With Pei Chuan's promise, Bei Yao felt genuinely happy.
Everyone wants to see what their future university looks like before attending, and she too wished to visit B University.
After a moment's thought, Bei Yao said, "Since you've finally come back, why not come into the neighborhood for a look? It's changed quite a bit this year."
Pei Chuan followed her inside.
"The seesaw that used to be over there has been removed. The park isn't far from here now, and all the children love going there to play."
"The plum tree that got blown down by the wind was replanted. It bloomed especially beautifully last winter."
He listened attentively, watching her smiling eyes and brows, feeling an involuntary joy in his own heart.
Bei Yao thought for a moment, then stood on tiptoe to whisper in his ear, "Would you like to come see my home?"
Pei Chuan froze.
He said, "Don't joke around. Let's go home."
Bei Yao replied, "Pei Chuan, even Chen Yingqi has been to my house. You've never come all these years—aren't you curious or regretful?"
His mind couldn't help but recall that summer years ago: the lush ivy outside the young girl's window, the blooming roses, her still-chubby cheeks not yet having shed their baby fat as she exercised, revealing a glimpse of her fair, slender waist.
Pei Chuan pressed his lips together.
How could he not be curious about a young girl's bedroom? How could he not regret never having visited?
Her almond-shaped eyes sparkled brightly. "My mom went to pick up my brother. Why don't you come be my guest? Oh, and the gift I prepared for you before is still in my room. The air plant is still alive, and I've always forgotten to return your scarf and gloves."
She looked every bit the hospitable host.
Her reasons were particularly compelling.
He knew he should leave. She might not abide by those two agreements, but he couldn't break them himself.
Yet a voice inside him said that if he left now, he might never get another chance to see the place where she had lived and grown up.
In silence, Pei Chuan followed her upstairs.
Bei Yao took out her keys and opened the door. Just as she had said, her parents hadn't returned yet—likely not for another twenty minutes or so. Two goldfish, one red and one black, swam leisurely in the living room aquarium.
His gaze shifted from the goldfish to sweep across the room.
The layout of the Bei family home was similar to his old house, given they were in the same neighborhood, but this home was clearly much cozier.
Over a decade old, the traces of age were visible on the ceilings and beams. The Bei family's financial situation was indeed modest. Someone more sensitive might feel insecure showing others such a home, but she felt no such unease—happiness and contentment were ingrained in her bones.
Bei Yao asked, "Would you like to see my room? It's a bit messy. My mom calls it a cat's nest—definitely not as tidy as your old room."
He lowered his gaze and followed her.
Pei Chuan told himself he would just take one look and then leave.
Bei Yao pushed the door open.
The setting sun slanted through the window, spilling into the room. Rose branches swayed in the breeze outside.
Her "little cat's nest" contained a small bed with pink sheets and a bear doll on the headboard.
Beige curtains with tassels hung beside a tiny desk for homework and an old wardrobe.
A fruit bowl sat in the room, and on the desk was a photo of a seven-year-old girl smiling brightly.
It was seven-year-old Bei Yao, grinning with a gap where her front teeth used to be, her chubby cheeks looking adorably silly. His gaze softened involuntarily.
On the floor lay an army-green drawing board.
Bei Yao asked, "Do you want to see my drawings?"
Her almond eyes glistened with moisture. He pressed his lips together, knowing he should leave—what if Aunt Zhao returned...
But he truly couldn't bear to part from her just yet. He nodded."I'm not professional, don't laugh," Bei Yao said.
She opened her sketchbook to reveal watercolor paintings.
There was the plum blossom tree outside their residential area in full bloom. Flipping further, she showed the stray cat from Chen Yingqi's house, and next was a painting of the bridge in City B with a bright moon hanging in the sky.
He examined them with great seriousness, making Bei Yao somewhat self-conscious. Just as she was about to speak, footsteps sounded outside the door: "Yaoyao? Yaoyao!"
Zhao Zhilan had returned!
Bei Yao froze, instinctively casting a panicked glance at Pei Chuan.
Actually... as her former neighbor's older brother, there was nothing unusual about Pei Chuan visiting her home. But he... was in her bedroom.
Even Chen Yingqi wouldn't dare do something like this.
Pei Chuan's dark eyes met her gaze.
She was truly afraid her mother might beat him to death! Flustered, Bei Yao threw her sketchbook on the floor, glanced around frantically, then pulled open the wardrobe. Nearly crying with urgency, she pleaded, "Hide, hide quickly."
Pei Chuan: "..."
Seeing the girl only now realizing the gravity of the situation, he found it somewhat amusing.
The wardrobe was quite spacious, with empty space at the bottom. Under her desperate, tearful gaze, he hid inside. Pei Chuan's legs didn't bend easily, but he remained silent, careful not to let her notice his discomfort.
Bei Yao's hands trembled with anxiety.
He looked up at her - the poor girl appeared utterly terrified. While he feared nothing and remained composed, she clearly looked like someone about to be caught red-handed.
If Aunt Zhao started questioning her, she'd probably panic to death.
Besides, her schoolbag was still outside, making it impossible to pretend no one was home.
With his long arm, Pei Chuan pulled her into the wardrobe with him just as Zhao Zhilan opened her bedroom door. He couldn't let her face the fear alone.
The next moment, Zhao Zhilan entered the room.
She saw the empty room, the sketchbook scattered on the floor, drawings flying everywhere. Zhao Zhilan sighed: "None of them let me rest easy. Who knows where she's run off to now."
She began gathering the scattered drawings.
Inside the old wardrobe, Bei Yao nestled in Pei Chuan's embrace.
He held the wardrobe door shut with one hand, but she remained terrified, keeping her eyes closed lest Zhao Zhilan discover anything amiss.
After what felt like an eternity, Bei Yao mustered the courage to open her eyes, meeting a pair of dark ones.
The September sunset cast only a sliver of light outside the wardrobe. She turned to peek through the crack at Zhao Zhilan, who was now sitting at her desk catching her breath after climbing the stairs.
In the quiet air, she turned back to look at Pei Chuan.
The young man had his legs bent, while she knelt between them.
The air in the wardrobe grew stale, his warm breath brushing against her neck, making Bei Yao's face flush crimson.
The sensation felt both ticklish and strange.
She pushed at his head with a soft grunt. The young man paused briefly before yielding to her push, creating distance between them.
He lowered his gaze, his left hand gripping the wardrobe door so tightly his knuckles turned white.
Pei Chuan tried his best not to look at the kneeling Bei Yao.
For so many years, this was the first time someone had been this close to his prosthetic leg and severed limb. Suppressing his trembling, he pressed his lips tightly together. Truthfully... he feared she might notice his awkward posture and... the cold temperature of his prosthetic leg.
In the dim light, Bei Yao looked up at him.
The world suddenly felt so small, giving her a peculiar sensation - as if she'd been locked inside his heart.
A heart that wasn't particularly bright.
His world was dark and confined. The young man's stern face reflected in her eyes.
This was the first time she saw the world containing only him - so small, yet she was the only one in it.
Pei Chuan was so handsome.Her heart raced slightly, as if recalling those nights when she secretly searched online, hoping others could tell her the answer—what does it feel like to like someone?
Now she knew. Bei Yao extended her slender fingers, gently tracing his handsome face.
He turned his head and looked down at her.
The girl's almond-shaped eyes were bright and tender. She didn't focus on the unusual posture of his legs, nor did she touch his prosthetic leg. Her cool fingertips merely rested on his brows and eyes.
Stroke by stroke, she traced them softly.
This was Pei Chuan—
The first boy she had ever liked in her life.
He had sharp, sword-like brows, dark and indifferent eyes, a face with distinct edges, and pale, thin lips.
There was a cool, detached handsomeness about him.
Her cool fingertips traced his brows and eyes, finally settling on his thin lips.
The September sunset was warm, and her eyes sparkled with stars.
It was as if she would never notice his imperfections, seeing only the good in him. In truth, he wasn't that perfect—even in terms of looks, he wasn't the most handsome, at least not like her, whose beauty could captivate at a single glance.
But seeing himself reflected in her bright eyes, Pei Chuan felt an illusion—that he was a whole, healthy man.
Her fingers were cool, and Pei Chuan's heartbeat spiraled out of control. His right hand grasped her small one. Being with her always made him forget his own flaws, leaving only a heart overwhelmed with uncontainable emotions.
"Yao Yao, stop fooling around."
Zhao Zhilan rested for a while before leaving the room. She had returned early to fetch some documents, as little Bei Jun hadn't been picked up yet. Zhao Zhilan closed the door, took the documents, and hurried out to fetch her son.
~
When Zhao Zhilan returned in the evening, she felt comforted to see her daughter diligently doing her homework. Bei Yao's ears flushed red as she recalled how, not long ago, she and Pei Chuan had panicked and hidden in the closet. Now, she was so mortified she wished she could dig a hole and disappear.
Zhao Zhilan, however, was still unsettled by two things she had heard earlier. One was Zhao Xiu insisting that Fang Minjun and Huo Dinglin should try spending time together. A seventeen-year-old girl getting involved in such matters seemed far too early.
Zhao Zhilan didn't want her own Yao Yao to focus too much on adolescent emotions at this age.
The other matter was running into Captain Pei on her way home from work.
After exchanging a few words, Pei Haobin asked about Pei Chuan's situation. Zhao Zhilan thought it was utterly ridiculous that a father had to learn about his own son from others. She didn't know whether to pity Pei Chuan or resent Pei Haobin's inaction.
But as an outsider, Zhao Zhilan couldn't afford to be confrontational. Then, Pei Haobin shared something that left her with even more mixed feelings—
Cao Li was pregnant.
A woman nearly forty, pregnant with Pei Haobin's child. When Pei Haobin mentioned it, his face showed little joy, instead clouded with confusion.
Clearly, this child was unexpected for him too.
As an outsider, Zhao Zhilan was nearly furious.
Everyone in the neighborhood knew about the past events—Pei Haobin's "famous battle" had protected many innocent families, but Pei Chuan was kidnapped, and the abductors severed his lower leg.
The incident had caused a huge uproar at the time and even made the newspapers.
Everyone felt the child was pitiable and innocent, but no one paid much attention afterward.
Pei Haobin received gratitude from countless families and honorary medals, while Pei Chuan, with his severed leg, earned endless remarks of "poor thing."This "pitiful" child had grown up on his own into a resilient young man. His father had remarried, and a new child was soon to be born.
When that child arrived, it would have a sound body and a complete family. It might even take away Pei Chuan's inheritance.
Zhao Zhilan had initially considered their neighborly relationship, but upon hearing this, she took a sharp breath: "How many months along?"
Pei Haobin said dejectedly, "Three months." His lips trembled as he added, "I... have failed Xiao Chuan."
Furious, Zhao Zhilan immediately picked up Bei Jun and returned home, no longer caring about maintaining appearances.
Zhao Zhilan glanced at Bei Yao, who was diligently doing her homework, frowned, and decided not to tell her about the matter. Though she felt deeply upset herself, Pei Haobin might be an inadequate father, but she was Bei Yao's mother and had to consider her daughter's welfare. Pei Chuan's family situation was too complicated, and his physical condition...
She didn't want Bei Yao to have any connection with him.
~
Aside from Cao Li herself, the happiest person about her pregnancy was Bai Yutong.
Bai Yutong had been eagerly waiting, hoping her mother would give Uncle Pei a son.
The birth of this child would secure her and her mother's position in the family, ensuring that stepbrother could never return. Because someone would have already taken his place.
A healthy younger brother would surely be more likable than that gloomy teenager, wouldn't he?
Cao Li warned her: "Tone down your excitement. Pei Haobin still feels guilty toward Pei Chuan. If you want your mother to safely deliver your brother, you need to behave yourself."
After all, Cao Li knew exactly how this child had come about.
Pei Chuan's legs had bought the Pei family years of glory. Although Pei Haobin was emotionally confused, he had never planned to have more children. Cao Li had poked holes in the condoms to make this pregnancy happen.
Despite their generally good relationship, she feared Pei Haobin might blame her for this.
But what's done was done. Considering the baby in her womb, Pei Haobin paled but said nothing.
That evening, Pei Haobin said: "Cao Li, we need to be clear about this. I... have wronged Wenjuan and Xiao Chuan. You know about what happened back then, with Xiao Chuan's legs... I originally planned to leave all my assets to him. Now that he's grown up, this is the only compensation I can give him."
Cao Li's heart sank, though she maintained a virtuous smile.
Pei Haobin continued: "I'm over forty now. By the time this child is born and grown up, we'll be in our sixties. He's my flesh and blood, so I can't abandon you and the child. But given Pei Chuan's situation... I hope you'll yield to him. I'll set aside enough for our child's education, but everything else will go to Pei Chuan."
Cao Li was seething inside...
Yet she remained composed. What use was arguing now?
Once her baby was born, Pei Haobin could always change his mind. This pregnancy was her selfish scheme to begin with, so she had to play along with Pei Haobin for now.
After all, that cold-hearted cripple was destined to end up with nothing.
Her child would definitely be healthy and raised in a complete family.
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