Love for You

Miao Jing nodded and hurried on her way.

She didn’t stay at school at noon. After finishing her classes, she quickly bought a birthday cake and carried it home. Chen Yi had just woken up and was doing push-ups on the floor of his room. The thin trapezius muscles on his shoulders and back stretched into elegant lines with each movement. At the nightclub, he never revealed his real age—to avoid anyone realizing he was only eighteen, he needed a more robust physique and a mature demeanor. Dumbbells, ab rollers, and various other fitness equipment were scattered around the house.

The moment the door opened, both of them froze.

Chen Yi, wearing only his underwear and bare-chested, was propped up on the floor, drenched in sweat as he looked up. Miao Jing, unsure if he was home, turned her head with the cake box in hand and caught sight of his taut back, the straight line stretching all the way to his instep, and his firm, rounded buttocks. Her face flushed slightly, but she feigned composure and placed the cake box on the table.

He sprang up from the floor, his seemingly unhurried movements betraying a hint of urgency as he retreated out of her line of sight and pulled on a shirt and pants. "Why are you back?"

"I bought a cake and some snacks." Miao Jing unwrapped her scarf. "Have you had lunch yet?"

"Not yet," he mumbled. "Just woke up."

"Should I cook?"

"Let’s just eat something simple. Why are you back? Don’t you have classes this afternoon?"

"The first period this afternoon is P.E. I asked for leave, so I can go to school later." She was still holding a bag. "It’s Christmas Eve today. Everyone’s giving apples."

He knew. The nightclub had parties and carnivals these past few days, with quite spectacular performances and an atmosphere of indulgence. Some women had given him chocolates and apples, but he hadn’t brought them home, distributing them to others instead.

Once dressed, Chen Yi emerged with a straight face. Spotting the cake box, his lips parted slightly in surprise, but he said nothing and turned to wash up in the bathroom.

Miao Jing had picked up two ready-made dishes on her way. In half an hour, she cooked rice and stir-fried two dishes, quickly setting the table for lunch.

As they sat at the dining table, Miao Jing picked up her bowl and chopsticks but hesitated. "Um... should we eat the cake first? Or after the meal?"

"How should I know?" He carelessly unwrapped the cake. "It’s all going into our stomachs anyway. Let’s eat it with the dishes."

The cream cake was only six inches, not too big, just enough for the two of them. It came with numbered candles and a birthday hat. Chen Yi watched as Miao Jing inserted the "18" candle. He thought the birthday hat looked too silly and tossed it into the trash. The lighter sparked with a flicker, and the two flames reflected in their four eyes. Miao Jing didn’t know what to say to lighten the mood, and Chen Yi’s expression remained calm, devoid of any festivity. He blew out the candles with a single breath and scooped out two slices of cake.

"Let’s eat."

"Thank you."

Both of them buried themselves in eating the cake. Suddenly, Miao Jing paused with the spoon in her mouth. "Turning eighteen and becoming an adult is pretty important."

"Yeah."

"I didn’t buy you a birthday gift because I was spending your money." She spoke softly. "Whether it’s expensive or cheap, it didn’t feel right."

"Find time to buy me a pair of boots. Leather ones, good quality, something that’ll hold up when kicking people and taking a beating."

"..." Miao Jing widened her eyes. "Don’t fight, and don’t swear..."

"..." Chen Yi twitched the corner of his mouth and buried himself in eating the cake.After finishing more dishes, Chen Yi asked Miao Jing when her birthday was. She said April 19th, adding that her family never really celebrated birthdays. Chen Yi had never celebrated his own birthday either, but if Wei Mingzhen remembered Miao Jing’s, she would give her some money to buy a few pastries.

Miao Jing had to leave for school at three in the afternoon, around the same time Chen Yi needed to head out. With a little time to spare after the meal, they curled up on the sofa, turned on the TV, and brought over the leftover cake. They stuck two spoons into it and finished it bite by bite, sharing between them.

They took the bus together, both holding onto the same pole as they stood side by side. Chen Yi was a head taller than Miao Jing. Glancing down at her, he reached out and wiped her temple with his finger. Miao Jing looked up, confused.

He curled his lips, sucked the sweet residue from his fingertip, and teased, "How did you manage to get cream in your hair while eating? Don’t girls always check themselves in the mirror before going out? Don’t they carry mirrors and combs around?"

Every girl has a natural talent for picking up on key points.

"What girl does that?"

"Every girl does," Chen Yi said casually. "The girls at school, the ones at the nightclub..."

He trailed off, quickly pressing his lips together. Nightclubs were a mixed bag—hardly the same environment as a key high school.

Miao Jing’s expression shifted slightly. She blinked but said nothing.

The nightclub where Chen Yi worked was quite well-known locally, owned by a businessman named Zhai. Lavish as a castle, it was grand and opulent, complete with a performance hall, KTV, bar, cigar and wine lounge—everything one could want. Its clientele came from all walks of life. The security staff were mostly burly, imposing ex-soldiers. At 187 cm tall, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, Chen Yi cut an impressive figure in a suit. His expression and gaze carried a defiant, unapproachable edge. He’d lied about his age, claiming to be twenty-one. Though not particularly talkative, he was sharp-witted. When playing pool or drinking with others, he’d first gauge their background and demeanor. Drawing on the boldness he’d cultivated since childhood, he never showed a hint of fear. He even brought in Bo Zai and his crew of school dropouts, who worked as parking attendants, monitored security cameras, or served in the casino lounge, living off tips.

Miao Jing knew that aside from working nights at the club, he practiced mixed martial arts and boxing during the day. At home, he kept equipment like steel pipes he’d brought back from the nightclub. He’d started customizing his own pool cue, probably from practicing with others. The nightclub had a billiards hall that always drew a crowd. Though billiards was considered a gentleman’s sport, in the city’s mid to low-end entertainment venues, the halls were mostly frequented by troublemakers. Chen Yi had met plenty of people at the tables, and betting on games was common. He also smoked and drank heavily, and he often came home smelling of perfume.

It made her uneasy.

Sometimes he’d stumble home drunk at four in the morning after covering for someone, waking Miao Jing. Seeing his pale face and bloodshot eyes, she couldn’t possibly drag him to bed. Other times, he wouldn’t come home at all, with no trace of him for days—no discarded clothes, no sign he’d been back. When she rarely called him, she’d either hear shouting and laughter or deafening music and screams in the background. Only on his days off would she find him at home, lounging lazily and smoking.