Transmigrated into the body of a villain, I became my sister's savior.

So, the old lady was helped out, and Niu Niu was called out as well.

Xia Tingwan asked Niu Niu if she had any dietary restrictions, and then kept putting food on Niu Niu's plate.

Looking at her, Wang Yong couldn't help but sigh, "What a beautiful and kind-hearted girl. No wonder your brother dotes on you so much."

Upon hearing this, Xia Tingwan turned her head to look at Wang Yong, her face filled with curiosity: "Uncle Wang, what rule did my brother break at the company that led to his dismissal?"

Lin Jianshen's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately replied, "It was just that I accidentally damaged a box of precision instruments while moving the goods..."

Almost simultaneously, Wang Yong's voice rang out: "Your brother wasn't fired, he did it voluntarily..."

Old Li, standing to the side, was filled with gratitude and blurted out, "Your brother did this to give me the opportunity..."

The group had absolutely no chemistry; the three of them gave three different versions of the story, and suddenly the air went quiet.

Lin Jianshen desperately tried to wink at them.

Xia Tingwan asked with a smile, "Brother, did some soup get in your eyes?"

"Let me blow on it for you."

"Haha, it's all over now," Lin Jianshen replied dryly.

Wang Yong added, "What's so hard to say? I even tried to persuade your brother not to leave, but he wouldn't listen, saying the wages were too low."

"If he can't save up enough for your dowry, and you get bullied after you get married, he'll feel sorry for you."

"He's going to try his luck at Wind Media."

Lin Jianshen sighed inwardly.

He's a manager now, and he still can't read people's expressions.

They have absolutely no sense of propriety.

Fortunately, Xia Tingwan didn't ask any more questions, but just gave Lin Jianshen a complicated look.

Although Wang Yong lacked discernment, he was quite eloquent.

He recounted some interesting stories and anecdotes from the docks and warehouses, with Old Li and Xia Tingwan supporting him.

Sometimes Niu Niu would chime in, and the atmosphere would gradually become more lively.

After finishing their meal, Lin Jianshen sat and chatted for a while before getting up to take his leave.

The Li family saw them all the way to the door. The old lady, feeling her way along the door frame, thanked them repeatedly and invited them to come again next time.

Niu Niu hid behind her grandmother, her big eyes gazing longingly at Xia Tingwan.

She couldn't go to school and rarely saw such a gentle older sister.

The motorcycle was parked on the muddy ground outside the house.

Wang Yong had other business to attend to, so he drove off in his BYD Song.

Lin Jianshen got on the motorcycle, turned the key to start it, and Xia Tingwan sat on the side and put her arms around his waist.

After riding for only a short distance, Xia Tingwan, who was on the back seat, suddenly exclaimed "Ouch!"

"Brother, stop the car."

"What's wrong?" Lin Jianshen stopped abruptly.

"I think I left my phone at Uncle Li's house," Xia Tingwan said, sounding annoyed. "Brother, wait for me a moment, I'll go back and get it."

"I'll take you back," Lin Jianshen said, turning to turn around.

"No need, no need," Xia Tingwan jumped out of the car nimbly. "It's just a few steps. Wait for me in the shade under that big tree up ahead. I'll be right back!"

Before Lin Jianshen could say anything more, she had already turned around and jogged back the way she came.

Lin Jianshen had no choice but to park his car under the shade of a crooked tree by the roadside.

Xia Tingwan returned to Old Li's house, where the old lady was touching a box, getting medicine for Niu Niu.

There was a wooden box in the main room, filled with the medicine that Niu Niu needed to take.

Each medicine box was marked with a pen tip, leaving engravings.

The old lady slowly touched the engravings on the box, took out the foil board, scooped out the medicine, and tremblingly placed it in Niu Niu's palm.

Niu Niu took it and swallowed it with the water from the plastic cup next to her.

Unable to help, Xia Tingwan asked Niu Niu, "Where's your dad?"

Niu Niu pointed to the kitchen: "Wash the dishes in there."

Xia Tingwan walked over and saw Old Li using a sawn-open gourd ladle to scoop water from a large water vat into an iron pot, and then using a loofah sponge to scrub the pot.

Seeing Xia Tingwan enter, he stopped what he was doing: "Little Lin, what brings you back?"

Xia Tingwan smiled and said, "Little Lin Sister?"

Old Li couldn't think of a more suitable address for a moment, so he rubbed his hands together and touched his head.

She's wearing a beautiful black dress today.

Of course, it's not the same one as before.

She has grown taller and her figure is better now.

That dress is already a bit too small.

This dress has better material and a more fashionable style; it's a princess dress.

The skirt is decorated with delicate lace trim and intricate patterns embroidered with gold thread.

She wore white socks with lace trim and black patent leather sandals with a bow at the toe and a thin buckle on the instep.

This outfit was a gift from Lin Jianshen for her birthday, and it suited her perfectly.

It made her skin appear fair and her features exquisite.

Xia Tingwan took out two hundred yuan from her pocket and gave it to Lao Li.

"I earned this money myself, so I'll use it to buy Niu Niu some clothes and toys."

Old Li waved his hands repeatedly, saying, "I can't accept your money. Xiao Lin has already helped me a lot."

Xia Tingwan smiled and said, "Uncle Li, you really don't need to take this too seriously. The main reason my brother resigned from the dock was because of me."

"I was preparing for my college entrance exam at that time, and he was afraid something would happen to me, so he picked me up and dropped me off at school every day."

"Sometimes they would even sneak into the school at noon to secretly see if I was being bullied."

Old Li was taken aback: "Being bullied?"

"Yes." Xia Tingwan nodded without hesitation, "I was bullied at school, and he helped me resolve it. But he's always been worried, thinking that the other party comes from a wealthy family and might cause trouble again."

"He felt he had to make sure I did perfectly in the college entrance exam. In terms of time, he couldn't manage the work at the dock."

"So, he resigned mainly for my sake. You don't need to feel too indebted to him for this."

Old Li listened, his rough face showing a complex expression. He remained silent for a while before murmuring, "No matter what, he helped me, more than once."

"Kobayashi is a good person. I knew that the first time he helped me."

"At that time, I really didn't know what to do. I was in debt and had nowhere else to turn."

He changed his form of address: "Miss Xia, do you understand that feeling of having nowhere to turn?"

Xia Tingwan keenly grasped the meaning behind Lao Li's words, and she said softly, "I understand."

The heaviness and weariness in her tone suggested she truly understood.

Old Li glanced at her with some surprise, then thought he was probably overthinking it.

He's probably listened to too much of his blind mother's nagging.

Otherwise, how could one detect a sense of vicissitude in the tone of a young girl?

Xia Tingwan asked again, "Did he help you out of that desperate situation?"

Old Li nodded.

She thought for a moment and tentatively said, "Actually, it might be a piece of cake for him."

"After all, you'll probably have to pay back that money yourself in the end."

Old Li said, "It's different. The money I owe is different; I owe money to the casino..."

Perhaps it was because Xia Tingwan had frankly mentioned being bullied, sharing her secret with him, that a kind of trust had been established between them.

Old Li didn't hide much at this moment and told his shameful past: "I was blinded by greed and incurred gambling debts. With interest compounding, it quickly ballooned to 100,000."

"If it weren't for Kobayashi... he happened to be the one who came to collect the debt from me and pointed me in the right direction, I really don't know what would have happened."

Xia Tingwan smiled enigmatically: "Yes, everyone has another side."

"You would never guess that he was once addicted to gambling."

Old Li said, "That's what he said back then. Could you please advise him not to always hang out with these people who collect debts for casinos?"

"Those people are dangerous."

Old Li emphasized again, "It's really, really dangerous."

"If you walk by the river often enough, you're bound to get your shoes wet."

Xia Tingwan nodded: "I'll figure something out."

Old Li smiled and said, "That's great. I've tried to persuade him, but he never responds."

"You're his precious darling, your words should carry weight."

Xia Tingwan's eyelashes fluttered, then she smiled again: "My darling?"

Old Li nodded: "Yes, everyone in our team knows."

"When he had time, he would ask his female colleagues who had daughters what clothes looked good, what shoes were fashionable, and what kind of face cream could protect their skin..."

Xia Tingwan looked down at the intricate patterns on her skirt and the bow on her hem, and murmured, "Yes, my precious darling."

She looked up and smiled at Old Li: "Uncle Li, he's still waiting for me. I'll be going now. Goodbye."

"Okay, be careful on the road!"