Their hands were hidden beneath their overlapping sleeves, fingers tightly laced together.
The shadow cast by the school gate swept over their clasped knuckles, blending their secret intimacy into the hazy light and shadows.
A teacher from the dean's office, wrapped in a coat, stood at the entrance, his breath forming white puffs in the air. As his gaze swept over the crowd, his view of them was conveniently blocked by a few boys who were roughhousing.
The two of them wordlessly quickened their pace, passing through the gate and merging into the surging stream of students heading for the academic building.
The dim sky and the surging crowd provided effective cover. It wasn't until they reached the academic building that Shen Yuan and Li Zhi felt the stares they had been deliberately ignoring slowly intensify.
Furtive glances swept over them as they walked side-by-side, ultimately fixating on their two tightly clasped hands.
The faint sound of whispers could be heard.
