Chapter 24: Heart Moves: Day 4

The sudden voice gave Guanguan a fright.

She whipped around at once, only to see the red-haired girl standing a short distance away, frowning as she looked at them.

“Bei Huai, you couldn’t have timed it better!” Guanguan’s eyes lit up as if she’d spotted her savior.

“You two… are you skipping class?” Bei Huai stared at the girl perched rigidly on the wall, not daring to move a muscle. Her expression was peculiar, as though she could scarcely believe what she was seeing.

Being caught skipping class right to their faces—even someone as unflappable as Jiang Wan couldn’t help but feel a flush of embarrassment.

“What kind of way is that to put it? Aren’t you out here too? That’s skipping class just the same.” Guanguan shot Bei Huai an irritated glare.

In all honesty, Bei Huai truly hadn’t been skipping class this time. Two of her little bros had gotten into a spat down below—a pretty serious one at that—and she’d had no choice but to step in and mediate.

After giving them a good scolding, she’d timed her return perfectly. She was just about to vault the wall back into school when she ran straight into Jiang Wan and Guanguan.

Ignoring Guanguan’s protest, Bei Huai tilted her head back slightly and gazed up at the girl frozen atop the wall. Her brows knitted even tighter.

“Come down.” She positioned herself at the base of the wall and held out her arms.

“That’s right, Wanwan, jump down quick. The two of us will catch you—no need to be scared anymore.” Guanguan hurriedly stretched out her hands as well.

“I… I don’t dare.” Jiang Wan hesitated for a long moment but still couldn’t bring herself to leap.

It wasn’t that she was being difficult; the fear gripping her heart simply wouldn’t release its hold so easily.

Guanguan coaxed and cajoled for what felt like forever, growing frantic with worry.

If they dawdled any longer, the patrolling teachers would show up, and their concert plans would be ruined.

Bei Huai suddenly let out a soft laugh, her gaze helpless yet indulgent. “Jump down.”

In the hazy moonlight, the girl’s features appeared unusually gentle, her usual sharpness softened to a tender edge.

Jiang Wan wasn’t sure if it was her imagination, but Bei Huai’s tone sounded just like she was soothing a child.

“Be a good girl and trust me.” She looked up, her voice quiet but carrying a reassuring strength that steadied the heart.

For a fleeting instant, Jiang Wan felt her heartbeat stutter.

Bolstered by Bei Huai’s encouraging eyes, the terror inside her seemed to ebb away.

She drew in a deep breath, summoned her courage, took careful aim, squeezed her eyes shut, and jumped.

She landed in an embrace that carried a hint of coolness.

A faint, crisp fragrance tickled her nose.

It smelled wonderful.

“See? You jumped right down.” Bei Huai’s voice, laced with amusement, rang softly in her ear.

Jiang Wan’s cheek was pressed flush against the girl’s chest; she could even feel the subtle vibrations humming through her ribcage with each word.

Her ears burned red. Forcing herself to stay composed, she straightened up and put a little distance between them.

“Little Bei, thank you.”

“So, what are you two off to do?” Bei Huai asked evenly.

Jiang Wan explained, “We’re going to Gao Yan’s concert. It’s such a rare chance—we didn’t want to miss it.”

“Alright, alright, let’s get moving, or we’ll be late!” Guanguan urged from the side. She grabbed Jiang Wan’s hand and broke into a run.

Jiang Wan hurried after her but couldn’t resist glancing back.

There stood the girl, still in the same spot, her gaze following them unwaveringly.

“See you on Monday!” Jiang Wan called out, waving vigorously in a final farewell.

Bei Huai watched the two girls’ figures gradually vanish into the night. After a long moment, she finally pulled out her phone and dialed a number.

“Sister Huai, what’s up?” The call connected almost immediately. A boy’s voice came through, muffled amid a noisy backdrop.

“I remember you mentioning you were going to a concert. Whose was it?”

“Huh? Why’re you suddenly asking about that, Sister Huai? Don’t you hate music?” The boy sounded taken aback.

Bei Huai’s face remained impassive. “Get to the point.”

“Oh, right, right—it’s Gao Yan’s. I’m already in line to get in.”

She lowered her head, her eyes darkening. “Tell me the location.”

~~~

The concert was being held at Ning City Stadium.

The stadium was a moderate distance from school—not too close, not too far. Anxious about the time, the two girls hopped straight into a taxi.

By the time they arrived, the show was on the verge of starting.

Everyone there was a die-hard Gao Yan fan, and the atmosphere in the arena was electric with excitement.

This year marked the tenth anniversary of Gao Yan’s debut.

After belting out his songs, he stood center stage and began sharing his experiences over the years—the setbacks he’d faced, the hardships endured along the way, his gratitude and love for his fans.

As he spoke, his voice grew thick with emotion, and the fans began to weep right along with him.

The scene descended into chaos.

Guanguan wailed at the top of her lungs, utterly heartbroken, while Jiang Wan couldn’t hold back her own tears.

Even as she cried, she had to comfort Guanguan, lest the girl strain her voice and end up speechless the next day.

When the concert finally wrapped up, Guanguan’s eyes were red and puffy like a rabbit’s—of course, Jiang Wan’s weren’t much better.

“Gao Yan is even more handsome in person than on TV!” Guanguan was still buzzing with excitement.

“I wonder how long it’ll be before we see Gao Yan again.” Once the thrill faded, a wave of melancholy washed over her.

Jiang Wan smiled faintly. “I think one memory is enough. More than that, and it might lose its pure magic.”

The two chatted idly as they walked.

Guanguan’s house was just a short stroll from the arena, but Jiang Wan faced two bus transfers to get home.

Jiang Wan had suggested waiting for the bus alone, but Guanguan wouldn’t hear of it. She insisted on staying until Jiang Wan boarded, and only then would she leave.

Jiang Wan couldn’t talk her out of it, so she relented.

They hadn’t even reached the bus stop when Jiang Wan spotted a familiar figure in the distance.

Under the dim glow of a streetlamp, a girl leaned against a sleek black motorcycle, her head bowed, a helmet dangling from her hand.

Her fiery red hair stood out starkly against the night.

She looked every bit the tough customer—not someone you’d want to mess with.

“Little Bei, what are you doing here?” Jiang Wan’s eyes widened in surprise.

Her voice cracked slightly from the sheer unexpectedness of it.

Bei Huai’s head snapped up. At the sight of the girl’s reddened eyes, her expression darkened instantly.

She straightened up abruptly, her tone laced with barely contained anger. “Who bullied you?”

Jiang Wan: “???”

Guanguan: “???”

“Bei Huai, what on earth are you talking about? We just went to a concert—who’s gonna bully us there? She cried because she was so moved!” Guanguan burst out laughing.

Bei Huai frowned. “Really? A concert can make you cry?”

She couldn’t wrap her head around it.

Once she’d learned the concert was at the arena, she’d sped over on her motorcycle, only to be stopped at the entrance.

No ticket, no entry.

She’d shelled out top dollar from a scalper to get inside, but the place was packed. After searching forever, she’d finally spotted Jiang Wan in a far corner, utterly absorbed in the show. Not wanting to interrupt, she’d held back.

But the venue was deafening.

Bei Huai didn’t know Gao Yan’s music, didn’t care for songs in general, and had no clue what drove fans wild.

The relentless shrieks from the crowd had grated on her nerves until she couldn’t take it anymore and stepped out.

She’d positioned herself right on the path Jiang Wan would have to take to leave.

“So, Little Bei, why are you here?” Jiang Wan blinked a few times, trying to soothe the ache in her eyes.

Bei Huai’s face turned stern, her voice taking on a scolding edge. “Do you even know what time it is? Going home this late alone is dangerous.”

“But it’s not that late,” Jiang Wan protested innocently, glancing at her phone.

The concert had lasted just two hours, starting at seven-thirty. It wasn’t even ten yet—about the same as getting home from school on a normal day.

Her route was just a bit longer, that was all.

Bei Huai faltered for a second, clearly irked. “Well? Are you getting on or not?”

What had possessed her to rush over like this, worrying about the girl’s safety, only to get shot down?

In her worry, though, Bei Huai had overlooked one thing: her Little Bros had been at the concert too. She could’ve just told them to escort Jiang Wan home—no need for all this hassle.

And yet, here she was.

All that effort, waiting around for two hours… really, it was just an excuse to see Jiang Wan one more time.

“Let’s go.” Jiang Wan couldn’t hold back a giggle.

Teasing Bei Huai was way too much fun.

“Since Bei Huai’s giving you a ride, I’ll head home. Call me when you get there, okay?” After spending some time around her, Guanguan had come to trust Bei Huai’s character.

“Mm. Be careful on your way back.”

Once Guanguan had disappeared from view, Jiang Wan climbed onto the motorcycle.

“So you ride too, huh.”

Bei Huai snorted. “There’s a lot you don’t know about me.”

She’d picked it up just to spite Yun Manzhu, who’d strictly forbidden it. Anything that woman banned, Bei Huai had to try.

Racing didn’t hold her interest, though. After a few goes, she’d lost the thrill and let the bike gather dust, only pulling it out now and then.

“How’s your riding?” the girl asked, tilting her head.

“The kind without a license. What do you think?” Bei Huai huffed, slipping on her helmet. Only her deep black eyes peered out.

She’d been held back a year and was over eighteen—license and all. This was just to spook the girl a little.

But Jiang Wan didn’t flinch. Instead, she grinned. “Guess that means my life’s in your hands, then.”

A moment later, Bei Huai felt a pair of soft arms wrap around her waist.

Her body went rigid on instinct.

She didn’t dare move a muscle.

“H-Hands… keep your hands proper.”

She’d meant to snap at her, but the words came out in a stammer.

“Ow!” The girl chirped cheerfully.

Then she hugged even tighter.

Bei Huai: “…”

She could only be grateful that it was nighttime and she was still sitting in the front seat.

Otherwise, Jiang Wan would have seen her flushed face.

She pressed her lips together and said nothing more, simply starting the motorcycle in hopes that the cool breeze would soothe her burning cheeks.

But mindful of the person in the back, she didn’t dare drive too fast.

With Jiang Wan giving directions, Bei Huai pulled right up to the building in her residential complex.

Jiang Wan hopped out, smoothed her wind-tousled hair, clasped her hands behind her back, and beamed at Bei Huai. “Want to come up for a cup of tea?”

Tonight, Mother Jiang happened to be away at a relative’s house handling some business, leaving Jiang Wan home alone.

Bei Huai snorted coldly. “As if I’d be interested.”

“Oh, alright then. Thanks for the ride home. See you!”

Bei Huai: “???”

Wait—you couldn’t even pretend to be polite a little longer?

A few minutes later.

Bei Huai was sitting on Jiang Wan’s sofa.

“Um, looks like we’re out of tea. Plain water will have to do—make do with it.” Jiang Wan rummaged through the cabinets but couldn’t find any tea leaves, so she poured a glass of water and handed it over.

Bei Huai took it and scanned the room.

The apartment wasn’t large, but it felt warm and inviting, radiating a strong sense of family harmony at a glance.

Her gaze finally settled on the family photo hanging above the television.

In the picture, Jiang Wan linked arms with her parents, her smile radiant and full of joy.

What a picture of perfect happiness.

Suddenly, her eyes stung.

“Your parents aren’t coming back tonight?” She paused for a moment before asking.

“Mm, Dad’s always away on business trips and rarely comes home. Mom’s at a relative’s today sorting out some matters—she won’t be back until tomorrow.” Jiang Wan poured herself a glass of water as well.

She’d been cheering at the top of her lungs all day, and her throat was starting to hurt.

Noticing Bei Huai staring at the flowers on the balcony, Jiang Wan smiled. “Mom runs a flower shop, so she loves keeping plants around the house.”

“That’s nice,” Bei Huai said with a faint smile.

She lowered her eyes, a flicker of melancholy crossing her face.

How wonderful it would be to tend to flowers—or anything at all.

But Yun Manzhu had poured all her heart into that man.

And in the end, it had all been for nothing.