Chapter 006

Having always considered herself a boy, the original Meng Li deliberately lowered her voice and widened her tone when speaking, making it a habit over time. However, she was still a girl, and her voice wasn’t naturally rough. It was easy for her to produce a soft and delicate tone when needed.

It was something she had blurted out in a moment of panic. After all, she wasn’t a northern girl, and calling out for help, asking for mercy, was just a natural survival instinct. This instinct had worked as intended—Ji Chen’s clenched fist did not fall.

Meng Li lay on the icy surface, holding her breath as she stared at Ji Chen’s raised fist, her heart pounding so hard she thought it might split open.

Ji Chen’s fist blocked half of the cold sunlight, with the remaining light shining through, causing Meng Li to squint slightly.

Just as Meng Li was about to take this opportunity to try and push Ji Chen off, several people suddenly appeared in her line of sight. They came rushing over, grabbing Ji Chen without hesitation and shoving him aside.

After pulling Ji Chen away, someone from the west side reached out to help Meng Li up. He casually picked up her shearling fur cap, handing it to her, then gently placed his arm around her to shield her. Turning, he faced Ji Chen and asked, “What? Does he want to fight again?”

At this point, Ji Chen’s subordinates had also arrived, matching the number of people on Meng Li’s side. They had seen from the crowd that Ji Chen and Meng Li were already on the ground and rushed over together.

The two groups now stood face to face—on one side were the alley kids led by Meng Li, and on the other were the children from the big compound led by Ji Chen. Everyone held the typical weapons for a brawl—steel wire locks or red bricks.

Ji Chen dusted off his yellow felt cap and placed it on his head, smirking mockingly as he said, “He already called me ‘brother’ and begged for mercy. I suppose we won’t fight after all.”

Upon hearing this, Zhuo Xi and the others turned their heads to look at Meng Li.

Meng Li knew that while her head could fall and blood could be spilled, she couldn’t lose face. She quickly waved her hand to signal Zhuo Xi and, with wide eyes, denied it, saying, “I didn’t.”

After saying this, she realized her reaction was off—too soft, not fierce enough, and not leader-like. It made her seem more like a submissive little puppy. So, she quickly adjusted her expression, glancing at Ji Chen with a mock fierceness and retorted, “You’re talking nonsense without any preparation! Who cares if I called you ‘brother’?!”

Ji Chen sneered again, “Pretending to be tough, but too scared to admit it?”

The argument was dragging on endlessly, and it wasn’t worth wasting any more words on such a small matter. Wei Dong flicked the steel wire lock in his hand, impatiently saying, “Enough of this bullshit. Either we fight or we don’t, it’s just one sentence!”

Ji Chen glanced at Meng Li, sensing something off about her. She seemed different from before, even her tough words now had a soft edge to them. He remembered her earlier “Chen gege” that had been both delicate and a little coquettish. A wave of disgust rose in his chest, and he couldn’t muster any anger.

He really didn’t want to fight today. Ignoring Wei Dong, he gave a slight nod towards the ice rink, signaling his men, “Let’s go.”

As he turned to skate toward the south side of the rink, his subordinates had no choice but to follow, some of them still reluctant, asking, “We’re leaving just like this?”

Without turning back, Ji Chen continued skating forward, “I don’t want to fight today. Let’s go play ice hockey.”

…

Meng Li watched as Ji Chen and his group skated off, and she instinctively let out a breath of relief in her heart. All the bravado she had shown was just a front—inside, she was trembling with fear, terrified that they might have grabbed their weapons and charged at her.

Not fighting was the best outcome. She had successfully avoided disaster.

At that moment, Meng Li had no other thoughts in her mind except that she must keep her distance from Ji Chen in the future.

Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t hear Zhuo Xi calling her for two or three times. It wasn’t until he tapped her on the shoulder that she snapped out of it, looking at him with a slightly dazed expression and instinctively asking, “What’s wrong?”

Zhuo Xi met her gaze and, hearing her somewhat soft and innocent voice, paused for a moment. He quickly shook off his thoughts and looked at Meng Li, asking, “So, what happened? Was Ji Chen that bastard really pinning you to the ground just now?”

Meng Li hurriedly answered, “No…”

Then, she suddenly realized her response and the way she was acting didn’t seem like the usual Meng Li, so she quickly adjusted her tone and expression. “There’s no one in all of Beijing who could pin me, Third Master Meng, to the ground! It was me who threw him down, but I accidentally let him gain the upper hand. If you hadn’t shown up, that bastard would already be kneeling in front of me, calling me ‘grandpa’!”

Zhuo Xi chuckled, “You’ve just recovered from your injuries. Maybe you should rest a bit.”

Meng Li put her shearling cap on her head, feeling a little warmer from blocking the cold wind. She didn’t want to talk about Ji Chen anymore, instead scanning the four of them—Zhuo Xi, and the others. “What’s next? Do we stay here, or head somewhere else?”

Wei Dong lowered his head and tucked the steel wire lock into his sleeve. “Look at what Third Master is asking. Of course, we stay here. Those bastards haven’t left yet. Why should we? If we walk away after arming ourselves, it’s like we’re scared of them, like we’re giving them space.”

Zhou Nan stuffed the brick he was holding into the canvas bag hanging from his neck, glancing at the ice rink in the distance. “Look, they’re playing ice hockey. Let’s join them. This rink isn’t theirs. If anyone’s leaving, it should be them.”

Jin Bei, during their conversation, had already turned around and skated off to grab a hockey stick.

Wei Dong led the way, heading toward the ice rink with Zhou Nan following.

Zhuo Xi skated a few steps behind Wei Dong, only then realizing that Meng Li hadn’t followed. He stopped and turned to look at her. She was standing on the ice, her back to the sunlight, bathed in a soft white glow, her face hidden in the light.

For some reason, Zhuo Xi saw a gentler aura in her, reminiscent of his boss. He paused for a moment but didn’t dwell on it, thinking that Meng Li, still recovering from her injuries, might be a bit weak. He casually called out, “Third Master, let’s go.”

Meng Li snapped back to reality, skating over to Zhuo Xi. “I’m still weak, so I’m worried I might hold you guys back. You go ahead and play, I’ll just stay on the sidelines, cheering you on.”

Zhuo Xi nodded and gave her arm a gentle pat. “Let’s go.”

Meng Li silently breathed a sigh of relief and followed Zhuo Xi toward the ice hockey rink.

She had no intention of playing. First, she had never played ice hockey and hadn’t even watched anyone else play. Her entire understanding of the sport came from Meng Li’s memories. Second, she knew that Ji Chen and Zhuo Xi were playing not just for fun but to establish dominance. If she went on the ice, Ji Chen would definitely target her.

She wasn’t stupid—she wasn’t about to throw herself into a situation where she’d get hurt.

After Wei Dong, Zhuo Xi, and the others brought a few more people onto the rink, the entire scene shifted as a new group took over. Since everyone knew that Ji Chen and his gang weren’t just there to play, the others who were simply there for the sport left the rink.

Around the rink, a crowd had gathered—mostly boys and girls aged fourteen to sixteen. The girls wrapped brightly colored scarves around their faces to shield themselves from the cold wind, twisting their braids around their fingers.

They watched the boys on the ice, full of youthful energy as they played, while occasionally whispering into their friends’ ears, their faces bright with smiles. Even without hearing them, it was clear they were gossiping about the boys showing off on the ice.

Meng Li stood among the crowd, thoroughly enjoying the scene.

At first, Meng Li had been cheering for Zhuo Xi and the others, but as she continued watching, she forgot her own role and found herself completely drawn to her nemesis, Ji Chen. Among all the energetic young men on the rink, Ji Chen was the one who captured everyone’s attention the most.

Ji Chen was exceptionally handsome, and his skills on the ice were impressive.

He was showing off on the rink, leaving Zhuo Xi and the others far behind. All the spotlight that was meant to be shared was completely taken by him.

Meng Li became more and more absorbed in watching him, instinctively following his movements with her gaze. As she heard the soft, excited squeals from the girls behind her, she felt a rush of excitement as well. She even wanted to pump her fist and cheer him on!

Just as she clenched her fist, her excitement growing and her eyes lighting up, she suddenly overheard someone in the crowd saying, “They really need Third Master Meng to play, or else they won’t even be a match for Ji Chen.”

The moment the words “Third Master Meng” hit her ears, she snapped back to reality. Her face stiffened, and she pressed her lips together, mentally cursing herself—boosting someone else’s confidence while lowering her own, thinking that her greatest rival was the most handsome on the rink was just too shameless!

Now that she had regained her composure, she looked at the rink again, her eyes calm and indifferent. She stood for a while longer, but soon felt her legs growing tired. So, she simply sat down on the ice, choosing to watch the game unfold from a more comfortable position.

After sitting and watching for a while, Meng Li began to feel the stiffness in her neck. So, she lifted her hand to prop her face on her knee, continuing to watch the game. At this moment, she reminded herself of her identity, keeping her face and eyes devoid of any unnecessary expressions, giving her a somewhat naive and innocent look.

On the rink, Ji Chen was feeling triumphant, nearly turning Zhuo Xi and the others into mere bystanders. Naturally, the more he played, the more confident he became. He wondered if Meng Li could still bear watching, and if not, he might have to grab a hockey stick to step in.

In the entire city of Beijing, the only person who could match Ji Chen in ice hockey was Meng Li, if anyone.

As Ji Chen relaxed into the game, his gaze swept over the crowd around the rink. His eyes paused when he saw Meng Li sitting on the ice. She looked completely at ease, her posture relaxed, as though she was genuinely enjoying and watching the game in a carefree manner.

In that brief moment, Ji Chen saw a different side of Meng Li.

She had her cheek resting on her hand, her head tilted, with large, innocent eyes and a slightly dazed yet cute expression, almost as if she was lost in thought.

For a moment, Ji Chen found himself captivated by her, his gaze lingering without him even realizing it.

Just as Meng Li suddenly looked up, her gaze met Ji Chen’s.

The two of them locked eyes through the cold air, neither of them looking away.

In that moment of eye contact, Ji Chen saw something in Meng Li’s eyes that made him instinctively think of the word “innocence.” Suddenly, the soft, almost coquettish “Chen gege” echoed in his mind. It struck him like a bolt of lightning, and he felt as if he might have lost his mind.

Before he could snap out of it, a sharp pain suddenly shot across his face. Then, with a loud “thud,” he and a few of his teammates crashed heavily onto the ice. The force of the fall shook the ground, as if the ice itself might crack.

It turned out that Ji Chen had been distracted. His skate hadn’t stopped, and he collided with his teammates, Zheng Hang and Xiao Jianguo. In the ensuing chaos, they all lost their balance and fell in a heap.

Ji Chen lay on the ice, stifling a grunt. With both falls, he had been at the bottom, getting crushed by the others. It felt like his bones were about to shatter.

Every time he ran into Meng Li, something bad happened—she was his jinx!

Gritting his teeth and enduring the pain, Ji Chen could hear the varied laughter coming from the rink, realizing just how badly he had embarrassed himself.

The attention he had drawn earlier was completely wiped out by that fall.

He remained surprisingly calm, not too concerned about the embarrassment. He simply pushed Zheng Hang and Xiao Jianguo off of him, sitting up and looking toward the crowd.

His gaze immediately landed on Meng Li, who was still laughing happily, her eyes curved into joyful crescents, her whole body shaking with laughter.

Meng Li, who had been laughing so freely, suddenly met Ji Chen’s cold, piercing gaze. She quickly shut her mouth, forced her smile away, and adopted a neutral expression. Her face looked like someone caught in the act of a guilty pleasure—both guilty and obedient, swallowing her laughter back in a flash.

Their eyes remained locked across the rink.

Words like “naive,” “cute,” “innocent,” “soft,” “Chen gege,” “shaking with joy,” and “obedient” drifted through Ji Chen’s mind, one after another, alien and unfamiliar to him.

He took a deep breath, exhaled slowly, and muttered under his breath, “Damn…”

It felt like he was falling under a spell.