Chapter 100: [Do You Understand?]

Chapter 100: "Do You Understand?"

Seeing Chen Xiao standing there, stunned and blushing furiously, Phoenix gave a soft, sweet, and charming smile. She walked slowly toward him, raised her small hand to wave in front of his face, and chuckled, "Hey? Are you stunned into silence? Or is your heart blooming with joy?"

Without waiting for Chen Xiao to explain, she added playfully, "I know, you must like me."

With a hint of mischief in her eyes, she glanced at him and said softly, "I know you were peeking through the door crack at me just now... at my legs, weren't you?"

Chen Xiao’s handsome face turned beet red.

"Did you or didn't you?" Phoenix suddenly put on a stern face to interrogate him, though she did a poor job of it, as a trace of amusement still lingered in her eyes.

How could Chen Xiao admit it now? Besides, he had only caught a glimpse by accident, not out of any deliberate voyeurism. He shook his head immediately: "No! I really didn't!"

"No?" Phoenix hummed, wrinkling her nose adorably. She tilted her head, pondered for a moment, and asked, "Then, were you harboring any bad thoughts just now?"

Chen Xiao hurriedly shook his head again: "No! Absolutely not!"

Phoenix looked at him once more. "Then... do you think of me in your heart?"

"This..." Chen Xiao hesitated. While it was true, saying it out loud now made him feel rather embarrassed.

Just as he was wavering, Phoenix sighed intentionally, keeping a straight face as she pretended to be serious: "This is allowed!"

The two young people looked at each other and burst into laughter at the final remark. The previously awkward atmosphere seemed to vanish with that shared moment of mirth.

"Actually..." Chen Xiao’s face flushed again. He hesitated for a moment before whispering, "In my schoolbag... I’ve always kept a pack of gum... Extra."

"Oh? Is that the pack I left with you last time?" Phoenix’s eyes widened, filled with laughter, though she soon shook her head with a smile. "Alright, let's not mention it anymore, or the readers will think the author accepted advertising fees."

Chen Xiao stared blankly at the exquisite and beautiful girl before him. In his eyes, every expression she made, every smile, and even the curve of her eyebrows seemed to have reached the pinnacle of beauty.

Phoenix, perhaps feeling shy under his prolonged gaze, suddenly turned away. As she turned, her long, beautiful hair swept across Chen Xiao’s face, carrying a faint, enchanting fragrance that left him spellbound.

She walked to the window. In the suite’s large floor-to-ceiling bay window, the sunlight was brilliant. She stood with her side to Chen Xiao and raised her hand, opening her palm before her eyes. The radiant sunlight streamed through the glass, illuminating her hand until the delicate skin looked almost translucent.

Phoenix squinted, basking in the sunlight. Chen Xiao, standing beside her, felt no boredom at all. He felt that as long as this girl remained within his sight—even if she didn't speak and just stood there quietly—it was a wonderful, wonderful thing.

They stood there for nearly ten minutes, yet Chen Xiao felt only peace and joy, without a trace of restlessness.

Finally, Phoenix, still squinting and without turning back, asked softly, "Is it beautiful?"

"...It is." Chen Xiao hesitated for a moment before nodding gently.

"Do you... like me because I’m beautiful?" Phoenix turned her head. With her profile against the sunlight, she looked at Chen Xiao, her presence filled with an intoxicating vitality.

"You are indeed very beautiful," Chen Xiao said thoughtfully and with great sincerity. "But that’s not entirely why."

Phoenix smiled. She suddenly pulled at her eyelid with a finger, made a funny face, and asked, "But even the most beautiful appearance will grow old one day... And aren't you afraid that my face is fake? I’m no ordinary person; perhaps I have the ability to mimic and change my looks. In reality, I might be a monster..."

Watching Phoenix blink playfully as she joked, a sudden surge of impulse rose from the depths of his heart.

"Phoenix... I, I like you!"

As the words tumbled out, the boy’s heart hammered against his ribs. His mouth felt dry, and his heart raced so fast he felt as if he might expire at any moment.

Phoenix closed her mouth, seemingly taken aback. Although she had been teasing him, she hadn't expected Chen Xiao to actually say it so bluntly.

After the heat of the moment, Chen Xiao felt a sudden surge of nervousness. He looked at Phoenix, swallowed hard, and took a deep breath to steady himself. His eyes filled with sincerity as he spoke slowly: "I... I have never confessed to a girl before, and I have never truly liked anyone. So... I don't know how to tell you."

Chen Xiao’s sincere gaze met hers. The playful look vanished from her face, and her expression softened. A hint of shyness flickered in her eyes as she whispered, "Go on, tell me."

"Okay!" Encouraged, Chen Xiao continued, "That first time I saw you at the coffee shop, you were so beautiful... and I don't know why, but I just loved watching you smile. And the way you joke around and play pranks."

As he spoke, his thoughts became clearer, and his words flowed more naturally.

"...Actually, I’ve always been a very reserved person. Since I was a child, my parents weren't around, so I was quite lonely. I didn't have many friends, and I rarely smiled because I felt there was nothing that made me happy. Even later, after my parents were gone and I lived alone, if it weren't for Xu Ershao at school, I probably would rarely speak at all."

Chen Xiao sighed. "I’m a very simple person. I don't like things that are too complicated or too heavy. I suppose I’m someone without grand ambitions. My only wish in life is to live simply. I never thought about standing out, becoming a big shot, or achieving anything great... I just want a peaceful, ordinary life. A simple home, a simple house, a simple life, and a job that allows me to keep things uncomplicated.

"But my experiences have made it hard for me to feel at ease. These years, I’ve been so tired, struggling alone. Yet, for some reason, the day I met you, I had a feeling—whenever I’m with you, even if you’re just saying a few casual words or cracking a joke, it makes me so incredibly happy. Do you know? Your smile is infectious, and your eyes, your voice... they seem to plant that ease and joy in my heart. After you left, I would think of you occasionally, and every time I did, I would find myself smiling without realizing it... That has never happened before."

As he spoke, his voice grew tender, and his eyes softened like water. His initial agitation faded, replaced by a calm, composed demeanor.

Finally, he gazed at Phoenix:

"I know you are such a beautiful girl. And there are so many magical things about you. You are an extraordinary, beautiful woman. A girl as outstanding as you must have had many men confess their admiration to you throughout your life—in the past, now, and certainly in the future. Perhaps you’ve heard countless passionate words and elaborate flattery, to the point where you are accustomed to them, or even disdain them. But..."

He took a deep breath. "But at least these words I’m saying now, while perhaps not eloquent, are the most sincere things in my heart. I don't expect you to give me anything in return... I just wanted to tell you. At least I thought it, and I said it. I expressed it to you. No matter how you react, at least I did it, and I won't have any regrets."

After saying all this, Chen Xiao stared at Phoenix and spoke his final sentence, his voice trembling slightly:

"Phoenix, I like you. What about... what about you?"

Phoenix listened silently. The boy’s words were a bit clumsy, nervous, and even incoherent. But she could feel the sincerity in his bright eyes and in his voice.

She didn't say a word. After he finished, she turned to face him and walked slowly toward him.

Her steps were light, her bare feet pressing into the soft carpet as she came to a stop right in front of him. They were so close now. Phoenix looked up into his eyes, a flicker of a smile appearing in hers. With her hands behind her back, she stood on her tiptoes and brushed a light kiss onto his left cheek.

"That is my answer. Do you understand now?"

The girl smiled, her eyebrows curved like crescent moons.