"Eh, how did Yicheng know we were coming so soon?" Xu Nian’an spotted from afar the figure standing at the storefront entrance—who else but Pei Yicheng?
Xu Nian’an greeted him enthusiastically, putting his little sister’s matter aside, Yicheng had always been exceptionally good to their family, beyond words.
The words Ji Ying had said before made Xu Nian’an feel that it would be really nice if his little sister and Yicheng were together.
Therefore, Xu Nian’an wasn’t as guarded as before, but he felt a little sour inside, as if his own little sister was about to be snatched away.
"Did you go furniture shopping?" Pei Yicheng stepped forward to help carry things up to the attic.
Xu Nian’an said with a big smile, "Yeah, Yicheng, thank you for helping us rent such a great storefront."
"Between us, there’s no need for such formalities," said Pei Yicheng as he put the bed in its place. His gaze fell upon Xu Nianhua. Not having seen the young lady for six days, she seemed to have grown prettier, her fair complexion blushing red from the cold.
Her slight frame was carrying a pile of calendar paper.
Pei Yicheng spoke up, "Nianhua, go outside and bask in the sun; you don’t need to move things."
"It’s no trouble, it’s not heavy." Xu Nianhua wouldn’t listen; time was precious and she couldn’t afford to be idle. Going outside to bask in the sun, she said, "You guys move the stuff, I’ll tidy up the room."
The once empty attic had become lively and warm with the addition of so many things.
With the bed set up, bookshelves placed to the side, she was cleaning the bed, shelves, armchairs, and tables with water.
The three people were bustling about, and soon they had everything arranged.
Xu Nian’an went next door to buy a few boxes of thumbtacks. Xu Nian’an pinned up the dusted calendar papers one by one onto the walls of the attic, quickly brightening the once pockmarked walls.
Xu Nian’an and Pei Yicheng were doing the pasting, while Xu Nianhua was in charge of handing them the calendar papers one by one.
"I can’t hold it anymore, I need to use the restroom." Xu Nian’an said, clutching his stomach, unable to bear it any longer.
Xu Nian’an put down the items and hurried down the stairs.
Instantly, only Xu Nianhua and Pei Yicheng were left upstairs, in the quiet where the only sound was the chatter of workers painting walls downstairs.
Pei Yicheng’s confession under the fireworks on New Year’s Eve was still echoing in her ears.
Xu Nianhua was silently rehearsing her words in her heart, and didn’t notice at first that when she stretched out the calendar paper, it wasn’t taken from her hand for quite a while.
When she looked up, she saw Pei Yicheng’s half-covered face, and beneath his thick black eyebrows were a pair of deep, pitch-black eyes.
A large hand took the calendar, revealing his high nose, slightly thin lips, and resolute chin. His handsome features even outshone those of the big stars in later years.
Xu Nianhua suppressed the palpitations in her heart and said, word by word, "I don’t plan to date in college." I don’t plan to date afterward, either.
"Then we’ll be together after you graduate from college," Pei Yicheng responded calmly.
Xu Nianhua: "Yicheng, I don’t want to hold you back."
"In three years, I’ll only be 27 years old," Pei Yicheng reminded her. His gaze was intense as he looked at her and leaned in, causing Xu Nianhua to stumble backwards.
"What I mean is..." Xu Nianhua’s eyes flickered; his closeness sent her heart racing so fast it almost leapt out, and she had forgotten all her well-thought-out words.
Suddenly, Pei Yicheng grabbed her hand, applied a little force, and switched their positions.