Five years after my wife's death, she came back!

Shi Ying initially thought she would take things step by step, slowly become good friends with Shang Chenyan, listen to his troubles, and help him solve his problems.

But later, she found that this approach was not feasible. Although Shang Chenyan was aloof, he did have a good friend—Pei Yanchuan, who was in the class next to his major.

If we can't be close friends, then let's be even closer girlfriends!

As Shi Ying continued doing the task, she gradually became more shameless and began to openly pursue Shang Chenyan, seizing every opportunity to get close to him. Thanks to Xiao 8's location function, she could "bump into" Shang Chenyan every day.

Even if they bump into each other by chance, she feels too embarrassed to bother them. Most of the time, she just awkwardly smiles and says hello, then starts stomping her feet in frustration after the person leaves.

Little 8 is already lying down: [Yingbao, out of ten chance encounters, you only manage to speak once, and even then, the words don't exceed ten words.]

Little 8 sighed and rolled over: [The mission seems far off.]

Shi Ying: [...Just you wait, I'm about to unleash my ultimate move.]

Her ultimate move was to bump into Shang Chenyan at the library, and coincidentally, she sat opposite him every day.

Even though we don't talk, we can spend hours together.

Xiao8: [System crashed.]

That day, as I left the library, it started to rain outside.

Shang Chenyan left with his umbrella, and Pei Yanchuan walked beside him, glancing back discreetly: "Shi Xiaoying is here again."

Although Shi Ying hasn't won anyone over yet, he's already become quite familiar with Pei Yanchuan. He jokingly said, "I've been pursuing you for over half a year now, you're really patient."

Pei Yanchuan was impressed that he could entertain himself with an iceberg for half a year.

Shang Chenyan didn't reply, but as he walked around the bend, he subconsciously glanced to the side.

In the early spring in Jiangcheng, it was drizzling and rainy. The girl was wearing a trench coat but didn't have an umbrella. She stood alone outside the library, stamping her feet in the cold.

Shang Chenyan folded his umbrella and tossed it to Pei Yanchuan, pulled up the hood of his hoodie, and strode forward without looking back, his voice carried on the cold wind:

"Give it to her for me."

Pei Yanchuan stood there, looked at the umbrella in his hand, and after a long while, finally managed to utter two words: "A repressed flirt."

Shi Ying almost jumped for joy when she got the umbrella: "See? I told you there was progress!"

Little 8 was very supportive: 【So amazing! Yingbao is so amazing!】

Because of this incident, Shi Ying had another excuse to get close to Shang Chenyan. She went downstairs to return the umbrella, and Shang Chenyan came down shortly after.

The night was deep, the streetlights cast a dim yellow glow, and tiny moths fluttered around the bulbs overhead.

Inside the dark grove, several young couples were cuddling together.

Shi Ying handed him the umbrella: "Thank you."

Shang Chenyan took it, but did not leave immediately as before. For the first time, Shi Ying looked at him so seriously. The young man had handsome features, but there always seemed to be a thin mist in his beautiful eyes, making it difficult to see clearly.

"You're welcome. Don't pursue me anymore."

Shi Ying was taken aback and quickly chased after him, asking, "Why? Did I bother you?"

Shang Chenyan slowed his pace: "No."

"It's not worth it."

In a moment of impulse, Shi Ying instinctively grabbed his hand.

She stood outside for a while, her palms were a little cold, but the boy's hands were very warm. The sudden contact made Shang Chenyan shudder.

Shi Ying gripped his wrist tightly: "Why do you think it's not worth it?"

Shang Chenyan turned around, looking at her with a complicated expression: "I'm not as good as you think."

"But I'm looking for a boyfriend, someone I like, not a perfect mannequin," Shi Ying said with a smile, her eyes crinkling. "Everyone has flaws. How do you know I can only accept your good points and not your bad ones?"

"I think it's worth it, and that's enough."

Shang Chenyan was silent for a moment. He pulled his hand away from Shi Ying and didn't look at her again.

*

After that day, Shi Ying felt that she had become more shameless. Whenever she ran into him, she no longer avoided him, but went up to him directly and started talking to him with a smile.

Although Shang Chenyan has a somewhat cold personality, he is very polite and will not deliberately ignore her.

Life went on uneventfully. Little 8 had completely retired, and Shi Ying wasn't in a hurry. She was quite relaxed about doing tasks all by herself.

One day, Shi Ying learned from Pei Yanchuan that Shang Chenyan was hospitalized, so she went to the hospital under the pretext of visiting her classmate.

In the ward, she could sense that Shang Chenyan was in a bad mood. Shi Ying didn't want to disturb him; perhaps he also wanted to be alone and have some peace and quiet.

Before leaving, she wanted to let him try the tangerine peel tea she had brewed, but she accidentally burned herself.

That was the first time she had seen Shang Chenyan show any emotional fluctuations. He took her hand and led her to the bathroom to take a cold shower. The ward wasn't hot, but Shi Ying noticed that he was sweating.

Before this, Shi Ying had always thought of him as just a game NPC, following a predetermined character to live out his life. But at that moment, as he held her hand tightly, their wrists touching, she felt his rapid pulse.

He is not just an NPC; here, he is also a living, breathing person. He should have joys and sorrows, and his life should not be trapped in painful memories.

"Shang Chenyan, it doesn't hurt." Shi Ying smiled and withdrew her hand. "The tea wasn't boiled. I only burned the back of my hand a little. Look, it's already faded."

She raised her hand and held it out to him: "If you blow on it for me, it won't hurt at all."

Shi Ying thought he wouldn't pay attention to her, but to her surprise, the boy grasped her wrist, lowered his head, and gently blew on the back of her hand.

Sunlight streamed in through the narrow bathroom window, falling directly on the two of them.

*

After that, Shi Ying felt that Shang Chenyan's attitude towards her had become much gentler, and he would even take the initiative to come to her.

When this thin veil was pierced, it was autumn in Jiangcheng, and the ginkgo trees were in full bloom throughout the campus.

Shi Ying was unlucky enough to choose basketball for her PE class. The exam required her to shoot hoops, which she couldn't do at all. She had to ask a senior who was good at basketball to help her cram so that she could at least pass the exam.

Just when I was learning well and finally getting the hang of it, Shang Chenyan suddenly appeared for no reason.

Without a word, he dragged me away, his whole being reeking of vinegar, as if he had just emerged from a jar of vinegar.

Listening to the boy's confession, and thinking about how long she had pursued him, Shi Ying deliberately teased him:

"I don't understand. Explain it to me more clearly."

Shang Chenyan's earlobes turned slightly red. He bent down, his voice tinged with a barely perceptible shyness: "I like you."

"Can I be your boyfriend? I can teach you how to shoot basketball, and can we... not date other guys..."

Shi Ying looked into his eyes, those dark eyes that were always shrouded in gloom seemed to have become exceptionally clear, reflecting her own image.

Shi Ying couldn't suppress her smile, and she nodded.

Xiao 8 imagined fireworks for the two of them, and Shi Ying happily jumped up, hugged his neck, and kissed him on the cheek.

This moment doesn't bring the joy of making progress on the task.

It's not that I'm happy, but that I'm genuinely happy because of the person in front of me.