous: it itself is used to describe the personality type, but Hong Kong girls use the word TB, and the definition also includes the meaning of lesbian. In an environment of "pure yin and no yang" like a girls' school, everyone talks about TB, but it's not a taboo - it just refers to a certain type of girl. No big deal.

Of course Xuan Lan didn't know how those senior Zhengtakong senior sisters talked about her behind their backs: "It's very potential, and when she grows up, she must be a handsome B (TB)."

In the graduation ceremony of the second year of secondary school, the two still appeared on the stage one after another, but the order was reversed, because the Chinese subject award fell to Xuan Lan.

In the third year of middle school, thanks to the class system, the two top-ranked people finally got the chance to be in the same class, and were also assigned as the next seat by the class teacher.

"Are you Jacky?" Before Xuan Lan could respond, the other party joked, "I've admired the name for a long time!"

She smiled peacefully on stage. It turned out that when talking, she smiled so lively and sweetly...

"Each each other." Xuan Lan also smiled and said hello formally: "Rebecca, hello."

"The Chinese name is kinder. I'm He Huiwen, how about you?"

"...Xie Xuanlan." (Cantonese: ze6 hin1 laam4)

"Which Xuan, which Lan?"

"Cheganxuan, Shanfenglan."

Xuan Lan actually doesn't like her Chinese name very much.

"Oh... Xuan Lan, is it the "Xuan" of "Awe-inspiring", the "Lan" of "Shan Lan" and "Xiao Lan"?"

"Hmm." It was the first time that a name was associated with a beautiful sight. This new neighbor is really interesting: "What about your name? How to write it?"

"The "Hui" of 'Hui Ze' and 'Hui Zheng'; the 'Wen' of the word for rain means the pattern of clouds."

"I see." Xuan Lan couldn't explain why, but she liked to hear He Huiwen speak. It's just that there seems to be nothing to ask about the name.

It was He Huiwen who stretched out her hand to break the silence first: "Then, Xie Xuanlan, please give me more advice in the future."

"He Huiwen," Xuan Lan took her hand, "please give me more advice."