With a faint air of disgust, like he was keeping everyone at arm’s length.
This was the first time Shen Ju found Pei Yan hard to approach—like ice frozen solid in winter, sharp and stinging to the touch, cold air pricking like needles. Just like Pei Yan felt now: something to steer clear of, or you’d learn a harsh lesson and never dare again.
996: [Kinda scary now.]
[I get why that Wei guy said what he did…]
[People really aren’t what they seem.]
Shen Ju: [Brother 996, wrong idiom again.]
[But Pei-ge does look a bit scary.]
[Hard to get close…]
Pei Yan overheard and nearly scoffed at himself.
He lowered his gaze, not wanting Shen Ju to see the flicker in his eyes. He didn’t want to scare the kid.
But the next second, someone drew close.
Before Pei Yan could react, arms wrapped around him in a hug.
“Pei-ge, don’t be mad…”
Shen Ju whispered, then looked up. “Mad people aren’t cute anymore.”
Pei Yan paused, then said coolly, “Am I mad?”
“Yeah, super scary.”
Shen Ju even shrank back dramatically.
The next second, a hand landed on his neck.
Eh?
Shen Ju blinked up at Pei Yan.
“So this is your way of comforting me?” Pei Yan asked lowly.
From this angle, the kid looked so obedient.
It made him want to…
Bully him.
Right—Pei Yan realized with a jolt. Every time he found Shen Ju cute, pitied him, something deep inside stirred.
He wanted to bully him.
See if the kid would cry, if he’d finally pull away.
If he’d still call him good.
Where was he good?
Shen Ju had no idea what the real him was like…
With that thought, Pei Yan subconsciously rubbed the back of Shen Ju’s neck, as if wanting to scoop up a little kitten and watch it curl up its paws, tucking its tail between its hind legs.
He deliberately spoke up again: “Are you pitying me?”
His tone carried a hint of danger.
His hand gripped harder.
As if he were really pinching a fold of skin at the nape.
Shen Ju blinked and replied: “Shouldn’t it be you pitying me, Pei-ge?”
“What?”
Pei Yan couldn’t quite follow Shen Ju’s quirky thought process.
Shen Ju muttered softly: “Sure, I have my biological parents now, but before I was recognized by the Guan Family, I didn’t have them starting from when I was five…”
As he spoke, Shen Ju poked Pei Yan’s chest with his index finger, marveling at how great Pei Yan’s physique was—he actually had pecs—and continued: “Don’t compare sob stories with me, Pei-ge.”
“…”
Pei Yan felt a bit helpless, but after thinking it over, he actually wanted to laugh a little.
In truth, he’d wanted to laugh ever since Shen Ju had pulled those antics to interrupt Zheng Su.
It seemed like with Shen Ju, he often subconsciously felt the corners of his mouth lifting, and by the time he realized it, he was already smiling.
“Ah, right!”
Shen Ju seemed to remember something and shook his head: “Pei-ge, I promised to give you some ‘compensation.'”
“It’s not really ‘compensation,’ though—it’s a gift I prepared for you ages ago.”
“Do you want it?”
“If you do, let me go first.”
In reality, Pei Yan wasn’t gripping hard at all; Shen Ju could have twisted free with a shake of his head. But now, as he waggled his head, it was all with the gentlest tugs… like he was acting spoiled.
So obedient.
How is he this obedient?
I really want…
Pei Yan sighed inwardly. I really want to bully him.
He let go, finally returning to “normal.”
“Alright, let’s see what gift it is.”
Shen Ju was oblivious to Pei Yan’s thoughts or whatever lay hidden beneath that facade. He skipped happily behind the stall, making “clink clink” sounds as he pulled out a felt artwork.
It was an image of Little Stone.
“See, doesn’t it look just like Little Stone?”
Shen Ju examined it himself: “I think it’s super lifelike!”
Such shameless self-praise, and he didn’t even blush.
Pei Yan took the felt artwork and ran his fingers over it.
About the size of a palm, it was like Little Stone’s “portrait,” but the details were flawless, showing just how much care the maker had put in.
It must have taken no small amount of time and effort.
Probably done in secret at night.
Pei Yan had never imagined Shen Ju would prepare a gift like this for him.
The sentiment stirred something inexplicable in him right then.
Not just like kitten paws kneading wildly at his heart, but also like warm breaths huffed into palms, then pressed against his chest.
“Thanks, I like it a lot,” Pei Yan said.
He gazed steadily at Shen Ju, as if about to say something.
As if some impulse urged him to speak…
“Pei Yan…”
A hesitant voice rang out: “Can we talk alone?”
Sun Yuqing had come back, by herself this time, as if she had words for Pei Yan.
Pei Yan’s brows furrowed instantly.
A flash of irritation crossed his face before he could control it.
That glimpse wounded Sun Yuqing.
Combined with Pei Yan’s earlier reactions, she couldn’t hold back her emotions: “Do you really not want to talk to me that badly?”
Pei Yan took a deep breath and turned: “I don’t know what we have to talk about.”
“Miss Sun, did we ever share any real bond?”
“If it’s just that bit of classmate fellowship, there’s no need to reminisce, is there?”
“You…”
Sun Yuqing bit her lip, feeling utterly humiliated.
She had confessed to Pei Yan before—and more than once. Did it really leave no trace in his heart at all?!
Seeing him again, she’d thought…
“Pei Yan, do you even have a heart?!”
Humiliation turned to anger: “Can’t I even talk to you?! I…”
“Sis, that uncle from earlier—is he your boyfriend?”
Shen Ju frowned and stepped in front of Pei Yan: “To avoid any unnecessary misunderstandings, I think Pei-ge is doing this for your sake too. Otherwise, if your boyfriend found out, he’d get jealous and mad, right?”
Sun Yuqing’s face stiffened, embarrassment flickering across it.
But she still spoke in an accusing tone: “Does that mean he can say such harsh things to me?!”
“I just wanted to talk to him alone. What right does he have… What right to leave me with no dignity?!”
“No wonder he had no friends in high school—a guy like him!”
As she spoke, Sun Yuqing glanced at Pei Yan’s expression.
But Pei Yan stood behind this kid shielding him, not even sparing her a look?!
His eyes stayed downcast the whole time, fixed on the kid in front of him.
Sun Yuqing could see Pei Yan’s lowered gaze.
That deep, locked-on stare gave her an inexplicable sense of danger… making her heart clench instinctively.
But soon, her anger and humiliation surged even stronger.
“You…”
“What do you mean ‘a guy like him’? Don’t project your own biases onto others!”
Shen Ju was furious.
How dare she talk about Pei-ge like that!
Coming and going, leaving and returning, stabbing knives over and over—on purpose?!
“Pei Yan is great—great, great, great!”
Shen Ju rattled off several “greats” in a row, hopping mad like an angry little sparrow: “Anyway, he’s great, so great!”
Sun Yuqing: “…”
Her expression grew complicated.
She even subconsciously thought this kid might blow a fuse from anger.
She wanted to say more, but in the next instant, Pei Yan lifted his gaze and looked at her.
That look silenced her instinctively.
Pei Yan placed both hands on Shen Ju’s shoulders, pressing down slightly—as if drawing Shen Ju into his arms.
His eyes stayed on Sun Yuqing: “What did you want to chat about? Not afraid I’ll tell Zheng Su?”
Sun Yuqing jolted: “I…”
“Yeah, a guy like me…”
Here, Pei Yan glanced at Shen Ju and emphasized: “I’m no good person…”
“Pei-ge?!”
Shen Ju whipped his head around, huffing indignantly.
How can he say that about himself?!”
He wanted to protest.
Pei Yan covered Shen Ju’s mouth.
Shen Ju: “…”
So mad!
“Since that’s the case, whatever you came to say to me… why not think if I’d just turn around and tell Zheng Su?”
“After all…”
Pei Yan’s lips curved into a smile.
Shen Ju, mouth covered, turned back around and missed how cold that smile was.
“After all, Zheng Su and I were never on good terms in high school, right?”
Sun Yuqing instinctively stepped back.
She knew what she wanted to say to Pei Yan.
Zheng Su’s family had some money, and he’d chased her persistently for years. She hadn’t found anyone better, so she’d agreed to give it a try with him.
But deep down, Sun Yuqing had always harbored feelings for Pei Yan.
Running into him here had reignited those buried emotions, so she’d found a way to ditch Zheng Su and come “chat.”
She’d thought she should give it a shot.
Maybe she could…
But now, Sun Yuqing realized she’d been dead wrong.
She never should have come to Pei Yan!
She never should have held any unrealistic hopes for him!
A guy like Pei Yan…
He has no heart.
But at that thought, Sun Yuqing instinctively glanced at Shen Ju—mouth covered, arms crossed, huffing as he leaned fully into Pei Yan’s chest.
The two looked so intimate…
Sun Yuqing looked away, a wry self-mockery rising inexplicably.
She didn’t dare say more, pursed her lips, gave Pei Yan one last look, and turned to leave.
But even after Sun Yuqing left, Pei Yan didn’t let go.
Shen Ju let out a muffled “mmph mmph.”
Just like before—he could have yanked the hand away, but he obediently waited for Pei Yan to release him.
Pei Yan thought, I don’t want to play the good guy in front of Shen Ju anymore.
Why did I even pretend earlier?
