Chapter 5 — When You Shine, I Am Still Here

Before the semester began, the school once hosted a delegation from the Middle East. He suddenly brought it up that day. The interpreter had a minor emergency. Do you remember? I frowned, struggling to dredge up even the vaguest of memories. You stood up, conversing with the guests in fluent local dialect and even discussing their traditional camel festival. He hesitated for a brief second before continuing. In that exact moment, the entire auditorium turned to look at you. I remained silent as the pieces slowly fell into place in my mind. I was the designated interpreter back then. He let out a soft sigh. I never expected him to speak with such a heavy, unpredictable accent, and without any prior preparation, I was on the verge of making a complete fool of myself. I was utterly stunned. It turned out that the frantic, cornered interpreter that day had been him. All my energy had been consumed simply by trying to salvage the disaster, leaving me entirely oblivious to anyone else around me. He was supposed to be the campus god that everyone remembered with lingering awe, so why was my own recollection of the event so hopelessly hazy? He lowered his gaze, his voice softening. A TOEFL score of 110, an IELTS score of 8.0—Wei Xixi, have you perhaps leaned on others for so long that you have completely lost sight of who you are? Do you have any idea how much grueling effort it takes to extract achievements like those? I stood there, listening in a daze, as a sudden clarity began to dawn within my mind.

Falling in love with you is not difficult at all. But if you truly resist it, I will walk away. Nuo Bai's eyes were tender yet unwavering as he looked at me. I let out a long breath. The weight of his feelings was undeniable, pressing heavily upon my chest. Consequently, I threw myself even deeper into my routine. Day after day, my existence was rigorously confined to three points: the dormitory, the library, and the cafeteria. I stopped currying favor with anyone, stopped trying to appear endearing, and stopped playing up to the crowd. I retreated entirely into my own world, fueled by a fierce, driving momentum. It was during this period that I happened to cross paths with the young lady on the street.

Her brand-new best friend was carrying a coffee and trailing closely behind her with a backpack. As for Chu Qing herself, upon spotting me, she merely flicked her gaze in my direction and walked right past without a word. Her new sister-in-arms, however, immediately assumed an air of supreme arrogance and provocation, casting a cold, triumphant glare straight at me. I could not be bothered to acknowledge her. Perhaps interpreting Chu Qing's silence as a sign of weakness, the girl grew even bolder. As she brushed past me, she deliberately and forcefully stamped down hard on my foot. Are you out of your mind?! The young lady turned her head to look at me, then cast a sideways glance at her new companion. She said nothing and simply resumed walking, prompting the eager follower to scurry after her. Ah... truthfully, a profound sense of sadness washed over me. Yet, I suppose I had brought it entirely upon myself. Had the roles been reversed, I could not guarantee I would have been half as magnanimous as Chu Qing. The fact that she had not flown into a blind rage and sought vengeance was already an immense concession on her part. But for reasons I could not fathom, the young lady suddenly spun around and walked back. Where has that sharp tongue of yours gone? Are you really just going to let someone bully you and brush it aside? Are you deliberately trying to infuriate me? Step right back on her foot!

She had witnessed the whole thing. Having spent years as her closest confidante, I knew her character inside and out—she was never one to lord her status over others, but she would never allow herself to be stepped on either. And as for me—if anyone dared to bully me—she would never stand for it. I stared at her in a daze, hot tears unexpectedly spilling over my lashes. Her fierce protectiveness wrapped around me, offering a deep, restorative comfort. I still haven't forgiven you, but step on her right now! She swatted my hand away when I reached out to hug her, her face feigning immense disgust. Meanwhile, the girl who had stomped on my foot had turned thoroughly pale.

Ultimately, the young lady turned and walked away again. She still had not forgiven me. With a heavy sigh, I booked a train ticket back to my hometown. Every previous summer, I would invariably latch onto her or her older brother, Chu Yanchi. But this time... I honestly had no idea how to navigate our tangled relationships anymore. A sleeper ticket carried me quietly back to my roots. Lugging my oversized bags, I squeezed onto a crowded bus alongside elderly villagers amidst the deafening squawking of chickens and ducks, slowly rocking my way back home. Lately, my hometown had been heavily investing in tourism, prompting nearly every household to renovate their properties and open homestays. The moment I stepped through the front door, my parents met me with looks of intense awkwardness. As it turned out... my bedroom had already been cleared out and rented out to paying guests. Why on earth did you come back? Isn't every summer usually spent vanishing off somewhere else? My mother's voice rang out, laced with a chilling reproach that practically froze my blood. Grabbing the handle of my suitcase, I turned on my heel and walked right back out. Good grief, look at this ungrateful girl! She comes back without a single word of warning, and now she is throwing a tantrum and walking away. Why don't you go ask to stay at your uncle's place? They've built themselves a massive luxury villa these days, surely they wouldn't turn away their own niece? That room costs over seven hundred a night! What a cold-blooded wretch, and yet people actually pay good money to stay there...

I walked at a blistering pace. Every harsh reprimand hurled at my back was effortlessly swept away by the wind. In that fleeting moment, I genuinely... had no idea where else in the world I could possibly go.

I spent two days holed up in a local town hotel. Aside from reading in my room, my only pastime was wandering the winding streets to clear my head. I kept my phone switched off entirely because my mother kept calling relentlessly, demanding to know why I refused to humble myself and beg my uncle for a room in his grand villa. I was utterly exhausted. While taking a stroll that afternoon, I noticed passersby repeatedly craning their necks toward a nearby side alley, whispering among themselves: What kind of luxury car is that? Are those two celebrities? They look like an absolute picture-perfect couple! I cast an involuntary glance in that direction—and froze dead in my tracks. Chu Qing and Chu Yanchi?!

Xiao Zhang, didn't you drive her out here before? Where is this road even leading? Which turn are we supposed to take? the young lady demanded, visibly exasperated. Xiao Zhang rubbed the back of his neck, looking deeply sheepish. Having me guide the way last time was one thing, but trying to navigate this maze from memory was practically a miracle. Who could have possibly guessed that mountain roads not only had eighteen hairpin turns, but that each turn branched off into yet another hidden side path?! Miss, perhaps... perhaps we should just call Wei Xixi and ask for directions? Xiao Zhang suggested with considerable trepidation. Chu Yanchi finished his cigarette, stubbed out the butt, and let his gaze sweep across the lingering crowd until it landed squarely on me standing a few paces away. He paused for a fraction of a second, then let out a low, rueful chuckle—the kind of half-amused, half-exasperated smile reserved for a hopeless situation. With long, deliberate strides, he covered the distance between us in mere moments. Wei Xixi, are you having fun playing hide-and-seek?

Wait... I distinctly remembered leaving him a message before I left. It was just that... I had turned my phone off for a few days...

I sidestepped past him and hurried directly toward Chu Qing. The young lady regarded me with a haughty glare, her brow furrowing as she disdainfully nudged a speck of mud off the toe of her designer shoe. I still haven't forgiven you. I know all about what happened with your family, and you clearly don't have a decent place to stay since you came back. Yet you stubbornly refuse to come stay at our little villa, nearly giving me a heart attack from worry. It's not like you even need a password to get in, it's not as if I ever banned you from entering... While the young lady muttered coldly through her grievance, I lunged forward and threw my arms tightly around her. She stiffened instantly where she stood. A wave of raw emotion threatened to overwhelm me. What sense of security could a cheap hotel possibly offer? Every single night, I had been forced to drag a heavy desk against the door handle and wedge a chair beneath it, setting a glass of water precariously on top just to hear if anyone tried to break in. And yet... someone as sheltered and noble as the young lady had actually traveled all the way to this impoverished rural backwater just to find me—I was profoundly moved.

If you won't forgive me, fine, don't forgive me for the rest of our lives. No matter what, this Wei Xixi swears she will protect her young lady with her dying breath! You're making me sick... she muttered, rolling her eyes in exaggerated disgust. I truly regret it now. Even if it meant breaking up with him, I would rather face that than lose a friend like you. The moment those words tumbled out of my mouth, the surrounding atmosphere abruptly turned... bizarre. Even the young lady's expression grew several degrees more solemn as she fixed me with a gaze dripping with profound pity. Damn it. My utterly idiotic brain! Chu Yanchi... was still standing right behind my back!

Xiao Zhang instinctively covered his eyes, not daring to witness what was coming next. Chu Yanchi stood leaning casually against the car with his hands buried deep in his pockets, his gaze chillingly fixed on me as he radiated an aura of glacial fury that kept everyone within a ten-foot radius at bay. The young lady slowly, painstakingly unpeeled my arms from around her. In the depths of her lovely eyes, I could clearly read her utterly unabashed schadenfreude. There is no shortage of people in this world to love, yet you chose to fall for my older brother—you deserve every bit of this! Xiao Zhang, let's go take a drive around the area. The weather here actually feels rather pleasant, doesn't it? Let's see if there are any decent villas for sale; we can buy one so we have a place to vacation during the summers. Xiao Zhang immediately snapped to attention, hurrying back to the driver's seat to whisk the young lady away. Hold on... Xiao Zhang, where is your professional conscience?! How could you just abandon your boss out here like this, is that even remotely reasonable? Absolutely not reasonable at all... I offered a stiff, awkward laugh, desperately preparing to make my escape, only to be yanked abruptly back by the collar of my shirt.

I am genuinely curious, am I really the kind of disposable person in your eyes who can be discarded on a whim whenever it suits you? Wei Xixi, this is already the second time! Goodness gracious, look who it is! Is that my dear husband?! Just when did you arrive? I have missed you so terribly much! Your sudden appearance like this has moved me beyond words, I'm practically on the verge of tears right here! I whirled around and instantly flung both arms tightly around his waist.