Chapter 46

Chen Jing considered moving and changing jobs, and he didn’t hide it from Dai Ning. He told her directly.

Hearing they could leave the dark alley, Dai Ning was overjoyed. She had always loved comfort and had long been dissatisfied with Chen Lianxing’s room.

Worried he might pick another tiny, run-down place, she warned him in advance, “I’ll stay with you, but I’m not living in a dump!”

Chen Jing simply replied, “Okay.”

He was a highly efficient man. Once he decided to change jobs and find a new place, he spent the next two days running around to make it happen.

By the afternoon of the third day, he told Dai Ning that he had found a house. It was located in the safest area of a nearby street—a small, stylish building with exquisite decor. When Dai Ning went to check it out, she was quite satisfied. Though the house wasn’t large, it was very comfortable and brand new.

Blinking in surprise, she asked suspiciously, “Brother, do we even have the money?” That house had to cost at least three million.

“Don’t worry about it,” Chen Jing said calmly.

Seeing his confidence, Dai Ning didn’t press further. All she cared about was having a new place to live. Staying in poor conditions had long drained her enthusiasm, even for acting out her role.

Chen Jing also returned the money she had “earned” to her.

Dai Ning happily exclaimed, “Then I’m going to buy some dresses!”

“Sure.”

She counted the money and noticed that the 2,000 she had originally was now 5,000. Say what you will, but as a doting brother, Chen Jing truly went above and beyond for his sister.

Chen Jing didn’t tell Dai Ning what his new job was, nor did he rush to start working. Instead, he focused on the moving arrangements.

Neither of them had much to bring along, so they could move in almost immediately.

Moving out was a big deal. Having lived in the dark alley for years, Chen Jing at least needed to inform Li Ming and the others. That evening, he hosted a dinner.

Over the years, although Chen Jing had distanced himself from the local troublemakers, he still had a good relationship with many who had benefited from his help. Some even ran errands for him occasionally. Hearing that he was moving, everyone came to celebrate.

This group of people wasn’t exactly fancy, so Chen Jing decided not to take them to a restaurant. Instead, they gathered at a street barbecue stand.

Among the guests were Li Ming and his sister Li Hong, as well as some of Li Ming’s gang buddies.

Though this group wasn’t particularly successful, they weren’t bad people either and were fiercely loyal. Li Ming, in particular, couldn’t hide his excitement. He wasn’t hoping for much—just for this crowd to embarrass themselves when they saw Chen Jing’s Dai Ning. When they finally laid eyes on her, their jaws would surely drop.

To match the festive mood, Dai Ning wore a red spaghetti-strap dress.

She arrived early and, as others hadn’t shown up yet, Chen Jing handed her his phone to keep her entertained.

Dai Ning unlocked the screen and jokingly asked Qingtuan, “What do you think? Does Chen Jing have any videos on his phone?”

Qingtuan hesitated. “P-probably?” It knew that most human males had at least a couple of such things stored away.

“I bet he doesn’t. Watch and see.” Dai Ning browsed through Chen Jing’s phone and, sure enough, found nothing that would send Qingtuan into a panic.

Amused, she remarked, “Who would’ve thought? Chen Jing’s a total prude.”

This man had little interest in romance or desire. For now, at least, his longing for familial bonds far outweighed any interest in love.

In this world—among wolves, humans, or anything else—Chen Jing had never found a sense of belonging. So, when he needed a “sister,” Dai Ning decided to be just that for him.

While downloading a game on his phone, Dai Ning got so absorbed that she unconsciously leaned against Chen Jing’s shoulder in her usual lazy way.

Out of habit, she began to speak, “Zhao…”

Qingtuan nearly froze in shock, but luckily, Dai Ning caught herself and swallowed the rest of the name in time.

Chen Jing glanced down, frowning slightly. He thought he might have heard a “Zhao” but wasn’t certain.

Chen Lianxing had always kept her distance from him, so when Dai Ning leaned on him, Chen Jing felt a bit uneasy. But seeing how happy she was, he didn’t stop her.

After all, he was still getting used to being someone’s “big brother.” It didn’t seem right to control her too much.

When the group finally arrived, Chen Jing adjusted Dai Ning’s posture, making her sit properly.

Dai Ning returned his phone and turned her gaze to the entrance, where a wild-looking crowd poured in—a mix of brightly dyed hair and edgy fashion.

The scene was so dramatic that even Qingtuan widened its eyes in disbelief.

“Brother,” Dai Ning whispered, “did you invite a Lost Love Tribe^[1]refers to a Chinese internet subculture from the early 2000s known for its emo-style?”

Chen Jing: “…”

To be fair, they did look the part.

The group approached, chatting and laughing, but when they saw Dai Ning, they all froze mid-step.

Dai Ning, ever mischievous, gave them a sweet smile.

Li Ming felt triumphant and nudged the person next to him. “Snap out of it! Snap out of it!”

Even after sitting down, the dozen or so pairs of eyes couldn’t help sneaking glances at Dai Ning. A beauty like her wasn’t just rare in real life; even on TV, they hadn’t seen anything like it.

Chen Jing handed out menus, snapping the group out of their daze. They started ordering food without hesitation. One of them, emboldened, asked, “Brother Jing, are you moving because you’re planning to get married? Is this the future sister-in-law?”

Dai Ning tilted her head curiously, waiting to see how Chen Jing would respond.

Without missing a beat, he cast a cold glance around the table. Li Ming immediately corrected, “What nonsense! This is Brother Jing’s little sister—Chen Dai Dai!”

Despite being rough around the edges, no one dared joke about Chen Jing’s “sister.”

They all raised their glasses, declaring, “If she’s Brother Jing’s sister, then she’s our sister too! Dai Dai, cheers to you. If you ever need anything, just let us know!”

Though they had little to offer, they could at least provide her with some sense of security.

Some dared to wonder if Chen Jing needed a brother-in-law, but no one was brave enough to voice it. Teasing his sister would be a death wish.

Chen Jing poured Dai Ning a glass of juice instead of alcohol.

She didn’t mind. In fact, she thought juice was better and happily clinked glasses with everyone.

Chen Jing didn’t stop her. Bringing her along was his way of introducing her to the group, ensuring they’d look out for her. He had once considered introducing Chen Lianxing to them, but she had always looked down on these kinds of people.

Qingtuan covered its metaphorical eyes, feeling overwhelmed. How did Ji Dai Ning end up joining a Lost Love Tribe and gaining a whole family of “brothers”?

After introductions, the meal finally began.

It was Dai Ning’s first time at a street-side barbecue stand, and she found it delightfully novel. She loved sweet and spicy foods and ordered plenty of extra-spicy dishes, enjoying every bite.

“Who knew cheap places could be this fun!”

Qingtuan cautioned her, “Sometimes these places aren’t very hygienic. Eat less, just in case.” Her pampered constitution wasn’t suited to such casual indulgence.

Soon, the shrimp she ordered arrived. Dai Ning wanted to eat but was too lazy to peel them herself. She tugged on Chen Jing’s sleeve and sweetly cooed, “Brother, can you peel them for me?”

Chen Jing, who had cared for Chen Lianxing for over 20 years, wasn’t used to such a tone. Lianxing had always found him irritating, so she never acted spoiled.

After a moment’s hesitation, he began peeling the shrimp.

Though skilled at fighting, Chen Jing was clumsy at peeling shrimp and moved slowly. He glanced at Dai Ning, expecting her to grow impatient, only to meet her bright, eager eyes.

For the first time, he realized that being a “sister” meant being small, delicate, and utterly adorable.

As he peeled shrimp, her dessert arrived. Holding a custard bun in her mouth, she rested her chin on her hands, continuing to watch him intently.

The group of “Lost Love Tribe” men was utterly smitten, their hearts practically melting on the spot.

Li Hong couldn’t help but laugh.

In their circle, the women they encountered either looked down on them or were completely wild. Dai Ning was something else entirely—a lethal combination of innocence and charm.

Watching Chen Jing awkwardly peel shrimp, Li Hong had a hunch: one day, Chen Jing might regret defining Dai Ning as his “sister.”

For now, though, he didn’t understand emotions like love. But the day he did, the feeling would be unforgettable—sweet and bitter, filled with complex, overwhelming sensations.

Hopefully, by then, Chen Jing will still have time.

After finishing their meal, Chen Jing took Dai Ning to buy a new phone.

Chen Jing was the kind of person who, once he let someone into his world, would be extraordinarily generous and never let them feel shortchanged.

A colorful crowd of people with vibrantly dyed hair poured into the phone store, startling the employees, who almost thought they were being robbed.

The flamboyant group declared, “Dai Dai, let’s create a group chat! From now on, if you need anything, just call us!”

When Dai Ning returned to her new home and saw all their quirky profile pictures in the Lost Love Tribe group chat, she laughed so hard she rolled onto the bed.

She suggested, “Hey, Qingtuan, what do you think of Green Hair Bro’s color? Maybe you should try dyeing yours like that? Your current look is so bland!”

The green dumpling blushed furiously. “Why don’t you dye it green?!”

Still an “innocent dumpling,” it had no intention of “going green.” It vowed that after it was full and back home, it would definitely find itself a beautiful dumpling wife.

Remembering something, Dai Ning ran to Chen Jing’s room.

“Brother, Brother!”

Chen Jing opened the door, looking down at her with mild exasperation, as though anticipating her mischief.

“Where’s your phone?” she asked.

He handed it to her without hesitation—an open and straightforward man, unbothered by secrets.

Dai Ning clicked into the contacts and, sure enough, saw her name saved as the cold and impersonal “Chen Dai Dai.” She pouted and, right under his nose, changed it to “Unbeatable Gorgeous Darling Dai Dai.”

Chen Jing glanced at her: …

Satisfied with herself, Dai Ning skipped away happily.

“Unbeatable Gorgeous” was fine, as she thought she lived up to the name. But as Chen Jing’s finger hovered over the “Darling” part, his expression twitched slightly.

The new house was undeniably comfortable. Dai Ning thought Chen Jing was doing well as a brother—at least he finally understood that taking care of her required a good place to live!

Now that she was confident Chen Jing wouldn’t abandon her again, Dai Ning slept until 11 a.m. the next day. When she finally woke up, Chen Jing had already been out and returned.

Rubbing her eyes as she walked out, Chen Jing called her over.

She sat in front of him, and he took out paper and pen to write: “Do you remember where you’re from or how old you are this year?”

Dai Ning shook her head.

Chen Jing pondered for a moment. Without an ID or household registration, she was essentially a “ghost” on the records.

His first priority was to register her properly.

Dai Ning didn’t care about such things. Instead, she cupped her cheeks and asked, “Brother, how old do you think I am?”

Her cheeks were soft and rosy, her big eyes glistening with innocence.

Chen Jing answered, “Seventeen.”

“Right, I’m seventeen.”

The green dumpling collapsed in disbelief. Did Dai Ning have no shame? Using the fact that she’d been in a coma for three years to pretend her age hadn’t changed! Even before her accident, she would have already been eighteen by now.

Dai Ning’s youthful face and naïve expression could easily fool anyone.

Chen Jing continued writing: “In a few days, I’ll ask someone to help arrange your ID. At this age, you should be in 11th grade. I’ll find a school for you.”

Dai Ning: …

The green dumpling burst into laughter. “Haha! Serves you right!”

Dai Ning said reluctantly, “Fine.”

She figured that going to school would at least give her something to do, and it could even serve as a good excuse if she needed to avoid Chen Jing for any reason.

Chen Jing asked her, “What kind of school do you want?”

Without hesitation, Dai Ning replied, “One with the best-looking uniforms! The kind where girls can wear skirts.”

Chen Jing was silent for a moment. “Alright, I’ll look into it.” What a strange request. He knew she was clever and mischievous, but was this really the same pitiable girl he’d first picked up?

While Chen Jing worked on securing her identity and finding a school, the green dumpling suggested, “Dai Ning, Chen Jing always uses pen and paper to communicate. But many people who stutter can recover through training. His reluctance to speak stems partly from his injured vocal cords and partly from others’ impatience. You could help him practice—he might be able to speak normally again.”

Sunlight streamed in as Dai Ning turned lazily.

“Why should I bother? Even if he stutters for the rest of his life, what’s that got to do with me?”

The green dumpling sighed. It thought of Zhao Yu and all the luck he had showered upon her. Even that hadn’t softened her cold and detached heart.

If she were to meet Zhao Yu again one day, what kind of scene would unfold?