Chapter 7: The Moment She Cries, He Wants Nothing Else

Gu Nian rarely cried.

All her life, she had been the one being protected.

When she fell, there was Lu Chen; when she was bullied, there was Lu Chen; even when she had nightmares, it was Lu Chen sitting at her bedside, waiting until she fell asleep before leaving.

So even she hadn’t expected—
That on such an ordinary afternoon, she would suddenly break down.

The art teacher had called her to the office.

“Gu Nian, the school has decided to replace you for this month’s competition slot.”

She froze.

“Why?”

“Your artwork is excellent,” the teacher sighed. “But this competition leans more toward test-style submissions. Yours is… too emotional.”

In that instant, she couldn’t speak a word.

This was a competition she had prepared for a long time.

It was her first real chance to step out on her own.

“I understand.”
She nodded obediently.

When she walked out of the office, her hands were trembling.

The dismissal bell rang.

Crowds of students poured out of the building.

Lu Chen stood at the usual spot waiting for her.

The moment he saw her, he sensed something was wrong.

She walked slowly, eyes lowered, as if hiding something in her heart.

“What’s wrong?”
He took her backpack.

Gu Nian shook her head.

“Nothing.”

She always did this.

The more upset she was, the less she said.

Lu Chen didn’t ask again.

He held her hand as they walked through the alley.

Just before reaching her front door, she suddenly stopped.

“Lu Chen.”

“Mm?”

“If one day…”
Her voice trembled. “If I can’t do anything right, will you think I’m useless too?”

Lu Chen’s chest tightened.

He turned to face her.

“Who said anything like that?”

Gu Nian didn’t answer.

But tears fell first.

One, then another.

Without warning.

Lu Chen panicked.

“Gu Nian.”
His voice dropped, flustered, as he tried to wipe her tears. “Don’t cry… don’t cry yet.”

The harder she tried to stop, the more they fell.

“Am I… useless?”
She choked out. “I can’t even paint properly.”

Lu Chen froze.

Then, in the next second, he pulled her into his arms.

Holding her tighter than ever before.

“No.”
He nearly gritted his teeth as he spoke. “You’re the strongest person I’ve ever seen.”

“But they don’t want me…”

“Then it’s because they don’t understand.”

He lowered his head, resting his forehead against hers.

“Gu Nian, listen carefully.”
He spoke each word deliberately, heavy with meaning.
“You don’t need anyone else’s approval.”

“All you need is mine.”

Her tears soaked his shirt.

“But I don’t want to only stand behind you.”

Lu Chen’s heart ached sharply.

“You won’t.”
He said, “You’ll stand in the light.”

“And if there’s no light?”

“Then I’ll give it to you.”

That night, she cried herself to sleep.

Lu Chen sat by her bedside.

Just like when they were children.

He watched her sleeping face and, for the first time, felt a fear unlike any other.

Not the fear of someone taking her away.

But the fear—
That he wasn’t protecting her well enough.

The next morning.

Gu Nian woke to a message on her phone.

[Lu Chen]: I’ve signed you up for the competition again, this time off-campus.
[Lu Chen]: No one else has to approve it this time.

She stared at the two lines, her eyes warming again.