Chapter 48
On the way back, neither of them spoke.
Lin Li didn't dare to look at Tong Yao even once.
When he sensed Tong Yao's gaze, he would quickly straighten his back, as if he were a virtuous gentleman.
Tong Yao looked at him with a guilty look on his face and was full of doubts, wondering what had gotten into him this time.
Back at the old spot where Tong's dad used to fish, he was happily arranging his catch in a row in his fish basket and taking pictures with his phone.
"Oh, you're back?" Tong's father looked up, his face beaming with undisguised pride, pointing to the largest, shiny black rod. "Look! Your uncle's hands are burning hot today!"
Lin Li was taken aback. The ground was shimmering with silver light; there lay more than twenty fish, all quite large. He exclaimed sincerely, "Uncle, you're amazing!"
"Haha, this is the first time in my life I've caught so many!" Tong's father grinned from ear to ear, knowing full well that this was mostly thanks to Lin Li's help and the bait recipe he had adjusted.
On the way back to the city, Lin Li sat in the passenger seat with the window rolled down halfway. Tong's father said with lingering enthusiasm, "Lin, when do you have time to come again? I think that fishing spot has good feng shui!"
Lin Li stammered, still unsure of what to say, when Tong Yao, who had been silent in the back row, suddenly spoke up, her voice clear and calm:
"Dad, Lin Li doesn't like fishing, please don't force him."
Lin Li's Adam's apple bobbed, and she swallowed the words that were on the tip of her tongue, only daring to nod in agreement.
Tong's father glanced at his daughter through the rearview mirror, not paying much attention: "Okay, we'll talk about it next time! Uncle is going on a long-distance trip tomorrow, we'll find an opportunity when I get back!"
"Okay, okay, I definitely will if I have the chance," Lin Li quickly agreed.
As soon as he finished speaking, he gasped – “Hiss!” A hand reached precisely through the gap in the seat, pinched the soft flesh on his side, and twisted it halfway around, still not satisfied.
"What's wrong?" Tong's father turned around at the sound of his voice.
"No, it's okay, Uncle," Lin Li forced a smile, "maybe... the seat is a little uncomfortable."
Just then, Tong's father's phone rang, rescuing him. "Old Tong, we're driving to S City tomorrow, has the car been checked?"
"I'll go back and check right away. Don't worry, it won't cause any problems!"
After arriving home, Lin Li helped carry the heavy fish basket into the kitchen. Tong's father patted him on the shoulder: "Lin Li, why don't you stay for dinner tonight? But your aunt is still at work, so I'll show you what I can do."
Lin Li subconsciously looked at Tong Yao, but she only gave him a cold profile.
He scratched his head, his mind in turmoil.
“Um…” He glanced at her, but didn’t react.
“Okay…” Looking again, her brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.
Got it!
"No, Uncle," he immediately changed his tune, lying as soon as he opened his mouth, "My mom said she'd wait for me to come home for dinner."
Tong's father said with some regret, "Okay, I'll take you home after I check the car."
Seeing that Tong Yao's expression had softened, Lin Li breathed a sigh of relief. He slung his basket over his shoulder and followed Tong's father out the door, not daring to look back.
Hearing the footsteps outside the door fade away, Tong Yao stood there for a while before turning around, walking into the bedroom, picking up her neatly folded change of clothes, and going into the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the air, and the steam blurred the mirror.
_
Beside the truck, Lin Li watched as Tong's father skillfully tapped the tires with a wrench, making a "bang bang" sound.
"Uncle, what are you listening to?"
"Listen to the sound to see if it's solid, if it's lacking energy, and check for wear and tear." Tong's father said without looking up.
Twenty minutes later, the inspection was completed. Lin Li suddenly pointed to the left rear wheel: "Uncle, it seems you didn't tap this one just now."
When Tong's father went over to take a look, his expression turned serious: "Hey! It really has been smoothed out! Luckily you reminded me!"
As it was getting late, Tong's father was in a hurry to change a tire, so he had no choice but to call a taxi for Lin Li.
"I'm sorry, Xiaolin, you can go home by yourself. Be careful on the road!"
Lin Li nodded and stuffed the basket into the trunk of the taxi.
When she got home, she took a shower. Only when the warm water washed over her entire body did Lin Li feel her tense nerves relax a little.
When he turned off the water, he froze—he had forgotten to bring clean clothes and a bath towel!
After confirming that no one was home, he opened the door like a thief, rushed naked into the bedroom, grabbed a bath towel from a chair, and wrapped it around his lower body.
At night, he lay in bed, tossing and turning like a fish in a frying pan.
My throat was dry, and I felt like I was on fire inside. My mind was filled with the "beautiful scenery" along the river today.
He growled, rushed into the bathroom, and turned on the cold water tap. The biting cold temporarily suppressed the nameless anger.
However, half an hour later, the sweltering heat returned.
He sat up abruptly, ripped off the last restraints binding him, and grabbed the disobedient "culprit" in a fit of rage, whispering, "Can't you just shut up! I want to sleep!"
Before he could finish speaking, he lost control of his strength and a sharp pain shot through him. His face turned pale instantly, and he curled up like a shrimp and collapsed onto the bed.
I was drenched in cold sweat.
But the pain seemed to be... immediately relieved.
The next morning, Lin Li woke up with an unusual sticky feeling. He expressionlessly threw back the covers and grabbed a tissue to clean himself.
Looking at the ambiguous dark stain on the bed sheet, he scratched his head in frustration—he should have worn pants to bed.
When I entered the classroom, Tong Yao was already sitting in her seat, studying obediently.
Lin Li lay on the table by the back door, secretly watching the "root cause" that had caused his chaos last night. He felt a mix of emotions, but dared not show it in the slightest.
It's May now, and the air is filled with the scent of farewells and the anxiety of preparing for exams. In just one month, they will face the high school entrance exam.
At this moment, Tang Yue leaned over and said mysteriously, "Lin Li, can you do me a favor?"
"Speak," he said curtly.
"Did you go thieving last night? You look terrible." Tang Yue looked him up and down.
Lin Li immediately straightened her back: "What are you talking about? What exactly are you helping?"
Tang Yue lowered her voice: "For the high school entrance exam... can you give me some tips? Which ones are the key points?"
Upon hearing this, Lin Li's eyes widened: "What are you thinking? Taking this crooked path!"
"Aren't we friends?"
"Only friends would never harm you!" Lin Li said helplessly. "I really don't remember the specific exam questions."
"I don't believe you! You must remember the key points, right?"
"Then tell me, what knowledge points were tested in the entrance exam for junior high school?" Lin Li asked back.
Tang Yue was speechless for a moment, then said sullenly, "...I forgot."
She then sighed, "Li Jiahao went home. He couldn't hold on for the last month and dropped out of school. He'll come directly for the high school entrance exam."
Lin Li was taken aback.
When he got home, he clicked on the grayed-out profile picture that hadn't been touched in a long time.
Spicy Spicy Spicy: What are you doing?
Mu Zi: Bro, I'm off to chase my dream! To become a pro! Just wait and see me lift the championship trophy!
Lin Li remained silent for a moment, then pushed Lin Hu's business card over. His cousin was now a somewhat well-known game streamer; perhaps this could give him another option and some help.
_
The high school entrance exam has finally arrived. Outside the exam hall, the atmosphere is bustling with noise.
Lin Li gently hugged Tong Yao, her arm loosely around her, but maintaining a subtle distance between them. "Good luck!"
Feeling the restrained yet contradictory embrace, Tong Yao softly replied, "Yes, you too."
Watching her walk into the examination room, Lin Li breathed a long sigh of relief.
The body during puberty is like a sensitive bomb. After returning from fishing with Tong Yao's father that day, "Little Lin" seemed to have officially entered puberty as well, making him afraid to be intimate with Tong Yao anymore.
Lin Li glanced at the transparent pencil case in her hand, then turned and walked towards another building.
Their exams were held at the same school, but not in the same building.
Lin Li was taking an exam in the high school building.
As I walked out of the school gate after the last course, the sun was blazing and the air was filled with the ecstatic joy of liberation.
Lin Li naturally took Tong Yao's hand.
He tugged at the collar of his T-shirt and pointed to the spot between his collarbones: "Look, that red mole that used to appear here seems to have disappeared recently."
Tong Yao looked at him as instructed, and indeed, there was no trace of that red mark on his clean chest.
She subconsciously raised her hand, her fingertips gently touching the side of her neck—the small red mole that had quietly appeared this year was still there. She hadn't mentioned to Lin Li that this was a new mole that had appeared this year.
"What are your plans for summer vacation?" he asked, his eyes shining.
“My mom enrolled me in a bridging program between junior and senior high school,” Tong Yao replied.
The light in Lin Li's eyes dimmed instantly: "...How long?"
"Two months."
"It's alright..." he calculated, with a three-month vacation, they still had at least one month of their own time.
The two walked slowly along the tree-lined path, Lin Li swinging their clasped hands, in a cheerful mood.
However, this pleasant experience came to an abrupt end at the next corner.
Tong's mother stood not far away, her face ashen, her gaze sharp as a knife, fixed on their tightly clasped hands.
"Tong Yao, get in the car." The voice wasn't loud, but it carried an undeniable authority.
Lin Li subconsciously let go of her hand and watched Tong Yao get into the car. The electric scooter drove further and further away until it disappeared from Lin Li's sight.
He knew—he was doomed.
_
The atmosphere at home plummeted to freezing point.
Tong Yao tried her best to remain calm while sitting on the sofa. Tong's mother slammed the TV remote control onto the glass coffee table with a crisp sound.
"Tell me, when did it start?"
"We really are just friends..."
"Friends?" Tong's mother sneered. "Give me your phone. From today onwards, you are not allowed to see each other or contact each other!"
Tong Yao excused herself to go to the restroom, locked the door, and quickly typed her last message: "Phone confiscated, unreachable recently." Then she cleared her messages.
Lin Li looked at the brief message and her heart sank.
There was no news from Tong Yao on the first day of the holiday.
The first month of the holiday ended, and the middle school entrance exam results were released. Lin Li found out she ranked twelfth in the city and was successfully admitted to Yucheng Experimental Middle School. Joy briefly washed away her loneliness, but it was followed by a deeper longing.
He couldn't resist and lingered downstairs at Tong Yao's house, hoping to bump into her by chance.
But she bumped into Tong's mother, who was on her way home from get off work.
“Lin Li, right?” Her gaze was sharp. “I thought my attitude was already very clear.”
Lin Li's cheeks flushed, and her heart pounded: "Auntie, we...we just..."
"Just friends?" Tong's mother interjected. "Tong Yao came in first in the city this time. At your age, so-called feelings will only hold you back. You're not from the same world, understand?"
"Auntie, I ranked twelfth in the city," Lin Li eagerly assured her. "We're really just friends, and I would never interfere with her studies!"
A flicker of surprise crossed Tong's mother's eyes as she re-examined the tall, handsome boy before her. His grades were indeed unexpectedly good, and his appearance was quite refined. But…
“That won’t do either.” Her tone softened slightly, but her attitude remained firm. “Tong Yao doesn’t need any male friends right now. Please leave, or I’ll make things even worse.”
Lin Li returned home dejectedly, like a frostbitten eggplant, and collapsed onto her bed.
Tong Ma's words echoed repeatedly in his ears, swirling like a curse—
"She doesn't need male friends..."
Opposite-sex friends...
opposite sex?
Suddenly, a bold idea flashed through his mind!
He sprang from the bed, his eyes sparkling with excitement. He grabbed his phone impatiently, his fingertips trembling but firm as he tapped the orange shopping app icon.
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