Chapter 18: Yuting’s Expectation

“Grandma, I’m home!”

When Lin You got home from school, the first thing he did was call out for his only family member.

His grandmother was in the kitchen preparing dinner.

“Youyou’s back so early! Rest for a bit, I’ll have dinner ready soon.”

The old woman poked her head out of the kitchen, responding kindly.

“I’m not tired, I’ll help Grandma.”

Tossing his small backpack onto a chair, the boy enthusiastically ran to help.

Only when he returned to his small, warm home did he act more like a six-year-old child.

With the grandmother and grandson working together, dinner was freshly prepared in half an hour.

“How was school? Did you make any friends?”

His grandmother had specially bought a fish for tonight’s main course. She carefully removed the bones, placing the tender meat into her good grandson’s bowl, all while asking about his day at school.

“I did!”

Lin You felt a little guilty, but to put his grandmother at ease, he told a white lie.

The image of his classmate, Zhong Yuxiu, immediately surfaced in his mind as he spoke.

He really could have made a friend today, but unfortunately, he had repeatedly rejected the girl’s friendship.

After what happened with the seating change, Zhong Yuxiu was probably very angry.

The thought of this left an empty feeling in the boy’s heart.

“Was it the young lady we met at the noodle shop at noon?”

His grandmother had some impression of the bright-eyed girl; she was so delicate-looking.

“Wow, Grandma, how did you know?”

Lin You’s surprise was half-feigned, more of a genuine shock that his grandmother could connect him with Zhong Yuxiu.

“If it was her, then Grandma can rest easy. She must be a reliable girl who can take care of Youyou at school.”

The old woman had originally been worried that her good grandson would be bullied. After hearing this good news, her worries gradually subsided.

“Grandma, let’s eat.”

Lin You didn’t dare to chat any longer, afraid he would give himself away.

The pair enjoyed their wonderful dinner in harmony.

After dinner, Lin You took the initiative to clear the dishes and even tidied up the house.

By the time he was done, the sky outside had already grown dark.

Listening to the radio programs with his grandmother, Lin You sat at his small desk, writing his name over and over again.

“Grandma, look! This is Lin You, my name.”

When his name was finally no longer crooked, the boy excitedly shared his joy with the old woman.

“Youyou is so amazing! You learned to write your name on the very first day of school!”

His grandson’s antics made the old woman so happy that she comfortingly stroked his hair.

“Hehe, actually, a friend taught me how to write it.”

At school, Lin You didn’t dare to be friends with Yuxiu, but back home, he referred to her as a friend and didn’t forget to give her credit.

“That girl is really something. Youyou should learn more from her in the future.”

His grandmother even wanted to thank her good grandson’s friend in person.

“I know!”

Lin You continued to practice his name. He also wanted his own handwriting to be as pretty and neat as Zhong Yuxiu’s.

The night grew deeper.

His grandmother was used to sleeping early and went to bed before nine.

As a six-year-old, Lin You was full of energy and not the least bit sleepy.

‘It’s still not as good as Classmate Zhong’s… she must have practiced for a very, very long time, right?’

Lin You had filled seven or eight pages of his notebook with his own name. The densely packed characters were a silent testament to the boy’s diligence.

With no other entertainment at night, he had found a way to pass the time on his first day of school.

“Oh, right, I have to go out tonight. I have plans with Yuting.”

The boy remembered something and quickly looked at the clock.

It was just past nine o’clock.

He and Yuting had agreed to meet at the children’s park at nine-thirty.

A precocious boy like him took promises very seriously. If he said he would do something, he would do his best to follow through.

‘Yuting goes to school too, and she’s in an upper grade. She probably didn’t recognize me, right?’

Lin You recalled the collision with Yuting on campus during the day, and a wave of worry about his identity being exposed washed over him.

With an uneasy heart, he still decided to go out and meet her.

Meanwhile, on the next street, in Xu Yuting’s house.

“Homework’s done. Ooh, I’m so sleepy. I’m going to bed. Mom, Dad, don’t you dare wake me up.”

To ensure a smooth meeting with Lin You, Yuting had been uncharacteristically diligent for once. She had obediently finished her homework without her parents having to force her.

“Hehe…”

The thought of meeting her friend made Yuting giggle sweetly.

“I’ll bring a friendship Coke for Ah You, and some spicy strips.”

Because she valued this friendship so much, Yuting had no intention of going empty-handed.

Pretending to walk past the refrigerator, the girl, with lightning speed, grabbed two cans of Coke and stuffed them into her left and right pants pockets, even covering them with her small hands like a guilty thief.

That wasn’t all. She went back to her little room, pulled out a small box from under her bed, and inside were her treasured snacks.

She brought all the good food and drinks.

The girl also grabbed a flashlight, and then stealthily climbed out the window.

“Hehe, Ah You, here I come!”

Yuting was extremely playful. In her eyes, meeting Lin You in the dark children’s park was a super cool thing to do, something she could brag about.

Tonight’s moon was rather full, casting a faint glow.

At the children’s park.

Yuting had arrived early.

It was dark and frighteningly quiet.

But this wasn’t her first time here. She had been frequenting the place at night recently, and after getting used to it, she was long immune to the environment.

“Ah You?”

The girl first called out tentatively.

No response.

She turned on her flashlight, went to the swings, and sat down to wait for her friend.

“No rush, no rush, it’s not even nine-thirty yet.”

Lifting her wrist to check her children’s watch, the girl comforted herself.

“Hurry up and get here, or the friendship Coke won’t be cold anymore.”

The girl’s feet, planted on the ground, gave a gentle push, setting the swing in motion.

‘Speaking of which, why won’t Ah You let me use my flashlight? Is he afraid of light? Why?’

Bored, Yuting began to let her thoughts wander.

‘What does Ah You actually look like?’

Yuting’s mind was filled with curiosity.

So far, she only knew Lin You’s general outline and had no idea what he really looked like.

‘Is he really ugly? Is that why he won’t let me see him?’

Yuting might be a bit of a slacker, but she was definitely not dumb. She began to deduce the reasons why Lin You wouldn’t show his face.

‘Could Ah You be the guy I ran into during the day?’

For some reason, Yuting’s mind connected him to the boy she had bumped into.

His scarlet birthmark had left a deep impression on her.

‘No way, no way. Ah You’s voice is so nice. The guy with the red mark on his face didn’t have a nice voice at all.’

Yuting shook her head, trying to dispel this unwelcome thought.

And the Lin You she was so eagerly awaiting was on his way.

As always, the boy carried a snakeskin bag. After all, collecting bottles to help ease his grandmother’s burden was his main mission.

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