Chapter 7

Liu Jincheng immediately felt a wave of anxiety for him, yet Xu Nuo surprisingly did not lose her temper. She sighed gloomily and unexpectedly said, "What you said is not entirely wrong."

Lin Tianxing nodded and smiled at Qiu Xiaoman, saying: "I noticed you have a bit of an accent when you speak; your family must be from Shanghai, right?"

Although Qin Haoge had been influenced by his girlfriend for a long time, he could only understand it partially and awkwardly translated it as: "It seems that your friend's family was quite famous in Shanghai earlier"

That place has been a sacred site for children to play in the water since ancient times. Now, it is almost midnight, yet the water is still bustling with people as if dumplings are being boiled. Liu Jincheng skillfully turned into a secluded area of water. There was a patch of grass, several large stones, and an old banyan tree with its roots hanging down. Nearby, the water birds were startled by them, squawking as they flew away.

Xu Nuo felt as if she had returned to the scene of a German exam, completely bewildered, and quickly asked Qin Haoge, "What are they saying?"

Liu Jincheng finally finished eating the duck neck, clapped his hands, took the lead in taking off his clothes, and boldly declared: "Let's go! Swimming!"

The lewd thief Lin floated up and down in the water like a fish float caught by a fish, with bubbles gurgling up to the surface.

Lin Tianxing, with the demeanor of a caring older brother, comforted her, saying: "Do not be too despairing. There are men who appreciate inner beauty as well. In the future, you will surely meet someone suitable who can appreciate you and endure your temper..."

Lin Tianxing felt a bit moved. He had been in a state of disappointment and enslavement to promises for the past two days, and upon hearing such a warm greeting, it was inevitable that he would be filled with tears.

How can I help? Xu Nuo said dismissively, "They want to eat your tofu, not mine. Besides, making the guests happy is precisely your duty as a waiter, right? One must be dedicated to their work"

Xu Nuo was left speechless, as if he had suddenly seen Da Bao speaking human language.

Liu Jin once again brought him up, patting his back to help him catch his breath, and said with admiration: "Brother Lin has courage, he dares to eat the tofu of the mother tiger. He is the first person in history to sacrifice his life for righteousness"

Qin Haoge felt somewhat uncomfortable under the gaze and cleared his throat

Qin Haoge looked at her smiling so happily and coughed awkwardly, while Qiu Xiaoman shot him a charming glare.

However, they were startled to see Lin's hand waving on the water's surface. She and Liu Jincheng quickly dove underwater to pull Lin Tianxing out of the water

Qiu Xiaoman then said: "You don't look like a young master either."

Lin Tianxing honestly said: "I am sorry."

The cool river water enveloped her completely at midnight, and in the silence, she seemed to hear the whispers of fish beneath the water. The aquatic plants gently brushed against her feet, and bubbles rose quickly from her nose and mouth, ascending to the surface before dissipating into nothingness. A young person should live a carefree life, yet under the heat, the minutiae of sorrow swell and expand. The feelings of youth always surge within the heart during these quiet, deep night moments. A young person should live a carefree life, yet under the heat, the minutiae of sorrow swell and expand. The feelings of youth always surge within the heart during these quiet, deep night moments.

Lin Tianxing Qi Dao: "You see it but do not come to help me?"

Lin Tianxing forced a smile and said, "What is all this?"

Lin Tianxing walked over in anger, pointing at Xu Nuo, "You, brothel keeper!" Then pointing at Liu Jincheng, "You, turtle master!"

Xu Nuo sneered, "This lecher cannot be killed!"

Qiu Xiaoman's eyes were fixed on Lin Tianxing, and she spoke in Mandarin, "Did you come here alone? There are pickpockets here who target tourists' bags. Have you contacted your family?"

Oh," Qiu Xiaoman said, her tone tinged with unmistakable disappointment, "then we can all play together in the future

Xu Nuo and Qin Hao Ge were both slightly taken aback. Qiu Mama is an everlasting thorn in Qiu Xiao Man's heart; she never brings her up in front of others

Qin Haoge turned to the side and naturally took Qiu Xiaoman's hand. Only then did Lin Tianxing come to his senses, and by some strange twist of fate, he glanced at Xu Nuo. Xu Nuo shot him a glare, her eyes bursting with a ghostly blue resentment, which frightened Lin Tianxing into hurriedly scrambling onto the shore like Daba.

Qiu Xiaoman's eyes sparkled with excitement, "Ah, is it the Lin family from the Hongguan! I heard about them from my mother when I was little. You are actually a descendant of the Lin family!"

Lin Tianxing would not dare to say, "No! No! I eat well, live well, and can go online to play games. Life is quite prosperous."

Lin Tianxing carefully swam over with a foam board, whispering in her ear: "Don't look anymore, seeing through the autumn waters, that all belongs to others."

Xu Nuo continued to nod, "Since you have said so, it must be true."

"Who is this?" she asked with a smile

Is everyone here? Qiu Xiaoman also came around from behind the woods, holding a small lantern in her hand. She was wearing a white, voluminous dress, her slender waist barely fitting in one hand, with fluffy hair cascading down. Her large eyes resembled the water of a lake under the moonlight, and she appeared like a lady stepping out from an old calendar of the 1980s, exuding a unique charm

People in the water turned their gazes over. Liu Jincheng called out loudly: "Brother Qin, Sister Qiu"

Xu Nuo and Liu Jincheng made two round trips back and forth in one breath before stopping to play in the water. They dove under the surface and splashed water at each other, creating quite a lively scene. Lin Tianxing watched with curiosity; Xu Nuo's round and plump body was surprisingly agile in the water, diving and darting about like a large, round, and glossy-furred otter. He savored this metaphor he had conjured up, and couldn't help but chuckle in a rather unkind manner.

Lin Tianxing said, "I just came out to have some fun, there's no need to make my family worry. After all, Xu Nuo has promised to take me in!" As he spoke, he reached out, intending to pat Xu Nuo on the head or shoulder to express their deep camaraderie. However, Xu Nuo twisted his body and slipped away like a fish. Lin Tianxing could only foolishly splash the water with his hand.

Qiu Xiaoman said: "Xiao Lin, our town is small, everyone is related, and you are a guest. If you need anything, just let me know."

Xu Nuo went upstairs and had already changed into her swimsuit by the time she came down. Xiao Linzi cannot swim, but he can still splash around in the water, so he borrowed a foam board from Liu Jincheng. The three of them and a dog rushed to a large water bay at the west gate of the town

A few people exchanged some casual remarks, and then Qin and Qiu, hand in hand, sweetly walked away first

Liu Jincheng tossed aside the towel and performed several warm-up exercises. Xu Nuo quickly covered her ears and chanted, "It's coming, it's coming again"

Liu Jincheng shook his head in regret, "Tsk tsk, sister, your strikes are too harsh, and you specifically aim for the face!"

Footsteps were heard on the grass, and a boy said: "It's Nuo Nuo and the others"

Qiu Xiaoman chuckled and said, "My mother is from Shanghai"

What has come? Lin Tianxing asked in confusion

Qiu Xiaoman subtly said: "Little citizen, my mother passed away long ago. I have not been in contact with my grandfather's family for a long time"

Xu Nuo originally wanted to get angry, but upon reflection, she realized that it was not her who would suffer, so why should she be upset? Thus, she calmed her mindset and went back to competing with Liu Jincheng for duck necks to eat

Lin Tianxing was as excited as if he had been injected with chicken blood, "Is it our home? How about yours?"

Xu Nuo watched the direction in which Qin Haoge had left, her eyes slightly reddened

Qin Haoge walked over from behind the thicket. Xu Nuo was still wearing her swimsuit, so she quickly crouched down in the water, exposing only her chin and above, and softly called out to Haoge.

Xu Nuo laughed heartily, "Silken tofu, oh, silken tofu."

Lin Tianxing self-deprecatingly said: "What young master? Our house, along with my grandfather, was lost during the Cultural Revolution. My father was an educated youth, and my mother came from a working-class family. Our family is quite ordinary."

Lin Tianxing was in tears. Xu Nuo laughed heartily.

Before his words had faded, Liu Jincheng let out a thunderous roar: "I have arrived in the Jianghu!" Then, with a tremendous splash, he jumped into the water, creating a massive wave that drenched Lin Tianxing and the others halfway.

Seeing this, Lin Tianxing's courage grew a bit bolder, "That girlfriend of his is so beautiful. Let me tell you, men are visual creatures; when looking for a partner, they choose those who are pleasing to the eye. Things like intelligence, depth, and capability are merely supplementary conditions."

Lin Tianxing, a tall and robust young man, felt weak and dispirited at this moment. He cautiously glanced at Xu Nuo, who huffed and turned her face away. The sky was also dark, and whether his face was red or not, no one could see.

Lin Tianxing perked up his ears and turned his head to scrutinize the boy, scanning up and down, left and right, with particular focus on Qin Haoge's face.

Xu Nuo sighed, took a deep breath, and then submerged herself in the water

Lin Tianxing took a few sips of water, feeling weak, and instinctively held onto the person without letting go. He could only feel that the person in his arms was soft and plump, with skin as delicate and smooth as that of a fish, making him unable to resist touching and pinching, reluctant to let go. Then he was sent flying by a strike of the Big Dipper Divine Fist

Lin Tianxing inwardly scoffed, wondering what had gotten into him just now. Was it just because of her good skin? What was so special about her round, plump figure? Yet, as he thought about it, he couldn't help but glance at his own hands, honestly admitting that the feel of them was indeed extraordinary. She wasn't entirely without merit.

Qiu Xiaoman asked, "So what are you going to do now? Working at Xu Nuo's place must be quite tough, right?"

Lin Tianxing is quite impressive; by the time he spoke again, he was already using the soft dialect of Wu. "Ah, my grandfather is from Shanghai; back in the day, who didn't know about the Lin family on the Bund?" (My father is also from Shanghai; back in the day on the Bund, who didn't know about the Lin family?)

Promised to continue humming, just like a blocked nose

Xu Nuo, resembling a teapot, pointed at him and said, "You, work for the flower girl!"

Liu Jincheng nodded repeatedly as he listened

After a while, Lin Tianxing also came to the kitchen, but he quickly dashed to the sink, turned on the faucet, and vigorously washed his face

"What are you standing there for?" With a strong push from Xu Nuo behind him, Classmate Lin fell into the water like a stone. Xu Nuo and Da Bao jumped in after him

Lin Tianxing was clearly taken aback upon seeing her. His expression was entirely reflected in Xu Nuo's eyes

Qiu Xiaoman was amused to the point of laughter and said to Qin Haoge, "Look at this person, he is truly interesting"

Liu Jincheng said: "This is Lin Tianxing, he is a tourist who lost his wallet and is working at our place to earn his travel expenses"

The small pond is not shallow, as it does not even reach Lin Tianxing's shoulders. He enjoys the cool river water while nervously tiptoeing in the water, fearing that a misstep could lead to irretrievable consequences

Liu Jincheng laughed heartily, "Lin Ge, with the two of us here, you won't drown. You might as well learn how to tread water."

Lin Tianxing's male pride was challenged, and he immediately kicked the water with both feet. Before he could kick twice, the foam board in his hand slipped away, and with a splash, he sank to the bottom of the water

Xu Nuo is still nodding in approval, "Look, you are learning so quickly."

Xu Nuo turned around ominously. Lin Tianxing pulled Liu Jincheng to the shore, grabbed his clothes, and ran away frantically

Returning to the kitchen, Liu Jincheng huddled in the corner like a mouse, gnawing on a duck neck. He looked at Xu Nuo's expression and asked, "Who has upset you this time?"

Qiu Xiaoman only saw a boy suddenly stand up from the water, broad-shouldered and long-legged, tall and well-proportioned, which surprised her slightly. When she clearly saw Lin Tianxing's face, she couldn't help but feel a bit flushed in her cheeks

Xu Nuo exhaled in one breath and released the water. She touched the flesh on her waist, and all her helplessness and pessimism transformed into a sigh

It seemed as if he sensed something, and Xu Nuo stopped and turned his head. Lin Tianxing stood in the water like a buoy, his hands tightly gripping the foam board.