“Come on… ah, open your mouth~”
Like feeding her own baby, Su Shanshan insisted on using an embarrassing pose to feed Pei Xingyan.
She said it was a reward for the most perfect baby.
Pei Xingyan quickly opened his mouth and swallowed the food on her chopsticks like lightning.
“Good job~” Su Shanshan cheered, more patient than coaxing a child, praising, “Baby did so well, want to eat another bite?”
Pei Xingyan felt he really couldn’t sit still anymore. If this continued, he might as well be coaxed into becoming a placenta.
But Su Shanshan didn’t care at all about the strange looks around them. She continued to show a longing gaze, earnestly watching Pei Xingyan eat bite after bite from her hand.
“Shanshan…” Pei Xingyan suddenly called her name.
Although Su Shanshan had insisted that Pei Xingyan call her “Baby” too, he simply couldn’t bring himself to say that name. He compromised by calling her something as affectionate as he could.
That nickname was enough to make the girl light up with delight. She seriously put down her chopsticks, placed her hands obediently on her thighs, and perked up her ears to listen to what Pei Xingyan wanted to say.
“I’ve actually been wanting to ask… how did you come to like me…”
Pei Xingyan asked the question with difficulty, feeling a bit shy, especially since it sounded like an overly confident question.
But Su Shanshan didn’t show the slightest abnormality. She just slightly curled her lips against her nose, softly humming for a while before asking back, “Does there have to be a reason?”
“Isn’t there always a reason? Anyone who likes something has a reason, right?” Pei Xingyan said, “You’ve been so good to me… if there wasn’t even a reason, I’d feel uneasy.”
“Are you afraid I’ll cut out your kidneys?” Su Shanshan teased.
“No. If someone likes something for no reason, then they can hate it for no reason too,” Pei Xingyan said seriously, “I don’t want to suddenly hear you say you hate me, and for no reason at all.”
He meant every word. Although he still didn’t feel like he was really a boyfriend, he truly didn’t want to hear “hate” come from this girl’s mouth—not out of greed or love, but simply because it would hurt him.
Pei Xingyan didn’t have many friends; even Lu Yan, who liked to pick fights with him, counted as a rare old acquaintance.
“Hmm…” Su Shanshan took in his words and started to get serious. She tapped her lips with a finger in thought, her expression turning conflicted.
Actually, this state was what Pei Xingyan felt was normal. The reasons and process of her liking him were too shallow for him to not think or doubt.
“If I really had to say…” Su Shanshan suddenly smiled shyly, “it’s just that Baby, you look… really good-looking.”
As soon as she said it, she shyly covered her face and giggled, but she left enough space between her fingers to peek at Pei Xingyan opposite her with her big round eyes.
Pei Xingyan’s expression was nothing but speechless. He didn’t think he was stunningly handsome enough for a girl who was perfect in every way to fall head over heels for him, and so deeply.
But Su Shanshan repeated her words, “Baby, you really are good-looking. The moment I saw you, my heart suddenly jumped… And you meet my standards. When I took you to the dance studio entrance, you didn’t even glance at other girls once—”
Pei Xingyan raised his hand to interrupt her. He had heard that story many times already; Su Shanshan always praised him for upholding his gentlemanly virtue.
“Isn’t that reason enough?” she retorted. “There aren’t many perfect boys like you in today’s society. Isn’t it only natural for me to like you?”
Pei Xingyan silently nodded, but his confidence was weak, almost nonexistent.
Su Shanshan’s dark eyes suddenly lit up as if she’d realized something. She cupped Pei Xingyan’s chin and lifted his head firmly to make him look straight into her eyes.
She was serious and solemn, staring right back at him, as if making a promise: “Don’t worry about me liking someone else. Although you might think these reasons aren’t enough, they are. I’m actually a person with a very small heart. Now that I’ve met you, there’s no room left for anyone else. I’ll only ever like you!”
After saying this, she immediately relaxed, her eyebrows curved, fluttering playfully over her eyes.
“So, how about it? Don’t you think what I said was great? Feeling the urge to reward me?” She slowly leaned closer, pouted, “If… you reward me with a kiss, I’d be really happy~”
Pei Xingyan could only pat her head as a reward, then sent her back to her seat.
Su Shanshan grumbled in dissatisfaction but only softly. Soon, she returned to her happy self, battling the food on her plate.
Opposite her, Pei Xingyan quietly watched, his heart tangled like wild weeds.
He didn’t think the girl was just saying pretty words to get by; the sparkle in her eyes when she spoke couldn’t be faked.
But he really couldn’t believe that someone would be so wholeheartedly devoted for such a simple reason.
He couldn’t even say Su Shanshan was after money.
Never mind the gifts she gave him—the nearly ten-thousand-yuan gold bean, the constant desire to buy him new clothes when she browsed her phone, the times she fought to pay for meals…
Even the “referral fee” she gave Tang Xin, a whopping 500,000 yuan, was already extravagant among the student circle.
Pei Xingyan had brought this up before, but Su Shanshan didn’t care at all. She always said, “The matchmaker’s fee can’t be shortchanged, or else the God of Marriage will curse us.”
What she cared about most was whether he was willing to keep spending time with her.
Pei Xingyan could only advise her not to pay the final installment just yet. He was afraid if this deal went through, he’d truly be sold off…
He glanced at Su Shanshan; the food on her plate was completely gone.
Just then, Su Shanshan happened to look up, and their eyes met once again.
She suddenly asked, “Then Baby, do you… like me now?”
Pei Xingyan froze. He hadn’t expected his question to come back at him like a boomerang.
He didn’t know how to answer. To be honest, he was afraid of hurting the girl’s feelings, but lying… he was afraid it would cause misunderstandings.
He felt a little shameless, like a jerk playing both sides…
Seeing his silence and struggle, Su Shanshan slowly shook her head, wanting to retract the topic.
But without a doubt, a trace of sadness appeared on her face, faint but well hidden.
Su Shanshan slowly lowered her head, about to say something.
But before she could, Pei Xingyan’s voice sounded, looking straight at the girl in front of him, softly saying, “I think… there might be a little… but—”
Su Shanshan’s eyes instantly reddened. She pressed her lips tightly to keep her emotions from getting out of control.
“No buts! A little is still liking. If you like me, it’ll turn into really liking!” She tightly grabbed Pei Xingyan’s hand, repeating, “You’ll definitely like me a lot! That’s great, Baby!”
She spoke about their future, turning “a little” into “a lifetime devotion,” completely ignoring the “but.”
What she cared about was that Pei Xingyan truly said the word “like.”
No matter the conditions, liking is liking.
As long as he liked her, that was enough…