After seeing the emotion color, they all turned pink.

"Hey Xiao Xu, I remember you only had a little over a thousand yuan in your phone, right?"

After pushing the shoebox aside, the two continued eating and chatting.

Xu Chuan asked casually, "Isn't this over three thousand...?"

Where did the two thousand yuan come from?

Xu Chuan was a little confused.

Could Xu Wanxing have actually taken out an online loan to buy him shoes?

If she follows the normal procedure and pays privately, she indeed doesn't need to repay.

However, Xu Chuan didn't want her to settle it privately, because she would still have to pay it back later, the principal plus all the interest.

More importantly, the kind and mysterious couple who helped Xu Chuan won't be able to start helping him until next month...

Therefore, if Xu Chuan wants to quickly make up for the two thousand yuan with Xu Wanxing, he'll have to sell himself again.

How many little kids would I have to coax and hug to pay this off?

But Mrs. Xu, you wouldn't want Xiaoxing to become a person subject to enforcement for dishonesty and be unable to take high-speed trains and planes in the future, would you?

"I asked my parents for the money, Xu Chuan, don't worry... it's okay..."

Xu Wanxing put down her chopsticks, swallowed the food in her mouth, and answered seriously.

Xu Chuan nodded, turned his head, and glanced at Xu Wanxing, who was sitting next to him.

Her emotional outline did not show the tense purple hue that often appears when lying.

However, Xu Chuan still didn't quite believe it.

After learning about Xu Wanxing's family situation, he felt sorry for her, but at the same time, he was also annoyed by her irresponsible parents.

Given how her mother acted at the door that day, would she really be so generous? Giving Little Star two thousand yuan right away?

"Let's go for a walk after we finish eating..." Xu Chuan suggested.

"Okay." Xu Wanxing nodded.

Xu Wanxing glanced at the shoebox on the table, then looked at Xu Chuan, her voice filled with expectant laughter.

"Xu Chuan, why don't you change into your new shoes later? You can try them on!"

"it is good."

Xu Chuan casually agreed.

We've almost finished eating.

Xu Chuan turned halfway around to look at Xu Wanxing. After watching her for a while, he raised his hand and leaned closer, fiddling with the hair hanging behind her ear.

A few strands of hair near Little Star's ear had dried from her tears and stuck together, making her once fair and delicate profile look a bit dusty...

"I'll clean up the dishes later. Why don't you wash your hair at my place before you go out? Look, your hair is all matted together..."

Xu Chuan said with a smile, pinching Xiao Xingxing's hair.

Xu Wanxing's earlobes and cheeks instantly flushed a thin layer of red, and she suddenly looked somewhat embarrassed.

She initially thought Xu Chuan touched her hair because she was cute...

She was initially very happy and enjoying herself... but unexpectedly... it was for this reason.

How embarrassing...

"well……"

Xu Wanxing quickly got up from the chair and jogged into the restroom.

"Can you use my shampoo? The blue bottle one..." Xu Chuan turned halfway around and reminded him.

"it is good."

Xu Wanxing closed the bathroom door, and the sound of running water began.

"Oh no! I haven't gotten the towel yet..."

"oh oh."

Xu Wanxing opened the door again.

But I didn't expect her to move so swiftly.

Half of her hair was already wet, hanging loosely, and Xu Wanxing could only hunch over, her dark hair clinging to the side of her face and her fair neck, her dark eyes blinking brightly...

Xu Chuan was amused by Xiao Xingxing's anxious look and took a clean towel for her from the balcony.

The bathroom door was closed again.

Then, Xu Chuan sat down at the table and picked up Xu Wanxing's phone.

He had memorized Little Star's phone password back in Chapter 8: 0127. Unlocked successfully.

The sound of flushing water from the bathroom was soft and rustling. Xu Chuan, feeling guilty, quickly changed his hand gestures.

He wanted to know where Xu Wanxing got the money to buy him shoes.

He glanced at the screen and saw no online loan apps on his phone's home screen, which made him breathe a sigh of relief.

But, the moment he opened WeChat, Xu Chuan froze slightly, the phone screen reflecting a grayish-white light in his slightly widened eyes.

In Xu Wanxing's WeChat friend list,

【Xu Chuan】is the only one pinned to the top.

Then, there's the recent chat.

[Mom] and [Dad]

Xu Chuan first opened the chat history with his mother.

The chat happened just last night, shortly after he and Xu Wanxing finished their walk and he gave her a piece of candy, and they parted ways.

------

Little Star: [Mom, I'm going to withdraw from school tomorrow, and the teacher won't bother you anymore.]

Half an hour later——

Little Star: [Mom, can you give me two thousand yuan?]

Half an hour later——

Little Star: [I'm out of money (crying)]

Mom: [Voice message 18"]

Mom: [Voice message 33"]

------

Xu Chuan transcribed the speech into text and read her mother's reply.

The gist of it was, "I just transferred 1500 to you at the beginning of the month, how did you spend it? Since you're not in school anymore, why are you asking me for money? I started working after graduating from junior high, how come you're still so fragile and dependent?" and so on...

Xu Wanxing did not reply after that.

Xu Chuan opened the chat history with his father.

The chat log contained very few messages, and the time span was quite long, which made it even more heartbreaking.

3 years ago —

Little Star: [Happy New Year, Dad! This is my number. Mom bought me a cell phone. (smiles)]

No reply.

2 years ago —

Little Star: [Daddy, today is my birthday, and I can cook by myself now!]

Little Star: [Image]

No reply.

1 years ago —

Little Star: [Happy New Year, Dad! Wishing you good health in the new year! (fireworks)]

No reply.

Four months ago—

Little Star: [Dad, I got into No. 3 Middle School!]

Little Star: [It's the honors class!]

Dad: [Thumbs up]

Little Star: [Smiling]

Little Star: [Mom said if I get into No. 1 Middle School or No. 3 Middle School, I can continue my studies. The head of the grade will hold a big meeting when school starts. Can you come?]

No reply.

And then today came.

9:23 AM —

Little Star: [Daddy, can you send me a month's allowance? (crying)]

Little Star: [I'm dropping out of school because Mom won't give me any money for living expenses anymore (crying)]

10:33 AM —

Dad: [Go ask her for it! All the child support payments ordered by the court are in her possession!]

Little Star: [(Crying)]

Little Star: [Mommy won't give it to me (crying)]

Dad: [You said, "If she doesn't give it to you, I'll call the police. She has to give it to you!"]

Little Star: [Daddy...]

Little Star: [(Crying)]

More than two hours have passed.

12:43 PM —

Dad: [Transfer 3000 yuan via WeChat]

Little Star: [Thank you, Daddy (flower)]

Little Star: [Please take care of your health. I won't bother you again. (smile)]

Little Star: [Received 3000 yuan via WeChat]

------

Xu Chuan put down Xu Wanxing's phone, turned his head, and looked at the exquisite sneaker box on the table. He felt as if a needle was gently pricking his heart.

The thought that Xu Wanxing had obtained these sneakers through such a humble method and by sending so many (crying) emojis made him feel sad.

Xu Wanxing has never used any other animated emojis; she has always used the most basic, WeChat-provided soybean emoji pack to express her emotions.

Sometimes when she sends him a (smiling) emoji, Xu Chuan knows she might actually be smiling.

When she and her parents send these messages (crying), are they also shedding tears behind their phones?