The bustling streets were alive with noise and laughter. Pedestrians hurried past, cheerful voices drifting through the air. Moving through the crowd side by side, they looked just like any ordinary young couple.

After getting into his car, something suddenly occurred to Shi Xing. She lifted her head and asked,
“You were away competing for so long—why didn’t you bring Xiyu to stay with me?”

“It’s too noisy,” Ji Yu replied, lowering his gaze slightly as he placed her bag into the back seat. Then, deliberately dropping his voice, he added after a pause, “I was worried you wouldn’t sleep well at night.”

If the first half sounded like a perfectly reasonable concern, the second half was unmistakably laced with other implications.

Shi Xing was already used to his lack of restraint. Afraid he’d continue saying something even stranger, she quickly changed the subject.
“Let’s go pick it up now. Don’t leave it waiting too long.”

Ji Yu didn’t tease her further. With a low chuckle against his teeth, he started the car and stepped on the accelerator. Not long after, they arrived at the pet boarding shop. Shi Xing quickly unfastened her seatbelt and jogged inside.

Ji Yu watched the scene, the corners of his lips lifting slightly. Taking a long stride, he followed her out of the car.

The shop’s décor was simple, dominated by light colors. There weren’t many pets, but each one wore a carefully engraved name tag around its neck.

The moment they walked in, Xiyu recognized them. Its round, watery eyes widened in disbelief. Tilting its head, it barked excitedly several times, setting off the other dogs into happy circles.

Shi Xing stepped forward and hugged it. Its soft fur brushed against her face, tickling her until she laughed.

Ji Yu gently rubbed Xiyu’s head. Just as they were about to leave with it, a shop assistant walked up and called out to him.

“Are you Ji Yu?” she asked cautiously.

Ji Yu paused, lowered his eyes to look at her, and then nodded.

The assistant pressed her lips together, then seemed to gather her courage as she spoke earnestly.
“My boyfriend really likes you. He used to play badminton too, but later he was in a car accident… his leg was injured. Could you give me an autograph? I want to take it back to him—it would make him really happy.”

She said everything in one breath. Her ears gradually turned red, her gaze slightly evasive, as if afraid he might refuse.

Ji Yu listened carefully. After a long moment, he spoke softly,
“Of course.”

Her face lit up instantly. She hurried to the counter, grabbed a notebook, and handed it to him.

Watching from the side, Shi Xing happened to notice the engagement ring on the girl’s hand. She struck up a conversation, and gradually learned more about their situation.

The girl’s name was Xiao Song. Her boyfriend—now her fiancé—was named Awen. They had been childhood sweethearts. Under normal circumstances, they should have already been happily preparing for marriage. But a sudden car accident shattered everything. Awen’s family fell apart overnight—his parents passed away, and he was left permanently disabled, forced to give up the badminton he loved.

After learning what had happened, Xiao Song’s parents repeatedly urged her to break up with him. They didn’t want their daughter’s future tied down like this.

As Ji Yu signed his name, he listened to their conversation. His expression gradually darkened, his pitch-black eyes unfathomable. When he finished the final stroke, he called out to Shi Xing,
“Let’s go.”

Shi Xing had wanted to say something more, but when her gaze unintentionally landed on Ji Yu’s expression, she froze slightly. She could only say a hurried goodbye to Xiao Song before leaving.

Back in the car, curiosity got the better of her.
“Why didn’t you comfort her a bit more?”

Xiyu, sitting in the back seat and oblivious to everything, barked along in agreement.

A complicated emotion flickered through Ji Yu’s eyes as he spoke slowly.
“No matter which perspective you take, everyone involved is right.”

Shi Xing paused, frustration creeping into her voice.
“So there really isn’t a good solution at all?”

Ji Yu turned the steering wheel with one hand, his expression growing darker as he stared ahead, lost in thought.

The next day, just as Shi Xing finished packing up and was about to leave work, she suddenly noticed Ji Yu standing beside her—she had no idea when he arrived.

“I’m taking you somewhere,” he said. Before she could react, he stepped forward, took her hand, and briskly led her to the car.

As the vehicle slowly pulled away, she voiced her confusion.
“Where are we going?”

“The hospital.”

After arriving, they followed the signs upstairs. The plastic chairs lining the corridor were filled with people waiting for treatment. Now and then, arguments between nurses and patients echoed through the hall. Being a medical professional herself, Shi Xing couldn’t help but feel unsettled.

Ji Yu glanced at the room number, knocked lightly, and walked straight in. Shi Xing followed close behind.

The ward contained three beds. They walked to the innermost one. Xiao Song had been chatting with Awen, but when she saw them, she froze in shock.

“Brother Ji Yu, Sister Shi Xing—why are you here?” Xiao Song covered her mouth, disbelief written all over her face.

“We came to see you,” Ji Yu replied. His gaze briefly dropped to Awen’s leg before he quickly looked away.

Awen stood there stunned, unable to speak for a long moment, until Xiao Song nudged him with her elbow. Only then did he react.
“Ji Yu!”

They chatted casually for a bit. After Shi Xing and Xiao Song went downstairs to buy some things, Ji Yu finally explained the real reason for his visit.

“Do you still want to play badminton?” he asked directly.

Awen let out a bitter laugh and sighed.
“With my condition, even if I want to, it’s useless.”

“It’s not useless,” Ji Yu frowned slightly, clearly dissatisfied with how quickly he’d given up. Then he added, “Have you forgotten about the Paralympics?”

Awen’s eyes lit up briefly, but the spark quickly faded. Hesitant, he said,
“But I…”

Ji Yu saw through his worries and made the decision for him.
“As long as you want to try, I’ll arrange everything—the surgery, the follow-up treatment costs, and even recommending you to the national team.”

Awen was completely stunned. After a long pause, his voice trembled as he asked,
“Why?” His eyes reddened. “Why help me?”

“Because I don’t want to see someone who loves badminton that much being forced to give up their dream,” Ji Yu replied softly, his tone calm but unquestionable.

Footsteps and voices gradually approached from outside—the sound of Xiao Song and Shi Xing returning. The two men fell silent in unspoken agreement.

When Shi Xing walked in, she sensed the atmosphere was strange, but before she could ask anything, Ji Yu said goodbye and prepared to leave.

“I’ll come see you another day. Think carefully about what I said,” he told Awen meaningfully, his gaze lowered.

Back in the car, Shi Xing finally let her questions spill out.
“When did you find out which hospital they were in? What were you two talking about just now? Why don’t you ever tell me anything?”

After her rapid-fire questions, Ji Yu lifted his eyes and glanced at her calmly.
“With so many questions, which one do you want me to answer first?”

“One by one,” Shi Xing nodded lightly, raising an eyebrow.

Just then, Ji Yu’s gaze suddenly shifted. Shi Xing followed his line of sight—and froze for several seconds.

As she was about to speak, Ji Yu reacted swiftly and covered her mouth. The distance between them closed instantly. The place where he touched felt hot. She tried to retreat, but he pinned her in place, leaving her unable to move.

“Shh. Don’t talk,” he whispered, his breath brushing against her neck, sending a tingling sensation through her.

Not far away, Instructor Su and Yu Jing were pulling at each other, fragments of their argument drifting over.

Shi Xing asked softly, “Instructor Su and Sister Jing… why are they together?”

Ji Yu shook his head, his gaze fixed forward, unreadable.

Only after they left did Ji Yu release his hold on her. The night’s events left both of them weighed down with thoughts.

The next morning at work, Yu Jing happened to stop Shi Xing.

“I called you a few times,” she joked familiarly. “What, still not awake?”

Shi Xing hurriedly shook her head. Yu Jing didn’t tease her further and instead shared some good news.
“The season’s wrapping up for most teams. Starting next week, the team doctors will get a short break.”

Shi Xing’s lips curved upward slightly. After days of nonstop work, a long-awaited break had finally arrived.

Just as she was about to say more, Yu Jing’s phone rang. Her expression changed abruptly, and she left in a hurry.

Watching her retreating figure, the seeds of doubt in Shi Xing’s heart grew larger.

What exactly was Sister Yu Jing’s relationship with Instructor Xiao?

Why was Huo Sikai removed from the national team so decisively?

And how had she herself been reinstated?

The more she thought about it, the more irritated she felt. She clicked her tongue softly, sensing that some invisible force was pushing everything forward behind the scenes.

As soon as she got off work, she ran straight to tell Ji Yu the good news.

To her surprise, he already knew. Shi Xing instantly felt deflated. She pressed her lips together, about to complain, when—

Ji Yu pulled her into his arms and said quietly,
“Next week, we’re going straight to Norway.”

She was startled. She had always been looking forward to the trip, but she hadn’t expected him to have everything prepared so quickly.

Xiyu, as if understanding their conversation, barked several times. Ji Yu glanced at it from the corner of his eye and said with a half-smile,
“Don’t worry. We won’t forget you this time.”

Shi Xing crouched down and gently patted its face, already starting to think about what to pack. Then Ji Yu reminded her,
“By the way, isn’t your period due next week?”

She hummed softly, her cheeks instantly flushing. She hadn’t expected him to remember something like that.

After getting her confirmation, Ji Yu nodded and continued matter-of-factly,
“Then leave the rest to me. You just rest.”

Shi Xing couldn’t have been happier to have someone plan the entire trip for her. She simply replied with a soft,
“Okay.”

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