Pei Yuhuan got out of the car by the roadside, but even after stepping out, he couldn’t bear to leave. He stood by the rear window, talking to Xia Zhi.
The Pei family’s genes were exquisite—both brothers stood over 185 cm tall.
The elder brother, Pei Yuexuan, was more mature, nearly 190 cm, with an imposing presence. The younger brother, Pei Yuhuan, still carried a youthful air about him, two or three centimeters shorter but still considered outstanding among men.
He bent down, almost wanting to squeeze his entire shoulder through the car window.
Regardless of whether anyone else was present, he leaned in, trying to kiss Xia Zhi’s cheek.
“What are you doing…”
Xia Zhi dodged backward in disgust. “I just came from the hospital. I haven’t even washed my face.”
Pei Yuhuan wasn’t upset by the rejection and tried to lean in again.
“Rere is fragrant even without washing her face. I’ll just give it a light touch…”
Xia Zhi directly reached out, pushing against his forehead and shoving Pei Yuhuan back out of the car window.
“I’m disgusted by you. You reek of alcohol.”
“Huh? The smell hasn’t faded yet?”
Pei Yuhuan finally settled down.
He tugged at his collar, lowered his head, and sniffed. It didn’t smell pleasant.
Rere had always been particular about cleanliness. Usually, he had to rinse his mouth several times with mouthwash and spray oral freshener before she’d reluctantly agree to let him kiss her.
It was only right for her to refuse him today, so he didn’t think much of it.
Pei Yuhuan wore an apologetic smile.
“Got it, no kissing. We’ll kiss tonight~”
The woman snorted arrogantly and directly raised the rear window.
Pei Yuexuan, who had been keeping a cold expression, glanced subtly at the driver.
Assistant Wang shuddered and immediately started the car.
Without needing a reminder, he proactively raised the partition between the back seat and the front row.
Assistant Wang silently breathed a sigh of relief, though he wasn’t sure if he had interpreted the situation correctly.
The car turned around and headed toward the apartment from last night.
The two in the back seat maintained their original positions, neither speaking.
In front of Pei Yuexuan, Xia Zhi retrieved her phone from under her shawl.
Openly and unashamedly.
She leaned against the pillow, scrolling through Douyin, watching a popular beauty influencer livestream a makeup tutorial.
“Today, I’ll teach you a fresh and sweet summer makeup look, focusing on the transparency of the lip makeup…”
She watched intently, her lips slightly parted as she followed the screen.
Her legs, which had been obediently curled up, now freed from their owner’s rational restraint, began to act even more boldly.
Her high heels firmly kicked against the man’s trouser leg, even testing with a slight press.
Pei Yuexuan’s fingers twitched, but in the end, he didn’t dare to touch her.
Pretending nothing had happened, he took out his phone to check his emails.
Having known each other for years, the two didn’t feel awkward sitting quietly together.
At this moment, both couldn’t help but recall their first meeting several years ago.
…
Xia Zhi grew up at her maternal grandmother’s home in Hangzhou.
Five years ago, her grandmother passed away from illness. Worried that Xia Zhi would feel sad staying in Hangzhou, her father transferred her back to her registered residence in S City.
On the day of her departure, in the first-class lounge at the airport, the father and daughter encountered Pei Yuexuan.
Twenty-year-old Pei Yuexuan, full of youthful vigor, wore a light-colored casual knit sweater. With his brown hair and brown eyes, he exuded the aura of a wealthy family’s legitimate heir, handsome like a prince who had stepped out of a comic book.
As soon as he entered the lounge, almost all the women turned to look at him.
Almost—because Xia Zhi was the exception.
At the time, Xia Zhi was in a bad mood with her father, her eyes red from crying.
When Pei Yuexuan saw Father Xia, he immediately came over to greet him.
Father Xia pulled him to sit down, exchanged a few pleasantries, and introduced the two younger ones.
“Rere, this is Brother Yuexuan from Uncle Pei’s family…”
Xia Zhi couldn’t care less about any brothers or uncles, letting out a disdainful “hmph.”
She casually glanced at Pei Yuexuan before continuing to sulk.
A few minutes later, Father Xia stepped out to take a phone call.
Xia Zhi knew it was about arranging her school transfer, and her eyes reddened again.
Pei Yuexuan, seated across from her, hesitated for a moment before pushing the leather tissue box on the table toward her.
The pampered girl shot him a glance, pouting slightly as she disdainfully pushed the tissue box away.
Xia Zhi had been utterly spoiled by her maternal grandmother since childhood and would never use public tissues like these.
What she had just used to wipe her tears was a silk scarf from a top-tier luxury brand, costing over five thousand yuan per piece.
After using it, she tossed it aside like a regular tissue.
Even as someone accustomed to privilege, Pei Yuexuan had never encountered such a pampered girl before.
He glanced at the trash bin, then stood up and strode out of the lounge.
Not long after, Pei Yuexuan returned, carrying two orange shopping bags.
He handed her two scarves identical to the one she had just discarded.
Only then did the girl reluctantly accept them, gently dabbing at the tears welling beneath her eyelids.
Finally, she was willing to acknowledge Pei Yuexuan.
Her sweet, soft voice carried a hint of lingering coquettishness from crying as she spoke softly,
“Thank you, Brother Yuexuan…”
She didn’t notice the tips of Pei Yuexuan’s ears turning red.
…
The upper-class circles in S City were limited, and Father Xia and Father Pei had been friends since childhood.
When Xia Zhi returned to S City for school, Father Pei had asked his wife to look after her.
Mrs. Pei often invited Xia Zhi over for meals, and they quickly grew familiar.
Moreover, Pei Yuhuan attended the same international school as Xia Zhi and had fallen for her at first sight, following her around every day.
Throughout high school, Xia Zhi spent three or four days a week after school at the Pei residence.
A few classmates would gather to work on projects, study reports, and have fun together.
In wealthy families, the eldest son destined to inherit the family business typically didn’t study abroad.
At the time, Pei Yuexuan was studying finance at Fudan University while interning at the company, leaving him little time to return home.
But every time Xia Zhi visited the Pei family for a meal, Pei Yuexuan was there.
Looking back now, he must have made a special trip home just to see Xia Zhi.
…..
….
End of Memories
The white car turned into the private driveway, approaching the apartment.
Pei Yuexuan finally couldn’t hold back and asked with a smile,
“Didn’t you say you left your phone at my place?”
Xia Zhi showed no guilt, replying in her pampered tone,
“Can’t I have two phones?”
The man looked at her with adoration,
“Of course you can.”
Pei Yuexuan understood Xia Zhi well—she appeared delicate and mild-tempered but had a strong will.
Last night and today, Xia Zhi had acted unusually, her attitude toward the two brothers shifting dramatically.
Pei Yuexuan’s rationality told him that his brother must have done something wrong to upset Xia Zhi, prompting her to deliberately distance herself from him.
As for himself, he had merely been in the right place at the right time to benefit from the situation.
The man then asked gently,
“Rere, what mistake did Yu Huan make this time?”
As the car entered the underground garage, Xia Zhi turned off her phone and sat up straight.
She turned to look into the man’s eyes, seeing pure concern within them.
Of course, there was also a suppressed, inexplicable flutter.
“We didn’t argue,”
Xia Zhi curved her eyes, speaking softly to the man,
“I just don’t want to be with Pei Yuhuan anymore.”
Pei Yuexuan completely lost control of his expression.
He didn’t know whether to feel happy, sad, or confused.
“Did he bully you?” he asked sharply.
Xia Zhi shook her head, “No.”
The car had already come to a stop, but neither of them moved.
After a few seconds, Pei Yuexuan spoke again,
“Rere, I thought you and Yu Huan… you were together because you liked each other…”
Xia Zhi understood—the man thought she was treating relationships too lightly.
“Before last night, I did like him,”
the stunning woman smiled slyly, “but today, I don’t anymore.”
Before last night… today…
Last night, Rere was with him…
So, did it have something to do with him?
Pei Yuexuan couldn’t help but narrow his pupils, unable to suppress the faint glimmer of hopeful joy in his heart.
But given their current relationship…
He stopped there, not daring to ask any further.
He didn’t dare to ask.
The young master Pei got out of the car, walked around the back, and opened the door for Miss Xia.
Xia Zhi wrapped herself in her shawl, putting on an air of natural, exaggerated arrogance.
But she had just had a fever last night and was still weak.
As soon as her high heels touched the ground, her legs gave way, and she suddenly lost her balance.
Pei Yuexuan immediately reached out, pulling Xia Zhi into his arms.
“Rere, can you walk?”
Xia Zhi leaned against the man’s arm, looking up at him,
lifting the tip of her right foot delicately, her voice carrying an intoxicating sweetness,
“My legs are sore…”
Jiaojiao complained about her sore legs, and the man’s heart melted completely.
“…I’ll carry you.”
Pei Yuexuan restrained his strength, scooped Xia Zhi up in his arms, and strode into the elevator lobby.
…
Only after the footsteps had completely disappeared did Assistant Wang, who had been lying low in the driver’s seat, dare to lift his head.
Whew…
That was nerve-wracking.