The next evening, when Shi Xing arrived at the alley again, the familiar figure waiting for her wasn’t just Chen Jiayu—yesterday’s orange cat had returned as well.

Before she could even get out of the car, Chen Jiayu walked toward her, and the cat hurriedly followed.

“You’re early today,” he remarked, tossing her a blanket. “You’re dressed too lightly. It’s windy here—wrap this around you.”

Without giving her a chance to refuse, he turned and walked inside.

On the way back to his house, there was a slight distance between them. Chen Jiayu noticed it, pursed his lips, and deliberately moved a little closer. Yet, when he approached, Shi Xing subtly stepped aside. For a moment, an awkward tension hung between them, long absent but now unmistakable.

Finally, Chen Jiayu broke the silence. “Did you remember all the points we practiced last night?”

Shi Xing nodded and pulled out the notes she had prepared. Her pages were filled with meticulous writing, some sections illustrated with diagrams.

He raised an eyebrow, feigning casualness. “That serious?”

She responded with a quiet “Mm,” eyes focused straight ahead, quickening her pace.

Upon entering his home, they saw Chen Hanming reclining leisurely in a rocking chair, swinging his legs.

“You’re here,” he remarked without lifting his gaze.

Shi Xing stepped inside first, glancing around the empty space. “Teacher, what are we practicing today?”

Chen Hanming fiddled with a string of beads, yawning lazily. “Continue from last night. Have Chen Jiayu bring the human model over.”

Shi Xing froze. A human model? Why had Chen Jiayu been the demonstration last night?

Before she could dwell on it, Chen Jiayu chuckled and went inside to fetch a life-sized model.

“Let’s begin,” Chen Hanming said, nodding slightly toward her while still reclining.

Following her memory from the previous night, Shi Xing first located the second lumbar vertebra, then inserted needles one inch to either side of the spine.

Chen Jiayu squatted beside her, carefully observing, occasionally adjusting the model to make her movements easier.

Night deepened, and the cold wind brushed against their faces, adding a slight chill. Neither noticed the lone figure quietly standing outside.

Ji Yu pursed his lips, watching the scene before him, a self-deprecating smile tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Then Chen Jiayu seemed to notice him, glancing out briefly. Their eyes met, and Chen Jiayu deliberately shielded Shi Xing from Ji Yu’s view, a playful yet provocative smile on his face.

When Chen Hanming finally stood to continue the lesson, Chen Jiayu stepped outside and found Ji Yu standing under the streetlamp. His usual sharpness was dimmed, his eyes shadowed.

“I wondered who it was. You’ve come all this way—why not come in?” Chen Jiayu asked, lighting a cigarette, his tone feignedly kind.

“Not interested,” Ji Yu replied coolly, giving him a sharp glance.

Chen Jiayu chuckled lightly. “Not interested, or just scared?” He leaned back, taking a slow drag. “Afraid that if you go in, the outcome won’t match what you expect, and you can’t handle it?”

A string of pointed questions followed.

Ji Yu’s gaze grew cold, his lips curling in disdain. “Just you?”

Chen Jiayu didn’t get ruffled. Tilting his head back, he smirked. “If you really think I’m nothing to fear, then why would you rather stand outside so long instead of stepping in to ask her a single question?”

Ji Yu’s expression softened slightly, his thoughts stirred.

“Because you’re afraid. You’re no longer the champion everyone adored. Think about it—your badminton team must have plenty of new talents by now. How much longer can you last? Someone who quits at the first round of a tournament—just a loser, that’s all.” Chen Jiayu didn’t spare him at all.

“She’s still with you because she feels responsible. Put it another way, even if you weren’t around, she wouldn’t break up. But if I were you, I’d let her go sooner rather than dragging her down.” He exhaled a ring of smoke, his gaze taunting.

Ji Yu’s fingers clenched, the tension between them thickening, the air itself almost solid.

He couldn’t help but think over Chen Jiayu’s words, staring at the ground in deep thought.

By the time Chen Jiayu returned inside, Shi Xing had nearly finished practicing her acupuncture. She crouched down to pet the orange cat, smiling at Chen Hanming as she said goodbye.

“Leaving?” Chen Jiayu asked, shaking the blanket from his shoulders.

“You were smoking?” Shi Xing wrinkled her nose slightly at the scent.

He raised an eyebrow, surprised she’d noticed.

“Want me to walk you back?” he offered, grabbing his car keys.

“No need. A friend’s picking me up today,” she politely declined.

Chen Jiayu chuckled incredulously. “At least let me see you to the alley?”

This time Shi Xing didn’t refuse. Outside, Ying Xiaoxiao was already waiting. She hurried over, Chen Jiayu glancing in surprise but falling into step, greeting Ying Xiaoxiao.

As Shi Xing and Ying Xiaoxiao left, Ying Xiaoxiao teased her. “So I’m your stand-in boyfriend now? Every night you’ll have me escorting you home?”

Shi Xing nudged her arm playfully. “I knew you’d look out for me. When I finish learning from Teacher Chen, I’ll take you out to eat.”

“Let’s see your notes,” Ying Xiaoxiao said, pulling the notebook from her bag. “You’ve been more diligent than in class!”

“Of course! You can’t waste a lesson from such a renowned teacher,” Shi Xing said with a rare smile.

Ying Xiaoxiao glanced at her knowingly. “I don’t think that’s the only reason.”

Shi Xing blushed, snatching back her notebook. “Not sharing with you anymore!”

Ying Xiaoxiao stopped teasing, a more serious expression forming. “Ji Yu doesn’t know you came here, does he?”

Shi Xing paused. She had deliberately avoided Ji Yu for the past few days, fearing that if he knew Chen Jiayu was Teacher Chen’s son, he might misunderstand again.

She shook her head confidently. “Don’t worry.”

Once Ying Xiaoxiao dropped her home, Shi Xing lay on her bed and checked her phone. Ji Yu’s last message was still asking where she was.

She quickly typed a reply but didn’t receive an immediate response. She assumed he was busy.

The next morning at work, she discovered Ji Yu wasn’t in the rehab room.

When she asked Xie He, he looked puzzled. “I thought you knew… I was just about to ask you.”

A bad feeling settled in Shi Xing’s chest. After work, she rushed to Ji Yu’s house, only to find the door firmly shut. She pressed the doorbell, called multiple times—no answer.

The last time she saw this scene was during Ji Yu’s hospitalization. Was another crisis looming?

Before she could think further, the door opened. Ji Yu looked at her, slightly surprised, then quickly composed himself.

“You came here?” he asked calmly.

“I called you… you didn’t answer,” Shi Xing said anxiously.

Ji Yu exhaled softly, a helpless smile on his face. “My phone got broken by Xi Yu. I was about to get it repaired.”

Noticing his pale expression, Shi Xing placed a hand on his forehead—he had a fever.

She guided him inside. “It’s so cold outside. You just wore pajamas. No wonder you’re sick.”

Despite her words, she began rummaging through the medicine cabinet.

Ji Yu couldn’t help but smile faintly at her diligence.

Shi Xing found the fever medicine she had previously stored, poured a cup of hot water, and handed it to him.

Ji Yu lay on the sofa, his pajama collar slightly open, revealing his broad chest. He swallowed the medicine with a roll of his throat.

“You didn’t reply to my message yesterday,” he murmured, eyes flicking down, tone ambiguous.

Shi Xing paused, then said shyly, “I was too busy yesterday.”

“Mm. I know. That’s why I came to find you later,” he admitted honestly.

A flicker of surprise crossed her face. That meant…

“I saw you at Chen Jiayu’s house. He said a lot to me.”

He didn’t continue, but Shi Xing understood. Chen Jiayu hadn’t stepped outside just to smoke—he had seen Ji Yu.

She bit her lip, worried he might misunderstand again.

Instead, Ji Yu looked at her earnestly. “But I only want to hear from you.”

Shi Xing breathed a sigh of relief, taking out the notes she had kept these past days. She placed them before him, explaining sincerely: “I’ve been busy because there’s a teacher at our school who’s excellent at acupuncture for back injuries. I really wanted to learn from him.”

Ji Yu’s expression softened. He took the notebook, seeing the careful detail in her writing, recognizing her effort.

“I truly didn’t know he was Teacher Chen’s son. I didn’t tell you before because I didn’t want you to misunderstand, but…”

“Still, I misunderstood,” he said softly.

Shi Xing nodded, settling beside him and resting her head in his arms.

💝 Support the Team

April0427

✍️ Translator

💙 PayPal