Chapter 161: Chapter 160: Your Home is Here (Part 2)
Shi Yang’s car couldn’t get in, so Zhao Meimei waited early outside the residential area gate with Xu Xu and Wang Jiayue.
The weather was no longer cold in the evening, and the three of them chatted about the movie they had just watched while craning their necks to gaze at the cars speeding by on the road.
Xu Xu carried Zhao Meimei’s backpack, smiling as he listened to her talk with Wang Jiayue.
Zhao Meimei was restless, playing on the flowerbed’s narrow concrete edge outside the residential gate, going up and down.
Wang Jiayue had to slightly look up while speaking to her, her gaze following Meimei as she moved up and down.
Seeing Zhao Meimei’s risky actions, Xu Xu wanted to stop her but feared interrupting her fun. He quietly moved closer, standing a step away from Zhao Meimei, ready to catch her if she slipped.
While Zhao Meimei animatedly talked to Wang Jiayue about an exciting scene from the movie, a car turned in from the road.
Spotting it, Zhao Meimei immediately became excited and shouted with surprise, "Bro!"
In the moment she got distracted calling out, she missed her step on the concrete edge and almost fell.
Startled, Xu Xu reached out to support her. With her heavy backpack in hand, he instinctively spread his arms and caught Zhao Meimei in an embrace, his arm wrapping around her waist, catching a hint of her shampoo’s fragrance.
Xu Xu was momentarily stunned and forgot to let go, feeling as if all his blood rushed from his arms holding Zhao Meimei to his throat, his mind a chaotic mess.
Until Zhao Meimei pushed him away, "Hey! Let go!"
Xu Xu released her immediately without a word.
Unaware of the situation, Zhao Meimei smiled and patted Xu Xu, complimenting, "Good thing you reacted fast, or I’d have fallen flat on my face! Haha!"
After speaking, Zhao Meimei turned and waved at Shi Yang.
Xu Xu stood motionless, silent for a moment, hiding his reddened ears in the night.
While Xu Xu gazed dumbly at Zhao Meimei’s profile, Wang Jiayue quietly watched him.
Thinking back, it was the third day of school when Wang Jiayue first noticed Xu Xu. That day, someone robbed her in the restroom and kicked her twice. Feeling embarrassed, she tidied herself up and headed toward the classroom, running into Xu Xu.
Xu Xu returned from the teacher’s office with assignments. As he reached the restroom door, Wang Jiayue emerged with her head down, while Xu Xu was looking for Zhao Meimei’s homework, wanting to be the first to give it to her upon returning to class.
With neither head raised, they collided by chance, causing a few assignments on top to fall off.
Wang Jiayue hurriedly apologized and helped pick them up. When trying to place the assignments back in Xu Xu’s hands, he spoke to her for the first time, asking, "Could you help me take out the top one?"
Wang Jiayue obediently lifted the top assignment from Xu Xu’s stack, added the fallen ones back, and placed the one she took on top. She inadvertently glanced at it; the name on the assignment was Zhao Meimei.
Surprised, Wang Jiayue looked up at Xu Xu, meeting his calm gaze, which suddenly blossomed with a slight, stellar smile. He said, "Thank you, Wang Jiayue."
To this day, Wang Jiayue couldn’t explain whether her feelings stemmed from his gratitude or that star-like smile, giving birth to some emerging awareness and emotional flutter.
Her feelings grew monthly, accumulating geometrically, becoming increasingly intense, passionate, and anxious.
Back then, she hadn’t figured out what kind of feeling it was or what it meant.
Until one day, walking home with Xu Xu, the moment he asked her to walk side by side, she suddenly realized she genuinely liked Xu Xu, regardless of his feelings toward her. She just liked him immensely.
Unfortunately, before she could muster the courage to express her feelings, she inadvertently noticed Xu Xu’s suppressed and secret admiration for Zhao Meimei.
Love is the most blinding, mesmerizing, soul-stirring thing in the world, yet it can mature someone overnight and become a rational elixir.
This elixir matured Wang Jiayue’s mind instantly, teaching her that loving someone doesn’t always require fighting openly for them; silent companionship is also a way to love.
The car slowly stopped at the residential entrance, with Shi Yang inside, his hands tightly gripping the steering wheel, fingertips pale from the force.
He paused before opening the car door and getting out, his gaze sweeping over Xu Xu’s face before settling on Zhao Meimei. Seeing her radiant smile, the unsettling feeling in his heart was like wind-rippled water, calming quickly.
Shi Yang walked over briskly, "Have you been waiting long?"
Zhao Meimei approached eagerly, asking, "Bro, no social events tonight?"
Shi Yang nodded with a smile, greeting Xu Xu and Wang Jiayue, and kindly asked, "Xu Xu, shall I give you a ride home?"
Xu Xu politely thanked him.
Zhao Meimei turned to bid farewell to Wang Jiayue, but as she was about to speak, another private car turned in from the roadside.
Xu Xu quickly reached out to pull Zhao Meimei aside, but his hand caught air. Zhao Meimei had already darted to Shi Yang’s side, affectionately linking his arm, giving way to the incoming car.
Xu Xu was momentarily shocked and realized Wang Jiayue was still behind him, quickly turning to check, seeing her obediently standing beside him.
As the private car drove past them, it stopped, and the rear window slowly lowered, revealing a beautiful face smiling and greeting, "Hi! What a coincidence!"
Zhao Meimei, recognizing the person, called out in surprise, "Sister Xin!"
Zhang Xin waved with a smile, her gaze moving from Zhao Meimei’s face to Shi Yang.
However, Shi Yang’s eyes moved past her to the man with striking yet intelligent-looking features. They locked eyes in mutual surprise.
Seeing the familiar resemblance between the man and the woman before him, a realization dawned on Shi Yang instantly.