Chapter 12: Have You Gone Stupid?

It was the same action the two of them had done countless times before. 

Even though An Ling already knew exactly what the person opposite her was going to do, she still went through the motions. 

She took a deep breath and pushed open the window.

“What do you want?”

“Nothing much. Just wanted to ask if you made it home safely.” 

Li Yang said with complete confidence, as if this reason was perfectly reasonable.

“I’ve been home for almost two hours already.” An Ling looked at him speechlessly. 

“And didn’t you literally watch me walk into the house?”

“That’s different.” Li Yang leaned on the windowsill. 

“I saw you go inside, but I didn’t know what happened after you got home. What if something came up?”

“Like what?”

“Like a little man in black sneaking into your house and hiding under the… bed!!!”

“You’re trying to scare me!”

“I’m perfectly fine. I wasn’t kidnapped! And anyway, for weird stuff like this, didn’t we add each other on Green Bubble? Can’t we just chat there?”

Li Yang waved his hand. 

“I’m not used to using WeChat for this, and I’m a nostalgic person. Talking like this feels more comfortable.”

“That’s some serious nostalgia.”

Li Yang nodded in confirmation, then asked, “Did you finish your homework?”

“Yeah, there wasn’t much. I finished it pretty quickly.”

“Then can I copy yours tomorrow during morning self-study?”

“No way. Do your own homework.”

“I will, I’ll make it up tomorrow morning.”

“Oh, right.” Li Yang changed the subject. “About that thing I mentioned—I told Grandma.”

“Huh?” An Ling was confused. “What thing?”

“About going to your house to try your cooking. Grandma said she’s really looking forward to it. She kept saying how much she wants to taste the dishes you learned while you were away. She wants to try them right away.” 

As Li Yang spoke, he twisted his body in exaggerated silly motions.

“You definitely added that part yourself. Grandma Li wasn’t that dramatic.”

Even though An Ling was watching Li Yang’s antics, she could barely keep a straight face. 

The corners of her mouth kept twitching upward uncontrollably. 

She quickly pressed them down, but her tail still swayed gently behind her twice.

“How is that not true? She even scolded me, asking why I haven’t learned anything at all.”

“Grandma was right.”

Li Yang waved his hand dismissively. “Anyway, it’s settled. After school tomorrow, we’ll go to your place and watch you cook.”

“Huh? Isn’t tomorrow Thursday?” An Ling’s eyes widened. “I’m not prepared at all! Can’t we do it on the weekend?”

“If we wait until the weekend, you’ll have time to prepare. So let’s do it tomorrow. There’s still time. Just make something simple. As long as it’s edible, it’ll be fine. Besides, I already told Grandma. You wouldn’t want me to go back and disappoint her expectations, right?”

An Ling was rendered speechless. 

She wanted to argue, but she couldn’t find a good reason.

She couldn’t exactly say “I don’t want you to come over,” could she? That would be too hurtful.

And knowing Li Yang’s personality, he would definitely press her for why, and she wouldn’t be able to explain it properly.

“It’s fine. The grocery store isn’t far. It won’t take as long as going to the supermarket.”

An Ling: “…”

This guy had it all planned out already, didn’t he?

“Alright, alright, it’s decided then.” Li Yang patted the windowsill in satisfaction. 

“You should get some sleep soon. Don’t you usually go to bed early?”

An Ling glanced at the clock on the wall. It was already ten o’clock.

“Mm, okay then.”

An Ling closed the window, drew the curtains, and climbed back into bed.

She buried her face in her tail and let out a muffled hum.

How did it end up like this?

An Ling rolled over and stared at the ceiling in a daze.

Whatever. It’s just a meal. It’s not like anything will happen.

Besides, Grandma Li already knew. If she refused now, Grandma Li might worry and think she didn’t welcome them.

Yes, that’s right. It was all to keep Grandma Li from worrying.

Thinking this way, An Ling convinced herself once again and slowly closed her eyes.

As the night grew deeper, the intermittent chirping of insects drifted in from outside the window. 

An Ling’s ears twitched lightly, and her consciousness gradually faded.

***

In the darkness, something was slowly taking shape.

An Ling felt as if she was floating in a void, unable to see anything around her.

Is another memory fragment coming?

An Ling had seen this scene countless times in her dreams.

But this time, something was different—only one memory fragment lit up, and it was very far away.

In the past, they had always appeared gradually. 

The closer fragments would light up first. 

As the days passed, the “her” in the dreams would slowly move forward, unlocking newer, closer fragments.

She tried hard to open her eyes wider, wanting to see the content of those fragments clearly.

This fragment was too far away. 

She could only make out a blurry splash of color.

An Ling struggled to move forward, but her body refused to obey her. 

No matter how hard she tried, she couldn’t get any closer.

This was another situation she had never encountered before. Maybe it was also a kind of change?

If only I could see that memory fragment clearly…

***

When An Ling opened her eyes again, daylight was already filtering through the gaps in the curtains. 

Outside, unknown birds were chirping noisily.

Bad news: she had seen the memory fragment again. 

Second piece of bad news: this time she hadn’t gotten any information at all. 

And there was no good news.

An Ling felt like her head was about to explode.

She groggily got out of bed. It was a little past six o’clock—just enough time to brush out the fur on her tail that had been slept on all night.

After washing up, changing clothes, and packing her school bag, it was already 7:25.

She walked to the door, took a deep breath, and stepped outside.

No one was there.

An Ling paused for a moment. 

A complicated feeling welled up in her heart—was it relief, or something else?

“Morning!”

An Ling turned around. 

Li Yang was running out from his own yard, carrying another bag of breakfast in his hand.

“Why are you here?” 

An Ling asked, looking at him.

“Have you gone stupid? It’s not a holiday today. Of course we’re going to school.”

“I saw you the moment you stepped out.” 

Li Yang walked up beside her. 

“Grandma asked me to bring you breakfast. She said there’s no need to waste time buying it yourself.”

An Ling looked down at the bag of breakfast, then up at Li Yang.

“What are you staring at? Take it.” Li Yang held the breakfast out to her. 

“If you don’t take it, Grandma’s going to nag me again.”

An Ling accepted the breakfast and walked forward beside him.

Suddenly, Li Yang said matter-of-factly, “Oh right, let me copy your homework during morning self-study.”

“Do it yourself.”

“I don’t have time.”

“You had the whole evening yesterday. How could you not have time?”

“I didn’t finish it. I got distracted playing games last night and forgot.”

“Then you deserve it.”

“That hurts, you know.”

Li Yang kept chatting nonstop as they walked, jumping from one topic to another. 

Before she knew it, they had arrived at school.

When An Ling and Li Yang entered the classroom, Zhou Meng was already sitting inside.

Living right next to the school must be so nice~ An Ling thought as she looked at Zhou Meng. 

She could sleep in longer in the mornings and never had to worry about being late.

“Morning, you two!” 

Zhou Meng greeted them enthusiastically when she saw them arrive together.

“Good morning.” An Ling replied politely.

“Good morning, Class President,” Li Yang replied in his usual style.