“Back then, blood splashed the window like red rain. The whole class shrieked like startled birds… only Ruan Lin didn’t move.” The short-haired girl, about fourth grade, swallowed. The taste of that memory turned her face pale; she shut her eyes for a long beat, then said, “She even went up and took the teacher’s hand, asked her to keep teaching… I remember it clear as glass… everyone—teacher included—looked at her like she was something uncanny… that look… was chilling.”

“Xiaochan, were you afraid?” Ye Weibai watched her, gaze steady. “Of Ruan Lin—were you afraid?”

The girl called Xiaochan blinked, adrift for a moment. Then a strange light rippled in her eyes. “This might sound weird, big brother—don’t laugh at me.”

Ye Weibai smiled and nodded for her to go on.

“After that, all the classmates and teachers treated Ruan Lin like an outsider… but I thought she was so brave.” Her voice warmed like sunlight through leaves.

“Me… I didn’t have friends in class. The teacher didn’t like me; I always messed up the answers. My classmates didn’t like me; I always broke their things. I—I didn’t mean to… I’m just clumsy… but no one would talk to me—except Ruan Lin. She never avoided me. Even when I ruined her hard-won group project, she never despised me—”

“The way everyone talked about me… it felt like a mountain sitting on my chest. I’m—such a timid person. I study poorly because I’m clumsy; I’m bad at sports because my health is weak… even my mom sometimes says, ‘How did I give birth to such a timid child’—ah… sorry, what am I saying…” Panic flickered over Xiaochan’s face. She pressed her lips thin, saying words crueler to herself than any blade, and her voice sank like dusk.

Ye Weibai held his breath. For a child, hearing your own mother say “How did I give birth to you” cuts like a knife straight to the heart.

What kind of pain has Xiaochan carried?

But soon, Xiaochan lifted her head again. A smile bloomed as if she’d never been hurt. “So—so I truly admire how strong and brave Ruan Lin is.”

“So, I like her. She’s my absolute favorite!”

“…Is she?”

“Yes!” Xiaochan nodded hard, like a drumbeat.

“Thank you,” Ye Weibai said from the heart. “Thank you for liking Ruan Lin that much.”

“No, I should thank you, big brother, for bringing me news of her… she transferred out so suddenly… I was sad for so long. Hearing all this today… I’m really, really, really happy!”

“Then, Xiaochan—though you love that rock-strong Ruan Lin, though you look up to her, I still have to ask. If I break that Ruan Lin—if I crack that seamless armor around her—Xiaochan, will you hate me?” Ye Weibai’s voice went solemn, his eyes like still water.

Xiaochan froze, as if she’d heard something impossible. Her pupils narrowed to pinpoints.

What surprised Ye Weibai was that she didn’t get angry or sad. Instead, the corners of her mouth slowly lifted, a rose unfurling petal by petal, until it traced a radiant smile.

Overflowing with joy, she shot her hands across the coffee table, gripped Ye Weibai’s, and blurted, “Please do it!”

“I do admire that perfect, meticulous Ruan Lin… but I can feel something like gears stuck inside her. I—I don’t know how to name that thing… yet I feel it… something is controlling her movements. I want to smash it—b-but I can’t! But if—if you can break those gears… break that heavy armor on Ruan Lin—”

“Then she’ll blaze brighter than she does now!”

“I—I, Xiaochan—I want to see that Ruan Lin even more!”

“…”

Ye Weibai stared at the girl beaming at him, cheeks flushed apple-red from excitement.

Amazing… Xiaochan.

Only you.

Only you saw what everyone else missed.

Who says you’re timid and clumsy?

In this World—not everyone deserves a heart as delicate as yours.

He couldn’t help but soften into a smile. “Xiaochan.”

“What?”

Ye Weibai leaned in and placed a hand on her head, ruffling gently. “You’re not timid. I’ve never met anyone stronger.”

Warmth tousled her hair, and his words landed like spring rain. The short-haired girl’s pupils pinched thin, then melted, like first snow meeting sunlight.

In one breath, tears rose clear and shining, a lake catching Ye Weibai’s reflection in blurred light.

Never—!

N-never has anyone… said… never has anyone—

No one ever said… I’m…

“Mm—” She lowered her head, bit her lip hard, a muffled sob stuck in her throat like a pebble in a stream.

“Want to cry?”

She fought it, voice hitching. “I can’t—if I cry they’ll call me a dumb kid—”

“No. That’s a narrow mind talking. A prejudice. Anyone who’s never wept after real pain doesn’t know this—sometimes crying takes more courage. So, it’s okay.”

Ye Weibai smiled gently at her. “If you want to cry, cry. Only fools swallow grief and pretend they’re fine. Xiaochan, are you a fool?”

“I—I… I—I’m—”

“Uuu— I’m not— uuu— I’m not—”

“I’m not a fool at all—! Uuuuu! I—I’m not a fool at all!”

“U-uuu, uuuu— uuuuu— waaahhhh!”

Her tears broke like a dam and flooded out.

…

…

“Ruan Lin, have you been in touch with Xiaochan lately?”

Music chimed sweetly. Lights spun like fireflies. The world turned in slow circles.

They sat on the carousel, and Ye Weibai spoke toward the girl seated in front of him.

“Yeah! I keep trying to get Xiaochan to play Wind Continent with me, but she refuses every time! Says she has homework.” Ruan Lin huffed, cheeks puffed like buns.

“Don’t lead her astray. Her grades are already shaky.”

“But we’re short a priest, right? Every time we queue into a battleground with a coordinated team, Xiaobai, you stealth and bail, and I get kited to death…”

“Then run fewer battlegrounds. Just grind dungeons for now.”

“Huh? Only PvE, no PvP? That’s like being a salted fish—s-sorry! I misspoke, don’t raise the hand-chop!”

The carousel slowed, the music softening. One more lazy turn, then it stopped.

The girl clung to the wooden horse, reluctant to dismount. “That was way too short. Not satisfying at all. Let’s ride again.”

Before she finished, her body lifted clean off the saddle.

“W-w-w-what?”

Ye Weibai, already on the ground, scooped her up and set her down.

“Don’t hold up other guests. Let’s go play something else—why’s your face red?” He noticed Ruan Lin’s cheeks blazing like sunset.

“W-why did you suddenly pick me up!”

“What else should I do? Kiss you, then set you down?”

“N-no, that’s not what I meant—hey, don’t suddenly lean in—ahhhh— y-you—you—did you really kiss me?!”

Ruan Lin clapped both hands over the cheek a soft warmth had just grazed. She stared at Ye Weibai, disbelief rushing through her eyes like melted sugar.

Ye Weibai straightened from the kiss, pressed two fingers to his lips, savoring. “Your cheeks are really soft, Ruan Lin. Let’s try the other side.”

Mwah.

“Huh—?!” She didn’t even have time to react. His lips brushed her other cheek like a dragonfly touching water.

“I-I-I-I-I-I—”

Ruan Lin swayed, steam practically puffing from her crown.

“Hahahaha…” Ye Weibai couldn’t help it. Laughter spilled out like bells.

Just then, the amusement park’s tall clock tower in the distance tolled, clear and bright.

Dong, dong, dong… dong.

Seven chimes, neat as stars.

This long day had held—

Ye Fei, who turned [Blank] after losing her brother.

Xue Yutong, who chose to be [Filled] after being bullied.

And now it reached seven in the evening.

Ye Weibai’s smile faded, little by little. He lifted his head to the night.

The moon hid its face. Only the stars burned, cold and sharp.

The night wind rose, tugging his coat hem and hair, tossing them against the breeze.

His pupils held the whole sky. It was as if stardust rode the wind into his eyes, dreamlike and deep.

He sighed.

“Tomorrow… won’t be good weather.”

A pity. I won’t see it.

And there was one hour and fifteen minutes left until Ye Weibai “died.”

…

…