Li Na burst into the hall with dramatic timing, dragging Mom behind her like a lawyer presenting the final piece of evidence. Her grin was pure victory — wide, smug, and way too satisfied.
Mom's eyes landed on me immediately, sharp and full of motherly authority. I could feel the storm brewing before she even opened her mouth.
"Li Wei!" she said, in that tone that could make the air freeze. "What on earth are you doing? I told you not to tease your sister and guests!"
"I wasn't—" I began, but her raised hand shut me up instantly.
"Don't argue," she snapped. "Apologize to Lin Yue. Right now."
Behind her, Li Na was practically glowing with triumph. Lin Yue stood a few steps away, trying her best not to laugh. Her lips were already twitching, eyes sparkling like she was enjoying every second of my humiliation.
I sighed, dragging a hand through my hair. "Sorry," I muttered, just loud enough for everyone to hear.
Mom wasn't done. "You're always like this, Li Wei. Can't you behave for one evening? Poor Lin Yue just arrived, and already—"
But I wasn't hearing much after that.Because that was when Lin Yue smiled.
It wasn't her usual sarcastic grin, the one she used when she wanted to win an argument. This one was soft — real — the kind that started at her lips and reached all the way to her eyes.
And that was it. Everything stopped.
Mom's scolding became background noise. Li Na's smirk blurred out. Even the ticking clock on the wall seemed to pause just to make room for that single smile.
My heartbeat stumbled, then picked up speed like it had somewhere urgent to go. My chest felt tight, almost uncomfortable, like I'd just run up a flight of stairs.
Her laugh followed — light, short, almost like a secret.The sound hit me in a way I wasn't ready for.
Pretty.That was the first word that crashed through my brain.
Not "annoying," not "troublesome," not "enemy."Just — pretty.
The kind of pretty that caught you off guard, that made your thoughts blur and your tongue forget what words were supposed to do.
No way. I couldn't be thinking that. She was the reason I was getting scolded right now.She'd humiliated me with that stupid baby photo.
My enemy.My rival.The walking disaster I'd sworn to get even with.
And yet here I was — frozen like a statue, staring like an idiot, while she tried to hide another giggle behind her hand.
Mom's voice cut back through my daze. "Go to bed early, all of you. You have school tomorrow, and I don't want to hear another word about fighting."
"Yes, Mom," we said together.
Li Na darted off first, her victory grin plastered across her face.Lin Yue smiled again — smaller this time, shy but teasing — and gave a small nod before turning away toward her room.
That smile lingered in my head like an echo long after she left the hall.
I shuffled into my room and shut the door. The quiet hit me instantly — the kind of quiet that hums softly in your ears when your brain's still spinning.
The bed creaked as I fell onto it. The ceiling stared back blankly.
For a long time, I just lay there, my hands behind my head, replaying everything in my mind like a movie stuck on loop.
The photo.The chase.Her laugh.That near-fall.And the way her eyes had looked when I caught her.
My cheeks felt hot again just thinking about it.I groaned and rolled over, pressing my face into the pillow.
"What is wrong with you, Li Wei?" I muttered. "You're the coolest guy alive. The cutest boy in the world. How can you fall for a smile?"
I flipped onto my back, scowling at the ceiling."Maybe I'm just tired. Yeah, that's it. I didn't fall for anything. It's just… she smiled weird. That's all."
But even as I said it, I could still see it.That laugh — the small sparkle in her eyes — the way time had slowed down like some stupid romance drama.
Ugh.
I turned to the side, hugging my pillow like it could squeeze the thought out of me. But it didn't help.All I could think of was her.
Her hair falling over her shoulders when she ran.Her voice — half playful, half proud.That small moment when the photo slipped from her fingers and landed on the floor.
Every tiny detail played in my head like a slideshow I hadn't asked for.
I laughed quietly to myself. "You're losing it, Li Wei. You're actually losing it."
The fan above whirred softly, pushing the warm night air around the room.Outside, a dog barked somewhere. A car drove by.Inside, my brain refused to rest.
Maybe it was because of the embarrassment.Maybe it was because of the way she looked when she laughed.Or maybe — just maybe — something had changed, and I wasn't ready to admit it.
I sighed, pulling the blanket over my face."No," I whispered. "She's still the enemy."
I peeked out again and stared at the ceiling fan.Tomorrow, I'd get my revenge. I didn't know how yet — maybe a prank, maybe a clever trap — but I'd do something.
Because if I didn't, I'd just keep remembering that laugh, and that was unacceptable.
My mind began spinning with plans.Water on her desk? No, too childish.Hide her alarm clock? Maybe.Pretend to ignore her all day? Hmm, effective but boring.I needed something that said Li Wei always wins.
The thought made me grin in the dark.
But then another image slid into my mind — Lin Yue's surprised face when I caught her mid-fall, our hands gripping each other.That heartbeat moment.The warmth of her palm against mine.
I swallowed hard, my grin faltering."Stop it," I whispered, half laughing, half frustrated. "You're acting like a drama character. Get a grip."
I turned to my side, shutting my eyes tight.
Her face appeared again behind my eyelids.The laugh. The sparkle. The way her voice filled the room when she teased me.
I exhaled slowly."Fine," I murmured, almost smiling. "You win tonight."
Then, after a pause, softer:"But tomorrow, Lin Yue… we'll see who really wins."
The edges of my thoughts blurred as sleep finally crept in.The last thing I felt before drifting off was that stupid flutter in my chest — the same one I'd felt when she laughed.
And in the quiet dark, somewhere between waking and dreaming, I could almost hear it again — her laugh echoing softly through my mind.
It was bright.It was careless.And somehow, it felt like the start of something I couldn't name yet.