HTC 5

Xie Huai didn’t know which language this was, but it was quite apparent that it wasn’t English.

“What does it mean?” Xie Huai asked.

Jiang Xu’s gaze remained on the piano keys for a while before he said, “It doesn’t mean anything.”

Xie Huai certainly didn’t believe that, thinking Jiang Xu just didn’t want to tell him. If he didn’t want to say, then he wouldn’t force it.

“Still want to listen?” Jiang Xu asked.

Since he had nothing better to do and watching Jiang Xu play the piano was also enjoyable, Xie Huai nodded and said he wanted to listen.

And so, he continued to listen to Jiang Xu play for a while. After one piece, Jiang Xu looked at Xie Huai. Within just two minutes, Xie Huai had fallen asleep.

Jiang Xu felt somewhat helpless. Quietly, he carried Xie Huai into his room, covered him with a blanket, then turned and closed the bedroom door before leaving.

It was still early, and Xie Huai probably could sleep for two hours. Jiang Xu decided to go to the study to do some schoolwork. Just then, his phone rang.

Jiang Xu ignored it, but a few seconds later, it rang again. Jiang Xu picked up the phone and opened WeChat.

It was their class group chat.

Someone suggested having a meal together during the Mid-Autumn Festival. After all, they had been in the same class for over a year and hadn’t gone out to eat together yet.

Lu Yi: I’m available. Saturday and Sunday work for me. Can’t do Monday, I’m going back to my hometown.

Xiong Qiqi: That’s a great idea! Suddenly, I’m really looking forward to it!

Qi Nian: So, are we deciding on Saturday or what?

Hao Xue Xi: Let’s do Saturday, since Sunday is Mid-Autumn Festival. Many people might not be home.

A bunch of people below the messages agreed.

Homeroom Teacher – Teacher Yao: Since you all want to gather, I’ll cover the cost this time.

Lu Yi: Damn! ! ! Sister Yao, you are my God! ! ! !

Hao Xuexi: Come on, let’s say it together, thank you sister Yao! ! !

Then a bunch of messages below are: Thank you sister Yao! ! !

The news in the group was like an explosion, and the noise made Jiang Xu’s headache.

The group chat exploded like a bomb, message after message ringing in, making Jiang Xu’s head ache from the noise.

Homeroom Teacher – Teacher Yao: Alright, alright, make your own choices and let me know when you’ve decided.

Lu Yi: Okay okay okay, who all is going? Let’s list our names, otherwise, it’ll be hard to reserve seats.

After listing names, except for around ten who genuinely couldn’t make it, everyone else did. That left Jiang Xu and Xie Huai.

Lu Yi: @Xie Huai @Jiang Xu, you two, hello, are you going?

Xie Huai: Of course, we’re going.

Jiang Xu, who was still considering whether to go or not, immediately replied upon seeing Xie Huai’s message.

Jiang Xu: Going.

Lu Yi: OK.

After sending that message, Jiang Xu put his phone aside and walked out of the study.
Just as Jiang Xu was about to knock on the bedroom door when Xie Huai opened it from the inside, and they came face to face.

Looking at Xie Huai, who clearly hadn’t slept well, Jiang Xu asked, “Why are you awake?”

“The group chat messages kept ringing, woke me up,” Xie Huai yawned, tears even welled up a bit, making him look pitiful. He then turned and looked at Jiang Xu’s bed, a bit surprised. “You carried me to the bed?”

Jiang Xu looked at Xie Huai in silence, and Xie Huai also felt a bit foolish. It couldn’t be that Jiang Xu carried him, could it? Or did he sleepwalk and end up on someone else’s bed?

“How did you carry me?” Xie Huai asked, “Was it a princess carry?”

Xie Huai’s expression was somewhat shocked.

Jiang Xu: “Hmm.”

“You’re still ‘hmm-ing’?” Xie Huai knocked on the bedroom door, making some clattering noise, “This was my first time being princess-carried!”

Jiang Xu raised an eyebrow. Was this what they called “opportunities favoring the prepared mind”?

“But thanks anyway.” After knocking on the door, Xie Huai resumed his usual expression, his tone a bit childish and pretending to be stern, “But you can’t tell anyone you princess-carried me, alright? Where should I put my handsome face?”

Jiang Xu only thought Xie Huai was cute.

“Hmm, I won’t tell.”

Xie Huai even made Jiang Xu swear to it, only then did he believe him.

Around four in the afternoon, Xie Huai received a call from Mrs. Zhao Li, saying she wanted him to join them for an evening event. He said goodbye to Jiang Xu and left.

As he stepped out of the elevator, a vague memory struck Xie Huai. Jiang Xu mentioned that the route he had sent in the afternoon was the one he took for walking his dog. So, where was the dog? Where had it gone?

He had not seen any dog at Jiang Xu’s house.

He had actually been tricked by Jiang Xu. After figuring out the whole situation, Xie Huai mentally noted it down.

Xie Huai thought, when did Jiang Xu become so cunning? But was it really just to be able to pick him up?

He couldn’t fathom why, so he decided not to dwell on it.

—

Finally, Friday arrived, and everyone breathed a sigh of relief. There was a Mid-Autumn Festival party scheduled for tonight, and everyone was quite excited.

As the class monitor, Jiang Xu was responsible for arranging a few male classmates to go out and buy some food after school. He called three others, making a total of four people. When they returned, each of them was carrying two large bags.

The party naturally required plenty of food to make it enjoyable, so they bought a lot as if it was all free. Jiang Xu couldn’t stop them, so he simply went to the candy section and picked up a pack of blue and white dolphin-shaped gummy candies.

When they were leaving, Jiang Xu handed a package to Xie Huai. Xie Huai looked down and saw it was a pack of dolphin gummy candies. He used to enjoy eating these in middle school, but since he hadn’t visited a large supermarket in high school and these candies were only available there, he hadn’t had them in a long time.

Xie Huai suddenly smiled, though he wasn’t sure if this was a coincidence.

He sent a message to Jiang Xu.

He took out his mobile phone and sent Jiang Xu a message.

Xie Huai: Thank you for the candy.

Jiang Xu was probably still busy with putting things away, as it took a while for him to reply to Xie Huai.

Jiang Xu: No need to thank me.

Xie Huai: Well then… Thanks?

Jiang Xu: …Not really necessary.

Xie Huai had a piece of the candy Jiang Xu got him in his mouth and burst into laughter when he read Jiang Xu’s reply. Hearing his laughter, Lu Yi stuck his head out, looking confused, “Hey, what’s making you so happy?”

Xie Huai waved his hand, nearly breathless from laughing, “It’s nothing, it’s nothing.”

In the evening, their whole class went to the music room. It was much larger than a classroom, making it more convenient for the event.

After everyone took their seats, Yao Wenjing gave some well wishes and then started the performances.

The first group sang a song together. Some of the students were tone-deaf, but they were extremely confident and sang loudly. Their enthusiasm even led some who were singing on key to go off key.

The entire class was laughing throughout the performance.

The second group had more girls, and after discussing, they arranged a few female classmates to perform a K-pop dance. The performance was explosive and well-coordinated, winning a wave of cheers.

The third group presented a skit. Using the most classic lines from it, it could be summarized as “the egg-laying rooster, the fighter jet in the rooster.”

Xie Huai was laughing so hard that he nearly fell off his chair, and it was Jiang Xu who steadied him. He steadied him by… his waist.

Suddenly, Xie Huai felt quite warm, despite the air conditioning being on.

The next performance was Jiang Xu’s piano solo.

Xie Huai lifted his eyes and saw Jiang Xu already seated at the piano, his fingers resting on the keys. His head was slightly lowered, the spotlight falling on him, making his already refined and sharp features even more prominent at this moment, just like the day Xie Huai had seen him in his home.

The entire class held their breath, not having seen this side of Jiang Xu before.

Jiang Xu’s fingers slowly began to move, and Xie Huai recognized that this was the same piece that Jiang Xu hadn’t told him the name of.

When the applause filled the classroom, Xie Huai came back to himself, joining in the applause, but his mind was elsewhere.

For some reason, he didn’t want Jiang Xu to play this piece for others.

A classmate asked, “Class Monitor, what’s the name of this piece you played? It’s so beautiful!”

Jiang Xu recalled the day Xie Huai had asked him the name of this song.

Xie Huai didn’t understand, and Jiang Xu hadn’t told him.

Initially, he hadn’t planned on playing this piece, but once he got up there, he changed his mind.

“Je t’aime.” Jiang Xu turned his head slightly to look at Xie Huai and said the name of the piece he had composed himself.

His tone was somewhat cold, yet his gaze towards Xie Huai was gentle and carried a trace of tenderness.

He was looking at Xie Huai as if saying to him in front of the entire class, “I love you.”

At this moment, Xiong Qiqi suddenly blurted out, “What the heck, this song is called ‘I Love You’?!”