Monday morning, July 7th.
With faint dark circles under her eyes, Xia Yunuo turned off her phone alarm and got out of bed looking sleepy, yawning—something she rarely does.
She took out her phone and glanced at it, then sent a message to Song Yunshen, telling him that she had woken up.
Looking at the chat history on her phone, frozen at the moment the two had agreed to have breakfast, Xia Yunuo pursed her lips, feeling slightly annoyed.
Last night, she had planned to wait until later to find a topic to talk about with Song Yunshen.
In that case, when Song Yunshen is getting ready to sleep, he will definitely take the initiative to say goodnight to her again.
But she racked her brains but couldn't think of a suitable topic, and she got stuck on the first step in an awkward situation.
Then she thought about it and waited to see if Song Yunshen would take the initiative to chat with her.
As a result, they waited until after 11 p. m., but still didn't receive a goodnight message from Song Yunshen.
This was probably the latest she had gone to bed in recent months; she woke up at 6:30 and surprisingly still felt a bit sleepy.
Although she was sleepy, she still got out of bed and went to the bathroom to wash up.
Hearing the noise, Xia Jinshu, who was in the lower bunk, frowned, opened her eyes, glanced at the time, and then asked curiously, "Going to school so early?" "Yes," Xia Yunuo gently, "Going early means I can grab a seat; I don't want to sit too far back."
"Oh, be careful on the road." Xia Jinshu didn't think much of it, nodded, and closed her eyes, intending to doze off until seven o'clock before getting up.
When they were in school, they would usually get up at six o'clock, but that was because they had morning self-study sessions.
Class doesn't start until 8 a. m., so Xia Jinshu plans to get up at 7 a. m. and then make a quick breakfast to tide her over...
"Oh, right." Xia Jinshu suddenly opened her eyes and reminded her, "Then you'll have to make your own breakfast. There are steamed buns, dumplings, and the like in the fridge."
"Mmm." Xia Yunuo nodded hurriedly, but she was actually feeling a little guilty, and quickly left the room.
After a quick wash, Xia Yunuo returned to her room, changed into her school uniform, and then walked through the living room, intending to go directly to the door to change her shoes.
Xia Kening, who was still asleep, vaguely heard the noise. She barely opened her eyes and saw her second sister walk straight to the door, looking like she wasn't planning on making breakfast.
In that instant, a flash of insight struck her, and she suddenly realized something.
"Sister!" Xia Kening called out as she opened her eyes.
"W-What are you doing?" Xia Yunuo was startled and raised her hand to smooth her hair behind her ear.
Seeing her action, Xia Kening immediately pouted, feeling there was no need to ask anymore. However, she still asked anyway, "Are you going to find Song Yunshen for breakfast?"
"Shh!" Xia Yunuo, seeing that she didn't even try to be quiet, quickly ran over from the door and put her index finger in front of her mouth. "Don't speak so loudly, or my sister will hear you."
"So you're so scared, so I guessed right?" Xia Kening snorted.
"Don't talk nonsense..."
"Then I'll go out with you?" Xia Kening used her second sister's trick from yesterday, and it worked very well. "I'm going for a jog anyway, so I can drop you off at school on the way."
"Okay, okay, I just want to go have breakfast with Song Yunshen." Xia Yunuo had no choice but to lower her head and admit it softly.
"No wonder." Xia Kening muttered to herself upon hearing this definite answer, feeling a strange unease in her heart.
I had breakfast with her the past two days, but today she turned around and made plans with my second sister.
That scoundrel!
"What did you say?" Xia Yunuo asked, puzzled, as she hadn't quite heard her.
"It's nothing, you can go." Xia Kening didn't pursue the matter any further, turned over, and didn't want to pay attention to her second sister.
"Don't tell my sister." "Okay." Xia Kening waved her hand. "Didn't we agree yesterday that I wouldn't tell my older sister? But you can't keep it from me, especially since I asked you."
Xia Yunuo felt a little embarrassed by what she was said, and thought Xia Kening was angry, so she gently nudged her shoulder. "I'll bring you snacks next time."
"Oh," Xia Kening replied indifferently.
In the past, she might have been happy.
But now that Song Yunshen is around, if I really want to eat any snacks, I can just go with him to Song Yunshen's grandma's convenience store to buy them.
It's a bit shameless, though.
But the allure of snacks has indeed diminished considerably for her.
Thinking of this, Xia Kening turned back and looked at Xia Yunuo, who was about to turn and leave, and said, "Sister."
"Hmm? What is it now?" Xia Yunuo turned her head. "Have you decided what to eat?"
"No." Xia Kening shook her head. "Don't buy snacks, let's save some money. Besides, I'm on a diet."
"Oh..." Xia Yunuo blinked, not expecting her younger sister to say something like that.
Before I knew it, Ningning had grown up and become more sensible. "I'll be going now."
"Okay, bye-bye."
After parting ways in the living room, Xia Yunuo finally changed her shoes at the door and left.
On the other side...
After being woken up by his alarm clock at 6:50, Song Yunshen yawned as he sat up in bed and glanced at his phone.
Upon seeing Xia Yunuo's message, he immediately raised an eyebrow.
[ Song Yunshen ]: You're up way too early. I just woke up.
[ Xia Yunuo ]: It's okay, I was just afraid of oversleeping. Take your time.
[ Song Yunshen ]: You're not already over there, are you?
[ Xia Yunuo ]: No, no, I haven't left yet, you don't need to rush.
[ Song Yunshen ]: Oh, then I'll send you an address. Let's meet at the breakfast shop entrance in a bit.
[ Xia Yunuo ]: Okay, okay. After chatting, Song Yunshen sent me an address, then quickly got up and ran to the bathroom to wash up.
When he returned, he received several more WeChat messages.
Upon opening the message, it turned out to be from her uncle, Zhao Zeheng, not Xia Yunuo.
Song Yunshen raised an eyebrow and clicked to take a look.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: (Photo)
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Your aunt said this is your classmate? He's been standing outside the door for five or six minutes, is he waiting for you?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: You're a grown man, how can you be late for a date? Aren't you ashamed?
[ Song Yunshen ]:?
[ Song Yunshen ]: Are you having breakfast with your aunt?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: What else? We're almost finished eating. Hurry up and come over, invite that young lady in to sit down, and we can chat too.
[ Song Yunshen ]: Who wants to chat with you? Can't you just leave on your own?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Oh ho, you've got too big for your britches, haven't you? I'll just chat for a bit and then leave. Do you think I'll stay here as a third wheel forever? [ Song Yunshen ]: I just finished washing up and I'll be right down. Why don't you let your aunt go inside and sit down first? It's too hot outside.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Oh, oh, oh, you're starting to care now?
[ Song Yunshen ]: You're so annoying.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: You think I'm annoying now? Why didn't you think I was annoying when you gave me pocket money? You brat, you're so ungrateful.
[ Song Yunshen ]: You didn't give me any this summer either.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Then tell me about your relationship with this girl, and I'll give you some summer dating funds.
[ Song Yunshen ]: How much?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: One thousand?
[ Song Yunshen ]: My aunt didn't ask for anything, she just asked for two thousand right away, okay? You're a grown man, and you're not even as good as a woman?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: You son of a bitch, your aunt is single and nobody cares about her, how can my situation be the same? Two thousand it is!
[ Song Yunshen ]: If I find a few more, can I get a few more for two thousand?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: I think you're asking for a beating, kid. You think you're buying new stock? Bring on a few more, two thousand each, take it or leave it. [ Song Yunshen ]: Fine, fine.
While changing into his school uniform and carrying his backpack, Song Yunshen replied to his uncle's message, sharing his experiences with Xia Yunuo over the past few days.
He was used to playing around with his uncle, and that's how he always talked. Zhao Zeheng also liked chatting with him like that, disliking the airs of an elder and instead enjoying this feeling of being friends.
According to Zhao Zeheng, he writes online novels, especially those with an upgrade system, and he needs to capture the youthful spirit of the protagonist.
If you always act like an elder, your online writing will have a greasy, old-fashioned feel, which readers won't like.
Song Yunshen doesn't write online novels, so it's unknown whether his theory makes sense.
He went downstairs to the breakfast shop, and on the way, he had already finished talking about what happened between him and Xia Yunuo.
He didn't say much, just a brief version, nothing more than mentioning that he had helped her find a tutor.
[ Song Yunshen ]: That's all. What about your allowance?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Wait a minute.
A short while later, Song Yunshen's phone vibrated.
He glanced at it and saw it was a message from his aunt. [ Ruan Zheng ]: (Transfer: 2000 yuan)
[ Song Yunshen ]: Thank you, Auntie!
Song Yunshen beamed with delight. After accepting the small sum of money, he immediately sent a sarcastic message to his uncle.
[ Song Yunshen ]: Are you even capable? Your aunt controls even this little bit of money?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: You don't know anything.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: We agreed that our monthly personal expenses must be limited to 4,000 yuan.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: If I transfer money to you without your permission, half of my personal expenses for this month will be deducted.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: The funds are reported to the family, discussed, and then distributed; that is the family's public expenditure.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: You should learn more!
[ Song Yunshen ]: Then why didn't you forward it to me?
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: Your aunt is afraid I'll line my own pockets.
[ Song Yunshen ]:... I suspect you've done something like this in my name before? [ Zhao Zeheng ]: Cough cough, where are you? Why aren't you here yet? Your little girlfriend won't come in, saying she made an appointment with you and is waiting for you at the door.
[ Song Yunshen ]: We're almost there. Also, she's not my girlfriend. We're just good friends. Don't talk nonsense.
[ Zhao Zeheng ]: I understand, I understand. My friend writes high school campus novels, and the male and female protagonists in his books are also good friends.
[ Song Yunshen ]: How the hell can they be the same?!
Song Yunshen put away his phone with a speechless expression. By this time, he had already walked out of the community gate and turned his head to see Xia Yunuo standing at the entrance of the breakfast shop waiting for him.
At this moment, Xia Yunuo was standing in the spot where Xia Kening had stood before, looking down at her phone, with her schoolbag slung over her shoulder and wearing her school uniform.
The morning sunlight fell on her delicate, porcelain-doll-like face, making it impossible not to look at her.
Song Yunshen stepped forward and walked behind her, reaching out to pat her shoulder.
"Did you just arrive?"
Upon hearing Song Yunshen's voice, Xia Yunuo quickly turned her head. Although she had no expression, her eyes were quite lively, and her gaze was expressive.
The moment my gaze fell on his face, a halo seemed to shimmer in his eyes.
"Mmm." Xia Yunuo nodded gently. "I just got here." "Silly girl." Song Yunshen reached out and tapped her forehead. "My aunt came to call you earlier, didn't she? You think they didn't tell me? Standing in the sun for so long, you're so clumsy."
Xia Yunuo was caught red-handed, her cheeks flushed, and she lowered her head, stammering, "I... I..."
"Let's go, let's go." Song Yunshen stopped teasing her, "Let's go inside and enjoy the air conditioning."
"Oh..."