Chapter 7: Huai Cheng

The whistle ending P.E. class blew, and the playground instantly fell into a loose, scattered bustle.

The P.E. teacher stood in the middle of the field, blowing his whistle and hollering at each class to put their equipment away. Nobody ever wanted this job—it usually fell to whichever unlucky soul was on duty that day.

Shi Qi balled up her uniform jacket and stuffed it into the side pocket of her bag, then bent to gather the basketballs from Class Three's side. Two of them—one a little low on air, the other worn so smooth its texture was nearly gone—veterans of the equipment room, both.

She stacked them against her chest and scooped up a few badminton rackets from the ground along the way.

Liu Qingqiao helped her collect the stray shuttlecocks into a tube and handed it over. "Need a hand?"

"No," Shi Qi tucked the rackets under her arm and freed a hand for the tube. "Equipment room's not far. Go on back first—save me a spot under the fan."

Liu Qingqiao flashed an OK.

Shi Qi carried the pile toward the equipment room.

It sat at the far eastern edge of the playground, tucked against the wall—the innermost of a row of single-story buildings.

It never got sunlight, and the air inside carried a faint mix of rubber and dust. Not exactly unpleasant, but every time you stepped in, your nose started to itch.

Shi Qi shoved the basketballs back into the rack, hung the rackets on the wall hooks, dusted off her hands, and turned to leave.

At the doorway, she stopped.

In the narrow passage outside, Yu Cheng was walking over with several table tennis paddles in her arms.

She also had a tube of shuttlecocks and two tennis balls clutched against her chest.

Someone was with her.

A tall boy, nearly a head taller than Yu Cheng, broad-shouldered and long-legged—clearly the athletic type.

His short-sleeved uniform was rolled up to the shoulders, baring a stretch of sun-darkened arm. He walked close beside Yu Cheng, his body angled slightly toward her.

"Yu Cheng, let me carry those. How can you be doing this kind of work yourself?" He bent low, reaching for the paddles in her arms, a grin plastered across his face, his tone dripping with eagerness.

Yu Cheng stepped aside.

"Not necessary."

Three words. Neither warm nor cold, but the refusal was unmistakable. Anyone with a shred of sense would have backed off. This boy didn't.

As if he hadn't heard a thing, he pressed half a step closer, hand reaching out again. "Come on, don't be polite. All this stuff—how could you possibly carry it alone?"

Shi Qi walked over.

She wasn't thinking much. By the time it registered, she was already standing beside Yu Cheng.

She bent down and picked up the two basketballs Yu Cheng hadn't gotten to yet, still sitting at her feet.

Then she straightened and looked at the boy.

Shi Qi was half a head shorter than him, but there was nothing upward about her gaze.

Her chin lifted slightly, eyes half-lidded. When the corners of those peach-blossom eyes tilted up, they carried a real edge.

"Didn't hear her say it's not necessary?"

The boy blinked. He looked down at Shi Qi, then at Yu Cheng, mouth opening—but when he met those eyes of hers, eyes that seemed to be sizing him up even without a smile, the words died in his throat.

He stood there for two or three seconds. Shi Qi didn't move, just watched him, two battered basketballs in her arms.

She wore the white short-sleeved uniform, sleeves pushed to her shoulders, revealing arms that were slim but not fragile.

Then he left.

Probably hadn't expected to be shut down with a single sentence—and couldn't find a decent comeback—so he hurried off, pretending nothing had happened.

The passage went quiet. Shi Qi carried the basketballs inside, dropped them in the rack, and dusted off her hands.

When she turned, Yu Cheng was standing in the doorway, watching her.

The equipment room was dim. Yu Cheng stood silhouetted against the entrance, her expression hard to make out.

She walked in and set the table tennis paddles on the shelf, lining them up one by one. Then the shuttlecock tube. Then the two tennis balls.

When she was done, she stood about a step away from Shi Qi. She didn't leave.

Only the two of them left in the equipment room.

Yu Cheng glanced at Shi Qi. Just a glance—quick, less than two seconds. Then she turned and headed for the door.

Shi Qi followed.

She didn't think about why. She had to go back to the classroom anyway—same direction.

They came out of the equipment room and walked along the concrete path that skirted the playground. Passing the flower bed, Yu Cheng suddenly slowed.

"Just now," Yu Cheng said, "thank you."

Shi Qi turned her head. Yu Cheng wasn't looking at her—eyes forward, expression the same as always.

"Oh." Shi Qi slid her hands into her uniform pockets. "No big deal."

The corner of Yu Cheng's mouth moved.

They walked a bit more. The playground had mostly emptied out, just a few students still packing up equipment.

Yu Cheng spoke again.

"You helped me yesterday too."

Shi Qi's steps faltered. She glanced up at Yu Cheng—same unreadable expression—but this time Yu Cheng's eyes were on her face.

"...You mean the mung bean soup? Or the milk tea?" Shi Qi asked.

"Mm." No answer. Just a hum.

"That." Shi Qi's mind raced. She should say, My cousin bought that. Or, I was just delivering it for someone.

She should clear it up, so Yu Cheng wouldn't get the wrong idea. But when she opened her mouth, what came out was: "That was nothing either."

Yu Cheng looked at her, said nothing more. They kept walking. At the entrance to the teaching building, Class Two was up on the third floor to the left, Class Three to the right—they'd part at the stairwell.

Before turning right, Shi Qi glanced back. Yu Cheng was already heading left.

Shi Qi pulled her gaze away and walked toward Class Three. At the door, Liu Qingqiao was leaning under the fan, enjoying the breeze. She waved when she saw her.

"Saved you the spot," Liu Qingqiao said. "What took you so long in the equipment room?"

Shi Qi walked over and sat down, dropping her bag on the stool beside her. "Ran into a guy who was asking for it."

"Who?"

"Don't know. Class Two, probably. Really tall. Tried to help Yu Cheng carry equipment, got turned down, and still wouldn't leave."

"And then?"

"And then I chased him off."

Liu Qingqiao looked at her, her expression saying plenty. She didn't push—just said, before bending her head to her homework: "You've been paying a lot of attention to Yu Cheng lately."

Shi Qi didn't answer. She sat under the fan, the breeze lifting the stray hairs at the nape of her neck—cool and comfortable. She reached into her desk for water and only realized when she picked it up that it was the bottle Yu Cheng had given her.

After third period that afternoon, on her way back from the restroom, Li Wenyin caught her at the corner of the hallway.

"Shi Qi," she said, lowering her voice. "In P.E. today... you helped Yu Cheng, right?"

Shi Qi looked down at her and nodded.

Li Wenyin dropped her voice even lower, as if afraid of being overheard. "That guy's been chasing Yu Cheng for over a month. Every time he tries to help her carry things or give her stuff, she ignores him—but he shows up every day.

Today you said one thing and he left." A look of something close to admiration crossed her face. "What did you say to him?"

"Huh? I think I just told him to get lost. Kind of forgot the exact words." Shi Qi had honestly forgotten what she'd said.

Li Wenyin nodded. Then she looked at Shi Qi and added, "Yu Cheng, she..."

"What?"

"N-nothing." Li Wenyin waved a hand and turned away.