Chen Xiao hadn't been able to sleep properly in days.
At first, he tried to convince himself that everything he'd done was justified. That Lu Sheng deserved it. That Jiayi was right. But no matter how many times he replayed that night in his head, something didn't sit right.
It was the look in Lu Sheng's eyes—that shattered, pleading expression. The way he didn't even fight back. The silence. The blood.
Chen Xiao stood in the shower longer than usual, letting the hot water pound against his skin, trying to wash away the guilt that clung to him like a second layer.
He hadn't heard from Lu Sheng since that night. No messages. No calls. Not even a trace of his presence in class or on social media.
It was like he'd disappeared.
And that silence was louder than any confrontation could have been.
---
Jiayi, on the other hand, was glowing. She smiled more, clung to Chen's arm every chance she got, and acted like the world was finally perfect again.
But Chen noticed the difference now. The way she got possessive. How she smirked whenever Lu Sheng's name came up—if it ever came up. She never asked if Chen was okay. Only that they were finally "free" from Lu Sheng's manipulation.
"You've been quiet lately," she said one afternoon, tracing circles on his palm. "Still thinking about him?"
Chen didn't answer.
She pouted. "Chen, don't tell me you're feeling guilty for standing up for me?"
He shook his head slowly. "No... I just... something doesn't feel right."
Jiayi's expression darkened for a fraction of a second before her fake softness returned. "You're just overthinking. He hurt me, remember?"
Chen nodded, but his heart remained heavy.
---
Meanwhile…
Lu Sheng sat at a cozy café near the outskirts of the city, sipping warm tea with an old friend—Zhou Qi, a senior from college he hadn't seen in over a year. Zhou had been the one to message him after hearing what happened from someone at the university.
"I knew you'd shut everyone out," Zhou said, watching him carefully. "That's why I came."
Lu Sheng smiled faintly. "Thanks... I didn't think anyone would."
Zhou reached across the table, gently tapping his hand. "You've always been too kind, Lu Sheng. And people like her... they use that kindness like a weapon."
Lu Sheng exhaled shakily. "I just wanted to protect him…"
"I know. But you need to protect yourself now."
That struck something in Lu Sheng's heart. For the first time in weeks, he felt like he could breathe again. Like maybe there were still people in his life who actually saw him.
---
Back at the university…
Chen Xiao passed by the art studio on campus. It had always been Lu Sheng's favorite spot. The doors were locked, the lights off. But inside, he imagined Lu Sheng sitting on the floor, painting with his headphones in, lost in his own little world.
He missed that world.
And for the first time since that night… he wondered if he'd made the biggest mistake of his life.
---