Dazzling

After finishing their meal, Qing Ye stayed with the two of them until past ten in the evening. Pang Hu conveniently dropped Shi Min off at her home first.

The rolling shutter door was pulled down by Xing Wu. Qing Ye walked to the staircase and called up, "Are you on the second floor?"

No sooner had she spoken than she stumbled into the arms of someone behind her. Xing Wu held her from behind: "I'm right here."

Qing Ye turned around in his embrace: "How come I didn't see you earlier?"

"You need glasses. Wasn't I squatting over there fixing the table leg?"

"What was wrong with the table leg?"

"My mom kept saying the mahjong table was wobbly, so I adjusted it for her."

Suddenly, the house was left with just the two of them, and the atmosphere grew somewhat ambiguous. Xing Wu took the things she was holding, and Qing Ye said to him, "I want to wash my hair."

Winter here wasn't like back at her home, where she could shower every day. But if she went two days without washing her hair, she'd go crazy. However, washing her hair was a massive undertaking for someone with long hair like her—sometimes it was easier to just take a full shower.

Xing Wu glanced at the shampoo chair: "Lie down. I'll put the book away and come right back down."

So Qing Ye obediently let her hair down and lay on the shampoo chair waiting for him. Soon enough, Xing Wu came down efficiently. He pulled over a chair, sat at Qing Ye's head, tested the water temperature, and then wet her hair. Suddenly, he asked her with amusement, "How did you come up with the idea to have Fatty learn opera?"

Qing Ye closed her eyes comfortably and said, "Don't you think he doesn't stutter when he sings?"

"That's true. He even won a spot in our school's top ten campus singers."

"Huh?" Qing Ye opened her eyes and looked at Xing Wu incredulously. Just what kind of casual competition was that?

But she hadn't expected that when she suddenly opened her eyes, Xing Wu's face would be right above hers, so close that she could clearly see each of his distinct eyelashes. Her heart started pounding wildly, and then... she blushed.

Xing Wu glanced at her slightly shy expression, silently curling his lips as he applied shampoo. While massaging her long hair, he said, "I heard from him that he didn't stutter when he was little. Then one night, a rat crawled onto his bed and scared him badly. After that, he seemed to have trouble speaking clearly."

Qing Ye murmured, "How strange."

"But when he gets excited, his stutter disappears."

"???" It comes naturally, and goes away randomly?

This time, after rinsing out the shampoo, Xing Wu knew to apply conditioner. Seeing how much Qing Ye was enjoying it, he rinsed out the conditioner and said to her, "Is the boss satisfied? My services are quite expensive."

Qing Ye laughed boldly and said, "No problem, this lady has money."

Xing Wu wrapped her wet hair and moved to face her: "I don't want money. I want the person."

As he spoke, he leaned down and gently bit Qing Ye's soft lips. Qing Ye opened her mouth with a slight gasp of surprise, and he took the opportunity to claim her glistening lips and tongue. This was the second time Xing Wu had kissed her like this. The faint, sweet fragrance lingered around her nose. Xing Wu didn't know if every girl was like this, but this scent—sweeter than candy without actually being candy—fascinated him.The moment Xing Wu's lips met hers, Qing Ye's heart leaped into her throat, pounding so violently it seemed to stop altogether. The incident in the alley had been too sudden, too chaotic, but now she could feel his kiss, his brows, his warmth with startling clarity right before her eyes. She had never kissed anyone before. Though it looked simple enough in movies, experiencing it firsthand left her utterly bewildered. But as an ambitious academic achiever, how could she simply concede defeat?

Thus, Qing Ye began responding to him with clumsy movements. Unbeknownst to her, her reciprocation sent Xing Wu's mind into a frenzy. His arms, almost uncontrollably, wrapped around her back as he lifted her entire body into an embrace.

Qing Ye's arms draped softly around his neck, her body growing numb from his kisses yet becoming hypersensitive. So sensitive that even through her thick coat, she could feel the warmth of Xing Wu's hand wandering around her waist. A strange sensation bloomed in her chest—like countless tiny insects nibbling at her heart, leaving her weak and boneless. A soft, involuntary moan escaped from deep within her throat.

Xing Wu froze abruptly, pulling away to look at the dazed gleam in her eyes, the flushed cheeks, and the smooth skin disappearing into her collar. Blood rushed violently through his veins as he released her, stood up, and strode out of the backyard without a word.

Qing Ye propped herself up on the shampoo bed, cradling her burning cheeks as her mind went completely blank.

She sat there recovering for what felt like ages before finally rising and entering the barbershop. Plugging in the hairdryer, she settled into a chair, unwrapped the towel, and began drying her hair.

But seeing her crimson cheeks and hazy eyes in the mirror filled her with a mix of embarrassment and alarm. That had been far too dangerous—had they nearly crossed a line? She couldn't tell whether it was her own intense feelings for him or his exceptional kissing skills that left them both in such a disheveled state over a single kiss.

Though Qing Ye had already confirmed her feelings and intended to take this relationship seriously, she never expected to explore uncharted territory with Xing Wu so soon—after all, they had just gotten together.

Yet this incident made her realize Xing Wu was truly a dangerous individual. Why did her principles, boundaries, and rationality vanish the moment she encountered him? Was this man toxic?

Just as Qing Ye lost herself in these chaotic thoughts, the "toxic" man reappeared. He glanced at her before walking behind her and naturally taking the hairdryer from her hands. Her barely settled heart suddenly raced again at his proximity, as though he carried some lethal magnetic field that constantly disrupted her brainwaves.

She had no idea what Xing Wu was feeling now—only that she could no longer share the same space with him. Whenever he appeared, the very air thickened with ambiguous tension, enough to drive anyone insane.

To avoid meeting his gaze in the mirror, Qing Ye closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

By the time Xing Wu finished drying her hair and turned off the hairdryer, she had genuinely fallen asleep—head bowed, leaning against the chairback, fast asleep.Xing Wu had initially intended to wake her and send her upstairs to sleep, but he suddenly felt reluctant. Since the start of the school term, Qing Ye had been getting only five hours of sleep each day, and sometimes even less when unexpected things came up. Though she would spring up like an energized dynamo the moment her alarm went off in the morning, she was, after all, only human—not made of iron. He genuinely felt for her.

So Xing Wu set down the hairdryer, scooped her up into his arms, and carried her carefully upstairs. Qing Ye didn’t stir, nestling quietly in his embrace. Thinking she was still asleep, he was surprised when, just as he laid her on the bed, she grabbed his sleeve with closed eyes and mumbled drowsily, "I’m so tired. Wake me at five."

Then she rolled over and fell back asleep. It was only a little past eleven, and Qing Ye usually stayed up until around midnight or one in the morning. But now, she was so exhausted she couldn’t even keep her eyes open.

Xing Wu marveled at how, even in such a state, she could still remember to make up for that lost hour of sleep in the morning. Truly, the time management skills of a top student were something else. He tucked Qing Ye in, set the alarm, and soon fell asleep himself.

At five, Xing Wu’s phone alarm rang. He picked it up to turn it off and called out, "Qing Ye, it’s five."

Qing Ye, facing away from him and completely cocooned in the blanket, didn’t move. He got up, walked over to her bedside, and nudged her gently. "It’s five."

Only then did Qing Ye rouse herself groggily. By the time she stepped out of the room, toothpaste had already been squeezed onto her toothbrush at the sink, and a basin of warm water was waiting beside it, prepared by Xing Wu. Qing Ye stretched lazily, a smile touching her lips. It was shaping up to be a good day.

She had already finished reviewing all the key vocabulary, function words, and fixed sentence patterns she’d highlighted the day before when Xing Wu returned, carrying a container of plain tofu pudding and steaming meat buns.

The moment he stepped inside, Qing Ye caught the aroma and turned to ask, "You went out to buy breakfast?"

Xing Wu, still carrying the chill from outside, set the food on the desk and said, "Eat first. You can study after you’re full."

Xing Wu was a true carnivore. Qing Ye noticed he couldn’t go a single meal without meat, yet he never seemed to gain weight. Instead, he remained solid and fit.

She glanced at the meat buns and told him, "I only eat the skin, not the filling."

"Who eats meat buns but skips the meat?" he asked.

Qing Ye just smiled at him without answering. Xing Wu split a bun open, keeping the filling for himself and handing her the skin. Holding her book in one hand and the bun skin in the other, she ate with obvious relish.

As Xing Wu opened the container of tofu pudding, Qing Ye began silently reciting an ancient text. He urged her, "Finish the tofu pudding first, or it’ll get cold."

Qing Ye tilted her head toward him and opened her mouth expectantly. Xing Wu raised an eyebrow. "You’re pushing it."

Qing Ye fixed him with a dissatisfied look, even throwing a bit of a tantrum. With a resigned sigh, Xing Wu pulled over a stool, picked up the tofu pudding, and began feeding her. She would write a line, then turn her head to take a bite.

After she finished silently transcribing the entire passage, Qing Ye turned to him and said, "Xing Wu, you’re spoiling me. If this keeps up, I won’t be able to stand anyone else. How about you just feed me for every meal from now on?"

Xing Wu stood up, laughing. "When you’re as old as my grandma, I’ll definitely feed you three times a day."

"Get lost." Qing Ye reached out to swat him, but he dodged easily.The two suddenly fell silent. The words "I'll leave someday" lingered in their hearts like a countdown reminder, yet neither wanted to touch the subject again.

After a while, Qing Ye packed her things and headed to school. Before leaving, she told Xing Wu, "You should sleep a bit more."

Xing Wu leaned against the headboard and turned on his phone. "Can't sleep. I'm boosting someone's rank."

"Do you charge for that?"

"You think I'm running a charity?"

"You're really hustling hard."

Xing Wu chuckled with his head down. "Be careful on your way."

When Qing Ye arrived at school, she found everyone discussing the winter marathon. The classroom was in chaos, with excitement levels as if the school was handing out money.

Qing Ye took out her books and asked, "Do seniors have to participate in the marathon too?"

Xiao Ling Tong immediately turned around excitedly. "Originally not, but remember that girl from Class Six who fainted last week? The school said our physical fitness is poor, worried we might not even make it to the college entrance exams. So they're making us participate to exercise. Plus, we run with An Vocational School every year - they have lots of pretty girls there, it's really fun."

"..." Qing Ye couldn't understand what he found fun about it.

Just hearing the word "marathon" made her head ache. She muttered, "Why is there even a marathon? Do we have spring and autumn outings too?"

This only made Xiao Ling Tong more excited. "We don't have spring or autumn outings this year, but we have Winter Camp!"

"Winter Camp? What's that?" Seeing his excitement, Qing Ye felt a small anticipation - maybe the school would take them to some scenic spot for a few days?

But Feng Bao, the usually quiet classmate who blushed whenever he saw Qing Ye, turned and replied, "They'll take us to Jin Zhong for the county's David Cup."

Xiao Ling Tong added, "Which is basically a math competition."

"..." Qing Ye was utterly speechless. Why call it "David Cup" instead of just saying math competition? Those in the know would understand it's referring to David Hilbert, the 20th century mathematical genius, but others might think it's about that nude man statue at Florence Academy of Fine Arts!

At least when Qing Ye first heard "David Cup," she thought it was some art competition.

She then inquired, "Is this held every year? Who participates?"

Feng Bao told her it's been held for five or six years annually, only between An High School and Jin Zhong, but their school had never won.

Xiao Ling Tong whispered secretly, "I heard from my dad - not sure if it's true - that Jin Zhong funds this competition, so they leak the questions internally. This way they can boast about winning the David Cup for consecutive years and improve their school's reputation. These past few years, many county residents have been paying to get their kids into Jin Zhong."

Qing Ye said puzzled, "Then why do we participate? Why play the fool as runners-up?"

As soon as she said this, Qing Ye realized - Jin Zhong has such good student resources here, it's normal they have connections. Money makes things happen. With leadership coordination, it's considered a county event - how could An High School leaders refuse to participate? Besides, participating costs nothing and looks proactive on surface. Why did she end up in such a pathetic school?

She quickly changed the subject: "Then in previous years, our school should be able to beat An Vocational in the marathon, right?"Xiao Ling Tong said with a grave expression, "And we've never won either."

"..." Can I fucking drop out? Useless in academics, hopeless in sports—Qing Ye instantly felt that An High School was some kind of miraculous existence in this county town. They really ought to scrape off the words "High School" from the sign at the school entrance.

Sure enough, at noon, Lao Yang came to the classroom to announce that this Saturday's marathon, to showcase the spirit of An High students and distinguish them from the vocational school kids, required everyone to wear their school uniforms.

Finally, she specifically called Qing Ye to the office, handed her a brand-new uniform, and earnestly told her that she had specially applied for it from the school, and it was free—urging Qing Ye not to tell anyone and feeling that this favor she'd done for Qing Ye shone with the brilliance of teacherly virtue.

Qing Ye looked at the green-and-red uniform in her hands, not knowing whether to laugh or cry. There was no escaping it after all. She really wanted to tell Lao Yang, "I'll pay you double, can I return this uniform?"

When Qing Ye carried the uniform back to class, Xing Wu happened to be standing in the corridor talking to a guy from the next class. He glanced up and saw Qing Ye's dejected face. After saying a quick word to the others, they returned to their classroom. Xing Wu turned to look at her. Qing Ye peeked back into the classroom before walking up to him and said pitifully, "Lao Yang actually gave me a uniform."

Leaning against the corridor, Xing Wu's face was clear and handsome under the warm winter sun. He said lazily, "Isn't that great?"

But Qing Ye looked displeased. "There's a marathon this Saturday. Can I not participate?"

Xing Wu, however, seemed completely relaxed. "Why not?"

Qing Ye looked up at him. "Wearing this uniform for the marathon would be the shame of my life!"

Xing Wu laughed, a charming curve forming at the corner of his mouth. "I'll wear it with you."

"Do you even have a uniform? I've never seen you wear one."

"Wasn't it too ugly? Even a country bumpkin like me has some taste. I'll look for it when I get back—should be able to find it."

Qing Ye frantically placed her hands on the corridor railing and complained, "I really hate running in winter. It feels hard to even breathe. I'd rather write a few more ancient essays."

Xing Wu teased, "What are you afraid of? If you can't catch your breath, I'll just give you mouth-to-mouth."

His gaze swept scorchingly over her soft lips. Qing Ye immediately blushed guiltily and raised her knee to bump him. Xing Wu didn't dodge, as if her little antics were nothing more than a kitten's scratch to him.

But their natural playfulness instantly froze everyone in the corridor. Even people at the entrance of Class Six across the way stared in shock—Xing Wu was actually smiling at a girl? Smiling? With such a devilish grin? And standing there taking a hit voluntarily?

When Qing Ye realized the surrounding gazes had turned suspicious, she instantly wiped the smile off her face like a Sichuan opera mask change, turned, and strode back to the classroom, clean and decisive.