Wen Baozhu was still squatting on the ground, pinning a hairpin on Zhou You's head. She also asked if she had pulled on Zhou You's scalp or hair.
Zhou You shook her head. Wen Baozhu's movements were so gentle that she didn't feel any pain.
There was no mirror in the classroom, so she couldn't see how she looked with the hairpin on. She could only tilt her head and ask Wen Baozhu, "Do I look good?"
"You look great," Wen Baozhu answered sincerely.
She had spent a long time in the mall not long ago before she found this hairpin. The style was very suitable for a girl of this age, and the price was appropriate for her status.
"I hope you're not lying," Zhou You said shyly, raising her hand to touch the hairpin. "This is the first gift I've ever received from someone."
Wen Baozhu was surprised. "No one has ever given you a gift?"
"They only did it for my grandpa's sake. It wasn't from the bottom of their hearts... Forget it. It doesn't matter anyway."
Zhou You still acted a bit proud. "Anyway, I don't accept gifts from just anyone. I'll let the past go. It's all settled."
Wen Baozhu said with a smile, "You're so magnanimous."
...
When Fu Lian finished his call and walked back to the classroom door with his phone, it was obvious that the two girls had already made up. They were sitting on the chairs, chatting.
Zhou You asked, "Why did you come here with him?"
Wen Baozhu tried to understand the mind of a child. She guessed that the "him" in Zhou You's question must be Fu Lian.
"I wanted to apologize to you in person, so I asked him to help me," she replied.
"You could have gone directly to the orphanage. I go there two or three times a week," Zhou You said like a little adult.
Wen Baozhu couldn't explain to her that she had to keep her distance from Fu Shuyi and wouldn't be able to go to the orphanage for a while.
Fortunately, a child's mind is always jumping. Zhou You then thought of a new question. "How did you two meet?"
Wen Baozhu answered honestly, "I'm his younger brother's fiancée."
Zhou You said, "Oh, so you were just kissing each other."
Wen Baozhu was speechless.
It was all Fu Lian's fault!
If he hadn't leaned over to kiss her, Zhou You wouldn't have seen them.
Wen Baozhu's face turned a bit red. She was wondering how to explain it to Zhou You when Fu Lian walked over.
He had been listening to their conversation and didn't intend to interrupt.
"Zoey, don't ask random questions," he said, noticing the new hairpin on Zhou You's head. "Your grandpa just called me. He asked me to take you home."
Zhou You hadn't had enough chatting with Wen Baozhu yet. A child's curiosity is endless. "Can Baozhu come to my house for dinner with us?"
Their relationship had advanced so quickly that they were already calling each other by their first names.
Fu Lian turned to look at Wen Baozhu.
The meaning in his eyes was clear. Wen Baozhu immediately said, "I'm afraid I can't today. I have other plans for tonight."
Actually, she didn't have any other plans.
But Fu Lian's look said it all: she wasn't suitable to show up tonight.
Although she didn't know who Zhou You's grandpa was, she could feel that Fu Lian definitely didn't want her to be there.
Seeing that it was impossible, Zhou You showed disappointment in her eyes.
A child's emotions are always so straightforward. They are right on the surface and can't be hidden.
When they were about to part, Wen Baozhu saw that Zhou You was still reluctant to leave. She took Zhou You's hand. "We'll play together again when I'm free next time."
As Wen Baozhu said this, she hooked her little finger with Zhou You's.
Hooking little fingers means making a promise.
Sure enough, Zhou You soon became energetic again. "You have to keep your word. Don't go back on it!"
"No problem."
Before getting in the car, Zhou You waved to Wen Baozhu outside the car. "See you next time!"
Wen Baozhu replied, "Okay. See you next time."
A child's world is simple. There are no twists and turns. What they like to hear most is always "see you next time."
Fu Lian watched them say goodbye without interrupting.
Since Zhou You's parents died in a plane crash three years ago, he had spent most of his free time with this little girl besides work.
He knew exactly how difficult it was to take care of her.
At that time, many people were arranged by the family to accompany Zhou You, but her mood was still very unstable, and she didn't have any friends.
Until now, he had never heard that she had made any friends or been reluctant to part with anyone.
But today, it was only the second time she had met Wen Baozhu.
After the car started, Zhou You still craned her neck until she couldn't see Wen Baozhu anymore. Then she reluctantly sat up straight.
"Why can't Baozhu come to dinner with us?"
"I have something to talk to your grandpa about tonight. She's an outsider. It's not suitable for her to be there," Fu Lian explained directly.
Zhou You pouted. "You're an outsider to her, but you still kissed her."
She was so cute and her words were always surprising. "Does your fiancée know that you kissed her?"
Fu Lian was speechless.
He couldn't help but tap her on the head. "You're a child. Don't ask so many questions."
"But Baozhu doesn't treat me like a child," Zhou You covered her head and said seriously. "I'll protect Baozhu from now on. I won't let anyone bully her, and neither can you."
Fu Lian laughed. "I've accompanied you for so long, but why weren't you this nice to me? Zoey, you're so heartless."
Zhou You had her own opinion. "You accompanied me for my grandpa's sake, but Baozhu accompanied me because she regards me as a friend."
Fu Lian didn't say a word.
A child's world is pure, but an adult's world is not.
"I'm glad you've made a friend you like, but this is just the first step," Fu Lian leaned back on the chair and rubbed his temples. "Sometimes, friends can be good or bad, and they can be just for a short time or for a long time."
Zhou You was quiet for a while. Then she suddenly said, "You don't trust Baozhu."
A child's eyes can see right through things.
Fu Lian didn't say yes or no.
"Trust is a very precious thing," Fu Lian smiled and didn't explain the deeper meaning to Zhou You.
Especially in his position, trust was even more precious than gold.
To gain his trust, one had to show some returns.
—
Wen Baozhu watched Fu Lian's car drive away. Then she silently got into the car that Fu Lian had arranged for her and headed to the villa.
For some reason, Wen Baozhu was very tired today. She could even fall asleep leaning against the car window.
After getting out of the car and walking into the villa, Aunt Jiang had already prepared dinner.
She had been tired all afternoon, making pottery and chatting with Zhou You, and she hadn't eaten much. She should have been starving.
But looking at the food on the table, she had no appetite at all.
Moreover, she even felt a little nauseous.
Aunt Jiang served her a bowl of fish congee. As soon as Wen Baozhu put a spoonful into her mouth, her stomach started to churn.
She pushed the chair away and rushed into the bathroom. She vomited with a "wow."
Aunt Jiang followed her worriedly. Seeing her so weak after vomiting, she had a vague premonition in her heart.
She silently backed out of the bathroom and quietly made a phone call.