The music room looked no different from how Jiang Wei remembered it years ago. It was as clean and tidy as ever; if it weren't for the fact that Tang Zihe clearly didn't mind, Jiang Wei would have felt that even walking in wearing slippers was a bit sacrilegious.
In the center of the room stood a piano, covered with a protective cloth. Jiang Wei never had a clear concept of how much these things cost, only that they generally started in the five-figure range. While that was nothing to Mrs. Tang, it certainly wasn't a small sum. In the corner of the room sat a large case; judging by its size, the erhu was likely stored inside.
However, there was something else in the room that completely captured Jiang Wei’s attention.
It was a guzheng.
"When did you start learning the guzheng?" Jiang Wei’s fingers twitched, looking as though he wanted to reach out and touch the instrument.
The zither looked incredibly familiar, but he pulled his hand back, avoiding looking at the patterns carved into its surface.
"Do I look like I have that much free time?" Tang Zihe looked at Jiang Wei with a mix of amusement and exasperation, as if wondering how the other’s train of thought could be so peculiar. "This is your zither."
Jiang Wei turned his head sharply, freezing in place.
"My zither?" he asked, incredulous.
Tang Zihe looked back at him without speaking, as if waiting for him to remember on his own.
Jiang Wei did indeed recall some things. He remembered that about a month or two after Tang Zihe started learning the erhu, he had pestered his older brother for a guzheng. That had started a learning journey that lasted several years—about eight or nine, in fact. They had attended the same academy; while Tang Zihe was in one room learning the erhu, Jiang Wei would be in another learning the guzheng. Once his lesson was over, he would grab a small stool and run over to the piano room to watch the other practice... until...
"You brought it from... there?" Jiang Wei ultimately couldn't bring himself to say the word "home," using "there" as a substitute instead.
That place might have once been his home, but he could no longer call it that.
He hadn't had a home for two years.
Tang Zihe shook his head.
"I went there, but it was always empty." He walked over to the zither and crouched down. As his hand brushed against the surface of the instrument, a faint smile played on his lips. "I’ve seen your zither. Many times."
Jiang Wei thought back. When he was a child, he really had loved showing off in front of the other boy, acting like a little peacock constantly fanning its tail. Naturally, he had performed on the guzheng for Tang Zihe many times—likely a different piece every single time.
Thinking about it now, if he were Tang Zihe, he probably would have been annoyed to death.
Yet Tang Zihe had actually listened seriously every time. Jiang Wei couldn't even remember what patterns were on his old zither, but the other boy had committed those details to memory and bought an identical one.
Jiang Wei finally reached out and touched the surface of the instrument. As his fingertips traced the fine wood grain, he felt a sting in his nose and had to give it a quick sniff.
"It’s a new zither. No one has touched it since it was placed here," Tang Zihe said from his crouched position, a gentle smile on his face.
"A new one, huh..." Jiang Wei smiled and rubbed his chin. "Then it probably won't feel quite right when I play it at first."
"Well, it'll be fine once you have time to use it more." Jiang Wei patted Tang Zihe on the shoulder. "Thanks."
Tang Zihe frowned slightly at the thanks but said nothing more.
Jiang Wei pulled a small stool out from the corner, held it in his hands, and asked with a grin, "Which one are you going to perform for me first?"
***
On Sunday afternoon, Mr. Tang gave them a lift back to school. Mrs. Tang sat in the passenger seat, her brow uncharacteristically furrowed as she studied the documents in her hands.
Tang Zihe followed Jiang Wei into his dorm to retrieve some daily necessities he had brought over. As he turned to leave, he collided head-on with Xia Shan.
"Sorry, sorry!" Xia Shan hurriedly picked up a small bottle from the floor and shoved it back into Tang Zihe’s arms. He then cast a suspicious glance into Jiang Wei’s dorm. Seeing Jiang Wei crouching on the floor packing his things, Xia Shan’s expression grew even more bizarre.
"What are you looking at?" Tang Zihe followed his gaze but didn't see anything noteworthy.
"Um..." Xia Shan hesitated, falling silent for so long that Tang Zihe was about to snap at him before he finally stammered, "Brother Tang, I’m not trying to be nosy, but even though you’re both Alphas, don't you think you’re being a bit... too blatant lately?"
"What?" Tang Zihe didn't catch his meaning. Just then, Jiang Wei realized Tang Zihe had forgotten something and ran out to shove it into his arms. In that instant, the realization finally dawned on Tang Zihe.
"What are you two doing standing at my door? Want to come in and sit for a bit?" Jiang Wei looked at the two of them staring at each other, confused. Seeing that no one answered, he shook his head and walked back in—closing the door behind him.
Tang Zihe arched an eyebrow. "What exactly are you thinking?"
Xia Shan became flustered, his rebuttal turning into a stutter. "I mean, even though Director Li usually only catches opposite-sex couples, you guys... Brother Tang, your... your stuff is even in Brother Jiang’s suitcase. You two are..."
"What are you talking about?" Tang Zihe clicked his tongue, though his face showed no sign of the anger one might expect from being misunderstood; he maintained his usual expressionless mask. "I never realized your mind was so twisted and filthy."
"Listen up. Brother Jiang and I are perfectly innocent. Stop making wild guesses." He gave Xia Shan’s shin a light kick. "Go open the door for me."
*Is that really it?*
*Am I just overthinking?*
Xia Shan clearly didn't believe a word of it, but given the severe gap in their combat prowess, he wisely shut his mouth and didn't bring it up again.
However, the second thing he brought up was another sore subject—one really had to wonder where he learned this knack for stepping on landmines with such precision.
"Brother Tang," Xia Shan whispered sneakily, "do you know about that tattoo on Brother Jiang’s back, near his shoulder?"
Since there was no one else in the dorm but the two of them, there was no need for discretion, but Tang Zihe still looked around to ensure the door was closed before replying, "You know about it?"
"I saw it by accident during PE. It was my fault, really; I didn't think I’d be that strong... anyway, the point is, I don't know what it is," Xia Shan said, plopping down on his bed, his face filled with irrepressible curiosity. "The Mystic and I were whispering about it. We couldn't see the pattern clearly, but it looked like something special. So we thought... since you two are so close, maybe you’d know."
"I don't know either," Tang Zihe answered honestly. While he could probably find out if he asked, seeing Jiang Wei’s intense reaction before, he didn't dare dance in the other’s minefield—that would be asking for death.
"You don't know either?" Xia Shan’s expression turned strange again. Now, whenever he made that face, Tang Zihe felt a phantom toothache, knowing the other was about to say something shocking.
Sure enough, Xia Shan continued, "Then... could it be related to an ex-girlfriend?"
Tang Zihe: "..."
Xia Shan, however, felt his logic was airtight.
After all, if it were related to an ex-girlfriend, it would be perfectly normal for Jiang Wei not to mention it to Tang Zihe, his current—well, even if the parties involved denied the title—partner. It was completely understandable.
Otherwise, with how close they were now, how could there be anything they "didn't know" about each other?
Tang Zihe watched as Xia Shan’s expression shifted from gossipy to enlightened, knowing the boy had definitely jumped to another bizarre conclusion.
"He probably doesn't have an ex-girlfriend," Tang Zihe said through gritted teeth.
"Probably?" For some reason, Xia Shan suddenly became remarkably sharp, catching the nuance in the wording. "Did Brother Jiang tell you that you’re his first love?"
Tang Zihe: "...No."
"Then that’s it. He has one," Xia Shan said with absolute certainty.
Tang Zihe finally realized he had been talked into a corner, and he instantly felt a surge of irritation—it was unclear whether he was annoyed at Xia Shan for misunderstanding his relationship with Jiang Wei, or annoyed at this likely groundless "ex-girlfriend."
In the end, when Ding Banfan finished playing basketball and returned to the dorm smelling of sweat and pheromones, he walked right into the line of fire. He was summarily "disciplined" by the brooding Tang Zihe.
By the time it was over, Ding Banfan still hadn't figured out what had happened. He usually came back to the dorm like this; they had lived together for two years, so why was he being used as a punching bag today of all days?
Fortunately, he noticed the way Xia Shan was avoiding his eyes and immediately understood the gist of it. He hauled Xia Shan out to resolve the issue "peacefully."
This left Tang Zihe alone, lying on his dorm bed, playing a mindless single-player game on his phone.
He had played these games for so long, but for the first time, he found them incredibly boring.
He felt a bit restless.
But he couldn't quite say why.
He rolled over and stared at the posters of foreign basketball stars on the wall by Ding Banfan’s bed, his thoughts drifting.
***
Jiang Wei was a fast packer. Ten minutes later, he was lying comfortably on his bed, staring intently at the ceiling.
After a moment, he raised his hands. His fingers curved into graceful arcs, dancing with varying speeds under the light from the ceiling, as if plucking invisible strings in the air. He was remarkably focused.
*It’s been so long since I practiced; I’m a bit rusty.*
He turned his hands over, inspecting them several times as if looking for something hidden. Finally, he shrugged and offered himself a bit of comfort.
*Anyway, there’s plenty of time ahead.*
***
