Chapter 12

Take twelve bites.
Under the thin fabric were taut, lean muscle lines. The instant she pressed close, He Mingye’s shoulder blades snapped tight—like a leopard about to spring, holding back, lying in wait.
She had no idea. She didn’t notice a thing.
She was only naive—like an innocent girl who didn’t know better—still carrying that trace of youthful, unpolished softness. And her tone was soft, like a puff of fluffy cotton candy. The warm breath she exhaled brushed his neck. Her chin rested on his shoulder, and without the slightest guard, she exposed the most vulnerable part of her slender throat.
“There, there. Being dumped isn’t the end of the world.”
Ying Tao patted his shoulder to comfort him, then even ruffled the back of his head. His hair was short. In her memory, he never liked growing it long—especially the hair at the back, cut shortest of all. It felt a little prickly under her palm, but it didn’t actually hurt.
She had no idea that what she was doing was far too intimate—already crossing the line of what “friends” should do.
They’d grown up eating together, sleeping under the same roof. Before the awareness of gender even formed, she’d never guarded against He Mingye—just like she never guarded against Ying Baiqing. Siblings were naturally closer than ordinary people.
To Ying Tao, He Mingye’s presence felt more like… Xiao Hei?
When she was ten, Ying Zhaohui came back to celebrate her birthday with her. Wen Yalan also, for once, treated her with a rare gentleness—she even allowed Ying Tao to take in that little black puppy.
Xiao Hei was a mixed stray mutt born to a street dog in the nearby park. No one could tell what breed he belonged to. There had been six puppies in the litter, but only Xiao Hei survived.
Afraid he wouldn’t make it through winter, she begged her brother to bring him home. But because Wen Yalan didn’t allow pets, Ying Tao could only hide Xiao Hei and feed him in secret.
Xiao Hei was very well-behaved—black all over, except for a tiny tuft of white fur on his chest. Every time she came home, Xiao Hei would wait by the door, then leap up enthusiastically and lick her hand.
Back then, she would rub Xiao Hei’s head too, giggling as she said, “So good, so good. Xiao Hei is so good.”
Now she rubbed the back of the man’s head again. The short tips of his hair slid over her palm, itchy in a faint way.
She thought: He Little Dog really doesn’t feel as nice as Xiao Hei.
…
The girl’s warm, soft body was like a fluffy cloud—weightless, yet unbelievably soft.
The man’s arm hanging by his side tensed, the muscle line pulling straight in an instant. In those pitch-black eyes was something like a bottomless void.
How could she know that the person she’d always relied on—trusted without conditions—the person she treated like an older brother… had been coveting her all along.
Coveting everything about her.
Dreaming of taking it all for himself.
He crushed down his reason with sheer restraint, yet couldn’t stop the urge to reach out and touch her. That sweet scent was like a catalyst, hooking an addiction. His throat bobbed on instinct.
If she tilted her head just a little, she would have seen—in the reflection—his vile, wordless desire.
But unfortunately, the girl pulled away the moment she’d touched him, leaving only that faint thread of sweetness lingering in the air.
She barged in as if it were natural, then withdrew as if nothing happened, never caring about that single instant where his heartbeat lost balance, his body turned stiff, and the amount of restraint it took not to read too much into it—because her gesture carried no extra emotion at all.
He Mingye took a deep breath and shut his eyes hard.
When he spoke again, his tone was neither cold nor warm.
“You think if you do that, I’ll soften up and open a back door for you?”
“Don’t use the same tricks you use on Xiao Hei on me.”
“…”
On her conscience—she had only just managed to scrape together a tiny sliver of pity for him.
Thinking about being “thrown away” as a child, that not-so-happy past of hers, she’d suddenly felt like she could relate. For a brief moment, she’d even treated him as an ally in the same boat.
“Why are you making me sound like some schemer? When have I ever calculated against you?”
He Mingye reminded her blandly, “Haven’t you?”
“Who pretended to be sick to skip class and leave early?”
“And who stole snacks behind everyone’s back—then, after getting caught, smoothly dumped it on me?”
“…”
Ying Tao thought about it.
Yeah… she really had done those things.
She’d loved candy since she was little. The family didn’t let her eat much, afraid she’d get cavities. And Wen Yalan, in order to get her successfully selected into the gymnastics team, managed her diet and routine with ruthless strictness.
She barely ever got to touch so-called “junk food.”
She’d only stolen snacks once, and she’d gotten caught on the spot. Wen Yalan exploded, demanding to know where the food came from.
Ying Tao had been so scared she cried. Her words came out in broken sobs, stuttering so badly Wen Yalan misheard—so the anger ended up landing on He Mingye instead.
“I didn’t do it on purpose. And besides, I didn’t mean to push it onto you. Those things were because of you…” Ying Tao said.
She knew she was in the wrong, so her voice got smaller and smaller.
“What?” He Mingye sneered. “Can’t say it out loud?”
“Want me to help you fill in the blank?”
“Those things weren’t the ‘ill-gotten gains’ you got by selling me out?”
“I just gave them an opportunity,” Ying Tao argued. “I was the middleman. I took a little courier fee, that’s all.”
Who told him to look like a walking troublemaker, attracting bees and butterflies everywhere, acting like a total delinquent all day?
Those girls swarmed in with a heat she couldn’t refuse. She couldn’t exactly eat for free, so she became the errand girl.
He Mingye’s face went cold.
For once, he didn’t say anything back.
All the way until they left the shooting range, he didn’t speak to her again.
Trailing behind him, Ying Tao stared at his back and muttered under her breath.
“Angry today, angry tomorrow, angry every day. What are you, a gas can? One spark and you explode.”
She really didn’t understand what He Mingye was always sulking about. Even ancient history had to get dragged out for a reckoning.
“Honestly—”
A man’s voice called from behind. “Mingming.”
Ying Tao turned back, puzzled, and saw a whole group of people coming in from outside, loud and imposing.
The man who’d called out said something to the people beside him first, then walked over with enthusiasm to greet them.
“It really is you. I thought I was seeing things.”
Ying Tao didn’t recognize him. She only glanced sideways at He Mingye, stunned.
“Mingming?”
He Mingye gave her a cool look, then shifted his gaze as if nothing happened, landing it on the man.
“Coach Chen.”
“Hahaha, you brat,” the middle-aged man laughed heartily. “Never thought I’d see you here again in my lifetime.”
“I thought you were going to hide from me forever and never dare show your face again.”
Ying Tao looked at the smiling middle-aged man, then at He Mingye, even more confused.
“...You two know each other?”
She did recognize the man.
Chen Zijian—the Olympic champion who’d once taken gold in men’s air-pistol shooting. Over his career he’d won countless medals, big and small. After retirement, he’d been hired as a national team coach for men’s pistol.
Chen Zijian’s gaze shifted to the girl beside him. He chuckled warmly.
“You’re little Taozi, right?”
“Huh?” Ying Tao blinked. “You know me?”
It wasn’t strange that she knew Chen Zijian—after all, he was a shooter who’d brought honor to the country.
But for Chen Zijian to know her? That was strange.
Even stranger—he seemed to be very familiar with He Mingye.
“Well…” Chen Zijian didn’t explain too clearly. He shot a meaningful look at He Mingye.
He Mingye’s expression remained calm, showing nothing.
But anyone paying attention would notice how stiff his arm was, hanging straight at his side.
Ying Tao looked at him, baffled. Her eyes were soft and misty, full of questions.
After a short pause, Chen Zijian finally explained on his own.
“I’m an old acquaintance of your mother’s. Back before she retired, we were friends.”
“Later she retired, got married, and had you. When you were just born, I even went to the hospital to see you.”
“By that count, you should call me Uncle Chen.”
Wen Yalan had been a gymnast. Before retiring, she’d won plenty of awards too.
But later she retired, married, and cut off contact with old friends, so Ying Tao had never met Chen Zijian. She’d only seen him in competition broadcasts, as the coach appearing on the sidelines.
Ying Tao paused, then still said politely, “Uncle Chen.”
“Then…” she asked, still not understanding, “how do you two know each other?”
Chen Zijian looked perfectly at ease. “That story is long.”
“Are you busy later? If you’re not, wait for me. I’ll treat you two to a meal.”
“Then I’ll tell you properly.”
He Mingye’s face was cold. “No time.”
Ying Tao, on the other hand, agreed cheerfully. “Sure!”
They spoke at the same time.
Ying Tao looked at him.
He only turned his gaze away indifferently, but he didn’t refuse again.
Chen Zijian had come this time to bring his team for training.
After he arranged his athletes, he found a private home-style restaurant nearby.
The three of them sat in a private room.
Ying Tao ordered a few dishes—
Only for them to be crossed out one by one.
She frowned, unhappy. “Why did you cross out my dishes?”
He Mingye glanced at her. “Isn’t your tooth hurting?”
“…”
Chen Zijian watched everything, his smile growing deeper.
Ying Tao rubbed her right cheek. Her wisdom tooth inflammation still wasn’t better. And today she’d even injured her nose.
Who could be as unlucky as she was?
She shot He Mingye a gloomy look. “You definitely clash with me.”
He Mingye was no longer in his usual joking, teasing mode. Instead, he only glanced at her with no emotion.
Ying Tao found it strange.
He’d gotten mad before, plenty of times. But never once had he been this cold.
She was used to him being unserious.
Now that he sat there with a cold face, silent, he really did look intimidating.
He Mingye ignored her.
Her temper flared too.
Fine. If he wouldn’t talk, she wouldn’t either. Who cared?
Ying Tao puffed up, then turned to chat with Chen Zijian instead.
In the conversation, she learned that the shooting range belonged to one of Chen Zijian’s friends. When he had time, he sometimes went there to play a few rounds.
As for how he knew He Mingye, the reason wasn’t complicated.
Ying Zhaohui and Uncle He were members there. When the kids were little, they were often brought along to play.
Chen Zijian took a liking to He Mingye’s talent and once wanted to train him for the team.
But He Mingye wasn’t interested and refused without hesitation.
Chen Zijian didn’t give up. He kept persuading him.
After a lot of effort, He Mingye finally agreed to take one test.
But on the day of the test, he arrived late.
And his final score wasn’t ideal either—he lost to the opponent at the time by a subtle margin.
From then on, He Mingye rarely touched a gun again. He also almost never went back to that shooting range.
Ying Tao listened closely.
Hearing that He Mingye had lost back then, she found it hard to believe. Regret colored her voice.
“Ah… that’s such a shame.”
Chen Zijian sighed too. “It is a shame.”
“But this kid was a prickly one to begin with. Even if he joined the team, who knows if he’d obey discipline.”
“Everyone has their fate. It’s not like he has to walk this path.”
Ying Tao nodded vigorously. “Right, right. His temper is terrible. He’s petty. He holds grudges. He’ll get you back for the smallest thing. He’s basically—”
Before she could finish, her phone rang.
The moment she saw the caller ID, she deflated like a balloon pricked by a needle.
Ying Tao hesitated, then said softly, “Uncle Chen, I’ll go take this call.”
Chen Zijian nodded slightly, smiling kindly. “Go.”
When the girl’s figure disappeared out the door, only Chen Zijian and He Mingye remained in the room.
Chen Zijian withdrew his gaze and looked at He Mingye.
After a long time, he finally spoke.
“The reason you were late to that assessment back then… was because of her, wasn’t it?”