Break-In

The night deepened, and the moonlight, like a mist woven from silver gauze, cast a beautiful silhouette over the scenery outside the window—neon lights glowing under the moon, marking the start of someone else’s day.

Ye Shuang sat on the sofa, his gaze lingering on the long-haired girl standing by the balcony. The night breeze brushed through her hair as she stood quietly by the window, looking up at the crescent moon.

Ye Shuang didn’t know what Bai Yuyou was thinking, nor could he tell whether she was gazing at the moon or at a version of herself from the past. Perhaps on countless nights like this, she had watched the moon wax and wane just the same.

The girl slowly turned her head. Bathed in the moonlight, she suddenly asked, "What’s on the moon?"

"Nothing."

"Can we go there?"

"Not yet… Why do you ask?" Ye Shuang couldn’t follow her train of thought.

"Someone said that when people die, they go to the moon. Will we go there too?"

Ye Shuang paused, then smiled. "There’s no such saying, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible."

"If I die, will I still see you?" Bai Yuyou asked.

"Yes."

"Really?"

"Death is like a drop of water returning to the ocean. When the time is right, we’ll meet again." Ye Shuang didn’t understand why Bai Yuyou was bringing this up, but he glanced at the time.

"It’s time to sleep. Don’t you have school tomorrow?"

"Mm." Bai Yuyou went back to her room, only to return moments later, clutching her pillow and staring at him with pleading eyes.

To Ye Shuang, she looked like a helpless little animal begging to be taken in. He sighed. "You’ll catch a cold."

Bai Yuyou whispered, "This morning, you said we could sleep together."

"Men and women shouldn’t be that close unless they’re a couple or married." He decided to educate her.

"A couple…?"

"Right."

"Are we a couple?" Bai Yuyou asked.

"No." Ye Shuang answered immediately.

"Then are we married?"

"That’s even more impossible!"

"But you said we could sleep together this morning. Doesn’t that mean we’re a couple or married?" Bai Yuyou tilted her head, clearly confused.

Ye Shuang was speechless. Her words short-circuited his brain.

"Sleep here. No more sleeping on the floor." He pointed to the empty space on his bamboo mat, deciding to drop the subject.

Bai Yuyou lay down but kept her eyes fixed on him.

"What’s wrong?"

"Are we married?"

"Sleep."

"Oh…"

After turning off the lights, Ye Shuang tucked her in. She didn’t get too close, but she reached out to grip his sleeve and rested her forehead against his shoulder.

Despite having a bed, the two of them slept on the floor. The faint floral scent drifting from her made Ye Shuang reflect on everything that had happened recently.

His thoughts eventually settled on the girl beside him. From the fragments of her words, he knew Bai Yuyou had suffered bullying at school, and passive avoidance hadn’t helped at all.

Bai Yuyou attended Yinshan Academy, a seven-year institution. Now in her third year, she still had four more years until graduation.

If she didn’t learn to stand up for herself, the years ahead would only get harder.

"Students have their own struggles… In some ways, they’re no easier than an adult’s. Every stage of life has its challenges," Ye Shuang murmured.

Enough overthinking.

Just as he closed his eyes to sleep—

Click. Click. Click.

A faint, abrupt sound came from the door handle.

Ye Shuang’s eyes snapped open!

Remembering the previous incident where the lock had been tampered with, he grabbed his phone and strode toward the door.

The handle jiggled. Ye Shuang turned on his camera, then yanked the door open!

A masked man stood outside. When the door suddenly opened, he froze upon seeing Ye Shuang instead of the girl he expected. He shoved the door, trying to slam it shut!

But he underestimated Ye Shuang’s strength. When the door wouldn’t budge, he bolted for the stairs!

"Trying to run?!"

Ye Shuang moved faster, snatching the man’s collar and slamming him to the ground with a loud thud and a pained scream!

"Thief!" Ye Shuang pinned him down and shouted.

The thin walls of the old apartment complex carried his voice far, and since it was barely past midnight, neighbors on the same floor quickly peeked out. Seeing Ye Shuang restraining the man, they rushed to help.

"Let me go!!" The man panicked as more people emerged, but Ye Shuang’s grip was unshakable.

"Let me go, damn you!"

A few neighbors stepped in, using charging cables to bind his hands and feet.

Ye Shuang noticed a tool bag and rummaged through it, finding rope, a camera, a wrench, and other disturbing items.

His expression darkened. He slapped the man hard across the face.

"Breaking in to assault someone, huh?"

"You’ve got a death wish!"

Ye Shuang shuddered at the thought of what could’ve happened if Bai Yuyou had been home alone—how she might never have understood why she was always tormented.

Two more slaps left the man’s ears ringing. The neighbors, seeing the tools, grew furious.

As long-time residents, they recognized the quiet, pretty girl who lived alone. Though they’d never spoken, the situation was clear.

Ye Shuang yanked off the man’s mask, revealing a face no older than seventeen or eighteen.

"Isn’t that the kid from 703?" a neighbor recognized him.

"No! I don’t live here!" the boy screamed.

Ye Shuang slapped him again. "Shut your mouth, you piece of trash."

He stood and dialed the police.

Just then, footsteps pounded down the stairs. A middle-aged woman pushed through the crowd, shouting,

"That’s my son! You’ve got the wrong person!"

"He’s a good boy, gets top grades! He’s not a criminal!"