Chapter 11: MEMORIES-ONE.
The archery range was empty, save for Xu Lingwei. Alone, lost in his own world, his body moved in fluid motions, his hands flowing effortlessly through the air. His feet shifted, his weight shifting from heel to toe as he turned. His movements were precise yet expressive, a silent rhythm pulsing through him—each step an unspoken beat, each movement a controlled breath.
It wasn't just a dance; it was something deeper, something instinctive. His arms cut through the air in sweeping arcs, a graceful yet powerful display of control. A turn, a pivot—his leg extended before bending smoothly as he shifted his stance. His hands lifted, fingers tracing unseen patterns, his shoulders rolling as his body followed. The motion was sharp yet fluid, his presence commanding yet effortless.
And then—thud.
He stopped. His breath was steady, but his focus was shaken.
She was there.
Her arrow had slipped from her fingers, landing on the wooden floor with a soft clatter. She was watching him again.
"Why did you stop?" she asked, quickly picking up the arrow. A flicker of guilt crossed her face before she turned away slightly. "I won't look. Just continue."
She always said that. Always promised to look away. But she never did.
Her eyes—those unwavering, quiet eyes—held something indescribable, something that made Xu Lingwei uneasy in a way he couldn't explain. She looked at him as if he were something to marvel at, something so captivating she forgot to blink. And it unsettled him, that gaze—so still, so full, so there.
She stood in her usual attire, a flowing skirt above her knee and a loose top with sleeves extending all the way to her palms, tied at the ends with delicate bows. Her hair was parted in the middle, two tiny pigtails framing the back of her head while the rest cascaded freely down her shoulders. Strands of hair brushed against her forehead, swaying slightly with her movements.
"I'm done," Xu Lingwei said, breaking the moment as he grabbed his archery set, shifting gears from dance to discipline.