The college students had just finished their military training, and Xie Lan from the School of Mathematics had already become famous.
—The soldier with the lowest college entrance examination score in the whole battalion, the most troublesome soldier in the military training class, and a reverse sharpshooter who missed the target all the time after the coach fired five bullets with his hand.
But at the same time, he is also the CMO champion that the School of Mathematics looks up to, and a person who was added by all friends on the first day of school without any self-introduction.
In this university that values intelligence and diversity, you can hit a beam of light by throwing a stone at random. The light of many people is drowned out by this campus, but Xie Lan is not one of them. His light seems to shine even brighter in this university.
The welcoming party of T University came to an end, and Xie Lan was stopped just as he was about to leave from the backstage.
"Xie Lan, wait a moment." The teacher who led the student symphony orchestra came over and said with a gentle smile, "You play the piano really well. By the way, there is one thing I don't know if you heard. Wang Keyi is in her third year of graduate school and is busy with internships. She and I want to quit the orchestra. Do you want to consider taking her place?"
It took Xie Lan a while to react before he remembered who Wang Keyi was.
The violin seats in the symphony are divided into two categories: first violin and second violin, two each. The first violin is responsible for the main sound, and the second violin is responsible for the bass and harmony. Xie Lan is the only student in this session who did not sit on the bench and directly participated in the performance. His current position belongs to the second violin.
But essentially, I don't care about these things. Although I was once called the "principal violinist" by the school orchestra in the UK, that was just a recognition of my ability among members. Symphony is an art of exquisite cooperation, and there is no distinction between high and low positions.
"I'm fine with it. I'll follow your instructions."
Xie Lan carried the violin case on his back, "I'm sorry, teacher. Although I'm here to perform, I have to take a leave for the regular training this year."
Because I had to prepare for the IMO this year, I didn't sign up at first, and wanted to join the group after the sophomore competition. As a result, the group chairman took the initiative to find me. Among the "reserve" positions on the list of members this year, "Xie Lan" was followed by the only "second violin seat".
Teacher smiled and said, "I know, but we also have a lot of meaningful performances every day. I asked the chairman to keep in touch with at any time. If there is a suitable time, can come over at any time."
Xie Lan couldn't refuse anymore, so he just nodded and said, "Okay, thank you, teacher."
Most of the people in the activity hall had left. Xie Lan hurried out with her piano on her back and saw Dou Sheng waiting under the tree.
Dou Sheng controlled the bicycle with one hand and held the camera with the other, looking through the materials.
Xie Lan walked over and finally breathed a sigh of relief, "What are you shooting?"
“Take a picture.” Dou Sheng smiled and held out the camera. “This is the first time I’ve seen you sitting in a symphony orchestra. That feeling… Tsk… It’s indescribable.”
On the screen was the solemn and orderly T University Symphony Orchestra. The performers were all dressed in black formal suits, surrounding the conductor. The violin section was on the left and right, and Xie Lan was in the innermost circle on the left.
In the picture, the calm boy put the violin on the side of his neck and drew the bow to play. The music was exciting, and the trembling of his arms and body blended into the background of the performers, but the boy's posture was so outstanding. Among the countless flying bows, the one belonging to Xie Lan was the most eye-catching.
"I'm so happy." Dou Sheng sighed and watched that scene several times before carefully putting away the camera.
He stepped onto the bicycle, put one foot on the ground, and waited until Xie Lan was firmly seated before pushing off, letting the wind blow his hair behind him.
Dou Sheng asked casually, "What are you having for supper?"
Xie Lan also raised his voice in the wind, "Eat something sweet."
Lian's family had been eating barbecue with Yesi and others for a week, and now they are terrified at the mention of barbecue.
So Dou Sheng turned his bike smoothly and said, "Then let's go to the bakery in our courtyard and check it out?"
"Okay." Xie Lan casually put his hand on Dou Sheng's waist and yawned, "Meat floss clams, I hope there are some more."
Dou Sheng rode his bicycle very coolly. No matter how bad the road conditions were, he could always find a road that was not so bumpy. The front of the bike twisted back and forth flexibly, but remained very stable.
As the bike left the main road, there were suddenly fewer students around. Xie Lan leaned against Dou Sheng's back and yawned, "Today's class is so profound."
Dou Sheng was surprised and asked, "Profound? What professional class are we taking today?"
"Mathematical analysis, advanced linear algebra."
Dou Sheng's voice was a little puzzled, "Not really? You've confused me right from the start?"
Xie Lan yawned repeatedly, "My most profound subject is not the professional course... it's Mao Zedong Thought."
"… Hahaha."
Dou Sheng, who was riding the bike, couldn't help but laugh out loud. The wind carried his laughter into Xie Lan's ears, making him feel a little itchy.
Xie Lan sighed sadly.
Mao Zedong Thought is really difficult. My classmates consoled me by saying that I just needed to memorize it before the final exam, but it was hard to even read through it, so how could I memorize it
What's even more sad is that the T University Sports School has an annual 3,000-meter test, and those who fail will lose their qualification for postgraduate study.
The psychological shadow of military training has not faded yet, and now it comes again. It’s better to give it a blow.
There wasn't much left in the bakery at night, but luckily there was one last shrimp that Xie Lan loved.
Dou Sheng packed a box of puffs, a box of salty, sweet and crispy horns, a pack of peach cakes and mooncakes, and snow-white dumplings... The heavy bag was hung on the handlebars of his bicycle.
The bike started to pedal, and he said to the person behind him, "I slept well after eating something sweet. I'll call you to run with me in the morning."
As soon as he finished speaking, his back felt heavy and Xie Lan's forehead was raised.
I can't say no, but I can rub my forehead against my boyfriend and complain.
As we rode out of the school gate, we occasionally passed by some familiar faces. Those who knew Dou Sheng shouted and greeted him, while those who didn't know Xie Lan just smiled softly and walked past, probably because Xie Lan closed his eyes as if he was sleeping.
But as the cars passed by, the evening breeze still brought some low laughter into Xie Lan's ears.
"That's it, fake boyfriend."
“So fake.”
"What a pity, he is the only handsome guy in our department this year."
"My God, be content. After all, there are so many men in the School of Mathematics..."
Xie Lan rested her head on her boyfriend's back, feeling somewhat comfortable with the breeze blowing on her face. She seemed to have fallen asleep for a while in a trance. Then Dou Sheng suddenly rode to a bumpy place, which made her butt hurt a lot. She became so angry that she stood up and patted Dou Sheng on the back.
The car just drove into the gate of the district and slowed down.
Xie Lan said anxiously, "Can we ride on a flat road?"
"Yes, sorry." Dou Sheng apologized immediately, and after a moment he explained in a low voice, "I tried my best. Just now a kid suddenly appeared in the alley, and I hid."
Xie Lan sighed.
Dou Sheng parked the car downstairs of his house, waited for Xie Lan to get off the car, took over her piano and carried it around for her, muttering, "Next time, I won't ride the bike the next day. No, walking is uncomfortable, right? Then... Tsk, let me think about what to do."
Xie Lan said nothing, walked in front of him and entered the unit door.
The light bulbs on the lower floors of the old building were broken. Xie Lan turned on the flashlight on his cell phone to illuminate the view, and his figure was looming as the light swayed.
Although it's not that obvious, I can still feel that the movement of climbing the stairs is a bit awkward.
Dou Sheng suddenly felt a little guilty, so he caught up with him and said, "How about you take the things from home and I'll carry them for you?"
Xie Lan's body trembled and he almost stepped on empty air.
He shook his head in disbelief and said, "Do you want to scare the neighbors to death? Except for Yesi and his friends, everyone else in this building is a grandparent."
"I just thought about it..." Dou Sheng gave up again, "I was a little drunk just now..."
Xie Lan stepped on the two steps above him and chuckled, "I was a little bit dizzy just now."
Dou Sheng remained silent, and only when he turned around did he gently curl the corners of his mouth.
The corridor was very quiet, and even quieter when there were no lights on.
We walked up slowly, one after the other, without seeing much.
The lights finally came on when they reached the fourth floor. Xie Lan was so hot that he took off the suit jacket he was wearing for the performance and put it on his arm. He had been enduring the heat and hadn't taken it off before because the shirt that the group distributed was very transparent and couldn't be worn alone.
As he walked up, he unbuttoned a few buttons on his collar and unbuttoned his cuffs, and asked casually, "How transparent is it from the back?"
Dou Sheng raised his eyes and glanced at him when he heard that.
The corridor is a small space with concentrated light. When the light shines through the shirt, even the slightest trace will be visible.
"Anyway, you can't wear it in the sun." Dou Sheng replied briefly, "I suggest you buy a similar style for future activities or training, or we can find someone to make one with this pattern."
Xie Lan hummed, "That's right."
After arriving home, Xie Lan quickly finished a pork floss clams and ate half a box of puffs. The large amount of sugar and fruit immediately made her feel sleepy. She glanced at Dou Sheng, who usually turned on the computer to start directing materials as soon as she got home, pinched two more puffs, and went into the bathroom.
He had just taken off his shirt and hadn't taken off his pants when Dou Sheng called out from outside the door, "Come in."
Although he greeted her, the action of opening the door and the greeting were synchronized, which did not give people any time to react.
Xie Lan was helpless and a little amused, "I thought you were going to direct the material, so I washed it first."
"Oh, wash first. I'll come in and get some floral water."
Dou Sheng grabbed the blue bottle on the table and glanced through the mirror.
—In the mirror, there were some spots on the fair skin, which were the scars left by Xie Lan's recent attempts at unfamiliar sports.
Dou Sheng sighed, "It's a little crispy. How many days will it take to heal?"
Xie Lan's eyes wanted to kill someone.
"I was wrong. I'm going to get out." Dou Sheng immediately raised the toilet water to beg for mercy, then left the bathroom and asked through the door, "Excuse me, Master, can tonight's footage be edited into this month's vlog?"
"Whatever." Xie Lan took off her clothes and opened the sliding door of the shower room. "If you want to cut it, just cut it."
I just turned on the shower when I faintly heard Dou Sheng outside asking, "Um... are you feeling particularly uncomfortable?"
Dou Sheng's voice was very low. It was unclear whether it was because the sound of the water blocked his voice or because he lowered the volume himself.
Xie Lan instinctively reached out to turn off the water, but hesitated and stopped, not wanting to put this conversation in a very solemn scene.
He mumbled over the sound of water in the other house, "No... Can I not ask?"
“Oh…” Dou Sheng’s voice faded away immediately, and he muttered, “I just… Anyway, it will be better next time.”
The hot water poured down, pouring over Xie Lan's ears and cheeks, and the skin that was poured became a little hot due to the water temperature.
He silently squeezed a handful of shampoo and rubbed it on his head, making bubbles all over his hands. He closed his eyes and rubbed hard until the pine scent filled the entire humid bathroom.
Actually, it was pretty good last time... until later.
It’s an unfamiliar sport, and it’s indeed a big challenge to your physical fitness, flexibility, and endurance when you first start. However, exercise will stimulate the body to produce a lot of dopamine in the end, making you enjoy it even if you feel sore all over.
A melodious and soothing music sounded from outside. It was Dou Sheng who was choosing the background music. After a long while, he finally decided on a song that happened to be a song Xie Lan had hummed two days ago.
Xie Lan hummed that tune and washed away the tension and soreness in his body under the hot water. He came out of the shower, put on a pair of soft pajamas, and casually put on a black vest.
In the mirror, the person who had just taken a shower was almost glowing, with wet black hair sticking to his forehead and cheeks.
I picked up the hair dryer and just plugged it in when a shadow appeared on the frosted glass at the door.
"Are you done washing?" Dou Sheng asked outside.
Xie Lan hummed.
"I'm here to return the floral water." Dou Sheng pressed down the door handle again and walked in.
Xie Lan turned sideways, put his arm over, and watched the bottle of toilet water fall into a pile of bottles and jars.
However, Dou Sheng did not leave. He leaned against the sink, blocking the socket with his body.
"Student Xie Lan, I just edited the symphony for tonight."
"Hmm?" Xie Lan put down the hair dryer, "What's wrong?"
"It's nothing special. I just think my boyfriend is so handsome. I want to brag about him to the whole world, but I have no way to vent this thought for the time being. I feel so suffocated." Dou Sheng raised his hand and hooked it around Xie Lan's shoulder. He ignored the heat and the water on Xie Lan's head, and pressed his lips against her forehead and eyes through her hair. "Forgive me. It's my first time watching my boyfriend's symphony live. I'm stunned."
The bathroom was very hot, and Xie Lan should have been annoyed by the pressure pressed against her, but she felt very comfortable instead.
Recently, and Dou Sheng have indeed become closer than before.
It's the kind of intimacy that makes your body unconsciously want to get closer.
Dou Sheng casually took the hair dryer from his hand, plugged it in, turned on the switch and tested the temperature on his palm.
"Give me a blow?"
"Um."
So Xie Lan lowered her head slightly, letting Dou Sheng ruffle her hair with one hand, and use the other hand to carefully blow dry her hair with the hair dryer.
The fan was whirring, and the flying hair occasionally swept across my eyes, causing a little itchiness.
Xie Lan half closed his eyes and raised his voice, "I don't have classes this morning, do you have any too?"
Dou Sheng also raised his voice and answered, "Yes, our days are full from afternoon to evening, and we chose classes just to be together. Did you forget?"
Xie Lan let out a cry and felt her hair being pulled wildly. She opened one eye and glanced at the mirror from the side, seeing her hair flying in the air.
After another few seconds, the fan stopped and the whole world suddenly became quiet.
"Okay." Dou Sheng put down the hair dryer.
Xie Lan nodded, and a drop of water slid down the side of his neck and was stopped by his collarbone.
Just as she was about to reach out her hand, Dou Sheng automatically grasped her shoulder and wiped away the small drop of water with his thumb.
The person in the mirror had fluffy black hair and sparkling eyes. The vest wrapped around her waist, revealing her smooth and tight lines, and her shoulders and arms exuded a youthful and energetic luster under the bathroom ceiling light.
"There are no classes this morning." Xie Lan suddenly repeated in a low voice.
"ah?"
Dou Sheng turned his gaze away from the mirror and took a moment to react.
Xie Lan didn't respond to this, but just looked at him. Then Dou Sheng suddenly realized it, and turned his head away with an unbelievable and teasing smile, "No way, senior? So you are waiting for me here?"
"What did I wait for?" Xie Lan said in a calm tone.
Dou Sheng didn't reply, but sighed twice. When he heard Wutong jumping off the bed from behind, he immediately kicked back and slammed the door shut.
"Meow!" Wutong, who almost had his nose touched, screamed angrily outside. The cat's claws scratched on the frosted glass, making a rustling sound, which sounded very ferocious.
The two people inside ignored him, their breath was hot, Dou Sheng held Xie Lan's neck and head and kissed her deeply, the black vest and white shirt fit tightly together.
Xie Lan leaned his back against the misty tiles at home. After a while, his back was wet. The wet fabric was sticking to his body and it felt uncomfortable. He stretched out his hand anxiously to tug at his vest, but his fingertips trembled and the tugged fabric bounced back, hitting his skin with a crisp sound.
The face in the mirror instantly turned red.
The sound of water stopped, replaced by Dou Sheng's muffled laughter with a slight breath.
"What a joke." Xie Lan was angry. "It's so damp, can't you turn on the exhaust fan?"
Dou Sheng lowered his head and pressed his lips again and again on the blush that spread to her collarbone. It was a long time before he reluctantly let go.
"It's no use turning on the exhaust fan." Dou Sheng whispered in her ear, "How long will it take to exhaust the exhaust fan?"
He let go of Xie Lan's neck and moved his hand downwards.
"I'll just wash it again later."
"… "