Chapter 86: A Family of "Five" Goes on an Outing

"Yes, take as many photos as you like. We’ll have them all developed, and you can pick the ones you’re happy with."

How extravagant that sounds… Bai Qingxia thought to herself.

She smiled, then scratched her head a little sheepishly. "But I’m not very good at taking pictures…"

"Me neither. My sister knows how. I’ll get her to guide you when the time comes."

"I’ll get going, see you tomorrow."

Hearing this, the girl immediately stepped forward. "See you tomorrow."

Lu Yuanqiu left the house, went down to the first floor, and walked out of the small courtyard. As he walked along the alley, he glanced back and noticed Bai Qingxia had followed him out.

She stood by the gate, watching him. When she saw him turn, she lifted her small hand and waved goodbye, a shy smile on her face.

"Go on back!" Lu Yuanqiu waved his hand.

He walked a good distance further, then glanced back again, only to see Bai Qingxia still standing by the gate.

Alright, maybe she wants to watch until I leave the alley… Lu Yuanqiu chuckled to himself and didn’t hurry her.

Though she lived in a shabby alley, she still did her utmost to show courtesy to a guest. To Lu Yuanqiu, she was like a ray of light in the mire, and he would always walk toward the light.

After seeing him off, Bai Qingxia climbed the stairs back to the second floor. She paused outside Zhang Li’s door, hesitated for a moment, then returned to her own room.

"Stay home, don’t go out," she reminded, then entered her "bedroom." Behind her, her father called, "Stay with Xiaxia~"

"Yes," Bai Qingxia replied. She pulled her notebook and textbooks from her bag and continued copying her notes at the desk.

Time passed slowly. The girl glanced at her phone to check the hour. Judging that Sister Lili should be awake by now, she closed her notebook and left the room.

Knock, knock, knock!

She rapped gently on Zhang Li’s door.

There was movement inside. Soon, the door opened, and Zhang Li, her hair a mess, leaned sleepily against the doorframe.

"What is it, Xiaxia?"

"Sorry to bother you, Sister Lili. I wanted to ask… could I borrow some clothes from you? I’ll wear it tomorrow and wash it before returning it the day after."

She clasped her hands in front of her, waiting nervously for a reply.

Zhang Li finally opened her sleepy eyes and glanced at Bai Qingxia’s school uniform. She remembered what Lu Yuanqiu had mentioned that morning.

She paused for a breath, then said, "Ah—of course you can! I have plenty of clothes. Pick anything you like."

"Come in, come in."

Bai Qingxia immediately bowed in gratitude, delighted. "Thank you, Sister Lili!"

"No need for thanks, we’ve known each other so long." Zhang Li smiled, then turned, as if she wanted to ask something but then thought better of it.

She wanted to ask if Bai Qingxia really liked that boy…

She not only brought him home but also went out with him, and now she wanted to wear pretty clothes. For a young girl, that was normal, but for someone as proud as Bai Qingxia to actually ask to borrow clothes was rare.

Zhang Li took a deep breath and sighed quietly.

She felt Bai Qingxia was different from her—so pure, with such good grades and beauty. She deserved a better life, like a rich heiress.

Yet, here she was, stuck in the same mire, enduring the foul smells from the workshops, the filth and chaos of the alleys, even sharing a communal bathroom.

Heaven was truly unfair.

Zhang Li opened her wardrobe, displaying it for the girl. "Go ahead, choose whichever you like."

Bai Qingxia glanced over the clothes, then looked troubled. "Do you have… something that isn’t too revealing?"

"Oh right! I forgot you’re still so young. Hold on, I still have clothes from when I was your age—I was your age once, too." Zhang Li tiptoed, looked at the upper shelves, and pulled out a bundle. "By the way, do you want to wear a dress?"

Suddenly, she turned and asked.

…

October 6th.

Lu Yuanqiu wore a white t-shirt and jeans, riding his bicycle to the road opposite the entrance of Gui Alley.

He glanced over and saw the same car as yesterday.

Apparently sensing his gaze, the driver rolled down the window, stuck his head out, and shouted, "You again! Are you out of your mind?!"

With that, he drove away.

Stunned at being cursed out for no reason, Lu Yuanqiu was speechless.

"If you weren’t sick in the head, I’d have kicked your ass by now!" he grumbled at the receding car, then turned his gaze toward the alley entrance.

At that moment, Lu Yuanqiu froze.

A girl in a yellow floral dress walked to the other side of the road, stopping at the crosswalk.

Her straight black hair flowed down her back, a pink hairpin set above her brow. The breeze lifted both her hair and the hem of her yellow dress to the left.

The pure girl clasped her hands in front of her and smiled shyly at Lu Yuanqiu from across the street.

When the light turned green, Bai Qingxia crossed over. In the sunlight, she stepped forward, the yellow dress swaying at her knees, revealing slender, snow-white legs. On her feet were canvas shoes, white socks just covering her ankles.

She reached his side before Lu Yuanqiu could recover himself. Breathing in the delicate scent of the girl so close, he gave a couple of awkward laughs and praised, "You… you look beautiful today!"

The girl lowered her head, smiling bashfully.

Lu Yuanqiu patted the back seat of his bike. "Hop on. I’ll take you to my parents first."

"Okay."

Once seated behind him, Bai Qingxia gently gripped his shirt, and as the wheels turned, her pale legs crossed under her skirt, hair and hem fluttering behind them.

When they met up with Lu Tian and the others, Bai Qingxia stared at the Audi in front of her, surprised to learn Lu Yuanqiu’s family had more than one car.

This time Lu Tian drove, Su Xiaoya sat in the front passenger seat, and in the back, from left to right, were Lu Yidong, Lu Yuanqiu, and Bai Qingxia.

Bai Qingxia, feeling shy, raised her head and saw Su Xiaoya turning around to smile warmly at her.

"Mom, what are you doing? You’re making her embarrassed."

Su Xiaoya praised with no reservation, "Xiaxia looks so pretty today."

"Thank you, Auntie…" The girl’s voice was soft. Afraid there wasn’t enough space, she squeezed herself into the corner, bringing her legs together.

Lu Yidong’s boisterous voice called out, "She is, you know! Big Sister Bai is the prettiest person I’ve ever seen!"

Hearing the compliment, Bai Qingxia quickly poked her head out, glancing past Lu Yuanqiu in the middle, and replied in a small voice, "Thank you."

Lu Yuanqiu then turned to her, feigning discontent.

"Why is it that when they compliment you, you say thank you, but when I said you were pretty, you just smiled awkwardly and didn’t say a word? Why?"

Hearing this, Bai Qingxia’s face froze. Lu Yuanqiu leaned in, his fierce face close to her delicate ear. "Well? Why? Why? Why? Do you have a problem with me, huh?"

His head kept inching closer, and Bai Qingxia could only clasp her little hands in front of her, shrinking awkwardly toward the car door, her cheeks burning red, looking helpless, like someone often bullied.

Seeing Lu Yuanqiu about to press his pretty, delicate wife into a small bundle in the corner, Su Xiaoya hurriedly grabbed a clothes hanger and tapped her son’s leg. "What are you doing? Don’t bully her!"

Lu Yuanqiu stared, startled. "What the—why is there a clothes hanger in the car?!"

Lu Tian replied as he drove, "I keep one there just to keep you in line. See, it came in handy, didn’t it?"

(End of chapter)