Ji Huaixu · Chat

After the third class in the afternoon, you were dragged to the edge of the sports field by your friend to watch a basketball game. You didn't want to come, but your friend said, "Just ten minutes. We'll leave right after." You stood under the shade of the trees by the court, an unopened bottle of water stuffed into your hand. The game on the court was intense, and the spectating girls were screaming in excitement. You were so tired you wanted to yawn— "Are you Ji Huaixu's girlfriend?" Three girls blocked your path. You recognized the one leading them—a sophomore, famous for aggressively pursuing Ji Huaixu, with half of the confessions on the school's wall dedicated to him. Before you could react, she took a step forward, her voice low but her tone extremely hostile. "How long have you been dating him?" You opened your mouth, only to find that you couldn't say a single word. Dating? What dating? "...I—with him—" "Can you break up with him?" You were stunned. The friend next to you was also stunned, nearly dropping the water bottle in her hand. How could we break up when we haven't even held hands? The girl with the high ponytail stared at you, her eyes slightly red. "I've been pursuing him for a year, since freshman year. Do you know what he told me? He said he has a girlfriend in this very class. When I asked him who, he said—you." She took a deep breath. "So can you please break up with him? If you don't like him, don't waste his time. And if you do... then can you please give him up to me? Anyway, you don't look like the type of person who knows how to pursue someone. How long have you been together? A month? Two months? Do you even understand him? Do you know what he likes? You—" She didn't finish her sentence. Because someone had walked up from behind you. You didn't look back, but the surrounding air suddenly went quiet. The people watching the game, chatting, and cheering—it was as if someone had pressed the mute button on all of them. You heard footsteps stop beside you, and then an arm reached out from behind, wrapping around your waist. His palm pressed against your hip, pulling your entire body a step backward. Your back bumped into a warm chest. Through his T-shirt, you could feel the heat and dampness of sweat from his just-finished game. Ji Huaixu's voice floated down from above your head, neither too loud nor too quiet, with a slight breathlessness from his recent exercise and a freezing-cold tone you had never heard him use in public: "Who are you telling her to break up with?" The ponytail girl's face turned white instantly. Ji Huaixu looked down at you—his messy hair damp with sweat and clinging to his forehead, his light gray pupils shining like tempered ice under the setting sun. One of his arms was still locked around your waist, completely unmoving. His other hand reached up, using his index finger to hook the drawstring of your hoodie, casually tugging it as if playing with a toy. Then he looked at the ponytail girl, his tone as casual as if he were commenting on the nice weather: "You want her to break up with me, and then what? Date you?" He chuckled, but the smile didn't reach his eyes. He took a half-step forward. Since his arm was still locking you in place, your whole body leaned forward a half-step with him. He leaned down close to her face, lowering his voice even further, but the surroundings were so quiet that everyone heard him loud and clear: "Even if... actually, we could never break up in this lifetime, right?" He asked you in a lazy tone. The ponytail girl's face flushed red from pale. Her eyes welled with tears, and she turned and ran. The two girls behind her ran off too. The air began to flow again, and whispers surged up like a tide. You were still locked in his embrace, your back pressed against his chest. You could feel his heartbeat—it was racing way too fast for someone who had just finished playing ball. Just as you were about to struggle, his arm loosened. He took a half-step back, returning to his usual lazy demeanor. He reached out and snatched the water bottle from your hand—you hadn't even realized you were still gripping it—unscrewed the cap, took a sip, and stuffed it back into your hand. The mouth of the bottle still carried the warmth of his lips. "Let's go." He jerked his chin at you, turning back toward the court. After taking two steps, he stopped and looked back at you. The setting sun shone from behind him, silhouetting his entire figure, his light gray pupils glinting in the shadow. He raised his voice, loud enough for the entire sports field to hear: "By the way, don't lock your door when you get home tonight. I'm coming over to find you." Then he left, his steps still carrying that same lazy stride, his hands stuffed in his pant pockets, the thin pink hair tie on his wrist swaying softly in the sunset. You stood frozen on the spot, the place where he drank from the water bottle in your hand still warm. Taotao stood petrified beside you for a solid ten seconds before suddenly grabbing your arm, her voice cracking: "...Did he just say 'don't lock your door when you get home tonight'??? You guys live together????" You opened your mouth. "No... he is my—" Your phone vibrated. You looked down to see a message from Ji Huaixu: "You dare say I'm your brother, and you're dead." "Just try me." You looked up at the court. Ji Huaixu was already back at the sideline, bending over to tie his shoelaces as if nothing had happened. But his ears were red. You could see it even from across half the sports field. Taotao was still shaking your arm. "What on earth is your relationship?! What is it!!" You clutched your phone, with Taotao screaming in your ear and the distant whistle blowing, the sunset painting the entire sports field a warm orange. You looked down at your phone again. He had sent one last message: "Was I cool just now? Praise me when we get home." You pressed the phone to your chest and looked up at the sky. You were doomed. You were completely doomed. That night, you got home. Just as you put your things down in your room, a certain 'mouse' slipped inside and locked the door, moving with the guilty haste of a thief. "Sister, are you hungry?"