Bei Yao was waiting for him at the front of the shop. She put away her umbrella, and as soon as Pei Chuan came out, she turned her head and said: "The rain has stopped."
The weather in C City had always been capricious, like humans’ moods.
The Third High School's bell rang, and Bei Yao said: "Then I'm going back."
Pei Chuan curled up his fingers and muttered: "En."
Bei Yao had walked quite a distance away when she looked back and saw him still standing in the same place, quietly watching her leave. Feeling a little helpless, she walked back.
"Pei Chuan, I don't feel like going back anymore, take me to play."
Pei Chuan stiffened and looked at her: "What?"
Bei Yao thought for a while: "Is there any fun place around Third High School?"
Pei Chuan pursed his lips and denied: "No."
It was impossible to take her to places he often went to play. However, Pei Chuan couldn’t help but brim with joy when she said she wouldn't go back.
Bei Yao said: "Last time I saw an interesting little shop, I'll take you there."
She took him to a kids’ mold-making workshop.
There are only two or three children in the shop with their hands full of clay. Bei Yao couldn't help but laugh as she pulled Pei Chuan to sit down.
A five-year-old kid came over: "Jiejie, do you wanna play this too?" She spread her hand. In her palm was a dried bunny mold. Bei Yao said: "It's not me, it's this Gege who wants to play."
The child looked at Pei Chuan with wide eyes.
Pei Chuan raised his eyes to look at Bei Yao. She cupped her face and looked at him.
Pei Chuan felt uneasy. He had a frosty look on his face, but couldn't suggest leaving. He could only give in and see what Bei Yao wanted to do.
Baking a mold was actually very simple, it was like making a plastic pendant yourself.
One had to pour the liquid clay into the mold according to its color, then put it in the oven to make a keychain or a pendant.
Bei Yao had never played this before. The reason she had come here was that every child who came here had a smile on their face.
The store owner brought several pattern samples and asked what type they wanted to make.
Bei Yao said: "The dragonfly looks good." Her slender finger pointed at the cartoon dragonfly in front of Pei Chuan. Pei Chuan ignored her and took the mold that had the simplest design.
Bei Yao was amused and watched him make it.
The mold featured a dark night, with a bright moon, and shining stars all around.
All the children nearby gathered around, acting as little teachers chattering and guiding this stupid brother.
"No, you have to make the sky first."
"Aiya, the moon melted into the sky."
"Gege is so stupid."
"Two stars are missing."
Pei Chuan's hands were full of resin: "Shut up."
He looked up. Bei Yao had moved a small stool to sit against him, propping her chin to watch seriously. As their eyes met, she revealed an innocent and bright smile.
Pei Chuan's scolding words stuck in his throat. He gave up and stopped bothering, looked down, and wrinkled his brows as he continued.
The children continued to scold him: "Gege, you pour too much."
"Yo, it's so ugly, not as good as mine."
"Gege your face is dirty too."
The dried resin wasn't easy to wash. He just wanted to wipe off his face with the back of his hand when a small white hand gently wiped it for him.
After growing up, this had been the first time Bei Yao had looked up at him so close.
He didn’t like to talk most of the time. His ice-cold expression accompanied by his handsome features gave a cool taste. His eyebrows were sharp and could be a little fierce. Her stare made his heart very soft.
He was nearly embarrassed, his head becoming foolish.
The evening lights were on. Bai Yutong, who had gone out to find her stepbrother Pei Chuan at the Third High School, saw this scene.
The childrens' laughter in the shop was clear and melodious. The sixteen years old girl had fair skin with a gentle expression. She was smiling as she watched Pei Chuan make the mold.
He was not skillful, and it could even be considered clumsy.
Yet his eyes as he looked down were extraordinarily serious. They even contained indulgence and a little gentleness.
Bai Yutong's eyes widened. She had only seen the indifferent Pei Chuan, the violent Pei Chuan, and the arrogant Pei Chuan. It had indeed been the first time to see him at the mercy of others, defenseless.
Under the light, the most beautiful girl was the girl opposite to him. Before Bei Yao looked up, Bai Yutong hid at the back of the tree, blocking their line of sight.
Because Pei Chuan had poured too many colored resins, it took a long time to bake and dry the mold.
The colorful keychain had a play-doh kind of smell, and the stars and moon had been made a little ugly by him. There was a hole in it which was just right for hanging keys.
Bei Yao tied it up to her own keys: "Aiya, how ugly."
He glanced at her with a little annoyance, and her almond eyes curved: "It's so ugly, Pei Unhappy keep it for yourself."
She lowered her eyes and tied it to his keys.
He could smell the fragrance of the young girl's hair brought by autumn's night breeze, silently making one's heart beat faster.
The keys returned to his hand still had her warmth. There was a little moon tied to it.
The five-year-old little girl came over and hugged Bei Yao's leg, reluctant to part.
Bei Yao knelt down and saw that she was very cute. She kissed her pink cheek buns: "Thank you little teacher for teaching Gege, go find your mother." The little girl smiled shyly and sweetly.
Pei Chuan's face was ugly.
He was out of patience, and afraid of what he might say, he almost turned away and left.
After several steps, her voice carried by the night breeze sounded puzzled: "Pei Chuan?"
For the first time, he realized that she did not understand anything. Those feelings ran rampant every minute and second; making him quietly joyful on his own, but also burning him until nothing was left.
He was so infatuated by such tenderness that he couldn't remember anything else. However, he also hated such tenderness. Why? Why couldn't it belong to one person only?
Pro Chuan closed his eyes, and turned back calmly for a moment: "It's time for the evening study session."
Bei Yao nodded and waved with a smile: "Bye Bye."
The road was divided into two ends. When Pei Chuan had been making molds seriously, Bei Yao had held back the idea of looking at her watch. Only after he was gone did she hastily and irritably run towards the bus stop.
20:38
Evening study had started a long time ago. Tonight was Li Fangqun's class and there was a math test.
Pei Chuan, who said was going to have an evening study session, was standing under the light, watching Bei Yao running away in panic.
Bai Yutong walked over with a strange expression: "You like her?"
Pei Chuan looked back coldly.
Bai Yutong was frightened by how quickly his eyes had turned ruthless and took a step back.
But then she thought, there was nothing to be afraid of. There was still Uncle Pei, and Pei Chuan was unable to turn over the sky. The last time she had sent money, he hadn’t picked it up and she’d had to pick it up herself, which had been embarrassing.
Bai Yutong acted as if she had found out some kind of secret and proudly said: "Tsk, what a pity ah, you think highly of yourself. She took pity on you, right?"
The word 'pity' felt like the sharpest thorn, pricking the part of his heart where he didn't want to touch the most.
He moved his fingers, and there was a slight sound of interlocking bones.
Those terrifying dreams in the middle of the night, where his loved ones left him one by one, and the little care he had was gone. But what he wanted the most was nothing more than someone who interacted with him out of sympathy.
When he was having a good time, people like Wei Wan were around him.
Only Bei Yao would stay with him when he was having a bad time.
Obviously, there was nothing so sad about that slap, but he still persistently longed for her affection.
These were all the things he had stolen. Pei Chuan was lying to himself, but someone had pointed it out proudly and bluntly.
Bai Yutong felt pain in her neck: "Help…"
The next moment, her voice was stuck in her throat.
The autumn of October made one feel chilly all over. She couldn’t say a word, the force on her neck making it difficult to breathe. Her proud smile had turned into panic, and she met a pair of dark eyes.
The arm strength of a teenager who had been studying boxing for seven years was far beyond her imagination.
He could strangle her alive with one hand. Bai Yutong regretted it. She should have listened to her mother about not provoking him nor trying to threaten him.
Tears flowed out of her eyes, her limbs struggling desperately.
On the quiet street, the teenager behind the tree was very fierce.
He watched her breathlessly with cold eyes.
Bai Yutong grabbed something and hit his hand.
His gaze narrowed slightly.
It was the small moon pendant that Bei Yao had personally tied for him.
As if waking up from a dream, Pei Chuan loosened his hand. Bai Yutong crouched on the ground, coughing to the point of tearing her heart and lungs. He took a step forward, she backed away frantically as if losing her mind.
"The key. Return it."
Bai Yutong threw it back, trembling all over. Today, Mo Li had originally asked her to tell Pei Chuan that the Pei family was going to move and asked him if he wanted to go back. But now, how would she have the courage to ask? This dangerous devil had better not come back for the rest of his life.
He had someone in his heart who can't be touched, and he went crazy when one brought it up.
Bai Yutong watched him walk away. She was so terrified that she would break down and cry.
She cursed in her mind that Bei Yao would not like him. Someone with such an extreme character like home didn’t deserve to be loved his entire life.
~
When Bei Yao went back, Li Fangqun was sitting at the podium.
"Report." She said softly. The students in her class who were writing their papers with their heads down raised their eyes and looked over.
Li Fangqun said with a sullen face: "Bei Yao, where did you go? Can you spend two to three hours in the bathroom?"
Even though Bei Yao had good grades, Li Fangqun had a selfless character. So, of course, she would not tolerate skipping class.
Bei Yao didn't say anything, acquiescing in skipping class.
Chen Feifei was so anxious that she almost winked her eyebrows to signal Bei Yao to lie, such as going to the infirmary because of a stomach ache or encountering some emergency. But she knew that Bei Yao had admitted her mistake.
Everyone in second-grade class 6 looked at Bei Yao in surprise. After all, anyone in this class could skip class, but Bei Yao belonged to the category which was most unlikely to do so.
Li Fangqun said: "You don't want to talk, is it? Stand outside."
Bei Yao went out and stood outside the classroom.
The sycamore leaves slowly began to turn yellow, the air was fresh with the arrival of autumn, and the school was quiet because it was the evening study session.
She stood in the corridors of classes 5 and 6, and students from both classes could see her.
After all, she was the school flower; the classmate from class 6 who wrote the papers would peek at her from time to time while the classmates from class 5 also curiously looked out of the window.
It is a rare sight to see a good student skipping class.
In class 6, Wu Mo could not help but curl her lips up, feeling extremely happy.
Bei Yao's face was a little red, but she was calm. There didn’t seem to be a sense of shame that she had imagined. The autumn breeze was cool as it blew on her body, giving her a slight chill.
She had said it before, she would not lose to Pei Chuan again.
~
The gossip of the school flower being punished by standing spread quickly in the school. Han Zhen went upstairs when he heard it.
She stood alone basking in the dim light of night. There were some students around, but no one ridiculed her. The situation was better than he had imagined. Chen Feifei took some hot water and secretly brought it to Bei Yao to drink.
She accepted the punishment calmly without crying or feeling humiliated.
Han Zhen hesitated, not knowing whether to go up or not.
Maybe it was good luck that there was a student who secretly bought her grilled sausages.
Under the school lights, although she hadn’t accepted it, her eyes were curved. It was very attractive.
Chen Feifei was afraid Bei Yao would feel humiliated. "Why don't I accompany you? The exams are over anyway."
Bei Yao quickly said, "You go back to class, there is one period of evening self-study left. Mr. Li will be angry if you leave."
"Okay, where did you go?"
Bei Yao didn't lie to her. She said softly, "I went to see Pei Chuan."
Chen Feifei: "He really caused a lot of trouble."
Bei Yao said with a smile, "Nonsense, I went on my own, it has nothing to do with him."
"Hello, I think he's like a block of ice. He doesn't necessarily appreciate it!" Chen Feifei said angrily. After a while, she was puzzled and came close to whisper in Bei Yao's ear, "Bei Yao, you couldn't possibly like him, do you?"
Bei Yao was stunned, then her cheeks slowly turned red. She thought seriously, "What is it like to like someone?"
"Holy shit! You're really thinking about this possibility ah. He doesn't have a good reputation, he's not worthy of you. Don't think about it, I'm going back to class." Chen Feifei ran into the class in a flash. Their Yaoyao hadn't been enlightened, she shouldn't randomly say something to enlightened people, ah. If the object of enlightenment was Han Zhen, it would be okay, but Pei Chuan was hard to get, ah.
She had heard that the dancer, Wei Wan, and Pei Chuan were having an affair. God knows if it was true or not.
The bell for the next class rang, so Han Zhen could only go back. Her teacher was still in the classroom. It was even worse to go up to her alone now.
Bei Yao held her cup, thinking for the first time of the possibility of what Chen Feifei had said. Did she like Pei Chuan?
It wasn't caring, wasn't sympathy, but was a situation where a girl liked a boy.
Her heart was pounding and there was a strange feeling, but she didn't hate it.
After being blown by the cold night breeze for a few sessions of evening study, Bei Yao only felt warmth after she took a shower.
She opened her phone, thought about it, and searched online…
"What does it feel like to like someone?"
Someone answered, "You'll know with a kiss. If you feel your heart beating faster after a kiss, your hormone bursting, your mind excited and thrilled that you're going to die, that is liking."
Was it that scary? Bei Yao thought, how… How scary, ah.
Besides, this method didn’t seem reliable. A little kiss could test it?