Cheng Hao had never left Gaoliang County since he first arrived, constantly traveling between nearby cities. He managed to earn five to six hundred yuan a month by selling chili sauce, an income that inflated his wallet and kept him from even considering going back to Ningbei.
He had bought a new wristwatch and even his clothes were bought from the city, the particularly fashionable type.
That day, as he rode his bicycle, humming a tune along the way from the food factory back to Pei Yicheng’s house, he was in excellent spirits.
The moment Cheng Hao got distracted, he realized he had bumped into someone.
"I’m sorry, I’m sorry," Cheng Hao quickly apologized, asking, "Did you hurt yourself when you fell?"
Upon realizing he had knocked down a girl, Cheng Hao hurriedly apologized while helping her pick up her books, saying, "If you hurt yourself, I’ll take you to the hospital."
"Why aren’t you watching where you’re going?"
Zou Yaru furrowed her brows; all her books had dropped to the ground, forcing her to bend over and pick them up one by one.
"I’m sorry, it wasn’t intentional." Cheng Hao handed back the books he picked up to Zou Yaru, and the moment she looked up at him, Cheng Hao felt as if his heart, dormant for so long, had revived.
Having arrived in Gaoliang County over two months ago, Cheng Hao had been too busy to even think about dating.
Zou Yaru took the books back and stepped back a few steps, hastily saying, "Let’s forget it."
Zou Yaru, clutching her books, turned and ran off. It was only after she ran quite far away that she murmured with a flushed face, "That man was so impolite, just staring at her like that!"
Cheng Hao belatedly realized he hadn’t asked her name yet.
But as Zou Yaru walked further away, even if he wanted to ask, he couldn’t catch up.
"Cheng Hao, you’re not heartbroken, are you?" Ling Dong teased, having seen Cheng Hao’s flirtatious ways before.
"I wish I were in love, but I don’t even know the girl’s name!"
Cheng Hao pursed his lips, thinking that next time he’d wait there, perhaps he could see her again.
"Oh, which unfortunate girl caught your eye?" Ling Dong asked with a gossipy face.
"Go away." Cheng Hao replied irritably: "Can’t you speak properly? If you can’t, then just shut up, Ling Dong. Following Yicheng around, how come you’re getting worse?"
"Not really, I’m getting smarter." Ling Dong answered seriously: "Come on, use your charm on Yicheng and cheer him up."
Cheng Hao’s face darkened, and he subdued his previous joking demeanor, saying, "Is it not working again this time?"
Ling Dong shook his head, saying, "Nope."
This was already the fourth doctor they had consulted, and all their opinions were more or less the same, either saying they were too late or that it was incurable.
Pei Yicheng seemed fine on the surface, but Ling Dong felt that Yicheng had become more silent than before, even reducing his visits to the food factory. He spent most of his days reading, not only university books but also books on architecture.
"I’ll go check on him." Cheng Hao walked heavily towards the room.
Pei Yicheng, as if sensing his entrance, said, "I’m fine, don’t listen to Ling Dong’s nonsense."
"Yicheng, if you’re feeling bad, just let it out, don’t keep it bottled up inside," Cheng Hao squatted in front of Pei Yicheng, looking up at him.
Pei Yicheng’s dark eyes were utterly calm.