Bold Little He Qing

Today, you had a brief encounter with the Demonic Cult's Enchantress. She said that perhaps she would meet you again in the future, though you did not know what kind of opportunity that might be for you.

Demonic Cult's Enchantress really did suit her aura.

Afterward, the kitten's owner rushed anxiously to the bus stop, and Lin Zhengran and Han Wenwen handed the kitten over to him.

The other party was extremely grateful, and the two of them parted ways there.

After winter passed, spring came again.

This was the final semester of Elementary School. After the New Year, Little He Qing had asked her mother, "Mom, when can I go to Middle School with Lin Zhengran?"

Aunt He said, "September, I suppose. When Middle School starts in September, you two will be able to see each other. I'll sign you up in August once your summer vacation starts."

"What day in September?"

"That's not certain. It's basically at the start of the month, but it's a little different every year."

Little He Qing had smiled and answered, then ran to her bedroom, opened the newly bought notebook, and counted how many days were left until September first.

Every day that passed, she crossed off another day, and the day she would see Lin Zhengran came one day closer.

Aunt He stood at the bedroom door and watched her daughter lying on the bed, one hand propping up her little cheek as she counted the days, her happy little legs swinging back and forth.

Four years had passed, and she truly had not expected that her daughter still wanted to return to the Northern Town from back then.

She had originally thought that after that farewell, the bond between the two children would be severed. Now, it seemed it had only become even stronger.

Having experienced a failed marriage herself, Aunt He reminded her daughter, "Qingqing, after you meet your Zhengran Gege this time, remember to keep an eye on him. Don't let him run off again."

When Little He Qing heard this, her face went bright red, and she stammered, "Mom... what are you talking about?"

Aunt He instructed her from the heart, "I mean exactly what I said. Mom truly hopes my Qingqing can be with the person she likes and never part for the rest of her life." After saying that, she went to the kitchen to cook, ignoring He Qing, whose face had turned completely red.

That final half year passed as He Qing crossed days off her notebook one by one, counting them off on her fingers day by day.

Little He Qing watched with her own eyes as the days written in her notebook went from over a hundred to fifty, then from over fifty to the final ten numbers.

School started, mid-semester came, the semester ended, finals arrived, then summer vacation.

The smile on He Qing's face gradually grew brighter.

"Ten days left... just ten days left, and I'll be able to see him!"

Until two days later, when Lin Zhengran was at home watching TV with Dad and Mom, the whole family sprawled all over the sofa.

Lin Yingjun was holding his wife Lin Xiaoli, and Lin Xiaoli leaned against her husband's chest while patting her son's thigh.

She asked Lin Zhengran, "There are only five days left until you go sign up for Middle School. Zhengran, are you nervous? Once you're in Middle School, you won't be able to come home every day, you know. You'll have to live at school."

Lin Zhengran chuckled, indicating that there was nothing to be nervous about going to Middle School.

It'd be perfect for giving you two some space anyway, so you won't have to hold back on being lovey-dovey just because I'm here.

The phone rang. Lin Xiaoli checked the caller ID, sat up straight, and handed it to her son in pleasant surprise. "It's Qingqing calling! Hurry and pick up, ask her if she's coming back."

Lin Zhengran answered the phone, but before he could say anything, he heard crying from the other end.

"Lin—Lin Zhengran... are you listening? I have bad news to tell you." Her voice was choked, and she sniffled. "I might not be able to see you when school starts."

Lin Zhengran's heart jolted, because he knew how long this girl had been looking forward to this day. Every time they spoke on the phone, she would tell him how many days were left until they could meet. He went to the bedroom and carefully asked what exactly had happened before He Qing explained.

"Mom said there's a bit of trouble with my enrollment procedures. It might be delayed by a month before I can go to school with you, so we won't be able to meet when school starts."

After Lin Zhengran heard this, he let out a breath of relief. "You scared me. I thought you were crying like this because you weren't coming anymore."

On the other end of the phone, Little He Qing was sitting on her bedroom bed, curled into a ball as she hugged her legs and wiped her tears. "How could I not come? Even if I had to crawl, I'd crawl back there to go to school with you. We promised each other. Neither of us can go back on it."

Lin Zhengran chuckled. They had not seen each other in years, and even she could tell jokes now.

He Qing sniffled and said, "I had already calculated the date, and I even asked Mom what day I could go to the town to see you. But now this accident happened, and I have to wait another month before I can go over..."

"A month is just a month. What's there to cry about? We haven't seen each other in years, are we really short this one month?"

"We are." Little He Qing buried her face in her knees. "A month is a very long time. And I even made you a meeting gift already. It's something I spent a long time learning and several days making. It's a dessert, chocolate-flavored." As she spoke, she grew aggrieved again. "After a month, the dessert will have gone bad. If I make it again, it might not turn out as well as this time. I made several, and this one looked the best."

Lin Zhengran gave an mm. "Got it. So after all that, what you're really upset about is your chocolate?"

Little He Qing was instantly amused and laughed through her tears. "No, that's not what I mean. Stop teasing me." Her finger wrote Lin Zhengran's name on the bedsheet, her face red.

Word by word, she said to the person on the phone, "I just miss you, Lin Zhengran. I want to see you." Her finger stopped. "So I just discussed it with Wenwen and thought of an idea. I don't know if you'll agree."

Lin Zhengran asked curiously, "What idea?"

Little He Qing timidly told Lin Zhengran her idea, and after Lin Zhengran heard it, he was stunned.

He even wondered if this was still that timid He Qing.

She actually wanted him and her to set off by car at the same time and meet somewhere in the middle between north and south.

His eyes widened and his brows furrowed. "Are you crazy? Do you know how far apart we are? Even taking High-Speed Rail, there's no way to make a round trip in one day, let alone by any other vehicle. And where would we stay then? You're way too bold. I won't agree to this."

A hint of determination came through Little He Qing's aggrieved voice. "I'm not scared... And it's only halfway. There'll always be somewhere to stay." She tried hard to persuade Lin Zhengran. "Can you just agree, please? I'm begging you."

She stopped crying and spent ages trying to persuade Lin Zhengran, coaxing and pestering him, constantly saying that she had already grown up, that she was in her teens now, that she had an ID card, that it was not like before, and that everything would definitely be fine.

She even lied to Lin Zhengran. "I've already gotten on a vehicle and left."

Lin Zhengran had no idea why girls these days were all so outrageous. Did they not use their brains at all when doing things? After hanging up the phone, Lin Zhengran told his mom that he was going to find He Qing.

Lin Yingjun and Lin Xiaoli, who were sitting on the sofa watching TV, were stunned.

Their mouths hung open, and they couldn't get a word out.

Lin Zhengran gave them a half-true, half-false explanation of what had happened. The couple exchanged a glance and sighed that kids these days really were different.

Lin Yingjun handed his now-unused phone to his son. "Take the phone. Let us know you're safe anytime on the road."

"Thanks, Dad. I'm heading out."

And so Lin Zhengran boarded the vehicle heading south.

After buying his ticket and taking his seat, he looked out the window, his face worn with exhaustion, and finally seemed to come back to his senses as he muttered to himself, "What am I doing? I could've clearly slept in at home for two more days, but instead I'm wasting time and effort on something so unnecessary? If I don't give that stupid girl a good scolding later, then my surname isn't Lin."

On the other side, after getting Lin Zhengran's agreement, Little He Qing was overjoyed. She simply packed a few things, carefully put the desserts she had made into her schoolbag, and, looking extremely like she was up to something, said to her mother, "Mom, I'm going to hang out with Wenwen. I'm staying overnight at Wenwen's house tonight."

Aunt He was on the sofa taking care of Maternal Grandmother. Curious, she asked, "Huh? You're not coming back tonight?"

Little He Qing looked toward the door guiltily and said, "Mm. Wenwen and I are sleeping together. I'm leaving."

"Walk slowly. What's the rush?"

She also bought her ticket and, holding the phone Han Wenwen had lent her, boarded the vehicle heading north, looking forward to meeting Lin Zhengran in a few hours.

Of course, since Little He Qing had never traveled far on her own before, she stayed on the phone with Lin Zhengran the entire time, doing as he instructed.