Chapter 46

00:00 AM (2)

Of course she was thinking about it.

She was quite troubled. If it weren’t for these things, she wouldn’t have come to the inn to unwind.

Speaking of blind dates, Xu Muzi had some complaints. She didn’t understand how her elders could believe that such forced arrangements could lead her to a good fate.

Moreover, her cousin informed her that this fourth blind date was someone her parents knew well.

It was likely a child of an old family friend.

In the past, they lived in a small villa, and since their family business was thriving, her parents frequently interacted with old friends. Even though Xu Muzi was busy practicing the piano, she had met those elders’ children, more or less, a few times.

As for those children of the elders…

Xu Muzi thought of them as barely acquaintances.

When the elders were present, they would greet each other;

When the elders weren’t around, if they ran into each other on the street, they would just pretend not to see one another.

Moreover, after her family went bankrupt, only one or two of those elders still kept in touch with her parents.

In her memory, the children of those two elders included an older brother who was married and a younger sister who had just started college.

Xu Muzi frowned.

She wondered if it would be like the family of that boy who had just given her the dress last year—having lost contact for a long time, they heard that her family business was improving and then started flattering her parents with phrases like “think of us when good things happen,” restoring their connections…

Bad influences lead to worse outcomes.

How good could peers raised in such a family be?

Moreover, there was the outstanding Deng Yun to compare against—how could this be called “great news”?

Deng Yun went outside to grab a tissue box and returned. Xu Muzi wiped her tears and nose by herself.

Her fingers lingered on the piano keys as she casually played a few melodies, detailing her blind date situation to him.

“It doesn’t seem as good as my parents say. You might have met them before.”

Xu Muzi’s eyelids were still a bit red, and she frowned, “It wouldn’t be those boys who used to gather around the table at family dinners, heads together, playing video games, would it?”

From the looks of it, Deng Yun had no recollection.

There were only two imported leather piano stools in the room, and he sat across from her, squinting and thinking for a few seconds: “Which ones?”

“Do you remember that one gathering where there was a Go board set up in the restaurant’s private room? There were a few boys sitting together playing mobile games, and later they got into a quarrel over the game, pushing each other and knocking over the Go board…”

 “I don’t remember.”

“That’s strange. How can you have such a poor memory?”

Suddenly, Xu Muzi’s phone rang.

Deng Yun slid open the screen, glanced down, and while typing, said that any dinner where the two of them could appear together was mostly because he specifically wanted to see her.

“With my attention all on you, it’s normal not to remember others, right?”

Xu Muzi opened her mouth, unable to think of a retort. Instead, she felt a bit embarrassed by Deng Yun’s straightforwardness.

After finishing his text, Deng Yun brought the topic back: “If it’s them, what do you want to do?”

“I’ll just say it’s not suitable.”

“So straightforward?”

“Yeah, I’ve had that attitude towards previous blind dates too.”

“That one who plays the violin?”

“Oh, that one… I had slightly more contact with him.”

The violinist was someone she first met at a dinner arranged by the elders.

During the meal, they chatted about classical music, and the elders urged them to add each other as friends, but they didn’t mention anything about feelings.

She thought maybe neither of them had that intention, which was fine since they both played instruments and could be ordinary friends.

But then…

When she practiced the piano and didn’t respond to messages for a few hours, he called her rude.

When he called to ask her out, she neither had time nor interest and politely declined, which led to him breaking down, arguing over the phone and even threatening to tell Xu Muzi’s parents.

So Xu Muzi had a worse impression of blind dates; she was almost having a stress reaction.

She had made up her mind that this time, no matter who she met, she wouldn’t leave any contact information.

Then she suddenly remembered something.

Xu Muzi raised her hand to pat her forehead, thinking how her parents’ business had taken a turn for the better because they met a benefactor. What if this fourth blind date was a descendant of that benefactor…

Deng Yun was busy with his phone, which was ringing a few times.

He looked like he was replying to messages, typing rapidly.

After finishing his text, Deng Yun moved the piano stool next to Xu Muzi, placed his hand on the piano, and unexpectedly played a rhythm.

Xu Muzi recognized it immediately; Deng Yun was playing Tchaikovsky.

It was “April – The Snowdrop” from the piano suite “The Seasons.”

This piece was what Xu Muzi had played for Deng Yun the first time she performed piano for him.

Deng Yun played it quite amateurishly; from a professional standpoint, it was somewhat stiff.

He likely forgot the rest, only playing a dozen or so measures.

Xu Muzi felt surprised, putting aside thoughts of her blind date.

Hadn’t he said before that he had no interest in piano? That expensive piano at his home was just for show, and she had only played it once when her mom took her. No one had touched it since.

“Have you been learning piano?”

Deng Yun said he only knew how to play this one piece, which he learned by rote, then he teased her, saying she should give him some feedback as his teacher.

Xu Muzi, assuming a serious demeanor, cleared her throat like a real teacher.

Without mentioning the rhythm issue, she shook her head, acting like a great musician, only saying Deng Yun’s snowdrop needed to be fresher and trimmed better; it was too messy…

She found herself amusing.

After finishing the critique, Xu Muzi asked, “Have you been practicing this piece for a long time?”

“I practice it when I think of you.”

As for why he practiced piano, it didn’t need to be asked again. Deng Yun chuckled softly, teasing Xu Muzi with a hint of jealousy, saying he envied those who played instruments and could share a common language with her.

“Then you should learn the violin.”

She then heard Deng Yun let out a light hiss.

Xu Muzi, who had just finished crying, was amused by him.

It seemed he didn’t like her wallowing in emotions like being moved or grateful; he preferred her to treat these things as normal.

This piano room was really comfortable.

Xu Muzi looked at the empty, clean crystal vases and imagined them filled with flowers.

The flowers in the photos were arranged beautifully, and since she hadn’t brought her phone, she nudged Deng Yun to find the photos for her.

The phone was passed over.

Xu Muzi sat close to Deng Yun, leaning over the piano lid to look at the photo.

There were dahlias, hydrangeas, roses… and many more flowers whose names she couldn’t even recall.

It felt like Monet’s paintings had been moved into the piano room.

Such a beautiful arrangement could hold a concert.

Suddenly, a message alert popped up at the top of the phone screen, and at the same time, the WeChat notification sounded repeatedly—

Deng Yun received a new message.

Two messages, three, four, five…

“Go ahead and check your messages.”

Deng Yun glanced at them and typed a reply.

Xu Muzi remained leaning on the piano, her body relaxed, feeling a delightful warmth fill her chest.

She lazily talked about how she had a bit of anticipation, hoping to unexpectedly run into him one day in the future.

Ideally, it would be at a classical piano concert, with a beautifully arranged stage, surrounded by flowers just like in the photo.

Deng Yun would accidentally buy tickets to the concert and go to watch the performance.

It would be best if he was delayed for some reason, arriving late and not having the chance to carefully look at the program guide given at the entrance before the lights dimmed.

“When the performance begins, you’d be surprised to discover that the one playing the piece clearly, fluidly, and expressively on stage is me.”

Xu Muzi’s eyes sparkled.

Her smile was one she’d cultivated from years of taking pictures and participating in various competitions.

Showing her eight teeth, she looked beautiful, a lovely girl.

Even while longing for a reunion, she didn’t forget to add a bit of cleverness, trying to subtly showcase her progress with a tone that sought compliments.

Deng Yun paused his typing, looking at Xu Muzi with gentle eyes, listening to her continue—

After the performance ends successfully, the audience would likely be very enthusiastic.

And among the warm applause calling for an encore, he hoped to be a part of it.

Xu Muzi smiled shyly: “I used to think that maybe we would reunite like this.”

As she said this, she happened to see Deng Yun let his hand holding the phone drop.

She had a feeling he had something to say, and she blinked, preparing to listen attentively.

A schemer at work.

Deng Yun’s gaze was meaningful as he looked at Xu Muzi for a moment but then shook his head with a smile.

He negated it without saying anything.

Xu Muzi was quite puzzled, pressing him to ask what he was about to say just now.

She could clearly sense that Deng Yun had changed the subject: “Do you want to see the moon?”

“How could there be… on a rainy day…”

Xu Muzi turned her head. Outside, there was a light drizzle, yet surprisingly, a bright full moon was hanging amidst the clouds, shining like a lantern.

Deng Yun said this was called moon rain.

In the corner of the piano room, there was a particularly large black box, unfamiliar in style and size. Xu Muzi had noticed it but couldn’t guess what it was.

Seeing Deng Yun lift the box, she understood it was probably an astronomical telescope.

Deng Yun said the window in the piano room was obstructed by tree branches, so he took Xu Muzi’s hand and led her back to his room.

The terrace in his room indeed had a wider view.

Xu Muzi didn’t know how to adjust it; she sat on the sofa, studying the telescope’s manual.

She hadn’t yet figured out what the right ascension axis and declination axis were when Deng Yun had already assembled the tripod and various adjustment rods.

Raindrops occasionally fell from the eaves.

The terrace floor was damp, and the soil in the flower pots was muddy. The plants growing on the terrace had been rained on, their leaves a vibrant green, but they looked a bit droopy.

Xu Muzi watched as Deng Yun skillfully connected the telescope tube to the mount, thinking that his room was really spacious, much larger than hers.

She had never seen any display images of this type of room on the accommodation booking app.

Xu Muzi put away the manual, saying he was such a muddle-headed boss.

If he could put this room type up for rent and add a one-point-eight-meter double bed to make it a family room, it would surely be popular and he could earn more money.

He didn’t turn back: “Do you like this room type?”

“Yeah, I like it; it’s more spacious, and the terrace is large…”

“Don’t go back; stay and sleep here.”

Xu Muzi tightened her grip on the manual.

Although there were only a few hours until five o’clock, the thought of sleeping next to Deng Yun still made her heart race.

Deng Yun changed to the appropriate eyepiece and used the red dot finder to locate the moon.

With his back to her, he beckoned with his hand while still looking through the lens.

Xu Muzi leaned over, and Deng Yun made room for her to see the moon.

Just like that winter, when they climbed the mountain overnight and finally saw the moon’s face clearly at the summit.

The moon was eternally unchanged.

She still remembered the things he told her that winter about the lunar craters and seas, the Copernicus crater, and Tycho;

She also recalled the day she saw the moon clearly, turning around excitedly to face him, just inches apart, their breath mingling in the frosty air.

They hadn’t changed either.

The air on this rainy night was slightly cool. Xu Muzi found the general position of the Copernicus crater, turning her head to meet Deng Yun’s gaze, her heart racing.

The bright moon shone, and the night breeze felt damp and cool.

The wind lifted Xu Muzi’s hair and puffed out her jacket as they quietly kissed by the edge of the terrace.