Chapter 56: What is the relationship now?

The autumn breeze was refreshing.

Today’s temperature was much lower than the previous few days.

Even a healthy young man like Li Mu had changed into a slightly thicker three-quarter sleeve.

Tomorrow was the day school started, so he had to go to the house near the school today.

He had been lying flat at home for many days, and with the help of a face mask, his skin tone had returned to what it used to be.

Every day he had to admire himself in the mirror, appreciating his looks…

Handsome and self-aware, that was Li Mu.

“Stop showing off, today your Uncle Lu is taking you and Lu Xiaoxi to the high-speed train station,” Li Changheng said, crossing his legs and sipping cheap tea made from a tea bag.

“Got it, there’s still some time,” Li Mu said as he served himself a bowl of lean meat porridge.

Although his mother’s cooking wasn’t great, the lean meat porridge was still edible.

It was one of the few dishes his mother could actually make well.

“You can ask your mom for your living expenses later.”

“Okay.”

“What is your relationship with that girl next door now?” Li Changheng seemed to have changed into a different person.

Gone was his usual casual demeanor, replaced by a serious fatherly tone.

“What relationship?”

“Playing dumb while knowing full well.”

“It’s just an ordinary relationship, do you expect something to happen between me and Lu Xiaoxi?”

“I’m not going to interfere in your young people’s affairs; just know your limits,” Li Changheng shook his head.

He didn’t know whether to be worried or concerned.

A pair of young and passionate individuals living under the same roof could easily lead to many unspeakable things.

However, he still chose to trust his son; after growing up, he should know what he could and couldn’t do, and he should grasp the boundaries between things.

“Li Mu, finish two eggs before you go down…” Su Wen came out of the kitchen, holding a small bowl with round boiled eggs soaking in it.

Lean meat and boiled eggs had become their family’s standard breakfast.

Li Mu loved to eat boiled eggs dipped in soy sauce, a habit he had since childhood.

He liked to eat the egg whites, and every time there were boiled eggs, he would eat all the whites, leaving the yolks to dip in soy sauce for Lu Xiaoxi, then cover his nose and say that Lu Xiaoxi’s mouth smelled like eggs.

Several times, he had made Lu Xiaoxi cry, and when the little pearl’s tears fell, little Li Mu would take the opportunity to rub Lu Xiaoxi’s face, only to be caught by Su Wen, who would drag him to apologize.

Lu Xiaoxi had always been a glutton, wanting to eat a little bit of everything. After finishing the egg yolk, she would smack her lips, her big eyes sparkling as she stared at his egg whites. If Li Mu didn’t give her any, she would throw a tantrum.

After breakfast, Li Mu returned to his room to pack his things.

“The weather will cool down soon, so take some long-sleeved jackets. Are the blankets warm over there? If not, buy some, or Mom will send them to you.”

“Yeah, you don’t need to worry about things over there; I’m not a child, I know how to dress when it’s cold.”

“True, anyway, I’ve asked Xiaoxi to keep an eye on you. You better not just hide in your room all day after school.”

“Got it.”

Li Mu took out some jackets from the closet.

While others folded their clothes neatly, Li Mu was used to folding them into rectangles and then rolling them tightly to save space.

He had learned this from relatives and had always done it this way. The only downside was that clothes could easily get wrinkled if left for too long, but he didn’t mind; wrinkles could be smoothed out after lying on the bed for a couple of rolls.

Li Mu grabbed a small pig plush toy, squeezed it hard, and stuffed it into his black backpack, which was instantly filled.

The computer could only fit into the computer bag.

A teenager hiding a cute little pig plush toy in his backpack felt a bit strange.

“Mom and Dad, I’m leaving,” Li Mu said as he put on his shoes and greeted his parents before heading out.

He waited at the door for about half a minute before Lu Xiaoxi’s door opened.

Qin Xiaoqian was over 1.7 meters tall, and Lu Ming was even taller. The three of them standing together made Lu Xiaoxi look small.

Lu Xiaoxi wore a loose pink jacket and a knee-length plaid skirt, revealing a small section of her smooth calves. White canvas shoes paired with light blue socks made her look like a well-behaved girl, with one hand holding a small handbag and the other hanging naturally by her side.

In reality, Lu Xiaoxi was indeed a shy and reserved girl, completely opposite to Li Mu.

Otherwise, how could they not get along?

In front of the two adults, Li Mu pinched his chin and walked around Lu Xiaoxi, his expression serious, clicking his tongue in amazement.

“What are you doing?” Lu Xiaoxi felt uncomfortable under his gaze and shot him a glare.

“Long time no see, classmate Lu Xiaoxi.”

“Huh? Didn’t we just see each other the day before yesterday?”

“One day apart feels like three autumns.”

“Why didn’t you say that when the college entrance examination ended?”

“Hehe, we weren’t on good terms back then.”

“Our relationship isn’t good now either.”

Lu Xiaoxi huffed and climbed into the elevator, with Li Mu following closely behind.

The two adults exchanged glances but said nothing in the end.

“Xiaoxi, you must study hard at school,” Qin Xiaoqian reminded her daughter from the passenger seat.

“Mm-hmm.”

“Li Mu, you also need to study hard; otherwise, it would be a waste to attend such a good school. Don’t be like in middle school.”

Qin Xiaoqian knew that Li Mu had always had good grades, comparable to her daughter.

It was just that he had become addicted to games in middle school and neglected his studies.

Strictly speaking, in terms of studying, Li Mu was even better than Lu Xiaoxi.

Achieving a turnaround in two months, going from a poor student back to a top student, was something only novels dared to write.

“Don’t worry, Aunt Qin, if I encounter anything I don’t understand, I’ll ask Lu Xiaoxi right away.”

“Yes, yes, you two grew up together and are now in the same school, so it’s very convenient to look out for each other.”

Li Mu used his conversational skills to chat with the two parents.

Meanwhile, Lu Xiaoxi was feeling a bit left out.

The small girl glanced at Li Mu’s backpack, a bit curious.

She remembered that when he returned, his big backpack had a computer inside, looking quite deflated.

She pressed on it; it was soft.

Could it be that he was like her, bringing a little pig plush toy to school?

Lu Xiaoxi only brought a small handbag and a small suitcase, cramming her little dog plush toy, computer, and clothes all into the suitcase.

Soon, they arrived at the high-speed train station.

Lu Xiaoxi reluctantly waved goodbye to her parents.

The next time she returned would be for the winter vacation.

They entered the station, waited for the train, and boarded the high-speed train…

One could not always be lucky; this time, Li Mu was unable to buy a ticket for a seat next to Lu Xiaoxi.

Li Mu accompanied Lu Xiaoxi to find their seats.

Next to Lu Xiaoxi was also a girl, which relieved Li Mu, who then returned to his seat three carriages away.

He had no intention of asking that girl to switch seats.

Firstly, the two seats were too far apart to be convenient, and secondly, it was unnecessary.

He couldn’t always buy tickets to sit next to Lu Xiaoxi.

He couldn’t just lean against Lu Xiaoxi’s little legs; this three-hour journey was harder to endure than attending middle school classes.

……

———-
Support the Translation! 🌐✨

Your donations not only show appreciation but also keep the translator motivated! Every contribution helps continue bringing you more of what you love. Thank you for being a part of this journey! 💖

https://www.ko-fi.com/maxoofie