The rain fell quietly.
—
Xueying stood beneath the corridor again.
Waiting.
—
She didn't know why.
—
Maybe—
She did.
—
Footsteps approached.
—
She turned.
—
Yichen.
—
But something was different.
—
"…You were with her."
—
The words came out before she could stop them.
—
Silence.
—
"Yes."
—
No hesitation.
No explanation.
—
Her fingers tightened slightly.
—
"I see."
—
He studied her.
—
"You shouldn't listen to rumors."
—
Her lips parted slightly.
—
"I didn't," she said.
"I saw."
—
Silence fell.
—
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
—
"She came to speak to me," he said.
—
"And you listened."
—
"Yes."
—
The answer felt like a crack.
—
"Why?" she asked softly.
—
"Because I needed to understand something."
—
"What?"
—
A pause.
—
"…You."
—
Her breath caught.
—
"What does that mean?"
—
Yichen's gaze didn't waver.
—
"It means things are changing."
—
Her chest tightened.
—
"…Between us?"
—
Another pause.
—
"Yes."
—
The word was quiet.
But it hurt.
—
Xueying looked away.
—
For the first time since everything began—
Her voice wasn't steady.
—
"…I thought…"
She stopped.
—
"You thought what?" he asked.
—
That you chose me.
—
But she didn't say it.
—
Instead—
"It doesn't matter," she said softly.
—
She stepped back.
—
Distance.
Again.
—
"Xueying—"
—
"I understand," she interrupted.
—
And this time—
Her voice was calm.
—
Too calm.
—
Because something had just happened.
—
Something small.
—
But irreversible.
—
The first crack.
—
From the shadows—
Zhao Meilin watched.
—
And this time—
She smiled.
—
Because she had done it.
—
Not destroyed them.
—
But weakened them.
—
And sometimes—
That was enough.
—