"..."
-
The embarrassing notice was torn off and taken away by Wen Liangyu.
Yun Mi followed Wen Liangyu to the campus Xinhua bookstore to buy textbooks, then went to the logistics office to order a school uniform. The school didn't think much of Yun Mi, telling her to report to Class 1 Grade 1 on her own tomorrow morning.
On the way back, Wen Liangyu couldn't figure out how her son had become a "jerk." She wasn't close to him these years, mostly remembering him as a little kid. She took a photo and sent it to interrogate him. Chen Yiyang replied half an hour later with just a question mark, then a "6," and nothing else.
Wen Liangyu: "..."
Is he really a jerk or not?
"I've arranged with your Yiyang brother to take you to the classroom tomorrow morning," Wen Liangyu wanted to scold her son, but work was urgent. She would leave soon, worried about Yun Mi. After explaining, she transferred two thousand yuan, "I know you have money, but take this just in case. From now on, I'll also give you eight hundred pocket money every month. Buy some good food, pretty dresses, or save it if you don't need it."
She knew Yun's father had transferred tuition and living expenses, but what if he got busy and neglected it? Thinking this, she took five red bills from her brown cowhide wallet and handed them over, "Here's five hundred in cash, keep it in your backpack just in case."
Wen Liangyu said, "This is my gesture for you. I hope you won't refuse."
Yun Mi sat in the passenger seat holding her backpack, wanting to refuse, but remembering how Aunt Wen had an asthma attack at her mother's funeral, her eyes burned, and the refusal stuck in her throat.
Wen Liangyu spoke whatever came to mind, afraid she might forget. She opened her memo and went through things one by one, wishing she could cover everything: "Keep your keys safe. If you forget them, lose them, or can't get in, call Chen Yiyang..."
Afraid Yun Mi would feel too burdened, she frankly said, "From now on, he's your slave. If he doesn't obey, call me, and I'll stuff him back into my belly."
The originally touching atmosphere shattered.
Yun Mi's nodding head paused awkwardly. She sat up straight, pretending to be serious, and felt embarrassed to say "mm."
She whispered, "Auntie, don't worry. I'll take care of myself and won't argue with Chen Yiyang. If he insists on arguing, I won't."
She had already made up her mind.
She was here to study, not to conflict with anyone.
She swore.
The Chen family lived in an old house in an old alley. Though old, it was well-built, preserving the architectural features of the Republic of China era, a blend of Chinese and Western styles—arched doors, dormer windows, three stories tall, quite elegant.
Previously, the grandfather and Chen Yiyang lived there. Now the grandfather was dying, in a VIP ward at the Affiliated Hospital. Over the years, Wen Liangyu, remembering the grandfather's kindness, often took leave to return to Shancheng to visit and stay.
Yun Mi's room was ready, on the third floor, facing the sun. Below were a breakfast stall and a pastry shop.
Outside the old alley was a long street lined with lush green banyan trees.
Yun Mi pulled open the curtains, turned to look at her new room and the piles of textbooks, her heart a little unsettled.
The pink congratulatory notice lay on top of the books. Yun Mi realized Aunt Wen had left in a hurry and had casually dropped it here.
Suddenly, a loud "screech" like a bicycle hitting a tree, earth-shattering.
"Zhou Shihui, I skipped class to celebrate with you guys, can't you be human..."
Yun Mi was startled. A gust of wind blew the paper from her hands.
From the street came noisy male voices.
Xie Yue was cursing noisily. Too busy swearing to watch the road, his bike hit a tree, his ass hurting like hell. A piece of pink paper floated down with the falling leaves and landed on his head.
He brushed it off but before he could see clearly, a hand with prominent knuckles reached over. Thinking someone was helping him up, he was disappointed when the owner of the hand casually pulled away the leaf and the pink trash paper and left...
Zhou Shihui leaned in, reading aloud like a child learning characters: "Chen Yiyang... Stinky Jer..." He paused, then commented with a strange expression, "Hey, since when did Brother Yang become so famous? Even people outside school curse him, and so rudely, with such an ugly picture..."
Just picked up from the airport, Xie Yue had both the guys' luggage on the back of his bike, already hard to transport. Hitting a tree made him lose it.
"I want to know too! Who's so rude, littering like this!" Xie Yue stood up, dusting off his butt, his issue not with "Chen Yiyang's fame." He cursed, turned his neck, and suddenly locked eyes with a girl standing at the window. His eyes widened, and he frantically shook the arm of the guy next to him, "Holy crap, holy crap, am I blind? Or is my vision messed up? Have I gone crazy from school? Brother Yang! How come I see a strange girl upstairs in your house?"
The warm spring breeze rustled the green trees. The shaken guy looked up impatiently.
He had a strong, handsome brow with an indescribable cold pride. Yun Mi couldn't dodge in time and met his gaze.
The boy looked up with a youthful air, his lean figure, tight jawline, dark eyebrows and eyes without much fluctuation but with scrutiny.
Somehow, Yun Mi's face flushed instantly, her heart pounding like a drum. Startled, she quickly ducked out of sight.
The girl disappeared too fast. Chen Yiyang only caught a glimpse of her startled deer-like eyes and a strand of hair that lingered in the air, slow to react.
He paused, then a flicker of complex emotions passed through his eyes. He seemed to realize who it was, and his brows slightly knitted.
"You're seeing things." He said flatly.
"How is that possible? I clearly saw—" Xie Yue turned back, but the window was indeed empty. He rubbed his eyes. Was he seeing ghosts? Recalling the baseless rumors at school, he refused to believe. "Chen Yiyang, are you really dating a girl? Don't hide it from me!"
Zhou Shihui snorted, understandingly putting his arm around Xie Yue's shoulder, "Where would a girl come from? You're just lovesick, kid."
Xie Yue's face turned red: "Impossible, I definitely didn't see wrong!"
He had clearly seen her face. He had never seen that girl before, so how could he know what she looked like?!
"It must be that Chen Yiyang is hiding her!" Xie Yue felt he had discovered the truth, shouting, "Chen Yiyang, not only are you dating, but you're also bold enough to bring her home!"
Ignoring his sore ass and back, Xie Yue threw his bike aside and started to go upstairs, "I'm going up to check. I'll catch you! I won't believe it!"
Chen Yiyang glanced upstairs, crumpled the pink notice into his pocket, raised his hand, grabbed the back of Xie Yue's head, and turned him around, saying coldly, "Stop looking."
Another round of wailing.
"No! I really saw it! Dare to do it but not to admit? Are you hiding a beauty behind closed doors?"