CHAPTER 50: CHAPTER 50: I MISSED YOU

That night, Shi Yang brought Zhao Meimei to the apartment located in the city center.

The apartment has a great location. There’s a big supermarket outside the neighborhood, and a shopping mall is just a street away.

Zhao Meimei held Shi Yang’s hand and turned to ask him, "Brother Yangyang, did you move here?"

Shi Yang explained, "No, I just come here occasionally to stay."

This apartment was rented by Shi Yang’s father specifically for Shi Yang to have a place to study and live when he doesn’t want to stay at the teacher’s house.

The place is a new building, with rooms that are particularly spacious and bright, but it’s just a rental for study, so they didn’t do any special decoration.

It’s a one-bedroom setup with a living room that has a sofa and coffee table, no TV, and a bedroom with a single bed and study desk and chair.

After entering, Shi Yang took out the already cold dinner from his backpack, went to the kitchen to heat it up, and ate a bite of it with Zhao Meimei.

After dinner, Shi Yang cleaned up the table and started settling accounts with Zhao Meimei.

The two sat face to face on the sofa, Shi Yang squinted his eyes in mock threat, "Zhao Meimei! You’re getting bolder day by day, daring not to tell your family and just running over to find me!"

Shi Yang took the night off from study with the teacher, skipped evening self-study, and led Zhao Meimei to call home from a phone booth because Zhao Meimei’s house doesn’t have a landline. Shi Yang could only ask his mom to inform Zhao Meimei’s parents.

Zhao Meimei: "I just wanted to see you."

Shi Yang: "You want to see me, but did you at least tell your family beforehand? Just ran over here suddenly?"

Zhao Meimei blinked her small eyelids playfully, "Wasn’t it because Peng Hui’s dad had a car to bring me here?"

Shi Yang frowned, "Just because someone could bring you, you’d go along? Aren’t you afraid someone might sell you off?"

Zhao Meimei tilted her chin, her eyes filled with pride and confidence, "I’m so smart, who could sell me?"

Shi Yang laughed, "If you were sold off, you wouldn’t even find a place to cry about it! Besides, who told you to come see me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Meimei immediately showed grievance, "If I don’t come to see you, you never mention coming to see me. I miss you."

Shi Yang’s anger dissipated with her sentimental words.

Shi Yang habitually reached out to ruffle her hair, his voice softening, "I’m really busy now, with the college entrance exam approaching. Never enough time."

Zhao Meimei hears this from her mom every day and understands that the college entrance exam is pretty important. She asked worriedly, "Was me coming over tonight delaying your studies?"

Shi Yang jokingly scolded, "Have you grown a heart? You just thought to ask now?"

Zhao Meimei became nervous, "Then, should you start studying now? I’ll be here and not make a sound."

Shi Yang felt a warmth inside, lightly smirking, "I’ve been studying for so long already, it’s time for a break, no harm in a night."

Zhao Meimei noticeably sighed in relief and quickly snuggled up next to Shi Yang.

Zhao Meimei snuggled into Shi Yang’s embrace as Shi Yang put his arm around her shoulder. They hadn’t seen each other for half a year, truly missing each other.

Shi Yang smirked and asked Zhao Meimei, "You miss me that much? Running over from school at night just to see me?"

Zhao Meimei nodded eagerly, "Totally missed you. Today when Peng Hui said she could bring me to see you, I couldn’t focus all afternoon. When the teacher called on me, I would’ve stood there not knowing if my desk mate hadn’t secretly helped me."

Shi Yang’s smile widened, looking beautiful, "Not getting into trouble with teachers anymore?"

Zhao Meimei nodded honestly, "Yeah, we changed teachers. The new teacher is an old lady, always with a stern face, not good-looking and not gentle either."

Shi Yang reached out to ruffle her hair again, "With you being mischievous like a monkey, who can be gentle with you!"

Zhao Meimei quickly seized the chance to butter him up, "You! You’re very gentle with me."

Shi Yang laughed, "I scold you, and you still say I’m gentle?"

Zhao Meimei showed some conscience, pulling it out for Brother Yangyang to see, "You scold me for my own good. I know you care about me, or you’d never scold."

Zhao Meimei’s words hit the mark because Shi Yang always treats everyone politely and kindly, but inside, he keeps a cold distance. Anyone wanting to get close has to melt the coldness first to enter his heart.

Shi Yang, besides his mom, shows special kindness and care for Zhao Meimei.

Being called Brother Yangyang by Zhao Meimei for so many years, a deep sense of responsibility has grown within him towards Zhao Meimei, becoming more affectionate and protective of her. As he matures, their bond deepens, and he unconsciously adopts a caring approach, wanting to take Zhao Meimei everywhere.

Now, he’s bound by studies, otherwise, he’d already check up on Zhao Meimei, eager to see if the little troublemaker is misbehaving again, if she has her favorite snacks, or if anyone at school is bullying her.

Taking care of Zhao Meimei has almost become an instinctive response for Shi Yang.

Before sleeping at night, Shi Yang helped Zhao Meimei squeeze toothpaste, watched her brush her teeth thoroughly, and then directed her to wash her face.

During foot washing, Shi Yang had only one basin, poured half a basin of warm water, helped Zhao Meimei roll up her trousers, and let her wash first.

Zhao Meimei joked with Shi Yang, "Brother Yangyang, put your foot in here too, let’s see whose foot is bigger."

Shi Yang laughed loudly, no objections, rolled up his trousers properly, touched the edge of the basin with his foot, making Zhao Meimei’s small feet stuck in the middle, "Look, yours and mine."

Zhao Meimei giggled, thrumming his foot with her toes, asking, "Brother Yangyang, when can my foot be as big as yours?"

Shi Yang’s laughter shook his chest, "You’re just a little girl, why grow a big foot?"

Zhao Meimei thought about it and laughed along, glanced at Shi Yang’s foot, noticing his fair skin, long slender toes, and neatly cut nails.

Zhao Meimei glanced at her own feet, aware that the constant running outside, even with socks, leaves a thin black layer of dirt under her nails.

Gazing at it, Zhao Meimei felt embarrassed.

Shi Yang asked, "What’s the matter?"

Zhao Meimei felt shy, "My feet are dirty."

Shi Yang peered over, "Hmm, the nails are a bit long, I’ll cut them for you once we finish washing."

After Shi Yang spoke, he bent over, grabbed Zhao Meimei’s little feet, helping her scrub off dirt. When he rubbed her soles, Zhao Meimei wiggled like a slippery eel, "Ouch, tickles!"

Seeing her playful laughter, Shi Yang tickled her twice more intentionally. Zhao Meimei shook like she’d been electrocuted, head back laughing loudly.

Playing around for a while, Shi Yang washed his own feet, poured out the water, and returned with nail clippers to trim Zhao Meimei’s nails, starting with fingers and then toes.

Shi Yang held Zhao Meimei’s leg, pinching her foot, earnestly trimming under the lamp light, chatting about school and life.

Shi Yang asked her, "In your class, you’re still closest with Xu Xu?"