Dazzling

Da Hei's house wasn't far from Zhazha Pavilion. Though the house itself was small, it had a large courtyard where his family had built a simple structure with a big round table. His parents had gone to his grandmother's early in the morning for New Year celebrations, but Da Hei hadn't joined them after receiving Quan Ya's call about the incident at Xing Wu's place.

His family had prepared plenty of dishes for the New Year. Da Hei immediately put on an apron and started cooking upon entering, wielding the wok with impressive skill. Hua Bi and the others lounged in the living room watching TV while waiting for the meal. It was only then that Quan Ya found time to ask Xing Wu about what happened the previous night.

Xing Wu unwrapped a lollipop from the snack box, popped it into his mouth, and exchanged a few words with Quan Ya. When he turned and saw Qing Ye leaning against the kitchen doorway watching Da Hei flip the wok, he glanced at her a few times before walking over. Leaning against the opposite side of the doorway, he told her, "Da Hei's uncle runs a small restaurant in the county town. He worked there for a while."

No wonder he looked so practiced, Qing Ye thought. She glanced at the lollipop in Xing Wu's mouth, then directly snatched it and put it in her own mouth.

Xing Wu raised an eyebrow with a half-smile, his gaze full of affection as it faintly brushed over her lips. "What's with you?"

Qing Ye found it strange—ever since last night, she kept feeling like Xing Wu's eyes were electric. Whenever he looked at her, she'd get this jolted sensation inside.

With the lollipop in her mouth, she said to him, "I'm hungry."

"Didn't you eat what was in the bag?"

"I forgot."

Xing Wu tapped her forehead. "Too busy running, huh?"

Qing Ye felt so embarrassed she wanted to hide. She simply ignored him and walked to the living room. Pang Hu happened to be sitting nearby cracking sunflower seeds. When he looked up and saw Qing Ye and Xing Wu walking over one after the other, he suddenly sensed something off.

Why was the red lollipop that Brother Wu had been carrying in his mouth now in Qing Ye's? He glanced at Xing Wu again—his lollipop was indeed gone. Though Pang Hu didn't understand, he didn't dare ask. After a moment of puzzlement, he figured Qing Ye must have gotten it from somewhere else and didn't think further.

This was Qing Ye's first time having New Year's Eve dinner with a group of guys. No, to be precise, it was her first time away from family, celebrating the New Year with peers she'd only known for a few months.

The feeling was somewhat surreal, but their boisterous energy soon made her forget her homesickness. Watching them drink and share amusing childhood stories, everything felt fresh and fascinating to Qing Ye, whose upbringing had been completely different.

The New Year's Eve feast was abundant. Though not as extravagant as the hotel banquets her father used to book in previous years, the flavors and variety were no less impressive. Having eaten nothing all day, Qing Ye developed a hearty appetite as soon as she sat down. While the others drank, she quietly ate two bowls of rice.

After a few drinks, the brothers circled back to the fire at Xing Wu's house. Qing Ye learned that the police had visited Xing Wu's home that morning because last night's fire had damaged the exterior walls of several neighboring houses. Since their backyard was communal, it inevitably involved public property, and they were expected to compensate for the losses.

As for the cause of the fire, there was no real investigation. Fireworks and firecrackers weren't banned here, so every New Year there were always a few households experiencing fires of varying degrees. The police seemed accustomed to such incidents and left after a brief visit.Since it was New Year's Eve, to avoid ruining everyone's holiday, they didn't pursue compensation matters further, though they did mention handling it after the new year.

Qing Ye didn't know which household was seeking compensation, but there were only a few families neighboring Dazzle Island. At times like these, one couldn't expect neighbors to help each other—at the very least, they shouldn't kick someone when they're down. But for people in this impoverished place, noble virtues weren't worth half a penny. When you can't even manage your own life properly, how could you expect to aid others in distress? What a pipe dream!

Qing Ye finally understood why Xing Wu had been so furious earlier. With such a disaster, the family's livelihood was left uncertain. As parents, they had neither ideas nor money. On New Year's, there wasn't even vegetable leaves being sold on the streets. If Xing Wu hadn't brought back a large bag of groceries, they'd still be wallowing in self-pity, completely neglecting basic survival.

Qing Ye's mood suddenly grew heavy. She felt Xing Wu was carrying too much on his shoulders—he had to take care of her, look after his family, and deal with all the troubles around them. No wonder he couldn't even find time to sleep.

Hua Bi sighed and said, "Brother Wu, what a miserable New Year you're having!"

But Xing Wu glanced at Qing Ye and said unhurriedly, "It's not too bad."

Qing Ye turned her head to meet his gaze, seeing the tenderness hidden deep in his eyes that only she could decipher. Yes, it wasn't too bad—at least they were together.

Huang Mao immediately exclaimed, "How is this not bad? Brother Wu, no offense, but you've got such a good mindset. I would've gone crazy by now."

Noticing Qing Ye really liked the plate of braised duck feet, Xing Wu simply moved the entire plate in front of her and said absently, "We can figure out the house situation later. What matters is that everyone's safe."

The brothers chimed in, "That's true..."

So they drank and reminisced about old times while Qing Ye sat beside Xing Wu, nibbling on duck feet as a devoted listener, thoroughly enjoying their stories and completely unaware of the braising sauce smeared around her mouth.

Xing Wu glanced at her sideways, pulled out a tissue and said, "Bring your face here."

With her hands dirty, Qing Ye could only lean her face toward him. Xing Wu gently wiped the corner of her mouth.

Pang Hu didn't know what was wrong with himself—he kept unconsciously glancing at Xing Wu and Qing Ye. He just felt there was something unusual about them. He hadn't felt this way before, and didn't know what was going on today.

But when he looked around, no one else seemed to react. They acted as if they hadn't seen the couple's intimate gesture, even usually chatty Huang Mao showed no response. Pang Hu decided he must have something wrong with his head today.

Hua Bi asked, "So where did you guys sleep last night?"

Xing Wu replied casually, "Got a room." Qing Ye lowered her head without saying a word.

Quan Ya spoke up: "Shu Han has moved to the county town now. Why don't you stay at my place for a while?"

Xing Wu said flatly, "No need."

Pang Hu, however, was quite enthusiastic: "Y-you can't keep staying in hotels forever. Th-the cost would be too much. How about you, Brother Wu, st-stay at my place? My bed's big enough, we c-can squeeze in together. You'd save on one room at least."

Quan Ya and Da Hei, having more life experience, understood immediately when Xing Wu declined Quan Ya's offer—staying together probably wasn't convenient. Though everyone recognized the reason, they tactfully avoided mentioning it.Yet this chubby little guy, simple-minded and naive, actually wanted Xing Wu to abandon the lovely, delicate girl and go sleep with him instead. Where’s his shame?

The others were busy lighting cigarettes or pouring drinks, no one making a sound. Huang Mao stared at Pang Hu as if he were an idiot, feeling utterly exasperated!

Xing Wu gave a faint, ambiguous smile as he pulled out a cigarette and said to him, "I don’t sleep with men."

Qing Ye clutched her disposable cup, feeling inexplicably awkward.

Xing Wu lowered his head to light the cigarette, then tossed the pack to Quan Ya across from him and asked, "Where was Da Cao last night?"

Quan Ya took a cigarette from the pack: "He was pulling an all-nighter at Kuang Ren with Xiao Bin and the others."

Xing Wu leisurely exhaled a cloud of smoke, his expression unreadable as he looked at Quan Ya. "After the fifth day of the lunar new year, find some time to set up a meeting with Da Cao for me."

The table suddenly fell silent. Even Qing Ye looked up and stared at Xing Wu. The sharp, cold lines of his profile showed no emotion, but it was precisely this demeanor that made Qing Ye uneasy.

Huang Mao, unable to hold back any longer, blurted out first, "Brother Wu, why are you looking for Da Cao?"

Xing Wu held the cigarette between his lips, his arm draped over the back of the chair and his legs crossed. He appeared casual and unrestrained, but the light in his eyes was chillingly cold. Lowering his gaze slightly, he took a deep drag from his cigarette and said slowly, "To have a little chat with him."

Qing Ye felt her heartbeat quicken, her sense of unease growing stronger. But with so many people around, she couldn’t press for details. She could only furrow her brows and fix her gaze firmly on Xing Wu.

Sensing her stare, Xing Wu glanced sideways at her and gave her a slight smile, as if telling her not to worry.

Quan Ya asked, "Have you thought it through?"

Xing Wu’s gaze remained locked on Qing Ye’s face, the corner of his mouth still slightly upturned. Watching Qing Ye, he replied, "Since he’s crossed my bottom line, he should be prepared for a fight to the death. Pass that message to him."

Under his intense gaze, Qing Ye’s heart raced even faster. She seemed to have guessed what Xing Wu was planning to do, but she couldn’t estimate the consequences of his actions.

But soon, Xing Wu changed the subject and asked Huang Mao when the driving school would reopen. Huang Mao was taken aback: "Huh? What driving school?"

Xing Wu gave a faint smile. "Have you lost your mind?"

Huang Mao immediately caught on and replied, "The seventh day."

Xing Wu said nothing more. In the living room, the Spring Festival Gala continued to broadcast its usual skits, and the group in the yard had mostly finished eating.

Da Hei came inside and tossed an envelope in front of Xing Wu. Xing Wu glanced down at it. Huang Mao and the others also took out envelopes from their pockets and handed them to him.

Da Hei said, "It’s not much, just a little token from the brothers. Take it for now."

Finally, Quan Ya pulled a neatly tied black bag from the inner pocket of his jacket and placed it in front of Xing Wu without a word.

Qing Ye hadn’t expected these seemingly penniless young men, who usually appeared to have nothing, to empty their savings to support Xing Wu at a time like this.

Huang Mao and Pang Hu were still students with no real source of income, yet they still managed to contribute several thousand. Da Hei and Hua Bi’s envelopes were thick, likely containing no less than ten thousand each. As for Quan Ya, a man of few words but fierce actions, Qing Ye estimated that stack had to be at least twenty or thirty thousand.

She didn’t know how Xing Wu felt at that moment, but her own emotions were in turmoil. At Xing Wu’s most difficult time, these brothers stood by him, supporting him without hesitation. Their loyalty moved her deeply.She turned her head to look at Xing Wu, who merely lowered his gaze, his thick lashes veiling the complex light in his eyes. Without a word, Qing Ye tactfully rose and went to the living room, giving the brothers some space to talk.

She understood that although there was no longer any need for her and Xing Wu to avoid suspicion, some situations might feel more natural for him if she wasn't present.

She sat in the living room watching the Spring Festival Gala for a while when Xing Wu soon called out to her from outside: "Qing Ye, let's go."

She stood up and zipped up her down jacket. Everyone was starting to put on their coats, ready to leave. As she walked over to Xing Wu, he nudged her and said, "Say goodbye to Da Hei."

Qing Ye, being sensible, said to Da Hei, "Thank you for the New Year's Eve dinner—it truly had the flavor of a top-tier chef from Anzi County."

She gave him a thumbs-up, and Da Hei smiled, saying, "Come back to eat tomorrow."

Xing Wu waved his hand. "No, we have other matters."

Qing Ye said to him, "Happy New Year." Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed the envelope Da Hei had placed in front of Xing Wu was still on the table.

Da Hei also wished her, "Happy New Year. The roads are rough, so be careful on your way back."

It was almost eleven by the time they left Da Hei's house. Everyone parted ways at the intersection. The outdoor temperature was very low, with no sign of the snow melting. However, the night snowscape sparkled brightly all around, shimmering with tiny points of light, as if illuminating their way home.

Qing Ye walked beside Xing Wu, silently watching him. That morning, Xing Wu had hastily bought a tracksuit from a small shop—there was no other option, as the clothes from the day before were too dirty to wear. Though not a particularly fussy person, he always kept himself neat and clean. Despite the poor craftsmanship of the cheap tracksuit, it surprisingly didn't look shabby on him. It was just thin and didn't seem very warm.

After walking for a while, Qing Ye spoke up: "You didn't take their money?"

Xing Wu, with his hands in his pockets, gazed at the pale road ahead and said calmly, "Everyone's struggling, especially Huang Mao and Fatty. Where would they get the money? They probably pooled it with their families. How could I take that money?"

Qing Ye fell silent. She had guessed Xing Wu wouldn't take it. He never liked troubling others and, among these people, he was more like a spiritual pillar. Though not the oldest, they all called him "brother," not just because of his courage and decisiveness, but also because he always considered his brothers' situations, earning their unconditional support.

Seeing her avoid the cleared path and tread only on the thick, untouched snow, Xing Wu pulled her over and said, "Walk properly."

Qing Ye ignored him, proudly declaring, "I walk my own path and firmly refuse to follow where others have stepped."

Her words sounded resolute, but in reality, she just wanted to play in the snow. Xing Wu found her playful demeanor amusing—it seemed like the first time he had relaxed since morning.

After a few more steps, Qing Ye couldn't resist asking, "Are you going to find Da Cao because you suspect he's connected to the fire at your home?"

A cold smile touched the corner of Xing Wu's mouth. "The timing of that fire was suspicious—right before New Year's Eve. If it was arson, he's definitely involved. Da Cao holds grudges; he took a fall because of me last time, and I've been wondering why he hasn't made a move all this time."

"Then why didn't you tell the police this morning when they came?"

Xing Wu shifted his gaze back to her. "Tell them what? Where's the evidence?"Qing Ye suddenly remembered that at the dinner table earlier, Xing Wu had asked Quan Ya where Da Cao was last night. If he had been gaming with someone at the internet cafe the whole time, he would have a perfect alibi. Given the local police's efficiency, they'd probably just ask a few questions at most, and with it being the New Year holiday, they might not even bother to ask.

She said worriedly, "Then what are you planning to do when you find Da Cao? What if he doesn't admit it?"

"He doesn't need to admit it. Many things become clear once we meet face to face."

Qing Ye tugged at his sleeve and said, "I don't want you to go."

Xing Wu took her cold hand and tucked it into his pocket. "If you take a step back, others will take a step forward. Today it's the house, what will it be tomorrow?"

Qing Ye suddenly shivered. Although she had gathered from Quan Ya's words before that Xing Wu and Da Cao had been at odds for years, she had always thought that as long as Xing Wu didn't provoke Da Cao, Da Cao wouldn't do anything either.

But for the first time, she realized so clearly how imminent that "settling of scores" they spoke of truly was. Even if Xing Wu didn't want to take this step, some things were already beyond his control. Because Da Cao had targeted his family, the very thing he cared about most, he could no longer hold back.

Qing Ye suddenly felt as if an invisible umbrella had descended over them, like a giant cage from which there was no escape. Did it really have to come to a fight to the death, as Xing Wu had said?

Lost in her thoughts, she was suddenly lifted into the air, startling her. By the time she realized what was happening, she was already on Xing Wu's back.

She leaned close to his ear and asked, "Why are you carrying me?"

"Can't you feel that your shoes are damp?"

"Well... they got wet when I went out this afternoon, and then they froze stiff..."

"..."

By the time they returned to the small inn, Qing Ye's feet were numb from the cold. As soon as they entered the room, Xing Wu set her down on the bed, took off her shoes, and then her socks. Her small feet were bright red and slightly swollen from the cold.

Xing Wu cupped her feet in his palms and gently massaged them. Qing Ye immediately blushed and tried to pull her feet back, embarrassed. "What are you doing?"

Xing Wu glanced at her shy expression and found it amusing. He held her ankles firmly. "There's nowhere on you I haven't seen, and you're still shy with me? Don't move. Let me massage them for you, or you'll suffer from frostbite."

Her delicate feet were fair and well-proportioned—so small that Xing Wu could hold both in one hand. To him, a girl's feet were adorably tiny.

The slight roughness of his calloused fingertips always sent a faint shiver through Qing Ye. The blush on her cheeks refused to fade. Xing Wu looked up at her through half-lidded eyes. She sat obediently on the edge of the bed, her entire being radiating the fresh, alluring charm of a young girl. Her flushed cheeks were like tempting cherries, making him want to take a bite.

Earlier, with so many people around, he hadn't been able to ask. Now that they were back, he finally voiced his concern. "Does it still hurt? There..."

His question only made Qing Ye feel even more embarrassed. She shyly pulled the quilt over herself, hugging it, and replied without looking up, "How would I know?"

"Hmm?" Xing Wu didn't understand.

"I mean, I can't really tell."

Xing Wu chuckled. "So you're saying you need me to help you check?"

Qing Ye looked at his unrestrained, roguishly handsome expression, and her heart instantly turned to mush.