Chapter 57: Discovering the Scoundrel’s Secret

Chapter 57: Discovering the Scoundrel's Secret

Ye Xiaoxiao brought Xu Jianli home, served him a meal, and let him eat first.

Xu Jianli, who had been hungry all day, couldn’t resist wolfing down the food as soon as he smelled it.

Ye Changsheng and Ye Changyuan knew Ye Xiaoxiao had taken the day off to see Zhou Ziran off, but they didn’t expect her to bring back a boy.

Ye Xiaoxiao called them to wash their hands and eat, then introduced Xu Jianli to the two.

“He’ll stay for a couple of days and then leave.”

Xu Jianli frowned, eyeing Ye Changsheng.

“Do I know you from somewhere?”

Ye Changsheng calmly picked up his chopsticks. “No.”

Xu Jianli: “Okay, I must’ve mistaken you for someone else.”

Xu Jianli’s arrival didn’t affect anyone except Ye Xiaoxiao.

With only a month left until the college exams, even Ye Changyuan, who usually hated studying, was hitting the books.

Before bed, Ye Xiaoxiao checked Xu Jianli’s pulse. “I’ll prepare some traditional Chinese medicine for you to take when you leave.”

Xu Jianli hated taking medicine, but this time he didn’t refuse.

“Oh…”

“Sister Xiaoxiao, will you go back to Beijing after the college exams? Even if you don’t like my brother, you can’t avoid me. I haven’t done anything to upset you.”

Ye Xiaoxiao set up a simple bed for him in the living room. It was summer, so sleeping like this wouldn’t make him catch a cold.

“I’m not avoiding anyone. I’m studying now. After the college exams…”

Xu Jianli said excitedly, “You’ll go back after the exams?”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “After the exams, I’ll see which school I get into. If it’s in Beijing, of course I’ll go back.”

Xu Jianli lowered his head. “What if you don’t get into a school in Beijing?”

Ye Xiaoxiao: “Then I’ll take the exams again next year.”

Xu Jianli’s eyes darted around. “Then I’ll transfer here too, and we can study together.”

Ye Xiaoxiao looked at him. “Even if I repeat a year, you’re not in your third year of high school yet. You’re thinking too far ahead, kid.”

Xu Jianli: “What? I can skip grades! Don’t underestimate me!”

Ye Xiaoxiao pointed to the made-up bed. “Enough talk. Get some rest. There’s a mug on the table; if you get thirsty at night, pour yourself some water.”

After giving her instructions, Ye Xiaoxiao returned to her room.

She thought about the sewing machine missing at home and opened the small box Lu Hanchuan had given her to see if there were any tickets for buying a sewing machine inside.

Ye Xiaoxiao unfolded the tickets one at a time.

Some tickets had dates on them, showing the month they had to be used by, or they’d expire.

Just halfway through, Ye Xiaoxiao mentally labeled him as a "nice guy."

Lu Hanchuan really was a good person; he was too wealthy.

It's a shame that someone like him can't find a girlfriend.

Ye Xiaoxiao always took Lu Hanchuan's explanations with a grain of salt, though she didn’t call him out on it.

The current relatively balanced state was good for both of them.

There really was a sewing machine voucher inside, and she even spotted a relatively scarce TV voucher.

Ye Xiaoxiao lay on the bed, counting her money.

After adding her savings and recent earnings, she had about fifteen hundred yuan left.

Duan Lei’s one thousand yuan had already been set aside by Ye Xiaoxiao, ready to be sent back to him.

She hadn’t spent a single penny of the money Lu Hanchuan gave her.

After counting the money, Ye Xiaoxiao decided she would buy the sewing machine, no question.

With her mind at ease, she slept soundly that night.

Others, however, couldn’t sleep.

Xu Jianli, in a new place, tossed and turned, only feeling drowsy as dawn approached.

Ye Xiaoxiao couldn’t afford to take two days off in a row. After breakfast, she told Xu Jianli she’d return at noon to take him to call home.

Xu Jianli: "Can I visit Sister Xiaoxiao’s school?"

Ye Xiaoxiao shot him down without hesitation, "No way."

Xu Jianli pouted, clearly disappointed.

"Tears won’t get you anywhere."

Ye Xiaoxiao slung her backpack over her shoulder and left.

At noon, Ye Xiaoxiao brought Xu Jianli mung bean water and a roujiamo (Chinese meat sandwich) from the school gate.

Xu Jianli was quite obedient and didn’t complain about the food not suiting his taste.

Bai Chuan County, being up north, had mild summers with comfortable temperatures. So Xu Jianli had it much easier than Duan Lei did.

After eating, Ye Xiaoxiao took him to make the call.

Xu Jianli called home and told Zhao Hongxia to send someone to pick him up.

Zhao Hongxia agreed without hesitation.

"Jianli, stay at a local guesthouse and don’t wander off. I’ll come get you soon."

Xu Jianli: "I know, I’m not a kid."

Besides, this place beats the capital any day.

After hanging up, Ye Xiaoxiao finally breathed a sigh of relief.

"It should take three days to get here from Beijing. Stay home and behave yourself for these three days. If you run around, I really won't talk to you anymore."

Xu Jianli looked down, fidgeting with his clothes: "Oh."

Ye Xiaoxiao looked at him: "What are you doing?"

Xu Jianli said shyly: "Sister Xiaoxiao, can you take me shopping? I didn't pack any clothes when I came."

Ye Xiaoxiao: "..."

Xu Jianli: "Sister Xiaoxiao, I won't let you pay for it. My family will reimburse you when they arrive."

Ye Xiaoxiao held her forehead, "You went out without any money?"

Xu Jianli's face turned red: "I didn't know any better, but I'll be more prepared next time."

Ye Xiaoxiao didn't know what to say; this must be the downside of being a genius.

"Come on, I'll take you to the department store."

Ye Xiaoxiao took him to the local department store to buy some clothes and toiletries.

Noticing that Xu Jianli looked unwell, Ye Xiaoxiao also grabbed an extra can of milk powder.

The milk powder was a luxury, even pricier than the clothes.

At the checkout, Ye Xiaoxiao saw Li Deshu, whom she hadn't seen for days, entering the department store with a slim woman.

The woman sported curly hair and a chic pencil skirt, laughing and chatting with Li Deshu as they walked.

Li Deshu's hand rested on her waist, inching lower...

In a time when even holding hands was rare, their behavior was scandalous.

Xu Jianli followed Ye Xiaoxiao's gaze, "Sister, what are you looking at?"

Ye Xiaoxiao: "Looking at a jerk."

Xu Jianli immediately said: "I can't stand jerks!"

Ye Xiaoxiao chuckled, "Let's head home. We've got what we need, so behave yourself. If you get hungry, just make some milk."

Xu Jianli had assumed the milk was for someone else, but now hearing that he had to drink it himself, he immediately refused.

"I... I don't want to drink it."

"How are you going to grow taller if you don't drink it? Haven't you noticed you're shorter than everyone else your age?"

Xu Jianli anxiously defended himself: "I'm not short. I skipped a grade in elementary school, so I'm younger than most."

Ye Xiaoxiao nodded, "Right, only kids drink milk, so it's for you."

Xu Jianli was speechless.

He walked in silence for a bit, then looked up and secretly glanced at Ye Xiaoxiao.

He felt that Sister Xiaoxiao was different from before; she wasn't this sharp-tongued before.

But what was even stranger was that Xu Jianli felt this side of Sister Xiaoxiao was warmer, and their relationship was closer.

Ye Xiaoxiao still had classes in the afternoon, so after sending the bought items and Xu Jianli home, she went back to class.

Auntie Sun next door saw Xu Jianli wandering boredly at the door and started chatting with him.

"Little Xu, you don't look like Xiao Xiao's relative, more like her younger brother. You both have fair skin, big eyes, and high noses—very handsome."

Xu Jianli raised his head, his tone proud, "I think so too."