Chapter 15: The Kind of Relationship
"elder sister?"
The voice, so close yet deliberately lowered, seemed to carry electricity.
Yan Ning was startled by his teasing address, and the key in his hand felt hot.
She didn't have time to think about anything else. In a panic, she threw the key into his hand hastily, but she didn't want to use too much force and missed the target.
The metal product was much higher than the palm of the man opposite, and at a very fast speed, it brushed past his shoulder and flew to the back.
“Eh—”
Yan Ning's exclamation had just come out.
However, Lu Chen didn't even turn his head, he raised his hand and grabbed it back, and the key returned steadily to his palm.
Yan Ning finally breathed a sigh of relief.
Lu Chen casually played with the keys on his fingertips, lowered his eyes, looked at her, and smiled again, "There's no need to be so anxious, sister?"
Yan Ning: ...
Why does he still call her "sister"?
The reason why she called herself that just now was because she mistakenly thought the other person was a child!
But he is not!!
Yan Ning was rarely angry, and said seriously:
"When is your birthday? I'm not necessarily older than you, so you can't call me that directly!"
"January 31st next year will be my sixteenth birthday."
This man took his time and answered quickly, even asking, as if it were natural, "What about you?"
Yan Ning didn't answer directly, but looked serious:
"Then don't shout!"
In fact, she is the same age as him, with her birthday on June 9th, making her a few months younger than him.
“Is that so—”
Lu Chen folded his arms, thinking:
"Then should I say..."
younger sister.
He deliberately dragged out the words and didn't say it directly.
And she completed the second half of the sentence in her mind.
Compared with before, it hasn't gotten any better at all!
But she was the one who insisted on asking, like she had dug a hole for herself to jump into...
Yan Ning felt annoyed, and his ears felt hot, but he hadn't even uttered the words - "You are not allowed to shout!"
But then I heard Lu Chen say:
"It's my fault. I'll do whatever you say."
He spoke sincerely, compromised and apologized.
It seems like she is just overthinking everything...
Yan Ning, on the other hand, had lost all his temper.
She could only straighten her mind, avoid Lu Chen's gaze, and focus all her attention back to the main purpose of coming here:
"About half an hour ago, Grandpa Zhao received a call saying that Grandma Cen sprained her ankle and they should have gone to the hospital. I don't know how serious Grandma Cen's condition is, so remember to call and ask later. Also, the old man gave you the key, probably to ask you to take care of the flowers and plants on the balcony."
Speak very fast.
As if without any emotion, he turned on the reading machine at double speed.
"I asked, it's not serious."
"Grandma will stay in the hospital and come back after some routine checkups. I'll go see the flowers on the balcony."
Lu Chen put the key in his trouser pocket, his voice gentle and soothing:
"don’t worry."
Hearing that Grandma Cen was fine, Yan Ning felt a little relieved.
Then, following the movements of the person in front of him, he noticed that his attire was...
Gray hooded sweatshirt and black pants.
Isn't it just...
The teacher who was just teaching in front of the dance class?
In my ears, the faint sound of music coming from the glass door continued.
Yan Ning reacted belatedly—
He knew she was coming.
So, stop the class and go out to find her?
Perhaps it was because her movement of looking up and down was too obvious, Lu Chen's voice floated faintly from above her head:
"Why, what are you curious about?"
"You, are from here..."
Teacher?
“Brother Lu Chen!”
The second half of Yan Ning's sentence was completely interrupted by a little head that suddenly popped up next to him - it was the little boy who had just run to the toilet.
He stood between the two of them, his eyes wide open and blinking with curiosity, looking left and right.
Then, the child said something shocking:
"Are you and this beautiful sister in that kind of relationship?"
That kind of relationship.
The presence of such an ambiguous adjective as a prefix makes the "relationship" that follows even more alluring and ambiguous...
Yan Ning waved his hands repeatedly and was about to deny it.
"What kind of relationship?"
Lu Chen corrected his pronunciation, lowered his head, and reached out to pat the child's head, "That's hard to say."
His words sounded true and not like excuses to appease a child. He even tilted his head, raised his eyes, and glanced at her.
Yan Ning's shaking hands had stopped long ago.
Seeing him looking at her, she pursed her lips, said nothing, and did not stop him.
The upward curve of Lu Chen's lips increased by one centimeter.
Then, turning back, he continued:
"I have to confirm with my pretty sister first before I can tell you."
Yan Ning: ...
Although he was repeating the little boy's words.
Whether it was intentional or not, this name still made her feel a little uncomfortable and her face turned slightly red.
The instigator remained calm and patted the little boy on the head.
"Go back to class first."
The little boy responded and ran away happily.
Looking at the person opposite, his gaze turned over again.
Yan Ning simply suppressed his chaotic emotions, looked over with a stern face, and took the initiative:
"What do you want to confirm?"
Lu Chen chuckled.
"Just wanted to make sure,"
He leaned over her again, closer to her. The light, citrusy scent of soapberry after the bath wafted over her again.
"We are now in a relationship where we know each other."
Yan Ning:?
Lu Chen continued in a low voice, "Because, there are classmates here too..."
Yan Ning was startled and subconsciously glanced at the training class.
But inside the glass door, the little carrot heads on the floor told her—
She was sure.
I was cheated.
Yan Ning calmly withdrew his gaze and said in a firm tone:
"You're also an elementary school student."
No, the man nodded in agreement.
“It used to be.”
"Besides, they studied dance here at that time and now they teach part-time, so in a sense, they can be considered my classmates."
It's obviously sophistry!
But it's hard to find any fault with it...
Seeing her speechless.
He shrugged his shoulders and couldn't help but chuckle.
Yan Ning: ...
She looked at him, and in her field of vision, she saw two white straps on the hood of his gray hoodie.
She thought—
Or just strangle him to death.
After Lu Chen finished laughing, he noticed the girl in front of him, who was staring at him eagerly.
He said calmly, "Are you trying to strangle me?"
It was guessed right at once.
Yan Ning even suspected that he had installed a surveillance camera in her brain.
Or maybe she's just so easy to guess.
Is everything you think written on your face?
Know it's a joke.
Yan Ning still couldn't swallow this breath for a moment, so he nodded unwillingly, "Yes."
However--
The next second, he leaned over.
The strap of the sweatshirt hung down to where Yan Ning could reach it.
"Well, here you go."
His tone was too indulgent.
Yan Ning was stunned for a moment.
After all, the two of them were not familiar enough to touch each other casually.
But she happened to brag again...
Lu Chen paused for a few seconds.
It seemed like he was really giving Yan Ning a chance to strangle him.
Seeing that Yan Ning had no intention of taking action.
Lu Chen slowly stood up.
Then, I saw——
Yan Ning raised his hand and, a few centimeters away, tightened the hat straps on both sides.
"Okay, I've done it."
Mission accomplished.
Yan Ning clapped his hands, admiring his own wit.
When I raised my eyes, I saw Lu Chen was obviously stunned.
Yan Ning was in a better mood and said generously, "This way we're even."
Their eyes met.
However, the person opposite said nothing, just looked down at her quietly.
The distance is very close.
Yan Ning could even see his own reflection in those dark eyes.
He stared at her for three full seconds.
Yan Ning's emotions changed from surprise and helplessness to pursing her lips and a little bit of annoyance.
When she was about to get angry.
He finally looked away.
He tilted his head back, raised his hands, supported his forehead, and laughed heartily without any restraint.
"What are you doing?"
"So easy to coax?"
Yan Ning didn't quite understand what he was laughing at.
But my cheeks gradually became hot, and I was thinking -
or.
Or just strangle him to death...
-
October 4th.
The weather is sunny and there is a slight breeze outside.
In the morning, Yan Ning went out with his schoolbag, took the bus, and went to the math cram school.
When school was almost over, the head teacher of the training school came over and said:
The biology class that was originally scheduled for the afternoon had to be canceled temporarily because the teacher had a flight problem and was out of town and had not yet returned.
Go home for lunch at noon.
Yan Ning told Lin Xinci about the situation at the cram school.
Lin Xinci replied casually, "That's perfect. Your Aunt Ren, Aunt Chen and the others are back. There's a dinner party this afternoon. You can go with your mother."
Yan Ning paused as he was about to pick up some food.
She doesn't want to go.
Aunt Ren and Aunt Chen are both Lin Xinzhi’s old classmates, and they are like close friends.
Although the aunts were very nice and treated her like their own daughter.
That is to say.
During the long gathering, the aunts would not only ask her if she had grown taller and taller recently, but would also ask her many questions about her studies...
So, when Yan Ning thought of that scene, he couldn't help but back down in his heart.
The chopsticks poked the rice in the bowl.
Yan Ning hesitated for a moment, then raised his head and tried his best to look calm and said:
"Mom, I want to go to the house next door this afternoon. I finished discussing the questions with Teacher Zhao yesterday, and I have some new questions I want to ask the teacher."
This is not a lie, Yan Ning really has some questions to ask.
But what she didn't mention was that she didn't know whether Teacher Zhao was there, and she really didn't want to go to the party.
It is known that no one knows a daughter better than her mother.
Lin Xinci glanced over and obviously saw through Yan Ning's inner thoughts, that he didn't want to go to the dinner party.
"Okay, I'll take you to the opposite door before I leave."
Yan Ning: ...
Finished.
According to the phone call yesterday, Grandpa Zhao and Grandma Cen went to the hospital and they probably won’t be back on the same day.
Although she didn't mention the hospital incident to her mother yesterday, she had a feeling that her mother might have guessed it...
Moreover, if both old people are not around.
The only person who could be on the opposite side should be Lu Chen.
Yan Ning was nervous, but things had come to this point. If she went back on her previous words, she would only face failure.
And, if you go to the opposite door...
No matter whether the door is open or not.
Who appears in it.
If she could adapt to the situation, maybe she could still have a chance of survival.
Yan Ning thought so and made up his mind to take a gamble.
But, when the door of Room 302 opened and Lu Chen really appeared inside——
Yan Ning's heartbeat suddenly quickened.
As soon as he saw Lin Xinci and Yan Ning outside the door.
Lu Chen first set his eyes on Lin Xinci and asked:
"Hello, Auntie."
Polite, yet slightly distant.
It's completely the attitude you would have towards strangers.
Lin Xinci felt that he looked familiar at first sight. After a pause, she remembered their previous encounter in the corridor and felt a little surprised:
"Oh, it's you, kid!"
A few pleasantries followed.
Lu Chen's performance throughout the whole process was the same as the last time they met, flawless and particularly well-behaved.
Lin Xinci clearly had a good impression of him. Finally, she explained her purpose: "Is Teacher Zhao home now? My child has some questions for Teacher Zhao."
At that moment, Yan Ning stood aside holding the notebook and test paper, his heart almost beating out of his throat.
By looking into the room, she was almost certain—
Grandpa Zhao is not here.
Because, on the clothes hangers and shoe cabinets, there were no clothes or shoes that Grandpa Zhao wore when he went out yesterday.
Although I had already thought of several ways to deal with different situations before coming here.
But Yan Ning had always been a well-behaved person since childhood and had no experience in lying. He was inevitably afraid of the unknown possibility of his lies being exposed...
When Yan Ning was about to speak——
Lu Chen didn't even look towards Yan Ning, and said readily, "Teacher Zhao and grandma are having lunch. How about I go and call them now?"
That's just how he is.
In tacit understanding.
Without any flaws.
Became her accomplice.
After Lu Chen finished speaking, he pretended to turn around and call for help.
Lin Xinci didn't doubt him and quickly waved her hand to stop him: "No, no, just let the child wait here for a while."
So, Yan Ning entered the opposite 302.
The door is closed.
It's quiet inside.
Yan Ning held his breath, standing at the entrance, listening to Lin Xinci's footsteps gradually moving away, and then disappearing.
But another kind of tension slowly crept into my heart.
Because within her sight, stood the young man who had just helped her. He was less than a meter away from her, leaning against the wall, arms folded, looking at her with a casual smile.
Also because she realized——
Now.
In this room, there were only her and him.
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