Ning Wan

Sitting in the car, Tan Huaiyu's thoughts were completely still on the scene that had just happened.

That first time, in a scene that almost broke him down.

A ray of afternoon sunlight shone through the library's tall glass windows, but it couldn't penetrate the gloom in Tan Huaiyu's heart.

He sat in a corner at the other end of the reading room, a thick psychology book open in front of him. The pages were covered with dense terminology that looked like twisted crawling insects, and he couldn't read a single word.

His gaze, as if drawn by an invisible thread, was fixed on that corner by the window in the distance.

Qi Shuo sat there, head down, intently flipping through the book in his hands. The sunlight outlined his neat short hair and cold, hard profile, yet strangely, it carried a rare sense of peace.

Across from him sat the girl—wearing a soft sweater dress and a beret, her profile looking adorable in the light. She was frowning and muttering something softly. Then, she picked up a piece of paper and handed it to Qi Shuo.

Qi Shuo took the note, glanced at it, wrote something down, and handed it back. The girl took the note, her eyes instantly lighting up like they were filled with stars, and gave Qi Shuo a grateful yet shy smile.

Crack.

Tan Huaiyu could almost hear something breaking inside him. A sharp, aching pain, mixed with indescribable anger and jealousy, instantly tightened around his heart like a poisonous vine, almost suffocating him.

His fingers tightened suddenly around the book, his knuckles turning bluish-white from the force.

Why did he smile at her?!

That smile was so relaxed, so natural, even carrying a hint of... indulgence?

Why...why does Qi Shuo never look at him like that? Not even for a second?

A dark, violent thought began to frantically grow—rush over, pull that girl away, shove her aside! Tell Brother Qi Shuo, only I am... only I am...

No! No way!

Tan Huaiyu abruptly closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and used all his strength to suppress the destructive urge that was about to burst forth from his body. He couldn't. He couldn't lose control again. He couldn't let Qi Shuo see any of his unbearable or obsessive side.

He bit his lower lip hard until the familiar taste of blood filled his mouth again, before he could finally calm himself down.

He reopened his eyes, and after a long, long time since Qi Shuo and the girl left, he gave that corner one last, sinister look, then slammed the book shut and fled the library almost as if escaping. The sunlight was blinding, yet he felt icy cold all over.

Back in the Tan family villa, which was empty, magnificent, yet as cold as a tomb, Grandpa was sitting on the sofa in the living room listening to opera.

When he returned, the old man smiled kindly and chatted with him about interesting things that happened among relatives, and asked him about his school.

Tan Huaiyu sat obediently beside his grandfather, a perfectly measured smile on his face, occasionally nodding and offering a word or two in agreement. He looked so gentle and sensible.

But if you look closely, you'll find that deep within his beautiful eyes lies an empty, icy wasteland, devoid of any smile, only a deathly coldness.

See, that's the kind of person he is.

Dark, paranoid, and hypocritical.

They perfectly inherited the hypocritical blood of the Tan family.

Why wouldn't Qi Shuo even glance at him? Was it because he saw through the ugliness beneath his outward appearance? Or because he disliked his gloomy personality?

He can change.

Or, to be more precise, he can fake it.

They pretended to be obedient and timid, just like when they were children trying to survive under their father's control.

He can hide all his sharpness, all his possessiveness, and all his unspeakable thoughts deep inside, in a place where no one can see them.

But... only he himself knew that he was not a good person at heart.

He hated the Tan family blood flowing in his veins, hated the father who gave him life but also brought him endless nightmares, but he was powerless to change it.

He was born a member of the Tan family, and his very being was filth and sin.

He didn't want Qi Shuo to hate him. Not at all.

The scene he witnessed in the library that afternoon was like a poisoned needle, repeatedly pricking his nerves.

Why could Qi Shuo make that kind of expression towards a strange girl? Why couldn't she just look at him?

Brother Qi Shuo, look at me, okay?

I'm not bad; I can be very well-behaved.

Please... take a look at me.

The inner scream was silent yet intense, almost tearing him apart.

Compared to the turbulent emotions in Tan Huaiyu's heart, Qi Shuo's life was like a lake that was gradually returning to calm.

Life went on as usual.

Go to work, get off work, go to the library to read, and then go home.

The rhythm was so regular it was almost monotonous, yet it gave him a long-lost sense of peace.

His colleagues at the restaurant were still friendly, and his home, with Sister Jin and Qin Zhou, was still noisy yet warm. He even started to get into the habit of spending an hour or two at the library after work before heading home at dusk, just in time to make a simple late-night snack for Qin Zhou, who had just finished her evening self-study session, and Sister Jin, who had been busy all day.

For several days in a row, he sat in his usual spot without encountering the girl again. He didn't deliberately wait; only occasionally, when he looked up at the empty seat opposite him, would the thought "she didn't come today" flash through his mind before he would continue burying himself in his book.

On Sunday afternoon, the sun was still shining brightly. Qi Shuo went straight to his familiar spot, sat down, and opened the translation studies book he had mostly read, quickly becoming engrossed in it. After some time, a shadow gently fell.

He looked up and paused slightly, startled.

It was her. She was still wearing her simple dress, carrying that rather large canvas bag, standing by the table, looking at him with a slightly embarrassed, demure smile, as if asking, "Is anyone here?"

Qi Shuo shook his head almost imperceptibly, gesturing for her to sit down.

The girl sat down quietly, took out her book, and a silent understanding seemed to form between them. When she encountered sentences she didn't understand, she would still take out her phone to look them up, or write them on a piece of paper and pass it to her.

Qi Shuo reviewed them, and for those he could answer, he wrote concise annotations and returned them. For those he was unsure about, he shook his head.

The entire process was quiet and efficient, with a comfortable tranquility permeating the air, a focus on knowledge. An afternoon slipped by unnoticed amidst the turning of pages and the occasional passing of notes.

This time, Qi Shuo packed his things first. He checked the time and prepared to go home. Ning Wan looked up, smiled at him, and said goodbye.

Qi Shuo returned the book, slung his simple crossbody bag over his shoulder, and walked out of the library building toward where he had parked his electric scooter. Just as he reached his scooter, he heard a clear, slightly hurried female voice behind him:

"Wait a moment!"

Qi Shuo turned around in confusion and saw Ning Wan jogging after him, her cheeks flushed from running and her eyes sparkling.

She stopped in front of him, took a deep breath as if gathering her courage, and looked up at him with a bright yet slightly nervous smile: "Um... hello! My name is Ning Wan, Ning as in tranquility, Wan as in retention. I'm 19 years old and a sophomore majoring in English at Beicheng University. I think... I think you seem very capable and knowledgeable! I'd like... to get to know you, is that alright? Is it convenient... to exchange contact information? WeChat or phone number is fine!"

Qi Shuo was completely stunned.

He looked at the girl in front of him, whose eyes were clear and full of expectation, and was momentarily speechless.

This experience of being asked for his contact information by a stranger, especially a young girl, was unprecedented for him.

Aside from his past relatives and friends, and his current neighbors and colleagues, almost no one takes the initiative to approach him.

He hesitated for a few seconds, and under Ning Wan's increasingly tense gaze, he finally took out his phone somewhat blankly and opened the WeChat QR code.

Qi Shuo.

A concise self-introduction.

Ning Wan immediately smiled, quickly scanned the QR code, sent a friend request, and then looked at him expectantly: "Um! Then... what about your phone number? What if I can't find you on WeChat..."

Qi Shuo paused for a moment, then recited a string of numbers. Ning Wan carefully saved it, her smile widening like that of a child who had received a favorite candy.

"Great, thank you. I won't bother you anymore, bye-bye!" She waved to Qi Shuo, just as the bus she needed to take pulled into the station. She turned and ran briskly towards the station.

Qi Shuo stood there, watching the girl jump onto the bus, still somewhat dazed.

Only after the bus had driven far away did he look down at the newly accepted friend request on his phone; the profile picture was a cute cartoon rabbit. He subconsciously touched the corner of his mouth and found that a very faint, gentle smile had appeared there.

It seems... this feeling is not bad.

He rode his bike home, feeling a lightness he hadn't felt in a long time. Sister Jin was already in the kitchen preparing dinner; he put his things down and naturally went over to help wash the vegetables.

While cooking, Sister Jin chatted with him as usual, telling him about interesting things that happened at school.

Qi Shuo seemed unusually patient today. When Sister Jin asked him a question, he was able to reply with two or three sentences. Although he still didn't talk much, his relaxed state was obvious.

As Jin Jie was talking, she turned her head by chance and saw the lingering gentle smile on Qi Shuo's face. Her hand, which was stirring the vegetables, paused, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face as she teased:

"Hey, is our Xiao Shuo in a really good mood today? His smile is practically reaching his ears. What's up? Did you find some money on the street? Or... did something good happen? Could it be... that he has a girl he likes?"

Qin Zhou, who happened to be coming in to get a drink from the refrigerator, immediately rushed over like a cat smelling fish, excitedly looking Qi Shuo up and down: "Really, Brother Shuo? Something's up?! Tell me! Who is it? Do I know them?"

Qi Shuo was somewhat embarrassed by their back-and-forth banter. While dodging Qin Zhou's "questioning," he helplessly smiled and denied it:

"Don't talk nonsense, that's not true."

Jin Jie and Qin Zhou exchanged a knowing look, but seeing Qi Shuo's unusually embarrassed yet clearly cheerful demeanor, they both smiled knowingly.

Sister Jin smiled and didn't press the matter further, secretly relieved. She watched Qi Shuo turn to get more rice, his straight back seeming much more relaxed than before.

As long as Qi Shuo gets better and better and can rediscover the joy in the little things in life, she and Qin Zhou will be happier than anything else.

Do you like it?

On the other side, Qi Shuo was setting out the bowls and chopsticks while asking himself a question.

I don't think so. After all, we've only met twice and barely exchanged a few words.

However, being with that girl named Ning Wan was genuinely comfortable. It was relaxed, natural, and stress-free.

Her eyes were clear and her smile was infectious, like a warm ray of light that inadvertently shone into his somewhat gloomy world.

As for the rest... we'll talk about it later.

Now, all he wants to do is savor this long-lost glimmer of light that has quietly emerged from his ordinary life.