Chapter 1: Half a Childhood Sweetheart

Li Mu had never believed in the saying that girls change dramatically at eighteen.

How much could Sun Wukong change? Even if he transformed eighteen times, he would still only be a quarter of Sun Wukong.

The morning sunlight filtered through the curtains.

Li Mu opened the door and only saw his old man sitting at the dining table, munching on a bun while scrolling through his phone.

From time to time, he could still hear lines like “Useless Son-in-law,” “Blind to Beauty,” and “Welcome, Dragon King.”

Without thinking, his old man was definitely watching short videos.

He didn’t know what kind of wind was blowing, but the already outdated Dragon King stories had become popular again in short video form, making his old man stay up late, unable to sleep.

Sometimes, when he got up in the middle of the night to relieve himself, he could see his old man lounging on the sofa, watching short videos about the Dragon King’s plot…

His old man was really into this.

“Now that you’re up, hurry and eat something, or you’ll miss the high-speed train,” Li Changheng said, quietly turning off his phone when he saw his son come out.

“Why aren’t you watching anymore?”

“What to watch?”

“The three-year deadline has arrived, today the Dragon King returns, no longer enduring…” Li Mu picked up a bun and took a bite; it was hot and a bit scalding.

He had seen these short dramas before; some of the content he could even recite word for word. He had secretly learned the Dragon King’s crooked smile…

Caught by his son, Li Changheng wasn’t embarrassed. “It might seem a bit childish for you college students, but for someone like me, it’s just right.”

“Where’s Mom?”

“Your mom was shouting yesterday that you should go to another city for college, reluctant to let you go. She stayed up half the night before falling asleep, so she’s definitely still sleeping now. Should I wake her up to see you off?”

“No need, it’s just college. Let Mom sleep a bit longer.”

After finishing the bun, Li Mu got up and returned to his room to pack his clothes.

He had mostly packed his luggage yesterday, just organizing some clothes to stuff into the suitcase, and everything was ready.

“Give me some gold coins,” Li Mu said, dragging his suitcase and carrying a large backpack, turning back to look affectionately at his old man before leaving.

To be honest, he was quite reluctant.

He had lived here from kindergarten to middle school, and now that he was going to college, he inevitably had to leave his comfort zone.

“Let me see what I can find.”

Li Changheng’s expression darkened, as if he had anticipated this moment. Although he wasn’t angry, he had to put on a show to let his son know that money doesn’t come easily.

He rummaged around, first pulling out two red bills from behind a wedding photo, then taking out a small envelope from the air conditioner, which contained a folded bill.

The bill had some dust on it, looking like it had been sealed away for a while.

This…

Li Mu was dumbfounded.

How pitiful, this was too pitiful.

After all, they were a moderately well-off family. He remembered that not long ago, his old man had been promoted and given a raise, and the whole family had gone out for a big meal. His old man had looked so radiant then…

How long had it been? Now he only had three hundred yuan in his private stash?

At that moment, Li Mu suddenly felt that his old man was quite pitiful and quietly opened his WeChat.

Should he… send some money to his old man?

But he only had two hundred yuan in his WeChat, and this month’s manuscript fee hadn’t been paid yet. After a moment’s thought, Li Mu resisted the urge to transfer money.

His old man had grown up; many things needed to be shouldered by himself. To let his old man gain some experience, Li Mu decided to temporarily keep this money for him.

As the saying goes, great responsibilities come with great toil…

“That’s all there is. You’re not a kid anymore; you can’t be too stingy with girls. When you go out later, treat the girl from the neighbor, Old Lu’s family, to lunch or a milk tea or something, got it?”

Old Lu lived right across from them; the two families had been neighbors for over a decade, and visiting each other for meals was common.

Due to work, Old Lu’s family had often been away on business trips in recent years, leaving their daughter to study here alone.

Li Changheng had a serious expression, almost like a domineering CEO. Those many short videos had indeed not been watched in vain.

It was just that the three bills in his hand were a bit… funny?

“Got it.”

Li Mu, known as a devoted son, happily accepted the three hundred yuan. The only downside was that young people nowadays used cash less frequently, and he was no exception. Once he got there, he would have to find a merchant to exchange the money.

Three hundred yuan definitely wouldn’t be enough. As a soon-to-be college student, the things he needed to buy were calculated by the cartload. Moreover, as a day student, he had to prepare much more than an average boarding student. Just for utilities, it would cost several hundred yuan, not to mention other living supplies.

Li Mu tidied his hair in front of the mirror; he still looked as handsome as ever. To say he was more handsome than Pan An was an understatement.

After checking to confirm he hadn’t forgotten anything, he dragged his suitcase and opened the front door.

“When you arrive, send a group message saying you’re okay. If you run out of money, come to me… or ask your mom, don’t put yourself in a difficult position.”

You know the conditions of the neighbor, Old Lu’s family. You used to have a good relationship with Lu Xiaoxi, so take care of her. You’ll be living under the same roof for four years in college, so don’t do anything excessive.”

Li Changheng spoke earnestly, as if he were holding a high-end coffee instead of soy milk.

So, does that mean anything that isn’t excessive is okay?

What exactly is the standard for excessive and not excessive?

In the end, Li Mu still didn’t ask, to avoid getting a scolding from his old man.

“Okay, next time, tell Mom where you hide your private stash.”

Li Mu quickly shut the door.

With a bang, it sounded like a slipper hitting the door.

Fortunately, he closed the door in time; otherwise, the slipper might have landed on the back of his head.

He could already imagine his old man cursing him out.

As Li Mu closed the door, the door across from him also opened, and a delicate young girl walked out—

The girl was only about one meter sixty, wearing a cream-colored dress. Her long legs were wrapped in white socks, and her dark jacket contrasted sharply with her creamy skin. Her shoulder-length black hair was soft, smooth, and shiny, and her eyes sparkled like autumn water, making her unforgettable at first glance. Her exquisite features were even more perfect than a work of art.

This face, which could be considered a beauty anywhere, didn’t seem so stunning in Li Mu’s eyes.

This was the “girl from Old Lu’s family” his old man had mentioned.

Lu Xiaoxi, petite and delicate, struggled to carry a large suitcase, looking a bit strained, which was quite a funny sight.

But Li Mu had no intention of helping.

Although they had grown up together, their relationship wasn’t that close.

……

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