The era of romance always holds many touching stories, and within the ivory tower, there are always sentiments that one cannot bear to leave behind. Xu Yongming and Li Siyuan were perhaps the quintessential example of a campus couple.
At this moment, the audience was in an uproar—applause, whistles, and cheers filled the air. Everyone followed Sanmao’s burning gaze, turning in unison to look at the leading lady. Sanmao was about to pull the ring from his pocket, but before he could do anything more dramatic, like dropping to one knee, the heroine stood up and walked onto the stage. She gave the audience a mischievous shrug, unable to suppress her laughter, then walked over to the emotional man. She fished the ring out of his pocket herself, snatched the microphone from his hand, held it up to the crowd, and asked with a smile, "It’s really cliché, isn't it?"
"Yes!" the audience screamed. This was destined to be the headline on the school’s BBS tomorrow.
Xia Yinuo smiled and said to Liang Juejun beside her, "It seems this was the surprise for today." Liang Juejun raised an eyebrow, finding it quite interesting.
Li Siyuan continued, "I guessed it a while ago when I saw him sneakily buying a ring. This idiot. But just because there’s no surprise doesn't mean I'm not happy, and just because it's cliché doesn't mean I don't like it. So, I have to say: Xu Yongming, I do."
the cheers from the audience were beyond words. Li Siyuan smiled brightly, dangling the ring in front of Sanmao’s eyes. In that short minute, Sanmao had actually started crying hysterically. He took the ring with flustered, eager hands and slid it onto Li Siyuan’s finger.
The crowd began chanting "Kiss her!" but Sanmao just stood there, grinning like a fool. Siyuan had no choice but to say, "Sorry, my man has gone a bit soft in the head." With that, she leaned in and kissed Sanmao on the cheek.
Another wave of whistles and wild howls erupted, and the band appropriately struck up a fitting tune.
Siyuan led the sobbing Sanmao away from the center of the stage. A-Xu teased, "Crying like that, he definitely can't sing anymore. Luckily, we prepared another program." Having said that, A-Xu suddenly stepped toward the front row, intending to pull Xia Yinuo onto the stage. Caught off guard, Xia Yinuo instinctively reached for the armrest of her chair, but instead, she grabbed Liang Juejun’s hand. Liang Juejun didn't pull away; she patted Xia Yinuo’s hand with her other one and gave her a faint smile, signaling for her to go up. After a brief daze, Xia Yinuo rose gracefully and followed A-Xu onto the stage.
A-Xu introduced her to the audience: "Although she isn't an official member of our band, in the seven years since 'The Flowers Have Not Slept' was formed, she has been a very important person to the club and the band. On behalf of everyone, I want to thank her for her selfless dedication and unreserved support over the years. Thank you, Xiao Xia. Originally, she was supposed to play guitar for the opening song, 'Twist and Shout,' but we played a little joke on her. So now, we’re inviting her to sing a song for us, alright?"
Of course it was alright. It had to be alright. How could it not be? Before she even sang a note, the applause was already thunderous.
Xia Yinuo shook her head with a smile, looking utterly helpless. A-Xu patted her shoulder, his expression full of schadenfreude. Xia Yinuo instinctively glanced down at the audience. Liang Juejun was smiling brightly, holding up two thumbs to give her a "fighting" gesture.
Xia Yinuo took the microphone from A-Xu, her right dimple appearing as she smiled. "Thank you, everyone. They’re far too cunning, forcing my hand like this."
The band played a quirky musical cue, and everyone laughed.
Xia Yinuo continued, "However, to bless the newlyweds, it’s only right to sing a song. Since I haven't prepared, please forgive me if I suddenly forget the lyrics."
The audience graciously shouted that it didn't matter.
Xia Yinuo whispered a few words to A-Xu, then turned to have a brief exchange with the band. She walked to the lead singer's spot, found a stool to sit on, slotted the microphone back into its stand, adjusted the height, took off her hat to place it on her knees, and said, "‘Encounter.’ For them, and for you."
The music began.
*"I hear winter’s departure,*
*I wake up in some month of some year.*
*I think, I wait, I expect,*
*But the future cannot be arranged because of it."*
A-Xu’s figure flashed by as he handed Xia Yinuo a phone displaying the lyrics he had just searched for online. The audience understood and let out a collective snicker. Xia Yinuo wasn't annoyed; she just gave a gentle smile.
*"Outside the car window on a cloudy evening,*
*There is someone waiting in the future.*
*Looking left, right, and forward,*
*How many turns must love take before it arrives?*
*Who will I meet? What kind of dialogue will we have?*
*The person I wait for, how far in the future are they?*
*I hear the wind coming from the subways and the crowds,*
*I am waiting in line, holding the number plate of love."*
Xia Yinuo secretly winked at Sanmao and Siyuan, a gesture caught by Liang Juejun. Liang Juejun’s smile bloomed in the night. She remembered that rainy night last year when Xia Yinuo had held a guitar and sang "Yellow." Perhaps for most people, tonight’s surprise was a touching proposal, but for Liang Juejun, the so-called surprise was the soft, low singing of the person on stage. Xia Yinuo had no instrument in her hands; she just sat there quietly singing, her eyes fixed forward as if out of focus, occasionally glancing down at the phone. The lights hit her face, making her look somewhat indistinct and even a bit ethereal in the night.
*"Who will I meet? What kind of dialogue will we have?*
*The person I wait for, how far in the future are they?*
*I hear the wind coming from the subways and the crowds,*
*I am waiting in line, holding the number plate of love.*
*I fly forward, across a sea of time,*
*We have also been hurt in love.*
*I look at the road; the entrance to the dream is a bit narrow.*
*Meeting you is the most beautiful accident.*
*One day, my riddle will be solved..."*
Meeting you is the most beautiful accident, and the answer to the riddle is waiting for us to uncover together. As she sang the final line, Xia Yinuo’s previously drifting gaze locked directly onto Liang Juejun. In this early summer night, Xia Yinuo’s bright black eyes sparkled like the stars in the sky.
When the song ended, the audience erupted in continuous applause and cheers. Xia Yinuo stood up, gave a simple bow, stuffed the phone back to A-Xu, and prepared to walk off stage, ignoring the cries for an encore. Just as she reached the edge of the stage, a figure suddenly rushed over and gave her a bear hug. Startled, she pushed the person back only to see it was Mai Shining.
Mai Shining hooked an arm around Xia Yinuo’s neck and whispered in her ear, "Not bad, you little thing! I saw your Teacher Liang! Confessing through a song, eh?"
Xia Yinuo was embarrassed. "There are so many people here, let’s go down first. Why are you here too?"
Mai Shining teased, "You only remembered to invite your Teacher Liang! Sanmao called me. Ji Kang is here too, he's in the back."
Xia Yinuo replied, "How can you wrong me like that? I asked you half a month ago if you wanted me to save a ticket for you, and you said you were too busy lately."
"Did I?" Mai Shining asked.
"You really did," Xia Yinuo confirmed.
"Ah, well, Ji Kang was busy with his graduation thesis defense, and I was busy with the studio. For Teacher Liang’s sake, I’ll let you off this time. Go on over to her, we'll talk later!"
Liang Juejun could hear the whispers around her, people asking which department that girl was from, what her major was, and even if she had a boyfriend. When Xia Yinuo returned to her seat, she tripped over an audio cable on the ground as she tried to sit. Fortunately, Liang Juejun was quick, standing up to steady "Little Treasure" Xia.
Liang Juejun praised, "You sang very well just now."
Xia Yinuo replied modestly, "Thank you."
The atmosphere of the event had reached a fever pitch due to Sanmao’s proposal and Xia Yinuo’s performance. The band went on to perform two more songs, "Take Me to Your Heart" and "Marry Me Today," which turned into massive sing-alongs. Xia and Liang swayed their glow sticks to the music, tacitly remaining silent.
It wasn't until after ten o'clock, following two encores, that the "Flowers Have Not Slept" outdoor concert was officially declared over. After the crowd dispersed, Xia Yinuo and Liang Juejun helped the band pack up. By the time they returned to the club activity center, it was already past eleven. Sanmao stopped everyone, insisting they go out to celebrate together. Xia Yinuo glanced at Liang Juejun but didn't speak. Li Siyuan understood and took Liang Juejun’s hand. "Xiao Xia’s friend should come too. Consider it celebrating for us; the more the merrier."
Liang Juejun nodded and agreed.
"Senior, it's so late. You don't have to force yourself," Xia Yinuo whispered to Liang Juejun.
"It's not late. Hasn't the nightlife only just begun?"
"Eh?"
"You said it yourself—because the flowers have not yet slept."
