No matter what he said, Sheng Qingxi refused to wear the helmet.
Frowning, Lin Ran called her name, “Sheng Qingxi, are you going to wear it or not?”
From the back seat, Sheng Qingxi stubbornly looked up at him, her gaze firm. Without saying a word, she got off the bike. Standing in front of him, she quietly said, “Lin Ran, I’ll go home by myself.”
Lin Ran: ?
Before he could react, she started walking away, her head lowered.
There was no way Lin Ran would let her go home alone in this situation. He took a big step forward and grabbed her wrist, making her stop in her tracks.
She turned around and locked eyes with him.
The night didn’t soften Lin Ran’s features; instead, it deepened the sharpness of his expression. He stared at her with a cold, questioning gaze, clearly confused as to why she would argue with him over such a small matter.
Lin Ran couldn’t bring himself to get angry at her. He softened his tone and asked, “Why won’t you wear it?”
Sheng Qingxi lowered her gaze, and after a long pause, she quietly replied, “You wear it. Otherwise, it’s not safe.”
To Sheng Qingxi, nothing was more important than Lin Ran’s safety. Even if it meant he would be upset with her tonight, she wouldn’t budge on this. This was her bottom line, and not even Lin Ran could break it.
They stood in silence for a few seconds before Lin Ran gave in.
He sighed softly. “You really want me to wear it?”
Sheng Qingxi nodded.
Five minutes later.
With the helmet on his head, Lin Ran rode his bike at the slowest speed of his life. Countless electric scooters zipped past them on the road, and Sheng Qingxi could barely feel the wind.
For the first time, she hugged him without the barrier of a helmet.
Without the obstruction, she could fully press herself against his back.
His muscles were firm, and his body radiated heat.
Sheng Qingxi subtly shifted closer, and immediately, she felt Lin Ran’s muscles tense for a brief moment.
After that, she stayed still, behaving obediently.
A trip that would normally take thirty minutes stretched into nearly fifty. They had already left the movie late, and now, with the added delay, it was almost midnight.
Sheng Lan had called earlier, saying she would be waiting at home for them.
When Lin Ran finally braked and stopped in front of the house, he let out a deep breath. The entire ride had left him drenched in sweat. The little one behind him was far more troublesome than he had anticipated.
She wasn’t afraid of him at all.
The whole ride had felt like carrying a kitten—one that would occasionally nuzzle him softly with its warm face. More than once, he had nearly lost his grip on the handlebars, his palms slick with sweat.
As soon as Lin Ran pulled up, Sheng Lan opened the door to greet them.
Before Lin Ran could even say goodbye, Sheng Lan spoke first, “Lin Ran, come in and have some late-night snacks with Yuan Yuan. It’s already so late. Why don’t you stay over at Auntie’s place tonight?”
Lin Ran: “…”
He lifted Sheng Qingxi off the bike, a routine action for the two of them, nothing out of the ordinary in their minds. But Sheng Lan, watching from the side, hesitated for a moment. There seemed to be something… between these two kids.
Lin Ran untied the stuffed toys from the back seat, cradled them in one arm, and followed Sheng Qingxi inside.
Sheng Qingxi knew Lin Ran wouldn’t be staying over, so she softly said, “Mom, Lin Ran has things to do tonight and needs to head back.”
Lin Ran quickly added, “Auntie, I won’t stay the night. My friends are waiting for me to bring back some late-night snacks.”
Hearing this, Sheng Lan didn’t insist but reminded him to be careful on the way home.
Sheng Lan had prepared hot wonton noodles and some small dishes for their late-night meal. Lin Ran glanced at his and Sheng Qingxi’s bowls—his was huge, almost like a basin, while hers was a tiny bowl, barely the size of a palm.
Sheng Qingxi finished eating before Lin Ran, and after, she carried her pile of stuffed animals into her room. She also took out the jacket Lin Ran had given her a few days ago. It had been raining lately, but the sun had finally come out today, and the jacket was dry after a full day in the sun.
She placed the jacket into a bag and rushed out in a hurry.
By the time she returned, Lin Ran had just finished his meal. As he reached the doorway, he bumped into Sheng Qingxi, who had been running towards him. He barely moved, but the little girl nearly flew backward from the impact.
Lin Ran quickly pulled her back.
Sheng Qingxi rubbed her forehead—Lin Ran’s chest was rock hard.
He knocked her lightly on the head. “Why are you in such a rush?”
Rubbing her now-red forehead, Sheng Qingxi looked up at him and handed him the paper bag. “Lin Ran, your jacket.”
Lin Ran glanced at the bag, realizing it was the jacket he had casually given her that night at his house. Normally, once someone wore his clothes, Lin Ran wouldn’t take them back.
But this time, he reached out and accepted it.
Gently pushing her forward by the back of her head, he urged, “Go inside, take a shower, and get some sleep. I’m heading out. If anything happens, let me know. If I don’t answer WeChat, call me.”
Sheng Qingxi walked forward under his guidance, unable to turn back. She could only reply quietly, “Lin Ran, drive slowly. The roads here get really dark at night.”
Lin Ran’s lips curved into a silent smile.
Sheng Qingxi escorted him all the way to the gate.
Lin Ran straddled his motorcycle, as dark as the night itself, his long legs casually slung over the side. After securing his helmet, which matched the bike’s sleek black frame, he turned to glance at Sheng Qingxi.
She couldn’t see his eyes but raised her hand to wave at him.
The headlights suddenly flicked on, illuminating the once dark road.
In her mind, Sheng Qingxi silently began counting down. By the time she reached three, the engine should have roared to life.
But instead, the yard was plunged back into darkness.
Sheng Qingxi paused.
Lin Ran had turned off the lights.
He stepped off the bike and walked back toward her, his strides unhurried yet steady.
…
It was already past midnight, and the world around them had fallen into a deep, silent slumber.
The shadows of the trees danced in the night breeze, with only the moon hanging high above in the sky.
The boy walking toward her exuded an inexplicable sense of dominance. He reached beneath his helmet, fiddled with it for a moment, and then removed the helmet he had just put on.
Sheng Qingxi tilted her head up, locking eyes with Lin Ran. “Lin Ran, did you forget something?”
Though Lin Ran stood against the light of the moon, he could see her clearly. Her beautiful dark eyes held a gleaming pool of light, and the moon’s glow illuminated the ripples on its surface.
Her forehead was still faintly red from earlier, and her watery eyes held a fleeting, delicate affection.
Quiet, fragile, beautiful.
In the night, she resembled a sprite, capable of enchanting hearts.
This was how Lin Ran saw Sheng Qingxi from the bike. Over the past few days, his nights had been plagued by nightmares, but ever since her appearance, they had gradually subsided. He no longer felt trapped by his dreams.
Lin Ran carefully reached out, lightly touching the skin on her forehead.
She reacted like a startled kitten, closing her eyes with a flutter, her lashes trembling incessantly.
Lin Ran slowly withdrew his hand, his gaze soft as he looked down at her. In a low voice, he said, “Sheng Qingxi, I’ve given you so many stuffed toys. Shouldn’t you give me one too?”
Sheng Qingxi instinctively covered her forehead, preventing him from touching it again. She bit her lip and softly asked, “Which one do you like? I’ll go get it for you.”
Lin Ran, like a demanding bully, replied, “I want the only one you had before all these.”
Sheng Qingxi froze for a moment and said instinctively, “That one’s old.”
Lin Ran suddenly smiled. “That’s the one I want.”
Seeing his insistence, Sheng Qingxi turned and ran back to her room to retrieve it. Lin Ran didn’t follow her inside; he simply stood outside, silently watching her small figure retreat through the half-open door.
Once she was out of sight, Lin Ran leaned back against the red wall, resting his helmet against it with a frustrated sigh.
In front of her, he always felt like he wasn’t himself.
Furrowing his brow, Lin Ran tried to recall when this feeling started. Was it when she blocked that blow for him in the alley?
No, it was earlier.
Lin Ran closed his eyes slightly. It had started that night, at the Guangnian Club, when she called out his name at the top of her lungs. That was when he had begun to find himself again—when she made him remember he was Lin Ran.
A bitter smile crept onto his face. How was he supposed to keep this up?
He was starting to lose control.
In the back of his mind, he could still hear her desperate voice from that night, shouting his name.
He was certain he had heard her call his name like that before, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn’t remember when. Had the fire burned his memories too deeply?
“Lin Ran.”
A soft voice broke the silence above him.
Lin Ran looked up.
Sheng Qingxi stood there, holding a small, old stuffed bear in her hands. Its color was faded, and the style was clearly outdated, as though it had been hers since she was a child.
In a quiet voice, Lin Ran asked, “Are you really willing to give it to me?”
Sheng Qingxi nodded. “Mm, it’s for you.”
Lin Ran reached out and took the stuffed bear from her hands. It felt a little harder than an average stuffed toy, and its appearance wasn’t particularly cute.
But he liked it.
Standing up with the bear in hand, Lin Ran patted Sheng Qingxi’s soft hair, coaxing her like she was a child. “Go to bed, no need to see me off. I’ll leave once you’re back inside.”
Sheng Lan would sometimes ruffle her hair too, but this moment felt completely different to Sheng Qingxi. Lin Ran’s hand was warm.
She leaned into his touch for a second, then quickly turned and ran back inside. Before closing the door, she peeked her head out and softly said, “Lin Ran, goodnight.”
Without waiting for his reply, she shut the door behind her.
Inside the room.
Sheng Qingxi didn’t turn on the light; she stood quietly by the window, watching as the headlights from Lin Ran’s motorcycle came to life. The engine’s rumble broke the silence of the night, like lightning suddenly splitting the darkness.
Lin Ran had left.
Sheng Qingxi turned and flicked on her bedside lamp. In the corner by her bed was a pile of stuffed animals Lin Ran had won for her tonight, nearly overtaking the foot of her bed.
She had never had so many stuffed toys before.
Tugging on one of the toys’ ears, Sheng Qingxi thought, Tomorrow, I’ll take them out to bask in the sun.
…
By the time Lin Ran returned to the Guangnian Garage, it was already 1 a.m.
Lin Yanyan had long gone upstairs to sleep like a good girl, but Xie Zhen and He Mo were still in the middle of an intense gaming session, arguing loudly as they played.
As soon as Lin Ran walked in with the bag of crawfish, he heard their heated exchange from the doorway.
“There’s no room for both of us in Summoner’s Rift anymore!”
“I just used my ultimate to save you!”
“Get lost, get lost, get lost!”
Lin Ran placed the crawfish on the table in the living room and headed upstairs to take a shower, not wanting to be around the bickering duo.
Xie Zhen’s garage always had rooms prepared for both Lin Ran and Lin Yanyan. During summer and winter breaks, they spent most of their time here, as it felt more like home than their empty villa.
Lin Ran opened the door to his room and casually flicked on the light switch.
The once-dark room was now illuminated by the bright lights. His room was mostly black and white, with cool tones and clean, minimalist lines. Simple and tidy.
He placed the paper bag on a chair and gently laid the stuffed bear on his bedside table.
Grabbing his pajamas, he headed into the bathroom for a shower.
When Lin Ran came back downstairs, towel draped over his shoulders, the two “children” were still arguing. Rubbing his temples in frustration, he reminded them, “If you don’t start eating the crawfish, they’ll get cold.”
Could food finally shut them up?
Turns out, it could.
Xie Zhen and He Mo immediately tore off their headsets and pounced on the delicious-smelling crawfish. Lin Ran glanced at them, then went to the fridge, pulling out four cans of beer for the three of them.
Xie Zhen grinned. “Hey, Brother Ran, looks like you’re in a good mood tonight?”
He Mo chimed in, “Yeah, I think it’s because of a certain fairy.”
Lin Ran didn’t respond, still fiddling with something on his phone.
Xie Zhen and He Mo didn’t mind, happily peeling crawfish as they watched the movie playing on the TV. Xie Zhen had a nagging feeling he was forgetting something, but couldn’t quite place it.
That is, until the movie showed the protagonist riding a sleek Harley, taking down a bunch of guys to save the heroine.
Xie Zhen suddenly swallowed his crawfish and urgently shouted to Lin Ran, “Oh right, Brother Ran! When we came back today, the guy at the club told me that Song Xingyu and his crew came by again, looking for you.”