I've Secretly Loved You for a Long Time

++++Yao Jixiang is dragged by her classmates to watch a basketball game. Halfway through, as she leaves, she trips and goes sprawling onto the ground, landing in a full-on bow. The whole crowd falls silent and stares at her. How embarrassing!

She hangs her head and struggles to get back up, but suddenly she's lifted into the air. Someone picks her up and hurries her to the school clinic.

Later, Gu Ruyi asks, "I picked you up in front of everyone and carried you to the school clinic. How did you feel at the time?"

Yao Jixiang thinks for a long time, then says, "Your arms smelled kind of sweaty."

Gu Ruyi feels a little conflicted. "...Were you moved, at least?"

Yao Jixiang, still in Gu Ruyi's arms, answers obediently, "I didn't dare move. I was afraid you'd drop me."

Once there was a girl, curled up in a corner of the school, quietly sobbing in her sadness. A boy appeared from nowhere and landed in front of her, smiling as he said, "Tell me what's upsetting you. I'll be your sounding board. We won't exchange names, so you don't have to worry about me telling anyone. I swear, if I'm lying, I'm a dog!"

They became friends who could tell each other anything, friends who didn't know each other's names.

But the boy didn't know that when he stood on the podium giving a speech, he was admired by everyone, while she was an ordinary, unremarkable face in the crowd. He didn't know who she was, but she followed his achievements as he went from middle school to high school, then followed in his footsteps from high school to university. Only at that basketball game did they meet again.

She didn't know that he had spent three years waiting for her to go to university.

Notice: The novel will enter its final paid chapters on March 24.

Premise: Childhood sweethearts are meant to end up together