03

I turned a corner and after taking a few steps, I saw a door. I gently placed my hand on the doorknob, and my heart inexplicably began to race; I found myself feeling somewhat nervous

Alright. I sat back down in the original place

Behind the rising veil, there stood a completely black piano, its smooth body reflecting the moonlight and emitting a soft, pale white glow. A pair of clean, slender hands skillfully played the keys.

This has nothing to do with me. After Xiao Chen picks me up tomorrow, I should not see him again. When it comes down to it, we are merely strangers who have met once, and I have no right to inquire about his matters

I am going back to sleep

It feels as though my feet have taken root, unable to take even a small step forward, fearing that the sound of my footsteps might disturb him, fearing that I might break this beautiful scene.

The moon is truly round. I sat down on the steps, resting my elbows on my knees, my hands supporting my chin, looking up at the moon above me. It's really beautiful. Do you think Chang'e really lives there? Is there really a jade rabbit pounding medicine?

"Do you really not trust people at all?" I sat down by the piano, looking at him defiantly, "Just because someone appears suddenly doesn't mean they are a bad person, for example, me."

The lights in the corridor are dim, perhaps due to the late hour, with only a small night light glowing from a distance. However, it is fortunate that tonight is a full moon, and the villa has many floor-to-ceiling windows, allowing the moonlight to illuminate the interior with remarkable clarity despite the faint lighting. The trees outside the villa cast bizarre shadows on the floor.

I put on my pajamas and went outside, wiped my damp long hair with a clean towel, and then lay down on the bed, yet I could not fall asleep no matter what.

The night of August 15, in an unfamiliar place, watching the moon with a stranger is also a truly wonderful experience

The sound of footsteps approached, and then he sat down beside me

After reaching a consensus with Young Master Xi, I was led by Butler Chen into a room. This room is located in the attic on the top floor of the villa, containing a large bed, a writing desk positioned by the window, and a coat rack standing beside the desk. Aside from this, there was nothing else in the room

The sound of the door opening with a "click" was particularly loud in the quiet night, yet the piano music did not pause, as if the pianist had not heard the sound of the door opening

I took a gentle step forward; this is a large and spacious room, with a row of bookshelves against the wall. The lights in the room are not turned on, and only the moonlight filtering through the floor-to-ceiling windows illuminates the space. The window is open, and the night breeze lifts the translucent curtains.

"Who cares about such things?" he said lightly, turning his head slightly, which made it difficult for me to see the expression on his face

Today is the Mid-Autumn Festival. I shifted my gaze away from his face and looked out the window. However, from this position, I could not see the moon, so I simply stood up, fully opened the half-closed door, and walked out with large strides.

During the day, I have seen him with a smile that seemed both playful and cunning, almost like a sly fox. However, this smile now appears to be utterly pure and innocent, devoid of any ulterior motives.

I stood up, intending to walk back, but he gently grasped my wrist and said softly, "Since you are here, let's take a moment to look at the moon together."

At that moment, the veil fell, and his face finally came into my view with unparalleled clarity

I am the bad guy? He was taken aback for a moment, then he smiled slightly

The maid I saw during the day brought me dinner. After finishing my meal, I took a shower and came out of the bathroom, only to find that someone had placed a clean set of pajamas in the dressing area outside the bathroom. I distinctly remember that there was none when I first entered; it must have been brought in while I was showering.

The sound of the piano came from within the door. I took a deep breath, suppressed my nervous emotions, and firmly pressed down on the doorknob

"Who else could there be besides me?" he said softly, "What are you doing here in the middle of the night, not sleeping?"

"Perhaps." His voice came from behind me, and I did not turn around

I gently walked in, made my way to the piano, stood still, and could not help but reach out to lightly press a key, and the melodious notes immediately resonated.

This corridor appears to be quite deep, yet the sound of the piano is becoming increasingly clear

I couldn't sleep, so I came over to see who was playing the piano. I didn't expect it; you play the piano very well. I looked at him again and said, I previously thought you might be a bad person, but someone who can play such beautiful piano pieces must not be a bad person.

"Indeed, you are preventing me from going home, so you must be the bad person," I said, as a matter of course

At that moment, a gentle sound of piano music reached my ears. At first, I thought I had misheard it, so I held my breath and listened carefully for a while. Indeed, there was the sound of a piano in the tranquil villa

Feeling quite irritable, I lifted the blanket and sat up, rubbed my messy hair, turned on the bedside lamp, and got out of bed

Who exactly is that Young Master Xi? Will he truly keep his promises? ... What exactly is this place ...

"Well, anyway, I am not a bad person." I gave up on arguing with him, as I did not believe I could change someone else's mind. Moreover, for a young master from a wealthy family like him, being cautious is not necessarily a bad thing

Thinking of this, I forcibly suppressed the question that was on the tip of my tongue

"Isn't it said that the one riding a white horse is not necessarily a prince, but could also be Tang Seng?" He chuckled softly and said, "Being cautious is always a good thing, isn't it"

The owner of those hands is hidden behind the fluttering veil, with half of his face occasionally revealed, bathed in moonlight, while the other half is engulfed in darkness. The moonlight outlines the contours of his face, pale and fragile, yet beautiful like a miracle

The piece he played was unfamiliar to me, yet it was incredibly beautiful, with an elusive touch of sorrow hidden within the sound of the piano

"Why are you here playing the piano all alone? Where are your family?" I turned to glance at the young boy still seated at the piano, "Isn't today a day for reunion? Aren't your parents by your side?"

"Is that you?" I widened my eyes as I looked at the young man before me. Just a moment ago, I was a bit far away, and the moonlight was too dim, so I couldn't see his appearance clearly. Now, at such a close distance, I realized that he was actually Young Master Xi, the boy who appeared very indifferent, always aloof, as if nothing could pique his interest!

I pushed open the door, and a cool night breeze swept in, carrying with it the fragrance of osmanthus flowers. I vaguely recalled that today is the fifteenth day of the eighth lunar month, the Mid-Autumn Festival

My curiosity was suddenly piqued. It is already late at night; who could be so interested in playing the piano at this hour?

I opened the door and stepped outside, descending the wooden staircase step by step

"That being said, you are also a bad person." He looked at me with a faint gaze, "Suddenly appearing at my house, don't you think that's quite suspicious?"

I shrugged my shoulders; although he spoke nonchalantly, the piano music just now clearly conveyed an inescapable sorrow. He must have lied; he is certainly missing someone.

The Mid-Autumn Festival is a wonderful time for families to gather together to eat mooncakes and admire the moon. Before coming to this city, I used to celebrate the Mid-Autumn Festival every year with Aunt Song and Xiao Chen. However, after advancing my studies, it became a bit far from where Aunt Song lives, so last year's Mid-Autumn Festival, neither Xiao Chen nor I returned home. This year, Aunt Song is ill, and Xiao Chen has gone back to take care of her. They should be together eating mooncakes and watching the moon now

It is unknown how long has passed, the sound of the piano has ceased, and a silence like water has engulfed this room, with moonlight spread across the ground like white frost