Chapter 48

Chen Nian’s fingers trembled weakly on the camera. Someone came over and called Fang Zhi to fill out the sign-in sheet.

From a distance, Fang Zhi shouted to Chen Nian, letting her know where she was headed. Chen Nian raised her hand, signaling that she got it.

Then she just stood there, staring blankly at Fang Zhixiao, her mind a chaotic tangle.

If she thought about it rationally, as long as Han Lijuan and Fang Wei never crossed paths with Fang Zhi again in this lifetime, Fang Zhi would never be hurt by them. They would become complete strangers.

She just had to ignore them.

As long as she ignored them, Fang Zhi could stay safe and sound in the beautiful world Chen Nian had built for her.

Chen Nian clenched her fist and forced herself to turn away.

She went to find Fang Zhi. From this moment on, she wasn’t going to leave Fang Zhi’s side for a second.

The sign-in area was the busiest spot, crowded with parents and escorts milling about.

Fang Zhi was in line, and it was almost her turn. By now, most people had done their makeup, and plenty were already in their performance costumes. Fang Zhi stood out plainly among them, fresh-faced and tender, like a little green onion sprout.

She glanced over and spotted Chen Nian, giving her a wave.

Chen Nian smiled and pointed to the front of the line, mouthing that it was almost her turn.

Fang Zhi nodded and looked ahead—right into Fang Zhixiao, who was heading straight their way.

Chen Nian darted in front of Fang Zhi in a flash, heedless of the curious stares from those around them.

Fang Zhi whispered, “What’s up?”

Fang Zhixiao gave them both a glance but said nothing, heading straight to the end of the line.

Chen Nian scanned the area but saw no sign of Han Lijuan or Fang Wei. They must not have come.

She let out a long breath of relief.

“It’s nothing, I just…” Chen Nian trailed off, scrambling for an excuse.

Fang Zhi jumped in seamlessly. “You got all excited seeing Fang Zhixiao, huh?”

Chen Nian: “…Excited about what? Seeing her?”

Fang Zhi: “Who knows what gets you excited? You’ve been hyped up since the beginning.”

Chen Nian: “Didn’t we agree to drop this?”

Fang Zhi: “I dropped it. You haven’t…”

Chen Nian: “Hey, come on…”

The sign-in staff called out, “Next!”

Fang Zhi stepped up and bent over to write. Chen Nian fell silent and snuck a peek toward the back of the line.

Fang Zhixiao was dressed sharp, baseball cap and headphones on, her expression cool and detached. She stood out sharply in the crowd.

Chen Nian pulled her gaze away, but her mind wandered uncontrollably: Had Fang Zhizhu been like this once?

Lonely, aloof, stubborn, prickly.

Fang Zhi finished signing in quickly. As she turned, she grabbed Chen Nian’s sleeve and tugged her right toward Fang Zhixiao.

Chen Nian blinked in confusion. “What? What are you doing?”

They were only a few steps from the end of the line. Right in front of Fang Zhixiao, Fang Zhi answered, “Saw my senior. Just saying hi.”

Chen Nian: “…”

Fang Zhixiao looked up at them, making no move to speak first.

Fang Zhi didn’t say anything more either, leaving Chen Nian to stew in the awkward silence. She was so uncomfortable she wanted to vanish into thin air.

After a few seconds of dead quiet, Chen Nian plastered on a smile and waved weakly at Fang Zhixiao. “Senior, fancy meeting you here.”

Fang Zhixiao: “Not fancy.”

She turned to Fang Zhi. “Didn’t you say you weren’t competing?”

Fang Zhi: “Changed my mind. Decided to join after all.”

Fang Zhixiao: “Oh.”

Chen Nian tugged at Fang Zhi’s sleeve, trying to signal they should go. But Fang Zhi pressed on. “How’s your prep going, Senior? I didn’t catch you in the prelims—which division did you come from?”

Fang Zhixiao: “Doesn’t matter where. Made it to the finals, that’s what counts.”

Fang Zhi’s smile lit up. “Wow, Senior, you’re incredible! I could never have that kind of confidence. I’ve gotta learn from you. Go get ’em, Senior!!!”

Chen Nian couldn’t stand it anymore. She grabbed Fang Zhi’s arm and yanked her close. “Zhizhi, Zhizhi! Ms. Liu Chunhua wants us back ASAP. She got snacks.”

Fang Zhi turned to her. “Did Auntie send you a telepathic message?”

Chen Nian: “…”

Fang Zhi: “Want a phone? If I get lucky and win something, I’ll buy you one.”

Chen Nian: “…”

Finally, Fang Zhi waved at Fang Zhixiao. “Gotta run. Catch you at the competition, Senior!”

Fang Zhixiao’s lips twitched in what might have been a smile. As they turned to leave, she called after them, “Eat less, or you’ll puff up on stage.”

Chen Nian: “…”

Fang Zhi: “…”

Sensing Fang Zhi was about to stop, Chen Nian hauled her along, hurrying away.

Once they were out of the venue, Fang Zhi shook free. “Why’d you drag me like that?”

Chen Nian was somewhat angry. “Why did I pull you? Tell me, why would I pull you? Why did you go and provoke Fang Zhixiao like that? Why did you talk to her that way? Who taught you to speak like that?”

Fang Zhi’s eyes widened in shock as she stared at her. “You’re standing up for her?”

“I’m not standing up for anyone. I’m standing up for what’s right,” Chen Nian said. “You know perfectly well why she competed in a different zone. Why did you have to ask her about it in front of all those people? She just wanted to win, and she didn’t do anything wrong. Does embarrassing her make you happy? Does embarrassing me make you happy?”

Fang Zhi pressed her lips together. Tears of anger welled up in her eyes, but she forced them back down.

Her expression turned cold, her voice icy as she spat out two words lightly: “Makes me happy.” Then she turned and strode ahead.

Chen Nian froze for a moment. “Where are you going?”

Fang Zhi didn’t answer. She quickened her steps.

In that moment, Chen Nian truly didn’t want to chase after her. She even thought Fang Zhi had been spoiled rotten by her—any little thing that didn’t go her way, and she’d sulk like this, refusing to talk it out.

Always waiting for her to come and coax her. It was always Chen Nian doing the coaxing.

But just a few seconds later, Chen Nian still ran after her.

They could fight it out later, but right now, she couldn’t let Fang Zhi wander off alone. She was too worried.

She was worried because Han Lijuan and Fang Wei were here, because Fang Zhi still had to compete, because they were in a strange city where they didn’t know a soul.

This compulsion to keep everything under control and avoid any accidents felt like a blaze roasting the tip of Chen Nian’s heart.

The two of them kept some distance between them. Fang Zhi entered the hotel and headed straight upstairs.

Chen Nian took the next elevator. By the time she reached the room door, her dad was just pushing it open. He asked, “Niannian, what do you want to eat?”

Chen Nian glanced past him into the room. “Is Zhizhi in there?”

Chen Junjie nodded. “She is.”

Chen Nian breathed a sigh of relief and reached out to close the door, which was still ajar. “Dad, are you heading out to buy food?”

Chen Junjie replied, “Just going downstairs for some snacks. Your mom said there’s no rush to eat—lunch was so late we’re still stuffed.”

“Mm.” Chen Nian nodded. “You two rest, then. The venue’s a madhouse right now. Tell Zhizhi not to head over yet.”

Chen Junjie said, “Got it.”

Chen Nian walked out with him. “Keep an eye on her. Help her calm down a bit. Don’t let her dwell on it too much or get too worked up.”

Chen Junjie said, “Got it.”

Chen Nian added, “I’ll come get you when it’s time.”

“Hang on,” Chen Junjie said, pausing. “What are you up to? You’re giving me all these instructions.”

Chen Nian jiggled the camera in her hand. “Going to snap a few more photos.”

Chen Junjie laughed. “You really love that camera, huh? Your dad will buy you one of your own.”

Chen Nian patted his back. “Sure, sure. Once you get that promotion, I definitely will.”

“Hey!” Chen Junjie grumbled. “What, I can’t buy my daughter nice things unless I’m promoted…?”

Chatting and laughing, the two headed downstairs. Chen Junjie veered off toward the nearby supermarket. Chen Nian stood on the curb, feeling adrift.

She didn’t want to take photos. She didn’t want to hang around with her family.

Her head was full of Han Lijuan and Fang Wei. She was afraid that even seeing her parents happily chatting with Fang Zhi would make her think of Han Lijuan and Fang Wei.

She thought of the faces they must have made, the words they must have used to raise Fang Zhizhu. She thought of the environment, the mindset, in which Fang Zhizhu had endured year after year.

For now, these were just imaginings, just her mind making connections.

But if she got close to Fang Zhixiao, she could see the truth—the facts, the details, the past laid bare.

Chen Nian clutched her chest. She felt an unbearable sadness.

On one side was a happiness straight out of a fairy tale. On the other was a bloodstained path of thorns she was powerless to change. Her reason urged her to flee those thorns, but her emotions churned wildly, beyond her control. She felt that even if it meant bleeding all over again, she had to see it clearly, understand it completely.

Because that was Fang Zhizhu’s past—the past of Fang Zhizhu that she had yearned to uncover countless times.

Chen Nian started walking forward. The autumn wind whipped through, sending leaves rustling down and tossing her hair across her face.

She paid no mind to direction. She didn’t even check whether what lay ahead was a person, a tree, or a car. She simply pressed on, forward and forward, as if leaving it to fate.

Then she came to a stop right in front of Fang Zhixiao.

This wasn’t the main competition venue. It was another facility some distance away, with long, towering stairs descending to a clean, sheltered open plaza below.

Directly across from the plaza loomed a vast wall of tinted glass, reflecting sharp silhouettes.

The figure was Fang Zhixiao. She wore headphones and practiced diligently in front of the mirror, repeating each move twice, three times, or four if it wasn’t quite right…

Chen Nian watched her in a daze. A strand of hair fell into her eyes, so she reached up to brush it aside.

After a long moment, Fang Zhixiao finally stopped. She was breathing hard. As she coiled up her headphone cord, she turned sideways and asked Chen Nian, “Had enough of a look yet?”

Chen Nian blinked. “I…”

Fang Zhixiao cut straight to the point, her gaze flicking to the camera hanging around Chen Nian’s neck. “Here to scout the competition?”

“No,” Chen Nian said. “I was just passing by.”

“Passing by?” Fang Zhixiao let out a laugh—sharp and mocking. “You skip hanging out with your precious little sister just to swing through here and watch me practice?”

Chen Nian shook her head, gathering her thoughts. “Even if I watched, it wouldn’t matter. Competitions like this come down to what you bring on the day.”

“Real skill, you mean…” Fang Zhixiao paused, a flicker of melancholy crossing her eyes—far too world-weary for someone her age. “Not always.”

Chen Nian hopped down from the tall steps and landed in front of her. “Then what do you think it’s really about?”

“For something this big…” Fang Zhixiao tilted her head. “If you want the answer, you’ll have to trade for it.”

Chen Nian slipped her hand into her pocket. “How much?”

Fang Zhixiao shook her head. “No money this time.”

Chen Nian froze.

Fang Zhixiao met her eyes, her lips curving into a sly, almost cruel smile. “I’ll spill the real secret to winning this competition. In exchange, you make sure Fang Zhi loses to me. Deal?”