CS - 24

Lin Zhe Xia almost blurted out: “Are you kidding me?”

Who was the person who took on three opponents at once?

And who was the one who arrogantly claimed to be the school bully of Cheng’an?

During fights, she hadn’t seen his legs go weak—she remembered how he didn’t even blink.

After a long pause, Lin Zhe Xia asked: “Are you joking?”

Chi Yao replied with a forced smile: “You were the one who started joking first.”

“…”

At this point, Lin Zhe Xia could only tell the truth: “Actually, I want to get my ears pierced.”

Chi Yao’s gaze shifted downward slightly, landing on the girl’s small, clean ear.

Lin Zhe Xia’s earlobes were bare, with nothing on them.

“But I’m too scared to go alone,” Lin Zhe Xia added. “I’m afraid it’ll hurt.”

Chi Yao withdrew his glance: “Does Aunt He know?”

Lin Zhe Xia: “I plan to do it first and explain later.”

Chi Yao commented: “You’ve got guts.”

Although he didn’t explicitly say he would accompany her, in the midst of their conversation, they had already unconsciously walked toward the shopping street.

Lin Zhe Xia: “I’m still nervous, but I’ve thought it through. If my mom doesn’t let me in tonight, I’ll just go to your place to do homework.”

Chi Yao: “You’ve really thought it through.”

Lin Zhe Xia: “Not bad, right?”

Chi Yao: “Have you considered that I might not let you in either?”

After a while, Lin Zhe Xia said: “…I have a key.”

After school, the shopping street was crowded with students wearing the uniform of Second High School. Some were queuing up to buy bubble tea, while others were purchasing snacks. As Lin Zhe Xia pulled Chi Yao through the crowd, she faintly heard people whispering.

After a year of high school life, Lin Zhe Xia had started to develop some immunity to these comments.

Since she was often near the center of attention, she indirectly became the focus of others’ curiosity as well.

Fortunately, the further they went into the alley, the fewer people there were.

The shops inside weren’t as lively as those on the main street, and many storefronts were empty, sealed with tape on the large glass windows.

After walking for a long time, they finally spotted the accessories shop Chen Lin had mentioned.

The pink sign read: “Xinxin Accessories Shop.”

The store was brightly lit, and on the glass door, three rows of cute, rounded words were written in colored markers: necklaces, earrings, ear piercings.

Moreover, the shop clearly understood what girls liked—it even had an orange cat lounging around.

As soon as Lin Zhe Xia entered, the cat, completely unafraid of strangers, immediately trotted over and began rubbing against her uniform pants.

“…” Lin Zhe Xia exclaimed in delight, “A kitty!”

Behind her, Chi Yao, who had been carrying his bag slung over one shoulder, slowly crouched down and tugged lightly on the cat’s ear.

There was a strange harmony between Chi Yao and the cat.

What made it strange was that he didn’t look like someone who particularly loved cats.

Yet, the cat seemed more drawn to him, circling around his hand.

Lin Zhe Xia felt a bit annoyed: “Why does it like you more?”

Chi Yao: “Because it has eyes.”

Lin Zhe Xia: “Maybe—it’s just that this cat’s eyesight isn’t great.”

Chi Yao naturally followed up with a comment only they would understand: “Then how does Xiao Mi explain it?”

Xiao Mi was a cat Lin Zhe Xia had helped when she was little.

Back then, stray cats often roamed the neighborhood, and one night, a gaunt stray cat gave birth to kittens.

Early the next morning, as Lin Zhe Xia stepped out, she heard faint meowing from the bushes near her building.

She pushed aside the shrubs and saw a pure white kitten.

“Uncle Wei is allergic to cat hair,” Lin He, seeing her interest in keeping the cat, had no choice but to dissuade her. “It’s probably impossible.”

She remembered herself anxiously saying back then: “But if we don’t take care of it, it will die.”

Lin He: “Let’s ask around the neighborhood; maybe someone will be willing to adopt it.”

The first person Lin Zhe Xia thought of was Chi Yao.

At that time, Chi Yao had just started middle school, but he was already very tall.

The young boy, much like now, squatted by the bushes and teasingly tugged lightly on the cat’s ear.

“You can leave it at my place,” Chi Yao said as he stood up, “but you take care of it, and remember to clean my house.”

Chi Yao had slight cleanliness obsessions and wasn’t particularly fond of cats, which could easily bring “chaos.”

But “Xiao Mi” adored him.

However, Xiao Mi was frail, and despite Lin Zhe Xia’s careful care, it didn’t survive a month.

On the day Xiao Mi passed away, she cried for a long time.

Finally, crying, she said to Chi Yao: “I still have so much I wanted to say to it. Can it no longer hear me?”

That night, she couldn’t fall asleep.

Late at night, she received a message.

The sender’s profile picture featured Xiao Mi’s photo, and the moment she opened the message, she almost thought it was from Xiao Mi itself.

Lin Zhe Xia still remembered what the message said:

• I heard you still have things to say to me.

Immediately afterward, “Xiao Mi” sent two more messages:

• Go ahead.

• I’m listening.

Her tears, which had momentarily stopped, suddenly flowed again. She still felt immense sorrow, as if someone were squeezing her heart. But amidst the pain, it felt like a hand gently patted her head.

Curling under her blanket, she typed many words.

• It’s my fault for not taking good care of you. I’m sorry.

• Next time,

• Next time, you’ll definitely be healthier. You’ll meet a wonderful person and grow up happily and healthily.

Finally, unable to resist, she asked:

• Did you go to heaven?

After a moment of typing, “Xiao Mi” responded with one word:

• Mm.

…

Lin Zhe Xia pulled herself out of the memories about Xiao Mi.

She looked at Chi Yao, who was currently playing with the orange cat in the shop, and then thought of the Chi Yao who changed his profile picture late at night to comfort her. For once, she didn’t retort.

Forget it.

Let him say whatever he wants.

The shopkeeper, who appeared to be about thirty years old, greeted them warmly as they entered: “What would you like to buy? If it’s a gift, we offer free packaging. We have everything in the store; feel free to browse around.”

Lin Zhe Xia pulled Chi Yao and first wandered around the accessories section.

Even though they were already in the store, the closer they got to the moment, the more afraid she became.

She hesitated: “I’m still too scared.”

Chi Yao didn’t hesitate at all: “Then let’s go.”

Lin Zhe Xia grabbed his sleeve, fearing he might actually leave: “I didn’t say I wouldn’t do it—I just need to prepare myself.”

Chi Yao: “What’s there to prepare for getting your ears pierced?”

Lin Zhe Xia: “It might hurt a lot.”

After speaking, Lin Zhe Xia guessed what he might say and quickly added, “Don’t call me a coward.”

But she was too slow.

Almost simultaneously with her words, Chi Yao had already scoffed: “Coward.”

Lin Zhe Xia wanted to retort that she wasn’t like this before.

When she was little, even when fighting with He Yang, she wouldn’t cry if she accidentally got hurt.

But now, the older she grew, the more sensitive she became.

Perhaps because, no matter what happened, Chi Yao was always by her side.

And her trivial problems could always be fully confided to him.

“…”

“Three minutes,” Chi Yao glanced at the time, “If you’re not ready within three minutes, forget it.”

Lin Zhe Xia acknowledged with an “Oh.”

After saying “Oh,” she suddenly came up with an idea.

“Since you think getting your ears pierced doesn’t hurt.”

She looked at him and said: “Then come with me and get yours pierced too.”

The more she spoke, the more feasible this method seemed.

“I’m really scared right now, but if someone accompanies me, I should be fine.”

Chi Yao raised an eyebrow and looked at her.

Lin Zhe Xia slowly said: “…Dying together makes it easier to face.”

Chi Yao initially ignored her, but she started whining: “If you don’t do it, I’ll sit at the shop entrance until dawn. Even on my deathbed, I’ll remember this day—the day a certain Mr. Chi mercilessly rejected me.”

In the end, Chi Yao couldn’t stand her constant nagging and negotiated: “I’ll only do one side.”

Lin Zhe Xia thought about it—having both ears pierced did seem inappropriate for a guy—so she nodded: “Alright.”

“And.”

He added, “What’s in it for me?”

Lin Zhe Xia didn’t catch on: “What do you mean by ‘what’s in it for me’?”

Chi Yao: “Am I some divine being here to save everyone? Why should I endure this for nothing?”

Lin Zhe Xia dragged her words out reluctantly: “My monthly allowance is two hundred.”

“…”

“I can give you one-fifty; I’ll save the rest.”

Seeing that Chi Yao didn’t seem satisfied with this answer, she steeled herself and changed her mind: “Two hundred, all of it goes to you. Is that okay?”

But Chi Yao didn’t buy it: “Who cares about your measly allowance?”

“…?”

“How about this,” he said, seemingly to torment her deliberately, “Call me ‘big brother,’ and I’ll accompany you.”

…

Lin Zhe Xia froze for a moment.

She immediately thought:

Of course, it’s you.

Chi Yao.

Striking right at the seven-inch mark.

Ruthless, leaving one with no way out.

Lin Zhe Xia hesitated internally for a while, but her desire to get her ears pierced ultimately prevailed: “But only after you’re done. Just in case you go back on your word.”

After agreeing to get their ears pierced together, Lin Zhe Xia finally mustered the courage.

She called out to the shopkeeper: “Boss, can you pierce ears here?”

The shopkeeper smiled and said: “Yes, it’s sixty yuan for ear piercing. Do you want to do it?”

Lin Zhe Xia pointed at Chi Yao: “He’s the one getting it—but he’s only doing one side.”

The shopkeeper rarely saw boys coming in for ear piercings and couldn’t help but look at the boy twice.

The boy wore a school uniform. Perhaps it was her imagination, but she felt his face made the whole store brighter. At that moment, the young man was standing beside the girl, their height difference quite noticeable.

“One side is fine; it’s thirty yuan,” she said.

“For boys, choose a simple style of earring. How about black obsidian? Most boys like that kind. But he... he’d look good in anything.”

However, Lin Zhe Xia found it unsuitable.

In the end, she picked out a simple silver cross earring from the basket: “This one.”

She felt that Chi Yao suited silver.

Arrogant, noble, and cold.

Getting an ear pierced was much simpler than Lin Zhe Xia imagined. The shopkeeper first marked the spot on Chi Yao’s earlobe, then took a sterilized device, clamped his earlobe, and with a “click,” it was done.

But simplicity in operation didn’t mean it lacked visual impact.

Standing next to Chi Yao, Lin Zhe Xia closely observed the entire process. She clearly saw how that “click” pierced through the earlobe.

The specific scene was more terrifying than she had imagined.

After the “click,” Lin Zhe Xia’s desire to get her ears pierced completely vanished.

She came to her senses.

After finishing one ear, the shopkeeper looked at Lin Zhe Xia: “Young lady, you…”

Before the shopkeeper finished, Lin Zhe Xia took a step back and decisively told the shopkeeper: “Just pierce his. No need for mine.”

“…?”

The shopkeeper held the ear-piercing tool and asked: “You’re not doing it?”

Lin Zhe Xia: “Mm, I think I should listen to my mom.”

On the way back, the atmosphere was very quiet.

This silence stemmed from the fact that although it was her idea to get her ears pierced, she ended up not going through with it after they had agreed to do it together.

Lin Zhe Xia felt guilty for backing out.

When they got off the bus, she finally mustered the courage to break the silence: “Does your ear still hurt?”

Chi Yao used a tone that sounded indifferent but clearly carried weight: “If you get one, you’ll know whether it hurts or not.”

“…”

Lin Zhe Xia: “I didn’t expect things to turn out this way.”

“You,” Chi Yao said, “what could possibly come out of that brain of yours?”

The two walked from the station toward Nanxiang Street.

Having spent too much time at the accessories shop, it was already quite dark by the time they returned.

“But you didn’t lose out either.”

Lin Zhe Xia explained: “You look really good with earrings. They enhance your looks.”

Chi Yao, who had been walking ahead of her, stopped after hearing this. He turned around, faced her, and gave a cold chuckle: “Are you saying I should thank you for this?”

Lin Zhe Xia, emboldened, replied: “No need to be so polite.”

She wasn’t exaggerating when she said this.

Although she often teased Chi Yao about his looks, even she had to admit that he looked exceptionally good with earrings.

He suited them so well… She couldn’t help but steal several glances at him along the way.

The shopkeeper had advised Chi Yao to let his ear heal before replacing the temporary earring, but Chi Yao, not one to tolerate inconvenience—or perhaps because he only pierced one ear—decided to change it immediately.

Now, standing before her, the silver cross earring enhanced his sharp, cold demeanor even further.

Lin Zhe Xia’s eyes involuntarily lingered on his earlobe once again.

But Chi Yao’s next words snapped her back to reality.

“Lin Zhe Xia,” he said, “did you forget something?”

She knew exactly what he was referring to. With rehearsed words ready, she replied: “I didn’t forget. But our agreement was for me to get my ears pierced too. Since I didn’t go through with it, the deal obviously doesn’t count anymore.”

After she finished speaking, Chi Yao leaned down slightly, moving closer to her.

Under the glow of the streetlamp, she could see his newly pierced earring more clearly.

She could even make out the fine vertical grooves on the silver cross.

Then, she heard him speak softly but pointedly, right in front of her: “—So, you’re trying to weasel out of the deal?”