Chapter 41: The Best Day Ever

“Good morning, Zhi Nian.”

Gu Fan… looks really good.

That outfit suits him so well—a stylish hoodie made up of simple color blocks that somehow look effortlessly pleasing to the eye.

On the bottom, he wore loose-fitting pants adorned with some chains whose purpose I couldn’t quite figure out.

“G-Good morning!”

I responded a bit nervously.

It’s only been a day or two since we last met, but after what happened the day before yesterday,

I’d been anxious about how he would react when we saw each other again.

But now, looking at him… it seems like there’s hope?

Gu Fan jogged a few steps toward me, leaning slightly closer as he looked at me.

“Hmm… You look beautiful today.”

“…Thanks.”

I lowered my head, trying to hide the flush creeping up my cheeks.

Who could handle such a straightforward compliment?!

Paired with Gu Fan’s signature smile, the impact was completely devastating.

My thoughts started drifting again, and then suddenly a plastic cup entered my line of sight.

I blinked in surprise, only to realize it was red bean milk tea.

“Here, this is for you. Consider it compensation for not taking proper care of you the other day. And something to fill your stomach. You like red bean, right?”

Gu Fan pressed his lips into a slight smile and placed the cup in my arms.

The warmth radiated through the thin plastic, seeping into my chest and chasing away the chill in my body.

“Mm, I really like it.”

As long as it’s something Gu Fan bought for me, I’ll like it.

Even if it were a cup of frozen bitter melon juice, I’d still drink it with a smile.

Holding the milk tea in my hands felt like holding a miniature sun.

Even though my mom deliberately made things difficult for him, Gu Fan still bought me milk tea without holding any grudges.

He even said he hadn’t done his part properly, which left me so grateful I had no idea how to repay him.

Seeing me happily sipping the milk tea, Gu Fan walked into the chapel and turned back to wave at me.

“Same as always? A walk?”

“Mm.”

Since that argument, I hadn’t stepped inside the chapel again.

I kind of missed those carefree days when Gu Fan and I used to chase each other around in here.

Come to think of it, it’s surprising this chapel hasn’t been torn down despite how worn out it’s become.

I thought it would’ve been reduced to rubble after three years.

Although, honestly, it does kind of look like rubble already.

Following behind Gu Fan, I sipped on my red bean milk tea as I looked around the chapel’s interior.

Trash was scattered everywhere—bottles, plastic bags, broken couches, food scraps…

It reeked, like some abandoned junk heap.

It definitely didn’t smell this bad the last time we came.

Walking past the chapel’s forecourt with Gu Fan, we arrived at the altar.

There, on the intricately patterned floor, sat an upright piano.

It was buried under a thick layer of dust, so neglected it looked like even little kids didn’t bother playing here anymore.

“Gu Fan, can this still be played?”

I stopped in front of the piano and gently tapped the surface with my finger—immediately, a thick layer of dust clung to it.

Dust so old that even a tissue couldn’t wipe it clean.

Back when we were kids, Gu Fan and I used to tap on the piano keys whenever we came here.

Even then, the piano already sounded strange—like each note was split in half.

“Maybe? I haven’t been here in ages either.”

Gu Fan didn’t mind the filth. He simply lifted the lid and pressed a key with his finger.

“……”

Nothing happened.

More precisely, the key didn’t respond to Gu Fan’s press.

It stubbornly resisted, refusing to move no matter how hard he pushed, creaking under the strain but refusing to bounce back.

Unwilling to give up, Gu Fan tried a few more keys in succession.

The best one still sounded awful—like an old woman coughing up phlegm—utterly devoid of the elegance and clarity a piano should have.

“Looks like it’s completely broken.”

Gu Fan spread his hands toward me with a helpless smile.

Yeah… given enough time, everything changes.

After a brief moment of melancholy, I let go of the piano’s condition and pulled Gu Fan toward the back garden of the chapel.

By then, I had finished my red bean milk tea.

As I held the now-empty cup, wondering where the nearest trash can might be, Gu Fan handed me a plastic bag.

“Put it in the bag first—I’ll carry it.” Gu Fan said.

“Mm… thanks, Gu Fan.” I replied softly.

After handing the cup over to him, it was time for our usual chatter.

“Zhi Nian, do you still remember how to get to the chapel’s back garden?”

Gu Fan chuckled teasingly as he spun in place like he’d forgotten the way, clearly waiting for my response.

“Of course I do. Need me to lead the way?”

“Absolutely. Your guidance is very important to me.”

“In that case… walk straight ahead for a bit.”

I gave the direction and followed behind him, my thoughts slowly drifting.

“Gu Fan, did you have a good day yesterday?”

“It was pretty good.”

He paused, thinking for a moment before adding:

“In fact… it might’ve been the best day I’ve had in years.”

The best?

Did something happen?

But now that I think about it, apart from receiving a call from him, I didn’t do anything meaningful yesterday.

If that’s the case… doesn’t that mean I wasn’t the reason his day was so great?

Ugh…

I know, of course, that I’m not the only person Gu Fan interacts with.

But the thought that someone else might be more important, more interesting, more memorable than me…

It made this tight little ache bloom in my chest.

“I see… that’s great, haha. I’m really happy for you.”

Catering to and pleasing Gu Fan—that’s what I’m doing.

I know my place in his heart might not be as high as I imagine, but it’s okay.

As long as he’s happy, that’s enough, even if I’m not part of it.

I lowered my eyelids, avoiding Gu Fan’s gaze.

Even though I had made up my mind, the uneasy feeling still lingered stubbornly inside me.

“Zhi Nian, guess why I’m so happy? Here’s a hint—it’s related to you.”

A light hand pressed on my shoulder.

Understanding what Gu Fan meant, I immediately perked up and turned my head to stare at him.

He looked back at me with a bright smile, but I couldn’t read the emotions flickering in his eyes.

Related to me…? What could it be?

I couldn’t remember doing anything that would make Gu Fan happy.

On the contrary, I felt every single thing I did was a disappointment, constantly lowering his opinion of me—a perfectly good hand played terribly.

I messed up in so many ways.

When I could have done this or that, I chose the opposite or retreated timidly.

Even the few times I tried my best to be almost perfect, unpredictable outside forces wrecked it all.

The girl who confessed to him, my mother’s return, the cramps during my period… countless unexpected troubles kept coming at me. So frustrating.

“All right, where do we go next?”

Gu Fan’s voice brought me back to reality. I glanced at the intersection ahead—it was the end of the corridor with two branching paths.

“Um… keep going right a bit more, and we’ll reach the backyard.”

The path to the backyard was actually short.

After just a few seconds of talking, we stepped into the backyard.