Living Together

On Friday morning, Pei Huan woke up late and didn’t have time to eat the breakfast Zhong Su had prepared. Before Zhong Su could call out to her, she caught sight of Pei Huan dashing past, putting on her shoes and heading out the door. Zhong Su’s raised hand fell back down helplessly.

“Just let her be. She’s probably overslept again and that’s why she’s in such a hurry,” Pei Yan commented, thoroughly familiar with Pei Huan’s habits.

“But skipping breakfast isn’t good. That girl definitely won’t buy anything to eat on the way,” Zhong Su grumbled for a while before turning to Pei Yan. “Take some breakfast for your sister later, and don’t you dare eat it all yourself because you get peckish on the way.”

Pei Yan rolled his eyes. “Mom, do I look like that kind of person?”

When Pei Huan arrived at her class’s gathering spot, she made it just in time. Sitting down, still trying to catch her breath, she noticed Lu Yinghuai a couple of seats away, wearing headphones and absorbed in a game. She was a little surprised to see him there.

Perhaps Pei Huan’s glances were too obvious, for Lu Yinghuai seemed to sense them and looked her way. Pei Huan had been caught sneaking glances at him several times before, so this time, she didn’t bother to hide it. She turned and met his cool, clear gaze directly, raising an eyebrow in greeting. Lu Yinghuai paused for a moment, then gave her a slight nod in return.

But when he lowered his head to resume his game, Lu Yinghuai found he couldn’t concentrate. He kept thinking about the way Pei Huan had just raised her eyebrow at him—confident, radiant, exactly as he’d always known her.

His thoughts began to drift.

By the time Pei Yan reached the second-year class two, he saw Pei Huan snatching someone else’s breakfast. He watched her messy antics in amusement for a while before calling her name, “Pei Huan.”

She was surprised to see her brother at her class and quickly walked over. “What brings you here, Senior Pei? You don’t show up for nothing. Did you need something?”

“Not really,” Pei Yan replied calmly. “It’s just that some poor soul overslept and missed breakfast, and was just seen fighting over someone else’s food.”

Pei Huan ignored his half-mocking tone but caught his underlying meaning. Her eyes lit up instantly. “Did you bring me breakfast?”

“Nope.” Pei Yan shook his head, teasing her.

“Then what’s that in your hand?” Pei Huan pointed at the bag he was carrying.

After a brief scuffle, Pei Yan finally handed her the breakfast. “Next time you oversleep and miss breakfast, even if Mom begs me, I won’t bring you any.”

Pei Huan knew he didn’t mean it, but still nodded obediently.

Seeing her so compliant, Pei Yan couldn’t say more and just asked, “Did you bring milk?”

“No.” Pei Huan shook her head.

Pei Yan sighed, pulled a bottle of milk from his jacket pocket, and handed it to her, nagging a little before leaving.

Pei Huan watched him walk away, then sat down and finally eased her morning hunger with the breakfast he’d brought.

Qi Qinshu, who sat next to her, had witnessed the entire exchange and asked, “Was that Pei Yan, the senior?”

“Yeah,” Pei Huan replied, still eating.

“I’ve always heard Senior Pei Yan is handsome and gentle. Now that I’ve seen him, he really is good-looking,” Qi Qinshu said sincerely.

Pei Huan looked as though she’d just heard something unbelievable and nearly choked. Qi Qinshu quickly handed her the milk.

Once she’d recovered, Pei Huan said earnestly, “Appearances can be deceiving. Some people are very different from what you’d expect.”

Qi Qinshu nodded, half-understanding, and the two of them started chatting idly.

Yuan Tao had been off somewhere and only returned after a while. When she came back, she sat naturally beside Lu Yinghuai and started chatting with him as if it were the most ordinary thing in the world. Both their classmates and others on the field cast occasional glances their way.

Rumor had it that Lu Yinghuai and Yuan Tao were close, and now it certainly looked that way. Both were good-looking and academically outstanding; by all accounts, they seemed a perfect match. Even Yuan Tao thought so.

Pei Huan, still chatting with Qi Qinshu, glanced over at them without much interest and then looked away.

Soon, it was lunchtime. Pei Huan stretched and stood up. Qi Qinshu was called away by someone else for lunch, and since Tang Yue was still busy, Pei Huan had to head to the cafeteria alone. But when she saw Lu Yinghuai was alone as well, she suddenly had an idea.

She strolled over to him. “Want to grab lunch together?”

Lu Yinghuai looked down at her. Her expression was relaxed, as if she’d simply found herself without company and thought to ask him. Without giving it much thought, he agreed.

They went out for lunch. Since it was the day of the sports meet, many students had chosen to eat out, so the shops near the school gate were filled with students in their uniforms. Pei Huan and Lu Yinghuai headed to the snack street they’d been to before.

Pei Huan, familiar with the place, went straight to the stir-fried rice noodle stall and ordered a serving. The owner responded cheerfully, and Lu Yinghuai ordered one as well.

While they waited, Lu Yinghuai asked casually, “Is there anything else you want to eat?”

“I want to get some Fuding meatballs,” Pei Huan replied.

“Can you finish all that?” Lu Yinghuai asked.

“Of course.” Pei Huan nodded. “After that, I want a cup of milk tea.”

Their noodles were ready quickly. Pei Huan took the food and led Lu Yinghuai to the meatball stall, ordering expertly, “Extra pickled peppers, please, Auntie.”

“No problem!” the vendor replied briskly.

When the food was ready, Pei Huan sat at the small table in front of the stall, opened her noodles, and glanced at Lu Yinghuai. “Will this be enough for you?”

“It’ll do,” he replied.

Lu Yinghuai truly adhered to the principle of not talking while eating. Last time they’d eaten together, he’d hardly spoken. Pei Huan, however, was the type who couldn’t keep quiet even during meals, so she chatted away as they ate. Lu Yinghuai would answer her from time to time.

The midday sun poured down, illuminating Pei Huan’s already attractive eyes, making them shine even more brightly. A phrase popped into Lu Yinghuai’s mind: “Bright eyes and radiant face.”

She truly lived up to that description.

Every time he looked at her vibrant smile, an inexplicable restlessness welled up inside him, though outwardly he showed nothing. He was distracted for a few seconds, then hurriedly lowered his head to eat, hoping she wouldn’t notice anything amiss. Pei Huan didn’t notice—she was still lost in her own world, chattering on.

After they’d finished eating, they got ready to head back. Suddenly, Lu Yinghuai said, “Weren’t you going to buy milk tea?”

“Oh, right!” Pei Huan remembered.

They went to the milk tea shop, and Tang Yue messaged her, asking her to bring a cup back. Pei Huan agreed.

There were several students from Fifth High in line at the milk tea shop. When they saw Pei Huan and Lu Yinghuai together, their expressions could only be described as baffled. After all, everyone assumed Lu Yinghuai would be with Yuan Tao, though they’d also heard Pei Huan and Lu Yinghuai were close.

Pei Huan ignored the looks and asked, “Do you want something? The drinks here are pretty good.”

Lu Yinghuai glanced up at the menu before deciding what he wanted. Pei Huan ordered for all three of them. When their drinks were ready, she handed Lu Yinghuai his cup, and the two of them started back.

As the two walked away, people in the shop finally dared to talk. Someone secretly snapped a photo of their backs and posted it to the school forum. Within minutes, the post had attracted dozens of replies.

Unaware of this, Pei Huan and Lu Yinghuai walked side by side until they reached the school gate, where they finally put a little distance between them before entering, as if trying not to draw attention to themselves.

At some point, Yuan Tao came over and stood between them, closer to Lu Yinghuai. She greeted him warmly, then, as if just remembering Pei Huan, smiled and said, “What a coincidence.”

No matter how you looked at it, Yuan Tao seemed much closer to Lu Yinghuai. Pei Huan didn’t comment, just asked, “Did you just get back from lunch too?”

“Yeah, I ate at the place near the school gate. It was good—you should try it next time,” Yuan Tao replied earnestly.

Pei Huan just made a noncommittal sound and fell silent.

Yuan Tao didn’t seem interested in talking to Pei Huan either; she turned to Lu Yinghuai, her smile becoming more genuine. “Have you eaten, Ah Huai?”

“Yes.” His answer was brief.

“Then how come I didn’t see you by the gate?” she asked with a gentle smile.

“I went somewhere else,” Lu Yinghuai replied, not elaborating.

Sensing his reluctance, Yuan Tao smoothly changed the subject.

Pei Huan lagged a few steps behind the two, her gaze lingering on Lu Yinghuai, who happened to turn back at that moment. They locked eyes for a few seconds before both quickly looked away, as if shocked by a jolt of electricity.

What a rush, Pei Huan thought.

Back on the field, Tang Yue came to pick up the milk tea Pei Huan had brought her and suddenly asked, “Do you know what was just posted on the school forum?”

“What?” Pei Huan was clueless.

Tang Yue immediately pulled out her phone and showed her the photo someone had taken of them leaving the milk tea shop.

“Not bad,” Tang Yue teased. “Usually you’re so quiet, but who’d have thought you’d be seen out with our campus heartthrob.”

“It was just sharing the walk back,” Pei Huan replied, her tone indifferent.

“Really?” Tang Yue looked at her skeptically.

“Mm.” Pei Huan nodded.

Tang Yue didn’t believe her but didn’t push it. “That post already has hundreds of replies—some are just gawking, some are cursing you, some are secretly shipping you two. You’ve become the talk of the school.”

Listening to Tang Yue, Pei Huan gazed at the high jump final happening not far away, lost in thought.

To think even something like this would get snapped and posted online.