Outside the school gates, Lin Xiaoli met the two little ones, bending down with a smile to ask, "School's out! How did Ranran and Qingqing do at school today? Did you have fun?"
Seeing that her own mother hadn't come, Xiao Heqing nodded first and replied, "I had fun," before asking, "Mrs. Lin, where is my mom?"
His mom spoke as if coaxing a child, rubbing Xiao Heqing's head. "Qingqing, your mom has to work overtime tonight, so she couldn't make it. I'll take you back, and you can have dinner at our house tonight, okay?" She held up a finger. "I bought prawns today! They're delicious! Your mom has already agreed!"
The sadness of her mother's absence was overshadowed by the promise of prawns. A natural foodie, He Qing pursed her lips, glancing conflictedly at Lin Zhengran, afraid he wouldn't want her there.
Lin Yingjun opened the car door. "Ranran, you and Qingqing sit in the back. Everyone, get in quickly, or we'll get stuck in traffic."
His mom agreed and ushered the two into the car. Lin Zhengran got into the back seat first. Seeing Xiao Heqing still standing outside, he asked, puzzled, "Get in. Why are you still standing there?"
Xiao Heqing murmured in agreement. With a faint trace of joy on her face, she quickly climbed into the car and sat down beside Lin Zhengran.
On the way home, his mom, sitting in the passenger seat, opened a snack packet and handed it back to Lin Zhengran and He Qing. "Ranran, Qingqing, here's some chocolate for you."
Lin Zhengran thought of the system. He took the snack but didn't hear any sound. He wondered why it hadn't triggered this time. Not being a fan of sweets, he simply shoved the snack into He Qing's hands. "You eat it."
Xiao Heqing was greatly surprised, and his mom, Lin Xiaoli, was even more astonished. She smiled meaningfully. "Oh? Are Ranran and Qingqing getting along this well now? You're actually giving your snacks to Qingqing on your own?"
Lin Zhengran looked out the window. "I just don't like it."
His mom covered her mouth as she laughed, assuming her son was just being a typical stubborn boy, too proud to admit his true feelings. "Is that so? Is there really a child who doesn't like snacks?"
He Qing didn't overthink it, only feeling flustered. "Are you really not going to eat it?"
"No, you eat it."
Xiao Heqing held the snack, staring at it without opening it, but she gulped audibly.
Lin Xiaoli gently reminded her, "Qingqing, if you aren't going to eat it now, just put it away for later. Since Ranran said he won't eat it, he definitely won't."
"Mhm." She peeked at Lin Zhengran and whispered, "Lin Zhengran, I'll show you the thing when we get home."
Lin Zhengran gave a sound of agreement. Seeing that he wasn't angry, Xiao Heqing finally dared to slip the chocolate into her pocket.
Back at the apartment building, Xiao Heqing carried her little backpack and ran to her own front door, entering the passcode to unlock it. She was from a single-parent family. Her mother frequently worked overtime, so for the most part, He Qing went home by herself.
Lin Xiaoli called out, "Qingqing, we'll call you when dinner is ready!"
"Okay, I'm just grabbing something!"
Xiao Heqing dropped her backpack, went to her bedroom, and found the box of candies. Then she moved to the wardrobe, lying flat on the floor to reach underneath. After struggling to pull out a small box, she wiped off the dust. She pursed her lips in reluctance, but remembering what had happened today, she decided she still wanted to give it to Lin Zhengran.
Carrying the two boxes, she headed over to Lin Zhengran's home. Lin Xiaoli and Lin Yingjun were already in the kitchen cooking.
Xiao Heqing seemed to have an innate fear of Lin Zhengran. She stood at his open bedroom door, watching him sit on the bed and organize his things, but didn't dare to go inside. She simply stood there obediently. "Lin Zhengran... I brought everything over."
Lin Zhengran acknowledged her and continued tidying up. He assumed she had entered the room, but after a moment, he realized she was still standing by the door, staring at him eagerly. She hadn't moved an inch.
"Why are you just standing there?"
Xiao Heqing hesitated. She was afraid Lin Zhengran would get mad if she entered his room without permission, but she also didn't dare to say so, so she just lowered her head in silence.
Lin Zhengran patted the bed. "Come sit here, give me the stuff, and then shut the door."
"Okay."
Xiao Heqing obediently followed his instructions. She sat down, handed the items to Lin Zhengran, and then got up, walked back to shut the door, and stood by the door in a daze. She didn't even dare to alter the exact sequence of his commands.
Lin Zhengran truly wasn't someone easily angered, but at this moment, a vein throbbed on his forehead. He walked over and lightly pinched her cheek, making He Qing whimper in grievance.
"Why are you standing here again? Go sit on the bed!"
"I'm sorry, I'm sorry!"
"Why are you acting like I bully you all day long? You're obviously the one pissing me off all day."
She felt wronged. "I didn't."
Lin Zhengran returned to the bed and opened the box of candies.
[Jackpot! It's a whole box of Nourishing Elixirs! Although the quality is not too high, the sheer quantity makes it an excellent treasure for someone like you who has just entered the path of Cultivation. If you consume them all and absorb them properly, advancing several levels within half a year will absolutely be no problem!]
How strange. Thinking back to the chocolate his mom had just given them, he wondered if the system only recognized things from He Qing as treasures.
"Where did you get these candies?"
He Qing answered, "My mom gave them to me. Every time I couldn't finish them, I would save a few and put them in here, just in case there came a day when I didn't have anything to eat..."
Lin Zhengran opened the other, flatter box. It should be the large chocolate He Qing had mentioned that afternoon. After unwrapping it, he found exactly that—a whole block of dark chocolate studded with whole nuts. However, perhaps because it had been kept for too long... it looked a bit spoiled.
[Black Blood Paste. Excellent quality, but due to environmental corrosion, it has lost its efficacy and is now useless.]
Lin Zhengran originally wanted to say that this thing had already expired, but he saw He Qing looking extremely reluctant, her two small hands clasped together in utter nervousness.
"You can't bear to part with it?" he asked curiously.
Hearing this, Xiao Heqing looked up. "No, it's not that I can't bear it... It's just..." Her voice was very low. "This is the only thing my dad ever gave me. If you want it, could you leave a little piece for me... just leave a bit for me."
Lin Zhengran was intrigued. "And what if I don't give you any? Not leaving a single bit for you."
"Just a little bit is fine... I don't want much."
"What if I give you nothing at all? Meaning I intentionally withhold it from you. Even if I can't finish it, I'll throw it away instead of giving it to you."
Xiao Heqing gazed at Lin Zhengran, her eyes suddenly growing moist as tears welled up.
"Then... then where do you plan to throw it away when you can't finish it? I'll just go pick it out of the trash."
Exasperated, Lin Zhengran handed the chocolate back to Xiao Heqing. "Stop crying! I don't like this stuff anyway, so keep it for yourself. However, as payment for me saving you..." He shook the box of candies in his hand. "This box of candies isn't enough. From now on, every time your mom gives you candy, you have to share some with me. And you have to listen to me in the future, got it?"
Hearing that he didn't want it, Xiao Heqing instantly cheered up. Her tears vanished, and she carefully packed the chocolate away, hugging it closely to her chest.
"Okay! From now on, I'll give you half of all my candies! I'll listen to you."
Lin Zhengran grunted in agreement. "Then it's a deal."
[You have chosen to temporarily partner with the fairy, and the naive fairy has actually agreed to obey you. Perhaps feeling a sense of obligation from taking her offerings, you plan to teach the pure fairy about the sinister nature of the world during your time together. After all, you know your partnership will not last long, and this serves as a small contribution to her future path of Cultivation.]