Chapter One Hundred and Nine: To Die Beneath the Peonies and Still Be a Dashing Ghost

After breakfast, Song Chengyi, as always the perfect child of another family, went upstairs to read.

Luo Yixia, on the other hand, suddenly had nothing to do.

“I’m going home for a little walk and then I’ll be back?” she asked.

Song Chengyi did not even spare her a glance. “Mm.”

She immediately took off running. Well, the place was nice enough, but it still was not as comfortable as home.

As she went downstairs, she happened to hear the voices of her mother and Song Chengyi’s mother coming from the kitchen.

Didn’t Madam Yu Wenjing always say that being scorched by cooking fumes would make one age faster? So why was she in the kitchen with Zhou Yun every single day now?

Luo Yixia pouted and headed straight out.

The courtyard gate was not locked. She pushed it open lightly, then looked at the closed door of her own house and reached under a flowerpot to retrieve the key.

Her mother never remembered things like this and always kept a spare there.

After she went inside, she realized she had not been home for more than a month, and she had never imagined that the first thing she would do after coming back was go to someone else’s house.

She took some drinks from the refrigerator, though she could not help wondering why it was still stocked so heavily when she herself was never even home.

抱着一堆东西上了楼, she climbed upstairs with an armful of things, then crouched and dragged a plastic box out from under her bed.

That’s right... a whole box of snacks...

She had once worried that her mother would discover and confiscate them after she left, but it seemed she had hidden them far too well. Ha-ha-ha.

Coming back occasionally to eat snacks did not sound so bad after all...

Luo Yixia lay down on the giant teddy bear with practiced ease, then turned on the television and watched the Korean drama she had started following long ago.

She watched until she lost all sense of time and did not even notice when Song Chengyi had come in.

A soft cough sounded from the doorway. Song Chengyi leaned against the frame, looking sideways at Luo Yixia, who showed not the slightest concern for her image.

At that moment, Luo Yixia was sitting with one leg crossed over the other, completely unconcerned that she was wearing a skirt.

Only when she heard the sound did she sit up straight, a little displeased. “Why didn’t you make any noise when you came in?”

“If I didn’t come, how would I know what you were doing?” Song Chengyi folded his arms and raised a brow at her.

“I... I’m just eating some snacks...” Luo Yixia sounded a little guilty, but she still looked as if she were doing exactly as she pleased.

She even hid the snacks behind her back.

Song Chengyi glanced at the whole box and walked over with a smile. “I never knew you had a habit of hoarding snacks.”

“I... they’re just snacks. You don’t want to eat them yourself, and you won’t let other people eat them either? I’m in my own house right now. Am I not allowed to eat snacks at home?” Luo Yixia argued stubbornly.

As she spoke, she still did not forget to guard the snacks... Song Chengyi had better not get any ideas about them.

“Does your mother know you’ve hidden so many snacks?” Song Chengyi crouched down and began to inspect the contents of the box.

He even muttered under his breath, “Have they expired or not?”

“Of course they haven’t expired. I stocked up during summer vacation and just never got the chance to eat them. Back then I used to eat them while watching TV at night, but now... now there’s just no chance...” Luo Yixia let out a sigh. Ever since she had moved into his room, she had hardly dared to touch these things at all.

Seeing that Song Chengyi was still checking the dates, Luo Yixia cleared her throat and went on, “Do I need to report it to my mother just to eat a snack? She can’t control me anyway.”

“Then why hide them?” Song Chengyi’s pleasant voice carried a hint of amusement. “I remember when I came last time, I didn’t see this box. You hid it under the bed, didn’t you?”

“You’ve only been here a few times, and you can remember the layout of my room?” Luo Yixia clearly did not believe him. She thought he was fooling her.

“You academic underachievers probably can’t understand the mind of a top student.”

Luo Yixia was nearly driven mad by Song Chengyi’s lazy remark. So what if he was a top student? What about a poor student like her? She was proud to be a poor student. She liked it.

“If you’re going to speak, then speak properly. Don’t attack me personally. Who are you looking down on?” Luo Yixia snatched the chips from his hand, stuffed them into the box, and then covered it up.

“Tell me, what do you think would happen if I told your mother about your secret stash of snacks?”

Luo Yixia bent slightly, and her heart gave a sudden jolt...

Madam Yu Wenjing had a hot temper and a loud voice. Most importantly, since childhood she had made Luo Yixia study ballet, so she had never been allowed to eat snacks. Only in these last few years had the rules relaxed somewhat. But if her mother discovered this entire box of snacks, there was no telling how long she would have to endure endless nagging...

Luo Yixia had finally begun to enjoy a little peace. Right now, Madam Yu Wenjing was not around to keep tabs on her, but if she had to hear those lectures again, she might go insane.

Silently, Luo Yixia shoved the box back under the bed. When she stood up again, she tried her best to look unconcerned.

“I’m just eating a snack. My refrigerator downstairs is full of carbonated drinks too, and my mother knows all about that. If you want to tell her, go ahead. I’m not stopping you.” Luo Yixia turned off the phone that was still playing the Korean drama.

“Is that so...” Song Chengyi fell into thought.

She pretended to be looking at her phone, but inside she was already in turmoil, silently praying that Song Chengyi would not take it seriously...

“Well then...” Song Chengyi deliberately drew out each word, keeping Luo Yixia hanging.

“Then let’s move these to the next room.”

With one hand, he reached down and dragged the box back out from under the bed.

Luo Yixia hurriedly pressed down on it and looked at him anxiously.

“Don’t bother. Let’s just leave it here. I can come back and eat a little when I have time. It’s too much trouble carrying it back and forth.” She laughed awkwardly.

“It’s no trouble. I’ll move it for you.” Song Chengyi smiled at her, then lifted it with effortless ease.

Subconsciously, Luo Yixia also clutched the box and refused to let go. “No need. Just leave it here...”

Song Chengyi merely looked at her without saying a word, then held the box and walked outside.

At this hour, if he moved it over, her mother would definitely see it. He might even deliberately parade it in front of her mother. And if Madam Yu Wenjing happened to lose her temper in front of everyone, Luo Yixia would not only be embarrassed, she would lose her snacks too.

No. She could not take that risk.

Thinking that, she hugged the box even tighter.

“Hm?” Song Chengyi lifted a brow at her.

Luo Yixia glared at him, then gave up. Fine, fine. A wise woman does not fight when the odds are against her.

Her attitude changed at once. “I was wrong... My mother doesn’t let me eat snacks. Don’t bully me like this. Let’s talk properly. We can discuss this.”

She forced a smile, though in her heart she had already cursed Song Chengyi half to death.

“Wouldn’t it have been better to say that earlier?” Song Chengyi loosened his hand and returned the box to her.

Only then did Luo Yixia breathe again. After putting the box away properly, she looked at him unwillingly and asked, “What are you trying to trick me into now?”

“Nothing much. I just think your hair is irritating to look at, so I want to help you cut it.”

“What?” Luo Yixia widened her eyes and immediately covered her hair with both hands.

“Didn’t hear me? I’m taking you to get a haircut.”

“No way. Anything else is fine, but not my hair. You can move the snacks if you want. At worst, let my mother yell at me in front of everyone. I’m not cutting my hair.” Luo Yixia plopped down onto a chair, looking utterly unmovable.

“I remember you still owe me one wish from last night?” Song Chengyi said with a smile, sounding infuriatingly smug.

“That still doesn’t mean you can use it like this! No, I’m not cutting my hair.” Luo Yixia puffed out her cheeks pitifully.

“What, are you trying to go back on your word?” Song Chengyi gave her a cool, sidelong glance.

Luo Yixia immediately stood up, pulled Song Chengyi over, and made him sit in the chair, putting on a flattering little smile.

“Of course not. Look, you’ve been studying so hard every day and must be tired, right? Let me give you a back rub? Or a shoulder massage?” And at once she began to work her hands over him.

“How is it? Is the pressure okay?” she asked while kneading away.

“I... don’t fall for that.” Song Chengyi spoke lazily.

Luo Yixia’s smile froze. She stopped at once and straightened up.

“What exactly do you want?”

“Take you to get a haircut. I’m getting one too while I’m at it. My hair’s gotten long.” As he spoke, he ran his hand through his own hair.

“Then go by yourself. I’m not going.”

Song Chengyi approached her.

Luo Yixia instinctively backed away...

“I won’t do it...”

As Song Chengyi drew closer and closer, Luo Yixia found herself backed against the wall.

Song Chengyi sighed and reached out to pinch a lock of her hair. “Your face always looks like it doesn’t have much color, and look at your hair—split ends everywhere. Just cut it a little shorter.”

“I’m not cutting it.” Luo Yixia slapped his hand away and would not let him touch her hair.

“Be good.” Song Chengyi placed one hand on the wall, boxing her in between himself and the wall.

He coaxed her softly.

Luo Yixia was most helpless against this kind of Song Chengyi. As long as he lowered his voice and gently coaxed her, she would have given him her life if he asked for it.

Seeing her daze, Song Chengyi smiled faintly and lifted his other hand to brush her cheek.

“Just a little shorter, all right? Hmm?”

Song Chengyi’s voice seemed to have a spell woven into it, slowly wearing down the last of Luo Yixia’s resolve.

And sure enough, Luo Yixia obediently nodded.

“What a good girl.” Song Chengyi patted the top of her head as though rewarding her.

Song Chengyi took Luo Yixia back next door, and she still had not quite come to her senses.

By the time she did, it was already too late. Looking at Song Chengyi’s face, she silently cursed again under her breath: demon.

In truth, she was close to collapse. She had clearly said no, and yet Song Chengyi had only needed to move his lips a little, and she had obediently boarded his pirate ship.

Ah, Luo Yixia, do you have no bottom line at all? How can you be so powerless against temptation?

She glanced at Song Chengyi again and thought sourly, fine then—die beneath a peony and you’ll still be a romantic ghost.

There was nothing she could do. Song Chengyi was Luo Yixia’s bottom line. For his sake, she would do anything.

Song Chengyi was heaven. He was earth.

Luo Yixia liked Song Chengyi far too much...

Only... she still could not help feeling unwilling.

These were her hair, which she had grown for more than ten years, and today she would have to wave them farewell...