Chapter 45
Chen Xiao pulled him into the stairwell and carefully asked, "Just now... were you setting off fireworks outside?"
Seeing Lin Li nod, he continued tactfully, "It's normal for people your age to be experiencing the first stirrings of love... but some things require the right timing, so be careful, do you understand?"
Lin Li's heart skipped a beat, and she immediately understood what her brother-in-law meant. It seemed that her sister, Lin Qian, and brother-in-law had exaggerated something.
He didn't understand why they kept thinking in this direction—he suddenly remembered that his sister was quite popular when she was in school. Did they see so many people like that that they thought he would be like that too?
Speechless, he was too lazy to explain anymore and decided to play dumb to the end!
"Safety?" Lin Li blinked her innocent big eyes, her tone naive. "I was very far from the river when I set off the fireworks, and I was very careful when I lit them!"
Looking into Lin Li's clear, sincere, and confused eyes, Chen Xiao suddenly realized—this child hadn't understood his unspoken meaning at all. He opened his mouth, but finally sighed helplessly, "Never mind, it's alright. Remember your brother-in-law's words, and you'll understand in time."
Although Lin Li was completely confused, she still nodded obediently: "Oh, I understand."
Looking at Lin Li's innocent expression, Chen Xiao shook his head, both amused and exasperated, and turned to walk home. He thought to himself: Maybe Lin Qian is overthinking it? This child still seems... like a child at all!
Inside the guest room, Lin Qian was breastfeeding her baby nephew. Her brother-in-law opened the door and came in. Lin Qian asked in a low voice, "How did it go?"
My brother-in-law gave an awkward smile: "I think Lin Li is still a naive child. You're probably overthinking it."
Lin Qian muttered to herself, beginning to wonder if she was really overthinking things.
During dinner that evening, Lin Li's acting skills really came to a head.
"I went to set off fireworks with Tang Yue and her brother tonight!" he said excitedly while eating. "They bought a lot of fireworks, and I had a great time."
He deliberately spoke of "Tang Yue and her brother" in a very natural way, and even added, "That kid Tang Xing is so naughty, he almost got hit by a firework, luckily I was quick enough to pull him back!"
Lin's mother immediately became anxious: "You kids, you have to be careful when setting off fireworks!"
"Especially that super big firework at the end, it was so loud and beautiful!" Lin Li turned to her mother with sparkling eyes, hugging her bowl and pleading, "Mom, can I have some money? I want to buy some things to play with too~"
Lin's mother said disdainfully, "You can't eat those fireworks, why buy them? Others set them off, and you seem to be making a profit..."
Lin's father silently put down his chopsticks, took out 1,000 yuan from his wallet and gave it to Lin Li: "Spend it wisely."
Lin's mother looked at it and said angrily, "How much money do you earn in a year? Why are you so generous?" As she spoke, she snatched the thousand yuan and counted out 500 yuan for Lin Li.
Lin Li immediately beamed: "Thank you, Mom and Dad! I promise I'll only buy some small fireworks, I definitely won't waste them!"
Seeing her younger brother's overjoyed expression at the prospect of a few hundred yuan, Lin Qian completely dispelled her doubts. He was clearly still just a child who only knew how to play; perhaps she was really overthinking things. It wasn't impossible for children these days to be a little naive and mature later in life.
Thinking it over, Lin Qian opened her phone and transferred 500 yuan to Lin Li, with the note "New Year's money".
"Wow! You're the best, sis!" Lin Li cheered, her face beaming with a bright smile.
After the meal, Lin Li offered to help clear the dishes, humming a pop song out of tune.
Lin Qian and Chen Xiao exchanged a glance, both seeing the same thought in each other's eyes—they were indeed overthinking it.
However, when Lin Li returned to his room and closed the door, the innocent smile on his face immediately vanished. He took out his phone, looked at the three words "See you at the start of school" sent by Tong Yao, and a gentle smile, completely different from before, appeared on his lips.
"I finally got away with it..." he muttered to himself, his fingertips lightly stroking the screen.
The sisters drove away after dinner.
Lin Li stood downstairs in the residential complex, watching the private car drive away, and sighed. She didn't know when she would see it again.
_
Not long after the New Year, in just a few days, it will be the day Lin Li looks forward to the most – the start of school.
Seeing Lin Li's enthusiastic expression, Lin's mother was surprised. She was still so happy that school was about to start!
However, when she thought of Lin Li's final exam results sent by the homeroom teacher, Lin's mother was relieved. This child finally knew how to study.
Lin Li happily styling her hair, glancing at her mother.
"Mom, why are you packing your luggage?"
Lin's mother said, "Your uncle does business in Tibet. He said it's easy to make money there, so he wants me to go with him."
"Mom will leave when you start school. Take good care of yourself."
Lin Li fell silent.
In her previous life, her uncle had indeed made the suggestion, but Lin's mother did not agree.
She was worried about Lin Li's safety being alone at home for a long time, but in this life she was relieved.
That's true, I've grown up, and 1.8 meters tall is already quite tall in Yancheng. Plus, I look much stronger from working out lately.
"It's so great to be a boy, there's so much more freedom," Lin Li exclaimed.
Lin's father had just left this morning, and Lin's mother was about to leave as well.
When I'm all alone, no one will be able to control me. But right now, the most important thing is to go to the barbershop for a haircut.
Lin Li's hair has grown into a mushroom cut during this time, which is really unattractive.
He looked sloppy and listless.
Lin Li thought about asking Tong Yao what hairstyle she liked on her phone.
Pretentious: I don't know.
Okay, Lin Li turned off her phone.
He had previously said he would grow his hair into a wolf tail, but he heard that this hairstyle is difficult to manage, so he decided not to try it since he's not good at styling.
Finally, Lin Li sat down in the barbershop chair and said, "Boss, you can decide what to do!"
Half an hour later.
Lin Li looked at the Japanese-style boy in the mirror and nodded in satisfaction. The hair length was just right. Although it was a Japanese-style short haircut, it didn't look bulky or sloppy at all. Instead, it had a fresh and clean look.
It makes Lin Li look even more...cute.
If you ignore Lin Li's height, you might mistake her for a pretty girl if you don't look closely.
After leaving the barbershop, Lin Li took a taxi to Wanda Plaza.
Buy clothes!
_
Tong Yao watched as Lin Li replied with "Okay" and then logged off. She turned off her phone and looked out the window.
Sitting in the back, Tong's mother's gaze shifted from her daughter's phone to her wind-blown hair, her brows furrowing as usual.
She took a black hair tie off her wrist and handed it to him, her tone lecturing: "Tie your hair up! What kind of look is it to have your hair all loose all day? How can you concentrate on studying?"
Tong Yao pursed her lips, silently took the hair tie, and quickly tied her hair into a neat low ponytail. Indeed, her hair had grown to below her shoulders and could be tied up.
Tong's father glanced at his daughter in the rearview mirror, his gaze sweeping over her clothes. Just then, the navigation system alerted him to a traffic camera at Wanda Plaza ahead. As if suddenly remembering something, he said gently, "It's been so long since the Lunar New Year, and it seems our Yao Yao hasn't bought any new clothes yet, has she?"
"What new clothes are you buying?" Tong's mother immediately chimed in. "She doesn't have many clothes in her closet, does she? She's a student, so as long as she's clean and tidy, that's fine. At her age, she should be focusing on her studies."
"Besides, I have to rush back to work, where would I find the time?"
Hearing this, Tong Yao's expression did not change. She continued to calmly gaze at the scenery outside the window, as if what they were talking about had nothing to do with her.
"get off."
Tong's father drove the car directly to the Wanda Plaza parking lot.
He told Tong's mother to get out of the car, not in a tone of discussion, but as a calm statement.
Tong Ma's rambling stopped abruptly. She looked at her husband, somewhat taken aback.
"I've called a taxi for you. You go to work, and I'll take Yao Yao shopping for clothes."
Tong's father disliked his wife's obsession with studying, but he didn't want to argue with her; dealing with people who had objections directly was the easiest way.
Tong's mother wanted to argue, but Tong's father had already pulled the handbrake and taken Tong Yao upstairs. The next second, the phone rang; it was the taxi driver urging them to hurry. Helpless, Tong's mother had no choice but to answer the phone and rush to the pick-up point in the basement.
Tong Yao followed behind her father. As she went upstairs, she glanced back at her mother's hurried departure before turning back without expression.
Speaking of buying clothes, she remembered the time she tore Lin Li's sweater at the classroom door. Should she pick out a new one for him when Dad isn't looking? Tong Yao thought, touching the New Year's money in her pocket; it should be enough.
Tong Yao's father led her to the second floor of the mall, an area dedicated entirely to women's clothing. He looked down at his daughter, his usually stern expression softening slightly: "What kind do you want?"
"Either is fine," she said softly, her thoughts drifting to the men's clothing section on the first floor.
Tong's father looked around; he didn't know much about women's clothing either.
Tong Yao keenly noticed that her father's gaze was fixed on the row of massage chairs not far away, so she considerately suggested, "Dad, I'll go shopping by myself. I'll call you when I'm done."
Seeing this, Tong's father breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. He wasn't actually very interested in shopping. "Okay, then Dad will wait for you over there."
Watching Tong Yao walk away, he couldn't wait to lie down on the massage chair and sighed comfortably, "So comfortable!"
However, the good times didn't last long. After sitting for a few minutes, the massage chair suddenly stopped working and began to flip back to its original position, while a mechanical voice repeatedly urged: "Welcome to Lemo Bar, scan the code to pay and start your massage."
Tong's father sat up awkwardly and, amidst the kind glances of those around him, quickly took out his phone and scanned a massage package.
"Payment successful, thank you for using Lemo Bar." The mechanical voice finally quieted down, and he lay back down to relax and enjoy himself.
On the other side, Tong Yao was walking on the second floor of the mall, looking for the escalator to go downstairs, planning to go to the men's clothing section first to pick out a sweater for Lin Li.
Just as she was passing by a retro-style women's clothing store, she heard a familiar voice—
"Beautiful lady, you look great! But... it seems like something's missing!"
"Something's missing? Could you help me put together a combination?"
That sound...
Tong Yao stopped in her tracks and turned to look into the store in confusion.
Through the bright glass window, she saw a tall "girl" standing in front of the dressing mirror with her back to her.
That figure seemed strangely familiar—
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