“Xi Yu, hurry and invite your classmate inside to cool off under the electric fan.”
Aunt wholeheartedly agreed, chiming in enthusiastically: “It’s too hot outside, staying under the sun too long might cause heatstroke…”
“How could just this little while in the sun cause heatstroke?”
Lin Xiyu muttered quietly, standing rooted to the spot without moving.
“What’s going on with you today? You’re acting a bit strange…”
Cousin’s sharp eyes darted back and forth between the two, keenly sensing something amiss: “Weren’t you perfectly fine just a few days ago? What’s gotten into you all of a sudden, speaking with such sarcasm? Did he offend you?”
“Not really, right?”
Gu Bin quickly defended himself, wearing a pained expression as he protested his innocence: “I haven’t done anything terribly wrong these past few days. I’ve been staying home the whole time, didn’t even dare approach her. How could I possibly have offended her?”
“Maybe…”
Cousin’s eyes rolled thoughtfully before she burst out laughing: “It’s precisely because you didn’t approach her that my cousin got angry.”
“No, stop talking nonsense.”
Lin Xiyu became annoyed, shooting her an irritated glare.
“Look, you’re blushing.”
Cousin, convinced she had guessed the truth, smiled even more triumphantly: “I must have hit the nail on the head. Not seeing him for a few days made you uncomfortable, so you’ve been sulking in silence.”
“You’re still saying…”
Lin Xiyu was truly angry this time. Stamping her foot in frustration, she ran back into the courtyard.
“Hey, hey, aren’t you waiting for the TV station reporters?”
Cousin moved too slowly to grab her, awkwardly withdrawing her hand.
“Has your housing issue been resolved?”
Unable to decipher the young girl’s thoughts, Gu Bin could only speculate in other directions, assuming that troubles with the relocation had put her in a bad mood.
“Housing? What housing?”
Cousin hadn’t expected his train of thought to shift so quickly, momentarily failing to keep up.
“About the demolition matter.”
Gu Bin reminded with a smile: “Don’t you live in public housing? Has the dispute with the landlord’s family been settled?”
“She even told you about that?”
Cousin finally understood, her mouth dropping open in surprise.
“The landlord’s brother-in-law came to make trouble a few days ago. I saw it.”
Not wanting her to get the wrong idea, Gu Bin hurriedly explained.
“Oh, oh, so that’s how it is. I thought…”
Cousin had indeed misunderstood, sheepishly rubbing her nose with some regret.
“Beep beep.”
As they were talking, car horns sounded from the alley entrance as two minibuses turned into the lane.
“The TV station people are here.”
Gu Bin had no time for further questions, pushing his mountain bike into the courtyard to clear the way for the vehicles.
“They’re finally here.”
Cousin immediately perked up, rushing ahead of him back home to deliver the news.
“This is the place.”
The minibuses stopped outside No. 9 courtyard. As the doors opened, Li Yan jumped out first and pointed at the house number.
Other crew members from the program team emerged from the vehicles one after another, carrying equipment.
The commotion outside the gate attracted the attention of many neighbors again. Some gathered around the two vehicles to watch the excitement, cheerfully fanning themselves with palm-leaf fans.
“Yan Jie, you’re here.”
Gu Bin still parked his mountain bike beneath the noodle workshop window. When he came out to greet them from the courtyard, he was surprised to discover that among the group getting off the second vehicle was none other than the TV station director. The two people accompanying him also carried impressive presence, appearing to be no ordinary leading cadres.
“Xiao Bin, come, let me introduce you…”
As the group approached, Li Yan proactively waved him over: “These are Director Zhang from the Tourism Bureau and Director Li from the Municipal Party Committee’s Propaganda Department. The two leaders are here to cut the ribbon for the documentary’s opening ceremony…”