I was born and listened to my neighbor's older sister talk about her family of origin.

A dedicated dressing room for sixth graders.

When Jiang Ye and Chen Lulu came in, it was quieter inside than outside.

After all, the sixth-grade program was scheduled for the very end.

The air was less noisy and filled with a strange fragrance of various makeup products.

Several students were practicing their expressions in front of the mirror, while others were quietly reciting lines from their scripts. Occasionally, there were whispers and low laughter.

But this relative tranquility is being subtly broken by the commotion in the changing room by the door.

Jiang Ye's gaze pierced through the crowd and landed on Zhang Xiaoning.

She stood outside the changing room, occasionally tiptoeing to peek inside, her face showing a mixture of anxiety and excitement.

"Zhiyu, is it changed yet?"

"immediately!"

Xu Zhiyu's clear voice came from inside, as if it carried the coolness of a mountain stream, and it could be distinguished at a glance.

Her response caused the faces in the dressing room, who were all busy with their own things, to turn towards the changing room, some with curiosity, others with a hint of unspoken anticipation.

Xu Zhiyu, this name carries a special weight in the school.

Although everyone is a primary school student and there's no such thing as a school beauty or school hunk contest, Xu Zhiyu is universally acknowledged as the prettiest.

She had excellent grades, danced well, was tall, and had a pure and innocent look, like a white moonlight illuminating the youth of many male classmates.

This was her first time appearing on stage at school in a dance costume, and many people wanted to see what she would look like.

Chen Lulu, who had been muttering something, stopped talking without realizing it.

She glanced at Jiang Ye and saw that his gaze was also on the changing room. She pursed her lips and didn't say anything more, but carefully put away the props in her hand.

Not long after, the curtain in the changing room swayed slightly.

Then, the curtain was lifted by a slender hand, and Xu Zhiyu came out.

In an instant, the sounds in the dressing room seemed to be gently suppressed by something invisible.

Xu Zhiyu slowly walked out, wearing a flowing red classical dress with a light hem embroidered with dark patterns that shimmered subtly as she moved.

Her black hair was simply tied up with a wooden hairpin, without any extra jewelry, yet it accentuated the exceptionally beautiful lines of her neck.

The makeup of red spider lilies adorned the left cheek, that touch of vermilion, bewitching and lively, forming a strong contrast with the purity of the right cheek, yet strangely blending together.

Her appearance seemed to wash away some of the smell of oil paint and the restlessness around her, bringing with it the elegant atmosphere found only in ancient paintings.

Jiang Ye gazed at her, his eyes filled with amazement.

He had seen her running in the sunlight and also seen her deep in thought at her desk.

But at this moment, standing on stage with her makeup and classical costume, her unique temperament is perfectly highlighted.

That beauty, a blend of innocence and allure, has an indescribable impact.

It turns out that the ancients often said that some people were so beautiful that they could topple kingdoms and cities at the age of twelve or thirteen, and that was true.

Zhang Xiaoning's eyes shone like two stars. She rushed forward, grabbed Xu Zhiyu's arm, and carefully spun her around, praising him incessantly.

"Wow! Zhiyu, you're like a fairy descended from heaven! You're so beautiful! This dress looks amazing on you!"

Xu Zhiyu found it somewhat amusing to be turned around and said softly, "It's not as exaggerated as you say."

Her voice was gentle, yet composed.

A group of people stared at Xu Zhiyu, almost speechless.

With so many people watching her, Xu Zhiyu wasn't uncomfortable at all.

Over the years, she has become accustomed to the gaze of others.

Her gaze casually swept over Jiang Ye's figure, and her eyes immediately lit up.

With her skirt swaying gently, she didn't even notice the gorgeous classical dress and ran over with it in her arms.

"A-Ye, what brings you here?"

She was unaware that Jiang Ye also performed.

"Forehead."

Jiang Ye looked at her; her red dress shimmered, and the red spider lilies at the corners of her eyes were alluring and captivating, creating a stark contrast to her usual pure and innocent appearance.

Gao Qiang's dark face suddenly flashed into his mind.

No, I absolutely cannot let that guy see Xu Zhiyu like this.

This is her first time wearing a dance costume on stage at school, how can she let that kid Gao Qiang steal the show first?

Anyway, Xu Zhiyu's mental state has almost recovered, so it shouldn't be a big problem to let Gao Qiang wait until the end of the party to see her.

"I just came to check on your preparations. You seem to be doing well, so I'll head back now."

Jiang Ye's tone was very casual, showing no awareness of his own breach of trust.

After saying that, he turned and left, pulling Chen Lulu along with him.

Chen Lulu stumbled as he pulled her, and before she could react, she was caught off guard.

She turned to look at Xu Zhiyu, her mouth opening and closing as if she were about to blurt out the truth: "No, Jiang Ye, didn't you have something to say to Zhiyu... um!"

Jiang Ye reacted quickly and covered her mouth with a slap.

"Shh!"

Chen Lulu's eyes widened, her gaze filled with resentment and protest.

She had hoped to see a good show, but ended up not getting a single juicy tidbit.

Zhang Xiaoning looked at the two of them and asked Xu Zhiyu with a puzzled expression, "What are they doing here? Why are they acting so mysteriously?"

Xu Zhiyu didn't answer, but her gaze remained fixed on the hand Jiang Ye was holding Chen Lulu's wrist.

In the depths of his dark eyes, something seemed to have quietly sunk, creating a barely perceptible ripple.

The smile on her lips faded slightly.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

Chen Lulu and I arrived at the fourth-grade area, where the piano that Zhou Xiao had prepared was already quietly waiting.

Chen Lulu had been holding it in the whole way, and finally asked the question.

"Why don't you ask her out? Didn't you promise to that sixth grader?"

Jiang Ye released her hand, glancing to the side without looking at her, and said casually, "It was a spur-of-the-moment decision, and you regretted it, huh?"

"Oh~~~"

Chen Lulu narrowed her eyes and leaned her head slightly closer to him, her scrutinizing gaze quite obvious.

Her gaze was as if she were examining a rare and unusual object she had just discovered.

Jiang Ye took a step back, feeling uncomfortable under her gaze, and coughed lightly. "What are you looking at? What's with that look?"

Chen Lulu's lips curled up slightly, revealing an expression that said, "I know a lot but I won't say it out loud; I've heard the gossip, but I'm not going to tell anyone."

"fine."

She deliberately dragged out her words.

Jiang Ye remained silent, indicating that he wouldn't argue with a child.

Outside the auditorium, the graduation party had already begun, and a group of students and sixth-grade parents were already seated in the audience, creating a noisy and bustling atmosphere.

Jiang Ye glanced backstage but didn't see Cheng Jinglan.

Yesterday's events were a twist of fate, and I couldn't get her to come.

After the school leader finished a rather soporific speech, the first-grade performance officially began.

The faint, melodious, and pure sound of children singing drifted from afar.

The sound reached Gao Qiang's ears on the top floor. Alone, facing the night wind, he sneezed loudly.

He rubbed his nose, completely unaware that Jiang Ye had already betrayed his promise.

"I wonder if Zhiyu would be willing to come."

He muttered to himself, his voice full of anticipation.

"Should I rehearse first?"

Without hesitation, he knelt down on one knee, facing the empty night before him, and began to perform with what he thought was a magnetic, bubbly voice.

"Zhiyu, I've liked you for a long time. Please go out with me. Even if it's a long-distance relationship, it's okay."

"Zhiyu, ever since I first met you, your kindness, elegance, and beauty have been deeply etched into my heart..."

Some people went up to the top floor, and before they even got there, they heard this eerie sound, and immediately got goosebumps.

He quickly turned and left.