What’s it like to feel like a thief in your own home?
At noon, while having dinner, Li Mo lowered his head and picked at the rice grains. He felt that something was off with his father. It had only been a few days since he returned home, but his father’s affection seemed to have vanished too quickly.
“Is this just my imagination?”
Li Mo moved his chair slightly, getting closer to Bing Tuozi.
Hmm?
Old Li and his beloved wife Xueqin’s eyes twitched, and their gaze immediately turned scrutinizing.
???
Little Li was completely puzzled. He knew love could disappear, but it shouldn’t make them look at their own son as if he were a thief.
Did something happen?
Coincidentally, Ying Bing at this moment habitually used his cup to drink some water, bit on a chopstick, and then served him a dish.
Thankfully, those fragrant lips stopped short of saying ‘stinky brother’ or ‘childish ghost.’
“Li Mo, eat.”
Father and mother: “?”
“!!!”
Little Li leaned back tactically.
What’s up with their gazes? Is there a little fire burning in there? Staring so intently is more oppressive than the sun’s projection.
That’s what you call bloodline oppression.
So, Li Mo quickly finished his meal. He couldn’t stay in this house anymore.
“Where do you plan to go?”
“Just, go out for a walk. Me and Bing Tuozi haven’t been home in a long time, let’s take a look around.”
“Go ahead, come back before dinner.”
Watching Li Mo and Ying Bing leave together.
The couple exchanged glances, seeing the caution in each other’s eyes.
Xiao Bing’er drinking from someone else’s cup?
Using her own chopsticks to serve others??
Nine parts out of ten are not right!
Li Dalong looked very serious: “My intuition was right. These two kids are different compared to when they last came back.”
“They’ve grown up together since childhood, these things aren’t much.”
Gu Xueqin couldn’t adapt to it yet.
“You forgot, when they went to the Qingyuan Sect, they couldn’t even say a word to each other for half a day.”
“Hmph, this stinky kid even kept it from his own mother.”
“Tonight we’ll check his room. If he’s not there, we’ll have to light incense at the Ying family’s old residence.”
…
On the other side.
After Li Mo walked out of Li Mansion’s street, he finally relaxed. He and Ying Bing strolled down the street.
Winter had set in, and the sun seemed to have lost its warmth, but the streets were bustling with activity. Many people were using carriages to transport goods, some even beating drums and setting off firecrackers to welcome back distant relatives.
The smell of the festive season was already in the air.
“Why did my birthday always coincide with the festival?”
Li Mo recalled that every year on his birthday, he would encounter the festival.
As a result, everyone in the family prioritized the festival over his birthday.
Ying Bing looked at the bustling street, involuntarily pursing her lips and lowering her gaze.
She actually didn’t like the festival.
“At that time, I’ll celebrate your birthday for you.”
“!”
Little Li was stunned, staring blankly at her. Even though it was noisy all around, he felt an unusual silence.
“Let’s go.” Ying Bing turned her face.
Thus, the two of them wandered through the streets of Qinghe County where they grew up, moving from the hustle and bustle to the quiet. Gradually, fewer people were around.
Li Mo glanced at that slightly trembling white hand, suddenly feeling it resembled the moon in a well, something one wants to retrieve.
But unlike the unattainable moon in a well, Bing Tuozi’s small hand could be reached.
No, wait.
Just as he reached out, that small hand moved to the other side, escaping.
“Hmm?”
Li Mo raised his head, looking at her flawless profile, only to see an expression as if nothing had happened.
Is this a coincidence?
Little Li tried again to catch the moon, but each time, just as he was about to succeed, the small hand slipped away.
“?”
Li Mo took a deep breath.
He gathered his spirit, flexed his palm, and seized the opportunity…
This time, before he could even extend his hand, the ‘moon in the well’ landed right in his palm.
“????”
“Childish ghost.”
Ying Bing felt the warmth in her palm, her beautiful lips curling slightly, no longer suppressing her smile.
Li Mo was stunned, realizing he had been ambushed by the naughty Bing Tuozi.
Could he endure this?
But the soft, warm touch made his hand have a mind of its own.
How unbecoming!
So the two held hands and continued walking along the riverbank for a moment. The buildings around them became sparser, and it grew quieter. They could clearly hear the sound of flowing water.
“Li Mo? Ying… Ying family girl?”
“Y-you…”
A surprised voice came from across the street.
Li Mo lifted his head and saw a figure appear.
“Fengzi? You’ve gained quite a lot of weight.”
Zou Yongfeng was a childhood friend, once climbing trees to steal bird eggs and throwing firecrackers to explode neighbors’ water jars. Although they later betrayed each other, their friendship remained strong.
However, after Li Mo was sent to a private school by his family, they met less often.
Seeing him again, Zou Yongfeng appeared somewhat awkward, standing up with no idea what to do with his hands and feet.
For example, if one day you suddenly heard that a childhood friend who used to urinate and play mud with you had become a tycoon and reappeared in front of you, anyone would find it hard to believe and feel unfamiliar.
“Quick, call me big brother.”
Zou Yongfeng pulled the woman next to him, who first called him big brother.
Looking at Ying Bing, she tentatively asked:
“Sister-in-law?”
Li Mo felt the small hand in his palm slightly contract. He smiled and greeted:
“Fengzi, you’re doing well. Are you preparing for marriage?”
“Marriage? I got married at the beginning of the year. I’m about to be a father soon.”
“Ah?”
Li Mo noticed that Old Zou’s wife had a slight bulge in her abdomen…
Although Old Zou called him big brother, he was actually older by a year.
In his memory, Fengzi was still that snot-nosed brat he used to despise, yet now he was about to become a father.
Quite surprising.
“Why did you move here?” Li Mo remembered that Zou Yongfeng didn’t live on West Street before.
Zou Yongfeng hesitated for a moment and said:
“Brother Mo, are you and Sister-in-law planning to visit the Ying family’s old residence?”
The small hand in his palm suddenly clenched.
Seeing Bing Tuozi’s face turn slightly pale, Li Mo realized.
Further down West Street was the edge of Qinghe County.
It was also the Ying family’s old residence.
Many years ago, on New Year’s Eve, when they were bidding farewell to the old and welcoming the new, his father unexpectedly left. From the ruins and bloodshed there, he brought back the only survivor, Ying Bing.
