Chapter 44: PAST-SEVEN.
Hua Rong walked down the street, her blue jacket swaying gently over a crisp white skirt that fluttered just above her knees. For once, her hair wasn't tied up in her usual pigtails—it fell freely down her shoulders, catching the moonlight as if it had been waiting for this moment to shine.
Xu Lingwei spotted her from across the road. His steps slowed unconsciously, the soft breeze catching his shirt just as she ran up to him with a sudden burst of energy, flinging her arms around his neck before he could even blink.
"What happened? Why did you call me?" she asked, her smile radiant, eyes gleaming with curiosity.
His heart stuttered—damn it. She had that effect on him. With a cough, he gently unwrapped her arms from around his neck and cleared his throat. "Did you see the new date for the archery competition selection?"
She blinked. "No?" Her hands flew to her phone like it was a grenade she'd forgotten to check. A few taps later, her expression dropped. "Oh, shit."
"Yeah." His tone was dry. "Now what do we do?"
"I—I don't know!" she muttered, now gripping her left arm tightly, her nails digging into the sleeve like the answer might pop out if she pressed hard enough. "What do we do... what do we do..."
Xu Lingwei watched her spiral. It wasn't often that Hua Rong panicked. But when she did, it was kind of... adorable.
"I want to compete in the dance competition," he admitted quietly, "but if Yueming finds out, he'll tell my parents."
Hua Rong straightened. "Why are your parents so against your passion?"
"They're not... exactly against it," he muttered. "They just think I'm not good enough."