Lin Jin quickly lowered her head to eat the rice rolls, burying herself in her food and keeping silent. "Ranran, are you taking the train back to the imperial capital tonight?" Su Qinian sat lazily beside her. With just a slight tilt of his head, he could see the girl devouring her food.
She looked so cute.
"No, I'm going back to Wannanshi. There's still something I need to pick up there, so I'm going back first." Lin Jinran told a lie.
But her face was still bright red, making her words sound rather unconvincing.
Su Qinian raised his eyebrows slightly and asked curiously, "When will you go back to the imperial capital then? You had to come back during the Chinese New Year."
"Um, there are some rather important things." Lin Jinran stammered as she lied.
She desperately wracked her brains, thinking about how she would explain to him if Su Qinian asked what those things were.
She was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan.
"I see." Su Qinian gave her a thoughtful look and pushed her milk tea towards her. "Have some. Your face is so red. The milk tea is cold. It can cool you down."
Lin Jinran was extremely embarrassed. She blinked her eyes and lowered her head to take a sip.
Su Qinian chatted with her off and on, shifting the topic from schoolwork to how she enjoyed her day in Yunshi.
Lin Jinran's vigilance gradually relaxed, and she became completely at ease.
Suddenly, Su Qinian changed the topic and casually asked, "When is your train ticket back to the imperial capital?"
"On the fourth day of the lunar new year, which is the day after tomorrow." Lin Jinran was concentrating on dealing with the outrageously spicy stinky tofu. Without a second thought, she answered him directly.
As soon as the words left her mouth, Lin Jinran's eyes widened, black and white, looking roundly at Su Qinian.
So that's how it was! He was trying to fish information out of her.
"No, I still have some things to do in Wannanshi, so I'm going back so late. I really came back from the imperial capital to see you before..."
Her voice grew softer and softer, and her confidence waned.
Su Qinian's pair of pitch - black eyes stared straight at her. Lin Jinran swallowed nervously and forced a flattering smile.
"So, since the winter vacation started, you haven't been back to the imperial capital at all. You've been alone in Wannanshi all this time, right?" he asked, his tone calm.
But the calmer he was, the more uneasy Lin Jinran felt.
She gently tugged at the boy's sleeve and whispered, "It doesn't matter. Don't be angry."
"Anger will cause wrinkles. Once you get wrinkles, you won't be good - looking. Su Qinian, you're so good - looking. You can't get wrinkles. Otherwise, you'll turn into an ugly monster."
Su Qinian was almost amused by anger.
What kind of strange logic was this?
At the same time, a wave of pity welled up in his heart. During the Chinese New Year, Lin Jinran was all alone in Wannanshi.
He had been wondering how her parents could possibly allow her to come and see him.
So that was the problem.
Su Qinian remembered the detention this semester when she said, "My parents are not both dead."
Was it true?
Then why... was she all alone?
"What time is your train tonight?" Su Qinian asked again.
"Let me check." Lin Jinran opened the ticket - buying app. "It's at 8:15 p.m. We should start getting ready. There are only hard - seat tickets left. All the high - speed rail tickets are sold out."
"8:15 p.m.?" Su Qinian repeated. He took out his phone and opened the ticket - buying app. It showed that there were no more seats for the train, only standing - room tickets.
Su Qinian first sent a message to his family, then without hesitation, he directly bought that standing - room ticket.
"We need to go back home first. I remembered that I left something at home. There's still time."
He didn't bring his ID card with him, so he had to go back and get it.
Lin Jinran didn't suspect anything. Seeing that they had almost finished eating, she picked up her milk tea and walked back with him.
When they got back to No. 221 Yunhou Road, Lin Jinran said she would wait for him downstairs. Su Qinian had no choice but to go upstairs alone to get his ID card.
When he opened the door, his mother was sitting on the sofa in the living room. Su Qinian called out in surprise, his heart tightening. He thought his mother disagreed.
Unexpectedly, his mother stuffed a red envelope into his hand and patted his shoulder earnestly. "You briefly told me about it. I understand. Ranran is a good girl. It's so pitiful that she's all alone."
"This red envelope is for Ranran. It's not much, but it's my heart. Make sure she takes it. You can go. Pay attention to safety when you come back on the fourth day."
Su Qinian took the red envelope, glanced at it, and nodded seriously. "I know."
He went to get his ID card and then left the house. He took a taxi with Lin Jinran to the train station.
When they arrived at the train station, Lin Jinran still had no idea what was going on. She looked at Su Qinian sideways and said with a smile, "Go back. Your family is waiting for you."
Su Qinian took out the red envelope from his pocket and stuffed it into Lin Jinran's hand.
Lin Jinran was startled. As if the red envelope was something scalding hot, she stepped back repeatedly and refused.
Su Qinian was insistent and didn't allow her to refuse. He directly pushed it into her hand and explained clearly, "It's from my mom. It's her heart. Just accept it. Moreover, our family has a tradition during the Chinese New Year. All the junior relatives who come to pay New Year greetings will get a red envelope."
This... Lin Jinran hesitated for a moment and slowly took it. "Then please thank auntie and the others for me when you get back."
"I'm not going back. I'm going to Wannanshi with you." Su Qinian said firmly.
Huh? Lin Jinran tilted her head and looked at him in confusion, blinking her eyes.
"I have something to do. I'll go to Wannanshi with you. Come on, let's go." Su Qinian pushed her towards the entrance, interrupting her train of thought.
It was so strange. She didn't hear him say that he was going to Wannanshi when they left the commercial street.
Lin Jinran was in a daze. After going through a series of procedures such as ID card verification, security check, and going upstairs, she finally sat at the ticket - checking entrance with Su Qinian.
She stole a glance at Su Qinian and saw the boy's smooth - lined profile, which was very pleasing to the eye.
It was so sudden, but it was nice to have someone accompany her back to Wannanshi.
It was just a bit tough for Su Qinian. He had a standing - room ticket because he bought it too late.
Lin Jinran propped her chin on her hands and stared blankly at a certain place in front of her, smiling cheerfully.
Her eyes were curved into cute crescents.
As it was getting close to 8:15 p.m., Su Qinian stood behind her and entered the station with her along with the crowd.
That night, after Su Qinian sent Lin Jinran home, he went back to his own place.
At noon the next day, estimating that the time was about right, he called Lin Jinran.
"Ranran, are you awake? Can we have lunch together at noon?"
Just waking up, Lin Jinran scratched her messy hair, completely bewildered.
Didn't he say he had something to do in Wannanshi? Why was he still asking her out for lunch?
Hey, wait. Why did this excuse sound so familiar?
It seemed that she had just used it!