Chapter Eighty-Six

It seemed as though both of them had forgotten about the raindrops, inexplicably launching into a quarrel. What began as an attempt to stop the situation quickly devolved into a senseless argument. Cai Haizi couldn’t fathom why they were suddenly bickering. The sleazy man’s words tumbled out faster and faster, so much so that Cai couldn’t even catch what he was saying anymore; yet it was clear enough from the tone that he was hurling obscenities.

This, Rain Li thought, was the perfect moment to slip away. She decided to leave the rest of the mess to Cai Haizi; she had no desire to become tomorrow’s news headline. Who knew if there were any entertainment reporters lurking nearby? Departure was the wiser choice—besides, she didn’t want to be entangled in rumors about Cai Haizi. So, with barely a sound, Rain Li slipped away while the two continued their heated argument, too absorbed to notice her absence.

It was only as she left the park that Rain Li finally breathed a sigh of relief—nothing had happened, thank goodness. As she stepped out, she caught sight of someone with a camera snapping photos of Cai Haizi. This person had only just arrived too, but had managed to catch Cai and the sleazy man quarreling. Had Rain Li left just a bit later, she too would have ended up on the entertainment headlines.

She hurried away, and about half an hour later, she returned to the Tianyuan Taekwondo Dojo. With the world outside so fraught with danger, it felt as though a pair of malicious eyes followed her wherever she went. Without pause, Rain Li collapsed onto the floor, gasping for breath—she had run the whole way back, a full two kilometers. She figured she must have run at least a thousand meters, farther than she’d ever run before. Perhaps sheer survival instinct had awakened her hidden potential.

Someone reached down and helped her up, saying, “Rain Li, what happened to you? Why are you soaked in sweat and lying on the ground like this? It’s bad for your heart.” He gestured as he spoke, but Rain Li, tongue lolling, barely had the strength to respond in kind.

Still, she managed to gesture back, “Brother Xingyue, I didn’t want it to be this way, but someone tried to take me—so I ran straight back here to hide. Maybe I’ll be safer this way. With you all to protect me, I won’t be as scared.”

“Someone tried to take you? Who could it be? My goodness, Rain Li—does someone have a crush on you?” Yu Xingyue sounded incredulous.

Rain Li shook her head emphatically and gestured, “It’s not that—someone tried to harm me, to take my body. Luckily, someone helped me escape, so I ran back here to catch my breath. That person won’t know I’m here.”

To make herself clearer, Rain Li pulled out her phone and typed a long message, sending it to Yu Xingyue. When he received it, he realized it was the longest message she’d ever sent—between five hundred and a thousand words. She had written out the whole complicated incident in detail, making it easier for Yu Xingyue to understand everything that had transpired.

After digesting the full story, Yu Xingyue smiled. So Rain Li had been summoned by a director to be a martial arts instructor and had met a celebrity named Cai Haizi. When Yu Xingyue heard the surname Cai, he almost burst out laughing, but quickly composed himself. Like Rain Li, he had no fondness for the entertainment industry’s stars, thinking they were all about showing off and competing for popularity. The more followers, the more money—simple as that.

Yu Xingyue knew a bit about Cai Haizi—singer and actor, recently debuted in the entertainment industry. If this guy were to star in one of those old wartime dramas, Yu thought, no one would watch it; people would rather see the classics than today’s shows, where the acting is mediocre at best—not terrible, but with plenty of room for improvement.

Rain Li gestured to Yu Xingyue, her meaning clear: “Brother Xingyue, why do we have fewer group gatherings lately? Isn’t the pandemic supposed to be over soon? Why won’t everyone get together again?”

Yu Xingyue replied in sign, “The pandemic situation has improved, but the coach still wants us to stay at home and wait. Recently, I heard from Zhang Yi that Huang Feifan was humiliated by Wang Tianqi, Chen Siyu, and Lin Zimo, so their relationships have soured. Maybe, given time, things will return to normal, and I hope they’ll reconcile.”

Understanding now, Rain Li could only feel helpless—so much had happened lately. Even just these scraps of gossip from Yu Xingyue were enough for her to deduce the current mood of the Tianyuan Team.

Perhaps it was the exhaustion from her run, but she quickly fell asleep, leaning on Yu Xingyue’s shoulder. For a split second, Yu Xingyue thought she’d fainted and almost called emergency services, only to realize she was just asleep.

Gently, he laid Rain Li out on the bench, placing a sandbag under her head for a pillow. The soft rustling of sand accompanied her now steady breathing as she slept.

Yu Xingyue looked around the empty dojo; with only Rain Li and himself there, he felt a strange sadness. It was just a temporary separation, but his heart was inexplicably heavy. If the new Tianyuan Team were to disband, it would be no different from what had happened back then.

Suddenly, he heard someone entering from outside and tensed. Only the coach or teammates could get in, but Yu Xingyue’s instincts told him this newcomer was not from Tianyuan. Their presence felt unfamiliar, as if they had scaled the wall to get in. Yu Xingyue prepared himself for a confrontation with this unwelcome guest.

Before he could go out to investigate, the person entered directly. Without a word, he rushed at Yu Xingyue upon seeing Rain Li. Yu Xingyue’s heart jolted—he kicked the man away and barked, “Who are you? Coming to Tianyuan is a death wish!”

Perhaps intimidated by Yu Xingyue’s imposing aura, the man stammered, “Sorry, I didn’t know this was Tianyuan. I saw Miss Rain Li here and wanted to take her out.”

“Didn’t know this was Tianyuan?” Yu Xingyue found this laughable. The sign outside clearly stated it was the Tianyuan Taekwondo Dojo, and yet this man claimed ignorance? And now he wanted to take Rain Li away—clearly, this was not a simple matter.

The man continued, “I might as well be honest with you. I came here to see Rain Li. I know she can’t speak, but I have many questions I want to ask her privately. Could you give us some privacy?”

Yu Xingyue snorted, “You expect me to just do as you say? What, do you think you’re a king? I’m telling you, Rain Li is resting and you’re not to disturb her. If you try, you’ll have to deal with me at my full strength.”

At first the man didn’t believe him, but then, confronted by Yu Xingyue’s steely gaze and the palpable menace in his demeanor, he broke into a cold sweat. How could a fifteen-year-old exude such overwhelming pressure?

He didn’t even know Yu Xingyue’s age, assuming he was just a boy of fourteen or fifteen. Yet under such oppressive force, he relented, conceding to Yu Xingyue’s declaration that Rain Li needed rest. As he prepared to leave, Yu Xingyue stopped him.

“Did I say you could go?” Yu Xingyue blocked his exit. While this might count as trespassing in a home, here in the dojo it was ambiguous—but trying to take Rain Li was suspiciously close to kidnapping.

The man looked baffled. “I can’t leave? I’m not disturbing Rain Li at all—what more do you want? If you come any closer, I won’t be so polite!” He tried to threaten Yu Xingyue, raising his fists as if ready to fight, but his stance was all wrong—it was obvious he’d never been in a real fight. Noting his weakness, Yu Xingyue became even more domineering.

But as Yu Xingyue studied the man’s face, he suddenly recalled a celebrity from the entertainment world. “You look a lot like that guy, Cai Haizi. Are you his impersonator? You really are a dead ringer.” With that, Yu Xingyue pinched the man’s cheek.

This was none other than Cai Haizi himself. When Yu Xingyue recognized him, a mischievous idea took root in his mind. He pretended not to know him and decided to have a little fun at this celebrity’s expense, starting with the cheek pinch.

Cai Haizi brushed off Yu Xingyue’s hand, rubbing his own face. “Hey! Is that any way to treat someone? I warn you, if you mess up my face, my fans won’t let you off.”

“Don’t think you can do whatever you want just because you look like Cai Haizi,” Yu Xingyue taunted. “That Cai Haizi—does he have fans? I thought they were all haters. Honestly, I’d rather see him get roasted by haters until he’s left speechless. That would be satisfying—hahaha!” Yu Xingyue’s laughter was wild and unrestrained.

Cai Haizi’s heart ached. As Yu Xingyue said, he didn’t have many true fans—mostly just a sea of detractors. He was used to it—accused of acting like a girl, being effeminate, wearing makeup. He’d heard it all. But Yu Xingyue’s words still managed to sap his confidence, leaving him feeling utterly defeated.