The young girl’s gentle breath brushed past his ear like a feather, instantly stirring up a wave of warmth.
Upon hearing the word “boyfriend,” Pei Chen’s breath hitched, his fingertips tightening around the pen. He spoke with a tense tone, “Don’t say that.”
“Oh.”
She chuckled softly, burying her soft, fair face into the sleeve of his jacket, her eyes curving with a smile. “Pei Chen, your clothes smell really nice.”
“…”
What scent could his clothes possibly have?
But Liang Zhiyi wasn’t referring to any perfume.
She didn’t know which brand of laundry soap it was, but the scent was clean and crisp, and she could tell immediately it was his.
Thinking of something, she tilted her head and looked at him. “Pei Chen, do you like gardenias?”
Pei Chen’s gaze momentarily paused. “Why?”
“I really like gardenias. My parents told me that they named me Zhiyi after the gardenia flower’s meaning. By the way, do you know what the gardenia flower’s meaning is?”
Pei Chen lowered his eyes, recalling the flower’s meaning he had looked up before:
Pure and beautiful, strong and kind.
Eternal love, lifelong devotion.
Liang Zhiyi noticed he wasn’t answering and lightly huffed, “I guessed you probably wouldn’t know.”
After she finished speaking, Pei Chen responded with indifference and then asked, “Have you finished memorizing the ancient poem?”
“…”
She silently closed her mouth.
After a while, noticing he hadn’t heard her voice for a while, Pei Chen’s gaze involuntarily shifted.
He saw his school uniform jacket hanging loosely on the slender girl. At that moment, she was focused on memorizing the ancient poem, her eyelashes fluttering like two little fans.
Sometimes she seemed like an enchanting little fox.
Other times, she looked like a child.
Pei Chen averted his gaze, forcing himself not to look at her any longer.
Moments later, the Chinese teacher entered the classroom. She had been busy in the office and now asked everyone to quickly take out their homework books to start writing out the poem from memory. “Let’s have two students come up to the board and write the poem.”
The entire class let out a collective gasp, wishing they could turn invisible.
The teacher scanned the room and finally said, “Zhiyi and Zhang Xin, you two come up. The rest of you, write it out by yourselves and don’t look up.”
Hearing this, Liang Zhiyi quickly glanced at her book and then went up to the stage.
When the girl stood in front of the blackboard, many classmates noticed that she was wearing a large, skirt-like, male-style school jacket, and they were visibly surprised.
Xuan Xia and Fan Gao also noticed it. Xuan Xia turned her shocked gaze towards the boy in the back row. “Oh my god, Liang Zhiyi is wearing your school jacket?!”
“…”
Pei Chen paused his writing, his eyes deep, but he didn’t respond.
Xuan Xia was so shocked his jaw almost dropped. “Damn, you just admitted it! You actually lent your jacket to a girl!”
Unbelievable!
Xuan Xia shouted so loudly that several boys around him turned to look. They all heard it and immediately started gossiping.
Pei Chen didn’t explain, making the situation even more ambiguous. Everyone was shocked and began whispering to each other, creating a small uproar in the class, with many discussing the relationship between him and Liang Zhiyi.
Xuan Xia raised his eyebrows at Pei Chen, lowering his voice to ask, “Pei Chen, what’s going on between you and Liang Zhiyi? You two didn’t even talk at the sports meet a couple of days ago, and now you’re giving her your jacket? Come on, tell me. I’m dying of curiosity.”
Pei Chen glanced at him coldly. “If you’re so anxious, go to the bathroom.”
“…What the heck.”
Xuan Xia sneered, “Don’t think I don’t know. The less you say, the more guilty you look!”
Pei Chen’s expression shifted slightly, but he ignored him and continued writing.
At this moment, in the class, the gossip about Liang Zhiyi’s jacket spread. In the front row, Sang Xunling looked up and stared straight at the girl.
She knew exactly whose jacket that was.
She had just asked Liang Zhiyi to open the window, and now she was wearing Pei Chen’s jacket. Wasn’t this a slap in her face?
There’s no way Pei Chen would just give his jacket to Liang Zhiyi. She must have asked him for it…
Sang Xunling’s expression turned slightly cold, her hand gripping the pen so tightly that her knuckles turned white.
At the blackboard, Liang Zhiyi finished writing the last word, finally putting down the chalk. She casually swayed the large sleeves and walked down from the platform.
After sitting back in her seat, she leaned towards Pei Chen, and softly called out to him, “Senior Brother, Senior Brother, can you check if I wrote everything correctly?”
The little sparrow chirped beside his ear. After a moment, Pei Chen looked up at the blackboard and finally said, “You wrote ‘悫 (sincere)’ in ‘慕宗悫之长风 (admiring the sincere and steadfast character like a long wind)’ wrong. The bottom part should be the heart radical.”
Liang Zhiyi looked up at the blackboard, then at her book, and realized, “Oh, I really did write it wrong.”
She picked up her pen and circled the mistake in her book, then asked him seriously, “Pei Chen, do you know why I wrote it wrong?”
He glanced at her. “No.”
“It’s all because you stole my heart.”
Pei Chen: “…”
He really shouldn’t have paid her any attention.
Liang Zhiyi’s smile widened.
So cheesy, but seeing how speechless he gets because of me makes me so happy, haha.
After a while, the teacher asked everyone to correct their work and submit it. With the end of the morning reading class, Ji Fei’er came over with her water bottle to find Liang Zhiyi, and the two of them went to fill their bottles together.
As they walked out of the classroom, Ji Fei’er, unable to contain her curiosity, asked, “Where did you get that jacket you’re wearing? Don’t tell me it’s Pei Chen’s.”
Liang Zhiyi smiled mischievously. “It is Pei Chen’s.”
“It’s really his?!”
“Is that so hard to believe?” Liang Zhiyi pouted. “Besides, there’s no way I’d wear another guy’s jacket.”
She knew how to avoid suspicion, after all.
After filling their water bottles, they started heading back to the classroom. Ji Fei’er was still in shock. “Pei Chen, who’s usually so aloof, actually lent you his jacket? I can hardly believe it.”
Liang Zhiyi lifted her face, as fair as white jade, and her eyes curved into crescent moons. “He saw I was cold, so he offered it to me. He really couldn’t resist a cute girl like me.”
“…You’re shameless.”
Liang Zhiyi sighed contentedly. “Pei Chen is so sweet.”
She was growing fonder of him by the minute, hehe.
This was the first time Ji Fei’er had ever heard anyone describe Pei Chen as “sweet.” It was utterly ridiculous.
Liang Zhiyi, in high spirits, skipped back to the classroom, just in time to see Pei Chen standing in front of the back blackboard, talking with some classmates who were putting up the bulletin board.
She was just about to hop over when she met Pei Chen’s meaningful gaze.
“…Oops.”
She had just lied to him, saying her leg still hurt…
After the other classmates left, Pei Chen quietly looked at her. Liang Zhiyi’s limbs froze, and then she slowly dragged her injured left leg, guiltily avoiding his eyes as she muttered, “I just did a little rehab on my leg, and it felt okay…”
Pei Chen lowered his head, calmly flipping through some papers.
“Yeah, scraped skin, rehab.”
“…”
Knowing she was in the wrong and unable to out-argue him, Liang Zhiyi decided to drop the act and went to sit at her desk.
A moment later, Pei Chen sat down as well. She leaned on the desk, half-burying her face as she looked at him, huffing softly:
“I’m keeping your jacket.”
“…”
Pei Chen turned his head and saw the girl’s proud expression. His heart tingled slightly, but his face remained calm, and he chose to ignore her.
Liang Zhiyi went about her own business. When Xuan Xia saw Pei Chen had returned, he turned around and asked, “So, have you made up your mind? Are you going to participate in the inter-school basketball tournament this time?”
Pei Chen looked at his textbook, then after a moment of quiet reflection, he calmly replied, “I will.”
Xuan Xia grinned, “Great!”
“Make sure you go see the school team’s coach today.”
“Mm.”
The second period in the afternoon was supposed to be music class, but the music teacher had an unexpected situation, so they were asked to stay in the classroom for self-study.
After class started, the classroom gradually quieted down.
Liang Zhiyi was doing her homework, but five minutes later, she noticed the seat beside her was still empty. She had seen Pei Chen leave the classroom after the last period, but he hadn’t returned yet.
Even if he went to the restroom, it shouldn’t take this long, right?
Liang Zhiyi glanced at the door from time to time, puzzled by Pei Chen’s absence. Unable to hold back, she asked Xuan Xia, “Do you know where Pei Chen went?”
Xuan Xia turned to look at her. “What’s this? So concerned about the class monitor?”
Liang Zhiyi raised an eyebrow, “If you know, then spill it.”
The boy chuckled and answered, “He went to see the school basketball team’s coach about joining the inter-school basketball tournament.”
Liang Zhiyi was surprised, “What basketball tournament?”
“You didn’t know? The poster’s been up on the bulletin board for a couple of days.”
Xuan Xia explained that every two years, Lincheng hosts an inter-school basketball tournament. There are thirty-two high schools in Lincheng, and each one sends a team to participate.
The basketball scene in Lincheng has always been strong, so the schools take this major event very seriously and prepare diligently.
Winning the championship would be a huge honor for the school.
No wonder so many boys had been gathered around the bulletin board today. After hearing Xuan Xia’s explanation, Liang Zhiyi was still a bit skeptical. “Pei Chen plays basketball?”
“Are you kidding me? Pei Chen doesn’t play ball?” Xuan Xia responded as if he’d just heard the most ridiculous joke. “Do you have any idea how good he is?”
Liang Zhiyi: ???
“People used to call him a basketball prodigy. He was famous back in middle school for his skills on the court. Tons of guys admired him for it, and the number of girls who liked him was off the charts.”
Recalling the past, Xuan Xia sighed nostalgically and added, “But later on, for some reason… well, after he started high school, he didn’t play much anymore. It’s normal that you wouldn’t know. But if you’d ever seen him play, you’d definitely be a fangirl.”
Liang Zhiyi, hearing this, grew curious. Pei Chen was so reserved and aloof, seemingly only focused on his studies. What could he possibly be like on the basketball court? She couldn’t imagine it at all.
Xuan Xia sighed, “If he participates in the inter-school basketball tournament this time, you’ll get to see him play.”
Oh…
She was actually looking forward to it.
On the other side.
In the afternoon, the sunlight flickered through the trees.
Pei Chen walked towards the office of the school basketball team’s coach.
When he reached the office door, he knocked. Inside, on the sofa, Coach Sun Jing was chatting with a school leader.
Hearing the knock, Sun Jing turned around and was surprised to see the boy standing at the door. “Hey, Pei Chen?”
Pei Chen walked in, nodded in greeting to them, and then stated his purpose. “Coach Sun, I wanted to ask… can I participate in this year’s inter-school basketball tournament?”
Sun Jing, hearing this, clapped his hands excitedly and smiled, “What a coincidence! I was just talking about you with Vice Principal Jiang, who’s also our team leader. I was planning to reach out to you, and here you are…”
A flicker of surprise crossed Pei Chen’s eyes. He greeted Vice Principal Jiang, who was sitting beside Sun Jing, and then they invited him to sit down on the sofa.
Vice Principal Jiang had heard of Pei Chen before and smiled kindly. “Coach Sun was just telling me about your basketball skills. It’s impressive that you’re not only a top student but also quite the basketball player. He really hopes you can join the school team this time and represent us in the competition.”
Sun Jing turned to Pei Chen. “Since you’re here, we’d like to understand your current situation. It’s been a while since you last participated in an official game. How’s your leg injury now?”
Sun Jing couldn’t help but feel regretful as he thought about it. He had heard about Pei Chen’s basketball talent when the boy was in middle school, but after that unfortunate accident, Pei Chen had fallen from his peak and didn’t choose to join the school team when he started high school.
“I’ve been maintaining my basketball practice…”
Pei Chen explained his current condition and eventually mentioned his leg. “My leg has fully recovered now, so it won’t affect my ability to participate in the games.”
Hearing that Pei Chen’s leg had healed was indeed good news. Sun Jing was thrilled, “That’s great, really great! I didn’t expect you to come to us on your own. This is fantastic.”
Sun Jing felt both relieved and touched. Having Pei Chen on the team would undoubtedly add a powerful asset to the school team.
But actions speak louder than words, so Sun Jing suggested, “I happen to have some free time now. Why don’t we head to the basketball court and let us see your current form?”
After all, no matter how well he spoke, it was essential to assess his actual performance.
Pei Chen agreed, so Sun Jing invited Vice Principal Jiang along, and the three of them headed to the basketball court.
Time passed quickly, and the bell for the end of the second period rang.
In Class 9 of Year 2, Liang Zhiyi had just finished her exam paper. A little while later, she saw Pei Chen return to the classroom.
It was unclear what the boy had been doing, but his white shirt was now damp with sweat, clinging slightly to his chest, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead.
After sitting down, Pei Chen grabbed his bottle of mineral water, twisted off the cap, and drank deeply, his whole body radiating the heat of hormones.
Xuan Xia saw him and turned around. “So, did Coach Sun agree?”
Pei Chen finished his drink, licked the droplets off his thin lips, and panted softly, his voice slightly hoarse from exertion. “There shouldn’t be any problems.”
“Awesome! So when’s the first practice?”
“Coach Sun said it’s on Friday. He’ll let us know the exact time.”
“Alright…”
After Xuan Xia turned back, Liang Zhiyi lay on her desk, watching Pei Chen with a smile. “Senior Brother, I just heard Xuan Xia say you’re going to participate in the basketball tournament?”
Pei Chen looked over at the girl, who was blinking at him with starry, admiring eyes. A subtle feeling stirred in his chest, and he nodded.
“I didn’t know you were so good at basketball. I’ve never seen you play before. I’m really looking forward to it.”
Liang Zhiyi gazed at him, her voice soft. “Pei Chen, if you participate in the tournament, I’ll be your number one fan, always supporting you.”
Hearing this, Pei Chen felt a mix of emotions, a tinge of self-mockery rising within him.
Even he wasn’t sure if he could still play at the level he once did. She didn’t really know him, so how could she have such unwavering confidence in him?
He turned to look at her sincere eyes but didn’t say anything in response.
Time flew by, and soon it was Friday.
The third period in the afternoon was PE class, and this week it was another free activity session. As usual, Liang Zhiyi and Ji Fei’er went to play badminton.
The girl had been hoping that she might get to play with Pei Chen again today, but for some reason, neither Xuan Xia nor Pei Chen showed up at the court, and she couldn’t spot them anywhere else either.
Not wanting to cling to him, Liang Zhiyi focused on playing with Ji Fei’er.
After class, the two girls put away their rackets and headed to the stands to grab their bags, just in time to see Pei Chen and Xuan Xia walking over from the outdoor basketball court, with a basketball in Pei Chen’s hand.
Seeing them, Liang Zhiyi was surprised. “Did you guys just finish playing basketball?”
Xuan Xia wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand, grinning with satisfaction. “Yeah, we just finished practicing.”
Oh…
She regretted missing the chance to see Pei Chen play.
Xuan Xia mentioned that he wanted to go to the small convenience store to buy some water, so the four of them walked toward the school gate together.
As they walked, Liang Zhiyi, who was next to Pei Chen, asked him with anticipation, “Pei Chen, how are you getting home later?”
It just so happened that she hadn’t asked her driver to pick her up today.
Pei Chen drank some water and replied in a calm voice, “Xuan Xia and I are going to the basketball gym. We have practice today.”
She sighed, “Alright, I was hoping we could walk home together.”
Pei Chen looked down and noticed her disappointed expression, which reminded him of the evening they had walked together on Tuesday.
Their interactions outside of school were indeed few and far between.
As the four of them passed by the small convenience store, Ji Fei’er mentioned she wanted to eat some grilled sausage, so Liang Zhiyi accompanied her inside.
Once inside, Liang Zhiyi saw the shelves filled with snacks and couldn’t resist picking out several bags.
When they left the store, the others were still inside, so Liang Zhiyi walked over to Pei Chen, who was waiting at the entrance, and smiled brightly. “Pei Chen, I bought something tasty for you.”
She rummaged through the bag, “I bought some chips. Which flavor do you want? Tomato, barbecue, or this one?”
Her eyes sparkled as she insisted on giving him a bag. Finally, Pei Chen relented, “Tomato, I guess.”
Just as she was searching for it, a deep male voice called out:
“Liang Zhiyi.”
She turned to see Liang Tongzhou, who was walking by with some classmates. He was tall, dressed in a basketball uniform, with broad shoulders and a slim waist, a lazy smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
Liang Zhiyi walked over to him, and Liang Tongzhou looked at her, then shifted his gaze to Pei Chen, asking with a knowing smile, “What are you doing here?”
At the same time, Pei Chen lifted his gaze and met Liang Tongzhou’s eyes.
The memory of Liang Zhiyi’s affectionate interaction with Liang Tongzhou during the sports meet flashed through Pei Chen’s mind.
Feeling a bit guilty, Liang Zhiyi glared back at him, “Why do you care? Aren’t you going home?”
“I’m going to the school basketball team’s practice later, so not just yet.”
“What? Are you also joining the inter-school basketball tournament?”
Liang Tongzhou raised an eyebrow slightly, “I’m on the school team. Is there a problem with me joining the tournament?”
Liang Zhiyi knew her brother was also great at basketball. “Oh,” she responded, not mentioning Pei Chen for now. The next moment, Liang Tongzhou glanced down at her bag, “What did you buy? Give me some, I’m hungry.”
“Just some chips…”
Liang Zhiyi handed him a bag, and Liang Tongzhou casually took the tomato-flavored one.
Then, he reached out and lightly patted her head, smirking as he teased, “You should head home soon…”
Liang Zhiyi snorted, “Since when did you start telling me what to do?”
“Let’s go.”
After Liang Tongzhou left, Liang Zhiyi walked back to Pei Chen. Noticing that the tomato-flavored chips had been taken by Liang Tongzhou, she had no choice but to offer him the barbecue-flavored chips instead. With a dimpled smile, she said, “The tomato ones were just taken, so here, take this one instead…”
Pei Chen turned his head and saw Xuan Xia coming out of the convenience store. Without reaching out to take the chips, his expression inexplicably grew a bit colder. He turned around and walked away, leaving behind a curt remark:
“I don’t eat junk food.”
Liang Zhiyi: ???