The basketball court was alive with the sound of squeaking sneakers, bouncing balls, and the occasional cheer from the sparse crowd in the bleachers. The sun hung low, casting golden shadows over East Lake University, wrapping the campus in a lazy, warm glow that made everything feel slower—like the world was sighing in contentment.
Li Wei wiped the sweat off his brow with the hem of his jersey, his black hair clinging to his forehead. His chest rose and fell with steady rhythm, heart still thumping from the last sprint down the court. Around him, his teammates laughed and joked, the air light with post-practice camaraderie.
"Captain, are you trying to kill us with those last laps?" one of the freshmen and also Li Wei's best friend, Tao, groaned dramatically, collapsing onto the bench.
Li Wei grinned, stretching his arms overhead. "If you can't outrun a rogue defender, how are you gonna win a game?"
"Bro, we're playing university teams, not dodging bullets."
"You've never seen Hunan Tech's forward," another guy muttered. "He's built like a tank."
Li Wei laughed with them but didn't linger, he was the first to grab his things and head out, slinging his gym bag over one shoulder. He offered them a wave.
"Later, guys."
"Tch, there goes the heartthrob," Tao called out. "Careful, Captain! Don't break too many hearts on your way to the dorm."
He rolled his eyes, but his smile lingered.
It was always like this. Laughs. Games. Practice. Class.Sleep. Repeat. His life was quiet, predictable… and honestly, not bad.
He'd grown up in one of Wuhan's older neighborhoods, tucked away behind a noodle shop and a run-down convenience store. His adoptive parents—Mr. and Mrs. Chen—were simple people. His father was a deliveryman who came home with tired eyes and a crumpled back. His mother worked at a laundry and often smelled of detergent and ironed clothes.
They weren't wealthy, not even close, but they were kind. Loving. And to Li Wei, that was enough.
He didn't remember much before them. Just flashes—shadows, fire, screaming… a warm hand on his chest and a lullaby in a voice he could no longer match to a face. He used to have nightmares when he was younger, but as he grew older, they stopped. Or maybe he just got used to them.
Whatever had happened back then, it didn't matter anymore. He was just Li Wei now. University student. Basketball captain. A guy with no past worth digging into.
Or so he thought.
The night breeze felt good against his skin as he walked along the tree-lined path back to the dorm Most students were still hanging around campus—some chatting under the trees, others dragging themselves from study halls. Couples laughed in the distance. A guitar played somewhere near the fountain.
Li Wei paused, looking up at the sky. The moon was huge tonight. Almost too big. He didn't know why, but something about it made his stomach twist.
Maybe it was the fatigue. Or maybe it was the weird way the air felt.
Thick. Like it was hiding something.
He shook it off.
Just his imagination.
On his way back home ; it was weekend and he usually go home to play with his parents.
" Mum will be mad " he thought
She hates it when I come home late
He kept murmuring
Until he heard it.
A low growl.
He froze. Turned slowly.
From the shadows between the bushes, something dashed past—too fast to catch, but enough to make his instincts scream.
A woman's silhouette stumbled into view, running fast but limping. Her breath was ragged, desperate. She wore a dark jacket over a torn dress, and her hair—a waterfall of black waves—whipped around as she sprinted straight toward him.
What the hell—?
Before he could react, she collided with him. Hard.
He caught her by reflex, both of them tumbling onto the grass. He winced but quickly adjusted, helping her sit up.
"Are you okay?" he asked, panic flickering in his chest.
She didn't answer. Her eyes—an unnatural shade of silver—were wide and feral. Her lips trembled. Her skin was hot, way too hot, and she was shaking.
Before he could ask anything, she grabbed him by the collar, her breathing rapid.
"You're one of them… aren't you?"
Li Wei blinked. "What?"
"Damn it—" she hissed.
Without warning, she sank her teeth into his shoulder.
Pain exploded through him. White-hot. Like lightning crawling down his spine. He gasped, trying to push her away, but his muscles didn't listen. His vision blurred.
And then—
Darkness.
He woke up in his bed.
Sweat soaked his sheets. His shoulder ached like someone had jabbed it with a branding iron. He sat up slowly, blinking at the ceiling.
What…?
The room was normal. No broken windows. No sign of a struggle. His bag was where he left it or so he thought. His sneakers were still at the door.
Did he… dream it?
He touched his shoulder. But there's nothing there but… " it felt real" he thought
His heart thudded.
What the hell had happened?
The scent of fried eggs and soy sauce stirred Liwei from his thoughts. Warm, savory, familiar. For a moment, he lay in bed staring at the slightly cracked ceiling of his modest room.
He pushed the sheets off, sat up slowly.
As he padded down the narrow wooden staircase in loose shorts and a T-shirt, the hum of the tiny rice cooker welcomed him like an old friend. The kitchen, a cramped space where love always outweighed luxury, looked brighter than usual in the soft morning light.
There she was—Mama Chen, apron on, her short black hair tied back in a bun, expertly flipping scallion pancakes while humming an old folk tune from her hometown.
"Ah, sleeping handsome awakens!" she teased without turning around.
Liwei grinned. "Smells good."
"You better say that, especially since I let you live after sneaking in through the window at midnight!" she shot back, now turning around with mock annoyance, with a wooden spatula pointed like a sword. Her face was worn with gentle lines from years of hard work, but her eyes held a light that could melt anyone.
"I climbed the window?" he blinked, genuinely confused.
"You don't even remember? You're lucky I didn't whack you with the mop when I found you in your room without passing the front door,scared me half to death!" she said, squinting at him.
"Honestly, what kind of eighteen-year-old climbs into the house like some kind of ninja?"
Liwei scratched the back of his head, then laughed awkwardly. "I... don't remember anything after leaving school
"That much was true".
"Maybe I should've let Gao teach you a lesson," she smirked, placing a bowl of congee and some side dishes on the table.
Uncle Gao— Chen Gao Ming—his adopted father, wasn't around at the moment. He'd probably already left for his delivery job he ran down near the old part of the city. A simple man with calloused hands and a quiet strength, Gao Ming was the kind of father who didn't say much but always made sure Liwei had warm shoes and a working bicycle.
They weren't rich—not even close. But somehow, everything felt... enough.
Liwei sat at the table, looking around at the small living room attached to the kitchen. Everything here was either second-hand or handmade. Yet it was filled with warmth—the kind only a real family could offer.
The next few days were a blur.
He waited. Expected something—anything—to happen. Maybe he'd wake up with claws. Or become an animal with supernatural strength and he will be a superhero.Maybe his eyes would turn silver and scare the hell out of Tao during practice.
But nothing changed.
No super strength. No weird dreams. No sudden craving for raw meat.
I need to stop reading those fantasy novels
"Damn, but they are addictive". LiWei complained in his heart
He put the dream at the back of his mind
Except… one thing
The girl.
He couldn't forget her. Her face haunted his thoughts. Not just because she bit him, but because in that moment, there was something behind her eyes. Desperation, yes—
Back at school, life moved on.
Sort of.