Little Fish and Mint - Chapter 21

The cool air, the plush leather sofa.

Xu Yitong didn’t know when she fell asleep. She stirred, rolling over, and slowly woke up.

A blurry figure sat nearby.

“Xiao Nuo?” she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

Yu Nuo, who had been watching over her, turned around.

“You’re awake?” her voice was soft.

Xu Yitong stretched her stiff neck. “When did you get here? Why didn’t you wake me…?”

“I just got here. You were sleeping so soundly…”

“What time is it?”

Reaching for her phone, she sat up, the jacket she’d been covered with sliding off.

Still groggy, she reacted slowly. “Whose jacket is this…?”

The red and white colors looked familiar. She picked it up and turned it over, the golden ID gleaming amongst the sponsor logos—[OG-Fish].

“Did you cover me with this?” she asked Yu Nuo casually.

Yu Nuo: “…”

“No… I think… my brother was here,” she said.

“Your brother?!”

This was completely unexpected.

She touched her lips, hoping she hadn’t drooled in her sleep.

Silence.

She couldn’t help but feel a thrill. Trying to appear calm, she failed to suppress a wide smile.

“Your brother is so sweet,” she said smugly.

“Mm,” Yu Nuo replied noncommittally.

She didn’t know what else to say.

She knew Yu Ge. He wouldn’t casually cover a girl with his jacket, no matter how much he cared. It felt like a private gesture, something he wouldn’t want others to know about.

Like her and Chen Yuzheng.

She couldn’t say more.

Xu Yitong held the jacket, examining it, then brought it to her nose, inhaling the faint, clean scent.

What detergent does he use? she wondered. It smells amazing… He was wearing this just now…

She stopped herself. Don’t go there.

Noticing Yu Nuo watching her, she quickly composed herself.

“What?” she asked, seeing Yu Nuo’s complex expression.

Yu Nuo shook her head. “Nothing.”

Noises drifted from outside. The coaching staff and management team were coming downstairs after a meeting.

Hui-ge, cigarette dangling from his lips, poked his head in. “Xiao Nuo? What are you doing here?”

He glanced at Xu Yitong, vaguely recognizing her. “And this is…?”

“We had dinner together. Remember?” She clearly remembered the man who’d tried to force her to drink.

“Oh, right. Fish’s fan,” he said, recognition dawning.

✧✧✧

At 9:30 PM, the scrim ended.

The analyst, who’d been observing the game, scribbled notes.

Little C looked at Yu Ge with concern. As his support, and practically attached to him throughout the game, he’d been the first to notice something was off.

During the dragon fight, Yu Ge, in a good position, had been unexpectedly burst down by the low-health enemy mid and jungle.

Little C, sitting next to him, had seen Yu Ge’s hand trembling slightly.

Injuries were common for professional players. Yu Ge had suffered shoulder and wrist injuries so severe he’d needed hospitalization.

“Is your hand okay?” he asked.

Yu Ge paused. “…Fine.”

After a fifteen-minute post-game discussion, they were done. Some went to the bathroom, others to collect their takeout orders.

Awen, grabbing his cigarettes, headed out with Yu Ge.

Hui-ge, chatting with a staff member in the hallway, saw them and asked, “Done? How did it go?”

“Easy win,” Awen shrugged.

As they spoke, the lounge door opened. “Are you done?!” Xu Yitong peeked out, then stepped into the hallway, looking refreshed after her nap.

Everyone stared.

Awen pointed at her, speechless. “You…”

Yu Ge looked at her, his gaze fixed, a familiar throbbing starting in his temples.

It was a hot summer night, nearly 35 degrees Celsius outside, yet she wore an oversized jacket that reached her thighs, clearly not hers. And more importantly—

“Why are you wearing Fish’s jacket?” Awen asked.

Her eyes shining, she said in a slightly coquettish tone, “He gave it to me. The AC is freezing in here.”

Yu Ge: “…”

Everyone exchanged knowing glances, the air thick with unspoken implications.

Even though he’d given her the jacket, Xu Yitong felt a flicker of guilt, as if she were deliberately tarnishing his reputation.

Well, maybe a little, she admitted to herself.

Yu Ge’s expression darkened. He opened his mouth to say something, then stopped.

After a long silence, he said coldly, “Wait for me downstairs.”

He turned and left, his steps hurried, but his demeanor otherwise calm and controlled.

“Is that Fish’s girlfriend?” a staff member whispered to Hui-ge.

Hui-ge considered this, then a look of understanding dawned on his face.

✧✧✧

Xu Yitong helped Yu Nuo pack, then they went downstairs together.

The car was waiting.

Xu Yitong hesitated, wondering if she should sit in the front or the back. Yu Nuo had already taken a seat in the back. It seemed rude to leave her alone, so Xu Yitong joined her.

The car was cool, the AC already on.

Leaning forward, she patted the driver’s seat cheerfully. “Let’s go!”

“Give me back my jacket,” the driver said, his voice flat, glancing at her through the rearview mirror.

“You need it now?” she asked, disappointed.

He didn’t reply.

“Are you cold?” she asked, concerned.

“Mm,” he conceded grudgingly.

“It’s okay, I don’t get cold easily. Just turn up the AC if you need to.”

Yu Ge: “…”

Yu Nuo giggled, then quickly looked down as Yu Ge glanced at her.

Xu Yitong puffed out her cheeks. “I’ll return it when we get to my place.”

Yu Ge started the car.

Xu Yitong settled into her seat.

He didn’t ask for her address, and she didn’t offer it, hoping to prolong their time together after he dropped Yu Nuo off.

Neither sibling was talkative. With Xu Yitong also unusually quiet, the car ride was silent.

She pulled out two oranges, offering one to Yu Nuo.

“Where did you get these?” Yu Nuo asked.

“From their lounge,” she grinned mischievously.

Leaning forward, she asked Yu Ge, “Want one? I can peel it for you.”

“No” he said, focused on driving.

“Do you have a trash bag?” she asked.

He silently tossed a bag into the backseat.

After a while, she mumbled, “Why aren’t you playing any music? Won’t you get sleepy?”

He ignored her.

“How do I connect to your car’s Bluetooth?” she asked, picking up her phone. “I’ll play some music.”

After two traffic lights, and with Yu Ge’s reluctant cooperation, she finally connected her phone.

He glanced at the title scrolling across the display: [Start Your Engines! Top 10 Trending Douyin Tracks – Explosive Car DJ Mix].

He froze.

The intro blasted through the speakers, a sudden assault of pounding electronic music. His mind went blank.

“Good, right?” she asked cheerfully, bobbing her head to the music.

He paused, then asked, “Do you think it’s good?”

“It’s… energetic! Perfect for driving!” she replied seriously.

Yu Ge: “…”

Yu Nuo, watching them, thought, for the first time, that her brother was actually quite… patient.

At least with Xu Yitong.

…

Seeing Yu Ge’s lack of response, Xu Yitong turned to Yu Nuo, resuming their earlier conversation. She always had something to say.

Yu Nuo enjoyed talking to Xu Yitong, whose cheerful chatter was a welcome contrast to her own quiet nature.

Xu Yitong shared her Shanghai food recommendations, from Michelin-starred restaurants to hole-in-the-wall eateries.

Yu Nuo diligently took notes, so engrossed she didn’t even notice when the car stopped.

“We’re here,” Yu Ge announced.

She looked up, startled.

That was fast…

Yu Nuo gathered her things and got out. Xu Yitong followed.

After watching her enter her apartment complex, Xu Yitong smoothed her hair and hurried around to the front passenger seat.

Buckling her seatbelt, she sat up straight and looked at him.

“What?” she asked cautiously, wondering if he was going to make her sit in the back.

“Where do you live?”

She quickly gave him her address.

He entered it into his navigation app, not bothering with Bluetooth.

The car started moving.

Sitting next to him felt different, especially now that they were alone.

The loud DJ music continued playing. She discreetly switched to a slower song on her own phone.

She glanced at him. He stared straight ahead.

She noticed something resembling a medicated patch on his hand that rested on the steering wheel.

“What happened to your hand? Are you injured?” she asked.

“No.”

“Oh,” she was relieved.

As they entered a tunnel, the interior of the car was suddenly brightly lit. She looked around curiously. Like its owner, the car was minimalist, devoid of any decorations, almost sterile.

The navigation app announced their route.

“Have you heard the song ‘Fish’?” she suddenly asked.

“No.”

“By Cheer Chen.”

He seemed to think for a moment. “Don’t know her.”

“I’ll play it for you.”

She turned on the song, then fell unusually quiet.

The city lights glittered as they drove across the elevated highway. The soft melody filled the car, creating a gentle atmosphere.

“Good?” she asked as the song ended.

“Mm.”

She secretly put it on repeat.

As they exited the highway, she looked out the window, a sense of familiarity washing over her. She turned to tell him this was where she went to high school, but his phone rang.

Seeing he didn’t react, she glanced at the caller ID. “It’s your mom.”

He remained silent.

The ringing stopped; the call went to voicemail.

It rang again. Same caller.

He picked up the phone and declined the call.

A vague suspicion formed in her mind, but she didn’t dare ask.

Ten minutes later, he pulled over. “I need to make a call,” he said calmly.

“Okay, go ahead.”

He got out of the car.

She waited.

Scrolling through Weibo, she saw the car door open. He got back in. She started to ask something, then stopped, seeing his expression.

He didn’t speak for the rest of the drive.

He was usually quiet, but she could sense his change in mood after the call. He seemed… upset.

✧✧✧

Lost in thought, she didn’t notice when the car turned a corner and stopped.

“We’re here,” he said, turning off the navigation.

She blinked, looking at him. “Okay… Drive safely.”

She unbuckled her seatbelt, reluctantly taking off his jacket. “Thanks for the ride,” she said as she opened the car door.

“Mm.”

She took a few steps, then, as if sensing something, looked back.

The car hadn’t moved.

She stopped, hiding behind a tree, watching him, waiting for him to leave.

…

The song continued playing on repeat in his car.

Yu Ge sat there, listening quietly.

As the lyrics “Don’t let me fly, keep me tenderly” played for the third time, his phone lit up.

A message from Xu Yitong.

-Xu Yitong: [Did you leave?]

Xu Yitong, crouched behind the tree, stared at her phone.

If he didn’t reply, she’d wait three minutes, then investigate.

If he said yes, she’d knock on his window and embarrass him.

Her phone vibrated.

-Little Fish: [No.]

Surprised by his honesty, she froze, then typed: [What’s wrong?]

She hesitated, deleting and retyping her message.

Why isn’t he leaving? Is he tired? Did something happen?

He replied—

-Little Fish: [Your Bluetooth is still connected.]