Su Wenjun, who had been standing nearby, finally could not hold it in any longer.
“Xiaoxiao, let Tiantian finish speaking first.”
Su Xiao reluctantly shut her mouth, but her eyes were still fixed on Luo Tiantian, as if trying to find the truth on his face.
“He really isn’t dead, and he’s not a wanted criminal either. He’s just a very ordinary person. It’s just that his health isn’t good, so it’s inconvenient for him to go out.”
“What about his ID number? His birthday?”
Luo Tiantian smoothly recited them.
“Now say it backward.”
Su Xiao didn’t believe it.
Helpless, Luo Tiantian could only slowly recite it in reverse from memory.
“You have a photo, right? There must be a photo of him on your phone.”
“Yes… yes, I think so.” Luo Tiantian braced himself and took out his phone.
He opened the photo gallery.
He seemed to have one.
He swiped the screen, pretending to search.
With a swipe of his finger, he landed on a selfie. Su Xiao leaned in to take a look.
It was a photo of himself from more than a year ago, when he was still in high school.
“This is your boyfriend?”
“Yeah… I guess.” Luo Tiantian gave an awkward laugh.
“Pretty average,” Su Xiao commented seriously.
Su Wenjun also saw the photo on the phone, and a vague impression surfaced in her mind.
“It should be him.”
Now the existence of the man was confirmed, but Su Xiao still leaned toward the idea that he was dead.
After all, this was a high school photo.
If he were really her boyfriend, why were there no recent photos?
She had looked through Luo Tiantian’s WeChat Moments. From beginning to end, there wasn’t a single photo of a boyfriend, nor any kind of official announcement.
Come on, what era is this? If you’re dating someone but don’t want to reveal them, is that really a relationship?
That’s someone who wants your money, or just wants you.
They don’t treat the other person as their girlfriend at all. Maybe it’s even worse—they don’t see them as someone to marry. They just treat them as someone to play around with.
And in the end, they go find an honest person to marry.
Su Xiao despised this kind of behavior.
If Luo Tiantian’s boyfriend were still alive, her impression of him would be even worse.
“Tiantian, why would you like someone like that?”
“Tiantian, listen to me.”
Su Xiao pulled her chair closer and leaned in, her expression so serious it was as if she were discussing a major life issue.
“Even if your boyfriend isn’t a wanted criminal, he’s already dead. And even if he’s not… that’s unlikely. Anyway, a man like that isn’t worth you caring so much. Don’t trap yourself in memories of a dead boyfriend, okay?”
“You just recited his ID number so smoothly, even backward.”
“Who would memorize their boyfriend’s ID number backward unless they were thinking about it every day, remembering every day, missing him every day?”
Luo Tiantian felt helpless. “Sis, of course I can recite my own ID number smoothly.”
“Xiaoxiao—” Su Wenjun tried to interrupt from the side.
“Mom, don’t interrupt me.” Su Xiao waved her hand. “I’m helping Tiantian face reality.”
Su Wenjun fell silent.
To be fair, Xiaoxiao’s analysis wasn’t unreasonable.
A living person—her own boyfriend—yet there was no trace of his existence to be found.
Maybe… just maybe… he really was dead?
Unless…
Su Wenjun spoke slowly, “Maybe Tiantian’s boyfriend is an undercover police officer.”
“That makes sense!” Su Xiao’s eyes lit up.
Luo Tiantian: “Huh?”
“Right! He can’t show himself, can’t take photos, can’t post on Moments, and doesn’t even dare go to the hospital. That’s totally the setup of an undercover police officer!”
“Tiantian, is your boyfriend a police officer? Is he on a secret mission?”
Luo Tiantian stood there with his mouth open. The imagination of this pair—mother and daughter—had already broken through the limits of the sky.
And Auntie Su, how did you even come up with that?
Honestly, no wonder they were mother and daughter.
He had absolutely no way to resist them.
Su Xiao lowered her voice, glanced around, and made sure no one was eavesdropping.
“This is a national secret, right? I understand, I understand.”
Luo Tiantian wanted to say: Sis, it’s really not. He’s just an ordinary terminally ill orphan, poor to the point of having nothing, getting bullied by rich girls in games every day.
But seeing Su Xiao’s expression that said “I understand you,” he chose silence.
Silence was golden.
Su Xiao grabbed his hand again. “Don’t worry, I’ll keep your secret for you. If anything happens in the future, just tell me. If you need help taking care of your boyfriend… no, wait, if he’s an undercover officer, he should be pretty capable, so he won’t need my help. Anyway, whatever you need, just tell me.”
Luo Tiantian nodded blankly.
Su Wenjun watched from the side, the corner of her mouth twitching.
Actually, what she had just said was only a wild guess. Things definitely weren’t as Xiaoxiao imagined.
But as a mother, she couldn’t bear to shatter her daughter’s enthusiasm.
And besides…
This child Tiantian really had too many things about her boyfriend that couldn’t be explained clearly.
Forget it. Take it slowly.
“Eat, eat. The food’s getting cold.” She picked up her chopsticks. “Xiaoxiao, stop staring at Tiantian and questioning her. Let her eat properly.”
Only then did Su Xiao let go.
Luo Tiantian lowered his head and ate, with only one thought in mind:
Since things had already come to this, just eat first.
As for what exactly his “boyfriend Luo Tiantian” was, he didn’t want to argue anymore.
If the sky fell, someone taller would hold it up.
Anyway, he wasn’t even five feet three now.
After eating, the three of them walked out of the restaurant.
The night breeze blew past, and Luo Tiantian let out a sigh of relief.
“I’ll walk you back,” Su Xiao said. “Auntie, I’ll head back first.”
“No need, no need.”
“Let’s go, it’s good for digestion.” Su Xiao had already linked arms with her.
Luo Tiantian could only go along with it.
Su Wenjun followed behind, watching the backs of the two girls, a faint smile appearing on her lips.
How nice. Xiaoxiao could be friends with such a kind and lovely child like Tiantian.
By the way, how did she meet Tiantian in the first place?
When they reached the bus stop, the thirty-one bus arrived just in time.
Luo Tiantian quickly got on and waved at them through the window.
Su Xiao stood on the platform and waved back.
After the bus drove away, she turned to look at Su Wenjun.
“Mom…”
“Hm?”
“Do you think Tiantian’s boyfriend is really an undercover officer? I feel like… maybe not.”
“Then what is he?”
“Tiantian must have her own difficulties.” Su Xiao didn’t ask further.
Su Wenjun thought for a moment and shook her head. “It’s someone else’s private matter. I don’t know, but I feel…”
In the rented apartment,
Luo Tiantian collapsed onto the bed, exhausted from being fussed over by Su Xiao, ready to sleep.
His phone vibrated.
System notification: Your assistance target, “King You / King Zhou,” is now online.
Luo Tiantian patted his cheeks.
Log in. Make money.
Putting on the helmet,
He appeared in the Sleeping Palace of Lishan Palace.
A soft couch, gauze curtains, an incense burner.
And Xiao Tao kneeling in the corner.
Seeing Luo Tiantian appear, she ran over joyfully.
“Your Highness, you’re finally here! His Majesty sent people to ask several times just now. He said that if you arrived, you should go find him at the hot spring.”
Luo Tiantian tilted his head.
This late at night, a hot spring?
Well, if it’s a soak, then it’s a soak.
Without another word, he lifted his skirt and ran outside.
Xiao Tao chased after him. “Your Highness, your shoes! You’re not wearing shoes again!”
Luo Tiantian had already run out.
Xiao Tao held his shoes, bringing them close to her nose.
“Your Highness’s feet… smell so nice.”