【27.】

  I told Liu Xin that I had to leave first, and she responded absent-mindedly. It was clear that her mind was still on Shen Dang, and I felt a little guilty, as if I were deceiving this innocent girl. As the saying goes, you can't have both fish and bear's paw at the same time. I'm not a saint, nor do I pretend to be kind-hearted. But in that moment, I couldn't help but feel despicable.

  A little disappointed, I walked to the school gate, Shen Dang was leaning on the gate waiting for me, he was still wearing the same outfit as before, shorts, vest and basketball shoes, all Nike.

  Seeing me come, he smiled and said: "I've been waiting for you."

  I walked over and pointed at his foot: "Still hurt?"

  He lowered his head and didn't speak. After a while, he stretched out his hand to hold mine, raised his head and looked at me: "Actually... I also encountered such things when playing ball before."

  I couldn't help but burst out laughing: "How can you be so annoying!"

  "Hey!" He urged "Liu Jia! What are you talking about?"

  I innocently shrugged: "You're the one who said you always run into this kind of thing."

  "That was a good hit." He looked at me like a child seeking parental praise "Right?"

  No one can withstand his slightly pleading gaze, and I'm no exception: "Yes, yes! You're great!"

  "I just... " He paused for a moment and continued, "felt like I'd lost face... You came to watch me play..."

  His words were intermittent and eventually stopped altogether. I knew Shen Zhuo's pride and didn't force him either.

  "Shen Duan. I never thought of it that way."

  "Really?"

  I smiled and said: "Sister, I'm not lying."

  Shen Diao quietly looked at me for a while, I was already used to him being like this, also not speaking.

  "Where are you going for a while?"

  "What did you say?" As soon as the words fell, she suddenly felt a bit like she was acting coquettishly, with the demeanor of a young girl. She couldn't help but blush.

  "Hey, why's your face red again?"

  I pushed him away: "Don't be so rude!"

  Shen Duan held my hand and didn't let go. After a moment of thought, he said, "Take you to my home?"

  Huh?

  I was petrified...

  "Hey! Liu Jia, don't be so impure!"

  Damn! He's full of erotic implications. With this face, who wouldn't have dirty thoughts?

  "What's the point of going to your place?"

  "My home is not here." He paused for a moment "I am from Beijing, my father was working here a few years ago, and I followed him to study here."

  I nodded, unclear what he meant by saying all this.

  "He's back in Beijing now, I'm the only one left here." He gestured with his hand to describe the house "It's a pretty big house, but it's a bit out of the way, I don't like it there, it's a bit too quiet."

  It turned out that way, and I felt a kind of tender love for him in my heart, just like an older sister would.

  He looked at me and smiled: "Liu Jia... what's with that look in your eyes."

  "Sister's gaze at her brother."

  "Lovers' eyes see lovers."

  My face turned red again, staring at him with wide eyes: "What are you talking about!"

  Shen Dang leaned in close, his nose almost touching my cheek: "Really good... Liu Jia."

  This kid!

  In the end, we still didn't outlast him, and the two of us went to his house. To be honest, I had a faint feeling that something wasn't right, after all, for a girl, being alone with someone to this extent was completely dangerous.

  But inexplicably, I just believe him, I trust Shen Zhong, and he is also trustworthy.

  As he sat in the car, he smiled and said to me: "You really believe in me?"

  I smiled and didn't say anything, after all I'm not a kid anymore. Some things are more useful when actually done than any sweet promises. The taxi driver probably thought our conversation was a bit ambiguous, plus we were heading to a residential area, so he discreetly looked at me through the rearview mirror.

  I felt uncomfortable being sized up by his lewd gaze, thinking how boring these people are.

  "Let's get off at the gate." I suggested to Shen Duan "Get off at the entrance of the community. The rest of the way, we'll walk on foot."

  "Otherwise, our residential area also does not allow taxis to enter."

  The driver rolled his eyes slightly.

  Hey! Nowadays even taxi drivers are so talented!

  I had long thought that Shen Duan's home must be luxurious and grand, but when I saw the two-story small villa and the flower farmer at the door, I couldn't help but ask: "How much money does your family have?"

  He thought seriously for half a day and told me: "Sorry, this matter can't be said."

  I glared at him and walked in.

  As I entered the house, someone came down from the second floor. I looked over and it seemed to be a nanny-like figure. It seems that such big households still retain this kind of habit.

  Shen Duan took off his shoes: "Su Ma, this is my friend."

  Su's mother walked over and handed Shen Duan a handkerchief: "Oh dear, where did this come from? Look at the sweat on your forehead."

  Shen Duan took over and wiped the sweat from my forehead, looked at me again, and then wiped some more. I felt embarrassed and kept backing away. He simply used his other hand to hold my face in place.

  I was completely at a loss, and then I caught sight of Su's mother. She was looking at us with a smile, as if she were looking at her most beloved child.

  Su's mother smiled warmly: "Oh, our young master has brought a friend home for the first time! What should we call you, miss?"

  I didn't feel any distance at all, and I immediately put down my guard. Smiling, I said: "My name is Liu Jia. Nice to meet you, Su Ma."

  "Alright, alright!" Su's mother pulled me by the hand "Isn't it hot outside? Wait for me to serve you a bowl of mung bean soup. You go with Young Master and sit in the house for a while first."

  She said and turned to walk into the house. Su Ma's accent was authentic Beijing dialect, with a hint of Tianjin flavor. I guessed that she must have been someone who followed from the old Beijing mansion, and couldn't help but sigh in my heart that Xiao Zu had an extraordinary status at home. No wonder she developed this kind of personality.

  Shen Duan changed into shoes and stood beside me: "It's been a long time since we've had guests at home, Su's mother is happy."

  I understand the psychology of old people wanting someone at home, nodding: "Su Ma is really good."

  "Of course! She's watched me grow up, closer than my own mom."

  I gave him a sidelong glance: "Your mom would scold you if she heard that!"

  He sat on the sofa, very leisurely closing his eyes: "Her? She's busy, no time to take care of me."

  These words were a bit sulky, completely childish. Before I could even open my mouth, Su Ma brought over two bowls of green bean soup: "Here, young lady. Try some of Su Ma's cooking."

  Shen Dang picked up a bowl and presented it to me with both hands: "This is the best in the world, something even old men don't have the good fortune to drink! Drink some quickly."

  Su's mother was both angry and amused: "No respect for elders! What an old man!"

  He didn't refute either, and mischievously stuck out his tongue.

  "There's a watermelon in the fridge." Su Ma looked at Shen Duan "You go get it."

  Shen Dang stood up without thinking, and I understood that it was Su Ma's intention to get Shen Dang out of the way. Although she is a kind elder, people will always have their own private thoughts.

  As soon as Shen Dang left, Su's mother pulled my hand and smiled: "Miss Liu, don't blame this old woman for being nosy."

  "It can't be, Aunt Su, you're worrying too much."

  "When the young master brought you in just now, I thought you were a sensible person. Since the day the young master was born, whether in Beijing or here, I have been watching him grow up. This child has a bad temper and has been spoiled by us to be a bit arrogant. I've never seen him take anyone so seriously before."

  I didn't know how to respond and could only silently listen.

  "Miss Liu." Su's mom looked at me "Can you tell me what you're thinking?"

  I thought for a moment before speaking: "Aunt Su, I haven't thought too much about it. To have Shen Zhuo as a friend makes me happy. As for other things, those are matters for the future, and I don't dare make any promises to you."

  Su's mother looked at me, those eyes that were just benevolent a moment ago had a hint of inquiry, and I sighed in my heart that this was the power of age, which could give people so many skills. If I wasn't really clear conscience, I would absolutely be no match for Su's mother's piercing gaze.

  "The watermelon has arrived!"

  She turned her head to look at Shen Zhong and let out a soft sigh: "Look at you, go take a bath first."

  Shen Duan lowered his head to look at his sweat-stained clothes, feeling a bit embarrassed. He placed the watermelon in front of me and squatted down to my level: "Want me to squeeze some juice for you?"

  I shook my head: "No, it's fine like this."

  "Want me to get you a spoon?"

  "Go take a shower! You're all sweaty."

  He stood up and sniffed, retorting in a depressed tone: "This smell is too masculine!"

  Although he said so, he still ran upstairs to take a bath immediately.

  "I've never seen Young Master like this before."

  Su's mother suddenly said this sentence, and I immediately felt a bit of an evil mother-in-law. I was so depressed that I didn't know how to respond.

  "Alright, alright, old people talk too much. I hope Miss Liu won't despise me."

  I smiled and said, "What's wrong with what Su Ma said?"

  It's really tiring to communicate with people like this, every step is a struggle, and every word is not spoken freely. But later on, when I had a direct confrontation with Shen Zhuo's mother, I realized how naive I was at that time.

  Compared with Shen Duan's mother, Su's mother is just an entry-level evil mother-in-law.

  After a while, Shen Duan yelled at me from the stairs on the second floor. I looked up and saw that the beautiful man after his bath was incredibly eye-catching. His hair was still dripping with water, and his skin was white with a hint of red, making women jealous.

  "Liuyang, come here. Let me show you my room."

  Mom Su patted me: "Go on. It's rare for him to be so happy."

  Such a light and casual sentence, yet it inexplicably pains my heart.