Chapter 20 Flowers on Your Face?

Chapter 20 Flowers on Your Face?

Beyond the crossroads was a school.

There weren't many people in town, so there was only one school, catering from kindergarten to junior high school. It seemed like it had many grades, but there were only about one or two hundred students.

Qiu Yiyao left Moon Carp Town with her parents when she was five years old. Before that, she had attended kindergarten at this school for a year, which could be considered her alma mater.

So, now that she was back, she wanted to visit.

Before reaching the gate, she heard the joyful laughter of children, evoking Qiu Yiyao's childhood memories.

In her memory, her student life was very happy. With the love of her parents and the care of her neighbors, she grew up happily, remaining as innocent as a child even at twenty years old.

Qiu Yiyao quickly walked to the fence and peered through the gaps.

She saw many children on the playground, some who looked like they were still in kindergarten, and others who were tall, almost adult-sized, being senior students.

Some were running, while others were joyfully chasing each other, playing games.

They haven't started summer vacation yet?

Qiu Yiyao was quite impressed. Other schools would have their gates tightly shut by now. Even if there were students, they would only be senior students attending summer classes; she had never seen a school where all grades, from low to high, were having supplementary lessons.

A child noticed Qiu Yiyao and ran over excitedly.

"Who are you?"

The boy grabbed the fence with both hands and looked up at her curiously.

Looking at his young face, Qiu Yiyao smiled. "I won't tell you, guess."

The boy frowned slightly, leaning closer to Qiu Yiyao and sniffing, seemingly smelling her scent.

"I know, you're not from here."

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao laughed. "Oh, your little nose is pretty sharp, figuring it out so quickly?"

"That's right." The boy was a bit proud. "Mom said strangers have..."

As he spoke, a man wearing a white T-shirt and glasses, who looked like a teacher, came from behind and patted the boy's shoulder sternly. "Why aren't you in class? What are you doing here?"

The boy glanced back at him, fear on his face, stuck out his tongue at Qiu Yiyao, and ran back to the playground.

The teacher sized up Qiu Yiyao, pushing his glasses up. "This is a school full of children. Lurking around here will affect their classes."

Qiu Yiyao felt a bit embarrassed. "Sorry, I just happened to pass by, I'll leave now."

Turning around, she saw Bai Peiyu standing under a tree by the roadside, looking at her.

"Are you stalking me?"

After the lesson in the alley, Qiu Yiyao instinctively felt he was here to take her away again, feeling annoyed. "Can't you show some backbone? Just because my dad told you to catch me and bring me back, you listen?"

Bai Peiyu leaned against the tree, silent.

"You're mute? Fine, if you're not talking, then I'm leaving."

Qiu Yiyao turned around. There was a small path next to the school. She had checked the map before, and the path led directly to the Police Department, allowing her to inquire about the cases along the way.

Thinking this, Qiu Yiyao secretly glanced at Bai Peiyu, noticing his relaxed expression, and cautiously took a few steps back.

"He's not moving, not only mute but blind too."

Qiu Yiyao chuckled inwardly, swiftly turning and sprinting down the path, glancing back as she ran. Bai Peiyu remained leaning against the tree, showing no intention of chasing after her.

Is he not here to take me back today?

Qiu Yiyao was puzzled, but then thought, better not.

Although the path was next to the school, it was overgrown with weeds, indicating that it was rarely used.

After taking a few steps, a pungent smell drifted over, and Qiu Yiyao couldn't help covering her nose.

"What's that smell? It stinks."

She frowned, fanning the air in front of her.

Suddenly, the grass ahead began to rustle, accompanied by a rustling sound.

Qiu Yiyao stopped, feeling a bit panicked. Judging by the movement in the grass, it didn't seem like frogs or crickets—could it be a snake?

At this thought, she involuntarily took a step back, intending to turn and run, when something flew out of the grass.

Before she could react, a cool, slimy sensation spread across her arm.

Qiu Yiyao's breath caught, her legs trembling as she squinted in fear and turned. A finger-thick worm lay quietly on her arm.

"Ahh!"

Terrified, she shook her hand wildly and charged forward.

Growing up, apart from ghosts and spirits, she feared nothing more than these slimy, ugly worms.

Her screams echoed from the path to the intersection.

Bai Peiyu stood under the tree at the intersection and saw Qiu Yiyao screaming as she ran towards him. He reached out and grabbed her. "It's broad daylight, did you see a ghost again? You scream like you're calling spirits."

"Ahh!"

Seeing Bai Peiyu, Qiu Yiyao called out louder. She didn't understand how he had managed to reach the intersection in such a short time, considering it should have been twice as far if he took a detour.

Bai Peiyu frowned in disdain and covered her mouth: "Stop shouting."

Passersby glanced at them in confusion as they walked by.

Without hesitation, Bai Peiyu pulled Qiu Yiyao into his arms.

The familiar, pleasant scent drifted into her nose through the gaps between his fingers. Qiu Yiyao felt her wildly beating heart gradually calm down, and she involuntarily relaxed.

Bai Peiyu noticed this and released her. "Done being crazy? Then let's go back."

"Why should I listen to you? Who are you to me?"

Qiu Yiyao stuck out her tongue at him and touched her slightly disheveled hair. "I'm warning you, mind your own business about my affairs, or..."

"Or what?" A mocking smile appeared on Bai Peiyu's lips. "Are you going to beat me up?"

Hearing this, Qiu Yiyao, who had just taken a step forward, stepped back and waved her fist in front of him. "Do you think I wouldn't dare, or that you could beat me?"

Though she hadn't formally studied martial arts or taekwondo, she had grown up watching action movies and learned some basic self-defense techniques from her teacher at school. Seeing Bai Peiyu's slim figure, she didn't take him seriously.

To her surprise, Bai Peiyu sneered even more. "Oh, I didn't know you were so spirited."

"Hmph, I'm not talking to you anymore. I have important things to do."

Qiu Yiyao didn't want to waste her breath. It was getting late, and she still needed to get to the Police Department.

But after taking only a few steps, her collar was grabbed.

"I promised Uncle Qiu that I'd keep an eye on you. Let's go home."

Frustrated, Qiu Yiyao stomped her foot. "Keeping an eye on me doesn't mean we have to go home! Can't you just watch from the side?"

"Do you have flowers on your face? Are you that interesting to look at? Just go home. I have things to do."

Bai Peiyu's patience was wearing thin, and his tone became even more unpleasant.

"You do your thing. How about this: we meet here in an hour. During this hour, we won't bother each other."

Qiu Yiyao thought her suggestion was reasonable, but Bai Peiyu didn't even consider it. "No bargaining. Let's go. Don't make me carry you back in public."

"Boring. Hmph, do whatever you want."

Qiu Yiyao always liked to defy those she didn't get along with. She waved her hand and provocatively tried to walk past Bai Peiyu toward the Police Department across the street.

Suddenly, she felt her feet lose their grip, and everything around her spun.

Bai Peiyu's voice echoed in her ears: "Such a troublesome woman."