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Chapter 21 Part 1 — It’s not good to provoke someone…

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“Nan Xu, I’ll think about this problem some more. I’ll tell you during self-study this afternoon.”

Liu Chengyi walked past a row of empty desks and stopped in front of Nan Xu, who was still packing her bag. He set her workbook down.

“Okay, thank you,” Nan Xu smiled back at him. “Oh, by the way, I asked the teacher about the third question just now—he had another way of solving it.” She was about to pull out some scratch paper.

But Liu Chengyi stopped her. “Let’s eat first, and we’ll talk about it during self-study. I’m leaving now.”

“Okay, bye.”

Wen Qi, who was waiting for Nan Xu to go to lunch, wasn’t surprised at all.

The two of them discussing physics problems had become routine. Sometimes if they couldn’t finish between classes and the next period happened to be a self-study, Nan Xu would even swap seats with Liu Chengyi’s desk mate so they could keep going.

Wen Qi tugged on Nan Xu’s arm. “Come on, let’s go. Stop staring, he’s already gone. Let’s eat.”

“I wasn’t staring,” Nan Xu shot back.

The two walked out of the classroom and headed down the stairs.

“Weren’t you? I honestly thought the two of you might develop into something by now! I don’t really know Liu Chengyi, so I can’t tell what he’s like.” Wen Qi’s eyes darted mischievously across Nan Xu’s face.

Nan Xu, however, stayed calm. “No. We just discuss physics, that’s all.”

“If you say so.” Wen Qi shook her head.

During afternoon self-study, Liu Chengyi’s desk mate happened to be absent, so Nan Xu went over as usual with her questions.

Xiang Weishi watched the two of them working side by side and immediately acted like he’d discovered some huge secret. He nudged Xie Hejing’s arm. “Hey, hey, hey, look—Nan Xu and Liu Chengyi.”

Xie Hejing barely lifted his eyelids, letting out a cold snort. “What’s so interesting about that?”

But Xiang Weishi went on, talking to himself more than anyone else. “Don’t you think there’s something going on? I’ve seen Liu Chengyi coming to Nan Xu almost every day lately. Sure, they say it’s about physics, but once I even spotted them at the milk tea shop near the school. Each of them holding a cup, chatting away.”

“Milk tea shop…” Xie Hejing glanced over at them.

“Yeah. Looked like Nan Xu treated him too—I watched for a while, she was the one who paid. You know, she’s on good terms with all of us—well, except you.”

This guy acted like he was too good for everyone. Aside from Wen Qi, he never talked with any girl for more than ten sentences.

“But Nan Xu gets along pretty well with me and Wen Qi. If there’s really something happening, how come she hasn’t told us? No way, I’m gonna ask her later.”

Xie Hejing didn’t bother listening to Xiang Weishi’s rambling anymore. He set aside the problem he was working on, propped his head on his hand, and looked in their direction. His gaze, at first absentminded, slowly sharpened until it fixed entirely on Nan Xu.

Just then, Nan Xu’s pen slipped from her desk, rolled under Liu Chengyi’s chair. Liu Chengyi bent down to pick it up for her.

Nan Xu, thoughtful as ever, held her hand against the corner of the desk so he wouldn’t bump his head when he stood up.

Liu Chengyi noticed and raised his brows with a smile as he handed the pen back, saying something he couldn’t quite catch.

That little interaction made Xiang Weishi even more excited. He turned to Wen Qi, speculating whether the two were already in the ambiguous stage—or maybe just one step away from being together.

Their chatter buzzed in Xie Hejing’s ears, making him restless and irritable. Finally, he stood up.

“Where are you going?” Xiang Weishi asked.

“What’s it to you?” Xie Hejing shot back, clearly annoyed.

“What’s with him today? Why so cranky?” Xiang Weishi muttered.

Wen Qi yawned. “Who knows. Maybe he couldn’t solve a problem.”

By dinnertime, Xie Hejing’s expression was no longer cold—now it was stormy. Everything seemed to irritate him.

Zhang Huiwan held back from asking at first, but later, when she was alone with Nan Xu, she said: “What’s wrong with Hejing? Did someone at school get on his nerves?”

Nan Xu thought carefully but couldn’t recall anything. “Doesn’t seem like it.”

“Then someone must have turned him down again?” Zhang Huiwan sighed, half exasperated.

“Oh, right, I forgot to tell you.” Nan Xu lowered her voice a little. “I asked him about it last time. He said he’d never confess to anyone. So it shouldn’t be that.”

Hearing this, Zhang Huiwan finally relaxed. As for the rest, she trusted Xie Hejing could handle things on his own.

At eleven that night, Xie Hejing took a pill and lay quietly in bed, waiting for sleep. Insomnia had always been a long-standing problem for him, and lately it seemed to be getting worse.

At one in the morning, he woke up again. With a resigned sigh, he threw back the blanket, slipped on his slippers, and headed downstairs for some water.

A couple of minutes later, a door creaked open upstairs.

Xie Hejing paused mid-step, sipping his water slowly, not in any rush to return to his room.

Nan Xu had just finished a physics test paper, finally relaxing. To sleep a little longer the next morning, she planned to fill her thermos with hot water tonight.

She had just filled a cup at the counter and turned around, when the glow of her phone light revealed Xie Hejing in dark blue pajamas.

He leaned against the counter, one hand holding a cup, silent from the moment she came downstairs to the moment she finished. He didn’t make a sound—just watched her quietly.

The sight startled Nan Xu so much her heart skipped several beats. Her thermos slipped right out of her hand.

At this hour, Zhang Huiwan was asleep. Afraid the noise would wake her, Nan Xu scrambled to catch it, but it was useless—fortunately, Xie Hejing’s reflexes were quick, and he caught it.

Even so, there was still a loud clatter. Nan Xu froze, staring at Zhang Huiwan’s door until she was sure there was no movement. Only then did she relax a little.

Just as she was about to breathe out in relief, she noticed the thermos felt lighter. She looked down—and saw that the hot water had spilled out, scalding the back of Xie Hejing’s hand, now reddened.

She gasped, and before she could even apologize, she grabbed his hand and dragged him into the kitchen.

Water splashed noisily from the faucet as Nan Xu held his wrist, rinsing his hand under the stream with eyes full of guilt.

Xie Hejing didn’t seem to feel any pain. His other hand stayed casually in his pocket, his expression calm. But when he noticed how focused Nan Xu was on his hand, his brow twitched slightly, and his gaze shifted to his wrist.

His frown slowly eased. Even the corner of his mouth lifted faintly.

He didn’t say anything, letting her hold on.

Ten minutes passed like that. The only sound in the kitchen was running water. Nan Xu didn’t move, still carefully holding his hand under the faucet.

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze to her face.

Her phone’s light, set aside on the counter, cast a warm glow across her profile. A few strands of hair tucked neatly behind her ear, her lashes lowered, throwing delicate fan-shaped shadows across her cheek. Her lips were pressed together, her face tense with concentration.

The still waters of his heart stirred, rippling quietly.

Then Nan Xu suddenly sneezed. Xie Hejing looked at her thin pajamas, his breath tightening. Finally, he spoke, breaking the silence of the night.

“Still holding on?”

It took Nan Xu a moment to realize what he meant. Flustered, she let go and said awkwardly, “Sorry, I didn’t expect you to be downstairs too.” Her eyes flicked to his hand, still red. “Doesn’t it hurt?”

Xie Hejing skipped right over the question, his voice low. “Why are you still awake at this hour?”

“I was working on a physics paper. I messaged you that I’d be up late,” Nan Xu murmured, her voice trailing off.

Late… all the way to one in the morning.

“One paper keeps you up this late? Looks like Liu Chengyi isn’t teaching you very well.” Xie Hejing gave a cold laugh.

Nan Xu didn’t quite understand how the topic suddenly turned to Liu Chengyi. After all, he’d been helping her with problems; whether she grasped them or not was her own ability.

“I think he explains things pretty well. It’s just me—I’ve been stuck on one concept, so I kept working until late.”

Xie Hejing raised an eyebrow. Now she was even defending other people in front of him.

But that Liu Chengyi… his eyes darkened.

“Stay away from him.”

“Why?” Nan Xu asked. “I think he’s nice. He’s willing to help me with physics.”

Time in senior year was precious. Someone willing to spend time tutoring her in physics—Nan Xu only felt grateful.

Xie Hejing stepped closer. “I’ll say it again. Stay away from him. He’s not a good person.”

Nan Xu fell silent. She didn’t argue, but her expression made it clear she didn’t agree with him at all.

Xie Hejing’s gaze turned cold.

Of course. The two of them were so close—what business of his was it to interfere?

He pulled his hand back, gave it a quick shake, and walked out of the kitchen without another word.

Mindful that Zhang Huiwan was still asleep, Nan Xu had to keep her voice low. “Does your hand still hurt? Do you want some ointment?”

Xie Hejing went straight upstairs, shut his door, leaving not a single word behind.

Nan Xu could only knock softly on his door with the burn ointment in her hand. No response.

“I’ll just leave it by your door,” she said, knocking once more before heading back to her room.

. . . . .

On Sunday, while Zhang Huiwan was at work, only Nan Xu and Xie Hejing sat down to lunch together.

After a bit of hesitation, Nan Xu finally said, “Brother, I’m going out later.”

“With who?”

“…Liu Chengyi.” Expecting him to object, she quickly added, “He’s been helping me with physics for so long, so I thought I’d treat him to a meal. We agreed on it earlier.”

To her surprise, Xie Hejing only gave a calm “Mm.”

But when Nan Xu returned home, her whole demeanor was different from when she left—listless, drained, and with a trace of anger still between her brows.

She froze when she saw Xie Hejing sitting on the sofa. At this time of night, he was usually in his room. Yet here he was, sitting squarely in the living room.

The TV was on, its noise filling the otherwise empty house, but he hadn’t been watching it at all. Instead, he was idly scrolling through his phone.

When the sound of the door opening came from the entryway, he lifted his head.

Nan Xu met his eyes, then quickly looked away, turning her face aside. She didn’t even say hello—just headed straight for the stairs.

“Nan Xu.” His legs spread lazily, his body leaning against the sofa back, his tone casual but impossible to ignore. “Come here.”

Nan Xu clutched at the scarf draped across her chest, frozen in place. “Good evening, Brother. I’m really tired tonight, so I’ll just head up and rest.”

“Don’t make me come drag you out of your room later.” His voice carried a quiet threat.

Reluctantly, Nan Xu walked over. “What is it?”

Xie Hejing stood. He was much taller than her, and the sudden pressure of his presence made her instinctively take two steps back.

Noticing that, he softened. He bent down, lowering himself to meet her eyes. That’s when he caught sight of the tears welling up, the sadness written all over her face.

“Who upset you?”

The question broke something loose. Nan Xu’s eyes reddened further, her vision blurring with tears. Her lips trembled, and she blinked stubbornly, refusing to let them fall.

“Liu Chengyi…” Her voice was thick with grievance.

She had only intended to treat him to a meal today. But Liu Chengyi had asked her to meet at a KTV instead, saying it happened to be his birthday and he wanted her to celebrate with him.

Nan Xu hadn’t thought much of it. She even stopped by a shop to buy him a gift before going to the address.

But when she arrived, she discovered it wasn’t his birthday at all—it was a setup. Liu Chengyi had planned to confess to her.

Nan Xu had never once considered anything beyond being classmates with him. She politely refused.

The problem was, Liu Chengyi had convinced himself he already had her in the bag. He believed Nan Xu must like him—why else would she choose him, out of everyone in class, to spend so much time discussing physics problems?

So, full of confidence, he had invited as many friends as he could, determined that everyone would witness him winning over such a beautiful girlfriend.

But Nan Xu’s rejection made Liu Chengyi feel utterly humiliated on the spot. He forced a smile and said, “What kind of joke is this?”

Nan Xu, however, looked at him seriously and replied, “I’m sorry. I just wanted to ask you a physics question. I must have given you the wrong impression, and I really apologize. But I truly don’t like you.”

Liu Chengyi’s friends, seeing him rejected again and again, instantly lost their patience.

“What are you acting all high and mighty for? If you weren’t interested, why even come here? Stop being so pretentious—it’s embarrassing!”

One stone stirred up a thousand ripples. Liu Chengyi’s friends naturally stood on his side, and their voices grew sharper, banding together to attack Nan Xu.

Backed into a corner, Nan Xu was forced to listen as they jeered and insulted her.

It was the first time she had ever faced something like this—the first time so many people ganged up on her. It was as if she had committed some terrible crime, when in truth all she had done was reject someone she didn’t like.

She tried over and over to explain herself, but no matter what she said, it was like her voice carried no weight. Her words trembled with anxiety, tears threatening to spill from her eyes.

Then someone, noticing she was about to cry, mocked, “Liu Chengyi, your girlfriend’s about to cry. Aren’t you going to comfort her?”

Another chimed in, “Hey, this girl of yours isn’t being obedient. You better tame her while you can.”

Laughter erupted around them.

The words dripped with malice. Liu Chengyi caught someone’s eye, then burst out laughing too, lowering his head as if to force a kiss on Nan Xu.

Startled, Nan Xu dodged and shoved him away in panic.

The push wasn’t hard, but it was enough to shock everyone around. A delicate little girl, daring to lay hands on Liu Chengyi?

Seizing their moment of surprise, Nan Xu ducked out from the corner, slipped through the door, and bolted straight out to flag a cab home.

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Chapter 20 — Right now, you’re thinking about me, aren’t you?

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The scores for the last monthly exam of the first semester in senior year had been released.

Nan Xu looked at her barely passing physics grade and sighed. Lately, her physics results seemed to be stuck in a strange cycle—always hovering right around the passing line.

This had never really happened before. The physics teacher had even called her in several times, suspecting she had some sort of issue with the subject and trying to counsel her.

But Nan Xu didn’t. She just felt a faint sense of helplessness whenever it came to physics. The only reason she was still holding onto a spot in the top twenty rankings was because of her other subjects.

Her physics workbook sat open on the desk. After getting several questions wrong in a row, she finally gripped her pen tightly, mustered up the courage, and went to ask the class physics expert, Liu Chengyi, for help.

When she returned to her seat, Wen Qi gave a curious little “huh?” and asked,
“Xuxu, why didn’t you ask Xie Hejing? Isn’t he number one in physics?”

Truthfully, Nan Xu did want to ask Xie Hejing. But his frosty expression always made her hesitate. And besides, hadn’t he warned her before to stay away from him?

Either way, asking Liu Chengyi got her the same results—as long as the problem was solved, that was what mattered.

Still, Nan Xu couldn’t help wondering why Xie Hejing had become so cold lately. It was as if, all of a sudden, he’d shut out the world and devoted himself solely to his books.

Even at the dinner table, sitting beside Aunt Zhang, he hardly said a word.

Zhang Huiwan had clearly noticed as well. She picked up some food with her chopsticks and placed it into her son’s bowl, her gaze carrying a trace of doubt.

“Hejing, eat some more.”

Xie Hejing nodded without speaking. He quickly finished what was in his bowl, then set down his chopsticks.

“I’m done. I’ll head upstairs first.”

Nan Xu and Zhang Huiwan exchanged looks, both baffled as they watched him walk away.

In a low voice, Zhang Huiwan asked, “Jiaojiao, since you’re in the same class—have you noticed anything unusual about Hejing lately?”

Nan Xu nodded. “A little. He seems unusually quiet, like he’s lost interest in everything.”

“Do you know why?”

“…No.” Nan Xu answered honestly.

After a pause, Zhang Huiwan frowned, thinking aloud. “Something’s not right. Don’t tell me… did Hejing fall in love early, and then get dumped?”

She had never seen her son like this before. Normally, even when she scolded him, he would joke around and smile it off. But lately, no matter what she said, he would just accept it with a “whatever.” That wasn’t like him at all.

At his age, if a boy got rejected or went through a breakup, it would make sense for him to mope around like this for a while.

The more she thought about it, the more convinced she became.

But Nan Xu said, “I’ve never seen any girl who seemed especially close to Brother Hejing.”

“Then it must have been a rejection,” Zhang Huiwan said firmly.

Nan Xu widened her eyes. Looking at Aunt Zhang’s determined expression, she started to wonder too. After all, even though she and Xie Hejing were classmates, they weren’t together all the time.

Maybe there was some moment when he confessed and got turned down!

Concerned about her son, who clearly needed some guidance, Zhang Huiwan immediately put down her chopsticks. “I’ll go ask Hejing and comfort him.”

Nan Xu watched her get up, wondering if she should also do something. But before long, Zhang Huiwan came back down from the stairs.

“…Wouldn’t going straight to him like that hurt his pride?”

She hesitated. Teenagers usually had very strong self-esteem and hated being nagged by parents.

Nan Xu bit her lip. If Xie Hejing wasn’t saying anything, it probably meant he didn’t want them to know. Asking him directly really might not be the best idea.

“Probably.”

Zhang Huiwan sat back down and said, “Jiaojiao, help Auntie with something.”

. . . . .

At nine that evening, Nan Xu took her physics workbook and knocked on Xie Hejing’s door.

No one answered the first knock. She waited, but there was still no movement. Taking a step closer, she leaned against the door and listened quietly. Not a sound came from inside.

If she hadn’t known for sure that Xie Hejing hadn’t left his room since going upstairs, she might really have thought no one was in there.

Xie Hejing heard the knock at his door, but he stayed seated at his desk, unmoving, eyes fixed on the sticky note on the wall.

On a square white note, aside from the two characters spelling Nan Xu, the rest of the space was crammed with the word stop written over and over.

Each day he wrote one stop. Before long, the entire note was filled.

He tore off a new one and picked up his pen, ready to write her name again.

But just as he finished the first character, “Nan,” another knock came at the door.

“Brother, are you there? I’ve got a question I can’t solve,” Nan Xu called.

Only then did it hit him—the person he’d been writing was standing right outside.

He finally got up and opened the door, his expression cold. “What is it?”

Nan Xu was used to that chilly face. Smiling, she held up her workbook. “There’s a problem I don’t understand. Can I ask you?”

“No.” Xie Hejing rejected her flatly and was about to shut the door when Aunt Zhang’s voice floated up from downstairs.

She had just picked up her coat and, catching Nan Xu’s eye, raised her brows meaningfully.

“Hejing, what’s wrong with teaching your sister a problem? If you can’t even do that, you’re really not much of a brother,” she scolded.

Nan Xu quickly chimed in, “Exactly…”

Seeing him hesitate, she pushed her advantage. “Brother, I’ve been barely passing physics these past few times. If this keeps up, Old Chen will drag me in for talks every single day. I get so nervous every time. Please, be nice and help me out!”

The corner of his mouth twitched, but he said nothing.

Sensing his resolve weakening, Nan Xu turned on the flattery. “You’re kind-hearted—everyone loves you…”

She’d always had a sweet tongue. Gentle and smiling with everyone, she hardly ever lost her temper. Whether childhood playmates or the neighborhood aunties, everyone adored her.

Except for Xie Hejing. He’d always found it fake.

Now he wondered—did he really think it was fake? Or was it just because she praised everyone but hardly ever him?

He faltered.

“Everyone loves me?” Xie Hejing let out a sharp laugh.

“…Uh.” Nan Xu’s words faltered. Clearly, even he didn’t believe it. But at this point, she had no choice but to double down. “Of course!”

Before he could respond, Aunt Zhang called again, “What are you still standing there for?”

She turned, grabbing her bag. “Hejing, I’m going to meet a friend. You explain the problem to your sister. Jiaojiao, if you don’t understand something, ask him. I’ll be back in about an hour.”

“Okay, Auntie. Be safe on the way,” Nan Xu replied.

Since Xie Hejing hadn’t outright refused, she assumed he’d agreed. She flipped open her workbook to the right page and stepped forward, ready to go inside.

But he stopped her with a hand across the doorway. Only then did she remember he hated people entering his room. She quickly stepped back several paces, explaining in a rush, “Don’t worry, I won’t go in. We can do it in my room instead?”

Xie Hejing gave a cold snort. “Wait in the living room downstairs.”

Back at his desk, the unfinished note still lay there. But instead of writing the second character of her name, he ripped it off, pressed it firmly against the wall, and left it at that.

Meanwhile, Nan Xu slipped back into her room and placed a big bag of snacks by his door. Aunt Zhang had asked her to gently sound him out—to see just how badly he’d been “rejected”—before deciding whether to step in herself.

Nan Xu figured Aunt Zhang’s guess was probably right, and that she too should do her part to comfort him. She didn’t have any better ideas, so she thought a few snacks might at least cheer him up.

Sure enough, when Xie Hejing came out and saw the bag at his door, his steps faltered. But he quickly looked away and went downstairs.

Nan Xu had already opened her workbook on the coffee table. The moment he arrived, she leaned forward eagerly.

“Brother, this one—why is the answer B?”

The workbook was only a thin little booklet. Sitting together on the sofa to go over a problem meant the two of them inevitably ended up sitting quite close.

To see more clearly, Nan Xu leaned a little closer to his side.

Xie Hejing arched a brow, noticing her shoulder almost brushing against his arm. He didn’t move away, just asked, “Are you cold?”

“No…” Nan Xu followed his gaze, realized just how little space there was between them, and her face heated instantly. “I… didn’t notice.” She quickly shifted back a little.

Xie Hejing glanced at the question, grabbed a sheet of scrap paper, and began working it out.

“You can write on my book,” Nan Xu said hurriedly.

She had a habit of writing the steps right beside the problem, so she wouldn’t have to go searching for them later.

But Xie Hejing ignored her, lowering his head as he scribbled, and muttered, “Why would I write over Liu Chengyi’s handwriting?”

Nan Xu shrugged. She didn’t dare bring it up again—he was already doing her a favor by explaining at all. Besides, she still had to use this chance to carry out Aunt Zhang’s request.

She decided to take it slowly, easing into the topic. After he finished explaining the problem, she casually asked, “Brother, that girl who gave you a love letter last time—how are things going with her?”

Xie Hejing paused mid-spin of his pen, replying offhandedly, “Wasn’t the one who gave me a love letter… you?”

Her wording had been ambiguous. Nan Xu turned her head, ready to explain—only to meet his gaze.

Those eyes, with their faint, teasing smile—just like the day she’d handed over that letter for someone else. He’d looked at her with this same expression then, mouth curving lazily as he asked, “You wrote it?”

Nan Xu’s eyes flickered, and she quickly looked away. “…I meant the one who actually wrote you a love letter.”

Leaning back against the sofa, Xie Hejing twirled his pen slowly. “Don’t know.”

“She didn’t sign her name in the letter?”

“Didn’t read it.”

Nan Xu: “…”

That killed the conversation on the spot. She racked her brain for another angle, but time slipped by.

“Hey. Any more questions? If not, I’m heading upstairs.” Xie Hejing tossed the pen onto the coffee table with a soft clack.

The sound jolted Nan Xu back. “Yes, yes, I do.”

She picked a tricky problem this time. “I only managed the first part,” she said, then handed the workbook to him like a treasure. “Thank you, Brother.”

Xie Hejing took it, his gaze lingering on her for only a second. She was smiling at him with bright, crescent-shaped eyes.

He couldn’t stop himself from wondering—

Did she smile at Liu Chengyi like this too?

Nan Xu, meanwhile, kept her eyes on the workbook but her mind was elsewhere.

Which girl had Brother Hejing been close to recently? Had she missed something?

They sat at the little coffee table, each lost in their own thoughts.

Nan Xu stayed properly in her seat, not daring to disturb him while he worked. She only stole glances at him from the corner of her eye, afraid he’d suddenly look at her again the way he had earlier—that strange look that left her breath quickening and her mind in chaos, unable even to meet his gaze.

After a moment’s hesitation, she clenched her fists, gave herself a silent pep talk, and continued the earlier thread. “Brother, at least look at it. If you were the one confessing, and the other person ignored you like that, wouldn’t you feel hurt too?”

Hearing her earnest tone, Xie Hejing chuckled. Slowly, he called her name: “Nan Xu.”

That tone—she was doomed.

Nan Xu swallowed nervously. “…What is it?”

“The only thing that happens is people confessing to me. I don’t confess to anyone. Got it?”

“…Got it.” Nan Xu nodded so quickly it was almost comical. “Got it.”

Flustered, she turned her eyes away and fell quiet.

“What are you thinking?” Xie Hejing clearly wasn’t about to let her off the hook. His eyes narrowed slightly. “Right now, you’re thinking about me, aren’t you?”

His gaze was so sharp it felt almost tangible, forcing Nan Xu to meet his eyes. She drew in a breath and slowly nodded.

Seeing this, the corners of Xie Hejing’s lips lifted. He looked at her with amusement and spoke softly, “And besides that… Nan Xu, you’ve been thinking about me a lot lately, haven’t you?”

Would she think of him the same way he thought of her?

Nan Xu recalled. Yes—she had been.

She kept feeling that something about him wasn’t right these days, so she often found herself wondering what was wrong. She only wanted to get along with him better.

“Is it just that kind of simple ‘thinking’…” Xie Hejing deliberately paused, his tone languid, “…or something else?”

Nan Xu didn’t answer. Her instincts told her that the current situation was a bit dangerous.

There was a storm swirling in his eyes, like a beast lying in wait, locking onto its prey with a forceful hunger and possessiveness.

“Do you know what it means when you keep thinking about someone of the opposite sex?”

Faced with his burning stare, Nan Xu panicked and turned her head away. “W-what does it mean?” she stammered.

“It means you like him.” Xie Hejing’s voice was low, but it stirred her heart.

Nan Xu’s breath quickened sharply. The air around her seemed to thicken with heat. Her cheeks flushed scarlet, her throat constricted like something was caught there.

Her hands clutched the hem of her shirt, and after a long struggle, she forced out a whisper: “Brother… that’s impossible. Don’t joke around like that.”

“Is that so?” Xie Hejing chuckled faintly.

After a few seconds, he finally looked away. Nan Xu exhaled in relief, and the atmosphere between them dropped back into an icy silence.

She still hadn’t found out what she wanted—Xie Hejing would never confess so easily. Was it just stubborn pride keeping him from admitting it, or was it really not the case?

If it truly wasn’t, then his gloomy mood these days must have another reason. She’d have to find a way to draw it out of him, to comfort him.

Trying to ease the heavy air, Nan Xu smiled and said, “Brother, why do you still call me Nan Xu? My parents, Auntie and Uncle all call me Jiaojiao. Even Qiqi calls me Xuxu. But you keep calling me Nan Xu.”

Xie Hejing looked over. Nan Xu’s fingers curled tighter. “Everyone close to me calls me something else. Only you call me Nan Xu. It feels so… distant.”

“Are we that close?” he countered.

“Of course,” Nan Xu said at once, then faltered. “…aren’t we?”

His eyelids lowered. Something inside him twitched—like an invisible sting, leaving behind a strange numb ache.

His lips parted, forming the words as if for the first time: “Jiao… Jiao.” The unfamiliar sound dissatisfied him, so he tried again. “Nan Jiaojiao.”

Nan Xu shook her head. “No ‘Nan.’ Just Jiaojiao. Like ‘the moon among the clouds, the blossom among the leaves.’ That kind of Jiaojiao.”

“I won’t call you what everyone else does.”

“Nan Jiaojiao sounds like ‘hard to reach,’ I don’t like it,” she argued, then brightened. “If you don’t want to be like everyone else, you can call me A-Jiao.”

But silence followed.

Had he not heard her?

Nan Xu turned her head. He was staring straight at her, the darkness of his eyes sharpened with a knowing glint.

His brow arched slightly, and he gestured to her workbook. “Your mind isn’t really on studying today.”

“Of course it is!” Nan Xu panicked that her little scheme to pry into him had been noticed. Her heart pounded. “If it’s not on this, then—then where would it be?”

Leaning closer, Xie Hejing murmured, “On me.”

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Chapter 19 — Who knows what schemes they’ve got in mind…

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Xie Hejing had been acting really strange lately.

As Nan Xu ate her breakfast, she glanced at his empty seat and couldn’t help but think that.

Lately, she kept feeling like Xie Hejing was deliberately avoiding her.

Not only did he leave home much earlier than her every day, but at school, he didn’t give her a single word or even a glance.

Taking a slow sip of porridge, Nan Xu’s mind was in a storm of questions.

What did she do to upset him?

She hugged her bowl, racking her brain.

She couldn’t figure it out.

Weren’t things fine before? Why was he suddenly so cold?

She had even been planning to invite him to the music festival—perfect timing to bring up the bracelet.

But the message she sent had completely vanished into the void.

Which meant… the bracelet matter would be postponed indefinitely again.

Nan Xu slapped the table lightly and sighed.

Men’s hearts are like needles lost at the bottom of the sea.

Xie Hejing’s heart—more like the Mariana Trench.

She couldn’t even invite the person she wanted to, yet she’d already made all the preparations to avoid running into the one person she didn’t want to see at the festival.

“Wen Qi, should I wear this outfit tomorrow, or this one? Which one makes me look more charismatic?”

Xiang Weishi was holding up his phone, showing Wen Qi two carefully chosen outfits.

Nan Xu bent over her exercises, but her mind wasn’t on them at all. Her ears were tuned to the two people conversation beside her.

For once, Wen Qi didn’t brush him off. Instead, he asked seriously, “How can you highlight something that doesn’t exist?”

Xiang Weishi rolled his eyes so hard it hurt. “Wen Qi, seriously? And here I was inviting you to the music festival!”

Wen Qi was going too?!

At that, Nan Xu’s head shot up, startling them both.

“What’s wrong?” Xiang Weishi asked, staring at her dazed expression. Then he added, “Hey, Nan Xu, do you want to come? I can get you a ticket.”

Nan Xu: …

She shook her head. “I have something to do tomorrow, so I won’t be going. Thank you, and have fun.”

. . . . .

Saturday, Zhi’an Music Festival.

Nan Xu’s band had a bit of a name for themselves, but most people in the crowd had come for the bigger headliners. So their performance was scheduled earlier in the day.

Looking out at the sea of people, Nan Xu’s heart gave a sudden thump. For the first time, she felt the weight of stepping out of that little bar and onto a much bigger stage.

Ever since Xie Hejing lent her the practice room, she’d been sneaking in every night before bed to rehearse. A month of practice had made the songs smoother, her skills sharper, and her anxiety before going on stage much easier to manage.

But this was still her first time facing such a huge crowd, and nerves were inevitable.

Would anyone like their songs?

Would their performance be a success? Would people cheer for them?

Could she really pull it off?

If she messed up, she’d drag Sister Jia down with her—and the whole band.

She kept taking deep breaths, trying to calm her racing heart, but the more she did, the more jittery she felt. Right then, Cheng Jia placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

“Relax. Everyone has a first time. We’ve practiced so long it’s harder to mess up than get it right. Just play the way you always do.”

Nan Xu had learned guitar from her, and no one understood her ability better than Cheng Jia.

Cheng Jia truly wanted to grow the band, and if it hadn’t been for Nan Xu’s talent, quick learning, and surprising chemistry with the group, she never would have suggested letting her join.

“Come on. Time to get on stage.”

Nan Xu pulled her mask on and nodded firmly. She took her place with the others.

The crowd hushed to silence. She drew in a deep breath, let her fingers glide across the strings, and music poured out from her fingertips.

This song was meant to hype up the crowd. Barely a few seconds in, with Cheng Jia’s first note, the audience’s screams hit the night’s first peak.

The energy below the stage was electric. Cheng Jia even found a moment to turn and wink at Nan Xu.

Nan Xu grew more and more relaxed. She even felt like she was playing better than she ever had during practice.

The performance ended perfectly. As Nan Xu packed up her things, she was in high spirits—she had done really well tonight.

The only regret was that Xie Hejing hadn’t come. She had wanted him to see the results of all her hard work.

Still, Nan Xu didn’t want to kill the mood, so when Cheng Jia suggested a little celebration, she didn’t refuse.

The night went smoothly. Just as Nan Xu thought she had successfully avoided running into Xiang Weishi, she heard that all-too-familiar voice:

“Sister Cheng Jia, over here!”

That guy had once complained to Cheng Jia about her posting too few videos of his “goddess.” He was bold and annoyingly chatty, often sending her private messages. Over time, they’d gotten familiar. In Cheng Jia’s mind, he was already an “old fan.”

And now, with an old fan saying hello, ignoring him would’ve seemed rude.

He was actually standing across the street, but his enthusiasm was impossible to ignore. So Cheng Jia called the band over—specifically naming Nan Xu.

“Xiao Xu, this is your die-hard fan. Remember when you barely appeared in our videos? He even messaged me, warning me not to play favorites. I thought he was a total nutcase and nearly blocked him, but later he found out we were struggling financially and even offered to help fund us!”

At that, the drummer, standing behind Nan Xu, immediately stepped forward.
“Holy crap, he’s a sponsor? Sister Jia, why didn’t you say so earlier? Let’s go—he’s calling us. Can’t keep him waiting. What if he gets tired of standing there?”

“I…” Nan Xu looked troubled.

“What’s wrong?” Cheng Jia asked, turning back.

She couldn’t admit she didn’t want to go, so she pressed her lips together, trying to think of an excuse.

But patience wasn’t one of Xiang Weishi’s virtues. The moment he called out and saw the group hesitate, he was already striding toward them with his trademark grin.

Nan Xu panicked, unable to find a place to hide. Cheng Jia was standing too far away, so the only option was to duck behind the drummer closest to her, hoping Xiang Weishi wouldn’t notice.

As he drew closer, Nan Xu hunched her shoulders and shrank further behind him.

The two of them were nearly pressed together when, at last, the one who had been silent all night in the shadows could no longer hold back.

Xie Hejing.

He strode quickly up behind them.

At that exact moment, the pedestrian light turned red, and Xiang Weishi was stuck on the other side of the street. His “goddess” was right there within reach, but he couldn’t cross. Frustrated, he grumbled under his breath.

“Sister.”

The familiar voice came from behind her.

Nan Xu turned in disbelief.

It was Xie Hejing—hat pulled low, mask covering half his face, disguised even more thoroughly than she was. If he hadn’t spoken, she might never have noticed him.

And the direction he’d come from…

He had gone to the music festival tonight!

Nan Xu felt a jolt of shock, quickly followed by confusion. If he was going to show up, then why hadn’t he answered her messages? And why did he seem even more desperate than her to avoid being recognized?

Among the group, only she and Cheng Jia were girls. Cheng Jia immediately pulled Nan Xu behind her protectively, glaring at Xie Hejing.

“Xiao Xu, who’s this? How come I’ve never heard you mention a brother before?”

Seeing Nan Xu hiding behind Cheng Jia, Xie Hejing’s eyes darkened with a flicker of anger.

What was this supposed to mean? Was she… afraid of him?

Nan Xu glanced across the street at Xiang Weishi. The red light only had ten seconds left. If she was going to leave with Xie Hejing, now was her best chance.

She stepped out from behind Cheng Jia.

“Sister Jia, this is… a brother I know. I’ve been staying at his place recently.”

Cheng Jia blinked, taken aback. “You’ve been… staying at his place?”

“Mm.”

The seconds on the traffic light ticked down. Nan Xu didn’t have time to explain.

“I’m sorry, Sister Jia. I forgot I promised my brother I’d have dinner at home tonight. Let’s get together again next time. Sorry, everyone—I’ll head out first.”

“Hey, Nan Xu—”

With only two seconds left on the red light, Nan Xu grabbed Xie Hejing’s hand and pulled him in the opposite direction.

Dark waves surged in Xie Hejing’s eyes. His brows drew down slightly, his gaze locked on their joined hands.

This was the second time.

He didn’t like being touched, not at all.

She’d better let go now.

His expression cooled.

Behind them, the crowd faded into the distance. The girl laughed brightly, guitar strapped to her back, holding tight to the boy’s hand as they ran through the bustling streets, lighting up the night with a streak of vivid color.

“Brother, we beat the clock!” she said, smiling up at him.

Xie Hejing’s gaze shifted from their hands to her face. Her eyes sparkled, laughter brimming like it was about to spill over.

For a moment, the noisy street fell silent. In the rush of their run, all he could hear was the wind whistling past—and his own heartbeat, stubbornly betraying him.

He decided to ignore her. But his mouth betrayed him first.

“Mm. Watch where you’re going.”

Xie Hejing: …

The tone wasn’t warm, but not too cold either—like he was more afraid she’d crash into something and drag him into trouble.

Nan Xu immediately promised, “I won’t crash into anything.” Two seconds later, she added, “I’ll protect you.”

That tiny frame protecting him? Xie Hejing doubted it.

“No need.” His answer came quick and firm.

“You’d better watch the road properly. If you run into—”

Before he could finish speaking, a vendor pushing a snack cart passed through the crowd, calling out for people to make way. But Nan Xu was so busy trying to hear what Xie Hejing was saying that she didn’t notice the cart was about to hit her.

But Xie Hejing saw it. His heart seized, and without thinking he yanked her into his arms.

The pull was so strong she practically slammed against his chest. His pounding heartbeat thudded right against her ear, so loud it made her nervous without even knowing why.

“Brother, what’s wrong? Your heart’s beating so fast.” Her voice was tentative, almost cautious.

What’s wrong?!

He was going crazy!

Just now, he’d actually panicked—wondering what he’d do if she really got hit.

And this girl… she’d never been able to stand pain. If she got hurt, who knew how hard she’d cry?

He hated it when she cried.

When had he started hating her tears?

Xie Hejing frowned. He didn’t even know when that damned thought had taken root.

He had been keeping his distance from Nan Xu, avoiding her on purpose, trying to see if that reckless thought from that night would fade.

But the harder he tried to push it down, the more it surfaced—leaving him restless, irritable, sleepless, his face locked in a permanent scowl.

Meanwhile, Nan Xu had no clue. She ate well, slept soundly, and even cheerfully handed him an envelope one day, saying she had something nice for him. It turned out to be a love letter—from someone else.

And now, she was looking at him with those dewy eyes, asking softly what was wrong.

Xie Hejing’s frown deepened.

She didn’t like him. And there was no way he could like her first.

…No, that wasn’t right. He could never like her.

He couldn’t. It was just a passing thought. That’s all.

Just a thought.

By the time Xie Hejing spoke again, he was completely calm.

“It’s nothing. Let’s go home.”

When they got back, Zhang Huiwan was already fast asleep. Both of them moved as quietly as possible, especially Nan Xu, who took each step on the staircase as if she had to weigh it a dozen times before setting her foot down.

Back in his room, under the dim yellow light, Xie Hejing sat in silence.

After a long while, he picked up a pen from his desk.

Carefully, stroke by stroke, he wrote the two characters for “Nan Xu” on a sticky note. He stuck it to the wall in front of him, stared at it for a long time, then peeled it off. Beneath her name, he wrote a tiny word in English—”stop”—and pressed the note back onto the wall.

The pen twirled between his fingers over and over. Nearly ten minutes passed before he finally changed his movements.

Leaning forward, he tapped the note lightly with his pen, his gaze fixed on the letters as he whispered, “Nan Xu.”

A few seconds later, he slashed a line through the word stop.

. . . . .

Nan Xu hadn’t eaten dinner, and by now her stomach was growling. She crept into the kitchen, planning to make some tangyuan.

But the moment she reached the doorway, she jumped—startled by the figure leaning lazily against the fridge.

Xie Hejing.

He was gulping down ice water straight from a cup, looking half-asleep and half-strung-out.

He’d gone to bed early, but his sleep had been restless, plagued by a dream he shouldn’t have had.

In that dream, her fingers no longer brushed the guitar strings—they touched him instead, sparking fire with ease. And worse, he hadn’t pushed her away. He’d leaned into it, lips tilted upward, accepting everything without hesitation.

Now, with the dream standing in front of him in flesh and blood, his grip on the cup tightened. His dark eyes still carried the lingering waves of heat from that vision.

“Brother, you’re hungry too?” Nan Xu asked.

Expressionless, he downed another gulp of water and muttered, “Not hungry.”

“Oh.” She handed him her phone. “Well, I am. I’m making tangyuan. One of my classmates just asked me a question—only one step left. You’ll definitely know the answer. Help me reply?”

On the screen was a message from a boy in the neighboring class, asking her about a chemistry problem.

Nan Xu, ever patient, had been answering him by turns—writing it out, typing, even using voice messages.

“He asks you for help a lot?” Xie Hejing’s voice sounded deceptively calm, but the heat beneath it seeped through.

Nan Xu filled a glass of water and thought for a moment. “Not really a lot. Just sometimes. My chemistry isn’t that great either, but when we discuss it, I feel like I get to reinforce what I know. It’s kind of nice, actually.”

Xie Hejing pressed his lips together.

Top three in chemistry asking her for help? At night?

By then the pot was on the stove, water ready to boil.

Nan Xu walked toward him.

Xie Hejing set his cup down on the table with a sharp thunk, his expression taut.

“Nan Xu,” he warned, “you’d better stay away from those boys. Who knows what schemes they’ve got in mind?”

But when he turned, she was already right beside him.

And in that split second, he realized that if he just reached out, he could so easily draw her into his arms.

Just like in his dream.

His Adam’s apple bobbed hard.

The kitchen light stretched their shadows long across the floor. The dream he had just tried to drown with cold water surged back to life.

Nan Xu froze for a moment at his words, confusion flickering in her bright eyes.

Tilting her head, she asked slowly, almost innocently—

“Brother… are you included in those boys too?”

---

---

Chapter 18 Part 2 — He’s probably——crazy.

---

The next day was Saturday. Nan Xu’s mind kept drifting toward the upcoming music festival.

But with monthly exams looming, she could only practice sporadically—sneaking out into the courtyard at midnight to play in secret.

At last weekend’s rehearsal with the band, she hadn’t been satisfied. The performance hadn’t reached the standard she wanted.

Cheng Jia had noticed her frustration and tried to comfort her, saying there was still plenty of time, two whole months.

But Nan Xu’s standards for herself were higher. She had already started figuring out how to carve out more hours for practice.

The monthly exams had just ended, so Nan Xu finally had a little more free time. She took her guitar out of its case, carefully wiped it down with a towel, and brushed her fingers across the strings. A crisp note rang out—startled, she quickly pressed her hand down on the strings.

The sound cut off instantly. Nan Xu sat in silence for a few seconds.

She’d moved fast—Xie Hejing probably hadn’t heard, right?

Picking up her phone, Nan Xu thought about setting an alarm to remind herself to practice. But then it occurred to her—maybe she could just ask Xie Hejing what time he usually went to bed. That way, she wouldn’t have to sneak around worrying about whether he was still awake.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, I’ll still go to bed at 11:30 tonight.]

She held her phone tightly, waiting for his reply, trying to figure out how to bring it up.

As usual, it took around seven or eight minutes before his message popped up.

Big Demon King: [Left it by your door.]

She didn’t need him to spell it out—she already knew what it was. But instead of rushing to get the milk, she quickly typed back:

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, what time are you planning to sleep? Don’t stay up too late, okay?]

Big Demon King: [Mm.]

Just “Mm”? Why wasn’t he answering her question?

Nan Xu pressed her lips together, too embarrassed to ask again.

After a while with no reply, she sighed, suspecting he’d deliberately skipped her question, and went to pick up the milk.

To her surprise, not far from the milk sat a large bag filled neatly with sanitary pads—her usual brand, and all types: day use, night use, even sleep shorts.

Nan Xu froze. He hadn’t mentioned that in his messages.

The last person who had quietly taken care of these things for her was her father. At home, whether it was for Wen Qiu or Nan Xu, it had always been Nan Xiaochen who stocked up on supplies for the two of them.

Her lips curved softly as her lashes lowered, shadows trembling beneath her eyes. Her chest swelled with warmth, and the thought slipped unbidden into her mind—

She wanted to go to his door and thank him face-to-face.

But… he didn’t seem to like it when she showed up at his door.

Nan Xu pushed the thought back down.

The milk was still warm, but the cup had been replaced with a large glass one, and it felt like there was half again as much as yesterday.

After drinking half, she sent a message:

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, did you heat up too much milk today?]

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [It feels like way more than yesterday!]

Big Demon King: [My hand slipped. Poured too much.]

She really did enjoy the milk, but she hated troubling him all the time.

Biting the rim of her glass, she typed:

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, do you drink this a lot yourself? Next time you want some, just tell me—I can heat it up for you. My hands are steady, I definitely won’t pour too much.]

Big Demon King: [I’m not used to drinking milk someone else heats.]

Nan Xu: …

Xie Hejing really was so particular!

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, I saw what you left at the door.]

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Thank you!!!]

Sitting at his desk, Xie Hejing looked at her message. The corners of his mouth curved up unconsciously—just a faint lift, but the warmth in his smile was obvious.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [It’s getting late now. Brother, what time are you going to sleep?]

Xie Hejing glanced at the physics paper on his desk. His thoughts were flowing smoothly, and he’d just about finished it. Setting down his pen, he stood up, ready to wash up.

Big Demon King: [Now.]

Perfect!

Nan Xu set the guitar on the desk, turned to gather her things, and planned to head out in half an hour.

Once she had everything ready, she opened the door and carefully leaned out, glancing around.

The usual quiet.

Her flashlight beam swept ahead, but she kept glancing back nervously, afraid that Xie Hejing might suddenly appear behind her. If that happened, she might actually fall down the stairs in fright.

Luckily, she made it safely to the yard.

Xie Hejing’s house was a detached villa with a small yard. A few flowers grew there, though they didn’t seem well tended. There was even a swing—sit on it, and it swayed back and forth.

On weekends, when she was bored, Nan Xu often sat on that swing, zoning out without thinking about anything at all.

She’d loved it since her very first day here. Even the first few times she’d secretly played her guitar, she had sat there strumming.

But tonight, whether from her period or the chilly weather, her arms quickly caught the cold after just a short while of playing.

A gust of wind sent a shiver through her. She rubbed her arms briskly with her palms to warm them, but the wind came again and again.

The past few nights had been mild enough that she didn’t need a jacket. She hadn’t thought much of it tonight either, and came down in just her nightdress. Now, the cold air wrapped around her completely.

If she went back for a jacket, she might wake Xie Hejing—he was a light sleeper.

At least the yard was big enough that her playing wouldn’t wake him.

She turned up the brightness on her phone’s sheet music, propped it up in front of her, and decided against fetching a coat. Better to make the most of this time and play a few more rounds before heading in.

But the one who had told her he was already asleep—Xie Hejing—was lying wide awake in bed.

His eyes were closed, but his mind was clear, unable to drift off.

At some point, faint notes of guitar music reached him—so weak and uneven they faded in and out. If he’d been asleep, he might not have heard a thing.

But now, fully awake, he couldn’t miss it.

He sat up, listened more carefully, and when the sound came again, he yanked the window open. Instantly, the music became much clearer.

His brows drew together, irritation sparking in his expression.

Leaning out, he meant to see who on earth was playing guitar so late near his house.

But the moment his gaze landed on the swing, his eyes sharpened.

The yard lights cast a warm golden glow over Nan Xu. She wore only a thin nightdress, her hair spilling over her shoulders, lifting and falling with the breeze. Her fingers flew over the strings, though every so often she stopped, chilled, rubbing her arms to keep warm.

Out here in just a nightdress, when it was barely seventeen or eighteen degrees—she really had some nerve.

The irritation between his brows shifted into sheer displeasure.

Grabbing a jacket, he headed downstairs.

Creak—

The sharp sound of the door opening cut straight through the flow of music, snapping Nan Xu out of her focus.

She turned her head.

Xie Hejing stood in the doorway, arms crossed, lids half-lifted, expression unreadable. Without a word, he walked straight toward her.

Caught!

Nan Xu’s heart leapt. She scrambled to her feet, lips parting, but no words came out. Before she could say anything, he was already right in front of her, advancing step by step, forcing her back until she sat down hard on the swing again.

The swing rocked—until two firm hands stopped it in place.

Xie Hejing leaned in, bracing his palms on either side of the wooden swing. He bent down, gaze lowered, and suddenly a wave of heat pressed in on Nan Xu.

Startled, Nan Xu lifted her eyes—only to quickly drop them again the moment she met Xie Hejing’s deep gaze.

His presence filled the air around her, so overwhelming it felt suffocating. Her lashes fluttered, and she swallowed hard.

“11:30, right?” Xie Hejing tapped the chat record she’d sent him, then tilted his chin slightly. His voice was quiet, but it carried a dangerous edge. “Planning to sleep out here?”

His stare was almost tangible, wrapping tightly around her, closing in bit by bit, leaving her mind a tangle of confusion.

Her nose stung, but the chill in her body was worse. She sniffled once, coughed twice.

With a sharp breath, Xie Hejing shrugged off his jacket and tossed it over her shoulders.

At once, the cedar scent that clung to him enveloped her senses, making her draw in quick, shallow breaths.

“I…”

Nan Xu didn’t even know what to explain first—why she wasn’t asleep, or why she was playing guitar in the middle of the night.

“I couldn’t sleep,” she finally muttered, her eyes flickering nervously.

“Couldn’t sleep?” His lips pressed into a hard line. “So you come down here in nothing but a dress?”

“You didn’t know it’d be cold? Or do you want to catch a cold?”

“I… I knew,” she admitted.

Time was short, and she had just wanted to squeeze in a little more practice before heading back upstairs. The piece was difficult, and she didn’t want to drag everyone down later.

But she didn’t dare say that out loud.

Biting her lip, she whispered, “I was going to head back soon anyway. I didn’t expect you to come down first. Did I wake you up?”

Xie Hejing turned his head, his eyes landing on her guitar. The memory of the bar flickered back—the girl signing at him, clearly trying not to be recognized.

Dark currents stirred in his gaze.

Nan Xu gripped the hem of his jacket nervously, bracing for the inevitable interrogation: why she was playing, or whether she was that girl from the bar. She tried to prepare excuses in her head.

But no questions came.

Instead, a low chuckle brushed past her ear. Nan Xu snapped back to herself and glanced up at him. His face was back to its usual cold pride, sharp and distant.

“Go inside.”

She quickly packed up and followed.

At the kitchen island, he filled a kettle, flicked on the switch, then leaned against the counter with arms crossed and eyes shut, his posture radiating “keep away.”

Nan Xu figured he must be annoyed—she had woken him up, after all, and he didn’t sleep easily.

“Sorry… for disturbing you.”

Before she even finished speaking, he placed a steaming mug of hot water in front of her.

Thump.

His voice was icy. “Drink.”

Nan Xu cradled the cup, the warmth chasing away the last of the cold. She sipped cautiously, stealing glances at him over the rim.

Since they’d come inside, he had barely spoken, just sat on the sofa, absently rubbing at his brow.

Maybe he’d already guessed she was the girl from the bar, but hadn’t said it aloud. But if he told Aunt Zhang… Aunt Zhang might tell her mother…

Nan Xu shivered. If her mom ever found out, she’d never be allowed to touch a guitar again.

“Brother…” Nan Xu inhaled softly, then let the breath out slowly, testing the waters. “Did you… already know?”

“Know what?” he countered smoothly.

Nan Xu’s voice stuck in her throat. Of course she couldn’t just say it herself.

She quickly shook her head, indicating that it was nothing.

With a cup of hot water in her, the chill was finally gone from Nan Xu’s body. She slipped off the jacket and held it out to return to Xie Hejing.

Her hand stopped halfway. “Or… should I wash it before giving it back?”

At that, his eyes flicked toward the jacket. At last, he moved—only to take it from her in one motion. Immediately, he felt the lingering warmth she had left behind. Not only that, but her faint fragrance seemed to cling to the fabric, slowly rising toward his nose. His grip on the jacket tightened.

But his expression remained calm, his gaze deliberately avoiding hers as he stood and headed for the stairs.

Nan Xu hadn’t yet asked what she wanted to, so she hurried after him. “Brother!”

Without turning his head, his cool voice drifted back: “I don’t know anything, and I don’t care to. There’s a practice room—second floor, left turn. Next time, don’t wake me.”

In an instant, Nan Xu understood. He was willing to cover for her, and she no longer had to sneak around to practice.

So this is what it felt like to have an older brother—it wasn’t bad at all.

Her lips curled into a bright smile. She ran ahead, caught his hand in hers—warm to the touch—and beamed without realizing it.

“I promise I won’t disturb you. Thank you, Brother. Love you!”

Still brimming with happiness, she opened her room door and politely wished him good night before slipping inside.

Xie Hejing froze in place. The hand she’d touched clenched, relaxed, clenched again—over and over.

That touch lingered in his chest, refusing to fade.

Crazy. He was going crazy.

Why had she touched his hand?

Talking was one thing, but why say those words?

Gratitude was enough—why add that?

Did she really believe he wouldn’t think too much of it?

No—that wasn’t right. He shouldn’t be thinking anything of it at all.

But who just blurts out I love you for no reason?

And worse—he hadn’t even pushed her hand away. He could have, easily. Instead, he let it happen.

What the hell are you doing, Xie Hejing?!

His mind was a rare mess.

He stared at his own palm, restless. Standing outside Nan Xu’s door, a strange, indescribable emotion welled up inside him, making him even more agitated.

He turned abruptly and went downstairs. Passing through the kitchen, he absentmindedly heated a cup of milk.

By the time he found himself standing outside her door again, cup in hand, ready to knock—he suddenly realized what he was doing.

He cursed under his breath, lifted the glass, and downed it all in one go out of sheer defiance.

Back in his room, he sank into his chair. The dim yellow light cast heavy shadows, wrapping the space in low, oppressive silence.

His thoughts circled and circled until they inevitably returned to the way he’d been treating Nan Xu lately. The more he thought, the tighter his lips pressed.

He unlocked his phone and opened her Moments feed. A few selfies, two or three at most—mostly landscapes.

So well-behaved she seemed easy to bully. Someone he had once written off as nothing but trouble.

And trouble was the thing he hated most. That’s what he reminded himself as he scrolled.

Three seconds later, he tapped on one of her selfies.

She had a cute and charming smile!

That was the thought that rose in him.

Damn.

He was horrified.

This wasn’t what he’d meant to find. He’d been looking for the disgust he used to feel.

But it seemed like that feeling had already faded.

No, it hadn’t.

Xie Hejing immediately corrected his own thoughts.

He stared at Nan Xu’s photo for half an hour, finally landing on the only explanation that made sense.

He must be—

—crazy.

Nan Xu was in her room, carefully polishing her guitar.

Then she suddenly remembered they still hadn’t talked about when she could use the practice room. She’d messaged him, but he hadn’t replied.

So, for once, she gathered her courage and gave him a call.

The moment the line connected, Nan Xu’s brows curved in a smile. Her finger accidentally brushed against the strings, letting out a sound, and she quickly pressed down to silence it.

Her voice was light and cheerful as she called out: “Brother.”

The sound hit him like a jolt of electricity. His ragged breathing abruptly stopped.

Nan Xu immediately noticed something was off in his voice and asked, “Brother, what’s wrong? Are you not feeling well?”

On the other end, Xie Hejing’s voice came out unusually low, as if he were holding something back.

Several seconds passed in silence.

Nan Xu glanced at the phone. The call hadn’t dropped. Just as she was about to speak again—

Xie Hejing’s voice cut through.

“Nan Xu, call me Brother.”

His voice was husky, tinged with a lingering, unsteady drawl.

His fingertips tapped against the desk, each thud heavy, as if his emotions were being consumed in flames.

Nan Xu was puzzled, but since she was in such a good mood, she sweetly called,
“Brother.”

Somewhere in a dark and damp corner, a hard shell was slowly being torn apart.

Xie Hejing’s eyes darkened, his gaze fixed intently on Nan Xu’s photo. A low laugh slipped past his lips.

“Sister—”

---

Taw’s Note: Hahaha, Xie Hejing just kept denying 🤣

---

---

Chapter 18 Part 1 — He’s probably——crazy.

---

11:13 PM.

Nan Xu finished tidying up, slipped under the covers, and picked up her phone.

It was about time to sleep. She should check in, right?

But… what should she say?

She opened her chat with Xie Hejing. At once, that long string of glaringly silly stickers popped up.

She quickly backed out. Even though it was from before, she still couldn’t bear to face the fact that she’d once spammed him with so many “annoying” emojis.

After half a minute of mental prep, she went back in and decided to keep it simple.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, I’ll sleep at 11:30.]

Although Xie Hejing had said it was supposed to be mutual check-ins, Nan Xu guessed she was probably the only one who’d actually report to him.

In the end, she added another line.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, go to bed early.]

After sending it, she felt the wording was too cold—like she was bossing him around to sleep. She hurriedly deleted it and resent:

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, you should go to bed early too!]

This time, she added an emoji. That should do it.

Even though he hadn’t replied, Nan Xu already felt relieved, ready to set down her phone. Then a new message flashed across the screen.

Big Demon King: [Did you touch cold water while washing up?]

Was… he worried about her?

She double-checked the remark name to make sure she hadn’t misread.

Is Xie Hejing really a siscon?

After a moment’s hesitation, she replied: [No.]

Several minutes passed with no response. Just as she was about to put her phone down again, another message arrived.

Big Demon King: [There’s milk and heat packs by your door.]

Nan Xu froze, then quickly slipped out of bed.

She opened the door. The hallway was pitch-dark, silent, almost as if some beast were lurking in the shadows. Yet tonight felt unusually gentle.

On the floor sat a cup of milk, steady and upright, with a box of heat packs beside it.

She leaned halfway out and glanced at the door next to hers.

Quiet. No sign of life.

She picked up the milk—it was still warm.

Peeling open a heat pack, she pressed it against her lower back, then sat down and sipped the milk slowly, warmth spreading all the way to her stomach.

Being an only child, and having barely interacted with boys before, she could only clumsily conclude: maybe Xie Hejing really treated her like a little sister.

Looking at the milk in her hands, she smiled.

So this is what it feels like to have a big brother.

Even if he didn’t really like her, maybe at least he acknowledged her presence.

With that thought, she sent him a voice message.

Xie Hejing raised his brows, a little surprised, then tapped to play.

[Thanks, brother. The milk’s still warm. Did you just now go all the way downstairs to heat it?]

She remembered how he hadn’t replied for a few minutes earlier and figured he must’ve been busy warming it up.

Nan Xu’s voice was special—when she said “Brother,” it was as clear and crisp as water dripping onto jade.

At first, calling him “Brother” had felt awkward. But once she got used to it, she said it as naturally as breathing.

Expressionless, Xie Hejing… listened to the recording several times over.

Big Demon King: [Don’t overthink. I was just thirsty. Heated too much and couldn’t finish, so I brought the rest to you.]

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [You drink milk at night too?]

Big Demon King: [What else?]

In her head, Nan Xu filled in the unspoken rest: What else—other than heating it just for you?

She couldn’t hold back a small laugh, and for once, she teased Xie Hejing.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, you’re so delicate!]

Big Demon King: [Go to sleep. Stop making noise.]

Nan Xu glanced at the time—it was already 11:25.

Only a little milk was left in her cup. She finished it in one gulp—sweet, not cloying, with a lingering aftertaste.

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [But there are still five minutes left.]

Jiaojiao Nanfeng: [Brother, this milk is so good. Next time, if you heat too much again, could you bring me another cup?]

Xie Hejing didn’t reply.

By then it was about time anyway. Nan Xu set the cup down and went to brush her teeth.

When she came back, it was exactly 11:30.

Two quiet messages were waiting on her phone.

Big Demon King: [Mm.]
Big Demon King: [Good night.]

Seeing that, Nan Xu’s lips curved upward, her mood lifting quite a bit—but she didn’t dare send back a “good night.”

She slept soundly.

The next morning, Nan Xu got up right on time. While changing, her eyes fell on the wrist support lying in its box beside the mirror.

It was the one Xie Hejing had given her before. She’d only worn it for a short while that day, then taken it off once she was back in her room.

Now, for no reason, she suddenly wanted to wear it again.

The black wrist support against her pale wrist made her hand look even slimmer.

Unbidden, she pictured it wrapped around Xie Hejing’s wrist.

Her heart skipped, and even the skin beneath the band seemed to grow warm.

. . . . .

In the afternoon P.E. class, the midday heat still lingered, leaving the field sweltering. Following the teacher’s drills, everyone looked drained.

Finally, with twenty minutes left, the teacher called them together, sighed, and said they could do free activities.

At once, the class came back to life. Many clamored to play soccer.

The teacher had no choice but to lead the sports committee to the equipment room for balls.

As soon as he left, the group scattered—some waited to play, some strolled the track, some dashed straight for the snack shop.

Wen Qi wanted to head to the snack shop too, but when she asked, Nan Xu was feeling too lazy. Instead, she wandered to the bleachers, planning to sit out the last twenty minutes.

Still hot, she crumpled a sheet of paper from her bag and fanned herself slowly.

“Nan Xu, you’re here too?”

She looked up—it was Xiang Weishi, with Xie Hejing beside him.

Quickly, she pulled her gaze back, fanning herself a little faster. The wrist support on her arm felt like last night’s heat pack, making her whole body burn.

Unnaturally, she tugged her jacket sleeve down a little and nodded. “Mm. Too crowded over there.”

“Where’s Wen Qi?” Xiang Weishi asked again.

“She went to the snack shop.”

Xiang Weishi and Xie Hejing sat down. He was right beside her, and she only dared glance at him from the corner of her eye.

“Lift your foot,” Xie Hejing said suddenly.

“Huh?” Nan Xu turned her head.

He pointed under her feet.

Nan Xu looked down—it was his jacket, placed on the seat next to hers, the sleeve hanging down and caught under her shoe.

“Sorry.”

Xiang Weishi glanced over.

Nan Xu quickly bent down, scooped up the sleeve, patted the dust off hard, then handed the whole jacket back to Xie Hejing.

“I didn’t see it—I didn’t mean to step on it.”

“Hey, Nan Xu, you’re wearing a wrist support too?” Xiang Weishi asked.

In her rush just now, the sleeve she’d tugged down had slipped up again, revealing the wristband completely.

“Ah… yeah.” Nan Xu’s voice sounded nervous.

Especially when she caught Xie Hejing’s gaze land on her wrist. Her breath hitched. He’d only told her to hold onto it, not wear it outside. What if this ruined the bit of goodwill she’d finally gained?

Xiang Weishi frowned thoughtfully. “Why does that pattern look so familiar?”

Familiar?

Nan Xu lowered her eyes. It was all black, except for a stitched white pattern on the side.

A curving line, almost like the letter H.

But wristbands all looked about the same, right?

Suddenly Xiang Weishi’s face lit with recognition. He pointed at Xie Hejing. “I remember now—that’s the custom wrist support you ordered! I’m sure it had that exact design.”

Nan Xu’s heart jolted. She was still holding his jacket, fingers tightening as if it were burning hot. She had no idea it was custom-made!

Xiang Weishi arched his brows and teased, “So, Xie Hejing, you gave her your wristband? That’s… tsk tsk tsk.”

He exaggerated his expression, his tone suggestive, eyes flicking back and forth between the two of them.

Who would’ve thought? They hardly ever talked, yet he’d actually given her something himself.

Nan Xu panicked, afraid the next second Xiang Weishi might even guess they lived under the same roof.

She blurted, “No, that’s not it.”

Her flustered voice drew Xie Hejing’s eyes straight to her.

“I-it’s just, I…” Nan Xu tried, but she was a terrible liar. With no excuse coming to mind, her cheeks burned red.

“My own is at home,” Xie Hejing drawled lazily. “It’s just a wristband. They all look alike.”

“Don’t go making things up for no reason.”

“…I was just saying it looked similar,” Xiang Weishi muttered.

Xie Hejing’s calm was so steady that Xiang Weishi actually began to doubt himself. Maybe he’d guessed wrong. But then—he’d teased Nan Xu so much just now that she’d gotten genuinely flustered, her voice sharper than usual.

He turned sideways. “Sorry, Nan Xu. My mouth runs off for no reason.”

“…It’s fine.” Nan Xu’s heartbeat gradually steadied.

Wen Qi came back with two bottles of water, handing one over. “Xuxu, drink. Why’s your face so red?”

“My fault,” Xiang Weishi admitted. “I was just joking with her.” He turned to Wen Qi. “Got any water left for me?”

Nan Xu pressed the cold bottle to her cheeks, the heat still lingering.

Wen Qi shot him a look. “No. And maybe stop making pointless jokes—it’s annoying.”

. . . . .

After school, back in the empty classroom, Nan Xu slipped off the wristband and stuffed it into her bag. As usual, she stayed behind to work on some problems.

Suddenly, she felt someone sit down beside her.

Turning her head, she saw Xie Hejing in Wen Qi’s seat, long legs stretched out casually, his gaze drifting lazily toward her wrist.

Nan Xu’s fingers tightened around her pen as her eyes darted around the room. Then she asked softly, “Do you… need something?”

“The wristband?” His voice was unreadable.

“In my bag,” she said.

A few seconds passed. Then she remembered Xiang Weishi’s teasing earlier. She hesitated, started with, “Xie—” then stopped, recalling their argument over how she should address him.

Making sure no one was around, she asked, “Brother, what did you mean by giving me that wristband?”

Xie Hejing lowered his eyes, replaying the way she had just addressed him.

Xie… Brother.

The corners of his lips curved. “It means a reward.”

. . . . .

Half an hour later, he and Xiang Weishi were on their way to the supermarket.

“What do you even need to buy, dragging me along like this?” Xiang Weishi grumbled.

“You’ll know when we get there,” Xie Hejing said simply, offering no explanation.

Out of trust, Xiang Weishi didn’t press further—until they stopped in front of a fully stocked shelf of sanitary pads. His eyes widened.

“Uh… did we take a wrong turn?”

“No,” Xie Hejing shook his head. “This is it.”

“You’ve gotta be kidding me.” Xiang Weishi frowned. “What are you even buying this for? It’s not like you need them. Did Auntie ask you? And even if she did, why’d you drag me along?”

“As long as someone needs them, that’s enough.”

Just then, a store clerk spotted the two boys hovering in front of the sanitary pads. She walked over with a practiced smile.

“Looking to buy pads? We’ve got a special promotion right now!”

“What promotion?” Xiang Weishi asked out of reflex.

She gestured toward the display. “This brand is 20% off. Spend over a hundred, and you’ll get a storage box plus five packs of facial tissues.”

Xiang Weishi didn’t understand much about these things, so he turned to Xie Hejing. “So… buy or not?”

But Xie Hejing had already recalled the brand Nan Xu once mentioned. He gave the name directly.

The clerk said, “We have that one, but it’s not on sale.”

“That’s fine. I’ll take it.”

At checkout, Xie Hejing carried away a bulging bag stuffed with pads. Xiang Weishi nearly choked.

“What is this, wholesale?!”

“Cut the crap. Put these in your backpack and bring them to school tomorrow,” Xie Hejing said, tossing a few packs into his own bag.

“You want me to bring these to school? What the hell are you planning?” Xiang Weishi was baffled. He crossed his arms. “Forget it. If you don’t explain, I’m not doing it.”

As if he had already expected the resistance, Xie Hejing zipped the bag shut with a decisive tug.

“Third floor sells game controllers. Pick one.”

“Holy shit!” Xiang Weishi yelled, unable to stop himself. “You’re seriously buying me one?”

“Don’t want it, forget it.” Xie Hejing shouldered his bag and lifted the shopping bag.

That kind of temptation was impossible to resist. Xiang Weishi was already running through which model to choose in his head.

He swung his backpack open. It was mostly empty except for some worksheets. “You must be tired of carrying this. Toss them all in. I’ll make sure every single one gets to school tomorrow.”

“Don’t bring them to class,” Xie Hejing said after a pause. “Send them to Old Qi’s office. Tell him to let the girls know they can pick them up there if they need any.”

Xiang Weishi squinted, finally catching on that something didn’t quite add up. “Wait… why don’t you just deliver them yourself?”

Xie Hejing’s hand froze mid-motion. He thought back to what Nan Xu had asked him once, then looked down at the bag in irritation.

“Not convenient.”

---

---

Chapter 17 — Nan Xu, do you like your brother?

---

The English exam in the afternoon was the last subject of this round of monthly tests.

Nan Xu was wrapping up her essay when a sudden, familiar cramp in her lower abdomen made her heart jolt—her period had started.

There were still five minutes left before the exam ended, and one paragraph of the essay remained unwritten. With her hand trembling, she forced herself to finish the final word.

When the bell rang right on time, relief washed over her. She rushed out of the room, grabbed her bag, and headed for the restroom.

Halfway there, she suddenly remembered—she had given her last pad to Dong Fanxi and never restocked her bag.

The campus shop was a bit far.

She let out a sigh. The pain in her abdomen made her want to collapse on the spot, but she gritted her teeth and forced herself to walk downstairs, every step slow and careful.

After the exam, the senior year students still had to return to class. This time it was math. Nan Xu had already been late once before, and she couldn’t risk being late again.

She tried to quicken her pace, but her body just wouldn’t cooperate. Even at her fastest, she was only moving a little quicker than before.

“Nan Xu, the classroom’s on the third floor.”

Hearing the familiar voice, Nan Xu looked up in a daze—Xie Hejing was walking toward her.

He caught sight of her lips pressed into a thin line, her fists clenched, and the pained look on her face.

He frowned. “What’s wrong?”

Nan Xu flushed with embarrassment, but she still forced herself to say it.

“My period started. I need to go to the shop.”

She could already feel the dampness with every step, and worried her pants were stained. She couldn’t check, and she had no jacket with her. She was completely stuck.

She wanted to ask Xie Hejing to buy pads for her, though she wasn’t sure if he’d agree. But she didn’t have much choice.

Before she could even open her mouth, he seemed to have guessed. He paused briefly, then turned and said two words: “Wait here.”

He had only taken two steps before turning back, about to ask if she had a specific brand in mind—he wasn’t exactly familiar with them.

At that moment, Nan Xu had shifted slightly to head upstairs. The blue-and-white school uniform made stains glaringly obvious, and Xie Hejing accidentally caught a glimpse of the red mark. He quickly averted his eyes.

Catching up to her, he looked away as he pulled off his jacket and tossed it to her. His voice was cold and clipped: “Tie it around you.”

Nan Xu clutched the jacket, her face burning hotter by the second.

He had seen.

She squeezed the fabric so tightly her fingertips went pale—this was mortifying.

He walked her to the girls’ restroom on the second floor. Standing outside, he spoke to her in a steady voice despite her obvious discomfort: “Go in first. I’ll find someone to bring it to you.”

“…Okay.” Nan Xu lowered her head and answered softly.

At the campus shop, the cashier recognized Xie Hejing. Seeing him rush back not long after leaving, slightly out of breath, the man casually asked, “Back again, kid? What else do you need?”

Xie Hejing glanced at the shelves of pads but couldn’t find the brand Nan Xu had mentioned. He went to the counter and asked a couple of quick questions.

The cashier raised his brows. “That brand? We don’t stock it. Eh? Buying pads, are you? Got yourself a girlfriend already? Early romance isn’t a good idea, you know.”

On any other day, Xie Hejing might have joked back. But now he just asked firmly, “Which one’s better?”

The cashier chuckled. “That one—seems to sell best.”

Inside the restroom, Nan Xu sat with her eyes lowered, the jacket tied snugly around her waist. Clean, safe—it was enough to ease her embarrassment a little.

Then, suddenly, a stranger’s voice called from outside the stall: “Nan Xu? Nan Xu?”

Nan Xu quickly knocked on the stall door and answered, “I’m here.”

A girl passed something through the gap at the bottom. “A guy outside asked me to give this to you.”

“Okay, thank you.”

Once she had taken care of everything, Nan Xu let out a long breath of relief and walked out—only to see Xie Hejing still waiting at the door.

She stepped forward, her heart full of gratitude. “Brother, thank you.”

Xie Hejing turned naturally, studying her pale, weak look.

“Can you walk?” he asked.

Nan Xu nodded. She still hurt, but she felt much better than before.

She climbed the stairs slowly. Xie Hejing strolled behind her, hands in his pockets, casting glances at her every now and then.

As expected, they ended up late. Their math teacher valued punctuality above all, especially for lessons. Nan Xu had already been forgiven once before—this time she knew he wouldn’t let it slide. Her heart sank as she rehearsed possible excuses in her head.

Xie Hejing opened the classroom door first. Inside, everyone was doing self-study; at the sound, they glanced up briefly before returning to their work.

The teacher checked the clock. They were ten minutes late. Last time, Nan Xu had only been one minute late—this was far worse.

Still, he didn’t want to scold them in front of the class. Once the door was shut, he stepped out into the hallway with the two of them.

“What’s going on with you two? The exam’s over and instead of coming straight back, you’re wandering around? What exactly are you trying to do?” His voice grew sharper as he spoke.

“Sorry, teacher,” Xie Hejing said. “We’re late this time, but I promise it won’t happen again.”

“Hmph.” The teacher’s irritation eased a little. Xie Hejing’s grades were excellent, and he had admitted fault right away. “See that it doesn’t happen again,” he warned coldly.

Then his gaze shifted to Nan Xu. “But you—what’s going on? Late again, and this time by ten minutes? That attitude toward class just won’t do.”

Nan Xu lowered her head, her tone apologetic. “I’m sorry, teacher. I was…” She hesitated, then added, “handling something personal, and it took longer than I thought.”

“Personal? What could possibly be more important than studying?” the teacher pressed.

Nan Xu’s eyes dropped further, her fingers twisting at the hem of her jacket. She couldn’t bring herself to say more.

The teacher’s brow furrowed. “The rule is clear: if you’re late, you stand outside. Last time, I let you off because it was only a minute. But not this time. Both of you—stand by the door and reflect.”

He was about to turn back when Xie Hejing spoke up leisurely: “Teacher.”

“What is it? Don’t think you can talk your way out of this. Just because your grades are good doesn’t mean you get to break the rules.” His expression darkened, but he stopped walking.

“No,” Xie Hejing said with a smile. “I was trying to say that she shouldn’t be punished!”

He tilted his head toward Nan Xu.

Nan Xu’s eyes widened in shock, staring at him.

The teacher gave him a hard look. “You’re getting punished yourself, so what’s the point of playing hero?”

“Hero?” Xie Hejing chuckled. “That’s not me. I just feel a little guilty, is all.”

“Guilty?” the teacher repeated.

“Mm.” Xie Hejing’s tone was casual, but steady. “After the exam, I was hungry and went to buy food. On the way back, I wasn’t paying attention and ran into her—got her clothes dirty too. That’s why she was late. Now she’s being punished because of me, and honestly, I’d feel bad about that.”

Nan Xu’s head snapped up, eyes wide with disbelief. He hadn’t stumbled once, telling the story as though it were the absolute truth.

Then he arched a brow at her, signaling for her to go along with it.

The teacher turned to her. “Is that what happened?”

Nan Xu opened her mouth, torn. In her peripheral vision, Xie Hejing was watching her steadily. After a few seconds of hesitation, she muttered, “Yes.”

At her confirmation, Xie Hejing’s lips curved. He had half-expected her not to be able to lie at all.

The teacher’s expression softened slightly. “Fine. In that case, Nan Xu won’t need to stand. But you,” he looked back at Xie Hejing, “you’ll take her share. For bumping into a classmate and for being late, you’ll stand outside until dismissal.”

There was still half an hour left.

Xie Hejing grinned and nodded cheerfully. “Thanks, teacher.”

Nan Xu sat at her desk, but her thoughts had long since drifted to the hallway.

Why did he do that for her?

In the blink of an eye, half an hour passed. The dismissal bell rang, and the classroom immediately emptied by half. Xie Hejing strolled back to his seat.

Five minutes later, only a handful of students remained. Oddly enough, Xie Hejing was still sitting there. Normally, he was one of the first to leave.

When the room dwindled down to just the two of them, Nan Xu reached out and gave his back a tiny poke with her finger.

It was just a light touch, but the steady, solid muscle beneath her fingertip made her curl her finger back quickly, her thumb brushing against her index finger tip as if to erase the feeling.

Xie Hejing had already slung his bag over his shoulder. He tilted his head toward her. “Let’s go.”

“We…” Nan Xu hesitated. She didn’t really want people to see them walking out together—and at the same time, she was afraid people would see.

Xie Hejing took a step forward. “Just two classmates talking on the way. That’s not crossing any line, is it?”

Nan Xu grabbed her bag and followed, but she never walked right beside him, always keeping a few steps’ distance.

Xie Hejing: “…”

On the way, neither of them said much. Finally, Nan Xu seized a pause in the silence to ask the question that had been burning in her mind since class.

“Why did you take the punishment for me just now?”

He’d said before that at school, the two of them were supposed to act like strangers.

“Because I wanted to.” His tone was careless, as if it meant nothing.

“But… Classmate Xie, you—”

She stopped when he suddenly came to a halt.

“What did you just call me?” he asked.

Nan Xu blinked, puzzled by his focus on something so trivial. Still, she answered honestly: “I called you… Classmate Xie?”

That was the proper way at school, wasn’t it?

Xie Hejing didn’t reply.

Not right?

Nan Xu frowned.

Then… what was she supposed to call him?

Tentatively, she tried again. “Xie Hejing?”

She rarely said his name, but it really was a beautiful name.

Her voice was clear and soft, every syllable precise, obedient, and clean. Whenever she spoke, there was always that hint of seriousness—like now, her tone slipped straight into his ears.

He suddenly remembered the last time she had sought him out just to say—

“Xie Hejing, I’m angry.”

Her tone back then was just the same: brows furrowed, that schoolish seriousness, telling him plainly, “I don’t like this.”

So earnest, without the slightest pretense.

Unknowingly, the corners of his lips lifted.

“Xie. He. Jing—”

Nan Xu called again, snapping him out of his thoughts.

“What?” His eyes stayed fixed ahead, his voice cold.

She frowned. “Even that’s wrong?”

“…Wrong.”

Then what am I supposed to call you?

The thought flashed through her mind. She hurried a few steps to catch up to him and, almost breathless, blurted out, “Bro—Brother?”

Xie Hejing’s mind skipped right over the first word, but the last two syllables struck a nerve like a spark against flint.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, his expression shifted ever so slightly, but he quickly smoothed it over, as calm as still water.

Nan Xu, of course, didn’t notice.

Xie Hejing kept silent, leaving her unsure what he was thinking. She had no choice but to call out again.

“Brother? Right?”

He pressed his hand against his lips, coughed twice, his clear voice carrying over. He didn’t say yes or no—only, “Not bad.”

Nan Xu took it as agreement. Falling a few steps behind, she thought making her meals had already fulfilled Aunt Zhang’s request quite well, but it turned out he had done more—far more.

Lifting her gaze, she looked at his back ahead of her.

Tall and refined, posture relaxed—carefree like a boy his age, yet steadier than most his peers.

Though his words were always cold, everything he did seemed warm.

Blinking, Nan Xu let her slow mind wander over matters of the heart. Thinking back to the way she had just addressed him, sudden realization struck.

Could it be—he’s a siscon?

Aunt Zhang had always wanted a daughter. Maybe he really wanted a little sister too.

After wrestling with the thought, she couldn’t help herself—she ran forward to walk beside him.

For this sudden move, Xie Hejing only cast her a glance, then let it go.

Nan Xu snuck a look at his profile, more convinced of her guess, and secretly felt happy that their relationship seemed a step closer.

Still, she wanted confirmation. So she asked, “Brother, do you really like having a sister?”

Something jolted through him. He froze in place. Amid all the noise outside, he could clearly hear his own heartbeat.

A dangerous sign—especially for him.

Why would a single question make his heart tremble so sharply?

Xie Hejing was shaken, even stunned.

He narrowed his eyes, staring at her silently.

That look made Nan Xu nervous for no reason. She quickly said, “I was just asking.”

He withdrew his gaze, voice cool and flat. “Not interested. Don’t like it.”

Nan Xu raised her eyes to him again. He said he didn’t like it, yet he had been nothing but good to her.

Something about him felt off, though she couldn’t put her finger on what. Frowning, she stepped closer, fixing her eyes on him.

“Really don’t like it? But I…”

Her words were cut off.

Xie Hejing suddenly bent down, bringing himself level with her eyes. His pale irises locked onto her dark ones.

Looking at her bewildered, defenseless face, so full of questions—

He gave a teasing, playful smile, tinged with provocation. “Nan Xu, do you like your brother?”

Nan Xu actually thought about it seriously. Having a brother didn’t sound so bad.

“Of course I do.” Her lips curled into a gentle smile, revealing two dimples, and her gaze was serious and—

—stirred the heart.

Xie Hejing’s mind went blank with a sharp buzz. His breath caught.

His Adam’s apple moved again, and, unusually, he was the first to look away. His eyes fell on the strands of her hair hanging beside her cheek.

Those strands, drifting lightly, seemed to curl around him—soft, slow, inescapable.

Arrogant and stubborn as he was, Xie Hejing wanted to resist the strangeness clawing at him, yet that hair only seemed to tighten its hold.

A wild tug-of-war raged inside him.

He wanted to warn her off, to push her away—

—and yet he also wanted to keep her close, to lock her in place.

Xie Hejing’s eyes grew darker, more dangerous.

But when the words reached his lips, what came out instead was a light, almost casual: “Classmate Xiao Nan, your hair’s a mess.”

---

---

Chapter 16 — To keep you from bothering me late at night.

---

“The seating chart for the exam is posted up front. Everyone, take a look for yourselves.”

The class monitor pulled out a glue stick, smeared the back of the paper, and pressed it onto the wall. In an instant, a crowd of students swarmed around it.

Seeing there were too many people, Nan Xu stayed in her seat.

Xiang Weishi, tall with sharp eyesight, stood behind the group and easily managed to make out most of the chart.

“Hey, Wen Qi, you’re in the same exam room as me again,” he said with a grin. “Looks like we’re about on the same level, huh?”

At No. 1 High, exam rooms were assigned based on grades. Knowing he was grouped with Xiang Weishi, Wen Qi let out a sigh. “Heaven has no eyes!”

Xiang Weishi chuckled smugly, then turned his head to remind Nan Xu: “Nan Xu, you’re in Room 23. Probably because you transferred in—you don’t have last semester’s grades—so they just put you in the last exam room.”

“Oh, okay, thank you!”

Nan Xu forced a smile, but her mind was elsewhere.

Last night, after washing up and lying in bed, she had been chatting with her friend Qi Zhiyu from No. 3 High.

Qi Zhiyu was a boarding student and didn’t get much phone time, so Nan Xu cherished every chance they had to talk.

They kept chatting until 1 AM, Nan Xu’s eyelids were drooping, yet she forced herself to stay awake. In the end, it was Qi Zhiyu who couldn’t hold out any longer, sending her a “goodnight, baby” sticker before signing off.

1:31 AM.

Nan Xu rubbed her eyes, planning to send back a sticker before sleeping.

But then a notification popped up. She glanced at it—some kind of news alert—but she was so exhausted she just wanted to swipe it away. Her finger slipped, opening it instead, and in a flash, the screen redirected to some random app.

She hurriedly exited, yawned, and her eyes immediately welled up with tears.

Her eyelids felt weighted down with lead, drowsiness crashing over her like a tide. Her finger moved sluggishly across the screen, each swipe heavy with fatigue.

Guided more by instinct than focus, she opened her chat with Qi Zhiyu, found the sticker Qi Zhiyu had once told her to save—“Goodnight, miss you, kisses,” surrounded by bright red hearts.

Nan Xu squinted hard, confirmed it was the right one, hit send—and accidentally tapped it a dozen more times in a row.

She slept soundly through the night, but far too late. In the morning, when her alarm first went off, she silenced it instantly, hugged it to her chest, and fell back asleep.

It took several more rounds before she finally dragged herself up to wash.

Still half-floating in a daze, she sat down at the table. Seeing her barely able to keep her eyes open, Xie Hejing glanced at her and remarked meaningfully: “So you went to sleep at 1:30 last night?”

Nan Xu nodded. “How did you know?”

She had only been chatting—could the sound of typing really have disturbed him?

“No wonder.” Xie Hejing didn’t explain further. He stood, grabbed his backpack from the chair, zipped his jacket all the way up, and left the house.

No wonder… what?

Nan Xu’s foggy mind wondered if she had missed part of the conversation.

But thinking back, they had barely exchanged a few words. It wasn’t possible she had overlooked something.

A dull headache pressed at her temples. She gave up guessing, rubbed her neck, and decided to focus on breakfast instead.

Usually, once Xie Hejing left, Nan Xu would tidy up a little and head out soon after.

But this morning she delayed too long. Growing anxious, she grabbed her phone to check the time—

Only for last night’s unread messages to pop up first. Dozens of them, one after another, nearly overwhelming her.

[Qi Zhiyu: Why didn’t you send me goodnight? Xuxu, have you fallen out of love with me?!]

What followed was a flood of accusing stickers.

Nan Xu froze. She had sent them—just a minute after Qi Zhiyu’s message. But looking at the chat now, none of her stickers were there.

Could it be… she sent them to the wrong person?

Who did she send it to?!

Nan Xu’s muddled brain suddenly cleared, connecting it with the words Xie Hejing had said before leaving.

Her chest tightened instantly. Narrowing her eyes, she cautiously opened her chat with him, hoping she was wrong.

But reality hit her hard.

In their sparse conversation history, there it was—an entire row of pink, lovey-dovey stickers.

Oh my god!!!

By the time Nan Xu calmed herself down and hurried to school, morning self-study had already started. The math teacher was at the podium, going on and on with a test paper in hand.

Nan Xu took a deep breath, knocked gently on the door, then pushed it open and leaned half her body inside. “Excuse me, teacher, sorry I’m late. I overslept.”

The math teacher stopped what he was doing and said sternly, “Come in. But don’t be late again.”

“Okay, thank you, teacher.”

With everyone’s eyes on her, Nan Xu’s face burned red as she walked back to her seat.

. . . . .

“Xie Hejing, you’re back. Hey, let me tell you, your exam room is in Class 1…” Xiang Weishi’s voice rang out.

Blah blah blah—Nan Xu didn’t hear the rest. Her head was full of just one thought: how to find the right time to explain things to Xie Hejing.

It was impossible to talk at school. She’d have to hold it in until they were home. Just thinking about it made her even more upset, and she couldn’t focus the entire day.

When school ended in the evening, for the first time, Nan Xu didn’t stay behind to do extra problems before heading home.

Instead, she calculated the time. About three minutes after Xie Hejing left the classroom, she couldn’t wait any longer. Grabbing her already-packed bag, she rushed out toward the school gate.

Her steps quickened unconsciously, and sure enough, she spotted him—the most striking figure in the crowd ahead.

Xie Hejing had his backpack slung over one shoulder, his uniform jacket unzipped, sleeves rolled up halfway to reveal lean forearms. The glow of the setting sun fell over him, radiating a kind of youthful ease and confidence.

Nan Xu didn’t dare get too close. She slowed her pace, trailing behind him.

Even when they reached the bus stop, she still couldn’t bring herself to speak. She only prayed the bus would come quickly, so they could get home and she could finally explain everything.

The No. 3 bus did arrive, but it was already crammed with people. Only four or five passengers got off at their stop. Nan Xu ended up at the very back of the crowd, following along as everyone pushed forward.

The No. 3 bus wasn’t easy to catch, and everyone was desperate to squeeze in. Nan Xu only zoned out for a few seconds, but when she looked around again, the space around her was empty—she’d fallen to the very end of the line.

A little discouraged, she glanced back. She figured she probably wouldn’t make it onto this bus and would have to wait for the next one.

Suddenly, a familiar voice came from ahead.

“What are you standing there for? Get on.”

Nan Xu looked up—Xie Hejing was right in front of her.

He was the last one to get on, standing near the fare box. Nan Xu lowered her gaze at the clearly overcrowded space, hesitating.

“Get up here.” Xie Hejing turned, fixing his eyes on her.

“I…”

“Hey, student, you’re the last one. Hurry up! The next bus won’t come for another half an hour,” the driver called out, then urged everyone inside to move in further.

Just then, a single spot opened up—just enough room for Nan Xu to stand.

She stepped onto the bus. Xie Hejing kept facing the door, and with her smaller frame and the way she ended up standing, it was almost like Nan Xu was tucked into his arms.

The bus lurched forward. Nan Xu stumbled and fell against him, her hand pressing against his chest.

It was so warm it startled her—she quickly pulled her hand back.

“Can’t even stand steady. Been staying up too late?” Xie Hejing’s voice cut through the noisy bus, landing squarely in her ears.

At the mention of it, Nan Xu’s throat tightened.

“No,” she protested, “I… only stayed up late last night.”

Another stop came. It was a big one, and many people got off, making space. Nan Xu and Xie Hejing moved farther inside, but the rush of new passengers soon pushed them apart.

On the ride, Nan Xu kept rehearsing in her head how she was going to explain things to him.

When they finally got off at their stop, she had barely stepped through the front door before blurting it out.

“That sticker—I was chatting with my friend last night, and it was meant for her. I sent it to you by mistake. Sorry.”

She stood in the entryway, backpack still on her shoulders, not even changing her shoes yet. All the words she’d bottled up all day came rushing out at once.

“A guy?” Xie Hejing didn’t look up. He was sitting on the sofa, lazily scrolling on his phone.

“No, she’s a girl.” Nan Xu finally set her bag down, feeling much lighter.

“Sent by mistake…” Xie Hejing repeated.

Hearing the calmness in his tone, she relaxed completely and nodded. “Mm.”

“Good night, miss you, kisses,” he read aloud, raising his brows at the text from the sticker.

Nan Xu’s eyes went wide.

It wouldn’t have mattered if it had gone to Qi Zhiyu. It wouldn’t have mattered even if Qi Zhiyu read it out loud. But it had gone to Xie Hejing—and now he was reading it aloud himself.

It was embarrassing. No, more than that—it was mortifying.

Nan Xu let out a flustered sound. “Brother, don’t say it.”

“Don’t say what?” He arched a brow at her, spinning his phone in his long fingers until the screen faced her. “Didn’t you send it to me yourself?”

Nan Xu hurried closer. “That’s not what I—”

But her words cut off. She caught a glimpse of what he had saved her as in his contacts. It wasn’t her WeChat username—it was…

She couldn’t see clearly.

And before she could, Xie Hejing flipped the phone back around.

Nan Xu frowned. “Brother, what name did you save me under?”

His fingers paused for a moment. His voice gave nothing away. “Didn’t put any note.”

“I saw it! That wasn’t my username—my username’s a long string of letters!”

“If you already saw it, why are you asking me?”

“…I didn’t see clearly.”

On his contact list, next to her name, a tiny cat emoji glowed. Xie Hejing glanced at it and replied casually, “Just typed something random.”

“…”

Nan Xu made a soft, disgruntled hum under her breath. She was too tired to press the issue any further. With the lack of sleep weighing on her, she kept yawning, her face looking worn-out.

Her eyes drifted toward the fruit on the table, and her appetite perked up. She grabbed an apple and began peeling it, planning to eat and then head straight to her room to sleep.

From across the room, Xie Hejing suddenly spoke.

“Hey.”

“What is it?” Nan Xu paused mid-peel.

“My mom’s not home. Before she left, she reminded me to take good care of you.”

Nan Xu stayed quiet, waiting for what he would say next.

“Staying up late is a bad habit, you know that?” Xie Hejing said.

Nan Xu nodded obediently. “I know.”

Just as she was about to “promise” that she wouldn’t stay up late again, Xie Hejing spoke up, a hint of malice in his voice.

“So…” He deliberately paused there, watching her slightly puzzled eyes before breaking into a grin. “You’ll have to report to me.”

“Report?” Nan Xu blinked. “Why do I need to report?”

Leaning back lazily against the sofa, his posture screamed arrogance. “So I can keep track of when you’re going to sleep. Otherwise, you might stay up like you did last night—and who knows who you’ll send messages to next time.”

“I told you, that was an accident. I sent it by mistake, by mistake,” Nan Xu protested, unwilling to let it go.

Of course, Xie Hejing knew that perfectly well. But he only flashed an infuriatingly bright smile. “Who can say for sure?”

“You—!” Nan Xu was terrible at arguing. Wen Qiu and Nan Xiaochen had never fought in front of her, so she had no vocabulary for insults. After racking her brain, she finally blurted out one clumsy line.

“You’re so annoying.”

He smothered a laugh and went along with it. “Mm. I’m annoying. I’m mean.”

Nan Xu frowned. “But what if I report to you and then still don’t sleep?!”

At that, Xie Hejing’s eyes narrowed slightly. “Our rooms are only a wall apart.”

Just a few steps of distance.

…What did he mean by that?

Nan Xu blinked. She remembered Xiang Weishi mentioning that Xie Hejing had trouble sleeping if someone entered his room. Maybe he was really sensitive when it came to sleep. Even just being separated by a wall—could she make him lose sleep too?

Xie Hejing added, “Right now, we’re… let’s say, roommates. For the sake of getting proper rest, and to prevent you from disturbing me at night with suggestive messages, it makes sense for us to let each other know when we’re going to bed, doesn’t it?”

If it was mutual, that didn’t sound so bad. But then Nan Xu realized what he had just implied. “Wait—when did I ever disturb you?”

He pointed at his phone. “Want me to read it out again?”

Nan Xu went silent.

Seeing her unwilling expression, Xie Hejing coughed lightly. “Put yourself in someone else’s shoes for a second. Say you had a male roommate—big and burly—”

Nan Xu’s eyes widened.

“—not describing you,” he clarified lazily, “just imagine it. A bulky guy roommate sends you a bunch of ‘I miss you’ texts in the middle of the night. Wouldn’t you be scared?”

Nan Xu actually pictured it—and shuddered. “Scared.”

“Mm. I was scared too.” The corners of his lips lifted. “So tell me—does that count as harassment?”

“…Yes,” Nan Xu admitted with a nod.

“Then my request is reasonable, isn’t it?” he pressed.

“…Reasonable.”

His brows arched in triumph. “That’s it.”

Nan Xu: … Somehow she felt like she’d been tricked.

Xie Hejing stood and headed upstairs. Halfway there, he casually snatched the half-peeled apple from her hand and took a bite. “Thanks.”

“!!!”

Nan Xu puffed her cheeks angrily.

She was definitely going to change his contact name to Big Demon King!!!

---

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Chapter 15 — Brother, why are your ears red? [3/3]

---

Xie Hejing and Xiang Weishi walked in front, with Wen Qi and Nan Xu following closely behind as they left the basketball court.

The four of them headed into a nearby park. There were lots of exercise machines scattered around, but at this hour, no one was there—it was the perfect place to catch their breath.

Wen Qi lay down on a sit-up bench with a sigh. “Chen Qian’s such a bastard. Next time I see him, I’ll beat him up again.”

Xie Hejing said nothing, his gaze fixed on Nan Xu. She didn’t dare look back, only glanced away nervously.

She was afraid he’d ask why she had rushed in back there.

But in the heat of the moment, who had time to think?

Xiang Weishi, closest to Nan Xu, added, “Exactly. He even shoved a girl—what kind of man does that? He and I are enemies now, no doubt about it.”

“Hss…” Xiang Weishi hissed and rubbed his wrist.

Nan Xu immediately leaned in, worried. “What’s wrong? Does it hurt? Is it your wrist? Do we need to go to the hospital?”

Xie Hejing’s eyes darkened. He narrowed them slightly, gaze falling on Nan Xu’s fingers resting on Xiang Weishi’s wrist.

“I’m sorry, this is all my fault.” Nan Xu dropped her head, guilt weighing heavily on her.

If they got hurt because of her, she couldn’t just let it go—she’d take full responsibility.

Taking a deep breath, she looked at Xiang Weishi. “Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital. Don’t worry, I’ll make sure it gets treated properly.”

Xiang Weishi blinked. Since when was it that serious?

“He twisted it last time when Chen Qian shoved him during a game. It’s not because of you,” Xie Hejing finally said.

“Yeah, don’t blame yourself. This is all thanks to that bastard Chen Qian,” Xiang Weishi chimed in.

Hearing that, Nan Xu finally felt a little better.

“Now we can be considered friends through thick and thin, right?” Xiang Weishi said with a grin. “Come on, let’s go eat. My treat.”

Wen Qi sat up. “Next time. I’ve got something to do today. Or you guys can go without me.”

“No way. Then it’s next time. Let’s see when you’re all free.” Xiang Weishi glanced at Xie Hejing and Nan Xu.

Nan Xu looked to Xie Hejing. Seeing he didn’t object, she smiled and nodded at Xiang Weishi.

“Perfect…” Xiang Weishi threw an arm around Xie Hejing’s shoulder. “You’ve gotta be free, right? Don’t tell me you’ve gotta run home and cook again!”

Xie Hejing lifted his gaze, caught sight of Nan Xu’s hopeful expression, then lowered his eyes again. “Yeah.”

Leaving the park, Nan Xu and Wen Qi walked in front, while Xie Hejing trailed behind at a leisurely pace. Xiang Weishi turned his head and called out quietly, “Xie Hejing…”

“Speak.”

“Ease up a little, will you?” Xiang Weishi said. “Don’t keep that thousand-mile-away look on your face. I can tell Nan Xu doesn’t even dare talk to you.”

Nan Xu had transferred in quite a while ago, and they almost always ate lunch together, yet she and Xie Hejing had exchanged barely a handful of words. Just earlier, Xiang Weishi noticed how she didn’t even dare look him in the eye, so he figured he’d remind him out of kindness.

“You care a lot, don’t you?” Xie Hejing’s brow twitched.

“Of course I do. I’m just trying to smooth things out between classmates. Besides, I think Nan Xu’s a great girl—pretty too.” Xiang Weishi chuckled, rotating his wrist. “And she was so worried about me.”

Xie Hejing’s expression instantly turned cold.

Wen Qi got a call and left first. Meanwhile, Xiang Weishi, perhaps genuinely touched by Nan Xu’s earlier words, became unreasonably enthusiastic, insisting on walking her home.

Nan Xu’s inner alarm bells rang. She immediately shook her head, politely declined, said “See you tomorrow,” and hurried off before Xiang Weishi could respond.

Watching her retreat like she was escaping, Xiang Weishi guessed aloud, “Hey, Xie Hejing, do you think she’s shy?”

“Who would be shy around you…” Xie Hejing adjusted his wrist guard, speaking slowly. “They’d have to be blind.”

To Xiang Weishi, it sounded like a challenge to his charm, and he refused to accept that.

“Tons of girls get shy around me. Why else would Nan Xu run off so fast?”

“Man, I’m just too irresistible.”

Xie Hejing had no interest in discussing something Xiang Weishi had never actually possessed.

To prove his “charisma” even more, Xiang Weishi activated his overthinking mode: “Think about it—after Chen Qian threw that punch, why do you think Nan Xu suddenly came over, and why did she keep looking our way?”

At that, Xie Hejing paused.

The wrist guard he usually wore now felt unbearably irritating, so he yanked it off and shoved it in his pocket.

Nan Xu didn’t have her phone with her, and she wasn’t sure how far the park was from the bus stop. She sat down in a pavilion near the entrance, deciding to wait. When Xie Hejing came out, she could just tag along.

About three minutes later, after brushing Xiang Weishi off with a few words, Xie Hejing headed casually down the same path Nan Xu had taken.

Bored out of her mind, Nan Xu spotted his figure from the pavilion. He wasn’t that close yet, but she still sensed a faint gloom clinging to him.

Had they gotten into an argument just now?

She jumped up, limped over to him with some difficulty, and glanced around. “Where’s Xiang Weishi…”

“Gone.” Xie Hejing shot her a glance and turned away. “Let’s go home.”

The dying sunlight stretched their shadows long as the two of them stepped into the house one after the other.

Inside, the villa was pitch-dark, unusually quiet.

Click—

The lights came on, the darkness vanished, but the silence lingered.

Nan Xu stood in the entryway, slowly changing her shoes. With the chill radiating off Xie Hejing, she figured it was safer to keep her distance. Maybe he was in a foul mood from arguing earlier.

Xie Hejing, already in his slippers, tossed his keys onto the coffee table, then half-slouched against the back of the sofa, staring blankly at the ceiling for a few seconds.

From the corner of his eye, he watched Nan Xu walk in.

Out of nowhere, he recalled what she had said to Xiang Weishi earlier: “I’ll take responsibility until the end.”

He let out a quiet, derisive laugh. Take responsibility for who? She couldn’t even manage herself right now.

Noticing that his expression had eased a little, Nan Xu carried the first-aid kit over from the cabinet. Fixing her eyes on the bruise on his cheek, she said softly, “Brother, your injury… it needs some medicine.”

Hearing this, Xie Hejing sat up straight. Nan Xu was still two sofa lengths away.

His brow furrowed. “Come here.”

Nan Xu hugged the first-aid kit as she walked over and held it out to him.

Xie Hejing didn’t take it. He tapped his cheek lazily. “I can’t see.”

The wound was on his face—of course he couldn’t.

“There’s a mirror upstairs,” Nan Xu said.

“Too lazy to go up,” he replied.

“Then I’ll go get it for you.”

She set the kit down and really started toward the stairs to fetch a small mirror.

“Stop.” Xie Hejing called after her, slow and unhurried.

Nan Xu hesitated, unsure what he meant. “What is it? Don’t you need medicine?”

Leaning forward, elbows resting on his knees, he tilted his head slightly back, words clipped: “I said—you. Come. Apply it.”

Nan Xu froze for a few seconds, unsure if she’d heard right. Cautiously, she asked, “You mean you want me to do it?”

Xie Hejing turned his head away and didn’t answer.

She went over, opened the kit, and pulled out a cotton swab with practiced ease. “Next time you should say it clearly. It’s just medicine—I wouldn’t refuse.”

“If you’re embarrassed, just say it like this: ‘Beautiful Miss Nan Xu, please apply the medicine for me.’ Simple enough, right?”

Xie Hejing didn’t respond, but Nan Xu ended up laughing at her own joke.

“Boring.”

He kept his eyes fixed on her movements.

Nan Xu picked up the iodine and quirked her lips. “You don’t get embarrassed just because I’m watching, do you? Didn’t I ask you to help me with medicine last time?”

The medicine was ready, but she was still standing.

“Sit.” Xie Hejing gestured at the sofa beside him.

Instead, she shook her head, comparing their heights and the table’s position. “I’ll just squat and do it. Lean down a bit.”

He complied, bending closer. Suddenly, his face was right there, within reach.

At the same time, her long lashes, smooth skin, delicate features—like the first lilac blooming after a rain—were all laid bare before him. His Adam’s apple bobbed once.

But in Nan Xu’s eyes, there was only the wound at the corner of his mouth.

When she dabbed the medicine on, Xie Hejing didn’t even flinch. Nan Xu, on the other hand, sucked in a sharp breath.

That must hurt so much!

She tossed aside the used swab and reached for another. When she looked back, she realized his face seemed even closer.

Much closer—so close she could hear the sound of his breathing, feel the warmth of it brushing against the side of her neck. The faint tickle made her skin prickle.

She rubbed at the spot with the back of her hand, but it only spread, trickling into her chest.

Her cheeks slowly flushed pink. Her throat had gone dry without her noticing, and even her breathing turned cautious. Her lashes trembled uncontrollably, her ears burned red, and her hand slipped—pressing the swab down harder than she meant to.

Nan Xu froze for two seconds.

The closeness was impossible to hide. No matter how she tried, her body betrayed her.

As she continued rubbing, the corner of Xie Hejing’s mouth curved upward.

Now that’s what being shy looks like.

It had never been like Xiang Weishi claimed—Nan Xu had never been shy with him.

Why did he suddenly start smiling while she was treating him?

Nan Xu looked up, confused.

She crashed right into Xie Hejing’s gaze.

He raised his brows lazily, smiling as if he could see straight through her attempt to hide her distraction.

Nan Xu abruptly stood up and tossed the cotton swab into the trash.

“I’m not doing this anymore.”

A soft laugh drifted through the living room.

“Weren’t you the one who said you don’t get shy?” Xie Hejing drawled.

“N-no… it’s different.”

Nan Xu was so nervous her mind went blank. She had just been staring at him, spacing out. It was supposed to be something simple—just applying medicine—so why was her face so hot?

And why was her heart pounding so fast?

Last time he’d treated her wounds, everything had felt perfectly normal.

“So tell me,” Xie Hejing leaned back, watching her leisurely, “what’s so different?”

Nan Xu bit her lip, unwilling to admit she’d lost focus just now.

“Being shy is…” The words stuck in her throat. She quickly changed tack. “Anyway, I’m not shy. My legs just went numb from squatting too long, that’s all.”

She braced herself for a long back-and-forth, but Xie Hejing only gave a faint, “Oh.”

“Keep going.”

That was it? Just letting it slide so easily?

Nan Xu almost forgot she’d declared she was done. Putting on a front, she said, “Fine, but this time I’ll do it standing.”

“Suit yourself.”

Silence fell over the living room again. Nan Xu forced herself to focus only on the cut at the corner of his mouth, refusing to meet his eyes.

Once she’d finished with that wound, she turned to tidy up the kit—only to catch sight, out of the corner of her eye, of a few scratches across his neck. They weren’t deep, but faint streaks of blood clung to the skin.

“You need these treated too,” she said, pointing at the marks, guessing Chen Qian must’ve left them.

“Mm. Go on, then.”

Nan Xu picked up another swab.

Xie Hejing leaned his head back. His Adam’s apple shifted now and then, his profile sharp and clean, lips pressed together, his expression distant.

Nan Xu felt a wave of relief—at least he wasn’t saying anything that would throw her off this time.

As she worked carefully, she noticed a tiny mole on the side of his neck, so faint you wouldn’t see it without being this close.

“You’ll take responsibility for this too, won’t you?” Xie Hejing asked suddenly, his voice slow and unhurried.

“Huh?” Nan Xu blinked, her gaze flicking upward in confusion.

Her delayed reaction only annoyed him further. His tongue pressed against the corner of his mouth, and pain shot through the wound.

“What, so Xiang Weishi’s injury is worth taking responsibility for, but mine isn’t?”

Only then did Nan Xu realize he was referring to what she had said at the park.

Her long silence grated on him even more. He clicked his tongue.

That finally jolted her into replying. “Yes, of course. I’ll take care of it—I promise.”

She thought that would settle things, but he pressed on: “If Xiang Weishi got hurt, would you treat him too?”

Would you get shy then, too?—that, he didn’t ask.

Nan Xu didn’t dare hesitate, bobbing her head like a drum. “Yes, I would. I’d treat anyone.”

Xie Hejing: “…”

His lips tightened into a straight line, his brows knitting inward.

After a moment of silence, he finally voiced the thought he’d been holding back since the walk home. “When Chen Qian threw that punch and you came over… who were you looking at?”

The sudden question caught her off guard, but she didn’t overthink it. “You.”

A laugh escaped him. His frown eased, his expression softening bit by bit.

Once she was done, Nan Xu tidied everything away and put the medicine kit back where it belonged.

When she returned, Xie Hejing tossed something at her. She caught it instinctively—a black wristband.

“What are you giving me this for?”

Xie Hejing only said, “Just hold on to it.”

Already used to his habit of not explaining, Nan Xu hummed an acknowledgment. Out of his sight, she slipped it on her wrist—it actually looked pretty good on her.

Her stomach growled. It was well past dinner time.

“You’re hurt today,” she said. “Don’t wear yourself out. Let’s just order delivery for once. My treat, okay?”

At some point, he’d actually started listening to Zhang Huiwan and began watching what she ate, refusing to let her order food from places with questionable hygiene. Nan Xu could only sigh about it—back then she was the one covering for him.

“My hands aren’t hurt,” Xie Hejing said, stepping into the kitchen.

Nan Xu followed after him. “Then let me help you.”

“No need.” He didn’t even turn his head.

Still, she trailed him all the way to the doorway. Just as she was about to step inside, he pulled the door shut. “No. Don’t get in the way.”

“Oh.” Her response was small and dispirited as she stepped back.

Not watching her feet, she stepped right onto the robot vacuum that had silently rolled up behind her. Her foot slipped, and she fell hard to the floor.

She’d already taken a bad fall earlier when Chen Qian shoved her. Now, hitting the ground again, Nan Xu couldn’t get up for a moment.

Seeing this, Xie Hejing’s expression changed. He yanked the door back open and rushed to her side. She looked miserable, fists clenched tight.

“Where does it hurt?” he asked.

Nan Xu froze but refused to say. “I just need a minute.”

He didn’t believe her. “Where did you hit yourself? Let me see.”

“You can’t look.”

“What’s there to hide?” He frowned.

“It’s just… you can’t.” She gritted her teeth.

It didn’t seem like anything was visibly wrong, but the pain written on her face didn’t look faked. With rare patience, Xie Hejing tried again. “Fine. Then at least point to it, alright?”

“No.” Nan Xu turned her head away and tried to get up on her own, but halfway through she wobbled and nearly fell again.

“Then rub it yourself.”

She shook her head.

Quickly, he reached out and caught her, holding her steady. His patience finally snapped, his voice sharp: “Nan Xu.”

It was the first time she’d ever heard him raise his voice at her. Her lips trembled, eyes brimming with tears, looking up at him like a pitiful little thing who’d been bullied.

He drew in a deep breath and softened his tone. “Forget it. We’ll go to the hospital. You can tell the doctor.”

With that, he scooped her up in his arms and headed for the door.

She didn’t want to go, but she couldn’t break free. Flustered, she blurted out the truth. “My butt!”

The air went silent for several seconds.

Xie Hejing’s grip tightened unconsciously, and the tips of his ears actually turned red.

Nan Xu, oblivious, continued earnestly, “I fell on my butt just now.” She paused, then added, “That’s why you can’t look.”

---

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Chapter 15 — Brother, why are your ears red? [2/3]

---

“Chen Qian must still be stewing about that,” Xiang Weishi said with a scoff. “He’s been plotting something shady, sent people to message me the other day—wants a rematch.”

Qi Jiang perked up at that. “Gangzi’s crew got the same invite. They were just asking if we’d go. I’m in. I’ve been itching to smack that bastard around anyway—he’s so arrogant and thinks he’s hot stuff. His sportsmanship is terrible, and his character isn’t much better.”

“Of course we’re going,” Xiang Weishi replied.

Xie Hejing, however, stayed quiet. Xiang Weishi nudged him. “Hey, I’m asking you. Going or not?”

From the third-floor window, Nan Xu watched. She couldn’t hear what they were saying. All she saw was Xie Hejing rolling his neck, sipping his Coke, looking perfectly at ease.

Suddenly, as if sensing her, he froze, then lifted his head and looked straight up at her.

Nan Xu startled and jerked back. Behind her, a desk screeched against the floor as it slid a few centimeters.

“What’s wrong?” Wen Qi rubbed her eyes, still groggy. “Class already starting?”

Nan Xu looked apologetic. Luckily the student who sat at that desk wasn’t there. She dragged it back into place, then turned and said, “Not yet. Ten more minutes. You can rest. I’ll wake you when the teacher comes.”

Wen Qi shook her head. “I can’t sleep now anyway. I’ll try out that hand cream I bought. Gotta take care of these hands.” She treated her hands like treasures, always splurging on masks, creams, and serums.

“I’ll keep watch,” Nan Xu nodded.

Meanwhile, outside—

“Xie Hejing, what are you staring at?” Xiang Weishi tilted his head, following his gaze, but saw nothing.

Thinking back to that startled, flustered face, Xie Hejing chuckled to himself.

Xiang Weishi was dumbfounded. Had Hejing lost his mind—laughing at thin air?

But it lasted only a second. Xiang Weishi quickly sobered and said, “So it’s set—after school today, No. 8 High wants a game. You in?”

Xie Hejing’s eyes dropped back down. He shrugged, then casually tossed his Coke can. It arced perfectly into the trash. With a yawn, he said, “Yeah.”

Only then did Nan Xu realize what the class had been buzzing about: after school, No. 1 High and No. 8 High were going head-to-head in basketball. After days of dreary rain, everyone was excited for the chance to cut loose.

A basketball game… would Xie Hejing really go?

She knew he often played basketball, but Nan Xu had never gone to watch.

Wen Qi, on the other hand, didn’t care at all about what everyone was talking about and was busy checking herself in the mirror.

After hesitating for a few seconds, Nan Xu asked, “Qiqi, do you know about the basketball game they were talking about?”

“Of course I do!”

“Who’s going to play for No. 1 High?” Nan Xu asked again.

Wen Qi answered without the slightest hesitation. “Xie Hejing, Xiang Weishi, and the others. It’s always them. Every time they get on the court, it’s like the whole team’s been injected with chicken blood.”

She tilted her chin toward the front.

Nan Xu looked up. A group of girls in the second row—ones she didn’t know very well but still recognized—were planning to buy ribbons after school so they could cheer as a makeshift cheer squad. After sorting it out, they started asking around the class if anyone else wanted to join.

When they got to Wen Qi, she turned them down flat. At most, she’d watch from the sidelines, buy some drinks, and shout a few words of support. Being a cheerleader held no interest for her.

Nan Xu shook her head too. She only wanted to quietly watch the game.

When Xie Hejing and his group came back, the class immediately buzzed with excitement, everyone throwing questions their way.

“Xie Hejing, which guys from No. 8 High are you playing against?”

“Need more players? I want to give it a try.”

“We’re coming to cheer for you!”

“…”

Sitting behind him, Nan Xu’s eyes unconsciously drifted to his profile. Then, realizing he might notice her from that angle, she quickly looked away, afraid of getting caught staring.

“Xuxu, try this hand cream. It smells amazing and it’s super moisturizing.” Wen Qi leaned over and squeezed a generous amount onto her hand.

“Oh, thank you.”

Nan Xu rubbed it in, a little puzzled by her own reaction. Why not just look openly? It wasn’t a big deal.

But every time she was about to meet Xie Hejing’s eyes, she panicked and looked away.

“Give me some too.” Xiang Weishi turned around, reaching his hand across their desk.

Wen Qi smacked his hand back. “Did you even wash your hands? Don’t get our desk all dirty.”

Xiang Weishi gave an embarrassed laugh. He had just been playing basketball, and his hands were filthy.

“Fine, I’ll put some on later,” he said, standing as if to go wash up.

With only four minutes left before class, Nan Xu pulled out some wet wipes from her bag and handed them over. “Here, use this.”

“Thanks.” Xiang Weishi tore off a couple of sheets.

“Xuxu, squeeze it out for him. He always takes too much himself, and then smears it everywhere,” Wen Qi said while fiddling with her nail clippers.

“Oh, okay.”

Nan Xu picked up the hand cream and was about to squeeze some onto Xiang Weishi’s hand when she happened to catch Xie Hejing looking over.

“Xie Hejing, you should put some on too. We guys need to stay refined,” Xiang Weishi teased with a raised eyebrow.

Xie Hejing scoffed. “This stuff…”

After finishing with Xiang Weishi, Nan Xu tightened her grip on the tube and glanced at Xie Hejing. Tentatively, she asked, “Do you want some?”

It was the first time in days that the two of them had spoken at school, even briefly.

Xiang Weishi rubbed the cream into his hands and asked, “What’s wrong with it?”

“…Guess it’s fine.”

Xie Hejing extended his hand toward Nan Xu, palm slightly open.

Nan Xu looked at him in surprise, then quickly glanced at Wen Qi and Xiang Weishi. Luckily, neither of them seemed to notice.

His hand was pale, with clear veins, and on the back rested a small mole, quiet and unassuming in front of her.

On a whim, she deliberately dabbed the cream right over the mole, secretly delighted. Then, in a calm voice, she said, “All done.”

“Thanks.” His tone was flat, calm, as if he hadn’t noticed her little gesture.

A faint scent of tea lingered in the air.

Once Xie Hejing turned back around, more people came over to chat with him.

The classroom door swung open. Qi Zhixin stood in the doorway. “What’s going on here? The prep bell has already rung—didn’t you hear it? What are you all making such a racket about? Class monitor, discipline committee, are you not doing your jobs?”

Of course, no one in the class dared tell him the real reason. One by one, they all dropped their heads.

Slamming his textbook on the desk, Qi Zhixin put his hands on his hips and glared. “Lately I’ve noticed a lot of you even losing points on classical poetry questions—literally free points. After school today, everyone is copying the poems we reviewed last time three times each before you leave. You’re in senior year now, and I still have to resort to such childish methods to keep you in line.”

Groans filled the room, but after class ended, everyone sat properly in their seats, heads down, copying out the poems while Qi Zhixin supervised from the front.

Xie Hejing wrote fast, and Xiang Weishi scribbled carelessly; the two of them were the first to hand in their work.

Nan Xu wrote slowly, each character carefully formed stroke by stroke. By the time she only had a few poems left, there were barely a handful of students remaining.

Glancing at the clock, she quietly sped up.

Even so, it didn’t help much. She ended up turning hers in second to last.

The very last was a girl named Dong Fanxi—round and soft, with a plump face that looked especially cute when she smiled.

She usually sat in the back row and rarely spoke up in class, but whenever Nan Xu ran into her at the cafeteria, they’d exchange a few words.

“Nan Xu, are you going to the basketball game they were talking about?” Dong Fanxi caught up to her.

“Yeah, but I need to stop by the restroom first.”

“I need to go too. Can we go together?” Dong Fanxi asked hopefully.

“Sure.”

Nan Xu was quick in the restroom. Just as she pushed open the stall door, ready to wash her hands, she heard Dong Fanxi’s cautious voice from the next stall.

“Nan Xu, my period just started… can I borrow a pad? I forgot to bring one.”

“Of course,” Nan Xu answered immediately.

She washed her hands and hurried back toward the classroom, rummaging in her bag until she found a pad and tucked it into her pocket.

But when she turned to leave through the back door, she ran right into Xie Hejing, who was leaning against the doorframe like a wall, blocking her way.

They were standing so close it felt like one more step and they’d be touching. Nan Xu’s heart jumped. She glanced around—no one else was nearby—and only then did she relax a little.

“What are you doing here?” she asked.

Xie Hejing lowered his gaze, ignoring her question and asking instead, “What are you still doing here?”

“I went to the restroom.” Thinking of Dong Fanxi still waiting inside, Nan Xu gestured toward the hallway, asking him to step aside.

“I have a basketball game today.” Xie Hejing took a step closer.

The space between them shrank instantly. His warmth pressed in on her. Nan Xu averted her eyes, muttered an acknowledgment, but she didn’t really understand why he had said that out of nowhere.

“I know. So?”

Xie Hejing frowned slightly and repeated, “What are you still doing here?”

Nan Xu blinked, as if she had caught on but not completely. “Oh, I’m going. I just need to drop by the restroom first.”

Once he had his answer, Xie Hejing’s frown relaxed. He stepped aside, answering with a flat “Mm.”

Nan Xu was anxious to get going, but curiosity nagged at her. Why was Xie Hejing here instead of on the court already? Weren’t they supposed to be playing warm-up games first?

“Are you here to walk me over? I know which court it’s on, I can find it,” she said.

“You’re overthinking. I just came to get some water.” Xie Hejing pulled out his flask, glanced at the classroom water dispenser—empty—and then down at his own bottle—also empty.

“Didn’t Qiqi buy water for you guys?” Nan Xu asked, puzzled.

“I only drink my own,” Xie Hejing said, his voice calm and his expression turning cold.

“Oh, then take your time with the water. I’ll head on ahead—see you at the court later. Bye!”

On the way to the court, Dong Fanxi kept thanking Nan Xu, making her feel a little embarrassed.

After chatting for a few minutes, Nan Xu realized Dong Fanxi was actually quite good at conversation—soft-spoken and thoughtful. It was strange, though; in class, she always seemed so lonely.

Dong Fanxi volunteered the reason herself. “I know I’m chubby. Back in middle school, some boys would always make fun of me. I didn’t like talking to anyone.”

“But you’re great. You even greeted me first.”

“Thanks.”

Nan Xu paused, feeling a twinge of guilt for unintentionally reminding her of sad memories. She decided to pull Dong Fanxi along and keep chatting with her.

When they reached the court, Nan Xu’s eyes immediately landed on Xie Hejing.

He wore a bright red jersey, moving as if the court itself belonged to him. With a quick pivot and a smooth jump, he scored again.

The cheers never stopped.

The energy from No. 1 High was overwhelming. Nan Xu noticed that a lot of students from other classes had come too.

Standing by the court was the slender figure of Wen Qi—the same one who had refused to be part of the cheer squad. Somehow, she had brought a huge megaphone with her.

“Everyone, follow my lead and shout!”

Wen Qi effortlessly took control of the situation.

“No. 1 High!”

She raised the megaphone.

The crowd shouted back: “Go!”

“No. 1 High!” Wen Qi called again, putting one hand to her ear and lifting the other holding the megaphone higher to signal everyone to be louder.

The crowd roared: “Awesome!”

The sheer energy made the opposing team from No. 8 High grind their teeth in frustration. No matter how loudly they shouted, they couldn’t compete.

Each of them glared fiercely at Wen Qi.

She smirked arrogantly, turning up the volume on the megaphone. The harder they glared, the louder she made it. Then, with a free hand, she gestured toward them, as if daring them to shout even louder—she couldn’t hear them anyway.

Nan Xu couldn’t help laughing at Wen Qi’s provocative antics.

Just then, Wen Qi glanced toward the door and saw the late-arriving Nan Xu. She pressed the megaphone a few more times and then set it aside to run over. A recorded loop of “Go No. 1 High! No. 1 High is awesome!” kept playing.

“Why are you only here now? The game’s already started,” Wen Qi said.

Dong Fanxi quickly explained, “Sorry, it’s my fault. I held Nan Xu up.”

“It’s okay,” Nan Xu said warmly with a smile.

Looking at Wen Qi’s excitement, Nan Xu teased, “I thought you weren’t going to join the cheer squad?”

Wen Qi turned her head and gestured with her chin toward the other side. “Those ribbons are pretty, but they don’t have any presence. You wouldn’t believe how loudly the other side was shouting during the warm-up match. Xie Hejing was nowhere to be found, so we had a terrible start. Our momentum was completely gone, how could I not come?”

Nan Xu curved her lips into a smile. Given Wen Qi’s energy and attitude, she really was the only one who could lead the squad effectively.

“Of course you had to come, Qiqi. You’re amazing!”

Wen Qi lifted the corner of her mouth at the compliment. “It’s not bad, I guess.”

Once they entered the court, No. 1 High, with Xie Hejing and a few others, dominated the early games.

But the last game was a little unpredictable. In the final thirty seconds, the score was still tied.

Both teams’ hearts raced. No. 8 High stopped holding back; it was the last round, and they shouted as loudly as No. 1 High.

The atmosphere in the court was electrifying. People from other courts had gathered to watch, forming layers of spectators all around, almost three deep on each side.

This was a rare scene—losing this round would be a huge blow to anyone’s pride.

Chen Qian seemed to see a chance to make a comeback. He targeted Xie Hejing and charged at him maliciously. When it looked like he might miss, he even reached out to shove him.

Everyone on the sidelines saw it clearly.

Nan Xu inhaled sharply. If Xie Hejing got pushed, there’d be no way to stop it in time—it would be dangerous.

She furrowed her brows, digging her nails into her palms, closing her eyes slightly, almost too scared to look.

Suddenly, a shout came from the court.

Nan Xu opened her eyes fully.

Xie Hejing had moved with lightning speed. In a flash, he was behind Chen Qian, his tone casual but cutting:

“Open your eyes. Watch carefully.”

Chen Qian tried to intercept again, but someone blocked him completely. He looked up and caught sight of that glaring red figure. With an astonishing leap, every movement seemed to slow in Chen Qian’s eyes as Xie Hejing’s dunk landed perfectly.

Holding the ball in one hand, Xie Hejing slammed it down through the hoop.

“Dunk score!” someone shouted.

“Ah!! We won!!!”

The court erupted. No. 1 High’s players rushed to surround Xie Hejing.

Nan Xu wanted to join them, but there were too many people. She tried to squeeze through, only to be pushed back again. No way to get close.

She puffed her cheeks, deciding it was fine—cheering for him from here was good enough.

Chen Qian couldn’t believe it. He froze, and despite the comforting words around him, he remained in shock. Xie Hejing’s movements were still replaying in his mind. How was this even possible…?

He stiffened suddenly, clenching his fists so hard the sound of cracking knuckles echoed.

Chen Qian had always been proud on the court. From elementary to high school, almost no one had ever beaten him. Wherever he went, all eyes and praise should belong to him.

But today, he lost. And not just lost—he lost so badly, to that person.

The image of Xie Hejing’s red figure dunking flashed in his mind again.

He spun around, eyes blazing, and shoved through the crowd around Xie Hejing, landing a vicious punch to his face.

The atmosphere froze. Silence fell, broken only by Chen Qian’s furious shouting.

His bloodshot eyes screamed, “Come on! You think you’re so amazing? Still got punched, didn’t you? Feel that? Serves you right! Come on!”

Xie Hejing pressed his tongue to his bruised cheek, his icy gaze fixed on Chen Qian.

Xiang Weishi moved forward, but Xie Hejing held him back. “This is right next to the school. Wait until we’re in an empty alley.”

Chen Qian laughed even louder, taking the restraint as weakness. “Coward! Thought you were so tough? Paper tiger! Coward! You’ll never beat me!”

Nan Xu’s brows knitted tightly. She saw blood seeping from Xie Hejing’s face.

She immediately tried to weave through the crowd to check on him—but had to pass right by Chen Qian. In his current frenzy, anyone coming near could get hurt.

Out of the corner of his eye, Chen Qian spotted Nan Xu. Like a cornered animal, he turned and shoved her hard.

“Get out of here.”

Xie Hejing’s eyes narrowed instantly, a dangerous glint flashing across them.

Xiang Weishi stepped forward firmly.

You dare touch my sister?!

Wen Qi’s relaxed gaze sharpened, fists clenching.

You dare hit my deskmate?!

Xie Hejing was first to reach Chen Qian, striking fiercely without holding back.

Right after him, Xiang Weishi and Wen Qi joined in—none of them held anything back.

That shove was pretty heavy. It took Nan Xu a while before she managed to get back on her feet.

Chen Qian, who had been so arrogant just minutes ago, was now lying on the ground, howling in pain and trying to dodge. The people around split up—girls held Wen Qi back or helped her up, while the boys all rushed in to break up the fight.

Grinding her teeth, anger burning in her chest, Nan Xu ignored the pain in her leg, slipped over to Chen Qian, and stomped hard on his hand.

Served him right for hitting Xie Hejing just now.

And for pushing her too.

That was completely rude—she hadn’t done anything to him.

Chen Qian was too busy clutching his hand and wailing to fight back.

The people holding everyone apart had to use every bit of strength they had just to keep things under control. One guy wiped the sweat off his forehead, wondering why these people were so strong—no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t hold them back.

To keep things from escalating, the students from No. 8 High grabbed Chen Qian and dragged him away.

---

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Chapter 15 — Brother, why are your ears red? [1/3]

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It was the first time he’d met someone who got angry and even made a point to tell him about it. Xie Hejing’s lips curved slightly, and a few seconds later he realized he was actually smiling—only to press it down right away.

This wasn’t a good sign. He should be keeping his distance from her.

That afternoon, Zhang Huiwan boarded her flight on time. Knowing that Nan Xu hadn’t brought her phone to school, she sent a message to Xie Hejing before boarding, telling him to take good care of his sister.

When Xie Hejing saw the message, he tugged at the corner of his mouth.

What sister? He didn’t have one.

Just before dismissal, Xiang Weishi glanced at the physics teacher on the podium and whispered again to ask if Xie Hejing was going to the arcade. He said the last time they went, the experience was pretty good.

Xie Hejing twirled the pen in his hand.

It wasn’t until Xiang Weishi called him a third time that the pen slipped out of his fingers, flew forward, and rolled back slowly toward the rear row.

Blinking, Xie Hejing finally came back to his senses and gave a half-hearted response.

Nan Xu, sitting behind him, kept her eyes on the test paper, but her thoughts had drifted far away.

It wasn’t until she replayed everything in her room last night that she realized what she had said.

She couldn’t stop berating herself. She’d wanted to build a good relationship with Xie Hejing, yet she had been the one to run up to him and complain.

What a mistake!

She also overheard Xiang Weishi inviting Xie Hejing to the arcade. She considered tagging along, but after thinking it over, she decided against it. She didn’t know how to play those games, and going along would be pointless.

That evening, when she returned home, the huge house felt unbearably empty with just her in it. Shivering a little, Nan Xu flicked on most of the lights as soon as she stepped inside.

Her stomach was starting to growl. Normally, when Aunt Zhang wasn’t home, it was Xie Hejing who cooked.

Now standing in the kitchen, she felt stumped. The place was spotless, no leftovers in sight, and the fridge was full of fresh ingredients. But she didn’t trust her own cooking skills.

After wavering for a while, she decided to make herself some noodles. At least that was something she had confidence in.

The bowl of noodles looked fine when it came out, but the taste was bland and watery—and worse, she’d added too much salt, making it nearly inedible.

She’d been too confident after all.

Especially after having tasted Xie Hejing’s cooking before, she found this bowl even harder to swallow.

Should she just go make peace with him? she wondered, chewing on her chopsticks.

But she quickly dismissed the thought. It was already eight o’clock. If she didn’t start her homework now, there’d be no chance of finishing before midnight.

After forcing down a few bites, Nan Xu tidied up the dishes and went upstairs to do her homework.

Meanwhile, at the arcade, Xie Hejing was unusually distracted.

He was in the middle of a match against Xiang Weishi, a crowd gathered around them. Cheers and gasps rose one after another, fueling the excitement.

Xiang Weishi felt his adrenaline pumping and was convinced he could finally beat Xie Hejing this time.

And for once, he wasn’t wrong—the score on the screen showed that Xie Hejing was trailing far behind.

“Brother Jing, you’re about to lose,” someone nearby pointed out, noticing his absent-mindedness.

It was as if he finally snapped back. His eyes narrowed at the screen, and his fingers flew across the controller. In less than three minutes, the game was over.

When the word “Defeat” flashed across the screen, Xiang Weishi howled loudly, even glaring at the guy who had warned Xie Hejing earlier—he had finally had a chance to beat Xie Hejing!

But despite wining, Xie Hejing’s expression stayed flat. He pulled off his headphones, stood up, and walked over to buy a bottle of water. The entire motion was smooth, without the slightest hint of regret.

“Brother Jing, you’re done playing?” someone nearby asked.

“Mm.” Xie Hejing drained half a bottle of water in one go.

Xiang Weishi came over and punched the guy on the arm. “You brat, that’s enough. If you hadn’t reminded him, I would’ve definitely won that round.”

“Not necessarily!”

“Hey, you—”

Before Xiang Weishi could swing again, the guy had already darted off.

The place grew lively once more.

After cursing a couple of times with a laugh, Xiang Weishi turned back to ask, “Why’d you stop playing?”

“I’m hungry.”

Xiang Weishi checked the time—half past eight. Yeah, it was about time for dinner.

“There’s this place nearby with amazing braised pork. Let’s go eat there.”

“Braised pork…”

He remembered someone who happened to love that dish.

“Yeah, super authentic. Come on, let’s go.”

The restaurant wasn’t very big, but business was good. They got lucky and snagged a table just as another group left.

They ordered a few dishes at random, and the food came quickly. Xiang Weishi handed Xie Hejing a pair of chopsticks.

“Try the braised pork.”

Xie Hejing took a bite. The meat was juicy and tender, neither greasy nor tough—exactly the sort of flavor a certain someone would like.

Xiang Weishi, oblivious to his thoughts, dug in with gusto, scarfing down food like he might faint if he slowed down.

In the middle of his eating frenzy, Xie Hejing suddenly asked, “Does this place do takeout?”

“Nope,” Xiang Weishi mumbled around his food. “I only found it by chance when I passed by last time.”

“Waiter.” Xie Hejing raised his hand.

Thinking he wanted to order more, Xiang Weishi quickly said they already had plenty of dishes. But instead, Xie Hejing asked if they could pack food to go.

“….”

Once he knew they could, Xie Hejing ordered a few more dishes and had them all packed up.

“You bringing back a late-night snack?” Xiang Weishi asked, puzzled.

“No.”

“Then why the takeout?”

“To feed a cat.”

“….”

When the courier showed up to confirm the order with him, Xiang Weishi eyed the heavy bags in Xie Hejing’s hands and asked again, “Since when do you have a cat? And what kind of cat eats this well? Braised pork, seriously?”

The delivery guy froze too, glancing at the hefty bags. “Don’t you usually feed cats with, you know, cat food?”

Xie Hejing didn’t bother explaining—he just told him to deliver it to the address.

Xiang Weishi frowned. “What kind of cat do you have, the big-eater breed? You can’t raise a cat like this. Next time, I’m coming over to see for myself.”

“Don’t.” Xie Hejing said flatly.

“What, I’m not even allowed a look?” Xiang Weishi’s brows knitted tighter.

“My cat’s afraid of strangers.”

“….”

Xiang Weishi was speechless. The way Xie Hejing described his cat, it sounded more like some kind of mythical beast.

At that moment, Nan Xu was still reciting her textbook when the doorbell downstairs suddenly rang. She jumped a little. Since she was the only one at home, she hesitated, unsure if she should open the door.

The doorbell kept ringing persistently several more times until Nan Xu finally shuffled over and cracked the door open just enough to poke her head out.

“Can I help you?”

The delivery guy glanced at his phone screen. “Mr. Xie asked you to feed the cat. I’ll just leave this at the door.”

“What…”

Before Nan Xu could finish, the delivery guy was already gone. She blinked at the big bags left at the doorway.

“Feed a cat? Did he deliver this to the wrong place?”

When she carried the bags inside, a delicious aroma drifted out. She even caught the smell of braised pork, which only confused her more.

A cat? There weren’t even any stray cats around this neighborhood!

Since she couldn’t figure it out, she simply left the bags on the table and went back upstairs to continue studying.

About half an hour later, the front door opened downstairs. Hearing the sound, Nan Xu knew Xie Hejing was back.

She set aside the passage she had just about memorized, cracked her bedroom door open, saw nothing, then pushed it all the way and stepped out. Just in time, she spotted Xie Hejing standing by the table, looking at the unopened bags.

Nan Xu cleared her throat twice, not intending to greet him first—until she noticed from the corner of her eye that he’d been staring at her since he walked in. Only then did she explain, “I didn’t see any cat around.”

Xie Hejing: “…”

He touched the bags, most of them had already gone cold.

Nan Xu had only eaten a little bland, watery noodle soup, and now her stomach was quietly rumbling.

Flustered, she quickly pressed her hand over her belly and looked away.

Xie Hejing tilted his head at her. “Come down.”

Nan Xu went downstairs, and though she had to look up at him—he was much taller—she didn’t lose any of her attitude. “What for?”

“You don’t know enough to eat?” He glanced at the kitchen, which showed no sign of anyone cooking.

“I already did.” Nan Xu answered.

Right then, her stomach betrayed her again with a rumble. She quickly turned to head back upstairs.

“What did you eat?” Xie Hejing asked.

She froze mid-step. “Noodles. But… they weren’t good.”

Xie Hejing chuckled twice, eyeing her lively, spirited appearance. “Shouldn’t you be grateful you didn’t poison yourself into the hospital?”

“No need to thank me.” Nan Xu shot back without missing a beat.

He raised an eyebrow.

She regretted it the moment the words left her mouth, but since she couldn’t take them back, she forced out a stiff little laugh, awkward to the extreme.

“That laugh is awful.” His eyes shifted back to the food, as if weighing whether it was still edible.

Biting her lip, Nan Xu noticed his thoughtful look. She quickly ran up to block his view.

Then she gave two cold, exaggerated laughs. “My laugh is not awful! Everyone says it’s nice.”

“Everyone? Who’s ‘everyone’?” he asked.

Seeing the disbelief in his eyes, Nan Xu pursed her lips, walked a few steps forward, and drew a big circle in the air with her hands.

“…This many.”

Her features were soft and gentle, her beautiful eyes lifting playfully, full of liveliness.

He froze for a moment—her smile was so bright it almost dazzled, her eyes sparkling with vitality.

His lashes fluttered involuntarily, and the corners of his mouth lifted ever so slightly.

Nan Xu looked at him with a smile and tossed his words right back at him: “You’re the one with the ugly smile.” Then, after a pause, she added, “Very ugly.”

Xie Hejing couldn’t be bothered to argue with her. He just hummed in agreement and brushed past, taking the dishes out one by one to reheat in the microwave.

As he looked down at the food in his hands, his gaze cooled. He told her to feed the cat, and she really just sat there waiting to feed a cat. Now she chose to be obedient?

Nan Xu trailed after him, suddenly wondering if what she’d said earlier had been a little too harsh.

She should be the bigger person and not get hung up on small things.

Everywhere he walked, she followed a step behind.

When the last dish went into the microwave, Xie Hejing stopped, bracing a hand on the kitchen counter.

“Why are you following me?”

Nan Xu was standing very close. He suddenly turned, and from that angle, she was caught in his arms. That sharp, familiar scent of cedarwood washed over her, making her heart jolt.

She hurriedly took a step back.

The muscles in his hand against the counter tightened, his lips pressing into a firm line at her retreat.

Nan Xu didn’t notice. She snuck a glance at his less-than-pleased expression and assumed she’d stood too close. So she retreated a few more steps.

Xie Hejing: “…”

“What is this, a dance? You step back, I step forward?”

Nan Xu blinked. But he hadn’t even moved!

This wasn’t the time to argue about that. She took a small step forward instead, holding her breath, trying her best to ignore the pull of his presence. Raising her hand, she tapped the corner of his mouth.

“I was lying just now. Your smile… is actually really nice.”

Was she… trying to coax him?

Her fingertip was warm against his skin. He could hear the rush of his own blood in his temples, and even the tips of his ears felt hot.

Xie Hejing gave a low cough, sounding vaguely irritated. “Oh.”

But that distant, indifferent response only confirmed Nan Xu’s suspicion that she’d hurt him earlier.

“I’m serious,” she insisted. “Your smile is really beautiful—more beautiful than anyone I’ve ever seen.”

His eyes lifted slightly, his voice still calm and measured. “How beautiful?”

“Like the first ray of sunlight on a snow-capped mountain.” Nan Xu looked up at him with clear, earnest eyes, as if terrified that her earlier words might have wounded him.

“…”

Maybe he could start to understand why his mother liked Nan Xu.

Xie Hejing lowered his head for a few seconds. She couldn’t see his expression, only the faint movement of his cheeks. By the time he looked back up, his face was composed again.

“So when I said that about you earlier, you weren’t upset?”

Nan Xu tilted her head. “Not at all.”

“Why not?” He searched her eyes, testing her sincerity.

“Because when I was little, whenever other kids said I was ugly, you were the first one to stand up for me. You told them I was pretty, like a princess from a storybook. And you even beat them up for me.”

She punched the air playfully with her little fist.

Xie Hejing looked away. “I don’t read storybooks.”

“I know,” Nan Xu nodded. “But back then I couldn’t read much, so I asked you to read them for me.”

Her excitement bubbled as the memories resurfaced. “I think I remember… my mom didn’t allow me to read storybooks, so I stuffed them all into your schoolbag instead. You had to read them, and then tell me the stories the next day.”

Even as a kid, Xie Hejing had been the cold, untouchable type at school. Yet half his schoolbag would be crammed with fairy tales, his face set in a scowl as he forced himself to read through them—only to retell them to Nan Xu in perfect detail the next day.

“What were those books again… something like…” Nan Xu tried to recall.

“That’s enough.”

Xie Hejing quickly cut her off, afraid she might actually remember.

Seeing his slightly flustered look, Nan Xu lifted her eyes with a smile. “You were the first person who ever gave me confidence. I believe in you.”

Ding—

The microwave chimed, and for a moment, Xie Hejing’s heart seemed to chime too—ticklish, like it skipped a beat.

“So, you were just joking earlier, weren’t you?” Nan Xu tilted her head at him.

“Mm.”

“What?!” Nan Xu tilted her head even further, leaning in closer as if inspecting something.

He frowned. “What are you looking at?”

“Brother, why are your ears red?”

“!!!”

Nan Xu didn’t realize how close she was, too focused on this curious discovery.

That faint scent lingering around her seemed to ignite the air between them. His Adam’s apple shifted, emotions stirring in his eyes, though his face stayed cold. “Your eyesight must be bad.”

Turning away, he began setting the dishes on the table. “Come eat.”

“What about the cat?” Nan Xu glanced at the food. “Huh, these don’t really seem like cat food.”

He didn’t answer, only repeated, “Eat.”

“Oh!”

Halfway through her meal, Nan Xu noticed Xie Hejing had already finished eating. She rolled her eyes thoughtfully.

“Brother.”

He lifted his gaze from his phone, curt as always. “Speak.”

“Are you planning to get a cat?”

His eyes landed on her face.

She had just stuffed another bite into her mouth, her cheeks puffed round as she chewed. The wall lamp lit the fine down on her face, soft and delicate—he wondered if touching her would feel like petting a kitten.

In silence, Xie Hejing sighed as though resigning himself.

“Yeah.”

. . . . .

Recently, the endless rainy days in Zhi’an City had finally come to an end. The temperature rose, and with it, people’s moods lifted, no longer weighed down by gloomy skies.

Sunlight filtered through the overlapping leaves outside the windowsill. When the breeze stirred, dappled shadows danced across the ground, filling the air with warmth.

The classroom was buzzing, everyone talking about something. Nan Xu didn’t pay attention. She leaned against the window, resting her head on her hand, staring idly outside.

During the rare quiet of the lunch break, groups of students strolled across the plaza below. Her eyes drifted past the moving shadows of the trees and landed on Xie Hejing.

Bathed in sunlight, he stood with casual ease. His school jacket was off, tied loosely around his waist, revealing lean, defined muscles and strong arms. He held a can of coke, listening idly to the person next to him, taking a few sips from time to time.

Plenty of people were gathered around him, some Nan Xu recognized. They were the ones often waiting outside Class 17 after school to drag him off to play basketball.

“I passed by the court at the school gate last night,” said Qi Jiang from Class 4, frowning. “There were a bunch of kids from No. 8 High just standing around. Not playing, not doing anything—just standing there. No idea what they were up to.”

No. 8 High was the closest school to No. 1 High, their gates facing the same street. When school let out, the street vendors always made a killing from both crowds.

The street had several basketball courts, some free, some charging ten yuan per person. It wasn’t rare to see students from both schools playing there.

For boys like Xie Hejing, who loved basketball, the school court often wasn’t enough. They’d move to the street courts instead, sometimes playing against No. 8 High’s students. Up to now, things had always been peaceful.

Until last time, when No. 8 High lost to No. 1 High for who knows the umpteenth time, and finally snapped.

No one could say who started it, but one of the No. 8 players cursed, then deliberately slammed into Xiang Weishi. Naturally, No. 1 High fought back. Xie Hejing hurled the basketball straight into the guy who hit Xiang Weishi, and with the force behind it, within seconds, the person’s nose started bleeding, and the atmosphere immediately became tense.

Seeing Xie Hejing grinning without a trace of remorse, that boy clenched his fists, ready to charge.

Just before a full-blown fight broke out, the owner of the court—someone both sides listened to—stepped in to mediate.

Apologies were exchanged. The guy who hit Xiang Weishi was named Chen Qian. Unwilling but forced, he muttered an apology to Xiang Weishi.

Xiang Weishi brushed the dust from his clothes, flexed his twisted wrist, and said in a mocking tone, “Tch, guess I didn’t check the almanac before coming out today. Got bitten by a dog while playing ball—what bad luck.”

Chen Qian’s hands at his sides slowly tightened into fists.

Xiang Weishi’s gaze flicked to his knuckles. “Hah, don’t take it personally—it wasn’t about you.”

“No hard feelings,” Chen Qian ground out through clenched teeth. Then he turned his head and looked at Xie Hejing.

The meaning was obvious: he’d apologized, now it was Xie Hejing’s turn.

Xie Hejing stood off to the side, ball in hand, wearing the easy smile of a good student, no hint of the ruthlessness from seconds before.

He cleared his throat, stood straighter, and put on a serious look—but his lips still curved in a lazy smirk as he drawled:

“Sorry, dog.”

“Xie Hejing!” Chen Qian roared.

“Here~”

Xie Hejing raised a brow, his nonchalance begging for a punch.

The No. 1 High students exploded into laughter. They had never seen anyone deliver an apology so cocky—it was enough to drive someone mad.

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