Chapter 26: Why is he still taking advantage of others?
His thoughts suddenly returned, and a trace of lingering sorrow remained in his eyes, which was concealed by his long eyelashes the moment he lifted his eyelids.
"Um?"
Xie Lin looked at him suspiciously. "What are you thinking about?"
Si Yue and Song Shiyi also turned to look, their eyes filled with curiosity.
After his sister was mentioned, He Jinzhao fell silent and didn't say a word.
Meeting the gazes of the three people above him, He Jinzhao shook his head and smiled, his expression as nonchalant as ever.
"nothing."
"What? Did you call me for something?"
Xie Lin didn't press further, and pointed to the convenience store in front of him, saying, "I'm going to buy a bottle of water, do you want me to get one for you?"
I ate too much just now.
I'm a little thirsty.
Considering that He Jinzhao is not only his good friend, but also gave him a car today, and even treated him to dinner tonight, he's willing to go.
Both morally and logically, he should have politely asked.
It's definitely not because I'm afraid I won't be able to get any more freebies in the future.
"I want to drink it, I want to drink it. Can you bring me a bottle too?" Si Yue said with a smile.
Xie Lin glanced at her and scoffed softly.
"You can think about it. If you want to drink it, go buy it yourself."
Si Yue choked, but surprisingly didn't argue with him.
Because she suddenly realized that she might have indeed been a bit presumptuous.
After all, she and Xie Lin weren't really that close yet, and she just blurted it out without thinking.
She nodded, then turned to Song Shiyi and asked, "Yiyi, is there anything you'd like to drink?"
Song Shiyi: "Either is fine."
"OK."
Without pausing, she walked toward the convenience store.
Xie Lin, who was ignored: "..."
His brows furrowed slightly, his gaze fixed on the girl's tall, slender back, his expression unreadable.
However, she quickly composed herself, regaining her previous listless demeanor. After turning her head to confirm the answer with He Jinzhao again, she casually put her hands in her pockets and followed slowly behind Si Yue.
In the midst of the noisy crowd, Song Shiyi and He Jinzhao were suddenly left alone together.
A summer breeze carrying a hint of heat swept by, and streetlights lit up one after another, casting a warm glow on the night.
The surrounding area was bustling with people, laughing and talking, full of vibrant life.
The two found a bench and sat down. As soon as they sat down, the atmosphere suddenly fell silent.
He Jinzhao's emotions remained stagnant due to the surging memories of his childhood.
He crossed his arms over his chest, his back pressed against the cold chair, his long eyelashes drooping heavily, concealing the darkness in his eyes, his expression as indifferent as if shrouded in mist.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Song Shiyi sitting quietly beside him, and a trace of annoyance flashed across his eyes.
What is he doing?
How can I bring my bad mood to her?
He quickly suppressed all his negative emotions, a faint smile curving his lips. Just as he was about to turn his head and say something, the girl suddenly raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the top of his head with a soothing gesture.
"...!"
He Jinzhao froze, his face suddenly blank, his eyelashes, which had been drooping, trembled violently, and his pupils instantly shrank to a point.
The moment his fingertips touched the top of his head, He Jinzhao seemed to be put on pause.
His chin, which was half-raised in preparation for speaking, suddenly stopped, his arms, which were crossed over his chest, tightened abruptly, his knuckles curled unconsciously, and even his back taut into a slightly trembling line.
The force contained utter helplessness, as if it hadn't expected such a sudden touch.
The daze in his pupils hadn't faded when his eyelashes trembled slightly twice more.
A familiar yet unfamiliar warmth spread down my spine from the top of my head, stirring up a sweet feeling in my heart.
By the time He Jinzhao realized what was happening, the tips of his ears had already turned a light red.
He gazed at Song Shiyi's drooping eyelashes, a faint smile spreading from the corners of her lips to the depths of her eyes, softening even her gaze.
He even subconsciously lowered his head slightly so that the hand could land more steadily on his hair, like a big dog seeking a pet.
A subtle tremor filled the air, each breath causing hearts to race, an indescribable allure silently spreading in all directions.
Suddenly, He Jinzhao chuckled softly, his voice seductive and languid, his exquisite eyebrows and eyes strikingly beautiful under the light.
"Xiao Shiyi, how dare you take advantage of me?"
Song Shiyi seemed to realize that something was wrong and hurriedly withdrew his hand.
Her eyelashes trembled slightly as they drooped, and she subconsciously bit her lower lip, her fingertips tense with a hint of nervousness.
She herself couldn't explain why she suddenly did such a thing.
Seeing him like that just now, I felt inexplicably tense.
She didn't want to see He Jinzhao unhappy.
In her memory, He Jinzhao was always carefree and unrestrained.
He casually raised an eyebrow and smiled freely, as if there was nothing in this world that could stump him.
She had never seen him look like that before.
Loneliness enveloped him like a thin mist, his eyes held a sense of confusion, and even his aura exuded a gloomy air, as if he were trapped in a world that no one could understand.
She didn't know why he was like this and wanted to cheer him up.
But she couldn't even bring herself to say a word of comfort.
This feeling of helplessness surged up again, and she couldn't help but feel frustrated, wondering why she had gotten this disease.
So she used the same method that He Jinzhao had used to comfort her to comfort him.
She looked up at He Jinzhao, slowly raised her hands, and began to use sign language.
"You comforted me like that before too."
He Jinzhao's expression suddenly froze. These words were like a key, instantly unlocking the floodgates of his memory.
That day was Song Shiyi's first monthly exam in high school, and the results were not as good as she had imagined.
He barely made it into ninth place in the grade.
Compared to consistently ranking first in junior high school, there is indeed a sense of disappointment.
It just so happened that Shen Yan had resigned from his job to participate in a competition in another city during that time, and specifically entrusted him to take good care of Song Shiyi.
After school, he went to her classroom to find her, but saw the little girl lying listlessly on her desk. Even her usually high ponytail, which looked energetic, was drooping and lifeless.
He Jinzhao thought she had been bullied, and his heart jumped.
Upon further questioning, it was discovered that it was about grades.
He breathed a sigh of relief, raised an eyebrow, and his flamboyant and unrestrained spirit returned: "I thought it was something serious. It's just that I haven't adapted yet. Don't be so self-deprecating."
But Song Shiyi still frowned, not quite letting go of her feelings.
He Jinzhao sighed softly, bent down slightly, put one hand in his pocket, and gently placed the other hand on the top of her head, rubbing it soothingly.
Song Shiyi was stunned, slowly raised her head, and met his eyes.
The boy's eyes were as clear as lake water on a sunny day, his usual laziness gone, replaced by a softer, more tender gaze.
His voice was clear and gentle, with a hint of amusement.
"You've done a great job."
"Don't be upset, at worst... I'll tutor you."
"Your happiness is more important than perfection."
The sunlight slanted in through the window, casting dappled shadows on the ground, perfectly framing his tall, imposing figure.
The boy wore a clean blue and white school uniform. His profile was delicate and three-dimensional, and the wisps of hair on his forehead were slightly ruffled by the wind. His drooping eyelashes trembled gently.
She sat in her seat, wearing the same school uniform, which looked somewhat oversized.
Her waist-length hair was tied up high, and a few stray strands of hair at her temples were stirred by the wind, making the tips of her ears turn slightly red.
One was standing, and the other was sitting.
One looked down, the other looked up.
One is gentle and obedient, the other is unrestrained and rebellious.
It seems that from that day on, the distance between them became much closer than before.
For He Jinzhao, it was indeed an unforgettable memory.
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