Having just returned to his room in the hostel, Ling Yun finally noticed how dehydrated he was. His parched throat felt like a desert and his eyes were dried up. He hurriedly drank half a jug of water before opening the window and taking his clothes off.
“It’s all wet…” Ling Yun mumbled to himself as he stripped. Before anything else, he decided to take a bath to cleanse his body of its pungent smell. As he walked to the showers, Ling Yun could not hide his surprise as he remembered how his sister was able to withstand such a smell without a single complaint when wiping his face a while ago.
After 15 minutes, a refreshed and clean Ling Yun came out of the bath. After soaking his dirty laundry in the basin, he went back to his room with his slippers on.
Back in the hostel, Ling Yun touched the pants he had hung up yesterday. They were still wet. Ling Yun let out a sigh.
“I’m in trouble now…”
Not giving up, Ling Yun started to search his wardrobe. He clearly recalled seeing a spare blue shirt while searching for money that morning. After a long search, Ling Yun finally found the uniform.
“I knew it! When there’s a will there’s a way! After all, my memory never fails me!” Ling Yun exclaimed proudly as he put on the spare uniform he had not worn for a long time.
“This must be the uniform!” There is the school crest! It’s a bit tight though…”
Ling Yun then proceeded to tidy up the clutter of clothes on the floor. Once done, he put the remaining 70 dollars into his pocket and was on his way to meet Ning Lingyu. Just as he exited the boys’ hostel, Ling Yun took a natural glance towards the female hostel.
His eyes were instantly captivated by the beautiful sight of Ning Lingyu. Such beauty! As for Ning Lingyu, she could not remember when was the last time she had a meal alone with her brother. However, after interacting with him at the field, she realized that Ling Yun was still the same doting and loving brother from six years ago. To her, his eyes still had the same tenderness and kindness in them. Even when he scolded, his eyes had the same reproachful gaze as before. When she had been chatting with him, his tone had still been the same, albeit with just a bit more humor than before.
This time, not only did he not avoid her, he even took the initiative to invite Ning Lingyu for a meal. That scene had brought her back to the time they spent together six years ago. That same brotherly love and sense of security she felt when she was with her brother. It felt as if they had gone back to six years ago.
That was why she wanted to look her best and show her most adorable side to her brother for this very meal. To do that, she made sure to clean every nook and cranny of her body and chose to wear her favorite snow white shirt and blue jeans. (This attire was one that she only wore during special occasions.) After tidying up her appearance, she then decided to go down.
To make the day even better, the weather was perfect. The sky was clear and the sun was shining magnificently in the sky. As Ning Lingyu walked towards Ling Yun, the bright sunlight danced upon her body, projecting an image of a goddess’s descent. From a distance, a young Grade 11 male student saw Ning Lingyu by accident and was left in a daze. So much so that he was unfazed even after a basketball hit him square in the head.
“Brother? Brother!” Ning Lingyu, who noticed how entranced her brother was by her sight, felt a mixture of shyness and satisfaction.
“Ah…oh…” Ling Yun regained his composure after being shocked by the magnitude of his sister’s beauty.
“What are you looking at ?” Ning Lingyu teased her brother despite knowing the answer.
“Nothing…” Ling Yun replied, his face flushed from his sister’s straightforwardness.
“So how do I look?”
“Beautiful, very pretty…”
“As pretty as Cao Shanshan?”
“Whoever Cao Shanshan is, you sure look a thousand times prettier than her…”
If Cao Shanshan had heard that, she would probably have vomited blood from agitation and anger. However, at this moment in time, Ling Yun had really forgotten who Cao Shanshan was.
Satisfied with the answer, Ning Lingyu laughed. Taking the initiative, she wrapped her arm around Ling Yun and started walking towards the cafeteria.
“Anyway, why did you wear the school uniform? No one wears it nowadays.” Ning Lingyu asked curiously.
Smelling the fragrance of her perfume coupled with a whiff of spiritual energy, Ling Yun could not focus his thoughts.
“Well…it’s a long story…” he stuttered.
Of course, Ling Yun had no intention of telling his sister about last night’s accident. Instead, he told her that his original clothing was gone because of a jog yesterday night. He mentioned that he came across someone who had lost his footing and fell into the water. After rescuing the drenched person, he gave ‘him’ his dry shirt to keep ‘him’ warm.
Ning Lingyu raised her long eyelashes and asked further, “If that was the case, that means you have been wronged this whole time. Why didn’t you explain yourself to everyone?”
“Explain? That ain’t my style. In the whole world, the only one I need to explain to is you!” Ling Yun replied arrogantly.
That single phrase made Lingyu’s day. The exceedingly refined smile on her face stopped even the cafeteria staff in their tracks.
A short while ago, before they had reached the cafeteria, a male student had still been looking at Ning Lingyu’s figure. His eyes had been unable to leave the beauty.
“It’s over, I’m over, she’s just too beautiful! I think I’m in love…” the male student mumbled dreamily.
“Throughout the whole school, who isn’t in love with Ning Lingyu? But you better give it up lest you incur the wrath of Xie Junyan.” His friend replied as he picked up the ball.
“What? Are you blind? Isn’t she holding on to that fatty tightly? Isn’t that guy her boyfriend?” The male student retorted.
“Idiot, that’s her brother, remember? The dude that ran eleven rounds around the track with the sandbag!”
“That being said, it is true they are not related by blood. They are just brother and sister in name.” The friend replied in a jealous tone, seeing how intimate they were.
“Hey, you guys! Did any of you see Ling Yun and Ning Lingyu ?” A thunderous voice roared from behind them. Turning around, the male student hit by the ball only saw a tall and burly long-haired male student standing near them.
The Little Gambling God, Tang Meng had just returned from the bank with 10 thousand dollars. Unable to find the siblings at the hostel, he decided to ask these students. The friend who had picked up the ball was a gossip, thus, he naturally recognized Tang Meng. Stunned momentarily, all he managed to stutter was, “Boss Tang, they were walking towards the school cafeteria not too long ago.”
Back in the cafeteria.
“If that is so, pass me your soiled clothes after the meal. I will wash them for you since you never ever wash such things properly.”
Deep down, Ning Lingyu was thinking how she wanted to save up and buy more clothes for her brother.
However, even her last 500 dollars had been spent on the bet with Tang Meng. She was now full of regret, blaming herself for putting up a strong front. Now, she would have to borrow money from her roommates again to survive the month. Yet, she did not dare to tell Ling Yun for fear of upsetting him.
As for the promised 20 times rate, Ning Lingyu did not believe a word of it. Even if it was true, she was sure Tang Meng would not give her a single cent. Furthermore, even if she did win 10 thousand dollars, she would not have the guts to accept it. If her mother knew how she got the money, she would probably be skinned alive!
At the end of that thought, Ning Lingyu could not help but stick out her tongue at her brother playfully.
“By the way, why did you bring me here? Is there even any nice food here ?” Ling Yun asked as he surveyed the cafeteria. It was noisy and the food choices seemed boring.
Ning Lingyu, who felt closer to her brother by the second, smiled with her lips curling up to the perfect angle as she batted an eye at Ling Yun.
“Don’t worry, I won’t let you have a chance to save money. Let’s go to the second floor for our meal.” She replied with a cheeky smile.
The second floor was similar to a hotel lounge. The atmosphere was much more tranquil and it was a place frequented by students who had more money on hand to spend for a meal. It was the place often visited by classes and clubs whenever they wanted to celebrate any special events.
As for the really rich kids celebrating their birthday, of course, they would leave the school for big and luxurious hotels.
“Hey, this isn’t bad at all.” Ling Yun said while nodding his head in approval.
His only memory of the second floor belonged to the previous Ling Yun. It was one where the boy had to visit the two tyrannical bullies of the school once every month to hand over the ‘protection fee’. It was a place of humiliation and ridicule for the previous Ling Yun.
Returning to the present.
Just as the two found a table, Ning Lingyu started ordering dishes as if she was chanting a long incantation.
“Roasted pork, sweet and sour pork ribs, chicken mushroom stew…”
Hearing all the orders rapidly flowing out of his sister’s mouth, Ling Yun started to feel some anxiety. He did not have enough money!
However, he didn’t want to spoil his sister’s good mood at this moment. Moreover, Ling Yun knew that the dishes ordered by Ning Lingyu were all his favorites.
I’m sure Lingyu would have brought some money with her too, right? Let’s eat first and borrow from her later…
I really need to find a way to earn some money soon. Otherwise, there is no way I’ll be able to continue living.
*Ring* The bell signaling the end of lessons for the day rang, interrupting Ling Yun’s thoughts.
At that same moment, Tang Meng entered the second floor.
Tang Meng did not stay in school. Thus, he consumed his breakfast and dinner at home. As for lunch, he either had it outside or on the second floor of the cafeteria. Therefore, most of the staff recognized him.
“Oh, guys, Tang Meng’s here. What would you be having for lunch today?” A staff asked politely.
Ignoring the staff, Tang Meng scanned across the floor before seeing Ning Lingyu ordering food and Ling Yun sitting across at a corner.
“I’ll decide later.” Tang Meng replied softly before walking straight towards Ling Yun’s table.
“I’ve got to say, fat turd, you really got me there! You’ve really changed my opinion of you! To be able to run 4.4 km with that 25 kg sandbag, what kind of crazy spirit possessed you?”
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