Picking Up the Fallen Little Sparrow

Six years ago, Chu Lan and Xie Er cursed each other as they broke up, then blocked each other on every platform.

Later, Chu Lan debuted as the masked singer "Yishan" and shot to fame.

This autumn, Chu Lan drove to Gannan.

On the first floor of the guesthouse, the man on the other side of a folding screen was playing his songs on a speaker on repeat.

The man seemed like the sort who was friendly with everyone. He suddenly said, "It's a masterpiece, right?"

Chu Lan made no attempt at modesty. "Of course."

Hearing that, the man praised Yishan even more enthusiastically, until Chu Lan was practically bursting with delight.

Chu Lan happily walked around the screen to greet the fan.

But the man happened to drop his pen. It took him three minutes to pick it up, and he stubbornly refused to look up.

When he finally did, Chu Lan saw that the man's features and bone structure were both exquisite, and his bearing was undeniably aristocratic.

What a stunning face.

Ha ha. Xie Er, his ex-boyfriend, with whom he had sworn never to speak again.

Chu Lan turned to leave, but Xie Er suddenly grabbed his hand. Instead of the tired old "Long time no see," he said:

"I'm very glad to meet you."

Chu Lan: ?

Damn face blindness.

Luckily, he wouldn't be staying at the guesthouse for long. He was leaving by car the next day. So long, then...

Chu Lan opened the car door, only to find Xie Er sitting inside, looking perfectly at ease. "What a coincidence."

Xie Er and Chu Lan were polar opposites, so their breakup had been inevitable.

But despite his cold, abstinent facade, Xie Er had never been able to forget Chu Lan.

So he found a substitute.

The masked singer Yishan sounded remarkably like Chu Lan and insisted on never showing his face, so Xie Er's fantasies would never be shattered.

He would listen to Yishan tell his fans, "I love you," through his headphones,

while imagining Chu Lan whispering sweet nothings against his earlobe, just as he used to.

But a substitute could never quench his thirst. He kept taking Chu Lan off his blacklist, then repeatedly testing the waters by calling him.

Yet even after Chu Lan's number became disconnected, he still couldn't get through.

He held himself back until he met Chu Lan again.

He racked his brains to give their surprise reunion the perfect opening. In the end, all he could say was:

"I'm very glad to meet you."

[Bonus Scene]

Outside the window lay a boundless, snow-covered desert. The air was cold, but the two of them were worked up and covered in sweat.

Xie Er pinned Chu Lan against the wall and kissed him. He accidentally let slip, "I've never been able to get over you."

Chu Lan smiled calmly. "You've got the wrong person. This is our first time meeting."

Mystery novelist x singer-songwriter

Aristocratic, sharp-tongued master of sophistry x free-spirited, gorgeous, confident bad boy

[Please Note]

1. One-on-one, both leads are sexually inexperienced, happy ending.

2. When Chu Lan performs as the masked singer Yishan, he has never revealed his appearance. Xie Er really is face-blind, but he has never mistaken Chu Lan for someone else.

3. A road-trip story that alternates between bickering and peaceful moments.

4. This story is not based on any real people or events.

5. Weibo: @Jinjiang Huaban Chai

Theme: Humanity should face the awesome power of nature with humility.