After school, Shi Yao found himself following Li Yuan, a quiet curiosity pulling him forward.
He kept his distance, blending into the sea of students pouring out of the gates, his gaze fixed on the tall figure ahead.
Li Yuan didn't seem to notice, his steps calm and unhurried as he navigated the streets with practiced ease.
Shi Yao trailed him, his mind racing with questions. Why am I doing this? he wondered briefly, but the thought quickly faded.
There was something about Li Yuan's aloofness, his unspoken distance from others, that intrigued him.
Eventually, Li Yuan stopped in front of a modest house tucked away on a quieter street.
It was an older structure, its paint slightly faded and its roof framed by vines creeping along the edges.
The house wasn't grand or imposing—it was simple, unassuming, and carried a sense of history within its walls.
Shi Yao lingered at a corner, watching as Li Yuan entered the house. Through the slightly open doorway, he caught a glimpse of an older woman—Li Yuan's grandmother, he assumed.
She greeted him warmly, her frail figure moving slowly but with purpose.
Shi Yao tilted his head slightly, taking in the scene. So, he lives with his grandmother? he thought.
There was something unexpectedly soft about the image—a side of Li Yuan he hadn't considered before.
Not long after, Li Yuan reappeared, dressed in different clothes and carrying a small bag. He locked the door behind him and walked down the street, heading away from the house.
Where is he going now? Shi Yao wondered. It didn't take long for the realization to hit him: He's working part-time.
The thought surprised him, though he wasn't entirely sure why. Li Yuan had always seemed untouchable, distant from the struggles of ordinary life. Yet here he was, quietly shouldering responsibilities far beyond what most of their classmates seemed to handle.
Shi Yao stood there for a moment longer before turning on his heel and heading home.
He didn't feel the need to follow Li Yuan any further, not today. His observations had given him enough to think about.
As he walked back, his mind replayed the day's events. There was more to Li Yuan than met the eye, that much was clear.
But Shi Yao couldn't help but wonder: What kind of life does he lead behind that calm, sharp exterior?
And
why does it feel like there's something unspoken between us?