Chapter 1｜The first time I saw him
That day, the weather was clear, with fluffy white clouds hanging in the sky like pendants adorning the azure expanse.
After school, I rode the high school bus home, chatting and laughing with friends along the way, occasionally turning to gaze at the scenery outside the window. When the bus arrived at the stop, it pulled up slowly. The doors opened at a leisurely pace, and the students disembarked in an orderly fashion. The moment my feet touched the ground, I felt a gentle breeze, my bangs fluttering in the wind. Humming a tune, I skipped and bounced my way home.
At the entrance, I took out the garage remote and pressed the button. The garage door rose mechanically from bottom to top. I stepped inside and took off my shoes. The bright light inside made me feel out of place. My parents had already left for work.
I quickly washed my hands, slung my backpack over my shoulder, and headed upstairs. A faint sound came from the room next door. Peering through the crack in the door, I saw my younger sister, Xiao Wan, who had gotten home early from school, humming a tune while studying. Not wanting to disturb her, I quietly turned the doorknob, stepped inside, and closed the door behind me.
My backpack slid off my shoulder and landed on the floor. Sitting down at my desk, I bent over to unzip it, pulling out my math notebook and pen. Opening the notebook, I twirled the pen in my hand. My mind raced over how to solve the problems, yet no solution came. My eyes fixed on the problem for a long while until a solution flashed through my mind. The pen stopped spinning, its body drooping as the tip touched the paper. I wrote down the idea that had struck me only to realize it was the correct answer.
After finishing my homework, I quickly packed my backpack and set it aside. For a moment, I didn’t know what to do next. I turned my head to look out the window. The sky was still a deep blue, not yet sunset, but now filled with the sounds of children playing. I let out a soft sigh.
I reached out and turned on the computer on my study desk. Moving the mouse, I clicked open a video streaming site and searched for “period dramas.” Among the list, the drama Under the Brocade caught my eye. On a whim, I clicked to watch. The male lead, Lu Yi of the Imperial Guard, dressed in his flying fish robe, his gaze sharp and unyielding, looked like someone you wouldn’t want to mess with. I couldn’t tear my eyes away. His features were exquisite and captivating. I couldn’t help but marvel the man on the screen was truly handsome.
Curiosity piqued, I grabbed my phone and Googled “Who plays Lu Yi in The Imperial Guard?” The search results revealed “Ren Jialun” followed by a slew of information about him. I scrolled through his details, almost mesmerized. Then I downloaded Weibo from the App Store, registered an account, and logged in, ready to dive deeper into his world.
For the first time, I wanted to know more about him. And it felt like I was starting to like him.
