Shen Lishu’s voice wasn’t particularly quiet, and the children around them all heard it. Many kids turned to look in their direction, agreeing that Shen Lishu made a good point.
“So that’s how it works—I should’ve worn my uniform too.”
“Xie Changyan is so smart.”
“…”
In an instant, Xie Changyan, who had been sitting in the corner, suddenly became the center of attention.
Tonight, Father Pei had an unavoidable meeting, so Shen Lishu and Pei Yu were also without parental supervision.
Seeing that Xie Changyan was alone too, Shen Lishu pulled him along to join them.
The graduation party venue was filled with various brain-teasing activities, and Shen Lishu was having a blast.
Xie Changyan seemed a bit distracted tonight. Usually, he and Pei Yu would bicker whenever they met, but today, he was lost in his own world, lost in thought.
After playing a round of games, Shen Lishu had gathered quite a collection of prizes from the brain-teasing activities.
On an early summer night.
Shen Lishu sat under the wisteria-covered corridor, gazing contentedly at the pile of little trinkets, murmuring softly to herself.
“This one was won by Pei Yu for me, and this one too.”
“Pei Yu is so amazing…”
Hearing Shen Lishu’s praise, Pei Yu couldn’t help but feel a little smug, his enthusiasm growing even stronger. “Sweetie, wait here. I’ll go win some more for you.”
“We already have so many,” Shen Lishu quickly reached out and tugged at Pei Yu’s sleeve, her voice soft and sweet. “We should leave some for the other kids too.”
Pei Yu reluctantly gave up the idea.
Shen Lishu looked around, puzzled. “Why can’t I see Xie Changyan?”
“Maybe he got separated from us,” Pei Yu replied, his smile fading slightly at the mention of Xie Changyan.
The graduation party was scheduled to end at nine o’clock, and it was almost time.
Shen Lishu blinked.
“Sweetie, are you sleepy?” Pei Yu noticed immediately.
Shen Lishu shook her head and whispered to Pei Yu that she needed to use the restroom.
Pei Yu immediately offered to accompany her.
“But what about all these things?” Shen Lishu worried. These were all prizes Pei Yu had won for her, and she’d be heartbroken if they got lost.
Pei Yu frowned.
Shen Lishu suggested, “I’ll go by myself. It’s not far anyway.”
That seemed like the best solution.
“If you’re not back in five minutes, I’ll come find you,” Pei Yu said seriously.
Shen Lishu agreed, then leaned her head toward Pei Yu, asking him to help her take off her headpiece.
“When I come back, can I wear your blueberry plush headpiece?” Shen Lishu asked, looking at him with hopeful eyes.
Pei Yu replied, “Sure.”
After watching Shen Lishu disappear from view, Pei Yu took off his own blueberry plush headpiece and replaced it with a lemon plush one.
Just as he was holding the blueberry headpiece in his arms, he heard footsteps approaching from behind.
Was she back already?
The next moment, Xie Changyan’s voice came from behind him. “Lili, I won the big teddy bear you liked earlier.”
Pei Yu froze mid-turn.
This teddy bear, standing at a height of 1.6 meters, was the grand prize of the graduation party, coveted by many of the children.
But winning it was no easy feat—the challenge tested the kids’ perseverance to the extreme.
Pei Yu had also considered the idea of helping Shen Lishu win back the giant teddy bear.
Unfortunately, Shen Lichu stopped him.
Xie Changyan behind them was still talking, his voice inexplicably urgent.
Pei Yu didn’t interrupt, listening silently.
“…So, Lili, can you be my number one best friend?”
“I’ll definitely treat you better than Pei Yu.”
If it weren’t for Pei Yu usually not letting anyone get close to Shen Lishu, everything Pei Yu could do, Xie Changyan could do too, and even do it better.
Finally understanding Xie Changyan’s intentions, Pei Yu could no longer hold back his anger and continue pretending.
Pei Yu spoke word by word: “No! Way!”
“How is it you?” Staring at the nauseating face beneath the lemon plush headpiece, Xie Changyan’s pupils suddenly contracted.
Pei Yu, who had no intention of answering his question, sneered coldly: “Daydreaming.”
Both of them had long disliked each other.
Tension filled the air, a battle on the verge of breaking out.
Meanwhile.
Just after leaving the restroom, Shen Lishu ran into a familiar child who wanted to take a photo together, which delayed him for quite some time.
Afraid that Pei Yu would worry, Shen Lishu had to hurry back at a jog.
When he returned to the wisteria-covered corridor and saw the two sitting properly, Shen Lishu was somewhat stunned.
Not only were both of them covered in dirt, but Pei Yu also had a bruise at the corner of his mouth, and Xie Changyan had scraped his forehead.
“What… happened?” Shen Lishu asked incredulously.
Pei Yu coughed lightly and said seriously, “We were swatting mosquitoes.”
Xie Changyan chimed in, “Right.”
Afraid Shen Lishu wouldn’t believe it, Pei Yu added with conviction, “It was a really big mosquito.”
Shen Lishu was half-convinced: “Then next time, swat gently, okay?”
Pei Yu replied quickly, “Okay.”
Just then, the broadcast sounded, calling all children and parents to gather in the classroom.
The three of them packed up their things and slowly headed toward the classroom.
On the way, looking at the bruise on Pei Yu’s mouth and then at the scrape on Xie Changyan’s forehead, Shen Lishu pursed his lips, hesitating to speak.
Noticing Shen Lishu’s unease, Pei Yu felt a bit nervous and asked softly, “What’s wrong?”
Shen Lishu said earnestly, “Next time, you can borrow an electric mosquito swatter from Teacher Zhang.”
Pei Yu couldn’t help but smile, telling Shen Lishu he understood.
The three returned to the classroom.
The teacher glanced at them.
Then, the teacher exploded.
“Heavens!!”
Five minutes later.
The smell of external disinfectant filled the teacher’s office next to the classroom.
Pei Yu and Xie Changyan sat side by side.
Neither of them said a word.
The kindergarten principal, vaguely aware of Pei Yu’s identity, was already on the phone with Father Pei, speaking very cautiously.
“Who started it?” Teacher Zhang asked sternly.
Pei Yu and Xie Changyan stubbornly insisted they were swatting mosquitoes.
Aside from their faces, both had numerous large and small bruises under their clothes.
Their respective guardians arrived at the scene one after the other within half an hour.
The Xie family sent a driver, a middle-aged man, while the Pei family sent Father Pei.
Knowing he wouldn’t get an explanation from Pei Yu, Father Pei turned directly to the principal: “Is there surveillance footage of the incident location?”
The principal replied, “Yes.”
At this, Pei Yu and Xie Changyan spoke simultaneously.
“I started it.”
“I started it.”
Silence fell over the scene.
Pei Yu and Xie Changyan exchanged a swift glance before speaking up again simultaneously.
“He started it.”
“He started it.”
Father Pei turned to the kindergarten principal once more. “Let’s just pull up the surveillance footage.”