The basketball tournament was held with great fervor for three days. After three days, the victor was Third High.

Even Zheng Hang, who had initially approached it with a playful mindset, hadn’t expected such a result. Although their group had a bad reputation at school, they were surprisingly generous when it came to spending money.

Zheng Hang invited all the basketball team members from the three schools to dinner, setting the location at “Qingshi.”

Originally, when everyone heard that Third High’s big shots were treating them to dinner, they didn’t want to go. But when they learned the location was set at “Qingshi,” it became impossible not to be tempted. Qingshi was a magnificent club where eating, drinking, and entertainment were all available.

When Shi Tian received the invitation, she agreed immediately. She called up five team members and five girls from the cheerleading squad to keep the appointment the following weekend.

Bei Yao had never been there before, and she was quite curious about what Qingshi was like.

Bei Yao had considered that she might encounter Pei Chuan, but to her, in all these ten-plus years, she had done nothing to wrong Pei Chuan. Although he had grown distant from her and no longer liked her, she had no reason to deliberately avoid him.

Shi Tian looked at Bei Yao and the others, rubbing her forehead: “You’re all wearing school uniforms?”

The girls from Sixth High didn’t understand what she meant.

Shi Tian sighed: “Forget it, forget it. It’s my fault for not notifying you. School uniforms it is then—they’re quite youthful and lively too.”

Sixth High’s uniforms were light blue with a little blue dolphin on them.

The bottom half consisted of black, baggy long pants. Because of the heat, all the girls had rolled up their pant legs halfway.

When the group arrived at “Qingshi,” they finally understood why Shi Tian had reacted that way earlier—

Students from Third High and First High had already arrived, and everyone was dressed quite presentably. The boys wore shirts and T-shirts, while the girls wore fashionable summer dresses. Some girls had even deliberately permed their hair for this dinner.

Among the crowd, Wei Wan was the most dazzling.

She wore a lake-blue dress with lace gauze hanging from the hem. Her black hair had been specially styled, curled with a disposable curling iron, making her look mature and captivating.

Even if the cheerleading girls from First High weren’t this elaborate, they were still dressed casually and appropriately.

So when Shi Tian walked in leading the cheerleading girls from Sixth High, Jin Ziyang spat out a mouthful of his drink: “Hahaha, is your school on a field trip for elementary students?”

Everyone laughed.

Shi Tian glared at him.

All the girls from Sixth High felt somewhat embarrassed—except for Bei Yao.

She saw Pei Chuan. He was sitting at the innermost part of the table, holding a cigarette in his hand. Though separated by the crowd, he didn’t look at her. Only a moment later, he stubbed out that cigarette and didn’t light another.

Jin Ziyang’s gaze swept in a circle over the Sixth High girls wearing school uniforms before finally locking onto Bei Yao.

He froze for a moment.

Bei Yao, nearly sixteen years old, wore the little dolphin school uniform with her hair tied in a ponytail. Her hair ends were naturally slightly curled, and she carried an unblemished purity about her.

Their uniform was blue, and Wei Wan’s dress was also blue, but somehow the uniform on Bei Yao seemed more eye-catching than Wei Wan’s dress.

The boys present had all seen Bei Yao that day, but seeing her again today, they still found her stunning.

Wei Wan saw this herself too, and she gritted her teeth, furious. She had deliberately dressed up, yet she still wasn’t as attention-grabbing as some country bumpkin who had never seen the world.

Bei Yao had never been to such a place. She followed behind her senior Shi Tian and stood together with the girls from their school.

Jin Ziyang recovered his senses and secretly glanced at Brother Chuan. Seeing that Pei Chuan kept his eyes lowered, Jin Ziyang coughed: “Don’t be shy now. Today Young Master Zheng is treating, so everyone just eat, drink, and have fun. Come, come, sit anywhere.”

This was the card and game room on the sixth floor. Inside there were swing seats and various sofas.

It was Bei Yao’s first time in such a place. Her bright eyes carried curiosity as she looked around at the surroundings. Then she followed Shi Tian and sat down on a sofa.

Jin Ziyang glanced at the watch he’d brought to show off: “It’s only five o’clock in the afternoon. It’s still early before dinner. How about we play some games first?”

Since the people from Third High were hosting, the others naturally had no objections.

Because people from First, Third, and Sixth High had all come, there were more than thirty people in total. With such a large number, Jin Ziyang originally suggested playing cards, but Zheng Hang glanced at Pei Chuan and spoke up: “Some of the girls don’t know how to play, so let’s play something simple. How about ‘Clap Seven’?”

Zheng Hang explained the rules to everyone: “Each person reports numbers in sequence. When you reach seven or a multiple of seven, instead of saying the number, you clap your hands. Anyone who doesn’t react in time, reports incorrectly, or claps incorrectly will be punished. Those who lose…”

Jin Ziyang was just about to speak about the punishment when Zheng Hang gave him a warning look: “Those who lose will drink an entire glass of beverage.”

Jin Ziyang made a disappointed “tsk” sound.

Everyone agreed.

With thirty people just calling out numbers, the game moved very quickly. Bei Yao happened to be sitting directly across from Pei Chuan.

She wasn’t particularly clever, and her reactions weren’t especially fast either, so she was somewhat nervous.

The person who lost the first round was Jin Ziyang. He cursed under his breath and poured himself a glass of beer to drink.

In the second round, when it was Pei Chuan’s turn, it happened to be “28.” After the person before him clapped for 27, he also casually clapped. When it came to Bei Yao, it was 42, and he looked up.

Bei Yao paused slightly, then clapped her hands.

Six times seven is forty-two—that was close.

Bei Yao smiled at Pei Chuan from across the distance. Although her grades were good, her reaction ability was naturally somewhat slow. When she was young, Zhao Zhilan had worried she wouldn’t be able to keep up with the pace, but fortunately, each year brought more memories, and with her own diligent efforts, her grades had always been good.

In that instant she had hesitated, but meeting Pei Chuan’s eyes, Bei Yao instinctively clapped her hands.

The girl behind her didn’t realize that Bei Yao had clapped and froze. This girl was the one who lost.

Jin Ziyang didn’t notice anything wrong and unconsciously took out a cigarette to offer Pei Chuan: “Brother Chuan, want one?”

Pei Chuan pressed his lips together.

Across from him, the young girl’s bright almond eyes, clear as moonlight, looked over and landed on that cigarette. An inexplicable sense of awkwardness arose in Pei Chuan’s heart.

However, he understood that the present was different from the past. He raised his hand and accepted it. But that cigarette changed hands several times and ultimately was never lit.

Bei Yao sighed softly in her heart.

The game had winners and losers. By the end, the only ones in the entire venue who hadn’t lost were Bei Yao and Pei Chuan.

Shi Tian praised: “Bei Yao, your reactions are really fast.”

Bei Yao looked from afar at Pei Chuan, once the smartest boy in the residential complex, and her almond eyes curved with a smile.

~

Dinner was on the second floor. Jin Ziyang and his friends didn’t care whether they were students or not—they directly ordered various alcoholic drinks.

Of course, they didn’t force everyone to drink. Those who were willing could drink.

Bei Yao knew she had developed a bad habit.

She was accustomed to watching Pei Chuan.

Starting from when she was young, she had always stayed close to him, afraid he would be sad or physically uncomfortable, afraid he would be thirsty or hungry. So when the whole table was full of strangers, she instinctively looked toward Pei Chuan.

The expressionless youth drank one glass after another.

Even Jin Ziyang was surprised. He quietly asked Zheng Hang: “What’s wrong with Brother Chuan?”

He clearly didn’t like drinking before.

Zheng Hang said: “How would I know?”

Unable to figure it out, Jin Ziyang stopped thinking about it and simply drank heartily along with Pei Chuan.

Seeing that Pei Chuan was in the mood to drink, and unlike the other boys who secretly stole glances at Bei Yao, Wei Wan felt secretly pleased. She had said that Pei Chuan was so hard to pursue—no matter how good-looking that Sixth High girl Bei Yao was, Pei Chuan wouldn’t be interested.

Wei Wan picked up her wine glass and walked over with a smile, first clinking glasses with Zheng Hang: “Thank you for treating us today, Young Master Zheng.”

Then she clinked glasses with Jin Ziyang.

Her steps finally stopped in front of Pei Chuan: “Young Master Pei, shall we have a glass?”

Pei Chuan curved his lips slightly and said lightly: “Sure.”

He clinked his glass. Wei Wan’s eyes lit up, and she took a small sip with a beaming smile. Pei Chuan drank the entire glass.

Jin Ziyang applauded: “How magnanimous, Brother Chuan!”

The alcohol flowed down his throat, yet it was chillingly cold in seven parts.

Bei Yao, whom everyone in the venue was secretly stealing glances at, sat directly across from him in her school uniform. Pei Chuan knew she was watching him. Look then, look your fill. This was the life he had chosen now. When she grew disgusted, when she regretted having been so good to this scoundrel in the past, she would no longer appear in his life, staying far away from him. Then he wouldn’t have unrealistic thoughts and longings anymore.

Pei Chuan didn’t eat a single bite of food and drank alcohol all evening.

After finishing dinner, it was only seven in the afternoon. The sky hadn’t completely darkened yet. Shi Tian said: “Let’s go back.”

Bei Yao hesitantly glanced at Pei Chuan. He sat in his chair with his legs crossed. Wei Wan said something to him, and he curved his lips slightly. That smile was unrestrained and roguish, looking extremely unfamiliar.

Bei Yao turned her head and followed Shi Tian out.

~

After the dinner gathering dispersed, people from First, Third, and Sixth High, including Wei Wan, gradually all left.

Zheng Hang said: “I’ll go call someone to come pick us up. Brother Chuan definitely can’t drive tonight.”

Pei Chuan was still drinking. Jin Ziyang said: “Brother Chuan, don’t… damn, stop drinking. You’ve had so much tonight…”

Pei Chuan knew he was drunk, because when only Jin Ziyang remained in the private room, he said in a low voice: “I miss her.”

“Huh? Miss who?”

Those suppressed, forcibly forgotten memories emerged one by one.

Pei Chuan lay on the table, watching the summer night’s cool breeze blow the curtains on the second floor. His voice was hoarse: “I still like her.”

“Like who?” Jin Ziyang looked completely confused. He’d caught the scent of gossip, but even though Brother Chuan was clearly drunk, that name seemed like a forbidden topic that he refused to speak even when intoxicated.

Zheng Hang pushed the door open and said: “The car’s here. Call Brother Chuan and let’s go.”

Pei Chuan closed his eyes, trying to clear his mind: “You guys go. I’m staying here tonight.”

When she left, all his strength left him too.

Jin Ziyang said: “Bro, I’m begging you, let’s go, go, go. Stop drinking.”

Pei Chuan shook off his hand. In the night, his eyes and brows revealed a trace of coldness he normally wouldn’t show: “I said, get lost.”

Jin Ziyang didn’t think much of it, assuming drunk people were particularly irritable. He scratched his head: “Fine, fine. Then you stay by yourself for a while. I’ll tell the staff to come settle you in at eight.”

Jin Ziyang and Zheng Hang left, leaving behind one last lamp.

Through the second-floor window, Pei Chuan saw the lights outside lighting up one by one. He half-closed his eyes, his consciousness already blurred.

Footsteps sounded lightly behind him, stopping beside him. The young girl’s lilac-like fragrance lingered around him. She sat down beside him, her slightly cool small hand gently touching his forehead.

He stared at her blankly, forgetting to dodge.

“Bei Yao.”

“Mm.” The young girl answered softly, with a trace of gentle exasperation at his foolishness: “Pei Chuan, just how much did you drink? Does it hurt?”

He answered in a low voice: “It hurts.”

She held a cup of sobering tea and brought it to his lips, her soft tone like coaxing a disobedient child: “Here, open your mouth and drink.”

Pei Chuan looked at her and opened his mouth to drink.

She pulled out a tissue and gently held it at the corner of his lips. After he finished drinking, she took the tissue away.

Bei Yao said: “You’ve grown up, Pei Chuan. I’m truly happy. You’ve learned to smile.”

Infinite bitterness surged in Pei Chuan’s eyes.

The young girl rested her chin on her hand, her almond eyes clear and bright. There was no contempt for him in them. She said with a smile: “You also have many, many friends now. Don’t worry, I only came to check on you out of concern. I won’t bother you in the future.”

“Bei Yao.” He closed his eyes.

“Mm?”

He wanted to ask: In your heart, are there no differences between me and Fang Mingjun and the others? Are we all just childhood playmates you can’t bear to part with?

However, when the words reached his lips, he couldn’t ask a single word. He already knew this answer.

Seeing that he had called her name once but said nothing more, Bei Yao said gently: “Pei Chuan, all the children from the residential complex miss you very much. Chen Hu asked me just last week if I’d run into you.”

Pei Chuan opened his eyes and gave a soft “mm.”

The exaggerated smile on his face was gone. His eyes were clean and clear, containing only her image.

“I told him,” the young girl said tenderly, “Pei Chuan has grown taller, become more cheerful, and is incredibly good at basketball. Look, everyone is waiting for you to come back.”

So, does that include you? His heart was instantly shattered by those transparent almond eyes, yet uncontrollably gave birth to layer upon layer of extravagant hopes.

Like looking at the bright and clear moon on the horizon, knowing full well it would never be plucked down and possessed by one person, yet still unable to help harboring delusions.

Her slender, fair hand was right by his lips, at the place where she had just wiped away the sobering tea for him.

Pei Chuan seemed to fall into a nightmare he couldn’t even control himself. He tilted his head slightly, his thin lips touching her fingers.

Bei Yao froze. Her slender fingers were scalded by the heat, and she instinctively withdrew her hand.

Pei Chuan’s intoxicated heart instantly sobered up by seventy percent.

Only then did he realize what he had uncontrollably done, and his face turned pale in an instant.