DXXZL - 50

Old Liu hurriedly got out of the car, only to see a tall, long-legged man step out of the other vehicle behind him. The man wore glasses perched on his high nose bridge and exuded an air of handsomeness and confidence that seemed eerily familiar…

Jiang Tu nodded at him briefly before turning to see Zhu Xingyao already opening the backseat door herself and placing her cello inside.

“You—you—you’re that guy from before!” Old Liu suddenly recalled something, pointing at Jiang Tu in shock, stuttering as he struggled to remember his name. “You’re the one who used to live in Hexi Lane, always with our Miss Zhu during middle school and high school!”

Old Liu had been the family driver for years, shuttling Zhu Xingyao to and from school since she was in junior high. He knew bits and pieces about what happened a few years ago—something related to this young man. Later, when Zhu Xingyao underwent psychological treatment in Germany, Zhu Yunping had even tried to contact Jiang Tu, but Zhu Xingyao forbade it.

And now… were they together again?

Old Liu glanced down at Jiang Tu’s car—it was the same model, just a newer version. His own car, an older model, looked almost identical in design.

Jiang Tu was momentarily surprised. “You still remember me?”

“Of course I do,” Old Liu said with mixed emotions, turning to look at Zhu Xingyao. “Miss Zhu, you didn’t get into the wrong car, did you?”

It was rush hour, with cars and pedestrians bustling past. Zhu Xingyao stood by the passenger-side door, mask covering her face but her clear, bright eyes visible. She gave Old Liu an apologetic smile. “Uncle Liu, you can head back first. No need to pick me up tonight.”

Old Liu cast another glance at Jiang Tu, then walked away with a heavy heart.

Zhu Xingyao met Jiang Tu’s gaze through lowered lashes, hesitated for a moment, then opened the car door and slid into the seat. Jiang Tu followed suit, settling back into the driver’s seat. For a few seconds, silence filled the car. Jiang Tu turned to her and asked gently, “Shall we go eat first?”

“Why didn’t you say you were coming to pick me up?” Zhu Xingyao looked at him, her voice soft but tinged with curiosity.

“I was handling some business nearby,” Jiang Tu explained calmly. “It ended earlier than expected. When I found out you were here, I came over.”

So…

It wasn’t exactly a planned rendezvous to pick her up?

Zhu Xingyao bowed her head and fastened her seatbelt. “Let’s go, but today is Qixi Festival. Restaurant reservations are hard to come by.”

“I’ve already made one,” Jiang Tu replied. “Is a Western restaurant okay?”

Zhu Xingyao paused, her voice barely audible. “Mm.”

The car inched forward in the congested traffic. Zhu Xingyao glanced down at her phone, wondering if this could be considered a date. She sent a quick message to Old Liu, reminding him not to mention seeing Jiang Tu to her parents.

She reached out to turn on the music but hesitated, retracting her hand. All the tracks were recordings from her teenage concerts, and listening to them now felt strange given their current relationship.

Jiang Tu noticed but said nothing.

“Do you have any tissues?”

“In the compartment in front of you.”

Zhu Xingyao opened the compartment and froze upon spotting a red invitation letter resting atop the tissue box. She recognized it immediately—it was the same one delivered to her house yesterday. It was for Jiangcheng No. 1 High School’s 70th anniversary celebration, scheduled for October 5th. The principal had personally called her, hoping she would perform at the evening gala.

She picked up the invitation and turned to ask Jiang Tu, “Are you going?”

“Cao Shujun delivered it to my office personally at noon today,” Jiang Tu replied. The car stopped at a red light, and he glanced at her. “I couldn’t refuse him. What about you? You received one too, right?”

Zhu Xingyao nodded slightly, her voice subdued. “I haven’t agreed yet. I told him I’d think about it.”

Jiang Tu paused, his tone soft but probing. “You don’t want to go?”

Too many complications stemmed from those starry lights and the fallout of their reported early romance. In the eyes of Jiangcheng No. 1 High School’s juniors, Zhu Xingyao wasn’t remembered as a world-renowned young cellist but rather as part of a cautionary tale about early love gone wrong—her relationship with Lu Ji being the prime example. Young girls envied the grand gestures of pursuit and confession she experienced in her youth, while boys sought to emulate those starlit nights to impress their crushes. Everyone wanted to leave a mark on their youth.

But to the school administration, especially Principal Liu, Lu Ji—a Tsinghua graduate and successful entrepreneur—was far more inspiring than Zhu Xingyao, whose artistic achievements were seen as less attainable for most students. Academic success took precedence over everything else.

Principal Liu, in particular, held no fondness for her.

Zhu Xingyao glanced at Jiang Tu. If only he had told her back then that those stars were from him, none of this would have happened. Clenching her jaw tightly, she shoved the invitation back into the compartment, grabbed a tissue, and began wiping her phone screen. Her tone was clipped as she addressed the root cause of her frustration: “I don’t want to go.”

At 7:30 p.m., the two sat in the farthest corner of the Western restaurant, near a window. Unless someone ventured all the way to the end of the room, they wouldn’t spot Zhu Xingyao tucked away there. The restaurant boasted excellent views and ambiance, and being Qixi Festival, nearly every table was occupied by couples. Zhu Xingyao gazed out the window as the city lights began to twinkle. She couldn’t help but feel Jiang Tu had planned this meticulously; otherwise, how could he have secured such a secluded spot? Clearly, he must have booked it well in advance.

Jiang Tu placed the menu in front of her. “Let’s order first.”

This restaurant was familiar to Zhu Xingyao, so without needing to browse the menu, she ordered directly from the server. Raising her eyes to Jiang Tu, she asked, “What would you like to eat?”

Jiang Tu instructed the server without hesitation. “Bring him the same as hers.”

Zhu Xingyao recalled Jiang Tu’s hearty appetite and knew the portion size she ordered wouldn’t suffice. Turning back to the server, she added an extra serving of pasta.

The server glanced between her and Jiang Tu, eyes subtly gleaming with recognition before leaving to fetch their orders.

Jiang Tu frowned slightly. “She might have recognized you. Is that alright?”

While cellists weren’t necessarily household names, Zhu Xingyao had gained significant attention due to her collaborations with Li Xixi and other singers. Coupled with her striking beauty and elegant demeanor, she stood out even amidst the glitzy entertainment industry, effortlessly crossing over into mainstream fame.

However, Zhu Xingyao maintained a low profile and avoided scandals, rarely drawing paparazzi attention. Shrugging off Jiang Tu’s concern, she reassured him, “It’s fine. Today’s Qixi, and the paparazzi will be busy chasing after celebrities with higher profiles. They won’t bother with me.”

Relieved, Jiang Tu nodded. “Good.”

As their meals arrived, Zhu Xingyao nibbled on dessert while her steak remained untouched. Looking across at the man opposite her—his every movement radiating maturity and composure—she suddenly called his name. “Jiang Tu.”

He looked up. “Hmm?”

Setting down his utensils, he swapped the pre-cut piece of steak on his plate with hers.

Zhu Xingyao’s heart skipped a beat as she stared into his calm, steady eyes. Suddenly at a loss for words, she simply shook her head lightly.

When Jiang Tu went to pay the bill, Li Xixi called Zhu Xingyao. Over the phone, Li Xixi said, “Star, I’m boarding now and should land around 10:30. My manager has scheduled something for tomorrow night, so let’s celebrate your birthday tonight instead. Crossing Qixi and your birthday works perfectly.”

Zhu Xingyao was surprised. “Today’s Qixi. Aren’t you spending it with Xu Xiangyang?”

Li Xixi scoffed bitterly. “He’s my ex-boyfriend now. Don’t mention him tonight.”

Zhu Xingyao sighed. “You broke up again?”

Hearing this, Jiang Tu turned to look at Zhu Xingyao.

Li Xixi lowered her voice, anger simmering beneath her words. “Did you see Weibo? During the Qixi gala opening performance, I sang and danced with Zhou Yang. I didn’t tell Xu Xiangyang beforehand because I thought he’d get jealous. After my interview ended, he called me furious. How dare he accuse me of cheating? It’s not like I asked fans to ship us together—he doesn’t trust me at all…”

She vented her frustrations, ranting about Xu Xiangyang. A moment later, Zhu Xingyao heard the flight attendant announce, “Welcome aboard.” Once Li Xixi caught her breath, she continued, “So how do you want to spend tonight? If you want to sing karaoke, I’ll check if there are private rooms available.”

“I’ve already checked,” Li Xixi said, pausing abruptly. “Ugh, bad luck today.”

“What happened?” Zhu Xingyao asked.

Li Xixi whispered, “I saw Xia Jin. Our seats are next to each other.”

Xia Jin had never gotten along with Zhu Xingyao or Li Xixi during high school, often clashing with them. At a post-graduation reunion, Xia Jin mentioned Jiang Tu to Zhu Xingyao twice—once in 2010 and again in 2011.

The first time, Xia Jin assumed Zhu Xingyao’s claim of losing touch with Jiang Tu was a lie.

The second time, Xia Jin chuckled softly. “So he stopped contacting even you, huh? No wonder. I thought…”

Thought what?

Zhu Xingyao hadn’t asked then, nor did she care enough to inquire now. Reflecting on it, perhaps Xia Jin had harbored feelings for Jiang Tu back in high school.

Li Xixi sent over the reserved private room number along with a voice message: “We forgot to order a cake. I wonder if it’s too late to arrange one.”

Zhu Xingyao played the message aloud. Jiang Tu heard it too and glanced down at her. “Which bakery’s cakes do you like? There’s still time to order.”

Meeting his gaze, Zhu Xingyao admitted honestly, “The birthday cakes from the Western restaurant where we ate earlier are delicious. My parents always ordered them for me in the past.” She puffed her cheeks slightly in frustration. “But there’s no way we can get one now. Let’s check somewhere else.”

“You wait here for a moment.”

Jiang Tu tossed the words over his shoulder and strode back toward the Western restaurant.

Zhu Xingyao stood at the street corner, blinking as she watched him go.

Fifteen minutes later, Jiang Tu returned, walking briskly up to her. He looked down and said, “The cake is ordered and will be delivered to the club once it’s ready. Let’s go.”

Zhu Xingyao was surprised. “It’s almost nine o’clock. Can you still order at this time?”

Jiang Tu gazed at her, his voice low. “Yes, I gave them some extra money.” Three times the usual price—enough to make the pastry chef more than willing. Seeing Zhu Xingyao’s stunned expression, he chuckled softly. “Does it feel unlike me? A few years ago, if you wanted a cake like this, I wouldn’t have been able to make it happen. But now I can.”

His eyes locked onto hers without wavering. “Xingyao, I’ve always been this way.”

I’ve always worked hard to give you the best.

To fulfill all your wishes.

Zhu Xingyao’s heart raced, feeling as though she had been bound by that single word—”stars”—and his declaration. She tilted her face up to look at him, lips parting slightly, only to quickly lower her head and bite her lip.

Jiang Tu glanced around, shifting his body to shield her from prying eyes. In a low voice, he said, “Let’s get going. There are too many people here.”

“Okay…” Zhu Xingyao nodded, her thoughts tangled.

The club was close by, just a ten-minute drive. Lin Jiayu and Ding Xiang had already arrived. They were standing outside when Ding Xiang spotted Zhu Xingyao walking over with Jiang Tu. He murmured quietly, “Why do I suddenly feel like Brother Tu and Zhu Xingyao look really well-suited for each other?”

Lin Jiayu feigned a smile. “Do they?”

Ding Xiang scratched his head. “I didn’t notice in school, but now… things are different.”

Sighing inwardly, he reflected on how society could be so pragmatic. Back then, Jiang Tu was just a poor boy. If he’d confessed his feelings for Zhu Xingyao, wouldn’t people have mocked him for dreaming beyond his reach?

The group went upstairs and entered the private room. Li Xixi hadn’t arrived yet, so no one was fighting over the microphone. Ding Xiang and his wife were singing a duet of love songs.

Zhu Xingyao sat beside Lin Jiayu, saying little after sitting down. Jiang Tu spoke even less. Lin Jiayu turned to her and asked, “What’s going on between you and Jiang Tu?”

Zhu Xingyao looked at Lin Jiayu, her tone serious. “Jiayu, do you think Jiang Tu likes me?”

Lin Jiayu’s eyes widened in surprise. She hadn’t expected Zhu Xingyao to be so direct—she had assumed she knew nothing! Looking into Zhu Xingyao’s earnest expression, Lin Jiayu slowly came to her senses. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Jiang Tu and whispered, “If he didn’t like you, why would he keep picking you up and dropping you off…”

“When did you figure it out?” Zhu Xingyao asked softly.

Lin Jiayu looked at her and sighed. “High school.”

Zhu Xingyao lowered her eyes, her lashes trembling slightly. She hadn’t expected Lin Jiayu to know so early.

Ding Xiang called out, “Who requested ‘Love Confession Balloon’?”

“Love Confession Balloon” was a new song Jay Chou released in January. Lin Jiayu had requested it and quickly grabbed the microphone.

Just before midnight, Li Xixi pushed open the door to the private room, her face expressionless. Behind her stood a tall, elegantly dressed woman. Zhu Xingyao looked up and couldn’t help but frown. What was Xia Jin doing here?

As soon as Xia Jin entered, her gaze landed on Jiang Tu. Wearing a gray shirt and black trousers, he leaned quietly against the sofa, exceptionally handsome. His demeanor was as cold as it had been in high school, but now it carried an even more magnetic allure.

Jiang Tu glanced at her briefly before indifferently withdrawing his gaze.

“Xia Jin heard Jiang Tu was here and said she hadn’t seen him in a long time, so she came to say hello,” Li Xixi casually explained as she walked over to Zhu Xingyao.

“Oh, right,” Xia Jin snapped out of her daze, flicked her hair back, and approached Jiang Tu with a smile. “Jiang Tu, long time no see.”

Jiang Tu nodded slightly, his voice indifferent. “Mm.”

Xia Jin felt both awkward and hurt, forcing herself to maintain a smile. Then she turned to Zhu Xingyao. “Zhu Xingyao, it’s been a while since we last saw each other too.”

Zhu Xingyao thought of the way Xia Jin had stared at Jiang Tu earlier and felt a pang of irritation. Her tone was flat. “Yeah, about a year.”

At this point, an awkward silence fell.

After all, during high school, none of those present had gotten along well with Xia Jin. After graduation, they lost contact, only seeing her at reunions. Zhu Xingyao thought to herself: if Jiang Tu weren’t here, would Xia Jin have come at all?

Xia Jin had always been someone who cared deeply about appearances. Finding an excuse to leave, she said, “A friend of mine booked a room here, so I just came to say hello. You all enjoy yourselves. I’ll leave now…” Taking a step toward the door, she suddenly turned back with a bright smile and asked Jiang Tu, “Jiang Tu, can we exchange WeChat contacts?”

Li Xixi muttered under her breath, “So pretentious.”

Zhu Xingyao turned to look at Jiang Tu.

Jiang Tu showed no emotion on his face. “No need. We won’t be in touch anyway.”

Xia Jin’s smile froze. Angry, she stomped away, her heels clicking loudly against the floor.

Once she was gone, Li Xixi couldn’t help but laugh. Turning to Jiang Tu, she teased, “You’re so straightforward. Look how angry you made Xia Jin!”

Jiang Tu met Zhu Xingyao’s gaze, his expression calm. “I was just telling the truth.”

In the corridor, Xia Jin ran into a waiter pushing a cake cart. Suddenly remembering that Zhu Xingyao’s birthday was at the end of August, she glanced back, recalling Jiang Tu’s earlier cold attitude. Frustrated, she muttered a curse under her breath.

At exactly midnight on August 29, 2017, Zhu Xingyao closed her eyes and made a wish with all her heart, blowing out twenty-six candles.

Everyone took turns presenting their gifts. Only Jiang Tu remained still.

Looking down at her, he said, “I left your gift in the car.”

Zhu Xingyao blinked. Had he really forgotten, or was it intentional?

Li Xixi’s phone hadn’t stopped ringing since entering the room, but she refused to answer. Eventually, Xu Xiangyang called Zhu Xingyao’s phone instead. Li Xixi forbade her from answering. “Leave him hanging! Don’t pick up! Let that untrusting jerk stew!”

“One day, I’ll really cheat on him and see how he reacts!” Li Xixi downed a glass of alcohol, clearly in a foul mood.

Zhu Xingyao patted her back gently. “Alright, both of you need to adjust your attitudes. Communicate properly when there’s a problem.”

Li Xixi was so busy that they rarely spent time together. She knew she had issues, but relationships required effort from both sides—something she couldn’t resolve alone.

Both Zhu Xingyao’s and Li Xixi’s phones lay on the table, their screens lighting up and dimming repeatedly.

After a brief silence, Zhu Xingyao’s phone lit up again. Everyone saw the name “Lu Ji” flashing on the screen.

Zhu Xingyao froze. She hadn’t been in contact with Lu Ji for such a long time. She looked at Li Xixi, who said, “It’s probably still Xu Xiangyang calling.”

Lin Jiayu instinctively glanced at Jiang Tu.

Jiang Tu’s gaze remained steady, fixed on Zhu Xingyao.

The phone rang again.

Still from Lu Ji.

The atmosphere grew tense. Li Xixi discreetly glanced at Jiang Tu, whose expression was unreadable. She nudged Zhu Xingyao and whispered, “Answer it.”

Zhu Xingyao suddenly felt nervous. For some reason, she didn’t dare look back at Jiang Tu. Lowering her head, she answered the call. After a brief silence, Lu Ji’s voice came through softly. “Happy birthday.”

Ding Xiang paused the music. The room fell silent.

Zhu Xingyao whispered, “Thank you.”

Lu Ji said, “Pass the phone to Li Xixi. Xu Xiangyang has been frantic trying to reach her.”

It was past one o’clock in the morning when the group finally left the private room. Zhu Xingyao had drunk a few glasses of wine and felt dizzy. She followed Jiang Tu into the car.

Leaning her head against the seat, she drifted off into a hazy sleep.

Jiang Tu slowly parked the car under the shade of trees. The night breeze rustled the leaves, and moonlight filtered through the swaying branches, casting dappled patterns of light. Turning his head, he looked at Zhu Xingyao, who seemed restless in her sleep, her brows furrowed as if uncomfortable.

Reaching out, Jiang Tu gently pressed his finger to her forehead. In the next instant, a soft, startled hand suddenly grasped his fingers tightly. Zhu Xingyao turned toward him, her eyes filled with confusion.

He glanced down at the two fingers she held firmly and frowned. “Did I scare you?”

Zhu Xingyao looked up at the car roof, then out the window. Taking a deep breath, she lowered her gaze and noticed their intertwined hands, quickly letting go. After a few seconds of silence, she suddenly reached out to him. “Where’s my gift?”

Jiang Tu chuckled softly, pulling open the compartment in front of her. From beneath the tissue box, he retrieved a delicate velvet jewelry box and handed it to her. “Happy birthday,” he murmured.

Zhu Xingyao glanced at him, then opened the box. Inside was a necklace with a star-shaped pendant, its surface adorned with tiny, exquisite diamonds that shimmered with a fine, sparkling light. She froze, turning to look at Jiang Tu. “Why a diamond necklace?”

Jiang Tu’s gaze was unwavering as he asked softly, “Or would you have preferred those thousands of star lights?”

Zhu Xingyao’s heart trembled. Staring at him in astonishment, she hadn’t expected him to bring it up. After a moment of silence, she whispered, “Were those star lights from you?”

“Yes,” Jiang Tu replied.

Hearing his admission firsthand, Zhu Xingyao’s eyes instantly reddened. She accused him, her voice trembling. “Then why didn’t you say so at the time? You let me misunderstand… let everyone misunderstand… such a huge misunderstanding, and you didn’t offer a single explanation.”

“I only meant to give you a gift. I never imagined it would lead to such a misunderstanding,” Jiang Tu said, his voice low and strained. “But at the time, I couldn’t explain. I didn’t realize those lights would have such a profound impact, directly pushing you toward Lu Ji. If I had known the outcome, I wouldn’t have done it.”

Zhu Xingyao lowered her head, feeling a wave of discomfort. Suddenly, she reached for the car door.

Jiang Tu caught her wrist, halting her movement. Leaning closer, he gently yet firmly turned her toward him with his other hand.

Zhu Xingyao looked up, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

Jiang Tu gazed at her, his voice low and tender. “Those thousands of stars were the best gift an eighteen-year-old me could give—but they also brought about the worst outcome. Even now, I don’t know whether that gift was ultimately good or bad. Now I’m in my late twenties, at an age where I can take control of my life. Back then, I didn’t dare confess my feelings or pursue you. But starting now… can I?”