74. A Modest Life

All afternoon, Tang Yiyi was distracted at work; she was certain about one thing—she liked Qin Baike. Every time she recalled the image of him gently covering her ears with his hands, happiness welled up in her to the point of tears. She yearned to be with him, convinced that missing out on him would hurt far more than losing her former lover.

Yet, Ye Tong was so outstanding—even their master saw her in a different light. She and Qin Baike shared a childhood bond, and when Ye Tong linked arms with him, it seemed so natural, so utterly deserved. Tang Yiyi didn’t even dare to reach out for him. This competition hadn’t truly begun, yet she had already been knocked out.

In her mind appeared a scene from a game: on a riverbank lined with swaying reeds, two masked figures in black, swords in hand, locked eyes with fierce determination. They darted and spun, robes fluttering, meeting and parting in an instant. Back to back, they stood; suddenly, one fell stiffly to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. The other remained, unmoving, slowly lifting her mask with a contemptuous smile—it was Ye Tong. And the one sprawled motionless, too weak even to remove her mask, was Tang Yiyi.

Tang Yiyi sighed, lowering her head in defeat.

No! She suddenly sat up straight. She still had one last move left, a chance for a turnaround.

Her gaze drifted to the prescription pad on Xu Mingtang’s desk. Above her head, two miniature Tang Yiyis appeared—on the left, a devilish one with horns; on the right, an angel with delicate wings.

The two mini Tang Yiyis grabbed each other’s hair, brawling without dignity.

Tang Yiyi muttered helplessly, “Have some manners! Manners! Can’t we reason this out properly? No fighting!”

After a while, she sighed heavily again, her head drooping once more. One must not stoop to any means, must not climb up by stepping on another’s wounds.

The angel version grinned smugly, hair in disarray, while the devil huffed off in a rage.

“What are you doing?” Xu Bin, sitting nearby, interrupted. “I’ve been watching you for a while—what’s got you so tangled up?”

“It’s nothing. Are you guys practicing tonight?” Tang Yiyi asked, her voice lacking energy.

“Of course.”

“Let me come watch, then.”

“Sure, you’re more than welcome.”

After dinner, Tang Yiyi went with Xu Bin to Xuan Zhi’s store, where only Xiao Xiao sat drinking tea. Upon seeing Tang Yiyi, she greeted her cheerfully.

“Where is everyone?” Xu Bin asked.

“Xuan Zhi’s out on a delivery, Yu Jing went with him, and Wen Tao hasn’t arrived yet,” Xiao Xiao replied.

“Wen Tao’s been working out lately,” Xu Bin told Tang Yiyi. “He’s gotten a lot fitter. He heard you can run marathons and started running every day himself.”

Tang Yiyi forced a smile but said nothing. She observed Xiao Xiao’s complexion—it looked healthier. Pointing to her own face, she said, “Xiao Xiao, I can’t do eyeliner or eyeshadow properly.”

“That takes daily practice—skill comes with repetition.”

“It sounds like such a hassle.”

“But you’ll look beautiful,” Xiao Xiao replied, her makeup delicate and just right. Looking at her, Tang Yiyi thought of Ye Tong’s subtle brows and eyes, her refined makeup—elegant yet sharp, charm blended with competence.

Tang Yiyi had never felt so much like a failure in her life.

“What’s wrong?” Xiao Xiao noticed something was off.

“I want to become beautiful, to be a woman with poise,” Tang Yiyi confessed.

“You’re already wonderful. What’s upset you?”

“It’s nothing.”

“Where’s your confidence, Yiyi?”

Tang Yiyi glanced at Xiao Xiao, troubled. She wanted to be confident, but she simply couldn’t.

Xiao Xiao turned to Xu Bin, “You wait here for them and practice on your own tonight. I’m taking Yiyi out.”

She took Tang Yiyi’s hand, and together they left the shop.

Aimlessly, they wandered toward the riverside. Xiao Xiao wrapped an arm around Tang Yiyi’s shoulders. “Yiyi, you weren’t this down even after your last breakup. What’s happened this time?”

That question made Tang Yiyi sigh. “Xiao Xiao, I like a boy—but he likes another girl.”

“Are they a couple?”

“I don’t know. They grew up together. Later, she left and dated someone else, while he stayed single, waiting for her. Now she’s back after a breakup, and I don’t know when, but it seems they’ve become a pair.”

“So they’re not together yet? And you’ve already given up hope? Does he know you like him?”

“He doesn’t. I wanted to confess, but when I learned his heart belonged to her, I didn’t. Then, after her breakup, she came back.”

“When you’re with him, has he ever shown you any sign of affection?”

Tang Yiyi, aggrieved, replied, “He’s always been kind to me, but he’s never said anything.”

Xiao Xiao tried to analyze, “And he’s never said he likes her, right?”

“I haven’t heard that, but they’re childhood friends; their bond is deep.”

“Childhood sweethearts…” Xiao Xiao’s eyes softened.

“You and Brother Bin are childhood friends too, aren’t you? Xiao Xiao, Wen Tao once told me you’re a believer in remaining single, only dating but never marrying. Is that true?” Tang Yiyi looked at her curiously.

Xiao Xiao lowered her head, neither confirming nor denying it.

They had reached the riverside, where many people were jogging along the boardwalk.

Xiao Xiao gazed at the runners and suddenly said, “I’ve only ever run once in my life. It was before Xu Bin fought for me—he pulled me along, running desperately away from two mischievous boys. Yiyi, why don’t you pull me along for a run? No need to sprint—just your usual pace. I want to sweat.”

“It’s so hot, a few steps will do that.”

“Come on, let’s try.” Xiao Xiao’s eyes sparkled as she held out her hand.

“Alright, I’ll pull you along.”

Tang Yiyi grabbed Xiao Xiao’s hand and they started jogging slowly along the boardwalk. Xiao Xiao was nervous at first, but soon relaxed, running happily at Tang Yiyi’s side. After about three hundred meters, both were drenched in sweat. The city’s muggy heat didn’t let up, not even in the evening.

Above the boardwalk was a teahouse, its windows displaying a large sign: “Air Conditioning On.” Tang Yiyi stopped and pointed, “Let’s go sit inside.”

Xiao Xiao, panting with excitement, agreed, “Yes, let’s sit.”

They entered, found a corner, and each ordered a glass of lemon water without ice.

Watching Xiao Xiao’s exhilarated face, Tang Yiyi asked, “Why are you so happy?”

Xiao Xiao’s laughter blurred into tears. “Yiyi, I never knew I could run. My body is actually able to run.”

Tang Yiyi, sensing something unusual, remembered the morning they went for breakfast—how Xiao Xiao jogged like a snail, stopping to press her hand to her chest and feel her heartbeat. She asked, “Xiao Xiao, do you have a heart condition?”

She took Xiao Xiao’s pulse; after resting, it was steady, strong, and regular. The only sign was slight spleen deficiency—a digestion issue.

Tang Yiyi let go. “It’s nothing. Is that why you never dared to run your whole life?”

Xiao Xiao wiped her tears, unbuttoned the top two buttons of her shirt, and gently tugged it down to reveal a small red tattoo on her chest—a tiny heart attached to a magic wand.

“Look closely,” she said.

Tang Yiyi leaned in and saw, beneath the tattoo, a faint scar. Surprised, she exclaimed, “You’ve had open-heart surgery!”

Xiao Xiao nodded. “I was born with a heart defect—a ventricular septal defect. I had surgery before I was a year old. The doctors said I recovered well, but my parents were always anxious. I had a cousin, too, with a heart defect. He had surgery but died young, so my parents banned me from any strenuous activity, from getting overly happy or sad. Singing and piano were supposed to calm my emotions. From birth through college, I lived under their strict watch, tranquil as still water. The only time I exerted myself was when Xu Bin ran with me. My father’s job meant frequent moves; I attended many schools. Forbidden to exercise, I grew up frail. In eighth grade, I transferred to Xu Bin’s school and became his desk mate. Two boys used to pick on me—looking back, maybe they just wanted my attention, but I was scared. That semester, my mother was ill, so my parents’ vigilance slipped. After Xu Bin fought for me, things improved. I never told them about school; I was just happy that Xu Bin and I solved it ourselves.

I’d studied singing and piano since I was little. Xu Bin started singing because of me—he had perfect pitch and was just going through voice change. I taught him how to use his breath, though I was hardly an expert myself.”

“What happened after that?”

“I moved with my father again for high school, then went to the provincial music conservatory for college. After enrolling, I searched everywhere for Xu Bin—we’d promised to apply together. My mother told me I could marry but not have children; my heart couldn’t handle pregnancy. When I finally met Xu Bin again, I told him about my condition. He didn’t care, but said his parents would—children matter to them. He said, ‘Let’s wait. Maybe when I’m in my thirties and they’re anxious, they won’t mind as much. We could adopt.’”

“So you can’t talk about your relationship now?”

“That’s right.”

“So what will you do? Just keep waiting?”

“For now, that’s all we can do.” Xiao Xiao frowned, but her eyes shone with indomitable resolve. Tang Yiyi recalled her saying that every Aries carries a Saint Seiya within them—when they resolve to do something, nothing can stop them.

Leaving the teahouse, the two parted at the street corner. Tang Yiyi watched Xiao Xiao’s slender figure head back toward Xuan Zhi’s shop.

Now, at last, Tang Yiyi understood Xiao Xiao’s mother’s hesitation. She’d realized that Xu Bin was bound to inherit the clinic one day, and Xu Mingtang would never let his successor marry a woman who couldn’t bear children.

Perhaps, in her heart, Xiao Xiao’s mother had always intended her daughter to end up with a divorced man who already had a child.

Poor Xiao Xiao, with a Saint Seiya hidden in her heart, forced to live like a self-denying, ethereal maiden.