Today is a Housewarming

Two bicycles, one boy and one girl. The boy was refined, the girl adorable. As the two pushed their bikes slowly outward, the crowd naturally parted, leaving a clear path for them like soldiers awaiting inspection, one after another offering gazes of respect.

Everyone, regardless of age or gender, harbors a heroic complex in their hearts. Although they had only been watching the spectacle from the sidelines, it could not be denied that deep down, they all possessed the same impulse to uphold justice.

"Clap!"

"Clap, clap!"

"Clap, clap, clap!"

It was unclear who started the applause, but like a drop of water hitting a pan of hot oil, the crowd suddenly erupted. Everyone clapped with all their might, paying tribute to the hero who had emerged from nowhere.

Wang Xiaogang hid within the crowd, feeling incredibly awkward yet exceptionally excited, as if he had discovered a monumental secret. He clapped along with the strangers beside him, his eyes fixed on Su Ke with a fervent intensity.

No one noticed when the three punks slipped out of the crowd. Their eyes were only for Su Ke; the thin, shy boy blushed once more amidst the applause.

Su Ke kept his head down, as did Wei Lan. The two pushed their bikes slowly, moving at a snail's pace.

Wei Lan stood just over 1.6 meters tall with short hair. Traces of tears still lingered on her small face, but the panic had faded, replaced by a sense of tranquility. A girl with a baby face always looks incredibly cute, and she was the standard definition of one.

Although she hadn't been selected as one of the top ten campus beauties at No. 17 High School, she still had a large number of suitors thanks to the two dimples that appeared whenever she smiled. However, as the class study committee member, she had rejected all admirers, always citing her studies as the priority.

Su Ke had absolutely no experience in how a boy and girl should interact. Feeling the atmosphere grow somewhat stifling but not knowing how to break the silence—he didn't even know where Wei Lan lived—he could only bury his head and keep walking.

"Thank you!" Wei Lan's voice was as soft as a breeze, pleasant to the ears.

"You're welcome!" Su Ke's voice was equally gentle.

"They were just thugs and hooligans. I'm afraid they might come looking for trouble with you later!" Wei Lan's worry was not unfounded. These punks cared most about face; Su Ke's lesson to them would likely invite retaliation.

"It's fine. They just think they're tough because they have a couple of 'ribbon fish' drawn on their bodies!" Su Ke blurted out. He realized the line sounded familiar; it was from a crosstalk routine by Guo Degang he had been listening to recently.

"Hehe, I didn't know you had a sense of humor!" Su Ke was not good at socializing in class and was usually as silent as a clam. Hearing him say that, Wei Lan couldn't help but laugh, her two dimples immediately appearing.

"I thought I was very humorous, not just a little!" Su Ke had calmed down now and realized that talking to a girl wasn't such a big deal. The flush on his cheeks finally faded, and he felt much more normal.

"Conceited!" Wei Lan tilted her head to look at Su Ke. From the side, his face looked quite refined—fair skin, a high nose, and bright eyes. He did look a bit like a "pretty boy," and honestly, he was actually quite handsome. Why hadn't she noticed before?

Seeing Su Ke smile without replying, Wei Lan said softly, "I was really scared back there. I truly hoped someone would save me, but to be honest, I didn't expect it to be you!"

"Is that so? Were you thinking that the person who saved you would be a peerless hero, someone who would appear before you suddenly, wearing golden armor and riding on seven-colored clouds?" Su Ke found his speech becoming increasingly fluid; it seemed that after a fight, even his verbal skills had improved.

"Annoying!" Wei Lan knew Su Ke was quoting a line from the movie A Chinese Odyssey spoken by Zixia Fairy to Zhi Zunbao, though he had changed the last few words. Thinking of this, her cheeks flushed with color, and she glared at Su Ke with a hint of feigned anger.

But soon, Wei Lan continued, "Even if the person who saved me wasn't wearing golden armor or riding seven-colored clouds, he is still a peerless hero in my heart!"

After saying this, Wei Lan's face turned even redder.

Being praised to his face, and as a "peerless hero" no less, Su Ke—known for being introverted and thin-skinned—really didn't know how to respond. He could only say weakly, "You have a great eye for people!"

After he spoke, the two looked at each other and burst into laughter simultaneously.

After walking for two or three minutes, the sun slowly began to set, stretching their shadows long. Remembering that he was needed at the family's small supermarket, Su Ke finally gathered the courage to ask, "Wei Lan, how much further is it to your place? Are we almost there?"

"Huh? Isn't this the way to your house?" Wei Lan was very surprised, her eyes widening.

"Uh! No, I'm supposed to be walking you home! Doesn't your house lie in this direction?" Seeing Wei Lan's expression, Su Ke realized he might have taken the wrong path.

"I was just following you! I thought this was the way to your house!" Wei Lan looked at Su Ke with an innocent expression. Indeed, when the two had pushed their bikes out of the crowd, they had simply followed the road.

Su Ke felt dejected, and Wei Lan felt melancholy. The two had been walking in the wrong direction for nothing!

"Which residential quarter do you live in? I'll take you home now!" Su Ke asked, biting the bullet. Being home a little late didn't matter; after all, he was the one who had offered to walk her home in the first place.

"Fengze Residential Park! It's over by Beichen Road!" Wei Lan said, pouting, feeling helpless about the detour.

"Fengze Residential Park? My house is in Sunshine Residential Quarter!" Su Ke's eyes lit up. He hadn't expected them to live so close; the two quarters were right next to each other. Now, not only could he walk Wei Lan home, but he also didn't have to worry about being late.

"Really? You live in Sunshine Residential Quarter? Then I guess we're neighbors!" Wei Lan was surprised, but joy dominated her expression.

"Alright, let's ride home!" Su Ke turned his bike around and waved at Wei Lan. Under the setting sun, the two finally headed home.

"Okay, I'm here!" Wei Lan stopped her bike and said to Su Ke with a smile.

"Mm, Fengze Residential Park, Building 6, Unit 3. Which floor?" Su Ke asked, looking up at the entrance.

"302, I'm on the third floor!" Wei Lan told him without a moment's hesitation. In her heart, Su Ke had already become someone she trusted, and she had even begun to develop feelings for him.

"Got it. I guess this counts as 'getting to know the door' today!" Su Ke waved at Wei Lan and rode off. Wei Lan waited until his shadow disappeared before mumbling to herself as she took out her keys: "Dummy, just talking nonsense. He doesn't even know what 'getting to know the door' means!"

"Getting to know the door" was a local custom. A romantic relationship leading to marriage usually went through three steps: getting to know the door, engagement, and marriage. Clearly, Su Ke didn't know this, but Wei Lan did—otherwise, why would the young girl have blushed so deeply after hearing it?