Chapter 10

The two squeezed in front of the already small sink.

She knew it wasn't Qiao Dacheng, otherwise Qiao Xi wouldn't have been able to escape from him.

After Josh calmed down, he went home and immediately called the security booth to explain the situation. The two of them locked the door, still shaken, and stayed in the living room, too afraid to go to sleep.

It wasn't until the security guards reported that they checked the surveillance footage and found that a tall, suspicious-looking man, whose face was obscured, had indeed followed her.

Not daring to let their guard down, they subsequently called the police and took a report.

By the time I finish, it's already late at night.

In the following days, Josh did not take leave and went to work as usual, but every time he went home from get off work, a little tagalong would follow him around.

Chen Zhiyu borrowed a nearly broken bicycle from his upstairs neighbor, and every time it was close to the end of his workday, he would squat at the restaurant entrance.

No amount of persuasion could change anything.

After Josh gets off work, the two of them go home together.

At 11 p.m., the entire city was shrouded in darkness, with only a few scattered stars peeking out in the night sky.

On the empty street, an electric scooter moved slowly, with a constant creaking sound coming from behind. Chen Zhiyu pedaled hard, the rusty chain crushing and pulling the sprocket as it rolled past.

Fortunately, that person never showed up again.

At the end of August, the good news finally came that the group of children had been arrested. It was said that among those arrested was a harasser who often wandered around at night.

Soon, Aunt Li, who had received the good news, also returned to live with them.

Security measures in the community were strengthened, and no accidents occurred for a long time.

Before they knew it, it was early September, the start of the new school year for Josh and Chen Zhiyu.

On Monday, September 3rd, Chen Zhiyu officially started school. Qiao Xi arranged accommodation for him, and he could go home on Saturday and Sunday.

A week later, new students at Hengcheng University started their semester.

Everything went smoothly, and Josh adapted fairly well. However, during the few days of military training, she was exposed to the sun and looked like a wilted foxtail grass.

After Josh started taking classes, he didn't dare to slack off and quickly found himself a tutoring job.

It's quite a coincidence that it's the same place where Josh and Chen Zhiyu delivered sea cucumbers last time.

Tutoring is a relatively easy job, with three classes a week. However, during the first year of university, the school requires students to attend evening self-study sessions. This particular day happened to be Monday, and Josh had just finished her tutoring class. Afraid of missing her evening self-study session, she had just managed to squeeze onto a bus.

After being blocked from departing by a domineering middle-aged woman, the bus finally made its way through the bustling and congested Hujiang Road and started moving normally.

The bus was packed with people, with everyone's toes touching the heels of the person in front of them. The driver, like a retired race car driver, was drifting and fishtailing with such style that he almost threw Josh out of the window.

There were people all around her, so she didn't have to worry about falling and couldn't move at all. Once the number of passengers decreased slightly, Josh was finally able to turn around.

The bus is like a vegetable market.

Josh, wearing headphones, faced the car window, gripping the handrail with one hand, and closed his eyes to rest. In a daze, he felt something pressing against his right arm.

Unable to turn around easily, Josh glanced at the culprit. To her right, a boy with a huge, bulging backpack was chatting with his girlfriend with his back to her.

Josh couldn't hear what they were talking about because she was wearing headphones, but when they got excited, the boy would lean back dramatically, and his backpack bumped into her right arm again. Josh was jolted and stumbled, twisting her body and bumping into the person on her left.

The driver's skillful maneuvers made her a little carsick, and Josh felt a bit uncomfortable and didn't want to talk, but the person next to her just wouldn't stop talking.

Josh turned his right foot to the right, then turned his bag around as well, placing it between the two of them to create a small gap so that he wouldn't be accidentally hurt again.

Before she could even settle down, even with her headphones on, Josh suddenly heard the person next to her start muttering to her.

I didn't hear exactly what it was, but I knew for sure that the person wasn't speaking Mandarin or a dialect.

However, based on her experience of watching anime for so many years since childhood, she quickly determined the origin of the language.

And what he said certainly wasn't anything nice; this person talked on and on, like a pea shooter who never stops.

The man's girlfriend couldn't dissuade him and eventually let him have his way.

Josh felt around and tried to move, but she couldn't move at all. She had planned to close her eyes and rest, not wanting to get distracted, but the other party's incessant behavior completely enraged her. Josh took a deep breath and was about to retaliate.

At that moment, the phone vibrated inside the bag.

Her phone rang.

She is Chen Zhiyu's homeroom teacher.

*

Chen Zhiyu rarely gets into conflicts with others, partly because his older brother is not someone to be trifled with. When Chen Zhiyu was in elementary school, his older brother, Chen Zhibin, would often wait for him at the school gate.

Furthermore, he's not the type to tease or provoke others.

But some people are just asking for trouble and like to cause problems everywhere. When this kind of problem occurs, it really can't be explained away with the excuse that 'it takes two to tango'.

He had never been in a fight and didn't know his true strength, but he secretly measured his height before the start of the semester and found that he was a few centimeters taller than during the summer vacation. This change excited Chen Zhiyu.

Unfortunately, he overestimated himself.

Chen Zhiyu had a few bruises on his face and was lying flat on the hospital bed. The hospital corridor was noisy. Hearing familiar footsteps, he turned his gaze to the door. Sure enough, Qiao Xi hurriedly pushed open the door and rushed to the bedside to check other parts of his body to make sure he was not injured.

"I'm fine."

Upon hearing this, Josh immediately lifted his eyelids and glared at him.

Chen Zhiyu obediently shut up.

Josh got off the bus and then took a taxi directly over. On the phone, Chen Zhiyu's homeroom teacher only said that he was at the hospital before hurriedly hanging up.

Josh didn't care about anything else and rushed to the hospital.

Chen Zhiyu lay on the bed, carefully observing Qiao Mai's expression.

Then I heard her say, "I've heard the whole story from your homeroom teacher. It's not your fault. It's just that one of your students was very rude. He just didn't want to change seats, and he even swore at people. He has no manners at all."

"Stay away from people like that in the future, and don't pay any attention to them." Judging from her tone, Chen Zhiyu knew that she was in a bad mood today. "I told his parents, I don't know if they will care, but I've vented my anger and I feel better now."

"You too, you hit and run away."

Josh was still angrily admonishing him, "It's okay to be brave, it's okay to fight for your rights, but before you decide to take action, you must think about the worst-case scenario and plan your response accordingly."

Children from families like theirs should be treated this way, but she didn't say the last part aloud.

"Sis, aren't you going to evening self-study?"

"What? Now you think I'm nagging? Why are you having evening self-study at this hour? I've asked for leave. I'll be going home for the whole week. If there's an 8 a.m. bus, I can catch the early bus." Josh rattled off a whole bunch of things in one breath. "I've also asked your homeroom teacher for leave. You'll be a day student for the whole week."

"Really?" Chen Zhiyu's eyes lit up suddenly, and he asked with a look of surprise, but then his expression dimmed as he carefully observed her expression. "Wouldn't that be too much trouble for you?"

"If you're really afraid of troubling me, then just behave yourself in a bit."

Chen Zhiyu listened quietly to her teachings, wanting to say something but still not daring to.

"The check-up is all done. The doctor looked at it and said it's nothing serious. Do you feel uncomfortable anywhere? If not, let's go home." From the beginning, Josh had been facing away from him with the back of her head, her back slightly hunched, and her voice sounded off. "What kind of person is she? How can she be so rude?"

"Sis, I fought back." His tone was a little proud, almost like he was showing off.

He wasn't sure if it was comforting, but he heard Josh laugh.

“No, I need to come up with some money. Do you think it’s better to learn Taekwondo or boxing?” Josh thought for a moment and calculated the money in his hand. “I’ll have to learn it in my spare time. How about this, you learn well in the future, and teach me after each class. That way, we can save some money.”

"Won't this be a waste?" Chen Zhiyu hesitated before speaking.

"What waste? What do you know? This is called investment."

On the bus home, Josh sat by the window and complained to him about the pervert he encountered on the bus. He kept rambling, "I really couldn't stand it and wanted to beat him up. But then I looked around and realized that if we really fought, I wouldn't be able to escape, and I would be outnumbered."

She was only a fist's distance from that man; if a fight broke out, Josh would have nowhere to hide.

"But there were other passengers on the bus."

“Don’t pin your hopes on others. We need to consider the worst-case scenario: what if those people don’t help you?” However, she quickly added, “But before I got off the bus, I gave him a good scolding, and then I got off.”

Just before getting off the bus, Josh spent nearly ten minutes moving to the back door. As they approached their stop, he started pointing at the man and cursing him.

Seeing that person's face turn pale and then red, yet he seemed unable to get through it, Josh felt a sense of satisfaction when he thought about it now.

Seeing Josh's smug look, Chen Zhiyu was genuinely happy. For some reason, he felt that Josh was different today.

Perhaps it's because the sunset was so beautiful today.

Maybe I don't have to stay at school today.

It could also be some other reason he hadn't considered.

“I’ve figured it out. He thought he was disgusting me, but he was just belittling himself. He doesn’t even dare to argue with me directly. What kind of man is he?” After saying that, Josh suddenly had a change of heart.

"Did you hear me? I don't have class tomorrow afternoon. Be waiting for me at the school gate after school."

"Okay." Speaking of tomorrow, Chen Zhiyu felt a surge of inexplicable anticipation and solemnly agreed.

For the next week, Chen Zhiyu looked forward to the end of school.

At this time of year, the weather hasn't turned cold yet. The warm sun shines on the way home from school. At the school gate, a girl is waiting casually, looking carefree.

As soon as the school bell rang, Chen Zhiyu was the first to run out. He had a smile on his face. When he saw the figure at the school gate, he straightened his backpack, waved his arms vigorously, and ran forward, his breathing rapid.

Step by step, I walked home from school.

Through the changing seasons, across the rolling years.

The surging heartbeat transformed into drumbeats, violently pounding against his chest. The blood in the young man's body flowed rapidly, like molten lava, threatening to burn him from the inside out.

The restless sunlight shone down, making the branches and leaves of the trees along the tree-lined path even brighter.

The dappled sunlight fell on his cool, handsome features, and the overflowing sunlight made his neat, short hair appear even darker. Chen Zhiyu stood tall and ran towards the main gate.

"Chen Zhiyu, let's go play basketball tomorrow." A voice hurried by.

Chen Zhiyu, carrying his schoolbag, hurried towards the school gate. As he ran, a cool breeze swept up his blue and white school uniform, clearly revealing the outline of his shoulder blades. In his haste, he pulled out one hand, his forearm muscles faintly visible, and waved his hand in refusal, "No, thank you."

Yao, surprised, ran in front of him, puffed out her chest, and blocked his way with her body. "You want to study? Seriously, it's summer vacation, you're not thinking of secretly studying, are you?"

"No." Chen Zhiyu felt that he couldn't explain it to him, so he stopped and thought for a moment before telling the truth, "Qiao Xi is coming back today."

Yao breathed a sigh of relief, "Alright, as long as it's not studying secretly."

"We'll talk about playing ball later," Chen Zhiyu said goodbye. "I'll let you know when the time comes."

Chen Zhiyu didn't waste a moment and immediately took the bus home, running all the way.

I jogged into the residential area, jogged into the building entrance, and jogged up the steps.

Chen Zhiyu stopped at the door of his house, his heart pounding nervously. He gripped the doorknob tightly with his long fingers, paused for a moment, and then continued.

The warm palms gripped the cold metal and pressed down gently.

The living room remained exactly as it had been a month before he left.

Chen Zhiyu froze, slowly turning his head to look at the kitchen, following the sound. On the familiar acrylic door panel were eighty sunflowers, each one golden and vibrant.

Chen Zhiyu clenched his fists tightly, his mind driving his legs to slowly step forward.

The kitchen door was half open. Inside, Josh was wearing a simple black and white floral loungewear set, her back to him. In the cramped space, the warm summer sun shone through the small window, bathing her slender figure in its light.

The window was open, and a gentle breeze blew in, lifting the hem of her thin clothes like fluttering butterflies.

Chen Zhiyu stared blankly for a long time, unsure of what to do, as if taking heavier steps would break the dream.

On the kitchen counter, there were seven or eight shopping bags filled with vegetables and fruits.

A plate of sliced ​​watermelon was neatly arranged, and the light, cool watermelon aroma wafted over on the breeze.

The space was quiet with only two people, and he could clearly hear the sound of water hitting the metal sink.

His heart was pounding, loud and rapid, his eardrums vibrating. Chen Zhiyu threw down his schoolbag, walked in, and unconsciously took a step forward, getting closer and closer to her.

Chen Zhiyu came to Qiao Xi's side, and the two squeezed in front of the already small sink. He reached out and took the potato that Qiao Xi was washing from her hand. The fresh potato was still covered in mud, and he carefully rubbed it off with his thumb.

Josh, leaning against the sink with one hand, turned to look at him without saying a word for a long time. Chen Zhiyu lowered his head, his long neck bent, presenting a soft curve.

Chen Zhiyu felt uncomfortable under her gaze and avoided her probing eyes. Then he heard her finally speak, commenting, "Not bad, you've grown taller."

Chen Zhiyu didn't know how he was feeling.

He should be glad she noticed his changes, but once that feeling of relief took root, he would greedily want more, such as praise in other areas. He replied indifferently, with a hint of dissatisfaction in his tone, "Six months."

After all, it had been six months since we last saw each other.

Only after he finished speaking did he openly turn his gaze to her, tracing her figure with his dark eyes, and softly said, "You've lost weight."

Josh touched her face in surprise and looked at him in astonishment. "Really? You're not kidding me, are you?"

Seeing the water droplets on her face, Chen Zhiyu lowered his head and gently wiped them away with the back of his hand. "Yes, I'm sure."

"How long will it be left this time?" Josh scratched his face, which was a little itchy, and asked again.

"One month."

"I guess I'll be a senior in high school next semester."

"Hmm, when are you going back to work?"

"About a week later, the company gave us a few days off, which is a good time to rest at home." Josh started his internship in his senior year of college, and after graduating, he worked for a branch office in another city for half a year.

This job is rare. Going to another city and then coming back will make it easier to get promoted, and the salary and benefits will be better.

Josh naturally didn't let this opportunity slip by.

The last time the two met was half a year ago, and it was only a brief encounter. Thinking about it, Chen Zhiyu felt depressed.

"Is there anything you want to eat? I see the fridge is empty. You need to take good care of yourself."

“I don’t come back often either.” In a daze, it was as if he had returned to a few months ago, and Chen Zhiyu’s heart tightened. “I’m fine with anything.”

Josh clicked his tongue lightly, "You know, 'whatever' is the most annoying thing."

What would you like to eat?

"You must be tired from going to school."

"You work even harder."

"Goodness, at this rate, neither of us needs to eat. If we keep praising each other, we'll both get over our hunger soon."