Chapter 92: Sprinted home

She had to get home quickly.

‘I have to get home quickly. I don’t want to wait even one more second.’

The piano music that had just been echoing in the music hall was insignificant to her because it was always like this.

Every time she practiced, the audience’s reactions were always exaggerated.

She remembered the first time she played publicly at school.

Initially, there were only a few people in the music hall.

They sat in the back rows, whispering and gossiping.

Some even held their phones, looking indifferent.

But when Gao Hongyi struck the final note, the air seemed to freeze for a moment.

She gently lifted her eyes.

Looking back, she didn’t know when it had happened, but the music hall was already packed.

The hallways were completely filled, and even the windows were crowded with unfamiliar faces.

Half the students in the entire school were listening to Gao Hongyi’s solo.

No one spoke; no one moved.

That was the first time she truly realized she was different from others.

Since then, Gao Hongyi had become the “Piano Princess” of St. George’s International School.

Her piano playing wasn’t just melody; it carried emotion.

Once, a student had lost the meaning of life due to heavy academic pressure and constant family demands.

She left a suicide note and vanished.

The school was in chaos.

Teachers and students searched everywhere, finally finding her in the music hall.

She sat in a corner, quietly listening to Gao Hongyi play.

Her eyes were hollow, yet they seemed to be slowly filled by something, like a puppet controlled by music.

The piece wasn’t sad or intense, just gentle.

It was as if someone were softly catching her falling body.

From that day on, she never mentioned suicide again.

In this school, there were many girls from prominent families with outstanding looks.

Jealousy was never a rare emotion.

Some saw Gao Hongyi as a thorn in their side.

Others spoke to her with sarcasm and cynicism.

But once they heard her piano, everything changed.

Girls who were once cold or even hostile would kneel before her at the end of a piece, sobbing and incoherent, begging for her forgiveness.

It was as if the world would end if they didn’t receive it.

Their expressions were almost devout, like tamed sheep.

Some would burst into tears as the last note fell.

Others would offer a defenseless smile.

Some would gently sway their bodies to the rhythm—a form of unconscious surrender.

Gao Hongyi was long accustomed to these scenes.

She never found it strange.

Such a performance was just another ordinary day in her life.

Compared to the piano, running was more important now.

Even if the world were to end in the next second, she wanted to be by Gu Yebai’s side before it did.

As long as she could still breathe, she wanted to be with him.

Her navy blue school uniform jacket fluttered in the wind, its hem creating sharp, clean arcs.

Her blue-gray plaid pleated skirt swayed gently with her steps.

Every footfall carried a crisp, distinct rhythm.

Her black over-the-knee socks clung to her slender thighs, casting a soft, suggestive glow under the sunlight.

A faint “absolute territory” formed between the fabric and her skin.

Today’s outfit had made Master Bai’s eyes bulge; he had even turned away, awkwardly crossing his legs.

It was likely to hide his physical embarrassment.

But in reality, it wasn’t embarrassment—it was the greatest form of recognition for Gao Hongyi.

As she ran, fine beads of sweat broke out on her forehead.

The sweat-soaked fabric clung to her skin.

She suddenly had a thought.

‘If I press myself against him like this, will he like the smell of my sweat?’

Her pace remained fast.

Piano was her primary focus, but physical training was also a mandatory course for her.

In private, she practiced yoga; flexibility and strength were never lacking.

While running, she took out her phone.

The screen was still quiet.

“Why hasn’t he replied yet?” she whispered.

“How mean…”

Gao Hongyi bit her lower lip.

Master Bai was home alone today.

‘What is he doing? Will he be bored? Will he miss me?’

The sensation of their first kiss suddenly surfaced in her memory.

That time, she had initiated it, pressing against him without giving him a second to react.

He had been as startled as a clumsy big dog.

Later, on the Ferris Wheel, a second time naturally happened.

That time, he had initiated it.

Since there had been a second time, a third, fourth, or even countless times were only natural.

For instance, after she got home today… they would kiss again.

She would lean into his arms and feel his body temperature.

‘But that seems too easy for him. He replies so slowly. How can I not punish him?’

Gao Hongyi narrowed her eyes.

To make a girlfriend who thought of him every moment worry so much—it was too much.

‘Should I step on his face with my feet in these black over-the-knee socks? Or kiss him until he finds it hard to breathe? Or maybe punish him by making him hold me and say “I love you” twenty times?’

Her steps suddenly stopped.

Immersed in these sweet yet dangerous fantasies, she had unknowingly arrived home.

The tall buildings of Tomson Riviera towered before her.

Just as she was about to enter, a familiar figure suddenly burst into her sight.

Bai Xialin.

Even though they had only met once, the name was deeply etched into her memory.

It couldn’t be helped; she was too beautiful.

So beautiful that a red warning light flashed in Gao Hongyi’s heart.

It felt as if Gu Yebai would be taken away if she relaxed for even a moment.

She greeted her in Korean with a bright, natural tone.

Gao Hongyi had to admit that Bai Xialin was truly beautiful, even more dazzling than a female lead in a Korean drama.

Beneath her air bangs was a pair of clear, bright eyes.

Her gaze was clean yet carried a presence that was hard to ignore.

Her outfit of a short skirt and sneakers was simple and casual, but it perfectly outlined her slender and healthy curves.

She had her hair tied in a high ponytail, looking like she was about to go for a run.

“Are you going out?”

Gao Hongyi asked in Korean.

“Yes, my father just flew into Donghai City. I’m going to the airport to pick him up now,” Bai Xialin replied in fluent but slightly accented Chinese.

“I see. Have a safe trip.”

“Thank you, Gao Hongyi.”

Gao Hongyi paused slightly.

“You remember my name?”

“Of course,” Bai Xialin smiled sweetly.

“Even though we only met once, I remember you. I also remember Gu Yebai. He’s a boy who looks a bit lonely but has a lot of character. He seems like he would be very gentle. I really want to get to know him.”

She was still smiling.

‘She remembers Gu Yebai too. And that evaluation… it’s making my heart feel uneasy.’

The air seemed to vibrate slightly.

If possible, Gao Hongyi didn’t want Bai Xialin to remember that name.

It was a name that belonged only to her.

She especially didn’t want Bai Xialin to praise Gu Yebai with such an evaluation.

Because he was the only one Gao Hongyi didn’t want anyone to take away.

“See you later then,” Bai Xialin waved.

“If you’re free, please feel free to come over to my house as a guest.”

“See you later,” Gao Hongyi replied politely.

“If there’s time, please come over to my house too. Both he and I would welcome you.”

“What a coincidence, I’m free right now,” Bai Xialin immediately replied.

“Huh?”

Gao Hongyi’s mouth hung open slightly, startled.

The rhythm was instantly disrupted.

She absolutely could not let such a beautiful girl meet Master Bai again.

She had to find a way to refuse.

In the next second, Bai Xialin burst into laughter.

“I’m just joking. I’m not free right now because I really have to go to the airport to pick up my father. But I’ll definitely visit in the future. If it’s convenient, can I add your contact info? I want to get to know you and Gu Yebai better.”

This conversation had already wasted nearly one minute.

‘How annoying,’ Gao Hongyi cursed inwardly.

She clearly wanted to return to Gu Yebai’s side immediately, yet she maintained an elegant and proper smile on the surface.

“Sure. Do you want to scan me, or should I scan you?”

“You scan me.”

Bai Xialin showed her WeChat QR code.

Her profile picture was a UFO.

“I’ll scan you…”

In social etiquette, usually, the person of lower status scans the higher-status person’s code.

Gao Hongyi cursed silently as she reluctantly scanned Bai Xialin’s WeChat.

‘In any case, I will definitely never speak to her again, let alone chat with her.’