Chapter 65 Don't get in my way of attracting attention! ...
What a coincidence?
With so many movies and so many empty seats, he just had to sit right behind her.
You call that a coincidence?!
Peng Chengyi's lips twitched slightly, and she couldn't help but ask in a low voice, "...Why are you here to watch a movie too?"
Chen Yubai slumped loosely in his seat, the screen's light flickering on his face, obscuring his expression. He lazily lifted his eyelids, his voice slightly hoarse as if he had just woken up, and said casually, "Oh, Zhou Haochen, he insisted on watching it, so I had no choice but to go with him."
"Huh? When did I clamor for..." Zhou Haochen, who was called out, turned his head inexplicably, looking innocent and about to defend himself, when Xiao Yan next to him elbowed him without any politeness, "Shut up."
"..." Zhou Haochen swallowed back the words he was about to say, blinked twice, and looked completely bewildered, as if asking, "Who am I? Where am I? What did I say wrong?"
Peng Chengyi glanced at Chen Yubai with increasing curiosity.
He acted as if nothing had happened, shrugged, casually picked up a popcorn from the bucket and popped it into his mouth, asking with a hint of innocence, "What? Wasn't the band rehearsal canceled this afternoon? Can't I just come to see a movie to relax?"
He paused, glancing at Ke Xingjian beside her: "Besides, your student council didn't book the whole place, there are so many empty seats, of course I would buy this prime spot, is that not allowed?"
"..." Peng Chengyi was stunned for a moment, speechless by this series of seemingly reasonable yet unfalsifiable logics.
Oh well, let him do whatever he wants.
It has nothing to do with her.
She snorted inwardly and simply turned her face back to the big screen.
Ke Xingjian, standing beside him, turned his face away, his gaze darkening in the shadows as he looked at Chen Yubai.
Chen Yubai continued to casually chew popcorn, only raising his eyebrows slightly in a provocative manner.
Ke Xingjian pursed his thin lips slightly, subtly withdrawing his gaze. He naturally pushed the bucket of popcorn beside him towards the armrest between their seats, leaning slightly towards her. He lowered his voice and said gently, "I bought too much, let's eat some together?"
"Ah... thank you, senior." Peng Chengyi hesitated for a moment, then responded softly and reached out to take it.
However, the next second, she clearly felt a gaze falling heavily from the back of her head, like a needle tip, making the back of her neck feel hot.
Her heart tightened, but she pretended nothing was wrong and continued to stare at the screen before reaching for the second one.
Unexpectedly, her fingertips brushed against the back of Ke Xingjian's hand. The touch was icy cold, like an electric current running through her palm.
Peng Chengyi quickly withdrew her hand, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment. She subconsciously looked up at Ke Xingjian, feeling awkward, afraid that he might misunderstand something.
However, Ke Xingjian only paused slightly, then a knowing smile appeared in his eyes. He gently shook his head at her, indicating that it was alright.
Peng Chengyi breathed a slight sigh of relief and was about to return an apologetic smile when a clear cough came from behind her without warning. It was low and deep, with a hint of deliberate impatience, abruptly interrupting the delicate atmosphere.
She turned around almost reflexively, and instantly met Chen Yubai's dark eyes.
The flickering light and shadow on the screen made his gaze appear as deep and unfathomable as a still pool.
Before she could decipher the meaning in his eyes, he had already stretched out his long arm, reached across the gap between the seats, and stuffed the bucket of popcorn in his hand into her arms.
"It's yours." He said in a flat, even somewhat curt, tone, "I suddenly feel a bit nauseous."
"?" Peng Chengyi was completely stunned, and subconsciously hugged it tightly, the rich milky smell wafting over.
She looked down at the bucket of popcorn that had suddenly appeared in her arms, then looked up at Chen Yubai's expressionless face, which inexplicably made her feel displeased. She was completely baffled.
What kind of operation is this?
Holding a large bucket of popcorn, she turned to Ke Xingjian somewhat helplessly, her voice trembling with confusion: "Senior... um, I have some too, you can take this bucket and eat it yourself."
Ke Xingjian glanced at the bucket of popcorn in her arms, his gaze darkening almost imperceptibly, but a faint smile remained on his lips as he took his own popcorn back: "Okay."
As the familiar opening theme music played on the big screen, Peng Chengyi stared at the flickering screen, her mind working like a wound-up machine, unable to stop herself from analyzing Chen Yubai's motives for his actions.
This dog... could it be suffering from some kind of paranoia?
Does he think that anything given to him by others, except for things he handled, is poisonous?
He also said he felt nauseous, and that he had heard some mental illnesses can indeed affect appetite and digestion.
The more she thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. Her heart felt like it was being scratched by a kitten's claws, and she couldn't concentrate on a single frame of the movie.
Finally, unable to resist any longer, she secretly took out her phone, turned the brightness to the lowest setting, opened her WeChat chat with Chen Yubai, and quickly tapped the screen: "I think you should perhaps take some time to see the school's counseling center?"
Chen Yubai: "?"
Peng Chengyi: "Persecutory delusions and loss of appetite can both be early signs of mental illness."
Peng Chengyi: "The sooner the better, don't delay!"
Chen Yubai: "..."
Chen Yubai: "I suggest you go see a neurologist first."
Peng Chengyi gritted her teeth and quickly typed: "Hey! I'm genuinely concerned about you!"
Chen Yubai: "Oh, then I don't need to book a neurology appointment."
Peng Chengyi had just thought that this dog had finally uttered a human word when the next message popped up—
Chen Yubai: "So stupid, there's no hope for him."
"..."
Peng Chengyi's chest heaved with anger. He slammed the phone off and tossed it back into his bag.
That dog! Let him fend for himself!
-
The movie ended, and it was almost dinnertime.
Ke Xingjian stood up, turned his head naturally, and looked at Peng Chengyi, who was putting on her coat: "Want to go out for dinner together?"
Although she still felt a little uncomfortable having dinner alone with Ke Xingjian, at this moment, she was so angry with a certain dog that she just wanted to contradict him. She nodded, her voice deliberately lighthearted: "Okay! What would you like to eat, senior?"
"A new Chongqing hot pot restaurant just opened nearby, and the reviews are pretty good. Would you like to try it?" Ke Xingjian leaned slightly forward, seeking her opinion.
"I'm fine with anything..." Peng Chengyi's words were only halfway out when, as if by a magnet, a cool, hard voice precisely pulled in from behind.
"The band has to rehearse tonight, so what should we eat for hot pot?"
Peng Chengyi suddenly turned his head and saw that Chen Yubai had also stood up at some point, with one hand in his pocket and a cold expression on his face.
"Rehearsal?" Her brows furrowed instantly. "Wasn't it supposed to be tomorrow afternoon?"
"The plan has changed, it's tonight now." Chen Yubai's tone was calm, but his eyes seemed to have invisible hooks as they lightly swept across Ke Xingjian's face.
"Hey? When was it changed? How come I didn't..." Zhou Haochen was about to come over and ask when Xiao Yan pulled him aside and muttered, "Can't you be a little more perceptive?"
Zhou Haochen's gaze swept back and forth between Chen Yubai, Peng Chengyi, and Ke Xingjian twice before he finally belatedly exclaimed "Oh—" with his mouth agape as if he had just discovered some cosmic mystery.
Perhaps Zhou Haochen had already seen through him, Chen Yubai was quite frank, not even bothering to make up an excuse, and directly met Peng Chengyi's questioning gaze, saying in a matter-of-fact tone: "Yeah, I just changed it, right now."
"..." Peng Chengyi couldn't help but twitch her lips, a vein throbbing on her forehead. "Chen Yubai, can't you be reasonable? Who changes the time at the last minute? Shouldn't you give advance notice?"
Chen Yubai lowered his eyes, slowly glanced at his watch, then lazily lifted his eyelids, his gaze landing on her puffed-up face: "It's 5:30 now, rehearsal starts at 7:00. Giving us an hour and a half's notice, doesn't that count as a notice?"
"..."
Peng Chengyi was so choked by his robber logic that she almost couldn't breathe. Her chest heaved a couple of times, but her mind went blank, and she couldn't find the words to refute this fallacy.
She could only grit her teeth and roll her eyes at him, then awkwardly turned to Ke Xingjian and said apologetically, "I'm sorry, senior... it seems our hot pot dinner tonight is off. Let's make it another time?"
Ke Xingjian's eyes flickered slightly, but he maintained a faint smile and nodded: "It's alright, there's plenty of time in the future."
-
As soon as I stepped out of the movie theater, a cool evening breeze greeted me.
Peng Chengyi deliberately quickened his pace, leaving Chen Yubai behind, his entire body radiating an aura of "Don't mess with me."
Chen Yubai stared at her swaying ponytail for a moment, then put his hands in his pockets and easily caught up in a few strides. He asked casually, "You really want to go out to eat with your senior that much?"
Too lazy to pay him any attention, Peng Chengyi snorted through her nose: "Hmm."
Chen Yubai frowned almost imperceptibly, turned his head to look at her, the streetlight casting an ambiguous light in his eyes: "What, you have feelings for him?"
"..." Peng Chengyi paused, finally raising her eyes to glare at him like a cat whose tail had been stepped on. "Why are you asking this? What's it to you?"
Chen Yubai was silent for a few seconds, his gaze drifting to the flashing neon lights in the distance. His voice sounded a little stiff and awkward: "Aunt Zhou called me last time and told me to keep an eye on you, so you don't get tricked by some unreliable man."
Peng Chengyi was so speechless he wanted to laugh, but in a flash, he suddenly understood!
From his inexplicable appearance at the movie theater to the last-minute change of rehearsal time, this dog was indeed taking it upon himself to block her from finding a love interest!
A surge of anger welled up inside her, and she retorted irritably, "Do I need you to watch me? I'm an adult, I can tell for myself!"
Chen Yubai scoffed, his laughter laced with undisguised skepticism: "Discernment? You don't even know how to refuse people. The moment they say they need someone for a band performance, you nod and agree. They hand you a movie ticket and you go along, without even realizing that the movie wasn't organized by the student council."
These words struck a nerve with Peng Chengyi, making her feel deeply belittled. She became even angrier and retorted angrily, "No way! It's because I want to go perform! I want to go to the movies!"
She grew angrier as she spoke, her voice rising involuntarily: "And another thing! Stop meddling in my love life and blocking my path to romance! You may not want to date, but I certainly do!"
After saying that, she glared at him fiercely, as if she wanted to vent all her pent-up frustration, and then suddenly quickened her pace, almost jogging, leaving him behind.
Chen Yubai choked on his words, watching her back as her face grew even more unpleasant under the streetlights, her thin lips pressed into a stiff line.
Zhou Haochen, who had caught up, patted him on the shoulder reassuringly: "Forget it, forget it, find someone else to pursue. Doesn't our band also prohibit dating within the band?"
Chen Yubai paused, then glanced at him coldly: "This rule doesn't apply to me."
Zhou Haochen was taken aback and blurted out, "Why should I?"
Chen Yubai's gaze followed her receding figure, and he said calmly but resolutely, "As long as I'm with her, there's absolutely no possibility of us breaking up."
-
Although Peng Chengyi still harbored some resentment towards Chen Yubai's parental interference in her social life, once she immersed herself in the band's rehearsals, those minor grudges were quickly washed away by the notes and rhythms.
A burst of inspiration struck them, and within two weeks they had cobbled together a complete single. After recording and carefully editing the video, they released it on the band's account, which Peng Chengyi had set up.
Perhaps it was because of Chen Yubai's overly eye-catching face in front of the camera that the video received unexpectedly high traffic after it was released, and the number of fans snowballed and quickly broke through five figures.
Peng Chengyi's mood soared along with the numbers. As soon as the bell rang, she couldn't help but take out her phone and eagerly refresh the page, savoring each new comment and like.
She lowered her head, her fingertips swiping across the screen, her expression focused, a smile unconsciously playing on her lips. Just as she followed Fang Hao out of the advanced mathematics classroom, a familiar voice rang in her ears: "Peng Chengyi."
She paused slightly while scrolling through her phone, looked up, and followed the sound to see Ke Xingjian standing beside her. The light from the end of the corridor fell on his shoulder, faintly outlining his gentle and handsome features.
"Senior? You also have classes in Building 6?" She smiled, her eyes crinkling.
"Yeah, it's in the classroom next to yours." He smiled and casually extended an invitation, "Want to go to the cafeteria together? I remember you still owe me a meal."
“Uh…” Peng Chengyi hesitated and pursed her lips. Just as she was about to say that she had to go eat with her roommate, Fang Hao next to her immediately interrupted, “You guys go, you guys go! I suddenly remembered that I have something to do!”
After saying that, she winked quickly at Peng Chengyi and then disappeared in a flash.
"..."
Watching her disappearing figure quickly, Peng Chengyi sighed helplessly and could only nod: "Okay, then... let's go to the cafeteria together."
The two walked side by side on the tree-lined path of the campus, the midday sun shining through the bare winter tree trunks and onto their shoulders.
Ke Xingjian spoke casually, "I see you've formed a new band? It's quite popular online."
"You actually saw it too?" Peng Chengyi turned her head to look at him in surprise, not expecting that someone she knew would notice.
"Yeah." Ke Xingjian explained with a smile, "I often watch band videos, so it was easy for me to be recommended this."
"Oh... actually, it's not exactly a newly formed band. We're still using the same name as our high school band, just with a different keyboardist and drummer." Peng Chengyi nodded, a little bit of pride welling up inside her again. She couldn't help but ask with a hint of anticipation, "So, what do you think of our band?"
“It’s pretty good, very energetic.” He paused, then added sincerely, “However, if you could add a lead guitar, the arrangement’s layers and expressiveness would be taken to another level.”
“Indeed…” These words touched on a question that Peng Chengyi had been pondering recently. She paused slightly, then replied thoughtfully, “But a reliable lead guitarist isn’t something you can just find anytime…”
"So," Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow, a hint of a joke in his voice, "you think I'm not reliable enough?"
Peng Chengyi was taken aback, then quickly waved her hand, her cheeks flushing slightly: "No, no! Senior, your skills are so good! I thought you already had a regular band, I didn't even consider you!"
“Actually, I quit Black Sugar because the university is too far away. The band in the department only gets together to perform when there are events.” Ke Xingjian looked at her and said naturally, “So, if you don’t mind, maybe you could consider me?”
"Not at all! How could I possibly mind!" Peng Chengyi's eyes lit up, and her voice became a little lighter. "I was worried that you'd think our band was too inexperienced and not good enough for your skills!"
"Then next time you rehearse, is it convenient for me to come and watch?" Ke Xingjian asked casually.
"Of course it's convenient! You're very welcome!" Peng Chengyi nodded hurriedly, like a chick pecking at rice.
As they talked, the two lifted the heavy curtain and walked into the bustling cafeteria, where the aroma of various foods wafted towards them.
In the queue at the stir-fry window not far away, Zhou Haochen nudged Chen Yubai in front of him with his elbow and whispered, "Hey, Yu-ge, look, aren't those your childhood friend and Ke Xingjian?"
Chen Yubai's previously casual gaze paused, his brows furrowing unconsciously as he turned his face in the direction Zhou Hao indicated.
Sure enough, through the throng of people, he saw Peng Chengyi standing side by side with Ke Xingjian in front of a food serving window.
She tilted her head slightly and spoke to Ke Xingjian, a relaxed smile on her face and her eyes crinkling at the corners. Ke Xingjian listened, his lips also curving into a smile; the atmosphere between them seemed harmonious and natural.
Chen Yubai's gaze lingered there for two seconds, his eyes darkening imperceptibly, the previous nonchalance completely vanishing, leaving only a cold and stern profile.
"You can line up by yourself first." He said this and strode out of the line before Zhou Haochen could react.
"Huh?" Zhou Haochen paused for a second, then quickly caught up with him. "Brother Yu, don't leave me behind! It's such a waste if I order stir-fry all by myself and can't finish it all, and I'll be so lonely..."
Chen Yubai paused, slightly annoyed, and pulled out his meal card from his pocket, tossing it to him without even looking at it: "Order whatever you like, it's on me."
"..." Zhou Haochen hurriedly caught the meal card, and after a few seconds of reaction, a smile instantly spread across his face. "Thank you, Brother Yu! You're too generous! If you ever need anything from me in the future, just let me know, and I'll definitely do my best to help you pursue her..."
"You should just keep your mouth shut and don't cause me any more trouble, that's good enough." Chen Yubai interrupted him with a sneer, ignoring Zhou Haochen's subsequent grumbling, quickened his pace, and walked straight to Peng Chengyi's side.
"Chengcheng."
Hearing that familiar boyish voice calling her by her nickname, Peng Chengyi was stunned for a moment before turning her head in surprise.
When they were children, they followed their parents' habit and called each other by their nicknames.
But after starting junior high, she felt that being called by her nickname was too childish, so she ordered him to use his full name or call her "Big Brother". And she stopped calling him "Xiao Yu".
Hearing him call me that suddenly, an inexplicable awkwardness welled up inside me, mixed with a trace of intimacy blurred by time.
She unconsciously pursed her lips, glanced at Chen Yubai standing beside her, and asked in a dry voice, "What are you doing here?"
"If I'm not in the cafeteria at noon, where should I be?" Chen Yubai glanced at her with amusement.
Peng Chengyi choked, realizing she had asked a stupid question. She paused awkwardly for a moment before finding her words and saying, "Then why aren't you queuing properly? What are you calling me for?"
"I lost my meal card," he said casually, as if it were a trivial matter. "I can't afford to eat, so I need your help."
"Huh?" She gave him a speechless look. "Where's your roommate? Doesn't he have a meal card either?"
"I didn't go to class with him; I came to the cafeteria by myself." He didn't change his expression, lying as easily as he spoke, and even met her scrutiny with a calm gaze.
“…Alright then,” Peng Chengyi sighed, accepting the suggestion. “Then wait until I get my food, I’ll give you the card, and you can use that time to report it lost.”
“Just get it for me,” he said, taking advantage of the situation. “You know what I like to eat anyway. After you’re done, save me a seat. Thanks.”
After he finished speaking, he even very naturally raised his hand and ruffled the top of her head. The movement was so fast that she didn't have time to react, leaving only a brief and abrupt touch.
Then he turned around, took long strides, and quickly merged into the crowd.
"..."
Peng Chengyi stared at his rapidly departing figure, her lips twitching slightly, a silent roar rising within her.
This dog! It really knows how to order people around!
Ke Xingjian, who had been briefly ignored, had his eyes darken almost imperceptibly for a moment before he put on a gentle smile again and teased, "You two have a really good relationship."
“Huh? Oh…” Peng Chengyi withdrew her glaring gaze, turned her head, and tried to cover up her previous unease with a relaxed tone, “After all, we have eighteen years… no, almost nineteen years of revolutionary friendship.”
"So you two have known each other since birth?" Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying just the right amount of curiosity.
“To be precise, we knew each other before we were even born.” Peng Chengyi smiled and explained, “My mom and his mom were college roommates, then colleagues, and lived across the hall from each other. We were pregnant around the same time. So he and I were born on the same day, month, and year.”
"I see." Ke Xingjian nodded thoughtfully, paused for a moment, then casually asked, his gaze falling meaningfully on her face, "So he's just your childhood friend?"
"Otherwise what?" Peng Chengyi tilted her head curiously, her eyes clear and filled with pure doubt. "What else could it be?"
"It's nothing." Ke Xingjian smiled, looked away, and added in a meaningful voice, "It's fine as long as we're childhood friends."
Peng Chengyi was taken aback, instinctively feeling that the words seemed to hide another meaning. Before she could think about it further, the loud voice of the cafeteria lady at the window rang out: "Student! What would you like?"
She quickly regained her composure, temporarily setting aside her doubts, and expertly ordered the dishes: "Auntie, I'd like one serving of braised pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, stir-fried shredded potatoes, stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers, and two servings of rice!"
-
After getting her food, Peng Chengyi carried her piled-up tray and finally found an empty table in a noisy corner of the cafeteria. Just as she put down her tray, Chen Yubai appeared at the table as if he had timed it perfectly, and sat down in the empty seat next to her with complete ease.
"Thanks." He then casually ruffled her hair.
"Hey! Stop messing up my hair!" Peng Chengyi turned her head away irritably, raised her hand to tidy her hair that he had ruffled, glared at him, and then reminded him, "Don't forget to transfer me the money for the meal. It's 12 yuan in total. I'm not planning to do charity, so I don't offer credit."
"Oh." Chen Yubai let out a soft chuckle from his nose, slowly took out his phone, and tapped the screen a few times with his fingertips. "I've transferred it to you."
While continuing to fix her hair, Peng Chengyi used her other hand to pick up her phone and open the red envelope.
When she saw the bright number 100 on the screen, she was stunned for a moment. She subconsciously turned her face to look at him, her eyes filled with vigilance and doubt: "Transfer so much? You don't... want to trick me into doing something else for you, do you?"
"Can't I do charity?" Chen Yubai scoffed, picked up his chopsticks, and said in a lazy tone, his sincerity hard to discern, "If you think it's too much, just return it."
Upon hearing this, Peng Chengyi immediately switched to showering him with compliments, her voice becoming several degrees sweeter: "...Yes, yes, yes! You're a living saint, bro! A great philanthropist of our time! Thank you, boss!"
Sitting opposite him, Ke Xingjian's gaze swept back and forth between the two of them almost imperceptibly.
The intimate atmosphere between them, so self-contained and difficult for others to intrude, stood like an invisible barrier, leaving him no room to interject.
After a moment's pause, he could only lower his head slightly, pick up his chopsticks, and silently begin to eat the food on his plate.
It wasn't until Peng Chengyi finally snapped out of her euphoria at the unexpected windfall that she remembered there was a third person at the dinner table.
She quickly turned her face to the front, trying to steer the conversation toward Ke Xingjian: "By the way, have we set a date for our next rehearsal? My senior just happened to see a video of our band and said he'd like to come and watch."
As soon as he finished speaking, Chen Yubai paused almost imperceptibly in his act of picking up food with his chopsticks. He raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping across the table and landing indifferently on Ke Xingjian's face: "Want to see? There are high-definition, full-angle versions online. There's no need to come all the way here to see it in person."
Chen Yu's slightly impolite words were like a pebble thrown into the somewhat dull atmosphere of the dinner table.
Peng Chengyi paused mid-air, picking up food with her chopsticks, and glanced at Chen Yubai with some surprise. Although this man usually had a sharp tongue, he still maintained basic courtesy towards outsiders. Why did his words today sound a little… cutting?
She was about to smooth things over when Ke Xingjian put down his chopsticks first. He still had that gentle smile on his face, as if he hadn't noticed anything amiss, only his eyes were slightly less intense: "Actually, I was wondering if I could join your band, because you seem to be missing a lead guitarist."
Chen Yubai frowned, leaned back slightly, and the chair back creaked softly.
“No need.” He uttered three words, crisp and decisive, leaving no room for negotiation. “We don’t need any more people.”
"Is that so?" Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow slightly, then chuckled, "But my junior sister said earlier that she would very much welcome me to join."
-----------------------
Author's Note: [Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn]
It's the weekend! Double update! Comment and receive a red envelope!
Thanks to Leventseleve for the torrent! Thanks to Youxiayu, Ayaya, Soleil, and Sunshine for the nutrient solution!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
