Chapter 8 – Pei Zhou Doesn’t Want to Owe Her

From childhood until now, Lin Chuge had never suffered like this.

Even if she accidentally bumped or scraped herself before, her parents would fuss over her endlessly.

How could she ever have gone through something like today?

That iron bar had landed solidly across her back, leaving her in so much pain she felt dizzy and disoriented, as if she had lost all sense of time.

How could she not regret it?

She herself didn’t even understand why she had been so foolish, throwing herself forward like that…

So stupid!

Lin Chuge scolded herself in frustration, the more she thought about it, the more discouraged she became.

But regret was useless now.

After all, this was a favor Pei Zhou owed her!

Besides, he had even yelled at her.

She had taken such a heavy blow for him, yet his first reaction was to scold her.

After finishing all the examinations at the hospital and waiting for Uncle Wu to bring back the medicine, Lin Chuge thought of this again, her lips pouting in grievance. She lowered her head unhappily, when suddenly a pair of sneakers entered her view, followed by Pei Zhou’s voice above her:

“Have the results come out?”

Lin Chuge didn’t look up, nor did she respond.

Pei Zhou stood in front of her, waited for a moment, then frowned when she stayed silent:

“Talk.”

Lin Chuge puffed her cheeks and looked up at him angrily: “You scolded me.”

Pei Zhou frowned deeply, confused: “What?”

“You scolded me in the alley. You even cursed at me.” Her voice was full of grievance again. She turned her eyes away and dropped her head, speaking even more softly: “My dad and mom have never scolded me, not even once.”

Pei Zhou understood.

But understanding only left him more frustrated.

How was that scolding? Cursing?

Besides, if something had really happened to her because of him, how would he ever explain himself to her parents, to her grandparents?

He had wanted to explain, but remembering her pale tear-streaked face from earlier, and seeing how pitifully aggrieved she looked now, he gave up on the thought. After over ten seconds of silence, he stiffly said:

“Sorry. I shouldn’t have yelled at you, shouldn’t have cursed.”

The apology stunned Lin Chuge slightly.

She had only been venting out of frustration, holding in her anger—she hadn’t thought Pei Zhou would apologize so easily.

“…Fine.”

She muttered, “Since you know you were wrong, I’ll forgive you this time.”

“I’ve already had the examination. The doctor said there’s no damage to the bones, nothing serious. But… the bruising on my back is pretty bad, it’ll take a while to fade. I need to take the medicine and apply ointment regularly. Uncle Wu went to get the prescription filled, he should be back soon.”

Hearing there was no serious injury, Pei Zhou relaxed and sat down beside her.

“Do you have your phone with you?” he asked.

“Yes,” Lin Chuge nodded, puzzled.

Pei Zhou unlocked his own phone while saying, “Let’s add each other on WeChat.”

“Huh?”

Thinking she didn’t want to, he glanced at her: “We’re both students at Yinghua. Is there a problem adding each other on WeChat?”

“…No, no problem.”

It was just so sudden that she hadn’t recovered yet.

She opened her QR code business card and handed him her phone.

The two quickly became friends.

Not even a minute later, Lin Chuge got a notification—

Pei Zhou had transferred money to her on WeChat, with the note “medical expenses.”

“You must accept it.”

The words came out in a domineering tone.

The amount was far more than her medicine actually cost.

Of course Lin Chuge understood—this was Pei Zhou not wanting to owe her, choosing to repay her with money instead.

“And what if I don’t accept it?”

She looked at him. “Blocking that hit was just an instinctive reaction. I don’t need this kind of ‘compensation.’”

Pei Zhou frowned impatiently: “Then what do you want?”

Lin Chuge thought for a moment, and suddenly had an idea: “Starting tomorrow, study with me. How about that?”

Pei Zhou: “…”

“No way.”

But the more she thought about it, the more she felt she couldn’t let the opportunity slip by.

If Pei Zhou agreed to study with her, wouldn’t that double the results with half the effort?

“I think it’s great.”

Lin Chuge said, “As long as you’re willing to start studying with me tomorrow, then we’ll be even. You won’t owe me anything.”

Pei Zhou almost laughed: “Are you insane? From what angle do I look like someone who enjoys studying?”

Lin Chuge hummed softly: “That day at my grandparents’ house, you even taught me a math problem.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

“And I told you to stay away from me. Why don’t you ever listen?”

He sneered. “I’d have to be brain-dead to sit and study with you.”

Lin Chuge turned to Uncle Wu, who had just returned with the medicine: “Uncle Wu, can we find a live donkey in the city?”

“Someone wants to get kicked by one.”

Uncle Wu replied seriously: “Not in the city. Maybe in the countryside. You’d have to ask around.”

Pei Zhou: “…”

Uncle Wu helped Lin Chuge to her feet. She glanced back at the speechless Pei Zhou and said with complete seriousness:

“If you don’t want to owe me, then study with me. I don’t care about anything else.”

Her words sounded bold, but only she knew she wasn’t confident at all.

If Pei Zhou refused, what else could she do?

But Lin Chuge didn’t wait for his answer, nor did she linger. She prepared to leave.

After two steps, his voice came from behind:

“Lin Chuge.”

“…Why?”

“Why do you have to drag me into studying? You think it’s fun?”

She turned her head, blinked, and said: “You’ve never studied with me. How do you know it’s not fun?”

As she spoke, her lips curved into a smile—sweet and bright, her clear eyes carrying a hint of slyness.

Like a little fox.

The thought flashed through Pei Zhou’s mind. He clicked his tongue, then couldn’t help but mutter a curse under his breath.

---

Leaving the hospital and heading home.

On the way, sitting in the back seat, Lin Chuge frowned in worry.

“Uncle Wu…”

She asked, “If I tell my parents I just got hurt by accident, will they believe me?”

Uncle Wu answered sincerely: “No.”

Lin Chuge sighed, leaning back against the seat—forgetting about the bruise on her back, she hissed in pain.

“But I don’t want them to worry, or misunderstand.”

If it spread to the school, that would be even worse.

Uncle Wu didn’t reply this time. With his position, it wasn’t his place to give advice.

Lin Chuge didn’t press him, trying to figure it out herself.

But even after she got home, she still hadn’t come up with a solution.

Before getting out of the car, she reminded Uncle Wu: “My injury really isn’t Pei Zhou’s fault.”

It was already past seven.

At last, seeing her daughter return, Chi Haiyin came out from the villa and stood under the porch.

Carrying her backpack and medicine, Lin Chuge stepped out of the car and looked up to see her mother smiling warmly: “You’re back?”

She rushed forward, threw herself into her mother’s arms, and sobbed: “Mom!”

Chi Haiyin raised her hand to hold her gently, speaking softly: “Chu Chu, what’s wrong?”

Lin Chuge lifted her tearful face: “My back… it hurts.”

Chi Haiyin asked again: “What happened?”

“Mom, I got hurt…” Lin Chuge said pitifully. “I did something stupid today.”

Glancing at Uncle Wu, Chi Haiyin quickly pulled her daughter inside.

She sat her down on the sofa in the living room, then, avoiding the others, checked her daughter’s back. Seeing the shocking bruise, she crouched down and held her hand:

“How did this happen? Did you go to the hospital?”

“Yes, we just came back.”

Lin Chuge answered obediently, tugging her mother down to sit with her.

Then she leaned against her, burying her face in her mother’s shoulder, and explained quietly:

“On Friday, when I went to Grandma and Grandpa’s, I met Grandpa and Grandma Li. Their grandson goes to the same school and grade as me, so I sort of know him now.”

“Today after school, I went to find him. But outside the school, I ran into a group of guys…”

“They were carrying wooden and iron rods, saying they wanted to teach Grandpa and Grandma Li’s grandson a lesson.”

“So I secretly followed them.”

“Then they tried to ambush him, and… I stupidly blocked a blow for Grandma Li’s grandson.”

“That’s how I got hurt.”

She looked at her mother’s solemn face. “Mom, will you blame me?”

Hearing her daughter’s explanation, Chi Haiyin’s heart ached deeply.

Then, hearing the question, her expression softened at once.

“How could I blame you?”

She rubbed her daughter’s head gently, her voice warm:

“Chu Chu, you care for your classmates, protect your friends—how could I not be proud? Of course I feel heartache seeing you hurt, but that doesn’t mean you did something wrong.”

“The problem is, you’re just a little girl, aren’t you? You don’t have much strength, and you don’t know how to fight.”

“In situations like today’s, if you can stay calm and rational instead of impulsive, that would be best.” Her tone was patient and gentle. “No matter what, your dad and I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Lin Chuge hugged her mother tightly: “Mm, I know. Dad and Mom treat me the best.”

“Actually, I did call Uncle Wu for help, but…”

“Next time you run into something like this, let the adults handle it, okay?” Chi Haiyin said.

“Okay!” Lin Chuge promised earnestly. “I won’t act rashly next time.”

After settling the matter, Chi Haiyin accompanied her daughter upstairs.

She carefully applied the medicine on her back, asked what she wanted for dinner, then handed her the tutoring schedule from the agency.

“Chu Chu, look this over. If there are any issues, we’ll discuss it with the agency.”

“You stay in your room and rest first.”

“When dinner’s ready, I’ll come call you.”

Tutoring was important.

Taking the printed schedule, Lin Chuge nodded: “Okay, thank you, Mom.”

Chi Haiyin left her room, closing the door securely.

Back downstairs, she found Uncle Wu to confirm what had happened that afternoon. His version was about the same as her daughter’s.

“That classmate Chu Chu saved—what’s his name?”

Chi Haiyin asked.

“Pei Zhou, a second-year student in Class Six at Yinghua,” Uncle Wu answered.

“Class Six?”

Chi Haiyin recalled that Song Bonian was in Class Six. “Alright, I got it.”

She called Song Bonian, got Pei Zhou’s contact, and told him not to mention it to Chu Chu.

Then she dialed Pei Zhou.

Pei Zhou had gone home from the hospital too. After a shower, he came out of the bathroom and noticed his phone flashing on the coffee table.

A strange local number.

He wasn’t going to pick up, but after it rang several times, he answered.

“Hello? Who is this?”

A female voice came through the receiver:

“Hello, Pei Zhou. I’m Lin Chuge’s mother.”

“Sorry to bother you, but there’s something I’d like to discuss with you.”

The straightforward introduction, the words “Lin Chuge’s mother,” made Pei Zhou forget his doubts. Especially when she immediately mentioned how Lin Chuge had taken that iron bar for him… She was an elder, and since he owed Lin Chuge, his attitude became much more respectful.

After a few minutes, Pei Zhou understood what Chi Haiyin wanted.

Though he found it rather bizarre, he felt he had no reason to refuse.

“Alright, I’ll take care of it,” he agreed.

He hung up, tossed the phone onto the sofa, and ran a hand through his damp hair, chuckling to himself.

So now he understood a little better—why Lin Chuge had once put a cartoon band-aid on him in that alley.

Her thought process and her mom’s were exactly the fucking same!