Chapter Ninety-Eight: Our Story

Cheng Xiaoyu left in a hurry, unaware that the school had already been thrown into an uproar.

Of course, most people scoffed at the rumor that the sleazy guy had carried away Goddess Su. Come on, it was not April Fools’ Day. If you were going to spread lies, at least have some basic standards, all right? You might as well tell me Godzilla attacked Japan; that would sound more believable.

The story circulated widely, but for most of the students at Fudan Affiliated High School, that was exactly the reaction they had. Hardly anyone believed it. They only thought someone was trying to smear Su Yuxi.

But things were different in Senior Class Two, where some had seen it with their own eyes. The second period that afternoon was unusually quiet, and even Xia Shamo, who never lost focus in class, had drifted off.

When the teacher called on her, she could only blush and say, “Sorry, I wasn’t paying attention just now. What was the question, teacher?”

A low buzz of whispers rose through the classroom, everyone discussing how Cheng Xiaoyu could possibly have so many beautiful girls around him. If they thought about it carefully, he really did not seem to have anything especially outstanding about him.

Wang Ou could not suppress his curiosity any longer and wanted to send Cheng Xiaoyu a text asking what on earth his relationship with Goddess Su actually was. He secretly took out his phone, which was set to silent, opened his messages, and then realized he did not even know how to phrase the question. In the end he could only type a long string of ellipses.

Cheng Xiaoyu received it and sent back only a smiley face, ignoring Wang Ou’s curiosity entirely.

First Cheng Xiaoyu took Su Yuxi to her therapy session, then sat quietly by the entrance looking over his history review notes. When Su Yuxi finished all forty-five minutes of rehabilitation and came out of the treatment room, he carried her on his back.

The therapist helped him settle her in and said with a smile, “Your boyfriend is really good to you.”

Su Yuxi was in a rare good mood and replied with a faint smile, “That’s my brother.”

Cheng Xiaoyu, on the other hand, turned a little red. Carrying Su Yuxi on his back, he awkwardly said to the female therapist in her white coat and mask, “Thank you. I’ll come again tomorrow.”

It was the first time the therapist had seen siblings who looked so strikingly different, and she was a little surprised. She could only assume they probably were not biological siblings.

When they got home, Cheng Xiaoyu sent Su Yuxi back to her room to rest, then went to his recording studio to continue the unfinished work.

Since he was already used to setting up the mixing console by himself and recording on his own, the song, which already had half its accompaniment laid down, came together very quickly.

After all, he already had the completed work in his mind. All he had to do was follow the blueprint, and the job was not difficult.

Cheng Xiaoyu was sitting in the music studio when the housemaid from the Philippines came to call him for dinner. She came twice. But the mix was almost finished, and he was too deep in the work to want to leave. He told her to just leave him some food.

When he finally finished mixing the last phrase of the melody, stretched, and noticed how hungry he was, he turned around and saw Su Yuxi standing behind him with one foot lifted.

Cheng Xiaoyu hurriedly got up, turned the chair around, and helped her sit down. “Why did you come over?”

Su Yuxi pointed to a thermal lunch box. “I brought you dinner. You really are the kind to forget to eat and sleep when you get carried away.”

Cheng Xiaoyu smiled. “There was only a tiny bit of finishing work left. I didn’t want to break my rhythm, so I forgot about dinner. And you didn’t need to bring it yourself. Your foot still isn’t healed. I told you to move around less.”

Su Yuxi mischievously blinked her beautiful eyes. “Actually, I’ve wanted to come in and see what your little base looks like for a long time, but I was embarrassed to. Today I finally had a perfectly good excuse to come in openly, so of course I couldn’t miss the chance.”

Cheng Xiaoyu reached across her body to control the mouse and save the newly completed track, saying to her, “If you want to come, come anytime. Don’t make it sound like this place is some kind of dragon’s den.”

Su Yuxi looked up and saw Cheng Xiaoyu in profile. Just a moment ago, he had been wearing headphones and working with complete concentration, his whole being shining with the light of thought. It made her feel that Cheng Xiaoyu could be very handsome at times.

She was curious about what kind of music he had finished and asked, “Can I hear this song now?”

Cheng Xiaoyu nodded, then turned his head toward the seated Su Yuxi and asked, “You want to listen?”

Su Yuxi wore a satin nightgown trimmed with lace and ruffles. Though it was fairly loose, it still could not conceal the lovely shape beneath it. Her feet hung before the chair, and both hands braced the edge as she leaned forward.

Perhaps she had long since lowered her guard around Cheng Xiaoyu, because she did not notice in the slightest that the wider neckline had fallen open, revealing elegant collarbones and the beautiful curve of her cleavage.

Cheng Xiaoyu had only glanced by accident, but he immediately turned away to hide his embarrassment. Inside, however, he was screaming to himself that he was a man with experience; how could he be so lacking in self-control in front of his own sister? He forced away the countless stray thoughts in his head, yet that breathtaking image refused to leave him.

Of course, Su Yuxi had no idea that her flawless beauty and immaculate figure were such terrifying weapons. She answered Cheng Xiaoyu with innocent certainty, “Of course. Ni Ni and I are both still waiting for your work.”

Cheng Xiaoyu suppressed the tremor in his heart and stared at the computer screen, not daring to look at Su Yuxi again. Smiling, he said, “The work itself will definitely be fine. I already have the idea in my head now, and when the time comes, I’ll make sure it’s written specially for you both.”

With that, he switched on the speakers, opened the player, and said to Su Yuxi, “This song is for the other three members of our band. It’s called Our Story.”

Then he clicked play.

How much longer will you be beside me?
How can I make time run backward?
Every minute, every second, I treasure

Ah...

Hands clenched tight, unwilling to let go
The ten-thirty flight is waiting
Do not let your tears fall again
I have to leave
Remember

Our story is so hard to forget
Too many memories and hopes
No matter how wild it may be
I am willing to keep it for a lifetime

Our story cannot be forgotten
Too many scenes are still waiting to unfold
Do not give up, because one day fate will continue
It will surely continue

I know you are lonely
Being alone is truly so painful
Longing is a kind of hurt
Without you, how am I supposed to live?

The world around us is full of temptation
If we are not steadfast, we will make mistakes so easily
Can you see the rewards that lie ahead?
Will you be willing to wait a little longer?

Ah...

Our story is so hard to forget
Too many memories and hopes
No matter how wild it may be
I am willing to keep it for a lifetime

Our story cannot be forgotten
Too many scenes are still waiting to unfold
Do not give up, because one day fate will continue
Let us finish the performance together

This was the first time Cheng Xiaoyu had truly interpreted a song in the R&B style.

Su Yuxi was also encountering this kind of music for the first time. The songs she had heard before included Sword Drawing, which had an operatic style with grand, stirring symphonic accompaniment; and The Huangpu River, which belonged to a fresh and pleasing folk style. The later pieces she had heard, such as Hypnosis and Blooming to the End, were psychedelic light rock with an unconventional style. Snail belonged to the category of inspirational children’s songs, while Dragon Gate Inn was what people called a return to the roots, country rock.

It could be said that Cheng Xiaoyu had no fixed mold. He could handle any style with ease, then add his own understanding to an established form and transform it into music that was uniquely his.

And this song, Our Story, was something entirely unprecedented. In melody, arrangement, and vocal style alike, it was clearly different from today’s popular music. There was a hint of Western jazz in it, yet it was wholly unlike anything else.

This kind of pop song was distinctive, delicate, melodically pleasing, and not the least bit vulgar. It left Su Yuxi deeply astonished by Cheng Xiaoyu’s talent in music, and made her even more eager to hear the songs he would write for them.

Although everyone else believed Su Yuxi to be a gifted young prodigy, she herself had never thought of it that way. At most, she only felt she might be a little cleverer than most, far from deserving the title of genius.

But now she believed her brother was a genuine genius. At least in musical instinct and composition, she felt certain Cheng Xiaoyu would become an epic figure, even if he was still utterly unknown at present.

After listening, Su Yuxi wasted no words. She tipped her chin up and asked directly, “Do you have any other finished recordings?”

Cheng Xiaoyu hesitated, thinking of the songs he had uploaded online that had utterly flopped. He was a little embarrassed to bring them out, so he did not tell the truth. “No. I still have college entrance exams and art exams to deal with, so I haven’t had time to record anything.”

Su Yuxi let out a regretful sigh. “If I had known you were this amazing, I wouldn’t have gone to join any idol project. Any company with a songwriter and lyricist as heaven-defying as you would find it hard not to dominate the Chinese pop scene.”

Cheng Xiaoyu, however, knew things sounded simple only in theory. In practice, they would surely be filled with obstacles. Thinking of the classic songs he had uploaded that no one on the internet had bothered to notice, he could only smile bitterly. “I think my music is too far ahead of the times. The listeners of the present may not be able to accept it.”

Su Yuxi smiled. “As long as you don’t give up, I’m sure I’ll see the day when you shine brilliantly.”

Cheng Xiaoyu naturally had that same confidence, and he nodded with a smile.

Su Yuxi rose, steadying herself on the chair. “Tomorrow is Ni Ni’s birthday. I had already promised to go with you to her birthday banquet, but now I can’t make it. Brother, when you go tomorrow, help me bring her the gift.”

The moment Cheng Xiaoyu thought of the veteran mental case Xu Qining, his head began to ache. With a long face, he asked, “If I give her the gift, can I leave?”

Seeing how unwilling he looked, Su Yuxi could not help smiling. “At the very least, you should pretend. Then slip away when no one is paying attention. And I’m not admitting I told you to do that!”

With that, she slowly made her way toward the door. Her ankle was secured by a fixed bandage, so walking did not hurt, though she could not move too quickly.

Cheng Xiaoyu watched her return to her room, then opened the thermal lunch box and started eating. That meal tasted exceptionally delicious.

The next day, as soon as Cheng Xiaoyu arrived in class, he felt a wave of suspicious looks directed at him. He did not care, nor did he think he owed anyone an explanation. He sat down heavily in his seat and started reviewing politics.

The moment Wang Ou arrived, he grabbed Cheng Xiaoyu by the neck with all his might and shouted, “If you don’t tell the truth, I’ll go down with you! How could you possibly defile the goddess in my heart?!!”

Cheng Xiaoyu had already expected to face Wang Ou’s interrogation. Sticking out his tongue, he said in a muffled voice, “Damn it, you’re choking me. How am I supposed to talk?”

Wang Ou finally let go, still seething. “You know what? You’re already on Fudan Affiliated High School’s blacklist. You’re now the number-one man on the wanted list. If you still don’t come forward and clear things up, I’m guessing you may not be able to walk out of this school alive today.”

Cheng Xiaoyu swatted away Wang Ou’s hand, which was still resting on his shoulder, and smiled before lowering his voice. “Su Yuxi is my little sister.”

Wang Ou’s mouth dropped open wide enough to swallow an egg. Still unable to believe it, he said, “Say that again?”

Cheng Xiaoyu could not be bothered with him and unfolded his politics book to keep reviewing.

Realizing Cheng Xiaoyu was not joking, Wang Ou asked again, “Full siblings? Or cousins? Or maybe just from the same clan?”

Cheng Xiaoyu said irritably, “You guess!”

Wang Ou immediately cried out, “Brother, please accept this younger brother’s bow.”

Cheng Xiaoyu stretched out a foot and kicked him once. “If you keep running your mouth here, I’ll tell Xia Shamo!”

Wang Ou had no choice but to return to his seat with a miserable face. Xia Shamo was his Achilles’ heel, and fortunately, Cheng Xiaoyu was the only one who knew it.