chapter 1
Chapter 1
“Wu Ai, you really weren’t a gentleman at all last night-you hurt me.”
The woman’s voice was tinged with the lazy drawl of someone newly awake, accompanied by the soft sound of rubbing her waist, coming from behind him.
A night of indulgence had left both their faces showing deep fatigue.
In front of the floor-to-ceiling windows on the fifteenth floor of the Sanlitun SOHO apartment building, Wu Ai stared fixedly downstairs, sweat dripping down his tense jawline.
“Four… why are all of them here…”
He unconsciously rubbed his phone; on the lock screen were four missed call notifications.
“What are you staring at downstairs for?”
The woman behind him-a young lady from a prestigious family-approached with a mug in hand, her eyelashes casting pale blue shadows under her eyes.
Wu Ai turned back to look at her, then looked once more at the four women downstairs, each deeply intertwined with a different stage of his life…
The one in a school uniform was the White Moonlight goddess he had liked for three years; the one standing beside the silver-and-black Maybach was a prodigy who had scored 641 points to get into the Language Department of Peking University.
The woman in a long black dress was the gentle older sister two years his senior; and under the shade of a tree, the blonde woman was his former lover, with whom he shared countless emotional entanglements.
Any one of them should have been a fortunate encounter in his life, but at this moment, they had all become his judges.
Wu Ai’s panic lasted only a moment before he began searching through his memories with each of them for clues, quickly considering his next move.
As this thought arose, the scene before Wu Ai’s eyes began to distort, finally swallowed by a blinding white light.
That white light was the color of snow from three months ago.
…
“Wu Ai, you’re just a useless loser right now. If you really have any ability, show me some results!”
…
Wu Ai zipped his black down jacket all the way up, wrapped his scarf around his neck twice, leaving only his eyes exposed.
He stared intently at the waiting area sign for the third round of the Art College Entrance Exam at Media University.
One corner of his guitar bag had been soaked by the snow, and there was a faint, muffled sound from the case, like the messy beating of his heart at this moment.
“Hey, isn’t that Brother Ai?”
Zhang Lei’s voice carried the chill of the snow and an intentionally exaggerated tone.
“Broke up with your girlfriend, huh? Trying to play the genius on the exam again?”
Wu Ai didn’t turn around, but his fingers dug into the guitar strap, leaving red marks.
Zhang Lei was notorious as the king of overachievers at the art prep institution.
Half a year ago, Wu Ai had earned the right to teach a class thanks to an impromptu performance, and Zhang Lei had begged him to give up the class, only to be flatly refused.
Ever since, Zhang Lei had done everything to oppose him. Now that Wu Ai was down on his luck, he naturally wouldn’t let slip a chance to mock him.
“I heard Guo Yi is pretty attractive. She obviously couldn’t stand someone as unreliable as you and dumped you, right?”
Zhang Lei stepped closer, bumping Wu Ai’s shoulder with his elbow, his provocation obvious.
Guo Yi was indeed beautiful.
Unlike most girls her age, at twenty she possessed both the freshness of youth and the poise of maturity, making her a true campus beauty in any university setting.
Hearing her name, Wu Ai finally turned around, his eyes cold as ice: “Did you forget how you begged me half a year ago?”
Zhang Lei sneered, “That was half a year ago. Now I’m better than you!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a well-dressed middle-aged woman in a fur coat walked over and naturally stood beside Zhang Lei.
Her gaze swept over Wu Ai with a critical, almost appraising look, as if evaluating merchandise.
“Xiao Lei, is this your classmate?”
Zhang Lei’s mother spoke gently, but her words were anything but friendly.
“On such an important day, his parents didn’t even come with him-what nerves.”
Zhang Lei raised an eyebrow, “Mom, maybe his parents are too embarrassed to show up.”
“Hey, watch your mouth!”
Mrs. Zhang lightly slapped Zhang Lei’s arm in feigned reproach, but there was an unconcealed smile at the corner of her lips.
She turned to comfort Wu Ai.
“Don’t take it to heart, classmate. Xiao Lei just got a 78 on his specialty exam and is a little overexcited. That score is way above last year’s admission line-he’s basically in.”
As she spoke, she deliberately emphasized “78 points” and “basically in,” her sense of superiority almost overflowing.
Several examinees and parents nearby cast looks of envy or flattery.
Many present were from the same institution as the two of them. Thanks to Zhang Lei’s long-standing rumors, everyone believed Wu Ai had used family connections to steal Zhang Lei’s chance.
Now, Zhang Lei’s success had become an inspiring story of brave resistance to privilege.
Wu Ai sneered and shook his head, turning to sit in the deepest seat of the waiting area. He knew exactly what Zhang Lei was trying to do.
The old Wu Ai had a short fuse, unable to stand any provocation, easily letting his emotions ruin his performance.
Zhang Lei’s actions were nothing more than an attempt to provoke him, to make him make frequent mistakes in the exam and reduce his competitors as much as possible.
Sure enough, as soon as he sat down, he heard Zhang Lei bragging to other candidates behind him.
“Just wait and see. That song ‘The Wind Rises’ he picked has no value at all. He definitely won’t pass…”
Wu Ai closed his eyes, pressing Zhang Lei’s words deep into his heart.
“The Wind Rises”-the first song Wu Ai ever learned.
This song could even serve as the background music for him and Guo Yi, from the moment they met to the moment they broke up.
“Next, Wu Ai.”
The staff member’s voice interrupted his thoughts. Wu Ai took a deep breath, picked up his guitar, and walked into the exam room.
The room was warm, the heating turned up high.
He had just taken off his scarf when he saw the Chief Examiner looking down at his file. “What piece have you prepared?”
“‘The Wind Rises.'”
Wu Ai’s fingers rested on the guitar strings, but suddenly stopped.
He remembered the look of disdain in Guo Yi’s eyes, remembered Zhang Lei’s mocking words just now, saying he wouldn’t pass.
Communication University of China, as the top-ranked media university in the country, was not only a symbol of absolute strength, but also laid the foundation for one’s future vision and platform.
He could ignore meaningless ridicule, but he needed to get into this university as the starting point for his grand ambitions.
Even if it meant giving it everything he had.
Wu Ai gritted his teeth and looked up, meeting the Chief Examiner’s puzzled gaze.
“Sir, may I improvise and play an original piece?”
The Chief Examiner was taken aback, then smiled, “Of course you can. After all, this is the composition major.”
In the waiting area, Zhang Lei saw this scene through the crack in the door and couldn’t help but snicker, whispering to the candidate next to him.
“What a show-off. He’s probably going to embarrass himself on the spot!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a melody suddenly drifted out from the exam room.
There were no flashy techniques; the opening was just simple arpeggiated chords, so light it made people hold their breath.
Then, the melody gradually rose in pitch, the rhythm quickened.
What flowed from his fingertips was no longer just simple notes, but a silent farewell on a snowy night, the unwillingness after his dignity had been trampled.
It was the fierce determination to smash all the past and rebuild it anew.
The Chief Examiner’s previously indifferent eyes gradually brightened, his fingers unconsciously tapping lightly on the table in time with the rhythm.
The other examiners also put down their pens, listening intently.
Only the sound of the guitar remained in the exam room, along with the occasional soft patter of snowflakes hitting the window outside.
Wu Ai played with his eyes closed, his fingers flying across the strings.
It wasn’t until the last note fell that he slowly opened his eyes, a fine sheen of sweat already on his forehead.
There was a two-second silence in the exam room, then applause broke out and lasted a long time, echoing throughout the entire lecture hall.
“What’s the name of this piece?” The Chief Examiner put down his pen, leaning forward slightly, obvious appreciation in his tone.
“‘Goodbye When Snow Falls.'”
Wu Ai answered softly, his fingertips still trembling slightly.
“Good name.”
The Chief Examiner picked up a red pen, wrote a score on the evaluation sheet that Wu Ai couldn’t see, then turned it over.
“The interview is over. Please wait outside for your score.”
Wu Ai walked out of the exam room with his guitar. Just as he closed the door, he seemed to faintly hear the examiners discussing inside.
He didn’t have time to listen carefully before a figure blocked his way.
“Can’t keep up the act anymore, huh? An original piece, really?”
Zhang Lei’s mocking voice wasn’t loud, but it was enough for all the candidates waiting in the corridor to hear clearly.
“Looked to me like he just strummed something random and left the examiners at a loss. They’re probably inside urgently discussing how to give you a zero!”
A few suppressed chuckles came from around them, but Wu Ai didn’t want to respond. He turned sideways to leave.
Zhang Lei stepped over, blocking him again.
“Wu Ai, dare to make a bet with me?”
Wu Ai finally looked up, his gaze still calm.
“What are we betting on?”
“On your score!” Zhang Lei raised his voice, as if to announce it to the world.
“If your score is higher than mine, I’ll call you Master Ai every time I see you!”
He paused, a sly, confident smile appearing on his face.
“But if you lose… you just have to hold that broken guitar and sing ‘Father’ for me right here.”
The surroundings instantly fell silent, all eyes focused on Wu Ai.
This bet was vicious.
For a proud Art College Entrance Exam candidate, singing ‘Father’ in public was nothing short of a personal humiliation.
Wu Ai looked at Zhang Lei’s face, twisted with excitement, but what flashed before his eyes was the look of disdain from Guo Yi when she broke up with him.
“Deal.”
He let out a cold laugh, a hint of contempt flashing in his eyes.
“But you’re definitely going to lose.”