Mistakenly Yours

Ying Lian slipped through the gym door, the rhythmic thump of basketballs a backdrop to the flurry of practice. She scanned the sidelines, a mischievous glint in her eye as she searched for Zhang Wei. A teammate spotted her, his grin widening.

 

"Little Ying!" His call broke the rhythm of the drills, drawing curious glances.

 

The guys were used to Ying Lian's visits, their gruff exteriors softening in her bubbly presence.

 

"Hi everyone! I brought snacks~!" She beamed, hoisting a bag brimming with treats. The team descended, laughter mixing with the squeak of sneakers as they raided the goodies.

 

Zhang Wei resignedly watched the scene and felt a tug on his arm. Ying Lian whisked him away from the gym and tucked them into a quiet corner outside. The playful smile vanished. She dusted off her hands with grim satisfaction before leveling a fierce glare at him.

 

“Oi asshole. I need your help.” 

 

Zhang Wei’s eye twitched, “Is this really how you’re supposed to ask for a favor?” 

 

Ying Lian rolled her eyes. “Li Miao got injured by her ex-followers, and I’m pissed.”

 

Zhang Wei’s interest suddenly deepened. He gripped her shoulders in panic, “What? Where is she? Is she okay?” 

 

Ying Lian blinked, startled by his intensity. “Uh, yeah?”

 

Zhang Wei released her, a cough masking his embarrassment. “Okay, so... what's the story?”

 

“Qi Rui and her gang were targeting Xu Yue. Li Miao pushed her out of the way and got hit instead.” 

 

Zhang Wei was puzzled… 

 

Li Miao really saved Xu Yue? Maybe she has gone back to how she was in the past… 

 

“So, what do you want me to do?” He slammed his fist into his palm. He had to stop this before it escalated any further. 

 

Ying Lian's fingers danced across her phone. Seconds later, Zhang Wei's device pinged with a friend request and a barrage of files – videos and photos.

 

“I took the liberty of getting some juicy blackmail. Use whatever you want; be quick before I gut them myself.” 

 

Ying Lian skipped away with a final, unsettling smile, hands clasped innocently behind her back.

 

“It’s disturbing how fast you can change personalities…” Zhang Wei said in disbelief.  

 

Ying Lian turned her head back with a mischievous glint in her eyes. With a sly smile, she placed a finger to her lips in a playful 'shush' before waltzing away, her steps as light as her mood change.

 

---

 

Zhang Wei entered the room, expecting to find Li Miao alone. Instead, Xu Yue stood there, her presence startling him. A chill hung in the air, thicker than the usual tension between them.

 

“What are you doing here?” Zhang Wei asked with his eyes widened. 

 

“Am I not welcome?” Xu Yue's voice held an icy edge, meeting his confused gaze.

 

Zhang Wei flinched, taken aback by her sharp question. “No, it’s not that…” He trailed off, flustered. Why were they even speaking, let alone with this unexpected hostility?

 

Li Miao, feverish and restless, stirred in her bed. Fragments of conversation drifted to her, muffled and disjointed. Her head throbbed, not just from the fever but from her mother's relentless wailing. Chen Yuehua had sobbed all night, clinging to Li Hongwei as if her daughter lay dying.

 

“Wuwuwu… my poor baby, it’s okay, mommy will follow you…” Each mournful cry from her mother felt like another nail hammered into Li Miao's skull. Her father's weary sighs offered no respite. He had long become accustomed to his wife’s dramatic reactions. 

 

A soft groan escaped Li Miao's lips, pulling Zhang Wei and Xu Yue's attention back to the bed. Xu Yue stepped closer without hesitation, her footsteps barely a whisper on the floor. 

 

She laid a cool hand on Li Miao's burning forehead, soothing the fiery ache. Li Miao's tense features eased, and a soft sigh replaced her pained whimpers.

 

Zhang Wei stared, jaw slack. The world flipped upside down, and everything he thought he knew was questioned. 

 

Since when was Xu Yue capable of doing anything with this much affection? I think hell might have frozen over. 

 

---

 

It was late, deep into the night. Xu Yue had stayed by Li Miao's bedside for hours. After a quick call to her aunt, she'd met Aunt Mei in the hallway, the older woman bearing a steaming cup of tea.

 

“Little Xu, please have a drink.” Aunt Mei's warm smile couldn't quite mask the sadness in her eyes.

 

“Thank you for looking after our Young Miss. I’m sure she really appreciates your company. Maomao has never had many friends who would visit, besides that Zhang Wei boy.”

 

“No, I should be thanking you,” Xu Yue replied, taking a cautious sip. The warmth seeped into her, a welcome contrast to the room's lingering chill. 

 

After exchanging farewells, she returned to Li Miao's side. Her patient was awake, eyes blinking against the dim light.

 

“Xu… Yue?” The question was a hoarse whisper.

 

Xu Yue reached out, gently testing Li Miao's forehead. Relief washed over her. 

 

Good, her fever has gone down. 

 

“What… are you doing here?” Li Miao asked, her voice fragile. Each breath was still punctuated by a faint wheeze.

 

Xu Yue stroked Li Miao's hair, a tender gesture neither girl would have envisioned days ago. Surprised but comforted by the coolness, Li Miao closed her eyes and sighed.

 

“I was worried about you,” Xu Yue admitted, her voice soft but clear.

 

“Why? I… don’t know why… you would care about someone… like me.” 

 

After all, I am the villainess. 

 

The novel's protagonist had a bitter heart, unwilling to trust after years of abuse.

 

Xu Yue understood. She already knew Li Miao was regretful of their past together. 

 

“Because we’re friends, are we not?” Xu Yue countered with a hint of playfulness in her tone.

 

“We’re… friends?” Confusion warred with hope in Li Miao's voice.

 

“Oh, maybe it was a mistake on my part,” Xu Yue replied, tilting her head with mock seriousness.  “Would Miss Li do the honor of becoming my friend?”

 

“Wh-why?” Li Miao burrowed deeper under the covers, her face flushed.

 

"Because I trust you." 

 

Li Miao's eyes widened. Xu Yue's words struck like a gentle blow, the simple declaration heavy with unexpected sincerity.

 

Doubt swirled in Li Miao's heart like a storm caught in her chest. Was this okay? Could she surrender to this warmth, defying her role in the novel’s bitter script? Had Xu Yue truly forgiven her?

 

Every question and fear seemed to melt away as she stared into Xu Yue's eyes. No trace of judgment or mockery remained, only a tenderness that mirrored the soft moonlight seeping into the room. Tears welled, hot and heavy, blurring Xu Yue's face. Yet, even through the haze, the hopeful smile remained unwavering.

 

Li Miao's voice broke the silence, tremulous with a shared vulnerability, "Okay."

 

"Thank you." Xu Yue wrapped Li Miao in a careful hug, the scent of warmth and comfort mixing with a trace of sickness. She felt Li Miao tremble, tiny sobs shuddering against her shoulder. 

 

Xu Yue held her tighter, each sob a small step away from the past, toward a friendship neither thought possible.