sneakers that looked somewhat old. On both shoulders, there were tightened straps supporting the weight behind him.Su Cen appeared among the crowd with an extremely peculiar posture: his hand was bent...Chapter 57 Lin Guozhou

"Ah, Little Lin, I feel that something's been off lately. Su Can has been coming over to our house frequently to go online, but you haven't gone out with us at all recently. It makes me think that you two might be secretly dating behind my back!" After entering the family compound and noticing something amiss about the recent situation, Wang Weiwei adjusted his schoolbag and turned to look at Lin Luoran.

Lin Luoran had been lowering her head, thinking about seeing Su Can and Tang Wu earlier today but not greeting them. Now hearing what Wang Weiwei said made her snap back into reality; she then raised her voice, "If you say that again, I'll kick you to death!"

"That's right," Wang Weiwei responded with suspicion, "Every Saturday and Sunday recently, he's been coming over. Every time I want to challenge him, but each time he says he needs to write something. Even stranger is how you've started staying home to watch idol dramas too. When did we stop doing things together"

Upon hearing this, Lin Zhouwu also became suspicious, "I'm surprised too. Su Can actually doesn't respond to our provocations! Come to think of it, he and I demolished all the internet cafes in the area—'Killers' is now well-known. Our gaming level has improved greatly; could you have tipped him off so that he wouldn't come challenge us"

"What nonsense! Can't I be a little uncomfortable for one day And what's it to me if he stays at home, doing his own thing and watching TV while I do the same"

Wang Weiwei hesitated, then asked, "But why was there a coffee cup in the study after Su Can left last week" His face turned red as he explained, "It was P嬸 who cleaned up; that's when I saw it."

Lin Zhouwu was also taken aback and looked at Lin Luoran with surprise. Although Wang Weiwei could be thick-skinned at times, he wasn't stupid. Su Can came over very neatly—there's no way he would casually make coffee for himself; moreover, he didn't even know where the coffee was.

"After he left, I went to play a game. What's wrong with that Do I need to report everything to you guys" said Lin Luoran indignantly, though she felt somewhat guilty inside.

"Are there really no feelings between you two"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Lin Luoran threw her schoolbag over her shoulder and walked off angrily, causing some middle-aged men and women passing by to stop from greeting them.

Lin Zhouwu looked at Lin Luoran's back, his single-fold eyes narrowing slightly until they were nearly a thin line. A few flickers of light passed through them, unlike anything he usually displayed with his usual dazed expression. Then he turned to Wang Weiwei and said in a low voice, "She and that kid should be fine."

At this moment, even Wang Weiwei's expression fell silent, and he shook his head. "Who knows" But at the moment he spoke these words, Lin Yin made his face unclear.

In childhood, a little girl would hold tightly onto his clothes and repeatedly call out, "Weiwei brother, play with me."

A bit older, he would be annoyed by this tag-along girl. Sometimes when playing boyish games, he couldn't let loose because of her, often making her cry.

Then they grew up together, but he often overlooked the fact that this little girl had unknowingly become elegant and refined beyond all other girls his age. He also often ignored the frequent gazes she gave him.

Later, he entered into his first love, secretly admiring Sister Ye from their circle who was so outstanding that she already had a lineup of suitors. One day, she invited him to ride in her sports car, and when he saw her standing on the other side of the street at this moment, plain yet upright, it made him feel anxious.

He ultimately did not get out of the car but accompanied Sister Ye for a night of beach dining before she left for abroad the next day.

The girl who had always clung to him finally stopped clinging. Even when they went crazy together, he could still see from her eyes a difficult-to-grasp and profound thoughtfulness.

Finally, they left Grand View Garden and settled in an obscure small city.

Now, Wang Weiwei, who had never realized he held the string of the kite, suddenly wondered if one day he would let go and watch that magnificent kite fly away—would he desperately try to hold onto it by whatever means necessary or let it go

Entering through the door, he heard the sound of stir-frying in the kitchen. Aunt Zhang was not around; Wang Bo's figure, wearing an apron, could be seen faintly. In the room sat a middle-aged man in casual suit attire, tall and upright, with stubble on his chin showing maturity. He held a cigarette and had a distant yet weathered look in his eyes. When Lin Luoran saw this man, she froze in place.

When Lin Zhouda and Wang Weiwei entered the door next, they were taken aback. Lin Zhouda exclaimed, "Second Uncle!"

Wang Weiwei was bewildered to see Secretary of the Municipal Committee, Wang Bo, bustling about in the kitchen. He burst out laughing with surprise, saying to Ambassador Lin, "Ambassador Lin, I said my father would suddenly become so diligent and cook voluntarily! It turns out that it's your honor who has come!"

Wang Bo came out of the kitchen, his sleeves rolled up, and barked sharply, "You brat! You don't show any respect to your elders. Seeing Uncle Lin, you still can’t behave properly!"

Lin Guozhou smiled slightly, saying, "I heard Lin Chu praising you. He said that you've been well-behaved in school. As a key national high school, Xiahai No. 1 High School is your stage to strive for excellent results. Your father doesn't like you entering politics, and thus you must obtain an MBA degree as the basic qualification he expects from you. Serving one’s country in a small corner is enough when it comes to politics, but commerce can take you around the world and manage the affairs of the world. That's great! Nowadays, strategic views and a global perspective are required."

Wang Weiwei laughed, saying, "Uncle Lin, I'm not like you, traveling all over the world, naturally having a global outlook. I just like this small city. It’s perfect to be in a corner."

Lin Guozhou asked, "So, after Ye Zhichang went to London and became an English girl, are you feeling sorry for yourself as a Wang family boy"

Wang Weiwei stared at Lin Guozhou with disbelief. Then he looked at the expressionless Wang Bo. He didn’t expect that his secret affection for Lin Zhichang was known by Lin Guozhou. Judging from his father's reaction, it seemed that he was also aware of it. This was quite a blow to his pride. There were countless princes pursuing Lin Zhichang, and he was merely an understudy among the understudies compared to those talented young men in Beijing. He wasn’t worried about his father finding out about him courting Lin Zhichang; rather, he feared that his father would discover that he himself was also just an understudy and be looked down upon.

Indeed enough, Wang Bo glanced at him. Even though Wang Weiwei didn't show much shock outwardly, the expression in his eyes couldn’t escape from Wang Bo’s notice. He gave a cold snort: "No good."

Wang Weiwei's face turned red as if it were on fire. Lin Zhouda immediately interrupted, saying, “Second Uncle, you are usually very busy. You just came back from Yugoslavia, right Please tell us about the battle situation! Are American missiles accurate or not When I was little, I loved listening to your stories about news from various countries. You’re my version of Sinbad. How long is this vacation of yours”

"A week. After a week, I have more things to do and will leave again! This time, I just came over for a look at you guys." Lin Guozhou paused, looking at Lin Luoran. Due to the prolonged absence, their father-daughter relationship was both close due to blood ties but also felt unfamiliar. It was quite an odd feeling.

Even though Lin Zhouda was Sinbad in Lin Zhouda’s eyes, his weathered face remained serious at this moment: "I’ve seen your recent report cards and noticed that you can do better than what you have achieved now; it's still worth affirming. You still have room for improvement and the potential to advance further. If there are any difficulties in your studies or daily life where communication is needed, feel free to talk to me. I'll discuss with your teachers or you can handle them yourself. You’re old enough to make decisions on your own."

Lin Luoran, who had hoped to have a nice chat with her father, was instead met with a stern lecture from the old man upon arrival. Since childhood, he had never praised her once. Even when sitting down for dinner, Lin Luoran still looked sulky.

However, during the meal, Lin Guozhou picked several dishes and placed them in front of her, hinting at a slight warmth beneath his stern exterior.

"Hey! Luoran, your dad actually cares about you quite a bit this time. Your Uncle Wang knows that because of the nature of his work, he tends to be rather stereotypical when it comes to events and doesn't like to show what's in his heart!" Wang Bo teased at the dinner table, "But I think what he really wants to know is whether or not you've found a boy you can get along with at school! Haha."

It was clear that Wang Bo was taking revenge for earlier.

Lin Zhouwu slammed his fist on the table and winked at Lin Luoran, who had pursed her lips in response. "Yes! I can confirm it's Su Chen!"

"Stop talking nonsense!" Lin Luoran retorted angrily.

Lin Guozhou frowned and looked towards Wang Bo.

Wang Bo smiled at him, saying, "Oh, Su Chen. You don't believe me I've never seen a boy of this age who's so interesting! I can confirm that your daughter talks about this kid more than twice as much as she does you. For example, teaching him how to play basketball, or discussing what happened to him. Before coming here, I had already heard about this kid and even spoken with him. Compared to Wang Weiwei and Lin Zhouwu, this boy is leagues ahead! Just like I said before, the kids from ordinary families tend to be more outstanding!"

"Uncle Wang!" Lin Luoran reproached, inwardly worried that her father's stern demeanor at home had left her with a deep psychological shadow. If he misunderstood her, the consequences could be terrible.

"You've gone mad too," Lin Guozhou said as he took another bite of his food, looking at the usually strict Secretary-General Wang, who was now much more laid-back in front of others.

"Come, come. I'll tell you about this boy's thoughts later in my study. I guarantee it will give you a different perspective." Wang Bo really seemed to take it seriously. Glancing at Lin Luoran, her face flushed and very cute indeed. rare to see someone practicing their dribbling skills like Su Cen did. Moreover, since Mao Xiaoshi had been the captain and sports committee member of the school’s basketball team, he borrowed a ball...