After Qing Ye returned to her room, she gathered her paperwork, original transcripts, and documents that Teacher Yang had asked her to bring to school tomorrow.
Xing Wu leaned against the doorframe with his arms crossed and said to her, “Hey, let’s talk.”
Qing Ye found it somewhat amusing – what could they possibly have to talk about? She continued sorting her things while asking, “Talk about what?”
“If you have time, could you help manage the shop’s accounts? My mother…” Xing Wu lowered his gaze and frowned before continuing, “She has no sense with money, loses it all at mahjong, and still complains about having no money every month. I want to start withholding two thousand from her starting this month. My grandmother’s illness requires money at a moment’s notice – letting my mother waste it like this isn’t the solution.”
Qing Ye straightened up and thought for a moment. “Will your mother agree?”
“I’ll talk to her about it.”
Xing Wu’s narrow eyes fixed intently on Qing Ye. She shrugged indifferently, “Fine.”
It wasn’t that she was particularly eager to help, but she was living in Xing Wu’s house. Though she couldn’t say their relationship was particularly pleasant, they did take care of her. Plus, tonight Xing Wu had chosen to stay home instead of going out with his questionable friends. Helping him with this was reasonable. Moreover, after seeing how he and Liu Nian handled the accounts last time, she, as a science expert, couldn’t bear to watch.
But she still deliberately provoked Xing Wu: “What if I embezzle the money?”
Xing Wu snorted, “Then I’d have to thank you for considering our money worth stealing.”
He turned to leave, but after taking a step, he turned back and said, “But school’s starting soon. Will a good student like you have time for this?”
Qing Ye gave him a look like he was an idiot. “You think your barbershop is in Wangfujing or something? With your customer flow, there are only a few customers a day. I just need to check with Liu Nian when I get back each day – it won’t even take two minutes. Input the data, the formulas calculate automatically, and at month’s end, just pull a report. How can you figure anything out when you all sit together at month’s end trying to remember everything?”
Seeing her casual attitude, Xing Wu tugged at the corner of his mouth but said nothing more. He wasn’t as detail-oriented as Qing Ye, nor did he spend as much time in the shop. Only after seeing her accounting that day did Xing Wu realize his mother could gamble away several thousand in a month.
Though Qing Ye appeared indifferent to everyone on the surface, sitting at the cashier’s desk with an air of detachment, she kept careful mental notes, clear as a mirror. In just over half a month, she had calculated the barbershop’s profits down to the last detail. So honestly, Xing Wu trusted her with this.
Why did he trust her? Because Xing Wu believed these amounts were merely insignificant numbers in Qing Ye’s eyes.
Just like the previous night, Xing Wu lay on the couch watching soccer until midnight. Qing Ye didn’t know exactly when he went to sleep; she fell asleep as usual to the intermittent sounds of the television.
The next morning, Qing Ye had arranged to visit Anzhong School with Teacher Yang. While waiting for her on his Little Angel scooter, Xing Wu lit a cigarette. Halfway through it, he saw Qing Ye come out wearing high-waisted denim shorts, a white ruffled chiffon blouse, her hair in a ponytail, carrying a backpack – the very picture of youthful vitality.
Xing Wu glanced at her from the corner of his eye, tossed his cigarette, and said, “Get on.”
Since Qing Ye was wearing shorts today, she didn’t need to sit sideways. After mounting the Little Angel, she naturally leaned back, holding onto the rear seat with both hands as Xing Wu rode leisurely toward Anzhong School.
The high school seniors wouldn’t return to school for another week, so the school gates were closed tight, giving off a very quiet atmosphere. As soon as they reached the entrance, the security guard poked his head out and called to Xing Wu, “Hey, you don’t show up when school’s in session, but here you are during the break? What for?”
The guard was familiar with Xing Wu. As he braked, Xing Wu answered nonchalantly, “The old witch wants to talk to me.” The guard opened the small door while asking curiously, “How did you manage to get in trouble during the break?”
“Who knows?” Xing Wu rode in casually.
Neat rows of classroom buildings stood solemnly silent, with an indoor gymnasium on the left and a large soccer field on the right. Currently empty, the red rubber running track looked quite professional at first glance, which exceeded Qing Ye’s expectations.
Though it couldn’t compare to the European-style buildings of her former international school, it at least looked like a regular public high school. Last night lying in bed, she had imagined a scene from an impoverished mountain region with dirt buildings and broken desks. Given her experience at Xing Wu’s house over the past month, she wouldn’t have been surprised if the school was terrible, and she had prepared herself for the worst.
But Anzhong County First High School’s first impression of Qing Ye was quite decent – at least it qualified as high-end for this area.
When they reached the high school building and Qing Ye got off, she said to him, “Your school’s not bad.”
Xing Wu had seen photos of Qing Ye’s former high school, so he was confused about which part of this school she found “not bad.” Of course, he didn’t know about the more tragic scenario she had imagined.
Xing Wu didn’t go upstairs, just pointed at the staircase and told her, “Third floor, turn right, go to the end.”
Qing Ye looked up and headed upstairs with her backpack. Besides Yang Li, there were two other teachers in the office. When Teacher Yang saw Qing Ye, she stood up and pulled out a chair for her, seemingly taking an immediate liking to her. After all, Qing Ye was fair and clean, with proper, clear features, and carried herself with composure and dignity – she looked every bit the good student that teachers typically favor.
Sure enough, when she handed over her transcripts and other documents to Teacher Yang, Yang Li’s eyes lit up. She looked up at Qing Ye and asked, “The difficulty level of your previous school’s exams must be higher than ours. What was your class ranking last semester?”
Qing Ye calmly told her, “My performance in the final exams was stable, maintaining first place.”
Her neither humble nor arrogant demeanor caused Yang Li to pause slightly, exchanging glances with Teacher Guo behind Qing Ye. The teachers in the office immediately realized that Anzhong had probably received a national treasure-level academic star.
Especially when Qing Ye held her pen to fill out forms, her beautiful and elegant handwriting further impressed Teacher Yang. As a Chinese language teacher, she naturally couldn’t help but praise a student with such lovely handwriting. Even Teacher Guo stood up to come look.
The paperwork didn’t take long, but probably because Teacher Yang was excited to meet Qing Ye, she chatted with her for a while longer, covering everything from the school’s background to class situations, and showing concern for Qing Ye’s life.
Qing Ye truthfully said she lived with her aunt, and Teacher Yang asked why her aunt hadn’t come today. Usually, parents accompany their children on their first visit to school. Qing Ye vaguely said her aunt was busy with work.
She hadn’t told Li Lanfang about coming to school today. With Li Lanfang’s daily makeup – glittery eyeshadow and platform high heels like stilts – she really couldn’t bring herself to introduce Li Lanfang as her guardian to the teachers.
Later, Teacher Yang personally escorted Qing Ye downstairs, telling her that she would be Qing Ye’s homeroom teacher after school started and that Qing Ye could come to her for help with anything, whether academic or personal matters, just like a kind middle-aged woman.
Qing Ye felt that Teacher Yang seemed quite nice, and very teacherly. Earlier, Xing Wu had called her an old witch, making her expect a much stricter teacher.
Moreover, while Anzhong’s facilities couldn’t compare to her former international school, they were still acceptable. At least there was a small elevator nearby, though it was marked “Teachers Only” – which meant it basically had nothing to do with her.
Xing Wu sat on his Little Angel playing with his phone while waiting for Qing Ye. He waited quite a while, but she didn’t come down. He wasn’t in a hurry, knowing the old witch’s tendency to talk endlessly once she started.
As Teacher Yang walked Qing Ye to the staircase, about to remind her to be careful on her way back, she spotted Xing Wu with his crew cut sitting on his motorcycle in the distance. She frowned and immediately held Qing Ye back.
Before Qing Ye could understand what was happening, Teacher Yang seriously told her, “That student is called Xing Wu. Stay away from him after school starts. If he tries to talk to you, don’t respond at all.”
Qing Ye looked at Xing Wu, who was still looking down playing his game, completely unaware of their conversation. She asked with some amusement, “Why, Teacher Yang?”
“Grades are one thing, but that’s not even the main issue. This student likes to bully other students, skips classes, fights, and smokes – he does it all. He has serious demerits on his record. Now in his senior year, if he makes any more mistakes, even his graduation is uncertain. You’re different from students like him.”
Qing Ye had to thank Teacher Yang for such heartfelt advice – she was almost moved.
Teacher Yang watched Qing Ye with a loving expression before turning to go upstairs. Qing Ye walked toward Xing Wu, who looked up and put away his phone. “All done?”
Qing Ye adjusted her backpack casually, then inexplicably stared at Xing Wu with a smile. The morning sun wasn’t too harsh yet, casting a golden glow on her long eyelashes, making her look particularly spirited.
Xing Wu looked down and patted the handlebar, suddenly raising his eyebrows to ask, “I need to go to the county seat. Do you have anything to do?”
“What could I possibly have to do?” After saying this, Qing Ye got on the Little Angel. Xing Wu’s lips curled slightly as he turned the bike around and rode off.
Teacher Yang had just reached the second floor when she heard the motorcycle’s sound and especially looked down, only to see Qing Ye getting on Xing Wu’s bike and leaving… leaving?
On the way, Xing Wu asked her, “What did the old witch want to talk about? Took so long.”
Qing Ye sat behind him, squinting her eyes with a smile as she said, “She told me to stay away from you and not respond if you talk to me.”
“What?” Xing Wu exploded, “What did I do to her now?”
Qing Ye repeated, “Teacher Yang said you like to bully other students.”
“…”
“So you dare to talk to me, aren’t you afraid I’ll bully you?”
“Hah, we’ll see who bullies whom.”
Hearing Qing Ye’s fearless words, a hint of mockery appeared in Xing Wu’s eyes. He gradually increased speed and then suddenly grabbed the brake. Qing Ye was startled and lurched forward, her body unexpectedly colliding with Xing Wu’s back.
Xing Wu had indeed only meant to tease her, as he often did with his friends, but he hadn’t expected to suddenly feel two soft mounds against his back, so clearly perceptible through the thin fabric that his body instantly froze, the light in his eyes immediately dimming.
When Qing Ye crashed into him, she instinctively wrapped her arms around his waist to steady herself, but immediately felt the young man’s tense muscles. She quickly let go, her face instantly turning red, even forgetting to retort, just suddenly falling silent.
Neither of them said much before reaching the county seat, maintaining an awkward silence.
Gradually, the street scenery around them began to change.
Anzi County’s seat wasn’t large either, just one street – walk from one end to the other and that was it. But compared to Zhazha Ting, this was still the place with the highest foot traffic in the county. There were several small shopping centers, a two-story supermarket, bubble tea shops, hot pot restaurants, KFC, and McDonald’s.
Though it couldn’t compare to Beijing, Qing Ye finally found something familiar. This was her first time going out shopping since arriving here. The earlier awkwardness vanished completely, and she asked with heightened enthusiasm, “By the way, what did you come here to do?”
“Buy some parts.”
“Then I’ll accompany you first, and after that, can we look around before heading back? I’ll treat you to hot pot.”
Xing Wu replied with a half-smile, “No rush, go wherever you want to look first.”
Hearing this, Qing Ye didn’t hold back. She headed straight for the shopping mall, getting all her necessities – facial cleanser, lotion, toner, and everything else she needed. She also browsed the women’s clothing and shoe sections. Like a freed bird, her whole being suddenly became energized.
Xing Wu rarely came to the county seat unless necessary. People here were used to staying in their tiny territories since birth, unlike city folks who drove their private cars everywhere for fun. Even when he came to the county seat, he came with a purpose, usually leaving right after finishing his business, never lingering, let alone accompanying a young lady shopping in the mall like now, which made him quite uncomfortable.
So when Qing Ye went into women’s clothing stores, he just waited outside in the corridor, scrolling through his phone, until Qing Ye called out to him: “Xing Wu, help me decide which of these two looks better?”
Xing Wu turned his head at her voice and saw her wearing a cream-colored lace dress while holding another outfit with a puffy-sleeved blouse.
Such clothes didn’t sell well in the county seat. Most local girls wouldn’t wear them – firstly because their darker skin wouldn’t suit the style, and secondly because the prices were high, and their daily lives didn’t call for such refined clothing.
But in Qing Ye, there was no sense of incongruity. In fact, with her fair skin and outstanding temperament, she effortlessly pulled off these clothes with the air of a Beijing socialite. The shop assistants kept praising her.
Xing Wu cleared his throat and said, “Don’t know, you decide.” Because he really couldn’t tell the difference.
In the end, Qing Ye bought both, and Xing Wu finally witnessed the young lady’s shopping capabilities. Everything that caught her eye was expensive, and she kept complaining that there wasn’t much to buy here.
Looking at the shopping bags in both his hands, Xing Wu thought, “This is what she calls nothing to buy? If they had all the brands, what would she do? Buy out the entire mall?”
When Qing Ye was almost done shopping, she said she wanted candied haws. She rarely ate them in Beijing, but seeing them here suddenly stirred up nostalgia.
Xing Wu put the shopping bags beside her and leisurely scrolled through his phone while queuing.
Qing Ye looked at this completely outdated mall – just three floors, with furniture bizarrely mixed in among clothes, shoes, and bags. What an absolute oddity. Yet she had somehow spent half a day shopping here and even bought so much stuff. It was quite something.
This fully proved that if you throw someone into a dark well for ten days or half a month, everything looks appealing when they come out.
Qing Ye didn’t like eating while walking; she had to finish eating before moving on, so Xing Wu stood on the other side, head down, looking at his phone.
After a while, Xing Wu suddenly asked her, “Your dad left you quite a lot of money, huh?”
Qing Ye replied carelessly, “Not that much.”
“Then shouldn’t you be more frugal?”
Qing Ye suddenly lost her appetite for the candied haws and casually handed them to Xing Wu: “I’m done.”
Xing Wu took them, bewildered: “I queued for so long and you’re done after two bites?”
Qing Ye said expressionlessly, “Is there a problem?”
Xing Wu clicked his tongue and was about to throw them away when Qing Ye grabbed him: “What are you doing?”
“Throwing them away.”
“That’s such a waste, you queued for so long.”
“What else can I do? I can’t keep holding them for you, princess.”
“You eat them.”
“…”
Xing Wu shot her a sharp glance: “Why should I eat your leftovers?”
“Are you disgusted by me?”
Qing Ye’s question suddenly reminded Xing Wu of that night when she was drunk and looked at him the same way, pitifully saying, “You’re being mean to me.”
What could Xing Wu do? Could he say he didn’t like Hawthorn? He could only quickly finish the candied haws in a few bites to end this endless conversation.
True to her word, Qing Ye wanted to treat Xing Wu to a hot pot. It was just lunchtime, and Xing Wu had no objections.
But after sitting down, Xing Wu regretted it. This young lady wasn’t eating hot pot – she just pointed at what she wanted and then stared at him without moving.
Apart from his brain-damaged grandmother, this was the first time Xing Wu had waited on a woman like this, like a living Buddha – he was practically feeding her.
Qing Ye ordered a lot but didn’t eat much; most of it went into Xing Wu’s stomach. As they were finishing up, Qing Ye curiously asked Xing Wu, “Why do people in the electronics street call you ‘Sniper King’?”
Xing Wu raised his eyebrows as he put a slice of lamb in his mouth, “Want to know?”
Qing Ye tilted her head, and Xing Wu patted his stomach and stood up: “I’m going out for a smoke, I’ll tell you after.”
Qing Ye sat in her chair waiting for Xing Wu. After his smoke, he came back and settled the bill. When Qing Ye called the waiter, she found out and insisted on paying Xing Wu back.
Xing Wu said indifferently, “Forget it, save your money for going abroad. You think RMB has infinite replication?”
Then he continued, “Didn’t you ask why people call me Sniper King? Come on.”
After that, Xing Wu took her shopping bags and led her to an arcade. As soon as they entered, the noise of game machines was constant, accompanied by the shouts of many young people.
Qing Ye had been to arcades with classmates before, playing claw machines, basketball, and VR games, but after sophomore year she had no time to go out. This arcade couldn’t compare to Beijing’s high-tech ones – it just had some old, outdated machines.
Xing Wu led Qing Ye to the very back, where many people were gathered around the counter. Xing Wu squeezed in first, then turned back to see Qing Ye still outside the crowd. He reached through the crowd and called out, “Give me your hand.”
Qing Ye looked down, stunned for a moment, staring at the young man’s clearly defined fingers, then raised her hand to his. As soon as Xing Wu grasped her hand, he immediately tightened his grip and pulled her in, giving her his spot in front while he stood behind her, blocking the crowd. He bent down and asked, “See the prize pool?”
Qing Ye had been focused on a large game screen and only looked where he pointed after his reminder. She saw a sign on the right marking the prize area, stacked with various prizes – quite a rich selection.
Qing Ye nodded, and Xing Wu asked in a rather relaxed tone, “What do you want?”
Qing Ye turned back in surprise: “Huh? I can have whatever I want?”
She saw Xing Wu give her a slight smile: “Choose.”
Qing Ye turned back and looked for a while, finally pointing at a box at the top of the prize pile: “I want that home BBQ grill.”
Xing Wu was somewhat surprised: “What do you want that for?”
“To have a barbecue at home,” Qing Ye answered matter-of-factly.
“Alright then.”
Just as Xing Wu finished speaking, a guy nearby said coldly, “That’s the first prize. Do you think you can just get what you want? I’ve been here two weeks and still haven’t cleared the game.”
Qing Ye blinked and looked at Xing Wu, who leaned down to her ear and said, “If I win it, you’re grilling meat tonight.”
Then he went to the competition desk to register. Qing Ye stood there dumbfounded, wondering where his mysterious confidence came from.
This shooting game machine was probably the most advanced equipment in the entire arcade, with good graphics. Players competed two at a time, with the winner continuing to face the next contestant.
After learning the competition rules from the guy nearby, with her strong logic, Qing Ye could deduce that later drawing positions were better because earlier players would eliminate the tough competitors while being highly tense, making it harder towards the end. Later participants might even win through sheer luck.
So Qing Ye secretly worried for Xing Wu, hoping he’d draw a later position. But this guy, with his terrible luck, actually drew the first position. Damn, why wasn’t he buying lottery tickets instead?
Originally, Qing Ye thought the beginning wouldn’t be too difficult, but the guy nearby told her the machine had been modified for the competition – it was all on high difficulty. So right from the start, waves upon waves of enemies appeared on the screen.
The screen was split in two, showing the same scene on both sides. Points were scored based on headshots, but even with more headshots, if your health bar was depleted before the match ended, you’d still be eliminated.
The game was difficult because each magazine had five bullets, and players had to manually reload after running out, making them vulnerable to attacks during reloading, easily causing panic and confusion.
During the competition, players had to score headshots while maintaining their health and constantly reloading – honestly quite challenging, testing both psychological quality and reaction speed.
Qing Ye saw the guy next to Xing Wu clutching his gun, swaying back and forth, almost looking like he was about to dive into the big screen.
Looking at Xing Wu on the other side, one hand in his track pants pocket, the other holding the gun, taking five shots then flicking his wrist to reload, casually using his left hand no less, standing perfectly still – he seemed to exist in a different dimension from his opponent.
One-third into the first round, the guy’s health bar was depleted, with a blood-red “GAME OVER” flashing on the screen.
Xing Wu turned back to find Qing Ye in the crowd and gave her a crooked smile, his expression carrying a kind of silent swagger.
The following rounds got progressively harder. By the end, the screen was so packed with targets that it gave Qing Ye a headache – anyone with trypanophobia would probably be done for. Though Xing Wu finally made it to the finals, compared to his earlier casual handling, he was now clearly concentrating, his brows slightly furrowed as he stared at the screen.
Xing Wu was tall with a well-proportioned, upright figure. Though usually lazy-looking, when focused, he exuded a kind of elite quality. Qing Ye noticed his gun-slinging posture was quite cool.
While she was spacing out, cheering erupted around her. When Qing Ye came back to her senses, the competition was over. Xing Wu casually put down the gun as the staff approached him. Xing Wu pointed at the BBQ grill, and they brought it right to him, then raised his right hand, triggering another round of cheers.
Qing Ye stared at the BBQ grill in Xing Wu’s hands, her eyes brightening as she smiled with pressed lips.
Besides the prize, the staff also gave him a 200-yuan membership card. Qing Ye accompanied Xing Wu to the front desk to register and collect the card, where staff asked for his ID number for membership registration.
However, after Xing Wu gave it, Qing Ye, standing beside him, stared at him with wide eyes: “You’re… February 15th?”
Xing Wu glanced at her: “What about it?”
Qing Ye’s bright eyes gradually narrowed into lines, her lips curving into her standard look-down-on-everything smile. She suddenly turned and slowly walked toward the arcade exit.
Xing Wu got the card, picked up their things, followed her, and watched her: “Took the wrong medicine?”
Qing Ye turned her head slightly with a beaming smile and said cheerfully: “I’m February 13th.”
Xing Wu asked bewilderedly: “And?”
“I’m two days older than you, so… call me Sister.”
“…” Xing Wu side-eyed her as she looked like her tail was about to reach the sky as if she’d gained some huge advantage. He ignored her completely and got on his Little Angel.
Qing Ye and Xing Wu were the same age – who knows how Li Lanfang remembered it, or if she’d just said it randomly? When they first met, she’d introduced Qing Ye as Xing Wu’s cousin’s sister, and all these days, Qing Ye had thought Xing Wu was older. She thought it was fortunate she hadn’t called him “Brother” – that would have been such a loss. Who knew she was his elder sister?
On the way back, Qing Ye was in an exceptionally good mood. Though the person sitting in front of her hadn’t changed, his identity had suddenly shifted from older cousin to younger cousin, and that feeling was surprisingly wonderful.
There was a difference between an older and younger cousin. The difference was that when an older cousin did something, he was a jerk, but when a younger cousin did it, she found she could tolerate it – how did that work? After all… he was younger.
Thinking of this, Qing Ye couldn’t hold back her upturned lips, and kept saying: “Little cousin, want to buy some meat later? Sister’s going to grill it for you tonight.”
Xing Wu gritted his teeth, really wanting to do a tailspin and throw the woman behind him three streets away.
So on the way back, Xing Wu remained silent while listening to Qing Ye’s endless chatter, seemingly thoroughly enjoying her newfound role as an elder sister.
Shortly after they got home, Huang Mao and Pang Hu arrived with barbecue meat and beer. Huang Mao excitedly said, “You got a grill? Not bad at all! As soon as Wu-ge called, I went to buy meat. Look at this beautiful pork belly!”
Qing Ye patted Xing Wu’s shoulder and smiled, “Of course! My little brother won first place in the competition. Naturally, he’s this excellent because he has me as his sister.”
Huang Mao and Pang Hu froze on the spot, both turning to look at Xing Wu simultaneously. Xing Wu glared at her before carrying the things to the backyard.
Huang Mao hurriedly followed, asking, “Wait, Wu-ge, what’s going on? How did the younger cousin sister become the elder cousin sister?”
Xing Wu glanced up at him coldly and said, “Shut up.”
Unable to get answers from Xing Wu, Huang Mao ran to ask Qing Ye, who was very happy to tell him: “I’m two days older than him, what else should he call me but Sister?”
So during the barbecue that evening, Huang Mao sipped his beer and mused, “Your birthdays both perfectly avoid Valentine’s Day – did your parents have some kind of grudge?”
As Pang Hu chuckled foolishly, Huang Mao leaned close to Xing Wu and whispered, “I was planning to be your brother-in-law, but suddenly I’d be your sister’s husband instead. Sorry, Wu-ge, if you feel I’m taking advantage, we can keep our relationships separate.”
Xing Wu cursed “Idiot” and kicked at him, but Huang Mao dodged quickly, nimbly moving away with his stool.
Later, when Xing Wu went to the kitchen to cut meat, Huang Mao moved his stool next to Qing Ye and said, “Wasn’t our Wu-ge amazing at shooting this afternoon?”
Qing Ye suddenly remembered something and asked, “Why do people call him ‘Sniper King’?”
Huang Mao smiled, “Because he is the Sniper King – number one at sniping.”
Seeing Qing Ye’s bewildered expression, Huang Mao explained, “This name goes back more than eight years. A big boss in the county held a CS competition then. Wu-ge heard about the prize money and went to participate. They saw he was just a kid and pushed him aside, telling him to go play in the dirt. Can you believe it? Ten-year-old Wu-ge went up and punched the guy, hahaha…”
Huang Mao was energized in telling this story. Though Xing Wu repeatedly told Huang Mao to stop bragging about him, in Huang Mao’s eyes, Xing Wu was the brightest star in Zhazha Ting’s night sky.
Qing Ye raised her eyebrows slightly: “Then what?”
Pang Hu, having had a few drinks, became more talkative: “Th-then, that big brother was going to hit, hit Wu-ge.”
Qing Ye tilted her head: “Xing Wu was ten? How could he fight?”
Huang Mao continued: “They didn’t fight. Staff came to ask what happened, and Wu-ge said there were no age restrictions in the competition, so why couldn’t he participate? The organizers had no response. Later, everyone watched a ten-year-old kid with four teammates fight to the end. After all his teammates died, Wu-ge, playing as a terrorist, sniped three police officers and won the three thousand yuan prize. Do you know what three thousand meant to us back then?”
Pang Hu said simplemindedly: “Y-yeah, Aunt Li even set off firecrackers.”
“…” That seemed like something Li Lanfang would do, making sure everyone knew her ten-year-old son had won money.
Qing Ye finally understood: “So ‘Sniper King’ means he’s good at sniping?”
Huang Mao took a sip of beer and said: “Not just that. No matter what game Wu-ge plays, his ID is always ‘Sniper King.’ He became famous in the country after that competition at age ten. The ones who competed with him till the end were all skilled gaming veterans. After Wu-ge got to know them, he’d sometimes play other games with them, and his ID became more and more well-known.
You might not know this, but though my Wu-ge usually keeps a low profile, let me tell you, cousin… uh… Sister, any game in Wu-ge’s hands is like child’s play.”
“…” Qing Ye side-eyed Huang Mao, wanting to ask when Xing Wu had ever kept a low profile. And which game wasn’t meant to be played? Was it for eating?
Probably caught up in the excitement, Huang Mao glanced toward the kitchen and lowered his voice to tell Qing Ye: “You don’t know, but one of Wu-ge’s gaming friends is doing well in Shanghai now. He’s from our county, drives sports cars and everything. He asked Wu-ge to drop out and go to Shanghai to become a professional player with him.”
Qing Ye knew Xing Wu played games – whenever he had free time, he was always holding his phone gaming. She hadn’t thought much of it, after all, what young guy doesn’t play games nowadays? But she hadn’t expected Xing Wu to be this good. If she hadn’t seen it herself that afternoon, she might not have believed Huang Mao’s boasting.
Qing Ye rested her chin in her hand and said, “I heard his grades are terrible. Maybe he should try going out to make his way then.”
Huang Mao immediately clicked his tongue and exchanged looks with Pang Hu before saying, “You city folks think differently. When Wu-ge mentioned this to his mom, Aunt Li scolded him for a whole week, almost threatening to kill herself.”
Qing Ye asked bewilderedly, “Why?”
Though Qing Ye had never let her grades slip, she believed there were many paths in life besides studying, so she couldn’t understand why Li Lanfang would threaten suicide.
Pang Hu added: “Said, said gaming was, was unproductive, and said Wu-ge, he wanted to dump his, his grandmother on Aunt Li and leave.”
Huang Mao sighed and shook his head: “Yeah, all the neighbors came to convince Wu-ge, saying he was being thoughtless and couldn’t just leave ungratefully.”
Qing Ye’s lips curled coldly in disdain: “Being bad at games is called unproductive, being good at them makes you an esports master. Whether it’s good or not depends on if you can make money from it. Esports is a legitimate industry now, and the golden age for this career is just these few years. If people here get any more backward in their thinking, they might as well go back to pre-liberation times.”
At Qing Ye’s mockery, Pang Hu’s face turned red while Huang Mao just kept sighing.
Later, they talked about the upcoming school start. When Huang Mao heard her homeroom teacher was the “old witch,” he laughed and patted Pang Hu’s shoulder, telling Qing Ye: “Then you’re in the same class as Pang Hu. Don’t worry, let him look after you.”
“…” Looking at Pang Hu’s not-too-bright expression, Qing Ye insisted firmly: “I won’t be in his class.”
Xing Wu came out with the cut meat. Though they’d agreed Qing Ye would grill tonight, this young lady only pretended to grill two pieces, one of which she burned – it was painful to watch. If they let her continue, probably half the meat would be wasted.
So after all that, the grilling duty fell back to Xing Wu. He habitually rolled his short sleeves to his shoulders, standing lazily in front of the grill. Despite his lazy appearance, he grilled the meat well. Huang Mao and Pang Hu could eat it, and seeing them eating like bandit chiefs, Qing Ye didn’t want to fall behind. Almost as soon as Xing Wu put meat on the plate, it vanished in the blink of an eye, and then all three stared at him like hungry wolves. After grilling for so long, he was still hungry himself. At this moment, he realized he shouldn’t have competed in that shooting game and won this grill.
While waiting for meat, Qing Ye rested her chin in her hand, watching Xing Wu. Thinking of his focused expression during the afternoon’s competition, how his whole being radiated elite energy, how each trigger pull precisely hit the enemy, she even imagined if he had been holding a real gun, it would have been incredibly cool. If he hadn’t been born into this family, grown up in this broken place, with his physical qualities, perhaps he should have joined the military, handled real guns, and developed excellent shooting skills, instead of being buried in this small place where even wanting to be an esports player was looked down upon.
Qing Ye had been here for a month now. Though she rarely spoke with the neighbors, she had observant, intelligent eyes that watched the people here every day. She could guess why Li Lanfang stopped Xing Wu. Though her nominal aunt was always loud and boisterous, the reason she could be so domineering around home was because she had a tough son backing her up. If Xing Wu left, Li Lanfang would lose her support and still have to face a brain-damaged old woman – her world would collapse.
For Li Lanfang, half her body was already sunk in mud. She had never seen vast grasslands or broad oceans. Her world was just this swamp, and she had never thought about leaving or changing her life. Yet she seemed to be constantly struggling in this swamp, so before being submerged herself, she desperately held onto Xing Wu. Survival instinct made her unable to push Xing Wu forward, only constantly pulling him down.
Suddenly, images formed in Qing Ye’s mind, and she felt Xing Wu was pitiful. He had unique sparks of brilliance. Though he acted casual all day, he could endure hardship and had a quick mind. You could say he was more likely to find a way out than Huang Mao, Pang Hu, or Liu Nian, yet he was restricted to this dark little place by life’s burdens and environmental constraints.
Thinking of this, Qing Ye gave a bitter, self-mocking smile. Here she was feeling sorry for Xing Wu when she was just barely keeping her head above water.
Qing Ye picked up a beer, about to drink it, when suddenly a dark shadow loomed across from her. Xing Wu leaped over the grill and reached out his long arm to snatch the beer from her hand. Just as Qing Ye was about to glare, she heard him say: “It’s not that I don’t want to let you drink, it’s just that I can’t handle the praise.”
He finished with a meaningful look at her. Qing Ye suddenly remembered how last time when she was drunk, she had praised his buttocks. Her cheeks instantly turned crimson, and she lowered her head, not daring to look at him directly.
She turned to ask Huang Mao instead: “Why is this place called Zhazha Ting? Is it famous for being worthless (zha zha)?”
The three across from her were stunned, and then Huang Mao and Pang Hu burst out laughing. Huang Mao slapped the table as he laughed: “Little cousin… no, Elder Sister, it’s not that kind of ‘zha zha.’ During the war against the Japanese, Red Army troops camped at the stone pavilion behind here, so it’s called Zha Zha Ting (Camp Pavilion). But… your interpretation isn’t wrong either – our Zhazha Ting is the most chaotic place in the county.”
Qing Ye had been here so long and occasionally heard them mention Zhazha Ting, always thinking it was the ‘worthless’ character, and only now learned the name had revolutionary origins. This was an incredible place.
Tonight was truly the most enjoyable meal she’d had at Xing Wu’s house. Before coming to Zhazha Ting, she never knew meat could taste so good. Back home, her mother had to convince her at length to eat meat, but now Qing Ye truly understood meat’s preciousness – at least Li Lanfang couldn’t afford to buy so much meat for one feast.
Qing Ye had just one drink today, just right – tipsy but not drunk. After Huang Mao and Pang Hu left, she helped Xing Wu take things to the kitchen. While he washed dishes, she leaned against the kitchen doorframe, holding a water glass and watching him.
Xing Wu lowered his head and said to her: “Isn’t it hot standing there?”
But Qing Ye answered with an unrelated question: “Didn’t you… say you were going to the county seat to get parts? Where are they?”
Xing Wu turned to stare at her, the stars outside reflecting in his bright, powerful eyes. The alcohol had gone to Qing Ye’s face, and the yellow light bulb cast a glow on her cheeks, making her fair skin flush an intoxicating pink, like a peach.
The tap ran continuously, making a “shua shua” sound as it hit the plates. The moon had quietly climbed onto the roof, and everything was silent. For the first time since coming here, Qing Ye experienced an illusion of peaceful contentment.
She raised the corners of her mouth, her eyelids fluttering: “So there weren’t any parts to get at all – you were just worried I’d get depressed staying at your house and found an excuse to take me out for some air?”
Xing Wu didn’t deny it and kept washing dishes. He didn’t need to deny anything – Qing Ye wasn’t stupid, she could figure it out with a little thought. After all, she had pitifully told him last time that she couldn’t even go out, was about to get moldy, didn’t know anyone, had no friends to talk to, no one to take her around, and didn’t even know where to buy a facial cleanser, not to mention toner, moisturizer, sunscreen – she had nothing…
After the incident with Wu Lao Er, Xing Wu had worried this young lady might become depressed. The night before last, she had cried wanting to go home, saying anywhere but here would do. Who knew how fragile rich city girls’ hearts could be – she might run away from home.
Her mother had ignored her after bringing her here, assuming she was tough like him and just needed to be fed. If Qing Ye were a boy, Xing Wu really wouldn’t have bothered – who cared if she ran away? But she was a girl, and if she did something extreme and something happened, his conscience wouldn’t let him rest, especially since his mother had taken their money.
Just then, Qing Ye’s phone rang. She had left it on the stove counter earlier when carrying dishes. Xing Wu’s eyes slid sideways and saw the caller: Meng Ruihang.