Chapter 69 Why don't you just talk to me...?
"...Who would chase after a dog like you!" Peng Chengyi's heart skipped a beat, and she hurriedly reached out to snatch it back. "If that's what you're saying, then give it back to me!"
Chen Yubai gently raised his hand, holding the flower up to a height she couldn't reach: "It was just a joke, why are you panicking?"
The boy's eyes were slightly upturned, and his nonchalant demeanor carried a hint of mischief.
Peng Chengyi froze, paused for half a second, and then forced herself to pull her hand back, turning her face away as if she didn't care at all: "I'm not flustered."
She paused for a moment, then quickly changed the subject: "What song are you going to sing with me tonight? Have you written a new song?"
Chen Yubai smiled noncommittally and continued, "Yes, I just wrote down some chords, the melody hasn't been finalized yet."
"You write songs pretty fast." Her tone carried a hint of genuine surprise.
"Since I have nothing to do during winter break anyway, I might as well release a few more songs so I can update the videos when I get back to school." He answered casually, as if stating something insignificant.
Peng Chengyi's eyes widened in surprise: "My God, you're so enthusiastic, I'm not used to it."
Chen Yubai turned his head to look at her, a slight smile playing on his lips, and slowly uttered the sentence: "Then I'll just go to sleep, you don't need to come."
Peng Chengyi: "..."
That being said, Chen Yubai was still very productive during the winter break, writing three new songs. When he returned to school, the band immediately began intensive rehearsals and video shooting.
After the new song was released, it created ripples like a stone thrown into a lake. Positive reviews poured in, and the number of fans steadily increased.
Even more unexpectedly, their band account received a private message from Yueyintang, a well-known livehouse in Beicheng, asking if they would like to perform on stage.
Staring at the brief invitation on the screen, Peng Chengyi's heart pounded in her chest like a drumbeat.
She never expected that her once unattainable dream would come true so quickly.
Even though it was just to open for other bands, she was still thrilled and agreed.
The rest of my days were filled with rehearsals, which flew by amidst the vibrations of the strings and the collision of rhythms.
As the performance date drew closer, like a bowstring being drawn taut, the air was thick with a mixture of tension and excitement.
However, when Peng Chengyi received the complimentary tickets from the livehouse, she was puzzled by the lone ticket in her hand.
Everyone in the dorm got along well, and deciding who to give the card to and who not to was a real dilemma. Even if she snatched the card from Chen Yubai's hand, it still wouldn't be enough to split equally.
After much deliberation, she decided to give the ticket to Ke Xingjian.
I've been busy with the band since the start of the semester, and I stood him up for the meal we had agreed to meet. This is a good opportunity to make it up to him a little.
Thinking of this, she opened her chat window with Ke Xingjian, took a picture of the ticket in the light by the window, and sent it: "Senior, our band is performing at Yueyintang this Saturday night. Are you free to come? I have a free ticket."
Ke Xingjian quickly replied, "Of course I'm free, but I can buy tickets myself to support you."
Peng Chengyi quickly typed: "No need, no need! We're just opening act, we'll only sing three songs, the main act is another band!"
Ke Xingjian: "Then when you hold your own home games in the future, I will definitely buy tickets to support you."
Peng Chengyi looked at the screen, a smile unconsciously curving her lips: "Yes! It's settled!"
-
Soon, the night of the performance arrived.
The livehouse was packed with people, even more lively than they had expected, the air thick with the mixed scents of alcohol, perfume, and the heat rising from young bodies.
The lights were dim, but the stage area, surrounded by various equipment, was brightly lit, making it the only focal point of the entire event.
Peng Chengyi, carrying her guitar, followed Chen Yubai through the crowd and onto the stage, her heartbeat still clearly audible amidst the noisy environment.
After quickly arranging their belongings, the members checked their instruments, connected their effects pedals, and conducted a final tuning before the performance.
Peng Chengyi was looking down at her guitar strings, adjusting the pitch, when Zhou Haochen suddenly nudged her lightly with his drumstick and winked at the side of the stage.
Peng Chengyi subconsciously looked up.
Beside the stage, a girl was looking up and smiling as she spoke to Chen Yubai. She wore a well-tailored dress that accentuated her slender figure, and her makeup was exquisite yet not overly gaudy, making her stand out even in the dim light.
Chen Yubai leaned forward slightly to listen, his face displaying the usual expression that didn't reveal much emotion, occasionally nodding.
The scene was actually quite ordinary, but Peng Chengyi's fingers, which were plucking the strings, unconsciously paused.
Zhou Haochen leaned closer to her, lowered his voice, and said with a hint of gossip, "Did you see that? Our campus beauty, Lin Yue, seems to have a thing for Chen Yubai. She's been hanging around him a lot lately."
"..." Peng Chengyi was stunned for a moment, then remained silent, staring at the other side.
Lin Yue said something, raised her hand to tuck a stray strand of hair behind her ear, and her smile became even sweeter. Chen Yubai's lips seemed to curve slightly, as if in response.
A strange unease, like tiny vines, silently wrapped around Peng Chengyi's heart, subtle yet undeniably present.
She subconsciously looked away, her fingers pressing the strings again, but unconsciously used too much force, and the guitar suddenly emitted a muffled hum, abruptly cutting through the air.
Peng Chengyi quickly lowered his head, pretending to be fully focused on adjusting the piano keys, trying to shut out the noise and glare from that corner.
But after only a moment, she couldn't help but quickly and cautiously lift her eyelids to glance at it.
Seeing that Chen Yubai had lowered his head and continued tuning the strings, the inexplicable tension and unease in her chest finally dissipated.
Peng Chengyi breathed a sigh of relief, but the next second she suddenly realized that her emotions had been fluctuating rather strangely.
It was just that a pretty girl wanted to pursue him and said a few words to him. This kind of thing had happened before; she should be used to it by now. What was there to be upset about?
Could it be that he used to be so indifferent to almost any girl other than her that he subconsciously treated her differently, making her used to being treated specially, and now, that special treatment seems to have been broken?
The moment this thought popped into Peng Chengyi's head, her heart skipped a beat.
A possessiveness, subtly revealed, caught her completely off guard.
But she quickly suppressed her momentary panic and silently comforted herself, saying that this was normal. When Zheng Xinyue made new friends and spent every day with them, didn't she also feel similar discomfort?
Therefore, this possessiveness applies to good friends as well.
It's absolutely impossible that she harbored any ulterior motives towards him that went beyond friendship.
Peng Chengyi composed himself and forcibly suppressed those chaotic thoughts. As he looked away, he happened to catch Ke Xingjian walking in.
He wore a light gray knitted cardigan over a simple white T-shirt, paired with neatly tailored casual trousers. His outfit exuded a refreshing and gentle spring vibe, which seemed somewhat out of place in the noisy surroundings, yet inexplicably attracted attention.
When their eyes met, Ke Xingjian's lips naturally curved into a gentle smile, and he waved to her lightly.
Peng Chengyi subconsciously returned a smile, then lowered her eyes, her fingertips unconsciously tracing the strings.
It felt like a corner of my heart had finally found a point of balance.
Who is Chen Yubai chatting with, and which college beauty?
Anyway, she's not entirely ignored now.
He's the most handsome guy in the school.
-
After the equipment was tested and adjusted, the performance officially began.
Peng Chengyi held his breath slightly, his fingertips lightly touching the strings, and the melody poured out like a gentle stream, gradually intertwining with the drums, bass, and keyboard to create a beautiful sound wave.
The audience seemed to be drawn by the rhythm, swaying their bodies gently in response to each drumbeat and chord.
The noise gradually blended into the music, creating a wonderful resonance.
The subtle emotions she had just felt because of Chen Yubai were washed away and crushed, silently scattered in the gaps of the rhythm, and completely forgotten.
As the performance ended, applause erupted from the audience like a tidal wave, mixed with excited whistles and cheers, almost lifting the low ceiling of the livehouse.
Peng Chengyi's fingers, which were holding the bass, were slightly numb. Her chest rose and fell gently with her still-breathing breaths, and her palms were filled with the warmth and dampness left by the strings.
She subconsciously raised her eyes and looked at Chen Yubai diagonally in front of her.
The spotlight outlined his clear profile, a few strands of hair on his forehead damp with sweat, falling casually over his deep brow bone, carrying a touch of unruly nonchalance.
Perhaps sensing her gaze, he happened to turn around the moment she looked over.
Their eyes met briefly, and he smiled slightly before slowly uttering four words: "You played well."
Peng Chengyi felt as if her heart had been lightly brushed by a feather. The strength she had just exhausted seemed to be replenished imperceptibly by that glance and those words, and she felt lightheaded.
"How about we go grab some late-night snacks to celebrate? It's still early anyway." Zhou Haochen wiped the sweat from his forehead and suggested loudly, his voice still brimming with the excitement of the performance.
“Great! I want to eat barbecue!” Peng Chengyi immediately responded enthusiastically.
This was their first time trying to play continuously for so long, and after the exhilarating performance, the feeling of hunger came on particularly strongly.
She smiled as she took the guitar off her shoulder and was about to follow the group backstage when her gaze suddenly fell on Ke Xingjian standing below the stage, and she paused in her tracks.
Oh no, she almost forgot about Ke Xingjian.
She can't just invite people to a show and then leave it aside afterward.
"Um...you guys go ahead and eat, I have some friends to take care of," Peng Chengyi said, slightly embarrassed.
"It's fine!" Zhou Haochen shrugged nonchalantly. "We also have friends here who got free tickets, let's come together, it's more fun with more people!"
“Oh, then I’ll ask my friend…” Peng Chengyi breathed a sigh of relief, took out her phone, and asked Ke Xingjian. He readily replied, “No problem.”
Peng Chengyi: "Then let's meet at the entrance later."
Ke Xingjian: "Hmm"
After packing up my instruments, I walked out of the livehouse; the night breeze was slightly cool.
Peng Chengyi spotted Ke Xingjian at a glance, and there were three other people standing next to him: two unfamiliar boys, and Lin Yue.
Her heart sank subtly.
Lin Yue... Could she be a friend brought by Chen Yubai who gave her the tickets?
After all, she knew most of his male friends.
While he was lost in thought, Zhou Haochen began to introduce them: "Let me briefly introduce them. Lin Yue, Zhao Ran, and Sun Qiming are all friends of our School of Mathematics."
Peng Chengyi snapped back to reality, a slight panic rising in her heart. She quickly introduced Ke Xingjian: "This... is my senior, Ke Xingjian."
Lin Yue's gaze swept between the two of them, a mixture of curiosity and teasing in her eyes, as she asked, "Is it just the senior?"
Unexpectedly, she asked so directly. Peng Chengyi pursed her lips awkwardly. Before she could say anything, Ke Xingjian turned his head to the side, a relaxed smile on his lips, his voice low but clear: "At present, he is just a senior."
"oh--"
"Got it, got it!"
"Right now!"
This subtle yet ambiguous answer immediately ignited the atmosphere, and a few unspoken cheers echoed in the night breeze.
Peng Chengyi's face flushed, and she subconsciously glanced at Chen Yubai across from her.
His face was expressionless, the dim light casting most of his figure in shadow, revealing no emotion. He simply said indifferently, "Everyone's here, let's go."
"Let's go, let's go!" Zhou Haochen immediately hooked his arm around Xiao Yan's shoulder.
"Let's eat the barbecue!" Zhao Ran cheered.
Sun Qiming: "I want to drink beer!"
Amidst the lively chatter, Peng Chengyi quickly averted her gaze.
I didn't see his hand, casually tucked into his pocket, his knuckles clenched into a fist.
-
The barbecue restaurant was bustling with activity, filled with the sounds of drinking games and laughter, while the sizzling meat on the hot plate emitted a spicy, smoky aroma.
Since there were no large tables available, the owner efficiently pieced together several square tables into a long row, barely managing to create a space that could accommodate eight people.
Amidst the movement of people, Peng Chengyi subconsciously avoided the center and habitually chose to sit down at the edge closest to the aisle, as if this corner could give her a little breathing space.
Ke Xingjian followed her naturally and sat down in the empty seat next to her, his movements as fluid as if it had been a preordained practice.
Chen Yubai, who was walking behind, paused almost imperceptibly. His gaze swept over the two people sitting side by side, his brows furrowed slightly, and finally he silently sat down directly opposite Peng Chengyi.
Seeing this, Lin Yue took the opportunity to sit in the empty seat next to Chen Yubai.
The ordered barbecue was served one after another, and the aroma of cumin and chili wafted over the table.
Peng Chengyi, who was already starving, quickly bent down, grabbed a skewer of meat, and began to eat it in large bites.
Looking up, he saw Lin Yue across from him taking small bites of grilled mushrooms, her movements slow and elegant, even the way she wiped her mouth was exceptionally reserved. She hadn't eaten more than two skewers before putting down the bamboo sticks and turning to whisper to Chen Yubai.
The store was noisy, and Peng Chengyi couldn't hear what was being said, but she could see Peng Chengyi's slightly leaning shoulder and smiling eyes.
Chen Yubai remained nonchalant, leaning back in his chair with a half-empty can of beer in his hand, his gaze drifting aimlessly over a skewer of grilled eggplant. He occasionally gave a brief reply, revealing no emotion whatsoever.
Peng Chengyi's movements became hesitant, and he unconsciously slowed down his chewing, suddenly finding it difficult to swallow the toasted bread slice in his hand.
She lowered her eyes silently, trying to ignore the subtle discomfort in her heart, and reached for the unopened can of beer in front of her.
The moment my fingertips touched the cold aluminum can, a hand with distinct knuckles suddenly reached out from the opposite side and snatched the drink away first.
She was startled and lifted her eyelids.
Chen Yubai lifted his eyelids to look at her, his voice low and indifferent, yet carrying an undeniable meaning: "You get drunk after just a couple of sips, and you'll be staggering around later, causing trouble for others."
"..." Peng Chengyi's lips twitched slightly, a surge of embarrassment and resentment at being publicly disciplined welled up inside her.
She opened her mouth, but before she could organize her words of rebuttal, Ke Xingjian beside her chuckled softly.
He casually pushed the freshly opened can of beer, still glistening with tiny droplets, toward her, his voice as soothing as a night breeze: "It's alright, it's a celebration, drink if you want, having fun is the most important thing."
He paused, his gaze sweeping meaningfully across the other side, his tone carrying a reassuring promise: "If you really get drunk, I'll carry you back. I won't mind the trouble."
As soon as he finished speaking, a soft click came from the other end, like the slight deformation sound of an aluminum can being squeezed tightly.
Chen Yubai's knuckles turned white, and his gaze shot towards Ke Xingjian like a cold arrow. Their eyes met briefly in mid-air, and in that instant, the noisy air around them seemed to freeze.
His jaw tightened, and his face darkened noticeably, as if covered with a layer of frost.
Peng Chengyi could tell he was angry, but at that moment, she had no desire to go along with him anymore.
Didn't he bring Lin Yue with him? He should just mind his own business; why should he have to worry about her too?
The inexplicable anger in her chest burned brighter and brighter. She steeled herself, and with a hint of defiance and even a touch of deliberate provocation, she snorted and raised her chin at him: "Did you hear that? Mind your own business."
After saying that, she turned her head and took the can of chilled beer directly from Ke Xingjian's hand. Her fingertips trembled slightly from the cold, but she forced a sweet smile and said, "Thank you, senior."
The icy touch instantly penetrated her palms. She tilted her head back and, with an almost resolute air, took a large gulp.
The bitter bubbles burst in my throat, and the brief, tingling sensation felt like a knife cutting through me, but it did nothing to extinguish the nameless anger in my heart.
The light in Chen Yubai's eyes suddenly dimmed, as if a candle flame had been forcibly extinguished. His thin lips pressed into a cold, hard line, all his emotions sealed inside.
Lin Yue, noticing the alarmingly tense atmosphere, quickly tried to smooth things over with a smile: "Chen Yubai, you're being too tense. It's just beer; one can isn't that easy to get drunk..."
"What does this have to do with you?" Chen Yubai suddenly turned his head, his tone cold and sharp, like a hard rock being thrown at him without any cushioning.
Lin Yue was taken aback, her smile froze slightly, and she could only awkwardly cover it up by picking up an unopened bottle of wine from the table and pulling the tab with a snap.
"Wait a minute," came Ke Xingjian's gentle reminder from the other end of the line, "the can you're holding looks like it's high-proof liquor."
Lin Yue paused, looked down and examined the packaging carefully; it really was.
She hesitated for a moment, then tentatively pushed the bottle of wine in her hand towards Chen Yubai, asking softly, "This... I might not be able to drink it, can you help me?"
Chen Yubai didn't move, but glanced at Peng Chengyi across from him.
She was drinking with her head tilted back, not even glancing at him again, as if she didn't care about him at all.
His eyes darkened, and he reached out and took the can of wine, tilting his head back to gulp it down.
Yu Guang saw his series of movements clearly, and Peng Chengyi unconsciously tightened his grip on the beer can.
Pshaw, he said he wasn't planning on dating.
He used to coldly refuse when girls offered him bottled water, putting on an unapproachable attitude.
Now look what's happened! The most beautiful girl in the college asked him to help her drink, and he accepted without hesitation.
It seems it's not that I don't want to talk about it, but that the people pursuing me aren't significant enough.
Peng Chengyi inwardly scoffed, but her smile widened. She put down the empty can, turned to Ke Xingjian, and grinned, "Senior, give me another can, this wine really makes you happier the more you drink it!"
The atmosphere gradually unfolded amidst the noise and clinking of glasses, the aroma of barbecue mingling with the scent of alcohol.
Peng Chengyi felt the world begin to sway gently, and the laughter around her seemed to be through a veil, gradually becoming blurred.
As the event ended, she even saw double images in her vision, as if two or three worlds were overlapping. She tried to get up by supporting herself on the corner of the table, but her footing gave way, and she almost stumbled and fell.
"Slow down." Ke Xingjian reacted quickly, reaching out to support her arm, his tone gentle and carrying an undeniable sense of security.
“…I’m fine!” Peng Chengyi tilted her head back slightly, her eyelashes trembling, her breath reeking of alcohol, as if she had finally found someone to lean on, and she leaned against him.
Lin Yue, standing beside him, also had flushed cheeks and glazed eyes from drinking. She glanced up at Chen Yubai, her voice soft and trembling with a hint of coquetry: "Could you help me up? I'm a little dizzy..."
The air fell silent for a moment.
Chen Yubai didn't even spare a glance, his gaze fixed on the person in Ke Xingjian's arms, his knuckles clenching in his palm, his voice low and cold: "Whoever asked you to come today, go find them to help you."
Lin Yue paused, her smile freezing on her face. Zhou Haochen quickly smoothed things over, grinning and stepping forward, "I'll take you home! I'll take you back."
Lin Yue had no choice but to respond, the curve of her lips so faint as to be almost invisible.
Chen Yubai bent down, picked up the bass and guitar from the table, and tossed them to Xiao Yan and Zhao Ran: "Help me take them back to the dorm. Just take a taxi; I'll pay for it."
"Huh? Aren't you coming with us?" Zhao Ran asked blankly, holding his guitar.
"I need to see someone off," Chen Yubai said, walking straight to Peng Chengyi's side.
Ke Xingjian was half-bent over supporting her when he looked up and his eyes met Chen Yubai's.
The air seemed to freeze for a moment, with undercurrents surging.
Chen Yubai's eyes were deep and undisguised in their aggressive intent. He reached out and pulled Peng Chengyi out of Ke Xingjian's arms.
She swayed slightly between the two of them, then groggily raised her head. Her eyes, misty with the smell of alcohol, landed on Chen Yubai's face. She stared at him blankly for two seconds before slowly uttering, "Didn't you think I was troublesome...? Why are you bothering me now..."
She dragged out the last syllable of her sentence, making it sticky and mushy, like melted sugar, mixed with a hint of inexplicable grievance.
“Yes, I’ll take her back. Don’t trouble yourself.” Ke Xingjian frowned slightly, his tone still gentle, but he took a step forward and reached out to pull Peng Chengyi back.
But her fingertips unconsciously gripped Chen Yubai's sleeve, as if grasping the last fulcrum of uncertainty.
Ke Xingjian's hand, which was suspended in mid-air, paused, and his expression stiffened slightly.
Chen Yubai chuckled softly, a mocking smile curving his lips. His tone was unhurried, yet every word was sharp: "Sorry, senior. She doesn't want to go with you."
After he finished speaking, he didn't say anything more, and simply picked the person up and carried them steadily on his back.
Before anyone could react, he had already strode through the noisy doorway, his silhouette fragmented by the flickering neon lights on the street.
The night breeze, carrying the city's sweltering heat, swept over me, leaving the smoky atmosphere of the barbecue restaurants behind. The taxi I had hailed stopped not far away, its windows reflecting the dim yellow light of the streetlights, creating a hazy glow.
The car door clicked open. The interior was filled with the smell of worn leather mixed with a faint smell of gasoline.
Peng Chengyi was placed in the back seat, and she leaned against his shoulder, her hair falling loose, her breath shallow and warm, carrying the sweet scent of alcohol.
She had barely settled down when she fell into a deep sleep, her lips slightly parted as if she were still murmuring silently.
The taxi slowly drove into the night, the lights outside the window flashing past like duckweed being swept away by the current. Inside the car, however, it was eerily quiet, with only her even breathing audible.
Chen Yubai turned his head to look at her slightly flushed cheeks, his fingers clenched slightly in his pocket, as if he were holding onto some silent emotion, or as if he was suppressing the complex thoughts that were slowly rising in his heart.
His breathing unconsciously slowed down, as if he were adjusting to the warmth and weight on his shoulders.
The taxi stopped at the school gate, and the campus at night unfolded before them. Chen Yubai paid the fare, carefully helped the half-asleep Peng Chengyi out of the car, then squatted down in front of her and skillfully carried her on his back again.
The campus was sparsely populated. One street lamp after another cast a dim and cool glow in the deepening night, turning the asphalt road into a hazy silver-gray.
In the distance, the faint echo of a basketball hitting the ground could be heard from the playground, making the road leading to the dormitory area seem even quieter and more deserted, with only his steady footsteps and the mingling of their breaths remaining.
A cool evening breeze swept by, and the person on his back stirred slightly, as if the wind had sobered him up a bit.
"Chen Yubai..." she suddenly mumbled, her warm breath gently brushing against his sensitive earlobe and neck, bringing a slight shiver.
His Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily, but he didn't respond. He just tightened his grip on her knees slightly.
"I hate you so much..." Her voice was sticky and sweet, like a complaint coated with honey.
Chen Yubai paused, then turned his head away: "What do you dislike about me?"
"Ugh...you're always so controlling..." Her voice trailed off as she unconsciously rubbed her head against his back, finding a more comfortable spot, as if she were pouting. "And besides, from childhood to adulthood, everything I do has to be compared to you...so this time...I have to win..."
"This time? What will we win?" His voice was low and deep, blending into the night.
"I want to... date before you..." she mumbled, her logic incoherent, yet her tone held an unusual stubbornness, "You can't... you can't be faster than me..."
Upon hearing this, Chen Yubai sighed silently, a slight tremor emanating from his chest: "Wake up, what's the point of comparing these things?"
He paused, his profile clearly defined under the streetlight, and added, "Besides, as I said, I don't plan to date anyone."
"You're lying..." she suddenly became agitated, clenching her small, weak fist and punching his shoulder. "You drank her wine! Lin Yue's wine!"
The moonlight mixed with the light from the streetlights, illuminating the almost imperceptible curve of his lips: "So, you're jealous?"
"I didn't!" she immediately raised her voice in rebuttal, but because of her drunkenness, the last syllable was drawn out, sounding weak and powerless, more like a soft, pleading complaint, "I just... I'm just afraid you'll find someone first... then I'll lose..."
"No, it won't happen." He let out a very soft laugh, his voice sounding particularly firm in the quiet night.
"Of course I would..." She pouted, feeling wronged, and pressed her cheek against his warm back, starting to bring up old grievances, "In high school... so many people wrote you love letters... I never received a single one..."
Chen Yubai paused almost imperceptibly, then fell silent. The streetlight cast a small fan-shaped shadow under his lowered eyelashes, concealing the turbulent emotions in his eyes.
The night breeze was gentle, and he spoke slowly, his voice soft yet clear, each word striking the tranquil night.
“You’re so eager to win,” he paused, as if choosing his words carefully, “there’s a way.”
"What method?" she asked groggily, her mind clearly no longer clear.
He silently carried her a few more steps before, as if finally making up his mind, he took a deep breath of the cool air and said in a slightly tense voice.
"Why don't you just talk to me?"
-----------------------
Author's Note: [shy][shy][shy]
Double update combined! Thanks to Soleil, Sunshine, and Wang Xiaoxiaoxiaoxie for the nutrient solution!
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