SW - 35

The shop was quiet, with only the two of them eating. The shopkeeper and her husband had gone into the kitchen at the back. After Tang Yin finished speaking, silence enveloped the small space.

After a long while, Lu Chi finally murmured in a subdued tone, “… I… am not as good as you think.”

He wasn’t nearly as good as she imagined. On the contrary, she was far better than him—confident, vibrant, and from a happy family. Everything about her contrasted sharply with him.

Tang Yin set down her chopsticks and said, “Lu Chi, look at me.”

Lu Chi raised his head to meet her gaze.

Tang Yin sat up straight, her expression earnest. “How are you not good? I think you’re great—all over, you’re wonderful.”

Before Lu Chi could respond, she added slyly, “Especially when your ears turn red.”

Lu Chi: “… “

He shouldn’t have asked.

The shopkeeper nibbled on her sesame cake in the kitchen, occasionally glancing through the transparent window at the couple outside. Though she couldn’t hear what they were saying, the atmosphere between the two seemed intriguing.

She was past that age herself, but she knew how captivating young love could be—full of endless sweetness.

After finishing their meal, Tang Yin dragged Lu Chi to a nearby mall.

This was a newly built mall, fully equipped with facilities. Even in winter, it was bustling with people, and there were plenty of activities inside—it was perfect for cultivating feelings.

The air conditioning kept the mall warm.

Tang Yin took off her scarf and draped it over her arm. Once they reached the second floor, her eyes fixed on something.

“… How can you be so clumsy?”

“Then you try! Let’s see how capable you are!”

“… This is my best skill. You think you can beat me?”

Tang Yin’s eyes darted around mischievously. She tugged at Lu Chi’s sleeve and whispered, “Let’s go play the claw machine. Do you know how?”

Lu Chi glanced at the machines, then replied after a pause, “I’ve… never played before.”

Seeing her eager expression, he instinctively pulled her wrist and led her toward the machines.

Tang Yin secretly whispered, “Wow,” under her breath. Had Lu Chi suddenly changed? He was being unusually proactive today—was he using up all his initiative in one day?

Coincidentally, the previous players had just left, leaving the claw machine free.

Lu Chi inserted a coin and stepped aside. “Your turn.”

Tang Yin didn’t hesitate, grabbing the controls.

She’d never actually played this before. When she was younger, her mother had forbidden it, claiming it was akin to gambling or some such nonsense.

After failing to grab anything for ages, Tang Yin angrily smacked the side of the machine. Damn it, this was embarrassing.

She sneakily glanced at Lu Chi’s expression, relieved to see he wasn’t mocking her.

Her reputation was ruined by this claw machine.

When she got home, she’d have to confront Jiang Qiuhuan. If she’d been allowed to play as a child, she’d surely have filled Lu Chi’s arms with stuffed animals by now.

Tang Yin huffed, “I’m done. It’s no fun.”

A faint smile flickered across Lu Chi’s lips before quickly disappearing.

Without responding, he walked over to another claw machine, studying the prizes inside for a moment before inserting a coin.

Tang Yin crossed her arms, standing behind him. She thought to herself that if she couldn’t do it, how could this bookworm possibly succeed?

The slap in the face came swiftly.

Within minutes, the stuffed animals seemed to grow legs as Lu Chi effortlessly grabbed them one by one, piling them up. He kept going, oblivious to the growing crowd.

Seeing people gathering—especially girls—Tang Yin immediately reacted, pulling Lu Chi back. “Enough, enough.”

Lu Chi still seemed reluctant, glancing back at her. “You… don’t want to play anymore?”

Tang Yin nodded. “We’ll come back next time. If you grab them all at once, the owner might come over to beat you up. I won’t help you.”

“…”

Lu Chi pressed his lips together, eyeing the onlookers pointing and whispering. He bent down to pick up the stuffed animals, dusted them off, and handed some to Tang Yin while keeping a few for himself. “Then… let’s go.”

As the two of them walked away, the surrounding crowd dispersed.

________________________________________

At the Lu Family Residence

The large villa had long been occupied by only two people, but today, two visitors had arrived.

Wang Ziyan sat on the sofa, her makeup impeccable, her expression blank as she stared at the two people opposite her. The hatred in her heart surged once more.

Lu Yueming sat across from her, a document placed on the coffee table. He pushed it toward her. “Sign it. Dragging this out won’t do any good. You know the situation.”

He glanced at the house and added, “I’m planning to put this villa under Chi Chi’s name. I’ll transfer the monthly child support and his allowance regularly. If you’re ever short on money, you can ask me, but I’ll need a valid reason. I don’t want Chi Chi to lack anything. He’s your son too—you should understand.”

Though he favored Yu’er, Chi Chi was still his child. Academically, he’d never given Lu Yueming any trouble, and despite developing a stutter, it was impossible not to feel pity for him.

But with a mother like this… all he could do was compensate in other ways.

Lu Yueming’s expression remained neutral as he exchanged a glance with the woman beside him.

His tone was light, almost indifferent.

Wang Ziyan’s anger, which had momentarily subsided, flared up again. She snatched the document, flipped through it quickly, and threw it back at him. “You talk so nicely, but aren’t you just rushing to legitimize your mistress?”

The woman sitting opposite, who had been smiling politely, froze instantly.

“Wang Ziyan, must you always speak so vulgarly?” Lu Yueming snapped. “Qiu Hua is not a mistress!”

Wang Ziyan sneered. “We’re not divorced yet, and she’s already living with you, acting all lovey-dovey. If she’s not a mistress, what is she?”

Lu Yueming’s face darkened at her retort.

Qiu Hua clenched her hands tightly at her sides.

She was utterly exhausted.

Back then, she had been the legitimate girlfriend, deeply in love with Yue Ming, and they had even shared their first intimate moments. But within a month, she had been cast aside.

For months afterward, her life had spiraled downward.

She came from an ordinary family. Being unmarried and pregnant brought shame upon her. She was ridiculed by neighbors and relatives, and her parents, embarrassed, had cut ties with her while she was still pregnant.

Just because Wang Ziyan had announced her pregnancy first, she had married Yue Ming?

But Qiu Hua’s pregnancy was further along!

Qiu Hua exhaled deeply. Even now, thinking about those days made it hard to breathe.

She had given birth alone and, barely out of confinement, had started working odd jobs to pay rent and cover expenses for Xiao Lu Yu. Life had been so tight that she had nearly run out of milk.

It was during that time that she had run into Lu Yueming again.

Unable to bear the financial burden of raising Xiao Lu Yu, she had reluctantly become what people called a “mistress.”

And it had lasted for over a decade.

Sometimes, she wondered—if she had told Yue Ming about her pregnancy first, would she be the one called “Mrs. Lu” today?

Thinking about it, Qiu Hua harbored deep resentment toward Wang Ziyan.

However, she calmly spoke, “You know exactly what happened back then. You interfered between Yue Ming and me. You know full well how your own child came to be. How can there be someone as shameless as you in this world?”

Every time Yue Ming returned home, she worried—what if one day he fell for Wang Ziyan again and abandoned her and their son?

For over a decade, no matter how many promises Yue Ming made, she couldn’t feel at ease. Only seeing the divorce papers would reassure her.

Wang Ziyan trembled, speechless for a moment.

Images of her son flashed through her mind, filling her with guilt and affection, but her words remained defiant. “Divorce is impossible!”

Seeing Qiu Hua’s frustration, she felt vindicated. “If you want to take this to court, fine. But who’s the guilty party here? You kept a mistress during our marriage. The court will side with me.”

At those words, Qiu Hua’s eyes flashed with hatred. Unable to hold back, she shouted, “Wang Ziyan, can you stop being so despicable?”

“Finally speaking your mind, huh?” Wang Ziyan snatched the divorce agreement, tore it in half, and stomped on it for good measure.

Lu Yueming blurted out, “Wang Ziyan, you’re insane!”

“Yes, how did you know I’m sick? My illness is all thanks to you!” Wang Ziyan spat venomously. “Go ahead, say it in front of your son!”

Qiu Hua’s face turned even paler.

Ever since learning that she and Yue Ming weren’t married, Xiao Lu Yu had become rebellious, refusing to listen to anything she said. He fought, skipped school, and even got into brawls right outside their home. During summer break, he came home drunk more than once.

The old Xiao Lu Yu had been obedient, excelling in academics and filial piety, always thinking of her first. Now, she hated Wang Ziyan even more.

“Dragging this out won’t benefit you. You’ve been separated for years already.” Qiu Hua calmed down, her voice icy. “Are you not considering Lu Chi? He’s probably urged you to divorce more than once, hasn’t he?”

Seeing Wang Ziyan’s stunned expression, satisfaction flickered in Qiu Hua’s eyes.

After all these years, she finally felt a sense of relief.

Outside, the sky had grown pitch black, and the snow had stopped.

“I’m home,” Tang Yin’s voice muffled against her scarf.

The lights in her house were already on.

“Mm.” Lu Chi gave a soft reply but didn’t stop walking. They only paused when Tang Yin stood in front of her family’s courtyard gate.

Tang Yin turned around to face Lu Chi.

The light from inside illuminated his face intermittently, each feature flawlessly striking.

Lu Chi handed her the bag of stuffed animals.

Tang Yin accepted it, then leaned closer, tiptoeing to whisper, “Lu Chi, how about letting me kiss you?”

Winter was cold, but Lu Chi’s scarf was still wrapped around Tang Yin’s neck, his warm breath lingering there, dispelling the chill.

The night was dark, moonlight reflecting off the snow, casting a faint glow.

Once shy, twice bold.

Stealing kisses had become second nature to Tang Yin, though this time, doing it in front of her house made her a little nervous.

As soon as she finished speaking, she kept her eyes open, and without warning, brushed her lips against his.

Snowflakes had landed on them, icy and cool, like jelly.

Unable to resist, she licked them slightly.

In just a few seconds, Tang Yin pulled back, grinning widely. Before she could say anything, her shoulders were grabbed, and she was pushed back against the wall.

At the same time, a hand suddenly hooked around her waist, pulling her up. Lu Chi pressed closer, their chests touching.

It all happened in an instant. Tang Yin snapped out of her daze, immediately wrapping her arms around Lu Chi’s neck, her eyes curving into crescents.

The bag of stuffed animals fell to the ground with a soft thud.

Before anything else could happen, faint sounds approached from afar.

“In-Yin?” A handsome male voice called from behind.

Lu Chi watched as Tang Yin quickly turned her head and cheerfully called out, “Brother!”

His body stiffened. He released Tang Yin and took a step back, his ears burning red in the darkness, unnoticed by anyone.

Tang Yun, who had been nearby, eyed them suspiciously and strode forward, stepping into the light. He scrutinized the boy in front of him.

His gaze shifted to his sister, taking in the pile of stuffed animals. His brows furrowed.

Tang Yun asked bluntly, “Who is he?”