Amidst the laughter of others, their silence resonated like a piercing scream, making Lin An’s expression grow two shades heavier.
The atmosphere felt off.
Could it be that taking photos held special meaning for Jiang Xiao, and that this was also connected to Qiuyu?
Xie Zhuran hadn’t noticed yet.
“So, you’re also a man aiming to become a great director!”
Xie Zhuran looked at Jiang Xiao, nodding in approval.
Song Qiuyu saw Xie Zhuran about to say more and quickly racked her brain for a way to change the subject.
“The person I like enjoys the Nanfeng Opera House.”
Jiang Xiao explained even more quickly.
“…”
Song Qiuyu was suddenly choked.
She abruptly felt that Jiang Xiao expressing his thoughts so frankly was a good thing, but also a bad thing.
She clenched her pale fists tightly, trying to react normally, slightly stunned.
Lin An and Xie Zhuran were also stunned.
It was all genuine emotion without a trace of falsehood; they had recalled Jiang Xiao’s words during their first-day-of-school dinner.
The person Jiang Xiao liked was a girl from junior high, and clearly, they didn’t end up together.
This was… this was hitting a nerve!
Xie Zhuran tightly shut his mouth, feeling for the first time that he talked too much, even wanting to slap himself a few times.
If you can’t speak, then don’t speak. Why be so curious?
With a click, Jiang Xiao walked up the stairs to the second floor, held up his phone, and continued taking pictures.
No one spoke again.
Song Qiuyu silently followed behind Jiang Xiao, taking in every change in his expression, her eyes darting around guiltily.
Jiang Xiao’s expression looked slightly sad, but a faint smile played on his lips.
He was happy, happy to be able to fulfill Shen Xi’s last wish.
The nervousness and anticipation of entering the opera house were completely swallowed by a sudden surge of guilt.
Walking behind him, she felt utterly uneasy.
Lin An and Xie Zhuran felt the same way.
What was with this atmosphere…
But then again, when Jiang Xiao recorded them during lunch break, they really wanted to complain. Jiang Xiao’s photography and videography skills were terrible.
For videos, he was like a fixed camera stand, unmoving, which was fine, but for photos, it was just too bad.
Looking through them, hardly any of the pictures looked good.
Lin An couldn’t stand it anymore.
“Jiang Xiao, you won’t get good photos by just shoving the camera right at them!”
“?”
Jiang Xiao looked slightly puzzled.
Seeing Lin An start to hand-hold Jiang Xiao through taking photos, Song Qiuyu was thoughtful.
If one day Jiang Xiao could completely walk out of the shadow of the past, it would be a release for him, and for her…
Being confessed to twice in one day without her knowing was truly unpleasant!
Considering that the drama club members were busy setting up the stage play, they didn’t immediately go to them for props, choosing instead to find a seat and watch the stage play first.
Soon, the entire opera house was packed, with people even standing in the aisles.
They’d gotten there early and secured a prime spot: a central front-row seat on the second floor, offering a perfect view of the stage below.
The play began.
As the curtain rose, a melancholic melody filled the air.
The drama club was performing a comedic adaptation of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai today! This was a classic tear-jerker, and many in the audience had tissues at the ready.
Lin An and Xie Zhuran also started quietly discussing it.
Before coming, they hadn’t done much research, only knowing it was a play performed by their drama club seniors.
But they never expected it to be such a familiar story, and they were curious to see how this tragedy would be turned into a comedy.
However, the moment Song Qiuyu heard the play’s title, it was as if she’d received terrible news.
She clutched her chest, her face pale, feeling utterly unwell.
The story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai was all about separation by death.
What’s more, Zhu Yingtai had even committed suicide after Liang Shanbo’s death, and they both transformed into butterflies… She easily connected it to the matter between her small account and Jiang Xiao, feeling as if she were sitting on pins and needles.
Jiang Xiao, in his messages, had also written words that seemed to suggest he wanted to die for her, words about ending his life, though it seemed he’d pulled through in the end.
Should she find an excuse to leave? And take Jiang Xiao with her?
Jiang Xiao took one photo when the play opened, then put his phone down, slowly becoming immersed in the performance.
He’d initially intended to learn techniques from the stage, but before long, he was completely engrossed in the story of Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai itself.
Unlike the dramatic twists and turns of their story, his relationship with Shen Xi, from meeting to falling in love, had been smooth sailing.
Yet, despite such smoothness, they still faced the same separation by death, divided by life and death.
In the three years Shen Xi was still alive, she taught him to find joy outside of academics, showing him a richer, more colorful side of the world.
Since Shen Xi’s passing, he hadn’t felt happiness again.
Watching Liang Shanbo and Zhu Yingtai on stage, he narrowed his eyes, wondering, what if—he meant, what if—the person who died three years ago from illness wasn’t Shen Xi… What if it had been him? Would Shen Xi have been just as sad, like Zhu Yingtai? If that were the case, perhaps it was better this way; let him bear the pain.
Joyful laughter occasionally erupted from the audience, everyone captivated by the actors’ exquisite performances.
The atmosphere in the entire opera house was incredibly cheerful.
Xie Zhuran was laughing too.
The senior playing Zhu Yingtai was very captivating, whether in her charming female attire or her heroic male disguise.
The scenes where she, disguised as a man, lived with Ma Wencai and then with Liang Shanbo were truly hilarious.
But putting aside the acting and costume enhancements, the senior’s figure and looks were still a bit lacking.
Xie Zhuran unconsciously turned his head; his roommate Song Qiuyu in the seat next to him absolutely outshone this senior! Thinking this, he wondered if their dorm could really shoot a short video of a girl disguised as a boy sneaking into a male dorm? And then Song Qiuyu could play the cross-dressing girl?
They were all guys, so they could just go for it.
But if they filmed with a real girl, there would be many things to consider for such a scene.
Even a slight touch or seeing something they shouldn’t could instantly brand them as perverts.
At that point, getting slapped would be the least of their worries.
Xie Zhuran’s eyes lit up; he felt like a genius among geniuses.
Song Qiuyu’s only flaw was her figure.
They could just borrow padding from the drama club, right? Song Qiuyu had refused last time for the skit, but this was for a short video that could make money!
An inadvertent glance showed him that Lin An was also looking at Song Qiuyu. So, the two exchanged glances and reached a consensus.
“Cough, cough, I have some good news for you guys. I’ve got inspiration for our next short video, and I’m confident it’s going to be a hit!” Xie Zhuran winked, dangling the bait in front of Song Qiuyu.
Hearing him, Song Qiuyu looked over curiously.
“But there’s also some bad news,” Xie Zhuran suddenly became serious and briefly explained his idea.
“So, if Song Qiuyu doesn’t agree, then we can’t shoot this short video. We might need all four of us in the dorm to take a vote.”
Song Qiuyu was startled upon hearing this.