Chen Huaixiao carried Bai Yin back to the old house courtyard and instructed her to brew some tea to let it cool. After the tea had cooled for about forty minutes, he soaked the silk handkerchief in the warm tea.
It was evident that after soaking, the oil stains on the handkerchief had been broken down by the tea and were barely visible anymore.
Bai Yin looked at the handkerchief in astonishment and exclaimed, "Amazing!"
Chen Huaixiao explained, "Oil stains are alkane organic compounds. Tea contains caffeine, which has degreasing properties and works very well to remove oil stains."
Hearing his explanation, Bai Yin's eyes were filled with undisguised admiration as she said, "Big brother, you're so amazing!"
Chen Huaixiao didn't boast about it and said plainly, "I just searched it online."
After Bai Yin dried the handkerchief, she laughed and turned around, "But it's still amazing that big brother even knows how to search online."
He reached out and ruffled the young girl's head, "If you don't know how to flatter someone, you can just keep quiet."
"I'm not flattering you, I'm telling the truth - big brother is really amazing," Bai Yin said righteously, "Big brother, you should be more willing to recognize your own excellence."
Her words really amused Chen Huaixiao.
He had never thought of himself as someone who liked to hear flattering words, yet everything this young girl said seemed to touch his heart.
Even nonsensical flattery could delight him.
"Oh, that's right, big brother!"
Bai Yin suddenly remembered something. She hurriedly took out her English exam paper from her canvas bag and presented it to Chen Huaixiao, "Look, I got 124 on my English test last week!"
Chen Huaixiao took the exam paper and flipped through both sides, then asked in response, "You got such a bad score?"
Bai Yin was taken aback, thinking Chen Huaixiao had misunderstood: "No...the total score was 150, and I got 124."
Was that...really bad?
However, Chen Huaixiao's eyes told her that it was indeed very bad.
"Big brother, the full score was 150!"
"Exactly, the full score was 150. Why didn't you get 140?"
"......" Bai Yin felt he was just nitpicking. She immediately retorted, "For a 150-point English exam, could you get 140?"
"I couldn't."
"Then what are you saying?"
"I usually score 149. The teacher deducts 1 point because he's afraid I'll become arrogant."
"......"
Bai Yin was rendered speechless, completely speechless.
She shouldn't use a normal person's perspective to measure the man before her.
"Forget it, I'm going back to study," Bai Yin said dejectedly as she turned around to go back to the yard and took out her English textbook, preparing to continue working hard.
Chen Huaixiao came up to her with a hint of a smile at the corner of his mouth, "Although you got a bad score, it's still a little better than last time."
The young girl pouted her lips, ignoring him.
Chen Huaixiao put his arm around her shoulders. His ring finger hooked a light green satin hair ribbon, dangling it in front of her eyes, "Want a reward?"
Bai Yin looked at the ribbon on his fingertips, her eyes lighting up with joy, "For me?!"
She reached out to take it, but Chen Huaixiao retracted his hand. Then he directly grabbed her braid, swiftly undoing her hair tie in three moves. He tied the satin ribbon at the end of her braid.
After finishing, Chen Huaixiao tossed her braid back over her shoulder, "Not bad, green looks good on you."
Bai Yin touched the light green satin hair ribbon, glancing at him again.
Sunlight shone on his chiseled face, handsome yet with an arrogant aggressiveness.
The summer breeze blew Bai Yin's hair by her ears. Her pounding heart reminded her -
She was done for.
...
She ignored Chen Huaixiao again and turned around to sit at the small wooden table to do her homework. Chen Huaixiao leaned against the black tile and white wall, looking at his phone.
His roommates in the dorm chat group were discussing going out to play mystery games, escape rooms, and other activities but didn't have enough people. So they @'ed Chen Huaixiao.
Chen Huaixiao: "Can't make it."
Qiao Yan: "He rushed out on his beloved motorbike right after class on Friday. Left the campus belle waiting forlornly at the dorm building for a long time. Missed the chance for a dramatic confession scene. What a pity."
Liu Su Yu: "Gege, you went into town again?"
Chen Huaixiao: "Yeah, grandfather's orders."
Liu Su Yu: "Your grandfather makes you go into town every other day. Don't tell me he's looking for a daughter-in-law for you?"
Chen Huaixiao glanced at Bai Yin, who was focused on doing homework.
The young girl's back was slender and petite, with a simple heart.
He didn't have any intentions toward her and just treated her like a neighbor's little sister.
Chen Huaixiao: "I'm really bringing a kid in town. Can't make it, you guys have fun."
Qiao Yan: "No wonder I saw you stop by the jewelry store on your way out the campus gate today, something you never do. Hehehe."
Liu Su Yu: "What's there to miss? Just bring your wife along to play with us. We're short on people for our team anyway."
Chen Huaixiao: "Piss off."
Qiao Yan: "@Liu Su Yu, don't randomly talk about wife this or that. @Chen Huaixiao, Lord Chen, he just means bring the kid from your family. Entertainment plus childcare, win-win!"
Chen Huaixiao was about to refuse outright but glanced again at Bai Yin diligently doing homework. He softly asked, "Hey, have you played board games before?"
Bai Yin looked back at him blankly, "Huh?"
Seeing she had not, Chen Huaixiao asked again, "How long has it been since you went to the provincial capital?"
Bai Yin counted on her fingers carefully, then answered, "Several years now. The last time was...I think when I graduated elementary school."
"......"
Liu Su Yu: "@Chen Huaixiao, come quickly, we're just waiting for you!"
Chen Huaixiao walked over to Bai Yin and flipped through her notebook, "How much homework do you have left?"
"Just one more math worksheet, then I'll be done!" Bai Yin beamed, "I do problems really fast!"
"Bring your worksheet. I'll take you into the city to play."
"Huh?" Bai Yin was amazed, "Go into the city, you mean..."
"Nancheng - where I go to university. A few friends want to get together for a mystery game night but we're short on people. I'll bring you to make up the numbers."
Bai Yin didn't fully understand what he was saying. She just knew it was about making up numbers for something. "But I don't know how to play."
"I'll be with you."
Seeing he was about to leave, Bai Yin hesitated for a moment before asking tentatively, "Um, I'll let my grandma know first and see if she agrees."
With that, she hurried inside and upstairs.
Chen Huaixiao leisurely followed behind her up the old wooden stairs. He saw Granny Bai sitting in a reclining chair on the second floor balcony, wearing thick glasses and holding Bai Yin's embroidery design as she scrutinized it closely.
"Grandma, don't strain your eyes. The doctor said not to use your eyes too much. Why don't you listen?" Bai Yin said worriedly as she took the embroidery from her.
"I can hardly see anything anyway, it's all the same," Granny Bai said. She took off her glasses and looked at Chen Huaixiao behind Bai Yin, "Little Huaixiao is here too. Stay for dinner later."
"No need, thank you Granny Bai."
Bai Yin actually really wanted to go out and play with Chen Huaixiao, but she was worried her grandma wouldn't agree. She carefully broached the topic, "Grandma, I just have a little bit of homework left to finish."
"Mm, be careful with your eyes. Turn on the lights when it gets dark."
"Yes, um, I was thinking of going out to play a bit with Brother Huaixiao. Is that okay?"
"Go ahead, why are you asking me?"
"Not into town, but to...to..."
Seeing her stuttering and mumbling hesitantly, Chen Huaixiao simply explained on her behalf, "Granny Bai, I'd like to take Yinyin to Nancheng to play for a bit, together with some friends - watch a movie and such. I'll definitely bring her back safe and sound."
"Go to Nancheng?" Grandma hesitated a little, looking outside at the darkening sky, "It's this late already. The sky is almost dark."
"Just a half hour drive, not far. Leave her to me, don't worry."
Granny Bai knew he was a very responsible boy who would never let Bai Yin be in any danger. She was just worried, as grandparents tend to be, and hadn't given her consent.
Bai Yin grabbed her grandma's sleeve, her face full of hopeful anticipation mixed with apprehension, afraid her grandma would refuse.
She really, really wanted to go out and play with Brother Chen Huaixiao.
"Grandma...I'll finish my homework soon. I can do it tomorrow too." She pleaded softly, "I haven't gone into the city for so many years..."
Granny Bai dearly loved Bai Yin. She knew that apart from studying and dancing, and embroidery at times, the child had no time for entertainment with others her age.
Now there was a big brother taking her out to play for a bit, which was a good thing after all.
"Alright, you go. But you must listen to Brother Huaixiao and don't go running around!"
Having said that, she took out her own embroidered handkerchief and retrieved a crumpled fifty yuan note from inside, handing it to Bai Yin, "Buy whatever you want with this."
Bai Yin knew her grandma didn't want her spending Chen Huaixiao's money, but looking at the crumpled note, she couldn't bring herself to take it no matter what.
Their family was not well off to begin with. How could she take this money and go out to play?
"Grandma, I...I won't buy anything. I don't need it, I have everything I need."
"Take it! Take it quickly!" Grandma stuffed the money into Bai Yin's bag, "You can't go out without spending money."
Bai Yin had no choice but to accept the money. After thinking for a moment, she turned to Chen Huaixiao dejectedly, "Brother, I'm not...not going anymore. You go have fun with your friends. I need to do my homework."
Chen Huaixiao of course understood what was on Bai Yin's mind. Seeing her dejected expression, he felt a little uncomfortable in his heart for some reason. He took the money from Grandma and put it in his own bag, "Granny Bai, I'll take care of her, don't worry."
"Alright, alright."
After saying this, he pulled Bai Yin downstairs with him.
"I'm really not going, brother. I'm not going anymore." Bai Yin's cheeks flushed as she struggled free of his hand, "You go by yourself."
Chen Huaixiao took out the money from his pocket and tucked it into the small sling bag at Bai Yin's side, "We won't spend money playing games. I promise you'll bring back this fifty yuan just as it is. When we get back, you can secretly put the money back into Granny Bai's pocket without her noticing."
"You really won't spend money? That...that board game you mentioned, it's free?"
Chen Huaixiao smiled lightly, "My friend is short on players. Of course he'll treat us. It's all covered."
She was still hesitant, "Is that okay?"
"Let's go."
He gently and steadily put the black safety helmet hanging from the motorbike onto Bai Yin's head, then put on his own goggles and straddled the bike.
Bai Yin grabbed his sleeve and sat steadily on the motorbike, "Go slowly, brother."
"Alright."
Before his voice faded, Chen Huaixiao revved up the motorbike and sped off with a roar.
The inertia made Bai Yin reflexively hug him tightly.
