17 – Your girlfriend?
Lin Ci picked up his pajamas from the bed and put them on. With one hand, he pulled open the door to find Lin Yaojia leaning against the wall, her eyes lowered.
Hearing the movement, she looked up and flashed him a smile.
Lin Ci was quite handsome, his slightly damp red hair falling over his forehead. His features were delicate and well-defined, and he looked much more presentable in his black pajamas.
Although Lin Yaojia and Lin Ci were twins, they didn’t look very much alike—one took after Lin Mu, the other after Lin Fu.
“Lin Yaojia,” the boy called out to her, chin raised.
“What?” Lin Yaojia still felt a bit uneasy.
“Come in!” Lin Ci stepped aside to make room.
Lin Yaojia hesitated, suspecting it might be a trap.
Lin Ci walked over to the wardrobe and said, “Pick out an outfit. I want to see just how good your taste is.”
Lin Yaojia: “…” I thought it was something serious.
Lin Ci’s wardrobe was huge, but at a glance, Lin Yaojia found it an eyesore. It was filled with tight pants and shirts in colors that assaulted the senses.
With great difficulty, she picked out a pair of loose, perfectly intact jeans and a white T-shirt.
“Try these on.”
Lin Ci gave them a critical look before taking them.
Lin Yaojia asked tentatively, “Are you going on a date?”
At that, Lin Ci’s ears flushed bright red. He blinked uncomfortably but pretended to stay calm. “Why do you, a single person, care so much?”
Lin Yaojia was initially shocked by how innocent he seemed, but after hearing his words, she snorted coldly and threw him over her shoulder.
“Fuck!”
Familiar pain shot through his back as Lin Ci hit the floor, too exhausted to complain.
Is she even a girl?
How is she so strong?!
Lin Yaojia crouched down and lectured him, “Next time you mock your older sister like that, it won’t be this simple.”
Lin Ci turned his face away without responding.
Lin Yaojia grabbed his ear. “Did you hear me?”
Lin Ci remained silent.
As Lin Yaojia gradually increased the pressure, Lin Ci grew furious. Just as his ear felt like it was about to be torn off, he reluctantly muttered, “Got it.”
Satisfied, Lin Yaojia stood up with a smile. “Now go get dressed properly, little brother.”
Lin Ci: “…”
What does “family status” mean?
This is it!
Lin Yaojia returned to her room to change, planning to go out as well. She had forgotten to pay for her haircut the night before—the situation had been too chaotic, and she only remembered after getting home.
Lin Ci changed and went downstairs. The clothes were loose, a stark contrast to his usual tight-fitting style. He adjusted them awkwardly and looked up to meet Lin Yaojia’s gaze.
Lin Yaojia leaned against the shoe cabinet, her hair tied in a playful bun. She seemed to have applied lipstick—a cherry red that suited her complexion perfectly, giving her a youthful glow.
She looked up and nodded in approval. “Now that’s handsome.”
Lin Ci felt a bit embarrassed by her praise.
Clearing his throat, he asked coldly, “What are you doing standing here?”
“Going out with you,” Lin Yaojia replied cheerfully. “Don’t get the wrong idea—I just need a ride.”
Summer in the capital was much hotter than in Yicheng. The scorching sun beat down on the branches, leaving the trees listless. The stifling air felt like a giant steamer, and as soon as Lin Yaojia stepped out of the car, a wave of heat hit her face.
“Damn.”
Annoyed, she pulled on her white baseball cap and hurried toward the familiar street.
Lin Yaojia was dressed lightly again today, wearing a pleated skirt paired with a sleeveless cropped tank top. Her arms and legs were exposed to the sun, and her slender, porcelain-white skin seemed to glow under the sunlight.
She was very beautiful, constantly drawing the attention of passersby.
But the cost was a bit high.
Lin Yaojia felt utterly drained from the heat. After walking for ten minutes, she finally found Yan Yan Barber Shop.
The door was tightly shut, and a curtain hung behind it, completely blocking the view inside.
She pushed the door, but it didn’t budge.
Huh??
She pushed again, but the door didn’t even move.
She tilted her head and glanced to the side, immediately spotting a small wooden sign.
—Temporarily Closed.
“What… the… fuck…”
A slow, deliberate curse slipped out, word by word.
It perfectly expressed the girl’s extreme exasperation.
Lin Yaojia held back her frustration and turned to leave.
But as she turned, she suddenly met a pair of pitch-black eyes.
Not far away, Huo Songjin was walking over slowly, wearing flip-flops, a black tank top, and a pair of beach shorts.
He was carrying a large bag of cola in one hand.
“What are you doing here?”
He raised an eyebrow, looking genuinely surprised.
Lin Yaojia felt as if she had seen a savior. “I came to return the money.”
“Return the money?” Huo Songjin was taken aback.
As he approached, Lin Yaojia noticed the black cord around his neck.
The cord disappeared beneath his shirt, its full appearance hidden.
“Yeah, the money for the haircut last night,” Lin Yaojia said, averting her gaze.
Huo Songjin was tall. Standing beside him, she had to tilt her head up to look at him.
“I thought it was something serious,” he said, pulling out his keys to unlock the door. “Come in first.”
As she lifted the curtain, the cool air from the air conditioner brushed against her skin, bringing instant relief.
The barber shop was surprisingly spacious. A hollowed-out partition divided the space in half—one side for haircuts, the other for leisure.
Two long sofas were placed on the leisure side, and not far away was a platform with a TV. One wall was lined with all kinds of snacks: chips, drinks, ice cream, and…
countless packs of hotpot base.
In the middle of the room stood a large square table, where a hotpot bubbled and steamed.
“You guys… really know how to live the good life.”
Lin Yaojia clicked her tongue in admiration.
Huo Songjin placed the cola he had just bought into the fridge one by one. “It’s alright.”
“Dog Brother, you’re back?”
The voice came before the person.
Pang Meng emerged carrying a plate of shrimp paste, but the words he was about to say next were swallowed back in surprise.
There was an unfamiliar, pretty girl in the shop.
He stared wide-eyed as Huo Songjin pulled a bottle of Wahaha from the fridge and handed it to the girl.
The girl pursed her lips, her eyes curving with delight as she softly said, “Thank you.”
A moment later, she asked, “How did you know I like this?”
“I vaguely remembered from last time at the internet cafe,” Huo Songjin replied before turning to Pang Meng. “Are you dumb?”
Pang Meng: “”
Was this really his aloof, distant brother who kept women at arm’s length?
Had his soul been swapped?
He placed the shrimp paste on the table. “You’re the dumb one. Who’s this pretty girl? Your girlfriend?”
Lin Yaojia: “”
Huo Songjin: “”
Seizing the moment while both were still processing, Pang Meng punched Huo Songjin’s shoulder. “You’re something else, keeping a girlfriend a secret from me.
Do you even consider me your brother?”
Huo Songjin curled his thin lips. “I’ll date your ass.”
Pang Meng wasn’t offended by the insult. On second thought, it really didn’t seem like Huo Songjin, that dog, would have a girlfriend.
Pang Meng turned to stare at Lin Yaojia. “…Then, miss, you…”
Lin Yaojia quickly replied, “I forgot to pay when I got my hair cut yesterday.”
“Oh, I see.” Pang Meng scratched his head and let out an awkward laugh.
He was very fat, but his clothes looked expensive.
His skin was exceptionally fair, and his facial features were stretched by the flesh, making his smile resemble that of Maitreya Buddha.