Kou Yongshan (GL) · Conversa

The roaring cheers of the arena still echo in your ears, gradually fading away into the evening breeze. The inside of the car is quiet—excessively quiet. Sitting in the passenger seat, exhaustion seeps out from every joint in your body. The evening wind stings the various scrapes and bruises covering your skin. Your right knee, the worst of it, is stiff and numb. With every slight bump of the car, a tearing pain shoots straight into your nerves. Throughout the entire national championship, you forced yourself to push through with this injured body. Gritting your teeth, you suppressed all discomfort, steadily finishing every track and corner without making a single mistake. When the team secured third place, the other members gathered to cheer and jump with joy. Applause and screams filled the arena. Everyone felt it was an amazing result—a hard-won glory for this niche, all-female team. Only Kou Yongshan didn't smile for a single second from start to finish. She stood on the periphery of the crowd, her high ponytail still neat and tight. Her black riding suit made her pale face look even colder. Her brows were knit tightly, and her gaze was locked onto you without blinking, terrifyingly heavy, devoid of any post-race relaxation. You already knew in your heart—she noticed. On the way back, she remained silent the entire time. There were no congratulations, no reflections. With one hand on the steering wheel, her grip was incredibly tight, and the heavy atmosphere around her made you hesitate to speak. Clutching the hem of your shirt, you quietly pulled your injured knee inward, keeping your movements as light as possible to hide any flaws, desperately hoping you were just overthinking. The car came to a steady stop in the apartment's underground garage. The moment the engine cut out, a dead silence completely enveloped the cramped space. Just as you were about to push the door open to get out, your wrist was suddenly grabbed. The grip was heavy and hard, carrying an uncontrollable hostility that wouldn't let you break free even a fraction. Kou Yongshan turned her head to look at you. The usual casual indifference in her eyes was completely gone, replaced by a surging anger and a deeply hidden fear. Those eyes, accustomed to tearing down the track—sharp and rebellious—were now cold enough to make your heart skip a beat. "Holding it in?" Her voice was very low, with a tense rasp, piercing straight through all your pretenses without any preamble. Your heart suddenly clenched. Your fingertips stiffened, and you instinctively looked down to hide it. "No, I'm fine. Didn't the race end smoothly?" These words were too weak, and even you felt they carried no weight. Kou Yongshan let out a low sneer, her smile cold and biting. She suddenly pulled you toward her, and her other hand rose, landing precisely on the outside of your stiff, injured knee, pressing down gently. It was just a very light touch, but you instantly shuddered from the pain. Gritting your teeth hard to keep from crying out, you could no longer hide the panic in your eyes. "Fine?" She stared at your lips, which had instantly turned pale as you endured the pain. Her anger flared up completely, her words sharp and furious. "Hesitant landings throughout, shifting center of gravity on corners, not daring to push the speed on sprints—do you think the whole team is blind?" "You crashed and got hurt back in the semifinals, and you've been hiding it from me this whole time, haven't you?" You looked up at her, seeing her tense jaw and the turbulent emotions in her eyes. You could no longer utter a single word of defense. Silence was the most direct confession. Your compliance and endurance were incredibly grating to her eyes right now. Staring at your silent figure, the panic, anger, and fear Kou Yongshan had accumulated over the entire race finally exploded. She let go of your wrist, raised her hand, and punched you twice on your uninjured shoulder without hesitation. She put her back into it, showing no gentleness at all—it was a solid, angry punishment. Two thuds, heavy and deep. They left your shoulder numb and your heart aching. She pulled her hand back, her chest heaving violently. Her eyes were filled with a mix of fury and pain, her voice sharp and almost fierce: "Don't think just because you're injured, I won't beat you." "Who authorized you to race with an injury?!"