What Hobbies Does Sister Yang Zhi Have?

Then came the five-minute break.

As usual, Yang Zhi opened her water bottle and took a drink.

Ding Yebai sat at his desk, seriously studying the vocabulary book in front of him.

On his calm face, his deep eyes were as still as a tranquil sea. Occasionally, a subtle glimmer of darkness flickered through them, vanishing too quickly to notice.

"Sister Yang Zhi, can I use homophones to memorize words?" he suddenly asked.

Yang Zhi smiled warmly. "Of course."

Ding Yebai said, "Take [urgent], for example. It means eager or pressing. It sounds like 'really hungry,' so I think of it as, 'Because I'm really hungry, I'm eager to eat.' Do you think that works?"

Yang Zhi smiled. "Of course it does. As long as it helps you remember, anything works."

As though he had received tremendous encouragement, Ding Yebai immediately rattled off several more homophone mnemonics.

"And [automatically] means unconsciously or inevitably. Based on how it sounds, it can be understood as, 'Ultraman kicked you unconsciously.'"

"And the English word for bonus is [bonus]. It sounds like 'can't die.' That means you can't die yet—you still have to collect your bonus!"

He babbled on and on, growing more excited the more he spoke. Occasionally, he turned to meet Yang Zhi's eyes, only to find the same gentle smile still on her face.

Had she stopped listening...

Ding Yebai took a deep breath and looked at her. "Sister Yang Zhi?"

Yang Zhi looked at him, the smile at her lips deepening. "Go on. I've been listening the whole time. It's quite good."

With her tone, expression, and delicate face, she looked every bit like the gentle older sister next door.

Ding Yebai blinked blankly, his heart struck by her words.

Someone was willing to patiently listen to him talk so much, and he could genuinely feel the sincerity in her eyes.

"I'm done..."

"I see. There are still two minutes before class starts."

"Then do you have any hobbies?"

Ding Yebai abruptly changed the subject and asked about her personal life.

Yang Zhi froze for a moment, tilting her head at him. "Hobbies?"

Ding Yebai said, "Like me—I like playing basketball, skateboarding, playing guitar, playing piano... What about you, Sister Yang Zhi? Do you have any similar hobbies?"

He even felt as if he were showing off how he was not only smart and handsome, but also talented in many ways.

"Mm..." Yang Zhi straightened her back, shifting her gaze from Ding Yebai's face to the front as she softly said, "I like reading, playing the violin, sitting beneath the eaves listening to the rain and watching the snow... and eating sweets."

Ding Yebai said, "Eating sweets?"

His interest was instantly piqued. Hearing Yang Zhi say that was like discovering a new continent.

Yang Zhi lowered her head, revealing a shy yet composed smile. "Yes. It's strange, but I really like sweet things. Cakes, candy—anything sweet, I like eating it."

Ding Yebai listened and silently nodded. He turned back toward his messy desk and, after scanning it, spotted the opened White Rabbit milk candy at the corner.

He reached over, felt around, and found the last three pieces. Then he placed them in front of Yang Zhi.

Yang Zhi lowered her eyes to look at the three White Rabbit milk candies, blinking blankly.

She looked just as surprised as when he had given her that apple before.

Seeing that she did not react, Ding Yebai extended his ring finger, index finger, and middle finger, pressed the three together, and nudged the White Rabbit milk candies toward her. Then he slowly withdrew his hand and clasped it tightly.

"I heard my sister say that you don't really like accepting things from other people. But the two of us... count as friends, right? It should be okay between friends. Besides, it's only three milk candies, not anything valuable."

Yang Zhi said, "..."

Ding Yebai said, "I think you've taught me a lot. Ahem... I mean, things that have really gone into my head. I know getting good grades would be the best gift for you, but I..."

His voice suddenly lowered. Looking at Yang Zhi with an almost searching gaze, he carried the pure sincerity of a boy. "The exams are still far away. I want to thank you now."

After listening for so long, Yang Zhi finally understood. She gave Ding Yebai a polite smile, then put the milk candies into her bag.

Ding Yebai thought that was the end of it, but the next moment, she took out three Snickers bars from her bag and placed them on his English workbook.

"What is this?"

"Since it's a gift, I should return the favor."

Yang Zhi was still the same as ever. Last time, she had traded an apple for a song; this time, she traded three White Rabbit milk candies for three Snickers bars.

Ding Yebai held the three Snickers bars and looked at them for a long while before finally being unable to hold back a laugh. "Sister Yang Zhi, you got the short end of the stick. How much could three White Rabbit milk candies cost? Snickers are much more expensive, aren't they?"

"Are they?" Yang Zhi flipped through her English book with a relaxed smile. "I think I came out ahead."

Ding Yebai asked, "Why?"

As he spoke, he watched Yang Zhi take another White Rabbit milk candy of a different brand from her bag. Pinching it between her thumb and index finger, she held it toward him and actually revealed a playful, girlishly beautiful smile.

That smile was unlike her usual gentleness and intelligence, or her mature politeness, and it left a deep impression on Ding Yebai.

"Because I really love White Rabbit milk candy, but I'm not sure whether you like Snickers, Ding Yebai. People say gifts should suit the recipient's tastes, so I'm the one who got the better deal."

With that, Yang Zhi raised her eyes. In that instant, her gaze collided with Ding Yebai's. They both froze, and a trace of surprise appeared in their intertwined gazes.

As for Yang Zhi, she was happy simply because she had received candy she liked. As for Ding Yebai... an almost imperceptible knowing smile even surfaced in his eyes.

"All right, all right. Class is starting."

"Okay."

After class

Yang Zhi went downstairs and headed home. She ate the White Rabbit milk candy while walking.

She truly, truly loved sweets. Of course, only in moderation—otherwise, she would not have had such neat, pearly white teeth.

Ding Yebai, meanwhile, sat blankly in his chair, staring at the Snickers bars in his hand.

"She even carries Snickers around in her bag. She loves snacks that much, but she doesn't look fat at all," Ding Yebai said softly.

With that, he tore open the wrapper and took a bite.

"Been a long time since I had one..."

The taste was not bad.

Thanks to Wangyou Xiaomeng for the 1,000 Origin Point Coins reward, and Danmo for the 100 Origin Point Coins reward.