Chapter 35: Brother, Where Are You?

At 5:10 PM, the Ferris wheel slowly touched the ground.

The door opened, and Shen Qingyue stepped out first, with Lin Mo following behind her.

Under the setting sun, Shen Qingyue stood at the exit and turned around to look at him.

“I’m going back then,” she said softly.

“Should I walk you?”

She shook her head. “No need. The bus goes directly there.”

Shen Qingyue looked at him, remaining silent for a few seconds.

“Lin Mo.”

“Yeah?”

“Today…” She paused, seemingly wanting to say something, but finally, she just curled the corners of her mouth. “Thank you.”

Lin Mo nodded.

Shen Qingyue turned and walked toward the bus station. After a few steps, she stopped and glanced back at him. The light of the setting sun fell upon her as she gave a small wave. Then she turned again and disappeared into the crowd.

Lin Mo stood in place, watching her retreating back.

His phone vibrated. He pulled it out to check.

Su Qing: Brother, I’m home.

Lin Mo froze for a moment.

‘Home?’

He checked the time: 5:15 PM. From Happy Valley to her house? ‘How did she get home so fast?’

He typed:

Lin Mo: That fast?

Sent.

Almost immediately, a reply came back:

Su Qing: Brother, are you not home?

Su Qing: I’m at your door.

Su Qing: I forgot my keys, so I can’t get in.

Su Qing: Where are you?

(°ロ°٥)

Lin Mo stared at the screen, his mind going blank. ‘She’s at my door? Now? And I’m at Happy Valley!!’

“Young man?”

A voice came from beside him. He looked up. It was the clerk from the ice cream shop from earlier, riding past on an electric scooter. Seeing him, the man slowed down and wore a half-smile.

“Brother, still here? Where’s the girl from this afternoon? Did she leave?”

Lin Mo ignored him. He looked down at his phone.

Su Qing: Brother?

Su Qing: Where are you?

Su Qing: It’s a bit cold.

Su Qing: The wind in the hallway is really strong.

Lin Mo took a deep breath and began typing:

Lin Mo: I’m out.

Lin Mo: I just came out to buy some things.

Lin Mo: I’m coming back right now.

Sent.

He turned and bolted.

—

At 5:20 PM, Lin Mo rushed out of Happy Valley and hailed a taxi.

“Driver, Chengnan XX Community, and hurry!”

The driver glanced at him. “Young man, it’s rush hour. Even thirty minutes might not be enough.”

“Take a shortcut! Use the alleys! I’ll pay extra!”

The driver floored it.

In the car, Lin Mo stared at his phone, his heart beating so fast it felt like it would leap out of his chest. Su Qing’s messages kept coming one after another:

Su Qing: It’s so cold, Brother.

Su Qing: What did you go to buy?

Su Qing: Do you want me to come find you?

Su Qing: Which supermarket are you at?

Lin Mo typed frantically:

Lin Mo: Don’t move!

Lin Mo: I’m almost there!

Lin Mo: Just at the convenience store at the community entrance, I’ll be back in a second!

After sending it, he leaned back against the seat and gasped for air.

The driver glanced at him through the rearview mirror. “Young man, in a rush to see your girlfriend?”

Lin Mo didn’t say a word. Only one thought occupied his mind: ‘I must not, under any circumstances, let her know I was at Happy Valley. Absolutely not.’

—

At 5:40 PM, the taxi stopped at the community entrance. Lin Mo tossed a bill to the driver and sprinted out. He ran to the base of his building, took a deep breath, and slowed his pace.

He couldn’t be panting. He couldn’t be sweating. He couldn’t let her notice.

He walked up the stairs.

Third floor.

Around the corner — there was no one there.

Lin Mo froze. He looked around. Su Qing was nowhere to be seen. He pulled out his phone, about to send a message, when the screen lit up.

Su Qing: Brother, where did you go? I walked around the community and couldn’t find you.

Su Qing: Where are you now?

Lin Mo stared at the screen, his mind blank. ‘She isn’t at the door? She’s looking for me in the community?’

He typed quickly:

Lin Mo: I’m at the door.

Lin Mo: Where are you?

Su Qing: Ah? I’m coming back right now!

Su Qing: Don’t move!

—

Ten minutes later.

Lin Mo leaned against the door, waiting. His mind was a mess. She said she was at the door knocking. But when he got back, the hallway was empty. Then she said she was looking for him in the community.

Just as he was thinking, footsteps echoed in the stairwell.

Lin Mo looked up. Su Qing came running around the corner, out of breath. She was wearing that Pikachu Dress, her hair was a bit messy, and there was a fine layer of sweat on her forehead.

The moment she saw him, her eyes lit up.

“Brother!” She ran over and stood before him. “Where were you? I looked for so long!”

Lin Mo looked at her. Her face was slightly flushed from running, and she hadn’t caught her breath yet. The Pikachu on her chest rose and fell with her breathing.

Lin Mo replied with a casual expression, “The convenience store. Damn it, I had to wait in line for a long time.”

Su Qing tilted her head to look at him. “What did you buy?”

Lin Mo hesitated. ‘What did I buy?’ His hands were completely empty.

“…”

“Hmm?” Su Qing blinked.

“I didn’t get it,” Lin Mo said, forcing the lie. “The one I wanted was out of stock.”

Su Qing nodded. “Oh, I see.”

She lowered her head and pulled something out of her pocket. It was a small, transparent bag containing a cartoon-patterned panty — a Pikachu Panty.

“Look.” She held it up and waved it in front of his eyes. “I bought it.”

Lin Mo’s face instantly turned bright red. “W-Why are you showing me this!”

“I just wanted you to see.” Su Qing pulled the bag back and stuffed it into her own bag. “I bought the cartoon style you picked. Do you like it?”

Lin Mo: “…”

“I’m asking you, do you like it?”

“E-Enough already, just open the door and get inside!”

Lin Mo pulled out his keys, his hands shaking slightly. Su Qing stood behind him, watching his frantic movements, the corners of her mouth curling into a faint arc.

The door opened.

Su Qing went in first, changed into slippers, and naturally walked toward the living room.

“Your house is so clean,” she said, looking around. “Is Auntie not here?”

“At work.”

“Oh.” She nodded and sat down on the sofa, then patted the spot beside her. “Brother, come sit.”

Lin Mo stood by the door and didn’t move.

“What’s wrong?” She tilted her head. “Come over here.”

Lin Mo walked over and sat down beside her, maintaining the distance of a single fist. Su Qing glanced at him but said nothing. She took the small bag out and placed it on the coffee table. Then she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder.

“Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“I wandered around alone for a long time this afternoon.”

Lin Mo’s heart tightened.

“It was so boring,” she said softly. “I really wanted someone to accompany me.”

Lin Mo didn’t know what to say.

“But it’s okay.” She lifted her head and looked at him. “You just have to stay with me tonight.”

She moved closer. Very close. So close that Lin Mo could see the curve of her eyelashes.

“Brother.”

“Yeah?”

“Were you… at the convenience store the whole time just now?”

Lin Mo’s heart skipped a beat. He looked into her eyes. They were bright. ‘This isn’t an interrogation… is it? Or a suspicion? Right, right, don’t scare yourself. She’s just asking casually.’

Lin Mo opened his mouth. “Yeah.”

Su Qing looked at him. She watched him for three seconds. Then she smiled.

“That’s good then.”

She rested her head back on his shoulder. “Brother, I’m hungry.”

“What do you want to eat?”

“Anything you make is fine.”

Lin Mo stood up and walked toward the kitchen. Behind him, Su Qing’s voice followed:

“By the way, Brother.”

He turned back. She was sitting on the sofa, holding the small bag and looking at him.

“These panties…” She shook them. “I’ll wear them for you next time.”

(°△°|||)

Lin Mo nearly tripped over the threshold. A burst of goose-like laughter came from behind him.

“*Honk… honk… honk… honkhonk.*”

—

In the kitchen, Lin Mo chopped vegetables, his mind in a total whirl. He started obsessing over her question again.

‘She knows? No, that’s impossible. If she knew, how could she be this calm? But that look in her eyes…’

He took a deep breath and continued chopping.

In the living room, Su Qing sat on the sofa with her phone. On the screen were the photos she had secretly taken this afternoon.

The Ferris wheel. The ice cream shop. The carousel. Every one had two people in it.

She swiped through them one by one. Then she opened the camera and took a photo toward the kitchen. It was Lin Mo’s back, wearing an apron, busy chopping vegetables.

She put this photo together with the messages Lin Mo had sent that afternoon.

[Almost there. Much better, I just need to lie down for a while.]

[Okay, be careful on the road.]

[Waiting in line at the convenience store.]

She stared at the text for a long time. Then her lips curled into an indescribable smile — one that definitely wasn’t born from happiness.

She whispered softly, “Brother, oh Brother. When will you be willing to tell the truth?”

She put her phone away and stood up to walk toward the kitchen.

“Brother, let me help you…”