Chapter 16

Tang Tianman gazed at the back in front of her, grinning from ear to ear.

Zheng Xiyu’s piggyback stance while squatting was actually pretty awkward. Tang Tianman glanced left and right; several passing students had shot curious looks their way.

She gave Zheng Xiyu’s back a playful slap, feeling like certain urges of hers had been thoroughly satisfied.

“Okay, enough already—it’s the middle of the day,” she grumbled. “So embarrassing.”

Zheng Xiyu waved a hand at her. “No worries. Whenever someone on the team gets hurt, I’m always the one carrying them up and down the stairs.”

Tang Tianman’s good mood soured in an instant.

“Who?” she asked after a moment.

“Chun’er, our team’s libero.”

Tang Tianman swung another playful slap at Zheng Xiyu’s back. “How tall’s your libero?”

Zheng Xiyu twisted around. “165.”

“Oh.” Tang Tianman stood up. “Let’s go eat.”

Zheng Xiyu hurried to catch up.

They hadn’t gone more than a few steps before Tang Tianman glanced back at her. “The libero’s the shortest on the team, right?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zheng Xiyu nodded.

“Then why’s she still way taller than me?”

Zheng Xiyu burst out laughing. “We’re athletes. We’re not like regular people.”

Tang Tianman jabbed a thumb at herself. “I’m not regular. Regular people aren’t this short.”

“Regular people aren’t as pretty as you, either,” Zheng Xiyu said.

“Fuck…” Tang Tianman was stunned.

She strode ahead with swinging legs, then whipped her head around again after a bit. “Everyone on your team’s pretty tall, huh?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“And Chun’er’s the shortest, right?”

“Mm-hmm.”

“You guys must all spoil her rotten,” Tang Tianman said, hopping once for emphasis. “I saw it in matches—before they sub in, they do high-fives, and the libero always has to jump for it.”

“Yeah.”

“Demonstrate for me.” She spread her hands. “Arms out.”

Zheng Xiyu raised her hands into position.

Tang Tianman hopped up for the high-five—and missed.

“Fuck…” Her face darkened. “Again.”

Zheng Xiyu lowered her hands a little.

This time, one hand connected while the other sailed wide.

“Fuck, fuck, fuck…” Tang Tianman spun in circles, trying a few more jumps. “One more!”

Zheng Xiyu dropped her hands a bit more.

They connected this time, but Tang Tianman had put too much force into it. Her fingers stung the instant their palms met. “Ow…”

Her eyebrows scrunched up like a pair of fuzzy caterpillars.

Zheng Xiyu took her hand, unfurled the fingers to inspect it, and rubbed gently. “Don’t hit so hard.”

Tang Tianman’s palm was already bright red. She huffed in annoyance. “I’m such a total noob.”

“You’re great,” Zheng Xiyu said, giving her palm a squeeze. “So soft.”

Tang Tianman yanked her hand back and hid it behind her, her emotions all tangled up.

She walked on for a stretch, her mood still complicated, before coming to another abrupt stop.

This time the brakes were so sudden that Zheng Xiyu nearly bumped into her.

“You’re heading to training later, right?” Tang Tianman asked.

“Yeah.”

“You said friends don’t hide stuff from each other—that we have to open up, right?”

“Yeah.”

“I don’t feel like having lunch with you right now.” She stared intently at Zheng Xiyu. “After training’s done, we’ll grab some late-night snacks.”

“Why?”

“No reason.” Tang Tianman scowled. “You don’t try to guess a short girl’s thoughts. You won’t figure it out no matter how hard you try.”

Zheng Xiyu smiled. “Okay.”

The two parted ways there. Tang Tianman skipped lunch altogether and headed straight back to the dorm.

Ruan Ruan had left well before her, but there was no sign of her now. Li Tong, as usual, was sprawled out on her bed—either reading or napping.

Tang Tianman plopped down at her desk and zoned out for a while. She pulled up a volleyball match video on a whim, but three minutes in, her mind had wandered off. By the end, she had no idea what she’d even watched.

She shut down the computer and clambered up to Li Tong’s bunk, yanking open the curtain. “Tongzi, I’ve got a question for you.”

Li Tong poked her head out from under the covers. “Shoot.”

“You ever get upset that I’m glued to Ruan Ruan all day?”

Li Tong let out a string of hehes.

“What’s so funny?” Tang Tianman glared at her.

Li Tong counted off on her fingers with exaggerated mystery. “You’ve asked me that at least ten times—and all back in the first half of our freshman year. It’s been forever since the last time, and now you bring it up out of nowhere. You really after the answer, or…?”

Tang Tianman: “…”

“Spill it,” Li Tong said. “What’d Zheng Xiyu do this time?”

Tang Tianman climbed back down and ignored her.

She skipped dinner too, saving room for those late-night snacks.

Once the waiting started, time seemed to stretch out forever, crawling at a snail’s pace.

Tang Tianman kept snatching up her phone to check the time. She decided the school volleyball team’s training schedule was downright sadistic.

Finally, at 9:50 p.m., Zheng Xiyu’s message popped up.

-Training’s wrapping up soon. Where we going?

Tang Tianman hammered out her reply so fast she nearly set the phone buzzing:

-Don’t move don’t move don’t move, I’m coming to you.

-Okay.

Zheng Xiyu was always so agreeable.

Tang Tianman had everything ready to go. She slung on her bag and bolted out the door. Li Tong hollered from the bed, “Off to see your little sweetheart? Bring me back a bottle of Fat Otaku Happy Water!”

Tang Tianman’s footsteps echoed down the hallway. She had no time to reply.

But she did have time to grab a bottle of sports drink from the convenience store downstairs—for Zheng Xiyu.

Second time was the charm; she made much better time to the gym.

When she reached the entrance, panting hard, she checked the time: 9:59. She gave herself a thumbs-up. Next year’s sports festival, she could totally sign up for the thousand-meter.

She caught her breath, fixed her hair using her phone’s camera to ensure she looked flawless, then texted Zheng Xiyu:

-I’m here.

She’d barely hit send when she looked up and saw someone emerging from the building.

A short-haired girl bursting with energy, her skin a healthy wheat tone, dressed in athletic wear and hopping steadily on one leg.

Tang Tianman narrowed her eyes.

The girl didn’t notice her. She turned to say something to the person behind her, right in front of a flight of steps.

It was a pretty high step; Tang Tianman wasn’t sure if she’d spotted it.

But the next second, there was no need to worry. Someone reached out and gripped the girl’s arm, adding two words: “Careful.”

Zheng Xiyu.

Tang Tianman let out a breath, clutching her bottle of drink without moving or saying a word.

Zheng Xiyu helped the girl down the steps, then looked up and spotted her. She broke into a smile.

Tang Tianman curved her lips in return but stayed put.

The girl finally noticed her and flashed a brilliant grin. She asked Zheng Xiyu, “She here for you?”

“Mm-hmm.” Zheng Xiyu nodded.

The girl nudged at the hand supporting her. “Then go on. I can get back fine on my own.”

Zheng Xiyu let go. “Be careful. Wait for the light at the crosswalk.”

Tang Tianman pursed her lips and walked over, grabbing the girl’s arm. “Sprained it?”

The girl looked startled, shrinking back a little in embarrassment. “Yeah.”

“I’ll walk you back.” The words came out smoothly for Tang Tianman. “You’re Chun’er, right? You gotta take it easy with an injury like that. Hopping around will just make it worse.”

“It’s almost better already.” The girl glanced at Zheng Xiyu. “This okay?”

Zheng Xiyu looked at Tang Tianman.

Tang Tianman tossed the sports drink over, then draped the girl’s arm over her own shoulder. “Totally fine. I’m a huge fan of our school team—taking care of the players is my duty. Look at our heights; you can use me like a crutch. Perfect fit.”

“No, no, not a crutch,” Xi Chun protested hurriedly, though she couldn’t help giggling. “Don’t say that, Senior Sister.”

“You know me?” Tang Tianman asked as she supported her and started walking slowly.

“Yeah.” Xi Chun’s eyes sparkled. “Senior Sister, you’re famous at school as… a total genius beauty.”

“Vase,” Tang Tianman supplied.

Xi Chun burst out laughing, unable to hold it in.

Tang Tianman laughed too. “Which building do you live in?”

“21.”

“That’s way over there.” Tang Tianman glanced up. “Gotta cross the overpass, right?”

“Yeah.” Xi Chun tried to pull away. “Senior Sister, you don’t have to bother. I can make it back myself. You and Little Yu have plans.”

“Little Yu?” Tang Tianman grinned. “That’s what you call her normally? She’s huge.”

“She’s the youngest on the team. Doesn’t show, huh?”

“Yeah, she’s so quiet. The first time I saw her, if she hadn’t been in your freshman uniform, I’d have sworn she was about to graduate.”

“Hahaha! Our coach calls her a ruthless machine—she doesn’t even cheer when we win.”

The two chatted animatedly, paying zero attention to Zheng Xiyu trailing behind them.

They were nearing the crossroad when both their collars were suddenly yanked from behind.

“Slow down,” Zheng Xiyu said.

“No problem,” Tang Tianman replied, shaking off her hand.

“Watch it,” Xi Chun added without looking back.

Zheng Xiyu wedged her hands between them, separating the pair. She told Xi Chun, “I’ll carry you back.”

“No need to carry me—it’s almost fine. Way too embarrassing…”

Zheng Xiyu stared at her, unblinking, for two full seconds.

Xi Chun faltered. Her words took a sharp turn. “Okay, sure, carry me—hurry up.”

Zheng Xiyu squatted down. Xi Chun hopped on like it was routine, looping her arms around her neck.

Once Zheng Xiyu had hefted her up onto her back, Tang Tianman was left out in the cold.

She usually had to crane her neck just to talk to Zheng Xiyu. Now, to chat with the girl on her back, she’d have to crane even farther forward.

It felt awful.

Tang Tianman fell silent, and Xi Chun, who was clinging to Zheng Xiyu’s back, grew even quieter.

Their pace quickened considerably. Whenever Zheng Xiyu took large strides forward, Tang Tianman had to jog just to keep up.

After they passed the overpass, she started feeling tired and came to a stop.

“I can’t run anymore,” Tang Tianman said. “You go ahead and take Chun’er back first.”

Zheng Xiyu nodded. Xi Chun waved at her from her perch. “See you later, Senior Sister.”

“See you~” Tang Tianman replied in a sweet voice.

Once Zheng Xiyu and Xi Chun’s overlapping figures had vanished from sight, the smile faded from Tang Tianman’s face.

Her sweetness deflated like a punctured balloon, vanishing without a trace in an instant. She kicked a pebble toward the nearby flower bed and simply plopped down on the spot.

Building 21 was pretty far away; it would take some time to get there and back.

Tang Tianman stared at her toes in a daze for a moment, and suddenly, tears welled up in her eyes.

She pulled out her phone and called Li Tong. The call was picked up almost immediately.

“Hello.” The familiar voice came through, making Tang Tianman’s heart ache even more.

Her tone was filled with heartbreaking sorrow, every word dripping with bone-deep regret. “Wah, Tongtong, I’m so sorry! I shouldn’t have stuck to Ruan Ruan all day and ignored how you felt. You’re so pitiful, aah! How could I do that? It was supposed to be a movie for the three of us, but you never even got a mention…”

Li Tong: “…”

Tang Tianman: “You’re right there, one left behind, two drowning in guilt, three off having fun. Quietly, from afar, maybe reluctant to let go. Silently, calmly, maybe it’s worth it—you’re still waiting somewhere…”

Li Tong cut her off and sang back herself: “Who knows, maybe this is its own kind of happy qualification. At least one of us gets to be happy. That’s more than enough.”

Tang Tianman: “Wah, you’re so tragic!”

Li Tong: “What’s wrong with you? Weren’t you all excited to go have fun with Zheng Xiyu?”

“Oh, nothing.” Tang Tianman sniffled. “I’ll grab a case of Fat Otaku Happy Water on my way back to make it up to you.”

After hanging up, Li Tong lay on her bed staring at the ceiling. “I think the heavens are fair, after all.”

Ruan Ruan: “How so?”

Li Tong: “For example, they gave Tangdou a pretty face and a smart brain, but took away her sound nerves in exchange.”

Ruan Ruan: “Hahahahahahaha! Do you remember that time she performed in front of the camera and it got broadcast to the surveillance screen downstairs…?”

The two of them happily recounted Tang Tianman’s dumbass moments, laughing their heads off.

Meanwhile, the much-mocked Tang Tianman was oblivious. She sat alone by the flower bed in the night breeze, genuinely feeling sad and forlorn.

Zheng Xiyu seemed to be gone for ages. By the time she returned, Tang Tianman had lost her appetite entirely.

This jerk—though Tang Tianman couldn’t quite pinpoint what made her one—looked every bit the jerk right now. Anyway, this jerk… came back without saying a word to her and suddenly crouched down in front of her.

Tang Tianman stared at that nicely shaped back. “What are you doing?”

“Get on,” Zheng Xiyu said.

“Why? My foot isn’t twisted.”

“Didn’t you want to see the world from up high?”

“Not anymore.” Tang Tianman turned her head away and gazed at the sky.

A gust of wind swept through, sending a few leaves fluttering down onto Tang Tianman’s head. It lifted the hem of Zheng Xiyu’s jacket, brushing against Tang Tianman’s calf.

“I’ve changed my mind,” Zheng Xiyu said suddenly. “I want to carry you. Okay?”