Chapter 133: Lin Xi, Follow Me

Early morning, the fog was thick. The windows in the corridor were left open, and the draft swept through, making Lin Xi shiver slightly at her shoulders.

She glanced down at the time—six ten.

Standing hesitantly outside Qin Yu’s door, she finally knocked. “Third Brother.”

“Third Brother?”

It seemed he wasn’t home again.

Lin Xi frowned. Could he be out buying breakfast at this hour again?

She pulled out her phone and called Qin Yu. After two rings, he answered.

“Third Brother, you’re not home?”

“You’re up this early?”

Both their voices spoke simultaneously.

Lin Xi was momentarily stunned, then replied, “I got up around five. Are you outside now?”

“Yeah.” Qin Yu hadn’t expected her to be awake so early. He was still driving and glanced at the time. “I’ll be downstairs in about ten minutes.”

“Okay, I’ll come down and wait for you.”

“No need. It’s cold outside. Wait for me upstairs. I’ve called you.”

At the end, he reminded her, “Wear a thicker coat when you come down.”

“Okay.”

—

Back in her room, with nothing else to do, Lin Xi tidied the bouquet once more.

Lin Chen didn’t have many favorite flowers, but there were plenty he disliked.

He didn’t like pale colors.

He preferred something more vibrant.

Lin Xi picked and chose carefully, ultimately deciding against white chrysanthemums and opting for a more colorful bouquet.

Though a bit unconventional, it was what her brother liked.

Qin Yu had said ten minutes, but when he called, only five or six minutes had passed.

“Do you have a lot of stuff? Last time I picked you up,” Qin Yu said, not so much asking as informing.

Lin Xi didn’t let him come up. “Not much. I can carry it down myself.”

Afraid Qin Yu might object, Lin Xi hung up the phone directly, clutching the flowers in one hand and a bag in the other as she hurried downstairs.

Qin Yu’s car was parked below. Since they were going to see Lin Chen today, Qin Yu was driving himself, not calling the driver.

Lin Xi placed her things on the back seat and then circled around to sit in the front.

As the car pulled out of the neighborhood, Lin Xi suddenly asked, “Do we have to leave so early?”

She wanted to arrive early, of course, but only now realized it was even earlier than the time set by her second brother.

Qin Yu kept his eyes on the road. “First, let’s grab something to eat.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xi nodded. After breakfast, the timing would be just right.

—

“Third Brother, where did you go so early?”

“To buy sugar pancakes.”

“...” Lin Xi was speechless, staring at him in surprise. “You really found them?”

Qin Yu hadn’t mentioned it these past few days, so she assumed he hadn’t found the place and didn’t dare ask.

No need to trouble him.

Qin Yu hummed softly, his tone light. “Found it yesterday afternoon.”

“Then why didn’t you call me along?”

“I didn’t expect you’d be up this early.”

He said this with a hint of meaning.

Lin Xi was speechless.

She couldn’t blame Qin Yu. On the way home last night, she had vomited once, which had frightened him enough to insist on taking her to the hospital.

She had insisted on going back to sleep, and only then did he relent.

Thankfully, she hadn’t vomited again but still felt quite unwell.

She vaguely remembered Qin Yu staying by her side late into the night but couldn’t recall the exact time.

She trusted him completely; she had fallen asleep before he left.

So she didn’t remember anything after that.

Thinking of this, Lin Xi cautiously asked, “Third Brother, you went to bed very late last night, right?”

“Yeah. Three a.m.” Knowing what she wanted to ask, Qin Yu kindly gave her the answer directly.

“Then you didn’t sleep much either. Want me to drive later?”

She had already gotten her driver’s license, though she hadn’t chosen a car yet. She wasn’t interested in that at all and had left it to Bai Xu.

“This road you’re not familiar with. You can’t drive it,” Qin Yu said, not giving her the chance to show off.

“Oh.” Lin Xi responded. Noticing her disappointment, after a moment, the man added, “You drive on the way back. Follow Cheng Si and the others’ car.”

With them leading the way, Qin Yu felt at ease.

“Okay.” Lin Xi finally relaxed.

Her heart was both nervous and expectant.

After breakfast, Lin Xi and Qin Yu set off.

Along the way, Lin Xi received a voice call from Cheng Si, made through their WeChat group. Soon after, her second brother came online.

Bai Xu and her second brother were in the same car; Bai Xu was driving, just like Qin Yu.

Lin Xi put the call on speaker for Qin Yu’s convenience.

“Sis, which route are you taking? Damn, it’s a bit congested here.”

Lin Xi quickly shared her location to make it easier for Cheng Si to see.

Bai Xu said, “Cheng Si, are you out of your mind? Why take Chang’an Avenue at this time? Who else would cause a jam if not you?”

Soon, the two started exchanging insults over the phone, with faint background sounds of her second brother trying to mediate.

Lin Xi couldn’t help but laugh softly.

“I suddenly remembered, we had a similar situation when we went out for spring outing before.”

Upon hearing this, Qin Yu quickly understood what she meant.

Cheng Si never looked at navigation while driving. Whether on familiar or unfamiliar roads, he just didn’t.

His style was purely casual.

Previously, when he led the way for their outing, they had planned to bike to the park for a picnic, but because Cheng Si took the wrong route, the picnic was ruined.

“Fourth Brother, at least check the navigation,” Lin Xi interrupted their bickering helplessly.

Cheng Si remained confidently dismissive. “No need, no need. I know this road.”

“You know my foot,” Bai Xu retorted.

—

They had thought Cheng Si would be the last to arrive, but when Lin Xi and Qin Yu reached the place, Cheng Si’s car was already parked at the entrance.

Lin Xi got out and saw Cheng Si waving to her from inside.

“Fourth Brother, how did you get here so fast?”

“I told you, I know this road,” Cheng Si chuckled smugly.

The last to arrive were Bai Xu and her second brother.

As soon as Bai Xu appeared, Cheng Si couldn’t resist teasing him and even reminded Zhou Jingheng, “Later, Second Brother, you ride with me.”

“Enough, enough,” Zhou Jingheng smiled helplessly as they were about to bicker again. “You two still act like children.”

Years had passed without any change.

“No more fighting. Quiet down.”

Zhou Jingheng reminded them this was not the place for noise.

The last time they all came here was when Lin Chen had just left. Back then, the group had ended their gathering on a sour note.

Lin Xi never imagined this day would come.

She stood behind Qin Yu, head lowered, eyes fixed on her shoes, her steps slow.

Unconsciously, she had fallen to the back of the group.

No one knew how fast her heart was pounding.

Suddenly, someone stretched out a hand behind her.

Lin Xi paused mid-step.

She quietly watched his hand, hesitating to move. He didn’t withdraw it.

After a silent internal struggle, Lin Xi slowly raised her hand and placed it in Qin Yu’s palm.

“Lin Xi, keep up,” he said.