Chapter 58: Part 79 (Bottom)

"Let's go, Xiaoping, it's time for us to head back." Si Ping's mother urged him from behind.

Si Ping loosened his grip and said, "Dad, Mom, wait for me for a second."

With that, he strode off in the direction Lin Yilan had just left.

Si Ping's mother stood dumbfounded, watching the scene unfold. "Hey, hey, Xiaoping, where are you going?"

Without looking back, Si Ping just shouted, "I'm going to talk to a friend about something. I'll be right back."

Meanwhile, Lin Yilan was pedaling her bicycle leisurely, humming a tune under her breath.

"Lin Yilan—"

"Huff, huff, Lin—Yi—Lan—"

Why did it feel like someone was calling her name?

Lin Yilan applied the brakes and turned her head to see Si Ping running toward her.

She got off the bike and propped up the kickstand. "What's the matter?"

Si Ping ran up to her, panting heavily. His eyes were watery, and his face was flushed red from the exertion of running.

"I—I wanted to ask if you have time during the winter vacation? We could go ice skating at Shichahai together."

Lin Yilan stared at him unblinkingly. She watched as Si Ping's face shifted from red to pale, and then from pale back to red, even his neck growing somewhat crimson.

When she shifted her gaze to meet his eyes, he looked away a bit sheepishly, his eyes darting about evasively.

Although she couldn't be entirely certain what was going on, she could sense a thing or two from such an expression.

She remained silent, saying nothing at all.

Seeing that she didn't speak, Si Ping's originally frantic heartbeat suddenly calmed down.

His expression turned somewhat sorrowful, and the corners of his mouth gradually straightened into a line.

"You... don't want to go?"

Lin Yilan looked at the young man before her once again, biting the inside of her cheek.

After a moment, she opened her mouth, her voice slightly raspy, "I don't know how to skate."

Hearing her reply, Si Ping's eyes instantly lit up. "It doesn't matter, I know how. I can teach you when the time comes. Ice skating is very easy to learn, and you're so smart, you'll definitely pick it up."

"So, are you willing to go?" He blinked, his face full of eager invitation.

Lin Yilan forced a smile. "I still have some things to take care of during the winter vacation and need to go out of town. Let's wait until I get back. As soon as I return, if I have time, I'll go skating with you. Coincidentally, Fangfang and I haven't seen each other in a while, so we can use this opportunity to get together with friends. How does that sound?"

She hesitated, partly worried that she might have misunderstood Si Ping's intentions, and partly wanting to use this skating trip to make things clear to him—if he really did harbor romantic feelings for her, she would reject him outright.

Until she could ensure the safety of her family, she had no intention of entering a romantic relationship.

Si Ping looked like a deflated ball, instantly losing all his energy.

Still, if a group went together, at least the two of them would have a chance to spend time together on the side.

Having comforted himself with this thought, his mood rebounded instantly.

"Alright, I'll call a few other friends then, and we can all go together."

Lin Yilan nodded, her foot resting on the pedal. "I'm heading to my grandfather's place now. See you next time."

Si Ping waved. "See you next time!"

After gazing longingly until Lin Yilan's figure disappeared from his sight, Si Ping walked back to his parents with a dejected expression.

Seeing his crestfallen son approach, Si Ping's father reached out and patted him on the back. "Let's go, time to head home."

Si Ping's mother chimed in from the side, "Si Ping, don't tell me you have a crush on that girl just now?"

"Let me tell you clearly, your father and I do not allow you to go looking for a partner casually."

Si Ping looked up at his parents. "You're overthinking it. She isn't even interested in me yet."

Si Ping's father rested a hand on his son's shoulder, glancing at his wife on the other side. "In a couple of days, your Uncle Zhen's daughter is coming over. You two can go out and play together then."

Si Ping shoved his father's hand off his shoulder. "Dad, Mom, I've already told you, I have no interest in Zhen Er. Can you stop trying to force her and me into a pair?

Besides, she only managed to get into a junior college, and she doesn't seem very bright either. I don't want to make friends with stupid people."

"Hey! How can you talk about the young lady like that? I think you've lost your mind." Si Ping's mother looked at him with some annoyance.

Si Ping's father stood by, pulling his wife back and patting the back of her hand as he said silently, "I'll talk to him, don't get worked up."

Only then did Si Ping's mother calm down slightly. She glared at Si Ping and then marched swiftly ahead.

The bickering scene of the Si family happened to be witnessed by someone playing nearby.

"Lingling, what are you looking at? I'm talking to you, why are you ignoring me!" A chubby little girl with a ponytail put her hands on her hips and poked her distracted friend who wore braids.

Lin Lingxiu stood on tiptoe, gazing in the direction where the Si family had left. Seeing them walk out of the courtyard compound, she pulled her little companion close. "Bao Bao, I just heard them saying bad things about my little aunt. I'm going back to tell Grandpa."

Bao Bao immediately shared the indignation. "Okay, I'll go back with you."

"I hate adults who talk behind people's backs the most."

Lin Lingxiu kicked the sand on the ground. "Exactly, how could they be like this?"

"Hmph!" Posing with her hands on her hips in a huff, she grabbed Bao Bao's hand. "Come on, follow me back to Grandpa's house."

While in the courtyard, Lin Yilan heard her eldest niece shouting loudly outside.

"Grandpa, Grandma!"

"Lingling is back."

Lin Yilan pushed open the front gate, squatted down, and opened her arms to her eldest niece.

"Lingling, Little Auntie is back today. Are you happy?"

Lin Lingxiu threw herself into Lin Yilan's arms and said with a wide smile, "Little Aunt, I'm happy."

After the two of them played happily for a moment, Lin Lingxiu pulled her good friend over. "Little Aunt, this is my good friend Bao Bao."

Lin Yilan extended her hand. "Hello, Bao Bao. I am Lingling's Little Aunt."

Bao Bao shook Lin Yilan's hand briefly before letting go quickly, covering her face with her hands.

Lingling's little aunt is so pretty!

Seeing that her little aunt was paying attention to her, Lin Lingxiu quickly tugged on her sleeve. "Little Auntie, Little Auntie, that boy who was talking to you just now—I saw him and his family saying bad things about you."

She turned her head to look at Bao Bao. "Bao Bao, didn't you see it too?"

Bao Bao was still mesmerized by the little aunt's looks, but upon hearing Lingling's words, she snapped back to reality and nodded angrily. "Yes!"

Lin Yilan was momentarily stunned. She hadn't expected her eldest niece to have seen her talking with Si Ping outside earlier. She wrapped her arms around the two fragrant, soft little cuties.

"Let's go, time to go have dinner with Little Auntie."

Lin Lingxiu anxiously tugged on her clothes. "Little Auntie, you have to believe me. Don't play with that bad person."

Lin Yilan bounced the two children in her arms slightly. "Alright, Little Auntie believes Lingling the most. I won't see him again in the future."

"Really?" Lin Lingxiu wrapped her arms around her neck.

Lin Yilan nodded solemnly. "Of course. Lingling is my most beloved family member; how could I listen to outsiders instead of what Lingling says?"