Chapter 24: She Wanted It to Last Forever……😣

Lin Xiaoyu listened quietly, but in the end, she completely forgot what the boy opposite her was saying.

She stared at him, entranced, lost in a daze.

“Hey, hey!” He waved his hand vigorously, trying to bring her back to reality.

Lin Xiaoyu snapped out of her daydream and finally realized she had been distracted.

This was a terrible mistake. She always spaced out during piano lessons, and what followed was always a harsh punishment.

Instinctively, she wanted to apologize, even repent, but the moment she saw the gentle expression on the boy’s face, she instantly calmed down.

Right… this wasn’t her parents, nor was it that strict teacher who seemed like a witch.

This was the “friend” who was willing to forgive all her mistakes.

For the first time in her life, she didn’t apologize for her mistake.

Her heart was pounding so hard she couldn’t calm down; she could even hear her heartbeat as if thunder was booming—thump… thump… thump!

But nothing happened. The boy opposite her still smiled gently. He didn’t scold her, didn’t complain, didn’t even treat it as a big deal. He just smiled like that, showing his very white teeth. She kept looking and couldn’t tear her eyes away.

Lin Xiaoyu’s mind drifted off again, and when she came back to her senses, she saw Pei Xingyan giving a wry smile.

But it was still a kind smile; he still hadn’t blamed her.

A strange impulse swept through her, and she felt her heartbeat even faster.

She told herself silently, “Lin Xiaoyu, finally an Angel has descended upon you!”

Lin Xiaoyu returned the sweetest smile she had ever given, pulling her chair a little closer to him.

*****

Lin Xiaoyu couldn’t remember what she had said, nor what the boy in front of her had said.

She just liked the feeling—the pressure-free, carefree feeling.

She had never experienced anything like this before. With other friends, she could never open her heart—there was nothing to say to ordinary friends. They didn’t understand anything. No one was under the same intense pressure, and the frustration in her heart could never be vented.

When she was with her parents, she could say a few things from her heart, but that only earned her stern reprimands. Her parents didn’t like children complaining, especially not complaining about difficulties or shirking responsibility.

She kicked her feet up, fidgeting on the chair, looking less like a quiet female college student and more like a child bursting with restless energy.

Lin Xiaoyu liked sitting like this, not worrying about posture. It was different from the elegant sitting position she had to maintain at home, and sitting like this wasn’t tiring at all.

But her parents wouldn’t care if she was tired or not; as long as her posture was improper, she’d get a harsh scolding.

She quietly glanced at the boy opposite her, who was still speaking gently. She noticed he didn’t mind her antics at all. Whether she slouched or stretched out her legs, he never cared. So her legs kicked even more freely.

But happiness often leads to misfortune. The floor in the mall was too slippery. The chair she was sitting on slid backward slightly, and she lost her balance, falling to the ground.

The fall itself was no big deal, but her panicked little feet flailed uncontrollably, and one kicked a shaky table.

On the table was the milk tea she had just ordered. To drink it more conveniently, she had even torn open the seal.

Her mind raced with many thoughts, but the most urgent was that teetering cup of milk tea.

Would it spill on her? Would her skirt get dirty? Would her mother scold her again when she got home? Mom hated stains on white clothes the most.

Her thoughts gradually emptied. She stopped thinking.

Everything happened in an instant. She had no time to save anything and could only fall with her body, staring blankly.

But all she saw was the table, which was originally tipping toward her side, suddenly being pulled by some force, falling in the opposite direction.

Then came the sound of the table hitting the floor. Though loud, the cup of milk tea never spilled on her clothes. Her heart, which had almost jumped into her throat, finally settled.

Lin Xiaoyu patted her chest, still dazed as she stood up.

Now she felt an inexplicable sense of loss. She didn’t know why, but just now she had hoped—hoped someone would be there, or rather, she had hoped someone would stand before her, like a shield protecting her.

But that was impossible. Who could react so quickly…

She laughed at herself bitterly. There was no such romantic thing. She had really taken the boy opposite her for an Angel…

But when she lifted her head, she realized she had been completely mistaken about one thing.

There was a reason the table had fallen in the opposite direction. She had overlooked why the table had toppled the way it did.

Someone had pulled it, changing the direction it fell.

And now, in Pei Xingyan’s arms lay the dripping milk tea cup, liquid trickling down. The table had fallen on his thigh.

He looked utterly disheveled. His entire shirt was soaked with sticky liquid, and the white liquid spilled on his gray pants was even more conspicuous.

Lin Xiaoyu didn’t dare look anymore. She understood everything in an instant.

This was her fault again. It was her mistake.

Because she was restless and knocked over the table, Pei Xingyan had changed its falling direction to protect her. Maybe he didn’t react fast enough or wasn’t quick enough, but there was no way he hadn’t done anything.

He had acted for her immediately, even if it meant getting messy and embarrassed himself.

It was ridiculous that she had just been feeling down, lamenting her unrealized fantasy.

He was clearly even more considerate than she had imagined.

She suddenly realized the liquid in the cup was hot, and now it was soaking all over him!

“Are you okay?!” she rushed forward in panic, thinking she should at least wipe off the liquid on him first.

But clumsy as she was, she made a second mistake.

There was liquid on the floor too. She slipped and fell again.

This time Pei Xingyan caught her. He grabbed her arm with his hand. His grip was strong, making her feel a little sore.

“Be careful~” He still spoke gently, his voice soft as ever.

“I’m so—” She timidly tried to apologize.

“Aiya!” Pei Xingyan smiled helplessly, but it wasn’t annoyance. His tender voice flowed through Lin Xiaoyu’s heart like water.

He said, “I told you, no matter what happens, you don’t have to apologize, right?”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded blankly. She felt as if she wasn’t in her favorite milk tea shop at all, but in a bar filled with rows of strong liquors at the counter.

She felt drunk, about to lose herself in this gentleness.

If even such serious mistakes weren’t met with blame, not even complaints, then what could she possibly be scolded for?

If she could always be accompanied by this kind of gentleness, how could she have extreme thoughts?

She stood there dazed, countless thoughts swirling in her heart.

Pei Xingyan stood up. His clothes had already been wiped clean enough that the white stains were almost invisible.

He said, “I’ll order you another cup. It’s a flavor I just heard about from someone else. Let’s find a new seat. The rest is better left for the store clerks to clean up.”

Lin Xiaoyu nodded absentmindedly.

Suddenly, a desire arose within her—the desire to feel this gentleness forever.