Mo Li

 　　The innocent days we spent together, sunlight streaming through the library window and falling on your face, I mustered the courage to sit beside you, not too close, not too far. Your radiant smile made those happy days shine brightly, but I secretly harbored a little vanity, saying you were no longer yourself. From then on, we became like little princes living on a lonely planet. The light green breeze, the roses—no matter how much we tried to express it, we couldn't erase our unfulfilled wishes. These wishes are treasured deep in my heart.

　　The days of summer were brilliant, the spring flowers fragrant, the summer melancholic. We both loved a path after the rain, the sunlight so comforting, the shadows flowing like clouds, dreams quietly beginning to sprout. You said companionship doesn't necessarily mean walking to the end; if we brought each other laughter along a certain stretch of the road, that's enough. Life is just a journey; you pass by me, I pass by you, and then we each move forward.
　　Almost every class has a beautiful girl who can sing and dance. In Class 3 of the second year of high school, this girl was Xia Muqing, but her real name was Xia Xing, though they shared the same surname.
　　Like Xia Xing, Xia Muqing had a clear and pleasant voice. Sometimes, his intonation was even more precise than on a blind date, but so what? His appearance was ordinary, and almost no one could see his strengths. Although Xia Xing was low-key and disliked showing off, it didn't stop classmates from comparing the two.
　　In the second semester of their junior year, the school specially arranged a future planning class. During this class, the young and beautiful female teacher happened to select Xia Muqing, the student in the first row, to talk about her ideals. When it was Xia Muqing's turn, she stood up and whispered her ideal—her world ideal. The class burst into laughter.
　　She said she wanted to go to a music academy and become a singer.
　　"Oh! What did she say? Doesn't she know her own limitations?"
　　"Even Xia Xing didn't dare to say anything, and she's spouting nonsense here..."
　　Xia
　　Muqing blinked, and tears welled up in her eyes. She silently sat back down, no longer speaking.
　　Although Xia Muqing was used to it, constantly comparing herself to the class beauty inevitably made her feel frustrated. Walking through the classroom, she often overheard her clumsy best friend arguing with classmates. The arguments went something like this:
　　"Our Xia Xing is prettier than Xia Muqing!"
　　"Our Muqing is so pure-looking, okay?"
　　"Xia Xing is thinner than Xia Muqing!"
　　"Our Muqing has longer legs!"
　　"But so what? His legs aren't as straight as Xia Xing's!"
　　...
　　These little arguments usually ended in An Ran's defeat. Although Xia Muqing repeatedly comforted An Ran, telling her not to take these things to heart, she was actually incredibly upset inside.
　　Xia Muqing spent most of the class sullenly until she received a note, which slowly lifted her spirits. The reason was simple—the note was from Ju Zhe, the object of affection for most of the girls in the class.
　　The handwriting on the note looked like crabs crawling on the ground, but it was still vaguely legible: "You sing very well. Don't care what others think. Keep it up! I believe in you!"
　　Those few words energized Xia Muqing after class, making her strut down the corridor several times with her head held high, before An Ran finally dragged her back to the classroom.
　　Forced back in the classroom, Xia Muqing stood nervously in front of Ju Zhe, asking with a fawning smile, "Why...why did you...pass me that note...?"
　　Ju Zhe seemed to have just woken up, his eyes still sleepy. He rubbed his eyes, recognized the person in front of him, and gave a wicked smile, saying, "Well, I just couldn't stand how they mocked you. Good luck, I still have high hopes for you~"
　　That smile seemed to illuminate Xia Muqing's entire world. His already handsome face became even more striking in her eyes, and she couldn't help but stare, mesmerized...
　　"Hey, what are you daydreaming about?" An Ran waved her hand, pulling Xia Muqing back to reality from her reverie.
　　"No, no..."
　　News of Ju Zhe passing a note to Xia Muqing quickly spread throughout the entire floor. The probability of such a thing happening was as small as a pig flying, so the girls spread the word, secretly heartbroken.
　　People couldn't help but wonder, does this world not judge by appearance?
　　Regardless, Xia Muqing was grateful to Ju Zhe.
　　No one had ever been so certain of his dream before. Before this, he had only received contempt and ridicule, even being ignored.
　　Teenage girls are often not very sensitive or fragile, but they are extremely emotional. Only Xia Muqing herself knew that every day, with her heart pounding, she stood before Ju Zhe and sang to him. In reality, it was her profession and didn't really help much; she simply wanted him to hear her sing. That's what love is, Xia Muqing thought.
　　Thus, Ju Zhe became Xia Muqing's only "friend of the opposite sex" with whom she could exchange a few words.
　　In her senior year of high school, Xia Muqing became the only music student in Class 3 to take the music entrance exam. She had to devote more time to the upcoming exam, and her parents hired the best music teacher in Yecheng for her. In order to accommodate the teacher's irregular class schedule, she began to frequently ask for leave, so her "rooftop appointment" with Ju Zhe had to be canceled.
　　What's even stranger is that Ju Zhe keeps taking leave every few days. Every time Xia Muqing comes back to school, he can't find him. When he calls his house, it's always Ju Zhe's mother who answers. As soon as she hears it's Xia Muqing, she becomes indifferent, saying that she has already hired the best tutor for Ju Zhe. The gist of it is that the student is in seclusion at home, so please don't disturb him. Xia Muqing was very confused, but after hanging up the phone and thinking about it carefully, she could understand a bit. Ju Zhe's arrogant personality might be inherited from his mother. And she told him that the little prince would never study with ordinary people. Even if he did study with them, he would never fall behind the teacher's pace. He would fall asleep in class and after class. How many knowledge points has he actually learned?
　　An Ran called Xia Muqing every day, mostly just to say things like, "Studying academic subjects is so tiring! Studying art doesn't require much academic effort at all. You're so lucky!" In the end, An Ran always brought up Ju Zhe, gossiping for a while before suddenly remembering she hadn't finished a set of math homework, and then she'd hang up without hesitation, leaving Xia Muqing sighing on the other end.
　　Isn't studying art tiring too? Good schools are hard to get into, and only art students truly understand that. Others only see them battling through endless practice problems, taking days off from regular classes, but they don't know the harsh training they endure at home from their art teachers, forced to sing the same notes over and over again. What they don't see is the hardship of art students, because they have no time to pay attention to a student's condition. The facade is just that—a facade. In reality, everyone is working hard, striving for their future.
　　Xia Muqing saw Ju Zhe again on the last day after the college entrance exam. The weather forecast predicted rain, but it didn't rain until the afternoon. The art students' exam center was across from the regular students' school. Xia Muqing was walking towards the exam center when she suddenly spotted Ju Zhe, anxiously rummaging through his pockets. Xia Muqing quietly walked behind Ju Zhe and suddenly tapped him on the shoulder. He turned around hastily and saw the joyful smile on Xia Muqing's face. It flashed by, quickly replaced by intense panic.
　　"What's wrong?" Xia Muqing looked at the bewildered Ju Zhe with confusion.
　　"No, I think I forgot something," Ju Zhe said with a feigned calm smile, his hand instinctively clutching his pocket.
　　Xia Muqing was getting a little anxious. Had this guy forgotten his exam admission ticket? He grabbed Ju Zhe's arm. "Is it something very important?"
　　Ju Zhe nodded, then suddenly realized something and shook his head vigorously, saying, "I forgot to bring the amulet my mom ordered for me online."
　　"Phew, that scared me to death!" Xia Muqing laughed. "Your mom believes in this stuff?"
　　"It's okay, the exam's coming up soon. Go take it, and I'll buy you coffee afterward so we can discuss it." Ju Zhe winked at Xia Muqing, waved, and ran into the exam hall.
　　Xia Muqing turned and walked towards the exam hall. Seeing Ju Zhe suddenly made him happy, and he even hummed a song as he walked. After a while, he grinned and muttered to himself, "So sophisticated, buying an amulet online."
　　Later, Xia Muqing thought he would probably never forgive himself. Because his stupidity had caused a boy to lose so much.
　　On the day the college entrance exam ended, Xia Muqing and Ju Zhe did go to a coffee shop. But Xia Muqing ultimately didn't drink that cup of coffee. Not because the coffee was too bitter, but because of his heart.
　　Ju Zhe asked Xia Muqing what kind of coffee she wanted, and Xia Muqing said a latte. However, when Ju Zhe turned to order from the waiter, Xia Muqing suddenly changed her mind and said she wanted an Americano.
　　The two were so close, yet Ju Zhe didn't hear her. A bad thought flashed through Xia Muqing's mind. He saw Ju Zhe intently staring at the waiter's mouth as he said, "He wants a latte, I want a cappuccino."
　　The waiter smiled and said, "Sir, this lady just said she wanted an Americano."
　　Then, Ju Zhe's smile froze on his face. A layer of darkness instantly settled over his expression. Turning to Xia Muqing, he said, word by word, "You guessed right, I can't hear."
　　As soon as he finished speaking, Xia Muqing burst into tears, sobbing, "Oh God, why didn't you tell me sooner?"
　　"If I had told you sooner, you probably wouldn't be standing with me now. Because I can't hear your voice, and if I can't hear your voice, you'll hate me."
　　Ju Zhe stood up, pale-faced, pushed aside the waiter, and staggered out, knocking over a chair in the coffee shop.
　　Xia Muqing immediately got up and chased after him, running and calling his name with all her might,
　　"Ju Zhe!" she cried.
　　Oh, no, he can't hear her.
　　The rain poured down; finally, the weather forecast made him believe it for once.
　　After the college entrance exam results came out, An Ran immediately called Xia Muqing. On the phone, An Ran first cheerfully congratulated Xia Muqing on his score, saying it was enough for him to get into his dream music academy. After hesitating for a moment, she said, "I heard that Ju Zhe's English score was terrible. The teacher was also incredulous. When they checked the exam papers, they found that he got almost all the listening comprehension questions wrong, losing nearly 30 points for nothing."
　　So, that day outside the exam hall, she was anxiously searching for her hearing aid, and the so-called search for a talisman was just a lie to cover up her flaw and reassure herself.
　　Xia Muqing was silent on the other end of the phone.
　　Ju Zhe, why were you so foolish?
　　For the entire summer afterward, Xia Muqing often lingered around Ju Zhe's house, hoping to see him. But she didn't. When she called Ju Zhe's house, his mother answered. This time, her mother wasn't cold; she just wearily told him that he didn't want to see anyone.
　　At the class graduation party, only Ju Zhe was absent. Everyone, having overcome their animosity towards Xia Muqing, congratulated her on getting into a prestigious music academy.
　　When discussing their reflections on the three years of high school, most people surprisingly mentioned Xia Muqing and Ju Zhe's "rooftop rendezvous." They jokingly asked Xia Muqing, "Why didn't she bring her little boyfriend with her? Is Ju Zhe still so arrogant and aloof that she hasn't won him over yet?" Xia Muqing's face darkened at these questions; she simply shook her head without responding.
　　That day, Xia Muqing drank heavily, but her mind remained remarkably clear. She made an excuse to escape first and then return to school alone. The senior high school building was already sealed off, but Xia Muqing still managed to climb out of the window and into the corridor.
　　Every classroom was locked. Xia Muqing stretched his aching neck and pressed his face against the classroom window. This time, he finally understood the pain his homeroom teacher endured every time he peered through the back window. He even relived the memory, imagining the empty seats filled with girls laughing at his daydreaming, and the boy named Ju Zhe, awakened by the girls' chatter, secretly passing him a small note.
　　The memory was starting to hurt, and he felt a headache coming on. He sighed softly and continued walking.
　　The stairs at the corner led to the rooftop, but sadly, the rooftop glass was also locked with a heavy chain.
　　He climbed the steps, leaned against the door, and sat down, looking at the rooftop through the glass. On the rooftop, the boy who would smile and listen to him sing was no longer there. With his initial aspirations intact, he never noticed that the boy's eyes weren't seeing his face, but rather his opening and closing mouth.
　　Ju Zhe, thank you. Without you, I probably would never have realized my dreams. You, who always carefully hid your flaws from others, pretended to hear my voice and always gave me the best praise. You helped me regain my confidence; you, with your imperfection, gave me my current boundless glory.
　　Ju Zhe was a notoriously aloof boy in the second year of high school. His handsome appearance attracted many girls who secretly admired him. Although many girls gave him their affections, he didn't react much, so everyone secretly called him the "Cool Little Prince."
　　He rarely left the classroom, didn't participate in sports, and often slept on his desk, yet his grades remained above average.
　　Every day after school, he would climb out of his desk before class, pull out his earphones, put them on, and walk straight out of the school, crossing the perpetually congested road, then walk home. Many junior girls who secretly admired him confessed their feelings to him on their way home, but he would push them aside and walk away, simply because it would delay his crossing.
　　In short, at Yecheng No. 1 High School, rejection was a god-like existence, possessing a face resembling Lin Gengxin, a mysterious and arrogant temperament, and a neurotic personality.
　　At this moment, Ju Zhe's tenderness towards Xia Muqing was like a bomb thrown into calm water, not only shocking everyone but also shattering the fragile hearts of many young girls.
　　Everyone began to speculate: had Ju Zhe's neurosis recently worsened, or had he suddenly developed a taste for girls who were so insignificant they were barely visible? However, all the speculation stemmed from the second note Ju Zhe left for Xia Muqing.
　　The second note was nearly crushed by the girls during its passing. Almost everyone wanted to hold the folded four strips in their hands, examining them closely, hoping to glean some clue. Unfortunately, the mystery was ultimately solved by Xia Muqing's best friend, An Ran.
　　"Did Xia Xing receive a note from Ju Zhe? Did Ju Zhe even smile at Xia Xing? They probably didn't even exchange a word, right? Ju Zhe wanted my Xia Muqing to sing for him on the rooftop during recess. Does your Xia Xing get that kind of treatment?" An Ran was smugly boasting to the "star fans" about the incredible "favor" Xia Muqing had unexpectedly received when he realized he had inadvertently revealed Ju Zhe and Xia Muqing's whereabouts. So he could only laugh awkwardly and shut his mouth.
　　"Oh, so they were on the rooftop." Everyone finally understood the contents of the note
　　. And so, that day became the day with the fewest students participating in morning exercises during break time. As the junior student leader of the sports department was counting the few students from Class 3 of Grade 11 in surprise, this group of crazy, restless people were peering out from the door of the rooftop.
　　It was such a beautiful scene, I dared not look!
　　Xia Muqing was singing passionately to Ju Zhe, and Ju Zhe was staring intently at Xia Muqing's face, as if he could see flowers in it. The gentle breeze on the rooftop ruffled the hair of the young boy and girl, a scene so heartbreaking it was almost unbearable.
　　The girls retreated, lamenting their bad luck and utterly losing faith in Ju Zhe's taste.
　　From then on, every day during the long break, Ju Zhe would call Xia Muqing to the rooftop, his purpose obvious: to sing for her, euphemistically called "warming up his voice." Ju Zhe seemed to enjoy it, but poor Xia Muqing had to sing something every day, like a karaoke machine. Although she always regretted it afterward, she just couldn't resist Ju Zhe's handsome smile. Ju
　　Zhe said, "Muqing, you're really great, you'll definitely get into your dream music academy!"
　　Good heavens, can anyone tell Xia Muqing what's going on? That god-like guy who always slept on his desk was actually... Every day, she would drag him to the rooftop to practice singing with him.
　　She would even earnestly encourage him, asking, "What's wrong with this world?" Ju Zhe had been deaf since childhood, and he almost never wore a hearing aid. When the doctor first placed that cold hearing aid in her ear, she burst into tears, ripped it off, and threw it on the ground, stomping on it with her weak little feet. For some reason, he had always been extremely averse to those things.
　　For this child with such a strong sense of self-respect, his mother tearfully hired the best lip-reading teacher for him, secretly placing the hearing aid in a drawer.
　　From elementary school to high school, he always tried hard to maintain his aloof and arrogant demeanor.
　　He slept in class, and after school, he would immediately review the material taught during the day with his tutor. No one knew how difficult it was for him to maintain his pride, how hard he tried to hide his disability.
　　When he got home from school, he would put on headphones, so that he could... To cover up the embarrassment of others calling his name from behind but her not hearing, he actually hadn't missed a single song in his headphones.
　　The reason he crossed the slightly congested road on time was because he couldn't hear the car horns; he could only squeeze through the gaps between cars during lulls in the traffic. Everyone only saw him roughly shoving his junior sister aside and walking away, but no one knew that he was actually just trying to catch that traffic jam. Because once the traffic started flowing smoothly, she would stand fearfully on the side of the road, afraid to cross until dark.
　　He had always lived cautiously, growing up in solitude; he had no friends because he was afraid of being ridiculed.
　　But when he saw Xia Muqing's humble and insecure face, he felt an impulse—he wanted to help this girl.
　　He himself found it laughable, because he had never heard this girl sing before; she only... He had once read the words of his classmates praising the girl's singing from their lip movements.
　　This girl, without outstanding looks or excellent grades, possessed a passionate and sincere heart. Her love for singing deeply moved Ju Zhe. Later, Ju Zhe thought that perhaps he and this girl shared some commonalities, which was why he wanted to help her—for example, they both feared the mocking gazes of others. He
　　wrote her notes, took her to the rooftop to practice singing, and felt happy seeing her sing earnestly and diligently. He saw those cold lyrics on the computer, sung with emotion by her; though he couldn't hear them, he could see her dedication.
　　The girl didn't know that every time Ju Zhe's mother answered the phone, the boy would stand by the phone for a long time until his mother hung up.
　　The boy instructed his mother, "Don't give him any calls from Xia Muqing. If I can answer the phone, just hang up as soon as possible." "
　　In the days leading up to the college entrance exam, he tried so hard to get used to that cold hearing aid. He was so careful, but he still made a mistake.
　　During the exam, he forgot to bring his hearing aid. In his anxious search, the girl with bright eyes suddenly appeared in front of him, asking with concern if he had forgotten something important. He could only be dumbfounded and keep lying to her, but eventually, the truth came out. He realized his disability. He
　　fled home in a panic and never showed up again.
　　He was afraid that when he walked down the street, he would see acquaintances who would gossip about him and mock him, 'Hey, look, he's that self-important deaf guy.'"
　　He wondered if he would be alone again. In
　　the autumn, Xia Muqing had to pack her bags and head to a distant northern city, home to the best music academy and media company in the country—a place to realize her dreams.
　　Anran attended the best teachers' college in Yecheng. As for Ju Zhe, there were many rumors. Some said he failed his college entrance exam and his family arranged for him to attend a vocational college in Yecheng; others said he went abroad to study. But these were all just rumors, because no one had seen him since.
　　"Anran, take care of yourself," Xia Muqing hugged Anran tightly. "And if you ever see him, please tell him I'm sorry."
　　"Muqing, you should tell him that yourself. That proud guy definitely doesn't want us to know he can't hear," Anran thought for a moment, then continued, "He's been so good to you. If I couldn't hear, I wouldn't have been as foolish as him, doing so many things for you."
　　"Well then, goodbye, Anran."
　　"You brat, remember to sign my autograph when you become famous!"
　　In the summer of 2014, almost every young person in China had heard of the name "Xia Muqing." Photos of a young woman with this name went viral overnight on internet cafes and Weibo. The girl in the photos wasn't conventionally beautiful, but she had a very confident smile. She was the youngest female singer launched by IE Company. It's said that she was performing in a bar when she was discovered, and her manager said he was attracted to her confident smile and clear voice.
　　Soon after, Xia Muqing's first album, "I Can't Hear Your Voice," was released, making her a household name, especially the music videos (MVs), which garnered a huge number of views on various websites from the moment they were uploaded.
　　Meanwhile, in a computer store in Yecheng, a handsome young man clicked on Xia Muqing's music video.
　　The scene shows a girl singing softly in her seat. A boy wearing headphones is crossing a traffic jam. While others laugh at her, she receives a note from the boy, who then takes her to the rooftop to practice singing. During the college entrance exam, the boy anxiously rummages through his pockets, looks up and sees the girl's face, then pretends to smile silently at her. In a coffee shop, the boy orders from the waiter, oblivious to the girl's voice. … The
　　ending is a subtitle:
　　Thank you for your generosity, thank you for helping me when I was sad, thank you for giving me boundless glory with your imperfection! I have no disdain for you, only gratitude!
　　The handsome boy suddenly grabs his hair, immediately covers his eyes with his hands, and sobs softly, tears slowly sliding down his palms to his face, leaving a wet patch.
　　“Ju Zhe,” his mother appears behind him, gently handing him something. “It’s been so long, shouldn’t you try wearing it again?”
　　The boy’s eyes are red, he just stares without moving, after a long while, he sniffs softly and takes it.
　　Three months later, a small concert was held one evening at the arts square of Yecheng No. 1 High School.
　　The square was packed with people, a dense crowd of waving glow sticks, and some holding up large posters of Xia Muqing.
　　"Everyone says that the boy in Muqing's 'Can't Hear Your Voice' music video is based on a senior from our school. Have you seen him?"
　　"The cool little prince, Ju Zhe, I've heard a bit about him, but I heard we haven't heard from him since the college entrance exam."
　　"Really? What a pity..."
　　Backstage
　　in the dressing room, Xia Muqing sat in a chair, resting with her eyes closed. The stylist was doing her hair, and the dressing table was piled with some exquisitely wrapped small gifts and bouquets.
　　An Ran rummaged through the gifts, then sat down dejectedly,
　　propped her chin on her hand, looked at Xia Muqing in the mirror, and sighed.
　　"Muqing, I'm sorry, I have no news of him," An Ran said softly.
　　Xia Muqing opened her eyes and looked at An Ran. "An Ran, when the company helped me release my album, I took a gamble and used our story as the album theme. Do you think he'll be angry? I've revealed his secret to the public, which is like rubbing salt into his wounds. If he gets angry, I'll never see him again."
　　"Muqing, don't ask me, I really don't know." An Ran shook her head. "You should focus on preparing. You're about to go on stage, and your juniors are waiting!"
　　After the concert started, Xia Muqing stood on the stage and sang one song after another.
　　The changing lights shone on her face, and her confident smile added a lot of color to her otherwise ordinary smile. Night fell, and the concert was about to end, but she still didn't see Ju Zhe's shadow. An Ran sighed silently for her from below the stage.
　　Just as Xia Muqing was about to sing her last song, as the concert was ending, a figure appeared at the stage entrance. Tall and handsome, carrying a bouquet of flowers, he walked gracefully towards Xia Muqing.
　　Fans screamed, and several even shouted Ju Zhe's name. Reporters in the front row immediately grabbed their cameras and snapped several pictures. Xia Muqing turned around, and upon seeing the person, immediately covered her mouth, unable to speak.
　　Then, a staff member from backstage handed her a microphone. Ju Zhe pursed his lips, smiled slightly, and handed the bouquet to Xia Muqing, saying gently, "Muqing, it's been so long. I missed you so much. How about you?"
　　Xia Muqing remained silent, tears streaming down her face. Ju Zhe turned around, nodded to the sound engineer in the audience, and at that moment, the music began—the melody of "I Can't Hear Your Voice." Ju Zhe gently pulled Xia Muqing to his side, pointed to the hearing aid in his ear, and looked at Xia Muqing earnestly, saying, "Now, I can hear your voice. Muqing, thank you, thank you, thank you. This song is dedicated to you."
　　Xia Muqing stared at Ju Zhe's actions in astonishment, only coming to his senses when the song ended.
　　It turned out that all of this was real.
　　In their dreams, they could reunite.
　　The flowers in their dreams would eventually bloom.
　　Their happiness was in their own hands.