The sun was showing its tail over the horizon, the last glimpses of light coloured the white clouds above. Two figures walked down the busy street in silence.
Zhang Yin glanced at the figure who was absentmindedly humming as he walked with his hands behind his head, and realised she had to look up at him now. Zhang Yin wasn't very short but he was still 6 or 7 inches taller than her.
She was taller than him until junior high when he started to overtake her.
Seeing his healthy tanned skin and athletic figure, it seemed that the little boy who used to timidly follow her around back then was no longer there.
Actually Zhang Li had transferred to their neighbourhood in the first year of elementary school. He was short, quiet, spoke with a strange accent and would cry easily. Zhang Yin felt he was pitiful so she had taken him under her wing. She would play with him at school, and whenever he got bullied she would stand up for him. Perhaps, he felt her kindness because he would always stick to her, calling 'elder sister, elder sister'.
But now it seems that timid boy is long gone.
Her eyes glanced up at his thick fluffy hair that was jutting all over the place like a bird's nest, thinking this seems to be the only thing that remained the same.
"...You won't really complain to my mom right?"
A voice interrupted her thoughts. Zhang Li had turned around at one point, and was walking backward while facing her.
"Turn around or you'll crash into someone."
"No!"
"Turn around."
"Hehe, you can warn me if I'm about to crash into someone. You'll be my eyes."
"Turn around."
"..."
Staring at Zhang Yin's calm eyes Zhang Li thought about resistance. Unfortunately, some scars still echo many years after they are borne. She might look like a good student now, but thinking of how when they were little Zhang Yin used to drag him around everywhere and force him to call her older sister, even though they were only a few months apart, he shuddered.
Your studious image can't trick me!
Even though he cursed her bravely in his mind, Zhang Li still turned around and sullenly began walking next to her again.
Looking at his fluffy hair that seemed to deflate with him, Zhang Yin felt pity in her heart.
"Okay, I won't say anything to Auntie, but you have to come to school at least an hour before morning class everyday. Don't worry I'll wait for you outside your house to make sure you get up." Zhang Yin pushed her glasses up and said graciously.
Looking at her benevolent expression, Zhang Li felt sick.
He couldn't help but retort with a weak voice, "You already forced me to come early today, are you really going to force me everyday?"
Zhang Li felt his argument was somewhat weak so he tried to reason, "Actually, even if I come early it's not like I'll actually be studying. I mean just look at today…"
Seeing her face darkening, his voice trailed off.
"You were still messing around in the morning even though I told you to study?"
Hearing his silence, Zhang Yin was angry but she felt she had to give him some hope.
She sighed and said softly, "Forget it. I won't talk about that for now. But you still have to come early everyday. Understood?"
"...Fine."
Zhang Li still had an unconvinced expression, so Zhang Yin warned again very seriously, "You better get up, or I'll have Auntie let me into your room and wake you up myself."
Hearing this, Zhang Li could only nod weakly, thinking this woman was really too ruthless.
"Don't sulk. I'm doing this for your own good. This is the last year, don't you want to get into a good university?"
"..."
Zhang Li was caught off guard at this question. He glanced at her and couldn't help but think.
University…
You probably want to get into Peking or Tsinghua right?
"Okay, okay, I get it. Stop nagging me!"
They walked in silence for a while until they finally reached Zhang Li's family restaurant.
It was a large noodle shop, and considering it was only early in the evening, it was filled with people. Looking at the busy interior, Zhang Li felt hesitant. Just when he was considering quietly leaving, his mother caught sight of him.
She waved at him from behind the counter, "Zhang Li, you kid! Where are you going?"
Seeing as he was caught, Zhang Li had no choice but to go to the counter.
"It's a good thing you're here, put your bag down and go get an apron and help serve the guests -eh, oh Xiao Yin you're here too."
Zhang Li's mother was a strong looking woman, with a fierce look in her eyes. Even though she was older now, you could still see traces of her beauty very clearly. She and his father had opened this restaurant over 10 years ago and had grown it in a short time to be a staple of the neighbourhood.
"Hello, Aunt Jiang." Zhang Yin smiled.
Zhang Li's mother had a warm smile on her face when she saw Zhang Yin. She ushered her over to the other seat next to the counter, "Xiao Yin, it's good you're here. Why didn't you come in this morning? We haven't chatted properly in a while, you know I was telling your mother when we were playing mahjong last week how jealous I am of her -"
"- You, what are you still doing standing there, go to the kitchen, your father needs help!" Just as she was about to continue chatting with Zhang Yin, she noticed that Zhang Li was still standing there with his bag.
Zhang Li was depressed, he didn't get enough sleep in the morning and he was looking forward to taking a nap after eating an early dinner but now he was forced to work. He couldn't help but complain, "Mom, I just finished school, besides I promised Zhang Yin I would treat her to dinner, I can't leave her by herself can I?"
Aunt Jiang looked hesitant, "Well…"
"Aunt Jiang, don't worry about me. Why doesn't Zhang Li help Uncle in the kitchen and I'll help serve? It's not like I've never helped out before."
"Yes, yes, it'll be faster if we both help." Zhang Li on the side also chimed in, thinking it would be over faster if there was one more person.
Aunt Jiang thought about and felt it was unfair to Zhang Yin and was about to refuse when she thought of something, "Okay Zhao Yin, thank you for help, you're such a sweet girl. But you just need to stay here at the counter and help me deal with the bills, we can have a good chat as well."
She turned to Zhang Li who was standing there looking confused, and said, "Come on, what are you doing, we are very busy right now, go help your father."
"But mom-"
He was about to protest when he saw a fierce look flash in his mothers eyes.
"Fine…"
He put his bag down a little forcefully behind the counter in a small act of protest, and cast a final aggrieved glance at Zhang Yin who was now ignoring him and happily talking to his mother. He could only join his father to work hard in the kitchen.
So when Zhang Li would come out to serve the customers he would always see two relaxed figures chatting away at the counter. Sometimes they would even point at him and talk animatedly to each other. Probably saying nothing good, he thought.
A while later.
Considering that Zhang Yin had been waiting for almost an hour, Aunt Jiang finally let Zhang Li off. As thanks she even asked that the chef prepare them a large meal.
Sitting down in front of a large array of dishes Zhang Li began stuffing his face while complaining to Zhang Yin opposite him, "I can't believe she made you work for over an hour, I really don't know what that woman is thinking. Sorry about my mom, you must have been hungry right?"
Looking at his pupils darting around intelligently, Zhang Yin narrowed her eyes. She didn't expect it, it was like seeing early hominids make fire or our ape ancestors picking up sticks to make tools for the first time. She was surprised that even a simpleton like Zhang Li could evolve, even if it was pretty heavy handed.
"Hey, hey, what's with that look? What are you thinking about?!" Zhang Li noticed she hadn't responded but her eyes were becoming more and more wrong.
"I was the one who told your mom to let you keep working, after all it was very busy. Besides I haven't talked to Auntie in ages, it was good to catch up. She even got me my favourite chocolate milkshake -"
"- Hey, I made that!" He thought back to when handed that order to another server to deliver. He remembered being confused because milkshakes weren't usually on their menu.
Seeing that she had a gloating smile on her face, Zhang Li shook his head and added,"Who drinks milk shakes before eating at a noodle restaurant? You'll probably get diarrhoea."
"You!"
Zhang Li immediately put his head down and focused on eating, thinking to himself that if he can't see her there is nothing to fear.
"..."
Zhang Yin looked down at the delicious noodles that were steaming in a golden brown broth and seemed to feel some movement in her stomach.
Damn it.
Listening to the obnoxious slurping next to her, Zhang Yin thought she would pay him back tomorrow.
It was almost 8pm when Zhang Yin left.
Zhang Li had offered to walk her back, upon his mother's insistence, but she had declined saying her house was only a few minutes away.
"..."
Watching her leaving back, Zhang Li felt a little determined. It's only waking up an hour early, what's the big deal? I just need to go to sleep earlier.
Thinking about it for a moment, he got out his phone and looked at his apps. Seeing the familiar icon of 'League of Glory', he hesitated for a long time. Finally, after a fierce internal battle, he decided to…hide the app from his home screen.
He couldn't just delete it, what if all his progress gets lost?!
…
…
…
Around 6pm.
Ning Qing's house.
"Okay grandma, I'm leaving now." Ning Qing glanced at her grandmother who was sitting at the dining table watching tv and spoke.
"Wait, wait, take this."
Before she could walk through the door however, her grandmother quickly stood up and handed her a large plastic bag.
"Why didn't you tell me that Yuerong's little brother was walking you home these days." She looked at Ning Qing reproachfully, "I only heard about it from your sister today."
Hearing his Ning Qing glanced at her little sister who was sitting on the couch drinking a large glass of milk, staring at the tv very seriously.
"Look, I've packed some snacks here, you can give it to him."
Taking the heavy bag, Ning Qing was helpless.
"Is this what you were so busy with this morning?"
"Oh don't worry about me! Make sure to thank him properly…" Grandma Ning thought for a while and was a little anxious, "...or should I get something else? Maybe they won't like to eat stuff like this."
Before she could get up and run to the kitchen, Ning Qing placed her palm on her shoulder, and walked her over to the table, sitting her down again.
"Grandma, it's fine. You know how much of a foodie Sister Yuerong is. Besides, I have to go now or I'll be late."
Ning Qing quickly left the house with a bag on each arm but not before adding, "Oh and make sure Xiaoyao does her homework, she's been watching tv a bit too much lately."
Hearing her name suddenly, Ning Yao's face turned dark.
Stingy.
Grandma Ning followed Ning Qing's leaving back for a while before going over to the sofa to sit with Ning Yao. She glanced at her granddaughter who had returned to watching tv and started speaking, seemingly to herself.
"That little girl Yuerong is very nice, I'm grateful she's taking care of your sister like this. I remember when I first met her she seemed somewhat silly and scatterbrained but actually she's very thoughtful. She really has helped us out a lot. It seems her younger brother is also very nice…"
Hearing her trail off, Ning Yao knew what she really wanted to ask was coming next.
"...So this boy, Lin Yuan, what's he like?"
Ning Yao glanced at the old woman who looked gossipy, thinking this is why my sister didn't want to tell you.
"He's quiet...." she paused for a second, then added "...but he's not too bad"
Grandma Ning just looked at her as if watching a fool.
"What are you talking about? I'm asking if he's handsome or not?"
Ning Yao could only sigh at her grandmother's mischievous nature.
Then Ning Yao thought about it seriously for a while. Well he wasn't particularly tall, and he looked as if he could be blown away by a light wind, and his face was quite pale, and he always had a cold expression on his face…But still, he wasn't noisy and annoying like other boys and he was pretty good looking.
"Well…a little handsome."
Grandma Ning was used to this taciturn granddaughter, so she didn't mind the curt description. She looked thoughtful for a moment.