Ye Xuan finally entered Yang Ke's line of sight. She was wearing a long white dress on the opposite girls' rooftop, and her long hair was tied up high. It was like the white glow appearing in the darkness before dawn, unexpected and surprising Yang Ke. Ye Xuan waved the cellphone in her hand at Yang Ke.
"Yang Ke, do you know what day it is today?" Ye Xuan's voice came through the phone, somewhat hoarse.
"Of course I do!" Yang Ke said, "Twenty-two years ago today, I entered this world!"
"Today is the last day of Gemini. On the first day of Gemini, you gave me an unexpected gift. Today, I'm giving you an unexpected gift too!"
"What gift?" Yang Ke asked.
"When I count to three, we'll both press play on the MP3. When Tchaikovsky's music starts playing, you'll know!"
The music of Tchaikovsky began to play, sometimes high, sometimes low, sometimes abrupt, sometimes melodious, every tone striking Yang Ke's heartstrings heavily, making him tremble uncontrollably. On the rooftop opposite, Ye Xuan had been dancing gracefully from the moment the music began, leaping, swaying, running, and spinning with every beat of the music, like characters stretching and contracting on a musical staff. Yang Ke watched motionlessly, completely drawn to Ye Xuan's dance, dancing together with her on the rooftop, gliding gracefully on the lake of their hearts.
Yang Ke had read the story of Sleeping Beauty many times before, but today he truly understood it, reading it through Ye Xuan's dance. This waltz was the fifth movement of the Sleeping Beauty Suite, where the prince, who had come from afar, proposed to Princess Aurora with flowers. The music was light and lively, lyrical and beautiful. But Yang Ke could see that Ye Xuan's dance was filled with longing, a yearning for love. Perhaps Ye Xuan was like Princess Aurora at this moment, a sleeping princess waiting for her own prince charming.
When the music stopped, Ye Xuan gently lay down on the ground and didn't get up for a long time.
Yang Ke knew that Ye Xuan must be crying her heart out. He waited quietly and finally dialed her phone.
"Happy birthday, Yang Ke!" Ye Xuan's hoarse voice bounced in the cellphone, and Yang Ke's hand holding the phone was trembling.
"Thank you, Miss Qiancao!" Yang Ke said, "Since we met, this is the first birthday gift you've given me. I think it will also be the best birthday gift of my life!"
"Yang Ke, you've figured me out!"
"I have! 'Black Qiancao' is a 'Xuan' character, and 'Night' is not the 'Night' in 'Black Night', it should be the 'Leaf' in 'Leaf'. All together, it's your name - Ye Xuan. I guessed it a long time ago!"
"Yang Ke, do you know the story of 'Sleeping Beauty'?" Ye Xuan asked.
"Of course I do!" Yang Ke said, "The beautiful Princess Aurora was cursed by an evil witch and fell into a hundred-year sleep after being pricked by a spinning wheel at the age of sixteen. A hundred years later, Prince Charming came to the castle. He awakened the sleeping princess with a kiss and held a grand wedding!"
"Yang Ke, I feel like I am Princess Aurora!" Ye Xuan cried, "The princess had the blessings of eleven fairies, but she was cursed by the twelfth fairy. I am the same. I spent eleven happy years with Dai Qiang, and now my suffering has come!"
"Ye Xuan, everything will be fine. As long as we safely endure the curse of the twelfth witch, everything will be fine!"
"Yang Ke, do you think I will still have my own Prince Charming and my own happiness?"
"Of course you will!" Yang Ke affirmed, "As long as you wait patiently, your Prince Charming will definitely appear. Maybe he's already beneath your castle, just waiting to come in and awaken you!"
Tong Tong knocked on the door, and Dai Qiang, who opened the door, walked out.
"You're here to find Yang Ke, right? He's in the bedroom!"
"Why do you want to find Yang Ke? Can't you find me?" Tong Tong's tone was provocative.
"Of course you can!" Dai Qiang said. He had long known that Tong Tong was a very domineering little pepper, so he didn't dare to provoke her, "What's the matter if you find me?"
"Just because I have nothing else to do, I can't find you?" Tong Tong pressed on, "Are you afraid I'll waste your precious time?"
"No! No!" Dai Qiang had to give in again, "As long as you come, I can accompany you at any time!"
"That's more like it!" Tong Tong said, "I heard you have a girlfriend again!"
"Yes! That's true!"
"What about Ye Xuan? What will happen to her?" Tong Tong questioned, "You just abandoned her like that. She's your childhood friend! Do you know? She cries every day!"
"What can I do about it?" Dai Qiang said helplessly, "You can't expect me to accompany her every day. I don't have that much time!"
"But at least you should make it clear to her. Even if you break up, you should comfort her with kind words!"
"I've already made it clear!" Dai Qiang said.
"Liar!" Tong Tong pointed at Dai Qiang's nose, "You didn't even give her a chance to talk. How can you say you've made it clear!"
Yang Ke inside the bedroom heard the conversation in the living room. He opened the door quietly and peeked outside. Tong Tong was reprimanding Dai Qiang, and Yang Ke couldn't help but feel sorry for Dai Qiang.
"It's not all my fault!" Dai Qiang said, feeling wronged. "I did give her a chance, but you know Ye Xuan's temper. She's impulsive and stubborn. How could we possibly get along?"
"Then it's still your fault! You should have been more patient!" Tong Tong expanded her position in her justified argument.
"Fine! Fine!" Dai Qiang conceded again, "It's all my fault! I'll find a time to talk to her again, okay?"
"Don't give me empty promises!" Tong Tong said, "Give me a specific time!"
"Tomorrow!" Dai Qiang said.
"That's too late!" Tong Tong said, "How about this afternoon? I'll go back and tell her!"
"Okay!" Dai Qiang said helplessly, "I'll follow your lead!"
"That's more like it!" Tong Tong finally nodded in satisfaction.
"Then you can leave now. Excuse me, I'm too busy to accompany you!" Dai Qiang couldn't wait to push this little pepper out of the door.
"What's wrong? Do you hate me now?" Tong Tong asked, "I didn't come specifically to find you today. I have other things to do!"
Tong Tong walked towards Yang Ke's bedroom, and Dai Qiang couldn't help but smile. Now he was starting to worry about Yang Ke.
"Yang Ke, what are you doing?" Tong Tong entered Yang Ke's bedroom, her attitude completely different from before.
"Nothing, just reading." Yang Ke replied, having thoroughly experienced Tong Tong's power just now.
"When do you have time? I want to treat you to a meal!"
"You don't have to be so polite!" Yang Ke declined, "We're all friends. There's no need for this!"
"That won't do!" Tong Tong said, "You didn't even tell me when your birthday was, so I couldn't even buy you a birthday gift on time!"
"It's just a birthday. We can make up for it next time, right?"
"No! Next time is next time. This time must be made up!" Tong Tong insisted stubbornly, "How about tomorrow?"
"Okay!" Yang Ke said helplessly, "Tomorrow it is!"