Chapter 77

As a key high school within a key school, very few students at Fudan High School ever skipped class, so the security guards were not very strict about it.

Cheng Xiaoyu rode Xia Shamo's orange women's bicycle, carrying the frail girl, and quickly dashed out of the gate while the old guard was reading a newspaper.

Even though they were not caught, Xia Shamo's face turned bright red, and her heart raced. She herself was not sure if it was because of the tension of doing something she knew was wrong for the first time, or because of some other emotion stirring in her heart.

The drizzle of the early morning had long stopped. After a few showers, the sky over Shanghai was clear and flawless, with only fluffy white clouds covering the blue background. The warm sun, like a mischievous child, played hide and seek among the clouds.

In this alley behind Fudan University, one side was lined with cherry blossom trees, and the other side had old cement utility poles. The lonely power lines seemed to connect to another dimension, stretching infinitely into the distance. Sparrows perched on the lines, their eyes closed, like proud singers.

After a gust of wind, the cherry blossoms fluttered like a young girl's pink skirt. Cheng Xiaoyu lifted his face, feeling the intoxicating scent of the fresh, slightly cold air mixed with the delicate fragrance of the cherry blossoms.

Xia Shamo held onto his clothes with one hand and the back of the bicycle with the other, sitting sideways on the bicycle as if it were flying.

At the corner of the street was a small coffee shop. During the season when the cherry blossoms bloomed extravagantly, a dark signboard read, "Balcony under the Moonlight."

Cheng Xiaoyu, slightly out of breath, stopped the bicycle, put one foot on the ground, and turned to Xia Shamo, saying, "Let's go have a cup of coffee."

When he turned, he saw Xia Shamo's long legs hanging in the air, slightly lowered to touch the ground. Xia Shamo tidied her disheveled hair and smiled at Cheng Xiaoyu, her smile as sweet as sunshine. Cheng Xiaoyu didn't dare to look for long and turned back to park the bicycle next to the coffee shop.

Outside the coffee shop, a few umbrellas were set up under the cherry blossom trees, with small brown round tables and a few silver chairs. In this beautiful season, at this ordinary street corner, everything was perfectly arranged, like a scene from a movie.

Cheng Xiaoyu ordered two lattes, a Black Forest cake, a chocolate brownie, and a cheesecake. He remembered someone telling him that when you were in a bad mood, you should eat sweets, which contained ingredients that made you feel happy.

The two of them sat outside the coffee shop called "Balcony under the Moonlight," enjoying the beautiful silence. The sound system played the piano piece "Love's Sorrow" by Fritz Kreisler.

Watching Xia Shamo absentmindedly stirring her coffee with a small spoon, Cheng Xiaoyu asked, "Summer, don't mind those rumors. Time will prove how ridiculous they are. Just be yourself."

Xia Shamo lowered her head, her hair hanging behind her ears, and bit her lip, saying, "Actually, I don't care as much as I thought I would about what they say about me. I just worry it might cause you trouble."

Cheng Xiaoyu spread his hands, making an incredulous expression, and said, "How could it! You know how thick-skinned I am. I've never cared about others' ridicule. If I were that sensitive, I wouldn't know how to live."

Xia Shamo still kept her head down, her long, fair neck slightly bent under the weight of her thoughts. She said softly, "I've been used to it since I was young. Being from a single-parent family just means a lack of love." This was the first time Xia Shamo mentioned her family.

Cheng Xiaoyu fell silent for a moment, his memories surging in his mind. His weak, introverted soul had always avoided the memories of America, except for the instinct to play the piano. He seemed to want to forget everything else.

Cheng Xiaoyu looked at the cherry blossoms dancing in the air, like floating musical notes, and said softly, "Do you know how I started learning the piano? My mother also studied the piano. She was often unwell and would lose control of her emotions. Only when I played the piano would she calm down a bit, and sometimes she would even smile. At that time, what kept me going through the tedious practice was the hope that she would smile. She had depression and often cried, saying she shouldn't have had me. But when I ate the food she made, she was very gentle, and when I played the piano, she was especially strict. If I made a wrong note, she would hit me with a clothes hanger. Now, I don't know if I love her more or hate her more."

Cheng Xiaoyu waved his hand in the air, making a piano-playing gesture, and continued slowly, "Besides music, she left me nothing. At least you still have half of the love. But for me, when I recall those scenes, all I feel is pain. She made me suffer by teaching me to play the piano, her illness made me suffer, and her cold words made me suffer. Yet, she was the only one I could rely on for comfort. I haven't played the piano for over a year, just to forget. I've never hated her for not giving me happiness. I only hate her for leaving me alone."

Tears fell from Xia Shamo's eyes into her coffee, creating ripples. She looked up at Cheng Xiaoyu and said, "It seems I don't have the right to feel sorry for myself. You are much stronger than I am. When I asked my mother why I didn't have a father, she would just cry and hold me. Now I should be grateful that she didn't abandon me."

Cheng Xiaoyu couldn't help but reach out and touch Xia Shamo's head. He knew she was trying to be humorous. Cheng Xiaoyu rubbed her beautiful hair and said, "Summer, although you are strong, you should also be proud. You have the right to be proud. You should respond to their provocations with pride. Even if my life is difficult, my soul is noble. That's who you are! Don't lower your head, or your crown will fall. Don't cry, or the scum will laugh. You are the only lead singer of our 'Innocence Crown'!"

Xia Shamo picked up her coffee and took a small sip. Her tongue tasted the bitter sweetness, and she said hesitantly, "But I don't know what being proud should look like."

Cheng Xiaoyu laughed and said, "Just pretend you always have a microphone in your hand."

Xia Shamo's eyes lit up, and she made a decision in her heart. I want to sing, and I want to enjoy the scenery with him.

The two of them didn't talk about family issues anymore. They discussed music until noon, when they returned to the classroom. By then, all the classmates knew that the person who could write poetry could also curse. The poet's verbal attacks were so powerful that no one could respond.

But when the two of them returned together, Xia Shamo attracted more attention. Everyone felt that Xia Shamo was different, but they couldn't say exactly how. She was like a star with a faint glow, drawing everyone's gaze, beautiful with a gentle pride.

Wang Ou stared at the two of them. Cheng Xiaoyu walked over and patted his shoulder, saying, "I couldn't bear to see Summer being bullied. Don't blame me for taking your place to teach those gossips a lesson."

Wang Ou finally reacted and said loudly, "How could I blame you? You were awesome this morning. Poets are just that cool. You cursed so well that no one could respond. Your video is already on the school forum. Although the comments are all about you bullying girls, they don't know why you cursed them. Don't take it to heart."

Cheng Xiaoyu waved his hand and said, "Five words float in the sky, it's no big deal. If it's a big deal, it's only for a while, and then it's over. I'm already a troublemaker at school, so a little more bad reputation doesn't matter." Cheng Xiaoyu looked at Xia Shamo, who was sitting straight in her seat, facing the whispers and curious gazes of her classmates, feeling something was about to break free.

Wang Ou asked curiously, "Where did you take Xia Shamo?"

Cheng Xiaoyu hesitated and forced a smile, saying, "Where could we go? I saw she was in a bad mood, so I took her to the playground to chat and comfort her." He didn't know why he was lying. Going to have coffee wasn't something he couldn't talk about. But he felt that the small coffee shop was a little secret just for the two of them.

Wang Ou sighed and said, "Xiao Fat, it would be best if you pursued Xia Shamo. It's more reliable than someone else getting her."

Cheng Xiaoyu's heart twitched, and he said, "Don't think too much. I'm not good enough for her."

Wang Ou said softly, "You weren't good enough before, but now it's hard to say."

Cheng Xiaoyu's heart tightened, and he asked, "What do you mean?"

"Damn, bro, you don't know? Ji Yunyun read the poem you wrote on the blackboard today on the school radio at noon. Isn't that a clear declaration of love?!" Wang Ou was surprised by Cheng Xiaoyu's reaction. Logically, even on the playground, they should have heard the broadcast.

Cheng Xiaoyu said nonchalantly, "Oh, I thought it was something big. You're making a fuss over nothing. She probably just likes my poems. I doubt she has the courage to like me."

Cheng Xiaoyu felt sweat on his forehead, pulled out a tissue from his drawer, and wiped it off. He looked at the schedule, took out his Chinese textbook, and waited for the bell to ring.

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