Chapter 73 - The Swing

Just as the words left her mouth, the doorbell rang.

Hearing the doorbell, Tang Huaijin knew that Yuerou’s father must have returned. Seeing Xu Jingwen walk over to open the door, he politely stood up from the sofa and followed her.

As the door opened, Xu Jingwen greeted Bai Renli with a warm smile and led him into the living room.

Yuerou’s father appeared to be around the same age as her mother, but he was well-preserved. Though there were traces of time on his face, they did nothing to mar his appearance, hinting at the handsomeness of his youth.

Tang Huaijin was the first to greet him politely, “Hello, Uncle.”

Bai Renli first smiled at Xia Xinya, who was cheerfully greeting him, then turned to appraise Tang Huaijin. His expression was unreadable, but he gave a slight nod and said, “Have a seat.”

Xu Jingwen prepared tea for everyone. Seeing Bai Renli just sitting there sipping his tea without speaking, she discreetly pinched him from behind and signaled to Bai Yuerou with a glance, urging her to keep the atmosphere lively. She then smiled at Tang Huaijin and said, “I’ll go prepare dinner. Jin, you can chat with your uncle.”

Bai Renli, caught off guard by his wife’s pinch, nearly spat out his tea. He managed to swallow it with some difficulty, then looked at Tang Huaijin and casually asked, “Are you the author of that book?”

“Yes, Uncle.”

“The book is good. I have a few questions for you.” Bai Renli offered a faint compliment before picking up his teacup again, his eyes scrutinizing Tang Huaijin.

“Go ahead,” Tang Huaijin replied, naturally not objecting, as it was only fair for someone who had helped him to want to know more.

Bai Renli nodded, took a sip of tea, and looked Tang Huaijin in the eye, asking softly, “What do you think of Rou?”

“…?” Tang Huaijin was momentarily taken aback. He had been prepared to discuss the book’s core themes. After a brief pause, he replied, “Yuerou is a wonderful girl-cultured, considerate, and well-read. It’s an honor to have her as a friend.”

After speaking, Tang Huaijin instinctively glanced at Bai Yuerou, noticing her face was flushed, likely embarrassed by her father’s sudden question.

“…” Bai Renli said nothing, squinting slightly as he studied Tang Huaijin.

For some reason, Tang Huaijin felt as if he detected a hint of “you’re not quite getting it” in Bai Renli’s gaze, leaving him somewhat perplexed.

After staring at Tang Huaijin for a moment, Bai Renli, not one to dally, picked up his teacup again and continued, “What I mean is, do you like…”

“Dad!” Bai Yuerou, her face now a deep shade of red, interrupted her father before he could finish. She gave him an exasperated look and said, “Why are you interrogating him like a suspect? Didn’t you promise not to make things difficult for him?”

Caught by his daughter’s words, Bai Renli’s expression froze. He awkwardly set down his teacup, forced a smile, and said, “Alright, I won’t nag anymore. Your Uncle Li will be here later. Why don’t you take your friends to the backyard for a while?”

Bai Yuerou nodded, her cheeks still slightly flushed, and softly said to the two sitting on the sofa, “Let me show you to the backyard for a bit.”

Tang Huaijin smiled and nodded, standing up to follow Bai Yuerou to the backyard, with Xia Xinya trailing behind, her expression a bit sullen.

The backyard was quite spacious, with a small area dedicated to flowers. Most of the flowers were of a fresh and elegant variety, exuding a faint and pleasant fragrance.

Not only the backyard but also the villa’s decor and furniture reflected the family’s refined and gentle taste. It wasn’t luxurious, yet it gave off a warm and serene feeling.

On the lawn of the backyard, besides the flowers, there were two swings built nearby. As they strolled over, Xia Xinya eagerly pulled Bai Yuerou to sit on them, each taking a seat.

Xia Xinya started swinging enthusiastically, while Bai Yuerou sat demurely on her swing, a bit shy as she smiled at Tang Huaijin and said, “My dad built these for me when I was little. I haven’t played on them in a long time.”

Hearing this, Xia Xinya, who was swinging high, laughed mischievously and said, “Rou, didn’t we just play on them the last time I was at your house? That was less than two months ago, wasn’t it?”

Being teased by her best friend, Bai Yuerou blushed with embarrassment and gave her friend a playful glare. Xia Xinya just giggled and swung even more joyfully.

Tang Huaijin couldn’t help but chuckle as well. Seeing Bai Yuerou sitting still on the swing, he walked behind her, glanced at Xia Xinya who was having a blast, and whispered so only the two of them could hear, “What’s there to be embarrassed about? You always say I’m closer to Xinya, but look at her-does she seem shy to you?”

With that, he gave Bai Yuerou’s swing a gentle push, making her swing.

Bai Yuerou was wearing a long dress today, which didn’t really get in the way.

Once pushed, Bai Yuerou, after the initial surprise, didn’t react much. She just blushed and held down her dress, letting him push her on the swing.

Xia Xinya was swinging with excitement. Seeing her friend join in, she felt happy at first, but then noticed Tang Huaijin pushing her swing. Instantly feeling a bit disgruntled, she stopped swinging her long legs and let the swing gradually come to a halt, complaining, “You rascal, I’m tired. Push me.”

Tang Huaijin chuckled at her words, gave Bai Yuerou another push to send her swinging high, and then walked over to help Xia Xinya. Teasingly, he said, “Weren’t you just swinging so well? How come you’re tired already?”

When he pushed Bai Yuerou, he had been gentle, so the swing didn’t move much. But Xia Xinya seemed to love the thrill, so he applied a bit more force.

“Hmph…” Xia Xinya initially grumbled a bit, but as soon as she was swung high, she let out a surprised yelp, then started shouting excitedly, asking Tang Huaijin to push her higher.

Seeing how swinging on the swing could make her so happy, Tang Huaijin found it both amusing and endearing. His expression softened as he complied with the young girl’s request, pushing the swing with more force, making Xia Xinya giggle with delight.

Bai Yuerou glanced at the two of them, her long legs gently swaying under her skirt without realizing it. After a moment of hesitation, she bit her lip and softly said, “Jin, I… I’m tired of swinging too.”

Upon hearing Bai Yuerou’s words, Xia Xinya, who was still mid-air on her swing, had her smile freeze momentarily. She pursed her lips but said nothing. She knew Rou’s physical stamina, so it wasn’t surprising that she would get tired after a while.

“I’ve become your personal swing pusher,” Tang Huaijin said with a helpless smile, walking over to give Bai Yuerou’s swing a push.

Hearing his playful comment, Bai Yuerou’s lips curved slightly. Noticing that Tang Huaijin was pushing her swing much more gently, she pouted in a playful manner and softly complained, “Didn’t you have lunch, Jin? Why are you pushing so lightly? Use a bit more strength.”

Tang Huaijin paused, then chuckled and asked, “Alright, but hold on tight, okay?”

“Mm…” As soon as the words left her mouth, Tang Huaijin gave her a strong push, sending the swing soaring. Bai Yuerou felt like she was floating, and she quickly closed her eyes in fright, gripping the ropes tightly.

After a moment, she cautiously opened her eyes, gradually getting used to the height. Hearing Tang Huaijin’s barely contained laughter behind her, she shyly bit her lip.

Seeing the smile in Bai Yuerou’s eyes, Xia Xinya felt an inexplicable pang of jealousy. She glanced at Tang Huaijin, who was smiling gently behind her, and let out a soft huff. Her legs began to pump harder, as if competing, and soon her swing was going higher than Bai Yuerou’s.

Tang Huaijin glanced at Xia Xinya, feeling a bit worried. “Be careful, you little daredevil. Hold on tight.”

“I don’t need you to worry about me.” Xia Xinya was a bit scared, hesitant to look down at the ground. Her hands felt weak on the ropes, but seeing his concern gave her a burst of courage. Instead of stopping, she swung even harder.

As Xia Xinya’s swing went higher, nearly parallel to the top bar, Tang Huaijin’s heart raced with anxiety. Although he had checked earlier and knew the swing was sturdy despite its age, he couldn’t help but worry about the “what ifs.” What if Xia Xinya lost her grip? With that thought, he quickly let go of Bai Yuerou’s swing and moved to stop Xia Xinya’s.

Seeing Tang Huaijin stop pushing Bai Yuerou and looking tense, Xia Xinya felt a strange satisfaction. Her legs pumped even harder, and when Tang Huaijin approached to stop her, she playfully extended her leg as if to kick him.

Tang Huaijin easily dodged her playful kick, stepping back with a frown. “It’s too dangerous. Stop now.”

“No way, you can’t make me.” Xia Xinya continued to swing, stubbornly trying to kick Tang Huaijin.

Tang Huaijin, exasperated but unable to do anything about her, noticed her white, delicate legs under the pleated skirt. His eyes lit up with an idea. He quickly crouched down and shouted, “I can see your underwear!”

In truth, Xia Xinya’s skirt wasn’t short, and she was wearing safety shorts underneath. But already nervous from swinging so high, she instinctively reached to cover her skirt upon hearing him.

Just as she was about to scold Tang Huaijin for being a pervert, she suddenly felt weightless. Realizing she was flying off the swing, heading straight for Tang Huaijin, she quickly closed her eyes in fright. Before she could even scream, she crashed into Tang Huaijin with a thud.