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For a long time, neither of them spoke.

Nan Ke was considering how to start the conversation when he heard the person opposite him speak.

"You may not remember, but you once heard me play the piano and said... 'So just making no mistakes and having no emotion can be considered genius.'"

Nan Ke felt inexplicably embarrassed when the old things were suddenly brought up.

But when she looked across at him, knowing that he couldn't see her expression, she felt inexplicably safe.

"I remember..." However, as soon as she opened her mouth, her tone revealed her guilty conscience.

"Ahem... maybe it's too late for me to apologize to you."

"No." Quan Xiu smiled faintly and shook his head: "Your evaluation of me back then was not wrong, it was me who thought too highly of myself."

He asked, "I brought this up because I wanted to ask you, do you really think my performance today is okay?"

Nan Ke smiled and relaxed.

"So you thought I was just being perfunctory with you."

She finally understood that Quan Xiu's persistent questioning of her true feelings about the performance was actually due to her rude comments many years ago.

Nan Ke said helplessly, "I was young at the time and didn't hold back. You probably know my relationship with my parents. It was at its worst during that time. I couldn't stand anyone close to them. Believe me, you're not the only one who suffered this."

Quan Xiu lowered his head slightly. Nan Ke was inexplicably panicked and didn't know what he was thinking.

"I...I apologize to you." She began tentatively.

"I don't blame you."

Quan Xiu raised his head and smiled at her position: "If you remember that incident, you should not have forgotten it. I was so angry with you at that time that I fought back on the spot."

Nan Ke also laughed: "Of course, your fierce and aggressive look is unforgettable."

In fact, Nan Ke successfully remembered Quan Xiu's arrogant look at that time.

His parents hosted a banquet and invited friends to their villa for a small gathering. Quan Xiu happened to have just finished a concert, so when he arrived, he was naturally praised by everyone like a star.

Someone suggested that he play a song. Quan Xiu was probably pleased by their words and agreed on the spot like a proud puppy with its tail raised.

His performance was brilliant in the eyes of others.

Quan Xiu happened to find Nan Ke, who was in the worst mood at the time, and asked her what she thought of his playing.

Nan Ke refused to give in to him and just exaggerated what was in her heart. Quan Xiu was stunned when he heard it.

Then his pretty face turned red, he was extremely angry, but it was obvious that he didn't know how to fight back.

Nan Ke guessed that someone like Quan Xiu had never been denied in person like this since he was a child.

In the end, Quan Xiu only found the phrase "Wild boars can't eat fine bran" in his mind, clenched his fist and cursed, then left the table angrily.

The scene is ugly.

Nan Ke didn't feel that he was hurt by what he said.

In fact, to this day, her parents' expressions left a deeper impression on her than Quan Xiu's various extreme reactions at that time.

Quan Xiu smiled helplessly: "Please just forget it."

He said, "I know you said that with prejudice against me, but it wasn't a lie."

Nan Ke remained silent. Now facing Quan Xiu, she naturally would not say such inappropriate words as before.

Although the original remarks seemed to be a vent of anger, they were not entirely nonsense.

At that time, she really felt that Quan Xiu's piano playing was only skillful but without emotion.

"The past is the past. From the music you play today, I can feel your emotions, your memories, and everything you want to express."

Quan Xiu's eyes became brighter and brighter, and Nan Ke suddenly thought he was about to cry.

She immediately said, "I suppose the same must be true for the rest of your audience."

Quan Xiu pursed his lips and said, "What others think is not important to me. I just want you to hear it."

"You succeeded." Nan Ke raised his eyebrows noncommittally and said, "I am deeply impressed by your music."

Quan Xiu said softly: "Really?"

"I cheated you and I didn't get any money."

Quan Xiu laughed out loud.

Nan Ke was curious about his behavior today: "You took the initiative to contact Su Su, because you want to challenge my judgment of you so long ago? Do you want to prove your ability to me?"

Quan Xiu paused and said, "Maybe that's part of the reason. Maybe it's not that complicated. Maybe I just want to play the song I should have played back then again... for you."

This time it was Nan Ke's turn to remain silent.

It only took the time of one song for Nan Ke to see his sincerity.

You can even get a glimpse into his soul from what he wants to express.

Nan Ke spoke softly and finally asked the question.

"What's wrong with your eyes?"

Quan Xiu lowered his head slightly, and Nan Ke immediately spoke to comfort him: "If you don't want to talk, you don't have to answer me."

"No, I didn't think you'd ask."

Nan Ke blinked and said, "I'm sorry, I haven't checked any information about you online. Again, if you don't want to talk about it—"

"It's nothing." Quan Xiu said, "My sister and I had an accident. My sister passed away, and I injured my eye."

In just a few words, he lightly summarized the pain that he could not bear to look back on.

Nan Ke asked: "Is there any possibility of recovery?"

Quan Xiu smiled and said, "I can't say for sure, but at least there is no such possibility at the moment."

Nan Ke saw him laughing, but he couldn't laugh himself.

"I can help you find a reputable doctor. Although I don't have any connections in that area, I can ask someone. I'll also keep an eye on it. If you need any help, feel free to ask."

"I've seen many doctors, and they all came to similar conclusions. I'm pretty much used to it, but it's just a little inconvenient in my daily life."

Quan Xiu said playfully, "At least even though I can't see anymore, I can play the piano with more emotion than before, right?"

Nan Ke couldn't laugh, "But I heard that you almost don't play it anymore."

There was embarrassment on Quan Xiu's face as if he had been exposed, but fortunately it disappeared in an instant.

"I'm not in a good condition to perform right now. I'm lucky I didn't cause any trouble for them."

Nan Ke's eyes showed reluctance, and suddenly he smiled: "Then you are the same as me."

During meals, Nan Ke would help Quan Xiu set the table. She found that Quan Xiu was not as flustered and at a loss as she had imagined. Perhaps, as he said, he had become accustomed to this kind of life.

"Are your eyes... completely blind?"

Nan Ke didn't want to keep the topic fixed on his eyes, but she had already decided to consult with many parties for Quan Xiu, and felt obligated to get more details.

Fortunately, Quan Xiu didn't seem to mind and answered the question calmly: "Actually, I can feel a blurry shadow, like layers of film covering my eyes."

Nan Ke comforted him: "Although I don't understand, it sounds like a good thing."

Quan Xiu didn't agree with her and said, "I personally don't hold out hope. That way, maybe one day I'll wake up and see it, and that would be a surprise."

Nan Ke smiled: "You are much stronger than I thought."

Quan Xiu looked a little embarrassed: "It seems that the last time we met, I didn't leave a very good impression on you."

Nan Ke laughed.

Quan Xiu said, "You are much more optimistic than I thought."

Nan Ke suddenly became quiet.

In fact, most of the time, the optimistic person is not her, but Xing Chen.

She is an absolute pessimist and tends to think of the worst outcome in everything.

"Why do you say that?"

"Feel."

Quan Xiu said, "It feels like your life is fulfilling, your attitude is positive, and your mood is good. This is a good sign."

Nan Ke suddenly realized that Quan Xiu’s feeling was not wrong.

But in fact, the state he described was completely inconsistent with Nan Ke before he met him today.

To be precise, the Nan Ke he felt was the Nan Ke after she met him.

When Xing Chen was still around, he noticed that she always felt tired, bored, and had no interest in anything.

I tried all sorts of ways to cheer her up, but to no avail.

Nan Ke thought that this was not a good phenomenon.

…

Maybe.

Maybe not.

She tucked the hair that had fallen from her ears behind her ears and lowered her head to eat.

Quan Xiu was very sensitive: "Sorry, did I say something wrong?"

"No." Nan Ke changed the subject directly: "What do you like to eat the most?"

There was a moment of confusion on Quan Xiu's face, and then he answered her question obediently.

The two of them went back and forth, answering every question.

What you like, what you hate, what you can't stand, what you can endure, these things that should have been experienced bit by bit in the long-term life are now revealed in your words and my words.

Quan Xiu suffered a little more than Nan Ke.

Nan Ke could tell from Quan Xiu's expression whether what he said was sincere or just to save face, but Quan Xiu...

He could only believe whatever Nan Ke said, there was no other way.

After dinner, Nan Ke kindly asked if he needed to go to the bathroom with her.

Perhaps because they were talking freely at the dinner table, Nan Ke didn't think that this question was actually a bit too much.

She reacted after seeing Quan Xiu blushing.

"I'm sorry, I...I meant no harm."

Quan Xiu shook his head slightly: "Just let the waiter help lead the way."

Nan Ke immediately called the waiter for him. After the waiter left, he felt upset at himself for not thinking before speaking.

But thinking of everything that happened today and meeting Quan Xiu, he couldn't help but curl the corners of his lips.

Just as I was thinking about it, my phone vibrated. It was Xing Chen who sent me several messages in succession.

Ask her if she has arrived home, if she has eaten, and what she has eaten.

Finally, there is a voice message.

There was the sound of insects chirping in the silence ahead, and after a few seconds, Xing Chen's voice appeared.

"Baby, do you hear that? We have frogs croaking here."

Nan Ke replied with an "hmm" emoticon.

Xing Chen quickly sent the previous questions again.

Nan Ke replied: "I'm tired, I'm going to sleep."