CHAPTER 18: CHAPTER 18 FOLLOWING BROTHER YANGYANG FOR BENEFITS (PART 1)

Shi Yang’s bicycle was bought by his dad and brought over by car, with a crossbar in front and a bell on the handlebars that rings with just a press.

Shi Yang first lifts Zhao Meimei onto the front beam and then straddles the seat himself.

Squished in front of Shi Yang, Zhao Meimei playfully reaches out to flick the bell.

Ring-ring-ring...

Shi Yang laughs, "Hold on tight!"

Zhao Meimei holds onto the handlebar, her body swaying forward with the bicycle, suddenly jolting back into Shi Yang’s chest.

Zhao Meimei giggles, leaning against Shi Yang, looking up to observe the subtle arch of his Adam’s apple as it moves. She reaches out and touches it, finding it fascinating, and touches it again.

Shi Yang quickly lowers his head and glances at her, "What are you randomly touching?"

Looking at Shi Yang’s thin lips pressed into a line, Zhao Meimei says, "Brother Yangyang, you have a bump on your neck. My dad has one too, and it’s bigger than yours!"

Shi Yang lowers his head, touching Zhao Meimei’s head with his chin, gently rubbing it with evident affection, "That’s called an Adam’s apple!"

Zhao Meimei touches her own neck, "Will I grow one too?"

Shi Yang lightly taps Zhao Meimei’s head with his chin, "Only men grow Adam’s apples."

Zhao Meimei raises her sparse eyebrows, "Why?"

Shi Yang laughs, "No reason, it’s just how nature works."

Zhao Meimei’s little eyes dart around, a mischievous light shining beneath her thin eyelids. She reaches out to touch Shi Yang’s Adam’s apple again.

Shi Yang says, "It tickles, stop touching it all the time."

Zhao Meimei responds, "It feels nice."

Shi Yang says, "Just a couple of times is enough!"

Zhao Meimei says, "I thought it was fun to touch. I wanted to grow one myself, but since nature won’t allow it, I can only touch yours."

"... You little fool!"

Shi Yang looks down at Zhao Meimei’s upturned face and bursts out laughing, revealing a set of white teeth. His features are strong, with a high nose bridge, and when he smiles, his mouth curls into a charming arc, looking dazzlingly handsome in the sunlight.

Halfway down the road with Zhao Meimei, Shi Yang encounters Liu Xiue hurrying to school.

With sharp eyes, Zhao Meimei spots her mom first and hurriedly shouts, "Mom!"

Liu Xiue is pedaling a borrowed bicycle frantically when she hears Zhao Meimei’s voice. She quickly turns to look, seeing her precious daughter sitting on Shi Yang’s bicycle, grinning and waving at her.

Shi Yang stops the bicycle, one foot on the pedal, the other on the ground, waiting for Liu Xiue to turn around.

Excited to see her mom, Zhao Meimei yells, "Mom, why are you only coming to pick me up now?"

Liu Xiue catches up and stands her bicycle next to Shi Yang’s, "This time around lunchtime is when I’m busiest selling goods. It was really hard to carve out time to come over."

Liu Xiue looks at Shi Yang, "Yangyang, did you specifically go to pick up Meimei?"

Shi Yang smiles, "We finished exams today, and I thought since I had time, I might as well swing by Meimei’s school."

Liu Xiue smiles gratefully, "I was worried about being late, afraid Meimei would get anxious waiting."

Shi Yang adjusts the handlebars, "It’s okay, I’m on the way anyway. If you ever can’t make it on time, just let me know, I can pick up Meimei."

Liu Xiue calls Zhao Meimei, "Meimei, come over to Mom, I’ll give you a ride. It’s tiring for Brother Yangyang, let him take a break."

Zhao Meimei doesn’t want to move. Her mom’s borrowed bike has no crossbar; it’s a women’s bike. If she moves, she’d have to sit in the back seat, missing the breeze and the view ahead.

"I’m so skinny, not heavy at all, right, Brother Yangyang?" At a critical moment, Zhao Meimei pulls her Brother Yangyang in to shield her.

Shi Yang nods cooperatively, "Yeah, she’s quite light. Let Meimei stay with me."

Liu Xiue gives Zhao Meimei a glare but doesn’t insist.

Shi Yang rides alongside Liu Xiue.

Shi Yang asks Liu Xiue, "Auntie, which school is Meimei enrolling in for primary?"

Liu Xiue is currently anxious about this. Various primary schools have started enrollment, and Zhao Dazhuang has been busy gathering information for the past two weeks.

There’s only a couple of well-known schools in the city. The best one is out of reach without connections, and the other is a factory-affiliated school, offering both primary and secondary education. Not only is the teaching quality good, but it also provides a seamless transition to secondary school, with graduating classes reportedly excelling.

Shi Yang attended the affiliated school, and Liu Xiue looks at his summer school uniform with envy.

Liu Xiue says, "Meimei’s dad and I plan for her to attend the primary school affiliated with your secondary school."

Shi Yang’s eyes light up, "Really? That’s great. If Meimei attends Sixth Elementary, she could come to and from school with me since our school’s elementary and junior high share a campus."

"Really?" Liu Xiue hadn’t thought about this. If Zhao Meimei could attend Sixth Elementary and go to and from school with Shi Yang, she and Meimei’s dad wouldn’t have to worry about pick-up and drop-off during normal times.

Liu Xiue beams, "That would be great, but Meimei’s dad said it’s not easy. Sixth Elementary is a factory-affiliated school, only admitting children of employees from their own factory. We don’t have any ties. Meimei’s dad is currently asking his factory leaders for help."

Shi Yang casually adds, "If it really doesn’t work out, just let me know, and I’ll help think of a way."

Liu Xiue doesn’t take Shi Yang’s words seriously. To her, Shi Yang is just a middle school student, what can he possibly do?

Shi Yang’s mother is a housewife. Besides doing house chores and watching TV, she visits the store to chat with people.

Liu Xiue only knows Shi Yang’s family is well-off but never inquired about their connections.

They arrive in front of Liu Xiue’s grocery store.

Liu Xiue asks Zhao Meimei to get off the bicycle.

Shi Yang, with long legs, steadies the bicycle, "Auntie, let Meimei come to my house for dinner. We have a whole roast lamb packed from the restaurant, and I wanted to invite Meimei over to try it."

Upon hearing about the food, Zhao Meimei hurriedly clings to her Brother Yangyang’s arm, waving at her mom, "Mom, you go home yourself. I’ll go with Brother Yangyang."

Liu Xiue, both amused and resigned, points at Zhao Meimei from a distance, "This child, only cares about food!"

Shi Yang bids Liu Xiue farewell, carrying Zhao Meimei home.

Liu Xiue calls after them, "Meimei, come back after eating! I want to take you for a bath this afternoon!"

As soon as Zhao Meimei hears about the bath, she quickly squeezes a shout to her mom from under Shi Yang’s arm, "Okay, wait for me a bit. I’ll come back after eating!"

Shi Yang laughs, "Do you love baths that much?"

Zhao Meimei giggles, "Playing in the bathhouse with all the steam is fun. But my mom scrubs too hard; every time it feels like it might kill me. My dad says after a bath, it’s like I shed a layer of skin!"

Shi Yang laughs, pressing his chin lightly on Zhao Meimei’s head, gently rubbing it.