The first time I helped a girl put on her shoes.
1350 Words
The sunlight shone on the leaves and grass, carrying the earthy fragrance of the soil in the air.
The more beautiful the world seemed at this moment, the heavier Zhuang Ziang’s heart became.
Afraid that someone might see him in such a vulnerable state, he quickly left the hallway and ran downstairs toward the field.
With each step, his tears streamed down his face.
In the northwest corner of the basketball court, the trees grew thick and dense.
A few tall ginkgo trees stood there, their lush green leaves basking in the sunlight, radiating vitality.
In this secluded corner, Zhuang Ziang let his sorrow pour out freely.
Large tears fell, seeping into the soil beneath his feet.
His throat was hoarse from crying.
He couldn’t understand—he had never done anything wrong, so why was fate so cruel to him?
He had always thought that death was something far, far away.
But when it suddenly arrived, it crushed his spirit in an instant.
As he sobbed, a faint melody drifted to his ears—soft, elusive, like wisps of silk floating in the air.
At first, he thought he was hallucinating.
Gradually, the music became clearer. The melody was unlike anything he had ever heard—full of twists and turns, flowing like an endless stream.
Sol-la-sol-si-do-si-la, sol-la-si-si-si-si-la-si-la-sol…
Zhuang Ziang was certain—he had never heard this tune before.
The ethereal music flowed through his heart like a gentle stream.
The sorrow that had seeped into his bones was slowly soothed.
He wiped his teary eyes, staring at the surreal world around him.
"Hey, aren’t you embarrassed? A grown boy crying like this?"
A crisp voice suddenly rang out from above him.
Zhuang Ziang was caught off guard and jumped in surprise.
Looking up, he finally noticed a girl sitting on the ginkgo tree’s branch.
In an instant, his face flushed bright red.
She must have seen his pathetic state just now.
The girl was stunning—an oval-shaped face, almond-shaped eyes, and a single asymmetrical braid draped over her left shoulder.
She wore a pure white blouse paired with a deep blue pleated skirt that reached her calves.
One foot was clad in a spotless white canvas shoe, while the other was bare.
But the most striking detail was the blooming peach blossom tucked behind her ear.
Zhuang Ziang had always thought Lin Mushi was already beautiful.
But compared to the girl in front of him, Lin Mushi seemed just a little less dazzling.
"Why aren’t you in class?" Zhuang Ziang asked.
"Shh, keep your voice down."
The girl pressed her index finger against her lips.
Her fingers were exquisite—slender and delicate, like sculpted white jade.
Her lips were small and rosy, like freshly picked strawberries.
"Hello, my name is Zhuang Ziang, from Class 9," he introduced himself softly.
"Su Yudie, Class 23. You can call me Little Butterfly," the girl replied.
Her voice was beautiful, like pearls dropping onto a jade plate, like raindrops pattering on banana leaves.
Or like a breeze rising from deep within a wheat field, gently swaying the wind chimes under the eaves.
Zhuang Ziang knew that their entire school only had one grade at this level, and there were clearly only 22 classes in the entire grade.
For her to say she was from Class 23, she was most likely being cautious, unwilling to reveal her real class.
Su Yudie swung her bare foot playfully. "Zhuang Ziang, help me pick up my shoe."
Following her gaze, Zhuang Ziang noticed a white canvas shoe lying at the base of the tree.
She must have accidentally kicked it off while climbing.
"You're a girl—why are you climbing so high?" Zhuang Ziang picked up the shoe and stretched on his toes to hand it to her.
His gaze unconsciously landed on her calf—smooth, fair, with soft, graceful lines.
A perfect work of art.
At that moment, a rather mischievous thought popped into his mind.
The girl above him was wearing a skirt.
If he just adjusted his angle a little…
Of course, it was just a thought. He would never actually do something so indecent.
Lust is the root of all evil—judge actions, not thoughts. If we judged thoughts, then no one in the world would be without flaws.
Su Yudie sat sideways on the tree branch, shifting her posture several times, but still couldn’t manage to put on her shoe.
Zhuang Ziang watched her closely, feeling a little nervous, afraid she might lose her balance.
"Help me put it on," Su Yudie suddenly let her small foot dangle down.
At the same time, she tossed the white canvas shoe back to Zhuang Ziang.
It was their first time meeting, and this request was a bit much.
But given her current predicament, he could understand.
After hesitating for a moment, he swallowed hard and reached out, gently holding her warm, delicate ankle.
It was his first time helping a girl put on a shoe, and his heart pounded wildly, his breathing slightly heavy.
After much effort, he finally slipped the canvas shoe onto her foot and tied a somewhat messy bow.
"Clumsy," Su Yudie teased with a smile.
"You’re the clumsy one! Climbing so high for no reason, and in a skirt no less," Zhuang Ziang muttered, unconvinced.
With her shoe on, Su Yudie glanced down at the ground. "It's really high. I'm a little scared. Catch me."
Zhuang Ziang nodded, extending his arms to signal for her to jump.
Su Yudie hesitated for a long time before finally mustering the courage to leap down.
Zhuang Ziang caught her steadily in a classic princess carry.
The soft body in his arms carried a faint, delicate fragrance.
At that moment, it felt just like a scene straight out of an idol drama.
Su Yudie looked up into Zhuang Ziang’s eyes, her cheeks flushing. "Put me down, quickly."
"Oh!" Zhuang Ziang hurriedly helped her stand.
Their eyes met, and both of them smiled.
Su Yudie’s bright and pure smile was like warm sunlight, melting away the darkness and coldness buried deep in Zhuang Ziang’s heart.
This girl, who had suddenly appeared from the sky, carried a mysterious kind of magic.
"Why were you hiding here and crying?" Su Yudie asked curiously.
"I ran into something sad and needed to let it out," Zhuang Ziang tried to keep his tone light and casual.
"You're not embarrassed? I’ve had sad things happen too, but I didn’t cry!" Su Yudie pouted.
Zhuang Ziang shook his head with a bitter smile and said nothing.
Judging by her age, she was likely around the same as him. But with her cheerful personality, how could she possibly understand his sorrow?
She was like the morning sun, just beginning to shine.
Whereas he was already the setting sun, about to crash into the horizon in a splash of blood-red light, soon to be swallowed by the encroaching night.
The world would become dark and cold.
And he had no idea where his soul would wander.
The crisp sound of the school bell echoed across the empty sports field, signaling the end of class.
The once lifeless school building seemed to come alive again.
It was the fourth period of the morning, marking the beginning of a joyful lunch break. The classrooms across all floors began to stir with excitement.
Su Yudie blinked and said, "If you’re feeling down, I’ll take you out to have some fun and eat something delicious. But without my permission, you’re not allowed to cry anymore."
Hearing her slightly bossy words, Zhuang Ziang found himself nodding before he even realized it.
It was as if the warmth that had been drained from his body was slowly returning under this bright sunlight.
Even if he only had three months left to live, every remaining day was still worth cherishing.
If life had lost its length, then he could still give it width.
The girl in front of him felt like a lively little angel, sent to guide him and save his soul.
- Writer
