Chen Chao was clearly angry. Miao Jiayan didn't dare to get close and could only follow behind him from a short distance, slowly walking home.

His ankle was very sore, hurting a little with every step he took.

Seeing Chen Chao lose his temper, Ding Wentao didn't dare to follow anymore. He also had a guilty conscience; just now, he had been calling him "little pervert" one after another, and he was a little afraid Chen Chao would be angry with him. He couldn't beat Chen Chao in a fight, and besides, he didn't want to fight.

Miao Jiayan followed Chen Chao all the way home. Chen Chao pushed open the gate to the Chen Family's courtyard, and the gate slammed against the wall with a "clang."

Grandpa Chen was in the middle of nailing a small stool. Seeing Chen Chao return with a dark face, he asked, "What's wrong? Got into a fight?"

Chen Chao said, "No."

Grandpa Chen saw Miao Jiayan standing at the entrance, not daring to come in, and asked, "Miao'er, what's wrong?"

Chen Chao had already gone inside and upstairs. Miao Jiayan said, "It's nothing, Grandpa Chen."

"Did you two have a fight?" Grandpa Chen asked Miao Jiayan in a low voice.

"No." Miao Jiayan shook his head, then looked again at the window of Chen Chao's room.

Miao Jiayan had witnessed Chen Chao's foul temper since the very first day he arrived. In the year or so since then, Miao Jiayan had seen him get angry a few times. Usually, as soon as Chen Chao's face fell, Miao Jiayan wouldn't dare to speak.

For the next few days, Chen Chao didn't even speak to him. Miao Jiayan followed behind like a punching bag, but he was clumsy with words and didn't know how to coax him, so he could only be a silent little tail.

On Saturday at noon, Grandma Chen was hanging laundry in the courtyard. Grandpa Chen had gone to the greenhouse.

Miao Jiayan slowly wandered over from next door. He first entered the courtyard and scanned the area, but didn't see Chen Chao.

"He's upstairs. Go play with him," Grandma Chen told him with a smile.

Miao Jiayan smiled back, came over to help Grandma Chen finish hanging the clothes, and only then went upstairs.

On the shoe rack next to the staircase landing were many pairs of Chen Chao's shoes; all sorts of sneakers and canvas shoes filled the rack. Draped over the back of the small living room sofa were several of Chen Chao's clothes, piled one on top of the other. Miao Jiayan first went over to fold the clothes neatly and place them to the side before gently pushing open the door to Chen Chao's room.

Chen Chao was lying on the bed with his eyes closed, one leg propped up and the other lying flat in a very casual posture.

Miao Jiayan walked over, trying his best not to make a sound with his footsteps. He walked to Chen Chao's bedside and looked at him; he seemed to be asleep.

Without opening his eyes, Chen Chao turned over, his back facing outward.

Miao Jiayan tentatively called out, "Gege?"

Chen Chao ignored him.

Miao Jiayan bent down slightly, leaning over to look at Chen Chao's face, and called out again, "Gege?"

Without even opening his eyes, Chen Chao reached back and pushed him away.

Having been pushed away, Miao Jiayan didn't dare to force himself closer. He also didn't know what to say, so he could only stand there stiffly by the bed.

It was quite cold in the room at this time. Chen Chao was only wearing a long-sleeved T-shirt, not even a sweater. Miao Jiayan stood there for a long time, not knowing if he was asleep or not. Fearing he would get cold while sleeping, he picked up the blanket from above Chen Chao's head, unfolded it, and draped it over him.

Chen Chao didn't chase him away. After a while, Miao Jiayan's legs grew tired, and he sat down on the edge of the bed by Chen Chao's legs.

That evening, Miao Jiayan ate dinner at the Chen Family's place. At the dinner table, he tried several times to start a conversation with Chen Chao, but couldn't manage it.

Grandpa Chen and Grandma Chen could also see that their grandson was angry, and they watched on with amusement as if it were a fun event. Miao Jiayan had no experience placating people. His grandparents didn't get angry with him, and when his parents were angry, he didn't dare approach them. Other than them, he had no friends to speak of. It could be said that in all his life, Miao Jiayan had never encountered a situation like this.

And the one time he did, he ran into the exceedingly difficult Chen Chao.

The situation was, for a time, very thorny.

At school, Ding Wentao also didn't dare to get close to Chen Chao, and it was quite awkward.

At first, he thought Miao Jiayan and Chen Chao were actually related because he called him "Gege." Later, he asked around at home and found out they were just neighbors. Knowing they were only neighbors, he relaxed a lot. What was a neighbor? He and Chen Chao had a long-standing family friendship.

"Brother Chao, are you really mad at me because of that little... kid?" Ding Wentao almost let it slip, but fortunately, he caught himself in time.

Chen Chao wasn't really angry with him; it was just a difference in beliefs. At most, they had no common ground, but it wasn't worth getting angry over.

"I didn't know you two knew each other before, and besides, I never bullied him," Ding Wentao felt quite wronged. "I've never even spoken to him, nor have I ever scared him."

Although Ding Wentao also liked to fight, he still had his limits compared to some of the "school tyrants." He didn't bully honest students, at most just posturing with his own kind; it wasn't indiscriminate aggression.

Chen Chao had no reason to force others to see Miao Jiayan as normally as he did, and others couldn't do it either.

"Since you've never spoken to him, and he's never provoked you," Chen Chao zipped up his schoolbag, "don't call him that anymore in the future."

"If you don't like hearing it, I won't say it," Ding Wentao said with a smile. "I only said it because everyone else did."

There were still ten minutes before the bell would ring for the end of class. The teacher wasn't there, and the classroom was in an uproar. Chen Chao was already packing his things to leave. Seeing that he was about to go, Ding Wentao also stood up.

Chen Chao said, "I'm going upstairs for a bit. Are you coming with me or not?"

"What for?" Ding Wentao grabbed his schoolbag and followed. "I'm coming, I'm coming!"

The third floor was the first-years' floor. They were on the third floor last year and had only moved to the second floor this year. Ding Wentao followed Chen Chao upstairs, completely baffled, and stood at the door of Class Three, First Year, looking into the classroom. Miao Jiayan was small and sat in the front row by the wall.

A classroom without a teacher was just as chaotic. The students were only waiting for the bell to ring. Miao Jiayan already had his schoolbag on. Seeing someone at the door, he casually glanced up.

When he saw Chen Chao, he jolted and subconsciously sat up straight.

Chen Chao hadn't spoken to him for many days. Miao Jiayan was truly surprised to see him here.

Chen Chao, with a cold expression, beckoned to him.

Miao Jiayan didn't move. All his classmates were sitting in the classroom, and it was clear that Miao Jiayan was struggling.

Ding Wentao popped his head out from beside Chen Chao. The students in the front row saw him and all looked toward the few troublemakers in the class who liked to fight, wondering who he was here to fight.

Chen Chao only stared at Miao Jiayan. Some of the students in the classroom followed his gaze and also looked over.

Miao Jiayan looked at Chen Chao with pleading eyes. When he looked at people this way, his eyes always seemed a bit pitiful. Chen Chao didn't care if he was pitiful or not and made a "three" gesture at Miao Jiayan.

Before Miao Jiayan could understand, Chen Chao's hand gesture changed to a "two."

Before Chen Chao could make a "one" gesture, Miao Jiayan couldn't care about anything else and shot up from his seat with a "thud."

When Miao Jiayan came out, Chen Chao put an arm around his shoulder and led him to the side by the window. Miao Jiayan looked at Chen Chao helplessly. Chen Chao didn't speak to him, only made him stand there.

The end-of-class bell rang. Students filed out of the classroom and saw Chen Chao and Ding Wentao leaning against the windowsill. Chen Chao's hand was on Miao Jiayan's head, smoothing his hair.

"Next time I call you, be quicker," Chen Chao said, looking down at Miao Jiayan. "Don't act like you're slow on the uptake."

Miao Jiayan was very constrained, standing rigidly straight. The students in the hallway were all looking at them. Some saw Ding Wentao and came over to greet him.

Chen Chao pushed Miao Jiayan's back, leading him downstairs.

"Can't you talk?" Chen Chao asked with a frown.

After being ignored by Chen Chao for so many days, Miao Jiayan didn't dare to defy anything Chen Chao said now. He could only immediately say, "I can."

"You can, but you don't?" Chen Chao's expression was still fierce, his hand constantly resting on Miao Jiayan's back.

Miao Jiayan was so nervous he didn't know what to say. Afraid that Chen Chao would get angry again, he could only sneak glances at him.

That day, Chen Chao didn't let Miao Jiayan take the school bus, leading him all the way home like this. Along the way, Ding Wentao chattered on endlessly beside them as usual. Miao Jiayan was held by the strap of his schoolbag by Chen Chao the entire time; he couldn't leave even if he wanted to.

His hair was full of static. Chen Chao's hand was messily covered by Miao Jiayan's hair. Occasionally, when it felt itchy, Chen Chao would rub the back of his hand on Miao Jiayan's schoolbag.

Students coming and going on the road would look their way. Miao Jiayan was held in Chen Chao's grasp. Chen Chao and Ding Wentao were both tall with long legs. After walking for a while, Miao Jiayan couldn't keep up, so Chen Chao would lift his schoolbag to pull him forward.

The cotton fields by the road had long been harvested. Now the fields were empty, with only a very thin, almost invisible layer of snow.

Chen Chao held onto him all the way to his front door before finally letting go and entering his own home.

Miao Jiayan was left at the door, looking at Chen Chao, thinking he seemed less angry, but he wasn't entirely sure.

So, without even putting his schoolbag away at his own house, he followed Chen Chao inside. Grandma Chen called him, "Xiao Miao."

"Yes," Miao Jiayan answered.

"Eat here tonight. Grandma made sweet and sour pork ribs," Grandma Chen said.

"Okay, Grandma Chen," Miao Jiayan said with a smile. "I can smell it already."

Grandma Chen gave him a plate of fruit and told him to take it upstairs to eat with Chen Chao.

Miao Jiayan carried the fruit upstairs. Chen Chao was still ignoring him just like before.

"Gege," Miao Jiayan called softly. "Have some fruit."

Chen Chao had just finished changing his clothes. He turned back, glanced at him, and asked, "What are you here for?"

Miao Jiayan was too embarrassed to say he came to see if he was still angry. He thought for a moment and said, "I came to do homework with you."

Chen Chao tilted his chin toward the chair next to him: "Write."

Miao Jiayan quickly put down his schoolbag, took off his jacket, and sat down.

Chen Chao stood beside him, picking up an orange from the plate to peel. Without washing his hands or touching the segments, he bit off two pieces directly from the half-peeled orange and ate them.

"Next time I call you, are you going to run away again?" Chen Chao said.

Miao Jiayan quickly shook his head, looking at Chen Chao like a little puppy.

"I said to stand there when I counted to three, and you acted like you didn't hear, right?" Chen Chao said while eating the orange.

He really held a grudge. Miao Jiayan was still not clever enough. At this moment, Chen Chao just wanted to hear some soft words, but who knew what was going through Miao Jiayan's head. He whispered, "But you didn't count..."

Chen Chao didn't expect him to talk back. He paused his chewing, the orange segment making his cheek bulge slightly. He raised an eyebrow and asked, "So what, did I have to count all the way to one? Are you practicing counting with me?"

Miao Jiayan didn't dare to speak again, saying "no" in a tiny voice.

Chen Chao finished the orange and went to wash his hands. As he walked past Miao Jiayan, he casually pushed his head down onto the desk.

Miao Jiayan's face was pressed against his homework paper, his nose squashed flat. He muffledly begged for mercy, "Gege, I was wrong."

After lifting his hand, Chen Chao even ruffled Miao Jiayan's hair into a mess and said, "Acting like you don't know me, you've got some nerve."

After saying that, Chen Chao went to wash his hands. But Miao Jiayan remained with his cheek pressed against the homework paper, lying on the desk for a while, his eyes blinking.

This was Chen Chao's room, Chen Chao's desk. In a place completely filled with Chen Chao's presence, everything he could see belonged to him.