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“What’re you following me for?” Lin Yi frowned at Xiaoxiao as she walked beside him.

“They say you become who you’re always with, right?” Xiaoxiao said with a smile. “It’s fine if you don’t want to teach me how to race. I’ll just be by your side and you’ll rub off on me. I’ll become like you and we’ll both be racers!”

Lin Yi was so overcome with shock at Xiaoxiao’s logic that he couldn’t even say anything. “Do whatever you want then. I’m going home.”

With that, Lin Yi turned and went to the food street behind the school where his car was parked. Xiaoxiao kept pace with him.

Lin Yi frowned, worried that Mrs. Tang and Tang Yin might misunderstand things. “Can you at least follow me tomorrow?”

“Isn’t it nice if you let me go home with you?” Xiaoxiao had made up her mind to follow Lin Yi, so no matter what he said she’d maintain a soft tone and gentle attitude.

“You don’t want your car anymore?” Lin Yi didn’t know how to react to Xiaoxiao’s attitude. He couldn’t get angry the way he could have if Xiaoxiao was like before. One kick and he could end it all.

Kicking a girl trying to be sweet with him, however, was something Lin Yi couldn’t bring himself to do.

“I’ll go home with you and take the bus back for my car!” Xiaoxaio said.

“Feng Xiaoxiao, can you please be a little bit more normal?” Lin Yi couldn’t take this anymore. “If you keep up this insanity, I’m not coming to school tomorrow!”

“I won’t follow you home then. Please don’t skip class! I still wanna be with you every day.” Xiaoxiao quickly shook her head in response. “I’ll leave, alright? Bye.”

Lin Yi breathed a sigh of relief as he watched Xiaoxiao leave, finally rid of her. What the hell was wrong with her, anyway? That twisted logic of becoming who she was with too. Lin Yi didn’t buy that excuse one bit. She must be planning something shady.

But what Lin Yi didn’t expect was that it was the start of a nightmare…

“Who was that girl?” Lin Yi got Xiaoxiao to leave, but Tang Yin saw him with her all the same as she helped her mother out.

Tang Yin had seen him the moment Lin Yi arrived at the food street, but she refrained from calling out to him after seeing a girl beside him, acting as if she didn’t see anything, her heart thumping all the while.

She couldn’t prevent herself from asking that question now that the girl was gone.

“She sits next to me in class. Transfer student,” Lin Yi said.

“Why’s she following you though?” Tang Yin felt that it’d seem petty for her to be asking Lin Yi stuff like this, but she decided it was fine. The more perfect Lin Yi was, the more afraid and insecure about losing him Tang Yin got.

“She’s new here. Didn’t know where her car was parked,” Lin Yi said offhandedly.

“I see. She drives to school too? Her family has to be rich, right?” Tang Yin paused, thinking that she probably wouldn’t stand a chance against Xiaoxiao if they were to contend for Lin Yi.

“Who knows. She did see me drive on the street once, and now she wants me to teach her because she thinks I’m good. I don’t really have time to bother with her,” Lin Yi said.

“Oh, I see.” Tang Yin started getting nervous again. So Feng Xiaoxiao was here aiming straight for Lin Yi? Tang Yin felt a slight sense of danger at the thought.

“Let’s not talk about her. How’s Aunty’s business been recently?” Lin Yi didn’t want to dwell on Xiaoxiao any longer in front of Tang YIn.

“It’s alright, around three or four times the old income. If this goes on, it’ll be ten thousand plus per month!” Tang Yin was evidently really happy that her family was able to earn this much now.

“Nice. Save up and get a place. You guys can open a barbecue shop. Things’ll be much easier from that point on.” Lin Yi nodded. He could always give Tang Yin’s family a little more funding to help them open a restaurant, but knowing Tang Yin she probably wouldn’t accept it if he offered.

“I was thinking that too. I don’t want Mom to be under the sun all the time, but she said that it’s a huge risk to open a shop. She said she doesn’t want to lose any money there.” Tang Yin’s face reddened a little. “She said, she said she wanted to save the money up for a dowry.”

“A dowry?” Lin Yi blinked before he started laughing oddly. “I’ll go talk with Aunty. It’s not like I need that anyway, so there’s no point for her to save up for it.”

“You?” Tang Yin paused before her face reddened in realization. She started to lightly hit Lin Yi. “What’re you talking about! Who said anything about marrying you?!”

“Hahaha!” Lin Yi stopped Tang Yin’s attacks. “Aunty’s agreed to it already.”

He helped out Tang Yin and Mrs. Tang for a bit until the students buying from the place started to lessen. He helped push the barbecue cart into the nearby storage area before driving the two back home to the slums.

“Yi, they’re relocating the slums district soon. Do you think we should take the money compensation or a new place?” Mrs. Tang had been troubled these past few days. From what she’d heard, the compensation money was a couple hundred thousand, but taking the other compensation got them a nice apartment place. It was a good deal.

“A new place is good. I’m not too sure about stuff like this, but I’ll ask someone for you.” Lin Yi was thinking about Fatty Lai. Wasn’t that guy a real estate veteran? He’d get a good answer from him.

Although, knowing Fatty Lai, he’d probably gift Tang Yin an entire villa the next day if he learned she was Lin Yi’s girlfriend. Lin Yi didn’t think Tang Yin would accept it though.

“Alright. These are just rumors, so we’re not sure if a relocation’s really happening.” Mrs. Tang sighed. “People were talking about it earlier, but nothing’s been settled yet because the compensation we were offered didn’t match what the community wanted.”

“It’s fine. Just remember to tell me if you need anything. I have a friend in real estate, so he’ll be able to help,” Lin Yi said.

Lin Yi didn’t get out of the car after taking Mrs. Tang and Tang Yin home. He drove back to Mengyao’s villa right away.

Mengyao had gotten used to Lin Yi leaving early and returning late at this point, so she did nothing more than eye him icily before continuing to watch TV with Yushu.

***

The next day, it took until noon for Lin Yi to finally escape from Xiaoxiao’s torture. He asked Tang Yin out for a meal at the cafeteria, but Xiaoxiao actually started following him out the classroom, much to his surprise.

“What’re you following me for? I’m going to lunch with Tang Yin.” Lin Yi didn’t think Xiaoxiao would be coming with him again. She was like his shadow.

“I’m going for lunch too!” Xiaoxiao blinked. “I want to get to know your girlfriend, too, since we’ll be seeing each other pretty often in the future.”

“What do you mean? You’re not saying you’ll be there every time I’m on a date with her, are you?” Lin Yi’s face went green.

“Yeah!” Xiaoxiao nodded very seriously.