On the screen, Lu Qingyuan was resting his head on his arms, looking at him. The corner of his mouth was curved up slightly.
Little Lu was very successfully coaxed. If there were barrage comments, Chen Annan would be able to see pink bubbles bubbling up from his head.
“Chen Annan.” Lu Qingyuan looked at the person in the video with a soft gaze.
“Here.”
“I love you.”
The syllables passed clearly through the earphones into his ear. Chen Annan’s lashes trembled, and his eyes widened.
This was probably the first time Lu Qingyuan had said this to him directly. Brother was never good at saying this kind of sappy stuff. Most of the time, he was quiet and silent, like a still river, calmly concealing the turbulent love beneath.
Hearing it so suddenly was quite embarrassing.
Even though talking dirty didn’t faze him one bit, Chen Annan was now blushing shyly like a little kid. He pursed his lips and said, “I love you too.”
Lu Qingyuan smiled again. Through the screen, he saw a speck of dust on Chen Annan’s eyelash. He reached out and stroked his face.
The two of them chatted casually for a while longer. It was currently lunch break. Someone in the dorm had already returned from lunch. The sounds in the earbuds grew scattered. Lu Qingyuan could hear someone calling Chen Annan’s name, saying they’d brought him steamed buns and seaweed egg soup.
Many things could only be said when no one else was around. It was time for Chen Annan to hang up.
“Eat well, okay?” Lu Qingyuan said.
Chen Annan said “Mm, mm” and hung up.
The training for art students was very grueling, not easy at all. Compared to regular Gaokao students who did problem sets and test papers day and night, they practiced music scores and assessed music theory knowledge day and night.
Chen Annan started classes at seven-thirty in the morning and didn’t finish until ten-thirty at night. Rest time was pitifully scarce.
As the Art College Entrance Examination drew near, everyone was under huge pressure. The Music Theory teacher could also be very fierce sometimes. If Chen Annan got distracted, she would reprimand him: “Step outside and look! People walking all over the street are more talented than you, and yet you’re sitting here daydreaming and wasting time!”
Chen Annan was very timid. Every time he got scolded, he’d sit up perfectly straight, pulling his shoulders in like a grade-schooler.
Lu Wenyuan called him almost every night, asking if he was getting used to staying at school. If he wasn’t, then he could come home and they’d hire a private tutor instead, having Xiao Qingxiang help find a teacher.
Chen Annan was always very sensible in this regard, afraid of being a bother. He’d reply, “No, no, it’s fine.”
Even though the little cub said this, Lu Wenyuan still worried about the kid not adjusting to staying at school. Sometimes he’d make some food and bring it to him at school—simple home-cooked dishes.
Even though there was no blood relation between them, their relationship was so good that many classmates envied him.
Every time this happened, Chen Annan would say proudly, “My Uncle is super awesome.”
During an evening video call, Lu Wenyuan asked the little cub if his new glasses looked good. His eyesight had been declining a bit recently, so he’d specially gone to get a new pair.
In the camera, Lu Wenyuan looked the same as always. Behind the lenses, his pair of peach blossom eyes smiled gently and warmly. He was currently standing on the balcony, a dark sweater vest worn over his clothes. The cuffs of his shirt were folded up, revealing half a forearm.
Actually, the edges of his clothes were already slightly fraying, but they were always extremely neat and tidy. This gave him a unique air about him all the time. In the past, Chen Annan didn’t understand what it was called. Later, he came to know it was what people called a “bookish aura.”
Chen Annan nodded and said, “Looks good.”
“Miss me?” Lu Wenyuan asked.
Chen Annan nodded again, saying, “Miss you super much.”
Lu Wenyuan chuckled happily and said, “Then next week when you come home, your uncle will personally come pick you up.”
“Okay, okay!”
Having stayed at school without going home for nearly half a month, Chen Annan missed his Brother. Late at night, he hugged a pillow and kneaded it for ages. In his mind, he thought about some risqué things. First, he thought about Lu Qingyuan’s hands. Thinking about that, he thought about that one time in the village again.
Finally, he couldn’t resist and secretly reached his hand down below to touch himself.
Their dorm was a four-person room. By that time, basically everyone else was already asleep. Once done, Chen Annan stealthily slipped into the bathroom to wash his underwear. But when he came out, he just happened to run into a roommate getting up to use the toilet. He was so startled he yelped “Ahh!” and plastered himself against the wall, shrinking his neck back like a quail.
Luckily, the classmate was bleary-eyed and didn’t notice a thing.
First thing the next morning, Chen Annan sent his Brother an emoji: [Ali-the-fox peeking.jpg]
Lu Qingyuan was likely busy; he didn’t reply for a long time.
By lunchtime, Chen Annan sent another [Ali-the-fox nodding.jpg Paging Little Lu.]
Who knew what Lu Qingyuan was busy with; still no reply.
Chen Annan grabbed a braised chicken drumstick for his bowl and sent two little gray hearts, saying: [I have to go to class soon.]
This time, Lu Qingyuan did reply. He even stole his emoji to reply: [Ali-the-fox nodding.jpg Got it.]
That meal left Chen Annan feeling bland and tasteless. After a few bites, he found himself missing the braised duck Uncle made. The small dishes Auntie had sent last time had already been divided and finished among his classmates. He barely touched the rice on his tray; after a few more sips of soup, he went back to class.
Afternoon classes were basically piano practice and sight-singing and ear-training drills. Near dismissal time, the teacher gave a small assessment and kept them for over twenty extra minutes. By the time their group of music students walked out of the teaching building, it was already nearly eleven o’clock.
It was truly cold at that hour. Everyone was rubbing their hands as they ran quickly back to the dorms. Only a few people were still strolling slowly on the field.
Chen Annan deliberately hung at the very back of the group. Slowly, he took out his phone and connected to the internet, discovering Lu Qingyuan had sent him a string of messages that evening.
6:15 PM: [Got pulled away by my advisor today, a bit busy. Are you out of class already?]
6:30 PM: [Sorry, I replied too late. Did you already go to class?]
7:20 PM: [Ali-the-fox snuggling.jpg I just finished dinner. Only Cafeteria No. 1 had food left. Ordered braised spare ribs. What did you eat for dinner?]
9:50 PM: [Almost out of class? It’s a little cold outside. Wear more, don’t catch a cold.]
10:40 PM: [You’re not out of class yet? Were you kept after?]
The gloom from the earlier extended assessment immediately vanished. Chen Annan’s mood turned bright. He replied: [Ali-the-fox nodding.jpg Just got out of class. The teacher kept us for a test.]
At this hour, Lu Qingyuan must definitely be home already. Just as he sent the message, he saw the small line of text at the top of the chat window: The other party is typing…
[… No wonder. So cold outside, I almost froze to death.]
The late spring cold spell this year had come fiercely; it was indeed rather cold. After taking his hand out to text for just a short while, Chen Annan’s knuckles were stiff from the cold. He simply sent a voice message: Why are you still outside? Hurry home, it’s too cold.
After a few dozen seconds, Lu Qingyuan stole his emoji again to reply: [Ali-the-fox shaking head.jpg] After sending it, he sent over a photo.
Chen Annan opened the photo and was momentarily stunned.
The angle of the photo was facing the small side gate of the school. In the security booth, a soft little light was on; the old man inside was drinking water from a thermos.
Lu Qingyuan was actually waiting for him at the school gate!
Chen Annan reacted instantly and immediately ran towards the school gate. The classmates with him asked where he was going. He yelled back “You guys go on ahead!” as he ran backwards, then turned around. His silhouette quickly dissolved into the moonlight.
Chen Annan ran quickly the entire way, his hot breath continuously swirling around his face.
Beyond the big fountain was the school gate. Chen Annan felt as if he could already see the silhouette waiting for him under the streetlamp. His heart pounded, an irrepressible throbbing.
The security guard, who knew where he’d gone, wasn’t in the booth at that moment. Only a small radio was still playing.
Just as Chen Annan’s front foot stepped out, his back foot was caught as someone hooked an arm around him and pulled him steadily into an embrace.
The force spun him through the air in a wide arc, his line of sight spinning chaotically. He threw his arms tightly around Lu Qingyuan’s neck, laughing with abandon.
“Ge… Brother!”
“Brother’s right here.” Lu Qingyuan set him down and grabbed his hand.
Chen Annan’s voice was uneven with panting. Before he could even catch his breath, Lu Qingyuan quickly pulled him away from the school.
Perhaps afraid the gatekeeper would come back and haul them off to the Academic Affairs Office, Chen Annan didn’t stop either. Following his pace, they ran along the street. He breathed through his open mouth, the sensation crisp and invigorating all the way down his throat.
The streetlamps hazily illuminated the misty snow vapor. The accumulated snow was shoveled to the roadside, mottled with dirty patches, spoiling the scenery that early spring ought to have.
The two ran until they were out of sight of the school before stopping. Chen Annan breathed heavily and said, “I, I still haven’t even asked the teacher for leave…”
“Skip it. Call it ditching class.” Lu Qingyuan was also panting.
The cold wind drawn into their lungs was piercingly cold.
Chen Annan said, trying to scare him, “If Uncle finds out you dragged me into ditching class, careful he doesn’t beat you.”
Lu Qingyuan rubbed his head. “That’s fine then. If he beats me, you’ll feel heartache. We’ll both get punished the same.”
His hands were truly too cold; touching the top of Chen Annan’s head made his scalp go numb. He must have gotten chilled from waiting for him earlier at the school gate. Chen Annan quickly turned his back and said, “Quick, tuck them inside my hood to warm up.”
Smiling, Lu Qingyuan hid his hands under his hood. He mischievously pinched the back of his neck. The cold instantly pierced through the collar of his clothes onto his skin. The hairs on Chen Annan’s body all stood on end.
That small patch of warmth under the hood was simply too cozy. Once placed there, he was reluctant to take them out.
The two of them walked along the road like a little train. People in the throes of passionate love could miss each other desperately after just half a day apart, let alone after nearly half a month without seeing each other. No matter how frequent the video calls were, they couldn’t compare to one small hug when actually meeting.
Lu Qingyuan rested his chin on the top of Chen Annan’s head. “Let me hold you a bit longer. Let me see if you’ve lost weight.”
Chen Annan’s hair was staticky from being rubbed, floating up in a messy halo. He hugged his Brother’s waist tightly, intensely breathing in his scent as he walked backwards, calling “Little Lu” in a sticky, clingy way.
“Little Lu, I’m so cold.” Chen Annan started acting spoiled again, wanting his Brother to hold him tighter. Instead, Lu Qingyuan lifted a hand and flipped his hood up onto his head, covering it tightly, afraid he’d catch a draft.
“I heard Dad talking to you. Why didn’t you come home?”
“The intensive training is only for these couple of months. Auntie has her own things to be busy with. Finding a teacher takes a lot of time, and money,” Chen Annan said. “I’m used to staying at school now.”
“They never care about that stuff.”
“I know,” Chen Annan said seriously. “But I just want to do something for them, even if it’s just saving them a little trouble.”
This was something Chen Annan had been determined to do since he was little: contribute to the family, even though no one needed him to be this sensible. Lu Wenyuan just wanted him to grow up well.
Lu Qingyuan understood his meaning and nodded. He pretended to be aggrieved and said, “But I miss you so much every day.”
Chen Annan stood on tiptoe and pecked him on the face. “Don’t be sad, Little Lu. I’ve been preparing a song to give you this whole time. I’ll play it for you.”
“Play?” Lu Qingyuan smiled. “Where’s a piano here?”
“Hmm, wait for me.” Chen Annan ran forward a distance.
Chen Annan’s school was near the outer moat. At this hour, there were almost no people left on this main road. The salty, damp river water pushed ashore in waves, its cold, damp scent brushing their faces.
Chen Annan stood there, pointing and drawing in the air with one finger, bustling about for a long time.
Lu Qingyuan leaned against the guardrail watching him. He watched him step backwards and finally use his palm to gesture a large circle, saying, “Drawing’s done! Laid out before you now is the world’s most priceless Steinway & Sons piano. And I am the performer of this concert.”
Finishing, he took a graceful bow and asked Lu Qingyuan, “May I invite Mr. Lu to play a duet with me?”
The Emperor’s piano. Lu Qingyuan was amused to laughter by him. Even though he could see absolutely nothing, he still grandly placed his hand in Chen Annan’s palm and said, “Too honored.”
Chen Annan pulled him over and said, “Put your hand on the back of my hand.”
Lu Qingyuan obeyed.
He was too familiar with Chen Annan’s hand. Every time their hands clasped, he liked to pinch that soft, fleshy part. But this was the first time, in this posture, that he placed his palm over the back of Chen Annan’s hand, their knuckles aligning.
Chen Annan stood in front of him. Lu Qingyuan’s arms extended from beside his waist. From this perspective, it actually looked more like he was teaching Chen Annan how to play the piano.
Chen Annan cleared his throat dryly and straightened his posture. “Then I shall begin the performance.”
“Mm.”
Chen Annan lowered his eyes, as if a piano truly stood before him. The metronome on the music stand was swinging rhythmically left and right, issuing its “tick-tock, tick-tock” beat.
His fingers initially just paused in the empty air, the range of motion very small. Lu Qingyuan could perceive the height at which his knuckles stood.
Then, he heard a rhythm softly humming from Chen Annan’s throat. The melody was slow, but with each change of his fingers, the hummed melody gradually became entwining and tender.
Lu Qingyuan’s fingers were guided, continuously rising and falling along with the changes in the song.
Those little notes bubbled out from Chen Annan’s voice. The tones layered, interweaving. In this moment, Lu Qingyuan felt as if his fingers truly were sweeping over piano keys.
The metronome kept time. It was as if they were no longer shoots growing from a scar of this city, but rather a dandelion, borrowing the wind rising from the Qinhuai River to fly to the ends of the earth.
The final notes of this song gradually faded and vanished in Chen Annan’s voice.
The duet ended. Lu Qingyuan’s fingers passed directly through the spaces between Chen Annan’s, intertwining together.
“What’s the name of this song?” Lu Qingyuan rested his chin on his shoulder. Pressing his cheek against his, he asked softly.
Chen Annan said, “I composed the melody first. It doesn’t have a name yet. I’ll fill in the lyrics next time.”
Lu Qingyuan wrapped him in an embrace, the corners of his eyes and brows lifting into a smile. “How is my Cub so incredible…”
Chen Annan showed no modesty, humming proudly. “Of course! I’m super incredible!”
“You are super incredible,” Lu Qingyuan held him, swaying back and forth. “Such an incredible little student Chen, do you want to play a real Steinway?”
