The students had dispersed from the training ground, and the atmosphere was quieter now. Yu stood with his arms crossed, watching Zian walk away toward the study room.
"Why do you have to be so stubborn, Zian?" Yu muttered to himself before running after him.
"Zian!" Yu called out, catching up to him in the corridor.
Zian stopped and turned around, his face calm but distant. "What is it now, Yu? Don't you have someone else to bother?"
Yu raised an eyebrow. "You're mad, aren't you?"
"I'm not mad," Zian replied, his tone steady. "But I think you should've stayed and talked to her. She came all this way to meet you. It's only polite."
Yu sighed, running a hand through his hair. "I didn't ask her to come. Besides, she's not here for me. She's here because my dad's here."
"That doesn't mean you have to ignore her," Zian countered.
Yu tilted his head, a playful smirk forming. "Why does it bother you so much? Don't tell me you're jealous."
Zian's cheeks reddened slightly, but he quickly composed himself. "Don't be ridiculous. I just think it's rude, that's all."
Yu stepped closer, his voice softening. "Zian, listen. She's not important to me. You are."
Zian's eyes widened slightly, but before he could respond, a familiar voice interrupted them.
"There you are, Yu!"
They both turned to see the girl walking toward them with a confident stride. Her eyes briefly scanned Zian before focusing on Yu.
"Uncle told me about your *new friend,*" she said, her tone slightly teasing. "So, are you going to introduce me, or do I have to guess his name?"
Yu groaned, clearly irritated. "Zian, this is Lin Mao. Mao, this is Zian. Happy now?"
Mao smiled warmly at Zian. "It's nice to meet you, Zian. Yu doesn't usually make friends so easily. You must be special."
Zian gave a polite nod. "Nice to meet you, Mao."
Yu crossed his arms, leaning against the wall. "Alright, Mao, you've met him. Now what?"
Mao ignored Yu's sharp tone and turned back to Zian. "So, how did you end up here? You don't look like someone who comes from a strict sect like this one."
Zian hesitated, unsure of how much to reveal. "It's…a long story."
Yu, sensing Zian's discomfort, stepped in. "He's here because he's talented, and Master recognized that. That's all you need to know."
Mao raised an eyebrow, her curiosity piqued. "Interesting. Well, Zian, if you ever feel like talking, you can find me. Unlike Yu, I'm actually a good listener."
Yu rolled his eyes. "Mao, don't you have something better to do?"
Mao smirked. "Not really. But I'll leave you two alone for now. Uncle said I could explore the grounds, so I'll be around." She gave a small wave to Zian before walking away.
Once she was out of sight, Yu turned to Zian. "See? That's why I didn't want to talk to her. She's nosy and annoying."
Zian chuckled softly. "She doesn't seem that bad."
Yu shot him a playful glare. "Don't tell me you actually like her."
Zian shook his head, smiling. "No, but I think she might like you."
Yu groaned dramatically. "Don't even joke about that."
They walked together toward the study room, the earlier tension fading into a comfortable silence. Yu couldn't help but glance at Zian every now and then, a small smile tugging at his lips.
*No matter how many people show up from my past, you're the only one I care about, Zian,Yu thought. Even if you don't realize it yet.