Why was Pei Chen like this…
Sang Xunling was momentarily speechless, struggling to maintain her composure as she turned and walked back to the podium.
Liang Zhiyi, thinking back on how she had just put on an act and then had Pei Chen stand up for her, couldn’t help but laugh. She teased him, “Pei Chen, do all straight guys find it hard to resist a ‘green tea’ girl?”
“…”
What green tea?
It was only because it was her.
After class, Pei Chen went to the office to drop off some materials. Not long after, Sang Xunling also came in to submit her homework.
Pei Chen glanced at her with a cold expression and, after placing his things down, immediately left.
Sang Xunling quickly followed him out:
“Pei Chen…”
The boy’s steps paused slightly as he glanced at her sideways. Sang Xunling, speaking softly, said, “Earlier in class, I misunderstood. I thought Liang Zhiyi was distracting you from studying. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean anything by it. Please don’t take it the wrong way…”
“It doesn’t matter to me what you meant.”
Pei Chen suddenly spoke.
Sang Xunling was stunned, and in the next moment, Pei Chen’s gaze turned cold as he looked at her:
“But don’t intentionally cause her trouble.”
It was clear who he meant by “her,” and Sang Xunling understood perfectly.
Pei Chen walked back to the classroom, leaving Sang Xunling standing there, stunned.
Pei Chen was actually protecting Liang Zhiyi so much!
Sang Xunling thought back on Pei Chen’s recent behavior towards Liang Zhiyi and began to feel increasingly uneasy.
Could it be that he liked Liang Zhiyi…?
Her eyes turned red, and her mind went blank.
A week later, the school began the final exams.
Exams were undoubtedly painful, but they also signaled the long-awaited arrival of the winter break.
On the afternoon of the last exam, students, burdened with a thick stack of “homework love” from their teachers, both eagerly and reluctantly headed home for the holidays.
Under the ginkgo trees on campus, Liang Zhiyi and Pei Chen walked slowly together.
The girl had her hands tucked into her coat pockets, and she exhaled a puff of white breath. Turning to look at the boy, she smiled with arched eyebrows, “Pei Chen, now that winter break is here, you won’t be able to see me every day. Will you miss me?”
Pei Chen stared straight ahead, his expression pausing for a moment, but he didn’t say anything.
Seeing him try to act indifferent, the girl let out a small huff. “It’s okay. Even though we can’t see each other every day, we can still hang out often. When I ask you out, you better show up, okay?”
When they reached the school gate, she waved at him. “Pei Chen, my family’s here to pick me up. I’m going now. Take your time getting home.”
He looked at her and responded, “Mm.”
She got into the car, and the back window rolled down. From inside, she waved at him with her dimples showing.
In the end, as Pei Chen watched the car gradually drive away, he felt a sense of emptiness creeping in.
Would he miss her?
How could he not miss her?
But whether he liked it or not, the winter break had arrived.
In January, Lincheng, located in the south, didn’t have the beautiful snow scenes of winter, but it was uncomfortably cold and damp.
After the holidays started, without the pressure of classes, the students spent their days cozily tucked under warm blankets, with time slipping by faster than a rabbit.
Liang Zhiyi first enjoyed two carefree days at home, then spontaneously went on a trip with Ji Fei’er and Zhi Mian. They spent several days in another province before returning.
Before they knew it, it was nearly time for the Spring Festival.
On the 25th day of the lunar month, after finishing her homework in the morning, Liang Zhiyi learned that Pei Chen would be going to the library that afternoon. Without telling him, she packed a box of New Year’s gifts and knocked on the Pei family’s door.
“Uncle Pei, hello! I’m here a bit early to wish you a Happy New Year!”
Pei Yongxia opened the door and was a bit surprised to see the young girl. “Oh, young lady… Well, it just so happens that Pei Chen isn’t home today. He went to the library this afternoon.”
“It’s okay that he’s not here. I actually came to see you.”
Pei Yongxia was surprised and quickly invited her in. Liang Zhiyi smiled brightly and cheerfully at him. “Uncle Pei, I’m sorry for coming over unannounced. I just wanted to check on you and bring you some New Year’s gifts.”
Ever since she first visited Pei Chen’s home a few months ago, she realized that the person Pei Chen cared about the most was his father. She genuinely wanted to show more concern for Pei Yongxia, so she thought the New Year was the perfect opportunity to visit him.
Liang Zhiyi placed the beautifully wrapped gift boxes on the table. Pei Yongxia, touched by the fact that a young girl cared enough to think of him, expressed his gratitude repeatedly. “This is too kind of you, thank you so much…”
“It’s no problem, Uncle. Pei Chen often helps me at school, after all.”
The girl sat down on the sofa while Pei Yongxia picked up a teapot to pour her some water and opened a box of pastries for her to eat. “We don’t have much at home, and I didn’t know you were coming…”
“No worries at all, I love these little twists,” Liang Zhiyi said as she happily began to eat. Seeing her so at ease made Pei Yongxia feel pleased as well.
As they chatted, Liang Zhiyi asked about his recent health, and eventually, Pei Yongxia began to share stories from Pei Chen’s childhood.
“I used to work in a factory, but due to a mistake I made at work, there was an accident, and I ended up like this. The factory only compensated a little money, and I visited many hospitals to treat my legs, but in the end, my legs weren’t cured, and the family’s money was all spent.”
Initially, the Pei family wasn’t as poor as they were now. However, after the accident, Pei Yongxia, who had been the family’s breadwinner, lost his job and became paralyzed, which left the family without an income. It was then that Pei Chen’s mother had to go out and work to support the family.
Pei Chen’s mother eventually couldn’t bear the heavy burden of living in poverty, especially at a young age, with a husband who had become disabled. In the end, she chose to leave.
“When his mother and I divorced, I wanted Pei Chen to go with her. After all, she was in a better financial position and could provide him with a stable life, unlike the difficult life he would have with me.”
“But Pei Chen insisted on staying with you.”
Pei Yongxia sighed, “Yes, he insisted on staying with me, no matter how much I scolded or hit him, he wouldn’t leave.”
Pei Yongxia still remembered how little Pei Chen had been at the time, crying as he hugged his father, who was sitting in a wheelchair. “Dad, don’t send me away. If I leave, you’ll be all alone…”
Hearing this, Liang Zhiyi found it hard to imagine that Pei Chen, at such a young age, had steadfastly chosen to stay by his paralyzed father’s side, never thinking of leaving him.
Over the years, even though life had been tough, Pei Chen had never once complained. He had grown from a child into a young man who could now protect his father.
“Does Pei Chen still not have contact with his mother now?”
“After she remarried, she moved to another province. Occasionally, she asks about Pei Chen through me, but Pei Chen rarely contacts her. He’s always harbored resentment towards her.”
It wasn’t hard to understand his resentment…
After all, for Pei Chen, her leaving them at such a young age was a devastating blow.
Without realizing it, they talked until evening. When it was about time, Liang Zhiyi decided not to trouble Pei Yongxia by staying for dinner and said she would head home.
Pei Yongxia insisted that the young girl stay for dinner, but when she politely declined, he told her to wait in the living room while he went to his room for a moment.
A few minutes later, Pei Yongxia came out of his room in his wheelchair and handed her a red envelope. “Zhiyi, here, this is a New Year’s red envelope from Uncle. It’s not much, but please accept it as a token.”
“Uncle Pei, I can’t accept this…”
The girl quickly refused, feeling embarrassed to take money from him. However, Pei Yongxia was insistent, saying that it was a tradition for elders to give red envelopes to the younger generation.
In the end, Liang Zhiyi considered that refusing might make Pei Yongxia overthink things, so she accepted the red envelope.
As she was leaving, Pei Yongxia accompanied her to the door. “Zhiyi, come visit us more often.”
Liang Zhiyi sweetly replied, “Sure, Uncle Pei, as long as you don’t find me annoying.”
“Annoying? How could I ever find you annoying…”
Liang Zhiyi smiled, said her goodbyes to Pei Yongxia, and left the Pei household.
As she walked down the stairs, she received a call from Pei Chen:
“I heard from my dad that you came to my house?”
Liang Zhiyi told him she had just left, and Pei Chen mentioned that he was about to reach home. He asked if she could wait for him downstairs if she wasn’t in a hurry, and she agreed.
A little while later, when Pei Chen returned, he saw the deep blue night sky settling in, with streetlights beginning to glow. There, under one of the lights, stood the girl. She wore a beige cotton coat, her soft face half-buried in the cream-colored scarf he had given her, humming a tune.
It had been several days since he had last seen her.
She had said she wanted to hang out, but then she went on a trip for several days, and he hadn’t heard from her at all.
Pei Chen’s gaze lingered on her with a hint of longing, and he felt his heart race.
Liang Zhiyi continued humming her song until, a few seconds later, she heard a familiar, gentle voice beside her:
“Liang Zhiyi.”
She looked up and saw Pei Chen standing about three meters away, watching her.
He was wearing a gray sweater, his figure tall and slender, with a cool, fair complexion that radiated youthful energy.
She broke into a bright smile and jogged over to him.
“Pei Chen—”
He asked softly, “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming today?”
“It’s almost the New Year, and I just wanted to visit Uncle. Are you mad at me?” In truth, she hadn’t told him because she was afraid he might politely decline, so she kept it a secret.
He gazed at her radiant face and replied in a hoarse voice, “No.”
How could he be mad? He was deeply touched that she would care so much about his father.
Liang Zhiyi smiled. “Oh, by the way, I brought some New Year’s gifts for you and your dad. Don’t be shy about accepting them because Uncle Pei also gave me a red envelope.”
Pei Chen thanked her and nodded, “Wait here for a moment. I’ll go upstairs and get something for you.”
“Hmm?”
Pei Chen went upstairs and entered his home. Pei Yongxia saw him and asked, “Zhiyi just went downstairs. Did you see her?”
“Yes, I just came up to get something for her.”
“I wanted to ask her to stay for dinner tonight, but she probably didn’t want to trouble me, so she left. Since she came all the way here to see me, why don’t you take her out for dinner? I’ll just reheat the noodles from lunch for myself. You take her out, and I’ll give you some money for it.”
Pei Chen nodded, “Dad, there’s no need, I have money.”
After some insistence from Pei Yongxia, Pei Chen agreed, saying he’d take her out for a meal and be back soon.
Liang Zhiyi was waiting downstairs, and a few minutes later, Pei Chen finally came down.
When he reached her, he handed her a small box.
“What’s this?”
“A New Year’s gift.”
Curious, Liang Zhiyi opened the box and found a crossbody bag with a StellaLou plush design.
He watched her reaction, his voice carrying a hint of nervousness as he spoke in a hoarse tone, “I wasn’t sure if you’d like it…”
He had guessed that she liked StellaLou because he had noticed her carrying a StellaLou water bottle, a backpack with StellaLou keychains, and even wearing a StellaLou headband to show him during a basketball game.
During the winter break, he had taken on a part-time job moving goods, working from morning until night. With the money he earned, he scoured Lín City’s malls until he found this bag in a store. Though it was just a bag, it wasn’t cheap.
He rarely gave gifts to girls and wasn’t sure what would make Liang Zhiyi happy, so he tried to give her the best he could manage.
Liang Zhiyi looked at the gift, and remembering the scarf he had given her on New Year’s Eve, she felt deeply touched. “I love it. StellaLou is my favorite.”
Seeing her delighted expression, the tension in his brow slowly eased.
Hugging the plush bag, Liang Zhiyi smiled brightly, “Pei Chen, do you think I’m childish, still liking things like this at my age?”
“No.”
Sometimes she was like a child—innocent and adorable.
She grinned at him, “Pei Chen, I really love this New Year’s gift. Thank you.”
After putting the bag away, Pei Chen asked, “So, are you planning to head home now? Or would you like to grab a meal together?”
She nodded enthusiastically, “If you’re inviting me, I certainly can’t refuse.”
“Let’s go then.”
As they walked together, Pei Chen asked, “What would you like to eat…”
Before he could finish his sentence, a familiar middle-aged woman’s voice suddenly called out:
“Pei Chen—”
Pei Chen’s steps halted abruptly, and he quickly looked up, only to see a woman standing about five meters away.
The woman was holding a suitcase, wearing an elegant cashmere coat, and carrying a designer handbag. At that moment, she was looking at him with a smile.
“Pei Chen, Mom has come back to see you.”
Pei Chen met her gaze, and his dark pupils trembled in shock.