Chapter 7

On Saturday night, Zhao Jinglu hesitated for a long time in front of her wardrobe. In the end, she chose a white sweater and jeans that didn't look too forced, but a little more thoughtful than her usual school attire. She put on a school uniform jacket on top - this way, she looked more like she was just passing by.

A crowd had already gathered in the square in front of the gate. A small, makeshift stage, surrounded by warm yellow lights, and a system of lively warm-up music played, created a relaxed weekend atmosphere. Zhao Jinglu arrived not too late and found a spot near the front, but not too central, in the crowd, her gaze scanning the stage.

Soon, she spotted Xu Linjie. He was on stage with a few other boys, making final preparations. He was wearing a well-fitting black suit, a simple white shirt underneath, and no tie, looking both fresh and formal. He lowered his head, adjusting his clarinet reed with a focused expression, a stark contrast to his usual gentle demeanor in the classroom; he possessed a quiet, artistic air.

The performance began. The orchestra played a mix of classical music excerpts and adapted pop songs. Xu Linjie's clarinet solos weren't extensive, but each time he took his turn, he seamlessly integrated the melody. The notes flowed from his fingertips, melodious and full of emotion. The stage lights fell on him, outlining his silhouette.

Zhao Jinglu listened quietly. She watched Xu Linjie on the stage, lost in his musical world, feeling both unfamiliar and drawn in. This was a type of boy she had never encountered before—not loud or whimsical, but displaying his talent and charm in a calm manner.

The final piece was a lively jazz piece, featuring a lengthy solo by Xu Linjie. With his eyes slightly closed, his body swayed gently to the rhythm, his fingers moving deftly across the keys. His interpretation of the complex melody was fluid and passionate, drawing applause and whistles from the audience.

Zhao Jinglu also clapped her hands vigorously, feeling an inexplicable sense of pride in her heart.

The performance concluded, and the musicians stood up for their curtain calls. Xu Linjie's gaze swept across the audience, quickly settling on Zhao Jinglu. He smiled at her, his eyes bright, and mouthed, "Wait for me."

The crowd began to disperse. Zhao Jinglu stood there waiting, watching Xu Linjie exchange a few words with his teammates, then pick up his instrument case and walk toward her.

"How's it going? Is it still listenable?" He walked up to her, his tone light and slightly teasing after the performance. Looking closely, beads of sweat could be seen on his forehead.

"It's so beautiful!" Zhao Jinglu said sincerely, especially the last piece. "I didn't expect you to play jazz so well."

"I practiced for a long time and almost messed it up." Xu Linjie smiled, as if relieved. "Thank you for coming to see me."

"I agreed." Zhao Jinglu also smiled.

The night air was chilly, but the atmosphere was good. The two of them walked slowly out along the square, where a few scattered people still lingered and the sound of equipment being packed up could be heard.

"Aren't you cold wearing so little?" Xu Linjie glanced at her thin coat.

"I'm fine. I just finished a performance and I'm still a little excited," Zhao Jinglu said honestly, but her fingers were actually a little cold. She subconsciously put her hands in her coat pockets.

Xu Linjie noticed this small gesture. He stopped, put down his instrument case, opened it, and took out a heat pad. He handed it to her, "Here, luckily I brought a spare 'energy'. Put it on your sleeve quickly."

Zhao Jinglu took it in surprise. "You're wearing this during your performance?"

"I just stuffed it in my bag," he said naturally, putting the instrument case back on his shoulder and looking sideways at her with a gentle smile on his face. "I thought... in case someone who's afraid of the cold might need it."

Zhao Jinglu held the heat pack, warmth spreading from her palm. She whispered "thank you," feeling her cheeks burning slightly, but thankfully the darkness hid her embarrassment.

The two continued walking side by side, the atmosphere quiet and harmonious. After walking a short distance, Xu Linjie suddenly spoke softly, his voice lower and softer than usual:

"Actually... just now on stage, before the solo, I was quite nervous."

Zhao Jinglu turned to look at him in surprise: "I can't tell at all, you play the flute very steadily."

Xu Linjie smiled and looked at the road ahead illuminated by streetlights: "That's because I saw you smiling in the audience."

He paused, as if weighing his words, before continuing slowly, "I wonder if you've noticed that when you smile, your eyes curve like crescent moons. It's so... well, so contagious. It seems to make people forget their worries all at once."

Zhao Jinglu's heartbeat suddenly quickened. She held her breath and listened to him continue.

"So, at that moment, I suddenly felt there was nothing to be nervous about." His tone became very gentle, with a rare, undisguised sincerity. "And I found that as long as I saw you smile, I couldn't be serious with you. Normally, when I wanted to urge you to hand in your homework or discuss a difficult problem, as soon as I saw you smile, I... let it go."

After he finished speaking, he seemed a little embarrassed and raised his hand to touch the back of his neck. He didn't look at Zhao Jinglu, but his ears seemed to be slightly red under the street light.

These words weren't particularly passionate or direct, but like a gentle March rain, they left a trail of damp marks on Zhao Jinglu's heart. It turned out he'd noticed so many details, that her smile looked like this to him, and that behind his gentle tolerance lay such thoughts.

A mixture of surprise, shyness, and the joy of receiving sincere praise enveloped her. She lowered her head, looking at her and Xu Linjie's shadows, stretched and sometimes overlapping by the streetlights. Her heart softened, and the corners of her mouth curled up uncontrollably.

"I... I'm not that great." She muttered softly, but there was an unconcealable sweetness in her voice.

When Xu Linjie heard her words, he turned his head to look at her. Seeing her lowering her head and smiling softly, he couldn't help but laugh. The discomfort he had just felt seemed to dissipate: "You see, that's it."

The two smiled at each other, a tacit understanding and warmth flowing quietly in the air. The subtle speculation and temptation before seemed to have received some kind of gentle confirmation at this moment.

When they reached their separate platforms, the charming atmosphere still surrounded them.

"I'm really glad you can come today." He looked at her and said, the light in his eyes was warmer than the street light.

"I'm happy, too," Zhao Jinglu looked up at him, not avoiding his gaze this time. "I heard a great performance, and..." She paused, mustering the courage to add, "...and I learned that my laughter can actually help with nervousness."

Xu Linjie laughed out loud: "This is an exclusive secret recipe, only available in this store."

"...Then, see you on Monday?" Zhao Jinglu felt the heat rising on her face again.

"Okay, see you on Monday." Xu Linjie nodded, his eyes still softly fixed on her face.

This time, Zhao Jinglu didn't turn around immediately. She watched Xu Linjie walk in another direction until his back disappeared. Then she slowly lowered her head and tightly grasped the hot pack that was no longer too hot but still warmed her heart.

The night wind blew on her face, cool, but it couldn't blow away the surging, sweet heat in her heart. She knew that some things were really different from tonight.