Pei Yicheng furrowed his brows as he looked at the money Xu Nian’an handed him.
"It’s for Nianhua’s medical bills," Xu Nian’an explained. "I know the person who injured Nianhua should be the one paying, but we haven’t agreed on how much he’ll pay yet. I can’t let you cover it initially."
"Did you tell your family?" Pei Yicheng asked while looking at the envelope, which contained at least nine hundred yuan.
"No." Xu Nian’an shook his head hastily, somewhat ashamed to admit that he had lied to get the thousand yuan from his family. "Brother Cheng, you’ve helped us a lot, and we appreciate it, but we need to keep things separate."
"Nian’an, why make it so formal? It’s just an advance," Pei Yicheng said as he handed the envelope back.
"Brother Cheng, Nianhua is my sister. I know you’re close to her, but I should be the one covering this initially," Xu Nian’an replied, looking down, unable to meet Pei Yicheng’s gaze.
No matter what might happen between Nianhua and Pei Yicheng in the future, Xu Nian’an wanted his younger sister to have the autonomy to choose, not to be bound by a series of debts.
"Honestly, Nianhua saved Yining, and it was our fault to begin with," Pei Yicheng started to say, but Xu Nian’an interrupted, "Brother Cheng, I would have pushed Yining out of the way too. If it were Yining, she definitely would have saved my sister. The moment she woke up, she asked if Yining was alright. If she knew she was repaying a debt by doing so, she would definitely scold me."
"Brother Cheng, please take it." Xu Nian’an was ready to go to the hospital to pay, but the hospital had already received a thousand yuan and didn’t need any more for now.
"I won’t take the money, Nian’an. You’re being too distant," Pei Yicheng said, looking at him intently. "Do you also think I’m not good enough for Nianhua, not suitable to be with her?"
Pei Yicheng’s voice was resolute as he scrutinized Xu Nian’an, not missing even the slightest expression on his face.
Xu Nian’an hadn’t expected Pei Yicheng to express his thoughts so directly.
"I know, you’ve seen it," Pei Yicheng said firmly. Though he said no more, his expression and his eyes conveyed to Xu Nian’an that he was not going to give up.
No one could stop his determination to be with Nianhua, unless she did not like him or want to be with him.
If that was the case, he would quietly watch over her from afar.
"Brother Cheng." Xu Nian’an was startled by Pei Yicheng’s forthrightness. He also hesitated because, though Pei Yicheng was outstanding, love wasn’t about being outstanding.
After a while, Xu Nian’an took a deep breath and said, "Brother Cheng, no matter who my sister chooses to be with or who she likes, my bottom line is that she should not be hurt. Otherwise, no matter who it is, I, Xu Nian’an, will not let it go easily."
"Nian’an, take the money back. We’ll have news from the police this afternoon. Those funds will surely not come from us."
Pei Yicheng’s lips curved into a slight smile, content as long as Xu Nian’an was not strongly opposed.
In the afternoon, the police arrived with the family of the person responsible for the accident. They handed over two thousand yuan directly to Xu Nian’an, repeatedly pleading with him to spare their son from prosecution.
"If your son hadn’t drunk and driven, my sister wouldn’t have suffered this ordeal. I’ll take the money, but it’s for my sister’s medical expenses. How much it amounts to and what happens to your son are not up to us to decide." Xu Nian’an was extremely firm on this point; he didn’t really want the money, just his sister’s safety.