“I... have a new song. Do you want to hear it?” Xie Xi suppressed what he originally wanted to say and changed the subject.
Ye Qiusuo stared at him for a moment and then shook her head. “I still have to go to the company. I’ll listen next time.”
“When is next time?” Xie Xi blurted out impulsively.
“Next time...” Professor Ye faced Xie Xi and said slowly, “It could be the next time we record the show, or it could be whenever we’re both free to meet up.”
After saying that, she turned and left.
As soon as Xie Xi returned, Zhang Dong swarmed him. “Brother Xi, today is Valentine’s Day. How was your dinner with Professor Ye?”
As a “single dog,” he had only realized it was Valentine’s Day from the flood of romance-flaunting posts on his social media feed. Realizing Brother Xi had gone out today, his gossip instincts immediately flared up.
“The chocolate was a bit sweet.” Xie Xi leaned back on the sofa, still thinking about what Ye Qiusuo had said.
Zhang Dong was delighted. “Brother Xi, Professor Ye gave you chocolate?!”
Had things really progressed to this point? He knew there was something fishy about them going out for dinner today.
Xie Xi glanced at his assistant. “The restaurant gave it.”
“Oh.” Zhang Dong felt a bit let down. “I thought you two had made some progress.”
So they really did just have an ordinary meal on such a special day.
Xie Xi: “...We’ve made progress. She asked me out for another meal.”
Zhang Dong immediately said, “Congratulations, Brother Xi!”
Xie Xi didn’t look particularly happy. He had almost spoken his mind earlier but had suddenly flinched. Rather than taking a step forward, he preferred to ensure he didn’t take a step back—at least they were still friends.
However, regarding the “next time” Ye Qiusuo mentioned, Xie Xi felt like she meant something else. His gaze fell on Zhang Dong. After hesitating for a moment, he decided to ask his assistant.
“Brother Xi, why don’t you start from the beginning? Don’t leave out a single detail.” Zhang Dong immediately sat down next to Xie Xi, his eyes wide with curiosity.
Xie Xi took the single piece of chocolate out of his pocket, looked down at it, and slowly told Zhang Dong the story.
...
“...Brother Xi, are you sure Professor Ye helped you wipe... um... there?” Zhang Dong was shocked. Professor Ye didn’t seem like the type of person who would do such a thing.
“It was just in passing,” Xie Xi denied, but the tips of his ears turned red at the memory.
Zhang Dong slapped his thigh. “Brother Xi, let me ask you: do you think Professor Ye would wipe my mouth for me?”
Hearing this, Xie Xi didn’t even want to look at him.
“Definitely not. Even if I couldn’t wipe it clean, Professor Ye would probably just tell me to look in a mirror, or at most use a phone screen as one. There are plenty of other ways.”
Xie Xi remained silent, but his heart began to thud again.
“Besides, what reason did you use to go out for dinner today?” Zhang Dong asked curiously. Every time Brother Xi wanted to see Professor Ye, he had to find a solid excuse.
“...I don’t know.” Xie Xi had gone to the university to find Ye Qiusuo on an impulse today, and then they had somehow ended up having dinner together.
Zhang Dong made a serious and bold guess. “Brother Xi, I think Professor Ye treats you differently. As soon as you went over to subtly ask about the situation with Lu Minglang, she turned around and posted a clarification on Weibo. That was only her second post ever. Plus, she only follows you.”
“That’s because she didn’t know about it before I mentioned it. Isn’t it normal for her to follow me? She’s not familiar with the others, and besides, I’m her student.”
“Well... anyway, I feel like Professor Ye treats you differently from everyone else,” Zhang Dong insisted. “Netizens are all talking about it. In the last episode, Professor Ye clearly could have won, but she put you last, and you ended up winning.”
“That was an accident,” Xie Xi refused to admit it, but his joy was impossible to hide. He stood up to go upstairs. “That’s enough. I’m going to write a song.”
...
“What have you been up to these past few days?”
Rong Shiyun had mostly settled in. Since she had no classes for half a day, she went to find Ye Qiusuo for a chat, carrying some food she’d bought. But she was shocked by Ye Qiusuo’s appearance.
Her hair was pulled into a messy ponytail, there were dark circles under her eyes, and her clothes were wrinkled. It was obvious she hadn’t rested in days.
“You’re here. Is work going smoothly?” Ye Qiusuo was holding a cup of black coffee. Rong Shiyun could smell the bitterness from five meters away. “What would you like to drink?”
“It’s going well. What else do you have besides water and coffee? Water is fine.” Rong Shiyun set the food on the table and shook her head at Ye Qiusuo. “If you go to school looking like this, you’ll probably scare the students.”
“I’m not going to school until tomorrow.” Ye Qiusuo went to pour her a glass of water.
“How many days has it been since you slept?” Rong Shiyun frowned as she took the water. “Is recording that show really that time-consuming?”
Ye Qiusuo took a sip of coffee. “I slept for an hour this morning. It’s fine. We record for at most two days in a row per episode.”
Rong Shiyun had been in the same lab as Ye Qiusuo before and knew her habits. Although they were in different fields now, Ye Qiusuo always made sure to leave herself enough time to rest—unless there was something else she needed to do, in which case she would work like a maniac to squeeze out the time.
“Then why are you in such a rush?” Rong Shiyun asked curiously. “What are you making time for?”
Ye Qiusuo stared at the coffee in her cup for a while, then said slowly, “I might be entering a relationship.”
“Oh,” Rong Shiyun responded reflexively. She had just taken a sip of water when she spat it all out. “You might be doing what?!” she asked in shock.
Professor Ye repeated seriously, “I might be entering a relationship.”
Rong Shiyun thought: I must still be in bed dreaming. This has to be a dream.
The two of them held their cups, staring at each other for a while before Rong Shiyun finally spoke. “This ‘entering a relationship’... involves a ‘might’?”
“Yes, there is a possibility.” Professor Ye was a rigorous person.
Rong Shiyun: “Heh, that’s... that’s great.”
It was indeed Ye Qiusuo’s style—if there was a possibility of a relationship, she would clear her schedule in advance.
“So, can I know who this ‘possibility’ is?” Rong Shiyun asked cautiously. Most of the people they knew were already settled down with families, and the people they interacted with were mostly middle-aged. There weren't many people their age.
Ye Qiusuo shook her head.
“Do I know him?”
“Yes.”
Rong Shiyun frantically searched her mind for young peers she knew. There were almost none. Their former classmates were scattered all over the world, and most of them had been so crushed by Ye Qiusuo’s brilliance in the past that they didn’t seem like likely candidates for a relationship.
“Qiusuo...” Rong Shiyun grew serious. “You’re not having something going on with one of your students, are you? Student-teacher romances are a bad idea.”
She thought back to the students Ye Qiusuo was advising. That one named Lin Lu was decent-looking, but he was way too hyper; he didn't seem like the type Qiusuo would like. On the other hand, there was Ding Hong. He was average-looking but had a steady personality.
“Both parties are adults. A teacher-student relationship isn't illegal,” Ye Qiusuo said calmly.
Rong Shiyun held her water cup, feeling uneasy. How could Qiusuo have fallen for that student Ding Hong? They didn't seem like a good match at all; he was just an ordinary guy.
Ye Qiusuo finished her coffee. “I still have work to do. Make yourself at home.”
Rong Shiyun watched her walk into the study, the shock still reverberating through her mind: How could she “possibly” be entering a relationship?!
During the filming of the third episode, Xie Xi didn't end up singing for Ye Qiusuo. Instead, he shuffled over to her side and tentatively asked if they could do it the following day.
“That’s fine,” Professor Ye agreed without a moment’s hesitation.
Xie Xi was so nervous that he failed to notice the ease of her agreement.
“Then... would my place be alright?” Xie Xi looked at Ye Qiusuo. “I have my instruments there.”
“Alright.”
Just as they finished speaking, the others approached, and the two naturally fell silent.
Xie Xi discreetly took out his phone and sent a message to Zhang Dong: [I’m giving you the day off tomorrow. You are not allowed to come back to the house.]
Zhang Dong: [Bro, did you buy a new gaming console? Are you trying to play it behind my back?]
Xie Xi: [You can take the console with you. The Professor is coming over tomorrow; don't show your face.]
Zhang Dong: [!!! Bro, remember to test the waters with Professor Ye tomorrow. I guarantee she feels differently about you!]
Xie Xi didn't reply because the cameras had started rolling again.
Filming usually took place before the previous episode aired, and today was no exception. A segment had run into issues, so they spent over an hour re-recording it. The director, Zheng Longju, reminded them that the next episode would be filmed out of town. Although the shoot itself would only take a day, the travel time meant they needed to clear their schedules.
Once filming wrapped, the six of them gathered for their usual post-show dinner and debrief. Xie Xi never found a private moment to speak with Ye Qiusuo, so he had to resort to a text: [I’ll be waiting for you at home tomorrow.]
Professor Ye was checking her emails when the notification popped up. She tapped it, then looked up at Xie Xi across the table, mouthing a single word: “Okay.”
***
The next day, Xie Xi had already finished tidying the house. Uncharacteristically, he was out of bed by seven in the morning.
Unfortunately, Professor Ye didn't arrive until after nine, having timed her visit based on his usual wake-up schedule.
As soon as the doorbell rang, Xie Xi lunged to his feet. He strode toward the door, but stopped to check his reflection in the hallway mirror one last time before opening it.
“Good morning, Professor,” Xie Xi said, trying his best to sound casual.
Ye Qiusuo held out a box of chocolates. “For you.” It was the same brand they had eaten at the restaurant the other day.
Xie Xi took them, his mind racing between Zhang Dong’s advice and the realization that bringing a small gift was a perfectly normal social gesture.
As they walked inside, Ye Qiusuo turned to him. “Are we doing the new song now?”
Xie Xi snapped back to reality. “I’ll take you to the music room.”
The music room was spacious and filled with various instruments. Xie Xi sat down at a grand piano and looked up at Ye Qiusuo. “Professor, sit here.” He patted the spot on the bench beside him.
The night before, Xie Xi had stayed up late moving every other chair in the music room into the storage closet.
Ye Qiusuo arched an eyebrow. “Alright.”
They sat side-by-side at the piano. Xie Xi began to play and sing; it was indeed a new song, one Ye Qiusuo had never heard before.
The Professor didn't know much about music or melodies, but that didn't stop her from sensing the raw emotion woven into the song—especially with the way he looked at her from time to time.
She listened in silence until he finished, then raised her hands to offer a light round of applause. “It’s beautiful.”
Xie Xi had only sung one song, yet the tips of his ears were burning. He felt a wave of relief, thankful for the stray strands of hair that partially hid them.
However, a second later, his entire body felt like it was on fire.
Ye Qiusuo reached out and tucked the hair behind his ear, her voice calm. “Your ears are red.”
Xie Xi froze.
Her fingertips lightly brushed against the pink-tinged tips of his ears—thin and warm to the touch. She let out a soft chuckle and pulled her hand back. “Is it too hot in here?”
Xie Xi stared at her, the shock in his eyes lingering.
“What is it?” she asked, acting as if nothing had happened.
“Bro, Professor Ye treats you differently than everyone else. If you don't believe me, just try her.”
Zhang Dong’s words began to play on a loop in Xie Xi’s mind.
“Professor...”
“Yes?”
“I like you.”
