Chapter 14 014 Summer Sleep "I like you too, ever since two years ago..."
Xia Mian understood every word Pei Yan uttered.
The sentences that could be combined left her stunned.
He said he liked her.
He said he was serious.
The happiest thing in the world is when the person you like likes you back.
Xia Mian never dreamed that her unrequited love, which began two years ago, would not end without a trace, but would eventually receive a response from him.
The face-to-face phone call never ended, and Pei Yan's uneven breathing reached Xia Mian's ears through the phone.
"aestivation."
Perhaps because she had been silent for too long, Pei Yan called out her name.
"Um?"
As if waking from a summer slumber, my mind is in turmoil, and I can offer no other response.
Are you getting ready to leave work?
He walked towards Xia Mian step by step until he stopped in front of her and hung up the phone.
As graduate students enter the postgraduate stage, everyone jokingly refers to their supervisor as "boss" and considers themselves academic workers, treating coming to the lab like going to and from get off work.
"Okay." Xia Mian nodded in agreement.
Pei Yan chuckled softly upon hearing this, seemingly not urging her to give an answer, but instead continued, "Going back to the dorm? I'll take you."
"Hey, who's chasing us again?"
The senior student who bumped into the two of them a few days ago when she went back to the lab to get something had already figured out what was going on and teased them about it.
Xia Mian didn't care about anything else, grabbed Pei Yan's wrist, and pulled him towards the door.
After leaving the building, she remembered to let go of Pei Yan's wrist and actively distance herself from him. Although they were still walking together, there was a considerable distance between them.
Pei Yan couldn't help but find it amusing: "What's the panic?"
She took two steps away, and he took two steps closer, returning to her side, sighing plaintively, "Xia Mian, do I look that scary? You want to stay two meters away from me."
“No way!” Xia Mian immediately retorted.
Is it scary-looking?
Does this guy have any sense of his own face?
He's clearly incredibly handsome.
"If you don't, then don't keep avoiding me, okay?"
It was a show of weakness, yet also an attack; Pei Yan's gentleness was tinged with a strong presence as he gazed into her eyes.
His exquisite and beautiful peach blossom eyes, along with the beauty mark at the corner of his eye, were clearly reflected in her eyes, making her gasp for breath.
Under his gaze, she quietly lowered her head and nodded very slightly: "Mm."
The autumn campus is already bathed in golden hues.
The fallen leaves, which hadn't been swept away, covered the straight tree-lined path. They walked quietly side by side, with only a fist's distance between them, their sleeves occasionally brushing against each other.
After walking for a long time, Xia Mian finally said in a muffled voice, "Pei Yan, I'm not avoiding you, but..."
"And what is it?" Pei Yan stopped and seemed to stand closer to her, listening attentively to what she had to say.
“You said those things to me.” Xia Mian continued walking forward, her face suddenly turning red again. “I just suddenly don’t know how to get along with you anymore.”
Two months ago, he was still a distant iceberg.
Xia Mian was used to watching him from afar, but when he actually got closer to her, she felt a little lost and helpless.
“I understand.” Pei Yan remained calm and composed, following her steps, his eyes lowered in thought. After a moment, he said gently, “That might be because you don’t know me well enough.”
Xia Mian didn't know what he was going to say, so she glanced at him sideways.
He composed himself and finally spoke solemnly: "Perhaps I should introduce myself more. My name is Pei Yan."
Why?
She knows that.
Just as she was about to speak, she heard Pei Yan continue speaking beside her.
"Height 190cm, weight 79.5kg, I work out."
"I don't have many hobbies outside of studying, just music and calligraphy."
"I'm lucky that my school is the same as yours, so my academic qualifications are the same as yours."
"Being faithful in relationships is fundamental. I've only ever had feelings of 'liking' for one girl since I was a child, and that's you. I will continue to like you now and in the future."
"I hope to be a good boyfriend to you, so of course I can be gentle and considerate, emotionally stable, good-tempered, tolerant, and responsive to everything."
"As for being love-struck..."
"It's amazing that as long as it's related to you, it no longer carries any negative connotation, but is instead a compliment."
"Oh, and one more."
“I have no siblings. My parents have been doing scientific research in research institutes in other provinces for a long time. My aunt has been taking care of me all these years.”
"That's all I can think of for now. If you have any other questions, feel free to ask me anytime," Pei Yan concluded.
He actually said so much.
He doesn't boast about his looks and body proportions, nor does he seem to need to, because one glance is enough to tell that he is as perfect as a model.
But when he mentioned height and weight, Xia Mian already realized that he was completely comparing her to her ideal boyfriend list.
But what he actually told her was on a much larger scale, involving his private family affairs.
His honesty and sincerity moved Xia Mian deeply.
They continued walking side by side, their steps gradually synchronizing, but the atmosphere was completely different from the beginning; a gentle warmth lingered between them.
Xia Mian no longer wanted to avoid Pei Yan. Passersby occasionally glanced at them, but she did not keep her distance from Pei Yan.
Their fingertips and the backs of their hands would occasionally touch, initially as if it were unintentional or accidental. But neither of them moved away, and their arms actually drew closer together.
Later, Pei Yan took her hand.
His hands were warm and strong, completely enveloping her. Her heart fluttered, and instead of pulling away, she chose to hold them back.
Their clasped hands swayed gently in the wind.
The only sounds Xia Mian can hear are the falling leaves and her own heartbeat.
The road back to the dormitory was both so long and so short; before they knew it, they had walked hand in hand to the dormitory building.
"Is there anything else you want to say to me, Xia Mian?"
It seemed that the moment they reached the bustling dormitory building, Pei Yan reluctantly let go of his hand, but there were still unresolved matters he wanted to clarify.
The autumn wind was cool, but Xia Mian's hand had been warmed from holding it for so long, and his body heat still lingered in her burning palm.
She didn't speak, feeling ashamed to tell Pei Yan her true feelings in person.
A hint of disappointment flashed in Pei Yan's eyes, but he didn't insist. He still managed to hide his disappointment and said goodbye to her with a smile.
Xia Mian's tension, panic, and wild thoughts, all the emotions aroused by him, seemed to have all dissipated the moment he turned away.
But when she saw his back, Xia Mian clearly realized that she would still be sad.
She shouldn't have let him leave like that, she shouldn't have continued to be a coward, and she shouldn't have been afraid to face her own heart.
Over the past few days, he has been proceeding gradually, getting closer to her step by step, while also waiting for her to get closer.
She finally mustered her courage and quickly caught up with Pei Yan, grabbed his hand from behind, and whispered to him, "Don't go yet."
She walked up to him and stopped, still holding his hand. When she saw him looking at her, she blushed and lowered her head: "I also have something to say to you."
"Yes, I'm listening."
Pei Yan's other hand covered hers, holding her hands tightly, his fingertips gently caressing the back of her hand.
Xia Mian was truly flustered by his charm, her heart racing. Suddenly, she heard him chuckle softly, and she couldn't help but raise her eyes, both embarrassed and annoyed: "Don't bother me."
"Okay, I'll behave and not bother you."
Pei Yan slowly released her hand, patiently waiting for her to continue.
Despite the height difference, he could see her serious expression and every blink of her eyes.
She finally mustered up her courage, looked him in the eye, and responded to his feelings: "Be my boyfriend, Pei Yan."
“Because…” she blushed, paused, and then continued, “I like you too, I’ve liked you for two years.”
"Although I knew it before, it still feels very different when you tell me it yourself."
This time it was Pei Yan's turn to look unnatural, a smile involuntarily appearing on his lips, a mixture of youthful awkwardness and joy.
"What should I do, Xia Mian?" He took her hand again, his eyes filled with emotion. "I love hearing you say these things. I love you so much, even more than before."
"What? What should we do...?"
Xia Mian was dizzy from his words, and her hand, which was being held, felt a tingling sensation.
It was really not advisable to stay downstairs with him any longer; she was afraid she would faint on his shoulder. Xia Mian retained the last shred of rationality and withdrew her hand from his.
"I'm going upstairs now."
She fled the scene in a panic. After returning to her dormitory, she was still slowly calming down when she noticed her lips trembling as she drank water.
Having confessed their feelings for each other today, they are now boyfriend and girlfriend.
Having been single since birth for 23 years, I'm still finding it hard to adjust to this.
Oh my god, Pei Yan is her boyfriend now?
Is she really with Pei Yan?
Xia Mian couldn't help but be excited, and she also remembered how much her best friend Qinglan cared about their progress, so she immediately told Qinglan the news.
[Summer Sleep]: Ahem, I have something important to announce.
[Summer Sleep]: I'm no longer single, and I'm with Pei Yan.
[Qinglan]: Ahh ...
【Qinglan】：My heart is so comforted!
[Qinglan]: Tell me, tell me quickly, how far have you two gotten? Have you already reached the point of passion...?
【Summer hibernation】: To die in the summer.
[Summer Sleep]: We just got together ten minutes ago!
【Qinglan】: What's wrong with ten minutes?
【Qinglan】: Adult love is just that intense!
【Summer hibernation】: No way.
[Summer Sleep]: We just held hands.
[Summer Sleep]: And then I thought, he's really good at this.
[Summer Sleep]: I like him so much QAQ
【Qinglan】: Did you only hold hands?
【Qinglan】: You two are truly in pure love.
【晴岚】：However, speaking of which.
[Qinglan]: Where did your previous energy go? Xia Mian.
【Qinglan】: You can get all lustful just by looking at a handsome guy on Douyin, but you're actually quite shy when you're with your own boyfriend?
[Summer Sleep]: Ugh, you're so mean!
[Summer Sleep]: Talking big and reality are never the same!
[Summer Sleep]: Hmph, I'm not talking to you anymore.
【Qinglan】: Yes, yes, because she prioritizes her boyfriend over her friends. She went off to be all lovey-dovey with her boyfriend.
[Summer Sleep]: Where...?
While Xia Mian was still making excuses, her actions spoke louder than words. Although she didn't send Pei Yan a message, she started exploring his social circle.
The background of my WeChat Moments is the same as hers; it's obvious that I used her picture as the background.
As for the signature...
You are my fleeting, breathtaking moment.
This phrase echoes the four characters "A fleeting glimpse of beauty" that Pei Yan used to set her WeChat Moments. It's unclear when Pei Yan set it.
Xia Mian continued scrolling through his WeChat Moments.
Judging from the timing, the posting frequency is actually similar to that on his Douyin account, which clearly shows that Pei Yan is someone who doesn't use WeChat Moments much.
She didn't read the content carefully, but just scrolled down to the first item, which only took her a minute.
She looked at each item carefully: his parents and aunt's family, his calligraphy practice, videos of him singing, and photos of the moon taken outside the lab...
She was engrossed in reading when a new message popped up on WeChat from the owner of this Moments post.
[Pei Yan]: What are you doing?
Interestingly, it was at this moment that Xia Mian realized that such a seemingly ordinary inquiry no longer seemed ordinary if it came from someone she liked.
On the contrary, she had an overwhelming urge to confide in Pei Yan and wanted to chat with him.
After the physical contact in the afternoon, Xia Mian began to get used to being close to Pei Yan.
She no longer hid anything from Pei Yan, but told him frankly and directly.
[Summer Sleep]: I'm doing archaeology.
[Pei Yan]: Archeology?
【Summer Sleep】: Just looking at your old posts on social media.
[Pei Yan]: That might be boring.
【Summer hibernation】: Not bored.
【Summer Sleep】: Because it's yours.
How could she find it boring?
Since she fell in love with Pei Yan two years ago, she has watched every video he posted on Douyin at least ten times.
This was the first time she had seriously looked at Pei Yan's WeChat Moments.
When I first added her a few days ago, she was too nervous to look at the screen much, but now she can't stop looking at it.
【Summer Sleep】: It's a pity there are too few. I've almost finished watching them all. What a shame.
[Pei Yan]: Then I don't have that regret for now.
【Summer hibernation】: What does that mean?
[Summer Sleep]: Oh, you think I post too much on my Moments?
[Pei Yan]: To be precise, it's not that I dislike it.
【Pei Yan】: It means satisfaction.
Hmm, this guy really knows how to talk!
[Summer Hibernation]: That's more like it...
Pei Yan: That's right.
[Pei Yan]: Have you seen the latest post?
[Summer Sleep]: Not yet, what's wrong?
Xia Mian was extremely busy, constantly checking her WeChat Moments and switching back to reply to Pei Yan's messages, running between the two without wanting to put either down. Afraid of disrupting the order of her browsing, she specifically switched to her tablet to reply to Pei Yan's messages.
[Pei Yan]: Take a look first.
The fact that he said that clearly indicates there's something very special about him.
Summer hibernation sped up and finally saw the first one.
Published 5 minutes ago.
Post caption: Endless fireworks, the hand of a lover.
The picture shows Xia Mian lying on the lab table today, raising her hand to lift a strand of hair in profile.
In the photo, her hands are fair and slender, and her hair is jet black, as if every strand is shimmering.
Beautifully photographed.
This is Pei Yan's official announcement; he is revealing her existence to his friends on WeChat Moments.
They've only been dating for a short time, and he's already so impatient.
Xia Mian was both touched and shy. She saw in his WeChat private messages that he kept asking her questions.
[Pei Yan]: Have you seen it?
[Summer Sleep]: You...
[Summer Sleep]: You dare to take pictures of me without my permission.
[Pei Yan]: That's really awful.
[Pei Yan]: But we're even now, since we settled things with someone last time.
[Summer Sleep]: Huh? How did you know?!
[Summer Sleep]: Oh, my terrible memory.
[Summer Sleep]: You are [Valuri], and I told [Valuri] everything...
Xia Mian also sent the photo of Pei Yan's back against the backdrop of the sunset, which she had secretly taken, directly to [Valuri].
That is, it was sent to Pei Yan himself.
[Pei Yan]: So, do you like the photos of you that I took?
He probably really needs to confirm her true feelings.
Xia Mian stopped playing around with him and replied seriously.
[Summer Sleep]: I really like it.
[Summer Sleep]: You took a very good photo.
Pei Yan: That's good.
Pei Yan: So...
[Summer Sleep]: What?
[Pei Yan]: So, I'm going to change my phone's screen saver.
If she were to change it to her phone's screen saver, wouldn't everyone who saw Pei Yan's screen saver then know that she was Pei Yan's girlfriend?
Pei Yan couldn't see it, and Xia Mian blushed again.
[Pei Yan]: Also, I'd like to know your phone number.
[Summer Sleep]: Hmm?
[Summer Sleep]: Isn't WeChat enough?
[Pei Yan]: Not enough.
[Pei Yan]: I'm afraid I won't be able to contact you when there's no internet.
He has so many things on his mind.
[Summer Sleep]: Okay~
[Summer Sleep]: I'll send it to you.
【Summer hibernation】: etc.
[Summer Sleep]: I think I know your phone number.
[Pei Yan]: How did you know?
[Summer Hibernation]: A little embarrassed...
[Summer hibernation]: It's nothing.
[Summer Sleep]: I haven't thrown away the paper bag from when you bought medicine on Meituan.
Pei Yan: But...
Xia Mian then took out the yellow paper bag that was tucked between the books, glanced at it carefully, and calmly tossed it back onto the table.
[Summer Sleep]: It's okay, I forgot that Meituan hides the middle four digits.
He thought he had come up with a brilliant idea in a moment of quick thinking, but instead, he ended up revealing to Pei Yan that he had been keeping a Meituan medicine-buying paper bag as a keepsake...
【Pei Yan】：5031
【Pei Yan】: The hidden four-digit number.
[Pei Yan]: It's complete now.
He seemed to be trying to make her happy.
She did become happier, and her tone became much lighter.
[Summer Sleep]: Okay.
[Summer Sleep]: I've called, don't answer!
After a minute or two of silence, Xia Mian dialed and immediately hung up, while Pei Yan was adding a note to the phone number.
Not long after, another WeChat message came in.
【Pei Yan】: Already exists.
[Pei Yan]: Remember to add a note for me.
Xia Mian didn't add a note after dialing the number.
Only after his reminder did I start thinking about how to make a note.
If it were according to her old habits, she would have directly saved his contact name by his full name. But now their relationship was clearly different from others, and Xia Mian wanted his contact name to be special.
After much thought, Xia Mian had an idea and changed the nickname to...
“Valuri”
So special, so special that even her roommate Qiao Yilin didn't know who this person was when she passed by and saw them...
Summer Sleep had mixed feelings about this.
On the one hand, she felt that this form of address was too niche.
On the other hand, she originally wanted to keep it a secret from Qiao Yilin and the others, so that they wouldn't find out about her relationship with Pei Yan.
How can we explain this dilemma?
Xia Mian lay on the table, staring at the new message Pei Yan had sent.
[Pei Yan]: I'm going out to have dinner with my roommate later.
He started reporting his whereabouts, and everything seemed so natural.
But deep down, she still kept thinking about his "school heartthrob" title and felt that dating him would inevitably make her the center of attention.
She wasn't quite used to it yet. She could talk about anything with Qinglan, but she didn't know how to bring it up with ordinary friends, roommates, or even her parents.
She had absolutely no experience in this area.
She actually felt a little pressured about Pei Yan becoming her boyfriend.
Fortunately, the official photo he released was a side profile, so people who are not familiar with her might not be able to recognize her.
Thinking of this, Xia Mian relaxed a lot and replied to Pei Yan's message.
[Summer Sleep]: Got it.
When it was time for dinner, Xia Mian was too lazy to go out, so she ordered takeout.
Qiao Yilin, who was studying in the dormitory today, also received her takeout one after the other.
While eating, Xia Mian kept seeing new messages from Pei Yan, and for a moment she didn't even have time to turn on her favorite show, "Friends."
[Pei Yan]: The steamed sea bass at this restaurant is delicious. Let's eat together next time.
[Summer Sleep]: Okay, okay.
[Pei Yan]: I still remember that you liked Cantonese roast meat rice.
[Pei Yan]: Actually, I can do it.
[Summer Sleep]: Really? ☆_☆
[Pei Yan]: Cough, but I need to practice a bit more before I'm confident I can cook for you.
"Xia Mian, what are you grinning about while you're eating? Did you find some money?"
Qiao Yilin, who had finished eating first, noticed Xia Mian's unusual behavior as she turned to pack up the takeout boxes.
"I didn't find any money." Xia Mian turned around, unable to suppress the smile that was quietly curving her lips, her face flushed. "But... I found a very, very big treasure."
Pei Yan is definitely a treasure.
And she found it!
“Something’s not right, you’re acting really strange…” Qiao Yilin looked at Xia Mian with a suspicious gaze, trying to find out the real reason for her unusual behavior today.
However, Xia Mian was very tight-lipped, and she had never revealed her thoughts to Qiao Yilin, so Qiao Yilin had no way of guessing and had to give up in the end.
The night was dark.
In fact, Pei Yan, who was having dinner with his roommates outside all night, kept sending messages to Xia Mian.
Pei Yan was quiet for more than an hour. Xia Mian took a shower, changed into her fluffy pajamas, and was ready to go to sleep, but she started to toss and turn in bed again.
It's such a special feeling; my mind is filled with Pei Yan, who held her hand today.
Nobody ever told her that she couldn't sleep on the first day of a relationship!
Xia Mian tossed and turned a few times before receiving a call from Pei Yan.
Afraid that Qiao Yilin would hear, she deliberately burrowed under the covers and lowered her voice, asking, "What's wrong?"
“Nothing else, Xia Mian.” Pei Yan’s voice was low and affectionate, sounding like the wind blowing in from the window. “I just… miss you so much.”
Xia Mian, nestled in her blankets, felt embarrassed: "Didn't we just meet this afternoon?"
"I don't know why either." Pei Yan, who was opposite her, was just as shy and awkward as she was. "I don't know why you're all I can think about. I don't know why I wanted to see you again so much when we just met a few hours ago. I don't know why I ran to your dorm building at this time..."
"What?" Xia Mian caught the last sentence, her voice unconsciously rising a little. "Are you downstairs in my dorm right now, Pei Yan?"
“Yes.” Pei Yan paused, then advised, “But don’t come down, I might go back soon.”
"Perhaps?" Xia Mian questioned.
Fearing the noise would be too loud, Xia Mian hurriedly hung up the phone and switched to typing on WeChat.
[Summer Sleep]: How long have you been here?
[Summer Sleep]: Will you really go back immediately?
[Pei Yan]: Not long after.
[Summer Sleep]: So you really don't want me to come downstairs to see you?
[Summer Sleep]: Are you sure?
Pei Yan: Hmm...
[Pei Yan]: The osmanthus flowers downstairs are still blooming. Would you like to go downstairs and take a look at them?
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Author's Note: Hehehe, let's congratulate this young couple! [Heart emoji] Thank you for the nutrient solution and the "throwing" (a form of online commentary)!
The line "Endless fireworks fill the lover's hand" is still taken from the lyrics of "Pink Lightning".
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