Chapter 31: Flying Kick!

The cool breeze of a summer night carried a slight chill, abruptly tearing Zhu Niao out of her warm sleep.

In her pocket were two crumpled amusement park tickets.

When Gou Yu looked her way earlier, she’d reflexively balled them up and shoved them into her pocket. He might have seen them, but he hadn’t asked any questions.

Now that she thought things through, it was all pretty easy to figure out.

First of all, the manager lady clearly believed that she and the “discount older brother” had reached a certain stage of familiarity.

Given that, it was only natural for Gou Yu—unable to find her at the time she should’ve gotten off work and come home—to head to her workplace to pick her up.

Clearly, the manager had grown uneasy about her relationship with her convenient brother, so she straightforwardly handed over two amusement park tickets to push her into going on a date… with someone she hadn’t even met yet.

Not only had they never met—Zhu Niao didn’t even have the guy’s contact information.

The cold wind blew through her long hair as the electric scooter zipped through the streets. With no sense of security and nothing to brace herself against, Zhu Niao held tightly onto the corner of Gou Yu’s shirt as he drove.

Riding a scooter at night with a good bro was actually pretty nice—they could talk about anything and everything, and no traffic cops had stopped them for not wearing helmets.

But Gou Yu was more concerned about Zhu Niao’s mood.

He’d noticed that ever since she saw him after work, the little thing sitting behind him hadn’t cracked a single smile.

He couldn’t figure out what was wrong. He clearly remembered asking his good little sister not to tell Zhu Niao about his identity, but judging by her current attitude, he had to wonder if his sister had let something slip.

“Did she bully you or say something weird?” Gou Yu asked, frowning, trying to catch a glimpse of her expression in the rearview mirror.

Unfortunately, it was too dark to see anything clearly.

“Old Dog…” Zhu Niao was silent for a moment, then gripped his shirt a little tighter. “Are you free tomorrow?”

“Me?”

Gou Yu tensed immediately. Even when he pulled the scooter up to the front of their house, he didn’t dare move.

His back was stiff, and he didn’t even dare to turn around to look at her.

What if Zhu Niao was upset because she’d found out his identity?

After all, he had been hiding it from her this whole time. That was a kind of deception, wasn’t it?

Even now, Zhu Niao still thought the two of them were the same kind of person.

Then he heard some rustling—the sound of Zhu Niao slowly climbing off the back seat.

He also heard her confused voice: “Why are you just standing there?”

The refreshing summer night breeze, tinged with a slight chill, abruptly cut off Zhu Niao’s dreams and warmth.

Crumpled in her pocket were two amusement park tickets.

When Gou Yu looked over earlier, she had instinctively balled them up and shoved them into her pocket. Maybe he saw them—but he hadn’t asked anything.

Now, after sorting through the situation carefully, everything became clear.

First of all, the store manager clearly believed she and that so-called older brother of hers had reached a certain level of relationship.

Given that, when Gou Yu couldn’t find her after work at the usual time, he’d come all the way to her part-time job to pick her up.

Obviously, the store manager was beginning to feel uneasy about her and her “older brother,” and straightforwardly handed over two amusement park tickets—hoping she and the person she hadn’t even met yet would go on a date.

Not only had she not met him, Zhu Niao didn’t even have his contact info.

The cold wind scattered her long hair. The electric scooter sped through the streets, and with nothing to hold onto for balance or safety, Zhu Niao clutched the corner of Gou Yu’s shirt as he drove.

Riding an electric scooter at night with your best bro was actually quite nice. They could talk about anything, and there were no traffic cops stopping them for not wearing helmets.

But what Gou Yu cared more about was Zhu Niao’s mood.

He’d noticed that ever since she saw him after work, she hadn’t shown a pleasant expression even once.

Gou Yu couldn’t figure out what had happened. He distinctly remembered asking his good little sister not to reveal his identity to Zhu Niao. But the way Zhu Niao was acting now made him suspect that maybe she’d let something slip.

“Did she bully you? Say something to upset you?” Gou Yu frowned, trying to glance at Zhu Niao’s expression through the rearview mirror.

But it was too dark to see clearly.

“Old Gou…” Zhu Niao was silent for a moment. Her hands tightened slightly on the back of his shirt. “Are you free tomorrow?”

“Me?”

Gou Yu suddenly got nervous. Even when he reached their doorstep and stopped the scooter, he didn’t dare move.

His whole body stiffened. He didn’t even dare turn around to look at her.

What if she was angry after learning his identity?

After all, he had been keeping it from her. That was a kind of deception, wasn’t it?

Up till now, Zhu Niao still believed the two of them were the same kind of person.

He heard a rustling sound—Zhu Niao was slowly getting off the back seat.

And then he heard her ask, “Why are you just sitting there?”

“Ah, right, right…” Gou Yu quickly replied. “I’m free! Of course I’m free!”

“I’m asking why you’re still sitting on the scooter seat. We’re home, aren’t we?” Zhu Niao raised an eyebrow. “What, did your hemorrhoids get stuck? Planning to sleep with the scooter tonight?”

“Your mouth is way too sharp,” Gou Yu muttered, getting off and turning around. But her expression looked more or less normal.

He let out a breath of relief.

Maybe his good little sister hadn’t spilled anything after all.

“The manager told me something,” Zhu Niao said plainly.

A bitter smile tugged at Gou Yu’s lips.

So much for that. He couldn’t escape it after all.

The leaves beside them rustled in the breeze. The young girl, graceful and upright, placed her folded hands on the front of her skirt.

She stood under the streetlight. The warm, yellow glow drew in swarming bugs that circled endlessly, forming a dotted halo of light.

Her unnatural expression led to averted eyes, and her flustered heart tugged her hands into a nervous tangle.

The girl’s eyes were fixed on the boy’s shirt hem and pant cuffs—anywhere but his face.

Like an angel who’d accidentally fallen into the mortal world and, by sheer coincidence, glanced in his direction.

“If you’re free tomorrow… want to go to the amusement park with me?”

She even took out the two tickets—one blue, one pink, clearly a couples set.

And just as she spoke—

Thud! Gou Yu dropped to his knees before Zhu Niao.

“I’m sorry, Little Bird! I shouldn’t have kept it from you!”

They spoke almost at the same time.

From his kneeling position, Gou Yu could clearly see Zhu Niao’s expression, even with her head lowered. It definitely didn’t look like anger or sadness.

Maybe he’d misunderstood something.

“Ahaha…” Gou Yu started to get up, brushing nonexistent dust off his sleeves while laughing awkwardly. He smoothly took the tickets from her hand. “So we’re going to the amusement park? Of course I’m free!”

“You hold it right there.” Zhu Niao smiled darkly and pressed down on Gou Yu’s shoulder, locking him into a one-knee kneel. “What was that you just said about hiding something from me?”

Actually, Zhu Niao’s thinking was very simple.

Since the manager wanted her to go to the amusement park, then she’d go.

There was no way she was going to find some random “older brother” she’d never even met to go on a date for the sake of work.

Three thousand a month and they expect her to sell her body and soul?

“Ah, got it, got it…” Gou Yu quickly responded. “I’m free, of course I’m free.”

“I said, why are you still sitting on the e-bike? Haven’t we arrived?” Zhu Niao raised an eyebrow. “Did your hemorrhoids get stuck to the seat or something? Planning to sleep with the bike tonight?”

“Your mouth really is too sharp sometimes.” Gou Yu got off and turned around, seeing Zhu Niao with her usual expression.

He suddenly relaxed.

Maybe his dear little sister hadn’t actually let anything slip?

“The manager told me something,” Zhu Niao said plainly.

A bitter smile tugged at Gou Yu’s lips.

So, in the end, there was no escaping it.

The leaves rustled softly in the evening breeze. The graceful girl stood with her hands folded over her skirt.

Under the streetlamp, the yellowish light attracted a circle of fluttering bugs, forming a halo of shimmering points.

Her uneasy expression translated into averted eyes and nervous fingers. Her gaze lingered on the boy’s jacket hem and pants cuffs, but she dared not look at his face.

Like an angel who’d accidentally fallen to earth, casting a glance without meaning to.

“If you’re free tomorrow… want to go to the amusement park with me?”

She even pulled out the two tickets, one blue and one pink—apparently a couples’ pair.

Just as she spoke, Gou Yu dropped to his knees before her with a thud.

“I’m sorry, Niao! I shouldn’t have hidden it from you!”

The two sentences happened nearly simultaneously.

Kneeling as he was, Gou Yu could clearly see Zhu Niao’s lowered face—and she didn’t look particularly angry or upset.

It seemed like… maybe he’d misunderstood something?

“Ahaha…” Gou Yu tried to get up from the ground, laughing awkwardly while brushing off imaginary dust from his sleeves. He smoothly took the tickets from Zhu Niao’s hand. “So it was the amusement park! Of course I’m free.”

“Hold it right there.” Zhu Niao smiled sweetly as her face darkened. She pressed down on Gou Yu’s shoulder, locking him in place mid-kneel. “What was that about hiding something from me?”

Actually, Zhu Niao’s thinking was simple.

Since the manager wanted her to go to the amusement park, then she’d go.

She wasn’t about to go meet some mysterious ‘older brother’ for a fake date just to keep this job.

Three thousand a month, and they expected her to sell both body and soul?

Even if she knew she could probably get more if she actually went through with it, that just wasn’t who she was.

Tomorrow, she was going to drag Gou Yu to the amusement park and explain everything clearly in front of the manager.

She had felt a little guilty about pulling Gou Yu in to cover for her again—but unexpectedly, this time it seemed to have flushed out something else.

“Explain yourself. What exactly have you been hiding from me?” Zhu Niao leaned in with a gentle yet ominous smile.

“Ahaha…” Gou Yu scratched his head.

He knew that trying to lie now wouldn’t get him anywhere.

So…

“Actually, my family’s super rich. You know those stretch limos? I used to use those as bumper cars when I was little.”

Gou Yu said it with a completely straight face.

Zhu Niao suddenly laughed, looking like she’d figured it all out. “Next time you get heatstroke while delivering food, just say so earlier. It’s summer—you’ve clearly fried your brain.”

“I’m serious.” Gou Yu insisted.

“Okay, okay. Totally serious.” Zhu Niao humored him like one would a toddler.

See? When lying’s no use, you might as well try telling the truth.

The sound of footsteps made both Zhu Niao and Gou Yu turn their heads.

They saw an elderly couple out for an evening stroll.

“Ah, youth… so full of life. Didn’t I woo you just like this back then?” the old man commented perfectly on cue.

His nostalgic sigh made Zhu Niao suddenly aware of their pose.

Gou Yu was kneeling on one knee in front of her. She was leaning in, speaking softly into his ear. With the warm streetlight casting its glow…

It really did create a strangely romantic atmosphere.

“Young man, treat her well,” the old lady added, dragging the old man away hurriedly—clearly intent on giving the “young couple” some privacy.

Gou Yu looked up and was met with Zhu Niao’s furious glare.

Honestly, it was more cute and fierce than truly scary.

“This is all your fault!”

And with that, she kicked him in the butt.

But she lost her balance—so both of them ended up tumbling to the ground under the streetlamp.