Chapter 102
She was riding her bike, and it wouldn’t do to get distracted.
Long Aotian yawned as he sat on the tricycle. He was used to sleeping in, and waking up early today had left him feeling a bit drowsy.
Fortunately, it wasn’t long before a girl on a bicycle appeared on the other side of the road.
Before they got close, a clear and pleasant voice reached them: “Sorry to keep you waiting for so long!”
Hu Yuying shook her head. “Not at all, we just got here. Here, this is for you.”
As she spoke, she handed a carefully selected outfit to Li Qingxue.
Li Qingxue accepted it and, in return, offered the cookies she had made. “How much do I owe you? I brought cash.”
Hu Yuying looked at the box of cookies in her hands and waved her hand repeatedly. “No, no, it’s a gift for you. And thank you for the cookies.”
Li Qingxue chuckled softly. “Then I won’t hold back.”
“Can I take a look?”
“Of course! If it doesn’t fit, I can exchange it for you.”
Upon hearing this, Li Qingxue opened the packaging and pulled out the clothes inside.
They felt cool and soft to the touch; if they weren’t still outside, she would have wanted to change into them right away.
Long Aotian watched the two of them chatting harmoniously and discreetly took the box of cookies from Hu Yuying’s hands.
Hu Yuying didn’t mind; in her heart, she believed that whatever Long Ge wanted, she would give him.
“Hey, Long Aotian, don’t steal Hu Yuying’s cookies!” Li Qingxue said as she tucked the clothes away. “If you want some, I’ll make more next time. Let Hu Yuying try my cooking!”
“Not a chance! Once it’s in my hands, it’s mine,” Long Aotian replied, looking as unbothered as a pig that doesn’t fear boiling water.
Hu Yuying found it amusing and gently tugged at Li Qingxue, signaling that it was fine.
Li Qingxue also found it funny; it seemed Long Aotian really loved the cookies she made.
After all, her cookies were just that delicious. Well, she decided to make more next time; he really was a foodie.
Time passed, and it was getting late. After chatting for a while, they each went their separate ways.
Hu Yuying waved to Li Qingxue from the small bench at the back of the tricycle. “We’re off now.”
“Okay, take it slow on the way back.”
Watching Long Aotian take Hu Yuying away, Li Qingxue gently pressed her lips together, a hint of envy flickering in her eyes. “How nice.”
That kind of freedom and happiness was something she longed for.
At least the joy in her heart was something only she knew.
At least they were still friends.
With that thought, Li Qingxue took a deep breath, turned gracefully, hopped on her bike, and gradually rode away.
On the other side.
Long Aotian had returned to their base with Hu Yuying.
After unloading their things, Hu Yuying checked the remaining stock.
“We need to clear out the leftover goods in the next couple of days; summer is almost over!” Long Aotian stretched and said.
“Yeah, this summer has gone by so quickly,” Hu Yuying replied softly, sitting beside him.
Since finishing their college entrance exams, they had been sourcing goods together in Yinian, setting up stalls at the morning market, and now, without realizing it, so much time had passed. This summer was truly coming to an end.
But it had also been the happiest summer for her...
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**Chapter 123: I’m Truly a Dedicated Big Brother**
The next day, Long Aotian took Hu Yuying to another market.
This time, he didn’t stay at their stall but wandered around the nearby clothing stalls.
Hu Yuying sat obediently on a small bench, watching Long Aotian as he chatted and shared cigarettes with the vendors, laughing happily, though she couldn’t quite hear what they were saying.
When the market started to fill up, Long Aotian returned to their stall and turned on the loudspeaker.
His catchy sales pitch and low prices immediately drew a crowd.
The morning passed in a flurry of activity.
At lunchtime, Long Aotian took a few pieces of clothing and visited several other stalls.
After some negotiations, he returned with a middle-aged man.
Only then did Hu Yuying realize that Long Ge had sold the remaining stock: shirts for ten yuan and pants for fifteen yuan, all to this man.
“If it weren’t for needing to report to school, I’d want to sell for a couple more days,” Long Aotian said, squatting down to count the clothes with a smile.
“You wouldn’t believe it; I really wouldn’t have guessed,” the man said, counting the items while smoking.
With Long Aotian’s street-smart demeanor and his casual banter, one wouldn’t think he was still a student.
After counting the remaining colorful clothes, Long Aotian kept a few for themselves. “We’ll wear these; that’s all.”
Once the count was done, the man happily took the money and settled the bill.
Businesspeople are sharp; he still made a profit, and the key was that his stall was nearby. Those two young people had sold quite a bit that morning.
After collecting the money, Long Aotian took Hu Yuying and left.
As they were leaving, they vaguely heard someone say, “He’s running off with his sister-in-law…”
Long Aotian and Hu Yuying couldn’t help but laugh.
“Where are we headed now, Long Ge?”
“Of course, we’re going home.”
Back at home, Long Aotian unloaded the miscellaneous items from the tricycle, planning to take everything back shortly.
“Long Ge, come eat!” Hu Yuying called softly, lifting the bamboo curtain to see Long Aotian still busy.
“Coming,” he replied, setting down what he was holding and walking over.
“Wash your hands first; I’ve already served the food.”
After washing his hands, Long Aotian returned to the living room and saw Hu Yuying resting her chin on her hand, lost in thought. He smiled and said, “What are you daydreaming about? Hurry up and eat.”
He thought she was still getting used to the sudden downtime.
“Are you feeling a bit out of sorts with nothing to do all of a sudden?”
“Let me tell you, cherish this brief and leisurely time. Once you graduate, you’ll be so busy you won’t know what hit you…”
“Long Ge.”
Hu Yuying called softly, looking up at Long Aotian with a hesitant expression.
“What’s wrong?”
At Long Aotian’s inquiry, Hu Yuying parted her lips slightly. “Long Ge, I… I might need to go home for a while. I can’t help you cook for now.”
She wanted to go home for a visit, but she was also a bit worried about Long Aotian.
The last time she saw him on the street and they went home together, he had downed two bowls of the lean meat porridge she made.
Having known Long Ge for so long, Hu Yuying had a bit of understanding about his family situation.
Two big men, rough around the edges; she couldn’t help but worry they wouldn’t take care of themselves...
(This really highlights the importance of having a woman in the house...)
“Ah! I thought something serious was going on, and you were so tense it scared me!”
“Don’t worry; I can take care of myself.”
Though he said that, warmth spread through his heart. With Hu Yuying around, it felt like he didn’t have to worry about anything...
“Let me know when you’re leaving, and I’ll see you off.”
“No need, Long Ge. You’ve already helped me so much. I can manage on my own…”
For some reason, Long Aotian suddenly felt that this sounded like a final farewell.
“Alright, my little sidekick has grown up and is ready to be independent,” he joked, though it didn’t feel as funny as it should.
As the sun set.
Long Aotian rolled the tricycle out of the door.
“I’m off.”
“Okay, take care on the way,” Hu Yuying replied, mustering her courage. “Long Ge, I’ll be back soon, and I’ll cook for you again.”
As the tricycle faded into the distance, under the rumble of the engine, Hu Yuying took a couple of steps forward, slightly out of breath, unsure if Long Ge had heard her.
Until he was no longer in sight.
Only then did Hu Yuying snap back to reality and return home to start packing.
There really wasn’t much to pack.
Just a backpack, some cash, a book, two photos, and a couple of changes of clothes.
On the other side.
Long Aotian parked the tricycle, unloaded the items, and returned to his room.
The old man hadn’t come back yet; the house felt empty.
He took off his clothes, planning to take a shower first.
After showering, he lay on his bed and let out a long sigh.
Out of the corner of his eye, he spotted the box of cookies on the stool.
And around the stool, a few unremarkable ‘rabbit’ cookies (carefully selected, so they wouldn’t hurt his teeth).
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