Chapter 7

Chapter 7

When I was ten, I was stopped by some older students who pushed and shoved me for no reason, causing me to take a heavy fall.

The leader of the group hurled several insults at me.

When I saw Zhou Yanzhi after school, a flood of grievance instantly washed away all my reason.

I stood on the side of the street, clutching the hem of his shirt and sobbing uncontrollably.

I couldn’t even manage a full sentence.

Left with no choice, Zhou Yanzhi knelt down to hug me, coaxing me in a low voice.

“It’s okay now.”

“Ningning.”

“It’s okay. Brother is here.”

The street was swarming with people.

Yet I felt as though I had found where I belonged.

But now.

I can’t find Zhou Yanzhi anymore.

The disturbance caused by Song Jing was like ripples on a lake; it didn’t take long for things to return to a state of calm.

However, the turbulent vortex beneath the surface had yet to settle.

I lived a peaceful life for over a month until a weekend club social came around. We picked a delicious barbecue restaurant located in a slightly secluded area.

Over a dozen people were at the table, clinking glasses and making toasts. The Club President had drunk too much, his face flushed bright red, as he grabbed a water bottle like a microphone, insisting on singing a song for everyone.

I sat in my seat, quietly watching them act wild.

But my hands didn’t stop moving.

Glass after glass went down.

By the time my cheeks felt hot, a close friend beside me cried out in surprise, “Qiao Ning, why is your face so red!”

Only then did I realize I had drunk quite a lot.

Unfortunately, by the time I noticed, my head was already foggy, and my body was reacting faster than my brain.

I stood up abruptly. “I’m going outside for some fresh air.”

I stumbled as I took a step. My friend grabbed my hand. “Do you want me to come with you?”

“No need.”

I shook my head, my earlobes burning. “I’ll be right back once I clear my head.”

The cold wind hit me the moment I stepped outside, blowing away some of the chaos in my mind.

I sneezed, feeling significantly more sober.

It was late, and pedestrians on the street were sparse.

I walked a bit further, took out my phone, and opened the calendar.

It was late autumn.

Zhou Yanzhi’s birthday was coming up.

I had never drunk alcohol before, so I didn’t know being drunk felt like this.

But I had seen Zhou Yanzhi drunk.

The year he turned eighteen, he had a grand coming-of-age ceremony.

Many classmates came.

I didn’t know them and was shy, so I stood on my own balcony, peeking into his yard.

Unexpectedly, as the party was winding down, I saw a beautiful girl pull him aside. With a blushing face, she confessed her feelings to him.

Her bold words made my own face turn red, and I immediately crouched down to hide behind the balcony railing.

My heart beat like a drum.

A mix of bitterness and unknown emotions tangled together, clogging my chest.

I was panicked and lost, not knowing how to react.

The sounds of laughter downstairs gradually faded as people left.

Just as everything was settling into silence, I suddenly heard Zhou Yanzhi call my name.

“Ningning!”

I stood up abruptly, and my eyes met those of the boy standing below, straight as a pine tree. Without warning, I fell into a gaze that looked like a vast sea of stars.

There was a smile in Zhou Yanzhi’s eyes, and a faint flush had spread across his fair face. Unlike his usual self-restraint, he waved at me.

“Come down.”

Without a second thought, I immediately bolted downstairs.

The boy stood in the moonlight. When he saw me arrive, he suddenly opened his arms and pulled me into a hug.

The scent of alcohol enveloped me.

My face rested against his heart.

The thumping sound in my ear made it impossible to tell if it was mine or his.

“Ningning.”

“Mm.”

“Guess what wish I made?”

“…I don’t know.”

The strength holding me suddenly loosened. I looked up and met Zhou Yanzhi’s mischievous smile.

It was as if the usually gentle and polite person had suddenly developed a streak of playfulness.

“I’m not telling you.”

I pretended to be angry.

Zhou Yanzhi laughed and reached out to pat my head.

Just like the countless times he had coaxed me before.

If only I had been a bit smarter back then.

But I was too foolish.

I had been protected too well by Zhou Yanzhi.

And so,

I failed to read the things hidden beneath his smile that day.