Chapter 56: A Farce

Screaming, she turned around; Lin Xiaolu first stumbled backward with a "thump-thump," hitting the railing behind her, then accidentally slipped, her head slamming straight into the glass panel beside the railing.

"Ah!"

Pain shot through the back of her head; she couldn't help but cry out in pain, then immediately collapsed to the ground.

Fortunately, Lin Yun was quick-eyed and fast-handed; before she could truly fall, he bent down, reached out, and in time grabbed Lin Xiaolu's arm, lifting her back to her feet right where she stood.

"Are you okay?"

Seeing Lin Xiaolu's grimace of pain, he instinctively reached out and rubbed the back of her head; seeing there seemed to be no wound, he breathed a sigh of relief: "Little Lulu, you should be more careful when walking."

— "Isn't it because you scared me!"

Lin Xiaolu straightened her body, pulled his hand away from the back of her head, and said resentfully: "Don't suddenly speak behind someone's back!"

"I saw you two sneaking around here, so of course I had to come and ask."

Lin Yun raised an eyebrow and said: "You've been crouching on the third floor for so long; did you really think I didn't notice?"

In fact, he truly hadn't noticed; it's hard for ordinary people to imagine someone on the upper floors of such a shopping plaza staring at them. But since he could now discover their whereabouts, he needed some other reason.

Such a reason would seem somewhat far-fetched on an ordinary day, but fortunately, since the two girls had followed him first and felt guilty, they did not doubt the excuse he gave.

"Sorry, Uncle, I was wrong."

Xia Liang reacted the fastest, immediately playing the part of a good child, and said with an innocent face: "I didn't mean to; I was just a little curious."

"Who was sneaking around? I was standing here openly!"

Lin Xiaolu's attitude was not so friendly; plus, having just bumped her head, she covered the back of her head with one hand and scolded: "Can't I even see what you're doing?"

"Then why are you here?" Lin Yun stared into her eyes.

Lin Xiaolu could only stay silent and avert her gaze.

She didn't answer, but as usual, she was bad at hiding her emotions; her guilty expression was laid bare, so Lin Yun understood and asked again: "You followed me?"

"I was just a little curious," Lin Xiaolu mumbled.

"You're curious too?"

Lin Yun suddenly felt amused: "You two made such a big fuss, watching for so long, just because of this?"

"Is that not allowed? Didn't you, why do you have to dress like that and go out alone on a day off?"

Having been exposed, Lin Xiaolu simply gave up, admitting with a sense of self-abandonment: "You made it so formal; I thought this trip of yours was meant to, was planned to..."

Only then did Lin Yun understand why she had appeared here.

He glanced at Xia Liang; Xia Liang smiled awkwardly in apology, then lowered her head with some regret, clearly knowing that following others was not a good thing.

Indeed, what was there to argue about with children?

He chided himself inwardly, simply wiping away the already scant dissatisfaction, and looked at Lin Xiaolu to confirm:

"You thought I was planning to find you a stepmother?"

"Otherwise what?" Lin Xiaolu looked up at him, her expression also somewhat puzzled.

"How could that be? Even if I were to find one, I would definitely seek your opinion first."

Lin Yun shook his head, then sighed somewhat: "You, you probably really can't remember; today is clearly the anniversary of my marriage to your mother."

Lin Xiaolu couldn't help but widen her eyes.

"Anniversary?"

She murmured the words, suddenly stumbling over her speech: "Eh? But, but, clearly last year and the year before there was no..."

"Because this year is the fifteenth anniversary; the last time your mother and I commemorated this day was the tenth anniversary, when you were only nine."

Lin Yun continued to explain: "Besides, you know, in another week we have to go visit your mother; I need to prepare some gifts for her."

"Ha..." Lin Xiaolu let out a breath from her mouth, somewhat dazed.

Releasing the hand covering the back of her head, she stared blankly at Lin Yun, then lowered her head and repeated again: "So it's like this... I thought..."

For a moment, she didn't even know what she was sighing with relief about.

Her father wasn't out on a date with another woman, but simply to commemorate her mother.

Although it still didn't mean he had no connection with that woman named Hong Siyu, nor that he didn't know Senior Cuique, but at least this showed that all the wild thoughts in her head when she came...

Lin Xiaolu felt her cheeks burning hot.

Xia Liang beside her giggled, gently tapping her arm: "I told you, it might not be what you think, right? You just wouldn't believe me."

Lin Xiaolu glanced at her, knowing in her heart that she had made a huge fool of herself, but her nature wasn't the type to shut up and take a loss; instinctively, she wanted to retort.

But before she could say anything, she suddenly saw the somewhat nostalgic expression on Lin Yun's face; her heart felt as if a bucket of cold water had been poured on it, and the words at her lips were swallowed back down.

"... I know, I was wrong."

She admitted her mistake obediently, whispering: "If that's the case, then I'll go home later."

"Now that it's like this, why talk about going home?"

Lin Yun sighed, trying to force a smile onto his face: "Since you followed, come help me consult; consider it choosing a gift for your mother together."

"I..." Lin Xiaolu looked at him hesitantly; after realizing she had made a mistake, she didn't even know how to speak.

"Let's go." Lin Yun patted the railing, pointing downward into the atrium: "Or do you not plan to go to the tomb-sweeping next week?"

"How could that be?"

As soon as this topic was mentioned, Lin Xiaolu perked up again, muttering softly: "Even if you don't go, I will."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Lin Yun took a step toward the elevator, turned back to look at her: "Or do you want to keep standing up here, commanding the stage like a marshal?"

"... Do you think I want to?"

"Then hurry up and go," Lin Yun urged.

"Fine, I know."

"Is there anything you want to eat for lunch?"

"... Ice cream."

On the other side, Xia Liang, who had witnessed the entire scene, saw the gradually harmonious atmosphere between the father and daughter and smiled with some relief.

Perhaps there was also a little envy, even jealousy in her heart, but these feelings were secondary. More importantly, Lin Xiaolu was her friend; she could get along well with her parents, and she could feel happy for her as if she were experiencing it herself.

"Then, Uncle, Xiaolu."

She waved at the two of them, her face beaming with a smile: "Since that's the case, I'll go back by myself first?"

"You..." Lin Xiaolu frowned, still wanting to say something.

But before she could even spit out a single word from her mouth, Xia Liang interrupted: "Xiaolu, you should also go study the matter of the gift properly; your mother will definitely be very happy."

She didn't give Lin Xiaolu a chance to finish her sentence, even though they both knew this sentence might have been an attempt to keep her.

But in her view, this was after all a rare opportunity for the father and daughter in front of her to communicate properly; there was no need for her to stand here like a third wheel, which would only make everyone feel uncomfortable.

So, after saying this, she turned around, quickened her pace, and walked toward the crowd as if trying to escape. Yet before she could dive into the crowd, her steps were finally halted by a voice from behind.

— "Student over there."

The man behind her said: "If there's nothing else, why don't you accompany Xiaolu as well?"

"... No need, thank you, Uncle. It's very convenient for me to go back by myself." So she turned back and politely declined with a smile.

"What's there to be polite about? You're Xiaolu's classmate, right? You're called Xia Liang?"

Lin Yun tried to make his expression and tone appear gentle: "Thank you for accompanying her in all this nonsense, so I must thank you too."

He actually didn't know what Xia Liang was thinking at this moment, but it didn't stop him from remembering that night, when Xia Liang, who rarely showed her vulnerable side, said to Senior Cuique, "Don't be biased."

Although he was not Senior Cuique now, and the other party would not realize this, that was not an excuse for him to cast this girl aside.

"Come along together. I'll treat you both to lunch, then drive you home."

He looked at Xia Liang and said somewhat seriously.

Xia Liang looked at him, opened her mouth slightly, but didn't know how to continue refusing.

"Don't be so nagging over there."

Lin Xiaolu, standing nearby, also found a chance to finish her sentence, crossed her arms, averted her gaze, and said: "Wasn't it you who said before, hoping I would be like family with you? Now you're suddenly putting on an act?"

Xia Liang looked at Lin Yun, then at Lin Xiaolu, and found that they were both looking at her with a certain kind of concern.

Reason told her that she was merely an outsider here; seeing other people's intimate family relationships was nothing more than a torment to her own heart.

Yet, within her emotions, for this kind of relationship she sought but could not obtain, she was so yearning for it.

Should she approach them? She would question herself like this, trying to stop herself,

and at such a moment, the concern and invitation from the father and daughter in front of her cracked open a small fissure in this self-imposed barrier, causing a warm current to surge through her heart again.

Forget it, let's just be a bit willful at a time like this.

Recalling someone's teaching, she nodded, revealing a smile that was somewhat helpless yet heartfelt:

"Then, I won't stand on ceremony."