### Chapter 2: Provocation

### Chapter 2: Provocation

“I... I didn’t steal any snacks…”

Lin Yao’s mouth was full of food as she turned to see Shi Yu behind her, her cheeks puffing out like an overly frightened hamster.

“You’d better not… accuse me again…”

Lin Yao quickly stuffed the remaining pieces of spicy chips into her mouth, trying to destroy the evidence and deny everything.

Finally swallowing those pieces of 'evidence,' Lin Yao stood up and looked at him.

Her bright, deer-like eyes were slightly red from the spiciness, and her fair face was flushed with urgency, but her gaze held a defiant confidence, knowing she had nothing left to be caught with.

After all… she had swallowed it all.

Shi Yu’s expression paused for a moment, his jet-black eyelashes lowering slightly as he raised an eyebrow.

"Next time, remember to deal with both packets together."

His slender fingers waved, pointing vaguely at the unopened packet of spicy chips still clutched in her hand.

Lin Yao’s right hand felt as if it had been burned.

"This packet isn’t even mine…"

"I just… happened to find it, so I’ll give it to you!"

Without waiting for Shi Yu’s acceptance, Lin Yao forcibly shoved the packet of spicy chips into his palm.

After doing so, she backed away, clutching her backpack, and stammered a warning.

"Listen, don’t go talking nonsense to my mom. And… our families already have a bad relationship, so don’t mention this to your mom either! Don’t even bring it up! Otherwise… otherwise, I’ll…"

"Otherwise, what will you do?"

The sign at the alley entrance lit up, neon lights illuminating Shi Yu’s cold and sharp features.

He looked at her without much expression, his high nose and defined jawline hidden in the shadows.

Lin Yao hesitated for a moment, thinking of what she considered the most vicious threat.

"I’ll… tell your mom that you skip school, hang out with boys, and can’t even get into the top 200 on exams. Oh, and you’ve been… cornered by girls at the bathroom door to receive love letters… no, not just girls, but boys too!"

Lin Yao’s face turned red as she finished speaking, then grabbed her backpack and ran off, fearing Shi Yu might catch her.

The evening wind blew, lifting her school uniform jacket and long black hair.

Her figure gradually shrank and disappeared from Shi Yu’s sight.

After a long while, the young man’s thin eyelids lowered, looking at the packet of spicy chips forcibly placed in his hand.

He pursed his lips.

"Childish."

Passing a trash bin, Shi Yu casually tossed the packet of spicy chips onto the lid.

A few minutes later.

The boy in the black school uniform returned.

He paused in front of the trash bin.

Then, he picked up the packet of spicy chips and put it back into his backpack.

*

Lin Yao lived in a small high-rise with two units per floor.

Technically, it could be considered one unit per floor since the two households were separated by a fire door, creating a relatively private entry space.

As soon as Lin Yao stepped out of the elevator, she saw her mother, Xia Tingnan, waiting at the door.

Xia Tingnan had just celebrated her fortieth birthday, but due to good care, there were few signs of aging on her face, making her look much the same as when she was thirty. She was always dressed elegantly and immediately took Lin Yao’s backpack, scrutinizing her.

"Youyou, why are you twenty minutes late today? Did something happen on the way?"

Youyou was Lin Yao’s nickname, and everyone in the family liked to call her that.

"Nothing, the teacher just kept us a bit longer."

Lin Yao pretended to be calm as she sat down to change her shoes, naturally avoiding Xia Tingnan’s inquiring gaze.

"Don’t say nothing!" Xia Tingnan’s voice suddenly rose.

Lin Yao’s heart tightened.

She had already checked in the mirror in the elevator and found no traces of the stolen snacks on her mouth.

Could her mother’s nose really be that sensitive?

Xia Tingnan pulled her closer. "Look at these mud spots on your socks and shoes. You must have slowed down to avoid the mud puddles on the way back, right? I told you to let your dad drive you home, but you wouldn’t agree. It rained so heavily today!"

Oh, that’s what she meant…

Lin Yao breathed a sigh of relief.

"No, it stopped raining by the time we got out of school."

She changed into slippers and walked inside.

"And driving to our school to pick someone up, it would take at least an hour just to get out of the alley. I can walk back faster myself."

She also hated how her new shoes and socks got soaked by the rain.

But if her dad, Lin Xiong, came to pick her up, she wouldn't be able to sneak snacks.

Xia Tingnan wanted to say something else, but at that moment, Lin Xiong heard the noise and came out. All her complaints were directed at Lin Xiong.

"Look, our daughter has a cleanliness obsession. Her shoes are so dirty from walking back in the rain; how pitiful." Xia Tingnan's tone was both scolding and playful as she threw the pair of shoes Lin Yao had taken off into Lin Xiong's arms.

Lin Xiong wasn't angry and smiled as he took the shoes.

"It's fine; I'll clean them later."

Lin Xiong's tall and sturdy figure contrasted sharply with the slender Xia Tingnan.

He ran a car repair business and spent most of his time in the garage, giving him a rugged demeanor.

But he doted on Xia Tingnan, always agreeing with whatever she said without any objections.

"Hmph, let's eat first, then you can clean the shoes after."

Xia Tingnan gave him a playful glare and wiped her hands as she headed to the kitchen.

Lin Xiong immediately followed with a smile.

Lin Yao, forgotten at the door: ...

Forget it; she was used to this.

Ever since she could remember, her parents had always interacted like this.

It was said that her maternal grandfather's business had been quite successful, and her father, Lin Xiong, had been a mere apprentice under him.

After her grandfather's business failed and went bankrupt, it was Lin Xiong who thrived, eventually marrying the pampered young miss, Xia Tingnan.

Over the years, her father had given almost everything good to her and her mother, never raising his voice to her mother.

"Yoyo, come wash your hands and eat."

"Oh..."

The family of three sat down at the table.

Seeing the steamed sea bass, steamed pumpkin, olive oil sautéed asparagus, and yam corn soup, Lin Yao suddenly felt no guilt for lying to her mother earlier.

Looking at the main dish,

it was indeed the mixed grain rice that Xia Tingnan had specially prepared for her.

Lin Yao instantly missed the pack of spicy chips she had snuck while coming home from school.

"Yoyo, eat quickly; this fish is very fresh; I picked it specially..."

Xia Tingnan placed a piece of fish from the belly onto her bowl.

Lin Yao obediently accepted it and silently ate her rice.

Seeing her silent, Xia Tingnan couldn't help but say,

"Don't blame me for controlling your diet; I do it for your own good..."

"Mom... I know, I've been avoiding certain foods recently."

Lin Yao looked up, her sweet voice and bright, sincere eyes gazing at Xia Tingnan.

Xia Tingnan nodded in satisfaction.

"You know it's for your own good."

Lin Yao nodded gently, smiling even more obediently.

But in her mind, she was relishing the spicy and delicious taste of the chips.

Burp... How delicious...

If only she could have another pack.

Unfortunately, the remaining pack was 'extorted' by that annoying guy, Shi Yu.

Lin Yao felt increasingly unlucky, having finally gotten a chance to sneak some spicy chips, only to be caught by Shi Yu.

Although their families barely interacted, if he had ill intentions and mentioned it to her mother or in the neighborhood group,

Lin Yao decided to preemptively address it.

Lin Yao: "By the way, Mom, about the Shi family next door..."

Xia Tingnan: "Yes, I was going to tell you about them. Did you know that Shi Nian ranked second in your class and third in the grade last semester? They recommended her to participate in Capital University's summer camp. If she wins, she can sign directly with Capital University."

Lin Yao: "I..."

"Also, the other day when I saw her in the neighborhood, I thought she looked even prettier. She truly inherited all the best traits from her parents—long, straight legs, fair skin, and a great temperament..."

At this point, Xia Tingnan gave Lin Xiong a playful glare before looking at Lin Yao.

"Yoyo, don't blame me for always comparing you to Shi Nian. You two grew up together. You were chubby and only knew how to eat, while she was lively and adorable. People always said Shi Nian was better than you in every way, making you seem like her sidekick. Do you remember that incident when you cried so hard and came to me? My heart broke then. You also know that because of that incident, I fell out with the Shi family."

"Now seeing your neighbor showing off, your mother feels even more upset than you do. But you must strive; if you don't, you'll always be overshadowed by Shi Nian!"

Lin Xiong: "Dear, our daughter Youyou did very well last year. She moved up from 80th in the grade to within the top 50. That's such an improvement! Why should we care about others..."

"Do you know anything! Just because you say not to care doesn't mean Youyou can ignore it. She's in the same class as Shi Nian, how can she not care?"

Xia Tingnan ignored Lin Xiong and looked at Lin Yao seriously.

"Youyou, tell me honestly, do you care about Shi Nian?!"

Lin Yao: "I..."

She wanted to say she didn't care.

But that incident from years ago was like a thorn embedded in her young heart.

After some thought, Lin Yao said earnestly, "Mom is right; I do care."

"See? Even Youyou admits she cares." Xia Tingnan knew her daughter too well and took out her phone. "Alright, let's sign you up for another advanced math class on the weekend. Good math skills will help boost your scores."

Lin Yao paused with her chopsticks in hand.

"..."

She had already enrolled in three math classes this semester!

*

Shi Yu, after taking a shower, sat at his desk, casually picking up a book but not opening it.

His gaze was fixed on the window, as if waiting for something.

At that moment, the light in the opposite bedroom turned on.

Around this time every day, Lin Yao would appear in the opposite bedroom, turn on the light, sit at her desk, and start studying with full concentration.

But tonight, just as Lin Yao sat down and was about to start studying, she suddenly heard a clear sound of a window opening from across the way.

Their building was designed in a concave shape with two elevators serving two households. Coincidentally, both her room and Shi Yu's were at the innermost ends of the concave shape.

Their windows faced each other, and they were the closest.

Lifting her eyes, Lin Yao saw Shi Yu standing by the opened window in the opposite room.

He wore a black hoodie, standing there with his dark hair slightly hanging over his forehead, silhouetted against the light, making his expression indiscernible.

Lin Yao frowned slightly.

Of course, she knew Shi Yu wouldn't usually make such a loud noise.

He was doing it deliberately.

Deliberately trying to catch her attention.

But she couldn't understand why Shi Yu would do this.

Ever since moving here and becoming neighbors with the Shi family, they had barely spoken.

Today after school was the most they had talked.

After waiting for a while, Lin Yao didn't see any further action from Shi Yu.

Thinking she might have been overthinking it, she was about to ignore him and start studying.

Suddenly, the cold-looking boy across the way pulled a pack of spicy chips from his backpack.

Lin Yao's eyes widened: Those were her spicy chips!!!

Shi Yu looked at her, raised an eyebrow slightly, and under her angry gaze, opened the pack of spicy chips, took one out without any expression, and put it in his mouth.

"Shi Yu, you..."

Lin Yao almost shouted his name in anger, but then quickly covered her mouth.

Her face, which always pretended to be calm, was now flushed red with indignation.

Shi Yu was being too much, just like his sister!

His sister Shi Nian had been stepping on her since childhood, and now he was subjecting her to this cruel mental torment!

Lin Yao glared fiercely at Shi Yu, watching him eat one, two, three pieces...

She couldn't bear it anymore!

Lin Yao, speechless with anger, pulled the curtains shut, blocking the sight.

She sat back at her desk, her breathing slightly disordered.

No way, she couldn't sleep tonight unless she finished three sets of "Essential College Entrance Exam Practice," "Tianli 38 Sets," and "Golden Exam Papers"!