“…”
Chi Yao lifted his eyelids, finding her words truly absurd: “What’s gotten into you now?”
Lin Zhexia: “Well, I ate too much at the noodle shop, I’m too full.”
“…”
Chi Yao rarely had a day when he couldn’t out-talk her.
He didn’t want her to continue this standoff with him, so he casually said, “I’ll sleep after you leave.”
Perhaps because it was so late now, after a day of travel, Lin Zhexia was also feeling a bit light-headed, so she instinctively voiced what was on her mind: “You’re lying. After I leave, you won’t go to sleep.”
…
The atmosphere suddenly became even quieter.
Like when something is revealed, and there’s an abrupt silence.
Chi Yao’s Adam’s apple moved slightly as he looked at her, speaking somewhat slowly: “How do you know I won’t sleep?”
The conversation had already come this far.
Lin Zhexia confessed: “That time before, when you stayed over at my house. I noticed you seem to have insomnia before competitions.”
“And yesterday, I sent you a message at three in the morning on purpose. I wanted to see if you were asleep, and you almost replied to me. Even though you only typed for a second, I still saw it.”
After saying what she wanted to say, Lin Zhexia changed her sitting position a bit anxiously, curling up her legs and wrapping her arms around her knees: “But don’t overthink it. I mainly came because I was too bored being alone at home, and I did want to see the sea.”
—Not for you.
At least, she couldn’t let him know it was for him.
Although she didn’t know why she couldn’t reveal it, the voice deep in her heart told her so.
“And, to supervise you a bit.”
She emphasized, “Just incidentally, extremely incidentally.”
She wasn’t very good at comforting people, and after all, she wasn’t in Chi Yao’s position, so she didn’t understand those indigestible pressures. But after thinking for a moment, she added: “Besides, it’s just a competition, it’s not like you have to win.”
The girl’s eyes were bright as she spoke: “Even if you don’t get a ranking, you’re still the most amazing person in my heart.”
Chi Yao looked at her, momentarily speechless.
After not sleeping all night yesterday, he hadn’t felt sleepy until just before leaving.
He just felt very tired.
Some string that couldn’t be relaxed had remained taut.
Many voices constantly echoed in his ears.
—You’ll be fine, I’m not worried at all. Among the six people in the team, the teacher has the most confidence in you.
—Oh, the competition? You shouldn’t have any problems, right? Your dad and I have something to do, so I’ll hang up first.
—First place, I’ve reserved it for you. I, Xu Ting, am fine with just second place.
—…
And even earlier, from a long time ago.
—You’re alone in the hospital, are you okay?
—Your health is poor, you definitely can’t do it. We don’t want to take you.
—He’s always sick.
…
In the past, people always thought he “couldn’t do it,” so he became particularly strong-willed, wrapping himself up, refusing to bow down or show weakness, appearing invulnerable, until later, when everyone began to assume “you can do it.”
Until he was seventeen, it seemed no one had ever told him “it’s okay if you can’t.”
And, even if you can’t, you’re still the most amazing.
But at the train station, at the moment Lin Zhexia unexpectedly appeared, that string seemed to start loosening.
And now, that string felt as if someone had very gently touched it.
A very, very gentle touch, yet it completely relaxed.
Chi Yao felt his throat was a bit dry.
Some difficult, never-spoken words gradually rose from his heart, beyond his control.
But between him and Lin Zhexia, they didn’t need to say much. Some words seemed to be conveyed silently to each other.
So in the end, he still suppressed those words.
He sat down on the edge of the bed, his hand supporting himself on the hotel’s soft, pure white blanket. All the previously suppressed drowsiness washed over him. His voice dragged a bit at the end as he looked at her and said, “So, how do you plan to coax me to sleep?”