The flight attendant's sweet voice announced the plane's smooth landing at Xuchuan Airport. At the same time, Song Er, who had been resting with her eyes closed since boarding, opened them as soon as the announcement ended and looked out the window.
Xuchuan, have we arrived?
She put on her baseball cap and tidied her long hair, which had been messed up from resting against the seat. Without a moment of hesitation, she got up. Before getting off the plane, her lips curved into a slight smile, which showed neither joy nor anger.
Because of the flight and her luggage, Song Er was dressed casually today, in a simple white T-shirt and denim shorts, without even a trace of makeup. Even so, the moment she walked out dragging her suitcase, the bustling airport came alive because of her. Banners with her name on them flew high, and cheers of support were everywhere.
It seems her popularity is pretty good.
The news that Song Er had just won the championship at the International Ballet Competition in Bulgaria as an underdog had already spread throughout the country.
She glanced around the crowd and then flashed a sweet smile, walking toward them to the sound of her fans' cheers.
"Ms. Song, congratulations on winning the International Ballet Competition. Can you share a few words about the competition?"
"Are you planning to develop your career in China now that you're back?"
"Can you tell us a little about your plans after returning home?"
...
Before she could take a few more steps, reporters who had been waiting for her surrounded her. They all held up their microphones, scrambling to ask their pre-prepared questions as quickly as possible, afraid of being beaten to it by someone else.
With so many questions, Song Er hesitated, unsure where to begin. She wasn't good at handling these situations, and although her smile remained, she just wanted to find a way to leave.
"Regarding the competition—"
"Ms. Song, Mr. Gu is already waiting for you."
As she braced herself to answer, a person in a black suit suddenly appeared beside her, separating her from the reporters with a serious look.
He came just in time. Without thinking too much, she bowed to the reporters at the airport. "I apologize, but I have something I need to attend to. I will explain everything about the competition and my future plans to everyone at a later time." Then, she was escorted by the man and quickly walked toward the airport exit.
Before she even came back, Gu Cheng had already contacted Song Er and said he would pick her up at the airport.
And the most important thing she had to do after returning was to get engaged to Gu Cheng; her uncle had already called and informed her. With that thought, Song Er's footsteps paused. Their marriage had been arranged by her parents when they were still alive, and no one had forgotten it to this day.
As she neared the car, Song Er felt uncontrollably nervous. She took a deep breath, slightly raised the corners of her mouth, and then got in.
But—
"Why are you here?"
Song Er frowned unhappily, and the smile on her face vanished. The calm expression that followed revealed a hint of anger.
The man beside her was wearing a well-tailored shirt and trousers. Due to the weather, the top two buttons of his shirt were undone, giving off a casual, sexy vibe. His sleeves were rolled up, revealing his well-defined arms. A pair of glasses rested on his nose, hiding his aloofness and arrogance, and leaving him with a gentle and humble appearance.
Without a moment's hesitation, Song Er opened the car door, ready to get out.
Gu Luxing seemed to have anticipated this. He grabbed her wrist, pulled her back, and re-closed the door. Then, with a gentle pull, he made her face him, and with his other hand, he took off her hat.
He looked at her with a deep gaze, as if trying to see into her soul, examining her so closely he didn't even miss a pore. Three years had passed since she left, and those three years had made her even more captivating. Her flawless skin showed no signs of chemical injections, and her slightly annoyed expression looked both familiar and adorable to him.
Finally, he showed a faint, almost imperceptible smile, but his voice remained calm.
"You're back." Such an ordinary sentence.
As if there were no three years of separation, no endless arguments before she left, and no complete lack of contact afterward.
As if she had just returned from a short trip.
Inside the car, the gentle and flowing piano music was Chopin's "Nocturne in C-sharp minor." She had recognized it the moment she got in the car.
That year, she won her first championship at a national dance competition. Holding the trophy, she looked at him with a mix of joy and shyness, and her heart beat faster and faster, so fast it felt like it would leap out of her chest. That was the piece she had used for the competition.
She turned her head, avoiding his gaze, not wanting to get lost in past memories. If this was a mistake, and it had already ended, then she shouldn't bring it back up.
Besides—
Besides, she was about to get engaged, to his nephew.
"Gu Cheng is waiting for me."
The light but firm sentence reminded him of his overstepping actions and the distance between them.
"What if I don't let you go?"
Although she was clearly angry, the smile in Gu Luxing's eyes deepened. He calmly and slowly moved closer to her, inch by inch, until Song Er could clearly feel his breath. His lips were about to touch hers.
For a moment, Song Er was in a daze, then she pushed Gu Luxing away with all her might. She reached for the door, even though the car was moving.
"What are you doing?"
Gu Luxing pulled her back, clearly startled as well. His angry voice was tinged with lingering fear.
The driver in the front seat was also frightened and quickly pulled the car over to the side of the road, not daring to ask a question, just waiting for the two of them to sort things out.
"Let me out of the car."
Song Er glared at him, her attitude firm.
Finally, Gu Luxing let go of her hand.
"Okay."
Like she was making a quick escape, Song Er opened the door, rushed to the back of the car, and took out her luggage from the trunk, as if she was afraid Gu Luxing would suddenly change his mind.
But Gu Luxing seemed to truly intend to let her go. After she got out and retrieved her luggage, he urged the driver to leave without a moment's delay.
Not until the car was out of sight did Song Er take out her phone to call Gu Cheng.
When she got out of the car, she unintentionally saw the car dolls on Gu Luxing's dashboard—two small pink rabbits. They were snuggled together, with big eyes, one nibbling on a carrot and the other wearing glasses and giggling. When the car started, they would adorably bob their heads.
He used to dislike these things. His car's interior was always spotless, rigid, and cold, much like his personality. Both the inside and outside of the car were a uniform black. She had once complained that the car lacked life, and he had only nodded in agreement without argument.
Later, she rode in his car so much that she truly couldn't stand the dull atmosphere. She took it upon herself to buy that pair of rabbits and put them on the dashboard. It happened to be close to his birthday, so she didn't even have to find an excuse.
Gu Luxing initially didn't like them and wanted to return them to her. After she begged and pleaded, he finally kept them. She never thought that three years later, even though he had already replaced the car, he would still have them.
Sometimes, she couldn't figure out Gu Luxing. In the three years since she left, she never contacted him, but he never contacted her either. So what was the meaning behind the music and those dolls?
"Xiao Er, where are you?" Gu Cheng was naturally anxious because he couldn't find her. The moment the call connected, he asked worriedly without waiting for her to speak.
"You might have to come to the airport road. I'm over here."
After hanging up, she sent him her location so he wouldn't have a hard time finding her.
When Gu Cheng arrived, Song Er was standing by the road, listening to music with her headphones in, her suitcase beside her.
He got out of the car and called out to Song Er with a smile.
Three years had passed, and he had grown quite a bit. Song Er estimated he was at least 1.8 meters tall.
"I'm sorry, but to avoid the reporters just now, I got into a random car to leave. I only remembered you were still at the airport when I got here," Song Er said, taking off her headphones and explaining apologetically to Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng didn't mind. He reached out and ruffled her long hair, complaining, "You're not even wearing a hat. Aren't you afraid of getting sunburned?" Then he put her suitcase into the trunk.
It was two in the afternoon, the hottest time of the day. In just a short while, Song Er's face was already red from the sun. She smiled at Gu Cheng. "I forgot."
Gu Cheng always had a soft spot for her. He pretended to be angry and lightly patted her head before opening the car door for her. Once they were in the car, he said, "I couldn't find you at the airport and was worried you were surrounded by reporters and couldn't get away. I didn't expect you to be so clever."
"I couldn't just let them ask whatever they wanted," Song Er said. She took the water he handed her and took a big gulp. With the air conditioning in the car, she finally started to feel better.
Gu Cheng reached out and ruffled her hair again. This time, Song Er glared at him with a serious face. They looked at each other. Compared to before she went abroad, Gu Cheng had matured a lot. The boyish innocence was gone, replaced by a calm demeanor, but his eyes were still gentle. Finally, they both laughed.
Song Er had always trusted Gu Cheng. When she moved into the Gu family, he was the only one she was somewhat familiar with and the same age as her. In private, she felt most at ease with him; she didn't have to hide or be cautious.
Perhaps it was the long journey and then being in the sun for half the day. Not long after getting into the car, Song Er fell asleep in the passenger seat. She didn't wake up until Gu Cheng called her, saying they had arrived.
Song Er groggily got out of the car and stretched. She still wasn't fully awake. She shook her head and finally got her act together. Seeing that Gu Cheng had already taken her luggage, she simply followed him inside.
There were quite a few people from the Gu family in the living room. Aside from Gu Mingjing, the eldest son, and Gu Luxing, the second son, who should be busy at the company, everyone else was there.
In the center of the sofa sat Old Madam Gu, who had just celebrated her ninetieth birthday last year. Song Er called her "great-grandmother" as Gu Cheng did. Then there was Gu Liangping, Gu Mingjing and Gu Luxing's father. Beside Gu Liangping was his current wife, Shu Le, who was Gu Luxing's biological mother. On the other sofa sat Zhou Yuwei, Gu Mingjing's wife.
"Great-grandmother, Mr. Gu, Mrs. Gu, Aunt Zhou," Song Er greeted them politely, one by one.
Regarding the way she addressed Gu Liangping and Shu Le, Song Er always felt awkward calling Shu Le "grandmother" because there was nearly a twenty-year age gap between Shu Le and Gu Liangping. So she addressed both of them as "Mr. Gu" and "Mrs. Gu." It sounded a bit distant, but it was appropriate.
Old Madam Gu doted on Gu Cheng, so she naturally loved Song Er by association. When Song Er went to England, the old lady even held her hand and teared up as she said goodbye. Now that she was back, the old lady quickly beckoned her over to sit beside her, calling out "Xiao Er" as if she was about to cry again.
Seeing this, Song Er hurried over, linked her arm in the old lady's, and said, "Great-grandmother, if you start crying the moment I get back, Gu Cheng will probably scold me."
"That boy wouldn't dare scold you," Old Madam Gu said, glancing at Gu Cheng and defending Song Er in front of everyone. "Did you bully our Xiao Er?"
Gu Cheng felt wronged. "Her entire family is her support system. How would I dare do anything to her?"
Everyone laughed. Since Song Er had been traveling, they didn't want to keep her here to talk, so after a few pleasantries, they let her go.
The luggage had already been sent to her room by the staff. Song Er quickly tidied up and took out the gifts she had prepared for everyone, intending to give them out at the dinner party later.
After she finished tidying up, Song Er went back to sleep for a while. When she woke up, she was drenched in sweat, so she decided to take a shower. After changing her clothes, she went downstairs and found Zhou Yuwei alone in the living room.
"Aunt Zhou," Song Er greeted her politely first.
Zhou Yuwei smiled faintly and patted the spot next to her, beckoning her to sit down. "Come and sit with me."
Zhou Yuwei had a gentle face, and Gu Cheng had her features. In all the years in the Gu family, she had treated Song Er like her own daughter.
"Your uncle said your studies abroad are finished?"
"Yes. I've already applied to Xuchuan University and will be starting next week."
"The same school as Xiao Cheng?"
"Yes, but we're in different departments."
Zhou Yuwei didn't care about the details and enthusiastically suggested, "Then let Xiao Cheng take you to the school to look around these next two days."
"Okay."
After a few more minutes of conversation, the dinner party was about to begin. Gu Cheng had already told her on the way that this dinner was to welcome her back and celebrate her recent ballet championship. These were reasons she couldn't refuse. They had originally planned a big party, but Song Er liked quiet events, so they just prepared a nice dinner to welcome her.
She took a moment to go upstairs and get the gifts. They weren't anything expensive, but she had put a lot of thought into choosing each one.
Gu Cheng weighed the gift in his hand—a watch, his favorite brand. "I was wondering why my luggage was so heavy. It's all because of your thoughtfulness."
"It's a friendship that traveled over mountains. Isn't that precious?"
"Yes, extremely precious."
Song Er accepted his praise without a hint of humility. When the dinner was about to start, Old Madam Gu came downstairs. Song Er handed out the gifts one by one to everyone, including the staff.
Old Madam Gu received a hat, a vintage European style from the 1920s. The old lady immediately put it on and asked everyone, "Does it look good?"
Gu Cheng was the first to rush over, holding his great-grandmother's shoulders. "You look like an angel."
"Only something to do with Sister Xiao Er would make brother so flustered," Gu Ye said, having just finished his homework and coming downstairs. He didn't hold back from exposing Gu Cheng.
Gu Cheng reached out and pinched Gu Ye's nose. "You talk too much."
At that moment, Shu Le finished her phone call and came over to tell everyone, "Luxing just called. He said he's stuck in traffic and will be a little late. He told us to go ahead and eat."
So, everyone stopped lingering in the living room. They had the staff put the gifts back in their rooms and walked together toward the dining room. No one noticed that Song Er's eyes flickered unnaturally when she heard the news.
Song Er was helping Old Madam Gu, and she heard the old lady complain unhappily, "He knows Xiao Er is back today, and he's still late."
"It's okay, great-grandmother," Song Er said in a calm tone, not seeming to mind.
Their relationship had never been particularly good on the surface, but that year, when the old lady saw that Song Er's academic performance wasn't very good, she wanted to find a tutor for her. At the time, she didn't want to trouble Old Madam Gu. She happened to see Gu Luxing passing by and said, "How about my uncle finds time to teach me? I'll listen carefully."
Gu Luxing unexpectedly didn't refuse. Later, every day after dinner, he would go to tutor Song Er. Although their relationship didn't improve much from these interactions, he should have been there to greet her when she came back today.
Halfway through the dinner, Gu Luxing finally returned, and Jiang Jingjing came in with him.
Shu Le asked the servants to add two more place settings and continued the previous topic, asking Song Er about her life abroad.
Song Er answered their questions while eating. But ever since Gu Luxing came in, she had become a little distracted.
When she left, Jiang Jingjing and Gu Luxing were about to get engaged. But after she went abroad, she heard from Gu Cheng that Jiang Jingjing had refused to get engaged.
So what's their deal now?
Although Song Er told herself she didn't care, when she heard the news from Gu Cheng on the phone, she couldn't help but ask him for more details.
She heard that the two families had already set the date for the engagement, but Jiang Jingjing suddenly changed her mind and absolutely refused to get engaged to Gu Luxing, giving the reason that she didn't want to be a sacrificial lamb for a business deal.
She didn't ask Gu Cheng for the specifics afterward, but she saw multiple news reports about Gu Luxing's scandals, each with a different woman.
Was it because of Jiang Jingjing? Song Er couldn't be sure. With that thought, she looked at the two of them a few more times.
Just then, Old Madam Gu's question followed, but she wasn't asking Song Er. "Xiao Cheng is about to get engaged. Luxing, when are you going to stop playing around?"
Gu Luxing was always good-natured in front of the old lady. He spoke with a playful and helpless tone. "It's not something I can decide on my own." As he said this, he looked at Song Er, whether intentionally or not, which made her quickly bury her head and stuff a mouthful of rice into her mouth, almost choking herself. Seeing this, Gu Cheng quickly handed her water.
Old Madam Gu sensed the hidden meaning in his words. "So, is it going to be soon?"
"Maybe," Gu Luxing said, not explaining, and leaving plenty of room for imagination.
After the dinner, Gu Luxing didn't do the gentlemanly thing and drive Jiang Jingjing home. Instead, he gave her his car keys and told her to drive herself back. Gu Ye even criticized him, saying that because of his behavior, he deserved to be rejected by Jiang Jingjing. Gu Luxing just laughed it off.
After saying goodbye to everyone, Song Er went straight back to her room. Since she had just returned from abroad, she should be jet-lagged, but she felt tired.
No sooner had she entered her room than the door was pushed open. She turned around and was shocked to see it was Gu Luxing. For a moment, she didn't know how to react.
"Where's mine?" He didn't beat around the bush and got straight to the point.
"What?"
"The gift. Everyone else got one."
"I forgot."
"Forgot?" Gu Luxing repeated the answer, deliberately slowing down his tone. His voice was full of obvious doubt, clearly not believing her. "You didn't forget Mrs. Zhou or Xiao Zhang, but you forgot mine?"
"I'm sorry. I thought you had everything and wouldn't care about that kind of stuff," Song Er said in a very calm tone, not sounding like she was apologizing at all.
She was lying. She had prepared a gift, and she had prepared it earlier than anyone else in the Gu family.
Once, when she was in Germany for a competition, she and her friends went shopping afterward. While everyone else was looking at clothes and jewelry, she found herself stopping at a pen counter.
That day, she didn't buy anything except a single fountain pen.
Gu Luxing casually closed the door and moved closer, step by step, until she had nowhere to retreat. "I thought you knew you couldn't lie."
"I—"
Song Er didn't know how to argue back. She wasn't planning on giving in, but then she heard Gu Luxing say, "Don't get engaged to Gu Cheng." The statement was said in a serious, commanding tone.
"On what grounds are you demanding this of me?" Song Er's face instantly hardened, and she glared at Gu Luxing unhappily.
At her glare, Gu Luxing gave a faint smile. He took off the glasses on his nose, and the gentle demeanor he had been faking completely vanished. Although his lips were slightly turned up, it made people instinctively feel nervous.
"Because I have no intention of letting him have you."
She had been wondering when Gu Luxing became nearsighted, but now she saw they were just non-prescription glasses. It was admirable that he went to all the trouble to pretend to be a scholar. But now, he couldn't even be bothered with that facade.
She pointed to the door, her face serious, as if facing an enemy. "If you only came in here to say these meaningless things, you can leave now."
"Song Er, why are you so flustered?"
"I'm not."
Gu Luxing suddenly grabbed Song Er's shoulders and looked into her eyes, just as he had done many times before. Song Er couldn't break free and had to turn her face away. After a long moment, she heard Gu Luxing say, "As I thought, you haven't moved on from me."
That one sentence made Song Er suddenly act like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. She bristled. "Why do you think I haven't moved on from you, Gu Luxing? Don't forget, I'm Gu Cheng's fiancée. The only one who might not have moved on is Gu Cheng. If you really want to know who hasn't moved on from you, you should go ask your pretty girlfriends, not me."
"You're jealous."
"Please get out!"
Song Er moved past him, opened the door, and angrily motioned for him to leave.
Gu Luxing put his glasses back on, seeming to prepare to leave. But as he passed by Song Er, he stopped again. "Song Er, do you think the decision is in your hands?"
Although he had once again put on his gentle and elegant facade, his words were still ruthless. Song Er deliberately turned her head away, not looking at Gu Luxing, but the panicked heartbeat he had stirred up didn't calm down for a long time after he left.
She had let some things become a thing of the past, but he had easily brought them back up.
Liking Gu Luxing was the most rebellious thought she ever had in her life. She never expected anything in return, as there was no way they could ever be together. But to her surprise, on her sixteenth birthday, Gu Luxing kissed her.
He said it was a gift he shouldn't give, but he couldn't help but want to.
She believed him.
But before she could even get over the joy, she unexpectedly heard the news that Gu Luxing and Jiang Jingjing were about to get engaged. She went to ask Gu Luxing, but he explained the situation calmly and didn't offer her a single word of comfort.
At the time, Song Er was young and proud. In a fit of anger, she brought up her uncle Li Chongming's suggestion for her to go abroad, and they had a huge fight. In the end, she went to London and never contacted him again.
Not long after Gu Luxing left, Gu Cheng came to find Song Er.
"Xiao Er, here's some yogurt to help you digest." He held up a cup of yogurt and offered it to her.
"Thank you."
Song Er took the yogurt and thanked him but didn't rush to drink it.
Gu Cheng didn't leave right away either. He seemed hesitant, as if he had something on his mind.
Song Er waited for a moment and asked, "Is there something else?"
"No... not anymore," Gu Cheng denied it reflexively. He reached out and stroked her head, saying, "Get some rest after you finish. You must be tired after a long day of traveling."
"Thank you," Song Er said again.
They said good night and went their separate ways, but as Gu Cheng walked away, he looked back at Song Er's door several times.
When he came up, he had seen Gu Luxing leaving Song Er's room. Gu Luxing and Song Er only had a reason to interact because of him in the first place. Later, Gu Luxing helped her with some tutoring, but aside from that, there was nothing else. Sometimes, he felt he was being overly sensitive to think they were acting a little too close.
Knowing that she was jet-lagged, the Gu family didn't ask anyone to wake her up for breakfast. When Song Er finally woke up, everyone in the family had already left, leaving only Gu Cheng sitting in the living room, clearly waiting for her.
"You're up?"
Song Er was still half-asleep and nodded groggily at Gu Cheng. She then turned and went to the kitchen to pour herself a glass of ice water. After drinking it, she finally felt more awake.
"You didn't go to the company?" she asked.
Gu Cheng had started working at the Gu Corporation the summer after he graduated from high school. He should be going to the company when he didn't have classes.
"Not today. I'm taking you to the school to look around."
Song Er remembered that Zhou Yuwei had mentioned it yesterday, suggesting that Gu Cheng should take her to look at the school over the next two days. She didn't expect him to have it all planned out already.
So, she didn't refuse. She used to go to Xuchuan University often because Gu Luxing studied there at the time. However, after being away for three years, it must have changed somewhat.
"Then wait a moment, I'll go get ready."
In a little while, Song Er was ready. She wore a similar outfit to yesterday—a T-shirt and denim shorts. She casually tied her hair into a ponytail and put on a little lipstick. She looked simple and fresh.
Gu Cheng wanted her to eat something before they left, but Song Er went to the kitchen, grabbed an apple, washed it, and started eating it while saying, "I might have a few commercials to shoot later, so I can't gain weight."
Because of her dancing, Song Er always paid attention to her physique. At 1.6 meters tall, she weighed less than 90 pounds. Her body was well-proportioned and graceful, making her look very slender.
Knowing that she didn't want to trouble Mrs. Zhou, Gu Cheng didn't expose her. Instead, on their way to the school, he stopped at a dessert shop and bought her a cake.
This time, Song Er didn't refuse. She took the cake and began to eat it, taking small, slow bites. By the time they arrived at Xu University, she had just finished it.
Gu Cheng found a parking spot, and they both got out of the car. Seeing that Song Er only brought a pair of sunglasses, he couldn't help but say again, "Are you really not afraid of the sun?"
"I put on sunscreen, and besides, the trees at Xu University are big and will shade me," Song Er said. In reality, she just found it bothersome. When she was abroad, she was either in class or in the dance studio, and besides, the weather in England wasn't that hot.
Gu Cheng pulled out an umbrella from who knows where and handed it to Song Er. "Xuchuan is not like England. Don't get a sunburn."
"Thank you."
Gu Cheng was a careful and warm person. She had known that since they first met.
Compared to when she used to come, the overall architecture of Xu University hadn't changed much, but a few more buildings had been added in recent years.
They walked all the way from the School of Economics and Management to the School of Arts. These were the two most prominent schools at Xuchuan University. Although there had been rumors that the School of Arts would become an independent university, it still stood on this century-old campus.
Compared to the traditional, rigid teaching buildings of the School of Economics and Management, the buildings in the School of Arts were very unique, with an artistic fine arts building, a modern music hall, and a small theater.
Because of this, the school's various large-scale events were basically held at the School of Arts.
They walked from the South Gate to the North Gate of Xu University, found a nice small restaurant on the back street for lunch, and then walked back from the North Gate to the South Gate. When they passed the School of Economics and Management, they ran into Gu Cheng's teacher.
While the two of them were chatting, Song Er didn't go over to join them, but she did notice Gu Cheng looking over at her in the middle of their conversation, as if they were discussing her.
On the way back, Gu Cheng said, "My teacher said my fiancée is very beautiful."
Song Er was stunned. She realized what Gu Cheng was talking about and smiled shyly, not saying anything.
At dinner, Gu Luxing called as usual and said he was busy with company matters and that they didn't have to wait for him.
Shortly after Song Er moved into the Gu family, Gu Liangping officially handed over the management of the Gu Corporation to Gu Mingjing. As for Gu Luxing, although he was a member of the Gu family, he had to work his way up to the position of vice president on his own. But compared to Gu Mingjing, he didn't have much say at the Gu Corporation.
She saw Gu Luxing again the next day. Song Er went to the kitchen to get some water and saw Gu Luxing coming down from upstairs with a suitcase. He was likely going on a business trip and had come home to get some clothes.
She instinctively wanted to avoid him, but Gu Luxing spoke first. "I heard you're going to study at Xu University?"
"Yes," Song Er replied calmly.
This was something her uncle Li Chongming had arranged. The first reason was that the art programs at Xu University were excellent. The second was that it was in Xuchuan, and she would be at the same school as Gu Cheng.
"You don't want to talk to me that much?"
"I don't think we have anything to talk about."
She wasn't trying to be confrontational with Gu Luxing. It was just that whenever she was around him, her emotions would become uncontrollable. She would instinctively put up her guard, becoming sensitive and sharp.
Gu Luxing's eyes darkened. He stared at her, making her feel self-conscious, before he finally picked up his suitcase and turned to leave.
No matter how much time passed, Gu Luxing was still a serious person at his core. His seriousness carried a certain authority that commanded respect.
The first time she met Gu Luxing was the day she moved into the Gu family's house. It was raining heavily. Because she was in a hurry to get inside, she accidentally stepped into a puddle. As she tried to dodge it, she bumped into him and got his new shoes dirty.
In an instant, Gu Luxing's gentle expression turned serious. He stared at his shoes for a long time. His look frightened Song Er so much that she didn't dare to breathe. Finally, he looked at her, his voice cold. "Gu Cheng's fiancée?"
"No, Gu Cheng and I are just friends," Song Er quickly explained. But Gu Luxing didn't care. He didn't even wait for her to finish before he turned and went back inside to change his shoes and leave again.
Song Er suddenly wanted to know how Gu Luxing saw her back then. Did he think she was being presumptuous, or did he think it was just a childish remark that wasn't worth his attention?
On Monday, Song Er planned to go to school early since it was her first day. Gu Cheng had an early class today, so they could go together.
"Are we still getting out of the car early this time?" Gu Cheng asked her on the way, suddenly remembering the past.
Song Er smiled and shook her head. "No."
In the three years she lived in the Gu family, they would be driven to school together every morning. But every time, when they were still a little ways from the school, Song Er would get out of the car early.
Girls at that age were often sensitive and timid. She was worried about becoming the subject of gossip and being seen as an outcast among her peers.
She didn't want people to gossip about her relationship with Gu Cheng, and she didn't want to have to explain it to people. Gu Cheng was already a well-known person at the school, and she, as a person frequently mentioned in the newspapers, didn't want any more attention.
Besides, at the time, she didn't believe the engagement was a real possibility.
"I just didn't want to cause any unnecessary trouble. Besides, it's not fun to be the subject of gossip all the time," she explained.
Gu Cheng understood this. Otherwise, he wouldn't have let her get out of the car early when she suggested it, and he wouldn't have told the driver not to mention it to his great-grandmother.
When they arrived at the school, Song Er said goodbye to Gu Cheng and went to find her academic advisor.
Her uncle, Li Chongming, had already made all the arrangements for her admission. Song Er was just there to meet the advisor and briefly discuss her studies.
She arrived at an inconvenient time. The advisor was busy with something else. She waited for about half an hour before she finally met the advisor. After a brief introduction, the advisor took her to her class.
The class was a ballet lesson, and the dance teacher was one of the top figures in the ballet world in China. It was said that it took a lot of effort for Xu University to hire her.
At the advisor's signal, Song Er introduced herself. Although she hadn't planned on having a ballet class on her first day, she had brought her dance gear. But no sooner had she finished her self-introduction than the teacher asked her to perform a piece.
Song Er couldn't refuse the teacher's request.
The teacher randomly played a piece of music. Song Er performed a simple, standard piece without any difficult moves. Still, she made sure every movement was as perfect as possible.
Because of this performance, the teacher's attitude changed from doubt to admiration.
"Your fundamentals are very solid."
That's all the teacher said after Song Er finished performing. But everyone knew that this was a rare, direct compliment from a teacher who was stingy with praise.
The class was about to end, followed by two theory classes. Song Er went to the locker room to change clothes and was then led to the classroom by the class president.
After the theory classes, as she was leaving the classroom, a large group of girls surrounded her. She listened closely and realized they were students in the same major, asking her for her autograph.
Song Er was not good at handling these situations, so she just smiled and agreed. As she signed, the crowd didn't shrink; it grew larger.
"Xiao Er, what are you doing here?"
Song Er found the voice familiar. She turned and was surprised to see her friend. She took the small notebook she was signing and declared it the last one. "Sorry, a friend is waiting for me. I'll stop signing here."
When she got closer, Song Er was sure she hadn't mistaken him and asked in surprise, "Su Xie, why are you here?"
Su Xie was a friend she met in England. When Song Er first arrived in England, she didn't know anyone, so she was either in the dance studio or at a bookstore. Once, while she was at a bookstore, she accidentally knocked the headphones off the person next to her. The music came out, and the "I'm sorry" she was about to say turned into something else.
"Sampson's Fantasy."
The person seemed surprised that Song Er knew the song. He paused his motion of plugging in his headphones, then put them away, turned off the music, and said with a faint smile, "I didn't expect you to know this song." He spoke in Chinese.
Meeting a soulmate from her own country in a foreign land, Song Er became more talkative. "It's not a common song. However, I really admire this composer, including the other three songs in his 'Thought' series. The melody and arrangement are beautiful, perfect for listening to alone while snuggled up on the sofa."
Because of this, they would often run into each other at the bookstore and chat, naturally becoming friends.
Later, Song Er found out that Sampson was Su Xie. The famous composer in the music industry was also known for his bad temper. Rumor had it that he was aloof, cold, didn't perform, and didn't accept any media interviews. Even photos of him were rare, usually just a shot of his back.
Song Er had heard him mention that he was returning to China because a school in the country had invited him to teach. Because of their sincere attitude and his own plan to return, Su Xie agreed, but Song Er never expected that the school would be Xu University.
"I just finished class and saw you were surrounded by people outside the classroom," Su Xie's voice was always clear and warm, like a spring breeze, gently blowing and melting the ice.
Song Er just sighed helplessly. When she was abroad, people would talk about her winning the championship in private, but they wouldn't say much to her face. Of course, she didn't interact with many people there either.
"A few younger students who love ballet came running over right after class. They didn't give me a chance to get away."
"It seems your popularity is pretty good after the competition," Su Xie teased her.
Song Er retorted without hesitation, "My popularity is nothing compared to the famous composer Sampson."
Su Xie didn't argue with her. He dropped the topic, thought about something that had been bothering him for the past few days, and then looked at Song Er, instantly connecting the two. He asked, "Are you interested in performing at the school's anniversary celebration next month?"
Su Xie always asked for her opinion when inviting her. Just like in the two years they had known each other, if he had tickets to a concert or information about a competition, he would always leave out any connection to himself and get straight to the point. He wouldn't force her or persuade her; he would just state the facts.
Song Er knew that Xu University had an anniversary celebration every year. She had gone to see it before with Gu Luxing, and Gu Cheng had even mentioned it when they were there together two days ago. Although the School of Arts usually took the lead for the celebration, she was a new student, so she thought it wouldn't fall on her.
"Is this an invitation from Sampson or an arrangement from Teacher Su?" Song Er asked on purpose.
"It's my invitation. The school wants me to perform a piece at the end of the celebration, and I've been looking for a suitable dancer. You would be perfect."
"You've explained it so clearly that I can't possibly refuse."
When she was abroad, although Su Xie didn't take care of her much, he was one of her few close friends. Since it was his invitation and she was able to do it, she had no reason to refuse.
After Su Xie briefly explained the situation, Song Er asked him to send her the piece of music that night. As for the choreography, Su Xie didn't have any requests, as if he trusted Song Er completely.
After they finished talking, they walked out of the school gates. Song Er planned to go to the city center for a bit to buy some things, and Su Xie had an afternoon class, so they didn't talk much more and parted ways at the school entrance.
Comments
Post a Comment