Extreme Pampering
Chapter 223 - 219: If We Had Been Together Sooner (Part 7)

Chapter 223: Chapter 219: If We Had Been Together Sooner (Part 7)

Shen Zhiyi was wearing a light blue nightgown, her soft, long hair cascading down her shoulders, with a hint of sleepiness still in her eyes. She stared blankly at Pei Yu, unable to react for a long time, even thinking she might be dreaming.

The young man leisurely looked her over for a while. They hadn’t met many times, and he always scrutinized her from head to toe. After he had his fill, he slowly stood up, without alerting anyone, and silently walked towards her.

As Shen Zhiyi watched him getting closer, she finally snapped out of her daze and immediately remembered the message he sent her. She had lied to him that she was already home, but there she still was, at the Qin family’s place at this hour.

Her face instantly flushed red, she stepped back, intending to go back upstairs, "I..."

Pei Yu reached out and took her wrist, his lashes half-lifted, his gaze steadily on her, "Running away when you see me?"

His tone was very low, as if he had no intention of demanding an explanation, but Shen Zhiyi felt guilty, sensing an undertone in his words.

"No," she said with a bit of inexplicable panic, "I was just coming down to see, I was already asleep..."

Pei Yu spoke unhurriedly, "Really? I thought you didn’t want to see me, always avoiding me."

In reality, it was just that one encounter during the day, but it somehow turned into "always" when coming from him.

Shen Zhiyi felt even more uncomfortable and pulled her wrist free, "I’m going back to my room."

"Wait," Pei Yu had finally gotten to see her, how could he let her go just like that, "Since you don’t want to avoid me, stay with me for a while."

Stay with him... Shen Zhiyi’s mind went back to what had happened in the billiard room.

She didn’t speak but showed a slight reluctance, which Pei Yu noticed. His lips tightened, and irritation grew within him.

Why did she have such an attitude specifically towards him?

The two faced each other in silence for a while, and just as Shen Zhiyi couldn’t bear the atmosphere anymore and was about to find another excuse to leave, her fingers resting on the stair railing were touched.

Pei Yu looked at her, pursed his lips, and asked emotionlessly, "Why don’t you want to stay with me?"

Shen Zhiyi put her hands behind her back, feeling a tingling sensation where he had touched her. She looked down at her toes, hoping to bluff her way through, "I don’t."

"Then come with me," Pei Yu was becoming anxious from not getting an explanation, but his face still showed nothing, "Let’s talk outside."

"Otherwise," he paused, "Let Qin Xiaoran—"

Shen Zhiyi really did not want others to get involved. Upon hearing this, she immediately said, "No."

Her voice lowered again, "I’m very sleepy, I can only stay with you for a little while."

The two went to the courtyard outside, where there was a swing that swayed gently with the night breeze.

Shen Zhiyi walked over to the swing, not knowing what to say for a moment.

Her figure was slender, even if she had gained weight compared to when they first met, it was just enough to escape looking malnourished. Her head bowed, her hair lifted by the wind, tracing arcs in the air.

Pei Yu couldn’t help but reach out and hook a strand of her hair. Shen Zhiyi noticed and moved all her hair in front of her chest, not letting him touch it again.

"Why?" he asked in a low voice, frowning, puzzled by her attitude.

In the billiard room before, she was still willing to let him touch her.

Listening to his voice, Shen Zhiyi felt a bit of annoyance.

Shouldn’t she be the one asking that question?

Did this person have no sense of personal boundaries, no awareness of propriety between men and women, or rather, was it just towards her that he felt she could be treated casually?

Shen Zhiyi got angry with her own thoughts, her tone turning somewhat cold, "What for what?"

She sat on the swing, her dress billowing in the night air. She kept her head down, not only refusing his touch but even denying him a glimpse.

Pei Yu took a step forward and crouched down to look at her, contemplating for a moment, "Have I upset you?"

He truly had no experience interacting with girls and had never courted anyone. Subconsciously, he softened his tone.

Shen Zhiyi’s heart fluttered at the sudden gentleness in his voice. She lifted her eyes to see the young man’s delicate features—as if confused, he looked back at her, questioning.

"No," she said, "but don’t just touch me whenever you feel like it."

She wasn’t a little kid, and no one behaved like he did—not even Qin Fang to Qin Xiaoran.

Pei Yu was taken aback, his heart plummeting, "...Do you dislike it when I touch you?"

Shen Zhiyi was about to nod but then felt something was off. It wasn’t about whether she disliked it or not.

She frowned, "Why are you asking such a strange question? What does this have to do with whether I like it or not? No one does what you do... Everyone knows there should be a distance between the opposite sexes."

He always brushed her hair, held her wrist, and that thing he did previously at the pool hall...

Pei Yu also frowned, "That’s them. Do you want to keep a distance from me?"

Shen Zhiyi replied with puzzlement, "Shouldn’t I maintain a distance from you?"

She really hadn’t known him for long, and the time they’d spent together was even shorter. If not for Qin Xiaoran, they’d probably just be acquaintances who greeted each other in passing, not even friends.

Pei Yu stared at her, then suddenly realized, "Shen Zhiyi, don’t you know that I like you?"

A gust of night wind blew, and he reached out to press down her fluttering dress.

Shen Zhiyi froze completely.

Her first reaction was that she had heard wrong, but the courtyard was utterly quiet, and they were close enough to rule out any misunderstanding.

Pei Yu, seeing her stunned expression, slowly lifted the corners of his mouth, "I’m not joking."

The young man was tall, so even while crouching, he was only slightly shorter than Shen Zhiyi. Her eyelashes fluttered, and she didn’t even dare to look down, afraid to see his expression.

She felt bewildered and at a loss, "We’ve only just met..."

How, how could he like her just like that?

"Love at first sight," Pei Yu said, holding onto her dress, his voice trailing off, "I told you, I’m not some kind-hearted good guy. Why do you think I helped you back then?"

Love at first sight—Shen Zhiyi had only encountered the phrase in books. She had never had such an awakening, not even a slow-burning affection. Suddenly faced with someone who fell for her at first sight, she was utterly unprepared and immediately blushed to the tips of her ears.

"You’re lying," she said softly, "I don’t believe it."

Love at first sight seemed too absurd. She couldn’t understand it.

Pei Yu was displeased, "What’s there not to believe? Am I the same with others as I am with you? You dislike me touching you, but I haven’t touched anyone else the way I touch you."

At the mention of others, Shen Zhiyi suddenly realized, "Aren’t you getting engaged?"

Pei Yu furrowed his brows, "Are you mad at me about that? There’s no engagement. I’ve already called it off; it won’t happen again."

He had just resolved that issue earlier in the evening. He had heard she was staying at the Qin Family’s residence. Although he knew he might not see her, he still came over.

"I’m not mad," Shen Zhiyi defended herself, "I don’t have anything to be mad about."

She swung her legs, still finding it unbelievable, and slowly with some difficulty, she said, "But I don’t think I like you."

The time they had known each other was too brief, and when she heard his confession, all she felt was surprise.