Pei Xingyan strolled out of the playground, then suddenly broke into a run.
He had never wished so badly to have two extra legs before.
If Su Shanshan had to wait too long at the restaurant entrance, who knew what wild thoughts might cross her mind, turning into suspicion, and then into that terrifying state.
He had witnessed it several times already. Just now, he’d heard from some relevant people about Su Shanshan’s behavior before she met him—she really was capable of violent acts.
On the main road, a figure dressed in a white baseball jacket darted through, moving at an incredible speed. Passersby barely caught a glimpse of his face.
But even so, Pei Xingyan still felt it was too slow. At this rate, he wouldn’t reach the restaurant before Su Shanshan.
Too many things had already gone beyond his expectations. Pei Xingyan deeply felt he could no longer face his situation with his usual laid-back attitude.
He was unwilling to let any risky possibilities occur now.
His eyes fixed on the large forest patch blocking the center of the campus. Although the terrain was rough, and there might be some indescribable things left behind by people or animals, if he could cut straight through this forest, it would definitely save a lot of time.
Gritting his teeth, Pei Xingyan turned and plunged into the woods.
Broken sunlight filtered through the sea of fallen leaves in the forest’s heart, scattering onto him as he rushed through.
There were many mosquitoes and insects here, some flying straight at his eyes. But Pei Xingyan had already set off; there was no turning back. He clenched his mouth, covered his ears, and charged forward headlong.
The path was short but felt quite long. Finally, his fearless charge brought it to an end.
Pei Xingyan emerged back into the sunlight, the cafeteria now just ahead. He dared not relax, summoning the last ounce of energy to reach the entrance.
Less than two minutes after he stopped, Su Shanshan appeared in his line of sight.
She was also jogging, her round-toed Mary Janes somewhat crooked on her feet, and the pained expression on her face revealed how little exercise she usually got. She was almost panting like a little puppy.
But this exhausted Su Shanshan’s eyes sparkled with excitement the moment she saw Pei Xingyan. She even sped up, quickly closing the distance in a few steps, leaping into his arms.
“Baby, you were so handsome just now~ Ah, no, you’re handsome now too. Handsome baby, come here and let sister hug you~” She had a lovestruck look, sniffing him over and over on his chest.
But then she caught a strange scent.
“Baby…” she asked, “Why does your jacket smell like dirt?”
“Y-yeah, it does have some smell,” Pei Xingyan still hadn’t recovered from his sprint. He swallowed and then replied, “It’s the school-issued jacket, definitely not perfect. I’ll have to wash it when I get home.”
“Hehe, then I want to get one just like yours, so we can wear matching outfits!” Su Shanshan’s eyes curved into happy slits as she thought about the sweet prospect. Then she added, “Or maybe I should wash it for you—I haven’t washed your clothes before.”
Why was everyone so obsessed with doing laundry for others?
Pei Xingyan suddenly wondered if girls were just like guys after all—when holding the opposite sex’s clothes, they’d do some unspeakable things.
He shook his head. “It’s better to handle my own stuff. Besides, what if I tire you out?”
He was certain Su Shanshan would fall for this line, and indeed, just as he predicted, she visibly brightened. If she had wings, she’d be fluttering into the sky right now.
“Baby, baby, I love you so much~” She circled around Pei Xingyan, trying to pour all her affection onto every inch of him.
But then she suddenly stopped.
“Baby, here…” Su Shanshan said, “It looks like there’s a tear.”
“Hm?” Pei Xingyan looked over and found a small hole, probably scratched by a hard branch just now.
But the school-issued jacket was of good quality; the hole was tiny and wouldn’t cause any problems.
“Baby, baby, can I patch this up for you?” Su Shanshan started suggesting again, bobbing her head in front of Pei Xingyan’s eyes to show her diligence. “I have patches and needles and thread. Just take off your jacket later, and I’ll fix it for you.”
This time, Pei Xingyan had no excuse to refuse. He could only agree.
Su Shanshan was even happier than a child receiving a new toy, her steps noticeably lighter as she walked.
Even after sitting down beside Pei Xingyan, she hummed a little tune she’d made up herself.
She was genuinely very happy.
“Oh right, baby, I met a girl just now—the one who makes the iced red bean desserts I told you about before.” She suddenly recalled the incident and reported to Pei Xingyan in a tone similar to Lin Xiaoyu’s, “She’s quite interesting. She said she has a crush on a boy.”
“Hmm…”
Pei Xingyan responded calmly, neither commenting nor sounding cold.
“I know you’re not interested in other girls, but just listen, okay?” Su Shanshan always believed Pei Xingyan was the person she thought he was. She said, “That girl said she liked a boy who was like an angel who saved her. She even said that no matter what kind of boy, none would be more perfect than the one in her heart. Sounds kind of tragic, right?”
“A bit, but it’s nothing to do with us.” Pei Xingyan said quietly.
But in truth, he was so nervous he could barely breathe, afraid that if the topic dragged on for another second, he might accidentally expose himself.
His back was almost soaked with sweat.
Su Shanshan obediently nodded and started playfully pinching his cheeks, comforting him, “No one is more perfect than baby. To me, you’re like an angel too~”
“Is that so?”
Pei Xingyan suddenly grew curious. If Lin Xiaoyu thought that way, he could understand. Even if he wasn’t proud or didn’t think so himself, it didn’t change the fact that he had pulled Lin Xiaoyu out of a dark life where she had wanted to end it all.
But why would Su Shanshan think that way too?
He had thought she was just a girl who was overly sexually repressed.
“It’s true, baby. I’m not lying; I really think so. But I’m luckier than that girl—I don’t have to guess your feelings because I know, baby, you like me a lot too.”
Su Shanshan used her slicing tactic again, freely twisting Pei Xingyan’s words, turning his “a little bit” into “a lot.” It wouldn’t be long before in her mouth he’d be “unable to live without her even in death.”
But none of that mattered. Pei Xingyan simply stared quietly into the girl’s eyes.
Those eyes were beautiful and tender, as if a clear spring could pour out at any moment.
Within those eyes were thousands of emotions: love, longing, sorrow, and even a hint of madness.
But there was no lie.
Every word she spoke was utterly genuine.
She truly believed from the bottom of her heart that the person before her was her angel.