Jiang Du looked at Wei Qingyue in astonishment. At that moment, her secret was like a balloon inflated to its limit, suddenly pierced by a needle. Yet, she had to use all her wisdom and willpower to prevent the person before her from hearing the loud bang.

"Why would I write to you?" The moment the words left her mouth, she felt it sounded like a provocation, but she couldn't care less. How strange it was, puberty. She would rather offend the boy she liked than speak a single word of truth. It was as if admitting she liked Wei Qingyue would make her just one of the crowd, as if guarding the secret to the death would create a world of her own, an independent kingdom.

Wei Qingyue seemed to have anticipated all her reactions. He wasn't awkward at all, nor did he press the issue. He smiled, as inscrutable as flowing light, and said, "I don't reply to just anyone who writes to me."

Jiang Du was stunned again. She couldn't tell if this was an inadvertent display of Wei Qingyue's arrogance, or if he thought this was more like a form of charity. That receiving a reply from him was a girl's greatest honor.

Thinking of this, her mood not only dimmed but also filled with a bit of sullen anger.

She didn't know how to respond to Wei Qingyue's words. Looking at him, her heart betrayed her and began to race wildly. She could only rub her hands together and say, "I'll go order a fruit platter."

"I'll do it." Wei Qingyue's tone was as casual as ever. When he said he would go, Jiang Du didn't know whether to follow or go back. He tilted his head, motioning for her to follow, and after a few seconds of hesitation, Jiang Du went with him.

On their way back, Jiang Du suddenly called out to him, "Why don't I go in first?"

Wei Qingyue scoffed, "Avoiding suspicion? There's no suspicion to avoid between us, is there? Look, you're not even willing to continue writing to me."

'How strange. Why has he suddenly become so fond of teasing people?' Jiang Du heard the jarring word "continue" and hurriedly denied it:

"I never wrote to you, so there's no question of continuing or not."

Wei Qingyue said, "Oh," looked at her meaningfully, and smiled. "My mistake."

Flustered and breathless, she rushed into the private room first. A group of girls were squeezed together, singing "I'm a Girl". Seeing Jiang Du enter, Liu Xiaole quickly pulled her into the group and handed her the microphone.

Jiang Du couldn't sing at all, nor could she move her body naturally like the others. She was very stiff. Liu Xiaole shouted at Lin Haiyang and the class president:

"Audience in the back, let me see your hands! Come on, everyone together!"

This was everyone's favorite act of imitating a pop star. Lin Haiyang cooperatively waved his hands and whistled, making it feel like a real concert.

The worst part was, Wei Qingyue came in soon after. He sat there, watching Jiang Du being pushed left and right amidst the intersecting lights and shadows, and the boy smiled again.

Jiang Du's mind went blank. This wasn't singing; it was complete embarrassment. She felt no one could be more awkward than her, and she desperately wished Wei Qingyue wasn't in the room at that moment.

The only saving grace was that the rotating star patterns could hide everything.

When it ended, Jiang Du felt as if she had been granted amnesty. She quickly put down the microphone and sat in a corner. To avoid talking, she picked up a piece of cantaloupe and began to nibble on it slowly, holding it to her lips.

"Wei Qingyue, are you really not going to sing a song?" Zhang Xiaoqiang asked him. "Everyone's waiting!"

Amidst the coaxing, Wei Qingyue agreed. He chose a song, took off his cotton jacket, and tossed it with a flick of his wrist. It landed in Jiang Du's arms, and a dry, orchid-like scent filled her senses. Jiang Du subconsciously hugged the jacket, then quickly came to her senses and flusteredly placed it to the side.

'What is he doing? Why did he throw it at me?' But everything Wei Qingyue did seemed perfectly natural. He wasn't pretentious or affected; he had simply tossed a piece of clothing aside. No one else would misunderstand, only her. Her heart was in turmoil, and she endlessly extrapolated this unintentional detail, deriving a meaning she both hoped for and thought impossible.

The cotton jacket was not far from her, within reach. Jiang Du pretended to rest her hand on the sofa, moving it bit by bit until it touched the edge of the jacket—whether it was the lapel or the sleeve, she didn't know. She gently pressed her little finger on the fabric, her face expressionless.

The moment Wei Qingyue started to sing, the girls went "Wow." His voice was pure and clear. He stood there casually, the starlight landing first on the tip of his nose, then on his shoulder. Jiang Du watched him silently. He didn't sing a pop song, nor did he sing an English song that everyone loved to show off with.

He sang "Half a Heart," a song Jiang Du had never heard before.

The song's prelude was enchanting and lingering, with a strong retro vibe. Jiang Du looked at the lyrics on the screen; they were clearly about unrequited love.

"I never expected you to sing love songs, Wei Qingyue!" Zhang Xiaoqiang was the first to joke with him, and only she dared to. She asked half-jokingly, "You haven't fallen for someone, have you?"

The girls immediately perked up, their eyes fixed on Wei Qingyue as he walked over. He sat down next to Zhang Xiaoqiang, leaned over, and pulled his cotton jacket back. By this time, Jiang Du had already moved her hand away.

She felt as if her heart had suddenly been snatched up and left hanging in mid-air, suspended and unresolved.

Wei Qingyue smiled and drank a carbonated beverage. He shook his head. "Boring. Why are you so boring too, always thinking about such trivial matters? Do you have to like someone to sing a love song?"

'Doesn't like anyone, boring, trivial matters...' Jiang Du felt as if her head was being hammered repeatedly. He didn't like anyone, and liking someone was a "trivial matter." In his eyes, even Zhang Xiaoqiang was a boring girl...

Zhang Xiaoqiang was awkward for a moment, but she was always quick to adapt. She smiled and said, "It's just a joke, why are you so petty? During dinner just now, you were teasing Jiang Du, and she didn't say a single word."

Wei Qingyue just had a knack for making people feel awkward. He had a strong rebellious streak that he revealed inadvertently. After retorting to Zhang Xiaoqiang, he could still nonchalantly grab a can of soda from in front of her, pull the tab, and start drinking.

But it seemed Zhang Xiaoqiang was well aware of her old classmate's temperament and didn't mind. Fortunately, the colorful, flashing lights in the room could easily hide Jiang Du's surprise. Besides surprise, there was probably also a hint of melancholy.

Lin Haiyang was a mic hog, but he was indeed a good singer. After belting out songs for so long, his voice wasn't even hoarse. Finally, he specially chose 'Cold Rainy Night', pointing at Jiang Du. "Your favorite. I'll let you hear your fill today. See how I sing."

Jiang Du wanted to prove to everyone that she wasn't that withdrawn or antisocial. So, after an initial second of panic, she calmed down and clapped for Lin Haiyang as a sign of encouragement.

'I can get along well with my classmates. I'm not some Lin Daiyu,' she thought to herself. 'I have friends, I'm not a loner.'

As the song played, that chilly night of drizzling autumn rain appeared before her eyes. She remembered every second, every second of that chance encounter with Wei Qingyue in the cafeteria, and the sight of the rain slanting under the streetlight.

Including this song, 'Cold Rainy Night'.

After Lin Haiyang finished singing with abandon, Jiang Du clapped her hands so hard they stung a little. Lin Haiyang smugly passed the microphone to Liu Xiaole and looked at Jiang Du. "How was it? Not bad, huh."

Soon, the music became frenetic. Liu Xiaole challenged herself with a difficult song, her idol Nicholas Tse's "Living." It was deafening.

Unconsciously, Wei Qingyue had changed his seat. He had gone out once in the middle of it all. When he returned, he saw Jiang Du applauding vigorously for Lin Haiyang. Against the backdrop of Liu Xiaole's screaming vocals, he suddenly sat down next to Jiang Du, tilted his head, and spoke almost directly into her ear:

"You like 'Cold Rainy Night'? I can sing that one too, better than your classmate."

It was too close. So close that the warmth of his breath sprayed against the shell of her ear. The words entered her ear so clearly that a shiver ran through Jiang Du's entire body. As a reflex, she pulled back, her eyes blinking nonstop as she looked at Wei Qingyue.

He seemed to have only come over to tell her this one thing, simply stating a fact. He then strode over her closed knees and sat in the middle of the sofa.

After that, there was nothing else. The music, voices, and erratically flashing enchanting lights filled the room. Who sang what, what was eaten from the fruit platter, what heartbreaking lyrics scrolled across the screen... Jiang Du had no memory of any of it. She only remembered the words beside her ear, the flow of air as he spoke. It was incredibly real, so real it felt like a sudden dream—such a contradictory yet harmonious feeling.

Winter days get dark early. When they came out, the decorative lanterns were just being lit. Amidst the flashing neon lights of the street were pedestrians in twos and threes, and an endless stream of cars. Objectively speaking, everyone had eaten, drunk, and played well for Zhang Xiaoqiang's birthday; they had a great time.

All the commotion and unusual emotions became subtle upon returning to the light of day.

Jiang Du's arm was linked with Liu Xiaole's, walking forward intimately close to her. In truth, Jiang Du wasn't used to being so close to people, but after eating a meal and singing songs together, it seemed natural that they had grown closer.

They walked for a while, still wanting more, but they had to part ways and go home. Only Jiang Du was heading in the opposite direction from everyone else. As for Wei Qingyue, not even Zhang Xiaoqiang knew which district he lived in.

"Jiang Du, will you be okay on your own?" Zhang Xiaoqiang asked her. As soon as she finished speaking, Lin Haiyang volunteered to walk Jiang Du home. Jiang Du quickly declined, "I can take the bus. After I get off, my house is only about a hundred meters away. It's very close, no need to trouble you."

"Alright then, taking the bus is safer, and they're still running." Zhang Xiaoqiang looked down at her watch, planning to take a taxi with Liu Xiaole and the others. She smiled and asked Wei Qingyue, "How are you getting home?"

Wei Qingyue's gaze, however, was somewhat distant. He didn't answer. Everyone followed his line of sight and saw a tall, well-built, and very handsome middle-aged man in a black, knee-length overcoat walking towards them.

Among the group, only Jiang Du and Zhang Xiaoqiang had met Wei Zhendong.

In middle school, Wei Zhendong had been invited to the school to speak as a parent representative. He was very impressive, and Zhang Xiaoqiang had a deep impression of him. Undoubtedly, Wei Qingyue's father was a handsome man; just standing there, he was extremely eye-catching.

As for Jiang Du, she had also seen this uncle before, but her memories were violent ones. She suddenly became even more nervous than Wei Qingyue.

"Hello, Uncle Wei." Seeing that Wei Qingyue wasn't moving, Zhang Xiaoqiang hesitated for a moment before calling out politely to the approaching Wei Zhendong.

Wei Zhendong was indeed tall. As he got closer, he naturally exuded an oppressive air. Beneath his handsome eyebrows were a pair of smiling eyes. He said, "Zhang Xiaoqiang, you're the vice class president named Zhang Xiaoqiang, right?"

Everyone looked at each other, as none of them knew Wei Zhendong, but it was clear Zhang Xiaoqiang did. The man looked rich from head to toe and had a powerful aura. The teenagers subconsciously became reserved.

Being remembered by such a distinguished elder made Zhang Xiaoqiang happy. She nodded. "Uncle Wei, you still remember me. Um, it's my birthday today, so I invited my classmates out to eat and have fun. What a coincidence to run into you here." She gestured with her hand and said with a smile, "These are all our classmates."

Then, she naturally looked at Wei Qingyue, feeling that he should be the one to introduce his father next. The strange thing was, Wei Qingyue had no intention of introducing his dad. Wei Zhendong gave his son a smile that didn't reach his eyes, narrowed them slightly, then turned to the group of teenagers with a smile and said:

"Hello everyone."

"Hello, Uncle... Uncle Wei." Everyone greeted him raggedly.

Only Jiang Du remained silent. She watched Wei Zhendong with a sense of wariness, even hostility.

"I was wondering why I couldn't find you. Your phone was off. Turns out you were out playing with your classmates." Wei Zhendong glanced lightly at Wei Qingyue. To Jiang Du, that glance was the prelude to a storm. That was her intuition, and she couldn't help but look at Wei Qingyue.

The air was so cold. Jiang Du suddenly started shivering for some reason. She stared straight at Wei Zhendong and suddenly stepped forward to say:

"Uncle Wei, I was the one who borrowed Wei Qingyue's phone to play a game, and I drained the battery. I'm sorry."

Her teeth chattered, and Jiang Du felt her cheeks trembling.

Wei Zhendong smiled very kindly. "It's a small matter. As long as you all had fun." With that, he said he had other business to attend to and told Wei Qingyue to go home by himself.

After he left, the group became lively again. Liu Xiaole said Wei Qingyue's father was so handsome; she had never seen such a handsome middle-aged uncle. But she noticed Wei Qingyue was listening with a blank expression. Before they could finish fawning, he walked to the roadside to hail a taxi.

The atmosphere suddenly became a little strange. Zhang Xiaoqiang certainly felt it too. It wasn't her place to ask, so after a moment of thought, she quickly put on a smile and said that it was dark and everyone should be careful on their way home. She said a bunch of thank-yous, and after rambling on, she looked at Wei Qingyue again. He had already hailed a taxi and gestured to a few of them:

"You guys get in."

They said their goodbyes, watching as the others got into two taxis. Zhang Xiaoqiang even stuck her head out and waved. For a moment, only Wei Qingyue and Jiang Du were left on the roadside, standing under the ink-blue night sky.