Chapter 94 Pretending Not to Know
Six o'clock in the evening is the time when every household should be having dinner.
After seeing Zhou Yuying off, Luo Yan stood in the living room for a while, wondering why her parents hadn't returned yet. Then she stood at the kitchen door, pondering whether or not to cook.
Before I could come up with a solution, my parents arrived together.
Liu Yinfeng was surprised to see the door open. She peeked in and asked, "Yanyan's back! Have you eaten?"
Luo Yan: "Not yet, where did you and Dad go?"
The couple were carrying large and small bags. Liu Yinfeng said, "The clothing factory was having a clearance sale, so I bought a few clothes."
Luo Yan added a honeycomb briquette to the stove: "Have you eaten yet?"
Liu Yinfeng put down her spoils and put the food hanging on the shelf by the door: "I ate it. I thought you were going to eat it at your brother's. I should have made it when I got back."
Luo Xinmin: "What do you want to eat? Dad will buy it for you."
No need, no need, Luo Yan: "I'm not that hungry, I ate too much at noon."
Liu Yinfeng wasn't worried about whether her daughter would eat or not, since she was all grown up now. "Okay, if you're hungry, go find something to eat yourself."
Luo Yan wasn't hungry now, but she predicted she would be starving around 8 or 9 o'clock. She started thinking about what to eat then, and a happy smile appeared on her face.
Liu Yinfeng: "What are you grinning about? Come on, try on this dress and see if you like it."
Luo Yan went into the room to try it on, and came out saying, "It looks pretty good."
Liu Yinfeng: "Okay, I'll revise it."
The size was definitely not right. It was clearance stock, so she didn't have time to examine it carefully. Besides, she preferred to buy larger sizes anyway. Like a few years ago when cloth coupons were scarce, she would buy underwear at the department store that could fit two people and then break it into two pieces herself.
Luo Yan knew less about her waistline than her mother did, saying, "The neckline is low too."
Liu Yinfeng: "Then I'll lift your shoulders up a bit."
She held up the dress and held it up against her daughter.
Luo Yan slightly raised her chin, her hands outstretched, and out of the corner of her eye, she saw her father opening every cabinet. She asked, "Dad, what are you looking for?"
Luo Xinmin: "Where did your brother put the tea he bought last time?"
Luo Yan only knew exactly where the snacks were kept at home, and shook her head. Liu Yinfeng said, "The box couldn't be closed after it was dropped that day, so I emptied it into a glass jar."
There are several glass jars in the house for storing tea. Luo Xinmin opened them one by one to smell the aroma.
Liu Yinfeng whispered to her daughter, "Doesn't your dad look like a puppy like this?"
Luo Yan also thought it looked quite similar, and chuckled, "But you said it yourself."
Liu Yinfeng: "I said it, and that's what I said."
There's a sewing machine at home, so she's very good at sewing and mending. She's also an impatient person, so she said, "Mom will fix this for you first."
The sewing machine was in her parents' room. Luo Yan followed her mother inside, her eyes darting around.
Liu Yinfeng could tell something was wrong as soon as she saw the child, and asked, "What's wrong?"
There are some things that Luo Yan feels she can't bring herself to tell her brother, but she can say them fluently in front of her mother: "There's something I'd like to ask you."
Liu Yinfeng paused in her scissor-wielding, looked up, and said, "Tell me, what do you want to buy?"
Luo Yan: "I'm not buying anything, it's just that I discovered this today..."
Why are you speaking in such a halting manner? Liu Yinfeng's heart was in her throat: "Why don't you just finish speaking in one breath?"
Luo Yan: "I think Zhou Weifang seems to be interested in me."
Oh dear, what's the big deal?
It's perfectly normal for Liu Yinfeng to have someone who likes her daughter; she's not the first among her son's childhood friends. She said, "So it turns out I wasn't overthinking it."
Huh? Luo Yan's eyes widened: "When did you figure that out?"
Liu Yinfeng: "I wouldn't say I could tell, but I just felt that he took good care of you."
Is that so? Luo Yan: "I haven't noticed it myself."
Liu Yinfeng bit off the thread: "Doesn't everyone in the family take care of you like this? Why do you still find it so special?"
"That's true," Luo Yan said, cupping her face in her hands. "Then do you think my brother will find out?"
Liu Yinfeng rummaged through the sewing box: "Even you noticed."
Hmm? Something's not right here. Luo Yan: "What do you mean by 'even me'?"
Liu Yinfeng recalled her daughter's embarrassing incident: "When you were in junior high school, what was that boy's name again? During the training exercise, he offered to carry your backpack and give you food. You said he was trying to impress the teacher and steal your position as the first in line."
The daughter, unwilling to let them "get away with it," returned home proudly and told her parents how she had won the battle to be the vanguard. In truth, anyone with a discerning eye could see what their ulterior motive was in currying favor with her.
Luo Yan remembered this blunder quite clearly, scratching her face and smiling awkwardly.
Liu Yinfeng tapped the sewing machine twice in preparation, and said, "However, the relationship between the three parties and your brother is the closest, so don't be too direct, lest it hurt their feelings."
Luo Yan: "I plan to pretend I don't know, and maybe I'll stop liking it after a while."
She had seen this kind of thing many times. Some would write her a letter the day before, copying sentimental poems like "What is love in this world?", and after being rejected the next day, they would be all heartbroken, but by the third day they would be acting as if nothing had happened.
As a result, Luo Yan always felt that liking this kind of thing was too fragile, as colorful as leaves falling in the wind.
To be honest, Liu Yinfeng wasn't as experienced as her daughter in handling this kind of thing. She said while pressing the sewing machine, "You decide for yourself."
Luo Yan not only made up her mind, but also planned to tell her brother.
After washing up, she lay on the bed reading, keeping an eye on the sounds coming from the yard.
Luo Hong pushed open the door and was met with his younger sister's head peeking out of her room. He asked, "Why aren't you asleep yet?"
Luo Yan waved her hand: "Come here, come here."
What are you doing so mysteriously so late at night?
Luo Hong: "It's just the two of us."
Luo Yan: "It's not that I'm afraid people will hear; I've already told my mother."
Her dad will definitely find out too.
What important matter required her to inform her entire family one by one? Luo Hong twisted his neck and leaned closer: "Go ahead and tell me."
Although she already knew the answer in her heart, Luo Yan decided to be more tactful: "Don't you think Zhou Weifang...?"
Luo Hong: "Did he tell you?"
Luo Yan countered, "What did you say?"
The brother and sister probed each other back and forth like they were speaking in riddles. Luo Hongxian said, "I thought you just couldn't figure it out."
Luo Yan stared wide-eyed: "I have sharp hearing and eyesight too."
Luo Hong chuckled, "Excuse me, I didn't see that."
Then, on behalf of my childhood friend, I asked, "What do you think of him?"
Luo Yan: "That's good, but these are two different things."
She felt extremely uncomfortable just imagining herself dating Zhou Weifang.
That meant there was no chance for him to succeed. Luo Hong wasn't surprised at all, but out of their twenty-odd years of brotherhood, he asked one more question: "What do you think is wrong with him?"
Luo Yan: "He's Zhou Weifang. I used to wet my pants when I was little..."
The conversation ended, but it ended far too late.
Luo Hong laughed so hard he almost rolled on the ground, and his sister kicked him.
To be honest, Luo Yan didn't remember many things from her childhood. But after thinking about it carefully today, she realized that she had embarrassed herself in front of Zhou Wei quite a few times.
She clenched her fist and pounded it on her brother: "Don't laugh."
Luo Hongzhen couldn't help but try to comfort her: "The three parties must have forgotten."
That's hard to say. Luo Yan regretted speaking too quickly, reminding her brother of the incident. She gritted her teeth and said, "Luo Hong!!"
Okay, okay, knowing she was really angry, Luo Hong composed himself: "If you think it's inappropriate, I'll just tell him I won't have time to explain problems in the future, and he'll understand."
Admittedly, he didn't want to be the one to bring this bad news to his childhood friend.
Luo Yan: "No, please don't. I can handle it myself. Just pretend you don't know anything."
She twirled her hands around, saying, "He won't break off our friendship because of this, will he?"
Luo Hong tapped his sister on the head: "Sanfang isn't that kind of person."
Is that so? But Luo Yan remained optimistic, saying, "Maybe he'll like someone else someday."
Luo Hong knew his childhood friend too well, and thought that who knew when "another day" would come, but still cooperated: "Well, that's possible."
Luo Yan went to sleep with this possibility in mind, and as a result, she dreamed all night that she was constantly embarrassing herself in front of Zhou Wei, with tears and snot all over her face being commonplace.
She woke up, quickly touched her face, and dressed herself up neatly before going to school.
Before class, there is a rehearsal period.
The whole class can now sing a tune, although occasionally one or two discordant notes will pop out.
The squad leader, with his sharp ears, scanned the area and asked, "Who, who is the criminal?"
Since it wasn't Luo Yan, she stared at the person with complete confidence, taking the opportunity to drink some water and stretch her neck.
The squad leader failed to find the "bad apple," glanced at his watch, and decided not to waste time, saying, "Let's practice one last time."
After practice, there was still some time left, so he said, "There's one more thing today, which is that our uniforms need to be the same. Does anyone have any suggestions?"
Some people spoke, some remained silent, and before they could reach a conclusion, the class bell rang.
The class monitor had no choice but to step down: "Everyone, think it over carefully today. If you have any ideas, feel free to come and talk to me."
Luo Yan was definitely not a person with any particular ideas. She thought she would just wear whatever she decided to wear. She finished her class without any distractions and went to her brother's shop after school. She saw someone who almost turned around and left, but she still gritted her teeth and went in.
Luo Hong felt like laughing for some reason, but he held it back and said, "Wash your hands and eat. Someone is giving us an extra meal today."
Extra meal? Luo Yan shifted her gaze to Zhou Weifang, nodding as a greeting, but then thought it seemed too cold, so she added, "Aren't you at work today?"
Zhou Weifang: "I happen to have some business to take care of nearby."
Luo Yan no longer believed in anything as perfect, but she still said "oh" and after washing her hands, she sat down and picked up the chopsticks. They felt heavy, so she glanced at her brother first.
For some reason, Luo Hong recalled that when he and his sister went to visit relatives with their parents when they were young, if an elder offered them food or drink, they would always look at each other with the same expression, waiting for the adults' permission.
He said, "Eat quickly, don't we have rehearsal at noon?"
Huh? Luo Yan quickly realized what was happening and started eating heartily.
Zhou Weifang knew about the choir competition but didn't suspect anything, only saying, "It's pretty spicy, don't choke."
The next second, Luo Yan coughed so loudly that her face turned bright red.
Zhou Weifang quickly poured her some water, but when he touched the cup, it was too hot, so he said, "I'll go buy some soda."
Luo Yan wanted to stop him but couldn't say anything, so she could only keep patting her brother's hand.
Before Luo Hong could say anything, the other person had already rushed back.
Luo Yan recovered and gently patted her chest: "I'm all better now."
Zhou Weifang pushed the soda towards her: "I've already bought it."
Saying she wouldn't drink seemed strange. Luo Yan took a sip, then dared not eat too fast anymore and didn't talk much.
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Author's note: I was supposed to make up for the missed update today, but I'll miss it because I want to revise the outline.
I'll update again tomorrow!
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