Dazzling

At the moment their lips met, an intense, fervent emotion suddenly burst forth from both their hearts. Their bodies trembled slightly, but just then Pang Hu, Fang Lei, Shi Min, and the others downstairs came running over, shouting toward the door: "Qing Ye, Qing Ye, come out quickly!"

The fleeting kiss ended abruptly as they pulled apart, staring at each other in a daze. Xiao Ling Tong looked up and quickly spotted them standing on the balcony. Tilting his head back, he called out, "Qing Ye, Brother Wu, come down! What are you doing up there?"

Qing Ye's cheeks flushed like ripe apples. Not daring to look at Xing Wu again, she turned and hurried downstairs.

As soon as she stepped out, Shi Min and Fang Lei rushed over and hugged her. The boys gathered around Qing Ye, laughing and saying she had become even more beautiful. Qing Ye tossed her long hair proudly: "When have I ever not been beautiful?"

Amid laughter and banter, they walked shoulder-to-shoulder toward the restaurant. Xing Wu was the last to come out, locking the door behind him.

Qing Ye glanced back at him just as he finished locking up and looked up at her. Many unspoken words remained hidden in that exchanged gaze.

Qing Ye quickly averted her eyes. Xing Wu was holding a thin jacket. The wind was strong here, and Qing Ye's skirt kept getting lifted by the breeze, revealing her smooth, fair legs, which often drew lingering glances.

He caught up with her in a few strides, wrapped his arms around her waist, and tied the thin jacket around her hips. Everyone stopped and erupted into teasing whistles.

Feeling somewhat embarrassed, Qing Ye said to him, "It's hot with this tied around me."

Xing Wu lowered his gaze as he fastened the sleeves, leaving no room for argument: "Keep it on. The restaurant's air conditioning is cold."

Qing Ye didn't argue further and returned to Shi Min and the others. That evening, Lang Dai, Zhang Kai, and others joined them. Around a large table, they ate and drank heartily. Qing Ye learned that Da Cao's case was about to be sentenced. It was unclear whether the old-timers from the Dark Hall had intentionally pushed Da Cao out as a scapegoat. More than one or two incidents had been traced back to him, and it seemed unlikely he would be getting out anytime soon.

The conversation turned to the college entrance exams. Fang Lei, Pang Hu, and Shi Min had all performed reasonably well, scoring at least above 450. Shi Min asked Qing Ye if she had finalized arrangements for studying abroad.

Everyone looked at her, but Xing Wu kept his eyes down, spinning his wine glass. Qing Ye smiled and said, "Let's wait for the official results first."

Then she asked Fang Lei, "What about you? Any plans?"

Fang Lei replied, "My scores probably won't be enough for Xiamen University. I've been looking into majors at other universities in Xiamen. Qing Ye, could you help me analyze them later?"

Qing Ye nodded: "We'll talk after dinner."

As for Pang Hu, he said he was still confused. His family wanted him to pursue majors he had no interest in, and the ones he wanted to study were all vetoed by his parents. Lately, he had been having some disagreements with his family.

Later, as dinner was winding down, Qing Ye noticed Pang Hu heading to the restroom and followed him out, calling, "Class President."

Pang Hu turned around, scratching his head with an embarrassed smile: "Wh-what class president?"

Qing Ye walked up to him and said, "After I returned to Beijing, I consulted a doctor friend of my dad's. Regarding your speech condition, excluding genetic factors, it's likely related to physiological development and psychological stress. I told her about your situation. She mentioned that since your symptoms ease when your emotions fluctuate, there are actually corrective methods available. Would you like to give it a try?"The smile on Pang Hu's face gradually faded, replaced by an indescribable excitement: "W-what method? D-does it require seeing a doctor?"

"If you're willing, I can communicate with her again when I go back and share that doctor's contact information with you. She can provide you with some treatment plans, but the key still depends on yourself. I've heard that for your condition, psychological therapy is the main approach. It might involve spending a lot of time on recitation, practicing breathing, pronunciation, and so on. It's a very long-term process, and it might take a lot of hard work to completely overcome this language barrier. You..."

"I... I want to give it a try." Pang Hu looked firmly at Qing Ye, as if the uncertainty that had plagued him since the college entrance exam had suddenly found an outlet.

Qing Ye smiled: "Alright, I'll talk to her when I go back, and I'll contact you later."

Pang Hu nodded. Qing Ye turned to head back to the private room, but Pang Hu called out to her: "Q-Qing Ye, thank you, r-really, thank you."

Qing Ye tilted her head and raised the corner of her lips: "No need to thank me."

She pushed the door open and entered the private room. As Pang Hu felt excited, the seed buried deep in his heart suddenly stirred, and the unclear path ahead seemed to clear in his mind.

After Qing Ye entered, she sat next to Shi Min. Across from her, Xing Wu glanced up at her. With so many people around, they had barely spoken all evening.

Perhaps because everyone knew how challenging the path ahead would be for Qing Ye and Xing Wu, aside from Shi Min asking about Qing Ye's school matters, no one else teased them.

The dinner ended in a lively atmosphere. Everyone had a little to drink but stopped at moderation.

After everyone dispersed, Fang Lei said to Qing Ye, "Let's walk for a bit."

So Qing Ye bid farewell to everyone one by one. Fang Lei, slightly tipsy, turned to Xing Wu with a smile and said, "You don't mind if I borrow your Qing Ye for a few minutes, do you?"

Xing Wu gave a faint smile, sat on a stone bench by the street, and pulled out his phone.

Qing Ye and Fang Lei then crossed the street and chatted for a while at the corner opposite.

After a moment, Xing Wu looked up and noticed that Fang Lei's expression seemed somewhat off. In the end, she tightly hugged Qing Ye, nodding heavily on her shoulder, as if... she was even crying.

Later, Qing Ye helped her into a taxi, said goodbye, and then walked back across the street.

Xing Wu stood up, put away his phone, glanced in the direction Fang Lei had left, and asked, "Why was she crying?"

Qing Ye was silent for a moment before replying, "After the David Cup ended that time, I accidentally saw Wei Dong's draft paper."

Xing Wu slightly furrowed his brows, somewhat surprised: "It was him?"

Qing Ye nodded.

"Why didn't you tell Fang Lei back then?"

Qing Ye gave a wry smile, turned around, and walked side by side with him in the dimly lit alley: "Fang Lei was so fired up back then, insisting I help her. If I had told her, she might have lost her motivation. I couldn't bring myself to say it."

Xing Wu watched their shadows silently merging on the ground and said absentmindedly, "So you told her just now?"

"Yeah, I felt she should know. As for how she chooses to move forward, that's something she'll have to balance herself."Xing Wu remained silent. The difference between Qing Ye and Fang Lei was that no matter how deeply Qing Ye loved someone, she would never lose her sense of direction. She wouldn’t forget her original intentions for the sake of another person, and it was precisely this unique radiance in her that made Xing Wu unable to look away from her.

But soon, Qing Ye noticed they weren’t heading back the way they came. She turned to Xing Wu and asked, “Aren’t we going home?”

“It’s not comfortable to sleep there.”

Qing Ye glanced around again. “Hmm, this isn’t the way to the inn either.”

Xing Wu stopped and hailed a taxi. “We’re not going to the inn.”

Qing Ye was about to ask where they were going, but Xing Wu had already opened the car door and turned to look at her. She decided not to ask.

The car drove straight to the county town and stopped in front of a high-end hotel. Coincidentally, Qing Ye had been here once before—it was the same hotel her father and Sun Shu had stayed at during their last visit.

At five to six hundred yuan a night, it was considered the top five-star hotel in the county. After getting out of the car, Qing Ye glanced at the hotel entrance and stopped to say to Xing Wu, “We could’ve just made do with the inn for one night.”

Xing Wu shot her a brief look before striding inside. Qing Ye had no choice but to follow. The front desk clerk asked him, “How many rooms?”

He glanced at Qing Ye, who looked up at the ceiling, then down at the floor, her eyes darting around as if she hadn’t heard. Xing Wu turned back to the front desk and said, “One room, for one night.”

Then, he turned to Qing Ye and said, “Your ID.”

Qing Ye handed her ID to him. The front desk clerk asked, “Which room type would you prefer? We have Superior King Bed and Deluxe King Bed.”

Xing Wu cleared his throat. “The deluxe one.”

After getting the key card, he turned to Qing Ye and said, “Let’s go.”

Qing Ye adjusted the small backpack on her shoulder and followed him into the elevator. Once the doors closed, they each stared at the advertisements on opposite sides. The air grew unusually quiet, so much so that when the elevator chimed, both of them started slightly.

Xing Wu said, “We’re here.”

He stepped out, and Qing Ye murmured an “Oh” as she followed.

Strangely enough, even though they had stayed at the inn for a while, this felt like the first time Xing Wu had formally taken her to a hotel. And a deluxe king bed room, no less. Though Qing Ye tried not to let her thoughts wander, she couldn’t help it. Her heart was racing, and she felt a little nervous.

Xing Wu glanced back at her. Her face flushed, and she quickly lowered her head, hoping the dim hallway lights would hide her reddened cheeks.

Then, Xing Wu stopped, swiped the key card, and opened the door. Qing Ye followed him inside and looked around. It was indeed luxurious—at least there was a bathtub and a bed that looked large and soft. The room’s furnishings were new, suggesting the hotel had been recently built in Anzi County.

After setting down her small bag, Xing Wu asked her, “Going to shower?”

“Mhmm.”

Then, Qing Ye remembered something awkward. “I didn’t bring a change of clothes.”

Xing Wu glanced at her. “Get in bed after your shower. I’ll wash your clothes; they’ll be dry by tomorrow.”

As he spoke, he walked to the window and closed the curtains. In the enclosed space with just the two of them, Qing Ye’s heartbeat quickened even more.

She went to the bathroom to shower. When she came out wrapped in a towel, Xing Wu was leaning back in a chair, idly flipping through TV channels.After slipping into the bed, she tossed the bath towel out. Xing Wu tilted his head, and their eyes briefly met again in the air. Only this time, Qing Ye’s cheeks flushed hotly as she burrowed under the covers. Xing Wu shook his head with a smile, stood up to hang her damp bathrobe, then returned and hovered outside the blanket.

Qing Ye felt his hands pressing down on either side of her as his deep, pleasant voice came from outside the covers: "Aren’t you hot?"

By the time Qing Ye pulled the covers aside, he had already turned and gone into the bathroom to wash her clothes. When Xing Wu came out again, he had also taken a shower, a towel wrapped around his waist as he stood by the television, seemingly searching for a good movie.

Qing Ye gazed at his back—the sensual lines flowing smoothly down his skin, the faintly visible scars on his back still hinting at a youthful recklessness and defiance. Her voice was soft and gentle as she said, "I missed you."

Xing Wu’s back stiffened slightly. In the end, he didn’t play any movie but turned off the TV directly and walked back to the bed.

Qing Ye’s face was half-hidden under the covers, only her watery eyes visible as she looked at him. In the clear depths of her gaze was the tenderness he had longed for day and night.

When Xing Wu lifted the corner of the blanket, she trembled slightly. He knew she was nervous. He had intended to soothe her with gentle kisses, but the moment his fingertips brushed against her soft, fair skin, everything spiraled out of control like magic.

Two months of longing, two months of restraint, two months of separation—all erupted into an unstoppable tide of affection. Until the intertwining waves of pleasure made them sink and burn, as if the entire world consisted only of them, deeply possessing each other, finally releasing the irrepressible yearning.

If family backgrounds were set aside, Xing Wu and Qing Ye would probably be the most compatible of lovers—including in this aspect.

The benefit of having a top-student girlfriend was her remarkable learning ability. Though starting from scratch, within just a few months, she had captivated him beyond resistance.

Such intensity lasted until the early hours of the morning. They held each other tightly for a long time before Qing Ye finally spoke: "Why didn’t you tell me about Grandma? I should have come back."

Xing Wu stroked her soft hair, his voice slightly hoarse: "I knew you’d come back, so I didn’t tell you."

Qing Ye’s arms tightened around him. During his most vulnerable moment, she hadn’t been by his side, and now she felt an indescribable sorrow.

He asked, "Is your father alright now?"

"He’s fine, but he’s completely cut ties with his former company. He started a new one and has been quite busy lately."

Though it was just a brief statement, Xing Wu understood that a starved camel is still bigger than a horse—with her father, Qing Ye likely wouldn’t have to endure hardships anymore.

They talked about many things in the early hours but never broached the most pressing issue between them—about Qing Ye studying abroad. She didn’t mention it, and he didn’t ask.

The next morning, they were in sync, waking up early. Though they had only slept a few hours, neither seemed willing to waste time on sleep. They went to the hotel restaurant for a buffet breakfast.

Sitting by the window, they kept smiling at each other throughout the meal, without unnecessary words—as if they just wanted to firmly memorize each other’s faces, not wanting to miss a single glance.After finishing their meal, it was only eight o'clock. Xing Wu asked her, "What time are you leaving?"

Qing Ye teased, "Trying to get rid of me already?"

But Xing Wu didn't smile. He just looked at her with intense eyes, his grip on her palm gradually tightening. Qing Ye also dropped her playful tone and told him, "I need to be at the bus station by three in the afternoon at the latest. But it's fine, it's close by."

Xing Wu checked the time again. "Check-out is at noon. Do you want to go back up and rest for a while?"

Qing Ye had no objections, so they took the elevator back upstairs. But once they entered the room, they found it hard to part again. Everything became intense and feverish, their emotions somewhat out of control. They didn't know when they would see each other next, and their reluctance could only be expressed through this primitive, raw way.

Later, Xing Wu went to the bathroom to take a shower. When he came out, he saw Qing Ye burying her face in the quilt, quietly crying. His own eyes reddened too, but he didn't let her see. Wiping his eyes, he walked over and pulled Qing Ye into his arms, helping her get dressed. His movements were gentle, as if afraid of startling her. Qing Ye nestled in his embrace, biting her lip tightly to keep herself from crying out loud.

Finally, the clock struck twelve. No matter how beautiful the dream, it had to end. They checked out.

Xing Wu took Qing Ye for lunch, but she didn't seem to have much appetite, only taking a couple of bites of each dish before refusing to eat more. Worried she might get hungry on the way back, Xing Wu ordered a plate of appetizing crayfish. They didn't have crayfish locally; they were shipped from other regions, so they were quite expensive. But Xing Wu didn't seem to mind the price. Though Qing Ye refused to eat much else, she was willing to eat the crayfish.

Afraid she might stain her clothes, Xing Wu peeled all the crayfish and placed them in front of her. Only when he saw her finally eat some rice with the crayfish did he feel somewhat relieved.

By the time they left the restaurant, it was almost two o'clock. Holding hands, they walked to the bus station. Along the way, neither spoke much. It was a long distance, yet somehow, before they knew it, they had arrived.

They stopped in front of the bus station's main hall. Last time, it was Qing Ye seeing Xing Wu off, but this time, it was him sending her away. How she wished they didn't have to keep parting like this.

Xing Wu said he would buy the ticket and told her to wait for him while sitting down. So Qing Ye sat amidst the crowd, eagerly watching his figure. While standing in line, Xing Wu kept turning back to look at her. In the vast sea of people, they could always find each other at first glance. But what about in the future? As more and more people surrounded them, would they still be able to spot each other so easily?

Xing Wu walked back and said to her, "Got it. Let's go."

Qing Ye was puzzled why he hadn't given her the ticket, until Xing Wu led her onto the bus. Only then did she realize he had bought two tickets—he was going to accompany her to the airport in the neighboring city.

After boarding the bus, Qing Ye suddenly remembered a question: "If you see me off, will there be a bus back for you?"

But Xing Wu's eyes held a carefree smile. "Not sure. We'll figure it out when we get there. If there isn't, I'll just stay there for the night."

Qing Ye hugged his arm and rested her head on his shoulder, feeling the urge to cry again. He really didn't need to make this extra trip, but this way, they could have three more hours together.

Perhaps because she was truly tired, even though Qing Ye didn't want to fall asleep, the bus's rocking motion lulled her into a deep slumber in Xing Wu's arms.When Xing Wu finally woke her, she grumbled in frustration, "How could you let me fall asleep?"

Xing Wu gazed at her tenderly. "You looked exhausted—I didn't want to disturb you."

Qing Ye followed him out of the car with exaggerated dismay, pounding her chest in mock despair. After checking in, they had no choice but to part ways at the security checkpoint.

Qing Ye had always thought couples who clung to each other at airports, all lovey-dovey and dramatic, were like something out of a cheesy idol drama. Whenever she encountered such scenes during her travels, she'd automatically avert her gaze, finding them unbearably cringey.

Who would have thought she'd one day be doing the same cringe-worthy thing? She stared at Xing Wu with reluctant longing. He grasped both her hands, lowering his head to gently stroke her knuckles. His voice was calm yet firm as he said, "Once you go back, don't return."

Qing Ye's eyelashes trembled violently, and tears instantly streamed down her face. Choking back sobs, she cried, "You jerk! You're dumping me after sleeping with me?"

She tried to yank her hands back, but Xing Wu tightened his grip, pulling her into his embrace with a soft laugh. "You know what I mean."

Her forehead pressed against his chest, Qing Ye wept uncontrollably. Long ago, she had made him promise never to say "break up" to her, no matter what happened.

So he hadn't uttered those two words. Even at this moment of parting, he still refrained.

He didn't want her coming back because he understood life all too clearly—he could foresee the inevitable outcome if they continued like this.

Perhaps Qing Ye would initially make exhausting trips back for love, or maybe just passion. But eventually, increasingly busy and distant lives would replace it all. She would grow more outstanding, more mature. He didn't want to tie her down, to confine her to this bleak, sunless county town. Once she left this place, she'd have vast skies ahead—she was destined to shine even brighter.

So... he was afraid. Afraid she'd keep returning for him, perhaps just spending a night before leaving again. He couldn't bear treating her that way. He feared she might feel cheapened, worried she'd eventually see it all as worthless, terrified the distance would make her resentful, that she'd gradually drift away, little by little fading from his life.

Yes, he understood too well. Precisely because he understood, he knew their growing differences would eventually wear down this intense love if they continued like this. He couldn't bear to let that happen.

Qing Ye broke from his embrace, stepping back to look at him. Tears kept streaming from her eyes, yet she smiled through them. "Before coming here, I already accepted Q University's offer."

Xing Wu stared at her in shock. "What did you say?"

"I've decided to stay in Beijing and attend Q University. There's nothing wrong with studying at a top domestic institution. You once said changing your decisions for money is bullshit. Well, I'm not doing this for money—it's for my ideals. Everyone needs some dreams, don't they?"

She kept stepping backward, raising her hand to wave at him. "I've shortened the distance between us by half. The remaining half is up to you. If you lose me, I'll become someone else's sweetheart."

Xing Wu watched her, smiling through his own brimming tears.

Qing Ye turned and rushed through the security checkpoint without looking back. She was afraid that if she glanced back, she'd never want to leave. But she had to steel herself and go—for their future.

...

Xing Wu remained outside the airport long after she left, sitting on a guardrail as he watched plane after plane soar overhead.He suddenly realized that Qing Ye was gone, completely gone. How could he ever catch up to her?

Before him, there seemed to be two feasible paths. The most direct one was to immediately book the next flight to Beijing and go find her.

With his grandmother gone and the family house built, he had fewer ties holding him back. He could become a full-fledged migrant in Beijing. Perhaps this way, he could immediately be with Qing Ye and see her every day.

But after she started school, she would be surrounded by the most outstanding elites from all over the country, while he would become a low-level laborer. He might not even be able to appear by her side with dignity, let alone provide her with a future in the talent-rich capital city.

So, although this was what Xing Wu desired most, it was also the first path he rejected.

The second path was to agree to join the club, focus on preparing for competitions, and as long as he made a name for himself in domestic tournaments by the end of the year, he could compete in Japanese and Korean tournaments the following year, followed by European and American ones.

But back when he had rejected Boss Jiang's offer, it was precisely because he didn't want to be bound by such potential rules. However, during his more than a month in Shanghai, he realized that signing a contract with a club would only mean jumping into another form of constraint.

He might spend the first few years in grueling training, barely seeing Qing Ye twice a year, trapped in endless days of practice and competitions, over and over again.

The top players in this field may seem glamorous, but they are few and far between. Most people waste their youth, exhaust their bodies, and end up facing hardship after retirement. The vast majority are forced to retire after age 25 when they can no longer keep up with the physical demands. The golden age for professional players is only between 16 and 23. If they don't make it big, they're left without education, money, or health—perhaps only able to work in club logistics.

If he were lucky enough to gain some fame and money after four years, and if he managed to build connections after retirement, the best development would be to start his own club or company. It might take another four years for the club to achieve any notable success.

But eight years—that would mean being separated from Qing Ye for eight years before he might possibly carve out his own future. Eight years later, just as Qing Ye had said, she might truly have become someone else's "little darling."

At this thought, Xing Wu felt a sharp pain in his chest and jumped down from the railing.

He couldn't bear eight years of separation. This path was too risky. Even if eight years later he achieved what he envisioned now, Qing Ye would have long graduated from university, surrounded by industry elites and top talents across the country. Even if he had earned some money by then, the distance between them would still be like an insurmountable galaxy.

So, only one path remained before him. Though it seemed absurd for someone like him—a troublemaker since childhood—and would likely shock those around him, it appeared to be the only way he could reach her side in the shortest time possible.

The scorching heat waves burned against the asphalt, the rising steam like flickering flames. Xing Wu's footsteps quickened, a surge of passion suddenly exploding in his heart. He walked straight to the street behind the airport, hailed a taxi without haggling over the price, and headed directly back to Anzi County.

As the sun disappeared below the horizon and darkness gradually enveloped the sky, he returned to Zhazha Pavilion late at night. Pang Hu was just about to go to bed when sudden, urgent knocking made him climb out of bed in the dark. Slipping on his sandals, he opened the door to find Xing Wu with intensely bright eyes.

Pang Hu stared at him for a long time, feeling that something was off about Xing Wu today but unable to pinpoint what. He said in surprise, "Wu, Brother Wu? Where have you been? Wh-what's wrong?"

Xing Wu's eyes fixed firmly on him as he asked directly, "Do you still have your books?"

"Wh-what books?"

"High school books. Did you tear them up?"Pang Hu grinned slyly, "N-no, I... I took it home early. There are notes written by Qing Ye on it. Couldn't bear to tear them, k-kept it as a memento."

"Give it to me."

Pang Hu glanced back at the clock on the wall, looking confused. "Brother Wu, w-why are you asking for the book in the m-middle of the night?"

"I plan to repeat the school year."

After a moment of stunned silence, Pang Hu suddenly broke into a foolish grin at Xing Wu. Xing Wu finally revealed a relieved smile. In the deep of night, two boys—one standing inside the door, the other outside—laughed uncontrollably.

Human life is like a torrential flood, unable to create beautiful waves without encountering islands and reefs. — Ostrovsky

...

The End