Damn it, I'm surrounded by childhood sweethearts

"How much?" Xu Qingfan put a bottle of aloe juice, an ice pop, and a packet of jumping candy on the checkout counter.

The clerk, who had just shut her mouth, picked up each item to scan them, and when she picked up the jumping candy, she suddenly glanced up and glared at Xu Qingfan.

"Seven yuan!"

Xu Qingfan felt somewhat baffled; he even turned around to look but there was no one there.

This meant that the clerk's bad attitude was indeed directed at him.

"Okay, please bag them for me." He still kept a gentle demeanor, thinking there was no need to argue; he simply would not come to this convenience store next time.

After paying, he left, carrying the bag in his left hand and holding Xia Xiaoxiao's hand with his right.

"So young and already so tricky, beast!" The clerk suddenly slapped her own thigh, and then both her hand and leg started hurting so much that she began to howl in pain.

After walking some distance away, Xu Qingfan opened the packet of jumping candy and poured it into his mouth, handing the remaining half to Xia Xiaoxiao.

"That clerk must have eaten gunpowder or something, what terrible service attitude."

However, Xia Xiaoxiao seemed preoccupied, ignoring him completely.

"Hey, why aren't you speaking?" Xu Qingfan nudged her arm.

Xia Xiaoxiao came back to her senses but only gave him a faint glance and said nothing.

"What's the matter, you were fine just now?"

Seeing that Xia Xiaoxiao didn't respond, he simply folded the remaining half of the packet and put it away, then started eating a half of the ice pop himself.

Ice pop and jumping candy, that was his favorite combination as a child, and he had just seen Devil Jumping Candy for sale in the store, which was why he had picked a packet.

The "pop, pop" sound started in his mouth, and after chewing out the ice chunks, he savored them in his mouth, squinting in pleasure.

Xia Xiaoxiao did not share his good spirits, her mind in turmoil, as if countless bees were buzzing in her ears.

She and the clerk were not related, and Xia Xiaoxiao didn't think the clerk would tease her for no reason, so the question now arose.

What exactly was Xu Qingfan buying condoms for?

It couldn't possibly be to blow them up like balloons for fun, so the truth seemed pretty obvious.

What else could it be for but for use?

And thus, another question emerged, with whom?

[Wanning?]

Xia Xiaoxiao's mind first conjured up the image of Lin Wanning, but she quickly dismissed it because Lin Wanning and Zhang Yiyi were almost inseparable; it surely couldn't be a double affair, right?

[Yu or... Ruan Wen?]

She got confused for a moment. Logically, if Yu was at home, she was almost always by her side, which left no opportunity for mischief, and Ruan Wen was her top supporter, how could she backstab?

Xia Xiaoxiao spun her thoughts in circles but couldn't figure out who the culprit could be.

[If it's not one of these four, could it be those bad women outside?]

[How could he do this!]

Xia Xiaoxiao felt like she had solved the case and for a moment felt Xu Qingfan was unclean.

Disgusted, she shook off Xu Qingfan's hand holding hers and without looking back, she ran away.

"Hmph!"

Xu Qingfan, still chewing on the ice pop, was left standing there dumbfounded, "What, what is she freaking out about?"

He took a bite of the ice pop left for Xia Xiaoxiao in frustration, and then he set back on his journey.

...

After returning home, Xia Xiaoxiao locked herself in her room, replaying the events that had just unfolded.

Angry as she was, there could still be a misunderstanding, or perhaps it was just the clerk's prank?

Xia Xiaoxiao closed her eyes and recalled: first, the clerk asked if my stinky dog was my boyfriend, I said yes, then she got really mad and pointed at the shelf saying my boyfriend is no good, last time he brought another girl here to buy this and they came hand in hand!

Eliminating the prank possibility, Xia Xiaoxiao didn't think there was any misunderstanding.

[Coming hand in hand to get that kind of stuff, what else could it be!]

Nevertheless, the possibility of a prank still existed, and Xia Xiaoxiao held back her plan to confide in Xiao Ruawen.

Until the matter was clear, she decided not to tell anyone.

[If it really is the worst-case scenario... I... I...]

Xia Xiaoxiao huddled in the corner, her knees pulled up to her chest, and even though she lacked the courage to make any decision, tears streamed down her cheeks like kites with their strings cut.

After sitting dumbfounded for over ten minutes, the girl wiped the tears from the corner of her eyes, sniffed, and stood up again.

Twenty more minutes passed, and after a shower, there was no trace of crying on her face anymore.

Xia Xiaoxiao wiped off the water droplets from the mirror and smiled at her reflection.

[Hopefully, it's just a misunderstanding or prank, otherwise, no matter who you are, I will definitely drive you away!]

"Xiaoxiao, why did you take a bath so early today? I just finished cooking," Yao Jinping came out of the kitchen in the next room, smiling as she spoke to her.

"Hello, Auntie, I sweated a lot during the afternoon PE class, let me help you!" Xia Xiaoxiao sincerely smiled.

"No need, the kitchen is so hot. Xiaoxiao, go enjoy the air conditioning and check if that brat has finished his bath?" Yao Jiping put the dishes on the table and went back to the kitchen.

Xia Xiaoxiao quickly put on a straight face and walked towards the second floor.

[If there really is a problem, there might be some traces on his phone!]

Unfortunately, when she opened the door, Xu Qingfan had already finished his bath and was sitting at his desk working on some documents.

"You're here." Xu Qingfan glanced back.

"Auntie wants you to come down for dinner." Xia Xiaoxiao scanned the room but couldn't find the phone.

"I'll be done soon, get me a bowl of soup. I'll drink it in a bit." He kept his eyes glued to the computer.

"Hmph~ get it yourself!" Seeing no opportunity, Xia Xiaoxiao turned and left.

"Bang!"

The door was shut forcefully, Xu Qingfan frowned discontentedly: "Young but so temperamental, clearly hasn't been spanked enough lately."

[Read and well noted, keep it up.]

After quickly replying to Lin Juan, he shut down the computer and went downstairs.

"Drink more soup, lotus seeds stewed with pig's heart, very refreshing." Seeing Xu Qingfan gulp down a bowl of soup, Yao Jiping showed a satisfied smile.

"Hmm, I'll get another bowl after dinner." After serving himself some rice, Xu Qingfan started to feast heartily.

After a week of school cafeteria food, a meal cooked by mom at home is a taste not even a Michelin three-star can match.

"Mom, I want to sleep over tonight. I haven't even stayed in the room Auntie prepared for me." Midway through the meal, Xia Xiaoxiao suddenly spoke up.

"Sure, I clean Xiao Xiao's room every day." Yao Jiping immediately agreed happily; after all, having Xiao Xiao around after Yu went home was nice.

"Then stay over." Lin Jing tucked her daughter's hair behind her ears; the two families were so close that it didn't really matter where she slept.

"Mhm!"

"Uncle, Auntie, have some vegetables, Mom, have some vegetables." Xia Xiaoxiao served vegetables to everyone's bowls, and when it was Xu Qingfan's turn, she gave him two large shrimps, "I want shrimps!"

Xu Qingfan, who was already feeling uneasy, was afraid Xia Xiaoxiao might cause trouble that night.

Now, he was just speechless.

"Shrimp heads!" He made a pun, placing two shrimp heads in Xia Xiaoxiao's bowl, while peeling the shrimp bodies for Lin Jing and his mother.

"Auntie, look at him!" Xia Xiaoxiao stomped her foot angrily, unable to act haughty especially in front of adults like Yao Jiping.

"Hahaha!" Everyone burst into laughter.

"Always bullying Xiao Xiao, Auntie's shrimp would go to our Xiao Xiao." But Yao Jiping fell right for it and promptly placed her shrimp in Xia Xiaoxiao's bowl.

"Thank you, Auntie!"

"Didn't you hear Xiao Xiao say she wants shrimps, a boy should be more gentlemanly!"

"Exactly!"

Xu Qingfan shook his head helplessly, missing Yu on the first day she wasn't there.

...

Late at night.

All was silent; after everyone had gone to bed, Xia Xiaoxiao sneakily entered Xu Qingfan's room.

[If I find evidence, I will definitely not forgive you!]

She turned on the flashlight, quietly exploring the room.

[Not on the desk… not by the bed... not by the pillow either!]

After searching around, Xia Xiaoxiao still hadn't found Xu Qingfan's phone, which was starting to make her a bit uneasy.

[If he has nothing to hide, why would he hide his phone!]

Xia Xiaoxiao pointed the flashlight at the floor and tiptoed over to the bed, removing her shoes before getting on the bed.

She repositioned the flashlight towards the ceiling and straddled Xu Qingfan.

Soon, Xia Xiaoxiao found the hiding spot for his phone.

[To hide it under his neck, he definitely has something to hide!]

"Thump, thump, thump!"

Her heart pounding ceaselessly, she raised her right hand holding the flashlight while her left hand clawed towards Xu Qingfan's neck.

[I could strangle you!]

Xia Xiaoxiao mischievously thought to herself, while gently placing her hand on his neck.

Suddenly, Xu Qingfan opened his eyes.

"Ah!"

"Ah!"

...