Conversation Killer

The following afternoon, Shen Lang received a message from Xia Shuyi.

She asked him to drive to the Guoyue Hotel in the city center to pick her up, then buy Mengmeng a few summer outfits together.

Xia Shuyi had been busy finding a property manager for Yulong Bay Community lately, so the two had not had much time to meet. Still, they chatted quite a lot on WeChat.

Xia Shuyi's Favorability toward Shen Lang had also reached a full 90 points.

Just 10 more points, and the Landlady would become the first woman Shen Lang had raised to 100 Favorability.

Shen Lang planned to secure those remaining 10 points today and earn an extra treasure chest!

As Shen Lang shut his door and prepared to leave, Li Liusi from across the hall happened to come out as well. She carried a plastic bag and a thermos flask in her hands.

Li Liusi was still dressed simply: an old high school uniform, slightly faded light-pink sneakers, and even the hair clip on her braid was faintly rusted.

Yet even such shabby clothes could not hide her tall figure or her delicate, pitifully beautiful face.

After half a month of military training, Li Liusi's fair skin had been tanned bronze. It did not look out of place at all; instead, it gave her an added charm.

For a girl, Li Liusi was quite tall, a little over 1.7 meters.

With looks and a figure that were top-tier, she instead had a timid, submissive personality, her eyes always carrying an inescapable air of inferiority.

After locking her door, Li Liusi turned around and met Shen Lang's gaze.

She froze for a few seconds, then awkwardly waved the trash bag in her hand. As if admitting fault, she said in a tiny voice, "I-I'm taking out the trash. Then I'm going to the hospital to see my grandmother."

"I know."

Shen Lang could not help laughing. Taking out the trash was just taking out the trash—why did she have to tell him?

Shen Lang went into the hallway and pressed the elevator button. Li Liusi stood behind him, secretly studying this kind-hearted neighbor.

She still remembered when she had first moved in. This boy had eagerly helped her carry her luggage and even given her his bottles to sell for money.

When Shen Lang turned to look at her, Li Liusi hurriedly averted her gaze and stared flusteredly at the trash bag in her hands.

Shen Lang reminded her, "The elevator's here."

"Okay."

As though she had been given an order, Li Liusi hurried over with her things.

Even then, she waited until Shen Lang entered the elevator before nervously following behind him. She instinctively pressed herself into a corner, as if afraid she might touch him.

Shen Lang took the initiative to start a conversation. "I heard from the Landlady that you're still in college. Zhuhai University, right?"

"Mm."

Li Liusi nodded, offering nothing more.

"Uh... how's your grandmother now? Is she doing okay?"

At that, sorrow showed between Li Liusi's brows. She gave a nearly imperceptible shake of her head.

"I see."

Shen Lang had no idea what else to say. This girl either nodded or shook her head—she was a total conversation killer.

After Li Liusi left from the first floor, Shen Lang went down to the underground parking garage on the first basement level to get his car.

"Damn, it's hot today."

The glaring sun put Shen Lang in an irritable mood, and he quickly put on his dark sunglasses.

Just after Shen Lang drove his Mercedes out of the community, he spotted Li Liusi by the roadside.

Under the scorching sun, Li Liusi walked toward the bus stop with a frown. Her tall back carried an inexplicable kind of resilience.

Shen Lang had originally wanted to turn around and take her to the hospital, but when he saw the bus approaching ahead of her, he gave up on the idea.

After driving only a short distance, Shen Lang noticed in the rearview mirror that Li Liusi had not gotten on the bus. Still carrying the thermos flask, she continued walking beneath the blazing sun.

"Seriously?"

Shen Lang muttered in disbelief. After spending several minutes turning around, he drove up behind Li Liusi.

"Aren't you going to the hospital?"

Shen Lang took off his sunglasses, honked a few times, rolled down the window, and called out, "Why aren't you taking the bus?"

Li Liusi wiped the sweat from her forehead and said weakly, "I-I wanted to walk there."

Shen Lang paused, then pressed, "Which hospital is your grandmother in?"

Li Liusi thought for a moment. "Xiehe Hospital."

"Holy shit, are you okay? Xiehe Hospital is more than ten kilometers from here. It'll take at least two hours to walk there. Are you running a marathon?"

Shen Lang was stunned. He quickly opened the front passenger door and said, "Get in. I'll drive you there."

"N-No, there's no need."

Li Liusi waved her hands in refusal, overwhelmed by the unexpected kindness. "I can take the bus on the way back. I don't need to trouble you."

Shen Lang shook his head and said helplessly, "That's soup you made, right? It'll be cold by the time you walk there."

Li Liusi explained indifferently, "The nurse said yesterday that she could heat it up for me. You really don't need to trouble yourself."

"No, why are you being so stubborn?"

Shen Lang truly couldn't understand how this girl's mind worked. "Is a few yuan in cab fare really worth this? Walking there in weather this hot—what if you get heatstroke? Your grandmother is in the hospital too. Who's going to take care of her then?"

Li Liusi fell silent, carrying the pot of chicken soup in her hand without saying a word.

The blazing sunlight shone down on her. Beads of sweat slid from her forehead and dripped onto the concrete, quickly evaporating away.

"Get in already. I'll drive you there. It's on the way anyway."

"I really don't—"

Shen Lang grew impatient. "Hurry up, will you!"

"Don't... don't be mean to me, okay?"

Li Liusi shuddered in fright. Her delicate face was visibly shaken, and her reddened eyes looked as though she were about to cry.

Though she had still wanted to refuse, seeing Shen Lang's somewhat fierce expression, she could only walk over timidly, bend down, and sit in the passenger seat.

After getting in, Li Liusi instinctively curled herself into a ball, trying not to make any unnecessary movements, afraid she might break some part of the car.

She even kept her butt slightly raised, terrified that she might accidentally damage the seat cushion.

"Who knows what you're being so stubborn about."

Seeing that she was soaked in sweat, Shen Lang lowered the air conditioning a little and reminded her, "Put on your seat belt."

"Seat belt..."

Li Liusi hurriedly set the chicken soup by her feet, glanced at Shen Lang's seat belt, then reached back to pull her own belt over, trying to copy him and fasten it around herself.

"Please fasten your seat belt!"

Hearing the voice assistant's reminder, Li Liusi nervously glanced at Shen Lang again, afraid he would scold her.

In her panic, Li Liusi felt as if her mind had gone blank. Her hands were sweating from nerves, yet no matter what she did, she couldn't fasten the seat belt properly.

"You're really clumsy."

Shen Lang smiled and sighed, unfastened his own seat belt, then leaned over to help Li Liusi buckle hers.

Ding! Li Liusi's Favorability toward the host has increased by 5 points. Current Favorability: 15 points. Keep up the good work!

Hearing the system prompt, Shen Lang turned curiously to look at Li Liusi.

He saw her staring blankly at him, her slightly reddened eyes filled with a pitiful, heart-wrenching dependence.