Chapter 4 (2/2)

Ah, boys. They’ll always enjoy tossing objects into specified targets.

Once the chewing gum found its way into the bin, the youth immediately turned back and continued walking. Behind him, Chen Nian rubbed her neck morosely. Due to his unexpected scare, she had accidentally swallowed the chewing gum which she had been munching on.

As they reached the alley near her house, it was time for both of them to part ways. The sky had already darkened.

Glancing at the alley, he turned back and asked, “Are you scared?”

Chen Nian raised her head to look at him, her gaze clear and bright. Her brows furrowed slightly, her honest expression betraying her internal feelings and thoughts.

The youth continued, “Let’s go.”

Sticking his hands into his pocket, the youth continued walking ahead. Before long, his ears picked up the soft footsteps that were trailing behind him. The corners of his lips turned up in a wry smile.

After having taken a few steps, he managed to finish out a sweet from his pocket and offered it to Chen Nian. Chen Nian shook her head. Once again, the youth didn’t insist on her acceptance of his sweet, and simply returned the sweet back to his pocket.

Soon, they arrived at the entrance of Chen Nian’s house. It was an old multistory building, with the surroundings engulfed in total darkness. Chen Nian pointed towards a unit on the second story, indicating to the youth that she stayed there.

He stuffed a cigarette into his mouth before turning around and leaving.

Chen Nian had only taken a single step on the stairs when she heard his voice ring out, “Bei Ye.”

Chen Nian instantly whirled her head around, the straight pony tail at the back of her head whipping around as though it was a black cotton dress.

Greeted with such an unexpected sight, the cigarette in his mouth drooped down suddenly. He removed the cigarette from his mouth.

“My name is Bei Ye.” He continued, “Remember that.”

Bei Ye walked towards Chen Nian. Despite his slight frame, he was rather tall. His imposing aura was akin to a physical wall; when Chen Nian raised her head to look at him, she subconsciously took several steps backwards. Before she knew it, the back of her foot was pressed against the stairs, and with nowhere else to retreat to, she plopped herself down on the stairs and hugged her knees with her arms.

He stood in front of her and lowered his body. Squatting on the floor, he made sure that his eyes were level to hers before he instructed her, “Say it.”

“Say……say what?”

“My name.”

“Bei……Bei Ye……” Her gaze was locked onto his pale face under the dim moonlight.

He slowly shook his head carefully.

Chen Nian knew why Bei Ye shook his head. She rubbed her hands together, and focused all her energies on p.r.o.nouncing his name. “Bei……” she opened her mouth helplessly, “……Ye……”

“Repeat after me.” He said. “Bei.”

“……Bei.”

“Ye.”

“……Ye.”

“Bei Ye.”

“……” Chen Nian stared at him, her eyes s.h.i.+ning like black grapes in the night.

“……” He didn’t show any signs of impatience, and guided her slowly. It was as though he was teaching a toddler who had just started learning how to speak. “Bei.”

“Bei.”

“Ye.”

“Ye.”

“Bei Ye.” He said.

“……” Chen Nian rehea.r.s.ed the phrase mentally several times before opening her mouth. However, when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t produce a single sound.

He didn’t say anything in response, and simply looked at her. Chen Nian was unsure whether he was waiting for her, or whether he was trying to stubbornly compete with her stutter.

Chen Nian’s mouth trembled slightly, “Bei, Ye.” Bei Ye continued staring at her, silent and expressionless. Chen Nian took a deep breath, and prepared for a while before opening her mouth once more, “Bei Ye.”

“Good.” He continued instructing her, “Repeat ten times.”

Chen Nian stared at him.

“Do it.”

“Bei Ye.” Chen Nian p.r.o.nounced his name carefully, her voice soft and muted, “Bei Ye, Bei Ye, Bei Ye, Bei Ye……”

She shut her mouth tightly. Her gaze interlocked with his as the gentle breeze of the night drifted around them. The single step that she was sitting on had some remnant heat from the blazing hot afternoon seat.

He placed his cigarette behind her pale ears, his fingers lightly brus.h.i.+ng against the side of her ears. The minute contact caused Chen Nian’s sensitive skin to flush red instantly. He instructed, “Continue.”

“Bei Ye.” She opened her mouth once more, and gradually slowed down, “……Bei Ye……”

Bei Ye listened to her quietly, the shadow of a smile flitting across his lips. He reached into his pocket and found the sweet he had offered her earlier. He tore the wrapper open and popped the sweet into his mouth.

She was still obediently repeating his name, “……Bei Ye……Bei Ye……Bei Ye……”

She had completed the repet.i.tion of his name. Ten times.

She looked at him. He returned her gaze freely.

After some time had pa.s.sed, she finally spoke up, “Finished.”

“Little Stutterer,” He cupped her pale cheeks in his warm palms, “You only said it nine times.”

Chen Nian’s heart nearly leapt onto her ears, and she stammered, “Ten……Ten times.”

“You have to say it one more time to make it ten.”

“No……”

“Yes.”

Chen Nian had no other alternatives, and simply wanted to be done with the repet.i.tion, “Bei……”

Suddenly, Bei Ye knelt on one knee and pinched her chin, forcing her to look at him. Lowering his head, he gently bit her lips.

It was different from the previous time. This time, his tongue slowly reached into her mouth. The sweet and sour taste of tangerine exploded in Chen Nian’s mouth, and a fire blazed across her face. Her tongue trembled and her face was reddening from her inability to breathe.

When the kiss ended, the youth sniffed her lips before straightening up. “Since you p.r.o.nounced my name well, I thought I ought to give you a prize.”

Chen Nian didn’t know where to put her hands and feet, an orange sweet quietly lying in her mouth.