Chapter 14: What’s Wrong with My Hand?

As Shen Meng savored her ice cream, she turned to Xu Sui’an.

“Suisui, are we waiting for anyone else?”

Xu Sui’an blinked and smiled knowingly.

“A’Yu invited Brother Nanzhou too. Look—there he is.”

Following the direction of Xu Sui’an’s finger, Shen Meng’s gaze landed on He Nanzhou’s smiling face.

Walking toward them with the sunlight behind him, every step seemed to land on the very tip of her heart.

The corners of He Nanzhou’s lips lifted slightly.

He recognized Shen Meng at a glance.

She was that amusing little girl who always secretly stole glances at him.

He hadn’t expected both of their encounters to leave such a deep impression.

After all, only her eyes were so obvious—staring intently one second, then hurriedly looking away the next.

Such an awkward little girl.

If you want to look, why not do it openly? It’s not as if I’d get angry just because you’re looking.

He Nanzhou had long forgotten that back in high school, classmates often stared at him too.

With his perpetually cold expression, people could feel the chill from three meters away.

“There aren’t any math problems written on my face. You’re looking in the wrong place.”

By sheer coincidence, Shen Meng had witnessed that scene.

From then on, she had only dared to admire him from afar.

“Sorry, there was traffic. I’m late.”

He Nanzhou greeted everyone with a smile, a black backpack slung casually over one shoulder.

“Brother Nanzhou, your timing’s perfect. Let’s get going!”

Shi Yubai looked toward the lush greenery covering Mount Nan.

Xu Sui’an grabbed Shen Meng’s hand and pulled her over to He Nanzhou.

“Brother Nanzhou, could you look after Mengmeng for me?”

Shen Meng lowered her head, her heart pounding with nervous anticipation.

For the first time…

The man she’d secretly loved for seven years was standing this close to her.

Before He Nanzhou could answer, Xu Sui’an had already run back to Shi Yubai.

As she turned around, she secretly clenched her fist and silently cheered Shen Meng on.

You can do it!

Shen Meng’s eyes darted everywhere except toward the man beside her.

He Nanzhou watched the little girl hugging her pink backpack so tightly that she looked as though she wanted to bury her entire face in it.

He couldn’t help worrying she’d trip.

Mountain paths weren’t exactly flat.

Without a word, he reached out and lifted her backpack from her arms.

“Watch where you’re going. Don’t fall.”

Her arms suddenly felt lighter.

Instinctively, Shen Meng looked up and met his smiling eyes.

“T-Thank you…”

The next second, she lowered her head again, quietly clenching her fists in excitement.

Is my prince… worried about me?

He’s carrying my backpack…

What do I do?

I’m so jealous… so envious of my backpack.

It gets to be held by his hand.

Secretly loving someone…

…was a battlefield fought alone.

You longed to get closer…

Yet you never dared to.

He Nanzhou watched Shen Meng with growing amusement.

Her expressions changed every few seconds.

Joy…

Envy…

Nervousness…

Her eyes seemed capable of expressing countless emotions.

He had never met anyone whose eyes were so lively.

“What…”

“…are you thinking about?”

He was genuinely curious.

“My… your hand.”

Shen Meng’s eyes widened.

Panic flooded her heart.

Why did I say what I was really thinking?

He’s definitely going to be annoyed…

Instead, He Nanzhou looked at her with mild confusion.

No trace of irritation appeared on his face.

“My hand?”

“What’s wrong with it?”

Shen Meng cautiously glanced up to confirm he wasn’t angry.

Only then did the knot in her chest loosen.

But she still didn’t know how to answer.

Her gaze settled on the hand holding her backpack.

There was a tiny scrape on the back of it, no bigger than a sesame seed, yet it somehow stood out.

“Your hand…”

“There’s a cut on it.”

“I… I have a bandage…”

Her voice grew softer and softer.

Hidden in her palm was a cute rabbit-patterned adhesive bandage.

She didn’t know whether she should offer it.

Somebody save me…

My prince must think I’m so annoying.

The thought alone made her heart sink.

Even the brilliant sunshine couldn’t warm the cold spreading through her chest.

He Nanzhou noticed the rabbit bandage clenched tightly in her hand.

She was hanging her head so low he worried her neck might start hurting.

“Weren’t you going to give me that bandage?”

Shen Meng jerked her head up, meeting his eyes.

He doesn’t dislike me…

Her heart instantly sprang back to life, as though basking in sunlight again.

“Classmate Shen Meng, since I’m carrying your backpack…”

“…how about you help me put the bandage on as repayment?”

“O-Okay.”

Shen Meng hurriedly applied the bandage over the tiny scrape, while inside her heart she was practically spinning in circles.

He doesn’t remember me anymore…

Someone as dazzling as him would never remember someone as ordinary as me.

Classmate Shen Meng…

Even hearing him say my name sounds wonderful.

Just like it did in my memories.

From time to time, Xu Sui’an glanced back at Shen Meng and He Nanzhou.

Shi Yubai hooked his little finger around hers, sounding just a little aggrieved.

“Suisui…”

“Shouldn’t you pay a little attention to your boyfriend too?”

Wrapping both hands around his arm, Xu Sui’an leaned against him coquettishly.

“My handsome boyfriend…”

“Do you think Mengmeng has a chance of winning over her prince?”

“Prince?”

Shi Yubai absolutely refused to admit he was feeling a tiny bit jealous.

He couldn’t help wondering…

Am I her prince too?

“Brother Nanzhou is Mengmeng’s prince.”

“She’s liked him secretly for seven years.”

Xu Sui’an completely missed the sour note in his voice.

“Brother Nanzhou has always kept himself above romantic scandals.”

“But from the looks of it…”

“…he doesn’t dislike Mengmeng, at least.”

Shi Yubai glanced at He Nanzhou just in time to catch the smile lingering in his eyes.

Men understood other men.

Who would happily spend time smiling at someone they disliked?

Just looking once more at someone you hated felt like wasting your life.

Could it be…

Has this iron tree finally decided to bloom?

Shen Meng and He Nanzhou…

They looked surprisingly well matched.

Good.

At least Aunt He would never have to worry again that He Nanzhou’s preferences were… unusual.

Shi Yubai raised his phone, then lowered it again, smiling meaningfully.

Xu Sui’an wrinkled her nose and whispered teasingly into his ear.

“Our Mengmeng is adorable.”

“As long as Brother Nanzhou opens his heart, he’ll definitely fall for her.”

She smiled mischievously.

“Xiaobai…”

“Send me that photo you just took.”

“Or I’ll expose you.”

Shi Yubai’s ears immediately turned red.

Being this close, he could feel her warm breath brushing against him.

“Yes, my goddess.”

His Adam’s apple bobbed as his gaze drifted unconsciously to her soft lips.

I’m jealous of this gentle breeze.

At least it gets to play across her lips.

“Goddess?”

Laughter slowly filled Xu Sui’an’s eyes.

Her heart floated as lightly as the warm spring breeze.

“I’ve liked you since I was little.”

“My secret crush was you.”

“My first awakening to love was because of you.”

“My open confession was for you too.”

“You’re my one and only goddess.”

Shi Yubai gazed at her with eyes overflowing with affection.

What about you…

Xu Sui’an.

Am I your one and only prince?

For someone as proud as Shi Yubai…

Standing before the girl he loved most still made him feel uncertain.

“A’Yu…”

“I’m going to take your words seriously.”

“So don’t ever lie to me.”

Her voice was soft and sweet, tugging at his heart like a tiny hook.

“Suisui…”

“We’ve laughed together.”

“We’ve argued.”

“We’ve fought.”

“And we’ve made up.”

“But I’ve never lied to you.”

The tenderness in Shi Yubai’s eyes was as abundant as the flowers and grass covering the mountainside.

Xu Sui’an’s heart overflowed with joy.

She quickly stood on tiptoe and kissed the dimple on his cheek.

“A’Yu…”

“I’ve never lied to you either.”

“When I said you were my childhood sweetheart next door, that was true.”

“My childhood sweetheart was you.”

“My boyfriend is you.”

“And my future husband will be you.”

“None of those things contradict each other.”

“They’re simply the different roles you’ve played at different stages of my life.”

“When we were children, you were my childhood sweetheart.”

“When I first fell in love, you became my lover.”

“And for the rest of my life…”

“…you’ll be the person I spend it with.”

“No matter which stage of life we’re talking about…”

“For Xu Sui’an…”

“There has never been anyone but Shi Yubai.”

The moment those words left her lips…

Countless ripples spread across Shi Yubai’s heart.

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