Chapter 73 What do I like about him? ...

Peng Chengyi was startled. Her heart felt as if it had been suddenly clenched by something, and then began to beat rapidly and frantically, making her eardrums buzz.

She instinctively avoided his overly direct gaze, her voice trembling without her even realizing it: "Why...why are you thinking about this? Why are you comparing yourself to him for no reason..." Chen Yubai didn't speak, just stared at her silently.

Those eyes, which usually carried a hint of laziness, were now as deep as the sea before a storm, churning with undercurrents she couldn't decipher, and so unfamiliar that they made her uneasy.

Peng Chengyi couldn't help but clench her bag tightly, trying to break the suffocating silence with her words: "Besides... boyfriends and friends are inherently different."

She paused awkwardly, then added firmly, "You'll still be my best friend, and that won't change."

Chen Yubai's gaze swept over her obviously flustered face, and a faint, almost bitter smile seemed to curve his lips.

His Adam's apple bobbed, his voice low and tentative, carrying a sense of desperation: "If I said I didn't want to..."

"Click".

The sliding door to the private room was gently pulled open, and Ke Xingjian appeared in the doorway. Sensing the unusual atmosphere inside, he paused, his gaze sweeping sharply between Chen Yubai and Peng Chengyi.

Chen Yubai's unfinished words came to an abrupt halt, like a string on a musical instrument suddenly snapped. He silently shut his mouth, all outward emotions instantly concealed, and he reverted to his indifferent and aloof demeanor, only his slender fingers resting on the edge of the table showed faint white knuckles.

"Shall we go?" Ke Xingjian lowered his gaze, his tone normal, but with a hint of barely perceptible inquiry.

"Hmm, hmm..." Peng Chengyi glanced at Chen Yubai with unease, as if eager to escape this space that made her feel out of place, and hurriedly stood up, "Let's go."

On the way back to school, the night was hazy.

Peng Chengyi and Ke Xingjian walked side by side, while Chen Yubai followed silently a few steps behind them, like a silent shadow.

The atmosphere among the three was strange and oppressive, and even the sounds of electric vehicles passing by seemed particularly noisy.

Peng Cheng was absent-minded, his mind replaying the unfinished sentence Chen Yubai had said earlier.

He doesn't want to... doesn't want to what?

Don't you want to be friends with her anymore?

Is it to avoid suspicion that she has a boyfriend?

But if it's to avoid suspicion, why would he compare himself to Ke Xingjian?

Could it be... that he really likes her? And wants to be her boyfriend?

The thought exploded in her mind like a thunderclap, bringing a sense of absurd dizziness.

impossible! ! !

Impossible... right?

She couldn't help but turn around and steal a glance at Chen Yubai behind her.

He had his hands in his pockets, his shoulders slightly forward, his gaze lowered, and his expression cold and hard. The streetlight shone on his face, outlining a sharp jawline, but it only made the atmosphere seem even more oppressive, as if his whole being was shrouded in shadow.

Just as her mind was in a state of confusion, she suddenly felt a warm, gentle touch on the back of her hand.

Peng Chengyi quickly looked away and lowered her eyes.

Ke Xingjian's long, slender fingers had already touched her fingertips, as if he was tentatively trying to take her hand.

Peng Chengyi was startled. Almost instinctively, she withdrew her hand.

Ke Xingjian's fingertips hovered in the air for half a second, but he didn't grasp anything.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment, and a very soft sneer seemed to sound from behind.

In an instant, Peng Chengyi's heart pounded even harder, as if she had done something shameful, and even her ears started to burn.

She hurriedly tucked her hands into her sleeves and pretended to straighten her backpack straps, trying to conceal her actions.

Ke Xingjian glanced at her sideways, his expression unreadable, and merely pursed his lips slightly.

After that, he neither questioned her about her earlier evasion nor reached out again, but simply walked quietly beside her.

Peng Chengyi swallowed hard, almost overwhelmed by the suffocating silence and the tangible gaze behind her. She could only turn her head as naturally as possible and awkwardly throw the topic to Chen Yubai behind her: "Um... how was your competition this time? Were the questions difficult?"

Chen Yubai lazily raised his eyelids, his gaze sweeping over her forced composure and then glancing at the silent Ke Xingjian beside her, before answering in his usual nonchalant tone, "It's alright, nothing special."

The atmosphere remained tense after the words were spoken.

For the rest of the journey, she tried her best to find topics to talk about, but all she got in return was a perfunctory "hmm," "not bad," or a lukewarm response from Chen Yubai.

Ke Xingjian remained silent, walking quietly beside her like an observer.

The distance between the three people, though seemingly walking side by side, felt like an invisible wall separating them.

Only when the outline of the girls' dormitory building came into view did Peng Chengyi secretly breathe a sigh of relief, and the suffocating feeling of sitting on pins and needles finally dissipated a little.

Back in the dorm, Fang Hao was putting on a face mask. Seeing her come in, he teased her indistinctly, "You're back? How was the dinner to meet the 'parents'? Did you have fun?"

"It's...it's alright," Peng Chengyi said, putting down her schoolbag, her tone somewhat hesitant. She hesitated for a moment, then asked softly, "By the way, have you ever been in a relationship before?"

"I had a boyfriend in high school. What, do you want to learn some dating tips from me?" Fang Hao removed her face mask, turned her head with a smile, and her eyes sparkled with gossip.

"Uh... well, we've just started dating... so we have to hold hands?" she asked somewhat shyly, her fingers unconsciously fidgeting with the hem of her clothes.

"Sure! It's normal, it's not like we're kissing." Fang Hao leaned closer and lowered her voice, "What? Did Ke Xingjian hold your hand today?"

“He seemed to be trying to take my hand…” Peng Chengyi’s voice trailed off, tinged with annoyance, “but I felt a little awkward, so I instinctively dodged away.”

"What's wrong with you? Are you shy?" Fang Hao blinked and smiled meaningfully.

"Maybe...maybe..." she hesitated for a moment before stammering.

Especially with Chen Yubai behind her. Holding hands with another boy in front of him seemed to intensify her sense of shame, causing her to instinctively back away.

"Oh, everyone's like this at the beginning. Just spend a few more days together and you'll get used to it," Fang Hao said, patting her shoulder and comforting her in a relaxed tone.

“Oh…” Peng Chengyi nodded thoughtfully.

After washing up at night and getting into bed, she tossed and turned and couldn't fall asleep quickly. Her mind kept replaying Chen Yubai's abrupt words, and she couldn't help but reach for her phone on the pillow.

But he never messaged her again after that, so it would be strange if she asked him on WeChat again.

Moreover, she already has a boyfriend, so perhaps it's better for her to keep her distance from Chen Yubai.

Otherwise, even if Ke Xingjian had a good temper, he would probably feel uncomfortable.

Just like tonight, in the instant she subconsciously withdrew her hand, she clearly saw a rare gloom flash across Ke Xingjian's eyes.

-

The next day happened to be Saturday.

Peng Chengyi was still lazily lying on the bed when she received a message from Ke Xingjian, asking if she wanted to go to the movies together in the afternoon, as there was a new romance film that had received good reviews.

She rubbed her eyes, replied "Okay," and was about to get out of bed to wash up when her phone vibrated again.

When she caught sight of that familiar name popping up on the screen, her heart skipped a beat, as if something had gently tugged at it. She hurriedly picked up her phone and tapped it.

Chen Yubai: "I've written a new song, let's practice together this afternoon."

Peng Chengyi was stunned, her fingertips hovering above the screen.

He just finished a competition and has been busy ever since, so where would he find the time to write songs?

She replied with a hint of doubt, "Haven't you been busy with competitions lately? How do you have time to write a new song?"

Chen Yubai: "Writing songs doesn't take much time. I only had time to talk to you guys after the competition was over."

Okay, this dog got away with it again.

Peng Chengyi pursed her lips and typed somewhat hesitantly, "How about tomorrow? I'm going to see a movie with Ke Xingjian this afternoon, and I already promised him."

There was a moment of silence on the other end, and the chat box displayed "The other party is typing..." at the top, but no new messages came in for a long time.

After a while, a message popped up: "Didn't you say last night that I was still your best friend?"

Peng Chengyi's lips twitched slightly, speechless for a moment, she could only patiently explain: "But he asked me out first... there has to be a first-come, first-served rule, besides, he's my boyfriend now."

Chen Yubai seemed unconvinced by this reason, pressing on with a hint of barely perceptible stubbornness: "So, he's more important than me now?"

Peng Chengyi felt a headache coming on and tried to reason with them: "It's not a matter of importance. Even among ordinary friends, there's a proper order to things; you can't compare them like that."

Silence fell on the other end again. Just when Peng Chengyi thought the conversation was over, her phone vibrated again, and a new message popped up.

Chen Yubai: "Oh, so what exactly is it about him that he has over me?"

Unexpectedly, he brought up the same question from last night so bluntly again. Peng Chengyi's heart raced instantly, and her palms, holding the phone, became slightly sweaty.

Her fingertips hesitated on the keyboard, and finally, she chose to ask in return: "Why do you keep comparing yourself to him?"

Chen Yubai replied quickly this time: "I don't want you to date a guy who's not even as good as me."

Peng Chengyi stared at the screen, her feelings a mix of annoyance and panic. She tapped a couple of times on the keyboard before finally snapping back, "Aren't you being a little too nosy? Why don't you use this time to go on a date with Lin Yue?"

Chen Yubai seemed puzzled by her change of topic: "What kind of date did I have with her?"

Peng Chengyi: "I think you two are quite close. Didn't she look for you and chat downstairs at the dorm the other day?"

Chen Yubai: "Oh, she just came to confess her feelings to me, and I rejected her."

Peng Chengyi was taken aback.

So Lin Yue was confessing her feelings to him that day?

No wonder his expression wasn't as perfunctory as usual; instead, it carried a rare seriousness.

Before she could fully process the message, Chen Yubai stubbornly steered the conversation back on track: "What do you like about him?"

Peng Chengyi pursed her lips. In truth, even she didn't have a clear answer to this question. She could only reply by highlighting Ke Xingjian's most obvious strengths, with a hint of defending her choice: "He's gentler than you, and not as sharp-tongued as you."

The message was sent, and the screen remained frozen for a long time.

Chen Yubai did not reply.

Peng Chengyi's heart was in her throat, her fingertips sliding across the screen. She wanted to ask him why he cared so much, but she felt that it would be too strange to say such a thing.

She stared at the silent chat box for a long time until her eyes started to sting before turning off the screen.

The dark screen reflected her somewhat bewildered face.

It wasn't until Fang Hao asked her downstairs if she wanted to go have breakfast together that she snapped out of her daze, hurriedly agreed, and got out of bed.

-

The movie theater was dimly lit in the afternoon. Light and shadow danced on the huge screen as the joys and sorrows of the male and female protagonists unfolded. The air conditioner blew out a slightly cool breeze, mixed with the sweet aroma of popcorn.

Peng Chengyi sat in the soft chair, her gaze fixed on the screen, yet unable to focus. The plot had reached a crucial point, and soft sobs filled the air, but her thoughts, like a kite with a broken string, drifted back to the silent chat window on her phone, back to Chen Yubai's persistent question—

What exactly is it about him that I don't?

This sentence, like a curse, kept swirling in her mind, making her restless.

Ke Xingjian leaned slightly forward, his voice low and concerned: "Is something on your mind? You seem distracted."

Peng Chengyi snapped back to reality, as if her secret had been exposed, and subconsciously straightened her back. She hurriedly shook her head and, using the light from the screen, forced a somewhat strained smile at him: "No, I probably just didn't sleep well last night and was a little distracted."

Ke Xingjian looked at her, his eyes appearing somewhat deep in the dim light, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he just smiled gently: "It's okay, if you're tired we can go back early."

"No need, no need, the movie is great," Peng Chengyi quickly said, forcing herself to focus her attention back on the film.

Halfway through the movie, at a point where the romance between the male and female leads was blossoming, Ke Xingjian's warm hand subtly reached out and gently touched the back of her hand resting on the center armrest.

Peng Chengyi's body involuntarily stiffened for a moment.

Almost entirely out of instinct, even before her brain could make a judgment, her hand recoiled as if she had been electrocuted, awkwardly hiding at her side.

The movement was so fast that it even stirred up a slight breeze.

The next second, the air seemed to freeze, and embarrassment overwhelmed her like a tidal wave.

She could feel Ke Xingjian's hand pause in place, its warmth futilely resting on the cold handrail.

The couple on screen are still gazing lovingly at each other, but between them lies a silent rift.

It's so dark, no one can see it.

Moreover, Chen Yubai is no longer here.

What exactly is she hiding from?

Peng Chengyi bit her lip in a panic, not even daring to look at Ke Xingjian beside her. The remaining half of the movie became torture.

As the movie's end credits finally began, she almost immediately stood up, grabbed her bag as if fleeing, and spoke so quickly it was almost incoherent: "Um, I suddenly remembered I have some urgent business to attend to, I have to go back now! Sorry, we can't have dinner together!"

Before Ke Xingjian could respond, she lowered her head, like a startled rabbit, hurriedly squeezed through the crowd that had not yet completely dispersed, and rushed out of the screening room.

She left behind that suffocating embarrassment, along with the complicated look that Ke Xingjian might be casting at her.

-

Seeing that Peng Chengyi had returned to her dorm so early, Fang Hao, who was sitting at her desk watching a drama, turned her head and teased with a raised eyebrow: "Hey? Your date ended so quickly? Aren't you going to have dinner with your boyfriend?"

Peng Chengyi closed the door behind her, took two deep breaths, and managed a weak smile, her voice filled with undisguised helplessness: "Don't even mention it... halfway through the movie, he tried to hold my hand, and I reflexively dodged. It was so embarrassing, so I just made up an excuse and slipped away."

"Really?" Fang Hao paused the video, his face full of confusion. "The movie theater was dark, the atmosphere was great, and you're not embarrassed about that?"

“I can’t really explain it…” Peng Chengyi walked to her desk and sat down, scratching her hair in frustration. “It was just subconscious. My brain didn’t seem to have time to process it before my hand just pulled back on its own.”

She pursed her lips, her eyes filled with a hint of self-doubt and confusion.

Fang Hao pondered for a moment, carefully examined her, and tentatively asked, "So, are you naturally a little averse to physical contact with the opposite sex? Is that why you have this uncontrollable physiological reaction?"

Peng Chengyi paused for a moment, then shook her head: "No way. When I was a kid, I often wrestled with Chen Yubai, and I never saw any aversion to him."

"...Were you this fierce when you were a child?" Fang Hao was amused by this answer and imagined the scene.

Peng Chengyi's ears burned from her laughter, and she muttered, "It's mainly because he's so infuriating, he deserves a beating."

She paused, then sighed softly as if trying to comfort herself: "Sigh, maybe I'm just not used to it yet, after all, it's only been two days since I got a boyfriend."

Fang Hao was silent for a moment, his gaze falling on her face as if he were considering her words, but his tone was very soft: "Actually... there is another possibility, which is that you don't actually like him. Because when you really like someone, your body will react before your reason. You will unconsciously want to get closer to him, you will look forward to and even crave that kind of careful touch, instead of instinctively rejecting and avoiding him like you are now."

Peng Chengyi was suddenly startled, his eyes vacant for a moment.

Seeing her frozen in place, as if struck by something, Fang Hao quickly changed to a lighter tone, smiling with the corners of her eyes crinkling: "Oh, I was just making up some random thoughts! Love is something that varies from person to person! Maybe you're just a slow starter, you'll get to know each other better in a few days, don't overthink it!"

"Oh... um." Peng Chengyi also smiled.

But the turmoil in my heart had already been stirred up, layer upon layer, and I couldn't calm it down.

She even unconsciously imagined what would happen if Chen Yubai touched her hand; would she still instinctively pull away?

It seems not.

But this might just mean that she and he are too familiar with each other and have long been used to such physical contact, and it doesn't necessarily mean anything.

What if... he wasn't just touching her casually, but genuinely wanted to hold her hand?

The thought had barely formed in her mind when she shook her head violently, as if trying to shake it off.

What nonsense is she thinking! How could Chen Yubai possibly want to hold her hand!

My thoughts were tangled up like a jumbled mess when suddenly the desk I had left behind started vibrating.

She glanced at it instinctively, and the screen lit up, flashing a name that was all too familiar—

Chen Yubai.

Peng Chengyi was slightly taken aback, and her heart suddenly pounded wildly without warning.

-----------------------

Author's Note: My little sister is starting to understand! [shy]

Thank you to 66475663, ahyaya, ergogo, it rains again, colorwind915, Soleil, Huayu, XUANER, Liye, Wangxiaoxiaoxie, and Sunshine for providing the nutrient solution!