Sang Ning stood frozen in place.
"Come on, let's play!" Ji Yan cheerfully pulled Sang Ning along, shoving Meng Lai aside as they approached the table. She pressed Sang Ning down onto a seat. "Do you know how to play?"
Sang Ning shook her head. "No."
"No worries, I'll teach you!" Ji Yan patted her chest proudly. "I'm a seasoned player."
She pulled up a chair and sat beside Sang Ning. Across from Sang Ning was Pei Songhan, with He Siyu to her left and Zhong Shu to her right.
Sang Ning listened attentively as Ji Yan explained the rules, feeling like she might just get the hang of it.
Meanwhile, Zhong Shu picked up the tile He Siyu had just discarded—a one of bamboos—and triumphantly flipped his own tiles over, laughing smugly.
"Mahjong! He Siyu, what’s going on with you? Been too long since you last played? You’re feeding me tiles now?"
He Siyu shot him a sidelong glance. "Feeling proud of yourself?"
"Damn right! It’s not every day I get to beat you so beautifully. Songhan, isn’t this a rare sight?" Zhong Shu grinned, turning to Pei Songhan for validation.
Pei Songhan chuckled lightly.
He Siyu turned his gaze to Sang Ning, who was still frowning in concentration as she absorbed the rules, looking as serious as if she were preparing for a college entrance exam.
"Come on, let’s play a round—you’ll pick it up fast!" Ji Yan urged.
The mahjong machine dealt the tiles, and Sang Ning nervously picked hers up, arranging them with cautious fingers.
Ji Yan giggled. "Don’t be so tense! Relax. If you need help, Pei Songhan can feed you tiles—he’s always happy to oblige."
Pei Songhan smiled. "Sure."
He Siyu’s fingers paused imperceptibly around his tile, his eyes cooling.
Another round began.
True to Ji Yan’s word, Pei Songhan deliberately discarded a five of circles—just what Sang Ning needed. She quickly snatched it up. "Pong!"
Ji Yan beamed. "Sang Ning, you’re a natural!"
Sang Ning discarded an extra nine of characters, and He Siyu immediately picked it up. "Kong."
She glanced at him. His expression was icy, his gaze sharp as a blade—like a soldier on the battlefield.
Pei Songhan then discarded a two of bamboos.
Sang Ning reached for it, but He Siyu’s hand got there first. Her fingers brushed against his by accident, and she flinched back.
He Siyu gave her a cold look. "I’m your upper seat."
Sang Ning: "..."
She retracted her hand swiftly, curling her fingers into her palm.
He Siyu: "Pong."
Sang Ning felt her fists clench.
Another round passed before He Siyu abruptly flipped all his tiles over. "Mahjong."
The entire table turned to stare at him.
"What the hell? How are we supposed to play like this?" Zhong Shu groaned.
Meng Lai patted his shoulder sympathetically. "Don’t challenge He Siyu right now. Gu Xingchen told me he just got dumped—he’s in a bad mood. Cut him some slack."
The moment those words left his mouth, the table fell into dead silence.
Zhong Shu and Ji Yan gaped in shock.
Who—who got dumped?!
He Siyu?!
Sang Ning stiffened, her gaze dropping numbly to her tiles.
Pei Songhan’s fingers tightened around the tile in his hand, his eyes flickering from He Siyu to Sang Ning.
He Siyu loosened his tie, his gaze darkening as he fixed it on Meng Lai. "Are you looking for death?"
Meng Lai belatedly realized he’d let slip something he shouldn’t have. He clapped a hand over his mouth, laughing nervously.
"J-just kidding! Don’t take it seriously! As if anyone would dare dump He Siyu..."
Ji Yan’s eyes widened further. So he was the one who got dumped?!
Zhong Shu immediately hooked an arm around Meng Lai’s neck. "You’re drunk. Get out before you dig yourself deeper."
He dragged the hapless man away.
The mahjong room was now suffocatingly silent. Ji Yan, unnerved by the tension, tugged at Sang Ning’s sleeve. "Let’s go dancing instead."
Better to escape before things got worse.
Sang Ning took a second too long to respond. "Oh."
She stood, her gaze briefly meeting He Siyu’s. His face was unreadable, but the air around him was stormy.
Ji Yan wasted no time pulling Sang Ning to safety.
Pei Songhan, having regained his composure, spoke calmly. "Siyu, don’t take Meng Lai’s nonsense to heart. He’s always running his mouth."
He Siyu lifted his eyes. "Not entirely nonsense."
Pei Songhan stilled.
He Siyu’s voice was flat. "Call it a temporary breakup."
Pei Songhan’s lips pressed into a thin line, his grip on the tile turning his knuckles white.
He Siyu stood and walked out without another word.
The living room was too loud—the noise grated on him. Outside, the cold wind cut through him, sharp and sobering.
When Gu Xingchen pushed open the door to find him, He Siyu was leaning against the white railing, half his face shadowed in the dim light, a cigarette burning between his fingers.
"Hey, what are you doing out here alone?" Gu Xingchen laughed nervously, unable to hide his guilt.
He Siyu exhaled smoke, his gaze chilling through the haze.
"Meet me at the boxing gym tomorrow."
Gu Xingchen forced a laugh. "Come on, it’s been ages since we last sparred. Aren’t we past our rebellious phases?"
He Siyu arched a brow. "We can do it here if you prefer."
Gu Xingchen: "..."
"I’m sorry, okay? I messed up! I just couldn’t keep my mouth shut! And I told Meng Lai that idiot not to blab!" Gu Xingchen wailed.
He Siyu stubbed out his cigarette in the ashtray, ignoring him.
Gu Xingchen sighed in defeat. "Fine, the gym it is."
Noticing the pile of cigarette butts already in the ashtray, he blinked. "Damn, you’re really hung up on this, huh?"
He Siyu’s voice was icy. "Get lost."
Gu Xingchen couldn’t help muttering, "Seriously, it’s been a month. Why are you getting worse?"
He himself would’ve moved on in a week. Since when did He Siyu—the famously cold-hearted troublemaker—turn into some lovesick fool?
"None of your damn business."
Just then, the front door burst open as the entire group spilled outside. Ji Yan squealed in excitement, "It’s almost midnight! Time for fireworks!"
"Hurry up! I’ve got my timer ready—I’ll light them!"
"There’s so many! Let’s set them all off together!"
Meng Lai and the others scrambled to help, desperate to keep themselves occupied.
He Siyu’s gaze drifted past the crowd, landing on Sang Ning as she followed behind, her eyes bright with anticipation.
The mountain air was frigid, and she—bundled in a thick white down jacket with a red scarf, just like at the ski resort—looked like an overstuffed penguin.
"Countdown starts now!"
Ji Yan, practically vibrating with excitement, directed the lighting of the fireworks. "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one—ignite!"
Multiple fireworks shot into the sky in unison, bursting into brilliant colors that lit up the night.
"Make a wish! Quick, make a wish!" Ji Yan urged.
Some laughed it off, but others closed their eyes in earnest.
Sang Ning believed. She clasped her hands together, shutting her eyes tightly as she whispered her wish.
Five seconds later, she opened them again, her sparkling gaze fixed on the dazzling display above, brimming with hope for the future.
Suddenly, a deep voice sounded beside her, "What did you wish for?"
She turned her head and met He Siyu's gaze.
No way she'd tell him—saying it out loud would ruin the magic.
Instead, she countered, "Did you make a wish?"
"I did."
She was surprised. She’d expected him to scoff, laugh coldly, and then watch the fireworks with that unreadable expression of his.
Curious, she asked, "Then what did you wish for?"
He looked down at her face, softly illuminated by the fireworks, and after three seconds of silence, answered quietly, "That you get everything you wish for."
