Cry, and I’ll Stop.
1687 Words
Frost had always loved playing mahjong.
Most of the time, she played with Shen Yu and his friends. They all treated her like the spoiled little sister of the group, letting her win and indulging her every move. Naturally, every game was fun.
He Tingzhou, however, was never one of those “good big brothers.”
Not only did he refuse to let her draw a single tile—
He kept feeding her losing hands.
The pile of chips Shen Yu had left for her disappeared at an alarming speed, and Frost’s brows gradually knitted together.
She was beginning to suspect that He Tingzhou was targeting her on purpose.
Then again…
This wasn’t exactly the first time he’d bullied her simply because he could.
Even Yue Zifeng couldn’t bear to watch anymore.
“Can’t you point your cannon at me instead?” he pleaded. “If you make Little Frost cry, Shen Yu’s going to settle the score with you.”
He Tingzhou glanced across the table at Frost, amusement dancing in his dark eyes as he deliberately studied her face.
“Crying yet?”
“If she cries, I’ll stop.”
Yue Zifeng rolled his eyes.
“You’re unbelievable.”
Frost had every reason to believe that even if she burst into tears…
He Tingzhou still wouldn’t go easy on her.
⸻
The first time she’d met him, she was only seventeen.
Everything she’d known about him came from rumors.
Arrogant.
Untouchable.
Reckless.
A bully who relied on his family’s power.
A man who had supposedly driven someone to the brink of death.
None of the stories painted him as a decent person.
Her first impression of him had been simple.
Cold.
Dangerous.
Whenever He Tingzhou visited the Shen residence, she’d greet him politely…
Then disappear as quickly as possible.
Only on rare occasions—when Shen Yu stepped away—was she forced to stay behind and entertain him.
At the time, she’d just started learning chess.
Proud of her progress, she’d invited He Tingzhou to play.
Shen Yu had taught her himself.
Whenever they played, Shen Yu always let her take back mistakes, patiently indulging her every little complaint.
He Tingzhou was the complete opposite.
Merciless.
He crushed her without leaving the slightest chance.
Frost didn’t mind losing.
She hated being completely humiliated.
When she finally wanted to pack away the board, He Tingzhou lazily lifted those sharp eyes toward her.
“Running because you’re losing?”
“Aren’t you embarrassed?”
For weeks afterward…
She couldn’t even look at a chessboard without remembering him.
⸻
By the time Shen Yu returned from his phone call, one glance at the table told him everything.
He raised an eyebrow.
“So…”
“Who’s bullying my Little Nine?”
Frost immediately stood to give him back his seat.
She was still annoyed about being targeted, but with Shu Yang’s future hanging in the balance, she forced herself to smooth things over.
“I’m just… not very good.”
Shen Yu smiled.
Just like when they were children, he lightly patted the back of her head before tossing his phone into her hands.
“Watch carefully.”
With Shen Yu back in the game, the balance shifted immediately.
He and He Tingzhou were evenly matched.
Every move had a counter.
Little by little, Shen Yu recovered some of what Frost had lost.
Standing beside the table, Frost watched quietly.
She’d never cared much about strategy before.
Whenever she played, she’d simply relied on ridiculously good luck.
Only now did she realize how complicated mahjong really was.
You counted tiles.
Predicted several turns ahead.
Remembered not only your own hand—
But everyone else’s as well.
⸻
As the match grew increasingly intense…
Frost quietly wandered around behind the players.
Eventually she slipped over to stand behind He Tingzhou.
She glanced at his hand.
…
She understood absolutely nothing.
Not because the hand was difficult—
Because the man refused to organize his tiles.
A Four Bamboo sat beside a Green Dragon.
One Character and Two Characters looked as though they lived in different galaxies.
The entire mess functioned as the perfect anti-spying defense.
She was still trying to decipher what he was waiting for when—
Without warning—
He Tingzhou turned his head.
“Figure it out yet?”
He looked directly into her eyes.
“My little spy.”
Every conversation around the table stopped.
All eyes landed on Frost.
She felt like a thief who’d been caught red-handed.
“I wasn’t…”
She wanted to explain that she wasn’t cheating.
She was just curious about his bizarre playing style.
He lazily rocked back in his chair, speaking to her as though comforting a child.
“I’m waiting on Eight Characters.”
“Run along.”
“Go report back to your brother.”
Yue Zifeng suddenly slapped his thigh.
“I knew it!”
“No wonder Shen Yu always wins!”
“He’s been bringing his own undercover agent!”
Frost opened her mouth.
Then closed it again.
There was no explaining this.
Shen Yu simply smiled.
He tapped the ash from the cigarette between his fingers into the crystal ashtray.
He made no attempt to defend either of them.
“All’s fair in war.”
With that, he calmly discarded…
An Eight Characters.
He Tingzhou immediately pushed his tiles over.
“Mahjong.”
Frost stared at him.
She honestly wanted to kick the back leg of his chair.
Instead…
She silently returned to her seat.
From that moment on—
She stayed as far away from him as possible.
⸻
At midnight…
Candles were placed on the birthday cake and pushed in front of Shen Yu.
Everyone gathered around him, singing Happy Birthday while he stood in the center of the crowd.
Someone accidentally bumped Frost.
By the time she steadied herself…
She’d been squeezed all the way to the back.
Before she turned eighteen, something like this would never have happened.
Everyone around Shen Yu knew exactly how much he treasured her.
But…
She had to get used to it sooner or later.
She couldn’t remain standing beside him forever.
That was something she’d been slowly teaching herself to accept.
She clapped along with everyone else.
Just then…
Across the sea of people…
Shen Yu found her.
The candlelight flickered across his handsome face.
He reached out his hand toward her.
“Little Nine.”
“Come here.”
The crowd immediately turned.
Those standing in front hurriedly stepped aside to make room.
Frost walked over.
Shen Yu rested a hand on her shoulder and gently guided her to stand directly before the birthday cake.
“Make a wish.”
When she was little…
This had always been her job.
She’d had endless wishes.
Making wishes on her own birthday wasn’t enough.
Every year, Shen Yu would let her make the birthday wish instead.
And somehow…
Every wish she’d ever made…
He’d fulfilled.
Now…
She could feel countless eyes watching her.
Curious.
Jealous.
Speculative.
The little girl who loved wishing on candles…
Had grown up.
She knew now…
Not every wish came true.
“I don’t have a wish anymore.”
She smiled softly.
“It’s your birthday.”
“You should make it.”
The candlelight reflected in Shen Yu’s deep eyes.
For one fleeting moment…
Something unreadable seemed to pass through them.
Then it disappeared.
Only warmth remained.
He gently ruffled her hair.
“Then save it.”
“When you finally have a wish…”
“You can make it then.”
⸻
As the night wore on…
The birthday party gradually dissolved into drinking.
Frost hadn’t slept properly since returning to Yancheng.
Eventually she drifted off on one of the sofas.
When she woke, a blanket covered her.
A servant waiting nearby smiled.
“Young Master said if you’re sleepy, you can sleep upstairs.”
Frost looked toward the laughter.
Shen Yu and the others were still drinking.
The wealthy young men were thoroughly intoxicated now.
Beautiful women leaned comfortably against them.
As tonight’s birthday host, Shen Yu naturally became everyone’s target.
They kept filling his glass.
He lounged lazily against the sofa, long legs crossed.
The top buttons of his white shirt had been undone.
A cigarette burned quietly between his fingers.
Whether he was drunk…
Or simply distracted…
It was hard to tell.
The woman sitting closest to him was especially beautiful.
Frost thought she looked familiar.
A famous actress, perhaps.
She couldn’t quite remember.
She watched as the actress smiled naturally and rested her chin on Shen Yu’s shoulder.
Yue Zifeng laughed drunkenly.
“She flew here on a midnight flight just to celebrate your birthday.”
“Aren’t you going to show a little appreciation?”
Shen Yu glanced at him.
“Jealous?”
Yue Zifeng grinned.
“If you don’t want her, hand her over.”
The actress laughed sweetly.
“Not happening.”
She leaned even closer against Shen Yu.
Once upon a time…
That had been Frost’s place.
As a child, she’d followed Shen Yu everywhere.
Whenever he went out with Yue Zifeng and the others, she insisted on tagging along.
And he always let her.
Because she was there…
Their gatherings had been much tamer.
Back then…
There were no glamorous women by Shen Yu’s side.
Whenever she grew sleepy…
She would simply curl up against him and fall asleep.
Frost slowly lowered her gaze.
Her fingers gripping the edge of the sofa had turned pale.
A few seconds later…
She lifted her head again.
Her expression was perfectly calm.
Nothing seemed out of place.
She asked the servant quietly,
“Where’s Tingzhou?”
The servant looked around.
“I haven’t seen Mr. He.”
“I think he may have already left.”
Frost immediately stood.
Without another word, she hurried toward the parking area.
Behind her, the servant called out while holding the blanket.
“Miss Frost!”
“You’re leaving already?”
“Shouldn’t you tell Young Master?”
Without turning back, Frost shook her head.
“No.”
“I won’t disturb him.”
- Writer
