Chapter 50: Good Brother, You Even Made My Belly Bigger
That afternoon.
Lin Wan was busy playing a ranked match when her phone rang. She answered it, and her good brother's voice came from the other end.
"Sorry. I just woke up and only now saw that you called me."
"You only woke up at three in the afternoon? What were you doing last night? Robbing a bank?"
"Last night they asked me to play games with them. They said we'd sleep after getting our first win... but you know how that goes..."
"......"
That was true.
When gaming at night, you should never say, "We'll stop after one win."
The moment you say it, you're almost guaranteed to go on a losing streak.
"Did you call because you need something?"
"Yeah. Come out for a bit. I'll give you back the pendant."
"Why? Can't you just keep it for now?"
"Oh, I'm packing up some things. I'm afraid I'll lose it, so I'd better give it back to you first."
Otherwise... if I die, I might never get the chance to return it to my good brother.
"Alright. Give it to me when we have dinner tonight."
"Okay."
After finishing another boosting order, Lin Wan climbed into bed and slept until evening.
Not long after waking up, her good brother called again.
She answered. "What is it?"
"Come downstairs."
"Huh?"
"I'm downstairs outside your dorm. Let's go eat dinner."
"Your treat?"
"You want it to be your treat instead?"
"Umm... Thanks, good brother! I'll be right down!"
She quickly put on her cap and mask. Then she hurried downstairs.
Nice! I just saved another meal!
Watching the slim figure running toward him, Zhuo Feng couldn't help smiling.
"It's already July. You're still wearing both a cap and a mask. Aren't you hot?"
"I already told you. I get cold easily!"
"I don't believe you. Give me your hand."
"Why?"
"Just do it. Otherwise, you're paying for dinner tonight."
"Oh..."
Her weak spot had been found again.
Lin Wan obediently held out her hand.
Looking at the soft, slender little hand, Zhuo Feng immediately wrapped it inside his much larger hand.
He gently rubbed and squeezed it a few times before letting go.
Then he said with a perfectly serious face,
"It really is a little cold. Tonight I'll ask the owner to make you a plate of dumplings with goji berries and red dates. You need something nourishing."
"I get cold easily! I don't have kidney problems!"
"It's basically the same."
"Huh? We're eating dumplings?"
"Yep. There's a dumpling restaurant near the school run by a couple from Northeast China. Their dumplings are seriously delicious."
"Tsk. We haven't even gotten there yet, and you're already talking like someone from the Northeast."
Zhuo Feng patted his bicycle.
"Hop on. If we're any later, there won't be any seats left."
"Okay."
After Lin Wan got on, Zhuo Feng started pedaling.
As an experienced driver who had carried Lin Wan on his bicycle many times, he had learned a few tricks.
For example...
Whenever there was a smooth road, he would purposely ride over the bumps instead.
Sometimes he'd speed up...
Then suddenly slam on the brakes.
Whenever that happened, the completely unprepared Lin Wan had no choice but to crash right into his back.
When this shameless guy pulled the same trick for the third time, Lin Wan became suspicious.
She looked at him with obvious disgust.
"Good brother, how come your riding skills keep getting worse?"
"My riding is fine."
"Oh really? Then are you just trying to get me killed? My butt has been shaken so much it's about to split into four pieces!"
"Look at the road. Isn't it uneven? And this bike is old. It can't be helped."
"Really?"
"Look at the road ahead. Isn't there another big pothole?"
"Where? Doesn't it look pretty flat?"
"If it were really flat, there wouldn't have been a puddle there last time."
After hearing Zhuo Feng's explanation, Lin Wan still looked doubtful, but in the end, she chose to trust her good brother.
After all, there was no reason for her good brother to try to hurt her, right?
When they arrived at the dumpling restaurant, more than half the tables were already occupied. The place was clearly doing very good business.
As soon as they walked in, the cheerful owner called out in a loud voice,
"Handsome guy, pretty lady, come in! What would you like to eat?"
Hearing that greeting, Lin Wan didn't react anymore. She had already gotten used to it.
As for Zhuo Feng, he pretended he hadn't heard it. He was worried his good brother might feel self-conscious and refuse to go out with him in the future.
"One plate of chive and egg dumplings, one plate of pork and cabbage dumplings, and two plates of beef and green onion dumplings."
After ordering, they found a table and sat down.
"Isn't this a little too much?" Looking at the four plates of dumplings, Lin Wan felt they probably couldn't finish them all.
"Heh. Good brother, you should have more confidence in your own appetite."
"What do you mean? Are you saying I eat a lot?"
"No."
"Then why did you say that?"
"I'm just telling the truth."
"So you do think I eat a lot!"
"Can you stop making trouble?"
"How am I making trouble?"
"If I really thought you ate too much, why would I be treating you to dinner?"
Lin Wan stopped arguing. She took the two pendants out of her pocket and tossed them to Zhuo Feng.
"Take good care of them."
"Weren't you keeping them safely already?"
"I told you. I'm cleaning out my cabinet. I'm afraid I'll lose them by accident."
Zhuo Feng put the pendants away.
"Then remember to come get them when you're done. I'm pretty forgetful. Before long, I might not even remember where I put them."
"I'll come and get them when I can."
Soon, the dumplings arrived.
After taking one bite, Lin Wan's eyes lit up.
No wonder the restaurant was so popular. The dumplings were really delicious!
She immediately started eating one after another. Before Zhuo Feng had even eaten a few, she had already finished an entire plate.
Zhuo Feng raised an eyebrow.
See? You really do eat a lot.
Lin Wan glared right back.
Looking down on me, huh? I'll eat until you go broke tonight!
The two stared at each other for a while before Zhuo Feng finally looked away.
Fine. Bigger eyes win.
By the end of the meal, Lin Wan still wasn't full and ordered another plate of dumplings.
Even the owner was stunned.
"Wow! This young lady looks so slim, but she can really eat!"
Then she kept praising Zhuo Feng for being lucky.
"A good appetite is wonderful! She'll definitely give birth to a big, healthy son someday!"
She even almost gave them another free plate of dumplings.
That completely left Lin Wan speechless. She lowered her head and hurried out of the restaurant.
That Northeastern auntie was simply too enthusiastic.
She couldn't handle it.
After Zhuo Feng paid the bill, the two walked back together.
Lin Wan was so full that she didn't dare ride on Zhuo Feng's bicycle. She was afraid she'd throw up all over him. She rubbed her slightly round belly.
"Good brother, you've made my belly bigger."
Zhuo Feng immediately jumped.
"Hey! You can eat dumplings carelessly, but you can't say things like that carelessly!"
Even though he wanted...
No!
He had never thought about it!
Never!
And besides...
How could that even happen?
"Hehe."
Lin Wan gave him a silly grin.
"If you hadn't brought me here, I wouldn't have eaten this much."
"Then next time, when it's your treat, your belly definitely won't get this big."
Lin Wan turned out her empty pockets.
"Do I look like I have any money?"
"Heh. Do you dare let me see your phone?"
"Heh. Do you know my password?"
"591818? 'I want to get rich, get rich?'"
Lin Wan froze and stared at him with wide eyes.
"How do you know that?"
She had only changed her password recently!
How did her good brother know it?
Could he read minds?
"Don't worry about that. My eyes are everywhere!"
While they were eating dumplings earlier, Lin Wan had unlocked her phone for a moment, and Zhuo Feng had accidentally seen the password.
Lin Wan pouted.
Tch. He must have secretly peeked.
Back at school, it was time to say goodbye.
Lin Wan looked at Zhuo Feng. "Good brother, thanks for treating me to dinner tonight."
"We're brothers. Do you really have to be so polite?"
"Oh, alright then, Xiao Zhuo! Don't forget to treat me again next time!"
"Haha, you're really not being polite at all."
"I'm going back to the dorm."
"Bye."
After taking a few steps, Lin Wan turned around and looked at the last rays of sunset disappearing into the darkness.
"Zhuo Feng... if I change... can we still be good brothers?"
"Of course. But if you ever break the law, don't blame me for turning you in for the fifty-yuan reward."
"As if! Bye!"
"Bye."
The last light of the sunset finally disappeared. The moon broke through the clouds, spreading a blanket of silver light across the earth.