Tong Yao hurried down the corridor, her heart still racing from the encounter with Lu Sicheng. She barely reached the stairwell when a strong hand suddenly grabbed her arm, yanking her inside. The force of the movement startled her, and her breath hitched as she stumbled into the dimly lit stairwell, her eyes wide with alarm.
"Jian Yang!" she gasped, wrenching her arm free as she backed up, her heart now hammering in her chest for an entirely different reason.
"Are you serious about joining ZDGX, Tong Yao?" Jian Yang's voice was low, frustrated, as he stepped closer, trying to close the gap between them.
Her mind scrambled for control as she put more distance between them, her back nearly pressing against the cold concrete wall. "Why is that any of your concern?" Her voice came out sharper than she intended, tinged with panic.
"You hate games," Jian Yang shot back, his tone accusatory, as if that alone should be enough for her to stop whatever she was doing. "This isn't you."
Tong Yao's eyes narrowed, her pulse pounding in her ears. "I don't hate games. Mei hated games!" she snapped, her voice rising. "Stop trying to make me into her. I'm not Mei!" Her chest heaved with the sudden intensity of the exchange. She needed to get out of there, now. She stepped sideways, trying to slip past him.
Before Jian Yang could close the distance between them again, another voice rang out from behind.
"What are you doing?" Jinyang's voice was loud, sharp, purposely drawing attention. Tong Yao turned to see her friend standing at the entrance of the stairwell, eyes blazing with fierce determination.
Jian Yang froze, visibly tense at the sudden intrusion. His gaze darted toward the door as if calculating his next move.
"I asked, what are you doing?" Jinyang stepped between them, her body acting as a barrier. "Move one step closer, and I'll scream." Her voice was steady, laced with the kind of threat that made Jian Yang hesitate.
The air in the stairwell thickened with tension. Jian Yang looked at the two of them, but it was clear he didn't want to draw more attention. He took a step back, his face tight with frustration.
Jinyang's eyes didn't waver. "I wonder what me screaming would do to your reputation when people find you cornering a woman who is panicking right now," she added, her words hitting with precision.
Jian Yang glared at her, but the threat held him back. After a moment, he turned and stormed off, leaving the stairwell as quickly as he had dragged Tong Yao into it.
Jinyang immediately grabbed Tong Yao's hand, pulling her toward the door. "Come on, let's get out of here."
As soon as they were outside, away from the noise of the crowd and Jian Yang's looming presence, Tong Yao's legs buckled. She was trembling, her breaths coming in shallow, rapid bursts. Her vision blurred as her chest constricted painfully, making it hard to get enough air.
Jinyang gently led her to a bench, her voice calm but firm. "Yao, hey, listen to me. Focus on my voice." She crouched in front of her, taking both of Tong Yao's shaking hands in her own.
Tong Yao's breaths came faster, the panic rising as her chest felt tighter and tighter, her body struggling for air. Her hands were trembling violently, and she felt light-headed, her thoughts scattered in all directions.
"Yao, look at me. You're okay. You're safe," Jinyang said softly, rubbing small circles into the back of her hand. "I need you to take deep breaths, okay? Slow, deep breaths."
YOU ARE READING
Honorable Sacrifice - FIYS
FanfictionAi Jia didn't want his team in trouble but also didn't want to be the reason that someone else was unfairly punished so he turned to the third option. Enter Smiling the only girl that might have the guts to approach an enraged Chessman. Her sacrifi...
