Chapter 53 - It's Not Your Birthday

After Bai Yuerou’s figure disappeared from view, Xia Xinya, with a somewhat complicated expression, withdrew her gaze and took a car back home.

When Xia Xinya was greeted by Aunt Song and entered the house, Xia Yunzhu, who was sipping tea on the sofa, immediately stood up with a smile and walked over gently. “Xinya, you’re back? How was it?”

Xia Xinya nodded listlessly, not in the mood to speak. She changed into her slippers and trudged upstairs.

Dressed in a light purple silk nightgown, Xia Yunzhu watched her daughter’s retreating figure, sighed slightly, and returned to the sofa.

Xia Xinya, looking dejected, entered her room, tossed her coat onto the hanger, and flopped onto the bed, burying her head in the covers, lost in thought.

After lying there for a while, she finally got up, pulled out her little diary, and began to write.

I saw it.

Rou was holding Tang Huaijin’s hand.

Rou always seems so gentle and speaks kindly, but I know her. She’s very proud inside and never gets close to other guys like this.

Even though they’re both my friends, seeing them holding hands made me feel anxious and sad.

I don’t need family; I only need Rou.

But if Rou really wants to be with Tang Huaijin, what should I do?

Am I just supposed to watch him take my Rou away?

At this point, Xia Xinya suddenly remembered the last incident, thinking that her mother might have peeked at her diary. A sense of resentment welled up, and as if in defiance or declaration, she wrote:

No, Rou is mine. I will pursue Rou. I want to be with Rou forever.

Family, I don’t need them. I only need Rou.

After writing this, Xia Xinya put the diary back in its place, let out a soft scoff, and lay back on the bed, her bright, clear eyes staring at the ceiling, lost in thought.

…

In the morning, Xia Yunzhu sat at the table having breakfast, occasionally glancing at her daughter, who sat at the farthest end. Xia Xinya kept looking at her with a strange gaze, making her mother feel a bit uneasy.

Xia Xinya finished the last sip of her sweet white fungus and lotus seed soup, squinted at her mother once more, then slung her bag over her shoulder and left the house, her long, slender legs clad in jeans.

Watching from the window as her daughter’s car drove off into the distance, Xia Yunzhu finally turned back to the living room. After hesitating for a while, she bit her lip and headed upstairs.

…

The four-day National Day holiday quickly came to an end. On the last day, the siblings stayed in, lounging on the sofa all day. Tang Huaijin was busy writing his book, while Tang Yaoyao alternated between teasing her brother and reviewing drafts.

With clear thoughts and the help of the system, Tang Huaijin didn’t need much time to fuss over words. In one day, he managed to write a fifth of the first volume.

Ignoring his sister’s loud demands to see his work, he tucked the draft away, planning to finish the entire first volume before surprising her.

Having strained her eyes from reviewing drafts all day, Tang Yaoyao was exhausted, so the siblings went to bed early.

The next morning, after breakfast, Tang Huaijin left the house and resumed his usual school routine.

On the No. 9 bus.

A ponytailed girl snuggled comfortably in his arms, fiddling with the buttons on his chest, and asked sweetly, “Jin, how was your National Day?”

“None of your business,” Tang Huaijin replied with his usual lack of warmth. This girl was getting bolder; last time she was a bit shy, but now she hugged him so naturally.

Lin Ruoxi pouted, playfully whining, “I actually wanted to ask you out, but I realized we’ve both deleted each other for a while now. Can you add me back, please?”

“My WeChat doesn’t add strangers,” Tang Huaijin said coldly.

“Then I’ll add myself,” Lin Ruoxi blinked, and swiftly reached into his right pocket to pull out his phone.

“Hey, you…” Tang Huaijin was speechless, reaching to retrieve it, but Lin Ruoxi knew him too well, knowing he’d keep his phone in his right pocket.

Lin Ruoxi turned around in his arms, leaning her back against him, and threatened, “If you try to take it back, I’ll scream and say you’re being inappropriate.”

Tang Huaijin’s face darkened, and he silently withdrew his hand.

Satisfied, Lin Ruoxi nodded, turned on the phone screen, and when she saw the photo on it, she paused, then quickly recovered, forcing a smile, “Your sister is still so pretty.”

“Uh…” Tang Huaijin didn’t know what to say, so he just mumbled in agreement.

Lin Ruoxi instinctively entered her birthday, but the screen shook, and it didn’t unlock.

Thinking she might have entered it wrong, Lin Ruoxi tried again, but still no luck.

Seeing Lin Ruoxi about to try a third time, Tang Huaijin said, “Don’t bother, it’s not your birthday.”

Lin Ruoxi looked up at Tang Huaijin, staring into his eyes, biting her lip as she asked, “Whose is it?”

When Tang Huaijin didn’t answer, Lin Ruoxi lowered her head again and entered Tang Huaijin’s birthday, but the password was still incorrect.

After a moment of silence, Lin Ruoxi tried entering the anniversary of Tang Huaijin’s parents’ passing, but it was still wrong.

With only one attempt left before the phone would lock, Lin Ruoxi looked up at Tang Huaijin, her eyes misty, and asked softly, “Whose is it, Jin?”

Tang Huaijin couldn’t stand seeing her like this, as if she was about to cry, her voice tinged with a hint of tears. He sighed, “Give it here, I’ll unlock it for you.”

The ponytailed girl, feeling aggrieved, let Tang Huaijin take the phone and unlock it, no longer asking what the password was, and began searching through his WeChat.

Not finding any suspicious women in the friend list, Lin Ruoxi felt somewhat satisfied and added herself back with her number.

Her cheeks slightly flushed, she secretly changed her nickname to Xi, then turned her back to Tang Huaijin and sent a few messages on WeChat.

After finishing, Lin Ruoxi smiled contentedly, slipped the phone back into Tang Huaijin’s pocket, and hugged him again, preventing him from taking the phone out to check.

Naturally, Tang Huaijin felt uneasy about this girl, and while trying to break free from her embrace, he frowned and asked, “What did you send? Don’t mess around.”

He feared Lin Ruoxi might impulsively post something like a reconciliation on her Moments, imagining his sister’s immediate like, he shivered at the thought.

Lin Ruoxi hugged his waist tightly, seemingly aware of his concerns, and softly explained, “I didn’t post on Moments, didn’t tell anyone, just wanted to make myself a little happier… Is that not okay?”

Seeing Tang Huaijin gradually stop struggling, Lin Ruoxi smiled self-deprecatingly and whispered, “I’m not that foolish, and I know my current status, won’t do anything out of line to upset you.”

Tang Huaijin listened quietly to the girl whispering in his ear, standing there silently as she embraced him.

After getting off the bus, Lin Ruoxi walked ahead of him, turned to smile at him, waved her phone, and then jogged into the campus.

Tang Huaijin watched her back as she left, pulling out his phone from his pocket.

The most recent chat was from the girl who had given herself the nickname Xi.

Lin Ruoxi had sent him several messages:

Hello, Xi.

My name is Tang Huaijin, clumsy as ever, accidentally lost you.

Can I be with you again?

I really like you.