Pei Yu pursed his lips and remained silent.
Shen Lishu, worried that he might pick her up and dash outside without a second thought, quickly tried to divert his attention. She randomly pointed at the peaches in the fruit bowl nearby. “I want to eat that.”
Pei Yu replied with an “Okay.”
He walked over, his eyes scanning the bowl before picking out the best-looking peach.
A nearby servant gestured for Pei Yu to hand it over so she could peel and slice it, but he refused.
Since a knife would be involved, and he was afraid of accidentally hurting Shen Lishu, Pei Yu stood where he was and peeled the fruit himself.
A few minutes later, Shen Lishu happily ate the peach slices Pei Yu fed her.
Before they left, Pei Yu had given Shen Lishu a peach pastry to fill her stomach, fearing she might get hungry. After just a few slices of peach, she couldn’t eat anymore.
Chewing the fruit slowly, Shen Lishu stared at the fruit plate in Pei Yu’s hand, a fleeting look of despair flashing in her eyes.
But Pei Yu suddenly put down the fork and plate, freeing his hands to hold them under Shen Lishu’s mouth. “Spit it out,” he said, slightly annoyed.
Shen Lishu blinked, pretending not to understand.
She thought she was hiding it well, but over the years, Pei Yu had honed his ability to read her micro-expressions and figure out exactly what she was thinking.
Silly girl!
Pei Yu sighed softly, pinching Shen Lishu’s cheek with one hand to force her mouth open. He then slipped two fingers inside, scooping out the chewed-up peach from the warmth of her mouth.
Shen Lishu sniffled, feeling a bit guilty.
Without looking back, Pei Yu handed the plate of fruit slices to a servant nearby and said to Shen Lishu, “Don’t run off. I’m going to wash my hands.”
Shen Lishu replied with an “Oh,” looking utterly obedient.
After Pei Yu left, Shen Lishu sat on the soft carpet and played Sudoku.
She had always been naturally sensitive to numbers. In her eyes, numbers seemed to have a life of their own. She could glance at the math problems in her workbook and immediately give the correct answer, as precise as a calculator.
Even her math teacher was amazed and once asked how she calculated the answers. At the time, Shen Lishu looked at the teacher blankly and replied with a hint of confusion, “They told me.”
The teacher was astonished and informed Father Pei that very afternoon.
“Hey, give me that Sudoku board,” a haughty voice suddenly demanded.
Looking up, Shen Lishu saw a sturdy, sharp-featured boy standing in front of her.
Without hesitation, she handed over the Sudoku board.
Seeing how easily he had gotten it, the boy frowned deeply and muttered, “She really has no temper…”
Before coming, the adults at home had warned all the children present not to offend Pei Yu and even to flatter and curry favor with him.
But every child attending the family banquet at the Pei family’s old residence had been pampered and spoiled by their families. As children of the Pei family, they were usually the ones others tried to please.
Now they were expected to flatter Pei Yu?
Who would willingly do that?
But they couldn’t ignore their families’ warnings, so they turned their attention to Shen Lishu.
Soon, other children gathered around, all eyeing Shen Lishu with ill intentions.
“So you’re Shen Lishu?” someone asked with a teasing laugh.
Sensing their ill intentions, Shen Lishu didn’t want to engage much and gave a slight nod.
The person who had just asked the question spoke up again: “Does it feel great to freeload and live in someone else’s house?”
Shen Lishu pressed her lips tightly together.
“How shameless!”
“Why are you living in someone else’s house? Don’t you have your own parents?”
“…”
A barrage of words, fired like cannonballs, left Shen Lishu at a loss.
The unfamiliar environment, the malicious peers, and Pei Yu’s absence made Shen Lishu shrink back in fear.
She wanted to go home.
But she couldn’t cause trouble for Uncle Pei.
If she left, Pei Yu would surely follow.
Someone whispered that Pei Yu was back, and everyone immediately scattered.
When Pei Yu returned with a water cup, he saw Shen Lishu sitting alone on the carpet, head bowed as if playing with something.
“Sweetie, come, have some water.”
Shen Lishu pretended nothing had happened, lifting her head nonchalantly and obediently replying, “Okay.”
But Pei Yu didn’t bring the cup to her lips. Instead, he leaned in close, staring intently at Shen Lishu as if trying to read something from her face.
Had Pei Yu noticed?
Shen Lishu felt a pang of panic.
“Sweetie.”
“Why are you unhappy?” Pei Yu asked.
Shen Lishu stiffened for a moment before the little dimple beside her lips appeared as she pressed them together: “I’m not unhappy.”
She quickly found an excuse: “Maybe I’m just a little tired.”
Pei Yu clearly didn’t believe her, but he didn’t call her out. Instead, he gently touched his nose to hers.
“My Sweetie.”
“You’re the most important.”
A flicker of coldness passed through Pei Yu’s dark blue eyes. He knew that right now, the most important thing wasn’t figuring out what had happened.
But rather…
“Sweetie, climb on.” Pei Yu stood up and half-crouched in front of Shen Lishu.
Shen Lishu was puzzled, her voice tinged with a slight nasal tone: “Where are we going?”
Pei Yu vaguely replied, “I’m taking you somewhere else to play.”
Without overthinking it, Shen Lishu stood up and hopped onto Pei Yu’s back.
Pei Yu had carried her on his back many times.
He was always steady, never dropping her.
Though he had only been to the Pei family’s ancestral home a few times, Pei Yu was familiar with its layout. After turning a corner for the third time, he carried Shen Lishu to a small side door.
The family banquet was grand, and most of the servants at the Pei family’s ancestral home had been reassigned, allowing Pei Yu to easily slip out through the side door with Shen Lishu on his back.
At seven o’clock in Wangjing, the streets were bustling with traffic, and the city was aglow with lights, vibrant and lively.
After feeling the chilly wind for a while, Shen Lishu realized Pei Yu had taken her away from the Pei family’s ancestral home.
Shen Lishu asked in confusion, “Pei Yu, where are we going?”
Pei Yu adjusted his grip on her and firmly uttered two words: “Home.”
If that place didn’t welcome Shen Lishu, there was no need to stay any longer.
With the navigation on his smartwatch, it would take another four and a half hours for Pei Yu to carry Shen Lishu home.
Shen Lishu first thought of stopping him, then slowly relaxed her grip, carefully resting her chin on Pei Yu’s shoulder like a weary bird finally finding its nest.
“When I grow a little older and my dad lets me ride a bike, I’ll take you home on my bicycle.”
Shen Lishu sniffled, her voice sounding muffled: “Okay.”
The more Pei Yu felt the damp, scalding warmth against the side of his neck, the more a storm raged within his heart.