Lin Feiran steadied his mind and started to play. The magnificent and intense sound of the piano quickly filled the entire music room.

Lin Feiran had started to learn the piano in elementary school. The main purpose was to cultivate his character and develop an additional skill; he never thought of being a professional musician. So, after pa.s.sing grade 10 in his first year of high school, he did not seek to further his ability. Typically, he just played for fun or as a hobby.

But this level of skill was already sufficient. Lin Feiran kept his back straight and chin slightly lifted as his slender and steady fingers danced over the keys at a dazzling speed. Every once in a while, he would lift his eyes to take a quick glance at the sheet music before lowering them to the piano keys once more. His serious and focused profile looked even more handsome than usual and when he played the parts with intense and heavy chords, his slender and small body seemed to emit alongside the music a power that could make hearts tremble…

The air between Lin Feiran and Gu Kaifeng seemed to be warmed by the setting sun. Gu Kaifeng watched silently from the side, pretending not to notice that Lin Feiran intentionally rubbed lightly against his thigh each time he pressed and released the foot pedal.

He isn't even well-behaved when playing the piano, is his b.u.t.t itching? Gu Kaifeng found it funny and shifted so he was sitting closer to Lin Feiran. The two boys' thighs became tightly pressed together, their heat melding through the trousers of their school uniforms. Lin Feiran looked intently at the sheet music as though he had not noticed at all. But his ears turned redder and redder, completely revealing his inner heart that would not remain calm.

Lin Feiran: "……"

Tal, talisman, what are you doing? Sticking this close together is gay, ah!

In this atmosphere which could be said to be very suggestive, Lin Feiran replayed this piece several times. The first few playthroughs had wrong notes, sometimes more and sometimes less, but the last time he was able to play it perfectly all in one go. If he could maintain this level of performance without the sheet music, he would be able to confidently go on stage.

The final note was still quavering slightly in the air. Lin Feiran was calm on the surface, but in his heart he was already giving himself continuous rounds of applause!

Gu Kaifeng looked at the expression on Lin Feiran's face that was 80 percent plain clouds and light winds and 20 percent self-satisfied, and could not stop himself from smiling.

Lin Feiran turned his head to glance at Gu Kaifeng and pretended to ask modestly, "I didn't play too badly, right?"

Quickly, say it was very good! Praise me!

Gu Kaifeng seemed to see through Lin Feiran's little act. His eyes curved slightly and he said, "You played especially well."

After saying this, Gu Kaifeng began to applaud. He raised his hands and clapped then lowered them and clapped again, explaining, "This is an ovation."

"Thank you for your praise." Being praised so highly, Lin Feiran was very happy and his vanity was fully satisfied, his little tail sticking straight up to the heavens. He pointed to himself with his thumbs and, with an irrepressible smile tugging at the corner of his lips, said, "I'll play and sing you a song as thanks. Pick any popular song. Big brother knows everything."

"Whatever you like." Gu Kaifeng squeezed his eyes shut. "I'll like anything."

"Okay." Lin Feiran nodded, thinking, Your preferences are pretty broad.

Lin Feiran thought for several seconds and picked a slow song that was suitable for musical accompaniment in which he was well-practiced. He thought back to junior high and how whenever he played this song in the music room he would collect enough fangirls to fill a choir.

A melody carrying a hint of melancholy slowly rang out. After he finished playing the prelude, Lin Feiran cleared his throat and began to sing, "Only the piano is left to accompany me as I play for a day…"

He had never undergone dedicated vocal training, but people who play musical instruments have good pitch, and Lin Feiran also had a naturally good voice. It was clean, sonorous, and very youthful, so his singing voice was very pleasant to listen to.

"The sleeping cello, silent and old…"

As he sang to this point, Gu Kaifeng suddenly also started to sing along with him, "I think you have already expressed it very clearly. I understand, and I also know…"

Lin Feiran froze for a moment. His eyes widened and he turned his head to stare at Gu Kaifeng with a complicated expression on his face. His hands that were playing the accompaniment also stopped.

Gu Kaifeng stopped singing after he finished this verse. Gazing at Lin Feiran with a pair of deep, dark eyes, he said with a flirtatious tone, "You continue."

"Cla.s.smate Gu Kaifeng." One corner of Lin Feiran's mouth twitched to reveal a rather mocking smile, just like Gu Kaifeng's on the day he looked at Lin Feiran's 15-mark elementary school student-quality paper — exactly that same smile. "You sing this far off key. Do your fangirls know?"

Gu Kaifeng wanted to be angry but he also wanted to laugh. He was at a loss for words and needed a moment before he could open his mouth to ask, "Do you think this is the important part?"

"It has to be, ah!" Lin Feiran replied like he didn't care about his life or death.

Gu Kaifeng: "……"

Finally, the tables have turned in one elegant round! Didn't this Adonis keep pressing me down in every way in which he did better? With a delighted and carefree heart, Lin Feiran continued the song. Not only was his little tail sticking straight up to the heavens, but it was now also swaying from side to side in immense self-satisfaction. It could be said that it was very much asking for a beating.

When Lin Feiran finished singing, there were still a few minutes left until this last self-study period ended. The two left the music room, locked the door, and were able to rush to the cafeteria a step before their cla.s.smates swarmed in like hungry wolves to sweep it clean of food. They got their meals, found a table, and ate sitting across from one another.

The Adonis who had previously radiated light from head to toe had now, because he was revealed to be tone deaf, fallen from his pedestal in a very hilarious way. Lin Feiran's festering jealousy was now completely soothed and in an instant the Gu Kaifeng who had seemed so irksome before was now much more pleasing to the eye. Lin Feiran prodded Gu Kaifeng's leg with his foot under the table and looked at Gu Kaifeng' s handsome face. As he absorbed Yang energy, he commented, "I noticed that you are quite handsome."

Gu Kaifeng stretched out his leg and hooked it around Lin Feiran's calf. Raising an eyebrow, he asked, "You just noticed?"

Lin Feiran picked up a piece of red braised pork and ate it with relish. He uncomfortably retracted his calf and said, "I noticed these past few days."

Gu Kaifeng stared attentively at Lin Feiran's moist red lips. He composed himself and said, "I noticed that you were good-looking as soon as you transferred in."

"I admire your frankness." Lin Feiran happily accepted this praise and wagged his little tail that had finally stretched to outer s.p.a.ce. He boasted happily, "I think I'm good-looking too, both handsome and adorable."

Is he acting cute to me, or…? Gu Kaifeng's heart was stirred. The hand clenching his chopsticks was suddenly itchy. He really wanted to pull Lin Feiran into his arms and squeeze him thoroughly!

In the middle of the cafeteria with people coming and going, Gu Kaifeng took a deep breath and forced himself to be calm.

The next day was Sat.u.r.day.

The second-year students of this boarding school only got Sundays off on weekends. They still had to attend school on Sat.u.r.day but did not have to attend the evening self-study cla.s.s, so they could get out of school comparatively earlier.

During the last self-study period, Lin Feiran dragged Gu Kaifeng to the music room to practice piano. Gu Kaifeng sat on the piano bench and played with his phone. He was very satisfied with this way of skipping cla.s.s.

After school on Sat.u.r.days ended, students were free to come and go through the school gates as they pleased. Lin Feiran vaguely remembered that in the past, when school was let out on Sat.u.r.days, Gu Kaifeng, w.a.n.g Zhuo, and some other students would call all their friends to go out and have fun. They would then spend Sat.u.r.day evening and all of Sunday off-campus and go straight to cla.s.s on their return Monday mornings.

The moment he thought of Gu Kaifeng leaving after cla.s.s ended and being unable to see him all night and for all the next day, anxiety gripped Lin Feiran's heart. He had been struggling with this dilemma since morning. He considered going home for the duration, but only heaven knew whether there would be ghosts at home or en route. Even if the situation at home was better than in the dorm, the difference between a house with one ghost and a house with sixteen ghosts was the difference between being scared half to death and being scared straight to death. Besides, at home there would be only one person: him. If an emergency situation occurred, he would not have anyone he could call for help.

Lin Feiran also thought about inviting several guys to stay out all night. If there were a lot of people around, he wouldn't be nearly as afraid even if he saw a ghost. But first off, he had only transferred here a bit over a month ago and his personality was not especially sociable. Consequently, he did not have cla.s.smates with whom he was particularly close, and didn't even know to whom he could turn. Second, if he were to go out to play for so long, would he still do his homework? Would he still go to cla.s.s on Monday?

But, surely I can't follow Gu Kaifeng home either? That would be too out of the blue… Lin Feiran frowned, looking troubled as he practiced piano. From time to time, he would steal a glance at Gu Kaifeng.

As Lin Feiran was sneaking another glance, Gu Kaifeng suddenly ruffled his hair and asked, "Am I especially handsome today?"

Lin Feiran went silent in his awkwardness: "……"

"What's up with you today?" Gu Kaifeng asked in amus.e.m.e.nt. "If you have something to say, just say it."

Lin Feiran pursed his lips and chose to beat around the bush, asking, "Are you going home for the weekend today?"

"I'm going. Are you not?" Gu Kaifeng asked.

"Last month, my dad was temporarily transferred overseas for work,"Lin Feiran said bitterly. "My mom is out of town, too."

Gu Kaifeng suddenly felt that he understood better why, when Lin Feiran transferred, he had worn a sour expression every day.

Evidently it was from suddenly being sent to boarding school and being unable to adapt to communal living.

Gu Kaifeng raised a brow and asked, "So you'll be staying in the dorm room by yourself the next two days?"

"I don't know yet. Maybe I'll go home and live by myself, it's just that the house hasn't been cleaned in a while…" Lin Feiran raised his eyes and swiftly took in Gu Kaifeng's expression. He asked in a casual tone, "Where do you live?"

Gu Kaifeng smiled slightly. He lowered his head and continued to play with his phone before answering, "On Nanshan Street."

Lin Feiran continued his ploy to cozy up to Gu Kaifeng. "The neighborhood Nanshan Street is in is quite good. My parents went there two years ago to look at houses and almost bought one, but after giving it some thought, they decided they weren't sure if they would end up moving there. Rather than risk the house staying empty, they let it go."

Gu Kaifeng's eyes lit up and he said, "Then we almost became neighbors."

"What a coincidence,"Lin Feiran continued making small talk. "Then does your family of three live there together?"

"That's about right," Gu Kaifeng said. He looked with an all-knowing gaze at Lin Feiran's ears that had gone slightly red out of nervousness and spoke every word calculatedly, "But they are busy with work, so it's usually just me at home."

Lin Feiran opened his mouth and was about to say something when the bell rang, dismissing everyone from school.

Lin Feiran packed up his sheet music dejectedly, deeply regretting that he had not made friends with Gu Kaifeng from the start. If their relationship was better, it would not be this difficult for him to open his mouth now!

Gu Kaifeng leaned against the piano with his hands in his pant pockets as he observed with interest the ever-changing expressions on Lin Feiran's face.

In sum, I'll just have to go and hang out with him tonight and stay as long as I can! Lin Feiran thought. With a thick skin, he exercised his talent at behaving like a sticky cake and asked, "Are you going out with friends tonight?"