The spring breeze carried the chill of melting snow. Pei Chuan closed the window, watching his father's colleagues hurry away. The hospital room still held the fragrance of flowers, mingling with the scent of disinfectant, creating a suffocating atmosphere.
A middle-aged man pushed the door open, grumbling, "This damned weather—it's already spring but still so cold."
Noticing Pei Chuan's presence, he paid no mind and grabbed a banana from the bedside to peel and eat. "Your dad's colleagues are supposed to be well-off, right? Why are their gifts so shabby? Did they give any red envelopes?"
Pei Chuan's dark eyes watched him quietly until the man grew uncomfortable and sat up from his seat.
Soon after, a woman entered carrying lunch boxes. Pei Chunli, thirty-five this year, looked as haggard as someone in her mid-forties. She hurried in, saying, "Xiao Chuan, you must be hungry. Your aunt made you some food and cooked chicken soup. Come eat quickly."
Pei Chuan walked over as the woman opened two lunch boxes, both prepared for him. The teenager remained silent for a moment before picking up his chopsticks to eat. His voice was hoarse as he said, "Thank you, Aunt."
"Hey, no need for thanks among family. I'll take care of your dad here."
It was already one in the afternoon. After finishing his meal, Pei Chuan took the initiative to wash the lunch boxes.
Although Pei Chunli had said she would look after Pei Haobin, Pei Chuan fetched hot water and went to wipe his father's hands and face.
Pei Haobin lay on the hospital bed, his face pale.
The room was quiet. Pei Chuan gazed at his father's resolute face and whispered, "Dad, you almost lost your life for public safety. What will the people you protected do for you in return?"
Pei Haobin, of course, couldn't answer him.
Pei Chuan curled his lips coldly. "Being a good person... really isn't worth it."
For the sake of this righteousness, he had become disabled, his mother had remarried, and his father risked becoming a vegetative state. Pei Chuan hadn't remembered the feeling of a warm family in a long, long time.
Just beyond the wall, Pei Chunli and Liu Dong were heading upstairs.
Liu Dong was extremely displeased. "Woman, I'm warning you—drop that idea. My salary can barely support our own son. How could you even think of taking in that little cripple? Do you know how much an extra mouth to feed would cost?"
Pei Chunli, intimidated by her husband's yelling, frowned and spoke softly, "Keep your voice down. Don't let Xiao Chuan hear."
"So what if he hears! Just forget about it."
"My brother is in this state... Xiao Chuan isn't even an adult yet. Someone has to help take care of him."
"Fine, fine! You're so noble. If you want to take care of him, you do it. We might as well get divorced! What can he even do when he grows up? You expect him to achieve great things? If he can't make it, his own mother can take him in. Why do you, his aunt, have to worry?"
"How can you be so heartless? Think of how much my brother helped you before! He even helped you get this job. Xiao Chuan is all alone now—what's wrong with helping take care of him for a few years?"
"What's wrong?" Liu Dong yelled loudly. "We have no money! We can't afford to raise a useless person! If you keep nagging, we'll divorce, and you can go raise that kid yourself."Pei Chunli had poor health and had never worked, which made her feel inferior to her husband at home. Previously, Pei Haobin, worried that his sister might not live comfortably, had proactively helped his brother-in-law secure a good job. On the surface, Pei Chunli’s family seemed to enjoy a much better standard of living, but this also made Liu Dong, the sole breadwinner, even more domineering, leaving Pei Chunli with no say at all.
Their loud bickering drew the attention of many onlookers. Pei Chunli, being more thin-skinned, felt ashamed and stopped arguing back.
~
When Bei Yao returned home and told Zhao Zhilan about her wish to visit Uncle Pei, Zhao Zhilan sighed and said, "Officer Pei is a good man, and his family has had it tough."
To put it bluntly, there had been no prior indication of Pei Haobin and Jiang Wenjuan’s divorce—it happened so suddenly that it took all the neighbors by surprise.
Zhao Zhilan glanced at the sky and advised her daughter, "It’s too late to go today. The bus to People’s Hospital takes two hours, and there are no buses after ten in the evening. You still have school tomorrow. Let’s go visit him together after you finish school tomorrow. I’ll prepare a gift in the morning and pick you up at noon."
Though Bei Yao was worried, she understood that going now was impractical.
Fortunately, although her memory of Uncle Pei’s "life-and-death crisis" was hazy, she knew that Pei Haobin would eventually wake up in her previous life. By the time she was in high school, Pei Haobin had remarried, and the woman he married also brought a child with her. From then on, Pei Chuan rarely returned home.
The next day, Bei Yao went to school. Having returned late from her grandmother’s house, she missed the bulk of student registration, which had taken place the day before. She had to hand in her tuition and miscellaneous fees to the teacher separately.
Zhao Zhilan carefully counted her tuition fee twice before placing it in Bei Yao’s pocket. "Don’t lose it."
"Okay, Mom."
At the end of February, the vibrant pomegranate flowers on campus were still just lush green foliage. As Bei Yao stepped back into the schoolyard, she noticed that most of the girls around her were shorter than her, finally giving her the feeling that she had truly advanced to the ninth grade.
Bei Yao went to pay her fees first. The insurance fee had a separate window, and since it was still early, the teacher collecting fees yawned and asked, "What’s your name? Which class are you in? The insurance fee is thirty. Take your tuition and miscellaneous fees to your homeroom teacher."
After paying the insurance fee, Bei Yao went to the classroom to drop off her backpack. Only one boy was there, buried in his books—the class monitor of Class Seven. Though he studied diligently, he never performed well on exams.
The monitor was so absorbed in his own world that he didn’t notice Bei Yao entering.
Without disturbing him, Bei Yao headed to the teachers’ office. When she arrived, the door was still locked—none of the teachers had arrived yet. The teachers’ office was on the second floor, where plane trees were sprouting tender buds, stretching gracefully in the early morning breeze.
Bei Yao glanced at her watch. The teachers would likely arrive soon, so she didn’t rush back to the classroom.
Sure enough, after a few minutes, a man carrying a briefcase came upstairs.
"Mr. Zeng."
Zeng Ming looked up and saw a girl around fourteen or fifteen years old, dressed in a simple pea-green jacket and jeans. The morning breeze gently lifted her wispy bangs, giving her an indescribable sense of tranquility and soft beauty.
It took him a moment to react, and he said with surprise, "Bei Yao?"Bei Yao didn't know whether to laugh or cry. Everyone who saw her had the same reaction as Teacher Zeng—first stunned by her appearance, then taking several slow moments to process before finally connecting her with the name "Bei Yao" with great difficulty.
"Teacher Zeng, I'm here to pay the tuition fee."
"Wait a moment, let me open the door. Come in."
Teacher Zeng taught Chinese and shared the common habit of loving to chat: "Bei Yao, you did very well last semester. I've looked at your results—if you maintain this performance, you should have a solid chance of getting into No. 1, 3, or 6 High School. The key is to keep a calm mindset for the high school entrance exam and not get too nervous. Also, your geography is relatively weak—there's some subject imbalance. If you have time, try to communicate more with teachers and classmates."
"Thank you, Teacher Zeng."
Bei Yao knew her own situation. She ranked third in her class, a full sixty points behind the top student, Pei Chuan.
The name Pei Chuan was famous throughout the entire ninth grade. He consistently held the top position in the grade, scoring perfect marks in science subjects and outstripping the second-ranked student by forty points overall. Even with her best efforts, Bei Yao could only gaze in awe from afar.
After Bei Yao left, Teacher Zeng pulled a certificate from the drawer and frowned.
~
By 7:30, classmates had started arriving one after another.
When a drowsy Hua Ting entered the classroom, she noticed everyone looking at the third desk—where she and Bei Yao sat.
This made Hua Ting sluggishly follow their gaze: "...!"
In early February, spring was awakening everything. Dewdrops clung to the tips of leaves on tall plane trees. A girl sat in the third row, lowering her head to read an English passage. Her long lashes cast soft shadows, her Cupid's bow lips appeared full and adorable, while her fine, porcelain-white skin radiated the gentle freshness of youth.
Hua Ting's first thought was: Where did this little fairy come from? She's too exquisite!
Then her mind cleared with a jolt.
This was her deskmate. The facial features were recognizable as the original, but they had completely shed the childishness of a little girl, transforming entirely into a young maiden's appearance.
Bei Yao tucked stray hairs behind her ear and looked up to see Hua Ting standing nearby with her mouth half-open. She smiled slightly: "Good morning, Hua Ting."
Hua Ting's mind was flooded with "The fairy smiled at me!" as she stammered: "G-good morning."
Coming to her senses, Hua Ting took her seat and stared at Bei Yao with disbelief: "Are you really Bei Yao?"
Having been subjected to such looks all morning, Bei Yao had grown somewhat accustomed to it. She asked with a laugh: "Don't I look like her?"
"You do, but... the feeling is completely different." Hua Ting marveled, "My elementary school judgment was right after all—you grew up even prettier than Chang Xue."
Hua Ting initially felt embarrassed about her earlier dazed reaction, but upon noticing the various stunned, confused, bewildered, and amazed looks around her, she became secretly delighted.
If she wasn't the only one who couldn't react properly, then there was nothing to be embarrassed about.
Hua Ting faintly overheard girls behind them discussing: "Bei Yao became thin so suddenly, and so beautiful too."
"Yeah, she was already fair-skinned with slender legs. It makes me want to lose weight too."
Such dramatic beauty was too impactful. Everyone instinctively glanced at the class's former "class flower," Fang Minjun.Fang Minjun pulled out a book, feeling somewhat unsettled but not as bothered as she had imagined. Long ago, when she noticed Bei Yao’s striking features, she had worried this day would come. Yet now that it had arrived, Fang Minjun felt it was only fair that heaven had bestowed such beauty upon a girl like Bei Yao.
Someone like Shang Mengxian—pretty on the outside but incapable of decent behavior—was what truly grated on one’s nerves.
~
Pei Chuan arrived at school in the chill of early morning. Before even entering the classroom, he overheard boys coming from the restroom mention Bei Yao’s name.
“I really think she’s even prettier than Shang Mengxian used to be…”
“I think so too.”
The moment the boys spotted Pei Chuan, they abruptly fell silent, the air growing still for a moment. Pei Chuan walked straight ahead without glancing their way, continuing toward the classroom.
With his keen hearing, he caught their words just as he reached the door—
“Isn’t he Bei Yao’s neighbor? The kind who knows her well?”
“Don’t get any creepy ideas. Even Shang Mengxian made it clear she didn’t like him, let alone Bei Yao.”
Pei Chuan’s expression remained indifferent. He paused at the doorway and lifted his gaze.
At that moment, the morning sun had just risen above the horizon. Bei Yao, whom he hadn’t seen in a long while, was resting her chin in her hand as she read. The classroom was unusually quiet, and she, simply by sitting there, outshone the entire early spring scenery.
Spring had arrived late this year, as if seven-tenths of its charm had quietly gathered around the young girl, vying for her attention. Sensing his presence, she looked up, and Pei Chuan met a pair of clear, crystalline eyes.
Those almond-shaped eyes crinkled into a smile at the sight of him, radiating a unique brightness and gentleness.
Pei Chuan.
Happy new year.
For a moment, her beauty dazzled him. It took a long while before he lowered his gaze, his lips paling slightly. As he settled into his seat, he closed his eyes briefly, a wave of indescribable bitterness and sorrow washing over him.
She had grown up, far more exquisite than he could have ever imagined or dreamed.
Any words to describe her felt inadequate and feeble.
She had grown up, no longer the pitiful little girl who would cry when hurt. Yet he remained the same Pei Chuan—cold-hearted, hardened, and crippled, curled up in the shadows.
She stood bathed in brilliant sunlight, while he had long been trapped in an abyss with no end in sight.
Throughout the entire morning self-study session, Pei Chuan couldn’t focus on his book, but unlike his classmates, he didn’t let his gaze wander distractedly toward Bei Yao.
The moment the bell rang for the end of class, he closed his book and went downstairs.
In the office, Zeng Ming was preparing his lessons.
“Mr. Zeng.”
“Oh, Pei Chuan.”
Pei Chuan acknowledged him and said calmly, “During the break, you called to ask if I wanted to accept the recommendation to No. 3 High School. I refused at the time because of family issues. But after careful consideration, I don’t want to let down the school or your kindness. May I still go to No. 3 High School?”
Zeng Ming was taken aback. When he had called Pei Chuan, the young man had flatly refused. He had assumed Pei Chuan had his sights set on another school, especially since recommendations didn’t offer the same flexibility as standardized admissions. It hadn’t occurred to him that Pei Chuan simply hadn’t thought it through due to family matters.
“Of course. The form is right here with me. We haven’t officially contacted them yet, so there’s still time. Are you sure about No. 3 High School?”
“Yes, I’m sure.”
The young man’s slender, thin hand took the form. “Thank you, teacher.” He paused, then added, “Teacher, my father was injured at work and is currently unconscious in the hospital. Since I’ve been recommended, may I stop coming to school to take care of him?”"Teacher, one last request—please don't tell my classmates that the school I'm being recommended to is No. 3 High School."
Pei Chuan walked out of the office, lowering his gaze to glance at the documents in his hand. The narcissus flowers on campus were in full bloom, exuding an unparalleled elegance.
He still remembered how, a year ago, Bei Yao had said longingly that she would list No. 6 High School as her first choice for the high school entrance exam because it was close to home and had a good atmosphere.
Clutching the form, Pei Chuan didn't even return to the classroom and headed straight for the school gate.
What a pity—he probably wouldn't be able to stay near her anymore.
She likely had no idea how captivating she had become. While he still had a shred of conscience left, he decided not to drag her down into hell with him.
A girl like her would be cherished by anyone she ended up with.
~
Bei Yao noticed that the front-row seat had been empty all day. She frowned in confusion. She had finally returned, but she hadn't even had a chance to greet Pei Chuan.
Fortunately, after school ended in the afternoon, Zhao Zhilan was indeed waiting for her outside the school gate.
It was only five o'clock. Zhao Zhilan was carrying various fruits, the bags heavy, and Bei Yao quickly helped her carry them.
"We'll skip dinner for now—we're in a hurry. Let's go see your Uncle Pei first, or we might miss the bus. We can have noodles when we get back for dinner."
Bei Yao naturally had no objections.
When the mother and daughter arrived at the hospital, Pei Chuan was by the window reading a book.
It was a programming book left behind by a previous patient in this ward. He flipped through it casually.
A crisp, youthful voice rang out: "Pei Chuan!"
The air seemed to sweeten with her presence. He lifted his eyes toward the door as it was pushed open. Bei Yao, wearing a pea-green coat like a tender spring sprout, was panting as she carried bags. "Mom and I came to see Uncle Pei."
He averted his gaze, turning to Zhao Zhilan. "Hello, Aunt Zhao." Then he took the bags from them. When he took the apples from Bei Yao, his eyes lingered for a moment on her cherry-pink fingertips before he avoided touching her hand and took the apples.
"Mm," Zhao Zhilan responded, then said, "I'm sorry, Xiao Chuan. I only found out about this yesterday after returning. Don't worry—your father will wake up. Heaven has eyes—it knows who is good and who is bad. Officer Pei has served the country and the people; he will surely be safe."
Pei Chuan's expression remained calm. "Thank you, Aunt Zhao."
"Pei Chuan." Bei Yao took a yellow protective talisman from her pocket and said softly, "Grandma and I went to the temple on Mount Emptiness to get this. They say it's very effective. I'm giving it to Uncle Pei now, hoping he recovers soon."
Without meeting her eyes, he acknowledged with a sound and, in front of Zhao Zhilan, accepted it without refusal.
Bei Yao had many questions she wanted to ask—like why he had left school so early today—but with her mother present, she couldn't bring them up.
Zhao Zhilan, noticing Pei Chuan's situation, felt a pang of sympathy. "Pei Chuan, there's not much else I can do for you. If you go home, feel free to come to our place for meals anytime. In the future, when we make something delicious at home, I'll have Yao Yao bring it to the hospital for you."
Pei Chuan shook his head. "Thank you, Aunt Zhao, but that won't be necessary. My aunt is cooking for me."
As Zhao Zhilan was merely a neighbor and couldn't compare to his biological aunt, she didn't press further. After offering a few more words of comfort, she left with Bei Yao.
Pei Chuan watched them leave.
The graceful young girl turned back after taking several steps. His gaze shifted to the little panda on her backpack, avoiding her crystal-clear eyes.After they had walked away, he took his hand out of his pocket. Lying on his palm was the protective talisman Bei Yao had given him, still carrying the warmth from her body.
Pei Chuan placed it by Pei Haobin's bedside.
Please get better soon, Dad.
You probably don't know what kind of life your son is living, or what he has given up.
~
Ninth grade became increasingly busy. Bei Yao noticed that Pei Chuan had stopped coming to school entirely since that day. Teacher Zeng Ming explained to the class: "Pei Chuan has been recommended for high school admission due to his outstanding academic performance."
The classroom erupted in envious murmurs.
Hua Ting said, "He's really amazing. That kind of recommendation must be for No. 1, No. 3, or No. 6 High School. Some people exhaust themselves preparing for the high school entrance exams while others get in effortlessly without even taking the tests. So enviable."
Bei Yao was refilling her ink: "That's a privilege reserved for the top three in our grade. No use being envious."
Bei Yao didn't know which high school Pei Chuan had actually gone to. In her memory, Pei Chuan was one grade above her and had attended No. 6 High School before, so she assumed it would be the same this time.
In early June, as summer arrived, the Pei family finally received good news—Pei Haobin had woken up.
After lying in bed for nearly four months, just when the doctors had lost hope, he regained consciousness.
One week after Pei Haobin woke up, Pei Chuan returned home to get some clean clothes. Though he didn't want to admit it, he immediately spotted Bei Yao in the residential complex's flower garden.
It was unclear whose idea it had been initially to create this flower garden in front of the complex. Later, residents found it convenient to grow green onions, ginger, and garlic there. Bei Yao had been sent down by Zhao Zhilan to pick some green onions.
She wore a white dress that was slightly too big for her, making her exposed calves appear even more slender and pale.
Her ankles were delicate and exquisite. By June, the weather in City C was already quite hot. Under the midday sun, she stood up after picking several green onions and was delighted to see Pei Chuan.
"Pei Chuan! You're back. I heard Uncle Pei woke up."
"Mm." He lowered his gaze but unavoidably noticed the mud on her sandals.
The young girl wore beige sandals, her small feet delicate and lovely. Her toes resembled tender bamboo shoots, with just a hint of pink at the tips. So pitiful and adorable that one might even want to kneel down and gently wipe the mud from her shoes.
He frowned, finally having to look at her face.
She had always been somewhat clumsily oblivious since childhood, unable to detect the young man's slight irritation and unease. Instead, she was extremely happy: "I heard from Teacher Zeng that you were recommended for high school. Congratulations! Was it No. 6 High School?"
Teacher Zeng had kept his word and hadn't told the students that he would be attending No. 3 High School.
As he looked closer at her innocent, flawless face, he calmly lied: "Yes."
She said joyfully, "My high school entrance exams are in five days. I want to attend the same school as you. I'll apply to No. 6 High School too, and we can be schoolmates again! Maybe we might even be in the same class!"
"Mm."
"Pei Chuan." She wiped the sweat from her forehead, completely unaware that she had smeared some mud from the green onions on her face. "These are the green onions my mom grew. Would you like some?"
"No."
"Oh, alright. I'll come visit you and Uncle Pei after my exams."
Pei Chuan turned and walked away with his house keys. Only after distancing himself from the faint lilac scent of the young girl behind him did his tense muscles finally begin to relax slightly.From childhood, he hadn't been completely honest with her at times, but this was the first time he had lied to her about something important.
Bei Yao was overjoyed, thinking he was also attending Sixth High School. But before long, she would realize he had deceived her. He was at Third High School while she was at Sixth High School. She would go on to live happily in a bright environment - even someone like Shang Mengxian could become the school belle there, so he didn't need to imagine how popular the girl behind him would become.
As for him, when alone, he could grow wildly without restraint in dark, damp corners.
Pei Chuan unlocked the door with his key.
Once she discovered his deception, she would probably never want to speak to him again. Since it was destined to be unattainable, better not to think about it from the beginning.
June 13th marked the unified high school entrance examinations in City C.
Under the blazing summer sun, the examination halls lacked air conditioning that year. Though drenched in sweat, all the examinees remained fully focused on their test papers.
On the 14th, right after the exam, the students received a form in the examination room. They had to fill out their high school preferences before their scores were released, with each person selecting desired schools based on their estimated performance.
Bei Yao had done well on the exam. With a light hand, she carefully wrote down her first choice—C City No. 6 High School.
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