【Completely Naked】(03-04) Author: liming609

Author: liming609
Words: 19696

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Chapter 03

"Senior brother, you've lost a lot of weight! Were you starving in Henan? Hehe..."

"Really?"

Liu Xin thoughtfully touched his cheeks, his tone somewhat exaggerated. "I don't think so, I ate a lot."

"Then why are your cheeks so sunken like a monkey's?"

Xiao Xue asked with a smile.

"Nonsense, how could someone as handsome as me look like a monkey?"

Liu Xin puffed out his cheeks, widened his eyes, and struck a proud pose.

"Haha... I'm dying of laughter! You dare call yourself handsome with that face? Then Zhu Bajie would be so handsome he'd
alarm the Party Central Committee!"

"I just don't have a nose as long as his. Alarming the municipal government wouldn't be a problem. Hehe..."

Liu Xin's face was gentle and kind, his eyes sparkling with joy, as if they might
jump out of the screen at any moment and into the air she was breathing. Xiao Xue's heart skipped a beat, unsure how to
press her .

"Why aren't you saying anything? The city government hasn't even been alerted yet, and you're already scared?"

Liu Xin's smile on the screen grew increasingly meaningful. Xiao Xue's face flushed. She wanted to swat
the tears away, but worried Liu Xin would see. Just as she was at a loss, a series of soft knocks on the door came to
her rescue.

"Wait,"

Xiao Xue said, turning around and calling towards the door, "Mom. What is it?"

"It's already past ten o'clock, you should go to sleep early."

"It's still early, Mom,"

Xiao Xue said, turning back to the screen and making a face. "I'm talking to my senior brother Liu Xin. He just got back from Henan."

Ling Chen paused outside the door before saying, "Okay, but don't stay up too late. Your senior brother probably needs to rest
early . Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Mom. By the way, my senior brother just asked how you and Dad are doing."

"Oh, say hello to your senior brother for me too."

After a while, she added, "Tell him to come over sometime."

"Okay."

Xiao Xue agreed in a drawn-out tone, turned around, and looked at the screen again
. Still unable to think of anything to say, she casually asked, "What are you watching, senior brother?"

"I read two news articles. Hehe..."

Liu Xin, with a calm smile, obviously didn't notice her earlier embarrassment. Xiao Xue secretly breathed a sigh of relief,
secretly glad that the camera was small enough and the colors were a bit distorted. She then started chatting about random things again, and her expression gradually
became more relaxed.

It was past eleven o'clock in the blink of an eye. Xiao Xue glanced at the alarm clock on the table, then at that clear face and that warm
smile, feeling a pang of reluctance. "Senior brother, I have to go to sleep."

"Okay, go ahead. Good night."

Xiao Xue hesitated, then added, "Senior brother, you should rest early too. You must be tired after just getting back from your business trip."

"I'm not tired, it's okay, hehe..."

"You still say you're not tired?"

Realizing the deep concern in her words, Xiao Xue suddenly felt a little embarrassed, but still couldn't help but continue to complain
, "You've really lost a lot of weight."

"Nonsense."

Liu Xin raised his hand and scratched his face. "Oh, I know, it must be my long beard making
a mistake. Strange! You're so young, how come you're already getting presbyopia? Hehe..."

"Pah! You're the one talking nonsense, you're the one with presbyopia. You've clearly lost weight, but you won't admit it."

"Okay, okay, I'm thin, I'll gain weight back in a couple of days anyway."

"Hmph!"

Xiao Xue grinned with satisfaction and asked, "Was the negotiation hard?"

"Aren't you going to sleep?"

Liu Xin asked half-seriously and half-jokingly.

"None of your business, answer my question."

"Not hard at all, I eat, drink, play, and travel all day. It's very comfortable. Hehe..."

"Then how come you've lost so much weight?"

"Because..."

Liu Xin stared intently at her on the screen, his expression suddenly becoming very strange. "Because I missed you,
hehe..."

Xiao Xue's heart skipped a beat and her face flushed. She quickly glared at him resentfully. "You stinky senior brother, don't talk nonsense."

"Ha... Look at you, if I don't greet you, you say I don't care about you; if I miss you, you say I'm talking nonsense.
What am I supposed to do then?"

Liu Xin's face was full of teasing and joking again.

"No matter what, you're just a stinky senior brother, a rotten senior brother, a senior brother who scares the city government like Pigsy.
Hmph!"

Xiao Xue said, grabbing the mouse and closing the window that always made her feel helpless.

But Liu Xin's words still came back as text. "I really miss you, when did missing my
dear junior sister become nonsense? Hehe..."

"I can't be bothered with you! Hmph!" Xiao Xue gritted her teeth and said these words, then turned off the computer, rushed to the bed, and buried

her messy head and burning face under the pillow. Why does he always act like such an unyielding elder? Although he's not the kind of serious and rigid elder, an elder is still an elder. In his eyes, she seemed to always be a ten-year-old girl, incapable of becoming an adult of equal standing to him, much less a woman capable of attracting him. The occasional slightly ambiguous remarks she made online were mostly just him teasing her for amusement. How could someone like him be serious about a high school girl? Thinking about this, Xiao Xue grew increasingly agitated . She suddenly grabbed a pillow and smashed it against the computer. Not satisfied, she threw everything within reach. The moment the red phone was thrown, Xiao Xue stopped in shock. The "crack" of the phone hitting the wall and the "thud" of it hitting the floor pierced her like a gaping wound in her chest. Xiao Xue quickly grabbed the phone, pressed a few buttons, and examined it for a long time before finally relaxing and collapsing onto the bed, exhausted. It was a Motorola T8088 that Liu Xin had brought back from America as a gift for her. A gentle knock sounded on the door again. "Xiaoxue, what's wrong? What happened?"

"No, Mom."

Realizing her voice was a little hoarse, Xiao Xue quickly cleared her throat and said, "I dropped something on
the floor."

"Oh, go to sleep early, it's almost 12 o'clock."

"Yes, Mom."

Xiao Xue replied, tiptoeing to the refrigerator, opening the freezer, taking out
the half-eaten tub of H?agen-Dazs vanilla ice cream from dinner, turning off the light, and then tiptoeing to the bedside, sitting on
the floor.

After finishing the ice cream, Xiao Xue's emotions finally calmed down. She climbed into bed, closed her eyes, and prepared to sleep.
But in her heart, she kept muttering: Since he always says he's thin, I have to find a way to gain weight. I
finally got him, I can't let him fall into the hands of another woman.

The first time she met Liu Xin was when Xiao Xue was ten years old. In the spring of 1994, she was in the fourth
grade , and the second semester had just begun. It was a typhoon-stricken afternoon, a weekend. Her parents had gone out early
to have lunch with an old classmate from Beijing. Because her grades hadn't been good last semester,
she was left at home to receive tutoring from An Zhao, a graduate student her father was supervising.

For some reason, after lunch, Xiao Xue suddenly craved ice cream. Back then,
H?agen-Dazs ; the best ice cream was probably Wall's. But she still wanted it, desperately wanted it. A ten-year-old
child, when she couldn't get what she wanted, would cry, which upset An Zhao as well. Unable to find her parents,
she had to call Liu Xin for help.

At that time, her family lived in the teachers' building at the school, so Liu Xin arrived quickly. He was soaking wet,
carrying a small white bag containing four ice cream cones. Xiao Xue remembered this number clearly because after
eating two, she was still not satisfied and kept crying, forcing Liu Xin to brave
the typhoon and return with four more cones after quite some time.

As the typhoon subsided and Liu Xin was about to leave, An Zhao stopped him. She couldn't
explain clearly. Or perhaps she could explain them clearly, but Xiao Xue couldn't
understand. Ultimately, she had to ask Liu Xin for help again, even though his clothes were still wet. Fortunately, Liu Xin's
explanations were simple, clear, and quite interesting.

Unfortunately, Xiao Xue couldn't remember what the problems were or how Liu Xin explained them. She also
had no recollection of what Liu Xin looked like when she first met him. At that time, she was in the early stages of puberty, a period of heightened aversion to the opposite
sex , and all Liu Xin left in her mind was a pale and thin image. But something else made
a deep impression on her: his courage, his intelligence, and, especially, his unwavering optimism.

Later, before Liu Xin went to America, Xiao Xue saw him many more times. However, back then, Liu Xin's
face was more melancholic than optimistic. And after returning from America, Liu Xin's optimism had been replaced by
a calm and profound presence.

For nearly three years, Xiao Xue tried to recall the original Liu Xin, but she could
n't . In her heart, the original Liu Xin and the current Liu Xin always held equally important positions.
The one in between, though she remembered her appearance clearly, only evoked feelings of pity and sorrow.

Xiao Xue didn't see Liu Xin again until the spring of 1995. However,
whenever , she would call him for help. At first, he would explain to An Zhao, who would then explain to Xiao Xue; later, he would
explain directly to Xiao Xue. Later still, whenever Xiao Xue felt An Zhao was struggling with the explanation, she would urge her to
call to avoid wasting everyone's time.

Gradually, Xiao Xue grew fond of that bright and gentle voice. If she didn't hear it for two or three days in a row,
she would deliberately make an excuse to pretend she was confused. It was as if that voice could not only teach her her lessons but also help her forget many
trivial troubles. So much so that she occasionally couldn't help but suspect that it wasn't that Liu Xin explained things well, but rather that his
voice improved her mood and stimulated her understanding. Because, on several occasions, Liu Xin had only uttered
a few words when she suddenly understood, needing no further explanation.

But she would still pretend not to understand and continue listening. The clear enunciation and steady breathing, along with
the exaggerated praise and hearty laughter, often made her uncontrollably happy. If An Zhao hadn't been there,
she probably would have held the phone and listened until her ears were practically worn out from the receiver.

This didn't last long. With the arrival of summer, suddenly, An Zhao refused to call
Liu Xin anymore and strictly forbade Xiao Xue from mentioning him.

Xiao Xue immediately felt as if she had fallen into an ice cellar.

She was eleven years old then, and while she understood some aspects of relationships, knowing that Liu Xin and An Zhao were lovers,
she still couldn't quite comprehend the conflicts and cold wars between lovers. How could that happen? Isn't love about
complete devotion between two people? How could two people who have completely given themselves to each other have such intense conflicts,
how could they refuse to talk to each other, and how could they break up over things they couldn't understand?

Unable to get an answer from An Zhao, Xiao Xue had no choice but to secretly go find Liu Xin herself.

It was a scorching afternoon, past four o'clock, the sun still blazing like poison. Xiao Xue
hadn't gone home after school; she had inquired in the law school office for a while, then wandered around the campus for a long time before
finally finding the graduate student building.

Knowing Liu Xin was upstairs and would be coming down to see her soon, Xiao Xue stood in the porch, panting and
wiping away sweat, her heart pounding. She hadn't expected to find him today, but now that she had, she couldn't help
but feel uneasy. This was the first time in her life she had run off alone to find a stranger.
Although she knew his voice so well and liked it so much, he had always remained just a pale, thin
figure .

But time was running out for her; with a series of thuds, a
person rushed out of the stairwell and stood smiling in front of her. "Hello, junior sister."

"You...hello,"

Xiao Xue stammered softly, her head involuntarily lowering.

Liu Xin seemed even thinner than she remembered, and his smile carried a strange quality,
neither dry nor aged. Could this be the brave, intelligent, persistent, and optimistic older brother?
Was the older brother who ran around in the typhoon, easily solving all her problems? Xiao Xue stole a glance at his feet...
Looking at her sandals, trousers, and shirt, she felt increasingly disappointed. Her legs twitched, and she almost wanted to
turn and run away.

"What subject did you come to ask me for help with? How did you find your way here? Are you tired? Why aren't you talking? Are you mute
? Hehe..."

His voice was bright and gentle as ever, as if it had been copied directly from her head. As Xiao Xue
listened , she felt much more relaxed. She looked up and answered with slight hesitation, "Yes, math. A lot of
math."

"A lot of math? Hehe... Then come up with me. I see you're so tired you can barely stand."

After saying that, he turned and took a few steps. Seeing that Xiao Xue hadn't moved, he teased, "What, can't
walk ? Do you want me to carry you?"

Xiao Xue's face flushed, and she quickly said, "No need."

Then she followed him up to the third floor.

Xiao Xue could still clearly recall that double dormitory room. She went back many times afterward, and
each time it was tidy and clean, making her feel more and more comfortable. The dormitory was small, less than 20 square meters,
not much bigger than her room, and filled with books of all colors and styles, standing in rows
on bright yellow bookshelves and desks. The curtains and sheets were light blue with varying shades of blue checks.
The fan was always on, and by the door stood a black 14-inch television and a cream-colored single-door refrigerator.

Liu Xin opened the refrigerator as soon as she entered, took out a bottle of water, and asked with a smile, "I don't have any ice cream here, would you like some cool
water?"

Xiao Xue smiled shyly, nodded, took the cup, and drank a few sips. Then she took out her textbooks and asked a few
math questions.

Liu Xin quickly explained it once, and seeing that Xiao Xue understood, he asked, "Anything else?"

"No." "

Then you can go back now. You can come and ask me anytime if you have any questions."

"Will I come back here to find you?"

"Not necessarily. How about this, write down my pager number, just call me if you have any questions."

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Liu."

Xiao Xue slowly packed her textbooks and notes, but her mind was filled with hesitation, unsure how to explain
the purpose of her visit. She dawdled for a long time, finally managing to pack her bag and stand up.
Just as she was about to go back and talk about it later, she turned around and saw Liu Xin sitting quietly on the bed,
staring blankly out the window, his face showing increasing dryness and age. She stopped, her mouth moving a few times, but
she still couldn't utter a single word.

After a while, Liu Xin suddenly came to his senses. Seeing Xiao Xue still standing behind him, he quickly smiled and asked, "Are
you ready? Let me take you downstairs."

"I'm ready,"

Xiao Xue replied, but refused to turn around, only looking down at her feet.

"What's wrong? Is there anything else?" Xiao Xue clenched her fist, mustered her courage, and said softly, "Uncle Liu... Uncle Liu, would

you be my tutor ?" "What? Is Aunt An Zhao not good at teaching?" "No, it's not that she's not good. But... I want you to teach me." "Oh, hehe... Isn't this good? Aunt An Zhao will teach you, and you can ask me questions if you have any. It's like having two tutors." "But... but... Aunt An Zhao won't call you anymore." Xiao Xue looked up at him. Liu Xin was stunned for a moment, then smiled, but the smile was terribly dry. "If she won't hit you, you can. It's alright ." "You two...did you have a fight?" Liu Xin's smile faded, he looked at her, and then sighed as he slowly said, "You wouldn't understand even if I told you. Children should focus on their studies and not meddle in adults' business." Xiao Xue immediately pouted. "I understand, I understand as soon as you tell me." Liu Xin looked at her curiously, then suddenly smiled again. "Okay. I'll tell you. We're graduating , and I've already arranged to go to the United States, but your Aunt An Zhao refuses to go. She doesn't want to study, nor does she want to register our marriage and come to accompany me. She insists on staying here as a teacher." " Isn't being a teacher good? Uncle Liu doesn't like teachers?" "It's not a matter of good or bad. She knew I was going abroad a long time ago and agreed to go with me, but now ..." Seeing Xiao Xue trying to understand, Liu Xin suddenly realized what was going on. "Ha...why am I telling you all ? I told you you're too young to understand." "I understand!" Xiao Xue couldn't help but shout. But of course, she didn't understand. It wasn't until several years later that she truly understood Liu Xin's words. Until Xia Tian left Shenzhen, Liu Xin never mentioned An Zhao to her again. Every time Xiao Xue went to see him or paged him, he would only explain the textbook material, rarely even exchanging a few words of small talk. Gradually, Xiao Xue didn't like him as much as before. If it weren't for that later letter, Xiao Xue might have completely forgotten him. However, Xiao Xue could never truly like An Zhao. In her mind, An Zhao was just an ordinary, unremarkable woman. Average looks, mediocre education, and apart from her gentle nature, she saw no particular merits. After the Liu Xin incident, she disliked An Zhao even more. She secretly thought: An Zhao should cherish someone like Liu Xin who likes her ; how could she be so fickle and deceive him, covering that optimistic and cheerful face with so much dryness and aging? Therefore, after Liu Xin went to America alone, Xiao Xue's grades quickly plummeted. Her prospects for the high school entrance exam immediately dimmed. During the Spring Festival of 1996, Xiao Xue received a letter from Liu Xin in the United States. It was the first formal letter she had ever received. "Dear Xiao Xue, my junior sister! You used to call me 'Uncle.' We're 15 years apart in age, so that 's not inappropriate. However, in terms of seniority, I was your father's student, so I think it's better to call you 'Junior Sister.' Do you agree? If not, you can call me 'Senior Brother' from now on. I'm currently pursuing a double degree in Juris Doctor and MBA at New York University. Although my English is pretty good, I still find it difficult to follow the lectures; plus, I want to get both degrees within two years, so the course schedule is very tight; furthermore, I need some time to adapt to life there, and even simple things require extra effort."

It takes twice the effort to complete, making it even more arduous.

"But I'm very confident in myself. I have the highest scholarship, so I don't have to worry about expenses.
And academically, I've always been quite proficient. If I successfully complete my degree, I'd like to pursue a CFA
, the Advanced Financial Analyst certificate.

"After hearing all this, you might think I'm a born bookworm who, after studying in China for over a
decade, doesn't know how to enjoy life in the dazzling world of America and just keeps studying. Actually, no,
I also enjoy life. It's just that I chose the path that best suits me and is easiest to achieve
my goals .

"From around your age, I've often pondered this question:
what is the purpose of studying? My mother told me it's for a better future. But after thinking about it, I still
feel better future, but does a poor education necessarily
mean a bad future? Not necessarily. Many singers, movie stars, and sports stars didn't have great academic backgrounds, but
their careers are still very successful, aren't they?"

"So, the key point is that not everyone can become a singer, movie star, or sports star. Before becoming
a 'star,' the effort they put in is probably many times greater than the effort I put into studying. And I
have no talent for singing, acting, or sports; even if I were willing to put in the same effort as them,
I still wouldn't become a star like them.

Everyone has their own expectations for the future. Some expect freedom, some expect wealth, and
some expect happiness. But whatever the expectation, in China, and even worldwide, studying hard, acquiring knowledge, and
developing a sharp mind are the primary ways for those without star potential to achieve their expectations. Those who
don't succeed often fail to succeed when they grow up, and are easily controlled by others, becoming their slaves.

Aunt Anzhao told me that you haven't been studying hard enough this semester, and your grades have dropped significantly; you might not get into
Shenzhen University Affiliated High School. I'm very worried about you. I've always thought you're a very smart person; as long as you study diligently
, no problem can stump you. But if you deliberately don't study hard, then no matter what you want to do or
what kind of person you want to become in the future, you're very likely to become a slave controlled by others."

"I wrote so much in a hurry, and although you may not understand it all, I couldn't help but write it down.
As your senior, I feel it's my responsibility to tell you these principles. Even if you don't understand now, you will
definitely . Just remember one sentence—if you don't want to be a slave, then study hard.

"By the way, there's another direct benefit to studying hard now, which is
the happy life your parents provide for you. If you don't get into a good middle school, they'll get angry, and not only will they lose many of their enjoyments, but they might
not even be able to eat ice cream. That would be such a huge pain. Hehe...

"Wishing you good health! Awaiting your reply!

"Your senior, Liu Xin" Xiao Xue kept this letter. Even after she realized that the letter must have been
written at An Zhao's suggestion and her father's request, she was still very grateful to Liu Xin. Writing
such a long letter from so far away amidst such a busy schedule was enough to make her work hard for several months.

After several exchanges of letters, Xiao Xue's affection for Liu Xin rekindled. His letters
were spaced far apart, rarely rambling; he was never condescending, always speaking in a peer-like tone, like an older brother.
Although the content of his letters was nothing more than mundane life lessons, the way he said them and
the frequency words were far more important to a twelve-year-old girl than the content itself. Thus, Liu Xin quickly
transformed in Xiao Xue's mind from an academic tutor into a life mentor. His influence on her
easily surpassed that of her father and even her mother.

However, not long after successfully gaining admission to Shenzhen University Affiliated High School, the news that An Zhao would be studying in the United States plunged
Xiao Xue into confusion once again.

At that time, she had just passed through her first menstruation, learned about relationships from classmates, and read a few
erotic novels by authors like Xi Juan and Cen Kailun. She thought she was about to become an adult and had a fairly
rich understanding of love. Unexpectedly, the love entanglement between Liu Xin and An Zhao was like a math
word , leaving her completely baffled. She had no way of knowing the details; Liu Xin wouldn't tell, and An Zhao certainly
wouldn't either. Most of what she knew was merely speculation. And the more she speculated, the more confused and perplexed she became.
For a time, this question almost tormented her, making her a completely different person.

Wasn't it true? Love is love, so sacred, yet so simple. If you fall in love, you should be together
; if you don't, you should separate. Loving someone who doesn't love you is painful, being loved by someone you don't love
is also painful; being with someone who doesn't love you is foolish, being with someone you don't love is also foolish.
Aren't these unquestionable truths about love? Could there be other forms or kinds of
love in this world? An Zhao was certainly a fool, but was Liu Xin just as foolish as her?

An Zhao was definitely going to find Liu Xin, and she might very well marry him. The more Xiao Xue thought about it, the more uncomfortable she felt
. She knew she should be happy for them, especially for Liu Xin, because this was
definitely his wish and the result of his hard work. But she just couldn't be happy. She disliked An Zhao,
though not Liu Xin for the same reason. His inexplicable stubbornness and persistence, however, truly disappointed her
. Sometimes, she even doubted whether Liu Xin's intelligence was merely an illusion. She didn't think An Zhao was worthy of Liu Xin,
and she couldn't understand why Liu Xin was so foolish as to cling to An Zhao.
After An Zhao's audacity to still seek out Liu Xin was utterly shameless. After

seeing An Zhao off, Xiao Xue remained depressed for a long time. She wanted to write to Liu Xin to inquire about his whereabouts, but fearing
An Zhao see them, she didn't dare send any of the letters she had written. Thus, the letters she sent became increasingly delayed, and the letters she received grew
shorter and shorter, eventually becoming nothing more than perfunctory holiday greetings. Their connection became more and more like
a dried-up blood vessel.

However, even a dried-up blood vessel can still have a pulling force, like a rubber band. After all these twists and turns
, Xiao Xue could no longer forget Liu Xin. Even though she didn't realize at the time that Liu Xin had the potential to play other roles in her life
besides ; even though she later went too far...
The heavy pressure of her studies and extracurricular training, the struggle she faced alone with her parents for over a year, and the eventual
compensatory victory; even after experiencing two puppy love relationships nipped in the bud, leading her to withdraw
and harbor resentment towards all the hypocritical elders, she couldn't forget Liu Xin. Because she couldn't forget Liu Xin
's words—"If you don't want to be a slave, then study hard."

Each time she reread that letter, she gained a deeper understanding of those words, so much so that what were
once just words on paper gradually seeped into her heart after repeated reading. She didn't want to be a slave; she
wanted to study hard, not for her parents, but for herself. If she studied well, she could easily
leave this place, like Sanmao, breaking free from everyone's control, going far away, to the ends of the earth.

If Liu Xin hadn't suddenly returned from the United States to settle in Shenzhen during the Spring Festival of 2000, Xiao Xue might have
continued her arduous studies, and Liu Xin might not have had a place in her future life.

For almost a year, Xiao Xue still couldn't figure out
what , or how it would change her life. Yes, he was divorced, free from the annoying An Zhao and her inexplicable
stupidity; he was more robust than before, and his face no longer had that unpleasant dryness and aging; he had made a lot of money on
NASDAQ and become the president of a well-connected investment company, a successful scholar and a happy man;
all of this immediately made him Xiao Xue's role model again, so real and compelling, far more persuasive than
the flat .
Judging from the latest phone he gave her and the time he frequently made to chat with her, he still maintained the gentle and loving demeanor of an older brother, always caring for her, the little sister who always had so many
troubles and so many nagging questions. But the question was: was Liu Xin really just her role model and
brother? After the initial surprise and joy, what was she still hoping for? Was she simply
confused , or was she afraid to admit it?

Caught in this contradiction, Xiao Xue found it increasingly difficult to be as relaxed and at ease with Liu Xin as before. He didn't
seem to want to get too close to her either. He never invited her to visit his house or company, and even when Xiao Xue
suggested it, he always declined with excuses like being too busy with work. His
eyes, once pure and optimistic, now filled with sorrow and despair, had become calm and deep; no one could easily discern his emotions. Could she really
fall for this elusive older man?

Fortunately, an incident during this year's Spring Festival prevented Xiao Xue from continuing to revel in this ambiguous
, uncertain happiness.

Upon learning that another film was casting for a female lead in Shenzhen, her father immediately became as excited as a gorilla,
insisting on taking Xiao Xue to the audition. Xiao Xue wasn't initially averse to it, only offering a few
polite . However, her father's attempts to persuade her and her mother's subsequent reaction truly surprised her.
Her father's reasoning was: no matter how well a girl studies, it's useless; in the end, she'll just get married, have children, and live
an ordinary life. Only by finding a way into the entertainment industry could she possibly succeed. Even if she didn't become a big star, she had many
opportunities to marry into a wealthy family and become a pampered young mistress, allowing her parents to retire and enjoy a life of leisure.
And her mother's reaction? Aside from the fact that the child was still young and could apply to film school in the future, she said nothing more.

Xiao Xue finally understood why her father had forced her to learn piano, dance, vocal music, and other things she
had never shown much talent in since childhood. Even during her extremely demanding middle school entrance exams, she
wasn't allowed to stop these extracurricular training sessions. Moreover, she and her mother, who hoped she would succeed academically, clearly had a secret agreement.
With neither side willing to compromise, she was forced to simultaneously pull the chariots of two desires. It was these
imposed desires that had made her live a life of hardship for seventeen years, spending every day either studying or practicing, never having
experienced a decent life or having a single decent friend. She had always been their slave, and even if she
became famous and married a wealthy man, she would likely continue to be their slave.

Xiao Xue couldn't imagine how she could continue living a four-year university life under their control. If it weren't for the fact that she was
still almost ten months away from turning 18, she would have escaped from this family immediately, as if fleeing a
suffocating hell. And after escaping, the only
person she could trust and rely on was Liu Xin. Only Liu Xin could provide her with the freedom to travel to every corner of the world.

When you are happy with someone, and only with them can you be happy, isn't that
love? Besides trying to make him fall in love with you, what other way is there to hold onto him and not let him run away
? Xiao Xue suddenly felt that she understood why Liu Xin had been so stubborn and persistent in clinging
to .

After barely getting through that audition, Xiao Xue devoted all her energy to Liu Xin.

Chapter 4

"Huh? Dad, what are you doing home?"

Xiao Xue entered the house, kicked off her shoes, and was about to run upstairs when she saw Xiao Sen sitting on the living room sofa
smoking , looking preoccupied. She couldn't help but ask curiously.

"I'm taking a day off today,"

Xiao Sen said, smiling almost obsequiously as he patted the sofa beside him. "Come here for a second,
Dad has something to ask you."

Was he going to pressure me into applying to film school again? Xiao Xue felt a surge of annoyance. She stood at the top of the stairs,
coldly asking, "What is it?"

Xiao Sen hesitated, then smiled again, saying, "It's nothing serious, come sit down."

This time, however, his smile was somewhat awkward.

"Just say it, why are you so long-winded?"

Xiao Xue muttered, but still went over. Standing across the coffee table from Xiao Sen, she picked
a and slowly popped it into her mouth.

Xiao Sen suddenly became impatient, glaring at Xiao Xue and shouting in a deep voice, "Sit down!"

Xiao Xue was taken aback, about to protest, but the fleeting cold glint in Xiao Sen's eyes made her
swallow her words. Reluctantly, she walked to the single sofa next to her and sat down, secretly rolling her eyes
as she said in a nearly breathless voice, "Fine, I'll sit. What's the big deal?"

After that long, solitary struggle, as part of the compensation for Xiao Xue's hard work in studying and training,
Xiao Sen never raised his voice at her again. After two or three years, Xiao Xue was almost convinced that her father would never speak harshly to her again.
It's a hot topic. But the psychological disadvantage caused by her gender and age, as well as some painful memories from her childhood, are still
deeply buried in her heart, making her involuntarily submit to the sudden intimidation.

Facing the old man with a military background alone, it's better to be obedient. If her mother were here, she
could be more assertive. Her mother would definitely stop her father from using violence against her. Thinking this, Xiao Xue
didn't dare to raise her wrist to look at her watch, only secretly glancing at the alarm clock on the wall, and couldn't help but feel a little deflated. She should have thought that her father would take a day off,
then she wouldn't have come home so early. It's not even 4:30 yet, and her mother won't be back for at least an hour
.

Xiao Sen obviously didn't hear what Xiao Xue had just said. After she sat down, he continued to scold her: "You
're getting more and more disobedient. Your father and I try our best to indulge you in everything so that you can concentrate on your studies
, not so that you can become a pampered young lady who doesn't know how to respect her elders."

Xiao Xue couldn't help but lightly scoff, looking at Xiao Sen with a mocking expression. "You just want me to become the young mistress of
a wealthy ?"

Xiao Sen's imposing manner immediately weakened, and his eyes were no longer as sharp as before. "That's
something for after you marry into a wealthy family. Besides, we will always be your parents. Even if you become very rich and powerful in the future,
you will always be our daughter and must respect us. Otherwise, what are we supporting you for!"

I didn't ask you to support me. Humph! Xiao Xue secretly snorted, but said in a conciliatory manner,
"Alright, alright, I still have a lot of homework to do. What is it? Tell me quickly!"

"Oh."

Xiao Sen agreed, his expression shifting between soft and hard, and he didn't say a word for a long time.

What's wrong with him? He clearly needs my help, yet he dares to be so fierce. Let's see how I deal with him later. Xiao Xue
was secretly pleased, but she tried her best to remain calm on the surface, just quietly looking at her father, pretending to be all ears.

After a long pause, Xiao Sen finally cleared his throat and asked as gently as possible, "
Have you been chatting with your senior brother Liu Xin a lot lately?"

He had guessed correctly. Xiao Xue became even happier, but answered seriously, "No,
I'm afraid chatting too much will interfere with my studies, so I don't go online much anymore."

Xiao Sen smiled mysteriously, as if he were the Buddha who had captured Sun Wukong. "Really? Then
why did your mother tell me you were chatting with him yesterday?"

"I still run into him once or twice occasionally. Hehe..."

Xiao Xue couldn't find a suitable excuse, so she could only try to brush it off with a playful laugh.

Xiao Sen didn't press the matter and still asked in a gentle voice, "Did your senior brother Liu Xin just come back from Henan?"

Xiao Xue thought about what she had told her mother yesterday and answered honestly, "Yes. He just
came back ."

"Was he negotiating with that company that's about to go public?"

"I don't know, I didn't ask."

"Oh."

Xiao Sen pondered for a moment and asked again. "Do you know if the negotiations are over?"

"It seems like they are. I'm not really sure. Senior Brother Liu Xin rarely talks to me about these things."

Xiao Xue suddenly felt a little regretful. Why didn't she ask Senior Brother Liu Xin a few more questions yesterday? Now, she
can't even keep the old man in suspense.

But why is her father asking these questions? Hasn't he always looked down on Liu Xin? Before Liu Xin went abroad,
her father often said that he was a money-grubber who only cared about money and not people, and had no manly spirit at all;
after Liu Xin returned in glory, her father's evaluation of him was only upgraded to a "lucky" money-grubber, still without
any manly spirit. Every time Liu Xin came to visit their house, he would always say a few words indifferently, and then
find an excuse to go out or hide in the study, leaving Liu Xin to be received by her mother and herself. Why is he concerned
about Liu Xin's work now?

The more Xiao Xue thought about it, the more puzzled she became, and looked up at Xiao Sen, who was deep in thought. "Dad, what do you want to know? Tell
me, and I'll ask for you next time."

"It's nothing, no need."

Xiao Sen's expression relaxed, but his tone turned serious. "Is Liu Xin treating you well?"

"Yes. Just like his own sister."

Xiao Xue said this, feeling somewhat uneasy.

"Did he tell you why he divorced An Zhao?"

"Of course it's because An Zhao wasn't good, what else could it be?"

Xiao Xue answered without thinking.

Xiao Sen immediately showed a hint of tension. "Did he tell you himself? What's wrong with An Zhao?"

What's wrong with Dad today, asking such strange questions. Xiao Xue thought for a moment, but still answered
honestly , "No, I guessed it myself. Hehe..."

Xiao Sen breathed a sigh of relief. "What are you, a child, guessing about other people's business? Humph!"

"I only told you because you asked me. Besides, it was Aunt An Zhao who was wrong, back then..."

"What do you know about back then?"

Xiao Sen interrupted Xiao Xue sharply, paused, and then said in a deep voice. "It's alright, go back to your room and do your homework."

Lying in bed, Xiao Xue thought for a long time, increasingly convinced that her father wouldn't have asked those questions for no reason.
Based on her understanding of her father, he would never care about the success or failure of someone else's work unless there was
something to gain. But what could he gain from that negotiation, and how? Would Liu Xin's senior be harmed as a result
? Xiao Xue then realized that besides knowing the company was an investment firm, she knew absolutely nothing about
what . She had never
paid attention to the details Liu Xin had occasionally mentioned.

Perhaps she hadn't needed to understand those things before, but now she had to start learning.
Only then could she figure out what her father wanted to do with Liu Xin, and decide what she should do.
Thinking this, Xiao Xue jumped up and turned on her computer.

She couldn't find any mention of "Youlong Investment Development Co., Ltd." online. After
searching for "investment company," "negotiation," and "listing," Xiao Xue became even more discouraged. The search results were
in the tens of thousands; how long would it take to see them all?

Xiao Xue checked the time and realized it was almost six o'clock. She picked up her phone and hesitated before dialing Liu Xin's
hotline .

"Senior brother, it's me, Xiao Xue."

"Oh, junior sister, what's up?"

Liu Xin's gentle voice held a hint of surprise.

Xiao Xue's heart skipped a beat, and her words became somewhat unnatural. "Our teacher assigned an extracurricular paper on understanding how
businesses operate. I'd like to write about your company, senior. Is that convenient?"

"No problem,"

Liu Xin readily agreed, then added, "I'm busy right now. I'll explain it to you when I have time, okay?"

"Then... when will you be online tonight?"

Xiao Xue asked anxiously.

"I probably won't have time today. Why are you in such a hurry?"

"Yeah. The teacher only gave me two weeks."

"That should be enough time, haha... but I'll try to come online whenever I have time tonight."

"Thank you, senior. I'll wait for you then."

Hearing the "click" of the phone being hung up, Xiao Xue reluctantly put down the phone and randomly picked up a website explaining
the stock market , glancing at it half-heartedly. Suddenly, a strange joy
welled up inside her, filling her mind in an instant. Xiao Xue shakily stood up, swayed to the bedside, and then swayed
back down, hugging a pillow. She didn't move for a long time.

Why hadn't she thought of using this method to reconnect with Liu Xin?
How could a successful man like him be attracted to a woman who knew nothing about his career? If
she could not only care for him in his daily life and satisfy him sexually, but also help him in his career,
wouldn't that make him even more attractive? Thinking this, Xiao Xue's joy surged, quickly
coalescing into a huge flame in her mind, clearly illuminating her path and greatly
boosting her confidence.

While seducing men might be considered an innate female instinct, in a situation where success was the only option, how to seduce Liu Xin, a successful man in his thirties with rich experience, was a truly insurmountable problem
for the inexperienced seventeen-year-old Xiao Xue .
Even after nearly two months of trial and error, asking many classmates,
trying many teachers, visiting numerous adult websites, and reading countless erotic novels, even knowing that tall, thin
men often prefer voluptuous women, that middle-aged men often fantasize about young girls, and that successful men often require
gentle, considerate, and submissive beauty, she still felt completely uncertain about herself. She always felt that Liu Xin wasn't an
ordinary man; beyond youth, beauty, submissiveness, and voluptuousness, he must need something else.

If it weren't for the old man's accidental inspiration, she didn't know how long she would have continued groping in the dark.
The more Xiao Xue thought about it, the more insecure she became, and her whole body began to tremble slightly with her rapid heartbeat.

Suddenly, it got dark. A cool breeze swirled in through the window, then drifted
out through the door, chilling Xiao Xue's skin. But the enormous fire in her mind didn't calm
down. Instead, the wind fueled the fire, and the fire fueled the wind, gradually burning Xiao Xue's lower abdomen. Unbeknownst to her,
Liu Xin had quietly arrived at her bedside, his usual gentle smile gracing his lips as he silently gazed at her, as if
he wanted to tear her apart, shred her, and scatter her into the flames with his tender gaze.

Xiao Xue couldn't help but groan softly, trying to raise her hand to cover her burning, throbbing face, but her arm remained stiff
and unmoving under the pillow. Her heart pounded wildly,
seemingly , trembling and throbbing uncontrollably, creating waves of tingling,
accumulating, accumulating, ready to launch a fierce attack on her remaining shred of consciousness.

She should do something, shouldn't she? But what could she do besides wait? Get up and take off her
clothes, or go and hug Liu Xin? Thinking of the girls in those erotic novels, Xiao Xue barely dared to open her eyes
. If she had to do those things, she'd rather be burned alive right now.

As if reading her mind, Liu Xin's smile faded, and he silently approached, placing his hands
gently on her shoulders. After a moment, they slid down to embrace her waist. Wasn't this
the happiness she had longed for? After a long, inexplicable wait and groping, wasn't this
the compensation she deserved? ...Did Liu Xin truly love her? Was she merely a tool for him to satisfy
his lust ? ...Was this my first time?
What kind of woman would I become after this? ...A variety of strange thoughts swirled and danced in Xiao Xue's mind like a dying struggle
, all blurred and fragmented, as if scorched beyond recognition, perhaps
never to be pieced together again.

Amidst these blurry, swirling fragments, those familiar eyes suddenly emerged from
the , forcefully breaking through all obstruction, compelling Xiao Xue to put down
her pillow, face him, and embrace him.

Xiao Xue's last shred of fragile clarity vanished instantly in the flames.
She had no better choice than to tighten her arms around him and bury her face in his chest. This was all she could do;
she was willing to do this; she longed for this. If she struggled haphazardly, she might scare him away.

However, even as the night wind chilled her skin once more, Liu Xin remained motionless, letting her hold him
.

Xiao Xue opened her eyes in surprise, only to realize that what she was clutching tightly was still that annoying
pillow .

It was completely dark. The lights outside were bright, yet utterly silent. Downstairs, the music from the television and
her parents' conversation drifted out. They probably thought she was asleep and were having dinner.

Xiao Xue bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, then slowly stood up, went to close the door, returned, and
lay the bed.

This could actually be considered her first time. The first time she had so clearly fantasized about Liu Xin, the first time she had so
intensely felt the power of desire. The flames of desire, fueled by joy, still burned within her.
They made her limbs weak, her cheeks flushed, and forced her to shamefully admit that only by releasing them
could she find peace.

But she hesitated for a moment before slowly lifting her skirt, extending two fingers as if touching
a cactus , and gently placing them on the front of her panties. Feeling the slippery wetness, Xiao Xue couldn't help but shiver.
She had to stop, taking two deep breaths before slowly increasing the pressure, pressing down on the damp patch of fabric.

This time, however, it wasn't just a simple cold war; it was a series of violent tremors. Amidst the tremors,
intense, tingling sensations surged from front to back, up her spine, and to the back of her head, then spread throughout
her body, entwining with the burning heat, engulfing her, swaying her upwards, and
heading straight for the empty space outside the window.

Xiao Xue gasped for breath, her breasts beginning to tingle. Just as she was about to reach up and grasp
them , she suddenly felt countless eyes secretly watching her in the darkness. Startled, she
looked up, down, left, and right for a while before finally calming down and refocusing her attention to continue her previous actions.

Before long, her hands were placed, from the outside in, on the warm, swollen breasts and the soft, small ones.

The fire of desire burned even more magnificently. Moreover, without the embrace of eyes and various thoughts, the flames
were so pure, so pure they seemed devoid of color. Xiao Xue felt a secret thrill at the wondrous sensation in her body.
Yes, a pure body dancing freely to the rhythm of her hands in such pure flames is clearly the most beautiful sight
in the world ! Anyone with an open and honest heart would surely hold their breath and
admire her wholeheartedly. What did she have to hide, to feel ashamed of, or to fear?

Freed from all discomfort, Xiao Xue's movements became increasingly agile, her strength more abundant, and her
frequency faster. The occasional discomfort and pain, under the scorching flames, quickly became
the source of even greater pleasure. Finally, after a long moment, in an eternal instant, a torrent of scalding heat
burst forth from the center of her lower abdomen, spitting out flames with a stinging pain, quickly engulfing the sparsely veiled virgin land.

Her hands, gripping her breasts and mons pubis, were firmly nailed deep into the soft flesh, her legs, which had been flailing and stretching, and
her head, suddenly froze in mid-air. Enveloped in a tingling numbness and intense heat, her body had instantly traversed endless void and
arrived at the edge of the world.

In the vast, pristine white world, Xiao Xue felt no loneliness, only joy and
peace. She moved with effortless grace, as if determined to exhaust all her future
happiness in one fell swoop. But she knew it was impossible to exhaust it completely;
she would surely return here countless times throughout her life, often with Liu Xin again. What a wondrous
and beautiful ultimate experience that would be!

She didn't really want the answer so quickly, no. Back in her room, Xiao Xue quietly gazed at
the surrounding darkness and the lights outside the window, as if her vision could easily pierce through everything. Perhaps, many times,
waiting is also part of beauty, something to be savored as carefully as possible, just as she waited until she was seventeen to experience this joy for the
first time .

Only when the alarm clock struck 8:30 did Xiao Xue slowly get up, grab a set of pajamas, go to
the bathroom , shower, and wash her underwear. She examined herself in the mirror for a while before coming out, going downstairs to
the kitchen to get two cans of coconut milk, returning to the dining room to sit down and begin eating.

Aside from her figure not being full enough, she couldn't find a reason why Liu Xin disliked her. But this was something
that couldn't be rushed; she was still just a young girl, and eating alone wouldn't give her a curvaceous figure. Xiao Xue
thought , unconsciously shaking her head.

"What's wrong? Not to your liking?"

Ling Chen asked gently from behind her.

"No, it's delicious."

Xiao Xue said, picking up a piece of fish and putting it in her mouth, chewing exaggeratedly.

Ling Chen smiled, pulled up a chair, and watched Xiao Xue, who was eating heartily, with a thoughtful,
hesitant expression.

Xiao Xue had no choice but to put down her chopsticks and ask, "Is something wrong, Mom?"

Ling Chen quickly waved her hand. "No, nothing, you eat first."

"How can I eat if you sit here watching?"

Xiao Xue drawled, feigning annoyance.

"Oh, then I won't watch anymore, you eat quickly."

Ling Chen said, standing up and going to the living room.

Xiao Xue looked back at Ling Chen's retreating figure, secretly admiring him. Her mother's figure was far superior.
Although not a professional dancer, long-term physical training had allowed her 39-year-old mother to maintain
a graceful figure. Coupled with her meticulously maintained skin and refined manners,
she might even be more attractive to many men. No wonder her father always treated her with such reverence, never daring to utter a harsh word.
Would her senior, Liu Xin, treat her the same way in the future? He definitely would. She would be even
happier . Xiao Xue thought sweetly.

Xiao Xue was so certain of this not because she thought she was prettier than her mother, but
because she believed that Liu Xin was not only more handsome and dashing than her father, but also more successful, smarter, and
more gentle, considerate, and understanding. Compared to Liu Xin, her father was simply a poor, ugly, and clumsy old brute—
a fool . Besides his good physique, he had nothing else to boast about.

If she were her mother, she would never have fallen for her father, that short, Sichuanese boy.
Thinking snorted, a knowing smug look spreading across her face. Her mother must have been tricked into marrying her by her father
. Otherwise, shortly after moving here, her mother wouldn't have used the excuse of preferring quiet and not wanting to hear her father's snoring to
move into this small bedroom behind the living room.

But, did her mother ever love her father before, and how did she fall in love?
Would use sweet words to lure people in?

Of course, Xiao Xue couldn't know these things. Xiao Sen and Ling Chen had never told her their love story.
Before, she didn't know to ask; later, she didn't want to ask. After that arduous struggle, her
relationship with them had never been truly close. Perhaps it hadn't even been truly close before. Besides Liu Xin
, how many adults would be willing to stand on equal footing with a teenager?

But now, perhaps it was time to ask them. Maybe she could learn some
lessons from it. As Xiao Xue thought to herself, she hurriedly shoveled the remaining few mouthfuls of rice into her mouth, threw down her chopsticks, grabbed the last
half-can of coconut milk, and headed towards the living room.

Ling Chen was clearly not focused on watching TV. Hearing the clatter of dishes and the scraping of chairs, she immediately
stood up, just in time to meet Xiao Xue's gaze. "Mom, leave it there for now, I'll clean it up myself later."

Xiao Xue said this, but her tone didn't really mean to stop him. Ling Chen just smiled faintly, didn't
reply , and went to clear the dishes before returning to sit on the single sofa next to Xiao Xue.

Seeing that Ling Chen was staring at the TV without saying a word, Xiao Xue didn't ask, only watching the TV with a distant gaze,
but her eyes were always on Ling Chen's face. After a while, noticing that Ling Chen was secretly turning his head to look at her, Xiao Xue turned her face to the side and
smiled sweetly, and Ling Chen's face immediately looked a little embarrassed.

"You child, hehe..."

Ling Chen smiled helplessly, didn't say anything more, and turned his eyes back to the TV.

Trying to outlast his mother was really picking the wrong person, Xiao Xue thought. She couldn't help but feel a little annoyed. "Mom,
is there something you want to tell me? If not, I'm going upstairs to do my homework. I slept for half the day
and didn't ."

"It's nothing."

Ling Chen pondered for a moment, then said. "Why are you so tired today? What did you do during the day?"

"Nothing much. I just went to bed a little late last night, hehe..."

"Really? What time did you chat with your senior brother?" "

Around eleven, not too late. I just couldn't sleep well, I guess I had some nightmares. I don't remember."

Xiao Xue said indirectly, not worried about being exposed. They couldn't possibly know
what she was doing in her room, and Ling Chen rarely questioned such things.

"The rain had almost stopped last night, how could you still have nightmares?"

"Who knows? If I knew, I wouldn't be sleeping."

Ling Chen's questioning made Xiao Xue a little impatient, so she turned her gaze to the TV and answered in a cold tone.

Ling Chen didn't mind, smiled generously, and asked again, "Is your senior brother's work going well lately?"

Why is Mom concerned about his work now? Dad must have told her to ask, hmph! While thinking, Xiao Xue
replied perfunctorily, "It should go smoothly. I rarely ask him about these things, and he rarely mentions them himself."

"What do you two usually talk about?"

Seeing that Ling Chen didn't seem to be blaming her, Xiao Xue exaggeratedly said, "So many things! Life, career,
lifestyle, tastes, eating, drinking, playing, having fun, and so on and so forth, countless."

"So many! Hehe... then you must know each other very well?"

"Not very well, just average. Hehe..."

"What kind of person do you think Liu Xin is?" "

He's good in every way, except he's a bit thin and not very handsome."

"You kid... why bother distinguishing between handsome and not handsome for men?"

"That's how it is now. Hehe... Leslie Cheung was very handsome, and Nicholas Tse, Edison Chen, and Daniel Wu are all
good-looking ."

Xiao Xue smiled, but inwardly she was a little puzzled. Why wasn't her mother urging her to study today?

Ling Chen paused, then asked with a slightly serious tone, "Do you prefer prettier men or men like your senior brother
?"

Xiao Xue's heart skipped a beat, and she quickly covered it up, saying, "How can you compare them? They're completely different things."

"Why can't you compare them? If a handsome man and a man like your senior brother were both pursuing
you, which would you choose?"

Had her mother figured something out? Xiao Xue's face grew even hotter. "Mom~~, why are you asking these questions?
Didn't you always say I was still young, that studying was the priority, and that I didn't need to think about these things?"

Ling Chen paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "That was two years ago. You're almost an adult now, you can start thinking about
these things ."

The living room lights suddenly turned on. "So, can I start dating now?"

Xiao Xue asked as calmly as possible, but her slightly trembling voice couldn't hide her true
feelings.

Ling Chen pondered for a moment and said, "If the other person is nice, of course you can."

"Then I..."

Overjoyed, Liu Xin's name almost slipped out. Xiao Xue took several breaths before she could barely think of
what to say. "So... what kind of boy would you accept?"

Ling Chen looked at Xiao Xue and couldn't help but smile and tease, "You haven't answered my question yet,
why are you asking me now?"

"What question? I forgot. Hehe..."

"Then I'll ask again. What kind of boy do you like?"

"What!"

Xiao Xue pouted and said, "You didn't ask that just now." "

Then how did I ask it just now?"

Ling Chen pretended to be confused, but the teasing expression on his face became even more intense.

"You just now... you just now..."

Looking at her mother's expression, Xiao Xue finally realized that she was about to fall into a trap. Although it might
be the trap she wanted, being pushed into it by someone else and walking into it willingly were not the same thing. So
she bit her lip and answered instead. "I like boys who are handsome, smart, rich, and gentle. Hehe...
"

"Hehe..."

Ling Chen couldn't help but laugh out loud. After a while, she deliberately feigned regret and said, "So you
don't like Senior Brother Liu Xin anymore, right?"

The embarrassment she had finally managed to calm down immediately returned. Helpless, Xiao Xue could only call out coquettishly
, "Mom~~" and then hugged her knees, burying her face deeply in them.

She hadn't experienced her mother's cheerful and lively manner in a long time. Although her mother's expectations for her were also to
succeed in her studies , and her relationship with her mother was much better than with her father, she was still not very willing
to confide in her mother. Such intimate laughter and playfulness as today was even more rare. If they hadn't had their own "ulterior motives
" today, they probably wouldn't have been able to achieve such harmony so easily.

"Does your Senior Brother Liu Xin like you too?"

Ling Chen suddenly asked again, his tone slightly hesitant.

Xiao Xue slowly raised her head, looked at Ling Chen, and finding nothing unusual, lowered her head again, saying
softly , "He likes me. I don't know."

"So you like him or you don't know? Hehe..."

Ling Chen's laughter was also not very smooth.

Xiao Xue couldn't help but look up at Ling Chen's face again, still finding nothing amiss,
which only made her feel more and more strange. She wanted to ask something, but didn't know how to phrase it. After thinking for a while, her desire to joke
faded, and she could only answer simply, "Maybe he just likes me as a little sister."

After saying that, she suddenly felt a little annoyed.

Ling Chen looked at Xiao Xue thoughtfully, carefully choosing his words, "He's not really your brother. Besides,
you're so pretty and cute, any man would like you. The key is whether you like him or not. As long as you like
him, I don't see any problem."

"But...but...he's so much older than me, and so capable."

"That's why you need to study even harder. If you study well, you can become his helper in the future. As for the age difference,
it's only fifteen or sixteen years, it's not a big deal."

"Why should I be his helper? Maybe I'll achieve more than him in the future, and he'll have to beg me to take him in as
his helper. Hehe..."

Xiao Xue's expression finally relaxed a little.

"This child. Hehe...it would be good if you could achieve half of your senior brother Liu Xin's success in the future. Even if he
's willing to be your helper, it'll most likely be because he's letting you, or it'll be when you're doing laundry or cooking."

Ling Chen said this, his voice becoming more and more composed, and a pleasing radiance gradually appeared in his smile.

Is this the radiance of motherhood? Looking at her mother, Xiao Xue was overwhelmed with gratitude. She completely forgot to
argue, and the shyness on her face almost vanished. Regarding Liu Xin's matter, she had never dared to hope for anyone's
support, and she had always told herself she didn't need anyone's support. But now, she unexpectedly discovered that her mother's
support was so important to her, so important that she couldn't bear to lose it again. Thinking of this, Xiao Xue couldn't help but
stand up, slowly walk to Ling Chen's side, and softly call out, "Mom."

Then she squatted down, hugged her, and buried her head in that warm embrace she hadn't felt in years.

Ling Chen didn't say anything more, gently smoothing Xiao Xue's still damp hair with her hands, her movements exceptionally gentle,
as if she couldn't bear to break a single strand. Seeing that it was almost 9:30, Ling Chen patted her daughter's shoulder and said softly,
"Alright, it's getting late, you should do your homework. Get up."

Xiao Xue hummed in agreement, but her arms remained firmly around Ling Chen, as if afraid she might suddenly disappear.

"Don't you want to sleep again tonight?"

Xiao Xue shook her head, still buried in Ling Chen's arms, and suddenly asked, "Mom, how did you and Dad
meet?"

Ling Chen was taken aback. "Why are you suddenly asking this?"

Xiao Xue twisted her shoulders. "Tell me, I want to know. Hehe..."

"It's very simple. When Mom went back to Beijing, she couldn't find a job because she didn't have a household registration. Your
maternal grandfather had already passed away, and your maternal grandmother was always sick and could only receive welfare. So, through an introduction, I met your father,
and we got married quickly."

"When did this happen?" "

In 1979."

"Dad was a teacher then?"

"Yes. But he had just graduated and stayed on at the university."

"Do you love Dad?"

"I guess so. Your father was the deputy secretary of the Youth League Committee at Peking University. He was also very handsome, and many girls wanted to
marry him."

"Wow... Dad was so amazing back then?"

"Of course. He was from a poor peasant family and a former soldier. At that time, he was a key figure being groomed by the university's Party Committee."

"Then why did you come to Shenzhen later?"

"Later, these things weren't popular anymore. Of course, there are many other reasons, but
academic knowledge is still the most important thing in university. Your father's foundation wasn't very strong, so he always suffered."

"Then why didn't Dad work hard himself?"

"By the time he realized this, he couldn't stay in Beijing anymore. After your father came to Shenzhen, he worked hard for
several years before slowly catching up with others."

"Oh."

Xiao Xue nodded as if she understood, then suddenly asked, "Mom, have you only ever loved Dad? Did
anyone else pursue you before?"

"You child, hehe..."

Ling Chen's smile became a little awkward again. "Go do your homework. Mom needs to sleep too."

"Say it, Mom~" Ling Chen composed himself and said in an unquestionable voice, "I've only ever loved your
father , okay? Go do your homework."

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