Chapter Eighty

Sun Ying had been worried about him, and now, having made a child worry for his sake, Yu Xingyue felt as though he’d been taught a lesson by her. The more he reflected on this, the more determined he became—he swore he would never let Sun Ying suffer even the slightest grievance again. If Sun Ying were ever in danger, Yu Xingyue would be at her side in an instant, to protect her. With these convictions, he no longer felt lost or despondent.

If he ever encountered his biological father, he would simply avoid him and thus spare himself many troubles. Nothing good ever happened when he met that man—either he’d be asked for money, or, like last time, he’d come home to see him dragging Yang Shuting along, begging for reconciliation. Thankfully, Sun Yao arrived just in time to prevent Yu Chun from going any further.

Yu Xingyue gently lifted Sun Ying out of his arms and off the bed, cleaned up the scattered sleeping pills, and threw them in the trash. He told Sun Ying, “Big brother promises you, I’ll never touch those things again. I give you my word.”

“Big brother is the best!” Sun Ying beamed, unable to resist giving Yu Xingyue a kiss on the cheek. She was delighted with his promise; as long as he was healthy, every day would be a happy one for her. She wished all the more that she could see him every day. Once Sun Yao and Yang Shuting were married, seeing him daily would no longer be an issue.

Still, Sun Ying was uneasy, worried Yu Xingyue might secretly keep more sleeping pills, so she insisted on sleeping with him that night. Yu Xingyue thought her request was preposterous—last time, when he’d held her until morning, Yang Shuting had teased him about taking responsibility. He knew Sun Ying meant well, yet when he saw the tears at the corners of her eyes, his heart softened. How could her innocent sadness be so disarming? He had no choice but to relent.

“All right, all right, I’ll agree to your request. But let me remind you not to wake me up like you did today—with artificial respiration.” Yu Xingyue explained that she should first check if someone is breathing by placing her forefinger near their nostrils, not jump to conclusions—as she had, thinking he’d died and giving away her first kiss for nothing. Sun Ying blushed with embarrassment at the memory, but since it had already happened, she let it go. Yu Xingyue was warning her: a kiss should be reserved for someone you love; between siblings, it was improper. However, since they weren’t truly related by blood, he didn’t press the issue, only told her not to do it again—as if there might be a next time.

To thank Sun Ying for her kindness, Yu Xingyue decided to take her out for a delicious meal that very night. Besides, there was nothing left at home to cook, and he was feeling lazy. Now fully awake, he took Sun Ying out to eat. He called Yang Shuting and Sun Yao to join them, feeling that a family should be together. If Sun Ying wished to see her father, he would grant her wish. In his heart, Yu Xingyue already considered Sun Ying his future sister, and Sun Yao his future father.

Yet, as they left, another pair of eyes watched Yu Xingyue—a gaze full of sorrow. Hearing the content of Yu Xingyue’s phone call, this onlooker felt a sudden stabbing pain in his heart. When Yu Xingyue left with Sun Ying, he was filled with regret, though he knew it was too late to change anything. This person was Yu Chun. He had been waiting downstairs for Yu Xingyue to come out, intending to approach him, but hesitated when he saw Sun Ying. He wondered who she was. When Yu Xingyue called Yang Shuting, he said, “I’m taking Sun Ying out to eat. You two have been working hard, so bring Uncle Sun Yao along as well. After all… I’ve already regarded him as my father.”

Hearing these words, hidden in the shadows, Yu Chun felt an indescribable emptiness and loneliness. Hearing Yu Xingyue acknowledge Sun Yao as his future father stung deeply. Yu Xingyue had once said that if Sun Yao ever let Yang Shuting down, he’d never forgive him; Yu Xingyue truly cared about her happiness. He believed Sun Yao could give her that happiness—unlike Yu Chun, who had said nothing and left them burdened with debt.

Yu Chun’s last hopes were extinguished. Since this was the life Yu Xingyue and Yang Shuting had chosen, he no longer had the right to interfere. He went to Yu Xingyue’s apartment door, wrote something on a piece of paper, slipped it under the door, and left, vowing that this time, he would disappear from their lives forever.

While riding his motorbike, Yu Xingyue felt distracted, as if something was about to happen. Sun Ying nudged him to pay attention to the road, warning that if he lost focus, they’d both end up in serious trouble.

…

Let us return to the morning, just after Wang Chaolin and Xu Yaya had left. Wang Tianqi, accompanied by Lin Zimo and Chen Siyu, made her way to Zhang Yi’s house to apologize to Huang Feifan. They knew that whenever Huang Feifan was deeply hurt, he would seek refuge at Zhang Yi’s place. They didn’t have much hope of seeing him; the real question was whether Huang Feifan would be willing to see them. If not, Zhang Yi had every right to turn them away.

Anxious and uneasy, Wang Tianqi stood at the door, hand raised to knock, but hesitated, unsure what to say to Zhang Yi. If she said the wrong thing, he might get angry. She didn’t know when she had started to care so much about others’ feelings—especially those of her friends.

When Wang Tianqi faltered, Chen Siyu stepped forward to knock, but before she could, Zhang Yi opened the door himself. Seeing the three of them, he was exceedingly cold, immediately guessing their purpose.

“I know you’re here for Huang Feifan, but it’s strange—he hasn’t been here. If you have no other business, please leave.” Zhang Yi’s tone made it clear how Huang Feifan felt about them: he didn’t want to see them. Until he forgave them, Zhang Yi would relay his messages in his stead.

The more Zhang Yi acted this way, the more Wang Tianqi was convinced Huang Feifan was inside. She persisted, “Please, let us in to see Feifan. We know we were wrong—just give us a chance to apologize to him properly.”

Zhang Yi stood firm at the doorway, even colder than before, warning the three, “Don’t make me lose my temper. Huang Feifan said he doesn’t want to see you, and you’re only making things harder for him by insisting. Besides, you three come here all smiles, claiming to apologize—is that sincere? I think you’re being fake, and a false apology will only hurt the victim more!”

With that, Zhang Yi shut the door. Chen Siyu tried to stop him, but got her hand caught. Zhang Yi remained unmoved; this was retribution for how they had treated Huang Feifan. What irked him most was their smiling faces as they came to “apologize”—just like children forced by a teacher to make amends after a fight, grinning insincerely and trampling on the victim’s dignity. That was why Zhang Yi refused to let them see Huang Feifan.

After turning the three away, Zhang Yi returned to the room where Huang Feifan sat, despondent. Hearing the commotion outside, he felt even worse; he didn’t want to hear their voices. They had already hurt him physically, and the shadow of that trauma still hung over him.

Sitting beside him, Zhang Yi wrapped an arm around Huang Feifan and comforted him: “I’ve given them a taste of punishment—only one so far, but I’ll make sure the others pay as well.” Ever since Huang Feifan had been bullied, Zhang Yi’s attitude had changed. He was ready to stand up to anyone who wronged Huang Feifan, no matter what.

Huang Feifan was deeply moved. “Thank you for everything you’ve done for me.” His voice was soft and affectionate, almost coquettish, as if he was seeking Zhang Yi’s protection.

He continued, “If only I weren’t a boy… If only I’d met you as a girl, maybe none of yesterday’s events would have happened.” His words were laden with meaning, not spoken in jest. Zhang Yi laughed, “Yes, if you were a girl, I’d stop at nothing to win you over, even if it meant braving fire and blade.”

A little laugh escaped Huang Feifan. “If I really did become a girl, would you still accept me?”

“No matter how you change, you’ll always be Feifan to me—brother or sister. Even if Xiao Jian and Yu Xingyue don’t accept you, you’ll still have me,” Zhang Yi replied.