You're my wife, don't doubt it!

"And then what? Does that person still care about you?" Xiao Yao asked.

"No, but then a security guard suddenly rushed out from the side and asked the man if I was with him," Yu Luying said. "That's when I saw that there was also a guard post at the side gate with two security guards stationed there. From that angle, I couldn't see them at all from outside."

"Needless to say," Xiao Yao said, "the door that only allows exits but not entry has even less hope."

"Mm," Yu Luying nodded.

"Is there any way to get close to those security guards, or buy them a pack of cigarettes..." Xiao Yao thought: "Uncle Qin in the gatehouse of our school, I used to buy him a pack of cigarettes when I wanted to skip class to go to an internet cafe, and he would let me out."

Yu Luying frowned but didn't say anything.

"Of course you've tried it, and it didn't work, right?" Xiao Yao answered himself sheepishly.

"Xiao Yao, look at me." Yu Luying suddenly took three steps at a time, walked quickly forward, stopped two or three meters in front of Xiao Yao, turned around, opened her arms under the streetlight, and spun around 360 degrees: "Look at me."

"What's wrong? It looks great," Xiao Yao said.

Yu Luying turned around in the opposite direction again.

Just like yesterday, the girl wore the same dark sailor-style top and pleated long skirt, and wore oversized slippers barefoot. She stood under the warm, yellow glow of the streetlights, which outlined the street and gave a feeling of warmth and tranquility.

"Do I not look like a middle school student?" Yu Luying asked out of the blue.

"Yes, it looks like one. If it doesn't look like a middle school student, what does it look like? An elementary school student?" Xiao Yao asked, puzzled.

“No, what I mean is,” Yu Luying asked awkwardly, “don’t I look like a respectable woman—a respectable young girl?”

“How is it not similar? Who dares to say it isn’t?” Xiao Yao shouted, “What do you mean by similar? It is.”

"Is it because," Yu Luying raised her right hand and stroked her pointed chin, "that I've been doing too many bad things with you lately, and I've picked up some shady smells on myself?"

"Why are you doing this again?" Xiao Yao frowned impatiently at first, then smiled and said, avoiding the main point, "Do you know that the kind of skirt you're wearing is called 'bad'?"

"What?" Yu Luying pouted, dissatisfied. "Isn't this called 'top student'?"

“No way,” Xiao Yao told Yu Luying, “In Japan, the length of a ‘top student’ skirt is almost above the knee. Yours covers most of your calves. It’s what delinquent girls wear. When they’re fighting, they just lift up the hem and pull out a machete.”

"Those Japanese devils are truly perverted!" Yu Luying exclaimed angrily, "Is a short skirt more obedient than a long skirt?"

“Yeah, they’re so perverted,” Xiao Yao continued indignantly, realizing he had successfully shifted the focus. “They force female students to wear short skirts all year round, and they’ll all get arthritis when they’re old! If you don’t wear them, or even just wear warm socks, they say you’re not fitting in, and then they isolate you and bully you…”

Yu Luying's thoughts had already drifted elsewhere, and she murmured to herself, "Could it really be because of the skirt?"

"No, what happened? It all happened so suddenly," Xiao Yao said.

Yu Luying didn't answer, but turned around and continued walking forward: "Big Rabbit."

"Hey." Xiao Yao quickened his pace and followed, walking alongside the girl.

“You two… since you’re so close,” Yu Luying said softly, “you’re so eager to get married as soon as you turn twenty-two… then is there no need for me to be stuck in the middle anymore?”

Xiao Yao's vision went black. After so much time, he thought everything was over, but in the end, what was bound to happen still happened.

The boy sidestepped and pinned the girl against the wall on the street, looking directly into her eyes and earnestly saying, "Don't do this."

"Why are you so nervous?" Yu Luying leaned against the wall quietly, without moving. "I didn't say I wanted to break up with you now, did I? It's just... you know very well that even if you send someone off for a thousand miles, you must eventually part ways. I can't stay with you forever."

"Why is it impossible...?" Xiao Yao blurted out.

“…” Yu Luying did not answer the question, but simply stared quietly into the boy’s eyes.

"..." Xiao Yao himself fell silent.

"Then, how long should I stay with you?" the girl asked him quietly.

"We promised to be best friends for life, special friends... We made that promise on the way to the boat town." The boy's tone was as if he were talking to himself.

“I haven’t forgotten,” Yu Luying told Xiao Yao, “but that doesn’t mean being lovers for life.”

“I know…” Xiao Yao complained, “Ugh, it’s precisely because I knew you would do this that I didn’t dare tell you about this, but I let it slip today.”

"..."

"..."

"Yu Luying, I like you too."

"..."

The sudden appearance of the word "also" was quite ingenious, Yu Luying thought.

“Big Rabbit, do you know?” Yu Luying said softly, “Shen Jie initially told me that she was going to the United States for eight years and was worried that you wouldn’t be able to take good care of yourself in China, so she asked me to help take care of you.”

"What the hell?" Xiao Yao said.

"It seems she changed her mind in the end?" Yu Luying said softly.

Xiao Yao: "..."

“Let’s go,” Yu Luying gently pushed away Xiao Yao’s chest, “We still have a long way to go.”

"Mm." Xiao Yao understood the double meaning in her words and could only nod in agreement.

The two continued walking towards Yu Luying's house.

……

"Xiao Yao." Yu Luying broke the silence and called out again.

"Yes, I'm here," Xiao Yao replied obediently.

"I always feel that ever since... I went to Dongru with you, and even now that I'm back, I've become a bad girl."

“Why are you doing this again?” Xiao Yao told Yu Luying, “You’re just carrying too heavy a burden, wanting to…and also…”

"You want to be this kind of person, but you also want to maintain your chastity, right?" Yu Luying's calm tone carried a hint of anger.

"That was not what I meant."

Okay, that seems to be what he meant.

“Actually, these past few days I’ve been thinking about what Father Li told me, and I’m starting to think he’s right,” Yu Luying said quietly. “Maybe that’s what God was saying to me through him?”

"Father Li? Which Father Li?" Xiao Yao exclaimed in shock, "Fang Bing? What did he say to you? He only met with the two of us once, what nonsense was he spouting?"

"I won't tell you," Yu Luying said in a deliberately playful tone, then skipped a few steps lightly: "I'm home, I'm going upstairs, thank you for bringing me."

"What the hell?" Xiao Yao pressed, "What exactly did he say to you?"

"Xiao Yao, I'm going up now," Yu Luying said to Xiao Yao.

Xiao Yao knew that forcing her to talk about things she didn't want to say would be useless, so he hooked his arm around her waist and leaned his head closer.

Fortunately, the girl responded to him gently.

The boy reached out and pinched the girl's chubby hand: "All right, huh?"

"Mmm." Yu Luying nodded somewhat reluctantly.

"Well, I'm leaving now? See you tomorrow?" Xiao Yao turned around and took a step.

"You talked with Shen Jie all afternoon," Yu Luying asked him, "Did you ask about my matter?"

Xiao Yao almost blurted out "What is it?", then said, "I asked."

What a ridiculous question! There's no point in even asking that.

"What did she say?" Yu Luying's expression was a mix of nervousness and anticipation: "What will I be doing in the future?"

“She said she wasn’t very familiar with you,” Xiao Yao blurted out, “but she promised to help me find out.”

Yu Luying nodded: "I understand."

Xiao Yao secretly resolved to ask Shen Jie later that evening what had happened to Yu Luying.

Please don't let her have married someone else!

Although it was selfish to think this way, Xiao Yao felt heartbroken and couldn't accept the "hypothesis" that Yu Luying would end up with someone else in the future.

With these random thoughts running through his mind, Xiao Yao returned home and walked past the large floor-to-ceiling mirror.

The table was covered with high-end-looking takeout food. His wife and daughter were sitting at the table, but they hadn't touched their chopsticks.

Upon seeing Xiao Yao finally return, Shen Jie launched into a tirade of complaints and nagging, then asked where Xiao Yao had gone.

Xiao Yao gave a vague reply. Seeing that he was unwilling to say more, Shen Jie did not press him further. However, Shen Tianyun's face revealed a... crooked mouth? Disdain? expression.

"Have you found the marriage certificate?" Xiao Yao asked Shen Jie.

“Found it,” Shen Jie took out the red booklet and showed it to Xiao Yao: “I put it in the safe, and no one could have tampered with it. But the dates and photos inside have changed—now I’m completely convinced.”

“I see,” Xiao Yao said.

There were three wine glasses and two candles on the table. Shen Jie had changed out of her daytime clothes and into her pajamas.

This champagne-colored pajama set exudes a breathtaking sense of luxury and…beauty? Crafted from high-quality silk, it is soft, smooth, and has a delicate, tactile feel. The pajama set is meticulously designed, with exquisite lace trim and embroidery details, making it a work of art.

Shen Jie's pajamas showcased both her elegance and sophistication, while also revealing a touch of sexiness. The neckline was wide open, exposing her collarbone and smooth skin, as well as a small, semi-spherical... well, Xiao Yao had to admit, the clothes were quite beautiful. Lace trim adorned the sleeves and hem, adding a touch of romance and charm.

Strangely, she was wearing gray pantyhose (Xiao Yao thought so) under her nightgown, the delicate stockings adding a soft sheen to her legs. The pantyhose clung tightly to her skin, showcasing her… rather long and alluring leg curves. The gray tone complemented the champagne-colored nightgown, adding depth and style to the overall look.

...Yeah, right! Who would wear stockings at home in the middle of summer, especially with pajamas! Auntie, what are you trying to do? Or is this some new fashion trend for 2034? That's impossible!

Xiao Yao noticed that Shen Jie had even touched up her makeup—her makeup was exquisite and sophisticated, her lip gloss applied perfectly, exuding a sexy and confident charm. Her eye makeup was also meticulously crafted, the eyeshadow highlighting her bright and expressive eyes, her thick and curled eyelashes shimmering with a mesmerizing light. Her skin was smooth and delicate, showing her careful skincare routine and attention to her appearance.

Shen Jie's meticulously dressed appearance at home instilled a deep sense of unease in Xiao Yao.

He sensed that the other party had ill intentions.