Chapter Ninety-Five: His Meticulous Heart

“I’ll head back now,” Luo Yixia waved to the two of them outside the dormitory.

“Go ahead,” Song Chengyi reached out and ruffled her hair.

With a smile, Luo Yixia dashed into the dormitory.

It was past eleven; there were no students outside anymore. After such intense daily training, most were exhausted.

“Let’s talk,” Song Zeming said, looking at his younger brother, who was about his height.

“All right.”

The two walked toward the instructors’ dormitory. Each instructor had their own room.

As soon as Song Chengyi entered, he sprawled across Song Zeming’s bed.

“I’ll just make do here tonight.”

“What for? Don’t you have your own dorm?” Song Zeming handed him a bottle of water.

“I posted on social media that I went home,” Song Chengyi said, placing a pillow behind his head.

“For Yixia, isn’t it?” Song Zeming saw right through him, settling into a chair.

“Where are the clothes? I need a shower. Played basketball this afternoon and I’m drenched in sweat.” Song Chengyi sprang up.

“In the suitcase, help yourself.”

Song Chengyi grabbed a couple of garments and left the room.

At this hour, the bathhouse should be empty.

On his way, apart from a few students assigned to night duty, there was really no one about. He did his best to avoid them and slipped into the bathhouse.

After showering and changing into fresh clothes, he finally felt comfortable. He’d sweated through his shirt earlier when Luo Yixia hugged him.

He hadn’t expected to run into Chen Nan while carrying his dirty laundry out.

At that moment, Chen Nan was patrolling with a flashlight.

Chen Nan looked a little surprised to see him, but quickly regained his composure. “You’re back? Is she all right?”

“Who?” Song Chengyi stopped.

“You know exactly who I mean,” Chen Nan said, clearly disliking the arrogant way Song Chengyi regarded others. Still, he had the right to be proud.

“Luo Yixia? I have no idea, I went home,” Song Chengyi replied easily, ready to walk away.

“Drop the act, I know all about it. Luo Yixia likes you, doesn’t she?” Chen Nan called out.

Song Chengyi paused mid-step, casually drew back, turned, and raised an eyebrow at him.

“Since you know, keep your distance from her in the future.” The words were bland, yet irrefutable.

Watching Song Chengyi leave, Chen Nan remained rooted to the spot, clenching the flashlight in his hand.

Song Chengyi returned in high spirits—so much so that Song Zeming noticed.

“What’s up? You’re in a good mood,” he remarked.

“Am I?” Song Chengyi flopped onto the bed.

“Absolutely.” Song Zeming grinned.

“Probably solved a little trouble.” Song Chengyi smiled, though he hadn’t actually done anything.

“I’ve noticed your emotions have been all over the place lately. It’s obvious.”

Song Chengyi frowned slightly, realizing it himself. His feelings were easily provoked, swinging unpredictably; sometimes, anger would flare up for no reason at all.

“Is it because of Yixia?” Song Zeming probed.

Song Chengyi folded his hands behind his head.

“Perhaps.”

No, not perhaps—he was sure of it. Luo Yixia had always affected him. Because of her, he’d get angry, get jealous, feel pain, want to be good to her, yet couldn’t bear to see her treat anyone else well. She could only be his. Luo Yixia belonged to Song Chengyi.

Back in her dorm, Luo Yixia found the lights off, but no one sleeping yet. As she entered, the others gathered around her.

“Yixia, are you all right?” Gan Yanyan stepped forward to check her injury.

Luo Yixia instinctively covered the bump on her head. “I’m fine, it’s much better already.”

“Let me see, does it hurt?” Gan Yanyan reached out to touch it.

Luo Yixia immediately retreated, “Easy! Don’t touch, it hurts.”

“Go, go, lie down on your bed,” Gan Yanyan led her over.

“Not sure if I can take a shower at this hour,” Luo Yixia muttered, feeling uncomfortable.

“Shower? You need rest. You’ve had terrible luck—hurt your leg a few days ago, now your head. Just rest,” Gan Yanyan said sincerely—she truly thought Luo Yixia was unlucky.

“Luo Yixia, was it Song Chengyi who took you to the hospital?” a girl on the upper bunk suddenly asked.

“He and Instructor Song took me,” Luo Yixia replied, since many had witnessed it.

“Did he stay with you the whole time? Instructor Song came back later, were you two together?” the girl pressed.

Luo Yixia hesitated. How was she supposed to answer that? She really didn’t know what to say.

“Didn’t Song Chengyi post on social media that he went home?” Gan Yanyan chimed in.

Everyone looked at her.

“How did you know?” someone asked.

Gan Yanyan replied without thinking, “Yu Bin, he’s in the same class as Song Chengyi. I ran into him at dinner and he told me.”

The explanation was smooth and flawless—even Luo Yixia almost believed it. In reality, Gan Yanyan had seen the post herself and made up the rest. After all, how many people could add the campus legend on social media? Gan Yanyan had only managed it thanks to Yixia.

“I see,” several girls sighed in relief.

“Yixia, why didn’t you reply to my message?” asked the girl who had earlier messaged to ask if she was with Song Chengyi.

“My phone died,” Luo Yixia smiled.

“No wonder.” The girl sounded half-convinced.

While chatting, Luo Yixia plugged in her phone and immediately saw Song Chengyi’s post: [The bed at home is so comfortable.] Attached was a photo.

But Luo Yixia knew perfectly well the picture wasn’t from his house—it must have been found online. Judging by the time, it was right when he’d been angry and ignoring her. She remembered that she’d been fiddling with her phone at that moment, accidentally bumped the needle, and the head nurse had come. She hadn’t realized Song Chengyi had been on his phone then, just to make that post.

He’d been angry at her, yet still thinking about her.

Clutching her phone, Luo Yixia felt a wave of warmth.

But wait, hadn’t he come back? If he was staying in the dorm, then his social media post would be meaningless.

She typed a message to Song Chengyi: “Are you back at the dorm?”

“No, I’m at my brother’s,” he replied quickly.

Luo Yixia breathed a sigh of relief—he really had everything under control.

“Yixia, did Song Chengyi leave right after taking you to the hospital?” the girl on the upper bunk asked again, unwilling to let it go.

“He took me to the infirmary with Instructor Song, then they drove me to the hospital. After that, I don’t know—I thought they both came back together,” Luo Yixia improvised.

“You can just go home like that? So nice,” another girl said enviously.

“Of course. Instructor Song is his brother, so he just took the chance to go home.”

“But why did Song Chengyi take you to the hospital? Are you two close?” The girl asking was the one who’d previously asked for Song Chengyi’s contact information.

“I… I’m not close to him,” Luo Yixia replied, though her guilt was obvious.

“Didn’t someone say the ball that hit Luo Yixia was thrown by Song Chengyi? So he took her to the hospital to take responsibility,” Gan Yanyan said, helping her out. Honestly, Gan Yanyan understood—if his little sweetheart got hurt, Song Chengyi would go no matter who had thrown the ball. Now, at least, there was a reason to silence the others.

“Wasn’t it Chen Nan who threw it? Song Chengyi only fought him for the ball and missed,” the upper bunk girl defended Song Chengyi.

Luo Yixia could finally see it clearly—every girl in this dorm had an interest in Song Chengyi, thus their constant “concern.” She had realized this long ago, which was why she didn’t want anyone to know about her relationship with him. Otherwise, she felt she would be drowned in gossip.

Besides, though she was always shameless around Song Chengyi, she never felt worthy of him.

Song Chengyi was just so outstanding.

And she…

The others continued to argue about Chen Nan and Song Chengyi.

Luo Yixia quietly climbed into bed and lay down.

Gan Yanyan noticed, but assumed she was just tired.

Gan Yanyan had always considered herself Luo Yixia’s best friend, but there were still things Yixia wouldn’t confide in her. If she hadn’t witnessed it with her own eyes, Song Chengyi never would have told her about their relationship—she hadn’t even known her best friend had someone she liked, let alone that they were already registered, and that her partner was practically a legend.

She was just waiting—waiting for Luo Yixia to willingly share her secret.

The next morning, when Luo Yixia woke, her head was still spinning—worse than before, in fact. She forced herself to get up. After washing her face and brushing her teeth, she grew used to it and felt a bit better.

At breakfast, she kept scanning the cafeteria for Song Chengyi.

But she never spotted him.

It was only as she was leaving that she saw him arrive, just in time for the last round of breakfast.

As expected, his appearance drew a lot of attention and whispers—including from those already leaving, who gestured at Luo Yixia as well.

She didn’t listen, just walked away.

She wondered, if Song Chengyi ever embraced her in front of everyone, the whole place would erupt.

Last night she’d been too tired to think it over, but now she realized—though her dorm was full of the most gossipy people imaginable, they’d shown no interest in her connection with Song Chengyi. That was not like Gan Yanyan at all.

“Yanyan, don’t you have anything you want to ask me?” Luo Yixia looked at her as they walked.

“What do you mean?” Gan Yanyan was still sipping her sweet soy milk.

“About Song Chengyi taking me to the hospital yesterday,” Luo Yixia prompted.

“Didn’t we talk about it last night? Song Chengyi was just being responsible. He only took you to the hospital,” Gan Yanyan answered nonchalantly.

“Did you see him carry me yesterday?” Luo Yixia pressed, feeling that something was off. Without thinking, she blurted it out.

At once, Gan Yanyan grew nervous. “Are you crazy? If anyone hears, how will you explain it?”