After Youyou’s return, their home finally got back some of its energy. This vitality was difficult to describe in words. At least Yun Shishi came to an end of a long bout of insomnia, and she could finally sleep peacefully at night.
At night, the boy was reading. He had a habit of reading, which Gong Fan never had.
Little Yichen sneaked into the room and saw that he was engrossed in his book. He didn’t have the heart to disturb him. Instead, he moved a chair next to him and watched him quietly, his chin resting on his hand.
Out of the corner of his eye, Youyou saw him come in. He thought the boy was here to disturb his reading and pester him to play. However he was surprised to find him sitting quietly by his side without making any such request.
He put the book aside and looked at the boy in surprise. “What do you want?”
Little Yichen looked at him lazily with his chin still on his hand. “You know what I envy most about you?” he said with jealousy.
“Mmmm?”
The boy answered truthfully. “No matter which personality, Gong Fan or you, you excel at learning. Why don’t I have a talent for learning?”
Youyou smiled at that. “No matter which personality, we have clever brains. I quite envy you too, actually.”
“Oh?” When Little Yichen heard that Youyou was actually envious of him, he asked eagerly, “What do you envy about me?”
“I envy you for your stupidity.”
Little Yichen looked bewildered.
Huh?
???
Stupidity?
The boy said matter-of-factly, “You know how it is! Fools are blessed in a certain way. Those who are usually a little dumber don’t think too much, and they don’t worry too much. You see, the smarter they are, the more worries they have. It’s the fools who are happy every day. I wonder what they’re so happy about.”
Little Yichen said nothing.He thought Youyou was going to compliment him. But he had instead shot him in the knee.
So angry.
Little Yichen crossed his arms sulkily and glared at his brother. “I’m your brother. How is it that you have the heart to bully me?”
The boy raised his eyebrows but said nothing more. A sudden thought struck him, and he asked suspiciously, “Do you know the girl who shares my desk?”
“Eh? Do you mean Qing’er?”
Youyou racked his brain, trying to recall her name, but he couldn’t. “Seems like it.”
After his return, he went back to school without delay. He was now in the fourth grade. When he went to school today, for some reason, the girl sharing his desk seemed to treat him in a special way.
“She seemed afraid of me at first, but… I saw there was something special in the way she looked at me. I can’t describe it. It feels strange.”
“Well, Qing’er likes you.” Little Yichen smiled. “In the past, when you weren’t around, Gong Fan was famous as the Ice Prince in school.”
“Prince?” Youyou chuckled at that.
Were young girls these days so chuunibyou that they used the word “prince” to describe a boy?
Youyou was curious. “What was Gong Fan like in school?”
“He… wasn’t very talkative. He’s cold to everyone but scores excellent grades. He’s the kind of guy who can easily top the class.”
Little Yichen paused and continued, “These days, there are a few reasons why a girl might like a boy: good looks, good grades, good family background.”
