Chapter 108 - 107: Are you hiding from me?

Words : 1271 Updated : Sep 19th, 2025

Chapter 108: 107: Are you hiding from me? Her circle of friends in the Imperial City was already small, but now that Ruan Yuan was back, they could team up and work together again. Ruan Yuan chuckled lightly, her gaze sweeping teasingly between the two of them. "I have plenty of time. The only worry is whether your boyfriend will let you go." Her remark genuinely made Shi Wei choke up. He was now itching to keep the little girl by his side every waking moment. Not to mention being apart for a brief while—he felt restless whenever she was out of his sight. Yu Zhi tilted her head and stared at him unblinkingly, her eyes carrying a question. "Is that okay?" If he didn’t want her to hang out with Ruan Yuan, she figured she could try to negotiate further. Shi Wei gently wiped away a few stray corn crumbs that had somehow landed at the corner of her lips. His doting eyes held a trace of indescribable emotion. "Okay." Even he hadn’t realized how tightly his voice was constricted as he gave his answer. Yu Zhi gazed into the man’s eyes, pondering for a moment before turning to Ruan Yuan and saying, "I’m only free on weekends. I’ve got assignments to do during the weekdays." "Is that so." Ruan Yuan’s tone stretched out meaningfully, her smile only growing wider. She had known Yu Zhi for a long time and was well aware that when she wanted to do something, nothing could stop her. But just now, Yu Zhi had hesitated and even came up with such a lame excuse. If it wasn’t for the man by her side, Ruan Yuan truly wouldn’t believe it. "Hm." Hearing the amusement in Ruan Yuan’s tone, Yu Zhi reflexively dropped her gaze, seeming oddly timid and avoiding eye contact. Her delicate eyelashes quivered softly, like fluttering butterflies taking flight, casting faint shadows as they moved. When Ruan Yuan got up and went to the restroom, Shi Wei suddenly pulled the little girl into his arms and onto his lap. "Zhizhi was doing it all for me, wasn’t she?" He buried his head in the crook of her neck, greedily inhaling the subtle scent of sweet peach lingering around her. From the moment she said those words, he’d wanted to pull her tightly into his arms. Yet, mindful of the others present, he had no choice but to endure. Yu Zhi flushed and cast an embarrassed glance toward the door, whispering softly, "Don’t hold me for too long—she’ll be back soon." "Answer me first." Shi Wei lifted his head and placed a light kiss at the corner of her lips. His gaze burned into her intensely, as if he would not let up without a response. Yu Zhi pressed her lips together and nervously gripped the sleeve of his shirt with her pink fingertips. "Yes." Even though it was the answer he had anticipated, the joy bubbling up inside Shi Wei was almost overflowing. His almond-shaped peach blossom eyes glittered like stars caught in their depths, breathtakingly gorgeous. "Zhizhi, you like me a lot, don’t you?" Otherwise, how could someone who normally disliked studying use schoolwork as a pretext just for him? Yu Zhi’s ears turned red enough to drip blood. She stammered a couple of times, but under the man’s hopeful gaze, she finally nodded her head. In truth, even she didn’t fully understand just how much she liked him. But every time she thought about him waiting for her alone in that grand, empty villa, her heart ached terribly. Shi Wei smiled in satisfaction, the curve of his lips brimming with joy. He cupped the back of her head with one hand and sealed her lips with his own, expressing his affection for her through action. At the door, Ruan Yuan glanced inside through the crack, taking in the sight of the entwined couple with a quiet sigh. She slowly eased the handle down and softly closed the door. Leaning leisurely against the wall, she opened up a game on her phone, playing through an entire round before nonchalantly walking back inside. "Why did you take so long?" Yu Zhi dabbed at her lips with a tissue, wiping away any lingering moisture. Worried that Ruan Yuan might notice something, she grabbed a glass and started guzzling water. Ruan Yuan: "..." If it weren’t for letting you two get your fill of affection, who’d be willing to stand outside for that long? Ruan Yuan brushed her off with some casual remarks, but as she reached for a piece of dessert on the plate, her thoughts raced again. Suddenly, she raised her eyes and stared at Yu Zhi, her gaze sparkling with gossip-filled curiosity. "So... have you two...?" Yu Zhi didn’t catch her meaning, but the man beside her abruptly coughed. She patted Shi Wei’s back, helping him catch his breath while still asking vaguely, "What?" "What do you think?" Ruan Yuan raised a brow and decided to make herself clearer. "You know, like in that thing we watched before." Her expression was especially suggestive, and once Yu Zhi understood, her face turned scarlet in an instant—even the pale skin of her neck was tinged pink. "I don’t know what you’re talking about." Lowering her eyes, she avoided looking at Ruan Yuan. The last thing she wanted was for Shi Wei to find out she had seen something like that. "Don’t tell me you forgot already?" Ruan Yuan studied her flushed cheeks, unsure of her reaction. So she added, "Remember when you asked why the female lead—" "Stop!" Yu Zhi cut her off hurriedly and swiftly covered Shu Wei’s ears. Flustered and nervous, she stammered out a defense: "I didn’t watch anything like that! It wasn’t me—you remembered wrong." "Alright, alright, you didn’t watch it." Seeing her so riled up, Ruan Yuan chose not to press the issue. But that didn’t mean she planned to let it go entirely. "So, have you two or not?" Yu Zhi snuck a glance at Shi Wei, whose light brown eyes glimmered anxiously as a faint mist clouded their depths—a testament to his eagerness. Afraid Ruan Yuan would cling to the topic, Yu Zhi mumbled softly, "Not yet..." "Fine, fine. You don’t need to keep covering his ears." Did she think covering his ears would block out the sounds he was bound to hear anyway? Yu Zhi hesitated for two seconds before finally lowering her hands and returning to her seat. She clutched her glass uneasily, stealing glances at the composed man beside her every so often. Something about him seemed off, but she couldn’t quite pinpoint what. As a result, she remained flustered the entire meal, unable to shake the awkwardness. Once they returned home, Yu Zhi walked straight toward the stairs, her footsteps betraying not the slightest pause. Just as she stepped onto the first stair, however, her backpack strap was tugged from behind. "Zhizhi, what’s wrong?" Shi Wei suppressed the playful curve of his lips, his tone carrying traces of both concern and confusion. Yu Zhi froze, her body stiffening, yet she did not turn around. "I’m a bit tired." She tugged her backpack forward, trying to free it from his hold. But instead, with one pull, she found herself dragged backward with the bag. Shi Wei wrapped an arm around her waist and pressed her lightly against the handrail. Tilting her chin upward with his fingers, he forced her to meet his gaze. "Zhizhi, are you avoiding me?" His dark eyes narrowed slightly, seemingly bottomless like a shadowy abyss ready to swallow her whole.

Chapter 108 - 107: Are you hiding from me?

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