Lin Jiang smiled and shook her head vigorously, taking a large gulp of her Coke. In her haste, she choked and began to cough uncontrollably. Wang Jiaqian quickly patted her back, teasing, "Slow down, no one’s going to snatch it from you. You never used to be this fond of Coke."
Hearing this, Lin Jiang coughed even harder, hurriedly turning away to catch her breath.
"Feng-zi, aren't you curious who the real '38.6℃' is?" Shitou continued to chatter on the side.
Jiang Weifeng was fiddling with his phone, his eyes never looking up, as if he hadn't heard a word.
Rebuffed, Shitou turned back to Lin Jiang. "I bet that person is some ugly freak who doesn't even dare to leave their real name."
The corner of Lin Jiang’s mouth twitched involuntarily, and she, too, pretended not to hear.
Across the room, Cheng Yunchuan was reaching the climax of her song, her eyes sparkling as she gazed in Jiang Weifeng’s direction.
As the song neared its end, Wang Jiaqian whispered to Lin Jiang, "I think her singing is just average. It’s not even half as good as yours."
Lin Jiang smiled and asked, "Where do you get such confidence in me?"
Shitou chimed in as well. "Lin Jiang, why don't you sing one? Tell me what you want, and your humble servant will go add it to the queue."
Lin Jiang swallowed hard, feeling a bit awkward. She glanced at Jiang Weifeng, who happened to be putting his phone away. When his gaze shifted toward her, she quickly looked away.
"What are you guys talking about?" Jiang Weifeng asked Shitou.
"Lin Jiang is going to sing," Shitou answered quickly.
Lin Jiang hadn't expected him to put her on the spot like this. For a moment, she couldn't find the words to object.
Jiang Weifeng turned to her. "What are you singing?"
Lin Jiang had no idea what she should sing. Flustered and blushing, she stammered incoherently.
Wang Jiaqian had a sudden inspiration. "Sing something by Miriam Yeung! Lin Jiang is great at Cantonese songs." She gave a knowing wink. "Once Lin Jiang takes the stage, the one singing right now is going to be totally eclipsed."
The people nearby started cheering. Lin Jiang, embarrassed, told her to stop talking nonsense, but Jiang Weifeng suddenly curled his lips into a smile. Under the hazy, shifting lights of the KTV room, he looked devastatingly handsome. With his usual nonchalance, as if asking what was for dinner, he said, "I'm all ears."
A hurricane swept through Lin Jiang's heart.
It was just a song, yet Lin Jiang’s palms were slightly damp. She was more nervous now than she had been during her first solo performance in elementary school. Despite this, deep down, she didn't want to refuse. She knew Wang Jiaqian wasn't exaggerating—she *did* sing better than Cheng Yunchuan—and she wanted him to hear it.
Lin Jiang chose "A Maiden's Prayer."
She picked up the microphone and closed her eyes, letting the music slowly sink into her soul.
Just as the melody began, Jiang Weifeng’s phone vibrated. Cheng Minghao had sent a message: *I'm here, come out and get me.* He typed back a curse about him being high-maintenance but stood up to go meet him anyway.
When he returned to the private room, the atmosphere had completely changed. Everyone was huddled on the sofas, listening quietly, the entire room seemingly entranced.
The girl's voice was slightly husky, quite different from her usual gentle speaking tone. As he pushed the door open, she happened to reach the chorus. His footsteps faltered slightly—
*I pray to the Heavenly Father to be a good man for ten minutes / Grant me his kiss / As if pitying a sinner*
*I love the Lord / But I also love a lover*
*I pray / That my heart remains unchanged along the way / Please give me your protection...*
The girl wasn't far from him. From his vantage point, he could see her profile perfectly. She held the microphone with both hands, eyes closed as she sang. From a distance, she truly looked as if she were praying. What was that word? It hovered at the edge of his mind, ready to emerge, yet he couldn't quite grasp it.
Oh, he remembered now—
*Devout.*
Lin Xi’s lyrics were always soulful, and she sang them with equal soul. It had been a long time since Jiang Weifeng had listened to a song from beginning to end; this was an exception.
The moment she finished, the room erupted in thunderous applause.
Jiang Weifeng narrowed his eyes, watching her face as she smiled brightly. He had never truly looked at her before. While she was singing just now, a strange sensation had rippled through his heart—very light, like the brush of a feather, yet incredibly itchy.
But the feeling dissipated quickly, so fast he couldn't even capture it.
After finishing the song, Lin Jiang let out a slow breath. Using the two seconds it took to put the microphone down, she glanced toward Jiang Weifeng. His expression was unreadable, but she felt it—he had been looking at her.
The little deer in her heart leaped out again, its antlers bumping around, *thump-thump, thump-thump.*
Wang Jiaqian looked proud. "That was beautiful! My girl really did me proud." She giggled and pulled Lin Jiang onto the sofa with her.
Cheng Yunchuan’s eyes followed her as well. She was smiling, but the smile didn't reach her eyes, and her voice sounded strained when she spoke. "Lin Jiang, you're here too? I didn't even notice you earlier."
Lin Jiang gave a reserved smile. "Gu Xiang is my best friend's friend, so I just came along for the fun."
Before Cheng Yunchuan could say anything else, someone tapped Lin Jiang on the shoulder. She turned around to meet a pair of eyes full of mirth.
The boy pointed at himself, looking quite excited. "Do you remember me?"
Lin Jiang was immediately drawn to his round, chestnut-colored head and smiled, her eyes curving into crescents. "Of course I remember."
"That's great! We really are fated." The boy laughed. "I'm Cheng Minghao. And you?"
"Lin Jiang," she replied.
Suddenly, she was grabbed by the shoulders and shaken vigorously. "What? *You're* Lin Jiang?"
Lin Jiang was bewildered. "What's wrong?"
Ignoring her question, Cheng Minghao let go and craned his neck to shout behind her, "Jiang Weifeng! Is she the Lin Jiang? The one who heroically saved you when Lan Jingyu was looking for trouble?"
Jiang Weifeng sat with his legs crossed on the table, watching Cheng Minghao with composed interest. When he uttered a simple "Yes," Cheng Yunchuan’s expression turned sour.
Cheng Minghao was absolutely delighted. "Lin Jiang, we really are fated! I regret not asking my mom what your name was before. But it's good to know now. It feels like everything was just a setup for us to meet today."
At those words, Gu Xiang made a gagging gesture and kicked him. "Kid, the way you talk is seriously disgusting."
Lin Jiang gave an embarrassed smile.
The night felt tender and lingering.
The group played, laughed, and chatted idly as the drinks flowed. After three rounds of drinks, Shitou suggested a game: Truth or Dare. Everyone complained that it was boring and unoriginal while simultaneously preparing to start with great enthusiasm.
The rules were simple: someone would spin a wine bottle, and whoever the bottle pointed to had to choose between Truth or Dare.
For the first few rounds, the people chosen were either strangers or acquaintances to Lin Jiang, but she didn't dare let her mind wander, fearing she wouldn't be able to react in time if she were picked.
Just as she was sitting on pins and needles, the bottle in front of her suddenly stopped. The crowd erupted, someone shouting excitedly, "Finally caught you!"
Lin Jiang followed the direction of the bottle's neck. Whoa—Jiang Weifeng.
She held her breath.
"Dare," he said.
"Pick a girl here and give her a kiss," someone spoke up first, followed by a suggestive glance at Cheng Yunchuan and a knowing smirk.
As soon as the words left his mouth, the room filled with hooting and hollering.
"How is this a dare? This is a reward for Brother Feng!"
"What do you mean a reward for Brother Feng? This is a reward for the girls!"
To everyone's surprise, Jiang Weifeng actually stood up unhurriedly. They watched as he looked at Cheng Yunchuan, then at Lin Jiang, his footsteps lingering.
No one could read him.
Gu Xiang knew exactly what he was up to. He whispered to Wang Jiaqian, "Just watch. He's plotting something again. He's wicked."
Sure enough, while everyone was holding their breath, he stepped over a row of legs, bypassed Cheng Yunchuan entirely, and walked toward the other girl.
Lin Jiang felt a figure approaching, and her body instantly stiffened like a stone.
She didn't dare look at him.
In fact, she didn't dare look at anyone. Her head felt foggy, as if she were drunk.
Then, the boy's voice sounded—faint, distant, and surreal.
"I'll drink."
A chorus of boos immediately followed.
Much later, when Wang Jiaqian brought this up again, she was still bubbling with excitement. She said things like, "When Jiang Weifeng walked toward you, it was just like an idol drama. I almost screamed," and "You should have seen it—Cheng Yunchuan’s face completely fell."
Lin Jiang, of course, hadn't had the presence of mind to notice anyone else. Her back had been drenched in nervous sweat. During the latter half of the night, Cheng Minghao even pulled a digital camera out of his bag, shouting about commemorating their youth. He took many photos; by the time he got to her, she had forgotten how to smile. Lin Jiang didn't dare look at how the photos turned out.
The night was filled with endless music and laughter. The lights dancing on their young faces brought a unique kind of joy.
It was 9:00 PM by the time they left. At the entrance of the KTV, the group began to disperse. Lin Jiang told Wang Jiaqian that someone was coming to pick her up, so Wang Jiaqian felt comfortable leaving with Gu Xiang.
Jiang Weifeng went to the restroom after the party ended. When he came out, most people had gone, leaving only Cheng Minghao and Lin Jiang.
Cheng Minghao was hovering near Lin Jiang, asking, "Is your friend coming or not? How about I take you home?"
Hearing this, Jiang Weifeng thought the kid's intentions were glaringly obvious, but the girl clearly wasn't interested.
Jiang Weifeng walked over and gave Cheng Minghao a light kick, asking knowingly, "Not leaving?"
Cheng Minghao replied, "It's not right to leave a girl here alone. I'll wait a bit."
Lin Jiang, however, seemed very reluctant to accept the favor. "It's okay, my friend should be here soon. You guys should go."
Jiang Weifeng’s eyes darkened slightly.
But Lin Jiang’s eyes lit up.
She jumped up and waved her hand, shouting, "Shen Yan, over here!"
Shen Yan rode up on an electric scooter, making a graceful arc in front of the three of them before turning around. Once the bike came to a steady stop, he took off his mask and gave a bright smile. "Jiang Weifeng, you're here too."
Jiang Weifeng nodded.
Lin Jiang explained to Shen Yan, "He and Qianqian’s friend used to be in the same class."
Shen Yan gave an "oh" and added his own explanation. "I happened to be nearby helping a classmate celebrate a birthday today."
Jiang Weifeng asked how it went. Shen Yan said it was alright, then spoke to Jiang Weifeng for a bit about playing basketball sometime before letting Lin Jiang get on the bike.
The four of them exchanged polite goodbyes before the scooter sped away.
As they disappeared into the distance, Cheng Minghao curled his lip. "Who's that guy?"
Jiang Weifeng also stared at the retreating figure. "Shen Yan. A top student with excellent character and grades."
"What's his relationship with Lin Jiang?"
Jiang Weifeng laughed. "Interested?"
Cheng Minghao hadn't expected him to be so direct. After a second of stunned silence, he answered quite frankly, "More than that."
Jiang Weifeng raised an eyebrow as Cheng Minghao continued, "I've fallen for her."
"Get out of here," Jiang Weifeng laughed dismissively, then glanced once more in the direction Lin Jiang had left.
The distance was pitch black, dotted with a few neon lights. Even the streetlamps were silent; there was no sign of anyone.
***
| Chinese | English | Notes/Explanation |
| :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 《孤单心事》 | "Lonely Matters" | A song by Ariel Lin. |
| 《少女的祈祷》 | "A Maiden's Prayer" | A famous Cantonese song by Miriam Yeung. |
| 杨千嬅 | Miriam Yeung | A famous Hong Kong singer and actress. |
| 林夕 | Lin Xi | A renowned Hong Kong lyricist. |
| 蓝竟宇 | Lan Jingyu | A character mentioned as a troublemaker from a past incident. |
| 成明昊 | Cheng Minghao | A friend of Jiang Weifeng. |
| 沈宴 | Shen Yan | Lin Jiang's classmate/friend. |
| 真心话大冒险 | Truth or Dare | A classic party game. |
| 品学兼优 | Top student / Excellent in character and learning | A common Chinese idiom for a model student. |
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