Chapter Eighty-Eight: At least there was no strange taste, unlike Zhiyi’s...

The girl had just managed to run off, or he really would have hurled a slipper at her.

Not long after, Willow returned with a bag full of books, and even brought Little Lin a box of ice cream.

Watching Qin Lin'er eat her ice cream with pure delight, Willow gently patted her head, feeling relieved.

Then she went into the room and saw Qin Xuan slumped gloomily in his chair. "What happened? Lost again, did you?"

"I..." How could that be called losing? Was it his fault the dealer never dealt him a good hand? Clearly it was just bad luck.

Seeing that he had no words, Willow said nothing more. She tossed the books onto the desk and sprawled out on the bed.

"It's sweltering! I'm going to take a shower!" After being baked by the sun all the way back, Willow felt nothing but heat clinging to her skin.

Qin Xuan watched her head for the bathroom without the slightest ripple in his heart, only sinking deeper into self-doubt. Did I really only deserve the very bottom?

Qin Lin'er came in while scooping up ice cream, and when she saw Qin Xuan deep in thought, she obediently sat down in front of him and kindly offered him a spoonful.

Qin Xuan naturally took it into his mouth and looked at Qin Lin'er. "Do you still have to go this afternoon? You can ask Sister Qin for leave."

"It's fine." Qin Lin'er shook her head, the spoon still between her teeth.

"Huh? Are these books Sister Willow bought?" Qin Lin'er looked at the shopping bag from the bookstore on the table and reached out to take it.

Why weren't those strange books in there anymore? Curious, she simply carried the bag back to her own room.

When Willow came out of the shower, she found the books she had bought were gone. At a glance, she knew Qin Lin'er had taken them.

Fresh from the bath, she was rubbing moisturizer onto her face as she walked toward Qin Lin'er's room, while Qin Xuan, pricking up his ears, heard them clearly.

"Sister Willow! Leave me two copies!"

"Children shouldn't read this sort of thing. It will affect your growth."

"What do you mean? I'm already an adult, okay!"

"No, you're still small."

In the end, Willow still left Lin'er one proper book.

That afternoon, when Qin Xuan went to school, he learned to be clever and specifically brought an umbrella for Lin'er.

Sitting in the stands, he looked around and indeed saw that many seats were empty compared to the morning. Even Sister Qin was not there; no one knew what she was busy with. Could it be a date?

But around three, Sister Qin still arrived, awkwardly linked arm in arm with Zhou Mo. At this rate, there should be no problem eating their wedding sweets next month.

"Qin Xuan!"

Suddenly, out of nowhere, South Knowledge arrived and patted him on the shoulder.

Qin Xuan turned and looked at the radiant smile on her face. "Don't you have to host this afternoon?"

Only then did Qin Xuan realize that he really hadn't heard South Knowledge's voice hosting this afternoon.

"Nope, someone else took over. I don't have to go tomorrow either!" Though she liked hosting, she was clearly far more interested in Qin Xuan!

South Knowledge plopped down beside Qin Lin'er. Seeing her half-limp against Qin Xuan's shoulder, she knew at once that the heat had gotten to her.

"Here." South Knowledge took the Brisk Spirit Water issued by the school from her pocket and handed it to Qin Lin'er.

"This stuff doesn't taste good..." Qin Lin'er looked at what she was holding. She drank it often in summer when she was in high school, and now just seeing it made her want to retch. That smell was way too intense!

"Be good!" South Knowledge, for once, really looked like an older sister. She opened the box, took one out, twisted it open, and handed it over to Qin Lin'er.

Lin'er frowned as she took the Brisk Spirit Water from Sister Knowledge. Smelling that odor, eugh—

But looking into South Knowledge's concerned eyes, well, fine, she'd drink it. She had gotten used to it back then anyway...

After throwing away the trash, South Knowledge came back and found Qin Xuan and Willow looking at her awkwardly.

"What is it? You want some too?"

"No, no, no." Willow hated that smell the most, and not just that—she hated taking medicine too. She simply could not swallow it.

"Tonight I'll treat you to something cool and refreshing!" South Knowledge said, patting Qin Lin'er's forehead. She was sweating.

She rummaged through her bag and found a few wet wipes, then wiped the sweat off Qin Lin'er, leaving Qin Xuan and Willow staring in disbelief.

"Got a problem staring? As the older brother, you didn't prepare a thing, and you still have the nerve to watch!"

South Knowledge flicked a wet wipe straight at Qin Xuan's face.

"Well... it's my first time being an older brother. I'm not very practiced yet..." Qin Xuan helplessly peeled the wipe off his face, a little embarrassed.

After enduring the whole afternoon, perhaps because she had changed into lighter clothes at noon, Qin Lin'er somehow sweated less in the afternoon than she had in the morning.

Thankfully there was no evening event, and after being roasted all afternoon, everyone wanted nothing more than to go back and rest.

"Where are we going?" Qin Xuan asked, puzzled, as South Knowledge led the way. She really lived up to being a local, guiding the group all over the place without getting lost.

South Knowledge carried a small bag. "We're almost there!"

A short while later—

"Miss South Knowledge, your private room has been arranged."

The manager came out to greet them as soon as they stepped into an antique-style restaurant.

South Knowledge, who came here often, had long since become one of the restaurant's key guests. After all, who knew when the place might end up being acquired...

"Mm." South Knowledge nodded lightly. She was always icy toward outsiders, utterly unlike how she was at home.

The manager led them to a private room and then left.

The moment they entered, everyone felt the air turn cool at once. It was unlike the breeze from air conditioning; rather, it felt as though the room had always been this temperature. No one knew how they had done it, but their bodies relaxed immediately.

Qin Lin'er, meanwhile, curiously looked at the dishes laid out on the table and found that they were mostly specialty items.

"Sit wherever you like," South Knowledge called out.

The group happily drank soda and ate dishes. After more than half an hour, once they had about had their fill, South Knowledge opened the door, stepped out, said a few words to the server beside the private room, and then came back in.

Soon after—

Everyone watched with curiosity as a server wheeled in a cart loaded with cakes and ice cream.

"Wow, so much?" Qin Lin'er reached for a snow skin mochi and took a bite. Delicious!

"Eat as much as you want. If you can't finish it, pack it up!" South Knowledge picked up a piece too and ate it in small bites. The cakes she usually bought were purchased here; they had their own pastry shop. Should she find a chance to acquire that too?

It was past ten o'clock by the time they left. Of course, there was no packing to take home, because... it had all been eaten.

Qin Lin'er looped her arm through Qin Xuan's. She didn't dare make him carry her now; she was afraid she might throw up. She had eaten a bit too much...

Qin Xuan had originally been worried whether her stomach would hurt, but seeing Lin'er so carefree, his concern seemed unnecessary.

The group strolled back as if after a leisurely meal. Once home, the girls flopped unceremoniously onto the sofa. Willow, at the very bottom, was almost crushed until she nearly threw up—especially with Qin Lin'er still wriggling around on top!

Seeing that scene, Qin Xuan could not help taking out his phone and snapping a photo. It seemed his gallery had grown by quite a few pictures lately; when he had time, he should have them printed out.

Back in his room, Willow saw Qin Xuan sitting in the chair flipping through photos. The two of them were both very nostalgic, perhaps because they had grown up together, and so they cherished the past all the more.

"Qin Xuan~ help me take off my shoes, will you? I don't want to move!" Willow said from the bed, sprawled out as she called to him.

Qin Xuan put down his phone and glanced at her. Seeing her putting on a pitiful act, he still reached out his hand.

"Good thing they don't stink, unlike South Knowledge's..." Qin Xuan said while pulling off her socks.

"Of course! Mine are fragrant. If you don't believe me, go ahead and smell them!" Willow said proudly, then paused. Huh? Something about that seemed off.