“You know, I didn’t think the campus would actually have hazel trees when I picked this theme.”
Meng Wange said as she walked up and patted the trunk of the tree she’d referred to as a “hazel tree.”
“I don’t know if the hazel trees from back then are the same species as what we have now, but at least in name, this is the kind of tree that served as Cinderella’s source of magic.”
“…Magic? Didn’t we cut most of that from the script?”
“Mhm. In our script, there isn’t any of that miraculous magic. But in the original story, this tree was incredibly significant.”
Meng Wange paused for a moment to think, then turned back to Su Wanli and spoke softly.
“On one hand, it symbolizes the only love and guilt Cinderella’s father still had for her. She planted the branch he brought back on her mother’s grave. It was the only warmth she could feel in that icy household.”
“On the other hand, it was her source of magic. The tree summoned the birds, which brought her the gorgeous ball gown and crystal slippers, allowing her to step into the dream palace.”
“…Honestly, when I first learned about this story, I wondered, Miss Su.”
Meng Wange lightly tapped the hazel tree trunk as she spoke.
“Happiness that relies on a time-limited spell and a string of coincidences… it feels… precarious.”
“Precarious?”
“Exactly. After all, it’s a fairy tale. Once Cinderella steps into the palace, she naturally wins the prince’s affections, and he goes to great lengths to find her after getting her slipper. In the end, it’s a happy ending, but it all feels too fleeting.”
With that, Meng Wange took a deep breath, her gaze passing over Su Wanli’s shoulder and into the distant sky.
“So, what I want to portray in the script isn’t something based on coincidence, but on the resonance between two souls—a relationship that won’t easily break apart just because of temporary hardship.”
“I want this relationship to transcend status, identity… and everything else. To be purely about the bond between their spirits.”
“That way, even if they argue, separate, or hit a rough patch due to unavoidable circumstances, as long as their hearts still yearn to reach each other, they’ll eventually reunite.”
“……”
“Heh, I digressed a little. Those are just some abandoned ideas I had. I’ll tell you more about them sometime.”
Sensing the atmosphere had grown slightly heavy, Meng Wange snapped back to reality and smiled apologetically at Su Wanli.
“For now, our story still carries the name ‘Cinderella,’ and we do need a hazel tree on stage.”
“So, let’s take a picture of it and send it to our director for production, shall we?”
As she said this, Meng Wange lightly raised her index finger to her lips.
—
*
The Baiying Academy campus was vast, with comprehensive facilities. Moreover—whether it was the designers’ aesthetic or an attempt to cultivate some kind of otherworldly aura—they had even extravagantly carved out an artificial lake at the center of the campus.
Though the lake wasn’t large, it was impeccably maintained. The water was crystal clear, revealing the smooth, rounded pebbles at the bottom and colorful koi fish lazily swishing their tails, occasionally blowing streams of tiny bubbles.
Around the pond stretched a lush green lawn and nine thickly branched short trees. Under their shade were benches for students to rest on. Combined with the quaint little pavilion in the middle of the lake, it hardly looked like a school—more like a scenic spot in some tourist attraction.
Of course, the fact that a school’s lake could be kept in such pristine condition was thanks to the school’s measures on one hand, and on the other, definitely due to the surveillance camera set up nearby and the wooden sign that read: “Vandalizing the Environment: Fine 5,000.”
“Apanapon, apanapon, apanapon…”
By the time Su Wanli and Meng Wange arrived, a few students were sitting on benches under the tree shade, reading books aloud.
But as soon as they noticed the two familiar figures approaching—especially the seemingly harmless black-haired girl—they packed up their things without a word and fled toward the teaching building without looking back.
“…Huh? What’s wrong? You were only on the first word?”
“Shh, it’s Su Wanli and that transfer student, Meng Wange. Better to leave with some dignity before they tell us to get lost ourselves…”
“What? The lake is huge, why does she have to be so domineering?”
“Keep your voice down, don’t let her hear you. She’s a shareholder of the school! If Su Wanli thinks you’re picking a fight, you’ll end up being tossed into the lake like trash. She already had to pay the school fifty thousand for doing that back in her first year!”
“…Geez, seriously? But we haven’t seen them come to the lake all year. Why now?”
“Probably because of that play. The forums say Su Wanli and Meng Wange are putting on a play together for the school festival. They might be here to rehearse.”
“Whoa, the villainess eldest young lady’s first play rehearsal!? Is there a good spot nearby where I can watch the commotion…”
Before they could continue, Su Wanli shot them a cold glare. The icy gaze punctured their curiosity, scaring them into scattering away.
Just like that, the once somewhat lively lakeside was left with only Su Wanli and Meng Wange.
“…So, you brought me here just to look at these dumb fish?”
Su Wanli crossed her arms, kicked a pebble idly by her feet, then looked up at the brown-haired girl beside her, who was staring at the lake with interest.
“You said it would help our rehearsal. How, exactly? Are we going to use fish on stage or something?”
“Hmm, right? In the current script, there’s probably no scene that calls for fish.”
Meng Wange lifted her gaze from the koi’s scales, squinted, and shook her head with a light smile at Su Wanli.
“Actually, I just really like the scenery here. That’s why I wanted to take a walk with you.”
“…I’m going back.”
“Ah, sorry, just joking.”
Meng Wange quickly stepped forward and caught Su Wanli’s school uniform sleeve, then lightly scratched her nose.
“Actually, I brought you here for these trees by the lake.”
“Trees?”
Su Wanli raised an eyebrow in confusion and turned to look at the nine short trees lining the lake.
Their trunks were a pale grayish-white, and the leaves were dense and layered, but that was it. No matter how she looked at them, they were just ordinary trees. She couldn’t figure out why they were worth a special trip.
“Hehe, before I chose this theme, I didn’t expect it to be such a coincidence that there are hazel trees planted on campus.”