Dazzling

The next day, Li Lanfang still heard about the incident from the Zhao family's old maid. This Zhao Ma Zi didn't hesitate to embellish the story, making it sound as though she had personally witnessed Wu Lao Er banging on the door, even claiming his pants were halfway down, describing it all with vivid detail. In reality, it was only after Xing Wu had knocked Wu Lao Er to the ground that the Zhao family came out to watch.

Li Lanfang couldn't tolerate this. Early in the morning, she stormed over to the Wu family again. The old couple of the Wu family was pitiful, offering all sorts of apologies on behalf of their son and even giving Li Lanfang a basket of eggs from their home.

Li Lanfang returned home triumphantly, carrying the basket of eggs, and brought up the matter with Xing Wu. The more Xing Wu listened, the more he found the story distorted. He asked her who had told her, and Li Lanfang said it was Zhao Ma Zi.

So, before heading out in the morning, Xing Wu went to warn Aunt Zhao, telling her to watch her mouth. If he ever heard anything about pants being taken off again, he’d make sure her son ended up with a fracture.

Zhao Ma Zi was so frightened that she repeatedly promised not to spout nonsense. Her son, Zhao Bei, had only managed to avoid trouble at school because Xing Wu had his back. Otherwise, with Zhao Bei’s weak and tattletale nature, he would have been beaten to a pulp long ago.

That morning, Qing Ye changed into the underwear Xing Wu had bought for her, and her cheeks flushed with warmth. She realized the size fit her perfectly and had no idea how Xing Wu could have known her measurements. Or... had he observed her? The thought made her cheeks burn even hotter.

Before leaving in the morning, Xing Wu had specifically instructed Li Lanfang, so when Qing Ye came downstairs, no one mentioned the previous night’s events. Qing Ye had been particularly worried that Li Lanfang would question her, but fortunately, Li Lanfang didn’t bring it up at all.

Instead, the young girl with the Firework Perm at the shop, Du Qiyan, was sitting by the door today, crying for some unknown reason.

Li Lanfang’s Dazzle Island mainly served customers from the Zhazha Pavilion area. The foot traffic wasn’t particularly heavy, and most were regulars. Aside from Li Lanfang herself, who occasionally cut hair for customers, she employed two people: Liu Nian and this young girl with the Firework Perm, Du Qiyan, whose face was almost always hidden.

As for Du Qiyan, in all the time Qing Ye had been here, she had only exchanged a few words with her. But Qing Ye could sense that Du Qiyan often stole glances at her. However, whenever Qing Ye met her gaze, Du Qiyan would quickly look away, her face turning red.

Du Qiyan embodied the traits of a girl from Zhazha Pavilion: she hadn’t seen much of the world, was shy around strangers, and didn’t dare to speak up, yet she desperately tried to appear worldly by decking herself out in what she thought was fashionable, without really understanding what fashion meant.

In the first few days after Qing Ye arrived, Du Qiyan had piled every odd accessory she owned onto her outfits, creating looks that grew more eye-watering by the day. Often, when Du Qiyan saw Qing Ye, who wore no accessories at all—just a simple, plain-colored dress that effortlessly outshone everyone in both looks and grace—she couldn’t help but feel inferior. Because of this, she never dared to initiate a conversation with Qing Ye.

Qing Ye found it particularly strange and asked Liu Nian what was wrong with her today. Liu Nian told her that Du Qiyan had been dumped—it seemed she had been heartbroken. She had arrived in the morning with swollen eyes and even told Liu Nian, "There’s a grave in my heart, where my undead love resides."Although the girl was quite miserable after her heartbreak, Qing Ye could barely suppress her laughter. She deeply suspected that Li Lanfang was a founding member of the Funeral Love Family—every person she recruited looked more like a premium member of the Funeral Love Family than the last. What were these? Family mottos?

Business was slow at the shop today. Du Qiyan sat crying at the entrance while Qing Ye had already finished an entire test paper inside the cashier counter. Du Qiyan was still crying there, putting on a performance worthy of Meng Jiangnu weeping over the Great Wall.

In the afternoon, a van suddenly pulled up at the main entrance of Dazzle Island. Even Qing Ye craned her neck to look, and then she saw Xing Wu stepping out of the van, followed by Pang Hu and Huang Mao jumping down after him.

The three of them unloaded several boards from the van before it drove away.

Xing Wu led Pang Hu and Huang Mao as they carried the boards inside. Li Lanfang asked in confusion, "What are these for?"

"They'll be useful," Xing Wu replied tersely, then shifted his gaze to Qing Ye's face. She was wearing a matcha-green outfit, her hair tied up high in a bun that revealed her long, fair neck as she sat in the cashier counter. In the sweltering summer heat, she looked refreshingly bright.

Xing Wu finally breathed a sigh of relief. He had thought Qing Ye wouldn't come down today or that she'd wake up and start clamoring to go home again. As it turned out, this young lady's resilience had impressed him.

Huang Mao winked at Qing Ye and said eagerly, "Cousin, I'm here."

Qing Ye completely ignored him and looked at Xing Wu instead. During the two seconds their eyes met, they both seemed to recall last night's events, creating a subtle awkwardness between them.

As Xing Wu passed by her, he placed a plastic bag he was carrying on the cashier counter, then led Pang Hu and Huang Mao to the backyard.

Qing Ye opened the plastic bag to find fresh cherries and a few avocados inside. They looked much better than the ones Huang Mao had bought last time.

She carried the bag to the side, washed the cherries, and popped one into her mouth. Sweet.

She portioned some out and brought them to Du Qiyan, who was still crying at the entrance. Du Qiyan looked up at Qing Ye in surprise, momentarily unsure how to react. Without saying a word, Qing Ye placed the cherries on Du Qiyan's lap and turned to leave.

Carrying the cherries, she walked to the backyard and saw Xing Wu squatting on the ground, measuring and marking the boards. Pang Hu was handing him tools, while Huang Mao spotted Qing Ye and bounded over excitedly: "Cousin, are they good? We guys made a special trip to the county town to buy them."

Qing Ye extended the washed cherries toward him. Huang Mao waved his hand: "You eat them. Giving them to me would be a total waste."

He then glanced toward the shop and asked Qing Ye, "Has that girl inside been possessed? Crying like someone in her family died."

"..." Qing Ye really wanted to tell him that there was indeed a grave in her heart, housing her undead love!

"You mean Du Qiyan? She's heartbroken."

Huang Mao laughed upon hearing this: "With her looks, someone actually dated her? What normal person would go out with 'Belly Button'? Might as well entertain yourself."

The term "Belly Button" nearly made Qing Ye choke on a cherry. This guy was truly something else.

Xing Wu lifted his eyes and glanced in their direction. Qing Ye's eyes curved slightly, radiating both a youthful clarity and the unique refinement and pride she carried—like the only vibrant splash of green in the dusty, gray Zhazha Pavilion.His gaze swept over the wildly gesturing Huang Mao and he said to him, "Come help me hold this."

"Alright." Huang Mao responded and went over.

Qing Ye asked, "What are you guys doing?"

Xing Wu said flatly, "Use your eyes and see for yourself."

Hah, after just one night, he's back to not speaking properly. Qing Ye realized that after all these days, she had become immune to Xing Wu's way of communicating. In the first few days after arriving, she often got quite angry with him, but now she hardly reacted to his cold remarks.

The afternoon sun was at its strongest, and there was no shade in the backyard. The three of them were sweating profusely from the heat. Huang Mao said he couldn't take it anymore and went to get something icy to eat.

As it turned out, his idea of something "icy" was a Crushed Ice Pop—it was indeed icy. Huang Mao deliberately broke it in half and offered one part to Qing Ye. Qing Ye glanced sideways, turned her head away, and said, "I don't eat artificial coloring."

Beside them, Pang Hu was already munching away. The red Crushed Ice Pop looked as bizarre as a sausage in his hands. Seeing that Qing Ye didn't want it, Huang Mao raised his hand and offered it to Xing Wu: "Brother Wu, here, this half is for you."

Without looking up, Xing Wu said, "Leave it on the windowsill. You two take a break."

Huang Mao placed the half Crushed Ice Pop on the windowsill and went inside with Pang Hu to cool off.

Qing Ye leaned against the doorframe, watching Xing Wu use an electric saw to cut boards. His sleeves were rolled up to his shoulders, revealing arms with smooth, taut muscles. His bronze skin glistened with beads of sweat under the scorching sun—a perfect blend of youthful wildness and captivating focus. It was indeed a pleasing sight.

Xing Wu's features were sharp and well-defined, a trait he inherited from Li Lanfang. In fact, Qing Ye had seen Li Lanfang without makeup, and she was quite good-looking. It was just that her everyday makeup was so jarring to the eyes—she was one of the rare few who managed to make herself uglier with makeup.

Coupled with Xing Wu's consistently simple and clean clothing and his tall, sturdy build, although Qing Ye didn't want to admit it, in this godforsaken place, Xing Wu was indeed much more pleasing to look at than the Slam-cut youths behind him.

She glanced sideways at the Crushed Ice Pop and reminded Xing Wu, "It's melting."

Only then did Xing Wu look up, put down the electric saw, and stride over the wooden boards with his long legs. As he approached, the scent of sweat and hormones emanating from him made Qing Ye avert her gaze. Thinking of last night's words, "How dare you lay a hand on the woman in my house," Qing Ye suddenly felt an indescribable emotion. Although, strictly speaking, it should be interpreted as "the woman staying at my house," the way Xing Wu had blurted it out with such protective fierceness now made Qing Ye find it particularly amusing.

And then... she laughed. Tilting her head, she stared at Xing Wu and laughed inexplicably.

Xing Wu was just about to put the Crushed Ice Pop in his mouth when he looked up and saw the faint smile on Qing Ye's face. Bathed in the light, she looked radiant and dazzling, causing him to freeze for a moment.

Then he glanced at the Crushed Ice Pop in his hand and asked, "Do you want it?"

Qing Ye actually reached out toward him. Xing Wu handed her the Crushed Ice Pop directly and went back to work.

The Crushed Ice Pop had half-melted. Qing Ye lifted her head and took a sip of the melted liquid—it was indeed icy and sweet.

When Huang Mao came out and saw that the Crushed Ice Pop originally meant for Xing Wu had ended up in Qing Ye's hands, he exclaimed in surprise, "Why did you refuse it when I offered it, but take it when he gave it to you?"

Qing Ye replied with a half-smile, "Your hands are dirty."

Huang Mao refused to accept this. Pointing at Xing Wu, he said, "Cousin, you can't just lie through your teeth! Brother Wu has been working for half the day—aren't his hands way dirtier than mine?"

Hearing their conversation, Xing Wu lowered his head and curled the corners of his mouth.Qing Ye ignored Huang Mao and went inside to escape the heat. Huang Mao wore a deeply aggrieved expression as he said to Xing Wu, "Why do I feel like I've been dumped too? Yesterday my cousin was blushing when she looked at me, but today she won't even acknowledge me. Brother Wu, do you think she's playing hard to get? Maybe she actually wants me to make the first move?"

"..." Why don't you go write screenplays instead?

By evening when Qing Ye went to the backyard again, Xing Wu was applying varnish. Huang Mao and the others had already left.

Qing Ye stepped into the backyard and exclaimed in surprise, "You built a wardrobe?"

She circled the wardrobe in amazement, discovering that Xing Wu had meticulously sanded every part of the wooden cabinet. Besides hanging compartments, it even had several drawers, and it looked quite sturdy.

Xing Wu was applying a coat of clear varnish. Qing Ye moved beside him, her eyes wide as she asked, "Who did you build this wardrobe for?"

Xing Wu glanced at her sideways without responding. Qing Ye pointed at her own nose in surprise, "It's not for me, is it?"

Xing Wu neither confirmed nor denied it, continuing to work with his head down. Qing Ye, however, broke into a smile, "It really is for me? I've been needing a wardrobe—you've seen how I have to pile my clothes on the suitcase every day."

Xing Wu wasn't blind. He said flatly, "I'm just afraid if you stay a few more days, you'll turn my room into a pigsty."

Qing Ye's mood suddenly lifted. Completely unfazed by his teasing, she circled the wardrobe again, "When can I use it?"

"Let it air out for a few days. Move it upstairs after the smell dissipates."

Then, as if remembering something, he asked Qing Ye, "Do you still want the stuff in that bag?"

Qing Ye turned to see the underwear Xing Wu had retrieved from Wu Lao Er's drawer last night. Her smile instantly vanished, "No, throw it away."

She had originally thought some woman had stolen it, but now knowing it was Wu Lao Er... she couldn't even imagine what he might have done with her underwear at home. The thought alone made her sick.

Just then, Qing Ye's phone rang—an unknown number. When she answered, a woman's voice identified herself as Teacher Yang Li from An Middle School, asking if she had arrived in Anzi County. If convenient, she was to come to school tomorrow to verify and complete transfer procedures.

After hanging up, Qing Ye looked up and asked Xing Wu, "Do you know a teacher named Yang Li at An Middle School?"

"She called you?"

"Told me to go to school tomorrow. Where is it? Far?"

Xing Wu just looked at her, seemingly lost in thought, then said, "It's not far. I'll take you tomorrow."

Qing Ye had only meant to ask for directions, never expecting Xing Wu would kindly accompany her. Was the sun rising from the west now? Wasn't she a bother anymore?

Despite yesterday's incident, it didn't stop Li Lanfang from going out to play mahjong after dinner. Qing Ye had figured it out—this distant aunt of hers could skip meals for a day, but missing a day of mahjong was like suffering withdrawal symptoms. Absolutely non-negotiable.

After Xing Wu wheeled his grandmother into her room and cleared the dishes to the kitchen, he found Qing Ye hadn't gone upstairs. Instead, she was sitting on a small stool by the backyard door with a plate of freshly sliced avocado before her. The vibrant green looked quite appealing. She took a photo of the plate with her phone and posted on social media: "Persevere, keep persevering."This was the first moment Qing Ye had posted on her social media since her mother passed away. As soon as it went up, many old classmates left comments asking where she had transferred to and when she would return to hang out with them.

Qing Ye couldn’t bring herself to reply. Even if she told them where she was now, they probably wouldn’t have heard of it. Besides, she had always excelled academically. Back in her international school, whether in studies, talents, or various competitions, she had never slipped up—she was consistently a top student in her class. Even among a group of children from well-off families with remarkable abilities, Qing Ye still shone brightly. But now, that radiant pearl was covered in a layer of dust, exiled to such a place. Her pride wouldn’t allow her to reveal her current situation to these old friends.

It wasn’t until she received a message from Meng Ruihang asking, "Are you okay?" that she paused.

Qing Ye opened his reply, typed a few words, then deleted them. She stared blankly for a long while until Xing Wu walked over and glanced at her screen. He hadn’t meant to snoop, but his eyesight was too sharp—with just a casual look, he caught the name "Meng Ruihang," which suddenly reminded him of the clean-cut boy he had seen in a photo on Qing Ye’s computer.

Leaning against the doorframe, Xing Wu let out a scoff. "So even top students dabble in puppy love?"

Qing Ye jumped in surprise, quickly putting her phone away and glaring at him. Xing Wu had expected her to scold him or tell him to stop talking nonsense, but she just stared back darkly without rebutting.

Xing Wu kicked aside a nearby stool and headed inside. Qing Ye hurriedly stood up and asked him, "Are you going out?"

"Obviously?" Xing Wu stuffed his lighter into his pocket without looking back.

Qing Ye bit her lip, standing by the back door and watching him. Hearing no further sound behind him, Xing Wu glanced back at her. Qing Ye’s brows were tightly furrowed, her expression torn, as if she wanted to say something but couldn’t bring herself to.

He turned around fully, adopting a casual stance. "What? Don’t want me to go out?"

Qing Ye glanced toward the backyard, her face full of worry. After what happened last night, she had developed a significant psychological shadow. Li Lanfang went out to play mahjong every night, and if Xing Wu wasn’t home either, she’d probably let her bladder burst before venturing downstairs to the bathroom alone again.

Seeing her silent struggle, Xing Wu walked back over to her. "Speak up, or I’m leaving."

He made as if to turn away, and Qing Ye took a deep breath, her voice barely a whisper. "Could you… not go out?"

Xing Wu, who had already started to turn, paused slightly. He looked back at her, a teasing smile tugging at his lips. "You didn’t sit on that little stool by the door waiting for me all this time just because you were afraid I’d leave, did you?"

Qing Ye’s dark, large eyes gazed calmly back at him, neither denying nor confirming.

Xing Wu put his hands on his hips, taking in her pitiful expression, and couldn’t help but laugh. He picked up his phone and called Quan Ya. "Hey, I’m not coming over tonight."

Hearing this, Qing Ye instantly relaxed, turned around, picked up an avocado, and went upstairs.

On the other end of the line, Quan Ya sounded surprised. "The cards are already dealt. How can you just bail like that?"

Xing Wu glanced back at Qing Ye, who had already gone upstairs, and replied indifferently, "Mm. My family won’t let me go out."

Quan Ya burst out laughing. "Quit your bullshit. Since when do you listen to your family?"

"……" Well, he was listening now.