Actually, I just want to find an excuse to give you a gift...
——Night Blue

Early in the morning, when I opened the door and was about to go to school, I unexpectedly saw Gu Yichen standing outside the door.
I rubbed my eyes, almost suspecting that I had seen it wrong.
How could he appear outside my house?
The sun was rising, and the light was a little cold, shining on his face, giving people a feeling of being unapproachable.
I stood there and looked at him quietly, and my heartbeat suddenly lost its original speed and accelerated instantly.
He clearly didn't look surprised when I told him what happened yesterday. So why is he appearing in front of me now?
I took a deep breath, smiled naturally, and walked over to greet him: "Good morning."
“Bang, bang!”
My heart was beating so fast I was almost afraid he would hear it.
Gu Yichen looked at me and revealed a smile that was different from usual. There was no more indifference and alienation in his smile, which made people feel inexplicably warm.
Am I dreaming?
But when I saw that smile, my cheeks couldn't help but turn red, and the temperature was so high that I could almost fry an egg on them.
"How about going to school together?"
As he spoke, without waiting for my answer, he had already walked towards the school, but very slowly.
Did he show up at my door just to go to school with me?
Looking at his figure getting farther and farther away, I was stunned for a long time before I hurriedly chased after him.
Along the way, I breathed in the fresh air desperately, letting my heartbeat gradually calm down, while reaching out my hand to secretly pat my flushed cheeks.
"Xia Zimu." Gu Yichen, who was walking in front of me, suddenly called out my name.
"Here!" I was startled and quickly stopped to answer seriously. My funny look made Gu Yichen laugh out loud.
I made a fool of myself again...
I bit my lower lip in annoyance, wishing I could find a hole in the ground to crawl into.
"It's still the same." Looking at me like this, Gu Yichen suddenly spoke.
There was a faint scent of flowers in the wind, and an inexplicable sweetness surged in my heart.
My cheeks were slightly hot and I looked at Gu Yichen with some doubts.
"Me...?" I had no idea what he was talking about, so I stretched out my hand and pointed at the tip of my nose.
"That's right." Gu Yichen's smile deepened, and his narrow eyes curved slightly, "You are the same as when you were a child, giving people a very warm feeling."
When I was young……
I staggered a few steps and looked at Gu Yichen in surprise.
He said when he was little!
But ... he clearly didn't react like this yesterday!
I tried to suppress my smile, but it seemed as if there was a transparent thread pulling the corners of my mouth, making it rise continuously.
Gu Yichen looked at me like this, and suddenly seemed to recall something, and asked in confusion: "By the way, I remember that at the last art exhibition, you walked towards me, as if you had something to say to me, but you were pulled away by Ye Lanluo, right?"
Last exhibition...
Uh, it’s about the last time I almost confessed to Gu Yichen !
Oh my God! He actually still remembers this!
What should I say? Should I say that I was going to tell him that I liked him?
This is absolutely not allowed!
Looking at Gu Yichen's puzzled eyes, I stammered, not knowing how to answer, and my cheeks, which had gradually returned to normal, became hot again.
"Ah...actually...that..." I tried desperately to find an excuse, but I became more and more flustered.
Suddenly, Gu Yichen's painting appeared in my mind.
I quickly let out a long sigh and replied eagerly, " Actually, I wanted to praise your painting in person! Haha! I saw it, it's a very good sketch!"
Gu Yichen raised his eyebrows slightly, stared at me for a long time, and finally shook his head helplessly and continued walking forward.
call……
I sighed and quietly wiped the sweat off my face behind him.
On a cool morning, occasionally the sound of birds chirping can be heard from the green trees.
Originally, the distance between home and school was not very far, but today, with Gu Yichen accompanying me, I suddenly felt that it was a very long road. Fortunately, Gu Yichen was not as taciturn as Ye Lanluo. He would tell me some interesting things, so the atmosphere was not so awkward.
But as soon as I entered the school, trouble started again.
Because I appeared with Gu Yichen, I was constantly under the gazes of my classmates. Gu Yichen acted as if it had nothing to do with him, but I was extremely depressed.
When I sat down in my seat, I couldn't help but let out a long sigh.
Xiaole actually asked with a gossipy look on his face: "You and Gu Yichen came together? What's going on?"
"It was just a coincidence..." I made up an excuse out of helplessness.
"Tsk!" Xiaole made such a sound, and then frowned, "Speaking of Gu Yichen, it reminds me that Su Xiyu is really annoying. She always looks superior."
“She’s actually pretty pitiful.”
Thinking of Su Xiyu, I couldn't help but fall into deep thought again.
In order to get revenge on me, she actually got together with someone she didn't like...
This feeling must be very bad, right?
Before Xiaole could complain, the teacher came in with a big smile on her face and announced a piece of news that made everyone excited.
"Classmates, the school will hold a three-legged race in a few days. As for partners, you can find them by yourself and pair up freely!"
"Wow!" Cheers and noise immediately rang out in the classroom.
The teacher looked at the students with a smile and did not stop them.
"Two people and three legs! I've already decided who to partner with!"
"I don't know if Gu Yichen will accept my invitation. I will definitely cooperate with him!" said a female classmate with hearts in her eyes.
"Don't even think about it. Gu Yichen is dating Su Xiyu. You should just partner up with him in the three-legged race in your dreams!"
The discussions and cheers became louder and louder, and finally stopped when the bell rang, but the whole classroom was still filled with a joyful atmosphere.
In class, Xiaole secretly covered his face with a book, turned to me and said, "Zimu, do you want to participate in this competition?"
I was taking notes when I heard this question. I paused thoughtfully and answered seriously, "I don't know... I'm a bit clumsy and I'm afraid of holding my companions back. I'll think about it."
"Oh..." Xiaole nodded, then said to me with a sly smile, "Don't you think this is a good opportunity? If you invite Gu Yichen or Ye Lanluo..." As she said that, she winked playfully.
“Swish!”
My face must look like a red apple at this moment.
Xiaole looked at me with a mischievous look , pursed his lips and kept laughing.
My eyes involuntarily looked in the direction of Gu Yichen.
He was originally listening to the class attentively, but for some reason, as if he felt my gaze , he turned his head instantly and met my gaze.
I was so surprised that I forgot to look away.
A breeze blew by, the curtains were lifted, and the sunlight fell in staggered patterns, as if it was a beautiful dream.
I turned back in panic and pressed my burning cheek against the cool table.
After school at noon, when Xiaole and I were heading to the cafeteria with our lunch boxes, we were blocked by someone.
Looking at that face, I suddenly felt overwhelmed.
It’s Su Xiyu again.
What is she going to do?
I planned to make peace and pull Xiaole's hand to walk around her, but I didn't expect her to stretch out her hand and stand directly in front of us.
"Hey!" I couldn't help but feel a little angry. I raised my eyelids and looked at her without giving in.
She said that if I didn't leave Ye Lanluo, she would make me regret it. But these days, I haven't had much contact with Ye Lanluo.
Just when I was about to express my doubts and nip any possible conflict in the bud, something surprising happened.
When I looked up, I realized that Su Xiyu, who usually glared at me, had a warm and beautiful smile on her face today, and was looking at me with a curved corner of her mouth.
Did I see it wrong?
But she really did smile without any malice!
I was soft-hearted and saw that her attitude was not as bad as usual. The alarm bells in my heart that had been ringing gradually fell silent. I asked politely, "Excuse me, what can I do for you?"
Xiaole also looked at Su Xiyu angrily, as if he didn't want to talk to her.
Su Xiyu didn't care about Xiaole's attitude at all. She kept staring at me, and her tone was unexpectedly gentle: "Actually, Zimu, I'm here to apologize for what happened yesterday."
My hand shook and the lunch box slipped down. I came to my senses in an instant and caught the lunch box that almost fell to the ground.
Xiaole was also surprised. He looked at Su Xiyu suspiciously, then sneered disdainfully: "What tricks are you playing?"
I touched Xiaole's arm a little embarrassedly, asking her not to do that, but I didn't expect Su Xiyu to suddenly put away her smile, looked at Xiaole coldly, and said word by word: "Is your name Xia Zimu?"
"Huh?" Xiaole didn't react at all and uttered this word in confusion.
"Tong Xiaole." Su Xiyu crossed her arms across her chest and narrowed her eyes dangerously. "I'm apologizing to Xia Zimu. It has nothing to do with you. You don't need to say anything more!"
Su Xiyu's voice left no room for negotiation and was so strong that it was shocking.
I stared at the scene in front of me in amazement.
Xiaole's face flushed first, then she glared at Su Xiyu fiercely and said to me, "Zimu, if you believe this man, you must be out of your mind!" After that, she left me alone and walked towards .
Su Xiyu looked in the direction where Xiaole left and raised her eyebrows with disdain.
I stood there awkwardly, not knowing what to say.
Su Xiyu turned around, smiled, and said sincerely: "I said a lot of excessive words yesterday, I hope you don't take it to heart. I came here specially to apologize today..." At this point, she blinked playfully, "You won't refuse, right?"
"No, it's okay." Looking at Xiaole's receding back, I answered somewhat unnaturally.
But……
I was still full of doubts and couldn't understand what was happening .
Why did Su Xiyu's attitude change so quickly?
I lowered my head in confusion and pretended to study my lunch box.
“In that case…” Su Xiyu suddenly drew out her voice, walked forward and held my arm intimately.
Her sudden action made me freeze there, but I didn't have the courage to push her away.
A faint scent of perfume wafted from her body.
"How about you and I partner up for the three-legged race?" she actually said in a coquettish tone.
“Bang!”
The poor lunch box couldn't escape the fate of falling to the ground.
The sound of the lunch box falling to the ground echoed throughout the silent corridor.
Su Xiyu seemed to be completely unaware of the change in my expression. She just stared at me, waiting for my answer.
"I...this competition...actually I don't want to..." I stammered, forcing a sincere smile.
Are you kidding me? I had no intention of participating in this competition, not to mention...
I timidly glanced at Su Xiyu who was holding my arm.
What’s more, I’m partnering with this person!
Before I finished speaking, Su Xiyu frowned. She moved closer to me and said in a voice full of grievance: "Zi Mu, you haven't forgiven me yet, right?"
"How is it possible..." I explained in panic.
"Then why didn't you agree?"
"This..." I turned my head to the side helplessly and looked at the scenery outside.
Su Xiyu stared at me without giving up.
One minute……
Two minutes...
three minutes……
Finally, I couldn't hold on any longer and replied with a sad face: "Okay, I promise, we will participate in the competition together."
"I knew you would agree." Su Xiyu let go of my arm instantly and raised her eyebrows. "I have already registered with the teacher. Let's work hard together then." After that, she didn't give me time to respond and left with light steps.
I stared at the poor lunch box on the ground, picked it up with a sigh, and walked towards the cafeteria.
"What—" Upon hearing the news, Xiaole slammed the table, stood up, and shouted, "You actually agreed to partner with her in the three-legged race?"
"Shh!" Her roar successfully attracted many people's attention. I quickly pulled her sleeve and said, "Can you keep your voice down?"
Xiaole glanced around and sat down.
"How could you, how could you..." Xiaole looked at me with disbelief and kept repeating himself to me.
"I had no choice." I recalled the scene just now and couldn't help but shudder.
Su Xiyu is really too abnormal.
But the most serious problem I have had since I was a child is that I am soft-hearted!
"She said that to me, I had no choice but to agree..." In order to avoid Xiaole's gaze, I quickly lowered my head and pretended to eat.
"Are you really sure she doesn't have ulterior motives?" Xiaole asked in a low voice.
"I have no idea."
"You..." Xiaole, who had a conflict with Su Xiyu, seemed to have not subsided yet, and was particularly prejudiced against Su Xiyu.
"But I promise I'll be careful!" Looking at Xiaole's wide-open eyes, I quickly comforted her.
Sure enough, facing me like this, Xiaole could only sigh and look at me with resentful eyes.
I quickly smiled ingratiatingly.
Xiaole was right. We had to be careful no matter what. After all, Su Xiyu's sudden enthusiasm was too abnormal.
After lunch, Xiaole went back to the classroom first, saying that he wanted to review his morning lessons.
I stood in the sun-filled corridor and suddenly remembered the piano music flowing in the air that day and the unforgettable smile on Ye Lanluo's lips.
The music classroom seems like a magical place that attracts me.
I curled the corners of my mouth, looked towards the music classroom, then took a step and walked towards it.
My footsteps echoed in the quiet corridor.
The afternoons at school are always exceptionally quiet.
There was an unignorable expectation in my heart, hoping that Ye Lanluo would sit there, with his slender fingers dancing skillfully on the black and white keys.
As I got closer to the music classroom, the curve of my mouth became bigger and bigger.
With anticipation, I gently pushed open the door of the music classroom.
The golden sunlight shines through the clean floor-to-ceiling windows onto the white tripod piano.
I opened my mouth in surprise.
There was a slender figure sitting quietly in front of the piano.
I quickened my pace and walked towards the man.
"night……"
As soon as the word came out of my mouth, I stopped abruptly.
The person in front of him was not Ye Lanluo.
I took a few steps closer and the man slowly turned around.
His dark eyes looked at me with a hint of surprise, and then he whispered, "Xia Zimu?"
I responded reluctantly, looking at his face in disbelief.
This person is Gu Yichen.
But at this moment, Gu Yichen looked particularly embarrassed. Not only were there traces of fighting on his clothes, but even his originally handsome face was covered in bruises and blood that had not yet dried.
"What... happened to you?" I moved closer to him cautiously, staring at the wound on his face in amazement.
Needless to say, he must have had a fight with someone.
But who could have made Gu Yichen so embarrassed?
When he saw me staring at the wound on his face with a dull look, he reached out his hand foolishly to touch it, but as soon as his fingers touched the gaping wound, he gasped in pain.
I looked at those scary wounds, my heart tightened, and I quickly turned around and ran to the infirmary: "I'll get you some medicine and gauze!"
"etc!"
My arm was suddenly grabbed.
I staggered and almost fell into Gu Yichen's arms due to inertia.
But……
For a moment, I could hardly move.
At this moment, Gu Yichen's face and I were only a few centimeters apart, and I could clearly see his thick eyelashes trembling slightly.
The sunlight outside the window shines warmly on us.
The air all around is extremely sweet.
My face, which turned red instantly, was reflected in his dark eyes.
"Yes, I'm sorry!" After I realized what was happening, I quickly stepped aside and apologized incoherently.
Woohoo, why do I always have to make a fool of myself in front of him?
Gu Yichen looked at my conflicted expression and suddenly smiled.
He stretched out his hand, patted the piano stool, and motioned for me to sit down.
I hesitated for a moment and finally sat next to him.
But what he said suddenly made my nerves, which had just relaxed, tense up again.
"You like me, don't you?" He turned and stared at me.
His eyes are as warm as the sunshine.
My hands, which were originally hanging at my sides, were clenched into fists.
Faced with such a question, I didn't know how to answer, but my heart was beating at an alarming speed.
Don’t I like him, this boy who has remained in my memory since childhood?
However, something in my subconscious seemed to be blocking me, preventing me from saying a positive answer.
"Actually, I know it's you." Seeing that I didn't answer, Gu Yichen continued to talk to himself, "When I was a child, the person who played hide-and-seek with me in the garden, I know it was you."
I took a deep breath and told myself to stay calm and continue listening.
"But... I always thought it was Su Xiyu." Thinking of this, he smiled bitterly, "So, I always mistakenly thought..."
Having said this, he suddenly stopped.
I remained silent, waiting for his story.
"That girl is you, isn't she?"
"Hmm..." I responded softly, not knowing what to say.
"Xia Zimu."
"Um."
"I like you, and the person I like is you."
"Ah?" I was still in a daze, but suddenly these words hit my heart.
Is he kidding?
But Gu Yichen looked so serious.
“Bang, bang!”
I could clearly hear my own heartbeat, but I didn't know how to respond to what Gu Yichen said.
I stood up suddenly from the piano stool, and in my panic, I accidentally pressed both hands on the keys.
The chaotic sounds stimulated my eardrums.
The echoes lingered around us for a long time.
Gu Yichen's eyes were fixed on my face.
Looking at Gu Yichen like that, I felt like I could hardly breathe.
Joy and panic were intertwined in my heart, but I still didn't know how to answer him.
Another strange feeling occupied a corner of my heart.
What does it feel like?
Obviously, I should be happy when Gu Yichen confessed to me, right?
This panic made it even more difficult for me to think and give Gu Yichen a perfect answer.
I took a few steps back suddenly.
"sorry!"
After leaving these three words in a panic, I ran out of the music classroom like a flash.
But I could still feel that, just like last time, Gu Yichen's gaze stayed on me for a long time.
Where to run?
I had no direction at all, wandering around the school like a headless fly, all I could see was Gu Yichen's expression when he confessed his love to me.
It was like there was a heavy stone pressing down on my already out-of-control heart, and every time I breathed I carried this inescapable weight.
I stopped and stood there in a daze.
Why do I feel this way?
Have I forgotten something important?
Gu Yichen said that I was the girl who played with him when we were little, so he must be the pretty boy. Getting Gu Yichen's confession should be what I have been looking forward to. I should be extremely happy...
Just as I was thinking about these things helplessly, I saw a familiar figure sitting on the bench under the willow tree in front of me.
I looked carefully, and the heaviness in my heart suddenly disappeared by a large margin.
It’s Ye Lanluo whom I haven’t seen for many days!
I moved closer to him with joy.
The sunlight shone on his body through the gaps between the willow branches, and from a distance it looked like a dreamy painting.
Hearing the footsteps approaching, Ye Lanluo looked up in surprise.
My smile suddenly froze on my face.
How is this going?
I stared at Ye Lanluo's face in shock , almost speechless.
He turned his head away somewhat embarrassedly, his shoulders trembling slightly.
Ye Lanluo's face was also covered with scars from the fight, but they were lighter than Gu Yichen's, but still extremely obvious.
"Did you... also fight with someone?" I approached Ye Lanluo cautiously.
Ye Lanluo did not turn around . After a while, he nodded.
I don't know how long it took before he seemed to come to his senses and repeated with a hint of amusement: "Also?"
"Yes..." I stared at Ye Lanluo and answered in a low voice, "Just now I saw that Gu Yichen's face was also covered with scars."
After a while, I heard a very light sigh.
I looked up in a daze, not sure if the sigh came from Ye Lanluo's mouth.
The air was filled with the fresh scent of leaves, mixed with the fragrance of flowers brought by the breeze.
This scene reminded me of that evening many years ago .
"Ye Lanluo." My voice was filled with a hint of anticipation. "Do you still remember me?" After a pause, I added uneasily, "When I was a kid, we were together..."
"Remember." Before I could finish my words, he interrupted me neatly.
I couldn't believe he was so sure. Just as I was about to continue asking, I heard him say, " I recognized you when I first saw you."
The sky in the distance was dyed a brilliant golden color by the sun. I held my breath and stared at the gorgeous color. In the sunlight, Ye Lanluo's slender figure seemed like a phantom in a dream, and it would disappear as long as I blinked.
Is what he said true?
At first sight, did he recognize me at first sight?
I couldn't bear to break the tranquility at the moment. It was the first time I got along with Ye Lanluo. We were speechless but there was no awkward atmosphere.
I capture the sweetness and joy in the air and carefully hide them deep in my heart.
I don’t know why, but when I heard Ye Lanluo say this, I suddenly felt that our relationship was much closer !
Will it continue like this? If time stops at this moment, it would be a very good thing!
I smiled and turned around to look at Ye Lanluo.
The wound on his face had split open at some point, and bright red blood was oozing out.
I panicked and suddenly remembered that I had wet wipes in my pocket. I quickly took them out and hurriedly tore open the package.
"It must be very painful, right?" I couldn't help but ask as I looked at the bleeding areas.
"It's okay." Unexpectedly, Ye Lanluo showed a cool expression, as if this injury was not worth mentioning to him.
"Why do you want to fight with others?" I wiped the wound on his face very gently with a wet wipe.
Unexpectedly, Ye Lanluo closed his mouth tightly again.
This guy!
I feel a little helpless.
It seems that if he doesn't want to say it, no one can force him to say it!
When I finished one wet wipe and was about to switch to another, I realized something terrible—Ye Lanluo and I were so close...
Because I was cleaning his wound, my hand gently touched his cheek, and his skin was very delicate.
His eyes were as dark as Gu Yichen's, but deeper than Gu Yichen's.
The moment I met those eyes, my hands began to tremble .
nervous!
It must be because of nervousness!
I squinted my eyes slightly and took a deep breath.
I'm just helping Ye Lanluo wipe the wound, there's nothing to be nervous about!
My cheeks quickly became hot again.
Just then, a soft guitar music sounded from the school radio, and the music lingered quietly around us.
"Today... just now, Gu Yichen confessed his love to me."
I don't know why I said such a thing.
Ye Lanluo trembled slightly, looked at me with an extremely complicated expression, but did not speak.
But I became more and more nervous.
The summer wind blew with warmth, caressing my flushed cheeks and lifting my night blue and shiny black hair.
Suddenly I remembered what Xiaole said before, asking me if I would find Ye Lanluo or Gu Yichen to partner up in the three-legged race.
I quietly looked at Ye Lanluo beside me...
Will he participate in the three-legged race?
Curious, I finally asked, "Ye Lanluo, will you participate in the three-legged race?"
If you participate, who will you choose as your partner?
I didn't ask the second question.
Ye Lanluo finally turned around, gave me a funny look, and replied briefly: "I won't participate."
"Oh, I see..." I replied hesitantly.
Not attending...
After hearing the news, I didn’t know whether to be happy or sad.
"Do you want to participate?" Seeing my wooden expression, Ye Lanluo actually asked a rare question.
"Uh...right." I suddenly moved closer to him and said seriously, "I will participate in the three-legged race. How about you go and cheer for me?"
He looked at me and didn't respond.
For some unknown reason, we fell into silence again.
I don't know what went wrong.
I still can't figure out his personality...
Thinking of this, I feel helpless.
The corners of Ye Lanluo's mouth twitched, and he looked like...
I thought about it carefully.
Try your best to hold back your smile!
At that moment, it dawned on me.
He didn't answer me. Was he laughing at me? And was he laughing at me secretly so as not to hurt my self-esteem?
"Hey!" I poked his shoulder with my finger in dissatisfaction, "Is this really that funny?"
" Not bad." Noticing my dissatisfaction, he quickly restrained his smile and spoke in a serious tone.
Looking at Ye Lanluo, who looked a little awkward but extremely cute, I couldn't help but smile.
But I still couldn't help but be very curious about why he laughed at me: "Hey, what's so funny?"
"Because you look stupid." This time he said it fluently and naturally without hesitation or pause.
He said I was stupid...
I looked at him with both anger and amusement, not knowing how to answer.
My heart feels warm, as if I'm soaking in a comfortable hot spring.
I suddenly realized that the smile on Ye Lanluo's mouth was exactly the same as the one I saw in the music classroom that day.
What kind of thing could make him smile like that?
Although he usually has a blank expression on his face, does he know that when he smiles like this, it's really hard for people to look away?
For some reason, whenever I see Ye Lanluo like this, his face overlaps with the face of the beautiful boy from my childhood.
Seeing that he was in a rare good mood, I still didn't give up the idea of ​​asking him to cheer me up. After threats and inducements had no effect, I said viciously: "How about we make a bet?"
There was a glimmer of interest in Ye Lanluo's eyes , but he still asked calmly, "What?"
"If I can get a ranking, it will prove that I am not a fool. If I get a ranking..." I suddenly stopped here.
What if I get a rank?
I racked my brains to think about this problem, but I felt that none of my methods was the most appropriate.
Ye Lanluo, who had been silent on the side, suddenly said, "How about the gift?"
Well?
Gift?
what gift?
My curiosity suddenly arose.
"If you get a rank, I will give you a gift." Seeing my puzzled look, he explained with a smile.
"It's a deal!" Fearing that he would go back on his word, I quickly stretched out my little finger and held it high in front of him.
Ye Lanluo gave me a gift...
I pursed my lips in pleasure.
This is really a rare opportunity.
Ye Lanluo stopped moving and just stood there, staring at my little finger in a trance.
Just when I was about to pull my hand back in embarrassment, he slowly reached out his hand and gently hooked my little finger.
I don’t know if I was hallucinating at that time, but I actually saw a suspicious blush on his cheeks.