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

He climbed into bed and lay down, scrolling through the text messages in his phone's inbox.

Yu Luying: "I'm sorry, I twisted my ankle when I was going down the steps. I think you might have fallen? Are you and her alright?"

Xiao Yao: "It's nothing serious. The two of us just scraped five patches of skin in total. It's a minor thing."

Yu Luying: "I'm so sorry, so sorry, so sorry... I really didn't mean to. I'll call her and tell her too."

Xiao Yao: "Mm."

After reading this set of text messages, Xiao Yao turned to read another set.

Shen Jie: "I was wrong. I will never tell you ghost stories to scare you again, especially when you are riding your bike or doing anything. I didn't know you were such a scaredy-cat."

Shen Jie: "No, I will never ride your bike again."

Xiao Yao: "I've said it many times, it was your silly sister who sprained her ankle, I wasn't scared."

Shen Jie: "I think she's either deliberately covering for you, or she's some treacherous commoner trying to harm me."

Xiao Yao: "Stop being so silly. Did you apply the medicine? Where's the band-aid?"

Shen Jie: "Lord Lucia personally disinfected and bandaged me. She's so sweet."

Xiao Yao: "...That's good."

Shen Jie: "And you?"

Xiao Yao: "I've already done all of that."

A real man shouldn't make a fuss over a little scratch.

Gao Sijun finally put down his beloved GBA, picked up his phone and looked at it: "Hey, Lao Xiao."

"what?"

“The guitarist for the Youth Mass had some family matters to attend to and went home early tonight,” Gao Sijun said. “They heard you can play the guitar and asked if you could fill in for tomorrow morning Mass?”

“Well,” Xiao Yao said, “I’m not very confident, but if there’s really no one else, I can give it a try.”

“Okay,” Gao Sijun said, “then I’ll tell them that.”

The night was already very deep, and the air was cool as water.

Chapter 306 The Big Sheep and the Little Sheep

2023-08-22

August 11, Wednesday, the fourth to last day of summer camp.

In the morning, Xiao Yao was honored to serve as the temporary guitarist. He felt good about himself and asked Yu Luying how he performed while eating breakfast.

"It's alright," Yu Luying gently wiped her upper lip with a napkin, "It's nothing special."

“You need to encourage me often,” Xiao Yao said, “Don’t always put your partner down.”

“But you are only one-third,” Yu Luying said.

Xiao Yao: "?"

"Have you washed your clothes recently? Bring them up and I'll wash them for you," Yu Luying said.

"Great! Great!" Xiao Yao said happily.

"I knew you hadn't washed," Yu Luying said casually.

"There's still one person who hasn't washed yet, do you want to join them—"

"Get out," Yu Luying said. "You should know your place."

“Yes.” Xiao Yao nodded.

That noon, His Excellency Yu Bo once again gloriously arrived at his loyal summer camp, which reassured Xiao Yao, Shen Jie, and the others somewhat and boosted their sense of security.

Because the three people started walking with a slight limp on the same day, although not many people noticed, some people still found it strange.

Yu Bo inquired about Xiao Yao's leg injury with the warmth of a spring breeze. After learning that he had fallen while riding his bicycle and listening to ghost stories, she immediately launched into a scathing mockery of him.

"Why would someone who fights the shadows every day be afraid of ghosts?"

"I'll say it again, it was your precious niece who sprained her ankle on flat ground in the hotel," Xiao Yao accused calmly.

"Niece."

"?"

“From now on, don’t call me after 10 p.m.—no, 9 p.m.,” Yu Bo said. “Be careful or I’ll block you.”

"Do you live like an elderly person?"

"Guess what the secret to the longevity of clergy is?" Yu Bo asked mysteriously.

“I know that, smoking, drinking, getting perms, just like you,” Xiao Yao retorted. “Besides, I have urgent, important business to attend to.”

"What urgent or serious matter is it?" Yu Bo said dismissively, "What's the big deal?"

"Liang, Liang Yanan, did you tell her all our secrets?" Xiao Yao asked Yu Bo.

“This is none of your business,” Yu Bo said confidently. “I know what I’m doing.”

“And the reflection in the mirror—” Xiao Yao reminded him.

“I understand.” Yu Bo repeated those four words, looked at Xiao Yao, and added five more: “We will investigate.”

Xiao Yao didn't press him further about who "them" was. He simply rubbed his injured knee gently, thinking that this was the first time he had realized the potential risks, or rather, dangers, in all the time they had been living together.

Your life, health, and safety are constantly in someone else's hands. Even if the other party has no malicious intent, the insecurity brought about by this unseen uncertainty and randomness... well, it's a bit subtle, hard to put into words?

That afternoon, the history class moved on to the Reformation period in the 16th century. Xiao Yao asked Li Teng many questions about Queen Mary I of England, and then discussed the positive impact that the "gunpowder plot" would have had on the course of history if it had succeeded, which sparked a small uproar in the classroom discussion.

Following yesterday's "Movie Night," tonight is the so-called "Catholic Night," which is specifically a fun quiz competition on Bible and doctrine.

Xiao Yao has always loved these kinds of activities—for example, he loved watching "Zhengda Variety Show" since he was a child, and later Wang Xiaojiao's "Happy Dictionary".

This was his first time having the opportunity to participate in such an activity in real life, so he naturally acted very enthusiastically. He used his energetic personality, thick skin, lightning-fast hand-raising speed, limited knowledge, and ability to guess to successfully squeeze into the top 10.

The prize was a small, imported Fatima statue made from grape buds.

“You guys, this won’t do.” Xiao Yao held his prize and said to Yu Luying with great joy, “More than three hundred people, all children of long-time church members, and they still can’t beat me, a complete newbie.”

"Why don't you say my uncle is a good teacher? Hmm... I thought you were just daydreaming and sleeping during your uncle's catechism class. It seems I misunderstood you." Yu Luying tilted her head and thought for a moment before saying, "Actually, some people are probably just shy and too lazy to participate in these kinds of competitions."

"For example, you?" Xiao Yao said.

“But it’s undeniable that the overall level of young people these days is just not good,” Yu Luying said with a smile. “If Xiao Yang were here, he would definitely be wailing about the future of the church, the family education of the older church members, and so on, and give them a good critique.”

"Yes, that's how it is. For example, my roommate Gao Sijun, I read 'The Little Daily Lesson of the Virgin Mary' every night, but he's not enthusiastic about anything except playing video games," Xiao Yao said.

"The Little Lesson of Our Lady? You're so enthusiastic about it now?" Yu Luying asked curiously.

Xiao Yao didn't want to explain to Yu Luying that he actually read most of it to Gao Sijun, so he vaguely replied, "It's normal, converts are fanatical."

"How could I not see that? Don't I know you?" Yu Luying wasn't so easily fooled: "By the way, have you noticed? Shen..." Yu Luying looked around and lowered her voice: "Shen Jie really appreciates your performance."

"Huh?" Xiao Yao said.

"Didn't you notice? When you were trying to steal the spotlight during the knowledge competition, Shen Jie kept turning around to look at you, her eyes shining."

"Really? I didn't notice that!" Xiao Yao asked eagerly.

“And this morning, during the youth mass, weren’t you playing the guitar?” Yu Luying said, “She was looking at you like that when she was down there.”

“It seems that men still need to use their talents and real skills to attract girls,” Xiao Yao said thoughtfully. “Today, the people in the youth mass group all praised me for being quick to learn and able to improvise. You said it was just average, nothing special.”

"Yes, it's pretty good," Yu Luying said.

But Xiao Yao clearly heard her thinking: With your instrumental skills, saying "average" is already very polite.

"Damn it, is this the arrogance of a girl who's been playing the cello since elementary school?" Xiao Yao thought.

"You said even Shen Jie was attracted by my talent, how come you're still unmoved?" Xiao Yao leaned closer with a playful smile.

As soon as he finished speaking, he realized his mistake and cursed himself for being tactless again—what did he mean by "even" Shen Jie? How could you say that he was inferior to Shen Jie?

"No, what I mean is..." Xiao Yao quickly tried to explain.

Yu Luying glanced coldly at Xiao Yao and said quietly, "There's nothing I can do. Maybe it's just not a good fit. After all, you can't force a relationship."

Xiao Yao quickly grinned and leaned in again, grabbing Yu Luying and giving her a good rub.

"Stop it, there are people here," Yu Luying broke free from Xiao Yao's embrace. "It's getting late, let's all go home."

“Oh, right, you mentioned lambs again just now,” Xiao Yao said.

“Yes, it was mentioned,” Yu Luying said, puzzled. “What happened to the little sheep?”

"You and your sister..." Xiao Yao carefully chose his words, "...is your relationship a little...cough, cough cough, what's your relationship like?"

"Why are you asking this?" Yu Luying asked curiously, "As for our relationship... well, it's alright now, I guess? Just so-so."

“Hmm,” Xiao Yao quickly said, “It’s nothing, I was just asking casually. I want to know more about you—I want to know anything related to you.”

"Mm." Yu Luying nodded gently.

Although she said "hmm," she didn't continue after that, clearly showing she had no interest in going on about family matters.

"Little Lamb, Big Lamb," Xiao Yao muttered to himself, "Hey, why did you two choose such nicknames?"