Chapter 11: Her Eyes Shine Brighter Than the Stars

It was early autumn. The boy wore only a thin shirt, yet his clear, cool scent mixed with body warmth as he tightly shielded Tang Susu.

A rolling pin struck heavily across the boy’s back.

Hearing the dull thud, Tang Susu cried out in shock, “He Zhimou!”

The thug raised his hand again, ready to strike.

Suddenly, a police siren wailed in the distance.

The thugs scattered and fled in an instant.

Tang Susu quickly pulled away from He Zhimou’s embrace. She looked up—he looked down. His face was pale, and he didn’t say a word.

Guilt overwhelmed her. She had meant to help him but instead ended up making his already frail body take the blow meant for her.

“He Zhimou, are you okay? I’m sorry… if I hadn’t rushed over, maybe you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.”

She stepped forward, reaching out to check his injury.

The boy turned his slender body to the side, avoiding her touch. His voice was cold. “They were coming after me anyway. It has nothing to do with you.”

Had Tang Susu not shown up, he would’ve had his own way of dealing with those thugs. Her unexpected appearance only got him injured.

Tang Susu stared at the boy’s indifferent expression but wasn’t bothered.

He looked harsh on the outside, but deep down, he was soft. He didn’t want her to feel guilty, so he chose to speak that way instead.

He didn’t like to talk much, so she would just stay with him quietly for a while.

The golden sunset blanketed the earth. The boy stood in silence, and the girl stayed quietly by his side. Cicadas in the nearby trees sang softly for them.

Soon, the police arrived.

The thugs were already gone, but there were still signs of a scuffle.

“You called the police?” an officer asked, looking at Tang Susu.

She nodded and briefly explained what had happened.

The officer nodded approvingly. “You did the right thing calling the police, but it was dangerous to rush in like that. In the future, you should seek help from nearby adults or wait for us.”

Tang Susu curved her eyes in a smile and nodded. “I understand, officer. I was just too anxious at the time and didn’t think things through. I just wanted to stop them. I’ll be more careful next time.”

As she spoke, she felt a heavy gaze.

She turned her head and met He Zhimou’s dark, deep eyes. She smiled softly at him.

He Zhimou’s eyes darkened slightly.

After a simple inspection of the scene, the police took the two of them to the station for statements.

By the time they finished and left the station, night had fallen.

A cool evening breeze swept past as the streetlights flickered on, one by one.

Tang Susu glanced sideways at He Zhimou. The boy’s face was pale, completely bloodless. His fringe swayed gently in the breeze, giving his fragile beauty an almost surreal quality.

It stirred a protective instinct in her.

She asked softly, “Does your wound hurt? Should we go to the hospital and get it checked?”

As soon as she mentioned the hospital, her voice lowered.

It would cost money. And she didn’t have any.

“Okay,” the boy nodded.

Tang Susu froze for a second, not immediately registering his reply.

He Zhimou, with a splint on his right leg, had already started limping forward. “I didn’t throw the money away.”

His deep voice drifted toward her on the wind.

Tang Susu blinked. Then her clear eyes curved into little crescent moons.

She knew it—He Zhimou wasn’t the kind of person who would just toss the money.

So he’d lied about throwing it away?

But… why would he lie?

As the possible reason occurred to her, her heart sank a little.

Does he dislike her that much?

But if he really hated her, why would he take a blow for her just now?

Maybe… he doesn’t dislike her that much anymore.

Yes! He definitely doesn’t hate her now.

With that thought, Tang Susu quickly caught up.

“He Zhimou, let’s have the doctor check your leg too, okay?”

He paused, then replied, “Okay.”

Under the dark sky and glowing streetlights, their shadows stretched long on the ground.

The girl’s silhouette overlapped with the boy’s—

Intertwined.

…

At the People’s Hospital

By now, the regular outpatient doctors had gone off duty. Only the emergency department was open.

In the ER, the doctor examined He Zhimou’s leg injury. Fortunately, it wasn’t infected.

After some basic treatment, the doctor instructed him to register with orthopedics tomorrow and get a CT scan for a more thorough check-up.

He Zhimou stood to leave after the exam.

Tang Susu held him back, her slender finger pointing to his back. “Your back hasn’t been checked yet.”

“It’s just a surface wound. No big deal,” he said indifferently.

To him, such minor injuries were a daily occurrence.

He’d never cared. No one had ever cared.

But soon, it would all be over. Soon, no one would be able to bully him again.

Just a little longer.

Tang Susu suddenly felt her heart ache for the boy. He didn’t care about his leg, nor his back.

Maybe it was because no one had ever loved him. So he never learned how to love himself.

She looked at him seriously. “It is a big deal.”

He Zhimou’s gaze darkened as he stared at her.

The girl’s clear eyes met his with conviction. She repeated, “It matters. Your leg matters, and so does your back!”

She wanted him to learn how to care for himself.

The air suddenly fell silent.

He Zhimou was quiet for a few seconds. Then he lifted his peach-blossom-shaped eyes slightly. “Alright, then step outside.”

Tang Susu blinked in surprise.

“To check my back, you need to leave,” he said calmly.

She was a little embarrassed. She hadn’t realized that was what he meant.

She hadn’t expected this cold, gloomy boy to get shy. That was… adorable.

He usually seemed so lifeless that people forgot how young he actually was.

Turns out, he was still just a shy boy.

Tang Susu nodded and hurried out, gently closing the door.

He Zhimou returned to the chair. “Sorry for the trouble, doctor.”

The ER doctor had seen all kinds of patients, including those very particular about privacy.

He smiled and gently lifted the boy’s shirt.

The next second, the doctor froze.

The boy’s pale back wasn’t just marked with fresh bruises—it was covered in old, faded scars.

Maybe… the reason he’d asked the girl to leave wasn’t just about privacy.

Maybe he didn’t want her to see.

The doctor said nothing, simply lowered his head and began treating the wound.

…

Outside the ER, Tang Susu waited a long time before He Zhimou came out.

He wore a blank expression, saying nothing.

While he went to pick up his medication, she quietly doubled back to the ER to ask the doctor about his condition.

Once she was sure the injuries weren’t serious, she caught up with him, satisfied.

By now, it was completely dark.

Under the neon lights, the city was alive with traffic and color.

Tang Susu looked at He Zhimou’s thin frame, still dressed in just a T-shirt. “It’s late. Let me walk you home.”

He Zhimou refused directly. “No need. I’ll go on my own.”

Tang Susu shook her head, not reassured. “No, I can’t let an injured person go home alone.”

“I said no,” he said coldly.

She was startled. She hadn’t expected him to turn so cold again.

Did she say something wrong?

But she knew not to force what someone didn’t want.

She lowered her head, her voice soft. “Okay then. Just be careful getting home. I’ll come find you tomorrow at noon to go to the hospital together.”

“No need,” He Zhimou rejected her again.

She paused. What did that mean?

Was he trying to lie to her again like before?

He Zhimou saw her doubt. “I’ll go to the hospital. But you don’t need to come.”

“Why not?” Tang Susu was puzzled.

In her mind, since he had almost no family or friends, someone should go with him. And after what happened today, she thought they could be good friends.

“If you don’t give me a reason, I won’t agree.”

The girl was relentless. He Zhimou could only try to scare her. “Those thugs… they hold grudges. If they see you again, they won’t let you go.”

Tang Susu froze.

Seeing her startled, He Zhimou pressed further. “They have no limits. They might even break your legs.”

“Really?” Tang Susu looked a bit frightened.

“Of course,” he nodded.

“Well then…” she seemed convinced and nodded nervously.

He Zhimou was surprised. He hadn’t expected her to give in so easily.

Maybe he was just not used to it—after all, she had been clinging to him so persistently before.

But the next second—

Her words stunned him.

“Then neither of us can stay here. They’ll come after you too. So, He Zhimou, you need to move house. Quickly.”

He Zhimou froze and looked at her in disbelief.

Her eyes were clear and pure, full of sincerity.

“Tang Susu, what are you talking about?”

“Move house,” she repeated seriously. “You’re right. I can’t always watch over you—I have school. It’s dangerous for you to stay here. The only solution is to cut things off at the root.”

“That means moving.”

“Tang Susu!” He Zhimou snapped.

She lifted her head, her expression serious. “I know you’re attached to your jars and bottles. We’ll move them all. And don’t worry about money—I’ve got that covered too.”

Tang Susu had already started planning what life would be like after He Zhimou moved in.

Turns out, protecting and caring for someone was harder than she thought. It took time, energy, and a lot of money.

But she believed she could do it.

And He Zhimou was worth it.

A soft breeze blew past. Under the streetlights, the girl’s eyes sparkled brighter than the stars.

He Zhimou quietly stared at her.

He thought, She’s the one who came to me.

I pushed her away again and again. She didn’t leave.

So don’t blame me now.

His voice, colder than the night, finally rang out:

“Fine.”