Addicted to You - Chapter 11

During break, the person beside her was asleep with his head on the desk.

Xu Yu was still thinking about that photo from last night. It felt inappropriate. If his future girlfriend saw it, it might cause her unnecessary trouble, just like with Xu Xuan. Despite her inner turmoil, she finally spoke up.

She called his name. He turned his head just as he opened his eyes.

Zhou Yiheng looked at her blearily. “Speak.”

While she was still struggling with how to phrase it, Xu Yu saw him sit up straight and run a hand through his hair.

It was an unconscious gesture, but it made her heart flutter.

Zhou Yiheng was puzzled: “Hmm?”

Her heart raced uncontrollably. She spoke: “Could you delete that photo from yesterday?” As soon as she said it, a huge weight lifted from her chest.
“Why?”
The same question again.
Though embarrassed, she continued, “If your future girlfriend sees it, it might cause trouble for…” She had started to say “me,” but felt he probably wouldn’t delete it just for her sake, so she changed it to, “…trouble for us.”
“What kind of trouble?” Zhou Yiheng seized the chance to probe.
“You know,” she said, “trouble like last time.”
“Oh.” He deliberately drew out the syllable. “No way I’m deleting it.”
Him saying something like this was entirely expected.
Forget it. She couldn’t win against him. Xu Yu gave up.

The sound of clapping came from the front of the classroom. A girl stood at the podium. Xu Yu looked over; it was the class art committee member.
“Everyone, quiet please. Next week is Mid-Autumn Festival. The school gala requires each class to contribute one performance. Anyone interested, sign up with me.”
The classroom buzzed with chatter.
Song Yuan ran over. “Yu Yu, are you going to participate?”
Xu Yu never liked these school activities. She shook her head.
Song Yuan wanted to keep talking, but the physics teacher entered the classroom early. She had to go back.

As Xu Yu bent down to search for her book in her desk drawer, she heard the voice beside her ask: “You’re not participating in any performance?” Her hand paused for a second. She made a sound of agreement, then pulled out her book.
“Why?” he asked.
Xu Yu realized he really did like asking her ‘why’. “Because I don’t like it.”
“Oh.” Zhou Yiheng spun his pen twice in his hand. “Then, if someone you don’t like confesses to you in the future, would you reject them too?”
She glanced at him. Why were his questions so random? And was this even appropriate?
Finally, she ended the conversation with the excuse that she hadn’t thought about it yet.

The curtains swayed with the breeze. The classroom smelled of dust mixed with water. Puddles on the floor reflected the ceiling under the light. All the desks and chairs were turned upside down on the tabletops. Only the second-to-last desk in the third row stood out.

After solving a physics problem, Xu Yu packed her books to go find Song Yuan.
As she turned sideways, she noticed the school jacket belonging to a certain someone still draped over the chair beside her. He must still be on the sports field.
Before leaving the classroom, she walked to the window and closed it.

…

Xu Yu stood outside the auditorium waiting. Passersby glanced at her occasionally. She usually stared blankly at some spot until Song Yuan emerged.
A weight landed on her shoulder. She knew it was Song Yuan.
The girl with round eyes beamed. “Sorry, kept you waiting again.”
Xu Yu shook her head.
Song Yuan took the backpack from her hands and started complaining. “It’s all that lead actress’s fault. She wouldn’t go practice her lines properly, so we had to redo it several times.”
Xu Yu listened silently to the complaints but didn’t find them annoying.
“Hey Yu Yu,” Song Yuan added, “our play is still short one supporting role. Do you want to join?”
A play? She’d never done anything like that. She instinctively shook her head in refusal.
Song Yuan wanted her to try new things, to become more lively and confident. “That role is easy to play. Only one line, and you only appear twice.”
Actually, since becoming friends with Song Yuan, she had gradually opened up. Hearing this, she hesitated.
Song Yuan sensed it and pressed on: “And I really want you to be on stage with me. How about we just try it?”
After a few seconds of silence, Xu Yu spoke: “But I don’t know how to act.”
“Neither do I! But you only find out by trying things.”
Feeling Song Yuan had a point, it was still hard to overcome her mental barrier. “I’ll give you an answer tomorrow.”
Song Yuan sensed progress and flashed an “OK” sign.

The next day, as if bewitched, she agreed to Song Yuan’s invitation.
“Really?” Song Yuan was still stunned with surprise.
Xu Yu nodded.
“Amazing! We’re going on stage together! I was so nervous before, but now that you’re coming, I’m not. How about this, we’ll go tell the club president this afternoon.”
“Okay.”
Song Yuan practically jumped with excitement, pulling Xu Yu to spin in place. Xu Yu laughed too.
It was the first time in over ten years she’d actively participated in an activity. She felt herself slowly coming alive.

Back in the classroom, Guan Xiao was sitting in her seat playing a game with the person beside her.
Zhou Yiheng lifted his eyelids and saw her coming. He kicked Guan Xiao.
The kicked one complained: “Hey! What was that for?”
Guan Xiao rolled his eyes at him. When he looked back, he saw Xu Yu returning and stood up automatically, grinning. “I was just sitting in your seat playing a game with your deskmate. All yours.”
Noticing their phones were still on the game screen, probably unfinished, Xu Yu said, “Finish your game. I’ll go out for some air.”
Guan Xiao was about to thank her when he saw Zhou Yiheng exit the game. Guan Xiao’s screen now showed one teammate AFK.
“Didn’t get enough wind standing outside for so long?” the AFK player said.
He seemed to know everything, Xu Yu thought.
Guan Xiao, absorbed in the game where one player was AFK and three others were down, concentrated the enemy fire on him. He mumbled complaints while moving back to his own seat.
“What were you talking about outside with your little friend?” Zhou Yiheng asked, his tone deliberately provoking.
Xu Yu felt annoyed. She disliked the term “little friend” – Song Yuan was her good friend, not some random acquaintance. Her expression cooled. “Nothing much.”
“Nothing much? You stood out there for ages?”
This guy, meddling too much.
“What’s it to you?”
It was the first time she’d spoken to anyone in that tone. After saying it, she felt a mix of defiance and apprehension.
The person beside her snorted, sounding somewhere between encouragement and mockery. “Not bad, Xu Yu. Learning to talk back.”
The words made her shy. Her face slowly flushed.
Zhou Yiheng stopped teasing her. “Did you join the performance?”
She nodded.
She expected him to say something discouraging or sarcastic – that’s how boys used to be – but his words surprised her once again.
“Good. I’ll come watch.”
Her lowered lashes lifted. Her heart pounded like a drumbeat, intense and passionate.
She hadn’t even invited him, yet he said he’d come.
Suddenly, this performance felt incredibly important. And because of his words, she felt even more nervous.

…

That afternoon, Song Yuan took her to the club. The president agreed immediately.
The play was an adapted version of Thunderstorm. She played a servant, just as Song Yuan said, with very few scenes. Perfect for her.
She watched the leads rehearse on stage, engrossed. She didn’t notice when someone sat down beside her.
“When do you go on?”
Xu Yu jumped at the sudden voice and stood up quickly.
“When did you get here?” she countered.
“A while ago,” Zhou Yiheng said casually.
Calming down, Xu Yu sat back down and answered his earlier question. “I already went on earlier.”
The atmosphere turned awkward. He coughed twice as if nothing had happened.
His lie exposed, Xu Yu found it rather embarrassing and laughed.
The girl’s eyes curved, her cheeks flushed pink, her dimples showing clearly. Her smile was bright and infectious. Zhou Yiheng suddenly felt less embarrassed and smiled too.
For the next week, Xu Yu attended rehearsals. Though her part was small, she took it seriously out of respect.
Zhou Yiheng, whenever free, would sneak in to watch for a minute or two. Xu Yu didn’t know.

On the day of the Mid-Autumn Gala, performers waited backstage. The classroom was sparsely populated with a few boys.
Three or four guys walked down the corridor outside Class 11, looking like they’d just come from basketball.
Zhou Yiheng and Guan Xiao led the group.
His school jacket slung over his shoulder, he kept his head down looking at his phone. Guan Xiao said something beside him, making his lips curl into a smile. Rendered by the night, that smile was particularly captivating.
Two girls approached them. One pushed the other forward. The other girl, blushing shyly, was nudged by her friend towards the guy focused on his phone.
Guan Xiao and the others immediately started jeering, bumping his shoulder. “Put the phone down!”
White sneakers appeared in his line of sight. He finally looked up.
The girl’s face was crimson. She spoke timidly: “Senior, could I get your contact info?”
The guys behind started hooting, mimicking the girl: “Seniooor~”
High school boys could be insufferable like that; it was their trademark fun.
The girl stood before him, summoning all her courage to ask again.
Everyone expected him to agree; after all, he’d been single for a while.
Just as Guan Xiao and the others jeered, the disinterested party spoke: “Sorry, I’m not looking to date right now.”
The jeering stopped abruptly.
Disappointment flashed in the girl’s eyes. Zhou Yiheng ignored it, returning his attention to his phone screen as he walked past her back to the classroom.
The group looked bewildered. Since breaking up with Xu Xuan, he’d rarely been seen near girls.
Guan Xiao caught up to him. “Hey, what’s up with you lately? That girl just now was pretty cute. Why’d you turn her down?”
“What, am I a central heating unit? Do I have to say yes to everyone?” he said flatly.
“Oh? And who was it that said, ‘Dating them won’t cost me anything, and it makes them happy’?”
Zhou Yiheng lifted his eyes from the screen. “Did I ever say that?”
Guan Xiao rolled his eyes. “Hah, memory like a sieve.” He added, “Lin Qi said tonight, same street as last time.”
Events like the Mid-Autumn Gala didn’t suit their style. They always skipped out as soon as things started to go party.
“Not going tonight,” the speaker said, fingers swiping the screen.
This caught Guan Xiao off guard. Usually, Zhou was the first to bail. Why was he playing model student lately?
“What are you doing? Don’t tell me you’re going to the gala?”
He raised an eyebrow. “Yeah.”
Guan Xiao groaned dramatically. He pulled out the chair in front of him and sat down, scrutinizing Zhou Yiheng.
Being stared at so intently, especially by another guy, made Zhou Yiheng uncomfortable. He frowned. “Want me to poke your eyes out?”
Guan Xiao examined him more closely, analyzing a bunch of things, then concluded triumphantly: “You like someone, don’t you? And that person is performing tonight!”
The finger swiping the screen paused. He didn’t speak, just kept scrolling.
Bingo. Guan Xiao excitedly sat down. “Hahaha! I knew it! Who would’ve thought? Zhou Yiheng, secretly crushing!”
Zhou Yiheng shot him a look of utter disdain.
In the end, Guan Xiao decided not to go out either. He insisted on finding out who the girl was.

Less than ten minutes until the gala started. The auditorium was packed.
The two found seats. From the moment they sat down, Guan Xiao’s eyes never left Zhou Yiheng.
When Zhou Yiheng asked why, Guan Xiao said that when that girl came on stage, he’d definitely act differently. By observing him closely, he’d figure out who she was.
Zhou Yiheng responded with two dry “Haha,” claiming he’d be as calm as still water, impossible to read.
He succeeded. Guan Xiao fell asleep during the third program.
As the listed programs ticked by, Zhou Yiheng felt his excitement grow the closer they got to the adapted Thunderstorm performance.
All the actors waited backstage. Xu Yu was incredibly nervous; it was her first time on such a big stage.
Song Yuan came over to comfort her. “Just imagine the audience are cabbages. Treat it like a normal rehearsal.”
While the host read the intro card for their performance, props were being set up on stage.
Xu Yu started regulating her breathing, trying to calm the nerves.
The host finished: “…Please enjoy the Drama Club’s performance of Thunderstorm, adapted version.”
The stage lights dimmed. Xu Yu’s character appeared in the first scene. She followed the leads onto the stage, taking her assigned position.
One of the leads signaled “OK” to the lighting tech. Lights suddenly blazed, background music swelled, and the play began.
Guan Xiao had been right. When Zhou Yiheng saw her, his demeanor shifted completely.
His slumped posture instantly straightened. His eyes scanned the vast stage, seeking her out. Wherever she moved, his gaze followed. His eyes held only her, forgetting it was a multi-character play.
The leads’ lines boomed powerfully, but he only registered her line: “Master, your tea.”
The girl in the corner stood rigidly straight. Even after her part was over, she remained focused until the end.
Zhou Yiheng glanced beside him. Guan Xiao was still sound asleep.
He quietly pulled out his phone, opened the camera, zoomed in to the maximum (where only pixelated squares were visible), and pressed the shutter several times.
After about fifteen minutes, the performance ended. All cast members came forward for the curtain call. Thunderous applause filled the auditorium.
Guan Xiao jolted awake. “Is it over?” he asked, bewildered.
The hand holding the phone, poised for more action, withdrew. “Yeah,” Zhou Yiheng replied, sounding annoyed.
Guan Xiao complained that he hadn’t woken him.
Zhou Yiheng just gave a humorless laugh.

…

Backstage, Song Yuan praised Xu Yu effusively for acting so well and delivering her lines perfectly. Xu Yu felt a bit embarrassed by the compliments.
The club president walked by. “Song Yuan, club gathering later. Bring your friend.” She turned to Xu Yu. “You were great today. See you later!”
Flattered, Xu Yu said “Thank you,” but it was already late. She didn’t dare walk home alone, so she declined the gathering.
The president didn’t insist.
After waving goodbye to Song Yuan, Xu Yu changed out of her costume and headed back to the classroom.
The classroom was empty. Xu Yu walked to her seat to pack her bag for home.
A gust of wind howled outside. Suddenly, the overhead lights went out. She froze.
Voices drifted in from the corridor. The wind continued to howl. Curtains slapped against chairs and desks. The ceiling fan, probably old and poorly maintained, creaked loudly. The door slammed shut, seemingly pushed by something unseen. She was alone in the small, dark space.
She wasn’t superstitious, but in that moment, fear gripped her.
She tried desperately to stay calm, but the cacophony of sounds felt like wailing ghosts. Her mental defenses were crumbling.
Suddenly, the classroom door was pushed open from outside. A voice called her name.
“Xu Yu.”
Instinctively, she answered “Yes!” sharply, stopping her packing and turning around.
A boy stood there, holding up his phone. The light partially illuminated his face, revealing clear features. A trace of urgency seemed to flicker in his expression. His upper body rose and fell slightly with his breathing.
“You’re still here?” This time, she spoke first.
Zhou Yiheng walked in with the light. The darkness became less terrifying. Her defenses held.
“I went to watch your performance.”
Her hand tightened on her book, rubbing some color off the cover.
She responded, “Mm.”
The ceiling fan still whirred above. Xu Yu’s heart wouldn’t stop pounding. Then she heard him say:
“I only watched you.”