Chapter Forty-Nine

Li Li arrived at Zhang Yi’s window; it was unusual for him to come during the day. At this time, Zhang Yi was unaware that Li Li had already entered his room.

Li Li was annoyed—why hadn’t Zhang Yi prepared anything for her to eat? She considered heading to the living room to see if Zhang Yi was there, but as she was about to leave, she saw Zhang Yi chatting with Yu Xingyue.

Li Li quietly closed the door, unnoticed by Zhang Yi, and began eavesdropping on their conversation from behind the door.

“Xingyue, just go with it. You need to learn to face your fears. Look how cute David is,” Zhang Yi said, picking up David and offering him to Yu Xingyue.

“No!” Yu Xingyue cried miserably. “Don’t bring him over! Don’t come near me!” she shouted.

Li Li, hearing Yu Xingyue’s screams but not seeing anything, wondered if something strange was happening in the living room. She suspected Zhang Yi might be indulging in something peculiar and listened more intently.

“Come on, Xingyue, David is just getting used to your scent. Don’t be afraid,” Zhang Yi comforted her.

“Is that so?” Yu Xingyue wasn’t sure if Zhang Yi was telling the truth. Was David really just licking her palm? “Ah! Stop! He’s licking too aggressively!”

“Too aggressively?” Li Li was shocked by what she heard. She really wanted to know what Zhang Yi was doing—how could Zhang Yi act so shamelessly, not even sparing boys? Li Li restrained herself, continuing to listen before passing judgment.

Then Zhang Yi said, “I feel amazing right now. Look how awesome you are!”

“Ah! I can’t take it anymore, how long is he going to keep licking? Ah Wei is dead!” Yu Xingyue’s voice was so alluring that Li Li, in Zhang Yi’s room, could hardly stand it. She was about to burst in and expose Zhang Yi’s misdeeds.

“You! How dare you treat your friend like this? Aren’t you ashamed?” Li Li burst through the door into the living room, ready to punish Zhang Yi. As a woman, she understood such things—it would be outrageous for a man to vent like that on another man.

But as soon as Li Li spoke, the scene turned awkward. It was nothing like what she imagined. It turned out that Zhang Yi’s pet cat, David, was merely licking Yu Xingyue’s palm. Yu Xingyue’s words, prompted by Zhang Yi, were indeed rather lewd, and with David’s rough tongue, Li Li had misunderstood everything.

Zhang Yi hadn’t expected Li Li’s arrival, but seeing her made him jump off the sofa. He hadn’t seen her in two days, yet he felt comfort at her presence.

“You two talk, I’ll go get some water in the kitchen,” Yu Xingyue said, noticing the way Zhang Yi looked at Li Li—so different from how he looked at her. Sensing that Zhang Yi and Li Li had much to discuss, she withdrew to the kitchen to give them privacy.

“How come you’re here?” Zhang Yi asked, his voice gentle.

Li Li remained silent, still embarrassed by the awkward scene. She didn’t realize Zhang Yi had approached her. Zhang Yi, noticing her lack of response, let his gaze turn mischievous—perhaps more playful than lecherous.

He stretched out his left hand as if preparing to strike, but it was just a bluff. Suddenly, he slapped Li Li’s backside. At first, Li Li didn’t react, but a minute later she cried out, clutching her burning backside with tears in her eyes.

Zhang Yi was surprised at Li Li’s slow reaction, but seeing her in pain, he couldn’t help but feel a strange satisfaction at that slap.

Yu Xingyue, peeking from the kitchen, was stunned. Zhang Yi really went through with it! She thought if she were in Zhang Yi’s place and saw someone dressed in tattered clothes and covered in soot, she might be tempted to hit them too.

Once the pain in her backside subsided, Li Li’s expression improved somewhat. She stared angrily at Zhang Yi, demanding, “Why did you hit me? You really don’t know how to treat a lady!”

Zhang Yi laughed. “Treat a lady? Look at you, you’re hardly a girl. Would you ask for special treatment from anyone else?”

“I…” Li Li was at a loss for words, but Zhang Yi continued for her. “So, tell me, why did you come here at noon? Isn’t it usually at night?”

Yu Xingyue wondered if she was seeing things. Just moments ago, Zhang Yi’s gaze was full of affection for Li Li, yet now his words were so forceful—such a stark contrast.

Li Li still didn’t speak, but suddenly she realized—she’d come just to scrounge a meal. Why was she afraid of him? Was Zhang Yi her nemesis? She pondered this in her heart.

Her tone became odd. “I came to check on your recovery, really. Don’t overthink it, I’m just concerned about you.” She still didn’t admit she’d come for food.

Seeing Li Li’s concern, Zhang Yi was taken aback. Was she really here just to inquire about his arm? He didn’t believe it and decided to tease her.

“Thank you for your concern, but tonight I have to go out and might not come back,” Zhang Yi said deliberately.

“What?! Where are you going tonight?” Li Li asked.

“What does it matter to you where I go?”

“Of course it matters! If you leave tonight, who am I supposed to ask for food?” Li Li blurted out. Zhang Yi’s suspicions were confirmed—Li Li was just here for food. He had decided to tease her, and he intended to follow through.

Yu Xingyue, watching from the kitchen, decided not to come out and instead grabbed a soda from the fridge, settling in as a spectator.

“So…,” Li Li stammered, “when will you be back?” she asked.

“I think… maybe never. I want to see the world outside,” Zhang Yi said, exaggerating. And Li Li actually believed him.

“Why are you going somewhere for so long?” she asked.

Zhang Yi played it mysterious. “Do you really want to know? Don’t be scared.”

“Just tell me, you’re driving me crazy.”

“No rush, no rush. Let me tell you slowly,” Zhang Yi grinned, circling Li Li as if preparing something big.

Li Li felt someone blowing on her ear. Zhang Yi leaned in behind her and whispered, “I’m going somewhere very far. Where I want to go… is your heart.”

“Uh…” Zhang Yi’s sudden cheesy confession nearly made Yu Xingyue choke on her soda in the kitchen. She hadn’t expected Zhang Yi to say something like that.

Li Li was utterly bewildered. What was Zhang Yi saying? But after a moment, her face flushed red, and she understood his meaning. Was he…?

“Do you know why I want to go to your heart?” Zhang Yi asked.

“Why?” Li Li replied uncertainly.

“Because I want to. Maybe that’s admiration,” Zhang Yi said, blowing gently on her ear, making Li Li shudder and collapse onto the sofa.

Yu Xingyue couldn’t figure Zhang Yi out—was he flirting with a girl or a boy?

But it wasn’t over yet. Li Li had lost the nerve to ask Zhang Yi for anything; instead, his cheesy words had made her blush deeply.

“So… what exactly do you want?” Li Li asked.

“Nothing much. I just want to play a game with you,” Zhang Yi chuckled, making a quieting gesture.

Li Li looked nervously at Zhang Yi, and Yu Xingyue, finding the scene too entertaining, grabbed some grapes from the fridge and sat down to watch.

Then Zhang Yi spoke again, “Do you know what I mean by all this?”

“What do you mean?” Li Li asked.

Zhang Yi grew serious, making Li Li even more wary—surely nothing good was coming.

He leaned in close and whispered, “I love you. Without you, my life falls apart. I love you as I love myself. Will you give me a chance? I’ll cherish you all my life.”

Yu Xingyue couldn’t help but cry out in surprise—it was a confession! She hadn’t expected this to be Zhang Yi’s type, and she silently prayed for Zhang Yi’s success.

Li Li couldn’t process it all—the confession had come too suddenly, and she wasn’t ready. But Zhang Yi wasn’t going to give her a chance to recover; he wanted her answer.

He waited expectantly for Li Li’s reply.

Li Li’s face was burning red. She lowered her head, not daring to look at him. “Are you… serious? Do you really want… to be with me?”

The gentle expression on Zhang Yi’s face twisted into something else. As Li Li answered, he laughed loudly in her ear, nearly deafening her.

“Hahaha, you silly thing, you actually believed me!” Zhang Yi laughed even louder.

Yu Xingyue was speechless at Zhang Yi’s behavior—wasn’t this just playing with her feelings? She guessed that Zhang Yi’s actions today would earn him a lifetime of solitude.