The wind outside was still cold, but the sun had risen higher, shining down on the street, bright and clear.
Yan Tingxu walked ahead, his pace neither fast nor slow.
Shen Qingyou followed behind, watching his back.
After a few steps, Yan Tingxu suddenly stopped.
“What happened just now?”
Shen Qingyou was taken aback. “What?”
Yan Tingxu turned around.
The young girl stood three paces behind him, her face tilted up to look at him.
“Just now, inside,” he said. “The way you looked at Yan Hao wasn’t right.”
Shen Qingyou’s heart gave a jump.
She lowered her eyes, thought for a moment, then lifted them again.
“Third Uncle,” she said, “can I tell you something?”
“Go ahead.”
“Your nephew…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “He seems a little too enthusiastic.”
Yan Tingxu looked at her.
“Is enthusiasm bad?”
“It’s not bad,” Shen Qingyou said. “I’m just not used to it.”
She looked up at him, her gaze serious. “Third Uncle, I grew up in the countryside. I haven’t seen much of the world, and I don’t know how to deal with people. I just want to study quietly and live quietly. I don’t want to get too close to too many people… especially people I don’t know well.”
Yan Tingxu was silent for two seconds.
This young girl certainly spoke her mind.
“Alright,” he said. “If you don’t want to deal with him, then don’t.”
Shen Qingyou’s eyes curved into a smile. “Thank you, Third Uncle.”
Yan Tingxu turned and continued walking.
After a few more steps, he suddenly spoke again. “That boy Yan Hao—he’s not a bad person, just a bit loud and excitable. You don’t need to pay him any attention. He’s overly familiar with everyone. He’ll calm down in a few days.”
Shen Qingyou caught up with him and acknowledged him with a soft sound.
In truth, Yan Hao actually stood out quite a bit among his peers at this age.
Not only was he good-looking, but he was also ambitious.
He attended classes, worked a work-study job at the state-run restaurant, and still had to show up for the youth activities organized by the street office. He was busy from morning till night.
Otherwise, in her previous life, she wouldn’t have been so easily fooled by him.
She suddenly remembered the first time she met Yan Hao in her past life.
Yan Hao had chatted with her very warmly. Unaccustomed to such enthusiasm, she had been so nervous that she’d stammered her replies.
Later, when she got home, Third Uncle asked her what she thought of Yan Hao. She said, “He seems nice.”
Back then, she didn’t know that her response had given Third Uncle the wrong idea.
He thought she liked Yan Hao.
Later, whenever Yan Hao came to see her, Third Uncle never allowed it.
And later still, a neighbor auntie told her that Third Uncle had specifically had a talk with Yan Hao, saying that they were both still young and needed to focus on their studies and work, and that they weren’t allowed to think about any of that other stuff.
Yan Hao had agreed at the time, but he’d been resentful, thinking that Third Uncle was standing in his way.
Then Third Uncle died. Yan Hao came to find her, saying that Third Uncle hadn’t approved of them seeing each other while he was alive, but now that he was gone, he, Yan Hao, would take care of her in Third Uncle’s place.
And she had gone with him, just like that.
Shen Qingyou closed her eyes.
In this life, she couldn’t let Third Uncle misunderstand again.
“Third Uncle,” she suddenly spoke up. “That Yan Hao just now—he said he also goes to Red Star Middle School?”
“Mm.”
“Is he pretty popular?” Shen Qingyou asked.
Yan Tingxu’s footsteps faltered slightly. He turned his head to look at her.
The young girl had asked with a perfectly serious expression, her eyes clear and innocent, not giving the impression of any ulterior motive.
“I wouldn’t know,” he said. “Never asked.”
Shen Qingyou spoke again. “Third Uncle, I’ve heard Red Star Middle School has pretty strict rules—no early romantic relationships?”
This time, Yan Tingxu stopped completely and turned around to face her.
“Why are you asking about that?”
Shen Qingyou blinked. “Just asking casually. Before my mother died, she told me to study hard and not think about anything else. I’m just worried that the school might have that… that kind of atmosphere, and it might affect my studies.”
“…It won’t. Red Star is strict.” Yan Tingxu said. “If you get caught in a relationship, you’ll be disciplined. Serious cases get expelled.”
“That’s good.” She nodded and said, “I just want to study hard. I don’t think about anything else.”
Yan Tingxu looked at her and suddenly recalled how eager Yan Hao had been back at the restaurant.
That boy—the moment he sees a young girl, he latches on. What kind of behavior is that?
He frowned slightly, then spoke with assurance: “You focus on your studies. Don’t worry about anything else. As long as I’m here, no one will dare bother you.”
Shen Qingyou was momentarily taken aback, then looked at his back.
“Mm,” she said, her voice soft. “Thank you, Third Uncle.”
The two walked one behind the other, crossing the alleyway and turning onto another street.
As they walked, Yan Tingxu suddenly stopped again.
Shen Qingyou nearly bumped into his back and quickly halted.
“Third Uncle?”
Yan Tingxu stood there, looking at the person walking toward them from the opposite direction.
It was Yan Hao.
The young man had finished his breakfast and was heading their way. The moment he spotted them, his face broke into a smile and he jogged over.
“Third Uncle! Qingyou! You’re walking so slowly—I’ve caught up with you!”
Shen Qingyou took half a step back, behind Yan Tingxu.
Yan Tingxu looked at Yan Hao with a faint, indifferent gaze.
“Where are you headed?”
“To the street office!” Yan Hao said. “There’s a youth activity this morning. I’m already late—I’m going to get chewed out when I get there.”
“You know you’re going to get chewed out, yet you’re still dawdling?”
Yan Hao grinned sheepishly. “Well, I saw you, didn’t I? Third Uncle, let me tell you something—”
He leaned in closer and lowered his voice.
“Third Uncle, um… which class is Qingyou being assigned to? If she ends up in my class, I can look out for her.”
Yan Tingxu looked at him without saying a word.
Yan Hao felt a chill run down his spine under that gaze. “Third Uncle?”
“You? Look out for her?” Yan Tingxu’s voice was flat, neither harsh nor warm. “You can’t even look out for yourself, and you want to look out for someone else?”
Yan Hao laughed awkwardly. “I just thought… we’re family, we should look out for each other…”
“No need,” Yan Tingxu said. “You don’t need to concern yourself with her affairs.”
Yan Hao was stunned for a moment. He looked at Yan Tingxu, then at Shen Qingyou.
Shen Qingyou stood behind Yan Tingxu, her eyes lowered, not speaking.
“Fine, fine.” Yan Hao raised both hands. “I won’t concern myself. I won’t. Alright, I’m off, Third Uncle—if I’m late, I’ll get chewed out.”
With that, he waved at Shen Qingyou. “Qingyou, see you at school!”
Shen Qingyou nodded but said nothing.
Yan Hao ran off.
Yan Tingxu stood there, watching his figure disappear at the end of the alleyway.
After a moment, he turned and continued walking.
Shen Qingyou followed.
After a few steps, Yan Tingxu suddenly spoke.
“From now on, if he comes looking to talk to you, pay him little attention.”
Shen Qingyou was startled and looked up at him.
“That boy,” Yan Tingxu paused, “is rash and undisciplined. No sense of propriety.”
Shen Qingyou looked at him, and suddenly felt a small urge to laugh.
Was Third Uncle… trying to keep Yan Hao at a distance?
“Third Uncle,” she said, her voice obedient, “I understand.”
Yan Tingxu grunted in acknowledgment and kept walking.
After a bit, he spoke again.
“You’re both only fifteen. This is the age for studying.” He said, “What you should be thinking about and what you shouldn’t—you need to have a clear sense of that in your own heart.”
Shen Qingyou nodded earnestly. “Third Uncle is right. I have a clear sense.”
Yan Tingxu glanced at her.
The young girl was perfectly obedient, her eyes round and dark, her expression gentle and compliant, as if saying, “I’ll listen to everything you say.”
He looked away and continued walking.
At the mouth of the alleyway, he suddenly stopped once more.
“If he comes looking to talk to you again,” Yan Tingxu said, “you tell him I said this: he needs to focus on work and school and stop thinking about all sorts of nonsense.”
Shen Qingyou was taken aback for a moment, then her eyes curved into a smile.
“Alright,” she said. “I’ll do whatever Third Uncle says.”