My girlfriend isn't as cute as me.

"You broke your high heels while running to help me. If you continue wearing these shoes, there's a 39% chance you'll sprain your ankle. Just make do with these slippers for now and don't push yourself."

Looking at Wang Yuting's high heels with broken heels, Lin Jiu thought to herself that she would have to find a new job.

He doesn't like owing favors.

"Thank you."

Wang Yuting took the blue slippers and tried them on, taking a few steps.

Although they didn't fit perfectly and were a little too big, she was still very happy.

Lin Jiu glanced at her, put the towel that Officer Li had given him into his backpack, and walked out of the store.

With Uncle Yang not around, Lin Jiu understood that Xiao Dong didn't like him, so rather than the two of them feeling awkward in the shop, he decided to let him leave.

Lin Jiu tried to open his umbrella, but Liu Hua's punch broke the ribs, piercing the canopy. He looked down at his arms; they weren't much better off now, the kick had landed squarely. He hadn't felt anything at first, but as the anger subsided, a searing pain slowly crept over him.

This umbrella looks useless.

Lin Jiu threw it into the trash can and strolled in the rain.

The cold rain fell on my body, slowly washing away my body heat.

Where should we go next...?

The park has been cleaned up a long time ago, and security guards will patrol and urge people out after 11 p.m.

I know a good spot under the bridge; you can find some cardboard boxes and spend the night there.

...Has the rain stopped?

Lin Jiu paused for a moment.

It wasn't that the rain stopped, but that Yuting...

Wang Yuting held up an umbrella to shield him from the wind and rain, and said with a smile, "Where do you live? I'll take you home."

Lin Jiu glanced at her, remained silent for a moment, and then said, "I have no home."

"Oh, is that so...would you like to come to my house?" Wang Yuting chuckled. "I live alone, and my house is quite big. You're welcome to come over and play. If you get tired, just go to sleep, no problem."

"No need."

After saying that, Lin Jiu walked out from under the umbrella.

He hadn't walked far when he staggered and collapsed to the ground.

Chapter Eight: You're Awake!

"Ninth Sister, Ninth Sister, come here quickly, look what delicious food Grandma made for you."

In the hazy state of consciousness, a familiar voice called out, a voice that soothed the mind.

It was a dilapidated brick house, and the sound of Peking Opera came from the large CRT television. I don't know how many times it had been played.

Inside the house, a kind old woman looked at her grandson with a beaming smile, her eyes filled with boundless affection.

The young boy looked helpless, putting on a mature expression despite his young age.

"Grandma, I am Lin Jiu, and I am a boy."

"Ninth Sister doesn't want to eat mung bean cake anymore?"

"I won't be bought off with snacks. Please respect my bottom line, thank you."

"And there's also your favorite Want Want Milk."

"From today onwards, I'll be called Ninth Sister!"

The little boy jumped off the earthen bed, his skirt swaying gently in the breeze, and ran over excitedly.

Grandma looked at her grandson's adorable appearance and subconsciously touched his hair, then casually braided it into a pigtail.

"Ninth Sister, would you like to hear Grandma tell a story?"

"Do not want to."

"Then I'll have to say it even more. When I went to war with your grandfather, we were only sixteen years old..."

Grandma would talk for an entire afternoon, and the boy listened silently, drinking his favorite milk and eating mung bean cakes, a devoted listener. Because of his small stature, his feet couldn't reach the ground when he sat in an adult's chair, swaying gently. His white stockings outlined his slender legs in an alluring curve, swaying lightly.

"Ninth Sister, Grandma hopes you remember this: there is no such thing as a free lunch in this world. You have to work hard to get what you want. The one who smiles last is the one who strives and works hard."

Grandma stroked her beloved grandson's head. All the stories she told were actually meant to guide him onto the right path.

At that time, she and her husband decided to entrust their son, Lin Shanzong, to relatives in the city so they could send him to school, but they neglected to take care of him. Their son was very intelligent, quick to learn, had an excellent memory, and was extremely competitive. He had never experienced hardship from childhood, considering himself invincible, but after losing once, he could never recover.

We must never allow the same tragedy to happen again.

Looking at his grandmother's serious expression, Lin Jiu nodded and silently kept her words in mind.

Grandma smiled; her smile was so kind that it made you involuntarily smile back.

That smile was captured forever.

It's frozen in a black and white photograph.

It was a funeral.

When Lin Jiu learned that his grandmother had been hospitalized and was critically ill, he tried to contact the man who was addicted to gambling and alcohol and was a hopeless case, but he couldn't get through to him no matter how many times he called.

Lin Jiu, who was supposed to go to the exam hall, turned around, bought a train ticket, and gave up the final exam.

During the car ride, Lin Jiu tried to contact his homeroom teacher by phone, but the teacher insisted that a parent answer the call. Frustrated, Lin Jiu tried to remain calm and communicate normally, but no matter how he explained, the homeroom teacher kept repeating the same sentence.

"Have your parent answer the phone."

In the end, Lin Jiu chose to move people with words.

Language has power, a principle Lin Jiu has always firmly believed in.

When Lin Jiu calmly stated that she would share the little secret between the homeroom teacher and the principal with everyone in the school, the homeroom teacher's tone became much kinder. She was no longer aggressive, but instead discussed how to resolve the matter peacefully.

Leave requests will definitely be approved; they must be approved.

Filial piety is the most important of all virtues. As a senior high school that continues the traditional Chinese virtues, it is our duty to be considerate of our students.

Lin Jiu, who had scared his homeroom teacher to tears, hung up the phone. He gazed at the receding scenery outside the window and prayed silently.

Unfortunately, by the time Lin Jiu arrived, it was too late for him to see his grandmother one last time.

All my longing is captured in a photograph; I can no longer say goodbye.

"..."

Lin Jiu slowly opened her eyes.

He blinked, and tears welled up in his eyes, gradually clearing his blurred vision.

A pungent smell filled the air, and Lin Jiu, whose consciousness had not yet returned, frowned and raised her hand to rub her temples.

"Have I been... thrown into a garbage dump?"

Memories from before she fell into a coma flooded back, and Lin Jiu recalled what had happened.

He wasn't in good health to begin with; he was malnourished and lacked exercise. After being hungry all day and then getting caught in the rain, it would be strange if he didn't collapse.

Lin Jiu propped himself up on his arms, a movement that aggravated the wound on his arm, causing pain, but it was quickly replaced by a cooling sensation. He then noticed that his hands were wrapped in bandages, the bandaging technique was impeccable, without a single flaw.

Lin Jiu scanned the surroundings, and luckily, he wasn't thrown into the trash heap.

This is a typical one-bedroom apartment with a narrow frontage and a large depth, which is also a high-end residence on the market.

Deep, long houses typically don't have ideal natural lighting, but the homeowner cleverly used frosted glass in some areas. This allows light to filter between rooms, not only increasing the interior brightness but also adding depth and visually expanding the space. The dining area faces three doors. For the bathroom and entryway doors, where privacy isn't a primary concern, finely frosted glass was used to soften the appearance of the doors, increase natural light, and create a warm atmosphere.

Although there was a thick layer of dust on the furniture, indicating that the residents did not clean the house often, it shouldn't have emitted such a terrible stench... When Lin Jiu looked at the kitchen, she finally understood.

This smells burnt.

That's the main reason.

Lin Jiu deduced from the messy interior that the occupants were not good at tidying up; even their food consisted of convenience store bento boxes and some fruits and vegetables. However, the fruit in the fruit basket had been sitting for too long, and its color had changed.

"cough--"

Lin Jiu wanted to observe quietly for a while longer, but his body protested involuntarily, refusing to overwork his mind when he was physically weak. A deep sense of fatigue washed over him, and a stinging pain came from his throat and tongue. These symptoms dominated Lin Jiu's body, causing him to lie down again after finally managing to sit up straight.

what……

Is this a sofa?

Lin Jiu felt like her body was almost embedded in the sofa.

This is not a good sign; it indicates that his control over his body is declining. It's likely because he forced himself to process environmental information immediately after regaining consciousness, making his already overworked body even more uncomfortable.

As if they had heard Lin Jiu's voice, the noisy commotion in the kitchen instantly quieted down.

"You're awake!"

Wang Yuting poked her head out, her face still covered in dust, making it hard to imagine what had happened in the kitchen.

Even the famous detective Lin Jiu couldn't have imagined the terrible state of the kitchen right now; hopefully, it won't cause a fire.

"No, you have a slight fever right now, so lie down and behave yourself."

The girl's serious voice reached Lin Jiu's somewhat hazy consciousness. He felt a warm sensation on his forehead, the warmth of her fingers, a body temperature he both missed and longed for.

Lin Jiu closed her eyes drowsily and murmured something.

"grandmother……"

Chapter Nine Every Cause Has an Effect

"grandmother?"

Wang Yuting subconsciously lowered her head, holding up her full and proud figure.

The white wool cardigan shifted with her movements, complementing each other perfectly and highlighting her charm.

Wang Yuting was somewhat troubled; she was still a virgin! Even if she wanted to feed him, she couldn't!

No, not this grandma, but that grandma!

Wang Yuting covered her face with her hands, forced to admit that she had misunderstood.