Dazzling

After returning to her room, Qing Ye gathered her documents, original transcripts, and certificates as Teacher Yang had instructed her to bring them to school the next day.

Xing Wu leaned against the doorframe with crossed arms and said, "Hey, let's talk."

Qing Ye found it somewhat amusing—what did they have to discuss? She continued organizing her things and asked, "About what?"

"If you have time, could you help with the shop's accounts? My mom..." Xing Wu lowered his gaze and frowned before continuing, "She spends recklessly, losing everything at the mahjong table, yet complains every month about being broke. I want to deduct two thousand from her starting this month. My grandmother's illness requires money at any moment—letting her squander like this isn't sustainable."

Qing Ye straightened up and thought for a moment. "Will your mom agree?"

"I'll talk to her."

Xing Wu's narrow eyes fixed intently on Qing Ye, who shrugged indifferently. "Fine."

It wasn't that she was particularly eager to help, but she was living at Xing Wu's place. Though their interactions weren't exactly harmonious, they did look after her. Besides, Xing Wu had turned down his friends to stay home tonight, so helping him was reasonable. Moreover, watching him and Liu Nian struggle with accounts last time had been painful for a science prodigy like her.

Still, she couldn't resist teasing him: "What if I embezzle the money?"

Xing Wu snorted. "Then I'd have to thank you for thinking my family's money is worth your notice."

He turned to leave but paused and looked back. "But school's starting soon. Do top students like you have time for this?"

Qing Ye gave him a look of pure disdain. "Do you think your barbershop is on Wangfujing Street? With this foot traffic and barely any customers? I just need to check with Liu Nian daily—it takes two minutes tops. Enter the data, formulas auto-calculate, and monthly reports generate instantly. If you don't settle accounts daily, what exactly do you expect to figure out sitting around brainstorming at month-end?"

Seeing her casual confidence, Xing Wu smirked and said nothing more. He wasn't as meticulous as Qing Ye, nor did he spend as much time in the shop. After seeing her bookkeeping, he'd realized his mother gambled away thousands monthly.

Though Qing Ye appeared aloof toward everyone—sitting behind the counter like none of it concerned her—she kept mental accounts sharp as a mirror. In just over half a month, she'd calculated the barbershop's profits precisely. Honestly, Xing Wu trusted her with this.

Why? Because he believed these amounts were mere pocket change in Qing Ye's eyes.

Like the previous night, Xing Wu lay on the sofa watching soccer until late. Qing Ye didn't know when he finally slept—she drifted off to the intermittent sounds of the TV.

The next morning, Qing Ye had arranged to visit Anzhong High with Teacher Yang. While waiting on the Little Angel, Xing Wu lit a cigarette. Halfway through, he saw Qing Ye emerge wearing high-waisted denim shorts, a white ruffled chiffon top, ponytail, and backpack—radiating youthful energy.

The corner of Xing Wu's eye twitched as he stubbed out the cigarette. "Get on."Today, Qing Ye was wearing shorts, so she didn't need to sit sideways. After mounting the Little Angel, she instinctively leaned back, gripping the rear seat with both hands as Xing Wu leisurely pedaled toward An High School.

There was still a week before the senior high school students returned to campus. At this moment, the school gate was tightly shut, exuding an air of tranquility. Just as they reached the entrance, the security guard poked his head out and called to Xing Wu, "Hey, you didn't show up when school started, and now you're here when it's not even open yet?"

Clearly, the guard was very familiar with Xing Wu. Xing Wu braked casually and said in a nonchalant tone, "Old Witch wants to talk to me." The guard stepped out to open the small gate, looking surprised. "What trouble could you possibly have gotten into during the break?"

"Who knows," Xing Wu replied offhandedly as he rode in.

Rows of tidy teaching buildings stood solemnly and quietly. To the left was an indoor gymnasium, and to the right, a large soccer field. At this hour, there was no one around. At a glance, the red plastic track looked quite professional, which surprised Qing Ye.

Though it couldn't compare to the European-style buildings of her former international school, it at least resembled a typical public high school. The night before, lying in bed, she had automatically imagined scenes of dilapidated mud houses and broken desks from impoverished mountainous areas. Based on her month-long stay at Xing Wu's home, she felt that no matter how bad the school was, it wouldn't be surprising. She had even prepared herself for a mental breakdown.

Yet, her first impression of Anzi County First Senior High School was actually not bad—at least, it was considered high-class for this area.

Xing Wu rode to the high school teaching building, and Qing Ye got off the bike, saying to him, "Your school is alright."

Xing Wu had seen photos of Qing Ye's previous high school and was utterly confused at this moment. Which eye of hers thought it was "alright"? Of course, he didn't know that Qing Ye had envisioned a much more tragic scenario.

Xing Wu didn't go upstairs but simply pointed to the staircase and told her, "Go up to the third floor, turn right, and walk to the end."

Qing Ye glanced up and headed upstairs with her backpack. Besides Yang Li, there were two other teachers in the office. Teacher Yang stood up upon seeing Qing Ye and pulled out a chair for her to sit, seeming to take an immediate liking to her. After all, Qing Ye was fair-skinned and clean, with well-proportioned and clear features. The composure and pride in her expression clearly marked her as a top student, which naturally appealed to teachers.

Sure enough, when she handed her transcript and some documents to Teacher Yang, Yang Li's eyes lit up. She looked up at Qing Ye and said, "The difficulty level of your exams there should be higher than ours. What was your ranking in your grade last semester?"

Qing Ye calmly replied, "I performed consistently in the final exams and maintained first place."

Her poised and confident demeanor made Yang Li pause slightly. Exchanging a glance with Teacher Guo behind Qing Ye, the teachers in the office immediately realized that An High had likely welcomed a national treasure-level academic prodigy.

Especially when Qing Ye picked up a pen to fill out the forms, her elegant and refined handwriting left Teacher Yang deeply impressed. As a language teacher, she couldn't help but praise a student with such beautiful penmanship. Even Teacher Guo stood up and came over to take a look.

The paperwork didn't take long, but Teacher Yang, excited to see Qing Ye, ended up chatting with her a bit longer—introducing the school's background, class situations, and even inquiring about Qing Ye's life.Qing Ye truthfully said she was living at her aunt's place. Teacher Yang also asked why her aunt hadn't come today? After all, it was usually parents who brought their children for the first school visit. Qing Ye vaguely replied that her aunt was busy with work.

She hadn't told Li Lanfang about coming to school today. With Li Lanfang's daily makeup—glitter eyeshadow and platform heels so high they were like stilts—she really couldn't bear to tell the teacher that Li Lanfang was her guardian.

Later, Teacher Yang personally escorted Qing Ye downstairs. She told Qing Ye that she would be her homeroom teacher after school started, and that Qing Ye could come to her for any help needed, whether in daily life or studies. She seemed like a kind middle-aged woman.

Qing Ye felt that this Teacher Yang was quite alright, very teacher-like. Earlier, Xing Wu had called her "Old Witch," so Qing Ye had expected a much stricter teacher.

Moreover, although Anzhong High's facilities couldn't compare to her previous international school, they were still passable. At least there was a small elevator nearby, though it was labeled "Teachers Only," meaning it basically had nothing to do with her.

Xing Wu was sitting on the Little Angel playing with his phone, waiting for Qing Ye. She took forever to come down, but Xing Wu wasn't in a hurry. He knew how the Old Witch was—once she started talking, she'd go on and on.

Teacher Yang saw Qing Ye to the stairwell and was just about to tell her to be careful on her way back when she spotted Xing Wu in the distance, sitting on his motorcycle with his buzz cut. She frowned and immediately grabbed Qing Ye.

Before Qing Ye could figure out what was going on, Teacher Yang said to her very seriously, "That student is called Xing Wu. Stay away from him after school starts. If he talks to you, make sure you don't respond."

Qing Ye glanced at Xing Wu. He was still playing his game with his head down, completely unaware of them. Amused, Qing Ye asked, "Why, Teacher Yang?"

"His grades are one thing, but that's not even the main issue. The problem is, this student likes to bully others. He skips class, fights, smokes—you name it. He already has a major demerit on his record. He's about to be a senior—if he messes up again, he might not even graduate. You're different from students like him."

Qing Ye was really "thankful" to Teacher Yang for such a heartfelt warning. She was almost touched.

Teacher Yang watched Qing Ye with a caring expression before turning to go upstairs. Qing Ye walked toward Xing Wu, who looked up and put away his phone. "All set?"

Qing Ye adjusted her backpack casually, then looked at Xing Wu with an inexplicable smile. The morning sun wasn't too harsh yet, casting a golden glow on her long eyelashes and making her look particularly spirited.

Xing Wu glanced down and tapped the handlebar, then suddenly raised his eyebrows and asked, "I need to go to the county town. Do you have anything to do right now?"

"What would I have to do?" With that, Qing Ye got on the Little Angel. The corners of Xing Wu's mouth lifted slightly as he turned the bike around and rode off.

Teacher Yang had just reached the second floor when she heard the motorcycle. She specifically looked downstairs and saw Qing Ye actually getting on Xing Wu's bike and leaving. Leaving?!

On the road, Xing Wu asked her, "What did the Old Witch say to you? Took so long."

Sitting behind him, Qing Ye squinted and laughed, "She told me to stay away from you and to make sure I don't respond if you talk to me."

"What the hell?" Xing Wu said irritably, "Did I piss her off again?"

Qing Ye repeated, "Teacher Yang said you like to bully classmates."

"..."

"And you still dare to talk to me? Aren't you afraid I'll bully you?""Hah, we'll see who bullies whom."

Xing Wu listened to Qing Ye's fearless words, a trace of mockery flickering in his eyes. He gradually accelerated before suddenly squeezing the brakes, causing Qing Ye to jolt forward and collide unexpectedly with his back.

Xing Wu had merely intended to tease her—he often played such pranks with his buddies—but he hadn't anticipated the sudden sensation of two soft mounds pressing against his back. Through the thin fabric, the feeling was so distinct that his body stiffened abruptly, the light in his eyes instantly receding.

The moment Qing Ye bumped into him, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist to steady herself, only to immediately sense the teenager's taut muscles. She quickly released her grip, her face flushing scarlet. She even forgot to retort, and an abrupt silence fell between them.

They barely spoke again before reaching the county town, maintaining an awkward silence throughout.

It wasn't until the surrounding street scenes gradually shifted that the tension eased.

Anzi County wasn't large either—just a single street from end to end—but compared to Zhazha Pavilion, it was the county's busiest area. There were a few small shopping malls, a two-story supermarket, bubble tea shops, hot pot restaurants, and even KFC and McDonald's.

Though it couldn't compare to Beijing, Qing Ye finally found a hint of familiarity. This was her first time out since arriving here, and the earlier embarrassment vanished, replaced by high spirits. "By the way, what did you come here for?" she asked.

"To buy a spare part."

"Let's get that first then. Afterward, can we stroll around a bit before heading back? I'll treat you to hot pot."

Xing Wu replied with a half-smile, "No rush. Go wherever you want first."

Qing Ye took him at his word and headed straight for the mall, stocking up on everything she lacked—facial cleanser, moisturizer, toner, and the like. She also browsed women's clothing and shoe sections, resembling a caged bird set free, her entire demeanor suddenly vibrant and energetic.

Xing Wu rarely visited the county town unless he had business. People here were accustomed from birth to staying within their small territories, unlike city folks who drove around for leisure. Even when he did come, it was with a purpose—get things done and leave, never lingering, let alone accompanying this young lady through a mall, which made him intensely uncomfortable.

So when Qing Ye entered women's clothing stores, he waited by the entrance aisle, scrolling through his phone. Until she called out to him, "Xing Wu, which of these two outfits do you think looks better?"

Hearing her voice, he turned to see her wearing a cream-colored lace dress, holding another set that resembled a puff-sleeved blouse and skirt.

Such clothing didn't sell well in the county. Most local girls wouldn't wear it—their skin tones often didn't suit it, and the prices were steep for everyday wear. But on Qing Ye, it looked perfectly natural. Her fair complexion and striking elegance effortlessly carried off a Beijing socialite vibe, earning her endless praise from the shop assistant.

Xing Wu cleared his throat and said, "Don't know, you decide." Because he genuinely couldn't choose.

In the end, Qing Ye bought both. Xing Wu finally witnessed this young lady's shopping prowess—she only had eyes for expensive items, all while complaining about the limited selection and how hard it was to find anything worthwhile here.Xing Wu looked at the shopping bags in both his hands. Was this what she called "not being able to buy anything"? If the brands were more complete, how much more could she possibly buy? Would she end up buying the entire mall?

Qing Ye, having bought almost everything she wanted, said she wanted to eat tanghulu (candied fruit skewers). Back in Beijing, she rarely ate tanghulu, but seeing it here suddenly stirred up a sense of nostalgia.

Xing Wu placed the shopping bags beside her and leisurely scrolled through his phone as he lined up at the back of the queue.

Qing Ye gazed at this mall that was completely out of sync with the times. It only had three floors, and aside from clothes, shoes, and bags, furniture stores were mixed in as well. What a bizarre place. Yet she had spent half a day shopping in such a weird mall, and to top it off, she had bought so many things. It was ridiculous.

This fully demonstrated that if you locked someone in a pitch-dark well for ten days to half a month, they’d find everything appealing once they got out.

Qing Ye wasn’t used to eating while walking. She had to finish her food before moving on, so Xing Wu stood on the other side, looking down at his phone.

After a while, Xing Wu suddenly asked her, "Did your dad leave you a lot of money?"

Qing Ye replied absentmindedly, "Not really."

"Then why aren’t you being more careful with your spending?"

Suddenly, the tanghulu in Qing Ye’s hand didn’t seem so appealing anymore. She handed it to Xing Wu. "I don’t want it anymore."

Xing Wu took it, baffled. "I stood in line for so long, and you only ate two before giving up?"

Qing Ye said expressionlessly, "Is there a problem?"

Xing Wu clicked his tongue and was about to throw it away when Qing Ye tugged at his sleeve. "What are you doing?"

"Throwing it away."

"That’s such a waste. You stood in line for so long."

"Then what should I do? I can’t just hold it for you forever, can I, princess?"

"You eat it."

"..."

Xing Wu shot her a sharp glance. "Why should I eat your leftovers?"Do you dislike me?""Qing Ye’s question suddenly reminded Xing Wu of that night when she was drunk, staring at him with the same pitiful expression, saying, 'You’re scaring me.'""

What could Xing Wu do? Could he say he fucking hated hawthorns? He had no choice but to bite into the tanghulu, finishing it in a few mouthfuls to put an end to this endless topic.

True to her word, Qing Ye insisted on treating Xing Wu to hot pot. Since it was lunchtime, Xing Wu had no objections.

But once they sat down, Xing Wu immediately regretted it. This princess wasn’t eating hot pot—she was pointing at whatever she wanted to eat and then staring at him without moving.

Aside from his grandmother, who had cerebral palsy, this was the first time Xing Wu had ever served a woman like this. He was practically a living bodhisattva, just short of feeding her directly.

Qing Ye had ordered a lot but barely ate much herself. Most of it ended up in Xing Wu’s stomach. As they were finishing up, Qing Ye asked curiously, "Why do people in the electronics street call you ‘Jū Huáng’?"

Xing Wu picked up a slice of boiled mutton, tossed it into his mouth, and raised an eyebrow at her. "Want to know?"

Qing Ye tilted her head. Xing Wu patted his stomach and stood up. "I’m going out for a smoke. I’ll tell you later."

Qing Ye waited in her seat while Xing Wu went out for a cigarette. When he returned, he paid the bill without her knowing. By the time Qing Ye called the waiter to settle the bill, she found out and insisted on paying Xing Wu back outside the hot pot restaurant.

Xing Wu said nonchalantly, "Forget it. Save your money for going abroad. Do you think RMB has an unlimited copy function?"

Then he added, "Weren’t you just asking why people call me ‘Jū Huáng’? Come here."Afterwards, Xing Wu took the shopping bags from her and brought her to an arcade. As soon as they entered, the noisy sounds of game machines filled their ears, accompanied by the shouts of many young people.

Qing Ye had previously visited arcades with classmates to play claw machines, basketball games, VR, and the like. However, after starting her second year of high school, she hardly had any time to go out and have fun. The arcades here couldn’t compare to the high-tech ones in Beijing—most of the machines were outdated and obsolete.

Xing Wu led Qing Ye to the innermost part of the arcade, where a crowd had gathered near the bar counter. He squeezed his way in first, then glanced back and saw Qing Ye still standing outside the crowd. Reaching through the people, he stretched out his arm and called, "Give me your hand."

Qing Ye lowered her head in surprise for a moment, then looked up at the boy’s clearly defined knuckles and raised her hand to place it in his. As soon as Xing Wu grasped her hand, he tightened his grip and pulled her in, making space for her in front of him while he stood behind her to shield her from the crowd. Leaning down, he asked, "See the prize pool?"

Qing Ye had been too busy staring at a large game screen, but at Xing Wu’s reminder, she turned her head and saw a sign on the right that read "Prize Area," piled with various kinds of prizes—quite an abundant selection.

Qing Ye nodded, and Xing Wu asked in a rather relaxed tone, "What do you want?"

Qing Ye turned back in surprise. "Huh? Can I just pick whatever I want?"

But then she saw Xing Wu flash her a faint smile. "Go ahead and choose."

Qing Ye turned back and looked for a long time before finally pointing at a box on top of the prize pile. "I want that home barbecue grill."

Xing Wu looked a bit taken aback. "What do you want that for?"

"To have barbecues at home," Qing Ye replied as if it were obvious.

"Alright then."

As soon as Xing Wu finished speaking, a man nearby sneered, "That’s the first prize. You think you can just ask for it? I’ve been coming here for two weeks and still haven’t cleared the level."

Qing Ye blinked and looked at Xing Wu, who leaned close to her ear and whispered, "If I win it, you’re grilling the meat tonight."

With that, he went to the registration counter to sign up. Qing Ye stood there dumbfounded, watching him, wondering where his inexplicable confidence came from.

This shooting game machine was probably the most advanced equipment in the entire arcade, with pretty good graphics. It was a two-player PK elimination match, where the winner would continue to face the next challenger.

After Qing Ye learned the rules from the man next to her, her strong logical reasoning quickly led her to deduce that a later draw position would be more advantageous. That’s because the earlier players would have to face off against strong competitors, and the mental strain would make it harder to perform well as the rounds progressed. In such cases, a later participant might just get lucky and snatch the final victory.

So Qing Ye secretly worried for Xing Wu, hoping he would draw a later slot. But as luck would have it, his draw was terrible—he ended up with the first position. Damn, why didn’t he go buy a lottery ticket instead?

At first, Qing Ye thought the beginning wouldn’t be too difficult. However, the man next to her mentioned that the machine had been adjusted for the competition—it was set to a high-difficulty version. As a result, as soon as the game started, wave after wave of enemies appeared on the screen.

The screen was split into two halves, with identical scenes on both sides. Points were awarded based on the number of enemies eliminated. Of course, even if a player had a high kill count, they would still be eliminated if their health bar ran out before the match ended.The difficulty of this game lies in the fact that each magazine holds only five bullets, and once emptied, players must manually reload. This reloading process leaves them vulnerable to ambushes, often causing contestants to panic and fumble under pressure.

During matches, players must simultaneously secure eliminations, protect their own health from attacks, and constantly manage reloads. Frankly, it's quite challenging—intensely testing both mental fortitude and reflexes.

Qing Ye saw the guy next to Xing Wu, holding the gun with both hands and swaying unsteadily, almost diving into the big screen.

Then she looked at Xing Wu on the other side—one hand tucked in his sweatpants pocket, the other holding the gun. Every five shots, he'd flex his wrist and reload the magazine effortlessly, and damn, he was even using his left hand. Standing there motionless, he seemed to be in a completely different dimension compared to his opponent beside him.

By the time the first round was one-third over, the guy next to him had already run out of health, and the screen displayed a bloody "game over."

Xing Wu turned his head, spotted Qing Ye in the crowd, and tilted his lips into a smirk—an expression brimming with silent arrogance.

The following rounds grew progressively more difficult. By the end, the screen was so densely packed with heads that Qing Ye felt a headache coming on. Anyone with trypophobia would have been done for by then. Although that jerk Xing Wu had finally made it to the finals, compared to his earlier ease, he was now clearly focused, his brow slightly furrowed as he stared intently at the screen.

Xing Wu was tall with a well-proportioned and upright figure. Though he usually carried a lazy demeanor, when concentrated, he exuded a sharp, elite aura. Qing Ye noticed that his gun-slinging posture was actually quite cool.

Just as she was spacing out, a burst of shouts erupted beside her. By the time Qing Ye snapped back to attention, the competition had already ended. Xing Wu casually set down the gun, and a staff member approached him. Xing Wu pointed at the barbecue grill, and the staff directly handed it over to him, then raised his right hand. Instantly, cheers erupted all around.

Qing Ye stared at the barbecue grill in Xing Wu's hands, her eyes lighting up as she smiled with pursed lips.

In addition to the prize, the staff also gave him a membership card worth two hundred yuan. Qing Ye accompanied Xing Wu to the front desk to register and collect the card. The staff asked Xing Wu to provide his ID number to register as a member.

However, after Xing Wu finished reciting it, Qing Ye, standing to the side, widened her eyes and stared at him sideways: "You... February 15th?"

Xing Wu glanced at her: "What?"

Qing Ye's bright, large eyes gradually narrowed into slits, and the corners of her lips curled into her signature look of utter disdain. Suddenly, she turned and leisurely walked out of the arcade.

After getting the card, Xing Wu picked up his things and followed her, giving her a look: "Did you take the wrong medicine?"

Qing Ye tilted her head with a cheerful smile and said in a light voice: "I'm February 13th."

Xing Wu looked baffled: "And then?"

"I'm two days older than you, so... call me 'sis.'"

"..." Xing Wu glanced sideways at her, looking as if her tail was about to wag off—like she'd scored some huge advantage. He ignored her completely and directly mounted the Little Angel.

Qing Ye and Xing Wu were the same age. Who knows how Li Lanfang remembered it or if she just said it offhand? So, the first time they met, she introduced Qing Ye as Xing Wu's cousin. All these days, Qing Ye had assumed Xing Wu was older than her. She thought to herself, "Good thing I never called him 'bro,' or I'd have been at a huge disadvantage. Turns out, I'm actually his older cousin."

On the way back, Qing Ye felt particularly cheerful. Although the person sitting in front of her was the same, his identity had suddenly shifted from older cousin to younger cousin—and the feeling was surprisingly wonderful.

There was a difference between an older cousin and a younger cousin. The difference was that if an older cousin did something, he'd be a jerk, but if a younger cousin did it, she actually felt she could tolerate it. What was that about? After all... he was younger.At this thought, Qing Ye couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile, calling out repeatedly: "Dear cousin, should we buy some meat later? Your sister will grill it for you tonight."

Xing Wu gritted his teeth, really wanting to make a sharp turn and send the woman behind him flying three streets away.

So on the way back, Xing Wu remained silent, only hearing Qing Ye chattering nonstop, seemingly thoroughly enjoying the pleasure of being an elder sister.

Not long after they got home, Huang Mao and Pang Hu arrived carrying barbecue meat and beer. Huang Mao said excitedly: "You actually got a grill? Not bad! As soon as Brother Wu called, I went to buy meat. Look at this beautiful pork belly."

Qing Ye patted Xing Wu's shoulder and said with a laugh: "Of course, my little brother won first place in the competition. Naturally, his excellence is all thanks to having a sister like me."

Huang Mao and Pang Hu were stunned on the spot, simultaneously turning to look at Xing Wu. Xing Wu shot her a glare, then carried the items to the backyard.

Huang Mao quickly chased after him and asked: "Wait, Brother Wu, what's going on? How did the cousin suddenly become the elder sister?"

Xing Wu glanced at him coldly and said: "Shut up."

Seeing that he couldn't get any answers from Xing Wu, Huang Mao went to ask Qing Ye instead. Qing Ye was more than happy to tell him: "I'm two days older than him, what else should he call me if not sister?"

So during the barbecue that evening, Huang Mao sighed while drinking beer: "Your birthdays perfectly avoid Valentine's Day. Did your parents have some kind of grudge?"

Pang Hu chuckled foolishly. Huang Mao moved closer to Xing Wu and whispered: "I originally wanted to be your brother-in-law, but suddenly I've become your sister's man. Sorry, Brother Wu. If you feel I'm taking advantage, we can each use our own terms."

Xing Wu cursed "idiot" and kicked at him. Huang Mao dodged quickly, nimbly moving away with his stool.

Later, when Xing Wu went to the kitchen to cut meat, Huang Mao shuffled his stool over to Qing Ye and asked her: "Was our Brother Wu amazing at shooting this afternoon?"

Qing Ye suddenly remembered something and asked him: "Why do people call him the Sniper King?"

Huang Mao laughed: "Because he is the Sniper King, the number one sniper."

Seeing Qing Ye's confused expression, Huang Mao explained: "The origin of that name goes back more than eight years. A wealthy businessman in the county organized a CS tournament. When Brother Wu heard there was prize money, he went to participate. People saw he was just a kid and pushed him aside, telling him to go play in the mud. Can you believe it? Ten-year-old Brother Wu went up and punched that guy, hahaha..."

Huang Mao got all worked up telling this story. Although Xing Wu repeatedly told Huang Mao to stop boasting about him, in Huang Mao's eyes, Xing Wu was the brightest star in Zhazha Pavilion's night sky.

Qing Ye raised her eyebrows slightly: "And then?"

Pang Hu, having had a few drinks today, became more talkative: "Th-then, that big guy wanted to fi-fight Brother Wu."

Qing Ye tilted her head: "Xing Wu was ten? How could he fight someone?"Huang Mao took over: "It didn’t come to a fight. The staff came over to ask what was going on, and Brother Wu said, ‘Your competition doesn’t have an age limit, so why can’t he participate?’ The organizers had no comeback. Then everyone saw a ten-year-old kid lead his four teammates all the way to the end. After his teammates were wiped out, Brother Wu, as a terrorist, sniped three counter-terrorists and walked away with the three-thousand-yuan prize. Back then, what did three thousand yuan mean to us?"

Pang Hu said sheepishly, "Y-yeah, Auntie Li even set off firecrackers."

"..." That sounded exactly like something Li Lanfang would do—making sure everyone knew her ten-year-old son had brought home the money.

Qing Ye finally understood: "So ‘Sniper King’ means he’s really good at sniping."

Huang Mao took a swig of beer and said, "Not just that. No matter what game Brother Wu plays, his ID is always ‘Sniper King.’ After that competition when he was ten, he became famous in the county. The guys he faced in the finals were all skilled older gamers. After getting to know them, Brother Wu would sometimes play other games with them, and his ID just grew more and more renowned.

Don’t be fooled by how low-key Brother Wu usually is. Let me tell you, big cousin—er, cousin... Whatever—any game in Brother Wu’s hands is like child’s play."

"..." Qing Ye shot Huang Mao a sidelong glance, itching to ask when Xing Wu had ever been low-key. And what game wasn’t meant to be played? Were you supposed to eat it?

Huang Mao, probably getting carried away, glanced toward the kitchen and lowered his voice to Qing Ye: "You don’t know this, but one of the guys Brother Wu met through gaming back then—heard he’s doing really well in Shanghai now. From our little county, and he’s already driving a sports car. He asked Brother Wu to drop out and go to Shanghai to become a pro gamer with him."

Qing Ye knew Xing Wu played games—whenever he had free time, he was always on his phone gaming. She’d never thought much of it; after all, what young guy doesn’t play games these days? But she’d had no idea Xing Wu was that good. If she hadn’t seen it with her own eyes that afternoon, she probably wouldn’t have believed Huang Mao’s bragging.

Qing Ye rested her chin on her hand and thought for a moment. "I heard his grades are terrible? In that case, maybe he should go out and give it a shot."

Huang Mao immediately tutted twice and exchanged a look with Pang Hu. "You big-city folks think differently. When Brother Wu brought it up with his mom, Auntie Li yelled at him for a whole week and even threatened to kill herself."

Qing Ye was baffled. "Why?"

Though Qing Ye’s own grades had never slipped, she believed there were paths in life besides studying. She couldn’t understand why Li Lanfang would resort to such extremes.

Pang Hu chimed in, "S-she said gaming is i-irresponsible. And that Brother Wu was trying to dump his g-grandma on Auntie Li and walk away."

Huang Mao sighed and shook his head. "Yeah, all the neighbors came to persuade Brother Wu, saying he was being ungrateful and irresponsible if he left.""

Qing Ye curled her lip coldly and said disdainfully, "If you’re bad at gaming, it’s irresponsible. If you’re good, you’re an esports star. Whether it’s worthwhile depends on whether you can make money from it. Esports is a legitimate career now, and the prime years in this field are short. If people here cling to their outdated views any harder, they might as well rewind back to pre-liberation times."At Qing Ye's teasing, Pang Hu's face flushed red, and Huang Mao kept sighing.

Later, they talked about the upcoming start of school. When Huang Mao heard her homeroom teacher was the Old Witch, he patted Pang Hu's shoulder and said to Qing Ye with a laugh: "Then you're in the same class as Pang Hu. Don't worry, let Pang Hu look out for you."

"..." Qing Ye looked at Pang Hu's not-so-intelligent expression and stated firmly: "I won't be in the same class as him."

Xing Wu came out with the sliced meat. Originally, it was agreed that Qing Ye would do the grilling tonight, but this young lady only pretended to grill two pieces, one of which got burnt to a crisp. It was truly painful to watch. If she continued like this, half the meat would be ruined.

So after all that, the important task of grilling fell back on Xing Wu. He habitually rolled his short sleeves up to his shoulders, standing lazily in front of the grill. Lazy as he looked, he grilled the meat quite well. Huang Mao and Pang Hu were big eaters, and Qing Ye, seeing them act like bandit chiefs, refused to be outdone. Almost as soon as Xing Wu put the meat on the plate, it vanished in the blink of an eye. Then the three of them stared at him like hungry wolves. After grilling for so long, he himself was still hungry. At this moment, he realized he shouldn't have gone to shoot guns, compete in that contest, or won this grill back in the first place.

While waiting for the meat, Qing Ye propped her chin in her hands and watched Xing Wu. She thought about how he looked during the competition that afternoon - when focused, he exuded sharp intensity, every pull of the trigger accurately hitting the target. She even imagined how cool he'd be if he were holding a real gun. If not for being born into such a family and growing up in this dump, with his physical fitness, he should have joined the army, handled real guns, and developed excellent shooting skills, rather than being buried in this small place where even wanting to become an esports player drew scorn.

Qing Ye had been here for a month now. Though she rarely spoke with the neighbors, she had calm, intelligent eyes that observed the people here daily. She could guess why Li Lanfang opposed Xing Wu's ambitions. Although her nominal aunt was always making a fuss, the reason she dared to carry on like that at her doorstep was because she had her troublemaker son backing her up. If Xing Wu really left this place, Li Lanfang would lose her support and still have to face a paralyzed old woman - her world would effectively collapse.

For Li Lanfang, half her body was already stuck in the mud. She had never seen vast grasslands or expansive oceans - her world was only this swamp, and she never thought about leaving or changing her life. Yet she seemed to constantly struggle in this mire, so she had to desperately hold onto Xing Wu before being completely submerged. The instinct for survival prevented her from pushing Xing Wu forward, only pulling him down constantly.

Suddenly, Qing Ye could visualize it clearly. She even felt Xing Wu was pitiful - he clearly possessed exceptional qualities that set him apart. Though he appeared lazy all day, he could endure hardship and had a quick mind. One could say he had better chances of finding a way out than Huang Mao, Pang Hu, or Liu Nian and the others. Yet he was confined to this gloomy little place by life's burdens and environmental constraints.

Thinking of this, Qing Ye smiled bitterly at herself. Here she was feeling sorry for Xing Wu, when she herself was like a clay idol fording a river - hardly able to save herself.Qing Ye picked up the beer and was about to chug it when she suddenly felt a dark shadow looming over her. Xing Wu leaped over the grill, his long arm snatching the beer from her hand. Just as Qing Ye was about to glare at him, she heard him say, "It's not that I don't want to let you drink, but I can't handle the compliments."

He looked at her with a half-smile, and Qing Ye suddenly remembered how she had drunkenly praised his perky butt last time. Instantly, her cheeks flushed crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to meet his eyes.

She turned to Huang Mao instead and asked, "Why is this place called Zhazha Pavilion? Is it famous for being full of losers?"

The three across from her froze for a moment, and then Huang Mao and Pang Hu burst out laughing. Huang Mao slapped the table, chuckling, "Cousin—no, wait, not cousin—it's not that kind of 'loser.' Back when we were fighting the Japanese, the Red Army camped at the stone pavilion behind here, so it's called Zhazha Pavilion. But... your interpretation isn't entirely wrong either. Our county is the messiest around here, and Zhazha Pavilion takes the crown."

Having been here for a while, Qing Ye had occasionally heard them mention Zhazha Pavilion and had always assumed it was the "loser" kind. This was the first time she learned the name had ties to revolutionary history. Damn, this really is a bizarre place.

But tonight was genuinely the most enjoyable meal she'd had at Xing Wu's house. Before coming to Zhazha Pavilion, she never knew meat could taste this good. Back home, her mom would nag her endlessly just to get her to eat a little meat. Now, Qing Ye truly understood how precious meat was—after all, even Li Lanfang couldn't bring herself to buy this much meat for a single feast.

Qing Ye only had one glass of beer tonight, just enough to feel pleasantly buzzed without getting drunk. After Huang Mao and Pang Hu left, she helped Xing Wu carry the dishes into the kitchen. While he washed them, she leaned against the kitchen doorway, holding a water glass and watching him.

Xing Wu glanced down at her and said, "Aren't you hot standing there?"

Instead of answering, Qing Ye asked, "Didn't you say you were going to the county town to get something today? Where is it?"

Xing Wu turned to look at her. The stars outside the window framed his bright, intense eyes. Qing Ye's face was flushed from the alcohol, and under the dim light of the bulb, her fair skin glowed with an intoxicating pink, as tempting as a ripe peach.

The faucet kept running, water splashing noisily against the plates. The moon quietly climbed over the roof, and the night was so still it felt surreal. For the first time since arriving here, Qing Ye felt a fleeting sense of peaceful contentment.

She curved her lips into a slight smile, her eyelids fluttering. "So there was never anything you needed to get? You just made up an excuse to take me out because you were afraid I'd go stir-crazy cooped up in your house, right?"

Xing Wu didn't deny it, simply lowering his head to continue washing dishes. He didn't need to—Qing Ye wasn't stupid. With a little thought, she could figure it out. After all, she had pitifully complained to him before about being trapped indoors, going moldy, knowing no one, having no friends to talk to, no one to take her out to see the sights, not even knowing where to buy face wash, toner, moisturizer, or sunscreen... She had nothing.

After the incident with Wu Lao Er, Xing Wu had genuinely started worrying that this city girl might spiral into depression. Just the other night, she had been crying and begging to go home, saying she'd go anywhere but here. Who the hell knew how fragile the psyche of a rich girl from the city could be? If she really ran away, it would be a mess.After her mother brought the person home, she basically paid no attention, assuming Qing Ye was as rough-and-tumble as he was—just needing to be fed. If Qing Ye were a guy, Xing Wu wouldn't have bothered at all; running away would've been fine by him. But she happened to be a girl. If she really did something extreme and something happened, his conscience wouldn't let him rest—after all, his mother had taken the money.

Right then, Qing Ye's phone rang. She had left it by the stove when she picked up her bowl earlier. Xing Wu glanced sideways and saw the caller ID: Meng Ruihang.