CH 20

Zhou Qingbai had never been in a relationship himself, but he believed he had seen enough to handle someone like Pei Yu, who had grown up in a somewhat cocoon .

As expected, Pei Yu was convinced by his words. He lowered his gaze, avoiding Zhou Qingbai’s eyes and appeared to be contemplating.

After a while, Zhou Qingbai didn’t receive any response, and his enthusiastic “teaching” efforts seemed to hit a wall. Unable to contain himself, he reached out and waved his hand in front of Pei Yu.

“Hey, you are not allowed to skip class,” Zhou Qingbai said disapprovingly.

Pei Yu suddenly came to his senses. He didn’t know what he had been thinking about just now, and only nodded, indicating that he understood.

“Are you sure?” Zhou Qingbai asked skeptically.

“Yes,” Pei Yu replied.

The spacious and brightly lit hall had few passengers left, as a young couple who had been waiting had already boarded their flight. Now, there were only a dozen or so scattered passengers waiting.

Pei Yu was afraid that speaking loudly would cause an echo, so he deliberately kept his voice soft, emitting a gentle and warm vibe.

Zhou Qingbai didn’t know whether Pei Yu genuinely understood or was just pretending. He tilted his head, observing him for a while, intending to ask further questions. But then, he saw Pei Yu’s gaze sweep past his chest and stop at a certain point below his collarbone.

The next moment, Pei Yu reached out and used his fingertips to pick up the red string that had fallen outside of Zhou Qingbai’s T-shirt.

Pei Yu was a diligent learner, always keen on summarizing and drawing conclusions. He was skilled at applying the knowledge he acquired. Though he still couldn’t grasp the subtlety of “light boundary-pushing,” he had, at least, understood the “example” that was demonstrated to him.

Pei Yu imitated Zhou Qingbai’s actions, slightly pulling open Zhou Qingbai’s collar and using his fingers to hook the red string, inserting the jade pendant back in.

His cool fingertips unintentionally brushed against Zhou Qingbai’s neck, leaving a clear touch on the warm skin. Zhou Qingbai unconsciously shuddered and instinctively avoided Pei Yu’s gaze.

In all honesty, Pei Yu wasn’t experienced in seduction, and his imitation felt stiff and awkward, lacking any romantic vibes. However, there was a twist in the situation – his seriousness.

His gaze was pure and earnest, tinged with a subtle sense of inquiry. It was as if that action was some tremendous scientific research project, and he approached it with utmost caution and care.

That overly serious approach unintentionally conveyed a sense of value and significance, making Zhou Qingbai realize a subtle form of attention. Subconsciously, he took a step back, avoiding Pei Yu’s touch.

Zhou Qingbai was adept at teaching Pei Yu with ease, acting like a flirtatious playboy. However, the tables turned when Pei Yu tried to imitate him, and Zhou Qingbai couldn’t keep his cool, feeling somewhat uneasy.

“What’s wrong?” Pei You raised his head, puzzled and asked, “Am i doing it wrong?”

Zhou Qingbai: “…”

Indeed, Zhou Qingbai thought, no wonder he’s a top student, he grasps everything instantly, although there was still a slight gap in resemblance, the overall imitation was already there.

But as his “tutor,” he couldn’t show any unease in front of the student. Therefore, Zhou Qingbai awkwardly tugged at his collar, cleared his throat and commented, “I’ll give you a sixty, not more.”

“Why?” Pei You asked.

Pei You had never received such a low score flying so close to the ground, and he was quite curious about the reasons for the deductions.

“Because the jade pendant is too cold,” Zhou Qingbai said, “It’s freezing.”

After the jade pendant had been hanging outside for so long, upon contact with warm skin, it did feel uncomfortable. Pei You nodded in acknowledgment and humbly accepted the feedback.

“Understood,” Pei You said, “I’ll pay attention next time.”

Zhou Qingbai knew he was nitpicking, but he didn’t expect Pei You to neither complain nor refute. Zhou Qingbai suddenly felt a bit guilty, thinking he was being too unreasonable.

“… You shouldn’t be too easy going either,” Zhou Qingbai continued, trying to cover up his previous comments about the lesson. He raised the zipper of his jacket and said with some dissatisfaction, “You shouldn’t agree to every unreasonable request. Otherwise, be careful of being taken advantage of.”

“But you said I should empathize with others,” Pei You said.

“It’s a matter of degree,” Zhou Qingbai said righteously, “You can be considerate in small matters, but be clear about your boundaries in major ones. Have both good and bad sides, distinguish between right and wrong. That way, your kindness will be treasured, understand?”

Pei You seemed to grasp the idea but not entirely.

He had never given much thought to the intricacies of interpersonal relationships, and unlike Zhou Qingbai, he couldn’t separate personal and public affairs so clearly. Therefore, although Zhou Qingbai guided him, Pei You was still a bit uncertain about that balance.

“I’ll think about it,” Pei You said cautiously.

As they spoke, the flight schedule on the signboard refreshed momentarily, and their delayed flight was now at the top of the list.

A staff member entered the boarding gate from the side, and the broadcast announced the preparation for boarding. Zhou Qingbai stood up lazily, stretched, and grabbed his suitcase handle, ready to board. But then, Pei You suddenly called out to him.

“You should practice what you preach too?” Pei You asked, “Shouldn’t you also have reservations and not make unreasonable requests?”

He looked at the can of cola and then at Zhou Qingbai.

“That’s not the same,” Zhou Qingbai decisively swallowed his earlier “teaching content,” shamelessly saying, “I can’t be included in this set of rules. Besides, I usually don’t make unreasonable demands, so I don’t fit in that standard.”

He was double-standard to a degree that was exasperating. Pei You was momentarily stunned, having never encountered someone like Zhou Qingbai who was messing around like this. He had no defense against Zhou Qingbai’s illogical logic and hadn’t even thought about how other people became mysterious “negative examples” all of a sudden.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean it that way,” Pei You said sincerely, “You’re pretty good.”

Zhou Qingbai was indeed pretty good. He was kind-hearted, had helped Pei You in Qing Shan, and also protected him in the bar. Although he had a bit of a lazy flaw, it was not a big deal in Pei You’s eyes.

So that praise was heartfelt, with no exaggeration.

“That’s good then,” Zhou Qingbai said, taking back the advantage he had lost, raising his chin, and firmly holding Pei You’s wrist. As he continued walking, he said in a brazen manner, “But you asked the wrong question, so I’ll punish you by making you carry the luggage when we get off the plane.”