dmims Chapter 51: She found her own support.
Chapter 51: She found her own support.
Yu Chen's large, warm palm enveloped Nie Xiguang's slightly cool little hand.
He stood behind her, his chest almost touching her back. "Bend your knees slightly, lower your center of gravity, and follow my rhythm."
Nie Xiguang's heart was pounding, and her cheeks were burning uncontrollably.
Behind her was his steady breathing, and the faint scent of cedar lingered around her nose, mixed with the clean smell of sunshine, making her almost forget how to react.
She subconsciously followed his instructions to adjust her posture, but the snowboard under her feet wouldn't obey her commands. She had only glided forward two steps when she stumbled and was about to fall.
"Don't rush." Yu Chen gently supported her waist with his arm, the force was gentle yet carried a strong sense of security. "Look ahead, don't stare at your feet, trust me."
Nie Xiguang took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Yu Chen's hands never let go; one held her hand to guide her, while the other gently rested on her waist.
The two gradually synchronized their rhythm, their skis leaving two parallel marks on the powder snow as they glided forward slowly but steadily.
"See, you've got it now, haven't you?" Yu Chen's smile came through his voice, tinged with a hint of indulgence. "Engineer Nie's speed in learning technology has never disappointed."
Nie Xiguang couldn't help but smile, his excitement overshadowing his initial nervousness.
She turned her head to talk to him, but her nose accidentally brushed against his chin, and the warm touch made them both stop at the same time.
"I..." Nie Xiguang quickly turned around, her cheeks burning even hotter. "Didn't you say you were going to keep an eye on the entrance exam cutoff score? Why did you suddenly come?"
"Hua Zong has streamlined all the processes, and the data has remained stable for three consecutive days. There's really nothing to monitor," Yu Chen's voice rang in her ear, accompanied by soft breathing. "Besides, someone sent a 'I'm so sad' emoji, and I can't just leave her here feeling down all by herself."
"Then I'm such a terrible boyfriend."
Nie Xiguang felt a warmth in his heart; it turned out he had seen it.
She bit her lip and whispered, "I thought you didn't see it."
"When have I ever missed your news?" Yu Chen gently squeezed her hand. "I wanted to surprise you, but I ran into President Lin and his group at the airport first."
Upon hearing Lin Yusen's name, Nie Xiguang subconsciously glanced towards the Advanced Path.
Lin Yusen was seen skiing alongside Chris, both of them moving with great fluidity, clearly indicating they were both expert skiers.
Chris would occasionally turn her head to talk to Lin Yusen, a bright smile on her face, while Lin Yusen would only nod occasionally in response, his eyes still cold.
"Zhuang Xu just now..." Nie Xiguang hesitated for a moment, but still said it, "He wanted to teach me how to ski."
Yu Chen's hand tightened slightly, his tone unchanged, yet carrying a hint of barely perceptible jealousy: "I know. That's why I rushed here." He paused, then added, "Zhuang Xu is still quite devoted to you."
"That's just wishful thinking on his part!"
Nie Xiguang did not deny it.
She could sense Zhuang Xu's feelings for her, but she didn't want to think about it too much.
With Yu Chen by her side, the inexplicable unease in her heart gradually dissipated.
"Yu Chen, I have someone I like now. Back then, I didn't know what liking someone meant, but now I do!"
"Okay!" Yu Chen lifted her little head and gently tapped her forehead. "I just wanted to say that my Xi Guang is too charming, and I don't feel very secure."
"Then why don't you hold on tighter to me!" Nie Xiguang gently pushed him with her hand, and Yu Chen quickly grabbed her small hand and refused to let go.
The two skated to a flat area, and Yu Chen let go: "Try it yourself? Take your time, I'll watch from the side."
Nie Xiguang nodded, took a deep breath, and tried to glide on his own.
At first I was a little clumsy, but after gliding for a short while, I gradually got the hang of it.
She couldn't help but speed up, the wind whistling in her ears, snowflakes splashing on her face, cool and refreshing.
She turned around and waved to Yu Chen, her face beaming with a bright smile.
Yu Chen stood there, watching her joyful figure, his eyes filled with tenderness.
He took out his phone and quietly snapped a picture of the scene.
In the snow, the girl in the pale yellow ski suit was like a small flower blooming in the sunlight, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away.
Just then, a figure suddenly darted out from the side and slid towards Nie Xiguang.
It's Jiang Rui!
He was clearly having a great time skating and wanted to come over and show off to his sister, but he didn't notice that Nie Xiguang wasn't going very fast and was about to crash into her.
"Watch out!" Yu Chen shouted immediately, and at the same time, he pushed off with his feet and slid over quickly.
Upon hearing the shout, Nie Xiguang instinctively tried to brake, but in his panic, he lost control of his strength and instantly lost his balance.
Just as she was about to fall, Yu Chen arrived in time and pulled her into his arms, and the two of them fell together into the soft pink snow.
Jiang Rui quickly braked and stuck out his tongue as he stood to the side: "Sis, Brother Yu, I'm sorry, I wasn't paying attention."
Nie Xiguang nestled in Yu Chen's arms, her nose pressed against his chest, and could clearly hear his strong heartbeat.
She looked up at him and met his smiling eyes. Her cheeks flushed instantly, and she quickly climbed out of his arms, saying, "It's nothing, it's nothing."
Yu Chen stood up and reached out to brush the snow off her: "Did you hurt yourself?"
"No, the snow is very soft." Nie Xiguang shook her head, not daring to look him in the eye.
On the viewing platform not far away, Zhuang Xu held a cup of hot drink, watching the two people interacting intimately on the ski slope, a trace of melancholy flashing in his eyes.
Meanwhile, Lin Yusen happened to glide to the vicinity of the observation deck and saw this scene, raising an eyebrow slightly.
Chris followed his gaze, her smile fading slightly. "Mr. Lin, what are you looking at?"
"It's nothing." Lin Yusen withdrew his gaze, his tone indifferent. "Want to continue skating?"
Chris nodded, but felt a little uneasy.
She could tell that Lin Yusen wasn't entirely uninterested in Nie Xiguang, but his interest seemed far less than his focus on his work, and even less than the undisguised tenderness Yu Chen showed when looking at Nie Xiguang.
On the ski slope, Yu Chen took Nie Xiguang's hand again: "How about another lap? This time let's go to the gentle slope over there, the scenery is even better."
"Okay." Nie Xiguang nodded with a smile, letting him lead her forward.
The sun shone brightly, the snow was pristine white, and the two figures gradually disappeared on the snow track, leaving behind a long, intimate trail. Nie Xiguang's disappointment had long since vanished, replaced by a deep sense of peace and joy.
She thought that this trip to Changbai Mountain might become her most unforgettable memory of the year.
Not far away, Jiang Yun and Shen Shu were arm in arm.
"It seems Xi Guang really likes Yu Chen. Maybe they're already together."
Jiang Yun didn't say anything, but looked at her daughter and said, "Nie Chengyuan and I divorced when she was very young. She has never felt very secure. Now she has found someone to rely on, which is actually quite good. I think Yu Chen is a good young man too."
Shen Shu disagreed, instead hugging her older sister, "Yu Chen also started from a young age. Aren't you afraid that Xi Guang will repeat your mistakes and follow the same path?"
Jiang Yun smiled, a very happy smile.
"The way Yu Chen looks at Xi Guang is unmistakable."
Back then, when Nie Chengyuan looked at her, he didn't show this tenderness.