In that fleeting moment, he was certain his eyes had not deceived him; Shen Zhishu’s face bore an expression strikingly similar to Ye Zivi’s—a bloodthirsty gaze of one fearing their prey might be snatched away.
Yet, what concern was that of his?
He was genuinely unfamiliar with this prominent figure, not even a nodding acquaintance.
Perhaps they had met before; he had certainly encountered many notable individuals in his childhood, but that was a considerable time ago.
Unable to make sense of it, Pei Xingyan merely shook his head, burying the question deep within his heart.
The timing was now perfectly ripe for him to delve into Lin Xiaoyu’s inner world.
[I’m going to an event tonight, and I’ll be using the techniques you taught me to absolutely dominate (*^▽^*)]
After he sent this anticipatory message, Lin Xiaoyu quickly responded.
Her reply came several times faster than her usual average, almost as if she had been keeping her phone nearby, anxiously awaiting his words.
“Well, then… you do your best.”
She seemed to hesitate, clearly in a difficult spot.
Pei Xingyan knew, without a second thought, that Lin Xiaoyu was uncertain about the knowledge he had imparted and feared she might negatively impact him.
She was probably wrestling with herself right now, contemplating whether to tell him the truth.
That simply wouldn’t do.
He exchanged a few hurried words, then promptly ended their communication.
****
The next morning, with no classes scheduled, it was the perfect opportunity for Pei Xingyan to further his scheme.
[I failed…]
The message itself exuded a palpable sense of dejection.
Lin Xiaoyu, as expected, quickly replied, clearly concerned about his progress.
“Is something wrong?”
Her voice trembled, like a shy, introverted child called upon to speak in front of a lecture hall of hundreds.
This innocent girl carried a considerable sense of responsibility, fearing she might have caused Pei Xingyan’s failure.
Pei Xingyan almost couldn’t bring himself to deceive her; her voice was soft, laced with a touch of timidity, and he could already imagine how heartbroken she would be.
Nonetheless, the message was sent.
[Sigh…]
[I went to a competition at a nearby music store yesterday. The prize was a new instrument, and I was sure I’d win.]
[But when I was strumming, I thought I’d try out that technique you taught me.]
[It didn’t go so well…]
Lin Xiaoyu instantly replied: “What happened?”
She was so anxious she sounded on the verge of tears, inhaling sharply with a sense of urgency, her voice tinged with sorrow, which made Pei Xingyan’s heart ache with a desolate pang.
That day, a mere aisle had separated him from Lin Xiaoyu, preventing him from seeing her clearly, but now he could vividly picture a quiet, gentle girl with tears streaking her face, her features etched with pain and alarm.
[When I was strumming, there was a terrible scraping sound, and I ended up losing…]
[Oh well, maybe it’s just my own skill level that’s the problem. It’s really nothing.]
[Anyway, that music store is pretty stingy; the prize wasn’t that great.]
[I just wanted to tell you; don’t take it to heart.]
Pei Xingyan paused, waiting to see Lin Xiaoyu’s reaction.
He had already held back considerably; his original prepared line had been, “If I had a new instrument, it would sound even better when I play it for my parents next time.”
Given the girl’s kind nature, such a remark would undoubtedly have devastated her.
She was, in her own way, a patient, and so utterly vulnerable.
So, Pei Xingyan had eased up a little.
Still, Lin Xiaoyu’s reaction was intensely dramatic; her next message was a full minute long, the maximum for a voice message, but certainly not her emotional limit.
And that minute-long message contained very few coherent words, consisting mostly of her uncontrollable sobs. She sniffled incessantly, her words broken and disjointed:
“I—I’m so sorry… I’m sorry…呜呜…”
Things were unfolding exactly as Pei Xingyan had predicted.
He let out an uncharitable chuckle, then quickly replied:
[Don’t say that.]
[You went to such lengths to teach me, sharing so much knowledge I’d never heard before. What is there to be sorry about?]
[Please don’t misunderstand, I’m not blaming you, truly I’m not!]
[I’m just a little down about failing, and you’re the only friend I have to confide in.]
[You really shouldn’t overthink it.]
Of course, he wasn’t truly hoping Lin Xiaoyu wouldn’t overthink it; if she genuinely didn’t take it to heart, wouldn’t all his elaborate stories have been for naught?
So, he added, quite unscrupulously: [I just feel a bit like I’ve let down your guidance, and I’m a little ashamed… I should be the one apologizing…]
Inside his bed curtains, though his heart felt heavy, he couldn’t suppress the slight upturn of his lips as he awaited Lin Xiaoyu’s response.
This innocent girl did not disappoint his expectations; her returned message was even more choked with sobs.
She was practically wailing, sending several voice messages, not a single one containing a clear, complete sentence.
It was as if she were repenting at the grave of a loved one lost due to her own fault, unable to control her emotions, tears and cries catching in her throat, yet desperately wanting to offer a sincere apology.
Pei Xingyan had anticipated such a breakdown.
Constantly burdened by her parents’ expectations but never quite able to meet them, Lin Xiaoyu’s pressure and psychological shadows had long reached their peak.
Now, she had finally found someone whose expectations she could meet, only to mess it up because of her own vanity.
Of course, she would collapse like this.
But Pei Xingyan wasn’t doing this to crush her spirit.
After several minutes of silence, Lin Xiaoyu, having struggled to compose herself, finally managed to squeeze out a complete sentence:
“Because, because… I actually don’t know much; the information I sent you was just something I found online… I’m truly sorry, I caused you to fail, it’s my fault, it’s all my fault…”
Her voice was hoarse, conveying the swollen feeling in her throat, clearly indicating she was desperately trying to suppress her emotions.
Pei Xingyan lowered his head and sent a few brief messages:
[Why would you blame yourself?]
[Making mistakes is perfectly normal. Why be so hard on yourself?]
[Don’t worry about it so much; we’re friends, aren’t we? Between friends, even if one makes a mistake, a laugh is all it takes to move past it, right?]
[I have some other questions I’d like to ask you~(*^▽^*)]
He didn’t dwell on the previous incident, dismissing it in a few words and defining Lin Xiaoyu’s role. He also didn’t try to comfort her by saying the consequences weren’t serious.
All he did was assure her that he accepted her mistakes, that she didn’t need to worry, that he was her friend, and he would embrace her flaws.
For them, all that mattered was turning this page.
Lin Xiaoyu fell silent, like a disconnected line, not sending a single word for a long time.
After a considerable pause, Lin Xiaoyu simply replied, “Thank you.”
She was no longer sobbing, her voice light, like a bird freed from its bonds, soaring into the vast sky.
Pei Xingyan quietly exhaled a sigh of relief, knowing he had taken the right step.
For this girl who feared mistakes and dreaded failure, any words of explanation or comfort would have been powerless. All she truly needed, after making a mistake, was a simple,