Chapter 35
School days are long and arduous, with students leaving early and returning late every day. They are as tired as working adults, counting down the days and looking forward to holidays.
May Day has finally arrived. The school bell rang, and the students scattered in all directions.
Shen Li walked unhurriedly because there were no cars waiting for her at the school gate today. The driver had taken leave two days before his daughter's wedding, and her father was busy with meetings, so she had to take the bus home.
It's rush hour now, but since I don't have school tomorrow, I can just wait for the next bus to go back slowly.
Just then, her phone vibrated in her pocket, and Shen Li took it out to answer it.
An old woman's voice came from the other end: "Hello, Lili, it's Grandma."
"Grandma? You and Grandpa are home?"
"Yes, your grandpa and I are going to cook your favorite hot pot ourselves. Oh dear, we bought too much stuff. Xiao Luo is too busy to handle it all. She wants you to help pick up your brother from school. Hmm... Xiao Luo is here. Let her tell you."
The phone was answered, and Luo Qiuli said apologetically, "Lili, I need to trouble you to pick up Mingxiu. I'll have the teacher take him to the security guard's office at the gate to wait for you. We also need to take him on the bus together, as he's never ridden it before and I'm worried about leaving him alone."
“Okay, Aunt Luo, I’ll go pick him up right away. Actually, I can take my little brother on the bus every weekend from now on. It’s only three stops, so I’ll get used to it after a few rides.”
"I'm mainly worried about encountering bad people. You can only wait for the bus, you can't take any other vehicles, understand?" Aunt Luo instructed. "Also, you know the way to Mingxiu School, right? It's just one street past your school."
"I know, I went to elementary school there too. Don't worry, Aunt Luo, I'll call you back as soon as I pick up your little brother. I'll definitely bring him back safely!"
After hanging up the phone, Shen Li quickened her pace, and after a few steps she started running again, running all the way to school.
"elder sister--"
Elementary school lets out early, so there was no one at the school gate by now. Luo Mingxiu was standing outside the security booth, leaning against the railing, waiting. When he saw her, she ran over like the wind.
He pounced on Chen Li and gave her a full embrace.
"Have you been waiting long?" Shen Li asked, slightly out of breath, as she rubbed his head.
"No," Luo Mingxiu shook his head, "Thank you for picking me up, sister. It's the first time she's picked me up from school, I'm so happy."
"You're welcome!" Shen Li returned Aunt Luo's call, then reached out to Luo Mingxiu and intertwined her fingers with his: "Stay close, I'll take you home."
Luo Mingxiu never imagined that one day, a complete stranger would naturally tell him to go home, to return to a home that didn't belong to him.
At that moment, he looked at this older sister and wanted to follow her forever, to walk with her forever.
After boarding the bus, they moved to the back, with Luo Mingxiu sitting by the window as the bus headed in the same direction as Chen Li had come from.
As we passed her school, she pointed it out to her younger brother and said, "Your sister goes to school there. I told you before that it's very close to your school, didn't I?"
"Really!" Luo Mingxiu turned to look at the school gate, his eyes filled with curiosity.
The car drove by quickly, and the boy kept watching until the car turned, then he looked away and asked Chen Li, "Can I go to your school?"
“The school doesn’t allow outsiders to come in casually,” Shen Li said. “Our high school isn’t very big and there’s not much to do. Your school is much better; it covers both the primary and secondary sections and is both large and beautiful.”
"Oh," Luo Mingxiu said dejectedly.
“However, my school has the highest college entrance rate in the city,” Shen Li said, looking at him. “If you want to get in, you have to study hard and pass the high school entrance exam.”
Luo Mingxiu: "But by the time I get in, you'll have already graduated."
"Well, there's nothing I can do about it. I'm older than you, after all. By the time you're in high school, I should already be..." Shen Li thought for a moment and said, "...almost graduating from university."
After saying this, Luo Mingxiu fell silent and remained so until he got off the bus.
The drop-off point was some distance from the villa, and Shen Li walked ahead, only to find that he hadn't followed.
Turning around, I saw the boy behind me, head drooping, walking slowly, with a worried look on his face.
"Why are you so young and already so full of bitterness and resentment?" Shen Li was amused by his expression, went over and took his hand, ruffling his hair. "Keep it up, little one."
“I’m not a little one,” Luo Mingxiu leaned back, “Don’t touch my head, or I’ll stunt my growth.”
"Hey you little brat, you're going through a rebellious phase, why are you talking so aggressively?" Chen Li reached out and grabbed his hair. "I'm just touching it, I'm just touching it. You eat as much as Aunt Luo earns in half a month, and you're worried about not growing tall? Do you think you'll grow sideways even if you eat that much?"
Luo Mingxiu's face turned ashen from her words. He suddenly tugged at her sleeve, stood on tiptoe to try and touch her head, but instead of touching her head, he bumped into her face.
Shen Li was shocked that this kid was actually teasing her. She immediately bent down, cupped his face in her hands, and gave it a good squeeze.
The two were playfully bickering. Luo Mingxiu, who was fast on his feet, ran forward and tripped. Shen Li quickly stepped forward and pulled him back, preventing him from falling.
Just then, a loud woof came from the roadside bushes, startling Luo Mingxiu so much that he took a step back and grabbed Shen Li's arm.
"There seems to be a puppy over there," Shen Li said softly, then quietly walked over and parted the bushes.
Sure enough, there was a little white dog, all dirty, almost gray. It had a round head and a pair of bright black eyes like glass marbles. It was curled up in a ball, making little "uh-uh" sounds.
Shen Li bent down to observe it: "It looks like a stray dog. It looks very hungry and pitiful. I wish I could take it home."
“But my godmother is allergic,” Luo Mingxiu said.
“I know,” Shen Li glanced at the puppy again and put the bushes back to cover it. “Well, let’s go then.”
At night, the family was having hot pot at a restaurant. The weather forecast on TV predicted rain that night. Shen Li kept thinking about the dog she had met that afternoon and didn't say much during the meal.
After dinner, she went back to her room to do her homework for a while. When she heard the wind rattling against the window, she frowned, stopped writing, and sneaked downstairs. Seeing that no one was in the living room, she quietly left the room.
The wind was blowing hard, and a heavy rain was about to come. Chen Li ran faster and faster until she reached the place from the afternoon. There she saw a small figure squatting in front of the grass, calling softly to the puppy.
"Doggy, doggy, I brought you some cookies." Luo Mingxiu poured the cookies onto a piece of paper and placed it in front of the dog.
The puppy was attracted, sniffed it closely, and then lowered its head to eat.
"Sister?" Luo Mingxiu turned around and saw her. He stood up in a panic and hid the biscuit bag behind his back, as if he had done something wrong.
“I saw it all,” Shen Li walked over, squatted down to watch the puppy finish eating, “It’s going to rain soon, and I’m worried about the puppy too. Let’s take it back.”
“But…” Before Luo Mingxiu could finish speaking, Shen Li added, “There’s a storage room in the backyard for old things. Nobody goes in or out there usually. Just put it there for now, as long as you don’t let it into the inner room.”
Raindrops fell to the ground, and Shen Li picked up the puppy, and the two ran back.
Upon entering the warehouse, Shen Li looked around, found a box and placed it in a corner. She put the dog inside and then said to Luo Mingxiu, "You stay here and watch over it. I'll go back to the house and get some old clothes to make a bed for it."
Luo Mingxiu nodded: "Sister, be careful not to get discovered."
"Yes, this is our secret, and we absolutely cannot let a third person know."
After Shen Li finished speaking, she ran away quickly, while Luo Mingxiu stood there, muttering to himself, "It's a secret."
He turned to look at the puppy and unconsciously smiled: "It's a secret, my sister and I have a secret."
The rain intensified. After grabbing her clothes and an umbrella, Chen Li looked around as she went downstairs, then quickly ran to the kitchen, grabbed a bowl, and filled it with water.
When I returned to the warehouse, there were crumbs of cookies on the ground, and the puppy was licking the cookie bag clean.
Chen Li placed a bowl full of water next to it, and it wagged its tail to drink. It looked much better than it had in the afternoon.
“Sister, let’s give it a name,” Luo Mingxiu said, looking at the bag of cookies. “How about we call it Cookies?”
"Biscuit." Shen Li tried calling it, and the little white dog seemed to understand, barking in response.
"Shh—" Shen Li put her finger to her lips. "Don't shout, or we'll be found out. Biscuit, you stay here tonight. It's raining outside, so don't wander around."
"Mmm-woof—" The puppy obediently lay back down in its new bed.
Luo Mingxiu's eyes lit up as he excitedly looked at Chen Li: "Sister, it can understand! It's so smart!"
The next day, the weather cleared up, and Shen Li and Luo Mingxiu quietly went to the backyard to visit Biscuit. It was sleeping soundly, so the two of them squatted down beside it and watched it.
"So cute!" Shen Li took out her phone to take a picture. After taking the picture, she told Luo Mingxiu, "There's a pet store nearby. I'll go out shopping later to buy some pet food and supplies. Your job is to keep an eye on the family and make sure they don't go near the warehouse."
"Yes, sir!" Luo Mingxiu stood up straight and saluted her, as if he were preparing for some kind of special agent mission.
"You've been watching too many police dramas," Shen Li pinched his cheek. "Silly boy."
And so, without the knowledge of their entire family, the two of them kept a small dog in the warehouse of their own yard.
They sometimes take turns feeding the dog, and sometimes cover for each other while taking Biscuit out for a walk. Biscuit is a very affectionate and obedient little dog, quiet and well-behaved, making people especially want to keep it by their side for a long time.
Unfortunately, the holiday will end, and they will have to go to school and won't be able to take care of it anymore, so they are destined to say goodbye to it.
On the day before the May Day holiday ended, Shen Li got up early. She and Luo Mingxiu had already discussed bringing Biscuits to the pet store and handing them over to the owner for care.
But when they arrived at the warehouse, the puppy was lying weakly in the box, next to a puddle of vomit.
"Biscuit, what's wrong?" Luo Mingxiu went over to touch it, and felt its belly heaving violently. It arched its body and vomited again.
"What should we do, sister?" Luo Mingxiu cried anxiously.
Shen Li didn't know either. Her eyes reddened, and she picked up the puppy and ran out immediately: "I'll go find the pet shop owner. She must have a solution."
"I want to go too." Luo Mingxiu wiped away his tears and ran after her.
As soon as she stepped outside, she bumped into her grandmother. Her grandmother caught sight of a fluffy dog in Chen Li's arms and exclaimed, "Oh my god, Li Li, where did this dog come from? Get it out of here! Don't let your mother see it!"
Shen Li turned around, tears streaming down her face: "Grandma, this is my dog. It's sick. How can I save it? I don't want it to die..."
She burst into tears, which attracted the attention of everyone inside the house. They all ran out to see what was happening. When her father came out first and saw the situation, he immediately stopped his wife.
Luo Qiuli also rushed to the door, and Luo Mingxiu was also crying, begging his mother to take the biscuits to the hospital. It was a complete mess.
“Let’s go to the vet in Dad’s car,” Mr. Shen said, pulling the car up to the door and grabbing a bag. “The dog might still vomit. Here, let it go in the bag for now. Don’t hold it.”
Shen Li sobbed and wouldn't let go.
"Looks like she ate something bad." Mr. Shen patted his daughter. "Hurry up, Dad will drive you to the hospital. If we're any later, it will delay your treatment."
"Mmm." Shen Li nodded vigorously, gently placed the puppy into the bag, and carried it into the car.
"I want to go too!" Luo Mingxiu took off running, but his mother pulled him back, his eyes filled with tears as he watched the car drive away.
Luo Qiuli took Luo Mingxiu back to her nanny's room, interrogated him, gave him a severe beating, and then dragged him to apologize.
Luo Mingxiu knelt on the ground: "I'm sorry, godmother. I found the dog and brought it home. My sister kept it a secret because she felt sorry for the puppy. We're just taking it in temporarily. We were planning to take it to a pet store this morning."
Mother Shen pulled the child up and said, "You don't need to keep it a secret for your sister. I know her; this must have been her idea."
"No," Luo Mingxiu hurriedly explained, but Shen's mother said gently, "Your godmother won't blame your sister."
"You are all kind-hearted children. I just have something to talk to you about. When your sister comes back, please ask her to come to the study with you, okay?"
"Okay." Luo Mingxiu bit his lip, still feeling scared. He was worried about Biscuit's safety and his sister's well-being, afraid she would be scolded or upset.
Biscuit was taken to the vet in time and saved. She will stay at the vet for observation for the time being. After returning home, Shen Li went to the study with Luo Mingxiu. Shen's mother was standing by the window talking on the phone, quietly waiting for her to finish the call.
Shen Li said, "Mom, I brought the puppy home because I felt sorry for it. It has nothing to do with my brother."
“Sister…” Luo Mingxiu squeezed her hand, his expression worried.
"It's okay." Shen Li let go of his hand.
Mother Chen sighed, walked over, and pulled the two children to sit down: "I won't pursue the matter no matter who suggested bringing them home."
She looked at Shen Li and said, "Mom is saying that you can't keep something like this from me just because you're afraid of being blamed. Even though I can't touch the dog, I can work with Dad to find a stray dog shelter or find a suitable owner for the dog, right?"
"Yes, Mom, I know I was wrong. I'm sorry to you and Dad, and I'm sorry to Biscuit. It almost..." Shen Li's eyes were filled with tears. She had never raised a pet before, and she had been feeding the dog without any restraint, which almost killed it.
“It’s good that you know you were wrong,” Mother Shen hugged her two children. “I hope you will learn to trust each other. No matter what, if there’s something you can’t handle, you should tell us immediately.”
In the end, Shen's mother contacted relatives in her hometown who were interested in adopting the dog, and her maternal grandparents, who had returned home, took it away.
The night the biscuits were sent away, the dog circled around Shen Li's feet to express its reluctance to part. She thought of the times they played together and cried again as she watched her grandmother carry the dog into the car.
Even after the car drove away, Shen Li remained standing there, with Luo Mingxiu beside her watching. The two of them gazed longingly as the car, carrying biscuits, sped off into its new life.
After Biscuit left, Shen Li appeared no different on the surface, but often felt empty inside. Perhaps it was because she missed Biscuit, or perhaps it was because she was about to leave school for art exam training.
In short, whenever she was in a bad mood, she would go to the backyard after returning home and linger in front of the warehouse for a long time.
On a warm and breezy weekend, she came again. Aunt Luo was cleaning the warehouse. She bent down to move the doghouse, and Shen Li was startled. She immediately stepped forward to stop her: "Aunt Luo, don't throw it away."
Luo Mingxiu darted out from the pile of clutter and said, "Sister, I asked Mom to help clean it up. There's no need to throw it away."
Aunt Luo showed no intention of throwing it away. After cleaning it up, she opened the toolbox and made it more sturdy. Then Luo Mingxiu took out the biscuit leash and a fluffy toy dog.
After putting it in, he looked at Chen Li and said, "Sister, look, my mom bought this. Doesn't it look like a cookie? You can put this in the house so you don't have to run to the warehouse when you miss it."
“It looks like it.” Shen Li stepped forward and picked up the transformed doghouse, which became a souvenir, preserving her precious memories.
"Thank you." Her eyes welled up with tears, this time tears of gratitude. Aunt Luo hugged her and gently patted her back.
Luo Mingxiu thought she was still sad. He glanced at the sun on the horizon, his eyes shining. He raised his hands, ran to the corner of the wall and shouted, "Sister, look here!"
Chen Li wiped away her tears and looked up, seeing shadows floating on the wall, changing into the shape of a puppy.
"Woof!" Luo Mingxiu waved his hand and gave it a voiceover, thoroughly enjoying himself.
"Woof, woof!"
Shen Li laughed, and Luo Qiuli also bent over laughing: "Good lad, who taught you this?"
"Teachers performed this at the school festival, and I learned it after watching it once." Luo Mingxiu changed his posture and transformed into a little bird, chirping. "I can also make a little rabbit."
The shadow changed again, but the rabbit remained silent. Luo Mingxiu blushed and said, "I can't make a rabbit's sound."
"Then stop using your supernatural powers." Shen Li was so happy her stomach hurt. Luo Qiuli felt embarrassed and quickly went over to take her son away.
"Wait for me." Shen Li stepped forward carrying the exquisite doghouse, took Luo Qiuli's other hand, and smiled faintly.
At this moment, her empty heart was filled with warmth.
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