Pei Chen, suppressing his longing, responded in a low voice. Sensing his disappointment, the girl couldn’t help but laugh, “You miss me that much?”
His voice was husky, “It’s been two days.”
Two days without seeing her, especially after she had officially become his girlfriend.
Liang Zhiyi missed him just as much and said softly, “I’m going to your place tomorrow morning to see Uncle, so you’ll see me then.”
Pei Chen agreed, “Then call me when you’re close, and I’ll meet you at the entrance.”
“Okay.”
So, early the next morning, Pei Chen woke up very early. The night before, he had told Pei Yongxia that he wanted to have Liang Zhiyi over for a meal that day. After freshening up, he went out to buy the ingredients for the day.
After returning home and tidying up, around ten o’clock, Liang Zhiyi called to say she was almost at the entrance of the neighborhood, so he went to meet her.
He walked to the entrance just as the car arrived. The back door opened, and Liang Zhiyi stepped out, dressed in a pale green plaid dress. Despite the hot weather, she was wearing a mask.
He approached her with a puzzled expression. “Why are you wearing a mask?”
The girl sniffled and lowered her head pitifully. “Wuwuwu, I caught a cold…”
Pei Chen: ?
“I was so tired after washing my hair last night that I just lay down and fell asleep with the air conditioning set to 20 degrees. I woke up this morning feeling cold.”
Pei Chen gently pulled down her mask and leaned in to see her reddened nose, his brows furrowing. “Is it serious? Do you need to go to the hospital?”
Worried about infecting him, she quickly pulled the mask back up and shook her head. “No, it should get better in a couple of days.”
The girl whimpered, “I’m so unlucky, getting a cold in the middle of summer…”
He found her adorably clumsy and couldn’t help but ruffle the back of her head, gently reminding her, “Next time, make sure to dry your hair before going to bed, and don’t set the air conditioner too low. It’s best to keep it above 25 degrees at night.”
“Okay.”
He noticed the bag in her hand, and she explained that it was filled with supplements her parents had sent for Pei Yongxia, as a gesture of goodwill.
Warmth filled Pei Chen’s heart. “Thank your parents for me.”
He took the bag from her and held her hand with his other one. “Let’s head inside.”
He led her into the neighborhood, and when they arrived home, Pei Chen opened the door and handed her a pair of slippers. Pei Yongxia wheeled himself out of his room, and upon seeing the girl, his face lit up with a smile. “Zhiyi, you’re here!”
“Hello, Uncle Pei. Long time no see.”
“Come in, have a seat.”
After changing her shoes, Pei Chen led her into the living room. When Pei Yongxia saw them holding hands, he was surprised. “You two…”
Pei Chen hadn’t told his father yet, so he glanced at Liang Zhiyi with a smile in his eyes. “Dad, Zhiyi and I are together now.”
The girl flashed a charming smile. “Uncle, don’t worry. I’ll take good care of Pei Chen.”
Seeing the two of them finally together, Pei Yongxia was overjoyed. “It’s good that you’re together. Zhiyi, it’s Pei Chen who needs to take good care of you. Son, you’d better treat her well, understand?”
Pei Chen smiled. “I will.”
He guided Liang Zhiyi to sit on the sofa, and then placed the supplements on the table. When Pei Yongxia learned that they were a gift from Liang Zhiyi’s parents, he was deeply touched and expressed his gratitude.
Noticing that she was wearing a mask, Pei Yongxia asked about it, and she explained the reason. Upon hearing that she had caught a cold, Pei Yongxia advised her to drink plenty of warm water and smiled. “Pei Chen bought a lot of snacks for you today, but since you’re sick, it’s best to avoid them for now.”
The girl glanced at the variety of snacks on the table and nodded sadly. Pei Chen chuckled softly, “You can have them once you’re better. Will you stay for lunch? I bought a lot of food today.”
“Yes, Zhiyi, stay for lunch. Every time you come over, you’ve never stayed for a meal. Today, don’t be so polite.”
Liang Zhiyi smiled and said, “Alright, I won’t be polite then.”
Pei Chen went to the kitchen to prepare lunch while Liang Zhiyi continued chatting with Pei Yongxia. She inquired about his health and learned that he had been diligently working on his rehabilitation, though it had been challenging, especially after having to stop for a while.
“I’m worried that once Pei Chen goes to university, he’ll still be concerned about me. If I can regain my independence, he won’t have to worry as much,” Pei Yongxia said. He didn’t want to become a burden to his son.
Liang Zhiyi suddenly thought of something. “Uncle, my mom is a specialist in orthopedics. Why don’t we have Pei Chen take you to the hospital one day, and I can ask my mom to take a look at you?”
If they could get a more comprehensive understanding of Pei Yongxia’s condition and develop a better rehabilitation plan, there might even be potential for further treatment.
Dr. Zhong Xinrou’s schedule was typically hard to book, but with a word from her, it would definitely be arranged. Although Pei Yongxia felt a bit embarrassed, Liang Zhiyi assured him that it was no trouble at all.
During lunch, the three of them sat down to eat, and Liang Zhiyi was pleasantly surprised by Pei Chen’s cooking skills—the food was especially delicious.
Pei Chen had been worried that such simple, home-cooked dishes might not suit her taste, but seeing her enjoy the meal so much, he felt content.
Afterward, when she offered to help with the dishes, Pei Chen insisted that she didn’t need to. In the end, he did the washing while she stood by his side.
She mentioned the idea of having her mother, Zhong Xinrou, take a look at Pei Yongxia’s leg and shared her thoughts. “Pei Chen, there’s no need to feel awkward about this. I’m your girlfriend now, so things are different from before. If it were my dad in this situation, you’d definitely want to help too, right? Don’t worry, I’ll talk to my mom first and make sure it’s not a problem for her.”
Hearing this, Pei Chen’s heart softened, his voice low and husky. “Zhiyi, thank you.”
“Why are you thanking me? No need to be so formal.”
After finishing the dishes, Liang Zhiyi wanted to sit in Pei Chen’s room for a bit. When she entered, she noticed a gardenia plant on his windowsill and was surprised.
“Gardenias? When did you get these?”
“I bought them recently.”
He had fully realized his feelings for her, and one day, as he passed by a flower shop and saw the gardenias in bloom, he bought the plant and brought it home.
The girl smiled. “So, this is your way of ‘thinking of someone through a flower’?”
Pei Chen raised his hand and pulled her into his arms, inhaling the sweet gardenia scent from her. He looked down at her and said, “But seeing the real person is much better.”
Pei Chen’s gaze met her clear eyes, not hidden by the mask, and the longing he had felt over the past few days surged up, deepening the look in his eyes.
After a few seconds, he couldn’t resist raising his hand to pull down her mask. Liang Zhiyi immediately pulled it back up and said in a soft, stubborn tone, “What are you doing? You’ll catch it too.”
Pei Chen’s expression paused, his Adam’s apple bobbing as he replied in a low voice, “It’s okay, I won’t catch it.”
She, remembering how often she had caught colds from others, shook her head resolutely, not wanting to infect him. “No way, you’ll catch a cold too…”
Pei Chen looked at her, hesitant to say what was on his mind, suppressing the urge he felt deep inside.
After spending some time in his room, Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen eventually moved to the living room. They watched TV and chatted, enjoying a relaxing afternoon together.
In the evening, she stayed for dinner, and after the meal, it was about time for her to leave. Pei Yongxia suggested the two of them go out and have some fun.
As they walked out of the house and down the stairs, Pei Chen asked softly, “Do you want to take off your mask and get some fresh air? You’ve been wearing it all day; isn’t it uncomfortable?”
She shook her head, grinning. “It’s fine, I’m okay.”
For a moment, Pei Chen was silent, his eyes dark and intense.
She smiled at him, trying to reassure him. “I’m really fine. I’m feeling much better tonight, so I think this cold will be gone soon.”
Seeing her soft, innocent smile, Pei Chen couldn’t help but feel a bit helpless—how could his girlfriend be so adorably clueless?
After leaving the neighborhood, Pei Chen asked where she wanted to go. Liang Zhiyi said she had no particular place in mind and let him decide. Pei Chen suggested, “How about we take a walk by the river?”
“Sure.”
As long as she was with him, anywhere was fine.
On the way, they passed a drink shop. Pei Chen asked, “Do you want something warm to drink?”
She shook her head. “I don’t think I should drink milk tea right now.”
“They might have other options.”
He went inside to check and found a ginger and longan tea. He ordered it warm.
The two of them continued their walk to the riverside. As night fell, the river reflected the neon lights of the tall buildings on both sides, the surface shimmering with the city’s glow.
They walked along the riverside boardwalk, the area dimly lit with soft, faint lights at their feet.
After a while, Liang Zhiyi stopped to rest. The wind lifted her long hair, and her profile was strikingly beautiful.
Pei Chen stood in front of her, looking down with a faint smile. “Thirsty? Do you want some warm tea?”
Feeling the evening breeze on her face and wanting to breathe freely, she finally pulled down her mask, her eyes crinkling with a smile. “Okay…”
Just as she reached out to take the warm drink he offered, the next moment, she felt a hand on the back of her head—
His lips suddenly pressed against hers, sealing them in a kiss.
His movements were slightly inexperienced, his lips hot, carrying a refreshing hint of mint that swept over her.
Her eyes widened in surprise, her mind going blank.
He held her waist firmly, and as she instinctively took a small step back, her body leaned against the railing of the boardwalk. A gust of the sultry summer wind blew past, instantly igniting the tension in the air, making the atmosphere even more charged with intimacy.
The surroundings were especially quiet.
All that was left was the incessant sound of cicadas in the air.
A few seconds later, Pei Chen slowly pulled back, leaving the girl in a daze. Realizing that he had tricked her, her face instantly turned red:
“You liar, you said we were going to drink!”
Pei Chen looked at her dazed expression, his ears burning, his eyes filled with heat as he spoke in a low, husky voice:
“Sorry, I really wanted to kiss you. I had to find a way.”