Zhang Xunyue’s eyes lit up. While Xu Weiyang was turned away, she quickly darted behind He Siheng, tugged at his clothes, and whispered for help. “Help me out.”
He Siheng turned his head slightly toward her. “Don’t be scared.”
Then he faced the musclehead again, a hint of menace in his eyes. “You don’t even recognize your daddy He?”
Xu Weiyang recognized him now. Damn, wasn’t this the skinny-armed pretty boy who’d sprinted ahead of him in the 3000-meter last time?
Because that pretty boy had sped up a lap early, it threw off the rhythm for everyone behind, leaving them with burning lungs and pounding headaches by the end.
Seeing Zhang Xunyue avoiding him like the plague but acting familiar with this guy made Xu Weiyang even more pissed. “I’m chatting with my goddess. What’s it to you?”
“You call this chatting?” He Siheng chuckled lightly. “Not a toad lusting after swan meat?”
“You—”
Xu Weiyang’s face flushed red then pale with anger, his voice dropping low. “You wanna fight?”
With his massive build and furious glare, he looked pretty intimidating—enough to make Zhang Xunyue shrink back involuntarily.
But He Siheng showed no fear, still with his hands in his pockets, looking all cocky and amused. “Seeing your courage is commendable, daddy can spare some time to give you pointers.”
Xu Weiyang couldn’t take the provocation. He rolled up his sleeves to charge, but Zhang Xunyue suddenly shouted from behind He Siheng, “Xu Weiyang, dare to fight and see what happens—you’ve got a competition soon!”
Reminded of that, Xu Weiyang halted after just one step.
Right—he was about to represent the school in a match. Fighting now would get him beaten by the coach and disqualified. Not worth it.
Xu Weiyang thought it over, coughed, and said, “Fighting’s too barbaric—don’t wanna scare my goddess. Let’s have a man’s showdown instead. Next Friday, Class 10 versus Class 1 in basketball. You dare?”
He Siheng snorted. “Why next Friday? You need a week to rally your crew? Not popular, huh, bro?”
Xu Weiyang’s face turned beet red. “N-Next Wednesday I’ve got my match—I can’t get hurt!”
He Siheng found it amusing. This musclehead seemed brainless at first, but he knew his priorities.
“Fine, daddy gets your desire to bring glory to the school. Next Friday it is—but I set the stakes,” He Siheng drawled. “If you lose, one: never speak to Zhang Xunyue again. Two: call me daddy whenever you see me.”
Xu Weiyang sneered coldly. “I won’t lose. Get ready to call me daddy!”
He spat his threat and left.
Seeing him finally gone, Zhang Xunyue sighed in relief, stepped out from behind He Siheng, and thanked him. But she couldn’t help worrying. “You’re really gonna compete with Xu Weiyang? He’s on the school basketball team.”
He Siheng shrugged indifferently. “Know why I’m not on the school team?”
“Why?”
He grinned crookedly. “Because I don’t wanna be.”
He Siheng went to the vending machine, scanned to buy three drinks, and handed her one.
Zhang Xunyue took it with thanks, paused, then held up her phone. “Can I add you as a friend?”
He Siheng paused, then grinned as something occurred to him. “You chasing me?”
Zhang Xunyue blinked, then laughed. “No, just wanna be friends.”
“…Oh.”
He Siheng showed her his QR code while muttering, “Last time you said you fell for Tan Jing because he heroically saved you. I just did the same—don’t you feel a spark? Why not? Am I not as handsome as him?”
Hearing his tone—more unwilling than disappointed—Zhang Xunyue realized he was indirectly competing with Tan Jing again.
She couldn’t help giggling. “You really compete with Tan Jing on everything.”
He Siheng said seriously, “Of course. It’s a matter of a man’s dignity.”
He approved her friend request and saw her profile pic was a golden retriever. Casually, he asked, “Your family’s golden retriever?”
“My cousin’s. They just had puppies. Look.”
Zhang Xunyue sent him a photo of one. “Isn’t it super cute?”
He Siheng stared at the little golden retriever in the photo for a long time without speaking, his expression turning somewhat grave.
Just as Zhang Xunyue was about to ask what was wrong, he looked up, eyes sparkling. “Can I add your cousin?”
“…?”
PE class brought an unexpected windfall, and He Siheng hummed happily back to the classroom.
Seeing his good mood, Tan Jing’s lips curved slightly. “Pick up money on the way?”
“Shallow,” He Siheng huffed lightly. “Today’s adventure couldn’t be bought with money.”
Just then, his phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out to check.
It was a reply from Zhang Xunyue: She’d talked to her cousin, who said no need to add him—the pups were ready for adoption. After school today, go with her to see them in person. If one caught his eye, he could take it home right away.
He Siheng’s mouth nearly split to his ears. He replied “Great” immediately.
After the last class of the afternoon, the week’s courses ended. He Siheng helped Tan Jing into the family car, stuffed his crutches in, and shut the door.
Tan Jing lowered the window, frowning. “You not going home?”
“I’ve got my own stuff.” He Siheng dropped the mysterious line and left.
Tan Jing watched from the window as he headed off—not far away, Zhang Xunyue stood by the roadside, seemingly waiting for him.
It clicked: He Siheng’s “adventure” was this.
He watched He Siheng approach Zhang Xunyue, chat and laugh, then get into another car.
Tan Jing looked away, his lashes lowering as he silently gripped his crutches tighter.
He Siheng followed Zhang Xunyue to her cousin’s to see the puppies. Sure enough, the little golden retriever that had caught his eye in the photo looked even more like Big King in person—even its temperament matched.
Without hesitation, He Siheng bought it from her cousin on the spot. It was getting late, so he’d prepare puppy supplies and toys tomorrow before picking it up.
He stayed quite a while at Zhang Xunyue’s cousin’s house. By the time He Siheng got home, it was almost dark. He turned on the bedroom light, flopped lazily into a chair, and felt an inexplicable relief, like settling a long-held worry.
On the day Big King passed, Tan Jing hadn’t shed a single tear—seeming cold-blooded. But He Siheng knew this guy just didn’t show it.
Big King had watched Tan Jing grow up, and Tan Jing had watched Big King age. They’d been companions for so many years, like family. Even for Tan Jing, accepting a family member’s death wouldn’t be easy.
So the moment he saw that little golden retriever photo, He Siheng thought of Tan Jing.
As He Siheng pondered how to present the pup to Tan Jing without seeming contrived, his phone rang.
He picked up—speak of the devil. It was Tan Jing.
He Siheng answered lazily, “You timed it perfectly. I just got home, and you call. What’s up, daddy?”
Tan Jing paused, then said, “Can you come to my house bathroom?”
“?”
He Siheng was baffled. “What, you want me to help you bathe now? Let me tell you, don’t push it—”
Tan Jing interrupted flatly, “I fell. Can’t move right now.”
He Siheng froze, then jumped up from the chair. “I’m coming right now.”
