Not you
The moment Xiao Wei lifted Yu Chen up by the waist, Sheng Shuo's knuckles tightened silently on the steering wheel.
Moonlight slanted across the steps leading to the apartment, the stark contrast between the cold white light and the shadows. Xiao Wei used only her left hand, supporting Yu Chen's hips with one hand—her palm pressed against her bone, her thumb wedged under the hem of her school uniform, and with a slight exertion of her knuckles, she lifted her up completely. Yu Chen instinctively wrapped her arms around Xiao Wei's neck, her forehead bumping against her shoulder and neck, the ends of her bright red hair whipped by the wind like a flame that refused to be extinguished.
Sheng Shuo sat in the driver's seat, the window half-rolled down. Moonlight shone on his collarbone, the cool light contrasting with the warm yellow of the interior lights, like two colliding racetracks. His gaze was fixed on the hand Xiao Wei was holding up—the calluses on his thumb contrasted sharply with the dark blue of his school uniform, the veins on the back of his fingers bulging slightly from the weight, like a bowstring poised to strike.
Xiao Wei looked up and met Sheng Shuo's gaze across the distance.
No words were spoken, only eyes met.
Sheng Shuo's eyes were as deep as the ocean in the backlight, and his knuckles tapped silently on the steering wheel, once, twice, like a referee counting down the seconds.
Xiao Wei's pupils, however, seemed to sharpen into cold blades in the moonlight. He slightly raised his chin and lifted the hand supporting Yu Chen up another half inch—a blatant act of possession, and also a silent retaliation.
"She came to me on her own initiative, not you."
The air was strained by their gazes. Yu Chen, nestled against Xiao Wei's neck, was unaware of the undercurrents. She only felt the immense force lifting her, her hip bones tingling from the heat of his palms. She murmured softly, "...Put me down."
Xiao Wei didn't let go. Instead, he turned his head and touched her earlobe with his lips. His voice was low and husky, but loud enough for people outside the car to hear: "Don't move, the ground is wet."
Sheng Shuo's hand gripping the steering wheel throbbed with a bulge of veins. He pushed open the car door, stepped down the stairs, and his 194cm shoulder line cut the moonlight in two. The shadow drew closer, but stopped two meters away from Xiao Wei—close enough to see the edge of the "ring target" on Yu Chen's school uniform collar, but far enough not to make the person in his arms jump.
“She just went to the hospital.” Sheng Shuo’s voice was not loud, but it carried the chill that lingered after his morning run. “Emotional stress, hyperventilation. The doctor told her to rest—not to cause any trouble.”
"I know," Xiao Wei replied just as softly, but gently stroked Yu Chen's lower back with the back of her fingers. "I'll take her home to rest."
She emphasized the word "rest" very lightly, yet with great emphasis, like a coach patting her shoulder in the corner of the boxing ring saying "stay calm," but with a clear sense of authority.
Sheng Shuo's eyes darkened, his gaze shifting downwards to the outstretched hand—the palm pressed against Yu Chen's leg, trembling slightly from running; the calluses on the back of the fingers, left by Xiao Wei's years of bandages. He suddenly reached out, not to snatch Yu Chen, but to pick up the backpack that had fallen to the ground, brush off the dust, and hold it up in the air.
"Her medicine is in the side pocket." Sheng Shuo's voice was low and slow, but his gaze was fixed on Xiao Wei. "Don't forget to take it."
Xiao Wei took the backpack with one hand, the strap wrapping around her fingertips as if silently accepting a challenge. She nodded, her chin slightly raised: "Thanks."
Under the moonlight, the two shadows finally met—Sheng Shuo handed over the bag, Xiao Wei took the bag, and in the middle was Yu Chen's dangling leg, the gray school uniform trousers cuffed at the ankle, swaying gently with each breath, like the last second hand of a timer.
Sheng Shuo withdrew his hand, took a half step back, and the shadows receded again. He looked up and glanced at Yu Chen one last time—the dark red hickey stood out like a small flag in the moonlight. His Adam's apple bobbed, but he ultimately said nothing, turned around, and got into the car.
The car door clicked shut, the engine hummed softly, and the headlights swept across the scene. Xiao Wei, holding Yu Chen, turned to the side, using his back to shield himself from the blinding beams. The SUV, resembling a black panther, reversed, turned around, and its taillights trailed two red arcs in the rainy night, like elongated bells, gradually disappearing.
The engine noise faded into the distance, and the night wind once again took over the streets.
Xiao Wei then lowered his head and nudged Yu Chen's forehead with his own, his voice so low it was barely a whisper:
"Go home, take your medicine, and rest."
Yu Chen hummed in response, tightening his grip around her neck, his voice muffled in her voice: "...Put me down, I can walk by myself."
"I won't let go." Xiao Wei lifted her up with one hand, wedging her hip bone against his waist, and slung his backpack over his shoulder with the other hand. He turned and went into the courtyard. "You're still under my control tonight."
The moonlight cast their shadows on the ground—one lifting, one embracing, overlapping to form a cross, like a new bell ringing ahead of time.
The door clicked shut, shutting out all the smell of rain and the lingering sound of the engine.
The main light in the living room wasn't on; only the motion-sensor light strip at the foot of the stairs remained, a cold white line that seemed to split the night in two. Xiao Wei carried Yu Chen with one hand, crossing the boundary between light and shadow. His footsteps on the carpet made a very light "rustling" sound—like a large feline bringing its prey back to its den, yet not in a hurry to bite.
Yu Chen was placed on the central island platform.
The marble surface was cold, and she instinctively pulled her legs back, causing her school uniform skirt to bunch up to mid-thigh, instantly raising a layer of small bumps where her skin touched the stone. Xiao Wei braced himself on his hands beside her, leaned down, and pressed his forehead against hers, his voice so low it was barely a whisper:
"Take your medicine first, or—explain first?"
Yu Chen pursed his lips, his fingertips still hooked around her neck, his voice muffled in the darkness: "...medicine."
Xiao Wei smiled. She turned around, took out the doctor's prescription from the side pocket of her backpack, and a white pill landed in her palm, like a small surrender sign. The water cup was a thermos, 45 degrees Celsius, neither too hot nor too cold, with tiny water droplets condensing on the cup wall, and she handed it to Yu Chen's lips.
The pill rolled across her tongue, its bitterness making her frown. Xiao Wei then lowered his head, brushing his tongue across her lower lip, tasting the bitterness before slightly pulling away: "Bitter?"
"……Um."
"Here'll have something sweet for you."
After saying that, she turned around, opened the refrigerator, and took out a small box of ice cream from the freezer—strawberry cheesecake, the same brand Sheng Shuo bought. The spoon made a crisp "crunch" as it scooped it up, and the pink and white solid was brought to Yu Chen's lips. She instinctively opened her mouth, and the cold, sweet flavor mixed with the milky aroma rolled down her throat, instantly masking any bitterness.
Spoon after spoonful, Yu Chen's brow finally relaxed. At that moment, Xiao Wei suddenly reached out and brushed her lips with his fingertips, his voice low and husky: "Alright, the bitterness is covered up, now it's time to explain—"
"What?" Yu Chen feigned ignorance, his gaze drifting towards the ceiling.
"The selection process." Xiao Wei's voice deepened, like a coach patting his shoulder from the corner of a boxing ring. "Why was it canceled?"
Yu Chen's fingers tightened, leaving a dent in the ice cream box. She lowered her head, her voice muffled: "Last Friday night, the match I played with you was recorded as 'private sparring' by the sports school, which has a bad influence."
Whose name is on the register?
“Li Wei,” Yu Chen said with a wry smile, “is the one whose nose I broke with a high kick. His brother is in the student council’s discipline department.”
Xiao Wei's eyes instantly turned icy cold, but the corners of his lips curled up, the smile not reaching his eyes: "Good, very good."
She turned around, pulled her phone from the entryway drawer, and swiped her fingers across the screen to dial—
"Instructor Qin, this is Xiao Wei." His voice was chillingly cold. "60kg wildcard, why were you withdrawn?"
After hearing what was said on the other end, her brow furrowed more and more, and she finally gave a cold laugh: "Fine, I'll personally go to the sports school to submit my appeal at nine o'clock tomorrow. — Yes, I'll bring a video recording."
After hanging up the phone, she turned around and saw Yu Chen sitting on the island counter, her back slightly hunched, like a boxer whose gloves had been removed, all her sharpness instantly concealed. Xiao Wei's heart softened, and she walked over, placing her hands on either side of her, her voice lowered:
"Don't worry, I'm here."
Yu Chen hummed in response, his forehead resting against her shoulder and neck, his voice muffled and hoarse: "...I don't want to fight any more pointless battles."
“Then let’s play something meaningful.” Xiao Wei turned his head and touched the crown of her head with his lips, his voice low and firm, “Nine days later, the provincial team selection, I’ll be with you.”
Yu Chen looked up, her eyes still glistening with tears, but she stubbornly pursed her lips: "Am I qualified—"
“I’ll handle this,” Xiao Wei interrupted, gently stroking the back of her neck with his palm. “Now, go upstairs to sleep.”
——
The master bedroom is on the second floor.
The blackout curtains weren't drawn, and the post-rain moonlight poured in unhindered, slicing the floor into a black and white checkerboard pattern. The bed was still the same low-framed 1.5-meter bed with gray sheets and two pillows side by side, but now there was a black satin eye mask in the middle—like a dart with its fuse still attached.
Xiao Wei took out a new black vest from the bottom of the wardrobe and handed it to Yu Chen: "Change, your school uniform is all sweaty."
Yu Chen took it, her fingertips touching the other's palm, their temperatures mingling—one burning hot, the other slightly cool. She turned around, her back to Xiao Wei, and took off her school uniform shirt—the band-aid had long been torn off, and the hickey on her neck was conspicuous in the moonlight, like a small flag. Xiao Wei's eyes darkened, but he said nothing, only reaching out to move the blindfold aside.
After changing her clothes, Yu Chen was about to climb into bed when Xiao Wei suddenly picked her up from behind—supporting her buttocks with one hand and wrapping the other around her knees, like hugging a sleepy, furry cat.
"You do it—"
The ground is wet.
That's a lie.
Xiao Wei's voice was low and hoarse, but his steps were steady. He walked to the bedside in a few steps, put her down, but did not get up. Instead, he knelt on one knee on the edge of the bed, placed his hands on either side of her, leaned down, and pressed his forehead against hers.
"Tonight, no blindfolds, and no crying."
Yu Chen pursed her lips, her fingers gripping the hem of her vest until her knuckles turned white. Xiao Wei suddenly rolled over, lying on her side, pulling Yu Chen into the crook of her shoulder, her right hand gently stroking Yu Chen's back, her voice so low it was barely a whisper:
"Ten minutes, then go to sleep."
Outside the window, the first star after the rain lit up, and the moonlight cast two shadows on the wall—one trembling slightly, the other silently embracing, like the referee finally giving the "rest" gesture after the game, but no one was willing to leave.
Ten minutes passed, the second hand ticking slowly, but finally reaching its end. Xiao Wei lowered his head, touched Yu Chen's hair crown with his lips, his voice hoarse and soft:
Goodnight, little one.
Yu Chen hummed in agreement, tightened his arms around her waist, and muffled his voice over her shoulder and neck: "...Goodnight."
The moonlight continued to shine, and the shadows continued to overlap, like a new round of bells ringing ahead of time, but no one mentioned winning or losing anymore.
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