Dazzling

Xing Wu leaned in to glance at Qing Ye's phone, which displayed a photo of a girl leaning against a boy. Though he didn't recognize the girl in the picture, the boy was someone Xing Wu had seen before—the very sender of this express package.

Watching Qing Ye's dazed expression, Xing Wu suddenly clenched his jaw and said, "You..."

Before he could finish, Qing Ye quickly locked her phone, picked up a set of keys from nearby, and slid open the cardboard box. She took out a few items and said to Xing Wu, "I'm going to study."

Xing Wu didn't respond, leaning against the doorframe as he watched her. Qing Ye's face showed no trace of emotion as she placed the retrieved items on the desk by the window, pulled out the chair, and quietly sat down. Then, picking up a pen, she buried her head in her work.

The room grew so silent that even the sound of the wind outside seemed to vanish. Her back appeared somewhat frail and lonely, sitting there solitary by the window. Xing Wu watched her for a long while before finally stepping out and closing the door.

By past midnight, Li Lanfang had long been asleep. Xing Wu, slumped on the sofa, was drifting in and out of drowsiness. The TV was still on, broadcasting late-night news. In his haze, he seemed to hear a noise downstairs. Slowly opening his eyes, he glanced sideways at the door and noticed his room door was ajar—he wasn't sure when it had opened. Then came the sound of the refrigerator door closing downstairs.

He got up and went downstairs, where he saw a small figure sitting on the threshold of the back door, holding a can of beer and gazing up at the waning moon. Her silhouette seemed sealed within that narrow doorframe, staring at a starry sky that belonged to her alone—lonely and struggling.

That image etched itself into Xing Wu's mind, lingering persistently. Suddenly, he recalled what Li Lanfang had told him on Qing Ye's first day here.

"Her mother just died, and her father's in prison. She's pitiful—now she's counting on us."

At the time, Xing Wu had felt nothing about those words, as if hearing about the misfortunes of someone irrelevant. But now, looking at Qing Ye's back, he felt a suffocating heaviness.

Qing Ye lifted the beer and took another sip. Suddenly, she heard the click of a lighter behind her. Turning around, she saw Xing Wu leaning against the doorframe behind her. The ember of his cigarette flared brightly as he took a drag, then looked down at her with a sidelong glance. "I thought a good student would know that drowning sorrows in alcohol only deepens them."

Qing Ye smirked mockingly and handed him the beer. "Drink with me."

Xing Wu's eyes flickered with surprise as he stared at the beer she offered, uncertain. After all, she had already drunk from it, and their relationship hadn't reached the point of sharing a can.

Qing Ye narrowed her eyes impatiently. "What's with the fuss? Aren't you a grown man?"

Xing Wu chuckled and took the beer. Qing Ye shifted aside, making room for him. He stubbed out his cigarette, swung his long legs over, and sat down beside her.

The threshold was narrow, forcing them to sit almost pressed together. The accidental brush of their elbows made Xing Wu uneasy, but Qing Ye seemed completely oblivious to such details at the moment. Her expression was clearly displeased, perhaps tinged with a bit of sorrow—exactly what she was feeling, Xing Wu couldn't quite decipher.He brought the beer to his lips, then remembered Qing Ye had just drunk from it. A strange feeling stirred in his heart, and he inadvertently glanced at her lips—glistening and petite. His Adam's apple bobbed as he took a sip before handing the beer back to Qing Ye, casually asking, "Bad breakup?"

Qing Ye scoffed as she took the beer. "What breakup?"

"That guy with the surname Meng."

Qing Ye shot Xing Wu a sidelong glance, surprised he remembered even the name. She couldn't help but laugh, tilting her head back to drink from the same spot he had before handing it back. "He's not my boyfriend."

Just as Xing Wu took the beer, she added, "To be precise, we were just engaged."

"..." Xing Wu's hand froze mid-air. He turned to stare at her. Engaged? How old were they even?

Qing Ye leaned back on her hands, gazing at the starry sky as she let out a long sigh. "I just don't get it. He's been following me around since elementary school. In junior high, he confessed he liked me and said he'd marry me someday. He's always treated me well—all these years, I never saw him look at anyone else. Though I never thought about settling down with him so young, if my dad hadn't gotten into trouble, we probably would've ended up together eventually. After all, no one knows me better than he does."

She continued, "Tell me, how is it that just a few months after I left Beijing, he's already with someone else? And of all people, my best friend?"

Before Xing Wu could take a sip, Qing Ye snatched the beer back and gulped down a large mouthful. Wiping her mouth, she said angrily, "I don't even mind them being together. It's just how they went about it—so underhanded. Ruihang and I grew up together. Why couldn't he just tell me? If they really like each other, I'd only wish them well. Am I really that petty? Xing Wu, be honest—am I that kind of person?"

Xing Wu nodded along with her words. Qing Ye glared, and he quickly shook his head, taking the beer back for a sip.

"Then, a while ago, I texted He Leling asking if she was seeing someone, and she didn't say a word. Meanwhile, Ruihang kept messaging me saying he wanted to visit. They're both acting like nothing's wrong."

"Everyone at school knew Meng Ruihang was pursuing me. Even if he changed his mind, all they had to do was tell me. It's not a big deal—we're all still young, right?"

"What pisses me off is them hiding it from me, making me look like a fool while everyone else knew."

"If Jesse hadn't sent me their photo, would I have had to wait until their wedding to find out?"

Xing Wu had no idea who this "Jesse" was—Chinese or foreign? Qing Ye didn't seem interested in explaining, treating him like a trash can as she poured out her grievances.

He stayed silent, quietly listening.

Qing Ye snatched the beer back, tilting it up only to find it empty. Fuming, she crushed the can and glared at Xing Wu. "How could you drink it all? We said we'd take turns!"

Xing Wu looked baffled. "It just happened to be empty when it was my turn."

Qing Ye grew even angrier. "Couldn't you have saved me the last sip?"

Xing Wu stared at her for a few seconds before suddenly laughing. "Do you throw tantrums like this with your old classmates too?"Qing Ye lifted her chin proudly and said, "Of course not, I'm very easy to get along with."

Xing Wu teased, "Then why are you so unreasonable with me?"

Qing Ye pouted and suddenly leaned close to him, her slightly flushed cheeks glowing with adorable charm. Squinting her eyes, she said, "Because you're a jerk. All men are jerks, all of them..."

Her legs had grown numb from sitting, so she steadied herself against the doorframe and stood up. Xing Wu, however, remained frozen in place, his nostrils still tingling with the faint trace of her sudden closeness.

After rising to her feet, Qing Ye stepped over the threshold and headed toward the staircase. But in the darkness, someone suddenly grabbed her arm. Before she could react, Xing Wu had pinned her against the wall, looking down at her with a commanding gaze. "Who did you call a jerk?" he demanded.

Her wrists trapped against the wall, Qing Ye struggled futilely. Fueled by the alcohol, she erupted in anger: "You're all jerks! If my dad hadn't chased after so many women outside, my mom's condition wouldn't have worsened from his provocations. Even while my mom lay sick in bed, those women flaunted themselves, waiting to take her place. I wish I could kill them all! What are they after? My dad's money! Why can't he see that? Where are those women now that he's gone? Why aren't they stepping forward anymore?"

Xing Wu stared at her in stunned silence. This was the first time Qing Ye had spoken about her family in front of him—the ugly truth beneath the glamorous facade, laid bare with such raw hysteria.

Tears streamed silently down her cheeks as she lifted her head and glared at him defiantly. "I have no home, Xing Wu. I'm not like you—you still have your mom, your grandma. At the very least, your dad can come back. But me? I don't even know where I can go once I step out of your house. And now, even the friend I grew up with... I don't want to use the word 'betrayal,' but this feeling is fucking awful."

Gradually, Xing Wu released her wrists. Her arms fell limply to her sides as he lowered his gaze and gently wiped the tears from her cheeks. The warmth of his fingers against her skin sent a faint electric current coursing through them, causing both to tremble slightly. His unexpected tenderness made Qing Ye feel as if she were hallucinating. She stared blankly at the shadow cast by his long lashes, the cold yet sensual curve of his lips, and the fragmented light shimmering in his eyes when he looked up—shattering her proud defenses.

His voice, carrying a warm allure in the darkness, whispered to her, "Isn't this your home? Have we ever treated you like an outsider? If we really did, I would've kicked you out the moment you called me a jerk."

Qing Ye lowered her head, sniffing softly, and muttered, "But you've been avoiding me on purpose."

Xing Wu chuckled lightly. "Then what do you want me to do? Aren't you afraid? Afraid of falling into my hands?"

Qing Ye rubbed her eyes and looked up again, her gaze bright and resolute. "Xing Wu, no one can influence me. My mom spent her whole life depending on men, and look where it got her. But I won't. Don't be so confident—I could never fall into your hands."

Xing Wu suddenly laughed, a complex, inscrutable light flickering in his narrow eyes. He joked half-seriously, "You wouldn't, but have you ever thought about me? What if I fall into your hands?"

Qing Ye stared at him in stunned silence, momentarily at a loss for how to answer a question she had never once considered.Xing Wu casually straightened up and said to her: "It's half past one. Aren't you going to class tomorrow?"

Qing Ye turned and went upstairs, and the two ended this perplexing conversation.

Although Qing Ye hadn't fallen asleep until almost two o'clock the previous night, she was standing by the sofa kicking Xing Wu's leg before six the next morning. Xing Wu irritably pulled the pillow over his face, but Qing Ye snatched it away and said to him: "Get up for school."

"..." Xing Wu seriously suspected she was sleepwalking.

He squinted at the pitch-black window: "Are you having a cramp? It's still dark, what school?"

Qing Ye, already fully dressed with her backpack on, walked toward the staircase while saying to him: "You've got ten minutes. Hurry up and come down."

Xing Wu remained lying motionless. Only when the sound of footsteps descending the stairs gradually faded did he suddenly sit up and rub his head.