Chapter 15: Won’t

“So, is Meng Qiaoyu pursuing Lin Sitian?”
At the dinner table, Li Hailiang, always the last to catch on, asked this question.
After rafting, the group took a bus to a hotel atop Danqing Mountain to check in, then headed to a nearby farm – stay for a meal.
Dusk fell, the sky not yet fully dark. On the other side of the mountain, fiery clouds spread, vast clouds like gold leaf tumbling overhead, then burning into a crimson red before melting into the gray of the approaching night.
The rising smoke of cooking stirred the hunger of these teenagers. They’d ordered early and now dined under a half – open bamboo shed. The farm – stay was busy during the May Day holiday; even arriving early, they only got two ten – person tables. Class 8 had more people, so Lin Sitian’s group of six merged with others.
Meng Qiaoyu came over to greet them earlier. When he left to fetch more people, Li Hailiang, the gossip, asked Yang Xuelin the above question. This guy was sly—he knew asking Lin Sitian would get him scolded, so he picked the most perceptive one. Even if Yang Xuelin didn’t answer directly, he could tell from Lin Sitian and her reactions.
But Yang Xuelin didn’t hold back. “Isn’t it obvious? Are you a bit dense?”
Can’t blame Yang Xuelin for being so blunt—Meng Qiaoyu’s attitude was plain to see; being secretive would be stranger.
“Wow, your charm is off the charts, even reaching Class 8.” Li Hailiang teased exaggeratedly, giving Lin Sitian a thumbs – up. “I remember Meng Qiaoyu is quite popular in our school——”
Wang Yue cut in, “Too bad his eyesight is slightly off at a young age.”
“His eyesight’s bad?” Li Hailiang took it seriously.
“Better than Mr. Blind Wang anyway.” Lin Sitian Snort ed.
“Hahahaha” The table burst into laughter. Only Zhou Sheng, slow to react, silently sipped his tea.
Li Hailiang pressed on, “So should we help set them up?”
Lin Sitian hurried, “Stop meddling, it’s none of your business.”
She couldn’t openly say she’d rejected Meng Qiaoyu—it’d be disrespectful.
As they spoke, Meng Qiaoyu arrived. Seeing Lin Sitian between Zhou Sheng and Yang Xuelin, he sat at the empty seat with two other classmates. At that age, a hint of interest sparked gossip; with someone leading, others joined. Knowing Meng Qiaoyu liked Lin Sitian, the dinner – table teasing never stopped.
Zhou Sheng had no right to speak up, nor would he join the teasing. He just silently ate, others struggling to eat in such a situation, but he downed big bowls.
Rice – eater, soul of a rice – eater; the wise stay out of love, the straight man just eats.
“Zhou Sheng?”
Zhou Sheng looked at Lin Sitian.
“You okay?” He hadn’t spoken.
Zhou Sheng shrugged. “I don’t get their chat.”
“Their chats are really pointless.” Lin Sitian felt guilty saying this. “Actually, me too.”
“Not what I mean. I’m just boring, don’t know how to join.” Zhou Sheng said.
Socializing isn’t like solving problems; Zhou Sheng knew he was clueless about many tricks, so he didn’t spoil the mood.
The table was lively with eating and chatting. On this side, two people whispered.
“I invited you. If you’re bored, why don’t we go out and sit?”
——Lin Sitian extended an invitation, wanting more one – on – one time with Zhou Sheng.
“No need. Don’t worry about me, I’m fine.”
——But the straight – laced Zhou Sheng didn’t get it, thinking Lin Sitian was forcing herself to care about this “outsider”.
Blockhead, Lin Sitian cursed inwardly.
No one knew what they talked about over there, but Li Hailiang started teasing Meng Qiaoyu and Lin Sitian again. Lin Sitian wasn’t listening, but Zhou Sheng was fed up. He side – eyed Lin Sitian twice, put down his chopsticks to speak, but Meng Qiaoyu spoke first: “I’ve already been rejected, and you keep stabbing me. Harsh.”
The clueless few were stunned. Li Hailiang dropped his jaw. “Huh? You? Rejected?”
“Yeah,” Meng Qiaoyu Raise your eyebrows at him. “Surprise? A catch like me can get rejected.”
The drama dissolved in laughter. Full and with nothing to do, no plans for the evening, no one rushed to leave. Someone suggested a game.
No pen – and – paper games needed at the table; the first choice would be dice, but most high schoolers didn’t know how, and it wasn’t convenient for a big group. So Truth or Dare took center stage.
This game was common, just an after – meal pastime. But it mattered who played—each Truth or Dare took on different meanings depending on the participants. Today, with Zhou Sheng and Lin Sitian, Lin Sitian was super eager.
The wine bottle spun around the table. Lin Sitian watched hopefully as it slowed, finally stopping at Li Hailiang. She was disappointed.
She hoped it’d land on her—then it’d be her turn to ask.
Li Hailiang did Dare: went to the door, thanked a departing guest, and returned to laughter. The bottle then went to Meng Qiaoyu.
“So, Meng Qiaoyu——”
Meng Qiaoyu looked up. “Huh?”
“What do you like about Lin Sitian?”
This question was direct, earning cheers.
Zhou Sheng held his wine glass, gaze fixed on Meng Qiaoyu. For some reason, looking at Meng Qiaoyu felt like looking in a mirror.
Meng Qiaoyu glanced at Lin Sitian, cleared his throat. “…Cute?”
Wang Yue: “Meng Qiaoyu, you’re really blind.”
“The first time she came to my family’s inn with her grandma, she was busy running around, even coaxing her grandma to get an injection…really cute. So I kept noticing her…” Meng Qiaoyu spoke frankly, “The more I see, the cuter she gets—her words, actions, personality. Everything.”
Those repeated “cute”s turned Lin Sitian’s already tipsy face into a spring blush. The boy didn’t sugarcoat it; every word came from the heart.
Girls love praise, and Lin Sitian, a teenage girl, wasn’t immune. Meng Qiaoyu’s words made her shyly smile in front of everyone, prompting more teasing.
Zhou Sheng seemed lost in thought.
Wang Yue didn’t get Meng Qiaoyu, but Zhou Sheng did.
Zhou Sheng understood that feeling.
Seeing her cute, everything about her cute. If asked to list Lin Sitian’s virtues, he could, but the first thing that came to mind was “cute”—bright, shining, making his heart come alive.
[If “nothing unexpected” happens…soon, Tian Tian might change her mind?]
In that moment, Zhou Sheng felt empty, sour, and swollen. Earlier, Lin Sitian asked why he drank; he said he didn’t know. Truth was, he was dazed, unsure what he was thinking or what to do with her, so he answered without thinking.
As Zhou Sheng pondered, the bottle turned to Lin Sitian.
“Truth.” Lin Sitian feared Dare would embarrass her in public. Truth was safer—she’d answer anything.
“What’s your standard for a boyfriend?” Meng Qiaoyu asked.
“Really, bro, such a conservative question?” Meng Qiaoyu’s classmate teased.
Since he asked, Lin Sitian wouldn’t back down. She thought—
“I trust my gut more…If there must be a standard, I always thought I’d like a sunny guy, athletic, humorous, romantic, caring, with common interests.”
Zhou Sheng’s eyes dimmed.
“Wow, that’s our Xiao Yu——” Meng Qiaoyu’s classmate teased. “Think it over! Our Meng Qiaoyu is a top – notch guy. He’ll change whatever doesn’t suit you!” Several slaps landed on Meng Qiaoyu’s back.
The group laughed, and Lin Sitian joined in the banter.
It was Lin Sitian’s turn to spin.
She had a bit of skill, gauging the force. The bottle spun on the glass plate, finally stopping awkwardly between her and Zhou Sheng.
Yang Xuelin jumped in, “It’s Zhou Sheng! Zhou Sheng, Zhou Sheng!”
Zhou Sheng never expected the bottle to land on him, looking up in surprise.
Lin Sitian’s fingertips tapped the table unconsciously, hesitant to speak.
It seemed easier in thought than in practice.
Some questions couldn’t be asked, some feared public judgment, some were meaningless.
Her heart felt wrapped in wool, itchy and messy, a mix of pain and acid.
Probably from too much beer—Lin Sitian was so nervous she needed the bathroom.
“Since it’s Zhou Sheng, I’ll be gentle——”
“Zhou Sheng…you’re all about studying, right?” She Foreshadowing ed, then turned to him. “So, would a top student like you refuse to date in high school?”
Perfect—asked, not awkward, and everyone was curious. Just a casual classmate gossip.
Zhou Sheng’s eyelids lowered. The bamboo – shaped ceiling light swayed with the mountain breeze, his shadow under his eyelashes moving, a cloud of gloom.
“Won’t.” After deep thought, he answered.
Lin Sitian’s fingers stopped tapping the table.
Thump, thump. Thump, thump.
Countless rapid heartbeats signaled her peak of joy.
“So…you’d be open to dating in high school?” She asked again, unsure.
Zhou Sheng paused. “Yes.”
It felt like everyone held their breath, watching a show. After Zhou Sheng spoke, Li Hailiang finally broke the tension: “What’s up? Why’s such a simple question so tense?”
Yang Xuelin kicked him.
“I need the bathroom.” Lin Sitian said.
Zhou Sheng couldn’t help but glance at her departing figure, then was urged to start the next round.
Lin Sitian walked, patting her chest to calm down. Her face was as hot as a soldering iron;a cool fingertip felt the Temperature.
Good—it helped her calm.
To others, Zhou Sheng’s answer was just “open to dating”, but to her, it meant more.
She knew who “switched on” Zhou Sheng—her.
So her interpretation of those words was—
He’d date her.
He’d date Lin Sitian.
Those with a crush know this feeling—it’s like a great wrong righted, a dream come true after suffering. Lin Sitian stood on the mountain’s edge, breathing deeply. The mountain wind blew, and when she closed her eyes, the air smelled sweet. She couldn’t help but smile.
She’d taken a shortcut in love, knowing it was wrong, but it worked out.
Now she really needed that bathroom—she’d been so nervous.
When Lin Sitian returned, the bottle had moved to Yang Xuelin.
Seeing her bestie back, Yang Xuelin’s mind spun, smiling as she looked to Zhou Sheng—
“Zhou Sheng, you’ll pick Truth, right?”
Zhou Sheng nodded. Truth or Dare was too wild for him—asking strangers for numbers, etc., wasn’t his style.
“So I ask: if a girl like Lin Sitian pursued you now, would you say yes?”
Lin Sitian’s steps froze.
The scene heated up instantly—boys pounded the table, howling like monkeys. Meng Qiaoyu furrowed his brows, serious as he looked to Zhou Sheng.
The two or three seconds waiting for the answer felt endless. Lin Sitian thought her heart would break.
She heard the mountain wind, the clash of shadows, her own breath.
She heard him say——
“Won’t.”
Her heart, truly, broke.