Serenade

On the eve of May Fourth Youth Day, the school gave the students a day off. Various student clubs and student unions organized internal social activities.

Jin Xi actually quite wanted to watch Bo Yan's May Fourth military review, but she heard it was being held internally within the college and would not be open to the public.

After the military review ended, Bo Yan hurried back to his dormitory, took a fragrant hour-long hot shower, then shut the door and carefully primped himself, preparing for his confession tonight.

He blew his bangs up into a breezy hairstyle, revealing his tall, full forehead, making him look very spirited.

Jing Chi returned from his shower to see two pink envelopes on Bo Yan's desk. He gestured at Xu Chaoyang, a mischievous look in his eyes.

Xu Chaoyang understood instantly. The moment Bo Yan turned his back, he leapt up and used his body to block the balcony door, locking Bo Yan outside.

Jing Chi walked over to Bo Yan's desk and opened the pink envelopes.

Inside were Bo Yan's love confession letters to Jin Xi, written on crisp light green stationery. He had even drawn cute little cartoon animals in the margins, and the paper gave off a faint citrus scent.

Bo Yan pounded on the door, his deep voice threatening, "Do you want to die?"

Xu Chaoyang's face turned red from the effort of holding the door. He urgently urged Jing Chi, "I can't hold on much longer! What did Bo Yan write in his love letter? Read it, quick!"

Jing Chi held the letter and read aloud:

"My dear Xi Xi, I've been so busy with military training these past few days that I haven't had time to care about your studies and life. I wonder if you've been well lately?"

Xu Chaoyang shouted excitedly from the other side of the door, "Goosebumps all over!"

Jing Chi laughed and continued reading:

"Every time I catch sight of you on the training grounds these days, my heart starts racing uncontrollably. My whole body fills with strength. I know this is the power of love."

"I can't take it, too cheesy!" Xu Chaoyang cried.

Jing Chi asked, "Want me to stop?"

"No, keep going!"

Jing Chi continued:

"My dear Xi Xi, I can't stop thinking about you, can't stop loving you..."

After a long pause, he stopped. "Damn, I can't read this anymore! It's too much!"

On the balcony, Bo Yan was ready to explode. He picked up a plastic bucket and started pounding on the door with it. Even students from neighboring rooms poked their heads out, "What's with all the noise next door! Trying to tear down the building?"

Xu Chaoyang let go of the door and Bo Yan stormed in, stony-faced. He snatched back his letter, carefully folded it, and put it in the envelope. He shot Xu Chaoyang and Jing Chi a fierce glare.

The two immediately backed up a few steps, arming themselves with clothes hangers and slippers at the ready.

Bo Yan coldly withdrew his gaze. With dignity, he straightened his collar and sleeves. Today he was too lazy to fight them. He had to stay clean and beautiful for when his Xi Xi came back so he could confess to her.

Seeing that Bo Yan was letting them off the hook, Jing Chi sidled over with a laugh. "Boss Bo, what's with writing love letters in this day and age? That's way too old school. Have any girls who've confessed to you done it by letter?"

Bo Yan put down the envelope and asked, "Then what should I do?"

"Personally I think sending a WeChat message would be way more acceptable to a girl than some cheesy love letter."

"WeChat is too informal."

Xu Chaoyang suggested, "If you want something formal, I can make a PowerPoint confession for you! You can take it to Jin Xi's class tomorrow and present it to her!"

Bo Yan: ...

What the hell, a PowerPoint?

He held his pink love letter, pondering deeply. He decided to memorize the contents and recite it to her in person tonight. That would be both formal yet romantic.

For the next endless half hour, the two singles' eardrums suffered greatly.

"It's silly to fall in love with someone, so why can't I stop this persistent delusion?"

"Seeing your beautiful smile, I truly feel that loving you makes me the luckiest man in the world."

"Xi Xi, I want you."

...

Xu Chaoyang cried in anguish, "Ahhhhh I can't take it anymore!"

Jing Chi calmly put in earplugs.

In fact, Bo Yan hadn't forgotten the contents. He was just so nervous he would read one line and forget the next. At this rate, how was he going to confess anything tonight!

Jing Chi glanced curiously at Bo Yan. "Oh right, there's another envelope on your desk. What is it?"

Bo Yan took out the other envelope underneath. "This is a marriage proposal letter, for the future."

Jing Chi grinned. "You're really going all out, even preparing your proposal lines in advance. Didn't consider that she might reject you tonight and it'll all be for nothing?"

Bo Yan looked at him disdainfully.

"Jinx."

The marriage proposal letter was simpler than the love confession. It just said: Xi Xi, I love you, marry me...

As for the later parts, he would slowly fill them in over their sweet time together in the future. He would definitely cherish her deeply. Every day they were together, he would make her happy.

While Bo Yan was hyping himself up half the night, there was still no sign of Jin Xi.

Intelligence agent Xu Chaoyang went over to the girls' dorm to investigate. Jin Xi was at the Literature Club internal social and hadn't come back yet.

Bo Yan's adrenaline kept up its high-speed secretion. He was restless, peering over the balcony now and then, pacing the corridors back and forth.

Growing impatient.

At tonight's Literature Club social, the club executives treated everyone to an all-you-can-eat BBQ. After dinner they went to karaoke and had a great time, vowing not to leave until they were drunk.

Jin Xi's friends kept toasting her until she'd had several drinks too. Jian SiXun came over and gently blocked the others from pouring her more, saying mildly, "I'll drink for her."

The others joked, "SiXun, you're you and Jin Xi is Jin Xi. What right do you have to drink for her?"

Jian SiXun smiled faintly. "I'm the Organization Department chair. Jin Xi is my subordinate. So of course I can drink for her."

The others seized on his ambiguous words. "Oho, so Jin Xi is 'your' subordinate? Does this mean you two are official now?"

"Stop kidding around." Jian SiXun was very fair-skinned. His flushed cheeks were clearly visible, though it was unclear whether from tipsiness or embarrassment.

Jin Xi pulled Jian SiXun's arm. "Senior, drink less."

Jian SiXun obediently put his cup down. "Then I won't drink anymore."

The other guys teased, "SiXun, aren't you obeying your wife a little too much? Typical henpecked husband!"

"Don't talk nonsense!"

Indeed there were many in the Literature Club who gossiped that Jian SiXun liked Jin Xi and that they were dating. Jin Xi never took those unfounded rumors seriously. Students just loved to gossip and speculate about who was with who. Sometimes just because two people got a little closer, they would twist facts and spread nonsense. No point getting worked up over it.

Jin Xi checked the time. It was almost nine.

A WeChat message popped up on her phone, from Bo Yan:

"Come back sooner, I need to talk to you."

The message was sent half an hour ago. The karaoke was too loud for her to hear the ringtone.

Jin Xi leaned back in the corner, lowering her head to reply to the message. Just then, Jian SiXun suddenly came over and murmured, "Jin Xi, come out with me for a bit. I need to talk to you."

Jin Xi had typed halfway through her reply and deleted it all.

Why did everyone suddenly have something to tell her tonight?

Just then, Jing Chi texted Chu Zhao: "Why aren't you back yet?"

Chu Zhao: "We're still at karaoke, won't be back for a while."

Jing Chi: "Bo Yan must be going crazy."

Chu Zhao: "What's up?"

Jing Chi: "I'll tell you, but don't say anything to Jin Xi."

Chu Zhao loved hearing secrets, immediately promising: "I swear I won't tell!"

Jing Chi: "Bo Yan plans to confess to Jin Xi tonight."

Chu Zhao: "Wow, intense!"

Jing Chi: "Get her back sooner, 'kay?"

Chu Zhao hesitated, then told Jing Chi: "I'll give you a heads up, things might not go well. Jian SiXun just called Jin Xi out. Looks to me like he's going to confess too."

Jing Chi looked up at Bo Yan standing on the balcony, smoking anxiously. Strange luck today, why were all the boys lining up to confess on the same day?

After thinking a moment, Jing Chi went over to the balcony and told Bo Yan, "I'll give you a heads up now, so you're mentally prepared."

......

The winding corridors of the KTV led Jin Xi and Jian SiXun to a quieter corner.

Jian SiXun looked a little nervous, his eyes slightly glazed from the alcohol, his face flushed.

Jin Xi asked with concern, "Senior, are you okay? Should we go back and rest?"

Jian SiXun said seriously, "No need, I'm not drunk. My mind is very clear now."

"Oh," Jin Xi replied and asked, "What did you want to discuss with me?"

Her instinctive reaction was that Jian SiXun had work matters to assign to her. After all, most of their conversations revolved around work.

Jian SiXun cleared his throat and said solemnly, "Little Xi, I think I may have fallen for you."

......

After a long pause, Jin Xi realized Jian SiXun was serious and not joking or drunk.

She didn't know how to react: "Uh..."

Jian SiXun's eyes were expectant as he looked at her.

There was no denying he was one of the best looking guys around with his gentle scholarly airs and refined temperament. He was like the ancient poetry's "jade gentleman with no peer in the world."

But he wasn't Jin Xi's type.

The kind of boyfriend Jin Xi wanted was the reckless Monkey King, while Jian SiXun...was more like the demure Tang Monk. He was universally desired, but Jin Xi didn't like him that way.

"Senior, I think we probably..."

Before she could finish saying "aren't very suitable," Jian SiXun immediately said, "I understand. My confession tonight was too abrupt. We haven't known each other long and you aren't very familiar with me. Maybe we could get to know each other better."

"Um..."

"Jin Xi, I'm sincere. I hope you'll consider this carefully."

Jin Xi hesitated, but insisted on finishing what she wanted to say: "Senior, I already have a boy I like."

When she thought of him, her eyes softened and the corners of her lips turned up slightly.

From her expression, Jian SiXun could tell this wasn't an excuse. She really had someone else in her heart already.

With just that one sentence, all the heartfelt words Jian SiXun had prepared got stuck in his throat.

He didn't insist anymore.

......

Walking down Mulberry Road back to the male dorms, Chu Zhao tugged Jin Xi's sleeve and asked curiously, "What did Jian SiXun say to you?"

"Nothing much."

"Hey, why are you keeping it from me!"

Jin Xi helplessly said, "It's what you're thinking. Don't ask anymore and don't spread it around."

Chu Zhao took a deep breath. "So you rejected him."

"Of course."

She laughed. "Jian SiXun is what level of Prince Charming? Can't believe you rejected him. All the girls on campus probably want to kill you now."

Jin Xi shivered. "So don't you dare spread this around."

The two arrived at the male dorm gates and Jin Xi saw a familiar figure standing alone under a streetlamp.

Bo Yan.

He wore a white shirt and black trousers. His collar was open, revealing fair skin and a beautiful collarbone. His hands were casually tucked into his pockets. Hearing her voice, he looked up at her.

He was leaning against the lamppost. His eyebrows and eyes were deep and stirred with a kind of turbulent restlessness.

Chu Zhao tactfully went into the dorm. One foot had just stepped through when Xu Chaoyang pulled her over and put a hand over her mouth.

"Shh, the show's about to start."

**

Bo Yan stood up straight and faced Jin Xi.

His skin was very fair. Under the bright lamplight, his lips looked even redder, sharpening his features.

The early summer night breeze carried some mugginess. Jin Xi's heartbeat quickened.

She stepped into the halo of the lamplight. Her petite figure looked soft and blurred in the warmth.

Bo Yan had prepared many things to say and had recited the love letter dozens of times, but now, his thoughts scattered like the sultry wind. He couldn't get any words out.

Jin Xi acted nonchalant and casually walked over. "It's so late. What are you standing here spacing out for, Senior?"

Bo Yan softly ah-ed and casually said, "I'm appreciating the moon."

Jin Xi looked up. The pitch dark sky didn't even have a shadow of the moon.

Bo Yan looked up at the streetlight he was staring at and said the first ridiculous words in his life that made him look like an idiot.

"See, doesn't it look like the moon?"

"......"

So he was moon-gazing at a lamp apparently.

Her Senior Bo Yan really had elegant tastes.

Jin Xi slowly ambled over to stand by him and looked up at the streetlamp to humor his "moon viewing."

The onlookers behind the door: ......

A perfect match.

Bo Yan gazed down at the girl by his side. Under the lamplight, her skin looked even paler and her dark eyebrows and eyes were especially bright. She blinked at him and gave him a faint smile.

Bo Yan gathered his chaotic thoughts and took a deep breath. "You didn't reply to my message earlier."

"Oh!" Jin Xi suddenly remembered that Bo Yan had sent her a message before. "Senior Jian SiXun called me out earlier and when I came back, I...forgot."

"Sorry, Senior," she scratched her head, very apologetic. "What did you want to tell me?"

"Did Jian SiXun confess to you?"

Jin Xi looked at him in surprise. "How did you know..."

Before she could finish, he couldn't help but grab her wrist, urgently asking, "Did you agree?"

Jin Xi felt his warm, slightly damp palm. Bo Yan's grip was very strong, pinching her until it hurt a little.

"I agreed..."

She was about to say "Agree to what?" but at the last second, she suddenly had a sly idea. "I agreed."

Bo Yan's mind buzzed and his face turned deathly pale.

"Why did you agree to him!"

In his anxiousness, his voice nearly cracked. He had exerted force to ask this, making it sound almost like an accusation and reproach.

"How could you agree!"

Jin Xi was just joking with him, but being yelled at so fiercely all of a sudden made a fine sadness and grievance slowly well up in her heart. She pushed him. "Why are you yelling?"

If it was the past, no matter how Bo Yan scolded or abused her, she would just laugh it off and not take it seriously. But now, she didn't know why she suddenly couldn't accept it anymore and was feeling petty and oversensitive.

Or perhaps, she had started to care more.

Jin Xi turned to walk to the dorms, but Bo Yan grabbed her and pressed her slender body against the lamppost, asking heavily, "Do you like him?"

"I don't like him. I have to like you?"

"Why can't you like me?"

"Because you're so annoying!" Jin Xi tried to break free of his grip. "Always like this, arrogant, acting like I should just wait for you to confess to me. If you don't confess to me, then I should just keep waiting forever."

How could things work that way? What made him think everything was a given for him!

"I'll confess to you right now." Bo Yan held her and said fiercely, "Listen carefully."

He opened his mouth slightly but then closed it again.

Fuck, she had provoked him and now he couldn't remember anything.

Jin Xi's small chest heaved up and down rapidly with agitation as she looked at him in bewilderment, wondering what medicine he was selling in his gourd.

Say it. Confess. Why did you stop?

Bo Yan steeled himself and took the love letter envelope out of his bag, shoving it at her. "You...just read it yourself. Everything I want to say is written there. Don't read it aloud, just look at it."

After saying that, he turned around, took deep breaths, and his heart started racing—

Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck!

Jin Xi looked at the crumpled pink envelope in her hand in disbelief. It was fucking pink.

She pulled out the letter, took one look, and slapped it hard on his back: "Bo Yan, are you an idiot?!"

Bo Yan looked back in surprise as the letter fluttered lightly to the ground. The letter read:

"Xi Xi, I love you, let's get married."

Jin Xi angrily turned away, her face red as she ran back to her dorm.

Leaning against the wall, Xu Chaoyang patted his bag, took out another pink love letter, winked at Bo Yan, and waved it at him: "Bro, you got the wrong one..."