The winter night in Haishi was filled with twinkling stars. Outside the music building, dim streetlights illuminated two passing figures. 

Cheng Chu wanted Gu Miao to come to her house, but the young man stubbornly refused. 

He had already shamelessly entered once, how could there be a second time? 

Cheng Chu had no choice but to bring him to the music building's piano room. 

Fortunately, the school did not have a habit of locking the piano rooms, and the two of them smoothly entered room number eight. 

The piano room was narrow and cramped. Cheng Chu opened the piano lid and realized that Gu Miao was still standing. 

"I'll go next door and get you a chair," she said, getting up. 

"No, it's okay," the young man said, his head slightly lowered. "Standing, is fine." 

The girl didn't know how many afternoons he had already stood like this. 

Under the shade of the trees outside the door, he felt like a shameful thief, listening to the beautiful and melodious music coming from the piano room.

This was the first time he stood beside her so openly and honestly.

A strange sense of satisfaction rose silently in his heart as the young boy with his dark eyes gazed at her.

The young girl lowered her head, revealing her slender and fair swan-like neck, and her long eyelashes cast a small shadow on her eyelids.

"Well then, what do you want to hear?" The girl looked up and asked seriously.

For a moment, Gu Miao was stunned. 

She played all the pieces so well, but he didn't know the name of a single one.

"I, I don't know," his low voice was tinged with disappointment. "I don't know, the name, of any of the pieces." 

He remembered the first time he passed by the music room was during the scorching summer, with the sound of cicadas buzzing and a sudden breeze blowing the light blue curtains of the room. Even standing in the shade, he was sweating profusely, his school uniform drenched in sweat and his hair sticking to his forehead.

Suddenly, he heard the sound of a piano playing in the distance, like a gentle breeze blowing away the heat in his heart. 

He thought to himself that this must be his favorite piece, but he didn't know its name.

The light in the music room was soft and the girl lowered her head to touch the keys, saying, "Let me play my favorite piece." 

With her slender white fingers dancing skillfully on the keys, the music flowed gently, carrying a sense of tenderness and sorrow, like the moonlight shining silently into Gu Miao's heart. He clenched his fingers in disbelief and looked up. 

As the melody of the piano stretched out, it was as if he had been transported back to that summer day when he first stood outside the music room, his heart trembling as he listened to the captivating music. 

The girl lowered her head, a few strands of hair falling on her smooth face. 

Gu Miao could only see her bright peach blossom eyes slightly drooping, even her dancing fingertips seemed to lack any strength, so gentle. 

"What, is this piece called?" Gu Miao asked hoarsely as the music paused. 

The girl sat on the piano bench, raising her eyes slightly, the light in the room reflecting in her eyes. "Chopin's Nocturne." 

It turned out that the piece he loved was the same as hers. 

Gu Miao felt as if he had just tasted a spoonful of honey, a secret happiness rising in his heart, so sweet that it almost melted his heart. 

On this silent winter night, the campus was deserted. As they left the music room, the lights of the third floor of the senior high school building shone brightly in the distance. Those people were silently striving for their future.

Cheng Chu held a bouquet of stars, her petite face half-hidden in a thick scarf. 

She looked up and asked, "Gu Miao, where do you want to go to college in the future?"

The dim streetlights cast a faint glow, and Gu Miao looked at the beautiful girl in front of him. His emotions surged silently, and he wanted to go wherever she went.

"I don't know," he finally answered.

"What about you?" he asked, pursing his dry lips.

Cheng Chu smiled, and the bright moonlight seemed to shine in her eyes.

"I want to go to Haiyin and play the piano," she said.

She wanted to fulfill the dream she couldn't achieve in her past life. As Gu Miao lowered his gaze to the girl in front of him, he felt as though her dreams were shining like a galaxy of stars in her eyes.

The only light around them came from the dim street lamps, and the cold winter wind howled through the night.

The girl was bundled up in a thick school uniform and scarf, with only half of her bright, white face visible.

Despite the ordinary night with no fancy clothes or piano music, Gu Miao couldn't help but feel captivated by her radiance.

As they walked side by side across the campus, the winter wind blew wildly around them.

Behind the sports field was a small grove of trees, a shortcut that led to the bike shed.

The dim street lamps gradually faded away, leaving only the faint starlight above to guide their way. 

"Oops." As she wasn't paying attention, Cheng Chu accidentally stepped into a small pit.

Gu Miao quickly reached out and held onto her.

In the dimly lit forest, the girl suddenly stumbled into his arms.

She was wearing a thick down jacket that was as soft as cotton, and in that moment, Gu Miao felt like his heart was about to burst.

He caught a whiff of the girl's light floral scent, mixed with the coldness of winter, and it recklessly drifted into his heart.

It was like a firework exploding with a loud "bang," and countless dazzling stars illuminated his dark heart.

As the heat gradually rose, he lowered his gaze and got lost in the girl's bright eyes.

Those shimmering peach blossom eyes seemed to reveal a hint of shyness and confusion.

She was still holding onto the small bouquet of baby's breath, making her porcelain-like face even more radiant. As Gu Miao's fingertips trembled, he let go of her hand.

Suddenly, a blinding light shone in the distance, accompanied by a stern and angry voice.

"What are you doing?"

Gu Miao froze as he turned around to see a middle-aged man approaching with a flashlight in hand.

"Run!"

A warm sensation spread across the back of his hand as he looked back to see the girl's anxious face.

The winter night in the city was long and cold, but the girl pulled him along as they ran.

The biting wind felt like knives on Gu Miao's face, but a small fire burned in his heart, warming him up and spreading to his icy cheeks.

Behind them, the teacher shouted in anger, and their footsteps made a soft rustling sound as they ran through the deserted, dark grove and into the parking shed, still holding hands. 

"Quick, hide in there, he's coming." 

In the corner of the parking shed, there was a huge iron plate with a small square space underneath. Cheng Chu pushed Gu Miao and made him crawl inside.

Gu Miao obediently bent down, he was very tall and could only kneel down and crawl in. The iron plate emitted a pungent smell of rust, and almost the next second after Gu Miao crawled in, the soft body of the girl pressed against him.

"Go in further, otherwise I'll be exposed." Her hand was tightly pressed against him, and her warm breath brushed against his ear, causing his body to tense up.

He stiffened his body and moved further inside. Several heavy footsteps sounded outside the bike shed, and Gu Miao felt several beams of light shining in.

The teacher was panting heavily, his voice broken, "You, you better come out, wait until I catch you, it won't be so simple." 

As the footsteps of the teacher approached, Cheng Chu's heart shrank and her chest still ached from the intense running just now. Her hands and feet were numb with fear. 

Suddenly, she felt a warm touch between her fingers and looked down to see that Gu Miao had accidentally touched her hand.

Their breaths mingled with the cold winter air, and the young boy's pupils shook as he withdrew his hand in panic. Cheng Chu moved her little finger and hooked onto the warm fingertip, lifting her gaze slightly.

"Don't move," she whispered, her sparkling peach blossom eyes shining in the faint light that seeped in from outside the shed.

Gu Miao's hand stiffened, and his body felt like it had turned into an ice sculpture embedded in the snow. The heavy footsteps of the teacher grew closer, accompanied by his labored breathing.

The girl bit her lip and held onto his finger tightly. Her fingertips carried the chill of the winter night, like ice water in the scorching summer, causing Gu Miao's already fragile heart to almost explode.

He suppressed his heavy breathing, feeling as though his entire heart was hanging on the small patch of skin at her fingertips.

The cold wind blew in the winter night, followed by the sound of footsteps.

"Teacher, is there something wrong?" The voice was low and sounded like a security guard.

The flickering light seemed to dim, and Cheng Chu heard the teacher say, "Nothing really, just catching two students who are in a relationship. Did you see them just now?"

"I don't think so."

The flashlight suddenly went out. 

"Forget it, they must have run off somewhere. If I catch them next time, I'll punish them severely. They're in their final year of high school, they should be studying seriously." 

It turned out that they mistook them for high school students who came out for a date after evening self-study.

The footsteps of the two became farther and farther away, gradually disappearing.

The bike shed was silent.

The dim yellow light outside shone in, and Cheng Chu looked up, only to collide with those dark and deep eyes.

In those eyes that were always as silent as the night, emotions surged like waves, surging and profound.

Cheng Chu's heart trembled involuntarily. 

She lowered her eyes and whispered, "They're gone, let's go out."

"Okay." Gu Miao's voice was already hoarse, and his feet were numb from being curled up for a long time.

He lowered his eyes, struggling to get up, but his feet softened weakly.

With a "bang," he fell back to the ground in an instant, and in a flash, he felt like his lips had touched something. The texture was warm and tender, with a slight chill of winter night.

It seemed to be the girl's cheek.

On this winter night, Gu Miao's heart, which was on the verge of collapse, was ignited by the last flame and finally couldn't help but burst open.

Author's note: 

Gu Miao: I'm going crazy.