Vol2 Chapter 36: I remember

Chu Zihang listened to the sounds behind him, an inexplicable sadness washing over him.

The girl he’d lost was still as radiant as ever.

In the years he’d forgotten, the boy and girl had already gone to so many places together.

It was like he’d finally found the girl he’d misplaced.

“Senior Brother, why’re you standing there? Let’s eat!” the girl’s lively voice called. He turned, his gaze hollow as he looked at them.

Everyone froze—except Xia Mi.

She stepped closer, her cool fingertips, dusted with flour, brushing his face. When she pulled back, a single tear glistened on her finger. She brought it to her lips, tasting it, her lashes trembling slightly.

It was really a tear—salty, with a hint of bitterness.

“Senior Brother, why’re you crying?” Xia Mi leaned in, her big eyes locked on him, unblinking.

She was so close Chu Zihang could smell the faint gardenia scent on her, see her quivering lashes, her tiny tiger teeth, and the flour smudged on her flawless face, like a little sprite.

He looked away, silent for a long moment before mumbling, “It’s nothing.”

“You’re crying! How’s that nothing?” Xia Mi grabbed his face with both hands, forcing him to meet her serious gaze.

“Sorry… I just remembered… it’s you.”

Chu Zihang lowered his head, like a scolded puppy. He’d rarely been this “docile” with peers—he’d almost forgotten her. So many moments had passed between them, yet he’d wiped them from his mind.

“Ugh, Senior Brother, I thought it was something big. This girl forgives you, so stop crying.” Xia Mi sighed in relief, then tiptoed, placing a hand on his head. “There, there, don’t cry. Just don’t forget me again, okay?”

Chu Zihang could face a thug’s blade without flinching, leap from a building amidst a TNT explosion to find a sliver of survival, but he couldn’t bare his heart to a girl. He said nothing, head bowed, feeling the warmth of Xia Mi’s hand.

Lu Mingfei watched the tender scene, thinking, This is unreal. Chu Zihang, a legend at Shilan and Cassell, getting his head patted by a girl? The guy was Shilan’s designated “Onii-san,” always first in exams, a model student, athletic star, city-level honor student, handsome, and loaded. Girls crushing on him could line up from here to France. If they saw this, they’d hate Xia Mi to death—her fans might burn this little sprite at the stake. But, man, Xia Mi was something else, cracking open Chu Zihang’s heart in just a few months after twenty years of no one else managing. If you two get married, invite me. If someone crashes the wedding, I’ll slap them into next week. Nobody messes with my Senior Brother Chu’s big day! Want to join the feast? Eat dirt!

He glanced at Bai Ci, her eyes sparkling like she’d seen something wonderful.

It was wonderful.

Lu Mingfei silently mourned for dear Vice President Su Qian for a few seconds. Su Qian, you didn’t lose unfairly. In anime, childhood friends rarely beat the fated newcomer. You’ve been with Chu Zihang since freshman year, but Xia Mi knew him way back. She’s both the fated one and the childhood friend. You can’t win, Vice President. Surrender.

“Here! Xia Mi’s special pork dumplings—free if they’re not delicious!” Xia Mi served the steaming dumplings, handing out disposable chopsticks, then bringing out garlic paste and vinegar. She looked at them. “Try it! Tell me how it is!”

Lu Mingfei quickly grabbed a dumpling, dipping it in vinegar.

Xia Mi smiled at him. “Say it’s bad, and I’ll tie you up and toss you into the Bohai Sea.”

Lu Mingfei shivered, taking the dumplings seriously. He doubted Xia Mi had the strength to throw him from Beijing to the Bohai, but a nearby river? Possible.

He resolved to call them delicious no matter what. Like an emperor whimsically sharing leftovers with a minister—you eat it, even if it’s awful, and praise it like it’s divine, saying all else is pig slop compared to this delicacy.

“Delicious!”

Lu Mingfei’s eyes lit up, and he started devouring the dumplings.

“Hmph, obviously.” Xia Mi tilted her head proudly, then looked at the others. “What do you think?”

“Tasty,” Zero said.

“You could open a dumpling shop,” Bai Ci said, chewing. “It’d be a hit.”

“Way better than frozen ones,” Chu Zihang commented.

Xia Mi sat down, joining them.

Chu Zihang ate spoonful by spoonful, Xia Mi watching him.

Bai Ci suddenly felt the three of them shouldn’t be here but didn’t know how to say it.

Chu Zihang, unused to being stared at, scrambled for a topic.

“Where’s your brother? Haven’t seen him.”

“He’s… not all there. He’s in a care facility. Can’t leave him alone in a place like this. I’ll visit him after we’re done here,” Xia Mi said.

“Your parents?”

“No idea where they went. Haven’t seen them in ages. Probably ran off.”

“When are they back?”

“How would I know…”

The three paused mid-bite.

Bai Ci: 😰
Lu Mingfei: 😅
Zero: 😑

Chu Zihang’s topic-switching skills were terrible—picking the worst things to ask, hitting every sore spot.

He sensed the awkwardness. Just two simple questions, and Xia Mi’s answers were progressively worse, each one a jab at her wounds.

He felt he should say something to lighten the mood but didn’t know what. Seeing Xia Mi’s slightly forlorn expression, he pursed his lips.

“Um… Xia Mi, want to go to an amusement park in a few days?”

“Senior Brother, you’re finally getting it?” Xia Mi looked up, shocked, then grinned. “Yes, yes! I want to ride the Ferris wheel!”

“Sure,” Chu Zihang said, relieved. He hadn’t messed that one up.