Chapter 27: The Duet Before Opening Ceremony
Gu Qinian, suddenly pinned against the wall: “……”
Gu Tang was anxious, his speech speeding up. “Niannian, at your age, those fluttering feelings are just the stirrings of puberty—hormonal reactions. It’s all fake!”
Driven by momentum, the boy who had rushed over ended up practically leaning against him.
Gu Qinian’s Adam’s apple bobbed slightly.
Though he didn’t know why Gu Tang had suddenly started saying all this, when he looked into those clear, round eyes, he still nodded slowly.
“Good, that’s right.”
Gu Tang felt a bit relieved. He let go of the young master and turned back toward the bed.
As soon as the boy moved away, the weight on him vanished, and Gu Qinian subconsciously touched his chest.
There was a faint sense of loss.
…The stirrings of puberty?
Gu Qinian pondered for a few seconds, then stepped forward to follow behind Gu Tang.
At that moment, Gu Tang suddenly turned around.
Lost in thought, Gu Qinian nearly bumped into him.
“No, this won’t do!”
Gu Tang lifted his small face, frowning as he stared into Gu Qinian’s eyes. “I’m still not at ease!”
In his previous life, he had no experience with romance either, only a vague understanding of such matters. But even so, Gu Tang felt he still knew far more than little Gu Qinian.
While the young master was still clueless, he had to set a restriction on him.
Gu Tang puffed out his chest and lifted his chin. “Listen carefully—I’m the older brother, you’re the younger. There’s an order of seniority. You’re not allowed to date early. Only when I start dating can you date. Got it?”
Gu Qinian frowned.
Gu Tang suddenly felt something was wrong and probed cautiously, “Don’t tell me… you’re already dating?”
“No.”
Gu Qinian looked straight into his eyes, his tone serious.
Gu Tang nodded in satisfaction. “That’s good. Then swear it—if I don’t date, you don’t date.”
Gu Qinian hesitated.
Gu Tang widened his eyes. “Hmm?”
Gu Qinian could only nod helplessly.
With that assurance, Gu Tang finally felt at ease. He yawned, stretching as he walked toward the bed.
The boy’s figure had grown tall and slender. Beneath his loose short pajamas were two slim, fair legs, and his ankles, tucked into bear slippers, looked so delicate they could be grasped in one hand…
Gu Qinian stared for a moment before suddenly realizing something, hastily averting his gaze.
His ears flushed red again for no apparent reason.
Fortunately, only a bedside lamp was on in the bedroom. The dim light made it hard to see clearly.
Gu Tang knew nothing of this. He lay spread-eagle on the bed, closing his eyes comfortably.
[Host! You’re going to sleep just like that? Can Gu Qinian’s promise even be trusted?]
So strange.
It was fine when the host didn’t ask about relationships, but the moment he mentioned the male lead, the system saw several relationship plotlines lighting up in the sea of storyline?
Look at this sea…
Faintly, many pink points of light were emerging.
Like love-filled jellyfish drifting everywhere…
The system was worried sick.
Could it be that the male lead would act one way in front of the host and another behind his back—agreeing on the surface, only to secretly go date someone else?
“Won’t happen.”
Gu Tang didn’t even open his eyes, speaking lazily. “I know Niannian. He would never lie to me. If he promised, then he definitely won’t start dating early.”
“We have to trust him.”
[Alright, let’s set this aside for now…]
[Host, hurry and think about how to complete the main storyline task of ‘concealing the male lead’s brilliance.’ There’s less than 48 hours left on the countdown!]
Before the system could finish speaking, it heard steady, even breathing.
Gu Tang: “Zzzz…”
[……]
As expected of its host!
Too anxious to rest, the system curled into a ball and stayed in Gu Tang’s consciousness.
Gu Qinian, lying on the bed, couldn’t fall asleep either.
The thought of Gu Tang dating someone in the future made him irritable.
Before his rebirth, Gu Qinian hadn’t even turned eighteen. He had no experience with relationships and had never been curious about them. He didn’t even know what people in a relationship actually did.
But that only made it worse!
Thinking about Gu Tang being touched by someone else.
Thinking about Gu Tang treating someone else better than he treated him…
Gu Qinian’s gaze darkened bit by bit.
[!!!]
The system suddenly jolted.
What’s going on?
Why did the pink sea of storyline suddenly dim?!
[Not good! The male lead is showing signs of turning dark!]
But once Gu Tang fell asleep, not even thunder could wake him. How could the system’s faint calls possibly rouse him?
In his sleep, Gu Tang smacked his lips and unconsciously turned over.
His arms and legs habitually draped themselves over the young master.
Gu Tang’s fluffy head burrowed into the crook of the young master’s neck, rubbing against it before settling into the most comfortable position, then going still.
To its surprise, the system discovered that after Gu Tang treated the male lead like a body pillow, the storyline sea gradually shed its darkness and calmed down again.
Even the materials its seniors had given it had never recorded a situation like this!
The system was extremely worried and decided to step away for a moment.
It needed to go consult its seniors!
After hugging the young master, Gu Tang slept even more soundly. He dreamed sweetly, the corners of his lips lifting, mumbling something indistinctly.
Gu Qinian felt the boy’s warm breath puffing lightly against his neck.
He pricked up his ears, wanting to hear what Gu Tang was murmuring in his sleep.
But it was all sticky and slurred, impossible to make out.
After a while, one sentence finally became slightly clearer.
Gu Tang murmured softly, “Hehe… little bear Niannian… so short…”
Gu Qinian: “…?”
What do you mean, short?
—
After the weekend came the official day of the military training report and the opening ceremony.
In the morning, all the teachers and students of Jiangcheng No.1 High School stood in formation on the field, waiting for inspection.
The student union formation was in charge of the flag-raising ceremony.
Gu Tang stood among the art class, looking toward the student union formation in the distance, feeling a little worried.
They had gotten up early today. The young master hadn’t slept well again last night. The shadows under his eyes had deepened, and he even carried a bit of the morning irritability he had long since outgrown. Even in the car, he had been gloomy the whole way.
It was as if he were surrounded by a low-pressure field of negative energy.
Could he really march with spirit like that?
On the other hand, Gu Tang himself had slept very well.
Last night, he dreamed of Gu Qinian as a child!
It was the first time they met—young master Gu dressed in a fluffy little bear onesie, with only a fair, bun-like face showing. Behind him, a short, fuzzy tail bobbed.
Hehe, so cute!
Thinking of the young master in his dream, Gu Tang couldn’t help the smile tugging at his lips.
“Wow, Gu Qinian is the flag bearer!”
Zhu Xu, standing behind him, suddenly exclaimed.
Gu Tang lifted his eyes and looked over. He saw the young master standing tall and straight, holding the flag in his right hand, his left hand neatly at his side, positioned at the very front of the student union formation.
“Our school has never had a middle schooler as a flag bearer before, right?”
“Well, obviously. The flag ceremony is handled by the student union, and the student union never even included middle school students before.”
“He’s so tall! Standing among a formation full of high schoolers, his height doesn’t fall short at all!”
Other students nearby whispered among themselves, all talking about the young master.
Gu Tang listened with perked ears, feeling secretly delighted.
His Niannian was really outstanding!
“They’re moving, they’re moving! They’re about to go!”
Zhu Xu was as excited as a commentator.
Ever since he found out Gu Qinian and Gu Tang were family, he had treated Gu Qinian like one of his own brothers. Watching his brother show off like this—who wouldn’t feel proud?
Once the young master started marching—everyone understood why the student union had chosen a middle schooler to lead this time.
That marching step—was incredibly cool!
His long legs were straight, each step striking the ground with force.
Under the gaze of the entire school, Gu Qinian strode up to the flag platform, swiftly fastening the national flag, the city flag, and the school flag onto the poles. As the national anthem played, the three flags slowly rose, fluttering in the wind.
Gu Qinian lifted his head, the brim of his cap revealing a finely shaped jawline.
He looked like a graceful young man straight out of a manga.
He snapped to attention and saluted.
Like the freshest green bamboo in a forest, touched with morning dew, growing vigorously toward the rising sun.
This was what a youth should be like.
The entire school followed suit, standing at attention and saluting the rising red flag.
Gu Tang looked at the tall, upright figure on the platform.
For some reason, he felt a sense of pride—like “my child has finally grown up.”
His little green bamboo was the best!
At that moment, the three flags reached the top.
Gu Qinian secured the ropes, then turned his head, his gaze sweeping across the crowd.
After locking onto a single person, his eyes stopped.
Gu Tang met his gaze.
Even from that distance, he could clearly see those eyes.
Morning sunlight poured into the boy’s dark pupils, like black obsidian infused with flecks of gold—so beautiful it didn’t seem real…
A young master like this—no one could ever conceal his brilliance.
—
A tradition of Jiangcheng No.1 High School:
Flag-raising in the morning, opening ceremony in the afternoon.
The opening ceremony was held in the indoor auditorium. All teachers and students were seated by class, while those performing went backstage to prepare.
Dressed in a black tailcoat, Gu Tang stood in front of a mirror, tying his bow tie.
The tailcoat cinched his waist, giving him an elegant air. Though the backstage area was busy, everyone passing by couldn’t help but glance at him more than once.
Who wouldn’t like a delicate, beautiful little prince?
Especially one with a lovable baby face who would smile warmly at anyone he met in the mirror.
Adorably irresistible.
After smiling for the 108th time at yet another onlooker in the mirror, Gu Tang lowered his head and continued fiddling with his bow tie.
He was terrible at this sort of thing.
In his previous life, he only wore hospital gowns—no need for such accessories. In this life, since childhood, Granny Mei and the housekeeper had always handled these details for him. As a result, something like a bow tie—complicated to wear and rarely used—was completely beyond him.
Sigh, how exactly do you tie this thing?
Originally, when he said he wasn’t good at it, Xie Qian had assured him to leave it to him. For a “little piano prince” who had participated in countless competitions, tying a bow tie was a piece of cake.
But after going to lunch, Xie Qian had disappeared somewhere, and his phone couldn’t be reached.
Their four-hand piano duet was the final performance. Gu Tang had no choice but to figure out the bow tie himself.
“So unreliable…”
Gu Tang muttered softly.
Just as he finished speaking, a pair of long fingers reached from behind to his collar.
“Xie Qian, you—”
Gu Tang turned around, only to meet those obsidian-like beautiful eyes. He froze for a moment, then broke into a smile.
“Niannian!”
“Mm.”
The young master responded softly, taking the bow tie that Gu Tang had messed up.
He untied it, wrapped it neatly around the boy’s neck, and with deft fingers working swiftly, a perfect bow began to take shape.
Gu Tang gently tugged at the strap. “…Loosen it a bit.”
He had never liked wearing things around his neck.
It felt really uncomfortable.
Gu Qinian stood behind him without speaking, but after hearing his request, he slipped his fingers into his collar and gently loosened the bow tie outward.
The young master’s body temperature was on the lower side—his fingers were cooler than most people’s—and Gu Tang’s neck was especially sensitive.
He instinctively shrank back a little. “So cold…”
“Mm.”
The young master only gave a soft response, but didn’t immediately withdraw his hand. His fingertips lingered lightly against Gu Tang’s collarbone for a moment.
Gu Tang: “?”
Seeing the confusion in the boy’s eyes, Gu Qinian suddenly came back to his senses.
He withdrew his hand.
The warmth of the other person’s body still lingered faintly at his fingertips.
Gu Qinian tucked his hands behind his back, unconsciously rubbing his index finger and thumb together.
Gu Tang felt a slight ticklish sensation from that touch earlier. He reached up to scratch it, not thinking much of it, then tilted his face up and asked, “Is your brother handsome?”
Gu Qinian: “……”
The fingers behind his back paused.
When the other didn’t answer, Gu Tang’s shoulders slumped. “Tsk, didn’t fall for it.”
If Gu Qinian had directly praised him just now, wouldn’t that have been the same as calling him “brother” in disguise!
What a pity…
The boy looked cute, but he was full of clever little tricks.
Gu Qinian had no real way to deal with him. He sighed, then reached out to smooth his collar. “You look very good.”
“Really? Really?”
Gu Tang beamed.
When others said he looked good, it didn’t carry as much weight as when the young master said it.
Because the young master himself was handsome!
If a handsome person says you look good, that means you really do!
Gu Tang turned back toward the mirror, admiring himself—and at the same time noticing the young master standing a head taller behind him in the reflection.
“How strange… how did you grow this tall so fast…”
The moment Gu Tang started like that, Gu Qinian knew he was about to launch into the old topic of “what to eat and do to grow taller.”
Not fond of talking, the young master quickly cut in to change the subject. “You’re about to go on stage.”
“That’s right!”
Gu Tang’s round eyes sparkled. “Say ‘good luck’ to me!”
Gu Qinian: “The school anthem isn’t difficult for you.”
Gu Tang puffed up his cheeks.
Before he could get any more sulky, the young master added, “Good luck.”
“Thank you!”
Gu Tang’s eyes curved into crescents as he grinned, showing eight neat little teeth.
Gu Qinian glanced around. “That guy still isn’t here?”
He meant Xie Qian.
For a four-hand piano performance, neither of them could be missing.
Gu Tang was getting a little anxious too. He checked the time. “There are only a little over ten minutes left before we go on. Even if Xie Qian shows up now, getting dressed will be rushed. Who knows what he’s doing…”
“Not good, not good!”
As they were speaking, a familiar figure rushed backstage.
Zhu Xu came running, out of breath. “Xie Qian… Xie Qian can’t make it!”
On his way out for lunch at noon, Xie Qian had gotten into an accident. He wasn’t seriously hurt, but his hand was injured and he’d already been taken to the hospital. The exact situation was still unclear.
“Song Chen went with him to the hospital—I came to inform you guys!”
Zhu Xu finally managed to catch his breath.
Gu Tang turned to Gu Qinian. “What should we do?”
“Report it to the dean first.”
“If necessary, switch to a solo.”
After hearing the news, the dean first confirmed that Xie Qian was indeed fine before starting to worry about the performance.
Of course, Gu Tang and Xie Qian weren’t the only ones in the arts class who could play piano. But the others might not be as skilled, and more importantly, they hadn’t practiced with Gu Tang, so their coordination would be off. Who knew what the school anthem might end up sounding like.
The dean clenched his teeth and said the same solution as Gu Qinian: “Switch to a solo.”
But the problem was, the opening announcement had already been made.
It was clearly stated as a four-hand performance.
If one person suddenly disappeared from the finale, all the teachers and students would definitely be confused.
After hesitating for a moment, Gu Tang asked, “Teacher, could Gu Qinian perform with me instead?”
Gu Qinian looked at him in surprise.
The dean was also taken aback. “Student Gu Qinian can play the piano too?”
Gu Tang nodded. “He can.”
Gu Qinian’s narrow eyes widened slightly. “?”
The dean, however, didn’t doubt Gu Tang at all. This child was sincere and lovable—if he said Gu Qinian could play, then he must be able to.
Without a second thought, the dean patted the young master on the shoulder. “Impressive, young man. Good-looking, excellent grades, and you can play piano too.”
Gu Qinian: “……”
The arts teacher nearby was practically losing his mind.
He can play my foot!
Did the dean not see what happened when he came for the arts class audition?
Why do you think he got rejected back then?
With that face, if he could play piano at all, would the arts class have let him go to the experimental class?!
The arts teacher felt utterly stifled but didn’t dare say a word in front of the dean, desperately signaling to Gu Tang with his eyes to stop making things up.
Gu Tang noticed his teacher’s twitching expressions—blinking and grimacing—and reassured him, “Teacher, don’t worry. Gu Qinian really can play.”
Even Gu Qinian himself couldn’t listen anymore. He grabbed Gu Tang’s arm. “I can’t.”
The arts teacher finally let out a breath of relief.
Luckily, there was still one clear-headed person…
Gu Tang turned to look into the young master’s eyes, his gaze firm. “You can.”
Gu Qinian pressed his lips together. “…Fine. I can.”
The arts teacher: “???”
No, wait—where did your principles go, student?!!
“Teacher, there are only ten minutes left. Time is tight. Please let me talk with Gu Qinian alone for a moment.”
After saying that, Gu Tang pulled the young master away.
The arts teacher looked worried, but the dean stood with his hands behind his back, utterly at ease. “Ah, youth is wonderful. Looking at these two kids reminds me of how youthful, passionate, and sunny I used to be!”
As he spoke, the dean even touched his own face and added, “And just as handsome!”
Arts teacher: “……”
He was a teacher. He didn’t want to curse.
But could everyone please have a bit of self-awareness?!
From a distance, he watched the two boys run over to the piano. As soon as Gu Tang spoke, Gu Qinian leaned slightly closer, bringing his ear near Gu Tang’s lips, the two of them whispering with their heads almost touching.
So in sync…
Maybe it really would be fine?
—
“Students, teachers, next we have a four-hand piano performance of our school anthem ‘To Us,’ brought to you by Gu Tang from Class One Arts and Gu Qinian from the Experimental Class!”
The host exited, and the dark red curtains slowly parted.
A beam of light snapped on.
Illuminating the two figures at center stage.
Beside the white grand piano stood two spirited young men.
The tailcoats they had prepared fit perfectly, but since Gu Qinian couldn’t fit into Xie Qian’s clothes, Gu Tang simply took off his own as well. The two went on stage in simple trousers and shirts.
Gu Qinian wore a black shirt with black trousers, while Gu Tang wore a white shirt with white trousers.
Less formal than tailcoats, but far more fitting for a school setting.
Both stood tall and striking. Even in simple shirts and slacks, they were eye-catching—one exquisitely beautiful beyond belief, the other lively and adorable in a way that softened hearts. Each had his own charm.
For a moment, the audience didn’t know where to look.
The two boys sat down together at the piano bench—white on the right, black on the left.
Gu Tang and Gu Qinian placed their hands on the keys at the same time, their movements so synchronized it was like looking into a mirror.
The hall fell silent.
The arts teacher in the front row had a thin layer of sweat on his forehead.
Beside him, the dean’s concerned voice sounded. “Why are you so nervous?”
The teacher insisted, “I’m not.”
Dean: “Then why are you holding my hand?”
“……”
“I’m sorry, Director!”
Jiangcheng No.1 High School had invited the renowned Xinglin Media to handle the filming of the opening ceremony.
As the boss, Gu Lin already knew that the final performance would be Gu Tang and his classmate playing a four-hand duet. He had calculated the time, sat early in his office chair, opened the live feed sent by the camera crew, and even shared it in the family group chat.
So the whole family could watch their darling perform.
Like all family group chats, even a wealthy family couldn’t escape having a rather cheesy name.
Gu Lin opened “The Loving Gu Family.”
Shared the video.
And waited for their darling to appear.
Suddenly—
He shot upright from his chair.
Gu Lin rubbed his eyes, staring at the screen in disbelief.
Why was his nephew on stage too?!
Director Shen Ningqing had just called “cut” and let the actors go rest. She sat down, opened the family chat to watch the performance, and after a moment, typed in confusion:
[Mom at Work: That classmate next to our darling looks so familiar?]
[Dad Staying Home: Because that’s our son…]
[Mom at Work: !!!]
[Mom at Work: Qinian can play piano?]
[Dad Staying Home: No idea…]
Gu Quan was also baffled.
After all, he had been home for so long and had never heard his son play piano.
Only Madam Su remained completely calm.
Su Mei sat elegantly holding her phone, her finger poised over the screenshot button, ready to capture every moment and print them later for the family photo wall.
Su Mei: One must not miss any moment of the children’s growth.
On screen, Gu Tang had already begun to play.
He sat on the right, handling the main melody, while the young master on the left accompanied him.
Unlike when he played with Xie Qian—where the roles were evenly matched—this time Gu Tang took the lead, and Gu Qinian only needed to press a few fixed keys at the right moments.
After a brief exchange backstage, the young master had understood.
With over a decade of tacit understanding between them, Gu Tang didn’t even need to give cues or signals—every time, Gu Qinian struck exactly the right notes.
The audience couldn’t tell there had been a substitution at all.
They only felt that the boy in black playing accompaniment was very striking, but the boy in white playing the main melody was even more captivating.
The adorable-looking boy became utterly focused when he played, exuding a completely different aura—like he had been bathed in a sacred glow. In the music, it felt as though a pair of pure white angel wings might unfurl behind him at any moment.
All eyes were on Gu Tang.
Gu Qinian was looking at him too.
At that moment, the young master in black willingly became the shadow of the boy in white. He wanted to remain in perfect harmony with Gu Tang like this forever, and was even willing to use himself to make Gu Tang shine all the brighter.
[Ding—Main storyline task ‘Conceal the Male Lead’s Brilliance’ completed! Reward: 100 life points, 10 plot coins!]
The system came rushing back, out of breath.
Before it could figure out what had happened, it discovered the main task had already been completed!
Was this even reasonable?
Why did it always miss the best part?!
The performance ended.
The hall was silent.
A few seconds later, thunderous applause erupted.
Many students shouted for an encore.
An encore… finishing one piece was already impressive enough…
The arts teacher was so tense he was about to melt into his seat, when he heard the dean shouting along, “One more!”
Arts teacher: “?!!!”
“Another piece?”
Gu Tang tilted his head toward the young master. “Let’s play our song.”
Gu Qinian said nothing, simply placing his fingers back on the keys, waiting for the boy beside him to begin.
Gu Tang smiled faintly and struck the first note…
In the end, the four-hand performance exceeded all expectations.
After the curtain call, many students even came on stage to present flowers.
Because the young master had a cold, distant aura that made him seem unapproachable, quite a few people went straight for Gu Tang instead.
Half boys, half girls.
However, before any of them could even reach him, members of the student union suddenly appeared like heavenly soldiers, blocking every single one of them.
Not a single bouquet made it into Gu Tang’s hands.
Gu Tang: “???”
Before he could even process it, he heard the young master say faintly—
“You said it yourself—these are just the stirrings of puberty, a hormonal reaction.”
“The student union has a responsibility to help students eliminate all possibilities of early romance.”
Author’s note:
Classmates: This guy is ruthless!
I still don’t get how Niannian is already 180cm when he’s only what 12-13 years old but I guess the young master lead character are just build different lol ?.