Chapter 1: Reunion of an Old Dream, the Warmth Remains on the Bracelet
The warm backstage lights cast a soft glow on He Lin's profile. His fingers unconsciously brushed the silver bracelet on his wrist—its cool metallic texture burned hot against his chest. The performance was about to start, yet his thoughts drifted uncontrollably back to that stormy night years ago. It was right here, in this very place, that Su Xing, wearing a light-blue stage outfit, had waved at him with a bright smile. He had misunderstood, thinking she was entangled with his rival, Yu Meng. That slap, born of a misunderstanding, had created a rift between them that had lasted five long years.
The stage lights suddenly blazed to life. He Lin took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions, and stepped into the spotlight at the center of the stage. Tonight's concert was a full house; the fans' screams nearly lifted the roof. His gaze swept across the audience, and his heart skipped a beat—in a corner of the third row, a familiar figure sat quietly watching him. It was Su Xing.
Her hair was tied up in a neat ponytail; she wore a simple white T-shirt and jeans. In her eyes was a complex emotion he couldn't quite decipher—there was nostalgia, resentment, and a trace of barely perceptible hurt. He Lin's fingers tightened slightly; the bracelet dug painfully into his skin. It was a gift from her for his sixteenth birthday, now a memory he hardly dared to touch.
As the performance reached its climax, He Lin's voice, magnetic and slightly hoarse, seemed to knock at the very core of her heart with every note. Su Xing sat there, watching him shine so brilliantly on stage, memories flooding back like a tide. Their first meeting felt as clear as yesterday: she was just a rookie trainee, bumping into him backstage as he held his guitar. Flustered, she apologized, but he had only glanced at her coldly before walking away. Yet later, it was he who sought her out, saying, "Your eyes are like little suns, bright enough to light up someone as shadowed as me."
She became his secret girlfriend, hidden from the world, yet she cherished it. He would wait for her outside the backstage door after her performances, handing her a cup of warm water and her favorite strawberry cake. He wore the bracelet she gave him, occasionally showing it off subtly in front of the camera, yet when she asked about it, he'd turn away, feigning indifference, saying, "Just something I put on." But that one misunderstanding had been like a sharp blade, severing their connection completely. He thought she had betrayed him; she thought he was cold and heartless. They lost each other in their separate worlds, leaving only the bracelet on his wrist and an unresolved ache in his heart.
The concert ended amid thunderous applause. He Lin hurried offstage, not even bothering to remove his stage makeup, and rushed out like a madman. He had to see her. He had to explain the misunderstanding from all those years ago. He found her under the old locust tree outside the theater, kicking small pebbles on the roadside, her thin silhouette heartbreakingly fragile.
"Su Xing!" He called her name, his voice carrying a barely noticeable tremor.
Su Xing turned at the sound, and seeing him, her eyes instantly frosted over like a frozen lake. "Mr. He. It's been a long time." Her tone was distant, unreadable.
He Lin quickly walked up to her, wanting to grab her wrist, but she jerked away. "Su Xing, about what happened back then, I can explain…"
"Explain what?" Su Xing cut him off, her eyes reddening though she stubbornly held back tears. "Explain why you believed that woman over me? Explain why you gave my gift to Yu Meng, telling her it was from you? Explain why you disappeared without a word, leaving me waiting like a fool?"
Her words pierced He Lin's heart like needles. He opened his mouth but found himself defenseless; the belated truth now, five years later, felt pale and powerless. "No, it's not like that, Su Xing, listen to me—"
"I won't listen!" Su Xing took a sharp step back, tears finally breaking free, tracing down her cheeks. "He Lin, you're a hypocrite! Wearing my gift, pretending to be devoted, yet suspecting me and hurting me behind my back! I hate you!"
Seeing her in such pain, He Lin felt as if a giant hand were squeezing his heart, the pain nearly suffocating. He didn't want to explain anymore; he didn't want to see her cry anymore. He just wanted to keep her close, even if only