Chapter 82 Heart...

Peng Chengyi was still a little dizzy, her breathing was disordered, and there was a faint red blush at the corner of her eyes, like a peach color diffused by the light.

"Hmm..." she responded subconsciously, too shy to look up. Her gaze naturally fell down, but she inadvertently caught sight of his clear and striking silhouette against his gray sweatpants.

This...this...

I'm going to die.

Peng Chengyi's gaze was momentarily stung by a flame, and she hurriedly looked away, unsure of where to focus her attention.

She could only hurriedly sit back in the opposite seat, trying to hide the messy stray hairs by her ears, which were even tinged with a blush.

Chen Yubai glanced at her awkward appearance, coughed lightly as if feeling a little uncomfortable, and casually adjusted his posture, moving his schoolbag onto his lap.

A subtle silence flowed through the elevator car, with only the soft hum of the machinery making the heartbeat all the more distinct.

Peng Chengyi pursed her burning lips, trying to break the ambiguous silence with a light tone: "I didn't expect you to be so superstitious."

Chen Yubai chuckled softly, his gaze falling on her, so gentle it was almost radiant.

“Because it concerns you,” he said slowly, his voice tinged with a slightly hoarse laugh, “of course, it’s better to believe it’s true than not to believe it isn’t.”

He leaned closer, his breath brushing against her delicate nose: "Don't you want... to be with me forever?"

Peng Chengyi's heart, which had just calmed down, began to pound uncontrollably again. Her eyelashes trembled and drooped, and after a long while, a faint, almost inaudible reply escaped from her lips: "I want to..."

Chen Yubai's lips curled up in a pleasant smile, and his eyes sparkled with light.

The Ferris wheel slowly came to a stop.

Chen Yubai stood up, jumped out of the sedan chair first, turned around and extended his hand with distinct knuckles towards her, his voice still carrying a lingering smile: "Shall we go?"

"Mmm." Peng Chengyi lowered her head to hide the smile that she couldn't stop, and placed her hand in his warm palm.

He gently pulled his fingers together, firmly grasping her slightly cool fingertips. She used the leverage to leap lightly off the Ferris wheel, her skirt tracing a soft arc in the night breeze.

The summer night breeze swept by, lifting her hair and dispelling the unease and bitterness she felt when she first boarded the Ferris wheel.

All that remained was a sweet feeling, which silently spread through my heart.

"What else do you want to play?" Chen Yubai turned his head, his gaze falling on her still flushed cheeks.

"Hmm... Shall we go ride the carousel?" Peng Chengyi pointed to a place not far away where the lights were dazzling and the music was cheerful, with a touch of girlish naiveté.

Chen Yubai raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying his usual teasing: "Are you a primary school student?"

Despite saying that, he had already led her that way.

"Where are you calling me a primary school student! The carousel is the easiest place to take great photos. You better take good pictures of me later, and remember to turn on the beauty filter." Peng Chengyi pouted and pinched his hand in dissatisfaction.

"Why would you need to use a beauty filter? I think you look good enough with the original camera." Chen Yubai smiled.

"Your straight-male aesthetic is terrible." Peng Chengyi blushed and made a sarcastic remark to cover up her embarrassment, but her heart was filled with sweetness, like a honey pot had been overturned.

After riding the carousel, the park's announcement system played, informing us that the nighttime fireworks show was about to begin.

The two followed the crowd to the best viewing area and found a relatively less crowded spot.

I had barely settled into my seat in the crowd, and before I could even catch my breath, the first firework burst open in the night sky with a bang, its light scattering like shattered diamonds across a velvet curtain.

Then, a second, a third... one after another, illuminating the entire park as if it were daytime.

Peng Chengyi unconsciously tilted her head back, her clear eyes instantly brightened by the dazzling colors.

Chen Yubai stood behind her, his arm naturally wrapping around her from behind, gently embracing her, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head, bringing a slightly itchy sensation.

"Happy Qixi Festival, my girlfriend," he whispered.

The crisp, refreshing air instantly enveloped her, and the warmth from his chest, along with the steady, powerful heartbeat, resonated deeply within her, stirring her emotions more intensely than the fireworks in the sky.

The surrounding noise seemed to vanish in an instant, leaving only the real tactile sensation behind and the illusory brilliance before my eyes.

"Yes, Happy Qixi Festival." Peng Chengyi's heart swelled with sweetness. She turned her face away, her thick, long eyelashes trembling slightly with shyness.

But he wasn't satisfied and raised an eyebrow, asking, "Where's your boyfriend?"

Peng Chengyi's ears burned slightly. She had nowhere to hide in his arms, and after a moment of hesitation, she added somewhat shyly, "My...boyfriend."

"Hmm." He chuckled softly, tightening his arms around her.

The fireworks display came to a close at its climax, and the night sky returned to silence, leaving only a faint smell of gunpowder and a romantic atmosphere in the air.

The two held hands and walked slowly back to the hotel against the flow of departing crowds.

It was peak summer travel season, and hotel rooms were in high demand, so they weren't assigned to the same floor. Chen Yubai first escorted Peng Chengyi to her room.

"Goodnight." He smiled slightly, the warm light of the corridor casting a soft glow on his shoulders.

"Good night." Peng Chengyi swiped open the door, turned around and smiled at him, "You should go upstairs and rest too."

However, as she entered the room and closed the door behind her, she immediately sensed that something was wrong.

The room was filled with a stagnant, stuffy heat, as if the air had stopped moving.

She walked quickly to the wall and found that the air conditioner control panel was completely black. No matter how anxiously she pressed the buttons, the screen did not respond and remained lifeless.

Strange, the air conditioner was working perfectly fine when I came in to put my luggage in at noon.

Peng Chengyi frowned, walked to the bedside, picked up the landline receiver, and tried dialing the front desk number.

As a result, all I heard from the receiver was a long busy tone, over and over again, with no one answering.

Could it be that her room wasn't the only one with a problem?

The fault is widespread, causing the front desk phone to be ringing off the hook.

If that's the case, it might be fixed in a short while.

She sat down on the small sofa and waited for another ten minutes or so with hope, but the room temperature continued to rise in the enclosed space, and the stuffiness felt like an invisible cocoon, enveloping her layer by layer.

Fine beads of sweat kept seeping from her forehead and the back of her neck. Her bangs were also soaked with sweat and stuck tightly to her forehead, making her feel itchy and sticky, which made her extremely irritable.

Not wanting to go downstairs to talk to the unfamiliar front desk, Peng Chengyi reluctantly picked up her room key and phone, went upstairs, and knocked on Chen Yubai's door.

The door opened quickly. Chen Yubai seemed to have just taken a shower, having changed into a comfortable cotton T-shirt and athletic shorts. His jet-black hair was half-dry, still damp, with a few strands hanging loosely over his forehead, making him look both refreshed and languid.

A cool breeze from the air conditioner wafted out from inside the door, making Peng Chengyi feel as if she had instantly stepped from the desert into an oasis.

"What's wrong?" he asked, looking at her slightly disheveled appearance and flushed cheeks.

Peng Chengyi looked distressed and said in a frustrated tone, "The air conditioner in my room seems to be broken; it's not working at all. I called the front desk, but the line is always busy; I can't get through at all."

Chen Yubai frowned and stepped aside to make way: "Come in and cool off."

Peng Chengyi immediately went into the room, and the cool air instantly enveloped her. Almost instinctively, she turned towards the air conditioner vent and sighed softly in comfort.

"You stay here with me for now, I'll go down to the front desk and ask about the situation," Chen Yubai said, picking up the room key and heading out.

"Okay." Peng Chengyi nodded and sat down on the small sofa next to his bed, feeling the cool breeze on her hot skin.

About ten minutes later, Chen Yubai returned to the room with a hint of helplessness on his face: "I found out that the front desk said that the air conditioning circuits in several rooms on the 12th floor were indeed faulty and were being repaired. But the hotel is fully booked tonight, and there are no empty rooms available, so we can't change your room for the time being."

"Huh? Then...when will it be fixed?" Peng Chengyi looked at him expectantly, her voice tinged with grievance, "I really want to take a shower and go to sleep."

“The repair time is uncertain, it might be as late as midnight.” Chen Yubai paused, looking at her sweat-dampened hair and listless appearance, and suggested, “How about this, we switch rooms. You sleep here, and I’ll go to your room to sleep.”

Peng Chengyi was taken aback for a moment, then subconsciously objected: "No way! You're even more afraid of the heat than I am, how could you stand in that sweltering heat?"

"It's okay," Chen Yubai shrugged nonchalantly and started tidying up the clothes scattered on the bed. "I can't let my girlfriend be too hot to sleep. Aren't we going to keep playing tomorrow? You need to get some rest."

Peng Chengyi didn't move, her gaze fixed on his sharply defined profile.

The light highlighted his high nose bridge and defined jawline. He was folding a T-shirt with his head slightly lowered and long eyelashes drooping.

Seeing him sacrifice himself for her like this, she felt a strong pang of reluctance. After struggling with her conscience for a moment, she finally mustered up her courage and whispered, "How about... you don't have to change either, and we can stay in the same room?"

Chen Yubai paused in his folding of clothes, turned his head, and his dark eyes, filled with a hint of inquiry, slowly fell on her face.

Peng Chengyi felt flustered under his gaze, her cheeks burning uncontrollably. She lowered her eyes, avoiding his gaze, and hurriedly explained, "Well... anyway, we're boyfriend and girlfriend now, sleeping together... it's... nothing... right?"

Chen Yubai stared at her rapidly reddening earlobes and her restless, flustered eyes, letting out a low, ambiguous chuckle: "Peng Chengyi, are you testing me?"

"What are you being tested for?" Peng Chengyi didn't react for a moment, raised her eyes, and blinked in confusion.

His Adam's apple bobbed slightly, and a dark undercurrent surged in his deep eyes. Looking at her completely bewildered expression, the words that were on the tip of his tongue were swallowed back, turning into only a barely audible sigh: "It's nothing."

He reached out and took the room key from her fingers, his fingertips brushing against her skin, sending a subtle shiver down his spine. "Let's sleep together then. I'll get your bag for you, you go take a shower first."

"Oh, okay." Peng Chengyi nodded blankly, watching him turn around and close the door to leave.

Only after the door closed gently, isolating him from view, did his meaningful words, like a pebble thrown into a still lake, ripple through her heart.

She belatedly realized the implied meaning, and at the same time, she recalled the obvious outline of his sweatpants after that kiss on the Ferris wheel.

Oh no, he doesn't seem to be as innocent as she imagined.

This realization sent a jolt through Peng Chengyi's spine, and he abruptly stood up, almost fleeing into the bathroom, as if that would shut out the wildly growing ambiguous thoughts.

Knowing he might turn back at any moment, Peng Chengyi hurriedly turned on the shower. Warm water poured down, but she was distracted, her mind filled with images of being alone with him later.

As for the sexy lingerie she had changed out of, she dared not let him see it now, so she just stuffed it haphazardly under her dirty clothes, planning to secretly move it when she got her schoolbag back.

Chen Yubai probably didn't want to go through too many trials.

He didn't come in until she had finished showering, dried her hair, changed into a cotton nightgown, and was sitting on the edge of the bed scrolling through her phone, feeling restless.

"Finished washing?" His gaze swept over her casually, lingering on her nightgown for less than a second before he restrained himself and looked away.

"Hmm." Peng Chengyi nodded awkwardly, his fingertips unconsciously swiping across the phone screen.

"Then you go to sleep first, I'll go take a shower." He turned and walked towards the bathroom, his back looking somewhat hurried, "I just went out and got sweaty again."

"Oh, okay." She replied quickly, as if finally relieved, and curled up on the bed with feigned ease. "Then I won't bother with you anymore."

"Hmm, don't worry about it." He said casually, but his voice was a little hoarse.

He locked the bathroom door with a "click," as if to shut out the outside temperature, or perhaps to shut out some inappropriate thoughts.

Hot water splashed onto him, and steam gradually spread out.

Fortunately, she wasn't wearing one of those spaghetti strap nightgowns, otherwise tonight's ordeal would have been truly unbearable.

Chen Yubai thought to himself, quickly finished his shower, and walked out of the shower room.

He glanced at the clothes in the laundry basket, intending to wash them as soon as possible, since summer clothes are thin and can dry overnight.

But when he picked up his T-shirt, the black lace bra underneath made him pause.

His fingertips touched the delicate lace fabric, and he slowly lifted it. The thin straps dangled between his fingers, the openwork pattern faintly visible under the light.

Chen Yubai's eyes darkened, but his ears involuntarily felt hot.

She usually seems so innocent and naive, yet she secretly prepares underwear like this.

An indescribable emotion surged in his chest, a mixture of desire and restraint, like a taut string being stretched higher and higher.

The scene on the Ferris wheel flashed through my mind again—she tilted her head back, her long eyelashes trembling slightly, her lips incredibly soft, and her awkward response was more captivating than any deliberate flirtation.

Chen Yubai closed his eyes, his knuckles turning white.

"Damn it." He cursed under his breath, gently put the underwear back in its place, turned around and went back to the shower room, turning on the cold water tap.

-

Even though the lights were off and she was snuggled into the soft blankets, Peng Chengyi tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

Did Chen Yubai take too long in that bath?

She rolled over, staring at the ceiling, a thought suddenly flashing through her mind—

Is he... doing laundry?

My heart skipped a beat.

That set of underwear she hid at the bottom of the laundry basket!

Before I could think about it, the bathroom door creaked open.

Peng Chengyi almost instinctively closed her eyes, her rapid breathing gradually slowing down as she pretended to be asleep.

A faint scent of shower gel lingered in the air, carrying the dampness of warm water.

The mattress beside her sank slightly, and his scent spread out, silently enveloping her.

Peng Chengyi held her breath, feeling as if her heart was about to jump out of her chest.

He seemed to be facing away from her, neither speaking nor making any other movements.

After a long while, she slowly exhaled, and her stiff body finally relaxed a little.

The night was eerily quiet.

Her arm went numb from being pressed down, so she carefully turned over, only to bump into Chen Yubai's face, which was right in front of her.

His eyes were closed, his breathing was steady and long, and his eyelashes cast a small shadow in the dim light.

A warm breath brushed against her cheek, tickling her so much that she almost dared not move.

She stared at him blankly for a few seconds, and only after confirming that he was indeed asleep did she gently lift the corner of the blanket and tiptoe into the bathroom.

The phone screen lit up, and she held her breath, squatted down, and lifted the laundry basket. The black lace dress was still lying quietly at the bottom.

"Thank God..." she muttered softly, quickly taking it out and stuffing it into a compartment in her backpack.

After a period of careful maneuvering, she returned to bed.

But my heart just couldn't calm down.

The light from outside the window was swept by the wind and scattered into the room in fragments.

She used that dim light to secretly observe him.

The boy's handsome features softened in the night, his nose was straight, and his lips were slightly curved, making him look rather innocent.

Those eyes, which usually held a hint of nonchalance, were now closed, as if concealing their sharpness.

Her fingers twitched involuntarily, gently reaching out towards him.

Just as my fingertips were about to touch the bridge of his nose, he suddenly opened his eyes.

His dark pupils shone brightly in the night. He suddenly raised his hand, and his burning heat gripped her wrist.

"..." Peng Chengyi froze, her mind going blank.

He narrowed his long, narrow eyes slightly, his voice hoarse with sleepiness: "Why aren't you sleeping? What are you touching?"

"Um... there are mosquitoes!" she stammered, her voice barely audible. "I wanted to help you get rid of them..."

He looked at her, a smile slowly spreading from the depths of his eyes.

His fingertips gently caressed her wrist, slowly and intimately, sending a tingling sensation through her like an electric current.

“Oh? I thought—” He deliberately slowed his voice and leaned closer, “that you wanted to do something with me.”

"Who, who wants to do anything with you!" Peng Chengyi's face was burning red, her breathing was erratic, and she could barely speak.

Chen Yubai gazed at her trembling long eyelashes, his lips twitching, and he smiled silently.

He released her grip and smoothed out the blanket: "Have you chased away the mosquitoes? Should we turn on the light and look for them? So we don't get bitten awake in the middle of the night."

“…No need.” She forced herself to continue making up a story, “I’ve already crushed him to death.”

"So impressive?" He raised an eyebrow, a playful glint in his eyes.

“I have supernatural powers,” Peng Chengyi said dryly.

"Pfft." Chen Yubai finally couldn't help but chuckle, his chest vibrating slightly.

"...What are you laughing at? Go to sleep." She turned away, feigning anger.

After a moment of silence behind him, he reached out and gently wrapped his arms around her from behind: "Do you remember when was the last time we slept together?"

Peng Chengyi's heart skipped a beat. Seeing that he didn't make any further movements, she adjusted herself into a more comfortable position in his arms: "Kindergarten senior class, right? Back then, our little beds were next to each other."

Don't you remember that time in elementary school?

"Elementary school? Did we even sleep together?"

"Yes." His voice spread across her neck, warm and steady, with a hint of nostalgia. "When you were in second grade, you said you had insomnia and insisted that I play with you. But as soon as we got to your house, you fell asleep while playing Ludo."

Peng Chengyi paused for a moment, then after a few seconds softly exclaimed, "Ah!": "Was it... that day... when your parents were arguing?"

"Yeah. So later when we went to sleep, you even covered my ears for me," Chen Yubai said.

"Really?" She turned her head in surprise. "I have absolutely no recollection of that..."

Moonlight seeped in through the gaps in the curtains, falling on his eyelashes and shattering into small shadows.

She stared at the light and shadow and couldn't help but ask, "How do you remember it so clearly? It happened so many years ago."

Chen Yubai was silent for a moment, then chuckled lazily: "I have a good memory."

"Tch, pretending again." She nudged him with her elbow, chuckled, and turned away.

He didn't say anything more, but lowered his head and gently placed a kiss on her hair.

Since she has already forgotten, there is no need for him to bring it up again.

He remembered it so clearly because the moment her hands covered his ears, all the noise disappeared.

In his world, only the sound of his own heartbeat remained.

One sound after another.

It got faster and faster, louder and louder.

At that time, he didn't understand what this meant.

Even in the long years that followed, whenever she looked at him with brimming eyes, gently grasped his hand with her fingertips, or pressed her body against his with warmth, his disordered heartbeat would always arrive as expected.

He gradually realized—

So that was the sound of my heart fluttering.

—End of text—

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Author's Note: This concludes the main story! If you have any requests for side stories, please leave a comment below or on Big Eyes and Red Potato. There will also be a giveaway of autographed postcards on Big Eyes and Red Potato, as well as updates on the original song for "Star Riverbank" [doge head with rose in hand]

Bonus chapters will be updated irregularly depending on the rankings. Comments and red envelopes are welcome! Thank you for your support, everyone! [Rabbit head with upright ears]

I'd like to recommend a new campus romance novel, "Unrequited Love Complex," a short, sweet story of mutual unrequited love. You can add it to your favorites on my author page.

After entering high school, Xu Yimo had someone she cared about.

His name is Zhou Zeyu. He is handsome, popular, from a wealthy family, and has good grades.

Many people at school liked him, but she was just one of the less noticeable ones.

Her only bit of luck was that he never handed in his math homework on time.

And she happened to be the math class representative.

You can use the excuse of urging him to hand in his homework to strike up a conversation with him.

-

After entering high school, Zhou Zeyu developed a crush on someone.

Her name is Xu Yimo. She is cute and a bit introverted.

But when you're with familiar friends, it becomes lively and interesting.

However, their seats were separated by more than half a classroom, and their social circles were like two parallel lines.

All he could do was not hand in his math homework on time.

In this way, she would walk towards him with her homework.

Give him a chance to say a few words to her.

-

At the post-college entrance exam party, Xu Yimo, emboldened by alcohol, wanted to put an end to her unrequited love.

So she secretly slipped the note confessing her feelings into Zhou Zeyu's pocket.

After regaining her senses and fearing embarrassment, she simply blocked him on WeChat.

Unexpectedly, just two days later, Xu Yimo caught a glimpse of Zhou Zeyu at the entrance of the residential area.

Xu Yimo's heart skipped a beat. Just as she was about to dodge, he called out to her.

I could only bite the bullet and greet him: "What a coincidence, do you have any friends living here?"

“Yeah, girlfriend.” Zhou Zeyu paused, took out the small note from his pocket, and glanced at her with a sly look. “But she blocked me, so I had to come to her in person to beg her.”

Xu Yimo: ?!