187 When Did You Fall in Love with Me?
Even without looking at him, Lin Jiao could feel his burning gaze on her face.
She waved away the image that appeared in her mind and said without thinking, âYouâre very good. You donât need to prove yourself.â
Pei Zhiâs smile widened. âReally?â He suddenly closed the distance between them. âTell me how good I am.â
âThe seafood is getting cold.â
!!
âChange the topic? Looks like Iâm not good enough.â
Lin Jiao didnât fall for his trap. âBe serious.â She stuffed a prawn into his mouth. âDonât talk.â
Her face was even redder than a prawnâs shell. Pei Zhi was afraid that he would tease her too much to make her angry, so he let her off for the time being and thought about discussing this matter in the future.
He followed her gaze and looked at the LCD screen. Occasionally, he would ask about the plot and unknowingly finished dinner with her.
âPei Zhi.â Lin Jiao waited for him to clean up the coffee table before pulling him to sit on the sofa. âIâve thought about it.â
Pei Zhi met her serious eyes and stopped acting frivolously.
He took her hand and gestured for her to continue.
âI want to start over with you.â She held his warm hand. âWhat happened before was too sudden. Although weâve been through a lot, that was when I lost my memory.â
Pei Zhi was not surprised at all.
He leaned over and hugged her waist. âJiaojiao, I donât want to start from being friends with you. Can we skip this stage?â
âI didnât say I wanted to be friends with you.â Lin Jiao gave him a look to let him understand.
She coughed lightly. âDo you understand?â
âGet married directly?â Pei Zhi pretended not to understand. âI have to find a good wedding day.â
âIn your dreams.â
âIsnât that so?â He grabbed the hand that was pinching his waist and said, âThen do you want me to woo you?â
âYes.â Lin Jiaoâs heart raced, but she looked calm.
Pei Zhi smiled and agreed. âAlright.â He indeed hadnât confessed his love to her seriously.
âPei Zhi.â Lin Jiao looked at his face and asked what she wanted to know the most at this moment. âWhen did you fall in love with me?â
âFour years ago.â
âFour yearsâ¦â Her eyes glazed over as bitterness and joy welled up in her heart.
Pei Zhi said, âTo be precise, it was on your twentieth birthday.â
#
On June 29, four years ago.
The night breeze was cool and filled with stars. The crabapple trees planted on Peach Creek Road were rustling in the wind.
A few bright petals floated towards the entrance of Xuan Shang Club and landed on Pei Zhiâs shoulder, who had just gotten out of the car. He looked sideways and waved them off with his slender fingers before following the waiter to the second floor.
That day was Lin Jiaoâs birthday.
Zhou Yanshen and Pei Yilan kept calling him in the afternoon to urge him to come, but he still came late.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
He walked along the stone path towards the karaoke room. When he approached the corner, a graceful figure bumped into his arms.
She was wearing thin summer clothes, and he could feel her soft body through the fabric of her shirt. For a moment, he was in a daze.
Lin Jiao retreated in time.
The light on her left poured down and landed on her fair skin, adding a luster to her fair skin.
She looked up at him, her clear eyes like a lost deer in the forest with a trace of panic. âUncle, did I hurt you?â
âNo.â Pei Zhiâs expression was calm. âWhere are you going?â
âBathroom.â
âYou are going the wrong way.â
âWhat?â Lin Jiao turned around at his signal. When she saw the sign, her face burned even hotter.
She pointed back. âThen Iâllâ¦â
âGo ahead.â Pei Zhi walked into the karaoke room with the birthday gift for her.
His appearance made the room quiet for a moment.
Many of Lin Jiaoâs female classmates stole glances at him. Seeing Zhou Yanshen move to his side, they started whispering again.
âI thought you werenât coming.â Zhou Yanshen put his arm around his shoulder, reeking of cigarettes and alcohol.
âYou just started?â
âItâs been going on for an hour.â
Pei Zhi took the cup from him and glanced at Pei Yilan, who was singing.
He leaned over and held the dice cup. Before he could have a round with Zhou Yanshen, he was distracted by a gust of wind on his left.
Lin Jiao walked to the table and chatted with her classmates. With her back to the LCD screen, she watched as they took out the cake.
The candles were lit, and the birthday song sounded.
She pressed her palms together and made a wish. When she leaned over to blow out the candles, her red dress fluttered slightly, leaving a ripple.
âHappy birthday!â Several cheers sounded after the candles were blown out. Their applause drowned out the song.
Lin Jiao cut the cake and handed it to them one by one.
...
When it came to Pei Zhi, she smiled respectfully and cautiously. âUncle, try it.â
âThank you.â Pei Zhi gave her the gift and said, âHappy birthday.â
Seeing that it was almost midnight, Pei Zhi picked up his phone and patted Zhou Yanshenâs arm. âIâll get going first.â
âSo early?â
âI have something on tomorrow.â
âAlright.â Zhou Yanshen looked up, his gaze wandering around the private room. âJiaojiao isnât back yet. See if you can find her and ask her to come back.â
âWhat happened to her?â
âI think she went to make a call.â
Pei Zhi looked around the corridor but did not see anyone.
He walked towards the garden and his gaze landed on the figure by the lawn. Seeing her squatting on the ground, he quickened his pace.
âLin Jiao?â He squatted down. Before he could ask, the corner of his shirt was grabbed.
...
âAre you here to look for me?â Lin Jiaoâs eyes were misty. She was obviously drunk.
âAlright, letâs go back first.â
âNo!â She stood up and took two steps forward unsteadily before falling into his arms. âDid you hear that?â
Her warm breath spread out on his chest, and the heat penetrated his shirt and tickled his skin like a feather.
The numb itchiness made Pei Zhi uncomfortable.
He held the hand around his waist. His Adamâs apple bobbed involuntarily.
âIâm asking you.â Lin Jiao was unhappy with his silence. She frowned and repeated, âDid you hear me?â
âHear what?â
âThereâs singing.â
Pei Zhi pulled her away. âYouâre hallucinating.â In less than two seconds, she leaned against him again, wanting to dance with him.
He sighed and held her right hand to twirl her.
As she twirled, the red dress floated in the air like a blooming flower, making everything around her seem like a background.
Her black hair flowed like a galaxy under the moonlight, unknowingly messing up his heart.
âWhy donât you dance?â Lin Jiao, who was dizzy, stopped and let him hold her waist. âItâs fine if you donât know how to dance. Iâll teach you.â