The afternoon crowds arrived in a steady stream. Song Feng told them all not to smoke, then pulled down his eye mask and slumped into his chair.
The air conditioner hummed indoors, sending cool currents drifting into every corner. Sunlight filtered through the glass, falling across the face of the young man by the window. Though his skin was slightly tanned, it still looked remarkably fair against the black eye mask.
The room was filled with the clatter of mice and keyboards, punctuated every now and then by shouts of triumph or defeat over a lost or won match. At times like this, the cicadas chirping outside sounded rather pleasant, though whatever fleeting drowsiness Song Feng had managed to muster gradually vanished.
He pulled off his eye mask, squinting against the sudden glare. Peering through half-closed eyes, he pushed the window open. A wave of outdoor heat rushed at him, accompanied by the shrill din of cicadas. He stood up, glanced casually outside, and froze as his gaze swept across a certain spot...
She was wearing a black T-shirt, leaning lazily against the wall, a cigarette pinched between her fingers.
Whether she heard the window open or not, Shu Dong looked up—and their eyes collided in mid-air.
It seemed neither of them had expected it.
Shu Dong's cigarette-holding fingers paused, then she looked away.
With only a tiny butt left, she took one deep drag, stubbed it out, tossed it into the trash can, and walked straight back into the shop without another glance.
With no one left on the street below, Song Feng looked at the old willow tree and suddenly gave a wry tug at the corner of his mouth.
He had opened the window out of habit. Naturally, it wasn't to look at Shu Dong; to Song Feng, she was just someone whose name he happened to know. He was simply bored and wanted to see what the people on this street were up to.
Yet it seemed ten whole days had passed since his last encounter with Yu Zhiyi. Song Feng hadn't seen her around the shop once since then—only catching the occasional glimpse of her figure when he happened to look down.
***
Business at the tattoo parlor wasn't any better on this Sunday than usual. With Brother Lin away, Shu Dong saw a customer out, tidied up the shop a bit, and then sat on the sofa, lost in a daze.
Her phone screen had been lingering on the same page for a long time: Yu Zhiyi's WeChat chat window, frozen at the "Good night" from the previous evening. Shu Dong wanted to call him, but worried about disturbing his studies.
For people who didn't go to school and had no concept of weekends, the notion of Saturday and Sunday was rather vague; she often had no idea what day of the week it was. Consequently, Shu Dong could never have imagined that the person she assumed was hard at work was actually singing at a KTV with friends.
A KTV room, two guys, and two girls.
"Zhiyi, how's your internship going?" asked Zhang Chao, Yu Zhiyi's roommate.
The song playing was quiet. In the dim light, Yu Zhiyi's gaze lingered on the girl singing, until he suddenly heard his name. He turned his head. "These three days have been all right. Just getting used to the environment and doing some simple tasks at first."
"What time do you start in the morning?" asked a short-haired girl named Jiajia.
"Half-past eight. It's probably about the same for everyone." The three of them were classmates; the only one who wasn't was the girl singing, who was from the next class and a friend of Jiajia's.
"Yeah, us too. Rainfei and I have to get up so early every day. It's brutal."
Hearing this, Yu Zhiyi glanced over in that direction just as she finished singing and walked over, her light brown, wavy hair swaying against her back as she moved. She smiled and asked, "What are you guys talking about?"
Jiajia pulled her good friend close. "The misery of internships, of course. Why don't the four of us rent a place together outside?"
"An apartment around the Second Ring Road must be pretty expensive, though," said Zhang Chao, Yu Zhiyi's roommate.
"Would it be cheaper if we all rented together?" Rainfei's gaze rested on Yu Zhiyi for a fraction of a second before she casually looked away.
"Zhiyi, what do you think—" Turning back and noticing Yu Zhiyi's absent-minded expression, Zhang Chao immediately teased, "Have you got a girlfriend lately or something?"
Before Yu Zhiyi could speak, Jiajia's eyes widened. "No way! Who could ever catch his eye? Don't you see someone gentle, sensible, and poised like our Rainfei sitting right here?"
"Jiajia..." Rainfei hastily stopped her friend's reckless talk, looking somewhat shy—though the dim lighting made it hard to tell for sure.
In the Journalism department, almost everyone knew Yu Zhiyi; he was the subject of whispered conversations in the girls' dormitory after lights-out. Good grades, good looks. And Lin Yufei from the next class was the focal point of discussions in the boys' dorm.
Both knew of each other, but they had never spoken—only lacking a catalyst.
Perhaps, that catalyst was today.
Seeing that he didn't answer, Jiajia suddenly lost her nerve. "You don't really have one, do you?"
Beside her, Lin Yufei's entire attention was fixed on Yu Zhiyi's response, though she deliberately feigned indifference, letting her gaze wander elsewhere.
"No." Yu Zhiyi smiled, looking directly at Lin Yufei as he spoke.
His roommate instantly picked up on the cue and decided to help his good brother out, throwing an arm around Yu Zhiyi's shoulders. "Then what do you think of our department belle, Rainfei?"
Lin Yufei looked over, exchanged a glance with Yu Zhiyi, and smiled self-consciously. "Stop joking around."
"Yu Zhiyi, act like a man, will you?" Jiajia gave Yu Zhiyi a manly punch on the shoulder.
Watching Rainfei, Yu Zhiyi took in every bit of her shyness and the upturn of her lips. "She's great."
"Ooh!"
Jiajia and the roommate whooped and catcalled. Hearing his words, Lin Yufei looked up and smiled at him. Just as Jiajia was about to say something, Yu Zhiyi's phone suddenly rang.
By now, everyone was tired of singing and no one had queued up another track, so the ringtone cut through the air with absolute clarity.
Yu Zhiyi took out his phone. When he saw the number on the screen, the smile on his lips suddenly froze, but he quickly recovered and looked up as if nothing were wrong. "Sorry, I need to take this outside."
Yu Zhiyi was an expert at masking his feelings; not a single person present noticed anything amiss. Perhaps the only person in this world who knew what kind of person lurked beneath that facade was Song Feng.
Walking far down the KTV hallway, he finally answered the call. "What's wrong?"
After a long stretch of ringing tone, the call connected so abruptly that Shu Dong was slightly taken aback. She sat up straight on the sofa. "Nothing much. Are you at school?"
"Yeah, in the dorm." Yu Zhiyi's tone didn't waiver.
There was some faint background noise on the other end of the line. Shu Dong frowned. "It sounds a bit noisy. Am I interrupting your studies?"
The hallway was filled with muffled sounds leaking from various rooms, blending together into an indistinguishable drone.
Yu Zhiyi smiled. "It's fine, I'm used to it."
Looking down at the hem of her shirt, Shu Dong spoke slowly. "Why don't you use my money to rent a place outside first?"
Yu Zhiyi, who had been strolling slowly down the hall, suddenly stopped in his tracks. Staring fixedly at a spot on the floor, he fell silent.
On the phone, she heard nothing from him for a long time—only the ambient noise. Looking at the clock on the wall, Shu Dong said, "I don't have anywhere I need to spend money right now. Just take it and use it."
With his head lowered behind thick lenses, it was impossible to tell what Yu Zhiyi was thinking. After a moment, he said, "Let me think about it for a couple of days."
Shu Dong: "Okay."
Yu Zhiyi: "Thank you."
Shu Dong was momentarily stunned, then gave a soft laugh. "We... don't need to say things like that."
Yu Zhiyi lowered his gaze. "Right. I'm a bit busy right now, I'll call you back later."
"Okay, go ahead."
The call ended. On his way back to the private room, Yu Zhiyi's expression remained completely unchanged.
The moment he pushed the door open, his roommate asked, "Are we still renting that place together?"
Yu Zhiyi sat back down in his original spot. "What do you guys think?"
"It really is too far away now, and I feel bad asking my parents for money again. But we can always borrow from friends first and pay them back when we get our paychecks." Jiajia glanced at Lin Yufei again. "Her Ladyship, daughter of the Bureau Chief, are you going to rent with us or not?"
Bureau Chief?
Yu Zhiyi looked up, and as it happened, Lin Yufei was looking at him too. The two of them exchanged a smile.
"I'll go home and ask my parents."
***
Around seven or eight in the evening, Song Feng looked up. From his vantage point, all he could see was a sea of colorful dyed hair. He slowly stood up from his chair, stretched his joints, and announced, "Time's up. Anyone who hasn't finished your match, hurry up and kill your characters."
No sooner had his voice faded than a chorus of howls erupted: "Wait a second, last round!"
Song Feng: "One minute."
"Damn it, this match is a guaranteed win! Brother Feng, I'm begging you, give us three more minutes!"
Song Feng: "Thirty seconds."
"Brother Feng, aren't you counting way too fast?!"
Song Feng: "Ten seconds."
"Brother Feng, you're cold-blooded and ruthless!"
"You're a tyrant!"
Song Feng: "Five seconds."
"Ahhh, Brother Feng, don't!"
Song Feng: "Three, two, one."
True to his word, all the screens suddenly went black. Yes, Boss Song had flipped the master breaker.
"Brother Feng, you—!" The pink-haired younger boy wore an expression of utter despair.
"What about me?" Looking completely unfazed by the prospect of the teenagers' resentment blowing the roof off, Boss Song slumped lazily back into his chair and began issuing marching orders. "All of you, get on home. Don't go hanging out anywhere else."
"See you tomorrow, then?"
"No," Song Feng replied ruthlessly. "And clean up the place before you leave."
"Got it. You're gonna grow fat just from lying down all day." This black-haired kid was a bit bold, but he still obediently went to grab the broom and mop.
Many hands made light work: some cleared instant noodle bowls and drink bottles off the tables, others swept up sunflower seed husks from the floor, and another person mopped. In short, they were a very sensible and adorable bunch of delinquents.
Probably no other internet cafe in the world was like Song Feng's, chasing people out as early as seven or eight in the evening.
Most of the people who came to Song Feng's place were students, and many came specifically for him. Tomorrow was Monday; even though they didn't study, Song Feng hoped they would.
Boss Song had never said it out loud, but they all understood.
Before long, the place was spotless. After bidding him farewell, the delinquents left one after another. Song Feng opened the window to let in some fresh air.
No sooner had he stood up than he saw the lights go out in the tattoo parlor across the street. After locking up, she started walking toward their building...
If he wasn't mistaken, she was heading for their staircase.
Song Feng flipped the breaker back on.
***
When Shu Dong pushed the door open, she paused.
Expecting it to be as crowded as usual, she scanned the interior—it was as spotless as if it hadn't been open for business all day. Remembering what had happened earlier, she hesitated at the threshold.
For some inexplicable reason, she didn't want to be alone with him.
Maintaining his habitual perpetual-slump posture, Song Feng was engrossed in a brain-dead little game on his phone, acting as if he hadn't noticed anyone arrive and refusing to spare her a single glance.
His aloofness actually put Shu Dong at ease.
She walked up to the counter and placed her ID card on the desk.
Only then did Song Feng slowly raise his head. Seeing that it was her, he didn't put on a show of surprise, nor did he deliberately act cold. Looking into Shu Dong's eyes, he let out a lazy, light chuckle.
Song Feng slid the ID card across the desk until it reached the edge. Normally, he would just drop it straight onto the card reader, but today, he picked it up and inspected it closely.
"So young." Looking at the birthdate information, his face was plastered with the rakish, flirtatious air of a young scoundrel teasing a girl.
Nineteen. Actually older than he had thought; Song Feng had always assumed she was a minor.
Shu Dong looked at him expressionlessly, her gaze growing steadily colder. She regretted her decision to come in just now, but her ID was still in his hands.
"Give it back." Her voice matched her expression, devoid of inflection.
Seeming quite satisfied with her reaction, Song Feng propped his feet up on the desk, resting his head in one hand while slowly rubbing his thumb over Shu Dong's ID card with the other. He decided to take his roguish act all the way: "Call me 'Brother,' and I'll let you play for free today."
She could practically hear the sound of her own breathing growing uneven. After fixing him with a stare for two full seconds, Shu Dong turned and walked away.
Never expecting that she would leave her ID card behind, the rakish smirk finally vanished from the corners of Song Feng's mouth. He pulled his long legs down off the desk. "Hey! Wait a second."
Ignoring him entirely, Shu Dong walked straight toward the exit.
Unfortunately, she was no match for Boss Song's long legs. Just a single step away from the door, he reached out, pulled it shut, and locked it.
Shu Dong was trapped between his chest and the door.
As his scent drifted toward her, the anger in Shu Dong's heart flared even hotter. At that moment, her first thought was of Yu Zhiyi; she had already failed him.
She simply didn't want to go home too early. Being all alone through such a long night was too difficult to bear.
She had originally thought that having someone she liked, that two people being together, would change things. But now, Shu Dong felt a sudden sense of bewilderment. What had actually changed since she got together with Yu Zhiyi? It seemed nothing had. She was still suffering from insomnia alone, still burning through the night by herself.
She didn't move. Wondering if she was planning to kill and dismember him, Song Feng figured it was entirely possible.
Turning her around, Song Feng took a step back, held the ID card out before her, and put on an expression of meek repentance. "My bad. Don't be mad—I'll let you play for a week."
Whether it was because her wild train of thought had successfully distracted her, or simply because of that single step he took back, Shu Dong's anger suddenly dissipated.
That was just how she was: almost nothing could cause her emotions to fluctuate wildly. Whether angry or happy, she seemed to suffer from an emotional barrier—she could sense things, yet couldn't resonate with them.
In matters of the heart, Shu Dong was incomplete.
She looked up into Song Feng's face; the playfulness from just moments ago was gone. Now, Shu Dong suddenly didn't want to leave anymore, because right at this moment, she had a strong urge to understand Yu Zhiyi.
Taking the ID card from his hand, Shu Dong bypassed him, walked slowly to her usual corner spot, powered on the computer, and opened the game.
Standing in place, Song Feng watched the figure in the corner. Her entire body was nearly swallowed up by the massive monitor, her black T-shirt blending seamlessly into the chair back; only her pale, bare arms testified to a living presence there.
He was a little surprised. He had expected her to leave without a moment's hesitation.
Deciding not to stir up any more trouble, Song Feng returned to his chair and slumped back down obediently. Truth be told, he was still a little scared; if he drove away this sole female deity, Chen Hui would fight him to the death.
Time ticked away second by second. Feeling a bit drowsy, Song Feng tilted sideways in his chair and slowly closed his eyes. In the rare quiet, the faint sound of typing drifting from the very back didn't even seem all that grating anymore.
Shu Dong played games with clean, decisive efficiency. Even with voice chat enabled, she never spoke a word, and her aim was so precise that it was always a one-shot kill. Between match queues, she glanced forward—he wasn't up to any more malicious mischief, so this night wasn't turning out too badly after all.
When Song Feng opened his eyes again, it was already eleven o'clock. He rubbed his eyes and looked toward the back corner. She was actually still there.
He stood up, pulled a cola from the refrigerator, and stood by the window, draining half the bottle in one go. The air conditioning had already been turned off when those little punks left, and with all the windows wide open, the nighttime breeze blowing in felt wonderful.
Song Feng looked down at the street below. All the shops were closed, leaving only the streetlights glowing on either side of the quiet thoroughfare.
Stretching his aching lower back, Song Feng walked toward the back and pulled out the chair right next to hers.
Shu Dong knew he had come over, but she didn't even spare him a glance, remaining completely absorbed in her utterly mundane game.
Without acting up, Song Feng slumped forward onto the table, watching her screen with sleepy, half-lidded eyes. Yet after one match ended, she immediately queued up for two more without once looking at him, making Song Feng feel as though his existence had been completely erased.
The restless, unruly impulses deep in his bones began to stir. Song Feng stretched lazily and leaned back against his chair, his tone indolent. "How do you play this game? Teach me."
Acting as though she hadn't heard a thing, Shu Dong expressionlessly opened her scope, aimed, and scored a one-shot kill.
"Oh! Teacher Shu Dong isn't just precise with needles; her marksmanship is amazing too," Song Feng muttered, transforming himself into a game commentator.
This time, Shu Dong turned her head and glanced at him.
Song Feng suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, feeling profoundly grateful that this was a society governed by law where murder demanded a life for a life. A few centuries earlier, he wouldn't have dared provoke such prime timber for a cold-blooded assassin.
Since his attempt at gaming small talk had failed, Song Feng tilted his head to study her. Her bones were fine and she was very thin; wearing that black T-shirt only made her look even more delicate and slight.
"You're going home this late—won't your parents be worried?" Song Feng asked.
Shu Dong's fingers suddenly stopped tapping against the keyboard. Yet after only the briefest of pauses, she resumed her game. "I live alone."
Taken slightly aback, Song Feng gave her a subtle, sideways look. "Then it'd be very convenient if I went home with you."
Shu Dong turned her head to look at Song Feng expressionlessly, her hand continuing to guide the mouse.
Bang!
Target eliminated.
Lacking any self-awareness that he was currently being threatened, the corners of Song Feng's mouth curled upward. He liked cool girls.
After a few minutes of silent observation while she played, Song Feng glanced casually at her. There were no patterns on her black T-shirt. He looked down at his own black tee: "Where'd you buy your clothes? They look a lot like couples' outfits with mine."
Shu Dong frowned, shifting her gaze away from the computer screen to look at Song Feng. "I have a boyfriend."
Song Feng gave a wry tug at his mouth. "Did I say I wanted you to be my girlfriend?"
Shu Dong: "..."
When it came to out-foxing someone, Shu Dong was no match for him.
Compared to her earlier indifference, the steady gaze she gave him now made Song Feng feel even more ill at ease. Reining in his expression—which might have caused a misunderstanding—he glanced at her screen. "There's someone behind the house."
Giving him one last look, Shu Dong averted her eyes and reached for her mouse, when her phone suddenly rang.
Zhiyi.
The name glowing brightly on the screen—Shu Dong saw it clearly, and so did Song Feng.
The ringtone shattered the nocturnal stillness, dragging the smile right off Song Feng's face.
Taking off her headset, Shu Dong answered the call. Glancing at the nearby Song Feng, she thought about stepping outside to talk to Yu Zhiyi, but before she could even stand up, extra weight suddenly materialized behind her, pinning her to her chair.
"Still not asleep?" Yu Zhiyi's voice came from the school dorm hallway.
"Yeah. Did you finish your internship report?" After getting off work, Shu Dong had messaged him, but he said he needed to write his internship report, so Shu Dong had come to the internet cafe to kill time.
Right now, however, Shu Dong's heart was far from calm. The warmth and presence of the young man hovering around her nearly enveloped her; she didn't dare move an inch.
On screen, only two players remained alive.
Standing behind her, Song Feng leaned forward, his hands moving with practiced familiarity over the mouse and keyboard as he skillfully went prone, switched weapons, applied healing items, and tossed a grenade.
Staring at the screen, Shu Dong was momentarily dazed.
"Just finished. What are you up to?" In a university dorm, eleven at night should be the liveliest time. Yu Zhiyi had walked to the far end of the hallway; the dorms on this side were unoccupied.
In this posture, Shu Dong felt completely engulfed in his embrace. Every time he struck the keyboard, his arm brushed occasionally against her face. Shu Dong took a deep breath. "Playing a game."
Yu Zhiyi grunted an acknowledgment. "Don't play too late. Staying up is bad for your health."
A sudden warmth bloomed in her chest, but the thought of the person right beside her made Shu Dong's fingers curl into tight fists, a mixture of guilt and frustration rising within her. "I know. You go to sleep early too."