Chapter 023

Zhuo Xi and the others came to pick up Meng Li after school, which surprised her a bit. But between good friends, there was no need for formalities or awkward pleasantries. They could just happily walk together.

As they rode their bikes, they chatted about their own lives, bantering back and forth. Their voices filled the air as they made their way from Cuihua Middle School to Qianmen Street. They didn’t reach their destination until the evening had fully set in, and then they found a small state-run restaurant near Qianmen Street.

They ordered a few home-style dishes and sat down to wait for the food.

Zhuo Xi was playing with his chopsticks, looking at Meng Li. “Given your situation now, we won’t have much time to hang out during school. The only time we really have is the weekend. So, what do you want to do this weekend?”

Meng Li hadn’t really thought about where to go for the weekend, but she had thought of something else. She didn’t need to hide anything from Zhuo Xi and the others, so she simply replied, “I haven’t decided where to go, but I’m planning to go to Xinhua Bookstore to buy some books.”

“Buy some books??”

Wei Dong, who was drinking water, was so surprised by Meng Li’s words that he choked and sprayed water all over Zhou Nan’s face.

Zhou Nan closed his eyes in exasperation, wiping the water off his face with a sigh. “Damn…”

Meng Li found their reaction amusing and couldn’t help but smile slightly.

Zhou Nan wiped his face and then asked, “Why buy books? Those things can’t be eaten.”

Meng Li stopped smiling and let out a deep sigh, looking somewhat troubled. “It’s just too boring. I can’t focus in class, and by the end of the day, there’s no one to talk to. After thinking about it, I figured I might as well buy some books to pass the time.”

Wei Dong put down his porcelain cup. “What about your desk mate? Aren’t they people?”

Meng Li glanced around at them and then focused her gaze on Wei Dong’s face. “I didn’t get a chance to tell you yet, but my desk mate is Ji Chen. What’s there to talk about with him? Everyone knows our reputation outside of school. No one dares to talk to us.”

Wei Dong’s eyes widened when he heard that. “Ji Chen??? How the hell did that guy end up at Cuihua Middle School?”

Meng Li felt helpless and sighed, saying, “Transferred schools, huh? It’s a small world after all.”

Was the road really that narrow?

Zhuo Xi’s gaze was serious as he looked at Meng Li and asked, “Did he bully you?”

By now, Meng Li had started to get used to the way Zhuo Xi and the others cared for her. Although it felt a little strange, the attention made her feel good. It seemed like they didn’t just treat her like a leader; there was also a sense of protection, like she was a precious little treasure.

Meng Li shook her head directly at Zhuo Xi. “The rules at Cuihua Middle School are very strict. The principal and teachers are not easy to mess with, so he doesn’t dare to cause trouble. Although we’re sitting at the same desk, we keep to ourselves. We don’t bother each other and each handles their own business.”

Zhuo Xi sighed in relief. “If he bullies you, you must tell us. We’ll help you teach him a lesson.”

Meng Li hadn’t even begun to act like the boss yet when Wei Dong chuckled and looked at Zhuo Xi, speaking up, “Brother Zhuo, I think you’re mistaken. When it comes to fighting, who could possibly be a match for Third Master? If Ji Chen were to bully him, he’d solve it himself. Why would he need to tell us?”

Zhuo Xi glanced at Wei Dong, his eyes clearly saying—You’re so clueless, just shut up!

Zhou Nan, who was nearby, smiled but didn’t clarify Zhuo Xi’s meaning.

Zhuo Xi took a sip of water, calmly explaining to Wei Dong, “Don’t you remember how badly Third Master was hurt in the last fight? His body isn’t what it used to be, we all need to look out for him more.”

Then he turned to Meng Li and said, “Right, Third Master?”

Meng Li responded quickly, nodding, “I don’t want to show off, but that’s definitely true.”

Wei Dong looked up at the sky, thought for a moment, but hadn’t said anything when the dishes from the small restaurant arrived.

The aroma of the food wafted into their noses, and the conversation paused. It was more important to eat first and fill their stomachs.

After finishing the meal, they looked outside, and the night had grown even darker.

Sitting at the table, Zhuo Xi took a moment to digest before turning to Meng Li and saying, “It’s about time, let me take you home.”

Zhou Nan, knowing the situation, didn’t say much. In the past, it didn’t matter, but now that he knew, he felt it was better to be cautious.

Jin Bei was usually quiet, and it was Wei Dong who talked more. He looked at Zhuo Xi and asked, “Why are you taking him home? Think about it—how long has it been since Third Master hung out with us for an all-nighter? Why not stay tonight and go to Shuiyue Temple with us?”

Zhuo Xi glanced at Wei Dong, then looked at Meng Li. “What do you think, Third Master?”

Meng Li thought about the hard, cold blankets at Shuiyue Temple, and how inconvenient it would be to wash up there. After a brief hesitation, she shook her head. “I think I’ll go home. I’ve just recently started to mend things with my family. It’s better to keep things calm for now.”

The word “calm” wasn’t something people like them wanted to hear.

When you’re living on the edge, how could you talk about being calm?

Wei Dong wasn’t too pleased, and his mood was similar to when he found out that Meng Li was transferring to Cuihua Middle School a few days ago. However, this time, he didn’t express his dissatisfaction too much. He simply slapped the table, stood up, and said, “Forget it, let’s go then.”

Jin Bei had no objections and followed the others out of the small restaurant.

Outside, the night was pitch-black, so thick that it was hard to see the road beneath their feet.

The five of them walked in a group, heading toward the bike parking area.

Meng Li walked next to Wei Dong, thinking about how he had been upset when he learned she was transferring to Cuihua Middle School, and then recalling his reaction just now. She understood that the bond between brothers was sincere and valuable, which was why Wei Dong had such feelings.

If someone didn’t care, they wouldn’t have the energy to worry about where you went to school or where you slept.

And they certainly wouldn’t care whether they were close or not.

Meng Li really wanted to explain something to Wei Dong, but after thinking it over, she felt like anything she said would sound like an excuse. As long as she didn’t reveal her gender, there was no real reason not to join them for an all-nighter.

While Meng Li was silently struggling with her thoughts, she suddenly heard Wei Dong stumble over something beside her. Quick on her feet, she reached out to steady him. By offering her support, she managed to prevent him from falling.

Wei Dong had been startled by the trip just a moment ago, but in the next second, he instinctively grabbed the arm that came toward him.

To avoid falling, he pressed all his strength into it.

As the shock faded, Wei Dong’s senses were drawn to the soft feeling in his palm.

He tightened his grip on instinct and realized, in his haste, that he was holding onto Meng Li’s wrist.

Her wrist was delicate, and the sensation of it in his palm was smooth and soft.

As he drew closer, he could also smell a faint fragrance from her.

For a moment, Wei Dong was momentarily lost in thought. He recalled the face of Meng Li he had seen that night under the dim light of the mercury lamp. Combined with the feeling in his palm and the subtle fragrance on his nose, his heartbeat once again started to race uncontrollably.

Under the deep, boundless night, he felt his heartbeat magnify, each thump heavier than the last, as if it were about to break through his chest.

Meng Li steadied him and spoke up, “Are you alright?”

Wei Dong couldn’t see Meng Li’s face clearly, but as soon as he heard her voice, he snapped back to reality. It was as though he had been shocked, and he quickly released her arm and wrist, stepping back two paces. He cleared his throat and said, “I’m fine.”

Zhuo Xi and the others turned back to look at him. “What’s wrong?”

Wei Dong cleared his throat again, thinking to himself that it was a good thing the night was so dark, so nothing could be seen clearly.

He pretended to be calm and responded, “Ah, nothing, just tripped over something.”

Since he hadn’t fallen, there was really nothing to worry about.

Zhuo Xi and the others didn’t think much of it. They went ahead to ring their bike bells and hit the road.

The four of them rode their bikes, taking Meng Li all the way to Zhima Hutong, and stopped only when they reached the entrance of her family’s courtyard.

Meng Li got off the bike, said goodbye to them, and turned to walk through the gate.

Because the night was so dark and she was walking quickly, Meng Li accidentally bumped into the small stone lion next to the door.

It hurt her calf and knee, and she limped for two steps after entering the gate.

Since Meng Li had come home late, all three families in the courtyard had already finished their dinner.

As she reached the water basin in the courtyard, she saw Gu Huijuan coming out of the Luo family’s house in the west. Gu Huijuan had a habit of visiting the east and west rooms after dinner to chat about trivial matters, and she was probably heading home to sleep after finishing her conversation.

Meng Li saw her but pretended not to notice, continuing toward the north room.

Gu Huijuan followed behind her, saying in a sarcastic tone, “So you still know how to come back?”

Meng Li couldn’t be bothered to respond. In a casual tone, she replied, “I come back whenever I feel like it.”

Gu Huijuan let out a cold laugh. “Yeah, who can control you, Third Master Meng?”

Meng Li didn’t respond to her, not wanting to lose her temper and start an argument.

There were only a few more months to go, so she decided to just bear with it.

…

After Zhuo Xi and the others had sent Meng Li home, they rode their bikes around for a bit before heading to Shuiyue Temple.

Once inside, they washed up, chatted, and then laid down on the shared bed to sleep.

In the middle of the night, Zhuo Xi woke up to use the bathroom.

When he returned to bed and tried to fall asleep again, he noticed that Wei Dong, who had been lying next to him, was gone.

Zhuo Xi couldn’t fall back asleep, so he got up and searched around. He eventually found Wei Dong sitting on the railing in the courtyard, smoking.

In the dark night, a spark from the cigarette flickered, as if burning away his worries.

Zhuo Xi sat down beside Wei Dong, asked for a cigarette, lit it, took a couple of puffs to wake himself up, and then, using the glow of the ember, looked at Wei Dong’s face. He asked, “Why aren’t you sleeping? It’s the middle of the night, and here you are smoking. What are you thinking about?”

Wei Dong took his last puff, flicked the cigarette butt to the ground, and crushed it under his foot.

He turned to look at Zhuo Xi and stared at him for a long moment without saying anything.

Zhuo Xi exhaled a cloud of smoke, narrowing his eyes slightly. “Stop dragging it out. If you’ve got something to say, just say it.”

Wei Dong turned his head back, hesitated for a moment, then said, “It’s a bit hard to say.”

Zhuo Xi took the cigarette out of his mouth and smiled. “We’re brothers, what’s so hard to say?”

Wei Dong took a deep breath, steeling himself for what he was about to say.

It seemed like he was throwing caution to the wind. He turned to Zhuo Xi and said, “Do you ever get the feeling that Third Master’s been acting more and more strange lately? It’s like… there’s this unexplainable vibe. I swear, even I can feel it…”

Zhuo Xi was stunned for a moment, biting the cigarette and furrowing his brows. “What kind of feeling?”

Wei Dong seemed really troubled. “My face gets hot, my heart races, and I keep feeling like he’s a girl. Every now and then, I just get restless for no reason.”

Zhuo Xi was momentarily taken aback, then a smile tugged at the corner of his lips.

Wei Dong looked at him, “Brother Zhuo, do you think I’ve gone crazy? Been single for too long, and now I’m getting weird feelings even about a guy?”

Zhuo Xi couldn’t hold it in any longer. He pinched out the cigarette and lowered his head, laughing.

Wei Dong stared at him, speechless. “I’m only telling you because you’re my brother, so what the hell are you laughing about?”

Zhuo Xi held back his laughter, raised his head, and gestured with his finger for Wei Dong to come closer.

Wei Dong didn’t know what he meant, hesitating before leaning in.

Once Wei Dong got close, Zhuo Xi leaned toward his ear and whispered softly, “Third Master… is actually a girl.”

Wei Dong’s eyes widened in shock. He immediately pulled back, glaring at Zhuo Xi, his voice rising. “What did you say?!”

Zhuo Xi bit the cigarette back into his mouth. “If you don’t believe me, you can ask Zhou Nan tomorrow. He heard it with his own ears.”

Wei Dong’s eyes were still wide open, his face filled with astonishment. “When did you find out?”

Zhuo Xi thought for a moment, then said, “After Third Master had that one-on-one with Ji Chen, we went to find her. Zhou Nan went inside to look for someone, and overheard her arguing with her mom. She made it pretty clear—she’s actually a girl. Her mom doesn’t treat her well, so she’s out here mixing things up.”

(T/N: You may have noticed that when the characters speak, I use “she/her” if both speakers are aware of Meng Li’s gender, and “he/his/him” if they are not. Since Zhou Xi and Wei Dong are now fully aware of her gender, I’ve switched to using “she/her” in their conversations. I hope this doesn’t bother you. And if you ever spot any mistakes, feel free to let me know. Thank you!)

Wei Dong was still in shock. “I can’t believe it. A girl can fight that well?”

Zhuo Xi lowered his head, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said, “Maybe she was forced into it. Otherwise, she wouldn’t be so reckless with her life. But ever since she woke up from that serious injury last time, I think Third Master’s been off. Look at her recently—she doesn’t have that same fighting spirit anymore, and she doesn’t like being in the spotlight.”

Wei Dong was still stunned after hearing this, but Zhuo Xi had managed to convince him.

After the shock wore off, Wei Dong nodded. “No wonder I’ve been feeling like something’s off about her lately. I thought I was just being weird.”

Zhuo Xi smiled again. “Third Master’s pretty good-looking, so I guess it’s normal.”

Wei Dong let out a long breath. “If that’s the case, I feel a lot better about it.”

Zhuo Xi lifted his gaze to look at him. “But from what I see, Third Master doesn’t seem like she wants to admit she’s a girl, so we’ll just pretend we don’t know. I’m telling you this so you don’t get all moody and weird and stay up all night.”

At this point, Wei Dong still felt a bit regretful.

He exaggeratedly sighed, shaking his head and clicking his tongue. “So, does that mean I can’t take any pictures of her?”

Zhuo Xi lifted his foot and kicked him. “Try it and see what happens.”

Wei Dong chuckled a couple of times. “I was just joking. We’ve been brothers for so many years. Do you think I’d do something shameless like that?”

Zhuo Xi crushed the cigarette butt on the ground. “Good, you better know.”

With that, he stood up and headed back inside to sleep.

Wei Dong didn’t follow him. He sat on the railing for a while longer, then looked up at the stars in the night sky.

He stared up for a moment and muttered to himself, “It’s quite beautiful…”