Chapter 33: He Has His Own Anti-Addiction System

Shi Ying did have money on him, but he hesitated before paying.

Under the dim streetlight, the sight of the old man’s toenails, yellowed with fungus poking out of his flip-flops, was unsettling. The pile of roller skates behind him emitted a sour stench that even the night breeze couldn’t dispel.

Shi Ying worried Cheng Simin might catch athlete’s foot. He turned to her again for confirmation. “Are you sure you want to skate in these? They’ve all been worn by others.” Shi Ying’s implication was clear—if someone had athlete’s foot, wouldn’t sharing skates spread it?

Cheng Simin wasn’t as particular about hygiene. Her father, Cheng Wei, had athlete’s foot and often used Chen Xiaofen’s towel to dry his feet. Eventually, Chen Xiaofen got infected too, developing a coin-sized patch of athlete’s foot on her neck. It peeled and became inflamed, but after a week of using Daktarin from the pharmacy, it healed.

“What’s there to worry about with other people’s shoes? So many people skate every day, and they’re all wearing used skates.”

“I’m not afraid. Just rent them for me.”

With Cheng Simin insisting, Shi Ying had no choice but to hand over the bills. The old man took the money, stuffed it into his waist pouch, and asked, “What sizes do you two wear?”

Before Shi Ying could give his size, Cheng Simin squeezed her face past him, chirping brightly at the old man, “One pair of size 34, please. He’s not skating—you can give him five yuan back.”

“What are you doing here if you’re not skating? Move aside,” the old man grumbled impatiently, pulling a five-yuan note from his pouch and handing it to Shi Ying. Then, without much care, he tossed a pair of roller skates tied together by their laces toward Cheng Simin. He barked indiscriminately at both of them, “There’s no size 34! Take the size 36. Tighten the laces!”

“Leave your shoes here!”

“And listen! You can only skate around the basketball court area. If you go onto the road and get into an accident, it’s on you!”

Shi Ying had never endured such rude treatment, his expression rebellious. But Cheng Simin was used to adults’ disrespect and didn’t care. She happily accepted the skates, balancing one foot on the other as she quickly swapped her pink sneakers for the rented ones within seconds, tossing her shoes into the heap of smelly footwear.

Shi Ying frowned, bending down to arrange her neatly placed shoes among the others. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Cheng Simin wobbling unsteadily while putting on the skates. She nearly toppled over, standing precariously on one leg. Immediately straightening up, he extended an arm for her to hold onto.

By the time Cheng Simin finally managed to squeeze her feet into the dirty roller skates, halftime at the basketball court had ended, and the whistle blew loudly. Still uneasy about leaving her alone, Shi Ying kept his fingers lightly resting on her thin shoulders. “Can you skate by yourself? Maybe I should stay with you.”

“Oh, don’t worry! This is easy. Watch me!” Before she finished speaking, Cheng Simin leaned forward, pushing off with her legs.

Indeed, she had always been full of energy—running, climbing trees, swinging on parallel bars—all came naturally to her. In no time, she had glided twenty meters away, heading toward the girl with bangs.

That evening, after finishing the game, Shi Ying accompanied Cheng Simin home. Along the way, she hopped under the streetlights, chattering nonstop about everything related to “Sisi.”

Sisi’s favorite music was British underground rock bands. Her favorite food was Japanese cuisine. Contrary to what one might expect, Sisi hadn’t dropped out of school because of poor grades; instead, she had a high IQ and was once at the top of her class. However, she fell deeply in love with a boy who suffered from congenital heart disease. After his death, Sisi spiraled into despair, finding life meaningless and indulging in escapism at internet cafés and bars.

At the time, the Y2K style still lingered in Banshan City, which was otherwise like a fashion desert.

Qiao Yusi, with her delicate features, tall frame, and ear adorned with a string of zircon earrings, wore a turquoise butterfly bustier paired with ripped denim skirts and mismatched knee-high socks. To Cheng Simin, this ensemble made her look like a goddess descended from the millennium era—mesmerizing and dazzling.

When this “goddess” expressed willingness to befriend her, how could Cheng Simin not be thrilled?

But Shi Ying sneered at Sisi’s story. Interrupting Cheng Simin mid-sentence, he turned to ask skeptically, “Cheng Simin, don’t you think her story sounds fake?”

“What underground rock band? If they’re underground, they don’t sell records publicly—how would she even know about them?”

“And Japanese cuisine? Forget it. Not just Banshan, but the entire western district doesn’t have a single proper Japanese restaurant. Is she talking about those cheap sushi rolls sold outside middle schools?”

“The most ridiculous part is her supposedly deceased boyfriend. Congenital heart disease isn’t something you casually contract. Did she read too many romance novels and lose her mind? Go check at the bookstore—you’ll definitely find a book with the exact same plot.”

Cheng Simin bristled at Shi Ying’s relentless criticism, placing her hands on her hips in defiance. “Shi Ying, stop being so annoying! Her dad does business in England, and her mom lives in Japan. Do you think you’re the only one who’s traveled abroad?”

“And besides, her boyfriend is dead! How dare you mock her like that? You’re heartless.”

Since middle school, their contrasting personalities had led to frequent arguments.

Shi Ying had already walked ahead under the streetlight when he noticed Cheng Simin lagging behind. Turning back, he continued his tirade. “Oh, what kind of family background is this? Parents living separately abroad, leaving her alone in this dump called Banshan? Come on, did this princess also tell you she wakes up every morning on an eight-hundred-square-meter bed, served by ten butlers dressing her, then drives around a castle spanning hundreds of millions of square meters?”

“You call me heartless? I call it rational thinking. Cheng Simin, stop being so naive. People who proactively want to befriend you usually have ulterior motives. You should stay away from troublemakers like her. Don’t let them sell you off while you count the money.”

“Stop talking nonsense, you sound like a nagging dog!” Cheng Simin covered her ears and shook her head vigorously until her brain felt dizzy. Still, she wasn’t satisfied.

“What troublemaker? Your words are so harsh. Look at how many friends she has—what could she possibly want from me?” Cheng Simin pushed off hard with her pink sneakers, overtaking Shi Ying and glaring at him as she passed. “I was the one who initiated our friendship. For days, I’ve been observing her. She has so many friends! Every night, there are tons of people hanging out with her.”

“She changes outfits daily—her fashion sense is impeccable!”

“Not only is she beautiful, but she’s also incredibly kind, willing to befriend someone like me. She says our names both contain ‘Si,’ so it must be fate arranged by heaven.”

“Unlike some people, she’s not bad-tempered or constantly lecturing others.”

As they reached Cheng Simin’s building, hearing her describe him as having a bad personality made Shi Ying’s expression turn cold. He stared at Cheng Simin’s face for a few seconds, confirming she wasn’t joking. Then, he wiped any trace of irritation from his face, feigning indifference with a forced smile. “Fine, suit yourself. Have fun with your new friend, Sisi. If you’re happy, that’s all that matters.”

They parted ways unhappily that night. By the next day, both felt some regret.

Cheng Simin simply disliked the arrogant attitude Shi Ying displayed. She never realized that, in his eyes, friendships were categorized into different levels. Though her intention was to defend her new friend Sisi, upon reflection, she admitted that the argument stemmed from her overreaction. Shi Ying’s words weren’t outright insults, so her remorse outweighed his.

Shi Ying also regretted—but his regret was shallow compared to hers.

He didn’t feel sorry for his blunt remarks; they were genuine. Instead, he regretted letting himself harbor unnecessary emotions about Cheng Simin making new friends. He wasn’t her only friend, so why should he feel jealous just because she befriended someone else?

No rule stated friendships were exclusive—one-to-one bonds weren’t meant to monopolize affection. His anger was entirely unreasonable.

Unreasonable worries needed to be cleared. Whether it was gaming, phones, sports, or anime, Shi Ying had never been addicted to anything for long. He had his own anti-addiction system.

Thus, when Cheng Simin called on the third day to invite him to join her and Sisi’s group for roller skating at the cinema entrance, Shi Ying responded warmly and agreed without hesitation.

The meet-up was set for 7:30 PM, just as the sun dipped below the horizon. The summer sky still held a faint glow, like blue velvet, lending an unexpected grandeur to the dilapidated cinema.

Shi Ying rode his silver mountain bike, weaving through the sticky fragrance of locust flowers along the roadside. As he approached the cinema, he spotted Cheng Simin giggling with a group of disreputable-looking boys and girls on the steps.

Her face was still the same plain bun-like visage, her height barely reaching his chest. But today, she looked particularly displeasing to him right from the start.

The loose T-shirts and denim shorts she usually favored were gone, replaced by a candy-colored lace hairband and a tight mesh top paired with an absurdly short bubble skirt, mimicking Sisi’s outfit.

When he locked his bike and glanced up again, he noticed Cheng Simin’s new makeover: silver eyeliner and red mascara. And Sisi was busy applying lip gloss to her.

Cheng Simin tilted her head back, eyes half-closed, gazing intently at the blush beneath Sisi’s lower lashes, her expression reverent as she allowed herself to be transformed.

Sisi, noticing Shi Ying’s approach, applied even more effort, painting every inch of Cheng Simin’s healthy, rosy lips with sticky nude gloss.

Then, smiling as if admiring her own masterpiece, Sisi placed her hands on Cheng Simin’s shoulders and announced to the group, “Wow, with this lip gloss, she looks perfect!”

The crowd murmured in agreement, and the tallest guy with tin foil curls whistled loudly at Cheng Simin.

“Sisi… thank you for helping me dress up,” Cheng Simin said shyly, lowering her head like a maiden praying by a wishing pool.

Sisi wouldn’t let her be modest. Raising her voice again, she praised Cheng Simin, “Minmin, I think you’re better suited for this color than me! I’m actually a little jealous. Keep this lip gloss—it’s a gift. Don’t refuse it; my mom sent it to me, and it’s impossible to buy domestically!”

“Oh? Your friend’s here?” With that, Sisi shoved the old lip gloss into Cheng Simin’s palm, striking a pose as she twirled her slender arm around Cheng Simin’s plump one. Leaning her head against Cheng Simin’s cheek, she flashed a seductive smile. “So, how’s Minmin looking today? Isn’t she stunning? Surprised?”