Maybe there was such an occasion.
While doing her homework, Lin Zhexia received several messages from Chen Lin.
Chen Lin: I’m so sorry QAQ!
Chen Lin: I feel bad about involving you and Chi Yao.
Chen Lin: Sorry, sorry, sorry!
Chen Lin: I’ve deleted my forum account. From today on, I’ll study hard and turn over a new leaf.
Lin Zhexia replied with a “pat head” emoji.
After replying, she put her phone aside, wanting to concentrate on her assignment, but she couldn’t help recalling the scene of Chi Yao fighting.
But what made that scene linger in her mind wasn’t the “fight” itself.
Many conversations gradually surfaced in her ears.
These words started with “Do you know Chi Yao?”
“He’s very famous.”
“Wondering who caused such a commotion—oh, Chi Yao? Never mind then.”
“He was already famous at school before.”
“…”
Time seemed to flash and shuttle back and forth before her eyes.
There were memories from many years ago.
“His health was poor, going to the hospital every few days…”
“He couldn’t hold a ball.”
“He was always sick, couldn’t play with us.”
“…”
Then, the sickly boy she once protected behind her gradually overlapped with today’s Chi Yao, who protected her during the fight.
Lin Zhexia put down her pen, resting her chin on her sleeve. She could still smell that clean scent of laundry detergent from the hurried evening, lingering at the tip of her nose, refusing to dissipate.
Only then did she suddenly realize that since school started, the Chi Yao others saw was somewhat different from the Chi Yao she had always known.
This difference stemmed from her being too familiar with him, which ironically prevented her from noticing his changes.
That’s why she found the forum descriptions confusing.
That’s why she couldn’t empathize.
It was because the Chi Yao she knew as a child was very different from now.
…
So she only now discovered that Chi Yao was no longer the “sickly boy” she had grown accustomed to.
Only today did she come to know him anew.
A strange yet familiar new Chi Yao.
Before bed that night, she couldn’t resist clicking on the cat’s head profile picture.
[You patted ‘Chi Dog’]
Lin Zhexia wanted to ask, “Are you still angry?”
But Chi Yao misunderstood the meaning of this pat.
Chi Dog: Can’t sleep?
Lin Zhexia hesitantly replied: …Mm.
After a while, he sent a message:
Even if you dream of six thugs, I could beat them all.
Lin Zhexia realized he thought she couldn’t sleep because she was scared from the day’s events, afraid of having nightmares.
She held her phone, turning over in bed.
She typed back: What if I dream of sixty?
This time, the other side took a moment to reply:
Then you can experience-
What it feels like to be beaten to death