Dazzling

Xing Wu didn't go home for dinner, instead taking Qing Ye to a small, casual eatery. Had he not brought her here, she wouldn't have known this place had such a quaint, bourgeois spot.

But since Qing Ye had already eaten noodles, Xing Wu ordered a steak for himself and got her some sago pudding, fries, and other snacks.

He wasn't talkative today, with a trace of weariness between his brows—whether from just finishing a match or because of what happened that morning, it was hard to say.

Qing Ye felt she should say something about the incident at home that morning. Some things were better spoken aloud than kept bottled up, but how to broach the subject became the problem.

So she found an innocuous starting point: "You really don't look like your dad at all."

Xing Wu lifted his gaze to hers, then turned his head to glance indifferently out the window. "Never heard of genetic mutation?"

"..." Well, his genes must be exceptionally powerful, mutating so dramatically—almost like a Transformer.

The sago pudding arrived. Qing Ye took a sip through the straw, the tiny pearls forming a continuous line up the tube. It was then that things that had once seemed abnormal to her suddenly connected.

Genetic mutation. Wielding a knife against him. Years of absence from home. Li Lanfang's indulgence.

None of these had made sense to Qing Ye. For instance, no matter how much genes mutated, they wouldn't make father and son completely dissimilar. "Even a vicious tiger doesn't eat its cubs"—few fathers would raise a blade against their son, no matter how wicked, let alone seek to ruin him. And despite his prolonged absences, however furious Li Lanfang might feel, she still gave him her bank card.

Yes, none of it aligned with normal logic. But if the premise changed—if Xing Wu wasn't actually Xing Guodong's son, or if Li Lanfang had betrayed Xing Guodong and given birth to Xing Wu—then of course he wouldn't resemble him. Of course Xing Guodong would loathe Xing Wu enough to brandish a knife. Of course Li Lanfang had spent all these years swallowing her pride, not daring to make a scene. Viewed this way, everything seemed to fall into place.

"You have no idea how much others have to sacrifice to choose success. No one wants to parade their shame before others."

Quan Ya's words from earlier suddenly surfaced in Qing Ye's mind. She looked up at Xing Wu, his brow clouded by an unshakable haze. In that moment, she seemed to glimpse the invisible weight crushing his shoulders. Though the full picture remained unclear, her heart clenched faintly—both because of this speculation and because of him.

So, the comforting words she'd intended to offer were swallowed back, and she changed the subject instead: "I heard from Quan Ya that you compete in matches for others? Do you often get such jobs?"

The steak arrived. Xing Wu cut into it as he replied, "Not often. Some guys I used to know formed a team. They occasionally take on unofficial private matches and ask me to help out. They make some money that way. I can't compete in official or professional tournaments."

"Why not?"

"Most competitions now require live participation—no substitutes allowed. Some even use facial recognition."

Qing Ye kept her eyes fixed on Xing Wu's hands. His fingers were distinct and well-defined, and the way he held the knife and fork was particularly pleasing to the eye. Noticing her stare, Xing Wu simply forked a piece of steak and offered it to her lips. Qing Ye hesitated, then took a bite—it was quite tender. After finishing it, she pointed at his plate again.

Xing Wu fed her another piece and said, "Might as well just order you your own portion."Qing Ye shook her head: "No, I want to eat yours."

"..." In the end, this young lady who claimed to be full shared half of her steak with him.

Although the next day was a weekend, Xing Wu said he had something to do and left early in the morning.

By the afternoon, more and more people came into the shop, so Qing Ye simply went upstairs to study. However, around six o'clock, Du Qiyan suddenly rushed upstairs to call her: "Qing Ye, Qing Ye, there's a guy looking for you. He says he came from Beijing."

Qing Ye pulled off her earphones and stood up. The first person she thought of was Sun Shu, wondering why he hadn’t called ahead to let her know he was visiting.

But when she hurried downstairs with light, quick steps and saw Meng Ruihang standing at the entrance of Dazzle Island, she froze completely.

Seeing Meng Ruihang again, and in a place like Zhazha Pavilion, felt somewhat unreal to Qing Ye. He was wearing a khaki wool coat, looking refined and handsome, with a small black rolling suitcase beside him and a paper bag on top.

When he saw Qing Ye coming down from the second floor through the glass door, a long-lost, warm smile spread across his face, tinged with a sense of relieved excitement.

Qing Ye was indeed taken aback at the sudden sight of him. She never expected Meng Ruihang to show up like this. After just a few seconds, she walked out of Dazzle Island, her hands tucked into her hoodie pockets.

Facing each other again, both felt a little awkward. Meng Ruihang’s unease came from worrying that Qing Ye might be upset by his unexpected visit, while Qing Ye’s discomfort stemmed from him seeing her in such an embarrassing place.

For a moment, neither of them spoke. Qing Ye shifted her gaze to the familiar paper bag, and Meng Ruihang suddenly remembered something. Turning around, he handed her the bag: "From that place you always go to—lemon cheesecake. I was afraid they wouldn’t be open in time for the earliest flight today, so I queued up yesterday afternoon. I thought they might not sell this here and that you might be craving it."

Qing Ye lowered her eyes and took the bag. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Li Lanfang and the others peeking outside, grinning and watching curiously. Feeling flustered, she said to Meng Ruihang, "Wait for me a moment."

Qing Ye went back into Dazzle Island, set the cake down, and asked Liu Nian, "Are there any hotels around here?"

Liu Nian told her, "On Fourth Alley, the road that leads to your school—before you reach the school, take a left at the intersection. There’s only one hotel there; you’ll see it when you get there."

Qing Ye nodded and glanced at Li Lanfang. "I won’t be back for dinner tonight."

Then she hurried out. Li Lanfang, however, watched Qing Ye and Meng Ruihang’s retreating figures with gossipy delight, grinning from ear to ear. "That young man is handsome. You can tell he’s from a well-off family—that coat looks expensive." Du Qiyan and the others also craned their necks to watch.

Once outside, Qing Ye said to Meng Ruihang, "Let me take you to get something to eat first. It’s not easy to find your way around here."

Meng Ruihang’s eyes never left Qing Ye’s face as he smiled and said, "It really is hard to find. After I got off the bus, I had to ask for directions the whole way. I passed this intersection a few times and kept circling back."

Qing Ye kept her eyes on the ground and murmured a quiet "Mm."

There weren’t any decent restaurants in the Zhazha Pavilion area, so Qing Ye picked a relatively clean stir-fry place with only four tables. After they sat down, she handed the menu to Meng Ruihang and said, "It’s a small place—hope you don’t mind."

Meng Ruihang took the menu, his gaze fixed on her with a complicated expression. "Why are you being so distant?"Qing Ye turned her head away without speaking. Meng Ruihang ordered several dishes, all of which were Qing Ye's favorites. The owner poured them two cups of tea, and Qing Ye fiddled with the disposable plastic cup. She wore a loose, lazy hoodie, her curly long hair cascading over her shoulders, her porcelain-white cheeks soft and pure.

After handing the menu back to the owner, Meng Ruihang looked at her and couldn't help but remark, "You changed your hairstyle?"

Qing Ye glanced up at him, swept her hair behind her shoulders, and asked, "What time is the return ticket for tomorrow?"

Meng Ruihang paused. "You're kicking me out already? You really..."

"Don't come again next time. It's not good."

Meng Ruihang leaned back in his chair and laughed. "What's not good about it?"

Qing Ye pursed her lips indifferently. "Everything's not good. Do you have a lot of free time?"

"I thought if I don't come see you now, I won't have time later."

The dishes arrived one after another. Meng Ruihang asked about her results from the last monthly exam and said to her, "Not bad. Don't push yourself too hard. I'll help you figure out the study abroad stuff..."

"Ruihang." Qing Ye suddenly cut him off with a smile. "You don't need to worry about my matters."

Meng Ruihang opened his mouth but didn't continue. They chatted about some school matters instead. By the time they left the small stir-fry restaurant, it was already dark outside. Qing Ye said to him, "Let me take you to the inn."

But Meng Ruihang insisted on seeing Qing Ye's school, so she took him for a walk around An Zhong High School. The gates were tightly shut on the weekend evening. Standing at the entrance, Meng Ruihang gazed at the teaching building and suddenly said, "A lot of people at school must be chasing after you, right?"

Qing Ye replied flatly, "No one dares."

Meng Ruihang turned to her in surprise, then laughed. "Right, the boys here..." He withdrew his gaze to the building shrouded in darkness, his tone growing heavier. "Probably can't catch up to you."

But Qing Ye curled her lips and lifted her chin. "Who says."

Meng Ruihang looked at her again, but Qing Ye had already turned away and said, "We've seen it. Let's go."

So they went to the inn Liu Nian had mentioned. Standing at the entrance, both of them were stunned. A shabby sign, likely with a broken light tube, flickered intermittently, displaying the words "Guest Come Grand Hotel." Grand? It was just a narrow, pitch-black staircase barely wide enough for one person, leading upward with no end in sight. The walls were covered in dark, grimy small ads, making it look like a shady establishment.

Qing Ye cleared her throat and said to Meng Ruihang, "Should we go stay in the county town instead?"

Meng Ruihang picked up his luggage. "No need to trouble. This is fine."

Then the two of them ascended the narrow staircase. On the second floor, a middle-aged woman sat at the front desk, playing Spider Solitaire on an old-fashioned computer. Qing Ye walked up to the counter and asked, "Do you have any rooms?"

The woman didn't even lift her eyelids. "ID card."

Qing Ye turned around, and Meng Ruihang had already taken out his ID and placed it on the counter. The owner took the ID and finally looked up at them, then said to Qing Ye, "Yours."

Qing Ye quickly explained, "I'm leaving soon. I'm not staying here."

The middle-aged woman gave them a meaningful look, registered the information, and handed them a key. Qing Ye took the key and examined it—quite peculiar. Why wasn't it a key card? Whatever.

She turned to Meng Ruihang and said, "Room 213."The corridor felt oppressive with its low ceiling, and the carpet on the floor gave off an unclean vibe. Qing Ye walked ahead while Meng Ruihang followed behind, carrying the luggage. She stopped at room 213 and said, "Here."

Then she unlocked the door with the key. Surprisingly, it was a standard room with two single beds. The bathroom had a shower, but the facilities were outdated, and there was no television.

Qing Ye glanced around before turning to Meng Ruihang and saying, "Make do for the night. I’ll head back now."

Meng Ruihang set down the luggage and said to her, "Wait, I brought some things for you."

Then Qing Ye watched as he unzipped the small suitcase. It didn’t contain many clothes—just a few sets of study materials and some books. A quick glance at the covers told Qing Ye they would be useful to her.

Meng Ruihang took the items out and packed them neatly before saying, "They’re too heavy. Maybe I can bring them over to you tomorrow."

Qing Ye picked up one of the review handouts. "I’ll take this one back to read first."

But Meng Ruihang suddenly said to her, "If you’re short on money while you’re out here alone, I can give you some for now."

Qing Ye lowered her head, flipping through the handout without responding. Meng Ruihang stood in front of her, watching. She closed the book, set it aside, and suddenly looked up, staring straight at him. "Is this amusing?"

Meng Ruihang frowned in confusion. "Qing Ye, I know my family’s decision back then was hurtful. Do you think these past few months have been easy for me? I’ve argued with my dad countless times. His position is sensitive right now, with many eyes on him. He couldn’t openly let you stay, but he’s already working on your dad’s situation."

Qing Ye simply nodded and replied calmly, "Thank your family for me. Whether my dad gets out or not, I, Qing Ye, will remember this kindness and repay it someday."

"As for you," she continued, "please don’t come looking for me again. If He Leling finds out, she might think there’s something between us. That wouldn’t be good."

Meng Ruihang froze. "He Leling? What does she have to do with this?"

Qing Ye let out a cold laugh, shoved her hands into her hoodie pockets, and took a step back. "That’s why I asked if this is amusing. Do you take me for a fool or what? Ruihang, let’s not make things so ugly that we can’t even be friends."

With that, she picked up the book and turned to leave. But Meng Ruihang grabbed her arm. "Explain yourself. What does He Leling have to do with any of this?"

Qing Ye glanced back at him, then lowered her head to open her phone and showed him a photo. Meng Ruihang took one look and pulled Qing Ye back from the hallway. "That day was He Leling’s birthday party. Almost everyone there took photos with her, not just me."

Qing Ye put her phone away and gave him a cool, assessing look. She wasn’t stupid—if nothing had happened between them, Jesse wouldn’t have sent her that photo.

The room fell into silence. Meng Ruihang, seeing the icy look in Qing Ye’s eyes, suddenly sat down on the bed, bowing his head. "Fine. After you left, she confessed to me. I was a mess during that time, shocked by the whole thing, so I didn’t give her an answer. At her birthday party, in front of everyone, she said she wanted to be with me. I didn’t want to embarrass her, especially on her birthday, so I didn’t refuse her right then. I waited until the next day to clarify things. I handled it poorly, but Qing Ye..."

He looked up, his gaze steady on her. "I never even held her hand."

...When Xing Wu returned home, it was already past eight. Du Qiyan had gotten off work, while Liu Nian and Li Lanfang were still tidying up. Xing Wu washed his hands, went upstairs and circled around, but didn’t see Qing Ye. He came back down, poured himself a glass of water, and casually asked, “Where’s Qing Ye?”

Li Lanfang said with animated excitement, “This afternoon, a handsome young man from Beijing came looking for her. Could he be Qing Ye’s boyfriend? They seemed really close and left together. She didn’t come back for dinner.”

A dark undercurrent gradually stirred in Xing Wu’s eyes. He tilted his head back and downed the entire glass of water in one gulp. Li Lanfang muttered, “I wonder if Qing Ye will come back tonight? Wu, do you think I should call and ask her?”

Xing Wu set down the glass, his tone calm as he turned his head to the side. “Where did she go?”

“Probably to the inn on Si Tiao Alley.”

Xing Wu looked at Liu Nian, who told him, “Before Qing Ye left, she asked me where there was an inn nearby. Maybe she took that guy to get a room.”

Then, turning back to Li Lanfang, Liu Nian added, “Boss Li, I think it’s best you don’t call. What if he really is Qing Ye’s boyfriend? Wouldn’t it be awkward to call? They probably don’t get to see each other often.”

Although Li Lanfang felt it was inappropriate for a girl to stay out overnight, she thought Qing Ye wasn’t like other thoughtless young girls. She always had a mind of her own and wouldn’t act recklessly. Li Lanfang was also afraid of being snubbed if she called, especially since Qing Ye usually didn’t care much about what others said.

But just as Li Lanfang was hesitating, Xing Wu had already grabbed his motorcycle keys and strode out. Li Lanfang called after him, “You just got back—where are you going now?”

Xing Wu didn’t answer. His motorcycle spun around sharply in the darkness and sped straight toward Si Tiao Alley.