Pampered by the School Bully-Chapter 176 - 170. Midnight, Stealing a Kiss from Her (2)

Huo Feng’s arrival brought a hint of security to her world.

In the middle of the night, the boiled water Pu Sangzhi heated was ready to drink. She poured a cup for Huo Feng and one for herself.

To avoid disturbing Chen Huifen, who was still sleeping, Pu Sangzhi, carrying the kettle and cups, led Huo Feng into her room.

The door closed...

At this moment, only she and Huo Feng were in the room.

The room’s main light was off, only a small desk lamp was on, lighting a small area, creating a quiet and serene atmosphere, even somewhat comforting.

Pu Sangzhi’s desk was right next to the bed. She sat on the bed, and Huo Feng sat in a chair beside the desk as they talked and drank water.

Pu Sangzhi told him her family background in detail, hiding nothing from Huo Feng.

She said, "In my second year of junior high, my dad’s company encountered a severe accident and fell into crisis. My dad and his partner...Xiaocao’s dad, were desperately sustaining the company, waiting for an opportunity to turn things around, but eventually, what came was a business scam. So, in the first half of my third year in junior high, my family declared bankruptcy."

Huo Feng looked at her intently, not interrupting, expressing no opinions, choosing to be a quiet listener at that moment.

Pu Sangzhi, with her hands around her knees, her gaze dreamy upon the desk illuminated by the lamp, continued, "After the company closed down, our house, car, all properties were taken by the bank. But besides the bank, Xiaocao’s dad had also taken online loans with my dad at great risk...They could not repay the loans, and the enormous interest and principal drove Xiaocao’s dad to jump off a building. Afterward, all the debts were left with my dad. He couldn’t pay either, so he fled... leaving behind my mom and me in Shanghai to live while dodging creditors and studying..."

Pu Sangzhi sighed softly, "My third year of junior high was almost entirely spent dodging debts. I’ve lived in many places—teachers’ homes, hotels, hostels, including parks, subway stations... Back then, drifting from place to place, living every day in alarm, fearing creditors showing up. The loan companies hired thugs, they were very fierce and violent; even the police were no help..."

Hearing this, Huo Feng’s gaze deepened.

His dark pupils sparkled under the warm yellow light of the desk lamp, the emotions in his eyes so intense they were almost palpable, revealing the heartache in his eyes.

Huo Feng knew she had been through a lot, knew her family’s fortunes had drastically changed, knew she had walked a very tough path...

He knew all these things.

But truly, when he heard her say them, his heart still reacted intensely, still ached, felt heavy and stifled.

Pu Sangzhi picked up her cup, took a sip, paused for a few seconds, then continued, "My mom and I are so scared of dodging debts that we are now very cautious. We don’t want to live a life of destitution anymore, we’d rather keep hiding..."

"So now, have you been found out?" Huo Feng tried to ask.

Pu Sangzhi shook her head gently, "I don’t know, but I heard that recently there have been suspicious people around here. Although I don’t know who it is, we are all afraid. What if it’s the creditors? What if they find us? I fear I won’t be able to continue my studies, I fear having to hide everywhere again."

Huo Feng certainly didn’t want her to stop her studies.

Hearing this, he was extremely nervous, "Could those creditors possibly know where you live? Has this address been exposed somewhere? Perhaps in your dad’s former company? Or in the household registration book?"

Pu Sangzhi pressed her lips together and said, "No. This place is my grandmother’s house, my parents hardly ever use this address."

Huo Feng frowned, thinking aloud, "Then what other way could have exposed you..."

Thus, after thinking a moment, Huo Feng suddenly realized... his TikTok!

Huo Feng frantically took out his phone, opened TikTok, and checked the two videos he had posted of her.

Both videos had a high view count, and moreover, many users had recognized her school.

In today’s society, with internet so developed and TikTok so popular, the spread through this medium could be more frightening than any other means.

Huo Feng immediately furrowed his brow, berating himself harshly in his mind.

At that moment, he deleted all the videos related to her on his TikTok. From now on, Huo Feng would not post such videos anymore, not causing her any trouble!

In his heart, Huo Feng sternly warned himself.

Seeing him suddenly fiddling with his phone, Pu Sangzhi took another big sip of water, set the cup back on the desk, and said, "It’s late, let’s go to sleep. You can take the next room. The blankets are still there; my mom didn’t pick them up after you last stayed."

While saying this, Pu Sangzhi already lifted her blanket and climbed into bed.

Huo Feng saw her getting ready to sleep and didn’t plan to leave.

He stood up, then turned around and sat down sharply on Pu Sangzhi’s bed.

This sudden move startled Pu Sangzhi; she widened her eyes and stared at him, "What are you doing? Don’t be a rogue, you’re not allowed on my bed!"

Huo Feng was amused by her defensive yet adorable expression. He reached out, ruffled her hair affectionately, and said with a smile, "I’m not sleeping; I’ll watch you sleep. Didn’t you say you had a nightmare?"

That’s right...

Earlier in the kitchen, Huo Feng had asked her, ’Why are you not sleeping in the middle of the night?’

Pu Sangzhi had replied casually: ’Had a nightmare.’

Those few words, she herself hadn’t paid much attention to, but Huo Feng had taken them to heart.

He always paid attention to little details she herself didn’t care much about, and it was these small details that made Pu Sangzhi realize that he was a very attentive person.

Pu Sangzhi pulled the blanket over half her face, her big, round eyes blinking, "I’m not scared now. You don’t need to stay, go sleep."

Who knew, Huo Feng responded, "I’m not sleepy now, I just want to be with you. Go to sleep quickly."

Pu Sangzhi: "With you in my room, I can’t sleep well."

Huo Feng: "Okay, just a minute..."

Huo Feng stood up and walked over to the desk, reaching out to turn off the desk lamp.

Suddenly, the room plunged into darkness.

Then, Huo Feng returned to the side of her bed and sat down, saying again, "Now you can’t see me, go ahead and lie down to sleep."

Pu Sangzhi, sitting on the bed, adapted to the dark environment after a few minutes but could still vaguely make out Huo Feng’s silhouette in front of her.

As he simply sat there by her bed, Pu Sangzhi really wasn’t at ease.

So she said, "I can’t sleep like this. I’m not used to someone watching me sleep."

"Oh."

Huo Feng turned his head, "I’m not looking at you now. Do you want to touch me to check?"

Pu Sangzhi replied, "I certainly don’t want to touch you. Hey, you go out..."

Huo Feng responded, "I’m not going out. You brought me in here, how can I just leave that easily? Unless you kiss me on the lips and give me a goodnight kiss, I’m staying right here."

Pu Sangzhi was instantly rendered speechless by his words, and to such a Huo Feng, she could only retort with two words: "Shameless!"

In the darkness, Huo Feng’s chuckle was heard. Pu Sangzhi thought he would definitely start rattling off some nonsense again, convincing her to let him stay.

However, unexpectedly, after laughing, Huo Feng’s tone became serious, "Go to sleep. I won’t do anything, just be with you. I haven’t been with you these past few days, I missed too much."

His words were so earnest that they stirred ripples in Pu Sangzhi’s heart again.

"You haven’t really missed out on anything..." Pu Sangzhi said softly.

"Of course I have."

Huo Feng earnestly replied, "From now on, I will not miss out on any moment when you are scared. Also, when you are vulnerable, struggling, or in pain, I won’t miss out. Just tell me, and even if I’m thousands of miles away, I will come back to be with you."

His sweet nothings were cringeworthy, but they also made her heart unable to resist.

Pu Sangzhi stopped talking.

She kept silent, slowly lay down, pulled up the covers, and positioned herself facing away, in an angle he supposedly couldn’t see, and secretly curled her lips into a quiet smile.

Hearing her movements, Huo Feng knew she had lain down and reached out in the darkness, fumbling for her hand and holding it tight...

"What are you doing..."

Pu Sangzhi tried to pull her hand back a few times, but Huo Feng firmly refused to let go.

In her helplessness, Huo Feng whispered, "Give me some security."

Pu Sangzhi silently curled her lips, "Are you scared?"

Huo Feng said, "Pretend that I am scared. It’s late, hurry up and sleep."

Pu Sangzhi didn’t argue with him and let it be.

She closed her eyes and quietly brewed the sleepiness.

Holding a warm hand in her palm indeed felt quite secure.

At that moment, Pu Sangzhi wasn’t afraid of anything anymore.

1 minute...

5 minutes...

10 minutes...

Gradually, her breathing became even and steady, as if she were falling asleep.

Huo Feng quietly turned around, leaned slowly closer, and took the chance to move near her head, reaching out to push back her hair.

A slight movement startled Pu Sangzhi just as she was about to fall asleep...

But she didn’t move, didn’t open her eyes, didn’t react, because even though her consciousness was clear, her eyelids were heavy, urging her not to move.

Thus, in this semi-conscious state, Pu Sangzhi felt a warm breath on her forehead, followed by his cool lips...

It was Huo Feng softly whispering, "Goodnight, girlfriend."

Pu Sangzhi knew he had stolen a kiss...

But in that subconscious moment, she had not resisted; instead, she mentally responded to him: Goodnight.