"Lin Can, are you ready?"
"I'm ready."
Yang Wuluo put her leg down, extended and straightened it. Huh? Looking at the pure white over-the-knee socks under that absolute territory, she bit her lip—he's really good at helping girls put on stockings~
Whoever becomes his girlfriend and gets pampered by him like this every day with such thoughtful care, it must feel so blissful, right?
"Wipe your hands." Yang Wuluo pulled out two wet wipes from her bag and handed them to Lin Can. "Oh right, I saw on your Moments that you went on a trip to the Western Regions. When did you get back?"
"I came back yesterday."
Lin Can looked at Yang Wuluo—wow, what a transformation. Back in school, though they didn't run into each other often and everyone wore school uniforms, and she was all about studying the classics, he had only thought she looked delicate—not particularly stunning. But now that they'd graduated, she started paying attention to her appearance, and she actually looked really pretty. Not the stunning kind of beauty, but more of a youthful, first-love kind of face.
Back then, Yang Wuluo had a clear conscience and dared to meet Lin Can's gaze directly. But today, she didn't dare. She shyly tucked her hair behind her ear and said in a low voice, "You… why are you going to Yunchuan today? Don't get me wrong, I'm not prying into your business or anything. I just wanted to… thank you for guiding me when I needed it most, for helping me get through that low point. If you're free at noon, I'd like to treat you to lunch."
"Hmm…" Lin Can rested his chin in his hand and thought, "Now that we've graduated, I came to the provincial capital to buy something for myself as a gift. Might take a little while, but I should be done around noon. By the way, you dressed up so nicely today—are you going to see your boyfriend in the city?"
"No, no, no! I don't have a boyfriend."
"Hehehe… Why are you reacting so strongly?"
"I…"
Yeah, why am I reacting so strongly? Why am I so eager to explain? Damn it. She knocked herself lightly on the head.
"There's a youth dance festival held by Yunchuan City at the Provincial Cultural Center today. My elementary school classmate, Zhu Yanxi, is performing. She invited me to come watch."
"Zhu Yanxi… Oh, I remember now—she was from West City Ninth School, right? After junior high, she went to the provincial high school?"
"You actually remember?"
"Of course. Back in junior high, a bunch of guys from our school were into her. They'd hang out at the gate of West City Ninth every day, waiting for a glimpse."
"Hahaha… were you one of those boys stalking her at the gate?"
"I didn't chase after her, but every time I passed by that school, I saw her walking behind a chubby little girl."
"..."
"By the way, did that chubby girl ever slim down?"
"She did."
"How much did she slim down?"
"She slimmed down to look like me."
"!!!"
"Hahaha, alright then. How about this—if you're not busy, I'll treat you to lunch, and in the afternoon I'll take you to the cultural center to watch your old goddess dance~"
"Goddess? My goddess back then was that chubby girl."
"Pfft~"
Yang Wuluo rolled her eyes at him, but their playful banter lightened the mood.
Lin Can: "Alright, I'm not doing anything anyway, let's go with your plan."
"Okay." Yang Wuluo pulled out her phone and sent Zhu Yanxi a WeChat message:
[Pig, I'm bringing a classmate to watch your performance this afternoon, is that okay?]
Zhu Yanxi: [Is it a guy or a girl?]
Yang Wuluo: [A guy. Not from our class, just a fellow high school alum—Lin Can.]
Zhu Yanxi: [Oh~ That Lin Can you were crushing underfoot for three years? You two dating now? 🤭]
Yang Wuluo: [Watch your mouth! 😡]
Zhu Yanxi: [I've got to prep for the performance, can't join you for lunch. Call me when you get to the cultural center—I'll come get you.]
Yang Wuluo turned off her phone and gave a thumbs-up. "All set. Oh right, what do you want for lunch?"
"You decide."
"Okay, I'll check Meituan to see what looks good."
It was a 50+ km trip. Yang Wuluo spent most of the ride browsing food options. Half an hour later, they arrived at Yunchuan Bus Station.
"Let's go." Lin Can helped the "injured" girl off the bus. She was limping, still looking at her phone, and asked Lin Can along the way…
"Lin Can, do you like barbecue? How's this place? Oh~ not in the mood? I'll keep looking." "Hmm, how about Sichuan cuisine? It says their cold beef salad is amazing… what? You hate cilantro? Sigh, let me look again…" "What about this Japanese place? Huh? Fish from Fukushima? Okay okay, skipping it…" "How about this one—ahhh!!! What do you want to eat exactly?! You're so picky!"
Passengers nearby looked over at the handsome young man, one hand supporting the girl's arm, the other around her slender waist in a denim skirt. The girl kept pestering him about food, and the guy just kept rejecting one after another—he was driving her crazy!
By the roadside.
Lin Can chuckled. Truthfully, he'd seen those restaurants—all pretty pricey. Of course, to someone like Yang Wuluo who had just graduated high school, a meal averaging 100-200 yuan was expensive. After all, she still had to rely on her parents. But seeing how determined she was to treat him, he felt touched.
"Don't look anymore. I remember a place with really good spicy hotpot. Let's go there, how about it?"
"Spicy hotpot?"
A simple spicy hotpot meal—just a few dozen yuan, and they were stuffed. Yang Wuluo could tell Lin Can was trying to save her money.
She came from an average family, was sensible since childhood, and knew it wasn't easy for her parents to support her. She never spent recklessly.
"It's settled then. Let's go, the taxi's here."
She snapped out of her thoughts and noticed that since getting off the bus, Lin Can's arm had stayed around her waist.
Great. He'd touched her foot, touched her leg, and now her waist—step by step, getting bolder. Next… is he going to touch…
"What are you spacing out for? Get in."
"Oh."
Yang Wuluo climbed in. Lin Can got in and closed the door.
"Where to, handsome?"
"No. 66, Huatong Street."
The driver started the car.
"Lin Can, what's on Huatong Street? There's nothing like that in Yang'an—why come all the way to the provincial capital?"
"I'm buying a car."
"A car?"
Honestly, Yang Wuluo didn't know much about Lin Can. In fact, aside from the school administration, most students didn't. They just assumed he was a regular student like everyone else. No one knew his parents had both passed away, because Lin Can had never mentioned it. Not everyone wants to gain sympathy through tragedy—at least, not him.
So when he said he was buying a car, Yang Wuluo's mind went blank.
A bicycle? An electric scooter?
She didn't even consider a four-wheeler.
To a freshly graduated high schooler, that idea was too far-fetched—even a Wuling Hongguang was unthinkable.
Now that Lin Can had money, of course he wanted to spend it. Only a fool doesn't use their money, right?
But Yang Wuluo didn't know Yunchuan well, let alone what was on Huatong Street.
Huatong Street was one of Yunchuan's oldest and most upscale areas. The entire street was a luxury strip catering to the surrounding wealthy neighborhoods. The taxi driver, who knew every nook and cranny of the city, immediately remembered what was at No. 66 when he heard the boy say he was buying a car.
The driver chatted, "If I remember right, 66 Huatong Street is the Bentley Experience Store. Young man, you buying a Bentley?"
Upon hearing that, Yang Wuluo quickly turned toward Lin Can, accidentally bumping her knee into the seat, letting out an "Ah~" from the pain. Her wound split open again and oozed a bit of blood. Wincing, she leaned onto Lin Can's shoulder.
Lin Can patted her on the shoulder and whispered, "What's wrong? You heard I'm buying a Bentley and just threw yourself at me?"
"Ugh, stop it." Yang Wuluo pushed him away, realizing he was teasing her again, but she didn't have the energy to argue. "So… the gift you mentioned earlier… for graduation… is a Bentley?"
"Just going to take a look. If I like it, then I'll buy it." Lin Can patted his thigh. "Alright, enough questions. Put your leg up—I'll rewrap your wound. And next time, don't get so excited."
"..."
Yang Wuluo placed her leg on him. Watching Lin Can roll her over-the-knee sock down to her calf and mutter under his breath, "Damn, what a leg," as he carefully unwrapped and re-bandaged the wound.
The driver glanced at Lin Can in the rearview mirror. This boy was about the same age as his own son, yet their lives were so different—bringing along a fairy-like girl, playing with her leg, and heading off to buy a Bentley.
Tsk tsk tsk… a true winner in life~