Today, most of the Pei family’s shares were in Pei Huaiye’s hands, transferred to him by his parents. They had supported him for more than a decade, but the psychological toll had taken a physical one, and their illness grew worse as the year drew to a close. They had passed away before the year ended.
“So…” Wu Hui remembered, “you went back yesterday to pay respects to your parents?”
“Yes.”
Wu Hui patted his head, holding his head against his chest and petting him the way one would a large dog. Pei Huaiye stayed in that position for a while before offering some feedback: “How many dogs have you petted bald like this?”
Wu Hui usually petted dogs by turning Jianqiu into one. Data dogs, however, did not go bald.
“How much longer until we reach the strawberry patch?” Wu Hui let go of his head and idly stroked his ears.
Pei Huaiye enjoyed the sensation. “Soon. Do you like picking strawberries that much?”
“I like growing and picking vegetables. Strawberries are so round and red; picking them feels very therapeutic.”
They soon reached the strawberry patch. Wen Tanyi had already stepped out of her car, but there was still no movement from Wu Hui’s side. She walked over and knocked on the window. “What are you doing? Get out of the car before you start doing anything.”
The door opened. Wu Hui stepped out, wrapped in a cream-colored cashmere scarf. Wen Tanyi had a good memory; she remembered he hadn’t been wearing a scarf when he got in. “Are you that afraid of the cold?”
Wu Hui pulled the scarf up to cover his chin. Half of his face was buried in the fabric, and the slightly curly hair by his ears hid his still-flushed earlobes. “It is not just the cold I am afraid of.” He was also afraid of the “strawberry monster.”
Pei Huaiye stepped out after him.
“Whoo-hoo!”
Nian Zhi and Jiang Liexing arrived soon after. The roar of a sports car approached, and a fire-red car drifted stylishly to a stop by the side of the road. Nian Zhi stepped out, took off her sunglasses, and smiled sweetly. “How could I miss out on picking strawberries?” She then greeted Wu Hui, but upon seeing the scarf around his neck, she said meaningfully, “I thought we were here to pick strawberries, but it looks like someone has already planted some.”
Jiang Liexing, who had arrived with Nian Zhi, stumbled out of the car. “Who, who planted them?”
Wu Hui suddenly felt that inviting people had been a mistake. “No one.”
Wen Tanyi re-examined his scarf.
Jiang Liexing floated over, looking at the massive artificial strawberry patch. He tried to greet Wen Tanyi shyly but was ignored, so he said dejectedly, “I have not eaten strawberries for two or three years.”
Nian Zhi was surprised. “You have not eaten them for years? Were you in prison?”
Jiang Liexing explained, “I ended up in the hospital after eating strawberries that one time. I discovered I was allergic to them, which reminded me why my family never gave them to me.”
Once everyone arrived, the group headed into the greenhouse.
“If you are allergic to strawberries, why are you here?”
Jiang Liexing waved his hand. “I tried it later and realized I am only allergic to the seeds. I can just pick them out when I eat them.”
Wu Hui remarked, “You are certainly difficult to kill.”
Nian Zhi giggled. “I suspect your ancestors are kowtowing their heads into the dirt in their graves right now.”
The strawberry patch was indeed huge, divided into over a dozen greenhouses. Tools had already been prepared for them, and they were led to a patch where the strawberries were ripe.
Wu Hui experienced the joy of picking firsthand. He preferred picking over eating, especially the feeling of plucking a large, bright red strawberry and dropping it into the basket. However, the greenhouse was semi-enclosed, and after playing for a while, Wu Hui began to heat up.
The others were on the other side. Pei Huaiye stayed by his side holding the basket, brushing aside the hair falling by his neck. “If you are hot, you should take off the scarf.”
Wu Hui glared at him, but it lacked any real threat; instead, it made Pei Huaiye feel an itch in his heart.
“The Senior really holds a grudge.”
Noisy voices drifted over from the other side.
“Wen Tanyi, why are you here again? Have you still not given up!”
“Goddess! This strawberry is the biggest, for you!”
Pei Huaiye’s calm voice explained strawberry picking, “Strawberries are a fruit that tests many external conditions. They can grow in the soil or anywhere else.”
Wu Hui clipped a strawberry and dropped it into the basket, intrigued. “For example?”
They were in a corner of the greenhouse. Pei Huaiye leaned in, using his height to block the view of others. “For example…”
Wu Hui was trapped. “Has the Senior seen it?”
His scarf began to loosen.
“You will see it. Do you believe me?”
Under Pei Huaiye’s intensely predatory gaze, Wu Hui felt he could not hold his ground. “I believe you.”
“You should have said you did not believe me,” Pei Huaiye stepped forward, completely cutting off his path of retreat. “That way, I could prove it to you.”
Wu Hui curled his lips. “Is the Senior going to prove it here?”
“Why not?”
The voices from the other side were about to move away from this greenhouse.
“Let’s go, let’s go. Next one.”
“Huh? Aren’t the Crown Princess and the others still in the previous greenhouse?”
“Should we call them?”
The fading footsteps and conversation drew closer again. Wu Hui tensed up once more.
“They aren’t here to pick strawberries; don’t go there, don’t go.”
The man in front of him had no intention of retreating, even though their posture risked discovery at any moment. Wu Hui gradually realized he might be serious. He wanted to escape, but the man’s shadow loomed over him.