Chapter 4: Unspoken Tensions

The days following their trip to the café passed quickly, with classes and university life consuming most of Mei Ling and Li Wei's time. Li Wei found himself moving through each day in a haze, his mind weighed down by thoughts he didn’t know how to express. Every time he saw Mei Ling, surrounded by new friends and admirers, that familiar ache gnawed at him, growing stronger with each passing moment.

He hadn’t yet confronted his feelings, but they simmered beneath the surface, waiting for the right—or perhaps the wrong—moment to spill out. Mei Ling, as usual, seemed blissfully unaware of the turmoil inside him. Her days were filled with activity: joining the dance team, exploring new corners of the campus, and making friends wherever she went.

It wasn’t that Li Wei was being left out. Mei Ling made sure to include him in everything, pulling him into conversations and inviting him to events. But even as they spent time together, Li Wei could feel the space between them growing, an invisible distance that neither of them acknowledged but both were starting to sense.

One Friday afternoon, as the autumn sun dipped low in the sky, Mei Ling invited Li Wei to one of her dance team practices. She had been talking about the team non-stop since she joined, and though Li Wei was hesitant, he agreed to watch.

They arrived at the university gym, a spacious room filled with mirrors and the sound of upbeat music blasting from the speakers. Mei Ling immediately slipped into her element, joining the other dancers with ease. Her movements were fluid and graceful, her face lit with pure joy as she twirled and spun with the music.

Li Wei sat on a bench at the side of the room, watching in silence. He had always known Mei Ling was a talented dancer, but seeing her now, so completely in her element, was a reminder of just how bright her light truly was. It was no wonder people were drawn to her—how could they not be?

As the practice went on, he noticed that he wasn’t the only one watching her closely. Several of the other dancers—especially the guys—seemed equally captivated by Mei Ling. One of them, a tall, muscular guy named Zhang Rui, stood out the most. Li Wei had seen him around before, always at Mei Ling’s side during practice or laughing with her after class. There was an ease between them, a natural camaraderie that made Li Wei’s stomach twist.

Zhang Rui was handsome, confident, and clearly skilled at dancing. But what bothered Li Wei the most was how openly he flirted with Mei Ling. During the breaks, he would make her laugh with jokes or offer her water, and each time, Li Wei felt that familiar pang of jealousy.

But it wasn’t until the end of practice that the tension finally reached a breaking point.

As the dancers began to pack up their things, Zhang Rui approached Mei Ling with a wide grin. “Hey, Mei Ling, a few of us are going to grab dinner after this. You should come with us.”

Mei Ling smiled, wiping sweat from her forehead with a towel. “That sounds fun! Where are you guys going?”

“There’s a great hotpot place near campus. You’ll love it,” Zhang Rui said, his eyes lingering on her a little too long for Li Wei’s comfort.

Li Wei stood up from the bench, walking over to them. His heart pounded in his chest as he approached, the words he had kept buried for so long threatening to spill out. He knew he couldn’t let this continue. Watching Mei Ling being pulled further into a world where he felt like a spectator—it was too much.

“I thought we were going to study for our midterms tonight,” Li Wei said, trying to keep his voice steady but firm.

Mei Ling blinked, momentarily caught off guard. “Oh, right! I totally forgot. We did plan to study tonight.”

Zhang Rui raised an eyebrow, a hint of amusement in his eyes. “You can study later. Come on, Mei Ling. It’s just dinner.”

Mei Ling hesitated, glancing between the two boys. She clearly wanted to go, but she was also aware of the tension in Li Wei’s voice. “Maybe another time, Rui. I promised Li Wei I’d help him with some stuff.”

Zhang Rui shrugged, though Li Wei could see the challenge in his smile. “Alright, next time then. See you later, Mei Ling.”

He gave a nod to Li Wei before turning and walking away, leaving the two of them standing in the now-empty gym.

Mei Ling sighed and threw her towel into her bag. “You didn’t have to remind me about studying like that, Wei. I could have told Rui myself.”

Li Wei felt the frustration bubbling up inside him, and this time, he couldn’t push it back down. “It’s not just about studying, Mei Ling,” he said, his voice sharper than he intended.

She frowned, crossing her arms. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

Li Wei took a deep breath, the words he had been holding in for so long finally rising to the surface. “It means that I’m tired of watching you with guys like Rui. I’m tired of pretending it doesn’t bother me when they flirt with you, when they act like you’re available for them to chase.”

Mei Ling stared at him, her expression a mix of confusion and surprise. “Wei… what are you talking about? Rui’s just a friend.”

“He’s not just a friend,” Li Wei said, his voice thick with emotion. “None of them are. They all want more from you, and you don’t even see it. But I do. And it’s killing me.”

For a moment, there was nothing but silence between them, the weight of his words hanging in the air like a storm cloud. Mei Ling’s eyes softened, her arms slowly dropping to her sides. “Li Wei… I didn’t know you felt this way.”

“How could you not?” Li Wei asked, his voice almost breaking. “I’ve been by your side for years, Mei Ling. We’ve been through everything together. And all this time, I’ve—” He paused, struggling to find the right words. “All this time, I’ve been in love with you.”

The confession hung in the air, raw and vulnerable, like a wound laid bare. Mei Ling’s eyes widened, her breath catching in her throat. She opened her mouth to speak, but no words came out.

Li Wei felt his heart pounding in his chest, every second stretching into an eternity as he waited for her to say something—anything. But the longer the silence dragged on, the more his hope began to crumble.

Finally, Mei Ling took a step closer, her voice soft. “Li Wei… I had no idea. I’ve always thought of us as best friends. I didn’t realize…”

Her words trailed off, leaving the space between them heavy with uncertainty.

Li Wei forced a small, sad smile. “I know. I know you didn’t see it. But I can’t keep pretending like everything’s fine when it’s not. Every time I see you with someone else, it feels like I’m losing you. And I can’t take it anymore.”

Mei Ling looked at him, her expression conflicted. “I don’t want to hurt you, Li Wei. You mean so much to me.”

“I don’t want to lose you either,” Li Wei whispered, his voice barely audible. “But I can’t keep being your friend if it’s tearing me apart.”

Tears welled up in Mei Ling’s eyes, and she looked away, unable to meet his gaze. “I need time to think,” she said softly. “I need to figure out what all of this means.”

Li Wei nodded, his heart sinking. “Take all the time you need.”

Without another word, Mei Ling turned and walked away, leaving Li Wei standing alone in the empty gym, his heart aching with the weight of everything he had just said.

As he watched her go, he couldn’t help but wonder if things would ever be the same between them again—or if his confession had just changed everything forever.