Farewell, Bright Moon

“Come on, come on, buddy! Next door dorm, neighbors from now on—let’s have a drink together.” Whether it was a custom in Song City or just Chen Feng’s own style, he drank like water, nonstop, lively as ever. After toasting every male classmate, he returned to his seat, grabbed a new bottle, leaned close to Chen Zhixuan’s ear to whisper something, then got up and headed straight to Lu Qian’s table.

“From now on, we’re all classmates, friends. No need for many words—let it all be in the drink. Come, come!” After he said that, the girls at the table froze for a moment. As the saying goes, the most awkward thing is when the room suddenly falls silent. Sensing the tension, Lu Qian stood up. “We haven’t had any alcohol yet; drinks are on me. Since we’re classmates now, let’s get along well.” Saying this, she raised her glass and downed it in one go. The others quickly followed suit, raising their glasses too.

“Lu Jie really knows how to show face. Alright, I’m impressed,” Chen Feng said as he grabbed the bottle and gulped it down. In no time, it was empty. Gotta admit, his tolerance was impressive, even if it was just beer.

“After dinner, let’s all go sing karaoke. Show off your talents—no holding back,” Teacher Zheng said in his booming voice. “Sounds great!” everyone cheered. Soon, they followed Teacher Zheng to the local karaoke spot beside the school, booked the biggest room, and ordered plenty of fruit platters, snacks, and of course, more alcohol.

At the KTV, Chen Zhixuan sat quietly in the corner, looking rather unenthused. Sharp-eyed Chen Feng had noticed something was off during dinner—Chen Zhixuan had been silent, glued to his phone. Definitely something strange. “Xuan, this is our first gathering, and you’re so reserved—not like you. You’re usually the life of the party. What’s going on? Heartbreak?”

“Get lost, it’s you with the heartbreak! You’ve got a lifetime of heartbreak, and your whole family too,” Chen Zhixuan retorted indignantly. No, that wasn’t quite the right word... Never mind.

“You’re brooding—what’s the deal? We’re all here, so lighten up!” Chen Feng then dashed to the song request machine, quickly queuing several songs.

“Why aren’t you replying? After we ate together last time, you just vanished. Did I scare you off? Surely not.” Chen Zhixuan lowered his head, pondering. It turned out he’d been chatting with Mingyue, aka Cheng Yuxin, these past few days. But by coincidence, Cheng Yuxin had lost her phone recently and only just received a replacement today. Chen Zhixuan didn’t know this and assumed she was ignoring him, which made him uneasy—ha ha ha.

“Ahhh, I’ve been having such bad luck lately. It’s a long story; I’ll tell you when we meet next. I just finished a class gathering and now we’re heading to karaoke. What about you?” Unexpectedly, Cheng Yuxin replied. Chen Zhixuan was thrilled, like he’d been pumped full of energy, fingers flying over the keyboard.

“Me too, just finished dinner with the class. I’m already at karaoke, the place next to school. Where are you guys?” he messaged back, a slight smile playing on his lips, unaware that two troublemakers nearby were watching him closely.

“Who’s Mingyue? As soon as that message comes through, he’s like a new man. Chen Yan, take notes—don’t be so brooding all the time. I’m telling you, that’s no way to pick up girls. You’ll be single all four years, ha ha ha.”

“You two are so boring, watching people chat here. Go away, don’t bother me,” Chen Zhixuan pretended to be gloomy but inside he was overjoyed.

“We’re at room 810. Which room are you in?” Cheng Yuxin asked, linking arms with Xiao Ma as she sent the message. Xiao Ma sneaked a peek and asked, “Is that the handsome guy we ate with last time? You’re all smiles—and what, have you fallen for him?”

“No way. We only met once; it’s too soon to like someone. But to be honest, he seems alright—nothing annoying about him,” Cheng Yuxin replied, recalling the dinner scene with a faint smile. Xiao Ma, watching this, teased, “One meeting and already like this? If you meet a few more times, he’ll steal your soul.”

“Oh, Xiao Ma, you’re impossible. Wait till I get you,” they chased each other playfully.

“We’re in 810—what about you?” Cheng Yuxin asked Chen Zhixuan again. “We’re in 808, right next door,” Chen Zhixuan replied, his heart racing as he quickly went to the door, glancing around.

There are always so many coincidences in the world, but I believe there is a magnetic field between people—a subtle connection. Just now, Cheng Yuxin also reached the doorway, searching for Chen Zhixuan’s figure. Their eyes met, and for a moment, it was as if the world held its breath. Neither knew what stories the future would bring, but at least in that instant, both hearts were joyful—like the earth thirsting for rain finally receiving a gentle shower.