CS - 13

After being kicked hard in the leg, Red Hair collapsed in pain and tried to kneel. But his head was firmly held down by the newcomer, preventing him from sliding down. He could only endure the agony.

Red Hair shouted in pain: “Shit! You guys, what are you standing around for?!”

“...Damn it!”

“Beat him!”

The two people who came with Red Hair exchanged glances and then charged forward together.

Lin Zhe Xia was momentarily stunned by the chaotic scene unfolding before her.

Though she had fought as a child, this was nothing like those little-kid scuffles. The situation was chaotic, and Lin Zhe Xia knew there was no way to mediate. The best she could do was not get in Chi Yao’s way.

She pulled Chen Lin’s hand and retreated backward.

Chen Lin: “Should we call the police...?”

Lin Zhe Xia had initially considered calling the police, but seeing Chi Yao take on all of them alone—and still gain the upper hand—made her hesitate.

The youth’s movements were sharp and precise, without a single wasted motion. He took off his backpack and tossed it aside, using one arm to lock Red Hair’s neck tightly, immobilizing him completely. Someone tried to attack him from behind but found no opening. Instead, Chi Yao countered with a powerful backward thrust of his elbow, directly hitting the attacker’s chest and sending him stumbling back several steps.

When another person lunged at him, Chi Yao had already released Red Hair’s neck. He pushed Red Hair forward, causing him to collide head-on with the incoming attacker. The two crashed into each other in a tangled heap.

Watching this unfold, Chen Lin temporarily forgot about calling the police: “This situation... it doesn’t look like he’s being beaten.”

Lin Zhe Xia said: “It looks more like he’s beating them.”

“...”

“So maybe we should hold off on calling the police for now.”

After all, calling the police would escalate things and might have consequences for Chi Yao.

The fight ended much faster than they anticipated. Within minutes, Chi Yao was the only one still standing.

“Let’s go,” Chi Yao said after finishing. “I’ll escort you to the bus stop.”

Lin Zhe Xia gave a dazed “Oh.”

But no one expected Red Hair to make one last desperate attempt. Just as Lin Zhe Xia took a couple of steps with Chi Yao, Red Hair suddenly leaped up from the ground.

Lin Zhe Xia was unprepared.

In that instant, she felt Chi Yao reach out. His hand lightly pressed against the back of her head, pulling her toward him.

Her nose brushed against his collar. The faint scent of detergent lingered on his clothes, along with the clean smell of sun-dried fabric.

With this quick movement, Chi Yao maximized the distance between Red Hair and Lin Zhe Xia. Not only did Red Hair miss his target, but he also got kicked again.

Pressed against Chi Yao’s chest, Lin Zhe Xia heard his voice vibrate slightly as he spoke.

The youth’s tone was icy: “...So you really enjoy getting beaten up?”

This time, Red Hair didn’t dare to advance further.

The bus stop was just ahead, and the bus had arrived.

Chi Yao followed Lin Zhe Xia onto the bus and accompanied her until she dropped Chen Lin off at home.

The three of them remained silent throughout the ride.

When they reached the entrance of the neighborhood, Chen Lin finally snapped out of her daze: “Thank you. If it weren’t for you two, I wouldn’t know what to do.”

Lin Zhe Xia: “It’s fine. But tomorrow, tell your teacher about this. See if there’s any way to find out who those people are so you won’t be targeted again.”

Chen Lin nodded: “I’ll head inside now. Be careful on your way back.”

By this time, the sky had grown darker.

After seeing Chen Lin off, only Lin Zhe Xia and Chi Yao were left walking side by side.

Lin Zhe Xia tried to lighten the mood: “You looked really heroic when you were fighting just now.”

Chi Yao didn’t respond.

Lin Zhe Xia continued: “Taking on three people like plucking cabbages. They didn’t stand a chance against you.”

Still, Chi Yao said nothing.

Lin Zhe Xia: “And you’re smart too. Even though my message was full of typos, you understood perfectly. Big Brother of Second High, why aren’t you talking?”

This time, Chi Yao simply walked past her and moved ahead.

“...”

Only then did Lin Zhe Xia realize that Chi Yao was angry.

“I already complimented how cool you were,” Lin Zhe Xia hurriedly caught up, tentatively saying, “Or should I praise you even more?”

Chi Yao stopped in his tracks and turned to face her.

The streetlamp cast its light behind him, enveloping him in shadows.

Chi Yao rarely cursed, but now he let out half a swear: “Do you... Do you have any idea how dangerous that was?”

Lin Zhe Xia was momentarily at a loss for words.

Chi Yao sneered, repeating the flimsy excuse Lin Zhe Xia had given earlier: “‘I have other good friends.’”

“This friend of yours is something else—knowing there’s danger and still dragging you along. And you’re impressive too—one dares to pull, and the other dares to go.”

“...”

“If you hadn’t had time to message me, and if I hadn’t seen my phone, or if I hadn’t happened to be nearby, what were you planning to do?”

“...”

“The last time you managed to escape. What about this time?”

“......”

Lin Zhe Xia: “I didn’t think that far ahead, okay?”

Although she knew Chi Yao was angry at Chen Lin because of his concern for her, she still wanted to explain: “She didn’t drag me into it. I thought it’d be fine. I never expected an online argument to escalate like this.”

In the past, when Chi Yao was upset, a few comforting words from her would usually suffice.

But this time was different. She talked all the way, yet Chi Yao barely acknowledged her.

“Chi Yao, Chi Yao, look—the reflection of this streetlamp looks like stars.”

“That puppy across the street is so cute—it reminds me of the little white dog He Yang used to have.”

“I realized even your hair is handsome. Walking behind you, I feel like you’re a painting right now.”

As they approached home, Lin Zhe Xia reached out and tugged at the strap of his backpack: “Chi Yao, listen to me!”

“Don’t stay silent like this,” Lin Zhe Xia pleaded. “Even though most of the time when you talk, I want to poison you mute.”

Chi Yao couldn’t help but laugh despite his anger: “You want to poison me mute?”

Lin Zhe Xia whispered: “Well... only sometimes.”

Because of dropping Chen Lin off, Lin Zhe Xia returned home over an hour later than usual.

Lin He reheated the food: “Why are you so late today?”

Lin Zhe Xia put down her bag and made up an excuse: “Chi Yao and I went to the bookstore and lost track of time.”

Wei Ping: “Next time, let your mom know if you’ll be late. She was worried about you.”

Lin Zhe Xia quietly agreed.

She quickly shoveled food into her mouth and then asked Lin He: “Mom, where’s the first-aid kit?”

Lin He: “Under the coffee table. Why? Are you feeling unwell?”

“No,” Lin Zhe Xia said. “It’s just... Chi Yao seems to have caught a cold. I’m going to bring him some medicine.”

She thought back to the earlier scene.

Though Chi Yao had defeated those people, could he have gotten injured somewhere? Fights often resulted in scrapes, and throwing punches like that must have hurt his hand.

As she thought about Chi Yao’s hands, she had to admit it would be a shame if they got scarred.

After finishing her meal, she grabbed the first-aid kit and ran over to Chi Yao’s building.

Before ringing the doorbell, she hesitated. Knowing Chi Yao’s personality, he was probably still angry and might not open the door for her.

So she used her key to unlock it herself and announced before entering: “Ahem, I’m coming in.”

Once inside, she found the apartment empty, with no sound coming from the bathroom.

She stood at the doorway for a moment before spotting Chi Yao, freshly showered, walking out of the bedroom.

Without his school uniform, he looked even closer to the image of someone who might get into fights after school—a stereotypical rebellious figure she associated with troublemakers.

“You need something?”

“I’m here to check if you’re hurt,” Lin Zhe Xia said, holding the first-aid kit. “Let me see your hand.”

Chi Yao, his damp hair clinging to his forehead, leaned against the doorframe and calmly countered: “Me? Hurt? Even if three more of them showed up, I wouldn’t get hurt.”

Lin Zhe Xia: “I already saw the wound on your hand.”

“...”

“Don’t pretend,” she blurted out. “There’s no one else here.”

Sure enough, there was a wound on Chi Yao’s hand—about four or five centimeters long, running along his finger. After washing, it had turned a reddish-purple. He seemed to notice it only now, unsure when he had scraped it.

Afraid he’d try to act like it was nothing, Lin Zhe Xia forced him to sit on the couch: “I know it’s just a small injury, nothing serious to someone like you. But let’s disinfect it anyway.”

As she spoke, one hand gripped his wrist.

Chi Yao lowered his gaze, looking at their almost overlapping hands, but said nothing.

Lin Zhe Xia opened the first-aid kit and pulled out cotton swabs and iodine.

“If...” Lin Zhe Xia said slowly, “it hurts...”

Chi Yao: “What, can I punch you once to distract myself?”

Lin Zhe Xia: “No, then just bear with it.”

This was the first time she had examined Chi Yao’s hand so closely.

Maybe it was nerves.

Unconsciously, she held her breath, carefully dabbing the wound.

Her fingertips occasionally brushed against his. His hands were warmer than hers, and she felt his temperature gradually transferring to her skin.

The atmosphere grew a bit strange.

As she applied the medicine, Lin Zhe Xia wondered if it had become too quiet.

She was about to say something when the door suddenly burst open.

“Shit!” He Yang exclaimed, standing at the doorway. “I swear I meant to knock, but the door wasn’t locked. I barely touched it, and it swung open.”

His loud voice echoed through the room as the three of them stared at each other.

He saw Chi Yao sitting on the couch while Lin Zhe Xia knelt close, her nose nearly touching his hand. The two were very close.

“...What are you two doing?”

Lin Zhe Xia, clutching the cotton swab, stood up abruptly, feeling inexplicably guilty: “Applying medicine. He scraped his hand.”

“Oh,” He Yang said without much thought, plopping down on the couch and squeezing next to Chi Yao. “I’m hiding out here. My mid-term results came out, and my mom’s chasing me around the house.”

“I told her I ranked 23rd, but there are still over ten people behind me. She asked why I always compare myself to the bottom.”

“If I don’t compare myself to the worst, where will I get the confidence to keep studying?”

Lin Zhe Xia, packing up the first-aid kit, nodded: “That makes sense.”

He Yang: “Right?”

He turned to Chi Yao, hoping for his approval.

“Never ranked below third,” Chi Yao said indifferently. “Wouldn’t know.”

He Yang: “...”

Deciding to change the subject, He Yang pointed to Chi Yao’s hand: “What happened here? This is a pretty long cut.”

Chi Yao simply replied: “Ran into some trouble.”

He Yang was shocked: “You’re telling me you got into a fight?!”

“One versus three,” Lin Zhe Xia added. “We ran into some thugs after school. Don’t tell anyone about this, okay?”

There were many things you couldn’t tell parents but could share freely with peers.

He Yang understood this well: “Don’t worry, I won’t say a word. But damn, my big bro taking on three guys—impressive.”

Lin Zhe Xia didn’t have time to continue chatting with them. She still had homework to finish.

After Lin Zhe Xia left, He Yang idly played with Chi Yao’s game console on the coffee table.

While playing, he casually chatted with Chi Yao: “Seriously, one versus three?”

Chi Yao: “Fake.”

He Yang: “If you say that, then it must be true.”

After playing for a while, Chi Yao went to the fridge to grab water and asked him: “Want some?”

“Yeah.”

As He Yang reached for the water bottle, he glanced at Chi Yao’s thin T-shirt and suddenly remembered something related to the earlier mention of fighting.

The phrase “fighting” acted like a thread, connecting a distant memory he hadn’t been able to recall.

He remembered what had happened before he walked in on Chi Yao exercising.

It must have been when they were around eleven or twelve years old.

For some reason, a group of vocational high school students started roaming around their neighborhood.

One evening, they went to the convenience store to buy snacks. Just as they stepped out of the neighborhood, they were cornered by a group of tall, burly vocational students.

“Kids,” the group reeked of cigarettes. One of them tapped He Yang’s head and said, “Hand over your pocket money, alright?”

To them at the time, these guys seemed like giants—capable of punching them clear across the street.

Fortunately, Lin Zhe Xia quickly came up with an idea. She shouted to a random woman passing by: “Mom!”

Taking advantage of their momentary confusion, they managed to escape.

Luckily, the area near the neighborhood was crowded; otherwise, shouting “Mom” a hundred times wouldn’t have helped.

Though it was baseless, He Yang couldn’t shake the feeling that these two incidents were somehow connected.

After returning home, Lin Zhe Xia began working on her homework. As she wrote, she realized something was off.

When Chi Yao was angry earlier, he mentioned “the last time you managed to escape.”

What was this “last time” he referred to?

She thought for a while but couldn’t recall. Too many things had happened between her and Chi Yao over the years.

Giving up, she decided not to dwell on it.

Maybe there had been such an incident once.

While doing her homework, Lin Zhe Xia received a few messages from Chen Lin.

Chen Lin: I’m so sorry QAQ!

Chen Lin: I feel terrible for dragging you and Chi Yao into this.

Chen Lin: Sorry, sorry, sorry!

Chen Lin: I’ve deleted my forum account. From today onward, I’ll study hard and start anew.

Lin Zhe Xia replied with a pat-the-head emoji.

After replying, she set her phone aside and tried to focus on her work. Still, she couldn’t stop thinking about the scene of Chi Yao fighting.

But what lingered in her mind wasn’t the fight itself.

Fragments of conversations floated back to her.

These conversations started with the question: “Do you know Chi Yao?”

“He’s really famous, you know.”

“I was wondering who caused such a stir. Oh, it’s Chi Yao? Never mind then.”

“He was already popular in school back then.”

“...”

Time seemed to flash back and forth in her mind.

Memories from years ago surfaced.

“His health wasn’t good. He kept going to the hospital...”

“He couldn’t lift the ball.”

“He was always sick and couldn’t play with us.”

“...”

Then, the frail boy she once protected merged with the Chi Yao who fought fiercely today.

Lin Zhe Xia paused, setting her pen down and resting her chin on the table. When her sleeve brushed against her face, she smelled the faint scent of detergent lingering from earlier—an aroma she couldn’t shake off.

Only then did she realize that the Chi Yao others saw during these school days was somewhat different from the Chi Yao she had always known.

This difference stemmed from the fact that she was so familiar with him that she had failed to notice his transformation.

That’s why the descriptions in those posts confused her.

That’s why she couldn’t empathize.

Because the Chi Yao she knew as a child was very different from the one standing before her now.

...

Only now did she realize that Chi Yao was no longer the “frail boy” she had grown accustomed to.

Only today did she truly come to know him again.

A new Chi Yao—familiar yet unfamiliar.

Before bed that night, she couldn’t resist tapping on the cat icon.

[You gently tapped ‘Chi Dog’]

Lin Zhe Xia actually wanted to ask, “Are you still mad?”

But Chi Yao clearly misunderstood the meaning of the tap.

Chi Dog: Can’t sleep?

Lin Zhe Xia hesitated before replying: ...Yeah.

After a moment, a message came from the other side.

• Even if you dream of six thugs, I can handle them.

Realizing that Chi Yao thought she was scared of nightmares from the day’s events, Lin Zhe Xia hugged her phone and rolled over in bed.

She typed back: What if I dream of sixty?

This time, the reply came after a pause.

• Then you’ll get to experience

• what it’s like to be beaten to death

Lin Zhe Xia stared at the screen, her lips curving into a faint smile.

Though his words were cold as usual, she couldn’t help but feel a strange sense of warmth beneath them.

She imagined him saying it with that indifferent tone of his, yet somehow managing to convey an underlying protectiveness.

Even if it sounded like he was mocking her, Lin Zhe Xia knew better.

Chi Yao wasn’t the type to offer comfort directly, but this—this roundabout way of saying, “Don’t worry, I’ll handle it”—was exactly how he showed he cared.

Her heart softened slightly, and she typed back: “What if I dream of a hundred?”

This time, the reply came almost instantly.

• Then you’re on your own.

Lin Zhe Xia chuckled softly, shaking her head.

“Typical Chi Yao,” she muttered under her breath, closing her eyes.

But despite his nonchalant response, she felt reassured.

________________________________________

The next morning, Lin Zhe Xia woke up feeling lighter than she had in days.

She got ready for school and headed out, only to find Chi Yao waiting by the entrance of their building.

He stood there leaning against the wall, arms crossed, looking as if he hadn’t been waiting long—but she knew better.

“You’re early,” she said, approaching him.

Chi Yao glanced at her briefly before pushing off the wall. “You’re late.”

“I’m not late,” she countered, adjusting her bag strap. “You’re just always too early.”

Chi Yao didn’t respond, simply falling into step beside her as they walked toward the bus stop.

For a while, neither of them spoke. The quiet between them wasn’t uncomfortable—it was familiar, something they’d grown accustomed to over the years.

Finally, Lin Zhe Xia broke the silence: “Are you still mad?”

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow. “About what?”

“Don’t play dumb,” she said, nudging him lightly with her elbow. “You know exactly what I’m talking about.”

He sighed, shoving his hands into his pockets. “I’m not mad.”

Lin Zhe Xia gave him a skeptical look. “Then why were you giving me the silent treatment yesterday?”

“I wasn’t giving you the silent treatment,” he replied calmly. “I just… needed some time to think.”

“Think about what?”

“About how reckless you are,” he said bluntly, turning to meet her gaze. “Do you even realize how dangerous that situation could’ve been?”

Lin Zhe Xia opened her mouth to argue, but then closed it again. Instead, she nodded slowly. “I get it. I really do. And I’m sorry.”

Chi Yao studied her for a moment before nodding curtly. “Good.”

They continued walking in companionable silence until they reached the bus stop.

As they waited, Lin Zhe Xia glanced at him from the corner of her eye. “So… we’re good now?”

Chi Yao shrugged. “We’re fine.”

“Promise?”

He looked at her, his expression unreadable. After a beat, he said, “Promise.”

Satisfied, Lin Zhe Xia grinned. “Great. Now let’s never talk about this again.”

Chi Yao smirked. “Agreed.”

________________________________________

When they arrived at school, the campus buzzed with the usual pre-class energy. Students milled around, chatting and laughing, while others hurried to their classrooms.

Lin Zhe Xia and Chi Yao parted ways at the main gate—he headed to Class One, and she went to Class Seven.

As she walked into her classroom, she noticed Chen Lin sitting at her desk, staring blankly out the window.

“Hey,” Lin Zhe Xia greeted, sliding into her seat. “How are you holding up?”

Chen Lin turned to her, forcing a small smile. “I’m okay. Thanks again for yesterday… and for everything.”

“Don’t mention it,” Lin Zhe Xia waved dismissively. “Just focus on studying from now on, alright? No more drama.”

Chen Lin nodded earnestly. “Got it. No more drama.”

Their teacher entered the room shortly after, calling everyone to attention.

Class began, and Lin Zhe Xia tried to concentrate on the lesson. But every now and then, her thoughts drifted back to Chi Yao—the way he moved during the fight, the calm confidence in his voice when he promised to protect her, and the subtle shift in their dynamic that she couldn’t quite put into words.

________________________________________

Later that day, during lunch break, Lin Zhe Xia found herself wandering toward Class One.

She spotted Chi Yao sitting alone under a tree, reading a book.

Approaching him cautiously, she called out, “Mind if I join you?”

He glanced up, bookmarking his page before setting the book aside. “Sure.”

She plopped down beside him, pulling out her lunchbox. “What are you reading?”

“A novel,” he replied vaguely, gesturing toward the cover.

Lin Zhe Xia squinted at the title but couldn’t make sense of it. “Looks complicated.”

“It is,” he admitted, leaning back against the tree trunk.

They ate in silence for a while, the gentle rustle of leaves above them providing a soothing backdrop.

Eventually, Lin Zhe Xia spoke up. “You’ve changed, you know.”

Chi Yao paused mid-bite, raising an eyebrow. “Changed how?”

She hesitated, choosing her words carefully. “You’re… stronger now. More confident. Not just physically, but in the way you carry yourself. It’s like…” She trailed off, searching for the right phrase.

“Like what?” he prompted, his tone neutral.

“Like you’ve become someone else entirely,” she finished softly.

Chi Yao stared at her for a long moment, his expression inscrutable. Finally, he said, “People grow up, Lin Zhe Xia. Things change.”

“I know,” she said quickly. “It’s just… I guess I didn’t notice until recently.”

He smirked faintly. “Maybe you were too busy causing trouble to pay attention.”

Lin Zhe Xia rolled her eyes. “Excuse me, who saved your ass last night?”

Chi Yao chuckled, shaking his head. “Fair point.”

They lapsed into another comfortable silence, each lost in their own thoughts.

________________________________________

By the end of the day, Lin Zhe Xia felt a renewed sense of clarity.

Chi Yao wasn’t the same boy she’d known all those years ago—and neither was she.

But amidst all the changes, one thing remained constant: their bond.

No matter how much they argued or teased each other, there was an unspoken understanding between them—a connection that transcended words.

And as they walked home together that evening, side by side, Lin Zhe Xia realized that some things would never change.

Even if everything else did.