You are my wife, don't doubt it!

"Now?" Xiao Yao was a little surprised: "We are both like this?"

"My sister's matter," Yu Luying explained succinctly, "It's about borrowing my school to study."

"Oh, OK," Xiao Yao said immediately, "Where shall we meet?"

Shen Jie glanced at him.

After hanging up the phone, Shen Jie said quietly, "You two are both in so much pain, why do you still insist on going on a date?"

"Your business," Xiao Yao explained succinctly, "About borrowing the book to read."

Following Yu Luying's instructions, Xiao Yao washed his hair carefully and ran downstairs to Yu Lihua's house. Yu Luying had already bought the gift, and the two of them took the bus to Director Lin's home.

"Zhang Zhengkai is still pestering me?" Yu Luying was surprised when she heard this: "You two are really a pair of brothers in distress."

Xiao Yao knew what Yu Luying meant and could only laugh awkwardly.

He originally thought that Yu Bo was the only adult involved in the negotiations, but Yu Luying told him that Yu Lihua and uncle Yu Baolu had both "given a word", which surprised him greatly.

"I only told my mom that Shen Jie ran away from her marriage, and I didn't say anything else," Yu Luying said to Xiao Yao, "I told her that you two are definitely just ordinary friends now."

"She can believe such words?" Xiao Yao found it unbelievable: "I always feel that it is a bit stupid - ah, don't mind..."

"I said she doesn't like you," Yu Luying said lightly, "She's tired of you."

Xiao Yao: “???”

"My mother thinks it's very reasonable." Yu Luying smiled faintly.

"It is reasonable." Xiao Yao admitted, "But when I say intelligence is reduced, I mean... well, forget it. But won't your Uncle Paul tell her?"

"My uncle promised to keep the secret for us," Yu Luying straightened herself up: "For now."

"You..." Xiao Yao asked the question carefully: "Have you reconciled with your grandfather, uncle and the others?"

Yu Luying kept a straight face for three seconds and didn't say anything.

"If it's inconvenient to say, you don't have to..."

The afternoon sun shone through the bus window onto the two people. Perhaps because it rained heavily all night last night, the temperature was not high today, and the sun was quite comfortable.

Yu Luying took Xiao Yao's arm and rested her head on his shoulder.

A refreshing scent of shampoo flooded into Xiao Yao's nostrils.

His heart suddenly beat faster.

The bus shook violently for a short while and made a "farting" sound.

"Isn't this what you want to achieve?" Yu Luying said softly.

"what?"

"To achieve this result, you pretended to be a good kid for the entire summer camp and ignored your sister," Yu Luying stroked Xiao Yao's arm, "You've worked so hard."

Ah, she finally found me.

Xiao Yao couldn't tell whether this was yin or yang, so he just made up a story: "Do I need to pretend? I'm a good kid."

"You are so shameless." Yu Luying said angrily.

"Yeah." Xiao Yao said, "You smell shameless."

The bus started suddenly, giving Xiao Yao a strong push on his back.

"Gouzi," Yu Luying said softly, "Thank you."

"Ah?" Xiao Yao replied in surprise: "Ah."

The boy's nose felt a little sour, and he felt touched that his efforts were finally recognized.

In order to hide the embarrassment brought by this feeling of being touched, Xiao Yao once again made up a story: "Suddenly I feel like we are like the child's parents."

A nonchalant expression and tone.

Yu Luying blushed and said, "What nonsense are you talking about again?"

"Don't you think so?" Xiao Yao explained, "It feels even weirder for two people to run around together for our daughter's tuition, especially since we are still children ourselves."

"It's a bit strange," Yu Luying admitted, "You dare to talk nonsense when my sister is not around. If she heard it, she would beat you to death."

"Yes," Xiao Yao agreed, "You must not beat me to death."

The girl stretched out her hand and interlocked her fingers with the boy's.

This is what happened when Xiao Yao and Yu Luying visited Director Lin's home.

During the remaining days of the summer vacation, they also visited the principal's home and an education bureau official.

As mentioned before, "If I hear this, I will beat you to death" - Shen Jie, who usually is aggressive and always relies on her karate skills, has now become as timid as... a cat, and dares not go out alone every day.

Even if she just went to the store at the entrance of the alley to buy a bottle of vinegar for her grandmother, she would drag Xiao Yao along.

This is certainly not because of being in love, it's purely out of fear.

"What are you afraid of?" Xiao Yao once said to her, "Since your father knows that we live here, Zhang Zhengkai's father must know it too. I think both of their parents have given up, but Zhang Zhengkai himself refuses to give up."

When Shen Jie heard the words "both families have given up", her eyes couldn't help but dim again.

"I mean," Xiao Yao explained, "give up this forced marriage between you - if Zhang Zhengkai insists on pestering you again, just beat him away."

"You really trust me." Shen Jie said softly.

"What?" Xiao Yao said, "Okay, okay, let's go. I'll go with you."

However, they never saw "Zhang Zhengkai" again.

Then again, I am in the open while my enemy is in the dark. I am not afraid of thieves stealing, but I am afraid of thieves thinking about it. This "ghost" of Zhang Zhengkai has more or less cast a small... shadow in Xiao Yao's heart.

The main reason is that I’m afraid he’ll do something stupid or extreme.

Ever since the last game, Xiao Xiong has been running to Xiao Yao's house whenever he has time, or taking Xiao Yao out to eat and play ball, or going to his house to play games or something like that.

Compared to this guy's absence for most of the summer vacation, his appearance frequency during this period is higher than before. Grandma and Shen Jie have become more familiar with him.

On the morning of August 8, Shen Jie dragged Xiao Yao to attend the Sunday Mass presided over by Yu Bo opposite St. Francis School as usual. After the mass, she took Xiao Yao back to the "slums" to find Mei Yu.

"The loan has been settled," Xiao Yao told Shen Jie, "don't worry."

"Well," Shen Jie said lightly: "You two have worked hard during this period - how much is the total tuition fee, and when does it need to be paid?"

"Uh," Xiao Yao said, "I'll call her later to ask."

"Haven't you been following up?" Shen Jie asked Xiao Yao.

"I just ran errands for him a few times, gave him gifts, and said nice things." Xiao Yao told Shen Jie: "I was asking someone to do something for me - in the end, it was Bo Ge who went to negotiate, and he was also the guarantor and temporary guardian."

"This is a big risk for Brother Bo." Shen Jie sighed.

"Yes, he was actually unwilling at first," Xiao Yao told Shen Jie: "Brother Bo, he looks bohemian on weekdays, but he is actually a cautious person by nature."

"Fanglang Yigang," Shen Jie said, "No matter what, I have to settle the barbecue stall with Meiyu before school starts. She hasn't replied to my messages for more than half a week. I'm worried that something might have happened to her."

"What could possibly happen?" Xiao Yao said disapprovingly.

Chapter 341: Runaway from home and pass it on to others?

2023-10-06

On the morning of August 8, Shen Jie and Xiao Yao took a taxi to look for Mei Yu.

On the way, Xiao Yao and Shen Jie said, "Well, honey, we've been 'clean' for almost a week now, and we agreed before..."

Shen Jie glared at him: "You're starting over again so early in the morning, aren't you? Didn't Brother Bo's sermon just now move you at all?"

"?" Xiao Yao said, "I admit that I didn't sleep well last night and fell asleep during the sermon."

Shen Jie looked angry and hesitant, which made Xiao Yao feel as if he was hallucinating Jacky Cheung's voice.

"The loan has been settled." Xiao Yao quickly changed the subject: "Don't worry. The guarantor and temporary guardian is also Brother Bo. Brother Bo, although he looks unruly, is actually a cautious person by nature."

"Fanglang Yigang," Shen Jie said, "No matter what, I have to settle the barbecue stall with Meiyu before school starts. She hasn't replied to my messages for several days. I'm worried that something might have happened to her."

"What could possibly happen?" Xiao Yao said disapprovingly.

"It's the best thing that everything is fine." Shen Jie looked out the car window with some sadness.

"Is your relationship really that good?" Xiao Yao couldn't help but complain.

Shen Jie tilted her head and thought for a while: "Gouzi, do you know why I finally agreed to this loan plan?"

"Why?" Xiao Yao asked, "Did Meiyu do some ideological work on you?"

"Well, how should I put it," Shen Jie told Xiao Yao, "During the summer camp, Meiyu and I would contact each other every day, and I would share with her what I saw and heard during the summer camp."

"Wow," Xiao Yao said, "That's a good feeling."

"I've always asked Meiyu to come to the summer camp with us." Shen Jie told Xiao Yao.

"They invited you to a dinner and you brought people with you without permission, right?" Xiao Yao complained, "It's not your money anyway."

Shen Jie ignored Xiao Yao's ridicule and continued, "Mei Yu refused to come."

"I'm sure she won't come. She has to go to work and sell beer to make money. Otherwise, what will she eat? She's not a big lady like you."

"Are you trying to make me angry on purpose?" Shen Jie looked at Xiao Yao intently.

"No, no, I'm just a bad mouth." Xiao Yao slapped himself lightly on the face and said, "Go on."

"You said you wanted to go to work, which was indeed one of the reasons," Shen Jie continued to explain, "but the main reason was that she said she was no longer a student and was not eligible to participate in the student summer camp."

"Uh," Xiao Yao said silently, "What a serious girl."

"But I can feel that she really wants to come," Shen Jie's tone became a little sad, "She just feels ashamed of herself... Do you still remember the two migrant workers who knelt outside the church during mass this morning?"

"Of course I remember it," Xiao Yao said, "It's a bit touching."

"They didn't come in because they had just come from the construction site and hadn't changed out of their work clothes. They felt dirty and were afraid of dirtying the church—" Shen Jie said, "But in fact, it was impossible for Brother Bo not to let them in. He sent people to invite them in twice, but they just refused to come in."

"Yes," Xiao Yao replied, "but their actions only highlight their sincerity. God will see it."

Shen Jie said: "Meiyu gives me a similar feeling. I think about her, but I feel inferior, yet envious. Just because she is not a student, we are obviously all about the same age..."

"I understand." Xiao Yao said to Shen Jie.

"In fact, I share my experiences in the summer camp with her every day because Meiyu wants to hear it," Shen Jie continued to tell Xiao Yao, "She always asks questions about this and that."

"Yeah." Xiao Yao said.

"Meiyu always told me that she envied me and you," Shen Jie said, "She envied me and you for having books to read, and she lamented her family background... She had no choice but to come out to the society and suffer."

"Have you noticed," Xiao Yao said, "that you have been using idioms better and better since we started dating."

Shen Jie ignored him and continued, "Sometimes she would ask me about things related to high school life... Gouzi, you know, every time I heard her say that she envied me for having books to read, my heart would be sour."

"I understand." Xiao Yao said.

"I now feel that when I first left home, I was thinking about dropping out of school to start a business. It was actually a very naive and unwise idea," Shen Jie hugged Xiao Yao's arm and put her head on the boy's shoulder. "Thank you for your persistence. It allows me to continue to be a student for the time being."

"Yeah." Xiao Yao accepted the thanks with peace of mind and patted Shen Jie's cat head gently.

He suddenly remembered that not long ago, when he and Yu Luying were riding the bus to visit Director Lin, Yu Luying did the same thing, holding his arm, leaning her head on his shoulder, and expressing her gratitude.

After all his hard work and efforts, he finally received recognition and gratitude from the girls, which made him feel so good that he wanted to sing out loud.

Time has proved that it was all worth it.

"Oh oh oh~~ Outside the quiet little village, there is a stupid kid, born in the 80s~" Xiao Yao hummed softly.

"I came to the city in my teens and was not afraid of the sun. I worked hard in the 00s~" Shen Jie continued singing with her beautiful voice.

"?" Xiao Yao exclaimed: "Actually, everything is on track!"

"Isn't it, isn't it?" Shen Jie said proudly.

"It's about using breath and rhythm. There's still room for improvement." Xiao Yao told the truth.

"Have you become accustomed to suppressing me?" Shen Jie said angrily.

"No way~~~"

Shen Jie called Mei Yu again, but after a long wait, still no one answered the call.

"Meiyu told me," Shen Jie said sadly, "she wanted to save some money, go back and take the exam again, and go back to high school."

"So you take doing business with her so seriously," Xiao Yao said, "In addition to wanting to prove your own strength, you also want to help her, right?"