Shen Lin's temperament was nothing like his domineering mother. His face was white and gentle, and he had a pair of glasses perched on his nose. When he saw Xiang ChangKong, he looked as if he wanted to say something. However, Xiang Nuan didn't wait for him to speak. She grabbed Xiang ChangKong and descended down the stairs.
When the left the building, Xiang ChangKong glanced at Xiang Nuan and asked: "Was that Shen Lin?"
"Un." Xiang Nuan asked her brother: "What did Teacher Cai and Shen Lin's mother tell you?"
"They said you and Shen Lin fell in love with each other."
"...." Xiang Nuan really hated those gossipy classmates of hers. Usually, as long as two people stand together long enough, people will start fooling and teasing the two for being lovers. Even Shen Lin and her were implicated. But Shen Lin's mother attached great importance to Shen Lin's school situation. When Shen Lin dropped two places in the weekly exams, his mother felt like the sky was falling.
Xiang Nuan ended up on the wrong side of her gun.
(T/N: Xiang Nuan ended up being the one blamed)
"We aren't in love, ah. He was just helping me with my studies." Xiang Nuan tried to explain. "After the last exam, he said he'd help me, just to see if he teaches better or if you teach better."
Xiang ChangKong didn't understand. "This is the first time I've ever heard of him." His meaning was, how can Shen Lin suddenly think of competing with him if they've never met?
Xiang Nuan's lip curled. "After the last mock exam, I mentioned that you were helping me study. It's probably the instinctual hostility between two top students that led him to try and teach me instead."
Xiang ChangKong: "...."
"But don't worry. I won't let him tutor me anymore." She didn't dare say that she had made progress in her studies, but it was true that she used some of Shen Lin's study time for her own gain. Although Shen Lin didn't have a crush on her, maybe his drop in ranking really was due to her distracting him.
Xiang ChangKong looked at his sister for a brief moment. He asked: "Then why?"
Xiang Nuan replied: "If he falls two more places in the next exam, I'm pretty sure his mom will just stab me directly."
Xiang ChangKong laughed. In a rare teasing tone, he asked: "So you really don't have a crush on Shen Lin?"
"No!" Like a cat who had its tail stepped on, Xiang Nuan jumped. "I just want to concentrate on my studies right now! I don't want to fall in love with anyone!"
Xiang ChangKong's smile gradually disappeared as he stared at Xiang Nuan. He earnestly asked: "Xiang Nuan, have I been putting too much pressure on you?"
Xiang Nuan was surprised. She never expected him to ask such a thing.
"After your last mock exam, you mentioned that you didn't want to go to university." At that time, Xiang ChangKong should have realized that something was going on. Who would give up college after one or two low scores?
Xiang Nuan habitually kicked a pebble on the road, then stiffly replied: "I was afraid of disappointing you. You're obviously much smarter than me, but you left your studies just to give me the opportunity to go to university. If I can't even pass one mock exam, doesn't that mean you sacrificed your life for nothing?"
Xiang ChangKong never thought he had pressured his sister this much. Even if Xiang Nuan could only get into the lowest university in the entire country, Xiang ChangKong would've still sent her to there. He just wanted her to receive the education most people would receive. It wasn't a loss to him, let alone a sacrifice.
"You think too much." Xiang ChangKong raised his hand and rubbed Xiang Nuan's head.
Xiang Nuan looked up at him and asked: "Do you know what I wished for during my last birthday?"
"Didn't you tell me you weren't allowed to say it?"
Xiang Nuan smiled and said: "It already came true! My wish was for my brother to be able to do what he wants. I'm delighted that you can continue your studies."
Initially, Weng ShuLi's sudden disappearance worried her. She was scared that Xiang ChangKong's plans to take the postgraduate exams would be interrupted because of this. Unexpectedly, the situation ended with their mother finally speaking again.
"Mom's cooking dinner today. You have the great fortune of eating delicious food tonight." Xiang ChangKong told her.
Xiang Nuan smiled and whispered: "Let me tell you a secret: I think your cooking is better than Mom's!"
"Oooh, I want to tell Mom you said that. You might not even have anything to eat at noon." Xiang ChangKong chuckled.
"Hey! Why are you like this?" Her brother used to be such a pure boy!"
It must be due to the smelly lovestruck odor that he's emitting!
While Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan were heading home, Xu Lian had already arrived. Standing at the door of Xiang ChangKong's home, Xu Lian looked down at her watch. It was 12:00 p.m. sharp.
After a while, Weng ShuLi, who was wearing the apron Xiang ChangKong usually used, opened the door.
This image was so different from their first meeting that Xu Lian couldn't get used to it for a while. Weng ShuLi was similarly surprised and failed to immediately react. Eventually, Weng ShuLi snapped out of her daze and remembered to greet her guest: "Xu Lian, come in, come in."
"Ah...." Xu Lian entered the house and realized that Weng ShuLi was at home alone. Weng ShuLi followed her into the living room and said: "Xiang Nuan's teacher asked Xiang ChangKong to go to her school today. They'll be back soon."
"What happened to Xiang Nuan at school?" Xu Lian asked.
"I don't know; the teacher didn't say anything on the phone. We'll know when they come back." After she finished saying this, the room descended into silence. Weng ShuLi stood in the living room with Xu Lian, feeling awkward. She eventually pointed to the sofa and said: "Sit down first. They should be here any minute now."
"Alright." Xu Lian sat down on the sofa and noticed some oranges on the tea table. She couldn't tell whether these oranges were the ones she bought last time, but at the sight of them, Xu Lian couldn't help but remember the time she accidentally hurt Weng ShuLi.
"Auntie, how's your hand?" Xu Lian asked her.
"It's fine, it was just a small wound." Weng ShuLi replied.
After this brief conversation, the living room was silent once more.
In the past, when Xu Lian visited to spend time with Weng ShuLi, this kind of silence had never been awkward.
In the past, the two of them would sit quietly together for an entire afternoon, but it had never been awkward. But now, it's only been a minute, and Weng ShuLi was already feeling nervous. She turned to Xu Lian and said: "I heard that Xiang ChangKong tried to break up with you....he, he definitely wasn't being sincere when he said this. I can plainly see that he likes you very much."
Xu Lian slightly bowed her head. She didn't reply.
Weng ShuLi continued: "I don't have the right to ask you not to blame him, but you know our family situation. Even I don't think we deserve you."
"Auntie." Xu Lian interrupted her. "I don't know what you're thinking, but I personally believe it's not a matter of worth. What matters is whether you like someone or not."
These words may sound reasonable at first, but Weng ShuLi was someone who had experienced great hardship. She understood that these kinds of words were usually only said by people who had better conditions in life. To Weng ShuLi, there will always be a tinge of fear whenever you fall for someone.
And the better the person, the stronger the fear.
However, this fear can also make people braver.
Weng ShuLi smiled and said to her: "I hope you two can be happy."
For a moment, Xu Lian wondered if she was being tricked. Before she could forgive Xiang ChangKong, his mother was already blessing them, ah.
But Weng ShuLi was being so reasonable that Xu Lian could only accept her blessing.
The two sat in the living room, saying very little. Fortunately, Xiang ChangKong and Xiang Nuan soon arrived. When Xiang Nuan saw Weng ShuLi, she immediately pounced. "Mom, quickly, say something to me!"
Weng ShuLi helplessly held her daughter and said: "Alright, alright. You're already a big girl, ah. Why are you still as coquettish as when you were a child?"
Xiang Nuan only hugged her tighter.
Weng ShuLi told her: "The apron I'm wearing is oily, ah. Aren't you afraid of getting stained?"
"...." Sure enough, Xiang Nuan released her and hurriedly wiped her face.
Weng ShuLi smiled, then stood up. "I still have a few dishes to fry. Dinner will be ready soon." She was afraid that the food would go cold, so she didn't immediately cook everything. Now that everyone's here, Weng ShuLi went back into the kitchen to finish cooking.
Xiang Nuan looked at the sitting Xu Lian, then at the standing Xiang ChangKong. Xiang Nuan tactfully said that she would put her schoolbag in her room, and didn't come back out.
Xiang ChangKong and Xu Lian were the only ones left in the living room. The atmosphere was no better than when Weng ShuLi and Xu Lian were alone just a few minutes ago.
Xu Lian didn't take the initiative to talk to him, so Xiang ChangKong went to the other side of the sofa and picked up an orange. "Do you want to eat one? I'll cut it for you."
Xu Lian replied: "No, dinner will be ready soon, so it's better to eat it later."
"That's right, fruit tastes best after dinner." Xiang ChangKong said. He put the orange back.
After he had done so, he silently looked at Xu Lian. Xu Lian wasn't able to endure Xiang ChangKong's expression, and after struggling for half a minute, she coughed and finally spoke: "Why was Xiang Nuan's teacher looking for you?"
Xiang ChangKong's mouth imperceptibly hooked up. "Her teacher told me that Xiang Nuan was dating a classmate of hers."
"Dating?" Xu Lian didn't expect that. Xiang Nuan looked like a lovely child. She didn't look like a student who would start dating so early.
"It was just a misunderstanding." Xiang ChangKong explained. "Xiang Nuan already made it clear to me that the only thing she loves right now was studying."
Xu Lian: "...."
Why does she feel like Xiang ChangKong...has thicker skin than before? Maybe he's in a good mood because of his mother's recovery?
(T/N: Thin skin means you're easily embarrassed, thick skin basically means you're more shameless/bold/unabashed.)
"I want to thank you." Xiang ChangKong's eyes were warm as he looked at Xu Lian. "I talked with Xiang Nuan, and it turns out I really did put a lot of pressure on her. You were right."
"Well, as long as you know." Xu Lian replied.
Xiang ChangKong lowered his head, then smiled.
Weng ShuLi walked out of the kitchen to serve the dishes, and Xiang ChangKong stood up to help his mother set the table. Xu Lian also stood up and walked to Xiang Nuan's room. She knocked on the door and called out: "Xiang Nuan, dinner's ready."
"Alright, coming!" Xiang Nuan put down her phone and trotted out, giggling. Amused, Xu Lian asked: "I heard from your brother that you have a crush on one of your classmates?"
"No!" Xiang Nuan's face turned bright red. "This house doesn't do crushes!"
Xu Lian couldn't help but laugh. "Oh, really?"
"Yep." Xiang Nuan winked at her. "So, Sister Xu Lian, you're my brother's first love."
(T/N: In the raws, when they talk about Xiang Nuan's situation, they call it 'puppy love.' Basically, immature love. I decided to translate it as a 'crush.' Here in these last few lines, Xiang Nuan basically says so Xu Lian that their household doesn't do superficial feelings/dating. Therefore, Xu Lian, being the first person Xiang ChangKong ever dated, was also the first person he fell in love with.)