Running Over The Head Of My Ex [Rebirth]

Chapter 23

As He Qingqi said, Chai Xu was a charming person with an exceptionally good temper.

However, He Qingqi recently seemed like a barrel of gunpowder that would explode at the slightest provocation, becoming excessively irritable. Zhuo Zhiwei, in the adjacent dance studio, frequently heard her loud shouts that shook the earth.

“Chai Xu! Lift your leg higher. How many times have I told you? Lift it higher!”

“Why are you just standing there? Move! Can you stop being such a blockhead?”

“Stop bouncing! How many times have I told you to stop bouncing? Don’t you know how frivolous you look?”

Chai Xu said, “Waa waa waa.” So should I bounce or not bounce?

Seeing this side of He Qingqi, Zhuo Zhiwei was also very surprised. He Qingqi had never lost her temper with anyone before. The team members she led during the first performance were much less capable than Chai Xu, yet she calmly made them repeat their movements over and over.

This further proved Chai Xu’s importance and uniqueness to He Qingqi.

Zhuo Zhiwei felt a bit jealous.

She was 22 years old and had many friends, but due to her quiet and reserved nature, she maintained a polite and distant relationship with them, just exchanging greetings when they met.

He Qingqi was the first person she cherished deeply. In “Occasional Moments,” He Qingqi treated her particularly well; others were friends, but she was a close friend, even more so than Tao Jinghan.

So before Chai Xu appeared, she naturally thought that she was as special to He Qingqi as He Qingqi was to her, a unique friend at the pinnacle of the pyramid, whether in “Occasional Moments” or outside of it.

However, she overlooked the fact that their current social circle, consisting of only 98 girls, was significantly smaller than He Qingqi’s original social circle. The passionate and rebellious spirit she carried still proved her past.

A school bully led her friends through battles with strikingly dyed hair during middle and high school.

This includes the scar on her brow bone.

She had slightly deep-set eyes, a high nose, and long, thick eyelashes that made people envious—the pride faintly visible between her brows and eyes, as well as the irresistible charm revealed when she smiled.

Originally, she had a beautiful face, but the scar on her right eyebrow added a touch of dominance and fierceness.

Zhuo Zhiwei had never been part of this history, but Chai Xu had. The rebellious spirit of He Qingqi, the tacit understanding of their playful interactions, and the language others couldn’t understand all testified to how close they were.

Zhuo Zhiwei felt gloomy and became even more silent. Previously, He Qingqi always linked arms with her, chatting and laughing as they walked back to the dormitory, but now there was Chai Xu.

He stood on He Qingqi’s other side, bending his tall frame to talk about people and things Zhuo Zhiwei didn’t know, making He Qingqi laugh heartily and give him playful slaps.

On one side were the boys and girls brimming with youthful energy, moving to a rhythm even as they walked. On the other side, she was herself, painted gray by the creator, silent and unspoken. Though He Qingqi’s arm connected them, it felt as if a clear boundary was drawn between her and He Qingqi.

He Qingqi, sensitive as ever, noticed that Zhuo Zhiwei seemed a bit down. She gently asked, “What’s wrong? Not feeling well?”

Warmth surged through Zhuo Zhiwei’s heart. No matter what, He Qingqi still cared about her, though she was annoyed at her pettiness.

The slight unease calmed down. After a moment of silence, Zhuo Zhiwei shook her head. “No, nothing.”

She frowned, feeling uncomfortable with this side of herself. It was a common issue among most girls to have surprising possessiveness in friendships, a feeling she had never experienced and did not wish to.

“Nothing?” He Qingqi didn’t believe it. She frowned, thinking that she might have neglected Zhuo Zhiwei, making her unhappy.

This was natural.

Just like how she always had to be at the center of the stage, under the spotlight, so she wouldn’t be ignored, making it easier to interact with every friend.

She always thought she was excellent at balancing relationships, making sure no one felt overlooked, regardless of whether they were men or women, and creating a harmonious atmosphere for three or more people.

But today, she seemed to have failed. Although she remembered to occasionally take care of Zhuo Zhiwei and explain Chai Xu’s stories, Zhuo Zhiwei wasn’t familiar with Chai Xu, so it was normal for her to feel uncomfortable.

He Qingqi looked at Zhuo Zhiwei apologetically and didn’t continue the topic.

“Zhiwei, how is your group preparing?”

Zhuo Zhiwei nodded gloomily and glanced at Chai Xu on the other side. “Pretty good. Chai Xu’s team leader, Qiu Xinyu, lives up to his reputation and has been a great help to us.”

She didn’t realize that He Qingqi intentionally kept Chai Xu out of the conversation, but rather skillfully included him in the dialogue, understanding the nuances of three-person interactions.

This made He Qingqi feel even more guilty and she glared at Chai Xu secretly.

“???”

Chai Xu was completely confused. What did he do wrong again? He didn’t act like a blockhead today, nor did he bounce frivolously.

When He Qingqi reached the dormitory, she leaned against the door frame and told him a cruel truth: “Tomorrow, don’t come back with me. I’m walking with Zhiwei.”

Between Chai Xu and Zhuo Zhiwei, she chose Zhuo Zhiwei without hesitation, not feeling the slightest guilt. One reason was her deep familiarity with Chai Xu; another was that she couldn’t accept Zhuo Zhiwei being with anyone else for work, meals, or commuting.

Sometimes, even when Tao Jinghan was around, she wished she could kick her away, let alone anyone else.

Chai Xu was incredulous: “Seriously, boss, who am I here for? You’re just going to ditch me like this?”

“No.” Chai Xu thought for a moment, feeling something was wrong, and became even more frustrated. “You haven’t even crossed the bridge yet and you’re already burning it?”

He Qingqi patted his shoulder, speaking earnestly: “Alright, listen to me. I don’t care if you find Qiu Xinyu tomorrow or hook up with a girl; just don’t appear in front of me and Zhiwei.”

With that, she was about to close the door.

“Wait!” Chai Xu, quick-eyed and deft, stopped her, looking distressed. “At least give me an explanation.”

“Zhiwei doesn’t feel comfortable walking with you.”

“So you’re just abandoning me?”

“Because you’re not as good-looking as her.” He Qingqi clicked her tongue twice.

Chai Xu: “I hate it!”

They frequently joked like this, so Chai Xu didn’t take it seriously or mind it.

As a man, he felt embarrassed about competing with a woman for attention.

Besides, he indeed wasn’t as good-looking as Zhuo Zhiwei.

He accepted it.

“Don’t hate; I’ll treat you guys to dinner once we’re out.”

“Once you’re out, haha.” Chai Xu instantly revived, laughing gleefully, “You talk as if you’re in prison.”

He Qingqi gave him a light glance. “Is there any difference? Ex-convict.”

With a “bang,” the door closed, startling Chai Xu into stepping back. He rubbed his nose, cursing with a smile.

“Pfft! He Qingqi! You look like an obsessed maniac!”

Then he turned and went upstairs.

……

In the following days, Zhuo Zhiwei was surprised to find that Chai Xu always had reasons to leave early: one day he was hungry, and the next he had an appointment with Qiu Xinyu. Even a fool could tell he was doing it on purpose.

The reason was obvious.

Zhuo Zhiwei felt a bit embarrassed; her heart was inexplicably racing whenever she faced He Qingqi. When He Qingqi gazed at her, she always instinctively looked away.

She liked the feeling of being valued.

Sometimes, a strange metaphor would flash in Zhuo Zhiwei’s mind: she and Chai Xu were like concubines competing for favor in the imperial harem, and she ultimately emerged victorious.

Especially when she saw the resentful look in Chai Xu’s eyes as he watched her and He Qingqi, this metaphor truly took root in her mind.

At night, you dream about what you think about during the day. Zhuo Zhiwei dreamed that night that she and He Qingqi, dressed in luxurious clothes, were gently leaning against each other while admiring flowers.

Suddenly, a girl with thick hair and a masculine appearance ran out of nowhere, clinging to He Qingqi’s leg and crying pitifully. No matter how He Qingqi kicked her, she wouldn’t let go.

“Waa waa waa, Your Majesty, what did Xu Xu do wrong? Don’t abandon Xu Xu.”

Zhuo Zhiwei suddenly saw the girl’s face clearly and was terrified. She sat up abruptly in bed, her chest heaving unnaturally.

She pressed her lips together, feeling too horrified.

The next day, Chai Xu noticed that Zhuo Zhiwei was looking at him strangely. He couldn’t help but take out a mirror he always carried and check his reflection.

Nothing was wrong; he was still as handsome as ever!

Chai Xu flicked the bangs on his forehead, tilted his head in confusion, dismissed it, put away the mirror, and continued to cheerfully accept his scolding.

…

This time, the audience decided the performance order based on the previous voting rankings.

Unsurprisingly, He Qingqi was first.

This competition would determine the final members for the debut night, and the atmosphere was tense, especially for those in the lower ranks, who were extremely anxious.

“Xu Xu, don’t be nervous.”

“I know, good luck, Xi Xi.” Originally, Chai Xu was stammering a bit, but the moment he saw He Qingqi, he inexplicably calmed down.

It felt like just another ordinary battle, like when they danced on the streets in middle school.

Today, He Qingqi fulfilled her fans’ wishes by wearing an elegant dress and simple makeup to cover the scar on her eyebrow and the aggressive parts of her face, highlighting her youthful charm and making her look like a first love.

She looked very similar to how she did in Chai Xu’s earliest memories.

The clean and neat young man was somewhat dazed and couldn’t help but smile, recalling something He Qingqi had said in the past.

“Don’t be afraid! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!”

…

At that time, he stood just over 1.6 meters tall, with He Qingqi being slightly taller than him.

That day, the two of them were alone, facing five or six middle school students from the neighboring school, smirking and holding weapons.

The weapons didn’t seem particularly high-class; they resembled broken mop sticks from their class, but the sight of a thumbtack-covered stick made Chai Xu’s hair stand on end in terror.

He Qingqi pulled him behind her and whispered:

“Don’t be afraid! If the sky falls, the tall ones will hold it up!”

The tall one was herself.

He swallowed hard, pretending to be fearless, his eyes locked on the taller and stronger boys in front of him, his voice trembling slightly: “Okay, Xi Jie.”

Despite He Qingqi’s valiant and reckless fighting style, they ultimately succumbed to an overwhelming numerical advantage.

Even while being beaten, He Qingqi’s eyes were fierce, never forgetting her words and shielding him firmly behind her.

The scar on He Qingqi’s eyebrow came from this; the wound gushed blood, making He Qingqi unable to open her eyes.

Although they later retaliated, He Qingqi’s scar remained forever on her face.

Chai Xu felt extremely guilty, believing he had burdened He Qingqi. Among their group, he was not only the worst dancer but also the worst fighter.

But He Qingqi didn’t mind at all. She nonchalantly told him that she disliked her overly soft appearance, and that the scar made her look cooler!

Only then did he feel relieved.

…

The memories of youth were a treasure for Chai Xu, not a psychological burden. After feeling guilty, he decided to make himself better and protect those he wanted to protect.

Those stories, whether happy or painful, would only strengthen their bond, not become a reason for their separation.

He remembered how good He Qingqi was to him and treated her well in return, but his kindness towards He Qingqi wasn’t out of guilt or gratitude.

It was simply because she was He Qingqi.

They were friends; more than that, they were family—him, He Qingqi, and a few others.

Thinking of this, Chai Xu lowered his eyes, a smile spreading across his lips, as the words of his young friend echoed in his ears, quietly saying, like in the past, “Okay, Xi Jie.”