dognovel Chapter 13 An Unexpected Encounter with He Fei
Chapter 13 An Unexpected Encounter with He Fei
Jin Liang was in a good mood and was naturally generous, so he patted his chest without hesitation and said, "No problem! Just wait!"
He jogged to the nearby convenience store and returned shortly afterward with two glass bottles of Coke that were still emitting a slight chill.
Chen Zhiyuan took the bottle; the cool touch instantly dispelled the heat in his palms, and the water droplets condensed on the glass bottle dampened his fingers. He unscrewed the cap and tilted his head back to take two large gulps.
"Hiss—ha!" The icy liquid, full of bubbles, slid down his throat and rushed into his stomach. The instant stimulation and comfort made Chen Zhiyuan squint his eyes and take two more gulps.
Jin Liang, standing next to him, was even more hearty, practically gulping down more than half the bottle in one go, finishing with a satisfying burp filled with bubbles, looking completely content.
The two enjoyed the coolness of their iced cola as they strolled lazily along the shaded sidewalk, chatting idly.
They hadn't gone far when they both stopped almost simultaneously.
Not far ahead on the street, under a lush old locust tree, there was a small stall.
A plastic sheet was laid on the ground, on which were neatly arranged various kinds of sandals and plastic sandals, as well as a few simple straw sun hats and inexpensive parasols.
The stall owner was a middle-aged woman who looked to be in her forties. She had a kind face, but her brows showed signs of fatigue and weariness from long hours of labor.
She was skillfully organizing the goods, occasionally looking up to greet potential customers who stopped by.
The girl squatting beside her, helping to tidy up a pair of slippers, was wearing a faded old shirt and her thick bangs almost covered half her face, but Chen Zhiyuan and Jin Liang recognized her at a glance.
Jin Liang nudged Chen Zhiyuan uncertainly and lowered his voice, "Zhiyuan, look... isn't that He Fei?"
Chen Zhiyuan's gaze fell on the girl who was looking down and moving somewhat reservedly, and he nodded affirmatively: "It's her. The one next to her should be her mother."
There were rumors at school that He Fei's family was very poor and that her mother relied on her street stall to make a living and raise her and her sister.
Now that I've seen it with my own eyes, it seems the rumors are true.
Knowing that it was He Fei's mother, Jin Liang, who was rather introverted, subconsciously hesitated and stepped back.
Chen Zhiyuan, however, remained calm, and even a gentle smile appeared on his lips.
He patted Jinliang on the shoulder: "Come on, let's go say hello. I was just thinking of buying a new pair of slippers; it's getting hot, and the ones at home need to be replaced."
After saying that, he strode over to the small stall in a confident manner.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled patterns of light on him.
"He Fei." Chen Zhiyuan stopped in front of the stall, his voice not loud, but with a familiar cheerfulness.
He Fei, who was engrossed in organizing the goods, looked up when she heard the sound.
When she saw Chen Zhiyuan and Jin Liang standing in front of her, her cheeks flushed instantly, the blush spreading all the way to her ears.
She seemed flustered, subconsciously smoothing her bangs, her voice so soft it was almost inaudible: "Chen... Chen Zhiyuan, Jin Liang, it's... it's you guys."
He Fei's mother, Li Xiufang, also stopped what she was doing and looked gently at the two boys who had suddenly appeared. They looked clean and energetic, especially Chen Zhiyuan, who was walking in front with a bright smile.
A kind smile spread across her face as she turned to her daughter: "Feifei, is this your classmate?"
"Hello, Auntie." Chen Zhiyuan took the initiative to speak, his tone natural and polite. "We are both He Fei's classmates. My name is Chen Zhiyuan, and his name is Jin Liang."
Jin Liang quickly followed suit, his voice not as composed as Chen Zhiyuan's, but still clear: "Hello, Auntie."
Li Xiufang's smile deepened, and she nodded repeatedly: "Okay, okay, Feifei, your classmate is here, you don't need to help anymore, go and talk to your classmate."
She could tell that her daughter didn't seem to have many friends at school, so she was happy that some classmates took the initiative to come over.
The thin blush on He Fei's face deepened.
She herself didn't understand why her heart would beat faster involuntarily every time she faced Chen Zhiyuan, and she would feel unsure of what to do with her hands and feet, even her breathing would become cautious.
She stood up, her fingers unconsciously clutching the hem of her clothes, her voice still very soft: "Chen Zhiyuan... I haven't seen him for several days."
Chen Zhiyuan smiled, a clean and warm smile that seemed to carry the warmth of the sun, naturally easing the awkward atmosphere.
He casually chatted with He Fei about her recent situation, his tone normal and friendly, just like he would with any classmate he had a good relationship with.
Then, he casually turned his gaze to the goods on the stall, as if he had just noticed them, and said in a relaxed tone:
"He Fei, these sandals of yours look pretty sturdy, and the design is simple and stylish. I've been wanting to buy a pair, so I can wear them alternately when it gets warmer. You have good taste, how about you help me pick out a pair?"
He Fei was stunned, not expecting Chen Zhiyuan to actually ask her to help choose slippers.
My heart felt like it had been gently squeezed, and it started beating faster for no reason. The blush that had just faded from my cheeks reappeared, even deeper than before.
Besides the familiar tension, she also felt a strange, inexplicable joy.
"Chen...Chen Zhiyuan, what...what shoe size do you wear?"
She lowered her head slightly, her voice soft, but her fingers unconsciously began to gently rummage through the stacks of slippers, as if she were carefully selecting them.
"I usually wear size 42. For slippers, I can go up a bit, 43 or 44 is fine," Chen Zhiyuan answered naturally.
He Fei nodded slightly, asked no further questions, and began to carefully search through the pile of slippers.
She looked at them very carefully, picking up a pair every now and then to examine the soles and then the uppers, and finally chose a pair of dark blue plastic "crocs"—the most popular style at the moment, simple and stylish, and comfortable to wear.
"These... are size 43, they should fit." She handed over the shoes carefully.
Chen Zhiyuan happily accepted it and started trying it out right there at the stall.
He kicked off his somewhat old sandals, put on new slippers, stomped them on, and then took a couple of steps to the side.
"Hmm, just right!" He smiled, his eyes relaxing. "You have great taste, classmate. It's very comfortable to wear."
He even lifted his foot and wiggled it, asking jokingly, "Look, don't I look good in these shoes?"
He Fei's face turned completely red in an instant, even the tips of her ears turned pink.
This question left her at a loss. To say he wasn't handsome would be against her conscience; but to say he was very handsome... how could a girl like her say that?