"Alright, Cao Yufan, you take Bai Shasha home. You two can chat as you go, while we head off first." Li Si said, then got into Jia Yuejing's car with Yin Xian and drove away. As for the two left behind, how they handle themselves is their business now.
Yin Xian quietly observed Li Si beside him, "Li Si, your classmate sure has quite the temper, huh?"
"Haha, yeah, but she's a really good person. You just don't know her well yet!" Li Si explained with a laugh. Tonight's events were too unexpected; she also needed time to process everything.
"Ahem, ahem, can the driver say something here?" After remaining silent for a while, Jia Yuejing finally spoke up nervously.
"Go ahead, sorry about tonight, let me apologize on Shasha's behalf!" Li Si had a good impression of Jia Yuejing.
"Well, if you say so, no need for apologies. Your classmate is a full-on firecracker—spicy! Do you think I stand a chance?"
"What? I don't think so. Those two argue like this all the time, but they might be inseparable by tomorrow. Since you're my senior, let me give you a friendly piece of advice: this crooked little tree isn't meant for you. Find another!" Li Si was briefly surprised before giving a half-serious, half-joking suggestion.
"Ah, my heart! Broken to bits, like dumpling filling!"
Jia Yuejing made a heartbreakingly exaggerated face, and Li Si's eyes lit up. What a character! Come to think of it, the phrase he just said seemed to be a catchphrase that became popular years later. Could it be that this "Yuejing buddy" was the original inventor?
"Just focus on driving properly, why are you babbling so much!"
Yin Xian sat uncomfortably in the back seat; even though he was a driver himself, riding in someone else's car left him feeling uneasy. Particularly since Jia Yuejing kept fooling around, it was distracting and dangerous.
"Got it, I'll safely deliver our dear Li Si home!" Jia Yuejing picked up on Yin Xian's unease and quieted down.
North City isn't very big. The bar wasn't far from Li Si's residential building, so it wasn't long before they arrived downstairs. Li Si said thanks and stepped out of the car. Yin Xian followed suit, glancing at the somewhat worn wall exterior and furrowing his brows instinctively.
"Is this where you live?"
"Yeah, this is the apartment my dad's company assigned him. Later, we chipped in extra money to buy it. We've lived here for many years now." Li Si explained casually.
"I'll pick you up tomorrow morning to go meet Aunt Han and the others." Yin Xian said while pulling out his phone. "What's your number?"
Li Si gave him her number, and after dialing to hear her phone ring from her bag, he hung up. Handing the phone over, he said, "That's my number, save it. See you tomorrow!"
"Alright, see you tomorrow!" Li Si waited until the car drove off into the distance before walking slowly upstairs.
Back home, after taking a shower, Li Si habitually checked her phone. She found one unread text message. Opening it, she saw the number and the message: "I've arrived at the hotel. Good night!"
It was probably Yin Xian who sent it. Glancing at the missed calls from earlier, it was indeed him. Li Si chuckled and sent back a reply, "Good night, sweet dreams!"
Then, she placed Xiao Guai from his little space onto the bed. Lately, Xiao Guai had grown quite a bit. When she hugged him lightly, oh boy, he must've weighed over ten pounds. His face had matured a lot compared to his earlier cute appearance.
"Ahh—" Xiao Guai excitedly surveyed the room, acting as if he were patrolling his domain. In the end, he climbed onto the bed, lifted the blanket, and crawled under, lying down. "Who gave you permission to sleep on the bed?" Li Si teased him with a smile.
Xiao Guai turned his head away, closed his eyes—his posture saying, "I'm not listening to you!" Right then, her phone buzzed with a new text message near where Xiao Guai was lying. "Ahh—" Xiao Guai picked up the phone, baring his teeth in protest. Li Si snatched it from him while mocking him, "You're scared of the phone buzzing? That's not my fault!"
Opening the text, it was Yin Xian again: "Li Si, let me ask you something. What do you do if you can't sleep?"
Uh, what's up with this guy? Li Si pondered for a moment before replying: "Count sheep or just stay awake!"
The reply came quickly this time: "Are you tired?"
"Sort of," she replied with just two words. Li Si was already getting drowsy, especially with Xiao Guai snugly nestled in her arms, his fuzzy warmth adding to her sleepiness.
"Sweet dreams, see you tomorrow!" Li Si sighed and replied with a short "Good," then tilted her head and dozed off.
Meanwhile, in the hotel room, two men were having a late-night chat session.
Yin Xian was wearing a simple white robe and reclining diagonally on the bed, while Jia Yuejing was clutching his blanket on the opposite bed and groaning.
"Brother Xian, you're like my actual brother now. It's already past midnight, how can you not let me sleep!"
"Chatting," Yin Xian replied nonchalantly.
"Fine, okay, chat it is. What should we chat about? Life goals or romantic love?" he said with a yawn, his eyes tearing up.
"Don't talk to me about love! I've sworn off it!" His tone carried a hint of gritted teeth.
"Alright, fine, we won't. Then what's the topic, Brother Xian? Just ten minutes of chatting, okay? My brain's falling asleep; it won't keep up with your pace if this continues!" Jia Yuejing pressed his temples; his nicotine craving was kicking in, but his pockets were empty, leaving him unable to refresh himself.
"What do you think of Li Si?" Yin Xian deliberated for a moment before speaking.
Jia Yuejing's eyes lit up. "Why not just admit you're into her instead of beating around the bush?"
"Get out! I'm asking you to evaluate her!"
"She's great, but not suitable for me. Her friend, though—fiery and spicy, just my type!" Reminiscing, Jia Yuejing smacked his lips. "If her friend ever breaks up, I'm making my move!"
"Off-topic, who said you could talk about yourself?"
"Got it, my dear brother Xian. You're interested in Li Si and want to pursue her but lack confidence, right?" Jia Yuejing chuckled smugly.
"It's not about confidence. I just feel she resembles Weiwei a little." Yin Xian sank into memories of the past; sometimes, Li Si's expressions made her strikingly similar to that person.
"Still no news of Weiwei?" Jia Yuejing and Yin Xian were childhood buddies, so he was well-acquainted with the history between Yin Xian and Weiwei.
"Let's sleep, no more talking." Yin Xian lay down slowly, gazing out at the hotel window in a daze. Jia Yuejing couldn't help but feel sorry for him and muttered, "If you like her, just give it a try. These days, even marriages end in divorce sometimes. Just dating someone doesn't mean it has to work out! Li Si seems like a nice girl!"
"You know how my mom is." Just as Jia Yuejing was about to fall asleep, Yin Xian's voice broke the silence.
"Sleep. You have to pick up Li Si tomorrow anyway." What followed was the gentle sound of snoring. Oh great, this guy! No cure for him!
The next morning brought clear skies. Li Si indulged in a late sleep, rising only at 8:30. If it weren't for meeting Beibei and Aunt Han today, she really would have stayed under the covers all day. Winter mornings in North City were freezing, and the warmth inside the blanket was hard to leave behind.
She wondered how those two were doing after last night. Picking up her phone, she dialed Bai Shasha.
The ringtone took a while before being answered. Bai Shasha's groggy, hoarse voice came through, "Hello?"
"Not awake yet? So, what happened last night afterwards?"
"What else could have happened? Just that. He kept explaining himself and eventually brought me home. Now I get it, Li Si, men really can't be relied upon! From now on, I'm not going to trust them like before. If you find someone good for me, set me up; I need to have a relationship too. We're already in sophomore year, right? Everyone says sophomore girls are like ripe apples; I better hurry while I still have time!" Bai Shasha lamented.