Chapter 150: Perfect Accord

Luo Yixia’s breath formed wisps of white mist in the air. Winter in City A arrived rather late, and while the temperatures were not particularly low, she still disliked the season. It had been several years since City A last saw snow.

"Do you think it will snow this year?" Luo Yixia asked, looking up at the bright crescent moon hanging in the sky.

"It rarely snows in City A, and even winter arrives later here than in other regions."

"I haven't seen snow in so many years." Luo Yixia yearned for her childhood, when she could have snowball fights as soon as winter hit. Without snow, she found little joy in the season anymore.

"You might have to come home with me for the New Year," Song Chengyi said, tilting his head to look at her.

"Where? To your hometown?"

"Yes. It snows often there. Every year when I go back for the holidays, it snows for a few days. Besides, my grandmother has called me several times saying... she wants to meet you."

"Will they dislike me? Do I need to bring something? What does your grandmother like?" The sudden news made Luo Yixia incredibly nervous.

"Silly," Song Chengyi said with a smile as he watched her panic.

"After the New Year's Eve gala, we'll go buy something for her."

"Okay," Song Chengyi agreed.

"I usually spend every New Year and summer vacation back home. I didn't expect things to move so fast..." There was a hint of melancholy in Luo Yixia's voice.

"Once the New Year is over, we still have to go to your place to pay our respects," Song Chengyi said, reaching out to tap her head.

"Oh, right. My grandparents probably don't know we've registered our marriage yet. My mom only told them I had a boyfriend. They are older and quite traditional in their views. My dad was worried that if I told them we got married so suddenly, it would shock them. Besides... even if no one says it out loud, everyone knows why we registered, which is why my parents have been keeping it from the relatives." Luo Yixia whispered beside him.

Song Chengyi remained silent, his lips pressed together, lost in thought. Luo Yixia watched him cautiously, wondering if she had said something wrong.

"Are you... angry because I didn't tell my relatives?" She couldn't think of any other reason.

Song Chengyi stopped and turned to face her. Luo Yixia blinked her round eyes, looking bewildered. Song Chengyi realized she was always afraid of him getting angry; the moment his expression turned even slightly serious, she would become sensitive and overly cautious.

He reached out and stroked her face. "I was just thinking that perhaps I was too impatient. I should have spent more time getting to know you slowly. Getting married so suddenly might not have been fair to you, especially since you are still so young."

Luo Yixia shook her head frantically. "No, it’s not your fault. I’m truly, truly happy that you’re willing to like me. And it wasn't your fault either—it was all because I drank too much. It was my own mistake. If you hadn't been willing to take responsibility, it would have been even more awkward. Our families live right next door; my dad probably would have shown up at your door with a kitchen knife."

Song Chengyi was amused by her comment. "So, you're saying I made the right choice, or else my life would have been in danger?"

Luo Yixia laughed too.

"Actually, it's quite good. If you hadn't gotten drunk, I don't know when I would have been able to accept you," Song Chengyi sighed deeply. It was true; he had happened to come home that day and overheard his mother talking to Yu Wenjing, which was how he learned she had gone to a class reunion. Perhaps acting on a whim that night, he had called her, only to find her already intoxicated. That was why he had brought her home. The subsequent turn of events had been entirely unexpected for him as well.

"So, you need a more direct and forceful approach," Luo Yixia giggled.

"Oh?"

"Just pounce on you," she said, throwing herself into his arms.

Song Chengyi wrapped his arms around her. She was often so timid, yet at times, she was surprisingly bold.

"Hey, Song Chengyi, there's something I've been wanting to ask you." Suddenly, Luo Yixia lifted her head from his chest, looking conflicted.

"What is it?"

"It's just... that night... was it me who got drunk and, you know, initiated it, and then you just couldn't control yourself?" She spoke very vaguely.

Song Chengyi noticed her ears turning red. "Uh... well... I suppose so..." *As if,* he thought. Nothing had actually happened. This silly girl really wasn't very clever.

Seeing his vague response, she didn't think much further, assuming he was just feeling embarrassed. The two continued to linger outside before finally heading back to the apartment.

The next afternoon, there was a physical education class, but Song Chengyi went to the dance studio to rehearse with Gan Yanyan. Luo Yixia didn't know who else Gan Yanyan had recruited, nor did she care.

When the two of them entered the classroom, no one was there.

"You start practicing on your own; he should be here soon," Gan Yanyan said. Aside from the first time, Luo Yixia was too lazy to keep changing outfits, so she started dancing immediately. She had spent quite a bit of time earlier struggling to remember the steps.

She didn't expect that as she turned around, she would lock eyes with someone leaning against the doorframe. Luo Yixia stumbled slightly, then steadied herself and asked, "Why are you here?"

"Keep going, don't mind me," Song Chengyi gestured.

Luo Yixia bit her lip, thinking, *How can I dance with you watching me like that?* She turned her back to him to dance, but she could still feel his intense gaze on her, making her feet feel clumsy. Eventually, she felt a surge of irritation and stopped moving. "Aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"It's PE class, did you forget?" Song Chengyi said with a faint smile.

That reminded her; the last time she had snuck into the drama club to watch him, it had indeed been during PE.

"You... staring at me like that makes me uncomfortable," Luo Yixia said bashfully.

Song Chengyi didn't react, but Gan Yanyan, standing nearby, burst out laughing. Luo Yixia glared at her, and she immediately went quiet.

"You are going to perform in front of the entire school faculty and student body. You're uncomfortable just having me here?" Song Chengyi asked.

"No... it's different... you're different." Luo Yixia was frustrated. *How can you be the same as them?* She could ignore what others thought, but this was Song Chengyi.

Song Chengyi strode into the room and sat down at the piano. "Go ahead and dance; I won't look at you." He then began to press the keys. Melodious piano music flowed from his fingertips, echoing throughout the room.

Luo Yixia was caught off guard.

"Xiaxia, keep dancing," Gan Yanyan urged.

"Oh."

She had originally thought a piano piece paired with a Latin dance would feel mismatched, but it wasn't. Song Chengyi’s fingers danced across the keys, blending perfectly with the rhythm of the Latin dance. Even though it was their first time collaborating, they were remarkably in sync. Perhaps only Luo Yixia knew that this wasn't actually their first time; they had secretly done this many times before.

As the final note faded, Luo Yixia stopped.

"Ahhh, that was a visual feast!" Gan Yanyan was thrilled; fortunately, she had already captured the performance on her phone.

Luo Yixia smiled awkwardly, not knowing what to say.

"Keep practicing. I don't have much spare time, so we'll rehearse whenever I'm free. If we happen to go home this weekend, there's a piano in the study," Song Chengyi said, checking the time. The PE class was only halfway through, leaving time for more rehearsal.

"Huh? What do you mean? Wait, so—" Luo Yixia pointed at Song Chengyi in disbelief, then looked at Gan Yanyan.

"Hehe, praise me! I begged the great Master Song for a long time to get him to agree," Gan Yanyan said, fishing for compliments.

"Yes, yes, you're the best," Luo Yixia said with a laugh.

"You two keep rehearsing, I'm heading out." Gan Yanyan slipped away, deciding not to be a third wheel.

Luo Yixia and Song Chengyi stared at each other.

"Let's continue," Song Chengyi said, remaining at the piano.

After two more run-throughs, it was time for class to end. Luo Yixia frowned, unsatisfied. "I missed some of the beats. I'm going to practice a bit more on my own."

"It's fine, it was already very good. I have a class later, so I'm going to head off," Song Chengyi said. He had watched the recorded video and thought it was decent; he didn't know much about Latin dance anyway, so it looked fine to him.

"Okay, go ahead. I have Advanced Mathematics next, so I need to go to class too." The thought of Advanced Math didn't make her happy.

"Mm, study hard," Song Chengyi said, reaching out to ruffle her hair. Her bangs were already damp with sweat.

They left the room one after the other. Luo Yixia ran to the restroom to splash her face with water. She was soaked in sweat and wished she could just go back to the dorm for a shower.

When she returned to the classroom, she looked completely exhausted.

"What happened to you? Ugh, you smell like sweat," Gan Yanyan said, looking disgusted.

"Go get me a glass of water, I'm thirsty," Luo Yixia commanded, not wanting to move an inch. Gan Yanyan obediently fetched her some warm water.

Luo Yixia slumped into her chair. "What's going on? We've trained like this before, why am I so tired today?"

"You don't understand, I'm mentally exhausted." Luo Yixia thought about the upcoming performance with Song Chengyi. She couldn't just slack off; she had to dance well. She didn't mind embarrassing herself, but she couldn't embarrass Song Chengyi. It felt as if their fates were suddenly tied together, leaving her feeling nervous and restless.

Gan Yanyan handed her the water, and Luo Yixia gulped it down.

"Don't worry. There are still two weeks until New Year's, you can practice slowly. Besides, I think you two already have great chemistry," Gan Yanyan whispered to comfort her.

"Mm."

Two weeks—it wasn't a long time, but it wasn't exactly short either. Why was she suddenly so restless? Yet, deep down, she was also looking forward to performing with him. At least then, she would be standing right next to him. She would definitely work hard; she would never let him down.

The bell rang, and the Advanced Math professor walked in. Luo Yixia shook her head to clear her thoughts. She had promised to listen carefully and study hard. After all, she had to support her parents in the future—even though, despite her grand ambitions, she knew a doctor's monthly salary wouldn't even cover the cost of one of her mother's dresses.