You're my wife, don't doubt it!

“They won’t end up on the streets,” Yu Luying said, but it was unclear who the subject was.

Seeing that the atmosphere had really eased, Xiao Yao breathed a slight sigh of relief. However, the two girls were talking, but their bottoms seemed glued to their chairs, and neither of them stood up.

The three children, each preoccupied with their own thoughts, complained about their parents, while a sliver of the setting sun shone through the curtains onto the uneven ground.

"Now it seems that saying this might not be appropriate," Yu Luying said. "Sometimes I'm quite envious of Xiao Yao. He has a simple family and is very free."

"Hey..."

"That kind of family entanglement... Have you seen the recent drama 'Beautiful Shanghai'? It's so realistic."

“No,” Shen Jie turned to Xiao Yao, “Then let’s go see ‘Beautiful Shanghai’ tomorrow afternoon. It sounds better than that made-up story like ‘Troy.’ I’ll book the tickets. Lu Ying, do you want to come along?”

“Xiao Yao and I have already seen it…” Yu Luying said quietly.

"The two of you? When?" Shen Jie gripped her phone tightly in her hand.

"Uh, Tuesday night." Everything happened so suddenly that there was no time to interrupt. Xiao Yao could only hope that confessing would lead to leniency.

"Tuesday night, the night you told me you went out with your classmates?"

"We're classmates, that's for sure..." Xiao Yao argued.

"So, you called me on Monday night to ask what movies were good to watch, just so you could watch them with Luying?" Shen Jie asked gently. "But I was so naive and thought you were asking me to go to the movies."

"It's a misunderstanding..." Xiao Yao said stammeringly, "Let me explain..."

“I suddenly remembered that I have a trustworthy friend,” Shen Jie stood up, wrapped up the cash on the table, and stuffed it back into the big black plastic bag. “Although that person is a bit slow and naive, and we don’t get along very well, he has one good point: he won’t lie to me.”

"Shen Jie, where are you going?" Xiao Yao panicked and watched as Shen Jie walked barefoot to the door, squatted down, and put on her little leather boots.

"I won't cause you any more trouble," Shen Jie said.

Xiao Yao reached out and grabbed her bag.

"put."

Xiao Yao did not release it.

"Release!" Shen Jie warned sternly.

Yu Luying ran over, ignoring Xiao Yao, and said to Shen Jie, "Sister, can I lend you my ID card to check into the hotel?"

Shen Jie ripped it open, and the large black plastic bag burst open, spilling clothes, pillows, bags, and other items onto the ground.

"Shen Jie!" Xiao Yao didn't even bother to put on his shoes and chased after her barefoot downstairs.

“Hey…” Yu Luying reached out to pull him, but couldn’t.

In just a few seconds, the two disappeared one after the other.

Yu Luying stood frozen in the photo booth with its four doors wide open. At her feet were torn black garbage bags, as well as clothes and cash scattered all over the floor.

The large grandfather clock in the room seemed to be holding back snot, winding itself up and ringing six times.

--split line--

When Xiao Yao went down the stairs, he jumped down the last three steps.

Fortunately, he didn't sprain his ankle, but the impact still made his soles and knees feel quite uncomfortable.

Fortunately, before Shen Jie's figure disappeared around the corner of the alley, Xiao Yao caught a glimpse of her afterimage.

"Make way, make way..." Xiao Yao ran after him.

The old woman in the alley looked up in surprise, watching the petite girl flash past her. A dozen seconds later, a tall, barefoot man, panting heavily, appeared: "Shen Jie, don't run, stop!"

“Ah, isn’t that Grandma Miao’s grandson?” the old woman said.

"I think so?" A mischievous smile appeared on the wrinkled face of the old lady Jin.

Despite his height and long legs, Xiao Yao was still slower than Shen Jie. Fortunately, he shared Yu Luying's speed, making it possible for him to catch up with Shen Jie.

Shen Jie initially wanted to run out of the alley, but unfamiliar with the area, she panicked and ran further and further into the alley. The roots here were intertwined and intricate; even Xiao Yao, when he first came to Shanghai, often got lost.

Inside this vast maze, the two turned six or seven corners. Xiao Yao knocked over a bicycle and pushed aside an older man, saying, "Excuse me, could you move aside..."

"You little bastard..." the uncle muttered, watching Xiao Yao's retreating figure.

Unfortunately, it always fell just short.

Shen Jie ran across a stretch of ground covered in sewage. Xiao Yao frowned, but still gritted his teeth and ran over.

He endured the discomfort in his feet—even with double the strength, he was quickly running out of steam.

Thankfully, Xiao Yao watched as the girl turned into a dead end.

Hehe, now you're trapped like a turtle in a jar.

"Don't come any closer!" Shen Jie was only slightly out of breath, leaning against the wall that was about three meters high: "If you come any closer, I'll call for help!"

"What are you doing?!" Xiao Yao exclaimed, both amused and exasperated. "Wife, what's wrong? We'll go back—"

As they spoke, they slowly walked towards each other.

Shen Jie's figure began to move.

By the time Xiao Yao realized what was happening, it was too late.

The pointed toe of the little leather boot landed squarely on the boy's chin. Although it wasn't with full force, he still cried out and fell backward, leaning against the house.

Immediately afterwards, the girl leaped upwards, using the corner of the wall as a foothold to climb over it.

She crouched on the wall, looked back, and, seeing that Xiao Yao was alright, jumped down.

Xiao Yao leaned against the rough stone wall, panting heavily.

He rested his chin on his hand: a sharp pain was coming from there.

You vicious woman who commits domestic violence!

Xiao Yao took out his phone and dialed Shen Jie's number.

Thankfully, the call went through this time—not only was it not blocked or hung up, but it was also answered.

"Hey? Honey, listen to me, it's all a misunderstanding. Come back first, we'll talk about it—"

"It's me." A soft female voice came from the other end of the phone.

"You?" Xiao Yao felt a sweet taste in his throat.

"Do you have your keys?" Yu Luying said, "My mom called me home for dinner. If you don't have your keys, I'll wait for you a little longer."

"........."

It's a total disaster! A disaster? A complete disaster!

When Xiao Yao returned home, Shen Jie's luggage, which had been scattered all over the floor, was gone.

“I’ve put everything away for you, the money and her phone are on the table,” Yu Luying said, her face pale. “I’m going back now.”

Xiao Yao instinctively reached out and grabbed her.

Yu Luying did not move or turn around.

"Excuse me, does your chin still hurt?" Xiao Yao asked her. "Does your foot... hurt?"

Yu Luying did not answer his question directly: "Wife?"

“…I wanted to tell you this,” Xiao Yao said, “but I just hadn’t found the opportunity.”

"Alright then." Yu Luying nodded with her back to him: "It was my... mistake. I thought you guys were breaking up... It was my fault."

“No,” Xiao Yao explained, “She did reject me at first, but last Sunday, she came to my house, and we… we talked, we agreed…”

“Last Sunday… I know, no need to say more.” Yu Luying’s shoulder twitched: “In the end, I was just a step too slow, I can’t blame others.”

"..."

"I'm sorry about today," Yu Luying said. "I didn't know you guys... I was too willful and caused trouble for you. Do you want me to help you look for her? I just don't know if she'll be able to come out tonight—"

“Yu Luying, actually I still like you—” Xiao Yao blurted out.

"Xiao Yao, don't make me look down on you." Yu Luying reached up and pinched her upper and lower lips, severing her magic in mid-air.

"We're still friends, right? You'll still talk to me, right?" Xiao Yao asked after a three-second silence.

The girl finally turned around and smiled at Xiao Yao.

The last rays of the setting sun shone obliquely on her face through the window between the soap dishes, and Xiao Yao saw the small dimple on her lips.

As the sun sets, I gaze at you, your sorrow flowing like water. I still remember the way you waved goodbye to me...

"I'm leaving." Yu Luying opened the door. "See you at school the day after tomorrow."

"See you the day after tomorrow."

Xiao Yao didn't turn around, but walked back to the sofa in the bedroom and sat down.

He felt two streams of hot tears flow from his eyes, but his face remained dry.

A few seconds later, two more streams of hot tears flowed down his face, this time leaving his face wet.

Chapter 81 Searching

2023-01-09