Chapter 76 [VIP]
Pei Xingzhi wasn't so easily persuaded, and Xie Nanyi wasn't so easily left either. Neither of them could convince the other, so the stalemate continued.
Xie Nanyi lived on the second floor of the shop. He seemed to have nothing to do, and he helped out at Pei Xingzhi's shop every day. The young master who was usually so arrogant was now completely unpretentious. In just a few days, he had already gotten along well with the other people in the shop.
Pei Xingzhi secretly chased after him, but this young master shamelessly spread Pei Xingzhi's words everywhere, even asking others with a grin what Pei Xingzhi meant. As early as Xie Nanyi's first day, Huo Miao had already publicized their relationship. With Huo Miao's embellished descriptions and Xie Nanyi's genius acting skills, his words sounded to unsuspecting outsiders as if Pei Xingzhi had started a relationship and then abandoned it, leading to Pei Xingzhi receiving a lot of criticism from well-meaning people.
They only knew that Xie Nanyi was Pei Xingzhi's online girlfriend, unaware of their past relationship. They didn't ask, and neither Pei Xingzhi nor Xie Nanyi mentioned it again.
Some things don't need to be known in too much detail, especially such trivial matters that would only be laughed at if spoken of.
Xie Nanyi stayed at the shop, so Pei Xingzhi visited the shop less often.
Firstly, he didn't want to meet Xie Nanyi, and secondly, summer was approaching and his workplace had become busy again. He was already dark when he got off work every day, and he simply couldn't find the time to go to the store. In fact, Huo Miao had been brought back by Xie Nanyi during this period.
When work gets busy, Pei Xingzhi starts to neglect meals. He used to take a break to go home at noon, but now he doesn't even go home for lunch. He just grabs a bite at work, and sometimes he doesn't eat at all when he's busy.
There's always a period like this every year, and Pei Xingzhi has gotten used to it.
When I first arrived, I couldn't stand it, but now I'm so immune that I don't even feel stomach pain anymore.
Anyway, he can just endure it on his own.
Pei Xingzhi returned home very late as usual tonight. It was past nine o'clock when he got off work, and his boss kept him behind for a while under various pretexts. Although there was nothing that needed him, how could Pei Xingzhi leave early when everyone else was still there?
So, with delays here and there, Pei Xingzhi didn't actually get off work until after 10:30.
He took a taxi home and nearly dozed off several times on the way, so sleepy that he could fall asleep the moment his eyelids touched.
Pei Xingzhi arrived home close to midnight. Huo Miao's door was closed, and he didn't know if Huo Miao was asleep. Pei Xingzhi didn't have the energy to say anything more to him, so he quickly washed up and went back to his room.
Pei Xingzhi collapsed onto the bed, his head and body groggy, and he didn't even have the strength to move forward a little further to the center of the bed.
Pei Xingzhi's face was pressed against the blanket, and the light in front of him became increasingly blurry.
He can finally rest tomorrow; he can sleep until he naturally wakes up.
With these thoughts in mind, Pei Xingzhi drifted off to sleep.
＊
Pei Xingzhi opened his eyes and saw a pristine white ceiling.
Pei Xingzhi blinked, his sluggish brain unable to keep up with his gaze. After a while, Pei Xingzhi rolled his eyes to the side, only realizing that this was not his room when he saw the strange furnishings around him.
"Brother Xingzhi, you're awake!"
Pei Xingzhi tried to sit up, and just as he braced his elbows on the bed, Huo Miao, who had come in from outside, quickly ran over and helped him up.
Huo Miao adjusted the bed for him and put two pillows behind his back. Even though she was still a high school student, she talked to him like a little adult.
"Xingzhi, what's wrong with you? You're so sick and you didn't even tell me! I'm right next door. If you weren't feeling well, you should have told me sooner! Do you know how serious your illness is? The doctor said if you had waited a few more days, your stomach might have ruptured!"
"It's not as serious as you're making it out to be... Who are you trying to scare? I know how bad I feel." Pei Xingzhi assumed that Huo Miao was just exaggerating his old problem and didn't take his words to heart at all.
If he were really that sick, he would have been in unbearable pain by now. He slept so soundly yesterday, he didn't look sick at all. Even now, apart from a slight pain in his neck from sleeping, he doesn't seem to be in any other discomfort.
Could it be that Huo Miao deliberately framed him by having him lie here?
Thinking of this, Pei Xingzhi looked at Huo Miao suspiciously and continued, "I was sleeping peacefully in my room, how did you get me here? Wasn't my room door locked? How did you pry it open?"
Huo Miao recalled the panic he felt when he saw Pei Xingzhi unconscious on the bed that morning, and seeing Pei Xingzhi's nonchalant expression, he was immediately filled with anger. He was so worried he almost cried; this man didn't seem to care about his own health at all!
"What do you mean, 'sleep well'?! You were in so much pain you passed out! Don't you even realize how badly you're hurting? Do you know how scared I was this morning when I couldn't wake you up no matter what I did?! If something happened to you, how would I explain it to my brother and the Pumpkin Party?!" Huo Miao wailed, hitting Pei Xingzhi with a pillow in frustration. If Pei Xingzhi weren't still a patient, he really would have wanted to hit him instead.
"Okay, okay, don't be angry. It was my fault. The main problem is that I didn't know I was sick. I didn't feel unwell yesterday." Pei Xingzhi immediately admitted defeat. He was already in the hospital, so there was no point in arguing with Huo Miao anymore.
"You not only have a stomach ulcer, but you also have a fever of 39 degrees Celsius. If Xie Nanyi hadn't found you some special medicine, you might be lying here covered in a white sheet right now!" Huo Miao glared at him, her words vicious, but she was busy serving him porridge and placing it beside him. "Eat something light to soothe your stomach first, don't torture yourself anymore."
"..." Pei Xingzhi almost dropped the bowl on the bed when he heard Huo Miao's parental-like admonition.
"How did you open my room door? Did you ask Uncle Ge for the key? Did you tell him I was in the hospital? He's old, don't tell him these things." Pei Xingzhi slowly sipped his porridge, speaking casually.
“I didn’t tell Uncle Ge. I opened it myself.” Huo Miao shook her head, as if she had stopped speaking abruptly.
Pei Xingzhi saw the hidden meaning in his words, put the bowl in his hand aside, pinched Huo Miao's arm and teased, "Then how did you open the door? Don't tell me you broke it open, with your small body... I'd believe you if you said you crawled in and picked the lock yourself."
"..." Huo Miao was speechless at his tasteless joke. After hesitating for a long time, she finally spoke up. "Xie Nanyi opened it."
“Xie Nanyi?” Pei Xingzhi raised an eyebrow. How did Xie Nanyi know he was sick?
“I noticed you hadn’t left the house this morning, and when I called you at the door, no one answered. Xie Nanyi happened to be bringing food over, so I had him break down the door and take a look…”
"Xie Nanyi brought the food?" Pei Xingzhi's voice changed slightly. "You mean Xie Nanyi has been cooking all the meals I've been eating lately?"
"yes……"
Pei Xingzhi didn't say anything more to Huo Miao, but just tossed his hair in frustration.
He really didn't understand what Xie Nanyi was doing.
Why would someone give up being the young master of the Xie family to come here as a maid? He's not some stunning beauty who would make a hero give up wealth and glory to marry him. He's just an ordinary person who only wants to live an ordinary life. He has neither the energy nor the ability to reciprocate Xie Nanyi's self-indulgent sacrifices.
He didn't want to depend on others for his life, nor did he want anyone to do anything more for him. His childhood experiences made it impossible for him to handle relationships normally. He had tried to build connections with others, but without exception, they had all failed. The only reason he and Chu Ling had maintained contact for so long was because of an exchange of benefits between them.
He dared not hope to establish purely selfless relationships with others, because no one is truly selfless; everyone cares most about themselves, including him. He only cared about himself.
He didn't want to get hurt again.
He just wanted to live quietly here.
That's all.
But why did Xie Nanyi have to disturb his peaceful life?
He really couldn't understand it.
He also didn't want to understand Xie Nanyi's behavior.
He didn't want the safety barrier he had built to be broken, he didn't want to step out of his safe zone, and he wanted to escape anything that might harm him.
He couldn't see through Xie Nanyi. He didn't know whether Xie Nanyi would bring him a surprise or a nightmare. He didn't want to gamble and dared not gamble.
“Brother Xingzhi…” Huo Miao looked at Pei Xingzhi’s face and a strange sense of panic suddenly welled up in her heart.
"What's wrong?" Pei Xingzhi quickly composed himself, as if he hadn't been the one who had just been in a state of confusion. He smiled at Huo Miao and reached out to rub his head.
"Did I do something wrong..." He sensed that there seemed to be another relationship between Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi. It was as if they had known each other for a long time and had some connection before. Brother Chu Ling often told him not to meddle in other people's business, but Pei Xingzhi was no ordinary person. He felt that Pei Xingzhi and Xie Nanyi were a good match, so he tried his best to bring them together.
Pei Xingzhi had only verbally reprimanded him for his behavior in the past, but just now, Huo Miao suddenly felt that he seemed to have underestimated their relationship. Did these two have some deep-seated grudge he was unaware of?
Huo Miao swallowed hard, bracing himself for Pei Xingzhi's wrath. Unexpectedly, Pei Xingzhi simply ruffled his hair and asked him a question in a gentle tone.
What kind of person do you think Xie Nanyi is?
"Huh?" Huo Miao hadn't expected Pei Xingzhi to ask such a question. The apology she had prepared got stuck in her throat. She scratched her head for a long time before finally managing to stammer a reply.
"I think Nan Yi is a good person."
"Is that so?" Pei Xingzhi smiled with narrowed eyes, and Huo Miao felt a chill run down her spine.
“He was very kind to us, so I think he's a good person…”
“No, it was all an act.” Pei Xingzhi held up a finger and waved it from side to side. “Do you remember what he was like when we first met Pumpkin Party?”
"Hmm...unreasonable, shameless, pretentious, bullies the weak?" Huo Miao stroked his chin and thought for a while before hesitantly uttering a few words.
“Yes.” Pei Xingzhi nodded in satisfaction. “Xie Nanyi is just that kind of person.”
"He's strange and infuriating. One minute he's mean to you, the next he's nice, making it impossible to figure out his true feelings. He's arrogant, always acting only according to his own ideas, never considering whether others want him to. He's annoying; no matter what you say to him, he'll shamelessly fawn over you. I've known him for so long, but I still have no idea what he's thinking. Every time we talk, it's like we're using an outdated translator—we're talking at cross purposes." Pei Xingzhi said, then, as if thinking of something amusing, he couldn't help but chuckle softly.
Huo Miao stood stiffly to the side, listening, somewhat conflicted about whether she should say something in response to Pei Xingzhi's comments.
Fortunately, Pei Xingzhi didn't need him to respond. Just as Huo Miao was about to speak, Pei Xingzhi continued.
"I know you want to set us up, but my advice is that you'd better give up on this idea. Xie Nanyi and I aren't really a good match."
"Why do you think it's not suitable? I think you two are a perfect match." Huo Miao didn't want to hear Pei Xingzhi's words. He hadn't even tried, so how would he know if it was suitable or not?
"If it's not right, it's not right. Why do we need so many reasons? I'm not a suitable romantic partner. Anyone would find me boring. Is that reason enough?" Pei Xingzhi said helplessly. Huo Miao was still too young. Some things didn't need any reasons.
"What kind of reason is that? Does dating have to be interesting or not? If you find being with Xie Nanyi interesting, and Xie Nanyi finds being with you interesting, isn't that enough? Why do you have to worry about so many things when dating?" Huo Miao didn't understand the twists and turns in Pei Xingzhi's words. In his opinion, as long as you feel that the other person is right, why bother with unnecessary factors?
"Huo Miao, you're too young to understand..."
"What do I not understand? Isn't dating about enjoying the process? If you feel comfortable, continue; if you don't, break up. Why do you have to focus so much on the outcome? Xingzhi, there's nothing about you that makes you unworthy of Xie Nanyi. You're underestimating yourself."
“How could I belittle myself? I just don’t want an outcome I don’t want.” Pei Xingzhi buried his head in his knees and said in a muffled voice, “I hate bad outcomes.”
"How will you know if it will turn out well or not if you don't even try?" Huo Miao was a little anxious. He had known Pei Xingzhi for a quarter of his life, and Pei Xingzhi held a place in his heart almost equal to his brother's. He never thought Pei Xingzhi was a failure; he was just too lonely and needed encouragement.
“But I don’t want to make mistakes.” Pei Xingzhi still refused to try; he didn’t want to experience the pain of failure.
"Why do you have to think the worst about the outcome? Xingzhi, you have a lot of confidence and ability, why worry about this very small chance of a bad result? Xie Nanyi is a good person, and you are a good person too. He treats you very well, and you will be happy with him. I think you two are a good match."
"But I'm terrified of what might happen. Huo Miao, human emotions are the hardest things to sever. If Kuro betrays you, will you feel despair?"
“I will be sad and upset, but I will not deny myself because of Kuro. Xingzhi, if Xie Nanyi and you can't make it work, it only proves that he has no vision. It's not your fault, it's that he's not good enough.”
"Pfft." Pei Xingzhi covered his face and let out a muffled laugh. A few seconds later, he raised his head again. He looked at Huo Miao's slightly flustered face and said, word by word, "You're right, I've been good enough."
So I decided to give it a try.
A note from the author:
Since I couldn't sleep, I decided to just finish writing it and post it.
I wonder if any readers are still reading this... I guess probably not.
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