SIIL Chapter 27

Fu Zhi’an had experienced many evenings like this one—crimson sunsets hanging low in the sky, sycamore trees shedding their leaves every now and then, and the occasional roar of a passing car in the background.

But this time, there was someone walking beside him. The oversized school uniform looked surprisingly good on Chi Yu, his long legs moving lazily as they strolled. Whenever he spotted a stray cat by the roadside, he would slow his steps, make a silly face at it, and then quickly glance back at Fu Zhi’an, checking to see if his childish antics had been noticed.

Whenever that happened, Fu Zhi’an would kindly nod at him, the corners of his mouth curving just right.

And every time, he’d catch Chi Yu’s ears turning bright red, followed by some half-hearted curses. Chi Yu would mutter under his breath as he turned into an alley, his steps slowing when he noticed the laughter from across the street. He glanced over casually, but then stopped dead in his tracks. Following Chi Yu’s gaze, Fu Zhi’an saw a girl in a dark gray skirt leaning against an iron fence, a cold sneer on her face, her eyes full of disdain.

Despite the heavy makeup that made her nearly unrecognizable, the resemblance to Chi Yu was unmistakable.

Chi Yu frowned, staring at the scene across the street. Three or four men in leather jackets surrounded the girl, clearly in the middle of some argument. One of the men grabbed her wrist, and though she tried to pull away, she couldn’t break free.

“Wait here,” Chi Yu said, turning to Fu Zhi’an with a serious expression. “Don’t worry, I won’t start a fight.”

Fu Zhi’an followed behind as Chi Yu practically jogged across the street, his whole demeanor suddenly aggressive. The girl, Chi Yin, visibly flinched when she saw Chi Yu, blinking in confusion as he grabbed one of the men by the collar and growled, “Take your filthy hands off her.”

The girl’s expression softened a little, and she forced a smile, saying sweetly, “Chi Yu, you’re such a busybody.”

“Shut the hell up,” Chi Yu snapped, shooting her a glare. His disdain deepened as he took in her garish purple and red eye makeup. “What the hell did you put on your face?”

The man in the leather jacket nervously patted Chi Yu’s hand, trying to placate him with a shaky smile. “Uh, buddy, could you maybe ease up a bit?”

“No.”

Chi Yu looked younger than the man, but his grip was shockingly strong, his knuckles turning white as he held the collar.

“Look, there’s gotta be some kind of misunderstanding here.”

“She came to buy alcohol from us, but then she tried to leave without paying…”

Chi Yu froze for a moment, then slowly turned his head to look at Chi Yin, raising an eyebrow. “Why are you buying alcohol?”

“To drink it, obviously.” Chi Yin smirked, her eyes flicking over to Fu Zhi’an, who stood quietly to the side. “What else? Arson?”

Chi Yu’s face showed a hint of embarrassment as he released the man’s collar. The leather jacket was now creased where Chi Yu had grabbed it, and Chi Yu awkwardly patted it down.

“How much?”

“Seventeen hundred.”

Chi Yu hesitated as he looked at the few bills in his wallet, then turned to Fu Zhi’an, gesturing toward the shop door.

“I’ll go inside and use my card.”

The boy in the loose school uniform led the way, his hands in his pockets, strolling like a cat napping in the shade. The man in the leather jacket followed close behind, making it hard to tell who was actually in charge.

After Chi Yu’s slim figure disappeared into the shop, Fu Zhi’an turned his attention back to Chi Yin.

She was a far cry from the girl he’d seen at the school gate last time. Her eyeliner was thick and dark, her false eyelashes exaggerated, and her gray skirt barely covered her thighs. Feeling his gaze, Chi Yin turned around and struck a pose, giving him a carefree smile.

“What? Am I so good-looking that you’re mesmerized?”

“Not really.” Fu Zhi’an leaned back against the fence, squinting as he returned her smile.

“It’s just that seeing someone with the same face as mine is kind of unsettling.”

Chi Yu had always said that Fu Zhi’an’s insincere smile was infuriating. Back then, Fu Zhi’an didn’t quite understand, but now, looking at Chi Yin, he finally got why Chi Yu had always wanted to punch him. Chi Yin, however, didn’t seem to mind. She shrugged and mimicked Fu Zhi’an, leaning against the fence.

“You’d better not get any ideas about Chi Yu.” Fu Zhi’an’s tone was calm, but his fingers, hanging by his side, curled slightly, slender and delicate.

Chi Yin twirled a lock of hair around her finger, raising an eyebrow nonchalantly.

“It must’ve taken you at least half an hour to get here from school by cab,” Fu Zhi’an continued, his voice steady. “No need to come all the way out here to this godforsaken place just to get drunk.”

“I’m not trying to interfere with your life. You can drink, fight, do whatever you want.”

“But leave Chi Yu out of it.”

Chi Yin turned to face him, studying this gentle and clean-cut boy. If he hadn’t spoken, she would’ve thought he was quite handsome.

“So, what, even if I wanted to go find a place to kill myself, I should make sure it’s nowhere near Chi Yu?”

Fu Zhi’an thought for a moment, then nodded. “That’s one way to put it.”

Some people seemed tough and rebellious, but a few words were all it took to reveal how easily they could be pushed around. Others appeared gentle and humble, yet every word they spoke was laced with barbs. Fu Zhi’an was neither—he was just ruthless.

“What makes you think you have any right to tell me what to do?”

“Maybe I didn’t before,” Fu Zhi’an said, noticing Chi Yu’s return out of the corner of his eye. He smiled, “But I think I do now.”

Chi Yu frowned as he looked at the two of them, the tension between them palpable. He’d only been inside for a few minutes, so how had things gotten so strange? Before he could say anything, Fu Zhi’an turned and smiled at him, asking, “You paid?”

“Yeah.” Chi Yu nodded, still frowning. He wasn’t sure how to approach his sister—things had been awkward between them since their last meeting, and he hadn’t figured out what to say.

Seeing that the payment was settled, Chi Yin tucked her hair behind her ear. “I’m off then. You two can continue chatting.”

“I’ll walk you home,” Chi Yu offered.

“No need.” Chi Yin glanced at Fu Zhi’an’s smiling face and waved him off. “Your home has way too many rules. I don’t want to get in trouble.”

As Chi Yin walked away, Chi Yu stood there, puzzled. By the time he realized what she’d meant, Fu Zhi’an was already a few steps ahead. Chi Yu quickly caught up, frowning as he asked, “What did she mean by too many rules?”

“It’s a compliment, don’t worry.”

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