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Chapter 94: A Date with Chu Zining

Although he sounded disgusted, Lu Li still scarfed down the apple in just a few bites.

He was not the type to waste food.

He flicked the apple core into the trash can with a “thunk” and said casually, “When we come back later, let’s buy some good fruit and take it over as a return gift.”

“Return the favor?” Lu Yao’s eyes curved as she gave a half-smile. “Dumb big brother, is it because I said she was pretty and you want to use this excuse to hit on her?”

Lu Li cast her a sidelong glance and said, “She brought us a gift, so we should reciprocate; that is basic courtesy. Even though society is indifferent now and neighbors barely know each other, she reached out first, which means she must be warm-hearted, so we might as well get to know her. A distant spring cannot quench a nearby thirst; distant relatives are not as helpful as close neighbors. Once we return the gift, we’ll see her all the time, and it will be easier to talk.”

“You talked so much, but it’s still because she’s pretty.” Lu Yao pouted and stood up. “But I don’t object! That sister really is beautiful, and dumb big brother also said she’s a dummy. Since that’s the case, I approve of her becoming my sister-in-law!”

“Become your sister-in-law, my foot.” Lu Li swung a merciless karate chop, but Lu Yao dodged as if she had expected it.

Lu Li was surprised; he stared blankly at his own hand, then at Lu Yao.

The passive skill that guaranteed Lu Yao would always take his chop had actually failed.

Hands on her hips, Lu Yao looked smug and proud. “Humph, I let you hit me before! I have improved, you know, so from now on it won’t be that easy.”

Before she finished speaking, Lu Li zipped forward and chopped down again.

Lu Yao yelped and clutched her head.

“So fast!” She hadn’t even seen him move and cried out, “How did you do that?”

Narrowing his eyes, Lu Li put on a dark expression and intoned, “Foolish little sister, if you wish to dodge my chop, then hate me, loathe me! Live on in ugliness! Run, run, cling desperately to life…”

Lu Yao: “…”

Her dumb brother was already a senior about to enter college, yet he was still such an edgelord.

Truly hopeless.

Seeing the undisguised disdain in his sister’s eyes, Lu Li laughed dryly.

In the past this silly sister would play along when the script called for it, like a talk-show guest available on demand, but now she had grown rebellious and pretended not to see…

She really had reached the age of being no longer cute!

Lu Li checked the time… almost 9:37… then, as payback, lightly kicked Lu Yao’s perky butt. “Are you done getting ready? I’m taking you to buy a phone.”

Lu Yao patted her butt without the slightest anger and said excitedly, “Always ready!”

“Then let’s go!”

Lu Yao skipped to the shoe cabinet and changed into her sneakers.

“Right, before we buy the phone, we’re meeting someone first,” Lu Li added offhandedly.

Lu Yao froze. “Meeting someone? Male or female?”

Lu Li grunted and replied, “A girl.”

Lu Yao sprang up and stared hard into Lu Li’s eyes.

“What?” Lu Li wiped his face, thinking he might have dirt on it.

Lu Yao’s gaze darkened. “You’re on a date with your most beloved sister, so why meet another girl? What’s your relationship with her?”

“We’re classmates.” Lu Li rolled his eyes. “And you’re just an ordinary sister, not the most beloved one; this isn’t a date.”

Standing on tiptoe, Lu Yao scrutinized his eyes at close range.

Lu Li glared back.

“Is she the girl you like at school?”

“So what if she is?”

Lu Yao covered her face with her sleeves and fake-sobbed, “You already have your most beloved sister, yet you still flirt with other girls outside. From now on you can forget about getting strawberries washed by your real sister!”

Lu Li’s mouth twitched… so the ‘delicate younger-sister’ tag on my attribute panel was prepared for you, huh?

Lu Li raised his hand impatiently. “Open the door and step outside like a good girl so I can buy you a phone. If you keep bawling and putting on a show here, I’ll give you a chop. Your choice.”

Lu Yao instantly broke into a grin, opened the door nimbly, and stuck out her tongue. “Hehe, honestly I’ve got no objections to dumb big brother getting a girlfriend! Let me meet her; I’ll inspect the goods for you. If she turns out to be too clever, I’ll object… my future sister-in-law must be a dummy!”

Lu Yao cheerfully headed downstairs.

…

At the bus stop near the pedestrian street, Chu Zining kept her head half lowered and watched the passing crowds carefully.

Today she wore a school uniform so often washed it had turned pale, and on her feet were the same not-so-durable Little White shoes.

“Did I come too early…?” Chu Zining bit her lip and twisted the hem of her shirt with both hands.

Lu Li still hadn’t arrived, and she was starting to feel uneasy.

In fact, she had arrived 30 minutes early.

Just moments ago several men had come over to hit on her, frightening her so much she no longer dared raise her head and could only sneak small glances around.

“Did Lu Li forget about this by accident? Maybe I should just go back…” she thought timidly.

Just then a hand patted her lightly on the left shoulder.

Chu Zining jumped in fright; cold sweat popped out on her smooth forehead, and her moist almond-shaped eyes filled with panic.

“Eh, did I scare you? Sorry about that.”

Somehow, the moment she heard that voice, the mortal panic that had gripped Chu Zining instantly cleared.

“N-no, it’s because I was too nervous.” Chu Zining turned her head, a smile unconsciously lifting her fair cheeks.

Lu Li withdrew his hand and said softly, “Sorry, have you been waiting long?”

By his estimate, taking 20 minutes to get here was easy, so he figured he had plenty of time.

But Lu Yao was such a country bumpkin: she wanted candied haw when she saw candied haw, milk tea when she saw milk tea, and she froze in her tracks at cotton candy and roasted chestnuts.

Now that Lu Li had money to spare, he was happy to indulge her, and at first he even queued with her for the treats.

But when he realized Lu Yao was stalling so he wouldn’t meet Chu Zining, he casually handed her a 100-yuan bill and told her to buy whatever she wanted on her own.

“N-no, I just got here too…”

“Really?”

“Mm.”

Lu Li glanced over Chu Zining from head to toe, puzzled. “Why didn’t you dress up at least a little to go out with me? You’re still wearing your school uniform.”

Chu Zining’s heart thumped; she clutched the hem of her shirt and stammered, “I-I only have… the uniform…”

Not even one set of regular clothes? Lu Li sighed; no matter how poor they had been, he had still prepared two changes of everyday clothes for Lu Yao.

To Chu Zining, his sigh sounded like thunder on a clear day; she thought he was disgusted with her.

“You… you don’t like it?”

Without thinking, Lu Li replied, “No, I don’t like it at all!”

Chu Zining lowered her head, tears shimmering in her almond eyes. “I-if you don’t like it, then I’ll go home first…”

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