What’s in your heart?

As Lu Qing said, Zhang Heyu absolutely had to learn how to cook. To capture a girl’s heart, one must first win over her stomach.

Thus, Zhang Heyu’s culinary skills were almost entirely inherited from Lu Qing.

Zhang Heyu casually prepared some food in the kitchen, while Huo Chensi played games in the living room.

Before long, Zhang Heyu emerged from the kitchen carrying three dishes and a soup.

“Damn, no wonder you’re our Heyu! You really know your stuff!” Huo Chensi exclaimed, tossing his phone aside as the aroma reached him, flattering him eagerly.

Zhang Heyu raised an eyebrow. “Flatter me more next time.”

“Will do!” Huo Chensi smiled.

Zhang Heyu took off his apron and casually tossed it to Huo Chensi, nodding toward the stairs. “You go get the rice. I’ll call Yaoyao down.”

“Alright, you go ahead!”

Zhang Heyu strode upstairs. By chance, Cheng Yaoyao’s door was ajar, and laughter drifted out, accompanied by a familiar voice.

It sounded like Jiang Ci’s.

Frowning slightly, Zhang Heyu knocked on the door. “Cheng Yaoyao, dinner’s ready downstairs.”

Hearing this, Cheng Yaoyao paused mid-call, glanced at the shadow outside, and reluctantly said goodbye to the person on the line.

After hanging up, she approached the door and opened it to find Zhang Heyu standing there.

“Who were you talking to?”

Cheng Yaoyao sidestepped him and decisively shut the door, shrugging. “Of course I was talking to Sister Jiang Ci!”

Zhang Heyu chuckled lazily. “Oh? What were you talking about?”

“None of your business!” Cheng Yaoyao pouted, then, thinking of something amusing, said with a smug smile, “I was talking to Sister Jiang Ci. Jealous?”

Zhang Heyu raised his eyelids, crossing his arms, and looked down at her.

The air hung heavy for a few seconds.

Then, Zhang Heyu’s slightly hoarse voice came softly, as if casually responding, “Hmm, yeah, a little jealous.”

“You’re jealous? I’m not...” Cheng Yaoyao rubbed her ear, her mind racing. She stared at Zhang Heyu in disbelief, eyes wide.

“Brother, you... you like Sister Jiang Ci?”

Zhang Heyu glanced at her and ruffled her hair. “Kids, don’t meddle.”

To be honest, Cheng Yaoyao was stunned.

“Brother, if you’re not serious, don’t torment Sister Jiang Ci. Please.”

“Am I that bad?” Zhang Heyu frowned slightly, lips parting to speak.

Cheng Yaoyao waved him off. “No, you’re just too much of a scoundrel. She doesn’t deserve you.”

“Watch your tone,” Zhang Heyu warned.

“Then good luck,” Cheng Yaoyao sighed, suddenly remembering something. She turned and ran back into her room for some unknown reason.

Zhang Heyu stood there, pursing his lips as he watched her.

Cheng Yaoyao soon reemerged, looking mysterious and clearly up to some mischief.

“Brother, hold out your hand. I have something for you.”

Zhang Heyu, puzzled, reached out his hand. Cheng Yaoyao placed a strawberry bear keychain in his palm.

“Brother, can you give this to Sister Jiang Ci tomorrow? I want to send her a gift.”

Zhang Heyu gave her a skeptical look.

“This is real, please help me!” Cheng Yaoyao grabbed his arm and shook it enthusiastically, annoying him.

“Enough, let’s go eat.” Zhang Heyu pocketed the keychain and pulled her downstairs.

Seeing them finally come down, Huo Chensi lamented, “Finally! What were you two plotting? I’m starving.”

“We’re not telling you!” Cheng Yaoyao stuck her tongue out at him.

Huo Chensi stuck his tongue out back, refusing to lose.

“Brother, is Sister Jiang Ci really only coming this weekend?” Cheng Yaoyao asked, stuffing a piece of meat into her mouth.

Huo Chensi’s eyes lit up. “So you really got Jiang Ci to be your tutor, Heyu?”

“Don’t interrupt! I asked first!” Cheng Yaoyao mumbled.

Huo Chensi was speechless.

“This weekend,” Zhang Heyu replied.

“Fine then.”

*

No sooner had Jiang Ci finished dinner than she received a call from Cheng Yaoyao.

A few days ago, when Jiang Ci went to her house to tutor her, Cheng Yaoyao insisted on adding Jiang Ci’s contact information.

It was no big deal, so Jiang Ci agreed and told her to feel free to ask if she had any questions.

Jiang Ci seemed to have heard Zhang Heyu’s voice in the background.

Standing on the balcony and gazing at the starry sky, she was momentarily lost in thought.

When exactly did she start liking Zhang Heyu?

She thought it must have been the first time she heard the name “Zhang Heyu.”

The summer she first met him.

After acing the high school entrance exam, Jiang Ci was admitted to Nancheng No. 3 High School.

That day, she returned to her old middle school to collect her acceptance letter and graduation photo, leaving the school brimming with pride.

As she walked out, only one or two other students were leaving alongside her.

Near the school was a game arcade, notorious for gathering a gang of rowdy youths after school and during holidays.

A group was leaving the arcade, cigarettes dangling from their mouths, arms covered in large dragon tattoos.

“The cash’s gone again,” the leader grumbled, annoyed as he stubbed out his cigarette with his toe.

One of the thugs suggested, “Let’s collect some money, maybe we’ll get something.”

“Damn,” the leader sneered, “The students are all on vacation. Who’s gonna pay you?”

Just as the man was about to agree, his eyes caught sight of a young girl exiting the school gate.

He smiled and nodded toward her. “Look, there’s an easy target.”

With mischief in mind, the leader grinned. “A little girl alone—let’s go ‘protect’ her.”

They crossed the street and headed toward Jiang Ci.

Jiang Ci strolled along the sidewalk with her headphones on, passing a tattoo shop nearby when suddenly a dark shadow fell over her.

She looked up to see several fierce-looking men, all sporting dragon tattoos on their arms and necks.

Crack! One of her earphones was crushed beneath a foot.

“Pretty little thing, how about I walk you home?” the leader smirked lewdly.

Seeing his greasy face and hearing his lecherous tone, her stomach churned.

Suppressing nausea, Jiang Ci bit her lip and said, “Please move aside. I don’t need your help.”

“Come on, fate brought us together,” the greasy man said, grabbing her delicate arm. “At least give me a little hello gift.”

She instinctively struggled. “Let go, or I’ll call for help!”

Her soft voice rang out among the group, but the greasy man laughed loudly.

“Pretty girl, don’t you know I run this street?”

He didn’t bother arguing further, gripping her arm more tightly until red marks appeared on her pale skin.

Despite her struggles, the power imbalance was clear—she couldn’t break free.

From their eyes, Jiang Ci could tell they wanted more than just money.

“Either hand over 500 yuan, or we’ll take you somewhere else to ‘play’.”

Jiang Ci frowned, heart skipping a beat.

“Let go, or I’ll call the police!” she pleaded, wincing as her arm was painfully twisted.

“Call the cops?” The man snatched her phone, weighing it in his hand. “It’s already mine. Go ahead, call if you dare.”

Jiang Ci tried to retrieve her phone, but he dodged.

“This phone’s not bad, should fetch two or three hundred,” he said with a leering smile, handing it to another man and reaching to touch her face.

Bang.

Time seemed to freeze.

A ball rolled unexpectedly to her feet.

She stared in shock, watching as the man’s hand twitched mid-air, pain flashing across his face.

“You bastard...” he cursed, clutching the back of his head, then turned to look behind.

In the center of the crowd stood a youth, raising an eyebrow with a casual, carefree smile.

Behind him were seven or eight men, each towering over the greasy man and clearly capable of taking them down single-handedly.

The greasy man recognized them as the local gang leaders.

“Causing trouble outside the tattoo shop?” Zhang Heyu raised his eyelids, glancing sideways with a sneer. “You think bullying a little girl is impressive?”

The greasy man glanced at his two companions and signaled them.

After exchanging looks, he said, “Who do you think you are? When I was out here making a living, you were still in your mother’s womb. Mind your own business.”

“Hmm,” Zhang Heyu responded lazily. “Then I’m definitely getting involved.”

Jiang Ci’s heart skipped a beat as she watched the scene, her nerves tightening.

The greasy man, a bully who preyed on the weak, was suddenly terrified seeing Zhang Heyu and his crew ready to confront them.

“Bro, there are so many of them. What if—” a thinner man whispered nervously.

The greasy man, equally scared, pulled them aside. “When I say three, two, one, we run.”

They seemed to have an unspoken agreement. When Zhang Heyu was just half a meter from Jiang Ci, they bolted.

A breeze swept past Jiang Ci.

Suddenly remembering something, she spun around and called out, “Give me back my phone!”

The greasy man froze, looking back. His gaze passed Jiang Ci and landed on Zhang Heyu behind her.

“Damn.” He cursed, pulled out Jiang Ci’s phone from his pocket, and tossed it toward them.

The white phone traced a beautiful arc through the air.

Before she could react, a cold, pale arm shot out beside her, a hint of tea fragrance wafting to her nose.

The earphones on her left ear began to play a song just then.

“One centimeter apart between your fingertips,”

“The sound of my heartbeat draws closer,”

Jiang Ci tilted her head, catching the boy’s smiling lips in her peripheral vision. The distance closed, warm breath falling on her cheek, her heart pounding fiercely.

Zhang Heyu caught the phone.

His dark eyes scanned the glowing screen, pausing on the lyrics: “Slowly drawing closer, stepping into your heart.”

Jiang Ci’s eyelashes fluttered as a tingling sensation from the nape of her neck coursed through her body like electricity.

“Your phone,” Zhang Heyu said, tilting his head. His gaze lingered on the birthmark at the back of her neck for a few seconds before locking onto her clear, bright eyes.

Jiang Ci was stunned—she had never seen such a handsome boy.

Seeing her frozen expression, Zhang Heyu’s brow twitched slightly. From behind him came a raucous chorus of laughter.

“Hey Heyu, stop showing off and come back to watch the game!”

Only then did Jiang Ci snap back to reality, accepting the phone with a gentle thank you.

Zhang Heyu noticed her ears flush deep red and smiled, his lazy tone teasing, “I wonder if I’ve made my way into your heart yet.”

Those words struck Jiang Ci’s heart like a blow, leaving her momentarily dazed.