Chapter 1: Unexpected Connection

Yuèliàng stared at his phone, thumb hovering over the dating app icon. His friend, Lín Hǎo, had been relentless. “Come on, Yuèliàng! Just try it! You might meet someone interesting.”

Yuèliàng preferred the quiet of the library, early morning walks around the lotus pond, and evenings spent sketching in his notebook. Socializing was exhausting, but after weeks of nagging, he had finally created an account.

Scrolling through profiles felt tedious. Most were flashy, shallow, or overly confident. Then a message notification popped up:

Hi! How’s your day?

The name was “Lìhuā,” a smiling girl with sparkling eyes. Yuèliàng hesitated. He wasn’t interested in girls, but something about the friendly tone made him reply:

It’s fine. School’s busy.

Busy in a good way or stressful way?

Surprisingly, Yuèliàng found himself typing back. The conversation flowed effortlessly. They discussed school festivals, favorite snacks, and even the quiet beauty of the lotus pond in the courtyard. Yuèliàng, who rarely shared his thoughts, described the rippling water, golden sunlight, and delicate lotus petals.

Across town, Yángguāng grinned as he typed. Outgoing and playful, he had created the girl profile as a joke, curious to see who would chat. But he found himself genuinely enjoying Yuèliàng’s thoughtful replies. Unlike others, Yuèliàng was quiet, honest, and surprisingly charming.

The following day, Yuèliàng sat in calligraphy class, brush poised over rice paper, thinking about Lìhuā. Lín Hǎo leaned over, whispering, “So… how’s Lìhuā?”

Yuèliàng froze. “It’s nothing,” he muttered, though his heart beat faster.

That evening, he walked to the lotus pond, phone in hand. The cool autumn air carried the faint fragrance of the flowers. I went to the pond today. It’s quieter than usual, he typed.

I bet it’s beautiful in the evening light. Wish I could see it, came the instant reply.

Yuèliàng smiled faintly. He described the pond in detail, and Yángguāng, reading the message, felt a warmth he hadn’t expected. The boy behind the quiet messages was opening a world of calm, reflection, and sincerity—so unlike Yángguāng’s lively, chaotic life.

Over the week, their chats continued—playful teasing, shared school anecdotes, and quiet confessions of little joys. Yuèliàng laughed quietly at Yángguāng’s messages, while Yángguāng found himself genuinely wanting to make this shy boy smile.

Neither realized how quickly the connection was forming, how a simple app chat was bridging two very different lives. Yuèliàng closed his phone that night, heart lighter than it had been in months. Perhaps stepping outside his comfort zone wasn’t so bad.

And across town, Yángguāng smiled at his screen, unaware that the boy he had been teasing was someone he would soon want to see in person—and that the playful deception of the girl profile would lead to something far more real.

🎀I hope you like my novel first chapter and support me this is my first time to write novel if I make mistakes just ignore 🎀

~let's be countinue

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