CH 11

Love at First Sight?

Three years ago, the School of Music at the A City University of the Arts.

A torrential rainstorm descended with a thunderclap that seemed to have the force of a thousand pounds.

While students rushed back to their dormitories or took shelter in their classrooms, there was one person in a corner of the campus, by a lotus pond, who was completely unaffected by the rain.

His white shirt with French fringes was completely drenched, and he held a few sheets of paper in his hands, which had also been drenched by the rain. His curly hair was drenched by the rain and stuck to his ear, but his eyes were burning like a torch fire: "Add some quarter notes to this, and the rhythm will flow more like a clear spring... Ah! I'm like Mozart II! Bach reincarnated!!!"

A gust of wind howled, and a piece of manuscript paper broke free and landed in the lotus pond.

"No way! My manuscript!" Rain slid down his eyelashes as Ying Ruoyun leaned against the railing at the edge of the pond and watched the manuscript paper float away on the water: "Which sheet is that... which one... I need a pen and paper, a pen and paper!"

The library was not far away. Ying Ruoyun wanted to borrow a pen and paper from the library, but when he felt his pocket, he found that he had forgotten his student ID card...

When he was in a dilemma, he saw a tall man with a black umbrella and carrying a file bag in his hand.

Great!

Ying Ruoyun stopped him and said, "Hello, I'm sorry to interrupt you, can I borrow a pen and paper, I have some very important creative inspiration!"

Under the umbrella, his face appeared.

Ying Ruoyun was immediately stunned.

He had an extremely detached and indifferent posture, as if he was unattainable and arrogant, but with a bit of intimidating majesty. His eyes were as deep as black as ink, and the bottom of his eyes were as cold as frost.

Shu Jingzhi did not answer him.

He had never been in the habit of exchanging pleasantries with strangers.

He did not intend to respond to Ying Ruoyun's request either.

The two looked at each other in the rain, and they could even hear the pounding sound of raindrops falling on the surface of the umbrella.

"Please!" Ying Ruoyun looked at him sincerely, "This is really, really important to me."

Shu Jingzhi looked at the rain-drenched youth in front of him and thought for a moment before eventually taking out a pen and paper from his file bag.

When Ying Ruoyun's wet fingers touched his warm palm, it felt like ice and fire mingled.

As he hurriedly scribbled a string of melodies on the paper, Shu Jingzhi involuntarily leaned his umbrella towards him a little, shielding the enthusiastic young composer.

"Thank you!" Ying Ruoyun handed the pen back to him, but the latter did not intend to take it.

"No need." Shu Jingzhi had a slight cleanliness fetish and could not accept personal items being shared with others.

"Huh? Okay. Next time, I'll treat you to milk tea, I'm Ying Ruoyun from the School of Music, may I ask who you are?"

"Shu Jingzhi."

Ying Ruoyun once again froze.

Shu Jingzhi?

He is the legendary music genius who won the first prize in the Van Cliburn International Piano Competition in his second year, the first prize in the International Tchaikovsky Competition in his third year, the first prize in the International Chopin Piano Competition in his fourth year, and then was admitted to the Royal Academy of Music without examination, and in addition to his expertise in piano, he is also proficient in violin and composition. A musical genius like no other.

He never thought he would be so handsome in person.

He's handsome and talented, it's said that he gets paid many, many thousands of dollars for a performance, and he's so young!

Just as he was frantically mumbling in his head,

Shu Jingzhi was planning to leave.

"Wait," Ying Ruoyun grabbed his file bag and said excitedly, "Senior Shu, can I, take a photo with you?"

A photo on a rainy day?

Shu Jingzhi looked at him as if he was mentally handicapped: "No."

Even if it wasn't a rainy day, he would still refuse, he didn't like taking pictures with irrelevant people.

"Then, then, can I have your autograph? Just sign it, on my shirt."

Once again, Shu Jingzhi coldly refused, "No."

"Ah, it's really not possible?"

"No."

"Then can I borrow your student ID card, I want to go into the library to hide from the rain."

Ying Ruoyun had imagined a hundred ways for him to reject him, but what he didn't expect at all was that Shu Jingzhi would say, "What does that have to do with me?" with an obvious expression showing no shame.

So much so that for the rest of the day, after Ying Ruoyun returned to the dormitory in the rain, Shu Jingzhi's indifferent and arrogant expression on his handsome face, which was envied by everyone, was still floating in his mind.

Why, why, why?

One day, Ying Ruoyun thought, he would punch that face so hard that the high and mighty Shu Jingzhi would learn once and for all what respect meant!

After taking a hot shower, Ying Ruoyun transcribed his inspiration from the manuscript onto a score, which he wanted to play at the upcoming National University Music Competition.

But first, he needed professional advice on how to improve it, who would be the best person to call?

His university roommate would only say that it was good, it was great, it was awesome, and if you are rich don't forget about me, Ruoyun, good luck and take me with you.

His teachers in his major courses were not bad, but in many cases, they were of limited help, and one of them even told him privately: Ruoyun, your creative and professional skills are actually higher than mine, you are really a formidable youth.

Suddenly, a certain high and mighty face drifted into his mind.

That's him!

Shu! Jing! Zhi!

Ying Ruoyun began to use all his contacts at the School of Music to dig up all the personal information he could find about Shu Jingzhi with the perseverance of digging three hundred feet into the ground.

This included his student number, course schedule, dormitory address, activities, and hobbies. He even joined n of Shu Jingzhi's fan groups and support groups.

In the middle of the night, in his dreams, he would meet him again and play his compositions for him.

Only after a long time did he understand that this kind of soulful emotion is called love at first sight.

———

As a Doctor of Music jointly trained by the Royal Academy of Music and A City University of the Arts, Shu Jingzhi did not live in the student residence, but had a separate house of his own in the Talent Exchange Centre.

After figuring out the apartment number, on a dark and windy night, Ying Ruoyun went to the door, carrying his violin and music score.

As Shu Jingzhi was very popular at the school, the security guards at the entrance of the Exchange Centre were particularly strict in checking identities in order to avoid harassment by fans.

Therefore, Ying Ruoyun deliberately did not go through the main entrance, but climbed the wall at the back corner to enter the courtyard.

Midsummer nights are always a time for thoughts to wander, as if love fermented in the ambiguity of a lingering night.

But at the moment, he did not foresee this.

He reached the porch and knocked politely on the door.

There was no answer.

According to rumours, Shu Jingzhi was very strict about the quietness of his living environment and especially hated being interrupted or disturbed, so he never met anyone without a prior appointment.

On a whim, he went to the back of the house, opened his case under the ginkgo tree outside the window and began to play.

The melodious tones of the music were like the honeyed words of a lover, so tantalisingly beautiful in the stillness of the night.

At the climax of the performance, the curtains were pulled back and Shu Jingzhi was standing in front of the window, watching him carefully.

Ying Ruoyun's eyes looked like galaxies of stars as he stood in the courtyard, holding his violin and winking at him.

"Senior Shu, we meet again." Ying Ruoyun inquired, "I wonder what you thought of the music I just played?"

"The music was like its owner."

"Does that count as a compliment?"

Shu Jingzhi did not answer.

Ying Ruoyun moved in front of him, separated by a window, his eyes reflecting the other's face: "Won't you invite me in?"

"Give me a reason."

"Yesterday, because of the pen and paper you gave me, I was able to finish this piece, don't you want to hear it up close?"

Shu Jingzhi seemed to be thinking seriously about the matter.

"Senior, it's so hot outside and there are so many mosquitoes." Ying Ruoyun looked at him pitifully, "I've been bitten several times!"

Under his sincere expression of feigned innocence, Shu Jingzhi finally gave in.

The first thing that struck Ying Ruoyun when he entered the room with his case was that it was too neat and tidy.

The floor and furniture were spotless, and there was a beautiful piano in the middle of the living room. The door to the bedroom was ajar, and he wondered what it was like inside.

Shu Jingzhi sat down on the sofa, "You can start now."

"Huh?"

"Play."

"But, Senior, I'm a bit thirsty."

"......" Shu Jingzhi fetched a cup, poured water for him, and placed it on the table.

Ying Ruoyun took the glass of water and thanked him sweetly, "Thank you, Senior."

When he was ready, Ying Ruoyun began to play.

Although Shu Jingzhi was an arrogant man who was extremely picky about music, he also had a musical instinct that was exceptional.

Ying Ruoyun's talent moved him, and after listening to him for only a short while, he was already captivated.

The young man in front of him, even if he was now unknown, was like a precious jade in a box that needed to be carved, and one day...

When the melody stopped, Ying Ruoyun looked at him expectantly: "Senior, how is it?"

Shu Jingzhi nodded slightly, "I could barely stand to listen to it."

"No way, you're demanding too much." Ying Ruoyun was a little deflated, but quickly added, "Compared to you, it's true that it's not enough at all, but I'm still young..."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty-one."

"Give me the violin."

Ying Ruoyun handed the violin to Shu Jingzhi.

The latter took the violin and set it on his shoulder, like the most elegant deity on Mount Olympus, just casually showcasing it and flowing out the most beautiful notes in the world.

Ying Ruoyun was once again frozen in place.

At this moment, the image of Shu Jingzhi in his heart was simply shining!

After the song was finished, Shu Jingzhi asked, "How was it?"

Ying Ruoyun pretended to be calm and said, imitating his tone, "I could barely stand to listen to it."

Shu Jingzhi laughed gently, "Quite thick-skinned."

"Honestly, it's really too impressive, when did you write this?"

"Twenty-one."

Ying Ruoyun's self-confidence immediately suffered a serious setback: "I understand, I'm not fit to study music at all."

"The piece you've written now, if you let me play it, it will only get better."

Like sunlight suddenly piercing through the haze, Ying Ruoyun excitedly gripped Shu Jingzhi's wrist: "Really?"

"Yes."

"That's great, Senior!"

"But," Shu Jingzhi didn't move to pull Ying Ruoyun's paws away from his body, "there are still some areas that need improvement."

"Mmm mhmm mhmm mhmm."

"But," Shu Jingzhi placed the violin on the sofa, "why should I help you improve it?"

"No, Senior," Ying Ruoyun begged very humbly, "help me, I'm willing to do whatever you ask in exchange!"

"What can you do?"

"I can, well, you know everything I know, don't you? You're also better at it than I am."

Shu Jingzhi looked at him with a helpless expression.

"Oh oh oh, I can serve tea, do laundry and cook, give massages and rub shoulders, play and sleep with you." Suddenly realising that he had said the wrong thing, Ying Ruoyun immediately corrected, "The last one was a joke."

"I can help you improve," Shu Jingzhi said, "in exchange, two days a week, you need to come here to clean up, mainly some of my personal instruments. As you can see, I have a cleanliness problem and have always cleaned it myself, I don't feel comfortable leaving it to anyone else."

"Why can I?"

"Because," Shu Jingzhi said, "my instruments don't seem to hate you."

———

From then on, every Wednesday and Friday afternoon, Ying Ruoyun would go to Shu Jingzhi's house.

He would carefully clean up the instruments that were exclusively his, and the reward was Shu Jingzhi's personal coaching, sometimes for just five minutes, sometimes for up to two hours, depending on his mood.

But even if it was only five minutes, Ying Ruoyun was already very satisfied.

On each of these two days, he was so excited with anticipation that it was like he was floating over a field in a hot air balloon.

His roommate couldn't help but ask, "Ruoyun, are you in love?"

"Huh? No." Ying Ruoyun wondered, "Why do you say that?"

"You've not been in the right state for a while." His roommate hit the nail on the head: "There are always two days a week when I feel like you've been drinking fake wine."

"That's my passion for learning, my obsession with music."

His roommate patted him on the shoulder: "It's okay to lie to your friends, but don't lie to yourself, take care of yourself."

Ying Ruoyun's mind went blank for a moment: his feelings for Shu Jingzhi, were they the feelings of love?

He immediately opened the webpage and searched for 'what does it feel like to love someone?'

You will think of him from time to time. Well, it does seem that way.

You're happy to talk to him. Nonsense, I'm not just happy, I'm excited to meet him, okay?

You fantasise about having intimate contact with him, like hugging and kissing.

Intimate contact...?

At this moment, his phone suddenly rang, and it was Shu Jingzhi.

Ying Ruoyun almost had a heart attack: "... Se-Se-Senior?"

"Are you free now?"

"Now?"

"Mmm."

"Ye-yes."

"Come to my place."

"Oh, okay."

Hanging up the phone, Ying Ruoyun hurried to Shu Jingzhi's place, only to find the latter in a bathrobe, sitting on the sofa, looking at him calmly: "Massage and shoulder rubs, which one do you know?"

"Senior? I thought you had something important to do?"

"Isn't this important?"

"I was joking with you back then, I wouldn't..."

Shu Jingzhi was clearly a little displeased.

Ying Ruoyun suddenly remembered that the intimacy test, if he liked Shu Jingzhi...

So he changed his tone and said, "I can learn now, please wait."

He pulled up a video on his phone and learnt a few techniques from it.

As he approached Shu Jingzhi, his heart was beating rapidly.

At one moment, he thought, isn't he a clean freak who doesn't like to be around people?

At another moment, he wondered, is he having a hard time today?

At another moment, he was secretly thrilled, thinking, this is the closest I've ever been to him!

When he touched his skin, an indescribable feeling of pleasure was transmitted to his mind. Ying Ruoyun looked at his face in front of his eyes, and unknowingly caught a glimpse of his abs under the collar of his bathrobe...

He felt his blood surge and he gulped, his head spinning.

It's over, Ying Ruoyun thought.

I like him,

I'm screwed,

I'm totally screwed.