Chapter 42: Touching your head will make you taller

The high school girl was walking the two elementary school students home.

Taking advantage of this time together, she and Lin You were gradually becoming more familiar.

“Sister Muying, so you’re sixteen. You look so tall!”

As they chatted, the topic turned to age. Lin You marveled at the girl’s slender and tall figure.

“Ah You, when I’m eight years older—no, nine years older, I’ll be even taller than Sister Muying.”

Hearing the boy praise someone else, Yuting’s heart felt like an overturned vinegar jar; she was completely sour.

“You two are still young. When you get to middle school, you’ll have a growth spurt. When I was your age, we were about the same height.”

Hearing the boy’s innocent words, Feng Muying felt a sense of comfort. If only little Yuting could be a little quieter.

“Mhm, mhm, Sister Muying is right.”

Lin You had already begun to trust the young woman, feeling that she knew a great deal, just like a teacher at school.

The journey was filled with cheerful laughter. First, they arrived at Yuting’s house.

“Little Yuting, your house is just ahead. Hurry on home!”

Feng Muying quietly breathed a sigh of relief. She had finally sent the noisy girl home.

“Ah You, bye-bye! I’ll find a way for us to meet secretly.”

Yuting took three steps and looked back once, constantly waving her little hand at the boy.

Next, it was just Muying and Lin You.

“Sister Muying, my house is very close. I can walk back by myself. You don’t need to take me.”

Lin You’s house was just on the next street. He didn’t want to trouble the young woman too much.

“Little You, don’t be so polite. Let big sister walk you to your door.”

Without having to hold Yuting’s hand, Feng Muying now had a free hand to pat the boy’s head.

She had a practiced hand, having often patted the heads of her relatives’ nieces.

“Sis… Sister Muying!!”

Being suddenly patted on the head, the boy was thrown into a fluster.

His grandmother often patted his head too, but the feeling was completely different.

Both were gentle, but Feng Muying’s fingers were clearly more energetic, running through the strands of his hair.

“Let big sister pat your head. It’ll help you grow taller.”

Feng Muying knew she had been a bit too abrupt and, in order to make it easier for the boy to accept, she immediately came up with a line used to fool children.

Her nieces also didn’t like having their heads patted, but whenever she said this, they would become obedient.

“Is Sister Muying’s hand that magical?”

This was the first time Lin You had heard of such a magical way to grow up. He lifted his eyes, focusing on the young woman’s pretty face.

“Hehe, of course it’s true.”

Feng Muying’s eyes crinkled with her smile. Being with a well-behaved, sensible, and innocent child was such a great way to relieve stress.

As a third-year high school student, she had recently been feeling down due to her studies. Now, she felt much more relaxed.

“Then please pat my head more, Sister Muying. I want to grow tall and big!”

Lin You took her at her word and proactively asked for more pats.

“You want to grow up quickly? Is it because you don’t want to go to school anymore?”

The young woman’s delicate hand rhythmically stroked the boy’s hair as she curiously guessed the reason for his eagerness to grow up.

In a way, Lin You was like a mirror.

Thinking back to when she was an elementary school student, Feng Muying had also wanted to grow up quickly and shed her student identity.

“When I grow up, I can do a lot of things! I can let Grandma rest at home, and I’ll earn money to support the family.”

Lin You’s desire to grow up stemmed from his filial heart.

“Oh, little You, what about your mom and dad? Did they go to work out of town… or…”

Hearing his unexpected words, Feng Muying’s originally cheerful mood gradually grew heavy.

She had thought the birthmark on the boy’s face was unfortunate enough. Hearing his mature thoughts, which far surpassed those of his peers, she realized things were even worse than she had imagined.

“My mom and dad went to a place very far away. I have Grandma with me.”

At the mention of his parents, Lin You’s reaction was calm. The concept was a blur to him.

“Mhm, mhm, I understand. Little You’s grandma must be very, very nice…”

Feng Muying couldn’t bear to ask any more and felt even more pity for this unfortunate boy.

“Grandma is the best person in the world. She makes braised pork…”

At the mention of his grandmother’s virtues, the boy perked up. The usually quiet him became lively, happily sharing his only family member’s countless good qualities.

Feng Muying listened, nodding from time to time in agreement.

She was gradually getting a clearer picture of the boy’s situation.

Before they knew it, the two had walked onto Huimin Street, getting closer and closer to the boy’s home.

“My home is just ahead. Look, that’s my grandma. She’s waiting for me at the door.”

Lin You, holding the young woman’s hand with his left, pointed towards his home with his right and couldn’t help but quicken his pace.

“I see her.”

Feng Muying accompanied the boy to his home.

“Grandma, I’m back! This is Sister Muying. She walked me home.”

Lin You broke free from the young woman’s hand, threw himself into his family member’s arms, and introduced her in a clear, crisp voice.

“Young lady, thank you for bringing my grandson home. Come in and sit for a while. I’ve already cooked dinner…”

His grandmother first examined the young woman carefully. Seeing that she was exceptionally beautiful, had clear eyes, and didn’t seem like a bad person, and that her grandson’s attitude was fine, she let down her guard and extended a warm invitation.

“Then I won’t be polite.”

Feng Muying readily agreed.

She wasn’t trying to get a free meal; she wanted to understand the boy’s family situation better.

And, she wanted to discuss the matter of the “birthmark” with the boy’s grandmother.

“Sister Muying, come in and sit. Grandma’s cooking is amazing.”

Back with his family, the boy brightened up.

At the grandmother and grandson’s invitation, Feng Muying walked into the home where the two depended on each other.

Stepping into the not-so-spacious living room, the first thing that caught her eye was a large amount of scrap.

“Sister Muying, Grandma and I collected all of this. It can be sold for a lot of money.”

Lin You himself described the fruits of his and his grandmother’s hard labor.

In his eyes, collecting trash with his grandmother was never something to be ashamed of. As a participant, he felt a great sense of honor.

“Mhm.”

Feng Muying responded softly, trying her best to hide the sympathy in her heart.

“Youyou, bring the young lady over to eat.”

His grandmother brought the dishes out from the kitchen and called them over.

“Sister Muying, you can wash your hands first. I’ll go help get the bowls and chopsticks!”

Lin You immediately sprang into action. He was no young master who was waited on hand and foot at home.

A not-so-large round table was set with one meat and one vegetable dish—this was the grandmother and grandson’s dinner.

“Young lady, this meal is a bit simple. Next time you come to visit, have Youyou tell me, and I’ll be sure to prepare a proper meal for you.”

His grandmother felt bad. She hadn’t known a kind person would be bringing her good grandson home, or she would have prepared better.

“Grandma Lin, I’ve actually already eaten dinner. I just came in to sit for a bit and discuss something with you.”

Feng Muying finally understood why Lin You was thinner than his peers.

She believed that this kind old grandmother didn’t want to neglect her grandson. She had surely done her best; it was just that reality was so cruel.