Chapter 64: Forbidden to Fall in Love
Peng Chengyi's eyes widened in disbelief, and he moved his lips, momentarily at a loss for words. He'd been elusive and rarely in the dorm for the entire week, and it turned out he'd been tinkering with this?
After a long while, she finally found her words and slowly walked into the rehearsal room, her voice still carrying a hint of disbelief: "How did you do that? This place... these equipment..."
Chen Yubai leaned against the wall, the lamplight casting a soft shadow on his silhouette. A lazy smile played on his lips as he said casually, "Simple, as long as you have money."
"……Oh."
That dog, he's got it again!
Peng Chengyi scoffed, but couldn't suppress the corners of her mouth from turning up.
She glanced at the familiar blue guitar and pressed, "Is this the first Gibson you bought? When did you bring it to school?"
"I had my mom send it over a couple of days ago so it would be easier to write songs." Chen Yubai paused, then explained casually, "Now that the band is back, let's just do original music. What's the point of always playing other people's songs?"
Peng Chengyi paused slightly, her eyes suddenly ignited as if by a spark: "Original band... then will we have the opportunity to perform in livehouses in the future?"
"If you have fans, it's theoretically possible."
“Then we can create a band account first! We can record rehearsal videos and post them online, gradually building up our fanbase!” She became more and more excited as she spoke, spontaneously envisioning and planning for the future. “Tomorrow, the band can meet up first…”
At this point, she suddenly remembered something, her voice trailing off as she awkwardly pursed her lips: "Oh... tomorrow won't work, I have to attend the band rehearsal for the freshman welcome party first..."
Chen Yubai didn't speak, but just looked at her quietly, raising his eyebrows slightly.
Peng Chengyi immediately raised her finger, her eyes sparkling as she looked at him, her tone solemn as if she were making a vow: "I'll act in this scene with them! After all, I promised, and I'll return to After School right after the performance!"
Looking at her serious little face, Chen Yubai finally couldn't hold back anymore, chuckled, and reached out to press down her raised fingers one by one: "Okay, it's a deal. I'll wait until you finish acting."
His fingertips were slightly warm, and when touched, they brought a subtle itch, like a feather brushing against the skin.
Peng Chengyi's heart skipped a beat for no reason. She quickly withdrew her hand and glanced down at her watch, pretending to be nonchalant: "Ah, it's almost lights out. I have to hurry back to the dorm."
"Let's go." Chen Yubai turned off the lights in the rehearsal room, and darkness instantly enveloped the two of them softly. "Send me your class schedule later, and I'll see when the band's rehearsal time would be more suitable."
“Okay.” Peng Chengyi nodded, then remembered to ask, “Shouldn’t we create a group chat for the band first? So I can get to know the drummer and keyboardist…are they boys or girls?”
"Boys." He closed the rehearsal room door and said lazily, "There's no need for a group chat. We can get to know each other during rehearsal."
Although she felt that having a group chat would be more convenient, since he was the one who reorganized the band this time, she could only listen to his arrangements and nodded: "Okay."
-
Soon, the day of the welcome party arrived.
Stage lights streamed in through the gaps in the curtain, casting shadows on the floor and making Peng Chengyi's heart tighten.
She stole a glance at the audience below; the sea of heads rose and fell like waves, making her breath shallow.
To make matters worse, Chen Yubai wasn't with her this time, and she wasn't particularly familiar with the current band members.
The truth in his heart was immediately revealed, so he could only shrink behind the curtain, secretly draw the character "人" (person) in his palm, and swallow it down.
"What are you doing hiding here?" Ke Xingjian's smiling voice suddenly rang out from behind her.
Peng Chengyi's hand trembled, and he hurriedly closed his palms and turned around, forcing an awkward smile: "N-nothing."
If people find out that she's an adult and still doing such childish things, it would be incredibly embarrassing.
Ke Xingjian glanced at her tense lips and slightly reddened ear tips, and raised an eyebrow: "Nervous?"
"It's alright," she said, pursing her lips and trying to sound calm. "After all, it's not my first time performing here."
Ke Xingjian smiled noncommittally and took out a small tin box from his pocket: "Want some candy? I always have one before going on stage."
"What candy?" Peng Chengyi blinked, somewhat surprised.
"Lemon candy," he said, handing the candy box to her.
“…Thank you.” Peng Chengyi hesitated for two seconds, then reached out, took the pill, and popped it into her mouth.
The cool, sweet and sour sensation spread across her tongue and slid down her throat, managing to relax her tense nerves a little.
"Senior, you have so much performance experience, are you still nervous on stage?" she couldn't help but ask.
“I’m not nervous. This candy is for staying awake.” Ke Xingjian smiled casually. “When I used to perform at livehouses, many of them were in the middle of the night, and I was often so sleepy.”
"..."
Can you still feel sleepy before going on stage?
This incredible sense of relaxation is almost comparable to that of a certain dog.
Peng Chengyi silently complained to herself when her phone suddenly vibrated in her pocket. She took it out and saw it was the person she was thinking about right now—
Chen Yubai: "Have you performed it yet?"
Peng Chengyi: "You're coming?"
Chen Yubai: "I was just passing by the auditorium entrance and thought I'd ask."
Peng Chengyi paused for a moment, then couldn't help but curl the corners of her lips into a smile: "You're really lucky to be passing by; we're next."
Chen Yubai: "Oh, are you nervous now?"
Peng Chengyi: "I'm alright. I just ate the lemon candy that Senior Ke gave me, and I feel refreshed now."
Chen Yubai: "...Stop stuffing everything into your mouth, can't you be a little more careful?"
Peng Chengyi gave a speechless twitch of her lips, her fingertips tapping rapidly on the screen as she replied, "...I've noticed you seem to have a bit of a paranoia."
Chen Yubai: "Just a friendly reminder"
Peng Chengyi: "Save your breath, I'm not a primary school student."
Chen Yubai: "You're about the same age as an elementary school student."
Peng Chengyi: "You're just a primary school student!"
Peng Chengyi: "Stupid elementary school student!"
Enraged by his barrage of insults, she completely forgot her nervousness until she heard Ke Xingjian's voice calling out, "Peng Chengyi, it's our turn to go on stage."
"Oh, here it comes!"
She quickly typed a "I'll smash your head in" emoji in the chat box, then stuffed her phone back into her coat pocket and slung her guitar over her shoulder.
The moment I stepped onto the stage, the lights suddenly blazed on, so intense that it was almost blinding.
Peng Chengyi subconsciously looked down at the audience, trying to spot a familiar figure.
Unfortunately, the stage lights were too strong, and only a few faces in the front row could be recognized; everything behind them was a blurry, dark mass.
I have no idea whether he actually came in or not.
Forget it, I don't care if he's here or not.
Peng Chengyi composed himself, took a slight breath, and paused his fingertips on the strings.
The drumbeats began, and she lowered her head, the first clear chord resonating in the air.
As soon as the music started, she gradually got into the zone, and her strumming became more and more steady.
As the band's last note faded, a burst of enthusiastic cheers erupted from the audience, with applause surging like waves. Some girls even screamed Ke Xingjian's name.
Peng Chengyi raised her hand to wipe the fine sweat from her forehead, her heart still pounding. Out of the corner of her eye, she seemed to catch a glimpse of a familiar, tall figure slowly rising from an inconspicuous corner at the back of the audience and walking straight toward the back door.
...Is it Chen Yubai?
She unconsciously stared in that direction until someone gently patted her shoulder.
"You played very well, junior." Ke Xingjian turned his head and smiled at her, his forehead hair was damp with sweat, and his eyes shone brightly in the peripheral light of the stage.
Peng Chengyi snapped back to reality, hastily forcing a smile, still somewhat dazed: "Thank you, senior..."
"Let's go out for a celebratory barbecue with the band later, it's on me," Ke Xingjian said as he unloaded his guitar.
Peng Chengyi's gaze unconsciously drifted to the back door, which was already empty.
A small part of her heart felt empty, and she silently withdrew her gaze, nodding to Ke Xingjian: "Okay."
-
Back in his dorm from the auditorium, Chen Yubai lazily slumped into a chair and casually opened the school forum. The first trending post was a video of the Arts Department's welcome party performance. The comment section was buzzing with excitement—
"Ke Xingjian went on a killing spree tonight! He's so handsome my legs are weak!!!"
"Is that girl playing guitar next to me a freshman? I didn't see her last year! She's so cute!"
"Probably! He's so handsome! He and Senior Ke are a perfect match!"
"+1! Two guitarists locked in! The best chemistry tonight!"
One after another, almost all of them were similar clamors and forced pairings.
Chen Yubai stared at the screen, his brow furrowing unconsciously. His fingertips swiped across the touchscreen a few times, but his frustration only grew stronger. Finally, he simply slammed his phone down, leaned back in his chair, and let out a long, stifled sigh.
"What's wrong, Brother Yu?" Noticing the tense atmosphere around him, Zhou Haochen, who was playing games nearby, turned his head. "Why do you look so grumpy?"
"Nothing much." Chen Yubai's voice was lazy, his eyelids half-closed as he stared at a vague point in the air. "The band rehearsal can start next week."
"Oh?" Zhou Haochen's eyes lit up. "Your legendary childhood friend finally has time to visit us?"
"Hmm," Chen Yubai responded casually, "She's finished her performance over there."
"Wait a minute—" Zhou Haochen suddenly realized and excitedly slapped his thigh, "Your childhood friend wouldn't happen to be that cute girl on the forum who plays guitar with Ke Xingjian, would she?!"
Chen Yubai raised his eyes and glanced at him expressionlessly: "Yes."
"Damn! Why didn't you say so earlier! I thought you were the type who could arm wrestle with me! Quickly create a group chat! Let the brothers get to know each other! There are too few girls in our major, it's practically hopeless to find a girlfriend!" Zhou Haochen excitedly dragged his gaming chair over.
Chen Yubai's eyes darkened slightly, and he poured cold water on the situation in a nonchalant tone: "The first rule of the band is that dating is prohibited within the band."
"...Why?!" Zhou Haochen's face fell instantly.
“If negotiations break down, the band will disband,” Chen Yubai said matter-of-factly.
"It seems...that makes sense." Zhou Haochen was momentarily speechless at this irrefutable logic, scratching his head, but then a new hope rekindled within him. "Then, Brother Yu! Do you know any other cute girls? Please introduce me! Help me out!"
Chen Yubai replied expressionlessly, "I don't know him."
"Impossible!" Zhou Haochen gave him a "you're kidding me" look. "With a face like yours, shouldn't girls be swooning over you?"
Chen Yubai raised his eyes and said indifferently, "I don't like playing with them."
Zhou Haochen: "..."
-
After the welcome party, the Arts and Culture Department didn't have any urgent work to do for the time being.
Peng Chengyi finally met all the new members of After School.
The drummer was Chen Yubai's roommate, named Zhou Haochen. He was tall with broad shoulders, had a neat buzz cut, and his white teeth shone brightly when he smiled. He had a sunny and cheerful appearance, and spoke in a loud voice with a carefree and simple-minded charm.
The keyboardist is named Xiao Yan. He and Zhou Haochen are high school friends, but his temperament is completely different from Zhou Haochen's. He is thin, with slightly long hair and bangs that cover his eyebrows and eyes. He doesn't talk much and has a faint expression, as if he is behind a layer of fog, giving people an indescribable sense of detachment.
Peng Chengyi couldn't help but sigh inwardly, no wonder Chen Yubai was able to assemble the band so quickly, it turned out that he was lucky to have ready-made candidates around him!
After a brief self-introduction, Chen Yubai took out several demos he had recently written for everyone to listen to.
Music filled the rehearsal room as the group began discussing their arrangement ideas. Peng Chengyi naturally took on the task of writing the lyrics, her fingertips unconsciously tapping out rhythms on the paper, her expression serious and focused.
By the time the conversation had settled down, the night had fallen quite deep. Only a few streetlights remained outside the rehearsal room window, casting faint shadows onto the glass and reflecting a pale golden light.
Chen Yubai put down his bass and stood up: "Shall we start formal rehearsals on Saturday afternoon?"
Peng Chengyi paused in her act of putting away her guitar, then weakly raised her hand: "I can't do it Saturday afternoon..."
"Hasn't the Literature and Art Department been relatively quiet lately?" Chen Yubai raised an eyebrow, asking in a slightly lazy tone.
“The student council gave out movie tickets and organized a movie screening together,” she pursed her lips, her voice lowering, “I couldn’t very well not go, otherwise I would seem out of place.”
Zhou Haochen, hearing this, interjected curiously, "Huh? Does the student council organize movie screenings? Why didn't I receive any news about it while I was in the sports department?"
Peng Chengyi paused for a moment, then hurriedly rummaged through her bag for the two movie tickets, as if to prove something: "These are them. Maybe not every department has them?"
Zhou Haochen leaned over for a look: "So you guys went to see the re-release of 'Harry Potter'? The Arts and Literature Department really gets good treatment!"
“Maybe the sports department will organize a trip to watch the next basketball game?” Peng Chengyi smiled and took back the ticket, not noticing that Chen Yubai’s gaze swept lightly over the movie ticket in her hand before he lowered his eyes and thoughtfully swiped open his phone screen.
"I hope so. I want to watch a CBA basketball game!" Zhou Haochen said with a sigh, then turned to Chen Yubai, "Then, Brother Yu, shall we reschedule for Sunday?"
Chen Yubai stared at his phone screen, seemingly lost in thought, until Zhou Haochen called out "Brother Yu" again, at which point he snapped back to reality and softly hummed in response.
-
The cinema lobby was noisy on Saturday, with the sweet aroma of popcorn mixed with the smell of soda, and the air felt sticky, like an invisible layer of syrup.
Peng Chengyi deliberately arrived just before the movie started, hoping to avoid exchanging too many pleasantries. However, when he pushed open the door to Theater 3, the expected lively scene did not materialize.
The hall was deserted, with only a few people scattered among the large red chairs; there were more empty seats than people.
Was everyone late?
As she silently pondered, she checked the seat number on her ticket stub and walked step by step toward her seat.
Upon arrival, she discovered that only one familiar figure was sitting next to her—Ke Xingjian.
He lowered his head slightly, his long, slender fingers casually supporting his chin, the cold light from the phone screen illuminating his sharply defined profile.
Hearing the noise, he looked up and smiled slightly: "Junior, you're here."
"Hmm..." she responded softly, putting down her bag and glancing nervously around. "Where are the others? Weren't we supposed to be with the student council?"
Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow slightly and replied with a faint smile, "Something might come up at the last minute, so they can't come."
He spoke casually, but his gaze lingered on her face, carrying an indescribable meaning.
Peng Chengyi's heart tightened involuntarily. She turned her head away, pretending to be calm as she looked at the big screen.
Before I could think any further, the overhead lights suddenly went out, the advertising blared, and the entire hall went dark.
She hurriedly took off her coat and hugged it to her arms. Just as she adjusted her sitting posture, she heard a rather loud noise coming from the direction of the entrance.
Peng Chengyi subconsciously turned around.
In the dim light, several tall figures filed in. She recognized the person at the very first glance—Chen Yubai.
He carried a popcorn in his arms, walking at a leisurely pace with relaxed steps, yet his shoulders and back remained straight, making him stand out naturally in the crowd.
Behind them, Zhou Haochen was grinning and had his arm around Xiao Yan's shoulder, talking excitedly. Xiao Yan frowned, looking like he was about to shake him off at any moment.
When they reached the middle of the corridor, Chen Yubai suddenly looked up and his gaze fell squarely on her.
Their eyes met.
Peng Chengyi's breath hitched slightly, as if someone had struck her in the chest.
Chen Yubai's steps seemed to pause for a moment, his eyes dark and unreadable.
But in an instant, he casually looked away and continued forward, his expression as indifferent as if nothing had happened.
Only when he was near her did he glance at her casually, meet her surprised gaze, and slowly curl the corners of his lips into a slight smile: "What a coincidence."
As he spoke, he bent his long legs and lazily sat down behind her.
-----------------------
Author's Note: Peng Chengyi: ? ? ?
Thanks to Leventseleve for the lightning bolt! Thanks to Rain Again, 818411, Gardenia Doesn't Want to Bloom, Ah Ya Ya, XUANER, I Want to Slack Off Today, Soleil and Little Crab for the nutrient solution!
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