"I thought no one wanted it. I really didn't steal it." Although caught red-handed, Lin Li expressed that he was truly innocent.
"Save that for the police," Bai Bufan sneered.
"Fine, I'll call Uncle Yang to resolve this fairly and justly." The feeling of not being trusted was hard to bear. Lin Li sighed.
Bai Bufan: "..."
Fair and just, my ass.
The image of himself only getting study guides while Lin Li took all the gift cards was still vivid in his mind.
Going downstairs, the two got into the car, and it started moving to pick up Qu Wanqiu.
Qu Wanqiu's house wasn't too far from here. If there was no traffic, they would probably arrive in ten minutes.
Bai Bufan apologized to the two girls for being "late." After sitting for a while, he felt sothing was a bit off, so he looked at the silent Lin Li beside him.
Why is this guy being so well-behaved?
Bai Bufan kicked Lin Li with his shoe, asking this with his eyes.
Lin Li gestured toward Chen Zhongping with his head.
"Driver sir—" Bai Bufan imdiately understood and spoke up.
"This uncle is the Class Rep's dad." This ti, Lin Li made the introduction.
"Driver Dad—Driver Uncle—Hello, Uncle!"
Bai Bufan was very polite. He first greeted Chen Yuying's dad verbally, then greeted Lin Li's dad, mom, grandpa, grandma with his eyes...
He greeted his entire family tree.
If this wasn't considered polite, nothing was.
"Mhm." Chen Zhongping just nodded, his expression calm.
After making eye contact with Chen Zhongping and seeing his unsmiling face, Bai Bufan understood why Lin Li was being so well-behaved.
Bai Bufan wasn't good at dealing with this kind of elder either, so he also beca well-behaved.
Soon, Qu Wanqiu was also picked up, and the car officially set off for Shanting.
"You two... why do you seem so tense?"
The fact that Lin Li and Bai Bufan had quieted down was simply too bizarre. Especially since they were so quiet after getting together, it was hard not to notice. So Chen Yuying asked in confusion.
"Yeah, why isn't Lin Li even scrolling on his phone? Shouldn't you be watching borderline videos right now?" Ding Sihan also asked.
The faint gaze coming from the rearview mirror instantly beca sharp.
Lin Li swallowed hard. Little Ding Ding, the parent is here. You're really killing ...
Bai Bufan laughed awkwardly: "N-nothing."
That faint gaze then focused solely on Lin Li.
"I'm not, I'm just looking at the scenery," Lin Li could only say.
"Does it have to do with my dad?" Chen Yuying seed to have keenly caught the only difference between now and the autumn outing.
"But I already told my dad about your personality. You don't need to mind what happened earlier. He knows you don't an any harm."
Chen Yuying said seriously and naturally.
Otherwise, she would have explained for Lin Li right from the start when he said that long, complex sentence.
Ding Sihan also nodded. Her emotional intelligence wasn't low either. The reason she dared to "slander" Lin Li in front of Chen Zhongping was precisely because Chen Yuying had told her this beforehand.
Lin Li: "?"
Lin Li looked up at the rearview mirror.
The other party looked away.
Class Rep, did you really tell him?
It doesn't look like it.
Lin Li blinked and took a deep breath. If that was the case...
A life where I can't talk trash is no different from living like Bai Bufan!
"Class Rep, your dad really has been glaring at . I really don't dare to act up..." Lin Li mustered his courage and decided to tattle, though his voice was still weak.
The car was quiet for a few seconds.
"Dad!" Chen Yuying turned her head in annoyance, trying to make eye contact with her father in the driver's seat.
"I didn't! When did I glare at him? If he wants to act up, let him!" Chen Zhongping imdiately denied it, a bit flustered.
"He really did! Especially when you guys were talking to , your dad glared at even harder. Bufan can testify. I'm sure he was glared at too."
Seeing Chen Zhongping flustered, Lin Li now knew what was going on. He completely relied on his backing, his aura surging as he looked at Bai Bufan.
Bai Bufan gritted his teeth.
Lin Li has already initiated the team fight, so I must follow up!
"Yes! Uncle has been glaring at us the whole ti!" Bai Bufan chid in.
"Dad!" Chen Yuying's volu rose a bit higher, her brows furrowed, full of displeasure.
"Dad really didn't," Chen Zhongping was still being stubborn.
Lin Li's arm was already pressed against his eyes, his voice trembling: "I was glared at so much that, let alone talking, I almost want to cry."
Bai Bufan followed suit: "I want to cry too."
Chen Zhongping: "?"
If Chen Yuying hadn't inford him earlier, Lin Li would have remained silent until Chen Zhongping left. Because he knew very well that acting up in front of an elder whose initial impression of him was negative 100 was equivalent to seeking death.
Not everyone would like his personality, Lin Li knew that very well.
But now, Sorry, Uncle. Since you've already heard about my true colors, then—liberation of nature!
"I feel so terrible right now. I keep wondering if I did sothing wrong to be treated like this," Lin Li was still adding fuel to the fire. Fanning the flas was the most fun.
"I feel terrible too. I feel like I've turned into a black person," Bai Bufan parroted. Ruining other people's father-daughter relationships was the most fun.
"I even want to go ho. At least I'm more comfortable at ho and it wouldn't be like this," Lin Li continued.
"..."
Noticing there was no "echo," Lin Li looked at Bai Bufan in confusion: "Why aren't you following up?"
Bai Bufan smiled sheepishly and pointed not far away: "My house is right over there. I'm afraid Uncle might actually take a turn and send ho. After hearing your story earlier, my mom seed like she wanted to abandon . I'd be even more uncomfortable at ho. I can't follow up on this one."
Lin Li: "..."
This guy is quite careful and rigorous.
"Dad! How could you do this?! If I had known, I wouldn't have agreed to let you drive us!" Chen Yuying, who had basically mastered the ability to extract real information from Lin Li's outrageous descriptions, successfully analyzed the general situation and said with great dissatisfaction.
We clearly agreed beforehand.
"Dad really didn't. I just looked at them a bit, it didn't reach the level of glaring. There were voices behind , isn't it normal for to take a look? It would be weird if I didn't look! It's fine, just talk amongst yourselves. I don't hate this kid," Chen Zhongping tried to explain.
"I don't believe you."
"When has Dad ever lied to you?"
"This morning when you told your driver was sick."
Chen Zhongping: "..."
Lin Li: "?"
"Dad! Stop the car!" Chen Yuying demanded in an imperative tone.
When Chen Zhongping stopped the car, Chen Yuying imdiately got out and then sat in the passenger seat.
"You guys talk amongst yourselves. I'll keep an eye on my dad. If my dad dares to glare at you again, I'll glare at him, and then I'll have my mom give him the silent treatnt every day during the National Day holiday." After buckling her seatbelt, Chen Yuying glared at Chen Zhongping.
Chen Zhongping: "..."
"Drive!"
"Oh." Chen Zhongping blinked and restarted the car. Now he could only stare straight ahead at the road.
The four people in the back looked at each other, and then Lin Li and Bai Bufan were the first to lower their voices and laugh.
Lin Li imdiately turned his head and looked straight at Ding Sihan:
"Ding Sihan, let solemnly declare to you one last ti: what I used to watch were not borderline videos. I watched #NormalOutfit #NoBadGuidance #FreedomOfDress #UndefinedFreeSoulIndependentWon. I won't allow you to insult them like that!"
Ding Sihan: "..."
Lin Li has probably been holding that in for several minutes.
It must have been hard on him.
But this is what Lin Li normally looks like.
"No looking back! Concentrate on driving!"
Ding Sihan, who was just about to speak, was interrupted and amused by the voice coming from the very front row.
Lin Li and Bai Bufan exchanged a glance.
Hehe.
The ones who are uncomfortable now aren't us.
Chen Zhongping sat up straight, looking ahead and concentrating on driving. From behind him ca the occasional conversation and laughter of his daughter's two good friends and the two dangerous creatures. And if his gaze in the rearview mirror was even slightly fierce, his daughter in the passenger seat would smack his hand with her hair tie.
But he didn't feel uncomfortable at all.
Turning his head to look at Chen Yuying, who was crossing her arms, glaring at him fiercely, and looking full of displeasure, Chen Zhongping felt his daughter was too cute. But... sigh...
Hehe.
Whoever dares to dig up my precious cabbage, I will end his life—the Pig Slaughtering Rune has been equipped with one click.
"No smiling! Look at the road!" Seeing her dad suddenly in a superposition of smiling and looking fierce, Chen Yuying's face turned serious, and she picked up her hair tie to tap Chen Zhongping's arm again.
"...Sorry."
...
Because Shanting was right next to Nansang, it took less than an hour to arrive within Shanting's borders.
"Yingbao, are we almost there?" Seeing the road sign that read "Entering Shanting Ahead," Ding Sihan asked.
"Mhm, about ten more minutes. Because it's a detached bungalow, the location is a bit more towards the suburbs. I sent the specific location in the group," Chen Yuying said after glancing at the car's navigation.
Ding Sihan nodded and looked at her phone: "Then it'll be almost noon when we arrive. We can put our things down and find a place to eat. Let check the guides to see if there are any must-eat restaurants in Shanting."
"Sure, and we can cook for ourselves tonight," Chen Yuying nodded.
"Why don't you ask Bufan about this?" Hearing this, Lin Li looked at Ding Sihan in confusion. "He's a professional in this area."
Bai Bufan: "?"
I'm a professional again?
"Has Bai Bufan already made a guide? I thought you two had no interest in guides," Ding Sihan looked at Bai Bufan with so curiosity.
Bai Bufan pointed at himself: "?"
Facing Bai Bufan's confused gaze, Lin Li explained: "Didn't Ding Sihan want to find so must-eat (bi chi) restaurants? Among all the creatures present, you are the biggest idiot (sha bi). Who else should she ask?"
(Translator's Note: A pun on "bi chi" / must-eat and "sha bi" / idiot).
Bai Bufan: "..."
Fuck.
Ding Sihan lowered her head and couldn't stop laughing.
"I will never believe you again when you say Bai Bufan is a professional, Lin Li," she concluded.
—The last ti he was a professional, it was as a eunuch.
It could only be said that having a good relationship with Lin Li was truly dangerous; you couldn't escape the fate of being made fun of.
Another ten minutes or so passed, and the car finally arrived at the destination.
Chen Yuying calling it a small bungalow was actually doing this hostay a disservice. However, it couldn't be called luxurious either. It looked more like one of those self-built small villas in the countryside. The decoration style was also quite down-to-earth, a kind of ugly-beautiful.
But since it was free, what more could they ask for?
"I feel like this house hugged when I was a kid. It looks quite similar to my old house in my hotown. I hope the internet is a bit better," Bai Bufan comnted.
Lin Li glanced at Bai Bufan but didn't say anything. Bai Bufan turned his head in confusion. He actually didn't attack ?
Noticing that Lin Li was deep in thought, he asked curiously: "Lin Li, what are you thinking about?"
"I'm wondering if Xiaolongnü saw the place where Yang Guo used to live, would she sigh and say, 'I also want to live the life that Guo'er lived.'" Lin Li said.
(Translator's Note: A tongue twister based on characters from The Return of the Condor Heroes. "Guo guo guo er guo guo" ans "live the life that Guo'er lived").
Bai Bufan: "?"
Where did that chicken clucking co from?
Sotis Bai Bufan really wanted to open Lin Li's head to see what exactly was inside.
After the car stopped steadily, everyone got out with their luggage.
Chen Zhongping rummaged through the mailbox at the door for a while and found a set of keys left there. He used them to open the gate to the courtyard and the door to the house.
"Co on in, everyone," he said.
The girls walked in first. Just as Lin Li and Bai Bufan were about to follow, Chen Zhongping turned slightly sideways, blocking their path.
"Don't be in such a hurry, you two. Uncle wants to give you a piece of advice," Chen Zhongping spoke up.
Chen Yuying was right. Before coming, she had already given him a detailed heads-up, so he had an idea of Lin Li's personality.
Otherwise, if he was completely unfamiliar with him and heard Lin Li say those things to his daughter upon eting, Chen Zhongping would have blown his top long ago. He wouldn't have just glared at Lin Li.
He knew his daughter didn't hate this.
But that didn't stop Chen Zhongping from wanting to say a few words in private.
"Thank you, Uncle. You're so generous. But can it be converted into RMB?" Lin Li replied instantly.
"Cough, cough, cough!" Chen Zhongping almost choked to death on the words he wanted to give.
Who the fuck told you this could be converted into cash?
"No," Chen Zhongping said with a dark face after catching his breath.
Lin Li felt a bit regretful.
Nowadays, the older generation always likes to give young people a piece of advice or a warning.
What's the use of giving these? What young people need is a sum of money. Give that instead!
"Why aren't you guys coming in?" Seemingly noticing that no one was following behind, Chen Yuying's voice gradually approached, accompanied by footsteps.
"Uncle, then go ahead and give it," Lin Li said with regret.
"Give what?" Chen Yuying poked her head out, looking at the three of them curiously.
Everyone's eyes turned to Chen Zhongping.
"Give... give a send-off," Chen Zhongping said.
With his daughter here, it wasn't convenient to continue talking to these two kids.
Lin Li: "A thousand miles away?"
(Translator's Note: A reference to a Jay Chou song, "Faraway").
Chen Yuying waved happily: "Then bye-bye, Dad?"
Bai Bufan: "Skr~"
Chen Zhongping: "..."
Is my daughter's smile really that sincere?
Chen Yuying's happiness hurt Chen Zhongping deeply. His little padded cabbage was leaking air.
Forget it, as long as my daughter is happy.
"Lin Li seems unreliable and speaks very... strangely? But he's actually a very fun and interesting person."
This was what she told him before coming.
Chen Zhongping naturally wouldn't be completely convinced by this.
However.
The answer he got from Class 4's horoom teacher, Xue Jian, was—"Lin Li and Bai Bufan are both good kids, but it's true that you can't tell just by looking at them. Don't worry too much."
Not only that.
The day before yesterday, Lin Li's parent, who had proactively added him, heard that he would be going as well and hoped he would be accommodating. At the sa ti, she gave him a friendly reminder—"My kid doesn't look human, but he is indeed human, and a good kid."
Three strikes.
This was the main reason why Chen Zhongping was so tolerant of Lin Li and Bai Bufan.
It was absolutely, definitely not because he was afraid of his daughter getting angry, even if he dared to be angry but didn't dare to speak.
—At most, at most, it was a secondary reason.
However, Chen Zhongping naturally couldn't just leave like this. He brought these two good kids with "beastly faces and human hearts" inside and briefly introduced the indoor facilities to the five of them, focusing on the safety aspects.
The hostay was quite spacious. Including the basent, half of which was used for storing miscellaneous items, there were a full four floors.
The floors were a mix of tiles and wooden boards, mostly covered with soft mats, so for cleanliness, shoes had to be taken off in most areas.
Besides not having a space-consuming pool table, the other entertainnt facilities in the party hostay were quite complete: a ho KTV, a ho theater, a mahjong table, foosball, and even an esports room—which contained five connected desktop computers.
"...Rember what I told you. You must pay attention to safety when using fire and electricity. I'll be in Shanting for the next few days.
"Yingying, send Dad's phone number to your group chat later. Any of you, if you have any situation, you can call . Including if you want to go out and play and need to drive over and take you, that's fine too.
"Oh right, the most basic rule: when you sleep, boys and girls must use separate floors. There's more than one bathroom here..."
Chen Zhongping rambled on, repeatedly reminding them.
"Alright, we know, we know. We're not little kids anymore," Chen Yuying looked helpless.
"Indeed, Uncle. I'm almost an adult," Lin Li also agreed.
"Is it possible that precisely because you're not little kids anymore, I'm even more worried?" Chen Zhongping said instead. After speaking, he looked at Lin Li: "Especially since you're almost an adult."
Chen Yuying: "..."
Lin Li: "?"
Class Rep, before coming, how exactly did you describe to your old father?
Lin Li now seriously suspected that Chen Yuying had committed the illegal act of stigmatizing him.
That "especially" was especially hurtful.
(End of Chapter)
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