The Youthful You Who Was So Beautiful (translated)

chapter 9

Zheng Yi felt rather helpless about the entire situation.

Zeng Hao's family had forgiven Wei Cai, and simply viewed it a prank between classmates that unfortunately went overboard; although Hu Xiao Die was indeed on the receiving end of numerous bullying incidents, Hu Xiao Die's death was ultimately caused by suicide. Thus, from a legal point of view, there was no direct connection between her death and Wei Cai's bullying incidents.

With respect to Wei Cai's physical humiliation and beating of Hu Xiao Die, the forensic investigator had already pronounced that the injuries on Hu Xiao Die's body failed to meet the requisite criteria necessary to constitute an 'injury' under the law. Although procedure provides for Wei Cai and her group of friends to be detained for a certain period of time, they had been released on account of their young age.

Although Wei Cai was expelled from school, this was meaningless to Chen Nian.

Since Wei Cai and her group of friends were no longer in school, they transformed into a bunch of wild, rabid wolves on the streets, and had absolutely no restrictions or restraint. They concealed themselves near the roads to and fro from school, and pounced on you the very moment you let down your guard.

There was no war between the wolves and the sheep on the food chain – a war implied that both parties had equal power; instead, the wolves hunted whilst the sheep were devoured.

Zheng Yi began fetching Chen Nian to and fro from school on a daily basis.

He treated her extremely nicely. He would always purchase breakfast and dinner for her, and would occasionally bring her to various restaurants on the pretext that she was too skinny, and required additional nourishment.

Due to the nature of his job, Zheng Yi frequently worked irregular hours. As a result, Chen Nian gradually grew accustomed to sitting on the steps in front of her house whilst waiting for him. On several occasions, Chen Nian would even utilise the surrounding lights to memorise numerous vocabulary.

The warm glow of the early morning sun shone on her head and the back of her neck. Chen Nian saw her own shadow in front of her – the shadows around her head betrayed the tiny, unruly strands of hair that refused to be tamed.

Chen Nian glanced at her watch. She was going to be late once again. Redirecting her attention to the book in front of her, she simply continued with the calm memorization of her vocabulary.

The sound of approaching footsteps rang out, but it wasn't Zheng Yi. Chen Nian held her breath, and gradually rose from her seat. She gingerly placed her right foot on the step before her, and readied herself to run back into the house if the situation called for it.

The face of the youth appeared beyond the surrounding walls. Taking a seemingly unconcerned glance beyond the walls out of habit, Bei Ye's gaze grazed past the metal gates and collided with Chen Nian's. The two of them stared at each other, the surprised and blank expression on their faces coloring the entire incident with a comical tone.

She hadn't seen him for a long time. Bei Ye's hair had grown longer during this period, and the bandage on his arm was now glaringly absent.

He took the initiative to begin the conversation, "What are you doing here?"

Chen Nian retracted her right foot in an inconspicuous manner, and straightened herself before explaining in a small voice, "This is......my home."

Stumped by her reply, Bei Ye only managed to continue the conversation after a minute had passed, "What I meant was, what are you doing here now? Aren't you supposed to be in school?"

Chen Nian remained silent.

"I'm asking you a question." With his hand stuck in his pocket, Bei Ye kicked the metallic gates with his foot, and was about to enter the yard when Chen Nian's voice rang out.

"It's none......of your concern."

Bei Ye froze on the spot, the metallic gates still trembling with the remnant force of his kick. The breeze drifted past the two of them, causing the petals from the roses grown on the surrounding walls to swirl in the air, and ultimately land on his shoulders.

Chen Nian lowered her eyelids, and stuffed the vocabulary book into her bag. Ass she descended from the stairway and walked past Bei Ye in her attempt to get to school, she wondered whether he had grown taller since the last time she saw him.

Bei Ye turned his head and stared at her. After she had walked some distance away, he suddenly raised his foot and began to chase after her.

Chen Nian quickened her pace. The moment she saw Zheng Yi's figure appear beyond the corner, she ran over to him with lightning speed.

Bei Ye, on the other hand, came to a sudden stop. He squinted at the both of them from a distance away. Ah, her cold attitude was now rather self-explanatory.

"Brother Bei –"

"Little Bei –"

His friends, Lai Zi and the yellow-haired Da Kang, caught up with him. Da Kang grabbed him by the shoulders and began chatting to Bei Ye. However, Bei Ye didn't respond to any of Da Kang's chatter. Puzzled at Bei Ye's lack of response, Da Kang followed Bei Ye's gaze, and ultimately saw Chen Nian. After scrutinizing Chen Nian for a period of time, he raised his voice in excitement, "Hey! Isn't this the girl......" Da Kang suddenly recalled something, and pushed Bei Ye in a playful manner, "Do you know her?"

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Bei Ye staggered slightly under Da Kang's push. Turning away from Chen Nian, he began walking in the opposite direction. When he saw the white rose petals that had fallen on his shoulders, he brushed them off in an annoyed manner.

"Hey, so tell us – how did you get to know her?" The ever-curious Da Kang grabbed Bei Ye by the shoulders once more, and persisted in his relentless questioning.

"I owe her money." Bei Ye replied in a clipped tone.

"How much do you owe her?"

"So much I can't even count." Furrowing his brows, Bei Ye shrugged off Da Kang's arm.

When Bei Ye caught Lai Zi still staring in the direction Chen Nian had left, his brows furrowed even further. He chided, "What are you looking at?"

Lai Zi unwillingly turned back, only to see the yellow-haired Da Kang making eyes at him, hinting for him to keep his mouth shut. However, Lai Zi simply took Da Kang's hint as an indication that Bei Ye wasn't in the best of moods, and didn't delve further into the Bei Ye's puzzling behaviour. After all, Bei Ye was the coldest to girls amongst their group of friends – perhaps because of his mother, Bei Ye always had an inexplicable hatred for females. Through the years, Lai Zi had already lost count of the number of pretty girls who abandoned their pursuit of Bei Ye after receiving his disgusted gaze.

Chen Nian ran to Zheng Yi, and raised her head to look at him.

After the constant journeying to and fro from school, the two of them had managed to cultivate a certain degree of tacit understanding. Without Chen Nian needing to open her mouth, Zheng Yi could already understand what she wanted to ask. "I have already informed your form teacher in advance that we're going to be late, no worries."

Chen Nian nodded her head, and quickly walked ahead. When she turned round the corner, she turned back and glanced behind her in a seemingly unconcerned fashion; only to find that the alley was now empty. The youth was no longer there.

Zheng Yi passed Chen Nian the breakfast which he had purchased for her. Today, it was a freshly baked waffle. Chen Nian accepted the waffle, and began munching on it as she walked to school.

Zheng Yi was only six years older then Chen Nian. Although a fresh graduate from University had no lack of topics to talk about with a graduating high school student, Chen Nian's was rather silent most of the time, and never took the initiative to converse with him. Additionally, she often replied his queries with monosyllabic words. Zheng Yi guessed that Chen Nian was uncomfortable with conversation due to her stutter. Thus, he never ever forced her to converse with him.

When they reached the main road, Zheng Yi tugged on Chen Nian's arm as a reminder for her to take note of the traffic light, which was presently a bright red colour.

"Chen Nian."

"Yes?"