After Confessing To My Childhood Friend - Chapter 18
Chapter 18: Rehearsal
◎Family member secretly taking pictures◎
Chen Mengyin shook her head, groggy from too many strange dreams.
She’d had a string of chaotic dreams the night before, but upon waking, couldn’t recall a single detail.
Yawning, she stepped outside. The weather was gloomy, the breeze carrying the scent of damp earth—likely a sign of incoming rain. She shoved an umbrella into her backpack just in case.
“Good morning, Zhirou,” Chen Mengyin greeted Xie Zhirou, who was waiting at her doorstep with a smile. “Why didn’t you wait inside? It’s so hot out.”
Xie Zhirou smiled and stuffed a small pastry into her mouth. “I just got here too.”
Chen Mengyin didn’t believe that for a second. It always just so happened that Xie Zhirou had just arrived whenever she came out. But she didn’t expose the lie. Instead, she silently vowed to leave a bit earlier next time—she didn’t want Zhirou waiting for her every day.
“These pastries are pretty good. Where’d you buy them?” she asked, chewing happily, stomach empty from skipping breakfast.
“They’re homemade. If you like them, I’ll ask Auntie to make more next time.”
“Delicious! Who would’ve thought Auntie could make sweets as well as she cooks!”
“Mhm. If there’s anything else you want to eat, just tell her. As long as it’s not too complicated, she can make it.”
This new housekeeper must’ve been carefully selected by Tang Jingxue. Only a few close people knew that Xie Zhirou liked sweets—her parents and Chen Mengyin, really no one else.
Now the housekeeper’s cooking and sweets were all tailored to Zhirou’s tastes. Chen Mengyin was happy to notice her friend’s cheeks finally had a tiny bit of fullness again.
Not much, but her complexion was far better than before.
As she snacked, Chen Mengyin recalled how, when they were little, Zhirou always had a few candies in her pocket. She’d pop one in her mouth whenever, and wear this irresistibly adorable expression—her little dimples peeking through.
Back then, she’d wondered if Zhirou’s dimples were as sweet as those candies. Sadly, she’d never gotten the chance to find out.
If only I could taste them, she thought whimsically.
Chatting away, the school soon came into view.
Chen Mengyin hesitated, but asked again if Zhirou wanted to join the class reunion dinner on Saturday. As expected, Zhirou declined.
“You go. I wouldn’t be able to connect with them anyway.”
Even though Wang Xueling and Xu Qingqing would be there, Zhirou never liked those kinds of gatherings. She avoided them when she could.
Chen Mengyin knew that too. After being rejected twice, she didn’t push it further.
She sighed, “I was hoping we could game together on Saturday.”
Zhirou patted the “sad little puppy” on the head. “No worries. If we can’t play Saturday, we’ll just play on Sunday.”
“No way! We said Saturday,” Chen Mengyin shook her head. A promise was a promise.
“Oh! I could just go for dinner and come back—I don’t have to stay for karaoke!” her mind finally caught up. She was only committed to the meal. No one said she had to stick around for the whole thing.
So smart, she thought proudly, smiling as she followed Zhirou into the school building.
Zhirou didn’t stop her—her goal had already been met.
She’d played weak on purpose.
Zhirou could’ve asked her not to go, and Mengyin might’ve stayed. But then, she’d probably be thinking about her classmates the whole time. And Zhirou hated it when Mengyin thought about others while with her.
So instead of holding her back, she stepped aside—knowing Mengyin would spend the dinner thinking about her.
A faint smile touched Zhirou’s lips, softening her usual coldness. “Then bring me a mini cake from that dessert shop on Linjiang Road.”
How could Mengyin possibly say no? “Sure! Anything else?”
“I’ll tell you if I think of something.”
“Got it, Miss Xie!”
Miss Xie didn’t argue, pulling out her books for morning reading.
Tuesdays were kinder than Mondays. Two Chinese classes passed like a film festival—the students watched the black-and-white movie Eugénie Grandet in the multimedia room.
Mengyin hadn’t been told in advance. When she got the notice, it was nearly class time. She regretted not bringing two buckets of popcorn.
Apparently, she really was treating the place like a movie theater.
The movie played. Their Chinese teacher, Ms. Li Shujin, sat among them to watch.
Though she hadn’t brought popcorn, Mengyin had stopped by the campus convenience store and bought chips and drinks. She opened them on her desk, casually snacking in front of Ms. Li.
Ms. Li: …Something feels off.
But in the end, she didn’t stop her. In fact, while the students were distracted by the movie, she went to the store herself and came back with snacks to share.
“If you eat my snacks, then you better not lose points on Eugénie Grandet questions later!”
“Yes, ma’am!”
“We’ll show the exam creators that the true elite are Li Shujin’s students!”
The class laughed, with zero classroom decorum.
Ms. Li sighed—youth really was a gift.
Mengyin also grabbed some sweets, picking out Zhirou’s favorite candy. She peeled one quietly and popped it into Zhirou’s mouth when no one was looking.
“Taste good?” she whispered.
Zhirou, still tasting the candy and remembering the feel of Mengyin’s fingers against her lips, replied, “Sweet.”
Mengyin beamed, popping another one into her mouth with a satisfying crunch.
After class, it was time to prep for the evening.
They ate quickly and headed to the music room their teacher had arranged. It was a small room—besides desks and chairs, the only thing marking it as a music room was the piano.
Mengyin sat up front, watching Zhirou tune the piano. Sunset light streamed through the window, gilding the instrument—and Zhirou—in warm gold.
The person they were supposed to rehearse with hadn’t shown up yet. While Zhirou worked, Mengyin sneakily pulled out her phone and snapped a picture.
In the photo, filtered sunlight through the trees outside painted the piano in mottled patterns. A girl with long hair sat beneath it, head slightly bowed, casting a delicate shadow across her cheek.
Mengyin saved the photo carefully, then took another from a different angle.
“Sorry I’m late! It was my day for cleaning duty.” The student from Class 2 finally arrived—ten minutes past the agreed time.
She was panting, clearly having run the whole way. Her voice even trembled.
Zhirou kindly said, “It’s fine. I just got here too.”
Just got here, huh? Mengyin pouted. She knew Zhirou always said that to downplay how long she’d been waiting.
“I’m Zhuang Xinlan. I don’t know if the teacher told you.”
“She just said someone from Class 2,” Zhirou replied coolly, then added, “I’m Xie Zhirou.”
Zhuang Xinlan didn’t mind the tone. “I know you. Top of the grade, right? I didn’t expect to be performing with someone like you—maybe I’ll catch some genius vibes and ace the next quiz.”
Before Zhirou could respond, another voice chimed in from the front of the room, “As long as you work hard, progress will come.”
It was Chen Mengyin. Since Zhuang Xinlan arrived, she’d been quiet, wondering what excuse she’d use if Xinlan didn’t let her stay.
But after hearing Xinlan’s flattery, for some reason, she felt a little annoyed—and answered first.
Zhuang Xinlan blinked, surprised. “And you are?”
“I’m Zhirou’s deskmate,” Mengyin replied sweetly. “I came with her to rehearsal. You don’t mind, do you?”
Zhuang Xinlan glanced at Zhirou, who remained silent at the piano, then turned back to Mengyin.
“I don’t mind.”
“Great! Don’t worry—I won’t make a sound while you two rehearse,” she beamed.
Xinlan smiled politely and approached Zhirou to discuss the sheet music.
It was their first time working together, so they weren’t fully in sync yet. Xinlan suggested they run through the song and fix issues afterward. Zhirou agreed.
Piano notes rang out—clear and crisp. Xinlan joined in on cue, her soft voice melding seamlessly with the accompaniment.
Even though Mengyin wasn’t musically trained, she could tell Xinlan was good. No wonder the teacher chose her to perform with Zhirou.
After the first run-through, they discussed how to improve their coordination.
Xinlan seemed to realize Zhirou didn’t like too much contact with unfamiliar people, so she kept a respectful distance. There was enough space between them for Mengyin to squeeze in—and she was more than happy with that.
Perfect. Just the way she liked it.
As they worked through the issues, the piano started again.
This time, the harmony between voice and keys was even more beautiful.
Outside, the sun finally set. Night crept in.
Mengyin captured one last photo of Zhirou playing in the fading twilight, then stood and turned on the lights.