When you
The door hinge creaked slightly, opening up a room of silence.
The afterglow of the setting sun shone in through the window, casting long, warm spots of light on the concrete floor. Tiny dust particles floated in the air, dancing slowly in the beam of light.
Lin Xiyan sat on the edge of the bed, his back to the door, slightly hunched. He was barefoot, wearing only his baggy, worn T-shirt, revealing his arms, wrapped in white gauze, and his thin neck. His head was lowered, his gaze fixed on his huddled toes. He didn't know how long he had been in this daze. He looked like a statue forgotten in a corner of time, shrouded in a lingering, quiet loneliness.
Jiang Yibai's heart seemed to be silently gripped by that figure, tightening slightly. He walked in with light steps, closing the door gently behind him, blocking out the faint noise in the corridor outside.
He gently placed the thermos and bag in his hands on the table, but his eyes never left the dazed figure.
He had brought his guitar with him today. He hadn't decided whether to play it, but he subconsciously felt that music might bring people closer than mere words.
At this moment, looking at Lin Xiyan immersed in his own world, that thought became clear.
He didn't make a sound to interrupt, but quietly took off the guitar case he was carrying, opened it, and took out the well-maintained acoustic guitar inside. He leaned over the table, adjusted the strap, and casually plucked the strings with his fingers.
Buzz——
A few scattered, clear notes abruptly broke the silence in the room.
Lin Xiyan felt as if he had been suddenly pulled out of deep water. His shoulders trembled slightly and he turned around suddenly. Seeing that it was Jiang Yibai, a trace of panic flashed in his eyes, like a child who had done something wrong and subconsciously wanted to stand up.
"Don't move," Jiang Yibai said, his voice low but strangely soothing. He held his guitar in his arms, walked over to the bed, and sat down next to Lin Xiyan. The mattress sank under his weight.
Lin Xiyan's body stiffened a little. She looked at the guitar in his hand with a puzzled and bewildered look in her eyes. "You..."
Jiang Yibai tilted his head and smiled at him. The golden light of the setting sun fell on his face, softening the usually cold and hard lines, and even his purple eyes seemed to be filled with warm honey. He didn't explain, but spoke in a matter-of-fact, soft and sticky tone, as if announcing something that was natural:
"Sing a song for my wife."
Lin Xiyan's eyes widened instantly, his amber pupils clearly reflecting Jiang Yibai's smiling face. "Wife..." Those two words, like scorching heat, suddenly slammed into his heart, stirring up a raging wave. His cheeks, ears, and neck burned red at a visible speed, and he forgot even to breathe.
Jiang Yibai looked at his instantly mature, dazed expression, the smile on his lips deepening, his heart softening. He stopped teasing him, fearing he'd scare him away. He simply lowered his head, his slender fingers gently touching the strings, testing a few notes.
The clear and melodious guitar sound poured out like flowing water, completely different from his usual cold appearance, with a gentle magnetism.
The prelude slowly began, a soothing yet somewhat soulful melody. He cleared his throat slightly and raised his eyes. His gaze, like a soft spider web, enveloped the completely frozen figure beside him.
"If one day, I could go back to the past..."
He began to sing. His voice was low, a little hoarse, yet incredibly gentle, each word enunciated clearly and with a solemnity. It didn't feel like a performance, more like a narrative. His gaze remained fixed on Lin Xiyan.
"If I go back to my original self, would you think I'm good..."
Lin Xiyan was completely stunned. His mind was blank, and he could only passively stare at Jiang Yibai's face, so close to him, and listen to the gentle, dreamlike singing and guitar music. His heart had lost its normal rhythm, pounding wildly and chaotically against his chest, making his whole body numb.
Jiang Yibai...was singing to him? Playing guitar...singing "When You"? And calling him...wife?
The world seemed to have been muted, all background noise vanishing, leaving only the clear plucked guitar strings and Jiang Yibai's soft, focused voice. Every note, every word, felt like a tiny hook, precisely catching the softest, most vulnerable spot in his heart.
"When your eyes are narrowed and you smile, when you drink Coke, when you quarrel..."
When singing this line, Jiang Yibai's mouth curved into a gentle arc, and his purple eyes narrowed slightly, as if he had really seen those scenes. His eyes swept over Lin Xiyan's flushed cheeks and eyes that were slightly widened in surprise.
Lin Xiyan felt uncomfortable being stared at by him, her heart beating so fast that she almost suffocated. She subconsciously wanted to lower her head to avoid that overly direct and hot gaze.
"I want to tell you, but I'm afraid I'll say it wrong. I love you so much, do you know..."
As the climax arrives, Jiang Yibai's voice is infused with a stronger emotion, no longer a plain narration, but with an irrepressible, surging sincerity. The guitar accompaniment also becomes fuller and more soulful.
His singing was not particularly skillful, and occasionally one or two notes even trembled slightly, but the naked love and tenderness contained in it were more impactful than any perfect singing.
Lin Xiyan felt a sharp pain in his nose, and his vision blurred instantly. He hurriedly lowered his eyelashes, trying to hide it, but he couldn't control the rapidly gathering moisture.
No one had ever done anything like this for him. No one had ever played guitar for him, no one had ever sung for him, and no one had ever presented him with such direct and passionate love.
The lyrics, simple, were like keys, roughly yet gently prying open the tightly closed door of his heart. The cold, lonely walls crumbled under the gentle song, revealing a tenderness and longing never before revealed.
Jiang Yibai saw his red eyes and slightly trembling eyelashes, but his singing didn't stop, but became even more gentle. He leaned forward, his knees gently touching Lin Xiyan's knees, and continued singing, his eyes seemingly glued to his face.
"When your eyes are narrowed and you smile, when you drink Coke, when you quarrel..."
He repeated the chorus again, this time singing it more slowly and with more affection, each word as if carefully ironed on the tip of his tongue before being delivered with great care.
The guitar's sound gradually faded, the last note slowly fading from his fingertips, the lingering sound lingering in the quiet room.
The singing stopped, but the atmosphere of tenderness did not dissipate immediately.
Jiang Yibai put down his guitar and gently leaned it against the bed. He didn't say anything, just looked at Lin Xiyan. He looked at his drooping, wet-lashed eyes, at his flushed cheeks, at his fingers unconsciously clutching the sheets.
The room was so quiet that you could hear each other's breathing.
After a long while, Jiang Yibai reached out his hand, not to touch his face, but very lightly touched the back of Lin Xiyan's uninjured left hand on the bed sheet with his fingers.
The fingertips are warm.
Lin Xiyan's fingers trembled violently, but he did not dodge.
"Does it sound good?" Jiang Yibai asked, his voice even lower and hoarse than when he was singing just now, with a little bit of subtle nervousness and anticipation, like a child waiting for praise after showing off a treasure.
Lin Xiyan's Adam's apple rolled, and his nasal cavity was severely blocked. He tried his best to suppress the sob in his throat. After several seconds, he nodded very lightly, so lightly that it was almost imperceptible.
"...Hmm." A single syllable with a strong nasal tone was squeezed out from the throat with difficulty.
Jiang Yibai looked at him, almost crying but forcing himself to hold back, nodding his head and saying "yes". The nervousness in his heart was instantly replaced by a surge of heartache and love. He couldn't hold it in any longer, so he reached out and carefully pulled him into his arms.
The movements were incredibly gentle, completely avoiding all of his injuries.
Lin Xiyan's body stiffened for a moment, then, as if all his strength had been drained away, he rested his forehead lightly on Jiang Yibai's shoulder. His warm body temperature and clean breath enveloped him tightly, and the subtle vibrations of the guitar strings seemed to linger in the air.
Jiang Yibai felt a faint, damp and warm touch from the fabric on his shoulders.
He didn't move or speak, but just tightened his arms and rubbed his chin gently against the top of Lin Xiyan's soft head.
The last rays of sunset cast their embracing shadows on the wall, stretching them very long.
After a long silence, Jiang Yibai whispered in his ear:
"Then... from now on, I'll only sing for you, okay?"
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