【Chapter 67】
Happy times always flew by quickly. Unbeknownst to them, they had passed from the depths of winter through the height of summer, and Tao Shuran welcomed her graduation season once again.
Unlike the regrets of the previous time, all her friends came this time.
Fang Qingyi had spent nearly a year traveling abroad, but she rushed back specially for her graduation.
Zhao Zhengnian had been competing non-stop day and night, and he insisted that everyone save him a seat at the evening gathering.
Fang Qingyi shouted in the group chat: “Whoever arrives last pays the bill, okay?”
Zhao Zhengnian replied in a sleazy tone: “Sorry, I just won 500,000 in prize money from the competition a couple days ago. Big bro isn’t short on cash right now, okay?”
“For a nouveau riche like Zhao Zhengnian, I really have nothing to say, okay?”
After reading the messages, Fang Qingyi slapped her phone down with a clack, picked up the curling iron again, and while curling Tao Shuran’s hair, she complained, “I stayed up late the night before last watching his match. He played so flashily, it was ridiculous.”
Tao Shuran casually said: “You were in America watching domestic events. There’s a time difference, right?”
Fang Qingyi’s hands paused for a moment, then she casually lowered her gaze. Suddenly, her voice became very soft as she said, “Actually, I kind of missed everyone.”
“Then come back.”
Through the mirror, Tao Shuran’s gaze gently fell on her, and she spoke warmly, “Actually, I missed you too. I wanted to share so many happy and sad moments with you.”
Hearing this, Fang Qingyi couldn’t hold back her emotions.
She burst out crying with a “wah”: “The food abroad was terrible. I missed Uncle Tao’s sweet-and-sour spare ribs so much.”
Tao Shuran was somewhat amused: “Is that all? Just my dad’s sweet-and-sour ribs?”
“And you too.”
Fang Qingyi hugged her shoulders and whispered, “I missed you so much, missed everything on West Kang Road, missed us crouching at the roadside at nine at night stealing bites of starch sausage, sneaking over your window to watch the person we liked, and you standing by the wall under the streetlight with Liang Yuanjing’s shadow secretly hugging you from behind while I took photos for you…”
“Enough. Don’t tell Liang Yuanjing about that.”
Tao Shuran chuckled with a hum, a bit smugly saying, “Besides, now he and I can hug openly.”
“Yeah, yeah, who doesn’t know you two are the model couple at Affiliated Middle School now?”
Fang Qingyi was so sweetened her teeth ached, then suddenly let out a long sigh. “Too bad I wasn’t there the day Liang Yuanjing confessed to you. Otherwise, I definitely could’ve taken a bunch of photos for you.”
“It wasn’t even a proper confession.” Tao Shuran smiled and said, “He confesses to me eight hundred times a day.”
“Enough already. The more you talk, the more it tortures single dogs.”
Fang Qingyi pretended to be angry: “Don’t forget, I’m your exclusive makeup artist today. Watch out, or I might mess up and draw your eyeliner flying off with one shaky hand.”
Tao Shuran immediately made a cute pleading gesture.
Her brows and eyes lowered slightly, and she suddenly thought of the scene from the day Liang Yuanjing confessed.
It had already been several days since they got together, but her response back then had been vague. She couldn’t refuse his closeness, yet she was unconsciously drawn to him.
The day Liang Yuanjing publicly confessed to her again, she was completely dazed. She only remembered the flowers and applause, the sky that day was brilliantly blue, clear skies for miles, and his face under the sun was bright and dazzling.
She asked in a daze: “Didn’t you already confess?”
“That’s different.”
Liang Yuanjing looked down at her, his lips curved up in a brilliant smile that nearly made her dizzy.
“The previous confession was to tell you. This confession is to tell everyone—I, Liang Yuanjing, like you and am pursuing you.”
Amid the continuous cheers around them, Liang Yuanjing slowly bent down, held the flowers, and asked her with a pious and serious posture—
“Would you be willing to become my girlfriend?”
For Liang Yuanjing, the start of a romance had to begin with a clear question.
He liked everything explicit.
An explicit relationship, explicit affection, and her eyes looking at him, clearly saying “Okay.”
In the instant that word fell, bubbles of happiness exploded in Liang Yuanjing’s mind with a boom, like clusters of fireworks.
He immediately hugged her, lifted her into the air with one arm and spun her around, raising the hand holding the flowers high, his narrow dark eyes shining with light.
It was the first time Tao Shuran had seen Liang Yuanjing laugh so heartily.
She tilted her head slightly. Once she realized his joy that day was because of her, she fell irretrievably in love with him all over again.
She couldn’t help but reach out to touch his eyelids, slowly trailing down his straight nose bridge, until her fingertip lightly landed on his lips.
Liang Yuanjing stared intently at her, his throat tightening from the teasing, his ragged breath falling down. He parted his lips slightly and bit half her fingertip.
With a suppressed excitement, he said to her: “Now, the moon belongs to you, and so does Liang Yuanjing.”
Later, Tao Shuran wrote that sentence on the last page of her diary.
As the perfect ending to her entire youth.
Less than a month after graduation, Tao Shuran and Liang Yuanjing were both invited to Fuqing Affiliated High School to give speeches as outstanding graduates.
Liang Yuanjing had always kept his distance from such motivational speech invitations.
He was too lazy to write a speech. The only time he remembered going on stage was when Fu Changpei tricked him into it that year.
He had drawled: “Boil over, be unrestrained, never admit defeat.”
And some girl had remembered it for many years.
He probably should’ve noticed Tao Shuran’s secret crush earlier.
During a passing class break, he had picked up a note under her seat that said those words.
He hadn’t thought much of it then.
Now he thought about it a lot every day.
Liang Yuanjing draped his arms over the sofa back, head tilted slightly backward, a flight book covering his face, his voice filtering through the gap in the spine.
“You’re really going?”
“If I don’t go, would others even know we’re dating?”
Tao Shuran looked at him puzzled: “I’m going to motivate the underclassmen for the Gaokao. Why would they need to know we’re dating?”
Liang Yuanjing said: “What if someone asks a stupid question like ‘Senior sister, if I get into Qing University, can I chase you?’”
“They’re in their senior year now. In another year, they’ll be past the early romance age.”
“Don’t worry, there definitely won’t be questions like that.” Tao Shuran climbed onto the sofa, snatched the book away, raised both hands, and pinched his cheeks.
In a tone like coaxing a child, she said to him: “If someone really asks, I’ll tell them dating me has no future, but the Gaokao won’t let down your hard work.”
Liang Yuanjing lifted his head and asked her languidly, “And?”
Tao Shuran blinked: “And what?”
His hand rose, naturally resting on her arched lower back, stroking down casually, slowly teaching her—
“You have to tell them your boyfriend is Liang Yuanjing.”
“That wouldn’t be good.” Tao Shuran hesitated, “Would the principal drag me off stage?”
Seeing her take it seriously, Liang Yuanjing burst out laughing with a puff. He sat up cross-legged on the sofa, pulled her neck closer, and slowly scratched with his fingertips.
“But Tao Shuran—” He paused. “Is dating me that embarrassing?”
Tao Shuran sat up straight, looking at him innocently: “What?”
“I don’t think so.”
Liang Yuanjing looked at her and asked: “Then why have you never posted our photos together?”
Tao Shuran let out an “ah,” suddenly realizing this.
She was someone with low expressive desires. Photos taken in the moment felt exciting then, but after the gathering ended and the emotions faded, she had no urge to share.
After all, the person she loved was right by her side.
Besides, relationships were somewhat private.
Tao Shuran lowered her lashes and said softly, “I feel like a lot of friends in my circle have liked you before. I think they’d be sad seeing it.”
Because she had crushed on him, she empathized.
Liang Yuanjing had no retort to that reason.
He sighed softly, helplessly pinched her chin, and said with feigned grievance:
“So you don’t consider your boyfriend?”
Tao Shuran started feeling guilty.
She lowered her gaze and began flipping through photos on her phone, planning to pick one to post tonight.
At that moment, Liang Yuanjing leaned in, his breath everywhere, tilting his head slightly, his straight nose bridge rubbing her tip.
With a clingy tone: “Hm? Tao Shuran, figure out a way to coax me.”
That night, Tao Shuran unprecedentedly posted to her Moments,
「Liang Yuanjing, my moon.」
The photo was of Liang Yuanjing standing on the balcony in the wind, head turned toward her, their gazes meeting as a bright full moon shone cleanly behind him, full boyfriend perspective.
The post received tons of comments and likes right away, and her phone kept dinging all evening.
Liang Yuanjing tsked. During his nth failed kiss attempt, he finally straightened up impatiently, pressed her silent button.
Then, venting frustration, he tossed the phone into the soft sofa.
He pulled her shoulders back for a kiss, but Tao Shuran couldn’t help laughing, slyly slipping out from under his arm.
She looked at him with smiling eyes: “Didn’t you want me to post it?”
“We can’t continue tonight.” Tao Shuran pressed a hand to his approaching lips, shaking her head as if very helpless. “I need to read everyone’s comments.”
Liang Yuanjing looked at her with a half-smile: “You’re doing this on purpose, Tao Shuran.”
Tao Shuran shrugged and smiled as she unlocked her phone.
She had just come out of the shower, her body still steamy with moisture. Liang Yuanjing felt stifled but could only indulge, hugging her from behind.
His voice wrapped around her ear, low: “Then I’ll look with you.”
The arm around her waist felt like a branding iron, impossible to ignore. Tao Shuran laughed helplessly and turned to ask him, “Liang Yuanjing, why have you gotten more clingy since we started dating?”
Liang Yuanjing raised a brow and agreed: “Yeah, I’m that kind of hopeless romantic.”
With a tone of pride, his chin rested in the hollow of her shoulder, pressed tight without a gap.
Clicking in, the first comment that popped up was the latest one.
Tao Shuran hadn’t expected Jin Boyu, the eternal lurker who never liked or commented, to leave her one.
Amid a pile of emotional blessings, his simple sentence stood out.
「Jin Boyu」: Wishing you eternal happiness.
Tao Shuran quickly replied: 「Wishing Senior Brother happiness soon too!」
At least, don’t be alone all the time.
Just as she replied, Liang Yuanjing reached out and unceremoniously took her phone.
Tao Shuran widened her eyes: “I haven’t finished reading.”
“It’s late. Time for bed.”
“But it’s only ten. I can’t sleep.” Tao Shuran sat up, reaching to snatch her phone back.
She whined: “Let me play a bit longer.”
Unexpectedly, Liang Yuanjing leaned back slightly, raising his arm high, using his natural height advantage to watch her rush into his embrace.
He smoothly hugged her whole body, his hot breath sprinkling down as he lowered his head, deliberately nipping her earlobe.
“Then I’ll take you to play a game that helps you sleep.”
The next day, invited to Fuqing Affiliated High School for the graduate motivation speech, Tao Shuran could barely get out of bed.
She was so sleepy her eyes wouldn’t open, and the alarm on her bedside table rang again and again.
In the kitchen, Liang Yuanjing had already prepared breakfast. He leaned against the wall on his elbows, waiting for the milk to heat to the right temperature.
She wandered over in a daze and asked, “What time is it?”
“Quarter past seven. Breakfast will be ready soon. I’ve squeezed the toothpaste, and your clothes are in the wardrobe.”
Liang Yuanjing handed the warm milk to her and smiled as he asked, “So, Lady Tao Shuran, how would you rate my service?”
Tao Shuran was still groggy, her mind a chaotic blur.
She took the cup, raised it slightly, and said, “Thanks, it’s pretty good.”
Unexpectedly, the next second, Liang Yuanjing leaned in close, whispering in her ear, “And what about last night’s service?”
“What did it feel like?”
Tao Shuran snapped awake in an instant. She widened her eyes and felt a wave of heat surging uncontrollably from the soles of her feet.
She sprang back with a “whoosh,” retreating several large steps. She bit her lower lip as unnatural red flushed her cheeks.
In the end, unable to face his gaze, she fled into the bathroom like she was escaping.
Liang Yuanjing stared at her retreating figure and laughed nonstop. His mischievous streak had never faded, and last night had been the same.
At the very end, he had teased her relentlessly and refused to let go. Tao Shuran had lain on his back, sobbing softly, but he had gently kissed away her tears while their fingers remained interlocked, his movements never ceasing.
That was why, once Tao Shuran came to her senses, she didn’t want to pay him much attention.
In the passenger seat, she turned her head away, refusing to look at his face. Unexpectedly, after they arrived at Affiliated Middle School, Liang Yuanjing got out of the car with her.
Tao Shuran turned and asked, “Didn’t you say you weren’t coming?”
Liang Yuanjing raised an eyebrow. “No choice. After all, I’m a Tao Shuran-ist now.”
“Wherever you go, I’ll follow.”
Tao Shuran tsked. “Hypocritical. You clearly wanted to come yourself.”
There was still some time before the speech. She politely declined the school leaders’ offer to show her around and waved her hand, saying she would just wander the campus on her own.
Affiliated Middle School hadn’t changed much over the years. The koi in the lotus pond had grown a bit fatter. She crossed the bridge and arrived under the senior high school building, where a full row of Honor Rolls lined the white-tiled corridor.
Once, that wall had been Tao Shuran’s goal.
At this moment, standing there, she seemed to see a girl struggling from the end all the way to the front.
Back then, Liang Yuanjing’s photo had always been in first place. He shone brightly, standing out anywhere.
To stand on the same level as him and be noticed as a matter of course, she had to put in hundreds or thousands of times the effort.
Tao Shuran gazed for a while and sincerely sighed, “Liang Yuanjing, chasing after you back then was really exhausting.”
Liang Yuanjing gave a soft “mm” and stepped beside her, casually saying, “But now you’ve got me.”
Only after walking the full length of the corridor did Tao Shuran understand what he meant.
She reached out and lightly touched his arm, embarrassed as she explained, “What I just said about chasing—you—it was chasing grades.”
“Mm.” Liang Yuanjing lifted his lashes and drawled, “I’ll pretend that’s what you meant.”
Tao Shuran bit her lower lip. “That is what I meant!”
Liang Yuanjing chuckled lowly. His fingertip brushed over her eyes as he leaned close to her ear and softly said, “From now on, I’ll be the one chasing you.”
“Tao Shuran, do you want to stay in Fuqing City?”
“And you?” She tilted her head up and asked, “Which city is more convenient for your work?”
She was always like this, habitually considerate, putting the needs of the person she liked first.
Liang Yuanjing looked into her eyes and felt as if the whole room sparkled with starlight. Her eyes held an unchanging purity, like stars.
He said warmly, “I told you, I’ll follow in your footsteps.”
Tao Shuran froze completely at those words. Their steps halted in front of a classroom, but she had been so lost in thought that she forgot where she had followed him to.
When she finally looked up, she realized the classroom was all too familiar.
Just then, Liang Yuanjing looked down and asked her, “Do you remember where this is?”
Tao Shuran’s voice was slightly hoarse. “I remember.”
“That was my first proper lively birthday party, and the first time I made a birthday wish for a girl.”
Liang Yuanjing drew the curtains, then turned to look at her.
“If I’m not mistaken, the wish you made back then was about me, right?”
Tao Shuran swallowed and said with great difficulty, “Yes.”
“I wished for you to be safe and successful, to soar into the clouds.”
The feeling of liking someone was that simple: hoping they were well, hoping their dreams came true, hoping the world gave everything to them.
Liang Yuanjing had begun to slowly understand that feeling. From the moment he started sincerely making every birthday wish about her, he knew he had begun to grasp what emotions were.
Everything was ready. Liang Yuanjing pulled up all the curtains hanging on the four sides, plunging the classroom into darkness. Only faint glimmers occasionally seeped through the gaps stirred by the wind.
In the darkness, all of a person’s senses heightened.
Tao Shuran and Liang Yuanjing stood facing each other. Their four eyes met, the tiny specks of dust in the air visible, their breaths seemingly right in each other’s ears.
“What are you doing?”
She asked softly, as if afraid to disturb the atmosphere.
Liang Yuanjing’s eyes gleamed in the darkness.
“Taking you to see an astronomical wonder.”
Tao Shuran paused, a faint premonition stirring in her heart. Her gaze followed the direction behind him.
On the wall, a shining moon slowly appeared. At a distance from the moon was a faint star.
“Ranran, look up.”
Tao Shuran held her breath. Then, she witnessed an unbelievable scene.
In the vast night sky, the moon—which seemed unattainably high—suddenly moved. Right before her eyes, the moon approached that tiny star in the sky along an inconceivable trajectory.
Liang Yuanjing smiled and said, “What do you think? I had a astronomer friend make this model for me.”
He held her hand and looked at her earnestly as he said—
“The moon can come to the star, and Banyue Xing will also wait for its own moon.”
Tao Shuran smiled softly and turned back to gaze at him tenderly. “Why did you want to do this?”
“Because I don’t want you to have any regrets.”
Liang Yuanjing’s lips curved up. He always carried an air of youthful recklessness, doing everything boldly and freely.
He leaned down to look closely at her and said, “Tao Shuran, you are the brightest star in this world.”
“And the only star in my sky.”