His cold, pale hand, with slightly reddened knuckles from overuse, clenched tightly around the black gift box.
-
The sunlight outside was strong. The green trees were brilliantly lit, covered in a layer of light turquoise.
Yun Mi crouched in front of the refrigerator. The fridge's cold compartment held three layers of drinks.
She remembered the way Chen Yiyang had called her "sister" and felt a momentary flutter.
He enunciated clearly and slowly, with a youthful clarity and a unique masculine allure.
Did Chen Yiyang really only see her as a little sister?
She lowered her eyes and heard footsteps coming downstairs from afar.
The boys didn't seem to have any study atmosphere; they were gossiping. Apparently, Jiang Miyan, who had given Chen Yiyang a love letter last time, had contacted him again. Xie Yue exaggerated, clicking his tongue: "That girl really goes all out. Doesn't she know A Yang likes electric guitars? She directly gave him a silver Fender. That brand starts at tens of thousands for a basic model. Whoever ends up with her can eat well and live luxuriously, skipping ten years of hard work."
Zhou Shihui, who had just heard about it, raised an eyebrow and casually said: "Oh? Then why not accept? It's not like A Yang has anyone he particularly cares about. Just go for it."
Xie Yue found it strange: "Yeah, seems like... Chen Yiyang doesn't like girls, except Yun Mi?"
Zhou Shihui was speechless: "That's his little sister. How is that the same?"
A sharp, electric bitterness shot through her.
Yun Mi stood in front of the refrigerator. She had already selected a bottle of yogurt, but upon hearing this, her fingers paused. She silently moved her hand down and reached instead for a can of fruit-flavored hard seltzer in the corner.
Just as she was about to pull out the cold can, a hand with distinct knuckles pressed down on her wrist. The temperature was cool, and with a light push, it firmly pushed the can back into place.
Yun Mi heard Chen Yiyang's voice behind her.
"When did you start drinking?"
When did he come to the kitchen?
Yun Mi paused briefly, lowered her eyes, and mumbled in defense: "This is a drink."
"Oh, a hard seltzer."
The boy's tone was flat, but Yun Mi could clearly detect a hint of barely noticeable sarcasm.
Chen Yiyang asked: "Didn't you say you can't drink?"
The bitterness in her heart surged again. Yun Mi thought of Senior Xu Mingyi and everything in front of her.
Yun Mi pouted. Her phone buzzed lightly in her pocket, and she said: "What do you need? You go first."
Chen Yiyang took four bottles of yogurt, and handed one to her. "Here."
Yun Mi saw the peach yogurt he offered. He actually knew her favorite flavor.
Yun Mi said: "I don't like peach yogurt anymore."
Chen Yiyang asked: "Then what do you like?"
Yun Mi's mind suddenly flashed back to the guitar brand Xie Yue had mentioned earlier.
Fender.
There's also a soda brand called that.
A damn guitar, tens of thousands.
Indeed, it matched that pampered young master who had a six-figure bicycle and insisted on carbon fiber.
Yun Mi didn't speak.
Chen Yiyang was still thinking about Zhou Shihui's plan to pursue Yun Mi. He raised an eyebrow and asked: "Who pissed you off?"
Yun Mi didn't answer. Instead, she said: "I'm going to study later. Don't call me for dinner."
Chen Yiyang frowned: "Studying by yourself?"
He meant she couldn't do without his tutoring?
Yun Mi saw Zhou Shihui's message.
Zhou Shihui sent a simple message: If there's anything you don't understand, send it to me and I'll teach you. Reply when you see this.
Yun Mi, as if seeing a lifesaver, shook her phone screen and said: "I have someone to teach me."
Chen Yiyang's lips tightened slightly.
Yun Mi raised her hand and put the yogurt Chen Yiyang had forced on her back into the refrigerator, saying: "Also..."
The girl's heart felt blocked. She looked up at him, her voice soft and stubborn: "Chen Yiyang, do you really think you're my brother? Stop meddling in my affairs."
After saying that, she grabbed the can of hard seltzer and turned to leave.
-
Early morning, Aunt Qin handed Chen Yiyang a bag of nuts and said: "Xiao Yang, take this to Xiao Mi."
Aunt Qin always worried that Yun Mi would go hungry at school.
Last time she heard Yun Mi complain that the school cafeteria food was bad and she was never full. She wanted to bring Yun Mi home to eat, but with Yun Mi's busy studies, she was afraid of affecting her learning.
Chen Yiyang said "Okay," got on his bike, and left.