“Li Yang, accept An Ling’s friend request already. Haven’t you been nagging about it for so long?”
“Oh, really?”
Li Yang hadn’t checked his phone earlier.
Sure enough, An Ling had added him on Green Bubble.
“OK, accepted.”
“Good. An Ling, if you need anything in the future, just call him directly. If he doesn’t help, come tell Grandma.”
“No way.”
Li Yang gave Grandma a big thumbs-up.
As expected, Grandma’s influence got things done fast.
“It’s getting late, Grandma Li. I should head back. I still have homework to do.”
“Let Li Yang walk you home. He can help carry some things for me too.”
“Oh right, just a moment, Grandma. I still have some of Li Yang’s stuff here.”
An Ling quickly leaned over to the shopping bags and picked up two packs of snacks.
Li Yang’s were two packs of spicy strips, but An Ling really wanted one herself.
It had been ages since she’d eaten any.
She sneakily took one pack of snacks that looked similar to the spicy strips packaging.
She placed the real spicy strips on top and hid the disguised one underneath.
This was a trick An Ling had come up with—even if Li Yang noticed, she could claim they looked too alike and she’d grabbed the wrong one.
An Ling moved as fast as she could to put the snacks into the basket on the coffee table.
“All set. I’ve taken out Li Yang’s stuff. Let’s hurry and go before the snacks get cold.”
An Ling shoved one shopping bag into Li Yang’s arms.
“You take this bag. Let’s go.”
Her sly wolf girl’s little trick was way too obvious.
Li Yang deliberately craned his neck to look toward the basket.
“Ah, let’s go, let’s go.”
An Ling hurriedly stood up to block his view.
Holding her things, she turned around.
As she said goodbye to Grandma Li, she used her large fluffy tail to push Li Yang from behind.
“Grandma Li, we’re heading out first. Next time I’ll bring you something tasty.”
“Good.”
Grandma Li stood up as well.
“It’d be best if you come over to play often. No need to bring anything. Li Yang, walk her to the door.”
“Okay, thank you, Grandma.”
An Ling pushed Li Yang toward the entryway.
“Stop squeezing, stop squeezing. Let me open the door first.”
“I’m not squeezing you. My tail is just too big.”
The two walked out of the yard.
The sky outside was already pitch black.
Streetlights cast a dim yellow glow on the road.
In the distance came a few dog barks, and farther away, the sounds of passing cars.
From Li Yang’s house, it was only a few steps to An Ling’s front door.
They walked side by side.
The air was filled with a rare quiet.
At the door, An Ling took out her keys and unlocked it.
Opening the door, An Ling took the shopping bag from Li Yang’s hands.
“Thanks for today. You helped me out for so long.”
An Ling still kept up basic politeness.
“No problem. Didn’t I get to drink your milk tea too?”
“Mm.”
An Ling nodded.
“Grandma’s cooking was delicious too. Thank you. Next time you should come eat at my house.”
An Ling subconsciously issued the return invitation, then immediately regretted it.
She had been so thankful for Grandma Li’s hospitality that the words slipped out without thinking.
“Today is definitely too late. Next time.”
“Mm, okay.”
Thank goodness it was already dark out.
An Ling let out a sigh of relief.
“I’ll head inside now. You go back on your own. And thank Grandma again for me—the meal today was really good.”
“Sure, bye.”
Li Yang waved.
“Mm.”
An Ling watched him slowly close the door.
Li Yang waited until the door was fully closed before turning around and heading home.
***
The moment the door shut, An Ling leaned against the door panel and let out a long breath.
The house was quiet, with only the ticking of the wall clock filling the space.
An Ling stood there for a while before turning on the living room light.
An Ling carried the shopping bag to the coffee table and began unpacking the items she bought today.
Shampoo, hair care oil, toothpaste and toothbrush, clothes hangers, snacks, instant foods… She took them out one by one, putting bathroom items in the bathroom and kitchen items in the kitchen.
Halfway through, An Ling’s movements suddenly stopped.
She stared at the pack of “disguised spicy strips” in her hand.
It was a pack of spicy konjac crisps.
The packaging did look somewhat like spicy strips, but a closer look showed the differences.
“It probably won’t be obvious that it was intentional, right?”
An Ling muttered softly, her ears twitching unconsciously.
She recalled the earlier scene.
That guy had definitely tried to look, but she should have blocked him.
“Aiya!”
An Ling rubbed her head.
“If that guy hadn’t been reminiscing over there, how could I have said something so stubborn!”
It was all that idiot’s fault.
Next time she should just toss him aside and grab whatever she wanted.
An Ling set the pack of konjac crisps aside and continued tidying up.
By the time everything was put away properly, it was already 8:30 PM.
Finishing her homework pushed it past 9 PM.
An Ling took a shower in the bathroom, changed into her pajamas, then grabbed the pack of beef jerky and a bottle of drink as she returned to her bedroom.
It was already quite late.
Her bedroom was arranged warmly and invitingly, with her favorite light yellow bedding set on the bed, a small lamp on the nightstand, and a few books she had pulled from her suitcase the day before.
An Ling climbed onto the bed, hugged her large fluffy tail in her arms, and munched on the beef jerky while spacing out.
The beef jerky was firm, exactly the kind she liked.
It took a long time to chew, perfect for gnawing and for pondering things.
So much had happened today, and she hadn’t distanced herself from Li Yang one bit.
But An Ling wasn’t the kind of person who could easily say harsh words or do extreme things to others.
Avoidance was her favorite tactic.
She had been blocked by Li Yang at the door in the morning, gone to school together, discovered they were in the same class with her sitting behind him, helped him avoid the teacher’s notice, eaten lunch together, gone to the supermarket in the afternoon, and had dinner at Grandma Li’s in the evening…
An Ling chewed on the beef jerky, her tail swishing unconsciously.
She had been determined to keep her distance, yet the first day had completely gone off track.
Whatever…
An Ling thought to comfort herself.
Today was because I just returned and I’m not familiar with a lot of things. I needed help. Once I get used to everything in a few days, I can slowly start distancing myself.
Yes, that’s how it would be.
An Ling nodded, having convinced herself.
After falling asleep tonight, she should see the memory fragments again.
Would there be anything different this time?
A faint anticipation stirred in An Ling’s heart.
In the darkness, An Ling’s ears twitched.
It sounded like movement from Li Yang’s side.
Sure enough, after a moment, a sound came from the window.
Thump~ Thump~ Thump~
An Ling’s chewing paused.
Her ears turned uncontrollably toward the window.
She looked at the curtains, then at the beef jerky in her hand.
After hesitating for a few seconds, she set the snack down, got off the bed, and walked to the window with her tail swaying.
What if that idiot knocks too hard and breaks the glass? I’d better go check.
She pulled open the curtains.
Sure enough, the big dummy opposite was standing by his window again, holding the clothes pole.
When he saw her, he immediately grinned widely and waved at her.