When Will My Childhood Sweetheart Marry Me?-Chapter 146: Betting His Life for Her

Pei Yan touched the spot where she had kicked him, but the girl had refrained from using too much force, as if tickling him.

He chuckled lowly, "If you’re not sleepy, just say so, no need to be so fierce."

That was the first time he had laughed that night, and it was because he was teasing her.

Jiang Shuyao inexplicably couldn’t get angry, instead feeling an unbearable ache in her heart.

During dinner, Capital University of Technology called again, informing her that the documents sent to her had been signed for and wanted to confirm if she had received them.

She suddenly remembered that a package had indeed arrived at the community today, but she had forgotten to pick it up when she went upstairs.

After a brief conversation, the two facing each other glanced at one another and tacitly realized that there were only four days left to fill out their college applications.

The first question that flashed through Jiang Shuyao’s mind was whether to wait longer for news from Yangjin or to settle on a university soon to ease her mind.

Lost in thought, she asked Pei Yan without thinking, "What major are you interested in?"

Pei Yan said, "Computer Science."

Huh? 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

Jiang Shuyao thought she had misheard. This guy was bound to return to the real estate finance industry in the future. It made no sense for him to study computer science.

Seeing her confusion, Pei Yan explained lightly, "Traditional industries are not what they used to be, Old Pei’s era is over. I plan to take a circuitous route to save the country."

Take a circuitous route to save the country...

She pursed her lips and gave a light laugh, appreciating his use of the idiom.

Her smile half-formed, Jiang Shuyao looked down and took a bite of her rice, "Pei Yan, why don’t you go to Los Angeles?"

Some words are said so casually that they seem lighter than a feather.

It was like casual dinner conversation, the atmosphere harmonious.

Pei Yan didn’t even lift his head as he asked indifferently, "For how long?"

Her hand holding the spoon stiffened slightly, not understanding the purpose of his question.

But it was apparent that he was not pleased.

Jiang Shuyao lightly lifted her eyes, trying to look relaxed as she faced him, "As long as you want, until your godmother’s illness gets better, you can come back anytime."

Come back anytime.

Pei Yan coldly curved his lips.

This trip would be for more than a year. If going meant studying abroad, plus with the severe international pandemic and the uncertain future, coming back anytime soon would be extremely difficult.

She was so clever, there was no need to pretend not to understand something so obvious.

The food on his plate suddenly seemed tasteless.

Pei Yan put down his utensils, leaned back, and fixed a piercing gaze on the girl’s face, "Did Lin Zhen say something to you?"

The air paused for two seconds.

Jiang Shuyao quickly shook her head in denial, "No, it was my own idea."

Godmother didn’t know about their relationship, so how could she ask her to intercede?

However, Pei Yan wasn’t satisfied with her answer.

He reached out and held her chin, forcing her to look into his eyes.

"I’m only going to say this once, and it’s the last time, I’m not going to Los Angeles. From now on, don’t mention this to me again."

Jiang Shuyao was shockingly speechless at the harshness in his words.

After a while, she barely found her voice, "But she’s your mother, how can you say that?"

Could any rift be deeper than a mother’s life?

Moreover, to be so resolute, so unthinkingly uttering such words.

Jiang Shuyao stared blankly at him, as if seeing a stranger.

The look in the girl’s eyes deeply pained Pei Yan’s heart.

His smile was cold, his voice hoarse as if rusted with iron sand, "Jiang Shuyao, I’m your boyfriend, not a moral tool you can use to manipulate familial affection."

She choked on her words as she retorted, "I didn’t."

Pei Yan didn’t listen to her at all. "A few years go by, and you come back married with children." He paused, revealing a mocking smile. "What, do you want to watch me take a knife to someone, and rot in prison?"

"How could you come back and I be married by then, you—"

Jiang Shuyao was so angry she choked up, stopping for a few seconds as her mind slowly cleared.

So this bastard didn’t go to Los Angeles because of her?

He didn’t want a long-distance relationship, didn’t want to be apart for years, he didn’t want...

Jiang Shuyao felt deflated in an instant.

Neither did she.

Nobody wanted to be separated from someone they loved.

The envisioned future should have been both of them in the same city, studying while dating, occasionally arguing, bickering now and then, being able to travel together during holidays. She even thought that if possible, she’d like to go from school uniforms to wedding dresses with him.

But Yan.

Her eyes moistened as she cast them downward, her vision blurring with mist.

Life wasn’t just about love.

Your family, your mother, she was sick and her life fading; she needed you more.

The girl kept her head down, not speaking, while Pei Yan sat opposite, quietly watching her.

The living room clock pointed to nine o’clock, emitting a faint gear sound.

He stood up from the chair, retracted his gaze lightly, and before leaving, he seemed to issue her an ultimatum.

"From now on, you’d better stay out of it. Let others call me heartless or beastly; I’ll take it all. But asking me to leave you, that’s not going to happen."

Her hearing blurred, the loud sound of the door shutting at the entryway yanked her harshly back to reality.

Under the light, two dinner plates were neatly arranged.

As if the argument had all been an illusion.

Jiang Shuyao tensed up, slowly burying her head in her arms, closing her eyes.

What was she to do?

Pei Yan, what should I do with you?

That night, instead of wishing each other good night as usual, both tacitly confronted each other with their cold indifference.

Jiang Shuyao held her phone, editing and deleting words in the WeChat message box over and over again.

She was conflicted, distressed.

And yet, she felt unbearable pain for that bastard.

But she still had to stand by her decision.

If because of her, Pei Yan couldn’t accompany his foster mother in her last journey...

She would live a lifetime burdened with guilt.

But Jiang Shuyao never considered that someone as obstinate as Pei Yan, even knowing he might regret it someday, even if given another chance, would still stubbornly stay by her side, fighting with all his might to not let go.

Before he turned sixteen, the most important woman in Pei Yan’s life was Lin Zhen. After sixteen, his blood carried a single name—Jiang Shuyao.

He had thought of her for so many years.

Every night, in every dream, he wanted to be with her, to kiss her, to make her laugh, to hold her hand; it ached to the bone.

During his severest bouts of irritability, recalling the girl’s healing smile in the backyard made him want to steal her away and hide her in his room, watching her every day, never getting enough.

When the devil broke out in illness, even his mentality was sick. Whenever Pei Yan calmed down, he realized he simply wasn’t worthy of her.

His princess was so wonderful, skilled in writing and drawing, even her weakest skill, public speaking, could receive thunderous applause on the youth competition stage.

And what did he have?

Pei Yan smirked.

He had nothing, so it was only natural for her not to like him initially.

But that was alright, he still had his life, to live and die for her, to stake his entire life for her.