"Tai Xun!" Dali called just as he was about to slide into his car.
He froze, one hand on the door handle, and turned. His brows furrowed slightly, unsure why she was calling him. Dali ran up to him, her grin bright and unshaken.
When she reached him, she extended her hand.
"Nice to finally meet you."
For a beat, he just stared at her hand, unreadable. Then, with the faintest awkward smile, he gave in and shook it.
But as their hands parted, her tone shifted.
"Grayworm."
The smile vanished from his face in an instant. His eyes narrowed,
Dali tilted her head, watching his reaction closely, her grin only stretching wider.
"I thought your voice sounded way too familiar," Dali said, eyes narrowing with amusement. "And your reaction just confirmed it."
Tai Xun blinked, feigning confusion.
"My… voice?"
She grinned. "I'm a big Dragon Team fan. I've practically mastered everyone's voice. Yours isn't exactly hard to recognize."
He gave a strained smirk, scrambling for an excuse.
"Our voices may have sounded the same, but that doesn't mean—"
"—you're the same person?" she cut in smoothly, her grin widening. "Then why are you rushing back to the city, because of the upcoming match right? Isn't that the real reason you're in such a hurry?" she smiled
"Well then, If you're not Grayworm, you should just stay one more day at home, can you do that?" she asked making Tai Xun speechless
Her words hung in the air like a trap snapping shut. They stared at each other, tension and amusement colliding. Dali was practically glowing, a smile stretching from ear to ear. She knew she'd cracked the code, the fact that Grayworm—the real Grayworm—was standing right in front of her made her excitement almost impossible to contain
And Tai Xun? He had no idea how to wriggle out of it anymore.
Hiding his identity from his family hadn't really been Tai Xun's initial plan. It wasn't as if there would be any serious consequences if they found out. But the more he thought about it, the more he realized it was better this way. Almost all his sisters were Dragon Team fans — if they discovered he was Grayworm, he'd be trapped in endless awkward questions and fangirling. Besides, even within the Dragon Team, there was an unspoken law about keeping their identities low-profile. They had never formally agreed on it, but it was something they all seemed to instinctively follow.
After staring at Dali for a long moment, Tai Xun exhaled, turned slightly away, and pinched the bridge of his nose. One hand rested on his waist, the gesture carrying both frustration and resignation.
"So…" He bent down to her height, eyes narrowing playfully. "My voice." He began "Is it really that obvious?"
"Hmm…" she paused, tilting her head.
"It's not that your voice is obvious. Most people wouldn't even notice. I just… tend to lock onto certain sounds, and once I do, it's hard to forget. That's all."
Tai Xun only nodded, studying her quietly.
"So…" he asked carefully, "you're not going to broadcast this to the world… are you?"
Dali's smile curved mischievously. "Well, you haven't admitted anything yet. So technically, I could just say I think you're Grayworm. Maybe toss it out there. Who knows? Some of your other fans might help me confirm."
"Do I really have to spell it out?" he said with a sigh
Her eyes sparkled with mischief, waiting.
Finally, he exhaled . "…I'm Grayworm." he admitted
Her smile broke wider, her eyes glinting with excitement. A quiet laugh slipped from her lips, soft but brimming with delight, as if she'd just unlocked the world's best-kept secret. Grayworm had always been her favorite Dragon—and now the proof was standing right in front of her.
And in spite of himself, Tai Xun felt his lips tug into a smile too. Her joy was infectious, and for some reason, he didn't mind being recognized.
Just then, the front door opened and both Mrs. Rou and Mrs. Ming Li stepped outside. Ming Li lingered quietly in the doorway, her eyes fixed on the scene before her, while Mrs. Rou walked down the steps toward them.
"You're still here," she said softly, glancing between Tai Xun and Dali. Dali was still smiling, that same wide, genuine smile that refused to leave her face.
Mrs. Rou's gaze shifted back to Tai Xun.
"Good luck tonight," Dali said with a gentle wave before returning to Ming Li's side.
Ming Li stayed rooted in place, her expression tender as she took in the sight of her two children standing together. For years she had worried about Dali's guarded nature—how the girl rarely warmed up to anyone, how her smiles were scarce and hard-won. Yet here she was, grinning openly at her brother, her laughter almost bubbling through her silence. It filled Ming Li's chest with a fragile kind of joy.
Mrs. Rou caught the look on Dali's face and couldn't help but smile herself. The girl's happiness had a way of spilling over—it was the kind of smile you couldn't look at without feeling a little lighter.
She turned back to Tai Xun.
"Good luck for what?" She asked.
"Ah, nothing really. Just a silly game," he replied with a faint shrug, brushing it off.
She only nodded, then reached for a lunch box and placed it in his hands. "I put bone soup in here. When you get home, don't eat it right away—put it on the fire for at least fifteen more minutes. It'll taste better that way. And—" she picked up another container, pressing it into his hands, "these are side dishes you can keep in the refrigerator it will serve you for the next few days."
"Sure, Mum," Tai Xun said with a soft smile, carefully taking them from her.
Her palm gently brushed his arm, lingering there. She looked up at him, her smile trembling as tears threatened to spill.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "Our… constant fighting keeps pushing you away from home. I'm sorry you had to stand there and go through all that." Her voice wavered, but she steadied it. "If it means you'll come home again and have peace of mind… I'll do my best to put up with her."
Tai Xun gave a small shake of his head, pulling her into one last hug. "It's okay, Mum," he murmured, his smile warm and reassuring.
When they finally pulled apart, he walked toward his car. She stood at the gate, waving as he slid into the driver's seat, their eyes meeting one more time before the engine started.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Ming Li remained rooted at the doorway. Her gaze never left him, her heart aching to cross the distance. But guilt held her back, heavy and unrelenting, chaining her to the spot even as her son drove away.