After that day, the distance between Ji Pei and Chen Er gradually shortened, and their relationship was no longer just that of ordinary classmates.
Zhang Lu no longer blatantly caused trouble for Ji Pei.
Ji Pei also didn't pursue Zhang Lu's responsibility. On the surface, it seemed that he wanted to smooth things over, but only Chen Er knew that Ji Pei was far from being as simple as he appeared.
And the act of coming to the rescue that day was also Chen Er's deliberate move.
She needed to get closer to Ji Pei to better keep track of his actions.
Ji Pei and Chen Er tacitly didn't mention the incident from that year.
Chen Er had already found out about Ji Pei's family situation.
But she only knew that Ji Pei's mother was a prostitute. She was unaware of the abuse he had suffered from Ji Ying.
Chen Er discovered Ji Pei's extreme personality through casual observation.
Ji Pei was a bit of a loner. Although he didn't talk much, his excellent academic performance and good - looking appearance meant he wasn't isolated in the class.
Occasionally, during physical education class, Ji Pei would play basketball with his male classmates and go to the toilet with them, slinging an arm around each other's shoulders.
But more often than not, Ji Pei sat by the window, calculating math problems like a static landscape.
Ji Pei's deskmates were all boys without exception. The head - teacher thought he just wanted to study in peace, so they tried their best to accommodate his little quirks.
However, Chen Er detected the unknown character flaws in Ji Pei.
Once, during a general cleaning, a girl accidentally fell off a stool and happened to touch Ji Pei, who was wiping the table beside her.
Ji Pei, going against his gentle and elegant demeanor, roughly pushed the girl away.
Then he rushed out of the classroom and headed for the restroom, washing the part of his body that the girl had touched again and again.
Afterward, Ji Pei apologized to the girl, saying that he had recalled some unpleasant experiences and lost his temper for a moment.
The girl wasn't unreasonable and said she understood.
This little incident was soon forgotten by everyone.
Chen Er, hiding in the corner, witnessed the whole thing between the girl and Ji Pei. A glint of light flashed in her eyes, and she chose to keep this secret to herself without confronting Ji Pei directly.
Chen Er was well aware of Ji Pei's feelings for her.
But at the same time, Ji Pei would inadvertently keep his distance from her. At school, he never took the initiative to talk to Chen Er.
Only after leaving school would Ji Pei act like he was familiar with Chen Er again, chatting happily with her.
This ambivalent attitude of liking yet keeping a distance made Chen Er both amused and annoyed. She thought Ji Pei was rather childish.
Chen Er was precocious and independent, having her own little group. She lived a wild and unrestrained life, and even the teachers couldn't do anything to her.
She and the well - behaved and timid Ji Pei were like two extremes.
Just like Ji Pei's feelings for Chen Er, he disdained her but was also deeply in love with her.
Ji Pei had his own pride. In essence, he was reluctant to be associated with students like Chen Er, who were poor academically.
But in his heart, Ji Pei was unconsciously drawn to the little bit of warmth he saw in Chen Er during that school - bullying incident. It was like a fatal poison, attracting him closer to Chen Er.
Chen Er patiently waited for Ji Pei to explode.
Although Chen Er was a bit surprised that Zhang Lu got the recommendation quota, after careful thought, she discovered the tricks behind it.
It must be that Zhang Lu had found out about the secret Ji Pei had been hiding all along, which was why this situation of the usurper taking over the nest had occurred.
Chen Er had a hunch that Ji Pei was about to lose his temper.
She just didn't expect Sheng Qingqiu to die.
Chen Er was an indifferent person to everyone except those close to her, but she also had a kind heart and couldn't bear to see casualties.
So, in essence, Chen Er was a contradictory person.
On May 7th, Chen Er got drunk at a party and passed out in an alley. When she woke up, she learned that the police had listed her as one of the suspects at the scene.
Chen Er knew that it was Ji Pei who had done it.
But she couldn't say anything.
She deliberately acted like a delinquent girl to reduce Jiang Cong's suspicion and vigilance towards her, even though she wasn't involved in this case.
Ji Pei was too smart. If she showed any signs of guilt, Ji Pei might act recklessly and expose her secrets.
So she could only guide Jiang Cong step by step in a way that no one would notice.
In this way, Ji Pei wouldn't find out, and Jiang Cong could solve the case. It was truly a win - win situation.
Secretly, Chen Er scattered a small amount of white calcium carbonate powder in the alley. Then she deliberately reminded Jiang Cong, luring him to test the composition of the white powder.
During Jiang Cong's investigation, Chen Er was afraid that Ji Pei might lose control and kill someone on impulse.
People with extreme personalities were very emotionally unstable.
If Zhang Lu accidentally angered Ji Pei, or if Ji Pei transferred his hatred for Sheng Qingqiu to Zhang Lu, it could lead to immeasurable consequences.
After much thought, Chen Er first used her hacker skills to break into the police station's firewall and sent an anonymous message to Qin An's computer.
Then, she slipped a letter into Ji Pei's mailbox, warning him not to act rashly.
Chen Er believed that Jiang Cong would find out the truth sooner or later, but Ji Pei was clearly losing his patience. So she had to guide Jiang Cong to discover the secret room before he struck again.
However, before Chen Er could send a guiding message, Jiang Cong led a team to the alley and rescued Zhang Lu.
Chen Er still remembered the smile Ji Pei gave her at the alley entrance before he left that day.
At that moment, Chen Er suddenly realized.
It turned out that Ji Pei knew everything.
But he said nothing and let Chen Er do as she pleased.
For some reason, Chen Er felt a twinge of indescribable guilt.
Invisibly, she had used the boy's feelings for her to achieve her own goals.
Yes, Chen Er actually had her own selfish motives.
Because she was afraid that Ji Pei would expose the events of that year, she hoped that the police would arrest Ji Pei.
But Chen Er didn't want Ji Pei to receive a heavier sentence and waste the rest of his life in prison. So she sent him a message.
Chen Er herself couldn't tell if it was a warning or an exhortation.
Now, Ji Pei had chosen a decisive and thorough way to leave this world.
Maybe it was his way of atoning for his sins and also his release.
He no longer had to live in fear.
Chen Er lowered her head and slowly hugged her knees. "I hope you'll be happy in your next life."
The girl's blessing drifted away with the wind, sent to the one who had already left.