It was a little past ten o’clock at night.
No one knew if Cheng Lie had gone to sleep by now.
The phone rang twice before the call was connected.
Yun Shifei could hear the soft breathing on the other end.
She cleared her throat, "Cheng Lie, it’s . Is this a good ti for you to answer the phone?"
She also felt calling Cheng Lie at this late hour wasn’t entirely appropriate. But she just wanted to hear soone’s voice.
Otherwise, she’d feel scared all alone in a big house.
After a while, she heard the boy’s soft "Mm."
Yun Shifei felt her heart settle.
Lying on her bed, she casually chatted with Cheng Lie: "Were you about to go to sleep?"
Another "Mm" ca from the other end.
Yun Shifei couldn’t resist asking: "Did I disturb you, then?"
"No."
Relieved, Yun Shifei exhaled deeply.
She said, "There’s no one ho here, it’s really too quiet. You see, I’m even speaking softly on the phone right now."
Then she added, "Oh, by the way, today’s math howork was so hard! I spent half the evening on it, and there are still so problems I haven’t figured out. I’m not sure how I’ll manage tomorrow."
Yun Shifei wasn’t much of a chatterbox; she just wanted to say sothing casually.
Even though Cheng Lie didn’t respond, Yun Shifei could hear his soft breathing on the other end, and still felt reassured.
At least soone was there.
She kept on talking, but soon fell asleep as sleepiness overwheld her.
On the other end, Cheng Lie quietly listened to Yun Shifei’s ramblings—now this, now that.
He could tell that she was a bit drowsy, her thoughts disconnected, just saying whatever ca to mind.
Eventually, her voice fell silent on the other end. All he could hear was the steady rhythm of her sleeping breaths.
The girl who had been talking seconds ago had now fallen asleep.
She’s adorably clueless.
Cheng Lie couldn’t help but laugh softly.
In his mind, he seed to picture Yun Shifei sleeping—likely looking very sweet and well-behaved.
He stayed still like that, listening for nearly half an hour, before finally hanging up the phone.
She probably had a great night’s sleep tonight.
The next day, when Yun Shifei saw him, she apologized sowhat sheepishly, "I’m so sorry, Cheng Lie. I fell asleep while talking to you on the phone last night."
Her face seed to glow; it was clear she’d rested well the night before.
She was much more energetic than the day before.
"It’s fine," Cheng Lie responded indifferently.
Yun Shifei felt a little embarrassed. That was when she realized she had forgotten to hang up the phone all night. Luckily, Cheng Lie had hung up for her.
Over the next few days, Yun Shifei called Cheng Lie every night before going to bed.
She found Cheng Lie’s voice surprisingly soothing.
Every ti they chatted, she couldn’t help but fall asleep.
And she slept soundly until the next day.
Even when there were people ho in the past, Yun Shifei could never fall asleep so quickly.
But after talking to Cheng Lie for a while, she quickly drifted off.
Who would’ve thought Cheng Lie’s voice had a sleep-inducing effect?
If she ever had insomnia again, she could just call Cheng Lie. Wouldn’t that work better than any sleeping pills?
And without any side effects.
Yun Shifei was already contemplating whether she should keep doing this going forward.
She felt it was quite feasible.
On Friday, Zhao Haishuang invited her over to the Cheng Family for dinner.
Yun Shifei instinctively wanted to decline. She didn’t particularly like visiting the Cheng Family now. Honestly, she would’ve preferred if Cheng Lie ca to her house to eat dinner with her instead.
But Zhao Haishuang was very enthusiastic: "I made your favorite sweet and sour ribs. Shifei, it’s been so long since Auntie last had a chat with you. Let’s talk while we eat, shall we?"
Confronted with such warmth, Yun Shifei couldn’t refuse.
During the al, Zhao Haishuang kept piling food onto Yun Shifei’s plate, while Cheng Guomin kept urging her to eat more.
They were as friendly as ever, like before.
anwhile, Cheng Lie, as always, quietly focused on his food.
Yun Shifei couldn’t help but reach out to give Cheng Lie so food.
Cheng Lie looked up at her, and the girl smiled at him.
Under the warm lights, her smile shimred brightly, like a river of stars.
Cheng Lie quickly dropped his gaze again.
Cheng Huai said, "Shifei, you’re so kind to Xiao Lie, even feeding him. But you’ve never given any food."
Cheng Huai, who usually kept his distance from her, suddenly uttered this line, leaving Yun Shifei a little at a loss.
What did he an?
She stared blankly at Cheng Huai.
Cheng Huai smiled softly, refined and gentle, like an older brother.
Was he waiting for her to serve him food?
Yun Shifei found this bizarre and felt uncomfortable inside.
But outwardly, she still smiled and said, "I don’t know what Cheng Huai brother likes to eat, so I can’t give you food blindly."
"Oh, it’s fine," Cheng Huai seed to brush it off, smiling at her.
Their gazes locked, and for so reason, Yun Shifei felt her sense of caution surge.
Cheng Huai’s expression now seed a little different than in the past.
After dinner, Yun Shifei chatted with Zhao Haishuang for a while, then prepared to leave.
"Ah Huai, walk Shifei ho," Zhao Haishuang suggested, glancing at Cheng Huai.
"Sure," he replied.
"No need, Auntie. I can walk back on my own," Yun Shifei politely declined.
The Cheng Family wasn’t far from her house, and at this ti of night, the streets were still bustling with people on their evening strolls. It was perfectly safe.
"It’s no trouble. I was planning to go for a walk after dinner anyway." Cheng Huai was already out the door.
Yun Shifei felt helpless.
The Cheng Family always had this way of making things seem imperative.
She looked back at Cheng Lie and said, "Cheng Lie, I’m leaving now. Bye-bye."
She waved at Cheng Lie.
The boy’s expression remained indifferent; he didn’t seem to look at her.
Yun Shifei followed Cheng Huai out the door.
Cheng Lie’s expression gradually darkened.
The way Cheng Huai had been looking at Yun Shifei—she might not realize what it ant, but as another man, Cheng Lie understood it clearly.
Cheng Huai was starting to show interest in Yun Shifei.
His eyes narrowed slightly, carrying a dangerous glint.
They might co after him, but they absolutely couldn’t ss with her.
A chill blew through the air as Yun Shifei clutched her coat tightly, quickening her pace.
Yet Cheng Huai, being much taller than her, kept an easy stride, matching her pace despite her rushed steps.
Cheng Huai chuckled, "Shifei, do you like my younger brother a lot?"
Startled, Yun Shifei looked at him in confusion, "What do you an?"
"I’ve never seen my brother have any friends before."
"Wasn’t it Uncle Cheng who told to be friends with him?"
How odd. Back then, they wanted her to be friends with Cheng Lie, yet now Cheng Huai seed unhappy about it?
"That little..." Cheng Huai almost let slip the derogatory words he usually used for Cheng Lie but refrained since Yun Shifei was an outsider.
"Yeah, Xiao Lie doesn’t really have friends. You’re probably his first one."
After a pause, Cheng Huai asked Yun Shifei, "Shifei, would you like to be my sister?"
Your sister?
Yun Shifei found this strange. "Brother Cheng Huai, you’re already my brother, aren’t you?"
Was she pretending not to understand or did she truly not get it? Cheng Huai chuckled.
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