Afternoon sunlight flooded through the windows, tossing warm gold across the classroom until even the battered desks looked magical for a second. Everyone was busy with their usual: some kids flipping through notes, a few trading those classic half-whispered secrets—the kind that make you feel like you're in on something, even if it's totally unimportant. Way in the back, there's Li Wei, who looks like he's trying to study but you know his head's floating somewhere far off. Every so often his hand brushes the jade pendant tucked against his skin, and, honestly, it's kinda like the thing's got a temperature. It's this silent, stubborn reminder: yeah, he just had another run-in, or maybe faced down something scary, or felt that odd rush of power that's started to sneak up on him lately. It's not about luck. It's just life, his life.
Then Lin Xinya appears out of nowhere, all careful steps and nervous energy, balancing a stack of books like she's afraid she'll drop everything—herself included—if she moves too fast. She sets them down in front of Li Wei, super gentle, and mutters, "I thought… maybe we could study together?" You can almost hear her heart thudding under the words, as if saying it out loud costs her actual courage points.
Li Wei blinks up, surprise all over his face. "Uh, sure—I mean, of course," he blurts, managing to sound flustered and sincere at the same time. Instinct kicks in, and without thinking he yanks the necklace back under his shirt like it might jump out and tell his secrets. It's this weird little source of comfort—like a silent friend, or maybe a very devoted pet rock.
So they start in on the books together. It's ordinary on the surface—pens scratching, textbooks flipping, hushed voices trading answers or dumb little jokes. But seriously, under all of that, the air's different. There's this kind of pressure, a gentle weirdness, like they're both tiptoeing around a shared secret. Every time their hands almost touch, or one of them leans in a bit too close, it's electric. Ordinary, but not really.
Time slips by. Eventually Xinya struggles with her words, then quietly, almost too quietly to catch, says, "Li Wei… could we, um, talk? About something else this time?" She glances out the window, her face shadowed with worry. "It's just… my family's got plans for me—their plans, not mine. I feel like I can't breathe sometimes. Like I'm just here to fulfill their checkboxes."
That lands hard. Li Wei actually feels it—like someone squeezed his heart, a painful kind of empathy. She's peeling back her armor, showing him the stuff she never talks about. He can't not respond. He locks eyes with her and says, "Xinya, I probably don't know exactly how it feels, but you don't have to go through it alone. For real, I'll back you up. No matter what your family expects… you can count on me."
She stares, eyes huge, like she can't quite believe someone finally said what she needed to hear. "You mean it?" It's soft, almost like she's afraid to believe.
Li Wei nods—slow and serious, chin lifted, like he's making an unbreakable promise. "Yeah. Even if I only understand bits and pieces, I'll be here. That's a fact."
And… for a moment, nothing in the world moves except their pencils and the occasional breath. There's a warmth there, something different and better than before. The jade pendant pulses softly—maybe he imagines it; maybe it's real—but either way, it feels like encouragement.
Later, the sun starts dropping outside, switching from gold to that lazy, dreamy dusk. Li Wei packs his things in a not-at-all-hurried way, sneaking glances at Xinya as she organizes her stuff, super careful, like each notebook contains some treasure. He mumbles, "Thanks for letting me in, Xinya," his voice all shy and grateful.
Xinya's tiny smile totally wrecks him. It's the kind of smile that says, "Don't worry, I'm scared too, but maybe that's okay." She replies, "I trust you, Wei. You actually listen. I don't feel so invisible when you're here."
Outside's louder, full of kids hollering, heading to who-knows-where. Li Wei falls into step beside Xinya, letting their pace drop to match hers. Their shoulders sometimes bump—a hint of awkward, a spark or two of awareness that neither of them dares to mention. Suddenly, he realizes—none of his superpowers, fights, or ridiculous rivalries matter as much as just… this. Walking home together, feeling seen.
Naturally, Zhang Jie pops up right on cue, waving like an over-caffeinated traffic cop. "Yo, Wei! Xinya! Leaving together? No way!" Grinning like he's just found out a juicy secret.
Li Wei can't help rolling his eyes, trying for stern but really just amused. "Seriously, Zhang Jie. Give it a rest," he says, all good-natured grumbling.
But there it is. Chen Guang's outside, lurking in that special, ominous way people only manage when they've got way too much drama going on. The look on his face? Pure obsession, nothing soft about it. Instinct makes Li Wei reach for the pendant, rolling it between his fingertips. It's like a little heater, grounding him, making him feel—if not fearless—at least way less helpless. Come what may, he'll stand up for himself and for Xinya.
As they shuffle away, sunset painting the sidewalks, Li Wei feels different. Not just physically, like when his powers kicked in, but inside. Stronger, more… anchored, maybe? Like life's about protecting people who trust you, even if you're not sure how to do it perfectly.
By the time the stars flicker into view, Li Wei's back at home, all quiet, the pendant almost glowing with this soft, steady warmth against his chest. He thinks about Xinya's brave honesty, the new thread tying them together, all that trust. The road ahead's gonna be full of scrapes, misunderstandings, maybe some heartbreak—he knows that—but for the first time, he feels ready for whatever comes. He's got more than powers now; he's got a purpose, and honestly, that beats everything else.
And so the pendant glows, the connection between them humming quietly in the background—a silent promise that, no matter how wild things get, he won't back down. Not from bad guys, not from his own doubts. He's in this for real, heart and soul.