Love Struck

"We're off."

The students going to sing gathered at the school gate. An Nuan waved without looking back, then headed home alone.

"An Nuan's so tall," Bai Hui said enviously, then added, "She's just a little thin."

When people said An Nuan was tall, they meant she had long legs. With her height and proportions, she could turn plenty of heads in a short skirt, stockings, or high heels—or even the athletic shorts she wore for training. It was impossible for ordinary girls not to envy her.

Liu Chang'an understood what Bai Hui meant, too. An Nuan was tall, but not very curvy. Bai Hui's cup size was among the top three at the Affiliated High School; the top two girls were just too fat.

The seniors were still a little green. They weren't mature enough to grasp Bai Hui's meaning, let alone naturally and teasingly start joking about the girls' figures.

Bai Hui felt a little hot and unzipped her uniform, revealing the CK T-shirt underneath. The brand name across her chest was stretched slightly out of shape.

"I think after the college entrance exams, it'll be hard to get everyone together again... We'll probably have one get-together before the exams and another afterward. Most people will manage to make it to at least one of them." Bai Hui explained her thinking as she counted everyone.

At this point, no one was feeling particularly wistful about parting. The prospect of being free from their constraints and the stress of exam preparation still dominated their moods. The get-together was mostly a chance to relax.

"Qian Ning, Lu Yuan, go buy some snacks first. We'll wait for you in the private room. Oh, this group-buying deal isn't valid at night... But this beer-and-fruit platter set is still a pretty good deal. Don't bother getting fruit, though, and don't buy too much beer." Bai Hui gave her instructions.

"Liu Chang'an, come with us," Qian Ning said.

Liu Chang'an nodded without objection.

Qian Ning and Lu Yuan were cousins. Qian Ning was taller, while Lu Yuan was a little shorter but sturdier. They were in the same class and were basically Bai Hui's lackeys. For instance, whenever Bai Hui was on cleaning duty, they'd rush to do most of the work. Qian Ning brought her breakfast, while Lu Yuan went to the cafeteria at lunchtime to buy her a meal.

"You two pay for it first. We'll split the cost afterward," Bai Hui said, flashing Qian Ning and Lu Yuan a sweet smile.

The three boys went to the supermarket. Bai Hui had said they didn't need to buy fruit, but Qian Ning still picked up two sugar apples, saying Bai Hui liked them. Lu Yuan wasn't about to be outdone, so he bought some Linwu Duck, another favorite of Bai Hui's—spicy, dry meat snacks.

Liu Chang'an bought some snacks that An Nuan often ate. He wasn't much of a snack person, but An Nuan loved them and was always stuffing some into his hands and Gao Dewei's.

A man should find a girlfriend who loved snacks. They were passionate about the feel of food on their lips and tongue.

Out of habit, he picked out some peanuts and melon seeds. Nuts and candied fruit had been around for centuries, even millennia, but they weren't mainstream anymore. After a moment's thought, Liu Chang'an also grabbed a bottle of Red Star Erguotou.

"Other than you, nobody drinks this stuff," Qian Ning said suspiciously. "Are you trying to get Bai Hui drunk?"

Bai Hui could hold her liquor, and she had a decent tolerance, but she still couldn't handle such strong spirits.

"If she gets drunk, you two can take her home. What's there to worry about?" Liu Chang'an said with a smile.

The brothers grinned at his words. They were pleased that their close relationship with Bai Hui had been acknowledged.

"Back in tenth grade, you stared at Bai Hui so hard you fell and hit your head... But now it seems like you've fallen for An Nuan?" Lu Yuan asked tentatively.

"I'm not competing with you."

Liu Chang'an's answer satisfied Qian Ning and Lu Yuan, so when it came time to pay, they included the bottle of Erguotou that only Liu Chang'an would drink.

In return, Liu Chang'an took the biggest bag of snacks. When they arrived at the KTV room, Bai Hui saw him carrying more than anyone else and wiped his forehead with a tissue. "Look at all that sweat. Why didn't they help you?"

"It's fine. It's just hot out." Liu Chang'an saw the jealous gleam in Qian Ning and Lu Yuan's eyes.

Another classmate, Zhao Wuqiang, took the bag from him. Liu Chang'an thanked him, then noticed Bai Hui glaring at Qian Ning and Lu Yuan.

For many girls, using an array of coy, pouting, and angry expressions to manipulate the opposite sex seemed to come naturally.

"First she'd lower her eyes as if to sing, then smile, only to furrow her brows again—enough to break a man's heart." From a romantic soul like Ouyang Xiu to the boys right here, it seemed every smile and frown stirred up feelings in them, leaving them utterly lovestruck.

Qian Ning and Lu Yuan wouldn't write poems for Bai Hui, but they were bold when it came to singing. They both picked love songs. They didn't make any heartfelt declarations before starting, but their glances as they sang made it obvious who the songs were for.

Bai Hui just kept smiling, occasionally meeting the singers' eyes and encouraging the classmates who still hadn't quite gotten into the spirit of things. She handled the room with ease.

Liu Chang'an drank Erguotou and ate peanuts. He opened a packet of fish tails. They were deliciously spicy, with chewy flesh and skin—a good accompaniment to liquor.

He also sang one of Jonathan Lee's songs, "Love Struck." His classmates were taken aback by his singing. The boy's restless voice somehow carried the weariness of a middle-aged man and the hushed murmur of someone at peace with how things had turned out.

Even Bai Hui fell silent. She listened quietly to the end, then applauded and went over to Liu Chang'an. In an encouraging tone, she asked, "Do you like Jonathan Lee's songs? Do you know 'When Love Becomes the Past,' the one he sang with Sandy Lam? Maybe you could help me with it. I really like that song, but when I sing it, it always feels like something's missing."

"Let's give it a try," Liu Chang'an said with a nod.

Bai Hui's voice naturally lacked the winding tenderness of a mature woman's, but she was clearly immersed in the song, doing her best to convey its feeling. Liu Chang'an simply supported her, following closely after her voice and giving her the feeling she was aiming for. After she finished her part, she watched him sing, and an unmistakable tenderness crept into her eyes.

When the song ended, the applause was much louder than it had been for Liu Chang'an's solo. After all, apart from Liu Chang'an, who'd fallen from an upstairs window upon seeing Bai Hui, everyone else had a good relationship with her. And Bai Hui had sung beautifully, with Liu Chang'an supporting her throughout.

Bai Hui was breathing hard, her full chest rising and falling. She loved singing, but singing with Liu Chang'an felt especially different. It was as if she'd always ridden a horse beneath the scorching sun, dry and parched, until one day a breeze sprang up beside her. Pale clouds shaded the sunlight, and clusters of damp flowers, grass, and woodland surrounded her, filling every breath with fragrance.

"I never knew you sang so well. We should've invited you to KTV before. From now on, whenever we go, you have to come." Her cheeks still flushed with excitement. Singing could bring pleasure to both body and mind, and those who loved it and sang well knew that feeling best.

Bai Hui used to go singing with Qian Ning and Lu Yuan often, but the two of them couldn't compare to Liu Chang'an.

Liu Chang'an smiled in reply. Qian Ning and Lu Yuan had already started drinking in silence.

Partway through, Liu Chang'an went to the restroom. Zhao Wuqiang followed and said, "You sang pretty well."

"I've practiced."

"Qian Ning and Lu Yuan are always bringing up what happened to you in tenth grade. They do it because Bai Hui likes hearing about it. She thinks someone acting that way means she's irresistible. But I just heard them say Bai Hui's been pretty warm toward you lately because of what happened with Chen Changxiu yesterday. Everyone's saying you like An Nuan, and that's made Bai Hui feel like she's lost face." Zhao Wuqiang glanced outside the restroom and lowered his voice.

"Why would she feel that way?" Liu Chang'an found girls' thought processes rather adorable. Though most men probably wouldn't feel all that flattered knowing a girl who acted warmly toward them thought that way.

"She and An Nuan have never gotten along. They've been at odds since they competed for class monitor in tenth grade. Girls can be petty," Zhao Wuqiang said with a smile.

"Boys can be petty, too."

Zhao Wuqiang studied Liu Chang'an's expression, then patted his shoulder. "Anyway, don't get too caught up in it. Bai Hui just wants to get back at An Nuan. The guy who used to like her now likes An Nuan, and she feels like she's lost face. But if you start liking Bai Hui again, people will get the impression that she can make you drop An Nuan whenever she wants."

"You like Bai Hui too, don't you?" Liu Chang'an said with a smile.

Zhao Wuqiang paused, then shook his head.

Liu Chang'an said nothing more. He washed his hands and went back to the KTV room. Bai Hui had organized a "last confession" activity, and a boy named Lin Xinhuai was confessing his feelings to Bai Hui's friend, Miao Yingying.

It seemed to have been planned well in advance. Miao Yingying was a little surprised, but clearly delighted. She shyly accepted Lin Xinhuai's gift. Liu Chang'an hurriedly joined the other classmates in applauding. It wasn't the 1980s or '90s anymore; times had changed. Besides, most high school seniors were already eighteen or nineteen and legally adults.

Next, others confessed to Bai Hui. In addition to Qian Ning and Lu Yuan, two more boys confessed their feelings for her. Their words were tinged with the sadness of graduating and parting. The feelings of youth ran hot. Bai Hui listened to each boy's confession with genuine feeling and sincerity, but turned them down, saying the college entrance exams were right around the corner and she couldn't respond to their feelings just then.

At last, Bai Hui looked toward Liu Chang'an, her eyes holding a hint of encouragement and shy anticipation. Liu Chang'an took a sip of Erguotou, then walked over to stand in front of Bai Hui under everyone's watchful gaze.

Bai Hui could smell the strong, brazen fumes of the liquor. Liu Chang'an's gaze was tender and full of affection, making her heart beat faster. She had been looking forward to this moment, even though she knew her response would be no different from what she'd given the other boys.