Chapter 22
Shen Li and Jiang Shiyu both had competitions over the weekend. During the weekdays, they were either at the swimming pool or the music classroom. Despite their conversation having broken the ice previously, they were so busy that their time in the dormitory was often misaligned, leaving them little opportunity to talk.
Saturday came quickly. Jiang Shiyu arrived at the competition venue early, preparing his makeup and changing clothes backstage, then rehearsing on the piano to familiarize himself with it.
The competition started promptly at 9:30. He drew the fifth spot to perform. He peeked out from behind the curtain, carefully searching the audience and spotted familiar faces in the fourth row: Li Muzi and Chen Xu. There was an empty seat next to them, which he had reserved for Shen Li.
He stared at the empty seat, his anxiety and nervousness before the competition sinking into a feeling of dejection.
Was he not coming?
But the ticket he had left on Shen Li’s desk was gone the next day. If he wasn’t coming, why did he take the ticket?
Feeling frustrated, he pulled down the curtain, his pale face looking somber in the dim light. He headed backstage, not watching where he was going, and bumped into someone. He apologized without looking up.
The person stood still, blocking his way.
Already in a bad mood, he looked up angrily, but his indignant expression froze instantly.
Shen Li’s tall figure stood out among the finely dressed performers backstage, looking somewhat out of place.
His gaze fell on the stunned Jiang Shiyu, his dark eyes flashing with a moment of amazement.
Shen Li had always known Jiang Shiyu was good-looking. Previously, his beauty was like that of a delicate ragdoll cat, charming and pitiful. Today, dressed in a small suit with his hair combed back, revealing his exquisite features, he looked like an elegant young prince.
Shen Li flicked his forehead. “What are you daydreaming about?”
Jiang Shiyu blinked and asked a somewhat silly question, “Why are you here?”
“Didn’t you invite me to watch the competition? Wasn’t the ticket on my desk from you?”
Jiang Shiyu was taken aback, paused for a second, and then asked, “But why are you backstage?”
People were bustling around backstage, and someone walking by told them to make way. Jiang Shiyu grabbed Shen Li’s sleeve and pulled him into a side area behind a curtain.
Although the backstage area was not small, it was crowded. The changing rooms were in short supply, so they had set up some curtained areas in the corners for use.
Everyone had already changed, and no one was around this area. Jiang Shiyu and Shen Li huddled in the corner, their breaths close, creating a suddenly intimate atmosphere.
He glanced at Shen Li, then looked away. His voice came out slow and low. “I thought you weren’t coming.”
Shen Li found his slightly pouty expression especially adorable. His heart was always moved by Jiang Shiyu’s different looks, and he couldn’t control it.
He rummaged in his pocket, took out a small box, and opened it in front of him.
Jiang Shiyu’s eyes had been following his hand since he started rummaging, pretending not to know, and asked, “What’s this?”
“A brooch I ordered a few days ago. I went to pick it up and got stuck in traffic, so I was a bit late.”
The person who was puffing up like an angry little pufferfish suddenly deflated and became a soft little bunny, a smile creeping across his face and his eyes sparkling.
Shen Li took out the brooch, a small and exquisite rose. “Shall I pin it on for you?”
Jiang Shiyu shyly pressed his lips together, a soft “hmm” escaping from between them.
Shen Li bent down to pin the brooch on him.
They were very close at this moment, their breaths mingling. Jiang Shiyu could see Shen Li’s profile, his features firm and clear, as he seriously pinned the brooch on him.
His large hands handled the delicate brooch carefully, like a big man threading a needle, yet he did it earnestly and meticulously.
The little rose was pinned to his chest, its dark red petals glistening under the light, adding a touch of brilliance to his plain suit.
Jiang Shiyu, hands behind his back, fingers intertwined, looked at the brooch on his chest and then at Shen Li. “Does it look good?”
“Yes,” he replied.
He had picked this brooch because he thought a rose should adorn a little prince like him.
Jiang Shiyu, pleased with the answer, smiled. The frustration from seeing the empty seat disappeared instantly, his fingers tapping idly.
Someone called for number five outside, and Jiang Shiyu didn’t react until Shen Li noticed the number pinned to his clothes and reminded him it was his turn.
He hurriedly answered and went out. He turned back after a few steps, seeing Shen Li still standing there.
“Don’t be nervous. I’ll be watching you from the audience.”
Jiang Shiyu didn’t say anything and was led away by a staff member.
Before going on stage, he took a deep breath in the waiting area. The host was introducing his upcoming performance.
He touched his chest, where his heart was beating fast, and silently encouraged himself not to be nervous. His hand brushed the little rose pinned there, which seemed to still carry Shen Li’s warmth, calming his nerves and steadying his heartbeat.
He walked on stage with a smile, his demeanor graceful as he nodded to the audience and then sat at the piano. His fingers lightly touched the black and white keys, and the music flowed from his fingertips.
Li Muzi and Shen Li had seen Jiang Shiyu play the piano before, but to Chen Xu, it was a revelation. He had been criticizing the previous performers, thinking they were nothing special, but when Jiang Shiyu started playing, he realized the difference between people.
As a sportsman, he didn’t have a refined appreciation for high art, but Jiang Shiyu’s performance was mesmerizing, like watching a master swordsman perform an elegant, flawless routine, touching not just his senses but his soul.
“Who would’ve thought,” Chen Xu mused, “Jiang Shiyu always seemed timid and delicate, but when he plays the piano, he really looks like a royal prince, elegant and noble, with enchanting music.”
Li Muzi glanced at him, thinking it was rare for himto say something so insightful.
Beyond Chen Xu, Li Muzi saw Shen Li staring intently at Jiang Shiyu on stage, his deep eyes filled with an intensity and desire he might not even realize.
Under the spotlight, Jiang Shiyu was a prince to be admired, bathed in a holy glow, his usual meek demeanor shedding away, revealing a poised and striking figure, like a blade drawn from its sheath, stunning everyone.
Shen Li noticed the audience’s captivated gazes, some filled with admiration, others with undisguised affection.
Two girls behind them were already whispering about asking him for his WeChat after the performance, one of them barely able to contain her excitement.
“Oh my god, he’s so handsome, like a little prince.”
“His piano playing is amazing. Do you think he’d accept flowers if I give them to him afterward?”
When the piece ended, the applause was thunderous, much louder than for the previous performers. Jiang Shiyu, oblivious to this, bowed and left the stage.
Chen Xu clapped along with the crowd, turning to talk to Shen Li. “Didn’t expect Jiang Shiyu to be so talented and popular.”
Chen Xu, being a bit dense, didn’t notice Shen Li’s increasingly dark expression and the dangerous aura around him, continuing to praise Jiang Shiyu’s piano skills, good looks, and the likelihood of many suitors now that he and Shen Li had broken up.
Before he could finish, Shen Li abruptly stood up, startling him.
“Hey, what are you doing?”
He didn’t answer, walking briskly away.
Chen Xu, confused, asked Li Muzi, “Where’s he going?”
Li Muzi crossed his arms and smiled, “Someone’s feeling the urgency now, I guess.”
As soon as Jiang Shiyu came off stage, his teachers and fellow contestants congratulated him on his flawless performance, assuring him he was likely to win.
He thanked them, saying everyone was excellent and they had to wait for the judges’ decision.
After some polite exchanges, he found a quiet corner to sit and finally let out a heavy sigh. The radiant prince from the stage seemed to deflate like a punctured balloon, hanging his head and lost in thought.
A few minutes later, he heard a rustling sound and looked up to see two girls a few steps away. One of them, holding flowers and blushing, was urged by her friend to approach him. When Jiang Shiyu raised his head, the girl’s face turned even redder, and she bit her lip, gathering her courage to step forward.
“I’ve been looking for you,” a male voice suddenly said. Shen Li parted the curtain and walked over, holding a small bouquet of orange roses.
Jiang Shiyu was stunned again, having just seen Shen Li in his seat.
“Why are you here again?”
Shen Li walked up and handed him the flowers. “To give you flowers, little pianist. Congratulations on your successful performance.”
Surprised to receive flowers, Jiang Shiyu’s face lit up with joy. “For me?”
“Yes. Do you like them?”
He brought the flowers to his nose, inhaling their faint fragrance, their vibrant orange hue delightful to him.
The two girls a few steps away saw someone else giving flowers first and felt the intimate atmosphere between the two. They exchanged glances and saw the same thought in each other’s eyes.
Are they… a couple?
Shen Li cast a brief, chilly glance at the girls, his brows raised.
Still not leaving?
“Shen Li, thank you. I really like them. They’re beautiful,” Jiang Shiyu said, his earlier tension dissolving. He hugged the flowers, beaming with happiness.
Shen Li, seeing his satisfaction, squinted slightly. An idea crossed his mind.
Is he really this easy to please?
During their inexplicable cold war, he had thought about just letting it go and making up with Jiang Shiyu by lowering his pride. But he couldn’t be sure how to approach him, so the situation dragged on.
If he knew it would be this simple, he would have patched things up right away.
“I’ve booked a Cantonese restaurant. Want to go there after this?”
Jiang Shiyu, still admiring the flowers, agreed without looking up. “Sure.”
Shen Li glanced past him at the two girls nearby, who quickly turned and left, feeling the cold tension in the air.
“What were you looking at?” Jiang Shiyu asked, following his gaze.
“Nothing. Is it time to announce the results? Let’s go; I’ll walk you to the stage.”
“Okay.”
Jiang Shiyu handed the flowers to him before going on stage, asking him not to crush them.
If he hadn’t bought the flowers himself, Shen Li might have been tempted to squash them out of jealousy.
“Got it, little prince. Go claim your crown.”
Hearing this, Jiang Shiyu blushed and said nothing, heading to the stage.