Finally, she admitted through tears: “I’m just afraid, I-I’m just a coward.”
After saying everything, Lin Zhexia’s sobs gradually stopped, though she would still sniffle occasionally.
After a while.
She heard Chi Yao ask her: “Done crying?”
The head wrapped in the scarf nodded.
“If you’re done, I’ll pull the scarf down.”
The head wrapped in the scarf paused, then nodded again.
The scarf was pulled down, revealing Lin Zhexia’s reddened eyes from crying, and even her nose was red.
Although it was embarrassing.
But the person in front of her was Chi Yao.
Being embarrassed in front of Chi Yao had always been something she could accept.
And after saying the words from the bottom of her heart, there was an indescribable sense of relief, as if this matter wasn’t as difficult to face as before.
With red eyes, she didn’t forget to warn: “You can’t tell anyone that I cried today.”
Chi Yao: “Bribe me a little, and I’ll consider it.”
Lin Zhexia widened her eyes, not expecting him to take advantage of the situation: “You’re such a dirty-minded person, I won’t stoop to your level.”
But after a while.
She extended two fingers from her sleeve and lightly tugged at the hem of Chi Yao’s sweater: “Um.”
“I just calculated, my saved allowance is about five hundred yuan, is that enough?”
“…”
“So you’re,” he lowered his head, looking at her two extended fingers, “planning to stoop to my level?”
Lin Zhexia didn’t make a sound.
Chi Yao twitched the corner of his mouth: “I was joking. I’m not that bored, I wouldn’t tell even if you begged me.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhexia said, “Then pinky swear.”
She thought Chi Yao wouldn’t bother with her.
Because Chi Yao rarely made pinky promises with her, thinking this behavior was particularly childish.
But this time Chi Yao looked at her hand, then reluctantly bent his finger, hooked onto hers, and made an extremely brief contact with her pinky for a second.
After making the promise, she looked at Chi Yao’s collarbone exposed to the cold air and that sweater that looked like it would let the wind through, and belatedly realized: “Aren’t you cold? Let me give you back your coat.”
Chi Yao had an I-fear-nothing attitude: “Not cold, don’t need it.”
Lin Zhexia: “In this weather, how could you not be cold?”
Chi Yao: “Don’t you think…”
Lin Zhexia: “?”
Chi Yao: “I look better dressed like this.”
“…”
“I just like to pose.”
He did look good.
But it was quite sick.
The sky had completely darkened, and there weren’t many pedestrians left by the lake.
Lin Zhexia suggested: “It’s getting late, let’s go back.”
The two walked back side by side.
When they reached the South Alley street sign, Chi Yao stopped and called her name.
“Lin Zhexia.”
Hearing this, Lin Zhexia turned her head.
She saw Chi Yao take out a piece of paper from the pocket of those seemingly thin jeans.
He held that paper with two fingers: “Is this piece of trash paper you gave me last time still valid?”
The paper had her handwriting: Wish Card.
“If it is,” his fingers bent slightly, “coward, I’m going to make a wish.”
“My wish is—you go home right now and tell Uncle Wei that you actually don’t like pink.”
He added: “Try opening your arms.”
Lin Zhexia dazedly took the paper.
This was a wish she hadn’t expected.