Grasp Your Wrist

After class ended, Ding Yebai tidied up briefly, then lay down on the bed to sleep.

At first, he lay flat on his back, but as time passed, he began turning over.

He tossed and turned, unable to fall asleep.

His mind was filled with Yang Zhi's smile, as well as the only two times they had made physical contact.

He always felt that Sister Yang Zhi's eyes held starlight and the sea. Whenever their gazes met, even the coldest heart would grow warm, as though it might melt the next second. In short, simply seeing her made him feel comfortable.

As he thought about it, his breathing began to quicken.

"Seriously..."

It was strange... It was clearly drizzling outside, and the temperature should have been low, so why was I so hot?

Ding Yebai reached out and scratched at his burning chest, then turned over and hugged his pillow tightly.

He couldn't sleep.

He couldn't sleep!

He couldn't sleep!!!!

He suddenly sat up, jumped out of bed, and sat down at his desk. He casually pulled out a test paper and began writing.

Taking a closer look, he saw that it was an English test. He instinctively wanted to set it aside, but after calming down for three seconds, he silently opened his pen and began reading it seriously.

What's wrong with me?

For some time afterward, Ding Yebai obediently solved problems and listened to lessons at school during the day, then seriously studied with Yang Zhi after returning home at night.

He devoted nearly one hundred percent of himself to reviewing for his final year of high school.

He clearly knew that his accuracy had been steadily rising over the past few days, with progress that was visible to the naked eye.

Yet even though he knew the answer, he still deliberately asked Yang Zhi whether his scores had improved recently.

Even he found it strange.

Why was he doing something so pointless?

One Saturday after school, the ice block was still thinking about his muddled behavior over the past few days.

Because he was distracted, he didn't bother riding his bicycle. He pushed it along while walking forward with a cold expression.

The boy was still hazy and ignorant. He didn't know whether it was simply to create another chance to show off, or perhaps to say a few more words and receive a few more compliments, or maybe to look at her a little more...

Bullshit!!!

No!!!

That wasn't it!!!

There was no way he would do something so stupid.

Ding Yebai suddenly stopped, shook his head hard, and said with a troubled frown, "I actually thought that? Is my brain broken?"

"Oh my, isn't this Ding Yebai?"

"Hm?"

Ding Yebai turned toward the voice and discovered that he had somehow arrived at Yang Zhi's house.

Grandma was sitting at the entrance, waving at him with a kindly smile.

Ding Yebai: "..."

Grandma: "I finally managed to wait for you."

Ding Yebai: "..."

Finally... managed to wait for me?????

What does that mean?

Grandma struggled to rise from her chair and continued speaking to Ding Yebai. "I made some sweet cakes. I thought I'd wait for you to pass by after school, then give you some to take home."

Ding Yebai pushed his bicycle over and quietly looked at Grandma.

Grandma's eyes curved as she smiled adorably.

Ding Yebai: "These... are for me?"

Grandma: "Yes."

Ding Yebai: "Really?"

Grandma: "Yes."

Ding Yebai: "Why?"

Grandma smiled faintly and invited Ding Yebai into the courtyard. As they walked, she said, "Because of the porridge last time."

Ding Yebai: "That was nothing. Don't worry about it."

"Oh, that won't do."

The two of them arrived beneath the covered walkway. Grandma went inside to fetch the sweet cakes, then returned and stuffed them into Ding Yebai's arms. "You're a good child. You've helped us a lot."

Ding Yebai held the bag of sweet cakes, drew a deep breath, then looked up at Grandma and smiled shyly. "Thank you."

"Oh, that's right. Qiqi said you can do magic."

"I know a little."

"Even this old woman wants to see it. I wonder if that's all right?"

"Sure."

Afterward, Grandma sat in a rocking chair while Ding Yebai performed several relatively simple magic tricks for her.

For example, making playing cards and roses appear out of thin air.

After a while, Qiqi woke up as well and ran into the courtyard to become the second audience member.

She really liked Big Brother Ding Yebai, always feeling that he was tall, cool, and handsome.

Of course, most importantly, he was good-looking.

The old woman sat in the rocking chair, the child squatted beside her, and both stared intently at the handsome magician's performance. The three of them formed a peaceful and beautiful picture.

By the time the sun had set, Ding Yebai finally shouldered his bag and went home.

He was very happy, because he had never performed his magic so formally for anyone before.

Nor had he ever received such enthusiastic applause and heartfelt praise.

With a faint smile, he said goodbye to the old woman and child, then pushed his bicycle outside.

As soon as he stepped out the door, he happened to bump into Yang Zhi.

Bumping into her would have been bad enough, but he knocked her straight down.

Fortunately, Ding Yebai reacted quickly. He immediately reached out, grabbed her slender wrist, and pulled her back.

"Careful!"

Clatter—

After Yang Zhi steadied herself, she looked somewhat confused as she stared at the boy in the blue-and-white school uniform before her. A second later, she realized that her wrist was being held!

"Ah... um, Ding Yebai... what are you doing here?" There was obvious unease in her eyes.

"..." Ding Yebai noticed her expression and hurriedly let go.

Qiqi ran over to the two of them, hugged Yang Zhi's thigh with a giggle, and explained the entire situation from beginning to end.

Yang Zhi was both surprised and delighted after hearing it.

She was surprised that Ding Yebai could perform magic, and delighted that Grandma and Qiqi had been so happy because of it.

After all, Grandma and Qiqi were the people who kept her company. Moreover, Grandma was her only relative in the world. As long as Grandma was there, she had a home.

Qiqi: "Sister Yang Zhi, why did you come back?"

Yang Zhi picked her up and gently and naturally smoothed the disheveled hair from her face. "I don't have class tomorrow, for once, so I came back."

Qiqi: "Really?"

Yang Zhi: "Mm."

Ding Yebai looked at Yang Zhi's profile and thought that she was still as gentle as water as ever.

Grandma sat far away and watched the three of them. In the end, she couldn't resist saying, "Xiao Zhi, see Ye Bai off."

Ding Yebai: "No..."

"Let's go, Ding Yebai." Yang Zhi set Qiqi down and directly agreed to Grandma's request.

Ding Yebai watched her walk ahead with her bag over her shoulder. He had no choice but to push his bicycle after her.

The sky gradually darkened. A full moon was half-hidden behind drifting clouds, while the low-hanging clouds floated restlessly. The ground alternated between light and shadow, covered in layers of cloud shadows.

Groups of children ran past the two of them, playing noisily. Yang Zhi watched them and naturally revealed a sweet smile.

As Ding Yebai watched, he felt that she would be suited to becoming a teacher, teaching innocent children.

Those little angels needed a great angel like you.

"Ding Yebai," Yang Zhi said unexpectedly.

"Hmm?"

"Thank you."

"..."

Ding Yebai was puzzled.

Yang Zhi looked straight ahead and continued unhurriedly. "Thank you for being so good to Grandma and Qiqi. Even though... you weren't very familiar with them, you were still so kind to them."

After saying that, she paused, then turned her head and smiled at Ding Yebai with gentle warmth. "Thank you."

Bang!!!

Ding Yebai's chest felt as though it had been struck by something colorless and odorless.

With a boom, the entire world fell silent.

At first, he had been staring into Yang Zhi's eyes, but the longer he looked, the more those dark pupils seemed to possess some kind of magic.

It felt as though if he looked for even one second longer, he would sink into them.

He would drown in that tacky sea.

He was torn!!

He was so torn!!!

He didn't want her to smile anymore, yet he wanted to see her smile.

If angels had a physical form, surely it would look like this.

"..." Ding Yebai abruptly turned his head away and forced out two dry laughs. "You don't have to thank me like that. Grandma has been very good to me too. The red bean cakes last time were really delicious. Come to think of it, I'm a boy, so why are you having a girl see me off? Sister Yang Zhi, hurry back."

Yang Zhi: "All right, then."

That was a very quick answer.

Ding Yebai nodded. "Okay, see you next time." With that, he swung onto his bicycle and rode away.

Yang Zhi tightened her grip on her shoulder bag and stood where she was, still graceful, gentle, and serene.

She had seen all of Ding Yebai's efforts over the past few days. Moreover, this boy was also very kind to her grandmother and Qiqi.

She stood beneath the dim streetlamp and reminisced for a little while longer. The tranquil lake in her heart was stirred ever so slightly by the breeze, sending out circle after circle of ripples.

Ding Yebai, your personality really is completely different from your appearance.