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“Hey, hey!”
He frantically waved, attempting to recall her consciousness.
Lin Xiaoyu awoke as if from a dream, only then realizing her mind had drifted.
This was a dreadful error; she always zoned out during piano lessons, and a severe reprimand was sure to follow.
She instinctively wanted to apologize, even to confess, yet upon seeing the gentle face of the young man opposite her, she instantly calmed.
‘Right… this isn’t Mom and Dad, nor is it that strict, witch-like teacher.’
‘This is the ‘friend’ who is willing to forgive all her mistakes.’
For the first time in her life, she did not apologize for her error.
She was incredibly nervous, her heart pounding uncontrollably, and she could even hear its thumping, like thunder, thud… thud… thud!
Yet nothing happened; the person opposite still smiled gently, neither punishing nor blaming her, not even treating it as an issue.
He continued to smile, revealing teeth so dazzlingly white that she found herself unable to look away.
Lin Xiaoyu’s thoughts drifted once more.
By the time she snapped back to reality, she saw only Pei Xingyan’s wry smile.
Yet, it remained a benevolent smile, and he still showed no intention of faulting her.
A strange impulse seized her, and she felt her heart pound even more fiercely.
She said to herself in her mind, ‘Lin Xiaoyu, an angel has finally descended upon you!’
In response, Lin Xiaoyu offered the sweetest smile she had ever given, pulling her chair a little closer to him.
****
Lin Xiaoyu couldn’t recall a single thing she had said, nor what the person before her had uttered.
She simply adored this feeling—this sense of having no pressure, of being able to act on a whim.
She had never had such an experience; with her other friends, she found herself unable to truly open up to them.
She and her ordinary friends simply had nothing to discuss; they understood nothing, and no one else faced the same high pressure, leaving her no outlet for the vexation in her heart.
With her parents, she could confide some innermost thoughts, but any such attempt only resulted in stern reprimands.
Her parents disliked children complaining, especially about difficulties or shirking responsibility.
With her feet propped up, she wriggled and fidgeted in her chair, resembling less a demure university student and more a child with boundless energy.
Lin Xiaoyu loved this uninhibited sitting posture, so different from the elegant one she was forced to maintain at home.
Sitting like this, she felt no fatigue whatsoever.
But her parents would never care if she was tired or not; if she didn’t sit properly, a harsh scolding was inevitable.
She covertly glanced at the gently speaking young man opposite her, discovering that he didn’t mind her actions in the slightest.
Whether she slumped her back or stretched her legs, he paid no heed, which only encouraged her to kick her feet with even more abandon.
Yet, as is often the case, joy can quickly turn to sorrow.
The mall’s floor was too slick, and her chair slid backward, causing her to lose balance and land squarely on the ground.
The fall itself wasn’t the problem, but her panicked little feet thrashed incessantly, striking the unstable table.
On the table sat the milk tea she had just ordered, its seal already torn open for easier drinking.
A torrent of thoughts raced through her mind, but the most pressing concern was the teetering milk tea.
‘Would it spill all over her? Would her dress be ruined? Would Mom scold her again when she got home tonight? Mom absolutely loathed stains on white clothes.’
Her mind, overwhelmed, gradually went blank, and she ceased to think.
Everything happened in an instant; she had no time to salvage anything, only falling with her body, staring blankly.
Yet, she only saw the table, which had been tipping towards her, being pulled by an unseen force, falling in the opposite direction.
Then came the loud crash of the table hitting the floor, but ultimately, the milk tea did not land on her clothes, and her heart, which had been lodged in her throat, finally sank back into place.
Patting her chest, Lin Xiaoyu rose, still somewhat dazed.
A strange, ineffable sense of loss now settled over her; she didn’t know why, but she had just felt, or rather hoped, that someone would stand in front of her, protecting her like a shield.
‘But that’s impossible, isn’t it? Who could react so quickly?’
She laughed at herself, a self-deprecating sound.
‘Where would such a romantic thing happen? I’m really treating the guy opposite like an angel…’
It was then, as she finally looked up, that she realized she had been entirely mistaken about one thing.
The table’s change in direction had a reason; she had overlooked why it had fallen away from her.
Someone had pulled it, altering its trajectory.
And now, a milk tea cup, dripping liquid, rested in Pei Xingyan’s arms, while the table lay across his lap.
He looked utterly disheveled, his entire upper garment soaked in sticky liquid, and the white liquid streaking his gray trousers was even more conspicuous.
Lin Xiaoyu dared not look.
She understood everything in an instant.
This was her responsibility again; it was her fault.
Her restless fidgeting had knocked over the table, and Pei Xingyan had changed its direction to avoid hurting her.
Perhaps he hadn’t fully reacted in time, or perhaps his speed wasn’t enough, but he had certainly not done nothing.
He had acted for her at the very first moment, even at the cost of making himself look utterly wretched.
How ridiculous that she had just been feeling a sense of loss, disappointed that her fantasy hadn’t come true.
He was clearly far more considerate than she had ever imagined.
Then, she suddenly remembered that the liquid in the cup was hot, and now that hot liquid was all over his body!
“Are you alright?!”
She rushed forward in a panic, thinking that at the very least, she had to wipe the liquid off him first.
But she was clumsy and made a second mistake.
There was liquid on the ground too, which made her slip, and she tumbled down again.
This time, Pei Xingyan protected her.
He gripped her arm firmly, his strength considerable, causing a slight pang of pain.
“Be careful~”
He remained gentle, his voice softly warning her.
“I’m sorr—”
She began hesitantly, wanting to apologize.
“Oh, my!”
Pei Xingyan chuckled with a hint of helplessness, yet there was no trace of annoyance in his expression.
His voice, as smooth as flowing water, washed over Lin Xiaoyu’s heart.
He said, “I told you that you don’t need to apologize for anything, didn’t I?”
Lin Xiaoyu nodded blankly, feeling as though she wasn’t in her favorite milk tea shop at all, but rather in a bar, one with a counter lined with potent liquor.
She felt utterly intoxicated, on the verge of losing herself in this profound gentleness.
If even such a grave error would not be met with blame, nor even a complaint, then what else could she possibly be faulted for?
If she could always be accompanied by such gentleness, how could she ever harbor extreme thoughts?
She stood motionless, a maelstrom of thoughts swirling within her heart.
Pei Xingyan rose, his clothes already wiped clean enough that the white stains were almost invisible.
He said, “I’ll go order you another one; it’s a variety I just heard about from someone else.
Let’s find a new seat; it’s probably best to let the staff handle the rest of the cleanup.”
Lin Xiaoyu nodded, still lost in thought.
Suddenly, a powerful desire surged within her: to experience this gentle feeling forever.