Brother! This is the adoption certificate. I don't want your sister-in-law!

In the morning, Su Xiao placed two notebooks on Xu Niannian's desk.

A light blue book with several small whales printed on the cover.

A pink book with little bunnies printed on it.

Xu Niannian was eating a steamed bun with her head down when she saw two new notebooks suddenly appear in front of her. She was stunned for a moment, then looked up at him, her cheeks still puffed out.

Her big eyes were filled with confusion, as if asking, "What are you doing?"

Su Xiao casually stuffed her schoolbag into the desk drawer.

"You took so many notes for me before, and I saw that your notebook was almost empty, so I bought you two more. Consider it a thank you for your efforts."

Xu Niannian quickly swallowed the steamed bun, picked up the two notebooks, flipped through them, and gently touched the covers.

The paper quality of the little whale's book is very good, and so is the little rabbit's.

Her lips moved, probably as if she wanted to say, "This is too expensive" or "I can't accept it."

But Su Xiao had already turned around to discuss last night's game with Fang Yu, leaving her with the back of her head.

She hesitated for a long time with the notebooks in her hands, but finally lowered her head and gently placed the two notebooks at the back of the desk, next to the enamel mug.

Then he continued to eat his steamed bun, a tiny little smile curving his lips.

Su Xiao still brought her breakfast.

Today's meal consists of braised pork buns and soy milk. The buns are from the shop at the end of the alley; the owner seasoned the braised pork filling to just the right level of saltiness. The soy milk is freshly ground and unsweetened.

Xu Niannian is no longer as hesitant as she was at the beginning. However, she still blushes slightly and whispers "thank you" each time she takes the food, then eats it in small bites.

Sometimes Su Xiao found watching her eat more interesting than watching a ball game.

His cheeks puff out, his eyes light up when he eats something delicious, and he breathes lightly on something hot before continuing to eat.

After finishing breakfast, Su Xiao was catching up on sleep at the table when she caught Xu Niannian pulling a small notebook out of the table.

It wasn't one of the two books he gave me; it was a palm-sized kraft paper notebook.

The cover was blank, and the edges were worn and fuzzy, showing that it had been used for a long time.

She opened the notebook, lowered her head, held the pen, and wrote something stroke by stroke.

The movements were very subtle, as if afraid of being seen.

Su Xiao curiously leaned closer.

The moment his head tilted half an inch to that side, Xu Niannian, like a little animal sensing danger, immediately covered the notebook with her arm, snapped it shut, and shrank to the side.

Su Xiao raised an eyebrow: "What is it? Why are you being so mysterious?"

Xu Niannian shook her head and hugged the notebook tightly to her chest.

"N-nothing."

Her face flushed slightly, not the explosive red after being kissed, but a faint blush of guilt.

Then I tucked the notebook back into the deepest part of the desk and placed it on top of the two new notebooks.

Su Xiao did not press further.

This is not the first time.

He discovered Xu Niannian had this habit a few days ago.

Every time she finished eating the breakfast he brought, she would take out that little notebook and write a few lines.

Sometimes I write quickly, just one or two lines.

Sometimes I write slowly, taking several lines.

After finishing writing, he would stuff the notebook back into the desk and not let anyone see it.

At first, he thought she was keeping accounts.

After all, given Xu Niannian's family background, she has to be careful with every penny she spends.

But he later discovered that wasn't the case, because once, while she was writing, she suddenly laughed.

It was very light and short, but I did smile.

No one will laugh at an account book.

During the break between classes, Su Xiao couldn't hold it in any longer.

He saw Xu Niannian take out that little notebook again, and this time she wrote more than usual, the pen tip scratching across several lines on the notebook.

He waited until she finished writing and closed the notebook, then leaned closer and asked in a low voice, "What exactly are you writing down? Keeping accounts?"

Xu Niannian hugged the notebook to her chest, blushing and shaking her head: "I won't tell you."

Su Xiao looked at her possessive expression.

With her arms crossed in front of her chest, the notebook pressed tightly against her chest, her chin slightly raised, and a hint of panic mixed with a touch of stubbornness in her eyes.

Su Xiao felt both annoyed and amused.

"Fine, fine, I won't look. You're such a cheapskate."

Xu Niannian lowered her head, stuffed the notebook back into the deepest part of the desk, pursed her lips sweetly, and two cute dimples appeared on her face.

Su Xiao leaned back in her chair, plotting how she could sneak a peek at her when she went to the bathroom.

But thinking about Xu Niannian's possessive attitude towards her food, I felt that peeking was a bit too inhuman.

Forget it.

During chemistry class, Su Xiao noticed that Xu Niannian wasn't using her two newly bought notebooks, but rather her old ones, which were almost falling apart.

He couldn't help but ask, "Why don't you use a new one?"

"The one you bought... is so beautiful, I can't bear to use it."

Xu Niannian spoke very softly, as if she were talking to herself, or as if she were confessing a secret she had kept for a long time.

Seeing her serious expression, Su Xiao reached out to pinch her cheek again.

This time, Xu Niannian was smarter and tried to dodge to the side, but he still managed to grab her.

He didn't use much force, just gently squeezed it, and it still felt so good.

"I bought this for you to use. Buy more when you've used it up, understand?"

Xu Niannian nodded obediently as her face was pinched, her little face flushed.

……

After school in the afternoon, the setting sun painted the school walls orange-red.

Li Ze was walking home with his schoolbag on his back when a girl from the next class with a ponytail walked beside him. They were going the same way.

Li Ze was in a good mood today. Although he only won a third prize in the math competition, it was still a prize.

He was bragging to a girl, and his voice was half a tone higher than usual.

No matter how difficult the competition was, those who won awards were truly talented, unlike some who relied on connections.

As I turned into the alley, there were three people standing in front of me.

The school uniform belonged to No. 5 Middle School. The one in the middle had a grim expression, a toothpick dangling from his mouth, and was leaning against the wall. The two next to him had dyed red hair and shaved heads, respectively.

The girl shrank back behind Li Ze in fright.

Li Ze's heart skipped a beat, but he glanced at the girl beside him, then at the three thugs opposite him, took a deep breath, and stepped forward to shield the girl behind him.

"Who are you looking for?"

The thug in the middle spat the toothpick on the ground and looked him up and down.

"You're Li Ze?"

Li Ze felt the shocked gaze of the girl behind him, and a surge of pride welled up in his heart.

He straightened his back and pronounced his name firmly: "That's right, I am Li Ze. If you have any problems, come at me. Let her go first."

Then he turned back to the girl and said, "This is a matter between men, it has nothing to do with you, you can go now."

The girl was so moved that her eyes welled up with tears, and she walked out of the alleyway, turning back to look at herself every few steps.

Once she was out of sight, the heroic air on Li Ze's face vanished like a candle blown out by the wind, instantly transforming into a smile that was more like a grimace.

"Brother, let's talk this out, don't slap me in the face."