After listening to her boyfriend's explanation, Ji Qingqian paused slightly:
"So, that's how you met the senior student? No wonder you two are so close... Ah Bei, you're such a nice guy."
My older sister must have been really upset when her family went through such a big change.
With Ji Qingqian's limited imagination, she could not possibly comprehend that kind of excruciating pain.
"Wrong."
Lu Yibei laughed and said, "Xia Li and I are classmates, and we've known each other for a long time. And it's not that I started hanging out with her because of what happened to her, it's just that... well, because of my mom, we became a little closer after what happened to her, so I started hanging out with her... oh no, rather, it's precisely because 'it's not that I started hanging out with her because of what happened to her' that she's willing to hang out with me."
hard to pronounce.
Ji Qingqian didn't quite understand.
In fact, so much time has passed, and Lu Yibei was just a junior high school student at the time.
I don't remember many of the details related to the case.
He only remembers things that happened at school.
At first, the rumor circulating at school was that Xia Li's father had died in a fight.
Many people felt he deserved it and viewed Xia Li with prejudice. Some were aware of this, while others might not have felt it, but when discriminatory gazes take hold, bullying inevitably follows.
"But who is Brother Pear? He curses back when he's insulted, and fights back when he's bullied. He's like a little tyrant on campus, and he's not afraid of anyone."
Lu Yibei laughed and said, "Hey, don't let your short stature fool you. Back when everyone was still young, the difference wasn't that noticeable..."
Ji Qingqian: ...
If the senior student heard this, she would want to jump up and slap Ah Bei across the face.
"But things changed later," Lu Yibei continued. "After the other party was convicted of intentional homicide, and Xia Tudou's father was convicted of self-defense, the atmosphere at school completely changed. Those who spread rumors, spoke ill of Xia Li, bullied her, and insulted her all changed their tune. Plus, those who were originally kind-hearted people started to sympathize with Xia Tudou and were careful around her, afraid of saying the wrong thing and hurting her feelings—your Pear Brother can't stand this the most; if someone hits her, she can hit back. But she doesn't know how to treat those who pity her. No matter what their purpose is, it's always out of good intentions. She can't scold or hit them; it will only make her feel uncomfortable."
Lu Yibei smiled, then pondered for a moment and commented, "Although Xia Tudou is a girl, I truly respect her as a tough guy."
…
"I was in a lot of pain at that time."
Xia Li still frowned slightly as she recalled: "It felt like everyone thought I was snow falling in Jiangnan, that I would melt if touched. I was indeed very sad when my father passed away unexpectedly, but that was my family's business, what did it have to do with them? I didn't like that."
"Then, Brother Bei came to visit me."
“At first, I felt uncomfortable, like Brother Bei and his group, who approached me on purpose because they felt sorry for me.”
"But I can't help it, he's Aunt Lu's son, and I can't give him the cold shoulder no matter what."
"But as we played, I felt that Brother Bei was different."
“He would sneak a bite while we were eating.”
"They buy me a soda, then turn around and ask me to buy them a popsicle."
"We skipped class together to buy oden, and he ate the most of it."
"And he even asked me to play basketball with him. He was already over 1.7 meters tall in the third year of junior high! Playing basketball with me? Is this something someone who pities me would do?"
As Xia Li spoke, the gloom between her brows vanished: "When we're together, they treat me the same way they treat Brother Bei, Atao, and Dadong—they're good friends. The kind of good friends who are safest when there's danger, and most dangerous when things are safest."
"We skipped classes together, stood in the corner as punishment together, played ball together, and went to the countryside to catch frogs and crayfish during holidays. Around that time, my family opened a cake shop, and they practically came every day to freeload..."
Listening to Xia Li's innocent and leisurely words, Li Si recalled the golden and youthful days they spent together.
He couldn't help but look towards Lu Yibei.
I wanted to say something, but I didn't.
He just chuckled and said, "That's really good."
Xia Li, unusually quick-witted, noticed the unusual expression on Li Si's face:
I know what you're thinking.
"ah?"
“With Bei-ge’s intelligence, even if he pretends that he’s not playing with me out of pity, I won’t be able to tell, right?” Xia Li stared at the fox with her round eyes.
I wonder if becoming his girlfriend increases his aura.
Li Si, who had been calm and composed when facing this girl, was now sweating a little as he was questioned.
However, this is something Xia Li has firmly believed since childhood, and it is indeed something she should be prepared for.
"But that's definitely not the case."
Xia Li nodded firmly: "Because we didn't keep in touch much during our three years of high school!"
…
There's something I've always found strange.
After thinking for a moment, Ji Qingqian asked, "You and your senior from high school were quite close, why did you lose contact in high school?"
Lu Yibei chuckled: "Because we went to different high schools, it's normal to have less contact. That's how it is with my other junior high friends, so of course Xia Li will be the same. Why make an exception?"
Ji Qingqian seemed to be deep in thought, then asked, "You really don't... pity her?"
Lu Yibei looked out the window and smiled faintly, "So much time has passed, who can remember clearly... Let's just pretend it never happened."
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