Chapter 77 [VIP]

Thanks to the effective medicine that Xie Nanyi painstakingly found, Pei Xingzhi recovered quickly and was able to return home to continue his recuperation after only a week in the hospital.

Actually, the hospital had been urging Pei Xingzhi to leave for several days, but since Pei Xingzhi finally had a paid leave, it would be too dedicated of him to go back so soon.

Pei Xingzhi used his good looks to beg the nurse repeatedly, which finally allowed him to stay a few more days, barely making it a week.

Huo Miao laughed at him, saying he was already a grown man, yet he was using such low-class methods to avoid going to school like a child who didn't want to go. Pei Xingzhi shook his head like an experienced person, pretending to be profound, and said that Huo Miao would understand when he grew up.

Huo Miao shook his head and made a face at him, indicating that he wouldn't listen to his nonsense. Pei Xingzhi always used the excuse of being an adult to lecture him, but in his eyes, Pei Xingzhi was hardly an adult, only a few years older than him.

After packing his things, Pei Xingzhi took out his phone to call a taxi, but Huo Miao stopped him, saying with a hint of guilt, "Um... no need to call a taxi, Xie Nanyi said he'll pick you up."

"Really? Okay then." Pei Xingzhi didn't react as strongly as Huo Miao had expected; he simply nodded and put down his phone. "He's been staying at the shop these past few days...?"

"Who? Hmm. He has nowhere else to go." Huo Miao seemed to want to say something on Xie Nanyi's behalf, but was afraid that Pei Xingzhi was still bothered. Even though Pei Xingzhi said he had let go, he didn't seem like he had really let go at all.

No one who wants to be in a relationship is so bitter and resentful.

Huo Miao's thoughts were written all over his face, and Pei Xingzhi didn't even need to bother guessing what he was thinking. He didn't speak, but just looked down at his phone screen.

It's been ringing nonstop since just now, and only Huo Miao would not have noticed it.

"Little brother, don't overthink it." Pei Xingzhi stuffed his jingling phone back into his pocket, stood up, walked to Huo Miao's side, and snapped his fingers in front of him. "Put your bag on tight, Xie Nanyi is here to pick us up."

"Huh? What? How did you know? Do you have X-ray vision?" Huo Miao, still immersed in her own world, was startled by Pei Xingzhi's words. The imagination of a teenager in his chuunibyou phase is also strange and wonderful. Before Pei Xingzhi could answer, Huo Miao started babbling a bunch of things.

"What nonsense are you spouting?" Pei Xingzhi gave Huo Miao a disdainful look, then pulled out his phone, somewhat speechless. "Of course, it's Xie Nanyi who messaged me."

"Huh?" Huo Miao was still a bit disconnected.

The plot doesn't seem to be following the route he planned. How did Pei Xingzhi already contact Xie Nanyi? Weren't they supposed to be having a cold war? Now that they've made up, what's the point of him being the mediator? These two are completely clueless!

"Are you stupid?" Seeing his dazed look, Pei Xingzhi quickly took a picture and sent it to Chu Ling.

This silly kid didn't inherit any of his brother's shrewdness.

"Let's go. Xie Nanyi has been waiting downstairs for almost half an hour." Pei Xingzhi glanced at the time; if they didn't leave soon, there would be a traffic jam on the road.

"Half an hour?!" Huo Miao's eyes widened.

Does that mean Pei Xingzhi already knew Xie Nanyi was coming to pick him up? What about all that caution he showed just now?

Huo Miao stood there pondering when Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi had started their affair behind his back. Pei Xingzhi couldn't help but slap him on the head with his phone and then pulled Huo Miao downstairs by the strap of his bag.

Xie Nanyi's car was parked at the entrance, and he stood outside. His tall figure could be seen from afar. Although he was just standing at the entrance waiting for someone, his good looks and physique made it seem like a fashion shoot.

"It's all because he's too handsome." Pei Xingzhi glanced at the crowd of people taking pictures around him and silently complained in his heart.

"Is there any procedure? Why are you so late?" Pei Xingzhi had just hooked his arm around Huo Miao as they stepped out of the hospital building when Xie Nanyi jogged over and took the things from Pei Xingzhi's hands. Her eager and ardent gaze swept over Pei Xingzhi's entire body. If no one was around, Pei Xingzhi had no doubt that Xie Nanyi would press his head down and give him a deep kiss.

...

It seems that some people might not be able to do it.

Thinking this, Pei Xingzhi used his right hand to push Huo Miao aside, then grabbed Xie Nanyi's collar, forcing him to lean down, and gently kissed him.

"You you you!!!! You guys! Ahhhhhh! What are you doing?!" Xie Nanyi, who was "forcefully kissed," didn't react strongly, but Huo Miao, who was just watching from the sidelines, started to act out of character and went crazy.

His finger trembled as he pointed at the two kissing in public, stammering as he berated them for being immoral.

Is this the speed at which a decent person socializes? He previously thought Pei Xingzhi was a conservative person, but... how is he conservative at all?!

"Shh." Pei Xingzhi released Xie Nanyi's collar, turned to Huo Miao and made a "shh" gesture. Xie Nanyi cooperated by covering Huo Miao's mouth and smiled apologetically at the surrounding onlookers. "Don't shout in public."

Kissing and hugging at the hospital entrance isn't exactly uncommon; after all, birth, aging, illness, death, joy, and sorrow all happen in hospitals, so people are used to it. It was only because the protagonists today were so strikingly attractive that they stopped to watch for a moment. Once the show was over, they laughed and dispersed to attend to their own business, leaving poor Huo Miao alone to slowly process the shock Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi had caused him.

Even after Xie Nanyi shoved her into the car, Huo Miao was still a little disoriented.

"You... how did you two get together again?" He was busy collecting interest, did these two already know all along?

Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi exchanged a glance, then watched Huo Miao's panic through the rearview mirror.

When did he and Xie Nanyi start their relationship?

It was probably on the first day of my hospitalization.

Xie Nanyi always had a backup plan. Although he had previously bribed Huo Miao to put in a good word for him, Xie Nanyi didn't really trust Huo Miao's abilities. He never trusted anyone else to handle matters related to Pei Xingzhi, and besides, Huo Miao didn't seem like a reliable person at all.

Compared to others' encouragement, Xie Nanyi prefers to take the initiative herself.

Long ago, when Xie Nanyi first heard Pei Xingzhi's name, this is how people described him: "A very hardworking, diligent, and strong Beta."

This misconception was Xie Nanyi's initial impression of Pei Xingzhi, leading him to believe for a long time that Pei Xingzhi was an ambitious person who had risen from humble beginnings. Because of this misconception, Xie Nanyi initially used many wrong methods to approach him, until Pei Xingzhi's first cold war with him made him realize that the real Pei Xingzhi was completely different from the image he had imagined.

Pei Xingzhi wasn't strong at all; on the contrary, he was very good at running away. Whenever something didn't go his way, he would immediately withdraw all his attitude and thoughts, completely detach himself from the situation, and then quietly slip away. Xie Nanyi had suffered enough at Pei Xingzhi's hands, and now she was determined not to give him that chance to escape.

Xie Nanyi doesn't have many other skills, but he's certainly good at being shameless.

He used to harass Pei Xingzhi with his Pumpkin Party account, and now he's just using a different method. As long as he harasses him frequently enough, even Pei Xingzhi will eventually give in and give in.

Pei Xingzhi compromised very easily.

Having been warned by Huo Miao beforehand, Pei Xingzhi was actually prepared when faced with Xie Nanyi's harassment.

Pei Xingzhi didn't have many friends. Uncle Ge was not his age, and Chu Ling was thousands of miles away. When Pei Xingzhi first arrived, the only person he could confide in was the Pumpkin Party. Although he was clingy, Pei Xingzhi, who was at his lowest point, needed such a clingy "friend" to comfort him and help him emerge from this boundless loneliness.

Pumpkin Party is a great emotional release machine. It's no exaggeration to say that Xie Nanyi was there for Pei Xingzhi through his disappointment and breakdown over the past two years.

That day, after arguing with Xie Nanyi in the store, he cut off all contact with Xie Nanyi's accounts. Until the first day of his hospitalization, Pei Xingzhi lay in his hospital bed looking at his quiet phone and suddenly felt like something was missing.

He actually disliked being alone at all, and sometimes he wanted someone to keep him company. He had long been used to this person being by his side, and it seemed he could no longer completely leave Xie Nanyi.

This was a dangerous sign. Pei Xingzhi was unsure if he had the courage to take this step. Just as he was hesitating, Xie Nanyi arrived.

He deliberately chose the time when Huo Miao was out to visit Pei Xingzhi. Pei Xingzhi expressed his unwelcomeness, but Xie Nanyi only listened to what he wanted to hear. After making sure no one was in the corridor, he began his clichéd declaration of love. Xie Nanyi was like a greedy robber, ransacking Pei Xingzhi's heart the moment they met. He ostentatiously proclaimed his love, attempting to move Pei Xingzhi with his not-so-melodious sweet talk and make him change his mind.

Pei Xingzhi sat on the hospital bed with his head tilted to the side, neither saying yes nor no.

He suddenly realized that he and Xie Nanyi were both very childish.

Even children don't play this game anymore, but these two adults are having a blast. The chase game always has an end, and Xie Nanyi has chased far enough; it seems he should stop and relax a bit.

"Pei Xingzhi, if you don't refuse, then I'll take that as your agreement." Xie Nanyi chewed on the "love lunch" that Huo Miao had made for Pei Xingzhi, and then brought out her own meal to replace Pei Xingzhi's lunch.

Pei Xingzhi found Xie Nanyi's childish behavior both amusing and exasperating. He looked closely at Xie Nanyi, who seemed to have some deep-seated hatred for food, and gently asked, resting his chin on his hands, "Xie Nanyi, what would you do if I agreed to be with you?"

"Hmm!" The surprised answer came too suddenly. Xie Nanyi covered her bitten lower lip, casually tossed Huo Miao's "love lunch" aside, and sat down on Pei Xingzhi's bedside, answering vaguely, "I'll marry you."

"You're dating me just to get married?" Pei Xingzhi was somewhat dissatisfied with Xie Nanyi's answer. Although he wasn't a romantic, Xie Nanyi's answer was far too unromantic.

"Because I want to live with you legally until death, of course we have to get married first." Only with a formal status can we discuss other things. He wanted Pei Xingzhi to affirm his value in being by his side.

Before Pei Xingzhi could give his consent, Xie Nanyi, as if she had received his tacit approval, cupped his face in her hands, her focused expression suggesting she was contemplating the most suitable way to kiss him.

"Do you want to kiss me?" Pei Xingzhi teased.

"Yes." Xie Nanyi nodded honestly.

“But I haven’t agreed to be with you yet, so you can’t kiss me.” Pei Xingzhi shook his head slightly, then extended his index finger to press against Xie Nanyi’s lips, pushing his head away.

"So when will you agree to be with me?"

"Let me think about it?"

"When can you make up your mind?" Xie Nanyi persisted, as if she absolutely had to hear an answer today.

“Then let’s wait until I kiss you first,” Pei Xingzhi replied.

-

"So what's your answer?" Xie Nanyi asked Pei Xingzhi, her tone full of confidence.

"I agree." Pei Xingzhi smiled, coughed lightly, and continued, "Focus on driving. I don't want to get into an accident."

The two of them played the role of riddle solvers, leaving Huo Miao alone in the back seat, feeling guilty and confused.

He ignored the ambiguous atmosphere between the two and stubbornly squeezed his head between them.

"What are you talking about? No, you still haven't told me when you made up! Why have you been keeping it from me?!"

"Oh, I almost forgot about you." Pei Xingzhi turned around with a mischievous grin, reaching out to pinch Huo Miao's ear. "Little Huo Miao, what do you want to eat today?"

"Can I choose?" Huo Miao shrank back, trying to back away, but with her ears in Pei Xingzhi's hands, she couldn't retreat much. "Actually... I don't really want to eat anything. You're feeling better, let's go home. I'll cook for you when we get home..."

"Is that so? You really don't want to eat it?"

"No, I don't want to."

“But I think…” Pei Xingzhi said sinisterly. “You’ve been ripping off Xie Nanyi a lot of money these past few days, haven’t you? You’re paying for today’s meal.”

"..." Could he possibly say no?

A note from the author:

The offline events weren't forgotten; they just didn't attend, so that part wasn't written about.

It's almost over!