Humans really are such wretched creatures.
It takes so much effort to make up your mind, to let malice and despair become your whole world, and just when you’re about to give in, someone lights a small candle of kindness—enough to make you forget all your misfortune, enough to make you forget your urge to give up.
It’s hard to say whether that’s the so-called resilience of life, or simply not learning your lesson.
Why bother lingering in this world? Is it all just for that fleeting illusion?
No matter what, Ye Xingmian felt that she had changed.
She couldn’t say exactly what had changed, but she knew something was different. It felt like something in her heart was gone, and something new had taken its place.
But that didn’t matter. As long as she was still alive, time would keep moving forward at the speed of light along the empty axis of existence.
Everything was silently changing, whether it seemed fast or slow.
She didn’t answer Liu Yinuo’s question. But since she didn’t deny it, Liu Yinuo knew her guess was correct.
Neither of them spoke again. Liu Yinuo quietly supported the injured girl, leading her out the school gate.
The process for requesting leave at this school was a hassle. First you had to call the teacher from the security office, then the teacher had to call your parents. Only after both sides agreed would the teacher rush over with a leave slip, and only after signing could you leave.
But as an honor student, Liu Yinuo was a favorite among teachers and security guards, and with Ye Xingmian’s obvious poor state, most of the steps were waived. The two of them were allowed to leave school directly.
And in the distance, in a secluded corner—
A girl watched the two supporting each other, taking it all in.
Her hand resting by her waistband unconsciously clenched into a tight fist.
Liu Yinuo’s house wasn’t far from the school. She lived in an upscale neighborhood close by. Ye Xingmian had heard about this place from others, but had never visited herself.
Led by the girl’s hand, every time someone looked at them with strange eyes, the girl would step forward to block their view.
There was a strange, hard-to-describe feeling inside her. Even though she was filthy, Ye Xingmian found she wasn’t as afraid of people’s stares anymore.
She actually lifted her head for once and carefully observed her surroundings. There weren’t many people on the street—it was overcast and windy, most people were hiding at home or hadn’t gotten off work yet. It was noon, but there was no sunlight at all; only a sky full of gray clouds above. Instinctively, the girl shrank her hand.
Maybe it was going to snow.
Without a phone, she couldn’t check the weather forecast. She could only guess. The cold and empty streets weren’t interesting, but what truly drew her attention was…
Hands, fair and tender, clasped together, soft and warm, it felt so comfortable being held.
Why is she so nice to me? Does she want something, or is it pure kindness? She couldn’t tell. The inferiority complex she’d carried for so long stirred up inside her. When she saw their joined hands, she instinctively hunched her shoulders.
“Hmm? What’s wrong, are you cold?”
The girl with black hair, about the same height as her, turned around in a hurry to look at her. It was the first time she really noticed those eyes—the color was a light tea-brown, and under the cold light of day they shimmered with golden flecks, like two little suns.
She lost herself for a moment. Realizing she’d spaced out, she quickly lowered her head, her face feeling a little hot.
It didn’t seem like it was from a fever…
“No… I… I’m fine…”
Her answer, as always, was weak and unconvincing, making it obvious to Liu Yinuo that she didn’t believe her.
Liu Yinuo frowned slightly. She was already half-holding the girl’s arm and grasping her hand. Hearing this, she moved even closer—so close that the soft front of her chest pressed up against Ye Xingmian.
“As girls, we need to protect our bodies. Don’t push yourself.”
That concerned closeness made Ye Xingmian feel even more uneasy. After a brief silence, she tried to gently push the other girl away.
“I’m a boy…” she insisted awkwardly.
“Oh, still pretending! You think anyone’s going to believe that now? Hm? Honestly, don’t you even have a bra?”
Liu Yinuo tugged at the front of the girl’s shirt, only for it to be hurriedly covered up.
“D-don’t touch…”
Her voice was a barely audible whisper. Liu Yinuo looked at her flushed face and couldn’t help but laugh.
“What, you still think you’re a boy?”
The girl turned her face away, saying nothing.
“Hey, don’t tell me even your adoptive parents don’t know you’re a girl?”
Liu Yinuo asked in surprise. Thinking over the other’s life story, it didn’t seem impossible.
This time, Ye Xingmian didn’t avoid the question, just gave a faint “mm”.
“How?! Didn’t you grow up in their house?”
Ye Xingmian hesitated, wondering whether to reveal more about herself. Inside, it was as if two voices were arguing—her vigilance against her instinct to trust Liu Yinuo’s gentleness.
Now that she thought about it, ever since the girl moved closer, it really had felt much warmer.
Ah, in the end, what was the point of her stubbornness? Liu Yinuo already knew, didn’t she?
Remaining silent, Ye Xingmian suddenly stopped and looked up at the sky.
The world was empty, and the cold wind occasionally slapped her face. Only the girl by her side gently transferred her warmth. Even though it felt like this was their first day meeting, she realized that most of her defenses had already melted away.
She closed her eyes, leaned against the girl beside her, then suddenly turned her head and casually said,
“Class Rep, can I trust you?”
“Ah? Uh, of course.” Liu Yinuo hadn’t expected her to suddenly ask that, but after a short hesitation, she nodded.
“I see…”
Ye Xingmian showed a slight smile.
“All right, Class Rep. I’ll tell you the reason when we get to your house, okay?”
“Oh, sure.” Seeing her reaction, Liu Yinuo felt like she was about to hear something incredible and nodded thoughtfully.
“By the way, you’re so light—do you not eat properly?”
“…Mm.”
“That’s no good. Let me tell you, girls need to eat well if they want to develop properly. That’s the only way to get prettier and cuter.”
“I’m a boy…”
“Hmm? Want me to tug again and check?” Liu Yinuo slyly stretched her hand toward the girl’s chest.
“Uhh, don’t!” The girl pulled away, waving her hands desperately.
“…”
As Liu Yinuo supported her upstairs, their voices drifted into the winter wind, fading farther and farther, until finally disappearing.
Flakes of crystalline snow drifted sparsely from the sky. It wasn’t enough to really blanket anything, but at least the world no longer felt so bleak—there was finally a hint of winter in the air.
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