The Nonexistent Person

Ye Shuang quickly bent down and picked up An Shiyu, gazing at her face—

[Character: An Shiyu

Congenital heart disease, fainting caused by rapidly dropping blood pressure, about to regain consciousness…]

Fainting from low blood pressure?

Ye Shuang supported the girl with one hand while pulling out his phone with the other, about to call 120. But just then, An Shiyu opened her eyes.

She reached out and pressed down on Ye Shuang’s phone.

“Mmm.” An Shiyu glanced around, then stood up as if nothing had happened, dusting off her skirt.

Seeing Ye Shuang still kneeling there, she tilted her chin slightly. “Let’s go, old man.”

“You…” Ye Shuang stood up, frowning. “You just fainted.”

“Oh.”

“‘Oh’? This is serious!” Ye Shuang said sternly. “If you’d hit something when you collapsed, it could’ve been fatal!”

An Shiyu stuffed her hands into her school uniform pockets, raising her chin slightly, her expression unreadable. “Yeah, got it.”

Ye Shuang: “…”

Does this girl not realize her own condition?

Or does she know all too well?

“Don’t worry too much. I’m used to it.” The casual way she said it left Ye Shuang speechless. He studied her for a moment before asking, “You know about your heart problem?”

An Shiyu didn’t answer directly. “Knowing changes nothing. Like I said, some fates are set in stone. No matter how much you struggle, the ending stays the same.”

She shrugged. “One day, I might just collapse and never wake up again.”

Her tone was light, but Ye Shuang’s heart grew heavy. After observing her for a while and confirming she seemed stable, he started the bike again.

“Come on, I’ll take you to the hospital.”

“Pointless. I’ve been there countless times since I was little. Let’s just go back, old man.”

Ye Shuang fell silent.

…

The motorcycle moved slowly, and the girl behind him wrapped her arms around his waist. Despite the strong wind, Ye Shuang could clearly hear her heartbeat—irregular, like a broken music box winding down, unsure when it would stop.

But there was nothing he could do. He wasn’t a mechanic, and in this situation, all he could do was watch helplessly.

“Old man…”

“Yeah?”

“Speed up. Going 20 is slower than riding a duck.”

Ye Shuang: “…”

Back at school, An Shiyu wobbled away after parking, her usual carefree demeanor intact. Yet as Ye Shuang watched her retreating figure, he couldn’t find the words to say.

Recalling Anshi Yilang’s reaction earlier, it was clear he also knew about An Shiyu’s heart condition—and that it was no minor issue.

Whatever. Time to pick up Yuyou.

Ye Shuang reappeared at the light music club’s activity room. The orange-gray sunlight outside spilled across the floor like torn fragments. Peering inside, he saw the long-haired girl still practicing her guitar, her beautiful face utterly focused.

The smooth melody seemed to sweep away the gloom in Ye Shuang’s heart, lightening his mood. When the music stopped, he called out, “Yuyou.”

Bai Yuyou spotted Ye Shuang, set the guitar down next to Linlin, then dashed over and threw herself into his arms. The warmth of her body against his instantly thawed the chill in his hands and feet, as if he were hugging a freshly steamed bun.

“Mr. Ye.” Zhixia and the others approached. “Perfect timing—club activities just ended.”

“Thanks.” With one arm still around Bai Yuyou’s waist, Ye Shuang added, “I’ve sorted out the advisor situation. Don’t worry.”

“Really?!” Zhixia and the others were stunned. The biggest hurdle was cleared?

“Yeah. I’ll explain later.” After all, An Shiyu had agreed.

“Great!”

“Let’s head home.” Ye Shuang tapped Bai Yuyou’s forehead lightly as she nuzzled his neck, amused by her obliviousness to others’ stares.

On the way back, Bai Yuyou, still buzzing from guitar practice, seemed eager to return to the apartment and keep playing.

But soon, she noticed something off. Usually, Ye Shuang would ask about her day or school by now, yet today he was unusually quiet.

Bai Yuyou turned to look. Ye Shuang gripped the steering wheel, eyes fixed ahead. His dark, deep gaze seemed no different than usual.

“Ye Shuang…”

“Hmm?”

“You… upset?”

Surprised by her intuition, Ye Shuang smiled. “No, just thinking. What do you want for dinner?”

“Soup.”

“Alright.”

…

…

A high-end apartment.

The short-haired girl pressed her finger to the door handle.

[Welcome.]

A mechanical voice announced the smart lock’s release.

Stepping inside, An Shiyu found the space dim, save for the glow of a projector screen. Unfazed, she kicked off her shoes.

Lights flickered on, illuminating the 3,000-square-foot interior—her gaze landing on a figure in the corner, engrossed in a game controller.

“I’m back.”

“Welcome back.” The reply was indifferent.

An Shiyu walked to the open kitchen, grabbed a juice bottle from the fridge, and chugged it, the orange liquid visibly draining.

“Where’d you go tonight?” the gamer asked.

“Hanging out with the old man. Did some naughty stuff.” An Shiyu answered lazily between gulps.

The button-mashing paused. A few seconds later: “Do tell.”

“Nah.”

“Didn’t wanna hear it anyway.”

An Shiyu finished the juice in one go. “Mm. Juice is the best… Fainted again today. Wonder how many more I’ll get to drink.”

“Second time this month?”

“Meh.”

“Getting worse.” The other continued. “You should consider my offer. I’m just a ‘nonexistent’ person anyway.”

An Shiyu tossed the bottle. It arced perfectly into the trash bin.

“Shut it.”