Chi Yu had already made up his mind yesterday that no matter how difficult the path ahead might be, he was determined to walk it with Fu Zhi’an. But it seemed that someone still hadn’t fully grasped the situation.
Fu Zhi’an stood beside him, frowning, staring at the floor as if lost in thought. Chi Yu tilted his head slightly, noticing how their shoulders were almost level. He wondered if Fu Zhi’an had grown a bit taller.
“Let me see your phone,” Fu Zhi’an suddenly said.
Chi Yu hesitated for a moment before asking, “What for?”
“Just give it to me.”
Though reluctant, Chi Yu still pulled his phone out of his pocket and handed it to Fu Zhi’an. The phone had no password; a simple swipe on the screen unlocked it. Fu Zhi’an opened the messaging app, the latest message being a payment notification from the bank. He let out a small sigh of relief as he looked down at the screen.
“We’re not even officially together, and you’re already checking my finances?” Chi Yu teased.
“I wanted to see if your dad had texted you to threaten you,” Fu Zhi’an replied as he put the phone back in Chi Yu’s pocket, rubbing his fingers across his forehead as if trying to ease the tension. He felt a sudden wave of relief—thankfully, Chi Yu’s father wasn’t paying much attention, and things hadn’t reached the worst-case scenario.
Chi Yu leaned against the wall with his hands in his pockets, half-squinting as he said, “You’re really that scared I’ll leave?”
The question was meant to be casual, a bit teasing, and Chi Yu hadn’t expected a serious answer. Yet, the soft-spoken words that followed were clear and distinct, each one making his heart tremble. The hallway was quiet since it wasn’t break time yet. The only sounds were Fu Zhi’an’s uneven breaths and the barely touching fingers intertwined behind their backs.
The sky, hinting at winter, was unpredictable—one moment, the sun was blinding, the next, it was hiding behind storm clouds. The wind before the rain made Chi Yu shiver, but what caught his eye was Fu Zhi’an beside him. His black sweatshirt hugged his collarbone, giving him a clean yet noble look.
As raindrops began to splatter against the hallway railings, Chi Yu instinctively frowned. Fu Zhi’an tugged on his sleeve, half-dragging him into the corridor. They stood side by side at the entrance to the office, watching the motion sensor lights flicker on and off.
Perhaps it was the sudden darkness that heightened Chi Yu’s senses. He could now clearly hear the voices from the office, the tone and words full of disappointed exasperation.
“Fu Zhi’an and Chi Yu are different. Chi Yu’s family is wealthy—no matter what he does, his dad will clean up after him.”
“We teachers are mainly concerned about Fu Zhi’an. He’s shown so much promise, and both the teachers and students like him.”
“But since he started hanging out with Chi Yu, he’s even gotten into fights in class.”
The man sighed, tapping the ash from his cigarette. “Some people are like viruses, spreading their influence. No matter how good a seedling you have, they can rot it from the roots.”
“It’s not that I’m being harsh, but someone like Chi Yu can’t stand to see others succeed. He’s a mess himself and insists on dragging good students like Fu Zhi’an down with him.”
The person beside Chi Yu stood still, motionless, almost as if ready to drown in the darkness. Fu Zhi’an reached out to entwine their fingers, only to meet Chi Yu’s teary eyes. That was the first time Fu Zhi’an realized how bright a person’s eyes could be in the dark—so bright that it seemed like something was about to spill out from within them.
So bright that Fu Zhi’an felt an impulsive, almost overwhelming desire to hug him.
“Mr. Wang.”
Fu Zhi’an paused at the sudden voice, his hand still on the door. Inside, the man’s voice was loud but tinged with exhaustion.
“Our Chi isn’t the kind of kid you’re making him out to be.” The man took a deep breath before continuing, “I hope you keep these comments to yourself in front of us. Don’t say things like this in front of the kids.”
The woman in the room let out an awkward laugh, picking up her handbag as she spoke gently, “Let’s forget about changing classes. Fu Zhi’an is an independent thinker. If we make decisions for him, he’ll be upset.”
“You don’t know—when this kid gets mad, it’s really scary.”
As the woman finished speaking, the office door suddenly swung open, and the bright light inside illuminated the slightly stunned faces of the two boys standing in the doorway.
The man inside hadn’t expected anyone to be there. His previously stern expression softened slightly in surprise, making him look somewhat amused. The woman holding the bag also approached the doorway, a fleeting moment of embarrassment crossing her face.
“Your teacher asked your dad and me to come here,” Chen Yifang said with a forced smile, subtly tugging at the man’s sleeve before continuing, “But there’s nothing to worry about. Your dad needs to head back to the station this afternoon.”
Chi Yu stood to the side, momentarily locking eyes with Fu Jianguo before giving a slight, awkward smile. Throughout the exchange, Chen Yifang had avoided looking at Chi Yu altogether. Her tone was rushed, eager to escape the situation. Chi Yu remembered every time he had met Fu Zhi’an’s mother, she always wore a smile. With an outstanding son and a considerate husband, what was there not to be happy about?
And yet, Chi Yu seemed to be the one discordant note in her otherwise perfect life.
Chen Yifang paused at the entrance of the open-air corridor, fumbling through her bag before returning to them.
“It’s raining. Here, take this umbrella. Your dad and I can share one,” Chen Yifang said, handing the plastic-wrapped umbrella to Fu Zhi’an before he could protest. She then turned away, only to stop after a few steps.
“We’re making dumplings at home today,” Chen Yifang suddenly said with a small smile, tightening her grip on her bag strap.
“Chi, would you like to come over for dinner?”
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