“2017.12.31 Rain turning to clear skies”
“Happy New Year. Happy every year.”
— Excerpt from Tao Shuran’s Diary
Tao Shuran felt as if all the sounds in the world had frozen.
Tears fell even more fiercely from her eyes. She wanted to say something, but she could not utter a single word. The emotions choked in her heart left her without even the courage to lift her head.
She did not want it—not at all. She did not want the person she liked to see her in such a wretched state.
Liang Yuanjing said softly, “Tao Shuran, lift your head.”
Tao Shuran was stunned for a moment. She wiped the tears from her face with her hand. Her cheeks, dried by the wind, itched, and she knew just how disheveled she looked at that moment.
Yet because of his one sentence, she slowly and heavily raised her head.
Liang Yuanjing closed his eyes.
He half-squatted in front of her. Gentle sunlight draped down, casting the shadow of his long eyelashes beneath his eyes.
Tao Shuran unconsciously stared in a daze, forgetting to react.
Liang Yuanjing groped around, relying on his rough memory, and picked up the scattered photos from the ground to hand to her. Even before the photos reached her hand, he still kept his eyes closed.
In the past, Tao Shuran had secretly loved him and liked to steal glances at his eyes—amber irises that often sparkled brightly, like the sun she chased her whole life.
But today, she realized that she liked Liang Yuanjing not because of his bright eyes. She liked him purely and simply—everything about him.
The moment she took the photos, their fingertips touched, and his scorching heat seemed to transfer over.
Tao Shuran found the courage to stand up.
Finally, she turned back for one last look at him and firmly imprinted this scene in her heart.
Then, before he opened his eyes, she acted like the coward of a secret crush.
Behind her, Liang Yuanjing smiled silently.
The two years of flight training had sharpened his senses beyond ordinary. Even without opening his eyes, he could imagine the girl’s fleeing silhouette.
After she left, he slowly opened his eyes.
The sky was bright. The sudden return of light made him instinctively raise a hand and squint at the sky peeking through his fingers.
Fu Changpei walked over slowly from afar and asked with a smile, “Solved?”
“Why was she crying?”
“She didn’t say.”
Liang Yuanjing said, “It’s a girl’s private matter. I didn’t want to pry.”
“Though I don’t know why she was crying, I know why she ran when she saw you.” Fu Changpei deliberately teased, holding back.
Liang Yuanjing slowly strolled back, his tone leisurely.
“Old Fu, when did you learn to be so sly?”
Fu Changpei said, “There’s a rumor going around school lately that she likes you. While you were training, she copied notes for you every day.”
At those words, Liang Yuanjing burst out laughing with a “puchi.”
“What, no notes for you?”
Fu Changpei spread his hands. “So I cleared it up. Too bad my charm isn’t as great as yours, Young Master Liang. They didn’t believe me.”
Gossip and scandals had always spread like wildfire since ancient times. Under the allure of worldly entertainment, the truth hardly mattered.
Liang Yuanjing said firmly, “She doesn’t like me.”
“Go check who started the rumor.”
“You’re still handling this?” Fang Qingyi popped out from somewhere, holding two cups of milk tea and looking around. “Where’s Ranran? Have you seen Tao Shuran?”
The topic halted there.
Liang Yuanjing said indifferently, “I just couldn’t let a girl shed tears over such baseless gossip.”
Fang Qingyi cast an admiring glance in secret.
She thought, no wonder Liang Yuanjing’s reputation had spread since junior high. Among boys his age, it was rare to find someone with his sense of responsibility and respect.
Noticing her gaze, Fu Changpei casually said, “A Jing is like that. Whoever joins his circle, he treats them sincerely like friends.”
Fang Qingyi followed up, “So, tutoring Shuran with homework and standing up for her—he sees our four as a team?”
Fu Changpei nodded. “Sort of. A Jing is outwardly cold but inwardly warm.”
“What about you, Fu Changpei? What’s your team?”
Fang Qingyi tilted her head up and asked him carefully, “Am I… in your team?”
Without much thought.
Fu Changpei looked down at her. “You’ve always been.”
During evening self-study, Tao Shuran asked for leave from the homeroom teacher.
She truly felt unwell and could not return to class to face Wen Fangfang again. Fortunately, Zhou Wu was easygoing and approved it without issue.
Tao Shuran promised, “Teacher, I’ll finish tonight’s homework on time.”
Zhou Wu glanced at her. “Do what you can. Contact me if you’re still unwell.”
That evening, Tao Shuran finished her homework alone in her room.
Tao Hongfeng had spent the past few evenings after dinner at the neighbor’s, where three or four men gathered to play cards for fun.
He kept dinner warm in the kitchen and reminded Tao Shuran to come out and eat.
Tao Shuran had no appetite. She quietly leaned against the balcony door alone, letting the wind blow.
Time had entered December, and everything sped up. The weather cooled, carrying a biting chill even in the breeze.
After a while, someone knocked on the balcony door.
At first, Tao Shuran thought it was wind-blown dry leaves hitting the window. But the sound grew steadier, like a signal. She slowly walked toward the balcony.
She pushed open the window and looked down, just in time to see Fang Qingyi standing with hands on hips, craning her neck up.
She wore a pink cotton jacket over her school uniform, making her look cutely bulky. She tiptoed with effort, trying to peer into the third-floor window.
Meeting her gaze, Fang Qingyi’s eyes lit up with a smile, and she waved her arms vigorously.
“Ranran, I’m here!”
Tao Shuran did not know how to describe her feelings in that moment.
When she felt sad and upset, stubbornly hiding her vulnerability, someone broke through all defenses, bringing sunshine like a sunflower turning toward the light.
Tao Shuran lowered her eyes and immediately pushed open the door to find her.
Downstairs, Fang Qingyi grabbed her hand.
“I heard about the sports festival, Ranran. Though I don’t know what Wen Fangfang said to you, let me tell you—don’t take others’ words to heart.”
“In this world, we must always love ourselves the most.”
Tao Shuran responded softly.
“Actually, Liang Yuanjing told me to come find you. He helped me get leave from Teacher Zhou during self-study.”
Fang Qingyi stuck out her tongue. “He said he bumped into you and you seemed down. Hey, Young Master Liang who does good deeds without leaving a name—aren’t you coming out yet?”
At the alley corner, slowly, two figures shone under the streetlamp.
Liang Yuanjing leaned his long legs against the upper steps, one hand on the railing beside him. He slightly lowered his head, looking at his phone. The screen’s glow softened his sharp features, making even his aloof expression seem inexplicably gentle.
In this quiet night, Tao Shuran heard her heart surging.
Fang Qingyi clapped and suggested, “Tomorrow’s New Year’s Day! Let’s celebrate the New Year tonight!”
Tao Shuran’s heart stirred. She lowered her head, her dangling hair brushing her cheek.
It itched a little.
Just then, Liang Yuanjing looked up too, his gaze landing lightly on her face.
He said, “Want to ring in the New Year together?”
Tao Shuran said, “Okay.”
They decided to go to the Astronomical Observatory to watch the stars.
They told their parents they were heading out. With Fu Changpei, the model student, vouching for them, everything went smoothly.
Along the way, Fang Qingyi chattered nonstop, her topics never straying from Fu Changpei.
Tao Shuran secretly observed Fu Changpei’s expression, but he seemed as usual, showing no anomaly.
This genius in math and calculations was so obtuse in emotions that, in a way, he and the passionate Fang Qingyi made a perfect match.
The observatory sat on Firefly Mountain. In summer nights, Firefly Mountain brimmed with glowing fireflies. But now in winter, they had missed peak season.
Watching a sunrise would be nice, though.
In Tao Shuran’s seventeen years, she had never returned home past ten once.
This was too wild.
Especially with Fu Changpei over there calling their parents.
“Yes, Aunt Zhao, we’re not coming back tonight. No one’s home at my place. We’ll finish homework later and sleep there.”
Hearing Fu Changpei’s serious tone, Fang Qingyi burst out laughing and leaned toward Tao Shuran. “Who knew this bookworm could lie without blushing.”
“Looks like he’s not a purely good student either.”
Midway, they stopped by Liang Yuanjing’s house. Tao Shuran reached the estate across from West Kang Road for the first time—standalone villas with red-tiled roofs, evoking Republican-era architecture.
She stopped at the gate, quietly observing this place so different from West Kang Road.
After a bit, the housekeeper came out with two big bags. Liang Yuanjing slung one over his shoulder and sauntered out lazily.
He took them and casually said over his shoulder, “Uncle Liang, I’m not coming back tonight.”
“Take care of yourself.”
Liang Yuanjing grunted an “mm,” then tossed the bag back.
“For tonight.”
Fu Changpei raised a brow. “Camping?”
At that, Fang Qingyi got excited. “Are we pitching tents? That’d be thrilling. I’ve never camped outdoors in my life.”
“No way. What if something happens? Old Zhou would hunt me down.”
Liang Yuanjing’s drawling voice rang out. “I have an uncle who runs a resort hotel on Firefly Mountain. I’ll take you for one night, watch the sunrise in the morning, then head back to school.”
“Consider it… a New Year’s gift?”
He glanced back at Tao Shuran. “Let unhappy things pass quickly.”
Tao Shuran pressed her lips and lowered her head slightly, committing his words to heart.
They arrived at the mountain too late; the cable car had stopped. They walked a short stretch as dusk fell. Later, Liang Yuanjing made a call, and a car came down to pick them up.
Tao Shuran watched him—his movements calm and composed, as if everything was arranged.
Even Fang Qingyi sighed, “Liang Yuanjing is so reliable. I thought watching the sunrise meant standing dumbly on the mountain. Didn’t expect him to have it all planned.”
Tao Shuran said softly, “He’s always been reliable.”
Thinking further and longer than anyone expected. Seemingly aloof, but noticing when flowers bloomed, when maple leaves fell, and when he could soar into the clouds.
It was off-season for tourism, so the hotel had plenty of rooms. Liang Yuanjing checked them in with their IDs.
After a thought, he told the front desk, “Put the two girls between us.”
“Got it. There’s a special New Year’s event tonight—electronic fireworks at midnight from the northwest corner of the mountain.”
The front desk lady was polite. “Young Master Zhou specially instructed. We’ve given you a prime-view landscape room and a custom private hot spring room. Just let us know if you need anything.”
“What about you two?”
Liang Yuanjing turned back. “Want to watch the fireworks?”
“Yes!”
Fang Qingyi said, “Since starting senior year, I haven’t played properly even once. I’m dying to let loose. I have to have fun ringing in the New Year tonight!”
Fu Changpei also said “okay.” “We only need to rush back to school tomorrow afternoon. I brought homework. Doing it till midnight is fine.”
“Fu Changpei, do you have to be such a grind king? Bringing workbooks on a trip.”
Amid the cheerful noise, Tao Shuran, as usual, subconsciously followed the group’s lead, bag on her back as they walked ahead.
Then Liang Yuanjing specifically asked her, “What about you, Tao Shuran?”
Tao Shuran’s eyes lit up in an instant.
In her heart, she savored every syllable as he said her name. The three-second pronunciation was too short, yet it lingered endlessly.
She looked at him and said, “I want to watch the fireworks too.”
With her firm answer, Liang Yuanjing arranged the rest. He had dinner prepared and sent up.
Fang Qingyi dragged Tao Shuran to check the four rooms, deciding Liang Yuanjing’s had the best floor-to-ceiling window view, taking in all of Firefly Mountain at a glance.
Liang Yuanjing had no airs, agreeing to everything with “okay.” Surprisingly easygoing.
During the wait for fireworks, Fang Qingyi quietly pulled Tao Shuran to a corner and whispered, “Ranran, did you know Liang Yuanjing suggested this New Year’s eve?”
Tao Shuran shook her head.
“I feel like he’s doing it to cheer you up.” Fang Qingyi said lowly. “I’ve been classmates with him for six years and never seen him care this much about any girl.”
“Don’t talk nonsense.”
Tao Shuran lowered her eyes and said soberly, “He just thinks that because of him, Wen Fangfang is targeting me.”
So, coaxing her to cheer up and trying his utmost to make amends was merely due to his personality that never owed anyone anything.
That was Liang Yuanjing—clearly distinguishing good from bad, yet also heartbreaking.
But this was already good enough.
At least she was already very close to him. Tao Shuran silently told herself in her heart.
One could not wish to grasp the sun just because they had drawn near it. Tao Shuran had never been a greedy person.
Just like at this moment, she stood before the expansive floor-to-ceiling window. A grand fireworks display was about to begin. She looked forward to seeing the fireworks, but she did not dare hope that they belonged solely to her.
Tao Shuran gazed at her reflection beneath the floor-to-ceiling window—sharp chin, slender shoulders, flat and straight back, and drooping wrists where the bones were faintly visible.
But this was not the original her.
She merely harbored a touch of greedy desire, hoping to appear perfect before him from the very first day they met.
Yet that wish had been embarrassingly torn apart by Wen Fangfang’s photos.
Liang Yuanjing would find out sooner or later.
Tao Shuran said softly, “Actually, I wasn’t like this before. I wasn’t so pretty, my grades weren’t good enough, I wasn’t quick-witted in speech, and neither my classmates nor teachers liked me that much…”
“Tao Shuran.”
Liang Yuanjing interrupted her. He stood behind her and, for once, heard her speak so much in one breath, chattering away like a little fish spitting bubbles.
He asked with a hint of amusement, “Did you time travel? Or did you swap souls?”
Suddenly interrupted, Tao Shuran dazedly shook her head.
“No…”
Liang Yuanjing lifted his gaze to look at her. “Then what’s the difference between the current you and the past you?”
A greeting card lay on the high tabletop. He picked it up casually and folded it. Perhaps to relieve boredom, in no time, a paper-folded rose appeared at his fingertips.
Liang Yuanjing handed it over. “For you, a New Year’s gift.”
“Flowers are always flowers, you are always you, and those who cherish you will always love you.”
Hearing these words, Tao Shuran’s eyes moistened slightly. She blinked hard, trying to suppress the sour yet sweet emotion.
Just standing by his side at this moment made all her senses amplify infinitely.
In the room, Fang Qingyi finally connected the karaoke equipment. She cleared her throat a few times, and Tao Shuran heard Sun Yanzi’s voice from the speakers.
She sang, “I fell in love with someone who makes me throw all caution to the wind.”
The fireworks at dawn finally burst open with a boom, igniting the pitch-black night sky like a massive canvas with colorful flames.
Amid this intense sound, everyone looked up at the unparalleled spectacle.
Tao Shuran turned her head slightly to look at the one person who made her throw all caution to the wind.
Three seconds later, she restrained herself and withdrew her gaze, looking up at the brilliant fireworks filling the sky. The clock struck midnight, and the first day of 2018 officially arrived.
She closed her eyes slightly and made a devout wish in her heart.
“So devout.”
Liang Yuanjing asked casually, “What wish did you make?”
Tao Shuran lifted her eyes and boldly, yet tentatively, looked at him.
“I hope the person I like can like me back.”
This was a big secret.
Liang Yuanjing fell silent for a long time without speaking. His dark, profound eyes stared at her for a moment, his tone casual with a roguish hint of laughter.
“You have someone you like?”