Chapter 70 Because you're holding me...
As soon as the words were spoken, the air seemed to freeze for a moment, and even the sounds from the distant playground seemed to be drawn far away.
Chen Yubai straightened his back, with only the sound of his own rapid heartbeat in his ears.
He waited for a long time, his nerves taut to the point of trembling, but he heard no response from the person on his back.
He couldn't help but turn his head cautiously, only to see her quietly drooping eyelashes, already deeply closed, clearly asleep again.
"..."
Chen Yubai was slightly taken aback, then let out a very soft sneer from his chest, filled with helplessness and self-mockery.
He turned back and looked again at the path illuminated by the moonlight, the bitter smile on his lips lingering for a long time.
-
the next day.
When Peng Chengyi woke up, the sun was already high in the sky, and a ray of light shining through the gap in the curtains shone directly on her eyelids.
My head was throbbing, like a drumbeat was constantly pounding on my temples, and my throat was dry and parched.
She fumbled for her phone on the bedside table, squinted at the time, and realized it was almost 11 a.m.
"It's over!" she exclaimed, suddenly sitting up in bed, the sudden movement causing her to feel dizzy.
A moment later, I remembered that I didn't have class today, so it didn't matter if I overslept.
"You're awake?" Fang Hao, who was watching a video at the desk below, looked up when she heard the voice, with half a slice of toast still in her mouth.
"Hmm..." Peng Chengyi rubbed her aching temples and subconsciously looked down. She was still wearing the same clothes she wore for yesterday's performance, but her jacket was nowhere to be seen.
She froze for a moment, trying to recall the events, but her memory only stopped at the moment she fell into Ke Xingjian's arms, and then it was all blank.
Good heavens, she drank herself into oblivion last night?
Her heart tightened, and she quickly gripped the bed railing, peering down, and asked Fang Hao in a low voice with a hint of guilt and nervousness, "Um... how did I get home last night?"
"Chen Yubai carried you back," Fang Hao said matter-of-factly.
"Chen Yubai?" Peng Chengyi was stunned, her eyes widening slightly.
She thought Ke Xingjian had brought her back, after all, Chen Yubai had Lin Yue to take care of last night and complained that she was too much trouble.
“Yes.” Fang Hao swallowed his bread and smiled meaningfully. “The dormitory supervisor originally wouldn’t let him upstairs. Wu Xian and I couldn’t get you up there no matter what we did. In the end, he registered you and carried you up.”
“Then…then my upper bunk…” Peng Chengyi pointed to his own bed, even more incredulous.
"He's the one who lifted you up there." Fang Hao blinked, deliberately drawing out the last syllable. "I have to say, he was incredibly boyfriend material back then."
"..." Peng Chengyi pursed her lips awkwardly, her cheeks burning slightly.
She frantically searched her memory, but still couldn't recall anything.
However, upon learning that Chen Yubai had brought her back, her tense nerves inexplicably relaxed a bit.
Perhaps it's because he's long been used to seeing her at her most embarrassing and awkward moments.
If it were Ke Xingjian... she couldn't even imagine what nonsense she might say under the influence of alcohol; just thinking about it was enough to cause her social death.
After sitting on the bed for a while, letting her muddled mind clear a little, Peng Chengyi hesitated before opening the chat window with Chen Yubai. Her finger hovered over the screen for a moment before carefully typing: "Last night, you brought me back?"
The chat window lit up shortly after the message was sent.
Chen Yubai: "Oh, you're finally awake!"
Seeing that familiar teasing tone, Peng Chengyi nervously gripped her phone, and after a long pause, typed back: "Um... I didn't say anything weird or do anything embarrassing or stupid in front of anyone, did I?"
Chen Yubai: "Blacked out?"
Peng Chengyi bit her lip and forced a "Mm" in response.
The chat box displayed "The other party is typing..." at the top, and this brief pause made her heart jump for no reason.
A few seconds later, Chen Yubai's message popped up: "Let me think about it..."
Peng Chengyi's nerves tensed instantly. He immediately typed rapidly, his heart pounding so loudly he could almost hear it: "I'm warning you! Don't try to use this opportunity to make up some baseless accusations to deceive me!"
A soft chuckle seemed to come from the other end of the phone, followed by a reply: "Oh, it's nothing, don't worry. You were very well-behaved, sleeping like a little pig the whole way, without breaking a sweat."
Peng Chengyi's lips twitched, and she puffed out her cheeks: "...You're the pig!"
Despite her scolding, seeing his guarantee finally put her mind at ease.
She stared at her phone screen for a moment, then couldn't help but ask, "But why were you the one who drove me home in the end? Don't you care about Lin Yue?"
Chen Yubai: "She's not a friend I brought, why should I care about her?"
Peng Chengyi was taken aback. A knot in her heart that had been clenching since last night seemed to be gently brushed away by those words and loosened with a "snap".
A slight smile, unnoticed even by herself, crept onto the corners of her lips: "Oh... I thought you gave your complimentary ticket to her."
Chen Yubai: "No. I have a lot of friends, and with only one ticket, it wouldn't be appropriate to give it to anyone, so I just gave it to Zhou Haochen."
Peng Chengyi: "..."
That dog, he managed to pull it off again without making a sound!
A subtle, competitive feeling made her subconsciously type: "Me too! Only one ticket, it's not right to give it to anyone in the dorm, so..."
She was typing halfway through when she suddenly realized something, but it was too late to undo it.
Sure enough, Chen Yubai followed up immediately, his question hitting the nail on the head: "So that's why you gave it to Ke Xingjian?"
Peng Chengyi paused, looking at the "Me too" message already sent on the screen, and had no choice but to reply with a forced "Mm..."
However, she was still a little bothered by the mention of Ke Xingjian, and couldn't help but ask him hastily, "By the way, I remember Ke Xingjian helped me up last night, so how come you ended up taking me home? Didn't you think I was a hassle?"
After a short wait, a slow reply appeared on the screen: "Because you're holding on and won't let go, refusing to go with him."
? ? ?
Peng Chengyi's pupils dilated slightly, and she sat up a little straighter on the bed, her cheeks instantly flushing: "Stop talking nonsense! Why would I hold you and refuse to let go!"
Chen Yubai: "If you don't believe me, you can ask Ke Xingjian yourself."
Peng Chengyi's breathing suddenly tightened.
How could she possibly lower herself to ask Ke Xingjian for confirmation on such a matter?
Wouldn't that make things even more awkward and impossible to resolve?
She stared at her phone screen for a long time, as if she could see Chen Yubai's leisurely and amused expression, waiting to see her make a fool of herself.
Finally, feeling a bit embarrassed and annoyed, I tossed my phone onto the bedside and got out of bed to take a shower.
The warm water washed over my body, but it seemed unable to dispel the unease lingering in my heart.
After taking a shower, she walked out of the bathroom, drying her wet hair, when she suddenly heard her phone, which she had left on the bed, vibrate twice.
Her heart skipped a beat, thinking that Chen Yubai had once again sent some nonsensical message to mock her.
But when he swiped to unlock his phone, the message displayed was from Ke Xingjian: "Are you awake?"
Although she didn't quite believe Chen Yubai's nonsense, seeing Ke Xingjian's message still made her feel a little guilty. Her fingers paused for several seconds before she typed a single word: "Yeah, just woke up a little while ago."
Ke Xingjian replied quickly, his tone as concerned as ever: "How are you feeling? Still dizzy?"
Peng Chengyi carefully chose her words, not wanting to sound too fragile: "It's alright, I'm just a little dizzy, nothing serious."
Ke Xingjian: "You don't have class today, right?"
Peng Chengyi: "No, not at all."
The conversation paused for a few seconds, and just when Peng Chengyi thought the small talk was over, Ke Xingjian's next message popped up: "Then I'll go and bring you some hangover tea."
Peng Chengyi was taken aback, then quickly said, "No need to trouble yourself, senior! I have honey grapefruit tea in my dorm, just make me a cup."
Ke Xingjian: "It's alright, I've already bought it, just keep it in reserve."
Having said that, refusing again would seem rather unreasonable, so Peng Chengyi could only reply, "Then thank you, senior."
Ke Xingjian: "Don't be so polite with me, I'll be at your dorm in about ten minutes."
Peng Chengyi: "Okay, see you later."
Seeing that Ke Xingjian's attitude was the same as usual, without any abnormality, and he didn't mention what happened last night, the panic that Chen Yubai had stirred up in her heart finally subsided.
That dog! He was definitely just trying to trick her!
That's outrageous!
Peng Chengyi couldn't help but grit her teeth inwardly, hurriedly put down her phone, quickly dried her hair, and then found a clean set of clothes to change into.
"Going out?" Fang Hao turned her face.
"Um," Peng Chengyi said a little shyly, smoothing her hair. "Senior Ke said he would bring me some hangover tea."
"Wow, he's so considerate!" Fang Hao's eyes were suggestive, and a mischievous smile appeared on her face. "By the way, hasn't he confessed to you yet?"
Peng Chengyi's cheeks flushed slightly, and she shook her head: "...No."
“He’s quite composed,” Fang Hao said, stroking his chin with the air of an emotional analyst. “Is it because you’ve been too cold to him that he’s been afraid to speak up?”
“I wasn’t cold to him…” Peng Chengyi retorted subconsciously, “Look, every time he contacted me, I went.”
“That’s different,” Fang Hao said bluntly. “You’ve definitely never taken the initiative to contact him, right?”
Peng Chengyi was taken aback by the question, and after carefully searching her memory, it seemed to be true.
She's not the type to actively contact others, and she doesn't know what to say to her senior.
"I have nothing to do, why would I look for him..." Her voice gradually lowered, sounding a little guilty.
“You can ask for help even if there’s nothing specific!” Fang Hao listed examples on her fingers. “For example, we can meet up for a meal, go out for a walk on the weekend, or simply practice the piano together and talk about music. Didn’t you ever do these things with your friends before?”
Peng Chengyi subconsciously recalled what she had said, and realized that in the long past, she had habitually done these things with Chen Yubai.
Because it was so natural, she had never thought about this issue until Fang Hao brought it up at this moment.
This realization stirred a strange feeling within her, and she vaguely replied, "Oh... I understand."
“I think,” Fang Hao said with a confident smile, “if you take just a tiny bit of initiative and give him a little positive signal, he’ll definitely confess his feelings to you very soon!”
"We'll talk about it later..." Peng Chengyi's face was burning hot, her gaze darting away in a panic. She glanced at her phone and saw that ten minutes had passed. She quickly changed her shoes and hurried downstairs.
The warm spring sunshine shone on the open space in front of the dormitory building, and the air was filled with the faint fragrance of leaves.
As soon as Peng Chengyi stepped out of the building, she saw Ke Xingjian waiting under the tree.
He was wearing a light gray hooded sweatshirt, his back straight, one hand in his pocket, the other holding a supermarket plastic bag. Sunlight fell through his hair, making his handsome features stand out even more clearly.
Upon seeing her come out, Ke Xingjian immediately smiled warmly and waved to her.
"Senior, thank you for going to all this trouble." Peng Chengyi walked up to him, pursing her lips somewhat shyly.
"No trouble at all, it's on my way." Ke Xingjian handed the bag to her, his voice gentle and relaxed. "This is hangover tea, and a sandwich. You haven't eaten anything this morning, have you? It's not good to drink tea on an empty stomach."
A warm, pleasant scent wafted from the bag, seeping through the plastic and warming Peng Chengyi's heart. She ran her fingertips over the bag's opening, hesitated for a few seconds, and then mustered her courage to ask, "Don't you have class today either?"
Ke Xingjian hummed in agreement, a smile playing on his lips, as if he had caught her tentative probing. He then asked, half-jokingly, "What? Do you want to ask me out for something?"
Peng Chengyi felt a little embarrassed when her thoughts were so easily exposed. Her gaze shifted awkwardly to the grass beside her, and her voice carried a barely perceptible unease: "Um... um. It's just that... this afternoon... do you want to go to the library together?"
"You're so studious! You even go to the library when you don't have classes." Ke Xingjian couldn't help but chuckle, a hint of pleasure creeping into his eyes and brows.
"Well, the midterm exams are coming up soon..." Peng Chengyi hurriedly explained, her voice growing softer and softer.
"Got it, you need your senior to highlight the important points for you again." Ke Xingjian raised an eyebrow slightly, his tone smiling.
Peng Chengyi: "..."
Although her original intention was simply to follow Fang Hao's advice and try to be more proactive, she didn't know how to explain herself after he said that. She could only smile awkwardly and accept the "eager to learn" label.
"Okay, see you at the library this afternoon," Ke Xingjian smiled even more when he saw her like this, and considerately continued the conversation, "I'll go early to get a good spot."
He paused, as if suddenly remembering something, his brows furrowed, and his tone became serious: "By the way, I have something important to tell you. The Arts Department just issued a notice that registration for this year's Top Ten Campus Singers Competition has begun. This time, it's specifically noted that bands are welcome to participate."
"A band too?" Peng Chengyi was taken aback, her eyes widening involuntarily.
“Yes, I think this is a great opportunity.” Ke Xingjian’s voice was clear and earnest. “Our collaboration at last year’s welcome party went very well, and the response was great. So I was thinking, why don’t we try it again with the same combination?”
Peng Chengyi's heart skipped a beat. The Top Ten Singers Competition was a highly anticipated event on campus, and being able to participate as a band was undoubtedly very attractive.
However, now that she's the guitarist at After School, if she were to form a band with someone else and compete on her own, Chen Yubai would likely make sarcastic and open remarks about her.
She hesitated, pursing her lips slightly, her fingertips unconsciously tightening around the plastic bag containing the hangover tea. Choosing her words carefully, she said, "Well, I might have to ask Chen Yubai and the others what they think first, after all, I have my own band now..."
"I understand." Ke Xingjian quickly replied, his tone gentle, as if he had expected it. There was no displeasure at being rejected in his eyes, but rather a lot of consideration. "I just wanted to let you know first. After you ask around, whatever the result is, just let me know."
"Okay! I'll go ask in a bit." Peng Chengyi felt a slight sense of relief and nodded with a smile.
Actually, she preferred to compete with After School. After all, the band members had been working together for so long, their chemistry was better, and their understanding and expression of music were more profound.
Watching Ke Xingjian's figure gradually disappear into the distance, Peng Chengyi hesitated for a moment before turning around to the boys' dormitory building ahead.
Chen Yubai didn't have classes in the morning, so he was probably in his dorm at this time. Instead of trying to figure things out by typing on a screen, it would be better to just call him down and ask him directly. Face-to-face interaction would be much better than WeChat in determining whether he was interested or not—and if he wasn't, she could try to persuade him in person.
However, as soon as she took a step closer, her gaze was suddenly fixed on the scene in front of her.
In the shade of the flowerbed in front of the building, that all-too-familiar figure stood quietly. One hand in his pocket, shoulders slightly relaxed, seemingly casual, yet possessing a natural presence.
Standing in front of him was Lin Yue.
She tilted her head slightly, her voice barely audible, her expression carrying a hint of girlish shyness.
Chen Yubai's profile was obscured by the interplay of light and shadow, making it difficult to see clearly.
But he showed no sign of leaving, listening patiently without being perfunctory. That patience alone was enough to make Peng Chengyi's heart tighten suddenly, as if she had been pricked by a tiny thorn.
A subtle bitterness and an inexplicable sense of loss welled up from the bottom of her heart, making it hard for her to even breathe.
Almost instinctively, she took a step back, her back pressed against the tree trunk behind her. As the branches swayed, she quickly turned to the side and hid in the shadows, her fingertips tightly gripping the handle of the bag in her hand, with such force that it seemed she wanted to tear the thin plastic apart.
Before he could even calm himself down, Chen Yubai suddenly swayed his shoulder and turned to walk straight towards him.
Peng Chengyi's heart pounded in her throat. Afraid that he would see her if he passed by, she hurriedly shrank back behind the tree, almost embedding herself into the rough bark.
But the footsteps continued to approach, finally stopping steadily beside her.
The dappled shadows beneath her feet filled the space, causing her to catch her breath. She instinctively looked up and met a pair of languid, dark eyes.
Chen Yubai looked down at her, a half-smile playing on his lips: "What are you doing hiding here so furtively?"
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Author's Note: [Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn][Eating popcorn]
Thank you to Ah Ya Ya, Soleil, Leventseleve, Li Ye Liye, You Xia Yu, and Sunshine for providing the nutrient solution!
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