The reply to the letter was long overdue. Wang Jingjing crumpled up sheet after sheet of paper, scratching her head in frustration, always wondering how to write something Wei Qingyue would like. It was like trying to please an essay grader on an exam, a Gaokao mentality holding her in its grip.

It was delayed all the way until the New Year's Day performance.

The school-wide event was held in the morning. There was sunlight, but the wind was strong. The stage had been set up the night before. When they tested the sound system, the school was filled with a deafening noise, and students passing by would glance over.

"It's so damn cold, and there are people street dancing with bare legs on the program." Lin Haiyang was holding a cartoon hot water bottle, sharing the gossip with everyone in advance. He was the most active guy in the class. Wang Jingjing rolled her eyes and said, "You're just waiting to see their bare legs, you're such a creep."

"A youth isn't a youth without being a little creepy." Lin Haiyang always had a witty comeback, making the other boys laugh. Jiang Du listened to their nonsense, the atmosphere lively. She looked up at the colorful, festive balloons hanging in the classroom, and after a few glances, she flopped weakly back onto her desk.

Suddenly, Lin Haiyang's voice turned suggestive. He winked at Wang Jingjing, "And Wei Qingyue is performing too..." The "too" was drawn out with a teasing, singsong tone. Wang Jingjing stood up and tried to hit him. Lin Haiyang dodged while saying, "I suggest you prepare a bouquet of flowers and go up on stage when Wei Qingyue performs."

Hearing this, Jiang Du's heart once again began to stir like ocean waves, gently washing onto the shore, receding, and then surging forward again.

Wei Qingyue was not someone who liked to be in the spotlight. On occasions like this, he would usually choose to sleep in the dorm; that's how he'd been through middle school. This time, he was forced into it by Zhang Xiaoqiang. She was an old classmate, so he had to give her some face. As for Zhang Xiaoqiang, this kind of event was her forte. Hosting, acting like an adult—she always pulled it off perfectly.

This time, Zhang Xiaoqiang gave up hosting to sing "California Dreamin'" with him. Zhang Xiaoqiang liked the hazy, atmospheric style of Wong Kar-wai. Back in 2006, many peers were obsessed with dark-themed QQ Zones, posting in Martian Language, and copying thick notebooks full of lyrics. Students from vocational and technical schools liked to have hairstyles that looked like they'd been blown up by firecrackers... As students of the city's best key high school, the students of Mei Zhong strived to present a unique style and were absolutely unwilling to do things that seemed unintelligent. At that time, the internet wasn't as developed, and social interaction was limited to Tieba and QQ. Coming up with a niche and cultured signature was the most important thing.

Wong Kar-wai was a very safe choice at that time. Zhang Xiaoqiang asked Wei Qingyue if he had seen Wong Kar-wai's movies, if he had heard of "California Dreamin'", if he knew what stream of consciousness was... Wei Qingyue had no interest in any of it. He even chuckled, which left Zhang Xiaoqiang baffled and a little insecure.

"What's wrong?"

"Nothing. If you have something to say, just say it. Why bring up Wong Kar-wai?"

Zhang Xiaoqiang was a bit embarrassed. "I want to sing with you. No matter how you look at it, us singing together would be a powerful collaboration, right?"

Wei Qingyue looked at her and said, "You're too competitive. It's just singing a song, and you're already talking about a powerful collaboration."

Zhang Xiaoqiang wouldn't get angry with him, because she knew that's just how Wei Qingyue talked. And just like that, Wei Qingyue ended up agreeing after all.

Before the performance began, the open space in front of Mingde Building was marked out with chalk, clearly delineating the territory for each first and second-year class. Teacher Xiao Xu came into the classroom to announce a few things to keep in mind, and then everyone picked up their stools and moved out of the school building in a surging crowd.

Only Jiang Du was left.

She had a cold. She caught it right after Christmas, and the past two days had been especially rough. Even now, she felt light-headed and weak all over. Wang Jingjing was very disappointed that she was bailing at a critical moment, saying, "There are a lot of exciting acts on the program, and you're going to miss them."

Jiang Du smiled weakly, opened her thermos, and poured more hot water into her mouth. Drink more hot water, it cures all ills. She was about to throw up from drinking so much.

She was drowsy and didn't want to move at all.

The entire school building was empty and suddenly quiet. A second ago, Jiang Du had been surrounded by a clamor of voices; now, it suddenly felt like the world was vast and empty. Her condition was finally starting to improve, so she couldn't go out to the square and stand in the cold wind. If she did, her illness would worsen, and she'd probably have to spend the entire New Year's Day holiday on an IV drip.

After everyone had left, she put on her wool hat and scarf, fully bundled up, and went to the connecting corridor to take a look. It was a bit far, so she could only see a sea of crowded heads. Behind the stage backdrop were colorfully dressed performers. Some girls were wearing very little, with bare legs under their down jackets, occasionally shoving their companions and laughing unrestrainedly.

The host's opening remarks were always vaguely familiar, their smiles very official.

As the intro to the first song played, the corners of Jiang Du's mouth curved up. She said in her heart: 'It's Bibi.'

It was Bibi's "Notes," the kind of song everyone could sing along to as soon as it started. In 2005, when they were still in middle school, there was a talent show called "Super Girl" that had the entire nation hooked, comparable only to watching "My Fair Princess" back in elementary school. Everyone went crazy voting via text message. Teacher Xiao Xu had even said that he spent 100 yuan to vote for Zhang Liangying, which was quite a splurge.

Back then, their dorm room was covered in posters of Li Yuchun. It was the first time everyone realized that a girl could be so cool, so handsome. Of course, they would also argue endlessly over who they supported. A girl in their dorm liked Zhou Bichang, so Wang Jingjing bought eight diaries with Li Yuchun on the cover in one go. Another girl would cheer for Huang Yali every day, and when she went home, she'd ask all her relatives to vote.

"Images of memories, words of records..." Jiang Du started singing along softly. This was an exclusive memory of their generation, about Super Girl, about the somewhat sad "Notes."

Sure enough, the crowd below began to sing along loudly. Jiang Du searched for Wei Qingyue backstage but couldn't see him. She knew his and Zhang Xiaoqiang's act was near the beginning. After Bibi's song, there was a street dance performance, and theirs was the third act.

The connecting corridor had glass windows, making it feel like the safest place in the world. The sunlight shone in, making it especially warm. Jiang Du waited for Wei Qingyue to appear without blinking, her heart floating in mid-air.

However, to her surprise, only Zhang Xiaoqiang went on stage. Her outfit was refreshingly new—a black jacket, jeans, and short boots. She sang Huang Lixing's "Sound Wave" while jumping and dancing, and the crowd went wild.

It wasn't "California Dreamin'". They had changed the act at the last minute.

Jiang Du stood there, stunned. She had lost a chance to openly gaze at Wei Qingyue. She was extremely disappointed, but there was no one to blame. Whether Wei Qingyue performed or not was his business; it was his freedom to come or not.

But how could he go back on his word and cancel just like that? She didn't know how many pairs of eager eyes would cool in that cold wind, how many ardent hearts would freeze. She was just like countless other teenage girls, wanting to use a moment like this to look at someone special and fill the eyes of her youth.

Jiang Du turned around and slowly walked back to the classroom alone. With a stuffy nose, she listlessly turned a page of her study materials. All the excitement outside had nothing to do with her anymore.

The two and a half hours of the morning passed. When the event ended, she heard a commotion on campus again. The classes returned like migrating birds, and the classroom quickly became chaotic again. Everyone was chattering about "freezing to death," constantly rubbing their hands and patting their faces. Wang Jingjing slammed her stool down with a loud bang and sighed heavily. "Sigh, if I had known, I wouldn't have gone. Wei Qingyue took a leave of absence today!"

For the girls, Wei Qingyue was the main attraction. Without him, the performance lost much of its appeal. Jiang Du's heart sank. Why did he take leave? Was he sick too? Or... was he beaten by his father again? Was he too bruised to come? Why did his father always hit him? Thinking of this, the girl felt her breath catch in her throat.

That evening was their own class's performance. Everyone was running around, going wild. Jiang Du, feeling dizzy, slipped out. Through the window, she saw that Class One was also being rowdy, their sound system loud. She clutched her gloved hands, pretending to be watching Class One's party, while her eyes urgently and quickly searched the figures for the one she hoped to see.

Wei Qingyue's seat was empty. He sat at the very back, his desk piled high with books and materials just like everyone else's. Annoyingly, Class One's windows were covered with many red paper cuttings, which obstructed her view.

He really did take leave... Jiang Du's heart slowly relaxed.

"Looking for someone?" The voice behind her was like a clap of thunder. Though it was just a simple question, Jiang Du whipped around. The first thing she saw was the soft red scarf around the boy's neck. Wei Qingyue had a slight smile on his face, but she forgot how to breathe.

Breathing is an instinct, and at this moment, that instinct was in disarray.

"No, I... I was just looking around." Jiang Du answered flusteredly. After speaking, she quickly walked past him. Only after she had gone a short distance did her suppressed emotions surface at the corners of her mouth. She couldn't help but smile, happy to have seen Wei Qingyue before the holiday.

Just seeing him once was enough to ward off all the cold of this winter. She could happily welcome the first day of 2007 now.

But, that letter... At this thought, Jiang Du's emotions were once again plunged into a vast ocean.

New Year's Day arrived as scheduled. The classmates were active in the QQ group, saying "Happy New Year." This was often quite funny. They'd say it once on New Year's Day for the Gregorian calendar new year. Then, on New Year's Eve, after staying up until their eyes were dark with circles, the group would explode with "Happy New Year" messages again like fireworks right after midnight.

Not many people had cell phones, and the school didn't allow them, so weekends and holidays were when everyone frantically went online.

Wang Jingjing sat in front of the computer. With the solemnity of her grandmother burning incense, her hands trembling, she added the number Wei Qingyue had given her. There was no response from him for a long time. She was absent-minded for half the day, only chatting idly with Jiang Du on QQ:

The second-year's rendition of "Notes" wasn't as good as mine.

Have you finished your physics worksheets?

So boring, I want to eat fried chicken.

Wang Jingjing's QQ name was quite embarrassing, but being young, she was completely unaware. It was "Lonely Heart is Wandering." Jiang Du kept receiving messages from "Lonely Heart is Wandering."

She replied to every sentence earnestly, but Wang Jingjing's thoughts jumped all over the place. She only cared about what she herself was saying; what Jiang Du said was not important at all.

Suddenly, she sent a message:

I added Wei Qingyue, but there's no response. He's not messing with me, is he? Writing letters is so much trouble, I plan to chat with him on QQ.

Jiang Du froze, silent for a moment.

Then, she asked cautiously and without leaving a trace: You're not going to write back?

Not writing back.

After sending this, Wang Jingjing disappeared. Because Wei Qingyue had suddenly responded. The boy had found a friend request notification after taking a shower. As expected, it was from Wang Jingjing.

He replied with a couple of casual messages while drying his hair, and on the other end, Wang Jingjing was already jumping on her bed.

Wei Qingyue looked at her username and her exaggerated profile picture and chuckled. Then, he methodically looked through the girl's past posts. His gaze soon landed on a nickname that had liked one of Wang Jingjing's posts:

Ghostwriter.

The boy looked at this name with intrigue, repeating it silently in his mind.