Dazzling

On the other side, the construction of their home at Zhazha Pavilion had officially begun, so Xing Wu had been busy shuttling between supervising the site and the hospital. It seemed the days during the New Year when the two of them had nothing to do but stick together had completely ended with the post-holiday busyness.

Their time together was limited to just a few hours in the evening. However, once Qing Ye’s routine resumed, her sleep time instantly shortened to five hours a day, and even less when she was busier. After returning to the inn, she had her own things to organize and review. Sometimes Xing Wu would lie on the bed watching her. Though it was hard for him to suppress the urge in his heart, he couldn’t bear to waste her time. He’d rather she used it to rest properly.

Feng Bao, on the other hand, was particularly concerned about Qing Ye. One day after everyone had left the factory, he went out of his way to ask Qing Ye, having heard that something had happened at Xing Wu’s place, where she was staying now.

Qing Ye casually told him she was temporarily staying at an inn, so Feng Bao said he was heading that way and they could go back together. Most people lived around the Zhazha Pavilion area, and since Feng Bao was heading toward Fourth Alley, Qing Ye didn’t mind walking with him.

On the way, Feng Bao asked somewhat shyly, “Qing Ye, what kind of university do you think I can get into? Or which majors might help with future employment?”

Qing Ye turned her head to look at him and smiled. “If you ask me now, your options are limited. Push yourself a bit harder and aim for a 211 university.”

Feng Bao pushed up his glasses in surprise. “You think I can get into a 211?”

Qing Ye said earnestly, “Spend some time on classical literature and poetry. Get a small notebook and memorize what needs to be memorized—there’s no shortcut. Your writing is good. Spend at least twenty minutes every day browsing current news and topic reports. Believe me, this habit could turn things around for you in the college entrance exam.”

Feng Bao’s eyes lit up as he stared at Qing Ye. “Do you do this every day too?”

Qing Ye nodded. “Yes, since ninth grade. I’ve kept it up for four years.”

Before they knew it, they had reached the inn. Feng Bao felt that talking with Qing Ye was like discovering new worlds every minute. Reluctant to part, he asked her, “You seem really busy. Do you still have time to pay attention to these things every day?”

Qing Ye stopped by the roadside in front of the inn and said to him, “Why wouldn’t I? Eating, using the restroom, showering—you can always squeeze out time. If you look into the essay topics from various provinces over the past two years, you’ll see how important this material is. Sixty points are right in front of you. I’ve given you the method—go earn those points, and 211 universities will be waving at you.”

She smiled at him, and Feng Bao felt as if he’d been enlightened, suddenly knowing where to direct his efforts. The dim, hazy streetlight fell on Qing Ye’s face, her clear complexion untouched by dust, stunning Feng Bao. The young man’s passion was instantly ignited by her. He said excitedly, “Qing Ye, thank you.”

Qing Ye shrugged. “You’re welcome. I’m heading in.”

Just as she turned around, Feng Bao suddenly called out to her back, “Have you chosen your university? I heard you’re planning to study abroad?”

The smile at the corner of Qing Ye’s lips gradually faded. She lowered her gaze, paused for a moment, then turned back to look at him. “I haven’t decided yet.”

When Qing Ye returned to her room at the inn, Xing Wu was leaning by the window, a cigarette in his mouth, looking down at the street. He didn’t turn around when he heard her come in.

Qing Ye put down her bag and couldn’t help asking, “What are you looking at?”Xing Wu casually stubbed out his cigarette: "Watch how the pure-hearted boy becomes infatuated with you."

Qing Ye laughed: "Are you talking about yourself?"

Xing Wu slowly turned his head, a hint of teasing in his eyes. Qing Ye immediately realized something and rushed to the window to look downstairs. Sure enough, Feng Bao was still there, pacing back and forth on the roadside without knowing what he was hesitating about.

Qing Ye turned her head with a strange expression to look at Xing Wu, who remained lazily leaning against the window frame, glancing at her sideways. Just then, Qing Ye's phone in her pocket suddenly buzzed. Xing Wu's gaze slowly shifted from her face to her jacket pocket as he said playfully, "Want me to get it for you?"

Qing Ye awkwardly took out her phone and glanced at it - it was indeed from that guy Feng Bao: "Qing Ye, I'll wait for you downstairs tomorrow morning. Shall we go together?"

Qing Ye glanced downstairs where Feng Bao stood anxiously in the strong wind, then looked back at Xing Wu. His dark eyes held a burning intensity: "Reply to him. Can't break the pure-hearted boy's feelings."

Qing Ye immediately punched him. Xing Wu seized her wrist and pulled her toward him, causing her to fall into his embrace. He leaned down and bit her ear, his breath scalding as he whispered, "How many more people's white moonlight do you want to become?"

Qing Ye was both angered and amused by his words. Setting her phone aside, she went straight for him with her hands. However, her meager strength was like a chick's before Xing Wu. He easily restrained her hands, lifted her up, and pressed her onto the bed, saying, "You probably don't realize how irresistible you are when you smile at people. I saw from upstairs how you mesmerized him into acting like a fool."

"Then what do you want me to do? Cry at him?"

Xing Wu leaned down to kiss her affectionately, his voice half-hoarse: "Can I hide you away and keep you all to myself?"

As her clothes were pulled open and his hand caressed her softness, she murmured weakly, "Mmm... you're already keeping me all to yourself, you jerk..."

Xing Wu lowered his eyes and chuckled, then pulled Qing Ye up and said to her, "Go take a shower quickly. Don't stay up until midnight again."

With all this commotion, Qing Ye completely forgot to reply to Feng Bao's message. After her shower, she sat at the small table by the window and began attending to her own matters. Xing Wu stood behind her as usual with a hairdryer, drying her damp long hair.

Qing Ye had a lot of hair, and it was very long. Drying it was an extremely annoying and time-consuming task for her. So ever since she got together with Xing Wu, she had unapologetically delegated this tedious chore to him, allowing her to read or memorize things uninterrupted.

After Xing Wu finished drying her hair, he went to bed. Qing Ye kept her head down working quietly until past eleven at night when she suddenly remembered she hadn't replied to Feng Bao's message. She instinctively stood up to look downstairs - thankfully that guy was gone, giving her quite a scare.

Then she turned to look at Xing Wu, who was watching her through half-closed eyes. Qing Ye immediately smiled and closed her book, standing up and walking to the bedside: "Why aren't you asleep yet?"

Xing Wu withdrew his gaze, returning his attention to his phone: "Can't sleep."

Qing Ye sat on the edge of the bed, leaning her body gradually closer while tilting her head, smiling at him: "You... are you thinking about it?"

Xing Wu lifted his eyes and stared calmly at her without making a sound.They hadn't been intimate for several days. Since Qing Ye resumed her study routine, she would sometimes be busy for hours on end, unable to attend to Xing Wu, while he couldn't bring himself to disturb her. But today, she could sense the little volcano inside her boyfriend was about to erupt.

Xing Wu glanced toward the window, his voice low and magnetic: "Finished so early today?"

Qing Ye threw back the covers, and Xing Wu immediately felt her soft presence, instinctively pulling her into his arms. He heard her say: "I'm done for today."

Xing Wu chuckled, turning over to cage her in his arms: "Sure about that?"

Qing Ye's eyes fluttered dazedly, and soon the room grew rather noisy. Xing Wu was particularly fervent tonight, nearly bringing Qing Ye to tears. She kicked off the covers in frustration: "Xing Wu! Do you think I'm made of paper? Good thing I studied dance as a child, or you'd have broken me!"

Xing Wu laughed while rubbing his nose, pulling the covers back over her. Qing Ye petulantly kicked them off again. After several rounds of this, Xing Wu simply warmed her with his own body, ruffling her hair: "You weren't reacting like this earlier."

Qing Ye buried her burning face in his chest in embarrassment. She would never admit that she seemed to understand what addiction felt like. No, she would never admit it.

Xing Wu left around the same time as Qing Ye every morning - she went to the factory while he headed to the hospital. But today, when they went downstairs, a tall boy stood by the roadside, somewhat shyly holding two cups of soybean milk and two portions of steamed buns.

Qing Ye looked at him with inexplicable awkwardness, then at Xing Wu, who had also stopped at the hotel entrance, watching him coldly. Feng Bao approached and said: "Morning, Brother Wu." I'm heading to the factory with Qing Ye - it's on my way."

Xing Wu said expressionlessly: "Don't you live in Maotang? How is this on your way?"

Qing Ye's eye twitched. Feng Bao, flustered, offered the breakfast to Xing Wu: "You haven't eaten yet, right?"

Xing Wu unceremoniously accepted it. Feng Bao offered the other portion to Qing Ye, who waved her hand: "No need, I've already eaten."

Xing Wu had made her noodles early in the morning, filling her up completely - she couldn't eat another bite.

Qing Ye said to Xing Wu: "Should I get going then?"

Xing Wu nodded without much reaction: "Go ahead."

Feng Bao politely bid farewell to Xing Wu, who watched their retreating figures with a glint of amusement in his eyes.

In the evening, everyone dispersed to go home for dinner. Since Grandma was hospitalized, Xing Wu had to rush to the county town during the day and usually couldn't return until eight or nine o'clock, so Qing Ye had her dinners at Li Lanfang's place.

When she returned home today, she saw the burnt ruins had been cleared away. Thinking that their new home would soon be rebuilt on this flat land filled Qing Ye with anticipation.

After Grandma was hospitalized, Li Lanfang temporarily stayed in Grandma's room. Now that Dazzle Island was gone, she guarded this area every day without even the mood for mahjong.

But following Xing Wu's instructions, she still cooked dinner every evening and waited for Qing Ye's return.

Just as Qing Ye finished eating, Pang Hu came to walk back to the factory with her. On the way, Pang Hu finally spoke up: "A-actually, I don't know who to t-talk to about this... It's just, I'm thinking about applying for musical theater. What do you think..."

Qing Ye stopped walking and looked at him: "You're really considering art school?"Pang Hu said with some hesitation, "I, I didn't dare tell my family. M-my dad would definitely scold me."

But Qing Ye frowned: "This major requires an arts exam, and it's almost March now—it's too late!"

Pang Hu suddenly deflated like a punctured ball and chuckled awkwardly: "Hey, y-yeah, I forgot about that. N-never mind then."

Seeing his obvious disappointment, Qing Ye found it difficult to broach the subject.

Eventually, she gently reminded him: "Musical theater programs seem to require language exams."

The two walked silently toward the factory. Pang Hu nodded, understanding Qing Ye's implication—even if he could make the arts exam deadline, his stutter might prevent him from passing the preliminary round.

Human nature is often contradictory, where hope and despair coexist, making it impossible to completely give up yet offering no clear way out.

Later in the evening, the factory was quiet. Everyone was practicing exam questions, with only the rhythmic hum of machinery breaking the silence. Their first batch of products was about to be completed, and Du Qiyan was working overtime in the office on the other side, building their online store. Everyone was busy.

Qing Ye was buried in her practice problems when a stir rippled through the crowd. She looked up to see Xing Wu sauntering in through the doorway, one hand in his pocket.

Since the tutoring class had resumed, Xing Wu hadn't had time to come. Most people here were top students from An High School—the kind who usually trembled at the sight of Xing Wu on campus. Aside from their own classmates, many from other classes still weren't sure if Xing Wu and Qing Ye were actually related. After so many days without him, suddenly having the school's notorious figure grace them with his presence made everyone hold their breath, all eyes fixed on him.

Xing Wu glanced at the slogan "Charge at Peking University, Conquer Tsinghua" written on the blackboard, raised an eyebrow, and walked straight to the back.

Finally, someone gathered the courage to ask timidly, "Brother Wu, you're not here to collect protection money, are you?"

Qing Ye silently laughed. To everyone's surprise, Xing Wu pulled his hand from his pocket and slowly produced a crumpled, worn-out notebook, tossing it onto the desk. "I'm here to study."

Pang Hu, Fang Lei, and the others couldn't hold back their laughter anymore. Seeing Class Two students laughing, students from other classes awkwardly joined in, unsure whether the school bully was joking or not.

Qing Ye, however, remained calm. She pulled out a test paper and said to Xiao Ling Tong, "Give this to the new student."

"Sure thing!" Xiao Ling Tong scurried over to Xing Wu. "Here you go, Brother Wu."

Xing Wu took the paper and looked up. "Lend me a pen."

"..." Fang Lei and the others burst into laughter again, while Pang Hu directly tossed him a pen.

The top students from other classes kept glancing back nervously, only to find him seriously working on the problems.

With Xing Wu sitting at the back, his presence was as intimidating as Principal Zhong's, making everyone fidget uneasily.

As the evening went on, everyone realized the school bully really wasn't there to cause trouble. He sat in the last row, listening along when Qing Ye explained problems, with no intention of collecting protection money.

After nine o'clock, everyone gradually dispersed. Qing Ye still needed to have a brief meeting with Liu Nian and the others. Her hands covered in chalk dust, she went out to the courtyard to wash them. When she returned, everyone had left except Xing Wu, who leaned against the factory entrance, smiling at her.Qing Ye deliberately flicked the water off her hands toward him, and Xing Wu raised his hand to block it: "Looking for trouble?"

His words were fierce, but his tone was full of affection.

Qing Ye walked up to him and lifted her chin: "You were listening quite attentively. Did you understand any of it?"

"Of course, I've reached the highest level of comprehension—understanding yet not quite understanding."

A smile spread across Qing Ye's lips. Xing Wu lifted her chin and planted a light kiss, but just as Qing Ye closed her eyes, she suddenly opened them again and saw there was still one person left in the workshop—Feng Bao.