Dazzling

After Qing Ye fell asleep, she knew nothing more. She wasn't even aware of when Xing Wu had gotten into bed. When she opened her eyes again, it was already noon on the fourth day of the lunar new year. She suddenly felt how decadent these past few days of the new year had been—somehow it was already the fourth day.

After getting up, she noticed a small square box on the table by the window with a card leaning against it. She got out of bed, walked to the window, and picked up the card, then froze completely.

In the drawing, she lay amidst soft, pure white dandelions, eyes closed with a serene smile gracing her lips. Her slightly curled long hair cascaded around her, creating a dreamlike illusion. The air in the painting was filled with floating dandelions that covered the entire paper.

Qing Ye's smooth shoulders and exposed calves possessed a forbidden allure, yet the blanket of snow-white dandelions lent the scene a sacred, ethereal beauty.

Compared to the casual sketch of Pang Hu that Xing Wu had drawn that day, this painting was much more refined. Even the distribution of each individual eyelash when her eyes were closed was rendered so vividly that it made her blush and her heart race just looking at it.

She quickly took out her phone and snapped a picture of the drawing. She liked it so much she couldn't bear to put it down. She didn't believe any painter could capture her better than Xing Wu had, because in this painting she could see his deep affection.

Behind the card was a square cake box containing a small, simple cake without elaborate decorations—just a heart shape. She heard the door open behind her and turned to see Xing Wu entering from outside.

"Where did you go?"

"Just chatted with the boss downstairs for a bit."

Qing Ye held up the drawing and asked him, "How late did you work on this after I fell asleep yesterday?"

"Until dawn."

He said it casually, but Qing Ye frowned. "So you only got a few hours of sleep again?"

Xing Wu walked over to her in a few steps and wrapped his arms around her. "Couldn't sleep. It's a belated birthday, but you still need to blow out the candles."

"Where did you get the cake?"

"A friend has an oven at home. I went to figure it out this morning."

Qing Ye looked surprised. "You made it yourself?"

Xing Wu scratched his head somewhat awkwardly. "My friend helped a little."

Qing Ye narrowed her eyes and looked up at him. "Is your friend male or female?"

He tapped her forehead. "What are you thinking? It's a guy."

"..." Then Qing Ye imagined two guys huddled in a kitchen early in the morning, figuring out how to bake a cake. Why did that seem so... intimate?

With a strange expression, she asked, "Didn't your friend ask who the cake was for?"

Xing Wu turned her shoulders toward him and smiled. "Does that even need to be asked?"

Then Xing Wu took out the small heart-shaped cake. Qing Ye commented, "Why didn't you put anything on it? It looks so plain."

"Originally thought about writing something, but my handwriting... would ruin the aesthetic. Better to leave it."

He drew the curtains and inserted the single candle, then said to her, "Make a wish."

Qing Ye pulled him closer. "Let's make wishes together."

So they celebrated this belated birthday together, blowing out the candle simultaneously. Qing Ye suddenly felt like laughing, though she didn't know why—it was just this feeling of being both pitiful and happy at the same time.

While Xing Wu was cutting the cake, Qing Ye kept clinging to his back, holding him tightly without letting go.

Xing Wu's voice carried a hint of amusement. "Have you grown onto me?"Qing Ye continued to smile without speaking, feeling only happiness—a kind of happiness entirely different from any she had known before.

When she first met Xing Wu, she never imagined that one day he would swallow his pride and go to a friend’s house to bake a cake for her. Now, she was especially curious about the extent of his friend’s psychological distress.

Qing Ye asked him, “What did you wish for?”

Xing Wu gently removed her hand, turned around, and handed her the cake. “The same as yours.”

Qing Ye took the cake and said, “That’s mine.”

“Yours is mine. Giving you a double buff makes it more effective.”

The corners of Qing Ye’s lips curved like crescent moons as she took a bite of the cake and smiled contentedly.

Just as Xing Wu turned around, his phone rang. He glanced at it, set down the plate, and answered. The room was quiet, and Qing Ye could hear Quan Ya’s voice on the other end. He told Xing Wu that he had arranged a meeting with Da Cao—tomorrow afternoon, Da Cao would be waiting for him at the Madman’s place. Xing Wu replied, “Got it.”

After hanging up, Qing Ye asked worriedly, “Are you going to see Da Cao tomorrow?”

Xing Wu hummed in affirmation.

Qing Ye immediately stood up. “You’re not… not going to fight him, are you?”

Xing Wu glanced at her tense expression, smiled faintly, and ruffled her hair. “No, don’t worry.”

“Then why are you going?”

“To settle things with him, Qing Ye. I can’t just let this go. It’s not easy for me to back down. At worst, I’ll lose face and be seen as worthless, but if I do, Huang Mao and the others, including Da Hei’s crew, will never be able to hold their heads up again. Da Cao’s people will only push further. No one wants trouble, but some things can’t be left unresolved.”

Qing Ye fell silent. She understood what Xing Wu meant. From her perspective, she didn’t want him to confront Da Cao. She didn’t want his future life to be like walking on the edge of a blade. But some things were far more complicated than she realized.

Xing Wu had been the leader among the kids in Zhazha Pavilion since childhood. Over the years, his brothers had always looked up to him. If he bowed to Da Cao, it wouldn’t just be him suffering—his brothers would be exploited by Da Cao’s people. Xing Wu might not care about himself, but he couldn’t ignore the interests of his brothers in Zhazha Pavilion. Moreover, he couldn’t simply let the matter of the fire slide.

He had many things to consider and many people to protect. No wonder he hadn’t been sleeping well these past few days. She stopped trying to persuade him and simply said, “I’m going with you.”

“Qing Ye…”

“I don’t care.”

Since she couldn’t stop Xing Wu from meeting Da Cao, she had to go with him. Otherwise, waiting alone at the inn would drive her crazy with worry. In the end, Xing Wu gave in to her.

On the fifth day of the lunar new year, everyone gathered at the small shop at the crossroads of Zhazha Pavilion. Qing Ye and Xing Wu were taken aback when they arrived—over a dozen people were standing by the street. Xing Wu had only asked Da Hei to accompany him, but Huang Mao, Pang Hu, and the others had insisted on coming when they heard about it. They had even brought Lang Dai and his troublemaking crew from Anzhong, along with Quan Ya, Hua Bi, and the other young men from the streets. The scene looked like they were preparing for a gang fight.

Qing Ye tugged nervously at Xing Wu’s sleeve. “Are you sure this isn’t a fight?”

Xing Wu, equally puzzled, walked over to them and asked Huang Mao, “What are you all doing here?”

Huang Mao said with conviction, “We’re worried you’ll get the short end of the stick. How could we miss out on a scene like this?”

Xing Wu chuckled. “Alright then.”When it came to previous Spring Festivals, Xing Wu basically never stayed home much. His crew of brothers would feast from New Year's Day all the way through the Lantern Festival, or they'd be out roaming everywhere. But this year, after New Year's Eve, no one had seen Xing Wu at all—it was as if he'd vanished from the face of the earth. Naturally, everyone found it strange. Da Hei even asked, "What have you been up to these past few days?"

Qing Ye, standing behind Xing Wu, inexplicably felt a bit embarrassed. Xing Wu, however, remained unfazed and said, "Nothing much."

"If it's nothing much, then why haven't you come out no matter how many times we called you?"

Xing Wu glanced back at Qing Ye, wearing a half-smile but staying silent. At this, even Lang Dai and the others turned to look at Qing Ye and asked, "Where have you two been these days?"

This question made Qing Ye feel even more mortified. He forced a dry laugh and said, "Nowhere special."

They didn't press further, but they couldn't help feeling these two were being mysteriously secretive about something.

Pang Hu comforted them, "Y-You guys, if you have any problems, t-tell us brothers. W-We can figure it out together. Wu Ge, look at you, y-you've lost weight."

"..." Qing Ye couldn't help but burst out laughing.

Xing Wu's face darkened. He had nothing to say about his brothers' concern for him, but he'd lost weight from excessive exercise, not starvation. Damn it!

Kuangren Internet Cafe was the hottest spot near the shooting range and also the stronghold of Da Cao and his Anzhi crew. During the Spring Festival, the place was even more packed with young people than usual.

Xing Wu, dressed in black athletic wear with a buzz cut and hands in his pockets, walked at the front. Behind him trailed over a dozen brothers, their imposing aura causing everyone in Kuangren to look up in alarm as soon as they stepped inside.

Qing Ye, bringing up the rear, heard voices coming from all directions:

"Is that Anzhong's Xing Wu?"

"Wu Ge brought his crew. Should we log off first?"

"Why would Young Master Wu come to our turf? Looking for trouble?"

Clearly, regulars were surprised to see Xing Wu at Kuangren.

The net admin was a guy around Xing Wu's age, with both sides of his head shaved clean—he didn't look like a good guy either. He came forward, offered Xing Wu a cigarette, and greeted, "Wu Ge."

Xing Wu took the cigarette and put it in his mouth, asking, "Where's Da Cao?"

The net admin glanced toward the left and said, "Inside." Then he lit Xing Wu's cigarette and added ingratiatingly, "Do me a favor, Wu Ge. You know, those computers inside were just replaced before the New Year, and it was through you. If you've got business, take it easy."

Quan Ya immediately glared at him. "Get lost. Keep yapping and we'll smash the computers out here too."

This net admin's nickname was Zhang Daizi (Zhang the Fool), but he was anything but foolish—he was cunning and belonged to Da Cao's group, always quick to adapt to the situation. Before the New Year, the internet cafe owner wanted to replace a batch of computers. Zhang Daizi had sought out Xing Wu, offering cigarettes and meals, asking him to help assemble a set. The reason was simple: no one in Electronics Street knew more about assembly and market prices than Xing Wu. The configurations he provided were always cost-effective, and having been around Electronics Street for years, he could often get prices others couldn't. Most importantly, if any issues arose with the computers later, it was convenient to go to him for fixes.

Although Xing Wu had never gotten along with these people, favors were favors, and business was business. He accepted the cigarettes, quoted a fairly reasonable price, and agreed to help them assemble a batch.As it turned out, this Zhang Daizi wanted to profit from the price difference but didn't know how to keep it discreet. He significantly increased the price Xing Wu had quoted. The Crazy Boss, holding Xing Wu's quotation, checked with others in the industry and found out the price was inflated. Soon, the matter spread throughout the shooting range area, with everyone saying Xing Wu was ruthless and dishonest.

When word reached Xing Wu, he wasn't one to take it lying down. He confronted the Crazy Boss directly and learned that Zhang Daizi had been trying to skim off the top. In the end, the Crazy Boss still sourced the batch of computers from Xing Wu, which is why Quan Ya gave Zhang Daizi a cold shoulder whenever he saw him.

Zhang Daizi had nothing to say for himself and could only step aside. Xing Wu glanced at him dismissively and said calmly, "Why panic? I'm not here to cause trouble."

Xing Wu turned to Quan Ya and said, "Da Hei and I will go in. You all wait outside."

Just then, Qing Ye caught sight of Yang Gang, the widower, standing in the corner and peering out cautiously. Because Xing Wu was present, he didn't dare approach her like he had that day.

Qing Ye glanced at him briefly before looking away, but suddenly felt something was off. She shifted her gaze back to his waist—Yang Gang was still fashionably sporting that large lock, but the left pendant seemed to be missing one.

Qing Ye abruptly grabbed Xing Wu's arm and whispered urgently, "I remember now where I saw that Kamen Rider!"

Xing Wu followed her gaze to Yang Gang, clenched his jaw without a word, and turned to enter the partitioned area.

The computers in the inner partitioned area had relatively higher specs. Da Cao and his crew usually holed up there, and others generally didn't dare to sit inside.

Xing Wu and Da Hei walked straight in. Da Cao had already heard the commotion—legs propped on the computer desk, cigarette in mouth, waiting for Xing Wu.

Xing Wu walked toward him expressionlessly, with only the burly Da Hei by his side. Inside, at least ten of Da Cao's brothers were seated. As Xing Wu approached Da Cao, the dozen or so men stood up in unison. Without even glancing at them, Xing Wu hooked a chair with his foot and sat directly in front of Da Cao.

Da Cao slowly stubbed out his cigarette, glanced sideways at the situation outside, and said with a sneer, "Brought quite a crowd, huh? What do you want?"

Xing Wu's narrow eyes glinted like cold blades: "Didn't you force me to come find you?"

...

Qing Ye squeezed next to Quan Ya, craning her neck to see inside. She could only make out Xing Wu sitting opposite Da Cao—neither seemed about to start a fight. It looked like they were negotiating, but she couldn't hear what was being said.

After a while, she saw Xing Wu lower his head. Then Da Cao said something and suddenly looked toward Qing Ye's direction. Qing Ye didn't know who Da Cao was looking at and glanced around herself.

Only when Xing Wu also turned his gaze, frowning deeply, did Qing Ye realize they were looking at her. Her heart skipped a beat, but Xing Wu quickly averted his eyes, lifted his chin to say something to Da Cao, then stood up and walked out with Da Hei.

Qing Ye only saw that Xing Wu's expression was terrifyingly dark, his entire being devoid of warmth. No one in the partitioned area dared to provoke him, automatically clearing a path for him to leave.

After exiting the partitioned area, Xing Wu strode straight out of Crazy Internet Cafe. The others followed him out one by one. Only then did the other internet cafe customers breathe a collective sigh of relief.As soon as they stepped out of the internet cafe, Huang Mao couldn't wait to ask, "Brother Wu, what did you say to Da Cao?"

Xing Wu remained silent, his face still dark and grim. Da Hei spoke with a hostile tone, "I don't understand why you agreed to it. This is clearly Da Cao setting a trap for you. To be blunt, I'd say eighty percent of your family's trouble is connected to Da Cao. He's forcing you to walk right into his net."

A cold smirk tugged at the corner of Xing Wu's mouth. "In this life, trouble shouldn't involve family. It's a pity he doesn't understand that principle."

Among everyone, only Quan Ya understood what Xing Wu truly meant and sensed his resolve.

After a moment of silence, Quan Ya asked, "Did you agree to the county sports meet?"

Xing Wu gave a low "Mm" in response. Qing Ye looked up at him in shock, but walking amidst his brothers, she couldn't ask for details.

Xing Wu's voice was heavy as he said, "I'll compete against him at the county sports meet. Whoever wins gets to call the shots north of the shooting range."

Instantly, everyone fell silent. The area north of the shooting range included Anzhong, Anzhi, and Zhazha Pavilion. In other words, the loser would either have to leave the area entirely or keep their head down and submit unconditionally to the winner. That was the bet he and Da Cao had made.

Qing Ye couldn't describe her feelings at that moment. Just as Quan Ya had said, since Da Cao had made this proposal, things wouldn't be so simple. However, for now, Xing Wu and he needed a formal way to settle things. Da Cao had the backing of the Dark Hall, which was affiliated with the shooting range. The shooting range's Boss Jia and Boss Jiang had close business ties. Boss Jiang moved in the underworld and often needed manpower; naturally, he wouldn't want his favored young protégé to lose influence.

The relationships behind this were too intricate. Since the surface-level interests couldn't be disrupted, Da Cao and Xing Wu couldn't truly have an all-out fight. They couldn't offend the big shots yet needed a public contest to make everyone submit. Thus, the county sports meet was the only way. Although everyone knew things wouldn't be that straightforward, Xing Wu had already made his decision.