An Xiaxia stared at him, looking stunned. Sheng Yize raised the corners of his mouth and looked back at her mildly.
She had thought… he wasn't coming back.
"Sheng Yize…" An Xiaxia muttered his name, and Sheng Yize raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"
He wasn't supposed to come back, nor should he have any interaction with An Xiaxia any more.
However, something would pinch his heart whenever he thought about her timid "You're coming back, aren't you?" before he left.
All he knew was that An Xiaxia wouldn't be the only one who felt sad if he didn't return — he would, too.
Hence, he was back.
"You idiot! You blockhead! How can you be so stupid!" An Xiaxia jumped up and knocked him on the head.
Sheng Yize stood there in amazement. Was he hallucinating? Did An Xiaxia just hit him? And she had jumped up to do so?
Before An Xiaxia's next strike landed on his head, he grabbed her by her tiny wrist and said grumpily, "You're getting very bold now. You can't trash me any more, so you decided to get physical?"
An Xiaxia almost felt like spitting on him. "Didn't I tell you not to do anything strenuous? Why did you have to dance? You just had to show off, didn't you? If something happens to you… bah! Have you ever thought about those poor fans of yours or your family? Your health should be above anything else!"
Sheng Yize only came to the realization after her lengthy reprimand.
Was the woman… worried about him?
Well…
He let go of An Xiaxia's hand and explained calmly, "If I didn't do it, more gossip would come out. Why make things complicated if I can solve it with a simpler approach?"
An Xiaxia was rendered speechless by his words and stormed off with her cheeks puffed up. She looked back at him halfway and mumbled like a grumpy little wife, "Get up here now. The food will go cold."
This time, even Sheng Yize's eyes were smiling.
On his way upstairs to dinner, he overheard the conversation between An Yibei and An Xiaxia.
"Xiaxia, weren't you going for a walk?"
"I'm done walking!"
"Tsk, you hopeless lazybones. By the way, I just put Snowy in your room. You can go feed it." An Yibei was gloating over An Xiaxia's coming mishap.
The next moment, An Xiaxia's shriek shook the ceiling. Sheng Yize felt the muscles in his face twitch.
An Yibei simply couldn't let a day pass without framing her for something.
He took a few quick bites and excused himself from the table to go back upstairs.
Taking off his clothes, he checked his wounds in the mirror. A tinge of blood seeped through several of the bandages — he had probably torn the wounds open during the dance.
He quickly dressed the wounds he could get to, but those on his back were beyond his reach.
Pursing his lips, he decided to leave them alone.
An Xiaxia's scream suddenly came from outside, accompanied by shuffling footsteps and the meowing of a cat.
Sheng Yize opened his door with a frown. Outside, An Xiaxia was being chased around by Snowy.
Snowy was following her around looking quite sorry, as if it was saying: come and play with me, meow.
An Xiaxia, on the other hand, was scared out of her wits. Seeing that Sheng Yize's door was open, she dove into his room without a second thought.
"Sheng Yize! Help!"
She bumped right into Sheng Yize, who stumbled back a few steps before steadying himself. Tugging her by her collar, he teased, "Now you're afraid? Although, I'll have to think it over whether to help you or not…"
"Meow —" Snowy ran after her, looking very cute.
"No more thinking it over! I'll do whatever you ask me to!" An Xiaxia cried.