Chen Yiyang's throat went dry. He lowered his head and told Wen Liangyu, "No."
...
Chen Yiyang didn't go home all night. The next day, he called in sick for the morning.
Chen Jici didn't stay long, but Grandpa had to be taken to the emergency room.
Chen Yiyang lay on the bench all night, unable to sleep.
He only left the hospital after Grandpa woke up. He picked up his backpack and went back to school.
Du Yun called him to the office. She had collected some exercises for the summer IMO competition. Chen Yiyang said "Mm," agreeing, "I'll give another copy to Zhou Shihui."
There was a faint shadow under the boy's eyes. Remembering what happened yesterday, he lowered his eyelids and spoke: "Teacher Du, there's something I'd like to tell you."
The boy's tone was slightly cold, carrying a hint of refusal to be argued with.
At noon, the math teachers were either having lunch or resting. Only two or three people remained in the large office; it was unusually quiet.
Du Yun had always been kind and gentle to Chen Yiyang. Seeing his serious expression, she smiled and asked, "What's wrong?"
Chen Yiyang hadn't slept all night, but he still stood there with an upright posture. He had wanted to come to Du Yun yesterday after hearing that tutor's nonsense, but there were too many things going on; he was too busy, so he only came the next afternoon.
The boy's tone was calm without any waves, but his eyes were pitch-black and sharp as he got straight to the point: "As you know, Yun Mi is my sister. She's the daughter of my mother's friend. Currently, for some reasons, she has to stay at my house. I hope you won't misunderstand and won't criticize Yun Mi too much because of this."
It was rare to hear him speak so politely, but the content displeased Du Yun. Her face tightened, then she asked angrily, "Misunderstand what?"
Chen Yiyang gave a faint smile. "It's best if there's no misunderstanding. I'm just saying. Please also help me pass the word to those classmates who like to gossip."
His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the quiet office. The smile on Du Yun's face completely disappeared.
For the first time, Du Yun lost her temper at Chen Yiyang. "Chen Yiyang—!"
At noon, Yun Mi had originally planned to go find the physics teacher to ask about a wrong problem. Passing by the math office, she happened to hear the latter half of Chen Yiyang's sentence.
She didn't understand what he was saying to Du Yun.
Outside the office building, groups of students in school uniforms were returning from the cafeteria. Swallows building nests fluttered their wings. The whole world was noisy.
The girl stood for a long time at the corner of the office building, her gaze fixed on the upright but thin and unrestrained figure at the office door. Chen Yiyang didn't pause after finishing; he turned and left through a small side door on the other side.
Yun Mi's heart stirred. Almost instinctively, she hugged the test papers in her arms, turned around, and quickly chased after that deep blue figure.
"Chen Yiyang!"
Her voice echoed in the quiet hallway. A few passing classmates looked over upon hearing her, curiosity and scrutiny in their eyes.
Embarrassed by the attention, Yun Mi quietly sidestepped a couple of steps away to keep some distance, and tentatively asked, "You're back?"
Seeing it was her, Chen Yiyang was slightly surprised. He gave a faint "Mm" in response, withdrew his gaze, and added flatly, "Just got back from the hospital."
Her eyes swept over the faint dark circles under his eyes. An inexplicable softness rose in Yun Mi's heart. Unable to help herself, she asked with concern, "Are you okay? Did you... sleep last night?"
Yesterday, she had heard from Aunt Qin that Chen Yiyang's father and grandfather had an old grudge that dated back before Chen Yiyang was born.
But Aunt Qin didn't elaborate.
Chen Yiyang looked too exhausted.
His dark circles were like a panda's. At least he was handsome, or else he'd be really ugly.
Chen Yiyang's footsteps paused almost imperceptibly. The boy's fine bangs fell over his eyes. His tone carried a hint of barely detectable discomfort as he said, "I slept."
Slept?
Yeah, right.
Yun Mi silently rolled her eyes in her mind and called him again, "Chen Yiyang."
"Mm." Still a perfunctory single syllable.
"I heard from Ding Yuan that after our first year of high school, we have military training in the summer."
"Mm."
"Shanfu is so weird. Other schools have military training before the start of first year. Only us—we're doing it after studying for a whole year." She complained softly.
Chen Yiyang finally stopped. He turned sideways to look at her. He had a lot on his plate and asked impatiently, "What do you want to say?"
Yun Mi took a deep breath. She looked up at him, her eyes no longer playful or evasive as usual. Her tone was serious and solemn: "Not just passing the monthly exam smoothly. I want to rank in the top fifty percent of the grade in the final exam, or even... beyond the top fifty percent." She looked at him intently. On her fair face, her amber eyes sparkled. Chen Yiyang heard Yun Mi continue, "I want to achieve a higher ranking and stay here steadily to do the military training with all of you."
Her tone was resolute.
The wind blew through the long corridor connecting the teaching building and the office building, carrying the restlessness and brightness of early summer. The lush branches and leaves of the yellow ko tree stretched and quietly poked into the corridor.
Chen Yiyang watched Yun Mi reveal a wholehearted smile at him with relaxed brows and eyes. The boy was slightly stunned. He shifted his gaze, raised an eyebrow, and then lightly pulled the corner of his mouth, saying, "Up to you."
He stuck his hands into his school uniform pants pockets, his eyelids dropping slightly. Finally, the exhaustion and coldness faded, replaced by a hint of lively vitality belonging to a sixteen-year-old. He gave a light snort and teased, "For others, it's fine. For you... it's quite hard. Good luck."
"???"
Chen Yiyang turned and left.
Yun Mi was momentarily stunned. "Huh?" She reacted and silently laughed twice in her heart, "Heh heh."
What a guy.
Yun Mi caught up and coldly explained, "You didn't finish teaching last time."
Remembering someone's outstanding math scores, Yun Mi forcefully put on a beaming smile and asked, "Are you free tonight?"
Chen Yiyang saw her clearly "asking for a favor" expression and felt annoyed. The beads of her abacus were nearly flying into his face. But the heavy, hard-to-dissolve weight in his heart seemed to be pried open a little.
He said, "Staying at school tonight."
Receiving the order, Yun Mi said "Oh."
She thought he was being cold and heartless again, not helping her, leaving her to figure it out on her own. She pouted.
But then she heard Chen Yiyang say, "I'll only help you go through everything once. Don't push your luck."
Clearly a warning.
The boy walked ahead with his bag slung over one shoulder. Yun Mi's heart, however, skipped a beat.
Chen Yiyang added without looking at her, "One time only."
He hated it but still gave in?
Then she should praise him properly.
Yun Mi smiled unconsciously.
Suddenly, Chen Yiyang heard Yun Mi exaggeratedly "Wow." He tilted his head and met the girl's pure, clean smile—going from unhappy to jubilant.
She cheered happily, jumping up and down, "That's great!"
The heart that had been pounding incessantly in his chest suddenly missed a beat.
Chen Yiyang heard Yun Mi curve her eyebrows and open her arms, saying, "Long live Chen Yiyang!"
Author's note:
Never try to guess a girl's thoughts.