This was likely the first time in over two years of high school that Lin Ruoruo revealed her entire face. With her chin tilted slightly upward, her flowing hair could no longer conceal her cheeks. Though still somewhat slender, the breathtaking beauty that belonged to Lin Ruoruo alone was already beginning to show.
Xu Lai could not resist gently stroking Lin Ruoruo's hair.
As his fingertips brushed against it, her soft locks bent into a charming curve.
Lin Ruoruo's face flushed red with shyness. Only after seeing that most of the students were eager to return home and not looking in their direction did she let out a sigh of relief.
"I... I still won't go. I have to go home and cook dinner for my Mom."
She said the words, but recently, whenever Lin Ruoruo returned home, Liu Sufang had already eaten, leaving a portion for her on the dining table.
"I'll wait for you. After you finish cooking for Auntie, we'll go," Xu Lai said with a continued, gentle smile.
Lin Ruoruo bit her lip. "There won't be enough time. We still have evening study hall tonight."Xu Lai patted the bicycle beside him. "I rode my bike, so we'll definitely have enough time."
With that, he straddled the bicycle and patted the back seat. "Let's go, I'll take you home first."
"Oh..."
Lin Ruoruo slowly sat on the back seat, her entire body tense as she darted her eyes around and grabbed tightly onto the underside of the bike saddle.
Seeing this, a "Nike swoosh" smile appeared on Xu Lai's face. Then he slowly pedaled off, heading down through the alleys.
Drawing on the memories of the previous two times, Xu Lai began navigating his bicycle through the lanes.
The alleys were extremely narrow, barely wide enough for a single bicycle to pass through. Fortunately, since school had just let out, very few people were coming from the opposite direction.
Before long, the two of them arrived downstairs at Lin Ruoruo's building. It was much faster than the walk Lin Ruoruo made every day."Ruoruo, I'm going to run to the little store nearby to buy a few things. When you come down, just wait for me by the store."
Hearing Xu Lai's words, Lin Ruoruo seemed to breathe a sigh of relief.
"O-okay."
With that reply, she slowly walked toward home.
Today, Lin Ruoruo was walking home a full seven or eight minutes earlier than usual. Seeing Lin Ruoruo return, Liu Sufang, who was sitting on the wooden sofa, stood up and asked, "How is it that Ruoruo came back so quickly today?"
Catching a glimpse of the dishes left for her on the dining table, Lin Ruoruo knew her mother must have already eaten.
She immediately said, "Mom, I... I need to go out with a classmate in a little while."
"A classmate? Is it someone from your class?" Liu Sufang asked softly.
In all these years, aside from her junior high graduation gathering, this was the first time she had ever heard her daughter say she was going out with a classmate. A trace of surprise flashed in her eyes.
"Mm, I... I won't be eating dinner at home." Lin Ruoruo timidly answered her mother's question.
Liu Sufang did not ask any further. Instead, she turned and went into her bedroom, returning a moment later with a fifty-yuan bill, which she handed to Lin Ruoruo.
"Go ahead. Once you get back to school, borrow a classmate's phone and call Mom—don't forget."
"Take this money. When you're out with your classmate, don't be too stingy; you mustn't let your classmate think you like to take advantage of others. If you're eating something, be proactive and pay for it..."
Liu Sufang took Lin Ruoruo's hand, placed the banknote in her palm, and was just about to say more when she was suddenly embraced by Lin Ruoruo.
"Alright, Ruoruo isn't a child anymore. It's just Mom talking too much. Go on then, mind your safety, and remember to borrow a classmate's phone to call Mom when you get back to school."Liu Sufang looked at her daughter in her arms, gently patted her back, and once again urged Lin Ruoruo to be sure to call her.
She was worried about Lin Ruoruo.
Lin Ruoruo knew what these 50 yuan meant—it was the family's grocery money for two days. She bit her lower lip gently, her nose stinging with emotion.
Averting her gaze from Liu Sufang, Lin Ruoruo sniffled. "Mom, I'm leaving now."
Seeing Lin Ruoruo head out, Liu Sufang, who was about to go back to the sofa to continue knitting her sweater, seemed to remember something and followed her out.
By the time she reached the corner, Lin Ruoruo had already gotten on Xu Lai's bicycle, and Xu Lai was pedaling fast, gradually riding away.
She didn't get a clear look at Xu Lai, but she instantly recognized Lin Ruoruo, who was sitting very cautiously on the back of the bicycle.
At this sight, Liu Sufang's mind raced, and her eyes and expression turned deeply complex. Perhaps a thousand stray thoughts and anxieties could all be summed up in a single word: "worry."
Before long, Xu Lai rode the bicycle onto the main road, steering it into the non-motorized vehicle lane.
Although it was only March, the weather in Jiangcheng was already turning somewhat hot.
As Xu Lai pedaled along, his clothes gradually became soaked with sweat without him even noticing, but he chose not to stop. He was going to carry the girl on the back to fulfill a secret she would tell him in the future.
["Older brother."]
["Hmm? What is it, Ruoruo?"]
["Ruoruo wants to tell you a secret."]
["What secret?"]
["..."]
"Xu... Xu Lai."
Xu Lai's thoughts were interrupted by the girl on the back. Before he could ask, Lin Ruoruo continued:
"Your... your clothes are soaked all the way through. Let's take a break."
Seeing Lin Ruoruo care about him, Xu Lai smiled. "Ruoruo, I'm fine. We'll be there in a minute, hold on tight."
With that, he pedaled even harder.
Soon, they arrived at the Golden Arches closest to Jiangcheng No. 1 High School.
Xu Lai parked the bicycle at the entrance of the Golden Arches and led Lin Ruoruo inside.
"I got lucky. This morning when I passed by, I saw they were running an event—throwing darts, hit the target and your meal is free, but it's only valid for one day..."
As he spoke, Xu Lai led Lin Ruoruo to the ordering counter. "Ruoruo, take a look and order whatever you like. Your older brother here is a man with a free-meal coupon."
Initially, she had been keeping her head down, thinking that the food at the Golden Arches was so expensive and she only had a little over 50 yuan—not nearly enough to treat anyone—and wondering what to do. Then she heard Xu Lai say he had a free-meal coupon.
Doubtful, she was about to look up and ask for details when she heard Xu Lai's remark: "Your older brother here is a man with a free-meal coupon."
Surprised, her little face flushed red again, as if a long-ago memory had welled up in her heart.
["From now on you call me older sister, when I grow up I'll look out for you."]
["B-but I'm older than you."]
["You're not even bigger than me. The day you're taller than me, you won't have to call me older sister anymore."]
["T-then when I'm taller than you, can I be your older brother?"]
["No, you little dummy, what are you thinking?"]
["W-why not?"]
["Because... I just won't tell you."]
"Ruoruo, Ruoruo..."
Hearing Xu Lai's call, Lin Ruoruo finally snapped back to reality, the blush on her face slowly fading.
"I... I've never had this before, I don't know what to order."